Megan Biolsi is from Evanston, IL, and trained at Dance Center Evanston under the direction of Béa Rashid where she studied ballet, modern, jazz, tap, Cecchetti, and hip hop. She danced with the Evanston Dance Ensemble for four years and performed in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Alice in Wonderland; The Music Moves; The Best of EDE, Volume One; The Big Night; An Evanston Symphony Christmas; On Site: Putting Dance on the Map; and Turning Point: The Young Choreographers Project, for which she also choreographed. Megan performed "Portraits," a solo modern piece, at the Studio5 grand opening and was a dancer in Mr. Olsen's Holiday Party variety show. She was an apprentice with Elements Contemporary Ballet and performed in Mike Gosney's "Pathos." She is the assistant director and a choreographer for ede2, a youth dance ensemble, and is also a dancer in "SOFT," an upcoming film by Da'Niro Elle Brown. Megan is excited to be in her first production with Chicago Repertory Ballet.
Meet Christine
Christine Humbach grew up in Wilmette, IL studying ballet at Chicago Ballet Arts and Center of Creative Dance. She graduated with a BFA in Dance from University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. During her studies she had the privilege of studying in Glasgow at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She danced as an apprentice at the Ballet Theatre of Maryland under the direction of Dianna Cuatto. Christine has since been on scholarship at Lou Conte Dance Studio. Some of her favorite roles have included Dark Angel in Balanchine's Serenade, a featured couple in Hubert Essakov's Monad, and Arabian in Dianna Cuatto's The Nutcracker. She looks forward to dancing and performing with Chicago Repertory Ballet.
Meet Abigail
Abigail Stachnik was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She began her dance training at the Young Dance Academy under the direction of Sandra Young, and she participated in the Technique Intensive and Competitive Dance programs until her graduation in 2012. Abigail became a faculty member at the Young Dance Academy in 2010 and has continued to teach and choreograph since then. After high school, Abigail attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where she earned a BFA in Dance with Honors. While attending the university, she performed in works choreographed by Douglas Becker, Mark Caserta, Meredith Rainey, Roni Koresh, Robert Battle, Sidra Bell, Katie Swords, and many of her peers. Also, she has attended summer intensives with the Milwaukee Ballet, Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Abigail traveled to Lille, France and Brussels, Belgium with the university's "European Touring Ensemble" in 2016. The ensemble dancers spent the week enjoying master classes taught by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Pina Bausch company members. Most recently, Abigail moved to Chicago to train under Claire Bataille in the Scholarship Program at Lou Conte Dance Studio. Along with Chicago Repertory Ballet, Abigail performs with the Mezzo Company of Cocodaco Dance Project.
Meet Jordan Colovos
A native of Chicago, Jordan began his dance training at the age of nineteen, in Schaumburg, Illinois. He graduated from Western Michigan University, with a B.F.A. in Dance. During his time at WMU, he had received the Partners in Dance Scholarship and had the opportunity to perform Antony Tudor’s Continuo, staged by John Gardner and Amanda McKerrow, Lew Christensen’s Con Amore, staged by Leslie Young, and James Gregg. He has also been featured in the works of faculty members, Carolyn Pavlik and David Curwen in WMU’s Winter Gala Dance Concert. In addition to performing in the student-run Orchesis Dance Concert from 2013-2016, he has also had his works selected for the concert. Jordan has set his work on WMU’s touring ensemble, Western Dance Project. His works were also taken to the American College Dance Association (ACDA) regional conference. One of which were adjudicated then selected to perform in the 2016 ACDA East-Central Regional Gala, where his work was described as “masterful in partnering”. After graduation, Jordan moved back to Chicago and is excited to begin work as a company member with Chicago Repertory Ballet.
Meet Pablo
Pablo Sanchez began dancing at Dance Academy of Libertyville and subsequently trained at Boston Ballet School and Ballet Chicago. He graduated from Carmel Catholic High School and then Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and completed his training at the Academy of Dance, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Pablo's professional career launched at Atlanta Ballet and he has since appeared with Rochester City Ballet, Ballet Spartanburg, Neos Dance Theatre, Menlowe Ballet and Madison Ballet. He has had the pleasure to guest with North Shore School of Dance, Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre, Dancenter North, Michigan Ballet Theatre, Ballet Indiana, Illinois Youth Dance Theatre, and Inwood Dance Theatre. Pablo's repertoire includes works by Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Val Caniparoli, Paul Christiano, Merce Cunningham, Gregory Dawson, Nacho Duato, Sean Hilton, Alexei Kremnev, James Kudelka, JeanChristophe Maillot, Terence Marling, Wayne McGregor, Ohad Naharin, Matthew Neenan, Helen Pickett, Nick Pupillo, Penny Saunders, Michael Smith, Ronn Stewart, Twyla Tharp, and Christopher Wheeldon. Pablo would like to thank his past and present teachers and his wonderful family for their love and support. He is enthused to be dancing in his home city with Chicago Repertory Ballet!
