American Repertory Ballet

Archives: People

Michael Crawford

Michael Crawford is from Takoma Park, Maryland. He began dancing with prestigious schools, including the Maryland Youth Ballet and Kirov Academy, with summer intensives at The Rock School and San Francisco Ballet on full scholarships. In his senior year, he was accepted into the Kennedy Center’s Master Class Series, where he trained and performed with top international companies. Mr. Crawford then moved on to the Washington Ballet where, in their top training program, he performed with the company under the direction of Septime Webre. Upon graduation, he went on to study and perform in the Professional Division of The Pacific Northwest Ballet under the direction of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell. After Pacific Northwest Ballet, he danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Jose Mateo Ballet, Ballet Memphis, American Repertory Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and Oakland Ballet. At these companies, he performed several ballets as a principal artist. He has been privileged to work alongside top productions, such as “Guys and Dolls,” “West Side Story,” “Show Boat,” and other musical performances at The Kennedy Center, as well as touring many other international stages. He has also worked guestings with The Washington National Opera, Adam Miller Dance Project, Kinetic Dance Works, Brooklyn Ballet, and Ballet Neo.


While signed with New York Model Management, Mr. Crawford had the honor to
internationally known campaign. He has walked in several seasons of NYC Fashion Week. He also appeared in the feature film “Step Up” and can be seen on television in ABC’s production of “Forever.” Michael is also an award-winning teacher and choreographer. He has been teaching and choreographing nationally and internationally for over 10 years. He has coached many prize-winning students for competitions, such as Youth America Grand Prix. Some of his students have gone on to prestigious college programs, top dance companies, and leading Broadway performers. Michael is on faculty at many studios including Broadway Dance Center and STEPS on Broadway in NYC.

Anna Fredeen

Anna Fredeen (B.A. Dance Science, Rider University) has danced with multiple dance studios in Connecticut and New Jersey where she trained in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, musical theater, choreography, modern, and leaps and turns. Before attending Rider University, she studied at Texas Christian University for two years in the School of Classical and Contemporary Dance. Fredeen has attended residential dance intensives in New York City and performed with dance companies at venues such as The Joyce Theater, Peridance, Disney World, and The Orange Bowl, where she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Tyler Gilstrap, Sidra Bell, and Chris Judd. In the most recent years, Fredeen participated in American Dance Festival and the National Choreography Intensive, and has become a satellite member of the modern dance company Luminarium, based out of Boston, MA. She has received awards from various institutions, including Rider University and the National Choreography Intensive, for her choreography and involvement in the dance community. Fredeen currently teaches dance at local studios and works with many studios over the summer as a guest artist. As a committed dancer, teacher, and choreographer, Fredeen strives to pass down her knowledge and experience to students, using Dance Science to bring awareness to the physicality required of dancers to ensure a safe environment for all.

Anthony Pototski

Anthony Pototski (Sponsored by Jane Leslie Burgin) began his training at the School of American Ballet in 2007, performing in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and The Magic Flute. In 2012, he joined the Academy of Dance and Creative Art, where he danced pas de deux ranging from Giselle, Cinderella, Blue Bird, and The Nutcracker, to lesser known modern pieces. In 2016, he received a full scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, where he was fortunate to work with Cynthia Harvey, Robert La Fosse, Ethan Stiefel, Karin Averty, Fabrice Herrault and Pertujska Broholm. After graduating in 2020, he continued his training with the Bolshoi Ballet’s Margarita Smirnova in Milan, Italy, before returning to the U.S., to join Princeton Ballet School as a trainee. During his time with PBS, he performed in its spring production of Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, and in Ethan Stiefel’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His ARB credits include Hilarion in Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, Caili Quan’s Circadia, Claire Davison’s Time Within A Time, Arthur Mitchell’s Holberg Suite, and Stiefel’s VARIANTS.

Please click here to learn about dancer sponsorship opportunities. 

