Archives: People
Jillian Kramarck
Jillian Kramarck was born and raised in Newark, Delaware and began her dance training at the age of 3. She trained at Delaware Arts Conservatory in all styles of dance and received the majority of her ballet instruction under ballet mistress Priscilla Payson, as well as private coaching from Philadelphia Ballet Principal Dancers, Yuka Iseda and Sterling Baca. Kramarck has been a finalist at Youth America Grand Prix and a bronze medalist at National Ballet Competition. She has also received multiple awards for her own choreography. Kramarck has attended summer training at Philadelphia Ballet, Carolina Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Koresh Dance Company. She danced with American Repertory Ballet as a trainee for two years starting in 2022. While in the trainee program, Kramarck performed both Dulcinea and the Act 3 Pas De Deux in the trainee program’s production of Don Quixote. She has also danced in ARB’s The Nutcracker, Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, and Ethan Stiefel’s Classic Beauty.
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Rachel Quiner
Rachel Quiner was born and raised in Northern New Jersey and began her formal ballet training at the North Jersey School of Dance Arts. From 2015-2018, she danced the role of Clara for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. She is a ballet dancer in the movie The Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman. In 2017, she placed second in classical and contemporary at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Semifinals in Philadelphia and was a scholarship recipient at the YAGP Finals. She joined American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in 2020. Highlights from her time there included performances in Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s Gala at the Joyce Theater, the International Rescue Committee Gala at Gotham Hall and ABT’s Fall Gala at Lincoln Center in 2023. She has guested as the Sugar Plum Fairy for Hunterdon Hills Ballet, Strictly Ballet and Washington Rock Dance. She has also danced the role of Clara for New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker in 2023. Rachel joined American Repertory Ballet in January 2024. At ARB she has performed many roles including Florine, the White Cat, Holberg Suite, Anthony Tudor’s Little Improvisations, a Lassie & Sylph in the premiere of Ethan Stiefel’s Spirit of the Highlands, the Flames of Paris Pas De Deux, and a soloist variation in Paquita.
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Meredith Rainey
Meredith Rainey began dancing at 15 in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale. In 1985, he became the first African American dancer of the Milwaukee Ballet. In 1987, he was invited to join the newly formed Pennsylvania-Milwaukee Ballet, when the collaboration ended, he remained with the Pennsylvania Ballet for 17 years—much of that time as a soloist—until his retirement in 2006. Among other awards and fellowships, Rainey has been the recipient of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship (1995 & 2002), the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Artist as Catalyst Grant (2001), the Independence Foundation Fellowship in the Arts (2002), a finalist for the Pew Fellowship in the Arts (2003), and a Pew Center for Arts and Heritage Grant (2010). He has been commissioned to create works for Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, BalletX, Delaware Ballet, Hubbard Street 2, National Ballet De Cali, Danse4Nia Repertory Ensemble, and institutions such as The University of the Arts, Drexel University, Stockton University, Georgian Court University, Goucher College, Swarthmore College, and Bryn Mawr College. His work has been performed in North and South America and throughout Spain. In 2009, Rainey founded and directed Carbon Dance Theatre, a contemporary ballet company in Philadelphia. In 2014 after deciding to concentrate on artistic projects, he closed the company and remained a sought-after teacher, mentor, and independent choreographer. In the fall of 2019, Rainey graduated with top honors as a member of the first cohort of candidates for the Master of Fine Arts in Dance from The University of the Arts. (Photo credit: Portia Jones)
Stephanie Martinez
Chicago-based choreographer, Stephanie Martinez, moves her audiences along a journey guided by the kinetic momentum of her award-winning works spanning over 12 years. With original creations for Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Charlotte Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Bruce Wood Dance, Nashville Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, BalletX, and Milwaukee Ballet, among others. Theatre credits include Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Martinez’s versatility expands the boundaries of contemporary ballet movement. Martinez has created over 70 ballets on companies and collegiate programs across the country. Martinez has received numerous grants for her work and is continually recognized for her work as a female artist of color. Dubbed “a chameleon” of choreography by the Chicago Tribune, Martinez’s psychologically revelatory works challenge the viewer’s notion of what is possible. Martinez is the founder and artistic director of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre in Chicago, IL established in July 2020. (Photo credit: Todd Rosenberg)
Olivia Miranda
Olivia graduated from The Ailey School and Fordham University with a B.F.A. in Dance and English (2018). She currently dances with Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater and previously danced with Ballet Hispanico’s BHdos. She has performed works by Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Colby Damon, Graham Lustig, Riccardo de Nigris, Andrea Weber, and Kanji Segawa. She has performed at Lincoln Center and the historic Apollo Theater. Miranda has presented and performed choreographic works at Asbury Park Dance Festival, Ailey Citigroup Theatre, Dixon Place, Rider University, The Tank NYC, and Bell Works. Miranda has taught dance in New Jersey for over six years and is also a certified yoga instructor.
