Artists

AL Abraham (he/him), originally from the Philippines, began his dance training at the Effie Nañas Dance Center before earning a scholarship to the Philippine High School for the Arts, where he majored in ballet. During his studies, he trained under distinguished Filipino artists Nonoy Froilan, Robert Medina, Victor Ursabia, and Philip Sicat.

He continued his education at the University of the Philippines, earning a Diploma in Creative Performing Arts. There, he further developed his artistry under the mentorship of Steve Villaruz, Angel Baguilat, Ava Maureen-Ong, Elena Laniog-Alvarez, Herbert Alvarez, and Desiree Paralejo.

Abraham has received recognition in both the Cultural Center of the Philippines Ballet Competition and the Korea International Modern Dance Competition. His professional career has included working with Ballet Philippines, Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Springfield Ballet, and Oakland Ballet.

Throughout his career, Abraham has had the opportunity to perform works by acclaimed choreographers including Justin Peck, Alejandro Cerrudo, Jennifer Archibald, Trey McIntyre, Val Caniparoli, Amy Seiwert, Michael Smuin, Natasha Adorlee, and Phil Chan.

As an emerging choreographer, Abraham has created works that have been presented by Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, with several of his choreographic works currently included in the company’s repertoire. In 2024, Abraham joined Smuin Contemporary Ballet.

Margot Aknin (she/her), of San Jose, CA, trained at Los Gatos Ballet under Marcie Ryken. She continued at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School’s Graduate Program before joining BalletMet 2 and Dayton Ballet, where she performed principal and soloist roles in works by Septime Webre, Jiří Kylián, Amy Seiwert, Ron Cunningham, and others. From 2021-2026, Margot danced with Newport Contemporary Ballet, performing works by Nicolo Fonte, Amy Hall Garner, Takehiro Ueyama, and DaYoung Jung. Following French Kiss, she will join Golden State Ballet in San Diego.

Dominic Barrett (he/him) is a dancer from Cincinnati, Ohio. His training began early on, learning hip-hop and ballroom. At age 11 he started his classical ballet training at The School for the Creative and Performing Arts and the Cincinnati Ballet Academy. While in school, Dominic attended summer intensive programs at Houston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Cincinnati Ballet. After graduating high school, he attended the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music for dance on a full scholarship. Since then he has performed professionally with a number of different choreographers, companies, and ballet schools in Cincinnati and around the country. Dominic danced for 7 years under the mentorship of Meridith Benson and Mario de la Nuez, former principal dancers with Cincinnati Ballet and directors of De La Dance Company. Dominic has performed a wide variety of classical repertoire, his favorites being Coppélia, La Bayadère, and Don Quixote. In addition, he has performed works by George Balanchine, set by Zapora Kars, and Christopher Wheeldon. Barrett joined Smuin in 2024.

ISABEL BORGES (she/her), a New Orleans native, began her training at the Giacobbe Academy of Dance at age three. At fifteen, she moved to New York City to study at Ballet Academy East under renowned faculty, including mentor Darla Hoover, performing featured roles such as the principal in Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht. She also trained at summer programs with American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Gibney Dance, Henny Jurriens, and L.A. Dance Project. While earning her B.A. in International Studies from Loyola University, she danced with New Orleans Ballet Theater, learning and performing principal roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and the principal in Concerto Barocco. Most recently with Cincinnati Ballet II, Isabel performed closely with the company in productions. Borges joined Smuin in 2025.

Claire Buehler (she/her), originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, trained at Milwaukee Ballet School and danced with the second companies of Milwaukee Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, and Nashville Ballet before joining Minnesota Ballet in 2020. While with Smuin Contemporary Ballet, Buehler has been featured in works by Michael Smuin, Amy Seiwert, Kate Skarpetowska, Nicole Haskins, and Rex Wheeler. Favorite performances with Smuin include Seiwert’s Been Through Diamonds, Smuin’s Hearts Suite, and Wheeler’s Excelsis, among others. Buehler joined Smuin in 2021.

