People Archive - American Repertory Ballet

Lisa Lacroce Patterson

Lisa Lacroce Patterson is pleased to join the staff of American Repertory Ballet | Princeton Ballet School as the Director of Development after being involved with the organization for over 25 years as a parent, student, member of the Development and Gala Committees, and development and marketing consultant. Passionate about the performing arts in all its forms, she has worked in non-profit and commercial performing arts management, including Broadway theater, for over thirty-five years.

Lisa holds a Masters in Performing Arts Administration from New York University in conjunction with the Stern School of Business, receiving the Graduate Students Organization Distinguished Service Award in 1988. Most recently, she served as the Director of Individual Giving at Theatre Communications Group in New York from 2022-2024, and in 2021 completed leading a $26.5 million capital campaign for the 100-year-old State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick, NJ.

Lisa was successful as the Director of Individual Giving at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ for over ten years, consistently exceeding budgeted fundraising goals. She has also served as the Director of Development at the Bucks County Playhouse and the Director of Development and Marketing at the Arts Council of Princeton.

In Philadelphia, fresh out of graduate school, Lisa was on the capital campaign staff for The Wilma Theater, helping them build their gorgeous facility on the “Avenue of the Arts.” In New York City, she worked in general management, marketing and development for the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Circle in the Square Theater, and Theatre for a New Audience, where she was the General Manager.

Lisa was a management associate for several Broadway shows in the 1990s, including the original production of The Who’s Tommy, and the revivals of Guys and Dolls (starring Nathan Lane), The King and I (starring Lou Diamond Phillips) and How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying (starring Matthew Broderick, all with Dodger Productions), as well as many British imports, including the original production of Art (starring Alan Alda, Victor Garber and Alfred Molina), Amy’s View (starring Dame Judi Dench), The Diary of Anne Frank (starring Linda Lavin), and The Blue Room (starring Nicole Kidman, all with the late Stuart Thompson). She was also an independent producer of multiple shows, with her favorite collaborators being the legendary songwriting team of Kander and Ebb.

In 2010, Lisa was brought to Taiwan to serve as an arts management panelist for the “Vision and Prospect” academic conference at both the Center for Public and Business Administration Education at National Chengchi University in Taiwan, and Tainan National University of the Arts in Kaohsiung.

Lisa has taught Marketing the Arts at Westminster Choir College (Rider University) and often serves as a guest lecturer at Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts. She has served as a marketing and development consultant for Crossroads Theatre Company led by Marshall Jones.

In 2022, Lisa was the Founding Board President for the Skraban-Deardorff Syndrome Foundation, which was launched to raise research funds for this very rare genetic disability and to join families together for mutual support and information-sharing.

A resident of Princeton for over 27 years, she has written for American Theatre magazine (published by Theatre Communications Group) and Pointe magazine, and has served on the advisory board of her undergraduate alma mater’s arts center, Williams Center for the Arts at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. Having lived in the South of France from 1996-1997, she speaks French fluently and is proud of her two children, Jackie (25) and Audrey (21), both of whom love dance as much as Lisa does. She is grateful to ARB | PBS for starting a special class for differently-abled students in 2018 and naming it “Audrey’s Class.”

Raul Cordies

Raul Cordies is a Cuban-born saxophonist, educator, and founder whose musical career spans classical, jazz, chamber music, and arts education. Born in Santiago de Cuba, he began his formal musical training at the Esteban Salas Conservatory of Music, where he developed a strong foundation in saxophone performance. He continued his professional studies at the Professional School of Music in Camagüey, Cuba, actively performing in numerous jazz festivals as a member of a saxophone quartet. These early performance experiences played a key role in shaping his artistic voice and expanding his presence within Cuba’s jazz and classical music scenes. Dedicated to lifelong learning, he pursued further classical saxophone studies at the prestigious Higher Institute of Arts (ISA) in Havana, Cuba. In 2008, he co-founded the Latin Sax Quartet alongside former music school colleagues, with the encouragement of legendary classical clarinetist, Latin jazz saxophonist, composer, and 13-time Grammy Award winner Paquito D’Rivera. The ensemble has performed at notable venues and institutions such as the Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York, Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center, Hudson Theatre (NYC), Salem State University, and the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Beyond his work as a saxophonist, Mr. Cordies has also developed as a pianist, his second instrument. He has collaborated in ballet classes and classical performances at the Princeton Ballet School and other respected artistic institutions, reflecting his versatility and commitment to interdisciplinary artistic work.

