The School of Ballet Arizona

Faculty and Staff

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María Simonetti

Rehearsal Director, Principal Repetiteur

From: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Joined Ballet Arizona: 1997
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María Simonetti

Rehearsal Director, Principal Repetiteur

From: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Joined Ballet Arizona: 1997
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María Simonetti

Rehearsal Director, Principal Repetiteur

From: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Joined Ballet Arizona: 1997
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Lisbet Companioni

Ballet Mistress

From: Camagüey, Cuba

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2008
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Lisbet Companioni

Ballet Mistress

From: Camagüey, Cuba

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2008
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lisbet-companioni

Lisbet Companioni

Ballet Mistress

From: Camagüey, Cuba

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2008
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David Krensing

Ballet Master, Summer Intensive Coordinator

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2012
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David Krensing

Ballet Master, Summer Intensive Coordinator

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2012
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David Krensing

Ballet Master, Summer Intensive Coordinator

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2012
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Daniel Baudendistel

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2007
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Daniel Baudendistel

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2007
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Daniel Baudendistel

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2007
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Sibylle Dadey

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Sibylle Dadey

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Sibylle Dadey

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Sarah-Diniz

Sarah Diniz

From: Maracay, Venezuela

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: The School of Ballet Arizona, Orlando Ballet School, Ballet Etudes, The Joffrey Ballet Academy, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
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Sarah-Diniz

Sarah Diniz

From: Maracay, Venezuela

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: The School of Ballet Arizona, Orlando Ballet School, Ballet Etudes, The Joffrey Ballet Academy, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
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Sarah-Diniz

Sarah Diniz

From: Maracay, Venezuela

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: The School of Ballet Arizona, Orlando Ballet School, Ballet Etudes, The Joffrey Ballet Academy, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
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Gillmer Duran

Upper Division Student Liaison

From: Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2019

Originally from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Gillmer Duran began dancing Venezuelan folk dances and continued his formal ballet training at age 21 at the Fundación Arte Nuevo. He danced professionally with Ballet Metropolitano, Ballet Nuevo Mundo, National Ballet of Caracas, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, and eight consecutive seasons with Eugene Ballet Company. He worked with choreographers such as Vicente Nebrada, Nicolo Fonte, Robert Battle, Mauricio Wainrott, Edwaard Liang, Jessica Lang and Toni Pimble, among others.

His versatility and intuition allowed him to perform a variety of classical, neoclassical and contemporary roles. In June of 2010, he began teaching ballet as a way to inspire the new generations of dancers and to share his passion for dance. In October of 2010, he was appointed as Alaska Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer. In 2011, Duran received the Fermin Toro University Award for his career and continued to teach ballet in the east coast. He has taught master classes for several schools and has created choreography for Eugene Ballet, Alaska Dance Theatre, Ballet Des Moines, and Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre.

In July of 2023 he obtained his Bachelor in Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s College of California. He is currently a full-time faculty at the School of Ballet Arizona and this is his fifth-year teaching at the Arizona School for the Arts.

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Gillmer duran headshot.

Gillmer Duran

Upper Division Student Liaison

From: Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2019

Originally from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Gillmer Duran began dancing Venezuelan folk dances and continued his formal ballet training at age 21 at the Fundación Arte Nuevo. He danced professionally with Ballet Metropolitano, Ballet Nuevo Mundo, National Ballet of Caracas, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, and eight consecutive seasons with Eugene Ballet Company. He worked with choreographers such as Vicente Nebrada, Nicolo Fonte, Robert Battle, Mauricio Wainrott, Edwaard Liang, Jessica Lang and Toni Pimble, among others.

His versatility and intuition allowed him to perform a variety of classical, neoclassical and contemporary roles. In June of 2010, he began teaching ballet as a way to inspire the new generations of dancers and to share his passion for dance. In October of 2010, he was appointed as Alaska Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer. In 2011, Duran received the Fermin Toro University Award for his career and continued to teach ballet in the east coast. He has taught master classes for several schools and has created choreography for Eugene Ballet, Alaska Dance Theatre, Ballet Des Moines, and Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre.

In July of 2023 he obtained his Bachelor in Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s College of California. He is currently a full-time faculty at the School of Ballet Arizona and this is his fifth-year teaching at the Arizona School for the Arts.

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Gillmer duran headshot.

Gillmer Duran

Upper Division Student Liaison

From: Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2019

Originally from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Gillmer Duran began dancing Venezuelan folk dances and continued his formal ballet training at age 21 at the Fundación Arte Nuevo. He danced professionally with Ballet Metropolitano, Ballet Nuevo Mundo, National Ballet of Caracas, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, and eight consecutive seasons with Eugene Ballet Company. He worked with choreographers such as Vicente Nebrada, Nicolo Fonte, Robert Battle, Mauricio Wainrott, Edwaard Liang, Jessica Lang and Toni Pimble, among others.

