Anna Ackerman began her dance training in 2015 at Sovereign Ballet in Erie, Pennsylvania. She studied under Christina Maria Adelhardt of Boston Ballet and Lake Erie Ballet. Anna participated in summer intensives at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Mercyhurst University. In 2019, she continued her full-time training in Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s pre-professional program, where she had the opportunity to perform with the company in The Nutcracker and Beauty and the Beast. She was accepted into Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate program in 2020 where she had the opportunity to perform principal and soloist student roles that include Marie and the Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker), Flower Festival in Genzano, and Pas de trois and Cygnets (Swan Lake). In 2021, she competed in the National Society of Arts and Letters competition, where she won 1st place regionally and 3rd place nationally. Since joining the New York State Ballet in 2022, she has performed the roles of Clara in The Nutcracker and Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Anna looks forward to her second season with NYSB.

Bio coming soon!

Lizzie McMindes is in her first season with New York State Ballet, after completing Pittsburgh Ballet Theater's Graduate Program. She has trained with both New York State Ballet and Draper Center for Dance here in Rochester. She has performed many roles in the Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, and Little Red Riding Hood, as well as competing at YAGP, WBC, and UBC.

Ryo began his classical ballet training at the age of five at Etoile Ballet Studio under the tutelage of renowned instructors Misako Kawamura and Sergiy Savoschenko. At thirteen, he expanded his dance horizons by taking modern ballet lessons from Yuko Takahashi. He has attended the prestigious Summer Intensive Program of the American Ballet Theater in New York City through the recommendation of his dance instructor Hilary Cartwright. Ryo trained at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at ABT from 2014 to 2016 and also studied at Manhattan Youth Ballet. Ryo was a finalist at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson in 2018, as well as a finalist at the International Ballet and Choreography Competition in 2019.
Ryo went on to dance professionally at Minnesota Ballet, Ballet West, and Rochester City Ballet. This is Ryo's first season with the New York State Ballet.

Keith Justin Reeves, a native of Augusta, began his training at age 15 with the Jessye Norman School of the Arts. Shortly after he joined the Augusta Ballet School now known as Colton Ballet under the direction of Zanne and Ron Colton. He has received scholarships to summer programs at Nashville Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School and The School at Jacob’s Pillow. In 2015, Justin received the Audrey B. Morgan Scholarship for the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education Conservatory program and later joined the company. He has performed works by Jiri Kylian, Salvatore Aiello, George Balanchine, Dwight Rhoden, Mark Morris, Kiyon Ross, Annabelle Lopez Ochooa, Ricardo Armante, Tara Seem Yuri Possokhov Ohad Naharin, among others. Last season he worked with Atlanta Ballet’s resident choreographer, Claudia Shrieier, on a solo for the Guggenheim WPA Virtual commission called “Force of Habit.” Justin was also featured in the 2021 March edition of In Style Magazine’s “Black Trailblazers.” He started on his choreographic journey with the Atlanta Ballet School’s conservatory program in 2016. In 2019 he choreographed on the Atlanta Ballet’s second company. Justin is excited to take on a year of freelancing and is choreographing and working on his LGBTQ dance collective “Bodies in Motion ATL.”

Anna was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada where her love of dance began at the age of three. She trained at prestigious schools in the area including Nevada Ballet Theatre and Nevada School of Dance. Additionally, she is a graduate of the Pre- Pre-professional program at Master Ballet Academy located in Scottsdale, AZ. She has trained at various summer intensives throughout the years such as American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Arizona, and Kirov Academy. Anna went on to dance professionally with Minnesota Ballet and Rochester City Ballet. Aside from dancing, Anna currently holds an associate's degree in special education and is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree. This is her first season as a company dancer with the New York State Ballet.

Sophie was raised in Rochester, NY and received her dance training at the Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education, starting at age 8. She has had the opportunity to dance in Rochester City Ballet’s version of The Nutcracker as well as George Balanchine’s Serenade. After high school, Sophie attended Point Park University where she received her BFA in dance with a concentration in ballet. While at Point Park, she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Adam Highland, Jae Man Joo, Matthew Powell, David Norsworthy as well as others. Sophie is currently an artist with Confluence Ballet Company in Pittsburgh, PA for their inaugural season.

Angela began her training under the direction of her mother, Janet Wentling, and teachers Julianne Deming and Inna Esipova. She has attended summer intensives at Kaatsbaan, the Gelsey Kirkland Academy, and the American Ballet Theater NYC. Angela joined New York State Ballet after completing student years in its school. Angela has had the privilege to work with choreographers Sarah Rothrock-Rickel, Robert Royce, Rebekah Von Rathonyi, Zachary Frazee, and Bonnie Mathis, and has danced many roles in ballets including Paquita, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Snow Queen, the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Les Sylphides, Don Quixote, and Firebird. Angela is an instructor at New York State Ballet Training Academy and enjoys sharing her knowledge with the next generation of dancers. She is grateful to be dancing in her fourth year with the company!