Meet Jackson

Born and Raised in Brazil, Jackson began his ballet training at the age of sixteen. In 2015, he was accepted for the training program with The Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago where he continued developing his technique and earning the chance to perform with The Joffrey Ballet Company.

A few years later, he joined the New Jersey Ballet Company where he earned the opportunity to perform and choreograph his first ballet. Also in New Jersey, he was able to help produce a commercial which went on to winning an New York State Emmy. Since then, his choreography has also been featured in fashion and runway shows around Chicago. As a guest artist, he has performed for Chicago Repertory Ballet and Visceral Dance Chicago. Some other collaborations include the Annual Dance Divas Show supporting the health wellness of the local dance community as well as C5 Productions which has produced shows for companies such as Kraft Heinz.

Being based in Chicago, he continues his journey as a guest artist, choreographer, and teacher creating and performing for those who love the Art of Dance.

Meet Akilah

A Chicago native, Akilah Harris (she/they) received the majority of her dance training at the Joffrey Academy of Dance. They graduated from the Joffrey trainee program in 2016 and joined the scholarship program at Visceral Dance Center. Akilah joined CRB in 2017 for their 5th-year anniversary performance. After taking some time away from performing, Akilah attended the Alonzo King Lines Ballet Summer Intensive, where they danced works by Alonzo King and Maury Kerr. She worked with the Ruth Page Civic Ballet for their production of the Nutcracker, where she performed Ruth Page’s “Waltz of the Flowers” and snow scene. Akilah re-joined Chicago Repertory Ballet in 2020 and has since danced works by Mariana Oliveira, Taylor Mitchell and Mike Tyus as well as Wade Schaaf’s Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker. Akilah is excited for another season with the company.

Meet Ashley

Ashley Fox (She/Her) from Seattle, WA began her professional dance training at The International Ballet Academy under the direction of Vera Altunina. During this time, she worked with artists from the Paris Opera Ballet, Vaganova Academy, National Ballet of Ukraine, NYCB, and ABT. In 2015, she moved to Moscow, RU to continue her classical training at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy (MGAX). Post-graduation she moved to Chicago to be a part of the Hubbard Street Professional Program (HSPro) under the direction of Alexandra Wells. Ashley has been a chicago-based freelance artist for the past 4 years. This is her first season with Chicago Repertory Ballet.

Meet Eliza

Eliza Weekley (she/her) originally from Athens, Ohio began her formal dance training with BalletMet Columbus, where she became a trainee at the age of 16. There she was given the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Gerard Charles and Edwaard Liang and to perform alongside the company dancing corps de ballet roles in many productions including “The Nutcracker” and “Alice in Wonderland”. After graduating from high school, Ms. Weekley continued her training with the Joffrey Academy of Dance Chicago. She joined Cocodaco Dance Project, under the leadership of Ronn Stewart, in 2015, where she continued to dance up until joining Chicago Repertory Ballet as an apprentice in 2018. Eliza was promoted to company member in 2020. While dancing with CRB she has had the chance to perform works by Wade Schaaf, Shannon Alvis, Mariana Oliveira, and Taylor Mitchell.

Meet Haley

Haley Baker is originally from Enola, Pennsylvania and has been dancing since the age of three. She began her classical ballet training at Pennsylvania Regional Ballet in 2010 under the direction of Sandra Carlino. She also attended Ribbon Mill Ballet in Carlisle, Pennsylvania with individual coaching from Leslie Hench. She has attended summer programs at Pennsylvania Ballet, Miami City Ballet, the USA/IBC Dance School, and Joffrey Ballet Chicago. Baker went on to attend Indiana University and graduated from the Jacobs School of Music in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet and an Outside Field in Psychology. In her time at Indiana University, Baker performed in a wide variety of works from choreographers such as George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Penny Saunders, and Mark Morris. In her senior year, Baker performed as Sugar Plum in Michael Vernon’s The Nutcracker and was working with Sasha Janes on the role of Cinderella in his new production of the full length classic. After graduation, she joined Grand Rapids Ballet where she danced for two seasons, performing in works such as George Balanchine’s Serenade and Christopher Stowell’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Baker is currently based in Chicago, IL, where she is teaching and pursuing freelance opportunities.