Headshot by Harald Schrader Photography

Jasmine Jasper

Born in Munich, Germany to German and Italian parents, Jasmine Jasper began her training at the age of 5 in a nearby studio in her hometown. In 2008 she moved to Orlando, FL with her family where she started dancing at the Orlando Ballet School, training with Rebecca Martin and Theresa Crawford. She later joined the Central Florida Ballet in 2011, under the direction of Vasile Petrutiu, Vladimir Bykov, and Natalya Bashkatova. In 2015, she was accepted into ABT’s JKO School, where she performed in Jessica Lang’s The Gift, Alexei Ratmansky’s Rondo Capriccioso, Jerome Robbins’ Interplay, ABT’s Spring Preview as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and ABT’s Le Corsaire, and Harlequinade, all while under the training of Cynthia Harvey, Robert La Fosse, Ethan Stiefel, Karin Averty, Fabrice Herrault, Pertujska Broholm, and Harriet Clark. In 2020, she became a NYU/ABT Certified Teacher and joined Princeton Ballet School as a Trainee a year later. There she had the opportunity to dance the title role in Princeton Ballet School’s spring production of Giselle, and to be a part of Ethan Stiefel’s A Midsummers Night’s Dream, right before joining the school’s company as an ARB2 dancer in 2022 and then becoming an Apprentice soon after. She has taken part in productions such as Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, The Nutcracker, Stiefel’s VARIANTS and Wood Work, Arthur Mitchell’s Holberg Suite and more.

Please click here to learn about dancer sponsorship opportunities. 

Headshot by Harald Schrader Photography

Lily Krisko

Lily Krisko (Sponsored by Ken Fredeen and Jane Silverman) was raised in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania and began her formal ballet training at the age of 10. Growing up, she trained at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) in Carlisle, Pennsylvania under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. While at CPYB, she had the honor to perform roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Juliet in Alan Hineline’s Romeo & Juliet, and Lead Russian Girl in Balanchine’s Serenade. Krisko attended many summers at Miami City Ballet as well as Ballet Academy East, CPYB, and Philadelphia Ballet. She was then invited by Angel Corella to become a trainee with Philadelphia Ballet on full scholarship. While at Philadelphia Ballet, she performed Snow and Flowers in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, 1st Regiment in Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes, and Swan Corps in Corella’s Swan Lake. With American Repertory Ballet, she has danced in Ethan Stiefel’s Delibes Duet, as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, in Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, as Changeling in Ethan Stiefel’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in Arthur Mitchell’s Holberg Suite, as the Sylph in Ethan Stiefel’s Spirit of the Highlands following La Sylphide, and in George Balanchine’s Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux.

Please click here to learn about dancer sponsorship opportunities. 

Headshot by Harald Schrader Photography

Roland Jones

Roland Jones was born and raised in Poolesville, Maryland. He began training at Maryland Youth Ballet in 2012, before continuing his development as a trainee at Ballet West Academy under Jeff Rogers from 2017-2019. At Ballet West, he had the opportunity to perform as Oberon in George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and guest performed as Colas in the University of Utah’s production of La Fille Mal Gardée, before being promoted to Ballet West II. In 2021, Jones joined Richmond Ballet II under Igor Antonov and Malcolm Burn, performing in ballets Romeo and Juliet and Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante. Jones joined ARB as an apprentice in 2022, and performed in Da’Von Doane’s Kaleidoscope Mind, Caili Quan’s Circadia, Claire Davison’s Bewitched. Jones also had the opportunity to perform as the Snow King and Cavalier in ARB’s The Nutcracker.

Please click here to learn about dancer sponsorship opportunities. 

Headshot by Harald Schrader Photography

Savannah Quiner

Savannah Quiner was born and raised in Northern New Jersey and began her formal ballet training at the age of five at her local ballet studio. In 2017, she placed first in classical at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Semifinals in Boston and was a scholarship recipient at the YAGP Finals. In 2019, she attended the American Ballet Theatre’s summer intensive before joining the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School for three years. During that time, Savannah trained under the direction of Cynthia Harvey, Petruskja Broholm, and Caridad Martinez. She has danced the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy for various studios in New Jersey from 2018–2020 and in New York Theatre Ballet’s Nutcracker in 2021. She performed with ABT at Lincoln Center in Swan Lake (2019, 2022, and 2023) and in Manon (2019). In 2021, she received second runner-up at The Dance Awards in Orlando for Senior Best Dancer. Savannah joined American Repertory Ballet in 2022 as an apprentice and was promoted to company the following year. At ARB, she has performed in The Nutcracker as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Odette in Swan Lake, Myrtha in Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, Paquita, Kitri in Don Quixote, Amy Seiwert’s Sight Line, Stephanie Martinez’s The Time That Runs Away, and Lar Lubovitch’s Something About Night. In 2025, she appeared in Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino’s TV series Étoile as a background dancer.

