A Chicago native, Stephanie Cihlar graduated magna cum laude with her BFA in Dance Performance from the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. Post-graduation, Stephanie has performed professionally with Modern American Dance Company (MADCO) in St. Louis, and since returning to Chicago, with the Barrington Youth Dance Ensemble, Laboratory Dancers, Rephrase Dance Collective, Thodos Dance Chicago, Project 606 Dance, Trifecta Dance Collective, Nomi Dance Company where she served as Rehearsal Director, Dance in the Parks, and NK COLLAB. Among others, she had the privilege of working with acclaimed choreographers Laura Kariotis, Stephanie Martinez, Monique Haley, Joshua Blake Carter, Jessica Miller Tomlinson, Lizzie MacKenzie, Todd Rhoades, Wade Schaaf, Jackie Nowiki, Michel Rodríguez Cintra, and Noelle Kayser. Stephanie has also dipped her own toes in the choreographic waters, setting works on Nomi, Project 606, Trifecta, as well her own independent work. Offstage, she shares her passion for dance with the students at Dance Academy of Libertyville and Driven 2 Dance where she is Co-Director of the Company. She is so excited for this season with CRB!
Meet Francisco
Francisco (Franky) Melendez is an apprentice with the Chicago Repertory Ballet and has been with the company since 2022. Originally from El Paso, TX, he is a former company dancer with the El Paso Ballet Theatre and Human Nature Contemporary Ballet. He moved to Chicago in 2019, and since then has received training from the Ruth Page Center For The Arts, Joel Hall Dancers & Center, and from the Chicago Movement Collective as a Claire Bataille Legacy Program student.
Meet Rachel
Rachel Day began her formal ballet training in Geneva, IL under the direction of Elise Flagg studying Balanchine technique. She went on to complete her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance Performance at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and completed her degree in December of 2022. There, she studied under Judith Chitwood, Paula Frasz, Richard Grund, and Marc Macaranas. While at NIU, she was awarded the Victoria Young Scholarship, the Rene LeBeau Scholarship award, and the Talented Student Tuition Waiver. Rachel had opportunities to work on projects outside of NIU with DanceLoop Chicago on a film project titled “Maybe We Don’t Know Love” which was awarded audience choice at Life In Motion film festival in Colorado. Most recently, she performed a work choreographed by Marc Macaranas for Big Muddy Dance Fest in 2022. After graduation Rachel joined Chicago Repertory Ballet as a Performing Apprentice and is going on her second season with the company.
Meet Tyla
Tyla A. Howell, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, began her formal dance training at Ballethnic Academy of Dance, and Tri Cities High School both located in East Point, Georgia. She spent her summers at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Dance Canvas Next Generation Summer Intensives. Tyla is a graduate of Point Park University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance with a focus in classical ballet. While at Point Park, she had the opportunity to perform in and learn works by Daniel Karasik, Maree Remalia,Terrell Rogers, Lindsay Fisher Viatori, Christopher Wheeldon and many others. Shortly after graduating Tyla joined the Georgia Ballet where she spent two seasons as a trainee with the professional company. Most recently, she returned to Ballethnic as a Guest Artist and performed a variety of roles in The Urban Nutcracker and Waverly T. Lucas' signature ballet, The Leopard Tale. Tyla is ecstatic to be here in Chicago dancing with CRB!
Meet Olivia
Olivia (Liv) Pennell, originally from Springfield, IL, began her formal ballet training at Dance Arts Studio and the Springfield Ballet Company under the direction of Julie Ratz and Gina DeCroix Russell. She pursued higher education at the University of Kansas, earning a BA in both Dance and Communications. At KU, Olivia performed in many University Dance Company showcases, and secured a SOTA Project Research Grant to produce and direct Emergence, her own dance showcase. She made her choreographic debut in 2023 with “Broken Patterns,” which led to an invitation as a guest alumni choreographer following her graduation. In Chicago, Olivia has attended A&A Ballet’s Winter Intensive, Visceral Dance Chicago’s Winter Intensive, and DanceWorks Chicago Dance360 CommUNITY DayLab, as well as working front of house at The Harris Theater. Olivia is so excited and honored to hold a traineeship with Chicago Repertory Ballet!