His versatility and intuition allowed him to perform a variety of classical, neoclassical and contemporary roles. In June of 2010, he began teaching ballet as a way to inspire the new generations of dancers and to share his passion for dance. In October of 2010, he was appointed as Alaska Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer. In 2011, Duran received the Fermin Toro University Award for his career and continued to teach ballet in the east coast. He has taught master classes for several schools and has created choreography for Eugene Ballet, Alaska Dance Theatre, Ballet Des Moines, and Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre.

In July of 2023 he obtained his Bachelor in Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s College of California. He is currently a full-time faculty at the School of Ballet Arizona and this is his fifth-year teaching at the Arizona School for the Arts.

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Gia Firicano

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2003
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Gia Firicano

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2003
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Gia Firicano

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2003
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Rachel-Gehr

Rachel Gehr

From: Westfield, Indiana

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Central Indiana Academy of Dance
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Rachel-Gehr

Rachel Gehr

From: Westfield, Indiana

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Central Indiana Academy of Dance
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Rachel-Gehr

Rachel Gehr

From: Westfield, Indiana

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Central Indiana Academy of Dance
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Makali Gomez

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Makali Gomez

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Makali Gomez

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Alecia Good-Boresow

Upper Division Coordinator and Studio Company Manager

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2022
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Alecia Good-Boresow

Upper Division Coordinator and Studio Company Manager

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2022
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Alecia Good-Boresow

Upper Division Coordinator and Studio Company Manager

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2022
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Lisa Hammond

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
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Lisa Hammond

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
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Lisa Hammond

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
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Nayon-Iovino

Nayon Iovino

From: Goiania, Brazil

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2012
Training: Houston Ballet, The Washington School of Ballet, Studio Dancarte Brazil
Other Companies: The Washington Ballet, Houston Ballet
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Nayon-Iovino

Nayon Iovino

From: Goiania, Brazil

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2012
Training: Houston Ballet, The Washington School of Ballet, Studio Dancarte Brazil
Other Companies: The Washington Ballet, Houston Ballet
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Nayon-Iovino

Nayon Iovino

From: Goiania, Brazil

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2012
Training: Houston Ballet, The Washington School of Ballet, Studio Dancarte Brazil
Other Companies: The Washington Ballet, Houston Ballet
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Mishelle Mackle

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Mishelle Mackle

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Mishelle Mackle

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Luis-Martinez

Luis Martinez

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2022
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Luis-Martinez

Luis Martinez

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2022
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Luis-Martinez

Luis Martinez

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2022
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Diane Mateo

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Diane Mateo

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Diane Mateo

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Roberto Muñoz

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2019
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Roberto Muñoz

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2019
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Roberto Muñoz

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2019
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Jasmine Nunn

School Manager

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Jasmine Nunn

School Manager

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Jasmine Nunn

School Manager

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Gail Passey-Reed

Joined Ballet Arizona: 1985
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Gail Passey-Reed

Joined Ballet Arizona: 1985
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Gail Passey-Reed

Joined Ballet Arizona: 1985
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Fabiana Poulis

Children’s and Lower Division Coordinator

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2016
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Fabiana Poulis

Children’s and Lower Division Coordinator

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2016
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Fabiana Poulis

Children’s and Lower Division Coordinator

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2016
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Natalie-Ramirez

Natalie Ramirez

From: Riverside, California

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: Boston Ballet School, School of Ballet Arizona, Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet
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Natalie-Ramirez

Natalie Ramirez

From: Riverside, California

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: Boston Ballet School, School of Ballet Arizona, Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet
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Natalie-Ramirez

Natalie Ramirez

From: Riverside, California

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2020
Training: Boston Ballet School, School of Ballet Arizona, Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet
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Michelle-Reissig

Michelle Reissig

Teaching Artist, Adaptive Dance for Down Syndrome & DanceAZ

From: Phoenix, Arizona

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Michelle-Reissig

Michelle Reissig

Teaching Artist, Adaptive Dance for Down Syndrome & DanceAZ

From: Phoenix, Arizona

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Michelle-Reissig

Michelle Reissig

Teaching Artist, Adaptive Dance for Down Syndrome & DanceAZ

From: Phoenix, Arizona

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Yumi La Rosa

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2014
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Yumi La Rosa

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2014
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Yumi La Rosa

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2014
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kleiton_sisteos

Kleiton Sistélos

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2015
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kleiton_sisteos

Kleiton Sistélos

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2015
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kleiton_sisteos

Kleiton Sistélos

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2015
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Robyn Tennyson

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2017
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Robyn Tennyson

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2017
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Robyn Tennyson

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Joined Ballet Arizona: 2017
Back by popular demand! See Ballet Arizona's Swan Lake this October. 
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