Please click here to learn about dancer sponsorship opportunities. 

Headshot by Harald Schrader Photography

Alexandra Jans

Alexandra “Ali” Jans has been training in ballet and other dance forms for over twenty years. She grew up a military kid, stationed across the U.S. as well as abroad, which presented opportunities to work with many world-renowned instructors and choreographers. She trained under various acclaimed instructors including Stefan Grebeldinger, Franca Desinia, Paula Weber, David Justin, Gary Abbott, DeeAnna Hiett, Ronald Tice, and Mishic and Valentine Liberatore. Jans trained for three years in Italy at the feeder school to Teatro alla Scala in Milan. While in Europe she performed The Nutcracker with the Croatian National Ballet and Don Quixote with the State Ballet of Georgia (Europe). She also attended an invitation-only summer intensive in Novi Sad, Serbia. Jans spent two years pursuing a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she worked with a variety of choreographers including Nilas Martins and Cleo Parker Robinson. She is currently earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management. As a freelance professional dancer, she performed in various ballets including Don Quixote, Swan Lake as Odette in Swan Lake with Fredrick Davis and the title role in Paquita with Michael Crawford. For two seasons, she was the the Assistant Artistic Director for two seasons at Central New Jersey Ballet and the Junior Company Ballet Mistress for one year. Jans is a certified teacher of the Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) strengthening program for dancers.

Maura Ryan

Maura Ryan’s primary training was under the instruction of Susan Jaffe and Risa Kaplowitz. She attended SUNY Purchase College’s Conservatory of Dance on scholarship where she received a BFA in Dance Performance and Composition. She performed many lead roles with the Purchase Dance Corps and graduated cum laude with extensive training in Ballet, Modern and Ballet Composition. Upon graduation, she completed the ABT® National Training Curriculum in levels Primary through Level 5. Ryan has had the privilege of working with hundreds of children and families throughout New Jersey. She was a guest teacher at Rutgers University, as well as an adjunct professor for The College of New Jersey. She enjoys teaching outreach programs within the community and provides a disciplined yet nurturing environment to connect with students in order for them to trust their training process.

Katrina Jans

Katrina Jans has been training in classical ballet since she began dancing at two years old. She studied tap for over eight years and now teaches tap and ballet at Princeton Ballet School. Participating in numerous intensives and workshops, she also broadened her study of dance through contemporary, modern, jazz, and several other dance forms. She trained for three years in Italy at the feeder school to Teatro alla Scala in Milan. While in Europe she performed in The Nutcracker with the Croatian National Ballet and attended an invitation-only summer intensive in Novi Sad, Serbia. Ms. Jans has performed in many productions such as The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Wizard of Oz, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Snow White, and more, including pas de deux, soloist, and principal roles: White Swan in Central New Jersey Ballet Theatre’s White Swan Pas de Deux with internationally renowned dancer Fredrick Davis; Dorothy in the Vacaville Ballet Company’s Wizard of Oz; and The Fairy of Grace with the Contra Costa Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty. She trained with numerous distinguished instructors including Stefan Grebeldinger, Franca Desinia, Katarina Wester, Charles Anderson, Mishic and Valentine Liberatore, Emily Borthwick, and Shannon Bresnahan. Ms. Jans placed 3rd and top 24 in YAGP Pre-Competitive Division and Junior Division respectively. She has performed in ARB’s The Nutcracker as Marzipan; Wilis corps in Giselle; and a soloist role in Raymonda. Ms. Jans is excited to pass on her love for dance with the students of PBS.