Vibrant Variations Performance Photos
Audiences loved CRB’s recent performance of Vibrant Variations at the Studebaker Theater for the diverse works presented. The staff and dancers were pushed artistically, and they rose to the challenge! Check out these performance photos by KT Miller.
Keep an eye out for updates about our future performances! You can subscribe to receive our emails here: Join our Newsletter
Dancer Spotlight: Miriam-Rose LeDuc
Happy Holidays! I am thrilled to introduce you to Miriam-Rose LeDuc. This January, it will be her sixth anniversary of being a Chicago Repertory Ballet dancer! She started dancing at age five. At age nine, Andrei Bossov of Bossov Ballet Theatre asked her if she wanted to be a ballerina when she grew up, and she has done it! Growing up in Washington, D.C., she trained at the Kirov Academy of Ballet and then went to Indiana University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Ballet and Performing Arts. After graduation, she moved to Chicago, launched her dance career and we are so honored to have her as part of our Chicago Repertory Ballet family!
Recently, I had the opportunity to ask her some questions and learn more about one of the dancers that make our company special!
Why do you enjoy being a Company member?
Artistic Director Wade Schaaf's choreography pushes the boundaries between classical and contemporary ballet. It's a rewarding artistic challenge and thrilling to dance. On a personal note, CRB has become my dance family. My fellow artists are some of the most supportive humans I've ever met, and it's an honor to share the studio and stage with them.
What are some of your favorite performances with Chicago Repertory Ballet?
My favorite role was Lady Macbeth in Wade Schaaf's Macbeth (Spring 2019). I loved delving into the character and bringing her to life through movement and expression. One of my favorite sequences from Wade's work is a series of turns featured in Grand Pianola Music: On The Great Divide (Spring 2018). They get faster and faster and finish in a dramatic flourish, and it's always fun to hear the delighted reaction from the audience.
What are some of your interests and talents outside of Chicago Repertory Ballet?
Outside of CRB, I'm a Marketing and Operations Specialist for a web design company, and mom to my daughter, Josette. You can also find me cooking, writing, devouring audiobooks, and watching comedies.
It is an honor to learn more about you, Miriam-Rose, after watching you on stage for so many years!
To support Miriam-Rose and the rest of the CRB artists, please consider making a tax-deductible year-end donation. Donate Now
Gwyn
CRB Board Member & End of Year Giving Chair
Board Member Spotlight: Donna Spagnola
Gwen here! I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with our Treasurer, Donna Spagnola, and ask some questions about her service to Chicago Repertory Ballet. And if you went to The Ballet Bash, you may remember her receiving our Director’s Award for all the things she has done for the CRB!
What is your involvement and for how long have you been involved in CRB?
I have been Company Treasurer since fall 2018 and a patron of CRB for longer than that.
As a Pilates student of Wade’s, I know what a talented professional they are and was
therefore happy to get involved in CRB in a more meaningful way and help support and grow
the Company to a level I felt they were deserving of.
Why is donating to CRB important to you?
It was not until I became the Treasurer that I recognized the ongoing support needed by
donors to keep Theater and Arts organizations like CRB alive and thriving. Above all, it has
made me feel so good personally to support performances done so incredibly well with limited
resources.
What is your favorite thing about watching a CRB performance?
Having no artistic talent of my own, I am in awe of the talent, dedication and physicality
necessary to put together a top notch performance and to do it consistently the way CRB has
done for ten + years now.
Thank you, Donna, for all you do to support Chicago Repertory Ballet!
Gwyn
CRB Board Member & End of Year Giving Chair
THE BALLET BASH 2022, CRB's Annual Gala
Thanks to all that could join us in person and virtually for THE BALLET BASH, CRB’s Annual Gala in support of upcoming season 11. Such a fun night!
Virtual Program: CRB at Studio5