GG Glazer

GG Glazer is a passionate musician, educator, and composer with over 15 years experience as an accompanist for dance programs across New Jersey.

A Remo HealthRhythms® and Rhythm2Recovery trained facilitator, she currently brings drumming to Dance for Parkinson’s classes, Drumming for Mindfulness, and more. With Pulse Synergy, GG aims to help more people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers discover the power of rhythm and music.

Jaime Santoro

Jaime Santoro began her ballet training at the age of six at both The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Philadelphia Dance Conservatory. She went on to perform as a member of the Philadelphia Ballet before joining Orlando Ballet in 1996, where she enjoyed a distinguished fourteen-season career. In the summer of 2001, Ms. Santoro was awarded a Professional Fellowship and invited to perform as a guest artist with the Rome Festival, touring and performing throughout Italy.

While with Orlando Ballet, Ms. Santoro performed numerous soloist and principal roles in both classical and contemporary works. Her classical repertoire includes The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her Balanchine repertoire includes Symphony in C (First and Fourth Movements), Who Cares?, Concerto Barocco, Valse Fantaisie, Serenade, and Agon. She also performed in contemporary masterpieces such as Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs and The Upper Room, as well as Val Caniparoli’s Going for Baroque.

The transition from principal and soloist dancer to choreographer and teacher was a natural evolution for Ms. Santoro and provided her the opportunity to contribute artistically and educationally to several organizations, including Orlando Ballet, Orlando Ballet School, Springton Dance Academy, and Dance Arts of Yardley.

In 2009, Ms. Santoro was recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for her dedication, leadership, and excellence in the performing arts.

Most recently, Ms. Santoro served as Children’s Ballet Mistress and Head Teacher of the Trainee Program with the Philadelphia Ballet for ten years. In that role, she was instrumental in the development and training of professional dancers and students and played a pivotal role in staging and rehearsing George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, helping to inspire, guide, and shape the next generation of young dancers.

Ms. Santoro looks forward to bringing her experience, talent, and love for dance to the professional dancers and students of the American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School, continuing her lifelong commitment to artistic excellence and education in the art of ballet.

Seth Mellman

Seth Mellman is a professional videographer residing in Princeton, NJ. With more than 30 years experience as a stage manager for live television productions (including The Tony Awards, Grammy Awards, MTV Awards and Kennedy Center Honors), Seth has more recently turned his focus to supporting non-profit organizations in the Princeton area with his videography and editing services. He has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School since 2020.

Ryoko Tanaka

Ryoko Tanaka was born and raised in Wakayama Japan, where she began her training. In 2013, she was selected to be in the Nancy Einhorn Milwaukee Ballet II program. In 2017, she joined the trainee program at American Repertory Ballet and soon moved up to ARB 2, and by 2018, she was promoted to ARB company member. Since joining the company, Ryoko has performed the title role in Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Odette in Swan Lake (for Princeton Ballet School). She has also performed featured roles in Stiefel’s Wood Work, Overture, VARIANTS, as well as Caili Quan’s Circadia, Amy Seiwert’s Sight Line and World, Interrupted, Paul Taylor’s Airs, Trey McIntyre’s Blue Until June, Meredith Rainey’s Intrare Forma and multiple other roles. In 2021, she made her debut as choreographer for ARB with Saudade. She continued her choreographic work with ARB in 2022, collaborating with composer/pianist Ian Howells to create Hindsight and most recently TSUBOMI, for Princeton Ballet School.

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Aldeir Monteiro

Aldeir Monteiro (Sponsored by Nancy and Duncan MacMillan) began his training at the Centro de Arte e Dança de Campo Grande in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, coached by Daniel Mendéz and directed by Alice Arja. Monteiro won the Bronze Medal at the XVIII International Dance Seminar of Brasilia in 2008. He continued his training at the Miami City Ballet School and joined Miami City Ballet in 2012 under the direction of Edward Villella, followed by Lourdes Lopez. Monteiro performed in the original cast of Euphotic choreographed by Liam Scarlett for the Miami City Ballet in 2013. His repertoire includes Alexei Ratmansky’s Symphonic Dances; Sir Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs; George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Serenade, La Valse, and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue; Paul Taylor’s Piazolla Caldera; John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet and others. Since joining ARB in 2016, Monteiro has performed principal roles such as Cavalier in The Nutcracker, Lysander in Douglas Martin’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Matador in Kirk Peterson’s Carmen, Franz in Coppelia, Paul Taylor’s Airs, José Límon’s There is a Time, Gerald Arpino’s Sea Shadow and Jean de Brienne in Peterson’s Glazunov Variations. Other credits include Trey McIntyre’s Blue Until June, Septime Webre’s Fluctuating Hemlines, and Riccardo De Nigris’ Beyond the Normal, Ethan Stiefel’s Wood Work and VARIANTS, Amy Seiwert World, Interrupted and Sight Line, and Arthur Mitchell’s Holberg Suite. Monteiro originated the role of Puck, dancing alongside ARB’s Artistic Associate Gillian Murphy in Stiefel’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Albrecht in Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle.