Jacopo Calvo (he/him), from Asti, Italy, began training at his hometown school, Ritmo Danza. He moved to New York City to attend The Ailey School on scholarship, performing alongside Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for its 60th anniversary season. After graduation, he joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, touring extensively nationally and internationally. Calvo joined Smuin in 2024.

Maggie Carey (she/her), of Dayton, Ohio, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance from Butler University, where she performed works by George Balanchine, Nacho Duato, and Paul Taylor. Upon graduating, Carey performed as an artist with Dayton Ballet as well as Cincinnati Ballet’s second company before joining Smuin Contemporary Ballet. While at Smuin, Carey has performed works by Amy Seiwert, Michael Smuin, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Trey McIntyre, Matthew Neenan, Rex Wheeler, Val Caniparoli and Justin Peck. She has also choreographed nearly 10 works on her peers, created work for Smuin’s inaugural Spring Point program, and has had choreography presented at the Fire Island Dance Festival. Carey joined Smuin in 2018.

Katherine Deuitch (she/her), a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, began her pre-professional training at Minnesota Dance Theatre before graduating from the School of American Ballet. She joined Ballet Austin II and was later promoted to Ballet Austin’s main company in 2018. During her time there, Deuitch performed soloist and principal roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire. Her notable roles include works by George Balanchine, Amy Seiwert, Jessica Lang, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Jennifer Hart, and Stephen Mills. She also had the privilege of dancing Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty in Ballet Austin’s full-length productions. Deuitch has also participated in the National Choreographers Initiative, dancing in world premieres by Ian Schwanner and Carrie Ruth Trumbo, as well as performing and staging works for Jennifer Hart’s project-based company, Performa/Dance. Beyond performing, Deuitch has served on the faculty of Ballet Austin’s Academy and has also choreographed for Ballet Austin’s Butler Fellowship Program. Deuitch joined Smuin in 2026.

Ricardo Dyer (he/him) is a native of Panama based out of New York City. He received his early training at The Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia. He graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance from Butler University, where he performed extensively with Butler Ballet including works by Gerald Arpino, George Balanchine and Paul Taylor. Post graduation, Dyer has danced with Charlottesville Ballet, Ballet Memphis, L.A. Dance Project and LA Opera. During his career he has performed works by Trey McIntyre, Matthew Neenan, Julia Adam, Benjamin Millipied, Val Caniparoli, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and many others. Dyer joined Smuin in 2019.

CASSIDY ISAACSON (she/her), originally from Redmond, Washington, began her training at Pacific Northwest Ballet before continuing her studies privately with the lovely Deborah Hadley. At just 16, she joined Grand Rapids Ballet, where she danced for eight seasons, performing works by celebrated choreographers such as Trey McIntyre (Wild Sweet Love), Alejandro Cerrudo (Extremely Close), Penny Saunders (In Frame), and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (Written and Forgotten). Since joining Smuin, she has performed countless one-of-a-kind works under Smuin’s umbrella, and has been given the incredible opportunity to choreograph on the Company with over 11 world premieres. She is passionate about her choreographic work and hopes to continue this path, as she aspires to build a professional career in choreography. Isaacson joined Smuin in 2019.

Mimi Lamar (she/her), was born in New Orleans and raised in Dallas, TX. Lamar began her ballet training at the age of nine and at 15 she was offered a full scholarship to The HARID Conservatory in Boca Raton, FL, where she trained for 3 years. In 2020–21, she received a Silver Medal at ABC/IBC, won First Place at YAGP Dallas, and was a finalist at the YAGP Finals. In 2021, Lamar also attended Ballet Summer Estonia, where she trained and performed in the Gala at the Estonia National Opera House. That same year, Lamar joined the San Francisco Ballet School as a trainee, joining San Francisco Ballet as an apprentice from 2023-2024. She subsequently danced with Oakland Ballet, returning to Texas to perform in projects with ISHIDA Dance Company in Austin and Houston. Lamar joined Smuin in 2026.

