UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

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Ryo Munakata started classical ballet training at the age of five at Etoile Ballet Studio studying under Misako Kawamura, Sergiy Savoschenko and other renowned instructors. He began entering in dance competitions at the age of ten and expanded his horizons by taking modern ballet lessons with Yuko Takahashi at 13.Since 2010, Munakata studied at American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) summer intensive program in New York City by recommendation of dance instructor, Hilary Cartwright. He trained at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at ABT from 2014-2016 and Manhattan Youth Ballet from 2015-2016.Munakata joined Minnesota Ballet as a company member from 2016-2018 and Ballet West as a company member from 2018-2019 where he performed Rubies and Diamonds in Balanchine’s Jewels. He returned to Minnesota Ballet for the 2019-2020 season and has joined Rochester City Ballet for the 2020-2021 season. In 2018 Munakata was a finalist in the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS and a semi-finalist in the 2019 International Ballet Choreography Competition in Beijing, China.

Samantha received her early ballet training at Connecticut Concert Ballet under the direction of Wendy Fish-Lawrence and David Lawrence. Originally from Deerfield, Massachusetts, she left home to train at Walnut Hill School for the Arts during her high school years. Upon graduating in 2017, Sam joined Ballet Austin’s fellowship program and second company where she had the opportunity to perform George Balanchine’s Valse Fantaisie, and Petipa’s Paquita Pas de Trois. She then joined Ballet Tucson as a senior apprentice and is currently dancing with Rochester City Ballet. Being in the corps de ballet of George Balanchine’s Concerto Barroco has been her favorite moment on stage so far in her professional career. 

Katherine is a Minneapolis-based performer, company founder, and dance instructor.  She has danced professionally and toured state-wide with Continental Ballet Company, St. Paul City Ballet, Metropolitan Ballet, and Ballet Minnesota. Katherine is the founder of the 501(3)c non-profit ballet company Minneapolis Ballet Dancers. The company has served as a platform to give opportunities to local professional artists to choreograph and perform their own works. 

Originally from Wasilla, Alaska Katherine began her early years of dance training based in Vaganova at Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy/Dancer’s Workshop. From the years 2006-2010, she studied the classical technique of Cecchetti as well as tap and jazz, achieving a BFA degree in ballet from Friends University under the direction of Stan Rogers. During that time, she had the honor of working with artists such as Shawn Stevens from New York City Ballet and Dominic Walsh from Houston Ballet/Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre and also had the pleasure of sharing the stage with globally-known guest artists such as Wendy Whalen, Philip Neal, Frederica Vincisori, and Melody Herrera. She has also had the privilege of working with Alaska Dance Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Tuscan, Atlanta Festival Ballet, and TU Dance in summer programs. In 2015 she choreographed and directed North Ballet Academy’s productions of Nutcracker and Coppelia. She became certified in the teaching Progressing Ballet Technique in 2018. Katherine has been dancing for 29 years and currently teaches at Northern Force Dance Company.