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Nanako Yamamoto

Nanako Yamamoto was born and raised in Japan where she began her training at the Geĳutsuza Ballet Studio “Jardin des Arts”, performing such roles as Clara in The Nutcracker, Rose Adagio in The Sleeping Beauty and the title role in Cinderella. In 2005, she was selected to attend the prestigious Royal Ballet Summer School, then was accepted to the Elmhurst School for Dance in Association with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. While a student, she performed in the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s National Tour of Firebird, Fokine’s Petrushka, Petipa’s Raymonda and David Bintley’s Beauty and the Beast. She performed for his Royal Highness Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in addition to the grand re-opening of Birmingham’s Town Hall. Since graduating in 2009, she has performed with New Tampa Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Tampa, Ballet Fleming, Virginia Regional Ballet, in Giselle with Boca Ballet Theatre alongside Julie Kent and Marcelo Gomes, and as soloist in La Bayadere with Gillian Murphy and José Manuel Carreño. Since joining ARB, she has danced featured roles in The Nutcracker, including Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen, the title role in Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, Changeling and Titania in Stiefel’s world premiere of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as Belle in Kirk Peterson’s world premiere of Beauty and the Beast. She has also been featured in Gerald Arpino’s Confetti and Sea Shadow, Peterson’s Carmen and Glaznov Variation, Claire Davison’s world premiere Time Within A Time and other works by Douglas Martin, Kirk Peterson, Mary Barton, David Fernandez, Colby Damon and Ethan Stiefel.

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Miles Orvetti

Miles Orvetti grew up in Washington D.C training at the Maryland Youth Ballet and The Washington School of Ballet. As a young dancer, Miles performed in supernumerary roles at the Kennedy Center in American Ballet Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty, Royal Ballet’s Don Quixote, and other acclaimed ballet performances. After spending summers in 2019 with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and in 2020 and 2021 with San Francisco Ballet, Miles was taken into the Professional Training Division at The Washington Ballet training under Xiomara Reyes and Rinat Imaev. As a student he performed in school performances of Don Quixote, Esmerelda, Giselle’s Peasant Pas, and various other classical and contemporary works. Eventually becoming a trainee, Orvetti also performed in company roles in Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker, Julie Kent’s Swan Lake, and Julie Kent’s Sleeping Beauty as well as understudying Balanchine’s Theme and Variations.

At the Kansas City Ballet where Miles joined in 2024 as a second company member, he performed various roles in Septime Webre’s Alice in Wonderland, Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker, Anna-Marie Holmes’ Don Quixote, Lila York’s Celts, Duncan Cooper’s Forward, and at lecture demonstrations and outreach events. Miles also has had the opportunity to choreograph on other students in his works The Morning Bell and Cold Flashes Drown the Music and hopes to continue to choreograph and create in the future.

Miles is very excited to begin his first season with American Repertory Ballet!

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Headshot by xmbphotography and Mena Brunette; editing by Megan Teat

Jonathan Benjamin

Since the completion of his Masters of Music at Rice University, Jonathan Benjamin has built a varied career as a pianist, composer, and arranger. While in Houston, he arranged, conducted and performed Gershwin pieces for Tim O’Keefe’s Fascinating Evening. For American Repertory Ballet, he has composed, orchestrated, arranged, and performed for many pieces including a restaging of Twyla Tharp”s Eight Jelly Rolls, Kirk Peterson’s Eyes That Gently Touch, Douglas Martin’s Pride and Prejudice, Ethan Stiefel’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, and most recently Luis Napoles’s Compasso. He also regularly plays at Broadway Dance and Steps Over Broadway, as well as keeping a busy freelance career throughout the Tri-State area.