Calvin Hilpert
Calvin Hilpert began his pre-professional training at age 12 with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, then at age 15, he subsequently transitioned his studies to the San Francisco Ballet School. Following his training, Hilpert joined the KUNST-STOFF dance company where he danced on multiple international tours. Ever in the pursuit of more knowledge, Hilpert decided to deepen his understanding of contemporary movement after receiving an invitation to study as a guest at the Palucca Hochschule für Tanz in Dresden, Germany. While at school in Dresden, he was scouted by a guest teacher to join the Saarländisches Staatstheater. During his time with the company, he had the pleasure of dancing works by acclaimed dance makers such as Stijn Celis, Marguerite Donlon, Bernard Baumgarten, and Fernando Hernando, among others, as well as creating a brand new work himself. After gaining this new perspective on dance, movement, and art-making, Hilpert returned to the KUNST-STOFF dance company as an Artistic Contributor where he collaborated on creating several works with the company’s Artistic Director, Yannis Adoniou. In addition to this collaboration, he had the opportunity to create multiple works on his own. Following the conclusion of his second stint with KUNST-STOFF, Hilpert accepted an invitation to join the Budapest Dance Theatre. In Budapest, he enjoyed performing various works by respected choreographers such as Jiří Pokorný, Rasa Hammadi, Béla Földi, and Alexandra Sághy.
Tomoya Suzuki
Tomoya Suzuki was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, where he began his training at the age of 10. In 2019, at the age of 16, he moved to Philadelphia where he trained for three years at The Rock School for Dance Education. While at The Rock School, he performed the role of Cavalier in The Nutcracker as well as La Esmeralda and Justin Allen’s Above as Below. He joined ARB’s Trainee program, and quickly moved up to ARB2. Suzuki performed as the Nephew/ Nutcracker Prince, Soldier Doll, and Candy Cane in ARB’s The Nutcracker, Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, Arthur Mitchell’s Holberg Suite, and Stiefel’s VARIANTS.
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Avery Snyder
Born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, Avery Snyder began her dance training locally at the age of 3. When her interest in ballet grew into a passion for the art form, Avery sought private training to refine her technique and took 2 years of private lessons with Nicole Busse McGurn before attending the newly formed Charlottesville Ballet Academy in 2011. Avery trained at the Charlottesville Ballet Academy until 2016 when she joined the professional company as a trainee while she simultaneously completed her junior year of high school. In 2018, she attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) high school classical ballet program for her senior year. Avery continued her training under the esteemed faculty of UNCSA at the collegiate level and graduated in May of 2021 with a BFA in classical ballet. Following her graduation from UNCSA, Avery accepted a traineeship with American Repertory Ballet and was recently promoted to Company member in May of 2025. During her time with ARB, she has had the honor of performing various roles such as The White Cat in The Sleeping Beauty, Little Swan in Swan Lake, as well as performing the female role in Anthony Tudor’s pas de deux, Little Improvisations.
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Arthur Mitchell
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Arthur Mitchell (Choreographer, Holberg Suite) was known around the world for creating and sustaining the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the internationally acclaimed ballet company he co-founded with Karel Shook in 1969. Following a brilliant career as a principal artist with the New York City Ballet, Mr. Mitchell dedicated his life to changing perceptions and advancing the art form of ballet through the first permanently established African American and racially diverse ballet company. Born in New York City in 1934, Mr. Mitchell began his dance
training at New York City’s High School of the Performing Arts, where he won the coveted annual dance award and subsequently a full scholarship to the School of American Ballet. In 1955, he became the first male African American to become a permanent member of a major ballet company when he joined New York City Ballet. Mr. Mitchell rose quickly to the rank of Principal Dancer during his fifteen-year career with New York City Ballet and electrified audiences with his performances in a broad spectrum of roles. Upon learning of the death of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and with financial assistance from Mrs. Alva B. Gimbel, the Ford Foundation and his own savings, Mr. Mitchell founded Dance Theatre of Harlem with his mentor and ballet instructor Karel Shook. With an illustrious career that has spanned over fifty years, Mr. Mitchell was the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, a National Medal of the Arts, a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, the New York Living Landmark Award, the Handel Medallion, the NAACP Image Award, and more than a dozen honorary degrees.
Works Choreographed for American Repertory Ballet:
Holberg Suite