Meet Molly

Molly McGivern began her training at Illinois Ballet Theater under the direction of Susan Snider.  At 16 she moved away from Iowa for boarding school, attending The University of North Carolina School of the Arts under Dean Ethan Stiefel and Interlochen Arts Academy under Director Cameron Basden.  She received her BFA in Dance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under Director Jiang Qi.   Senior year she had the opportunity to move to Boston as a trainee for BoSoma Dance Company, and upon graduating, was promoted to company dancer by director Katherine Hooper.  While in Boston, McGivern was also a company dancer for Tony Williams Dance Company (City Ballet Boston) under Tony Williams and SundanceX under David Sun.  Additionally she taught for Tony Williams Dance Center and Boston College.  Summer 2018 McGivern returned to the MidWest and moved to Chicago.  Prior to dancing with CRB she performed with Joel Hall Dancers under Jacki Sinclair and Esoteric Dance Project under Brenna and Christopher Tucker.

Meet Nicholas

Nicholas Hittle is currently a freelance dancing artist in Chicago, IL. He recently received a BA in Dance and a BS in Liberal Arts and Sciences for Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before studying with the Dance at Illinois, he has studied under Deanna Doty and other teachers at the Champaign Ballet Academy (CBA) along with the San Francisco Ballet School, mainly focusing on the Vaganova style Ballet technique. While at the University of Illinois, Hittle has studied in multiple disciplines under the instruction of Dance faculty including Jan Erkert, Abby Zbikowski, Dr. Cynthia Oliver, and Linda Lehovic, Dr. Kemal Nance, Endalyn Taylor and Tere O’Connor. In addition to performing Hittle also works as a choreographer. Some choreographic credits include his self-choreographed solo, vinyl historia, as part of Dance at Illinois’ Studio Dance 2 program, the Choreographer for a student-written musical Amongst the Clouds, the Assistant Choreographer of Illini Student Musicals’ production of Carrie, and the Choreographer of their production of A Chorus Line.

Meet Rachel

Rachel Schmidt began her dance training with Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre under the direction of Robert Kelley and Diane Cypher. Upon graduating from Butler University in 2015 she moved to San Francisco, California where she danced as a trainee with Alonzo King LINES Ballet and later as a company member of dawsondanceSF, lead by Gregory Dawson. In 2019 she moved to New York City and performed with Brooklyn Ballet, Dance Lab New York as part of the Alchemy Lab Cycle at the Guggenheim Museum, and Visions Contemporary Ballet before moving to Chicago at the start of 2022. She has performed in works by Alonzo King, Sidra Bell, Maurya Kerr, Gregory Dawson, David Harvey, Robert Dekkers, and Susan McGuire. This is her third season with Chicago Repertory Ballet.

Meet Alex

Alex Goodreau began his dance training at the age of 15 in Detroit, MI, where he danced competitively and was recognized on the regional and national level for his solowork.  In 2012, Alex was accepted into Grand Valley State University's Department of Music and Dance on scholarship. While earning Bachelor’s degrees in Dance and Public Relations, he had the opportunity to choreograph and work with various guest artists including Rebecca Lemme, Eddy O'Campo, Mike Esperanza, and Josh Manculich. Alex moved to Chicago in 2017 to pursue a professional performing career and has danced with Dance in the Parks, Fun Girl Dance Co., AJA Talents, Barrington Dance Ensemble and is currently in his fifth season with Chicago Repertory Ballet.

Meet Miriam-Rose

Miriam-Rose is a multi-passionate creative focused on ballet, music, and business. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts and Business from Indiana University, she launched her dance career in Chicago. Ms. LeDuc has performed numerous featured roles with Chicago Repertory Ballet, including Lady Macbeth in Wade Schaaf’s Macbeth, The Chieftess in The Rite of Spring, and Winter from The Four Seasons.  She’s grateful to have danced in additional works by Shannon Alvis, Taylor Mitchell, Mariana Oliviera, and Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye.
Ms. LeDuc made her choreographic debut with the creation of Morning Song in 2017 and has since produced works for Chicago Repertory Ballet and Project 606. When she's not pursuing art, she supports purpose-driven entrepreneurs through marketing and operations services and enjoys time with her husband and busy toddler.