Logan Martin (they/them) started their professional career with Pennsylvania Ballet II in 2010. After further training at Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson OBE Academy, Martin joined Ballet West II before being to the main company in 2014. They subsequently joined Oakland Ballet, where they had the honor of working closely with numerous world renowned choreographers on new works. Throughout their career, Martin has performed principal roles such as Aladdin in Peggy Dolkas and Pamela Robinson Harris’ Aladdin and The Land Prince in their production of The Little Mermaid, Cavalier in Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker and The Hostess in his Birthdays, Phil Chan’s Exquisite Corpse, Amber Waves and Ballet des Porcelains, and Angel Island Project choreographed by Wei Wang and Natasha Adorlee. They have performed soloist roles in Jessica Lang’s Lyric Pieces, George Balanchine’s Symphony in C, Nicolo Fonte’s Almost Tango and Rite of Spring, and The Unlucky Sailor in Stanton Welch’s Madame Butterfly. Martin joined Smuin in 2026.

Eleanor Prince (she/her), raised in Louisville, Kentucky, trained in the Louisville Ballet School under directors Bruce Simpson and Robert Curran. She continued her training at Stanford University under Alex Ketley and Anton Pankevich, where she graduated with recognition for leadership in ballet, a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, and graduate studies in Robotics. She joined Louisville Ballet as a Company Artist, where her repertoire includes classics such as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Val Caniparoli’s The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Giselle, Raymonda, Romeo and Juliet, Napoli, Cinderella, Dracula, and George Balanchine’s Rubies, as well as works by Adam Hougland, Stephen Mills, Lucas Jervies, and Ching Ching Wong. She is also a 2024 alumna of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, where she performed in world premieres by choreographers Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Silas Farley, and was featured in Pointe Magazine. Now a Company Artist with Smuin, she has since performed works by Justin Peck, Amy Seiwert, Andrea Schermoly, Kate Skarpetowska, Michael Smuin, and more. Prince joined Smuin in 2026.

SHANIA RASMUSSEN (she/her), originally from Denver, CO, began her professional career with the Sacramento Ballet, performing principal and soloist roles in classical ballets and works by George Balanchine, as well as being featured in works by Jermaine Spivey, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Penny Saunders, among others. She was additionally a dancer with Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, touring to The Joyce Theater and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. As a choreographer, she has presented numerous works for stage and film. Rasmussen joined Smuin in 2024.

YURI ROGERS (he/him) began his training with the Academy of Ballet San Francisco under the direction of Richard Gibson and Zory Karah. He then had the opportunity to continue his training and perform with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, the Grand Rapids Ballet, and BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio. Rogers has performed works by Lar Lubovitch, Leiland Charles, and Edwaard Liang. Rogers joined Smuin in 2021.

JOÃO SAMPAIO (he/him) trained in classical ballet in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil under Ana Palmieri and Romulo Ramos. He has won national and international dance competitions, including the Youth America Grand Prix and the World Ballet Competition. Sampaio joined Tulsa Ballet in 2014, where he performed featured roles in Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, Wayne McGregor’s Infra, Nacho Duato’s Remanso, Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table, Yuri Possokhov’s Classical Symphony, and Edwaard Liang’s Romeo and Juliet and Age of Innocence. In 2018, he joined Festival Ballet Providence, performing lead roles in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker. Sampaio joined Smuin in 2019.

Preston Swovelin (he/him) is a native to Los Angeles. He has trained with the Pasadena Dance Theatre and Miami City Ballet School on full scholarship under Cynthia Young, Lawrence Blake, and Edward Villella. He is the recipient of various awards including 2nd place for Hip-Hop at the USA Nationals. Preston has worked with over 90 organizations including as a Principal at Eugene Ballet Company, California Ballet, and Golden State Ballet, Troy University as a professor, Golden State Ballet as Rehearsal Director, Smuin Contemporary Ballet, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Setsuko Kawaguchi Ballet in Japan, Boulder Ballet, San Diego Opera, CalArts, National Choreographers Initiative, Disney, Harley-Davidson, Audi, Bad Boys of Dance throughout Europe (as Romeo in Romeo & Juliet), and performed and choreographed in collaborations with Cirque du Soleil. He is a desperado by day, a connoisseur of Netflix by night, and enjoys the occasional skydive.