ARB Position: Summer Intensive Guest Faculty

Ms. Pantastico joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 1997 and became a corps de ballet member a year later. She was named soloist in 2001, and a year after dancing Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, a principal in 2004. In 2008, she left PNB and joined Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo in Monaco as a soloist, having previously danced Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette at PNB. She was named first soloist a year later. In 2015, she returned to PNB again as a principal dancer. During her 25-year career, she has danced a diverse repertory, including works by George Balanchine, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Jerome Robbins, Susan Stroman, Crystal Pite, Alejandro Cerrudo, Penny Saunders Robyn Mineko Williams and many more. She was featured in the 1999 filmed version of PNB’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2017, Pantastico choreographed Picnic for Sculptured Dance by the Seattle Art Museum. Outside of PNB, in 2004, she made a guest appearance at the New York City Ballet, dancing the second movement of Balanchine’s Brahms–Schoenberg Quartet at NYCB’s Balanchine Centennial. In 2019, she founded Seattle Dance Collective with fellow PNB principal dancer James Moore. In January 2022, Pantastico announced her retirement from Pacific Northwest Ballet and dedication to teaching. Ms. Pantastico is a freelance teacher, coach, and stager for Jean-Christopher Maillot’s works.

Photo Credit – Lindsay Thomas

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.

Jessica Totaro is a Contemporary and Choreography Skills teaching artist from Asbury Park, NJ.  She received her BFA in dance from Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts. She is the founder and Artistic Director of the Movement Arts Project; a student-based, educational dance company based in Brielle, NJ that focuses on preparing students who want to further their education at a collegiate level. Jessica is currently a teaching artist for Derling Dance Arts, 10 Hairy Legs and Dance New Jersey’s Young Audiences. Jessica was featured in Dance Studio Life Magazine for her choreography methods and program. She continues to teach master classes and choreograph throughout the tri-state area at various studios and performing arts schools. Her teaching method is to not dictate but guide each dancer deeper into their own creative ability and communicate authentically through movement.