Meet Jordan
Before moving to Chicago, Jordan Mercer danced with the Alabama Ballet in Birmingham, where she danced in a variety of both contemporary and classical works. She taught in the RAD certified School of the Alabama Ballet and choreographed for the Young Choreographers Project. She also performed with Southern Dance Works and Red Mountain Musical Theatre Company. Jordan has trained with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Ballet Austin, Point Park University, and the Paul Taylor School. Since moving to Chicago, Jordan has performed with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, The Schaumburg Dance Ensemble, Deeply Rooted’s Emerging Choreographer’s Showcase, Thodos New Dances, and the Still Inspired Dance Project. Since joining CRB, Jordan has enjoyed dancing in works such as A Symphony for Hope, The Four Seasons, Bolero and as Lady Macbeth in Wade Schaaf's Macbeth. She also teaches at several dance studios in the Chicagoland area. Jordan is thrilled to be back for her fifth season with Chicago Repertory Ballet.
Meet Daniel
Daniel Cheoweth is from El Cerrito, CA. While Studying at Skidmore College he received a BA in Biology and a BS in Dance Performance, receiving honors in each as well as performing works by Ohad Naharin and Robert Battle. Daniel has performed at the Tulsa Ballet as well as touring in New York, St. Louis, and Scotland. In Chicago Daniel has danced for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater, Kristina Isabelle, Anna Long, Jessica Miller Tomlinson, and is excited to work with Chicago Reparatory Ballet for his second season!
Meet Jamie
Jamie Brokan is originally from Chicago, IL and was fortunate to have spent her formative years training under the direction of Artistic Director Lizzie Mackenzie with Extensions Dance Company. She went on to study at the Fordham University/Ailey School where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in dance and a minor in Business Administration. Jaime worked as a season apprentice with Peridance Contemporary Dance Company and was privileged to perform in their winter production under the direction of Igal Perry. She then went on to perform for Royal Caribbean International as a dancer/aerialist onboard two of their ships. While at The Ailey School Jaime had the pleasure of working with prestigious choreographers such as Hope Boykin, Jennifer Archibald, Thang Dao, Jessica Lange, Robyn Mineko Williams, Rena Butler, and many others. Jaime has spent her summers attending programs including the Movement Invention Project under the direction of Alexandra Wells and Sidra Bell, the River North Summer Apprenticeship and intensive, and the Hubbard Street intensive. This is Jaime’s first season with Chicago Repertory Ballet, and she is thrilled to begin working with the company!
Meet Emily
Emily Fugett first began dancing at the age of 3. Over the years she has danced at several local studios, striving to get the best training. She has trained in every style and competed at the national level. In 2013, with a love of ballet, she moved her training over to Ballet Chicago. There she worked there to concentrate and hone her technique in pursuit of a career in dance.
She has had great success with Ballet Chicago especially with the assistance of Daniel Duell and Patricia Blair. In the Ballet Chicago's Nutcracker she has performed roles including Dewdrop, Snow Queen, and the Arabian solo. She also danced in many Balanchine ballets such as Who Cares?, Serenade, Divertimento No. 15, and Valse Fantasie.
She first met Mr. Wade Schaaf at a summer intensive in the Chicago Western suburbs at the age of 13. Emily is excited to have the opportunity to dance with wade and begin her dancing career at the Chicago Repertory Ballet.
Meet Carley
Carley Klebba (she/her) began her training in Howell, MI where her primary focus was the Cecchetti Method of Ballet. She went on to earn her B.A. in dance from Grand Valley State University where she graduated with honors and was the recipient of the Marlene Kenneway Love of Dance Scholarship. In addition to performing with the Grand Valley Dance Company throughout college, she also performed with The Grand Rapids Opera and The Plymouth-Canton Metro Shores Ballet Company.
After graduating, Carley moved to Chicago to start working with LEVELdance. Since moving to Chicago Carley discovered her love of teaching, she recently passed her Grade IV Cecchetti teacher exam and loves to share her passion for dance with her students all throughout the Chicagoland area. As a freelance artist Carley has performed with Aerial Dance Chicago, Thodos Dance Chicago in New Dances, Jaxon Movement Arts, and Schaumburg Dance Ensemble in The Nutcracker. Carley joined Chicago Repertory Ballet in 2015, and is excited for her seventh season dancing with the company.