Studio Company

Nahomi Alafita is originally from Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. When she was three years old, her parents noticed her dancing with steps resembling ballet. As a result, they decided to enroll her in a local academy, where she continued to train until the age of 13. At that point, she decided to pursue professional training and moved to study at the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza Clásica in Monterrey, Mexico, at 14. There, she obtained a degree in ballet.

Before completing her studies at Escuela Superior, she relocated to the United States to join the San Francisco Ballet School. During this time, she had the opportunity to participate in San Francisco Ballet company productions, like The Nutcracker.

In 2022, she continued her studies in Chicago at The Joffrey Academy of Dance as a Trainee. Some of her notable achievements include her participation in the production of The Nutcracker with the Joffrey Ballet Company, her performance of Soloists Variations in suites of the ballets Raymonda and Napoli with the Academy, and her involvement in the Joffrey Academy Trainee Teaching Endorsement program. Additionally, she was a choreographer for two consecutive years for the Young Moves performance.

This year, she took part in Ballet Arizona’s Summer Intensive program and is eager to join the Arizona Ballet School. Her favorite hobbies are reading and enjoying musical theatre.

BriAnna Binzak was born in Minnesota where she began dancing at the age of three at a local studio. Then, at age seven, she moved with her family to Texas and joined the Quenedit Ballet School. When competing at Youth American Grand Prix she was recruited to attend Next Generation Ballet in Florida. During her time there, she performed many roles including Aurora, Odette, Dewdrop, Snow Queen, Medora, and second movement lead in Western Symphony. After four years there, she joined the Richmond Ballet as a trainee for two seasons. She is very excited to have joined the Studio Company at Ballet Arizona for the upcoming season.

BriAnna enjoys playing with her dogs, baking, and reading.

Originally from Northern Virginia, Emerson Butler began ballet training at The Washington School of Ballet at age five and furthered her ballet studies with Lilla Séber at Séber Method Academy in Washington, D.C. At fourteen, she was invited to join the HARID Conservatory in Boca Raton, FL on full scholarship where she studied for two years.

Emerson continued her training on scholarship at Ellison Ballet in New York City under Evgenia Singur performing excerpts from Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, and Leonid Lavrovsky’s Classical Symphony.

In 2023, Emerson joined the Joffrey Academy Conservatory in Chicago on scholarship under Karin Ellis-Wentz performing Gerald Arpino’s Viva Vivaldi, 1st Odalisque from Le Corsaire, and an original contemporary work by Xavier Núñez in the Joffrey Ballet 14th Annual Winning Works.

She spent summers training at the Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, School of American Ballet, and on scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet Arizona, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Sarasota Ballet, Ellison Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and HARID Conservatory.

Emerson is excited to join the Ballet Arizona Studio Company for the 2024-2025 season!

Abigail Carpenter is from Wichita, KS. She started training at 6 years old and quickly discovered her passion and love for ballet.

Abigail attended summer intensives with Modas Dance in 2019, Ballet Austin in 2021, Colorado Ballet Academy in 2022 and 2023, Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2023, and The School of Ballet Arizona in 2024. She previously trained with Colorado Ballet Academy's Pre-Professional Division for two years from 2022 to 2024.

Abigail also enjoys reading, art, graphic design, and creativity. She is looking forward to the repertoire and experiences of being part of Ballet Arizona's Studio Company. She is so excited and grateful for the opportunity to dance and grow with Ballet Arizona this season!

Scarlett Rae Fulton is from Roanoke Virginia, where she started her ballet training at the age of five with Southwest Virginia Ballet. Discovering ballet was her true passion, Scarlett moved to Carlisle Pennsylvania, at the young age of twelve, to study under the beloved Marcia Dale Weary at CPYB (Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet). During her high school years, Scarlett trained with Miami City Ballet School’s Pre-Professional Division under the direction of Arantxa Ochoa. Throughout her time at MCBS, Scarlett performed in many ballets including one of her favorites, The Four Temperaments, by George Balanchine, where she was coached by Balanchine trust member, Paul Boos, to perform the First Theme and Phlegmatic. Scarlett also had the opportunity to work with internationally recognized choreographer, Amy Hall Garner, on her new ballet, Rita Finds Home, performing a lead role. Additionally, Scarlett worked numerous times with Miami City Ballet School’s resident choreographer, Durante Verzola. After graduating from MCBS, Scarlett accepted a scholarship to dance with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Post Graduate Program. While in Pittsburgh, Scarlett performed in several performances and worked with New York City Ballet’s Zappora Karz on the role of Dark Angel in Balanchine’s Serenade. While in Pittsburgh she also worked as a dance teacher’s assistant with Hope Academy, a non-profit organization in partnership with PBT. Throughout Scarlett’s time at MCB & PBT, she was granted the opportunities to choreograph her own pieces for the pre-professional dancers and graduates, where she was recognized for her strong leadership skills and creativity.

Scarlett has spent her summers training at, The School of American Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, Princess Grace Academy, International Master Classes in Prague, Chautauqua, American Ballet Theatre , Ballet West, and Joffrey Ballet. 

In addition to dancing, Scarlett enjoys choreographing, pilates, yoga, journaling, photography, thrifting and continues to pursue her college degree.

Juliana was raised in Connecticut, where she first began her preliminary ballet training at The Hartt School, under former director Samantha Dunster and later Carol Roderick. In 2018, Juliana furthered her training by joining the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory under the direction of Victoria Mazzarelli.

Juliana then moved to Sarasota, Florida in 2021 to join The Sarasota Ballet’s Trainee program under the direction of Christopher Hird and Dierdre Miles Burger. Here Juliana had the opportunity to work within the school while also getting to learn select company repertoire.

Most recently Juliana trained in the Professional Division at Nashville Ballet, under the direction and coaching of Anaïs Chalendard. Here, Juliana was also able to expand her contemporary training under the teaching of Maria Konrad.

She is now excitedly looking forward to the year ahead in Ballet Arizona’s Studio Company!

When she is not dancing Juliana loves spending time with her cat Cannoli, listening to classical music, and getting outside with friends!