Yoshiko Brunson started her ballet training at Hawaii State Ballet School at the age of six. Upon moving to Colorado, she continued training at the school of Ballet Ariel, and the International Ballet School, under Mark and Sandra Carlson. She competed and won 1^st place at the Denver Ballet Guild, was a regional finalist in YAGP, and a participant at World Ballet Competition in Orlando. Yoshi attended summer programs, some on scholarship, at ABT California and Austin, Boston Ballet School, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, and Joffrey Ballet School NY. She joined the Eugene Ballet Company as an apprentice for two seasons, where she danced in a number of Toni Pimble’s ballets.  She was featured as Princess Wei-Lo in the Nutcracker for the 30-show tour in the Pacific Northwest. She then danced at Ballet Theatre of Maryland, as a demi-soloist artist for two seasons. Some of her favorite roles were Prayer in Coppelia, a Native American in Pirates of the Chesapeake, and a Harem Girl in Aladdin. After taking some time to pursue her education, completing a B.S. Biology from UCD, she joined Ballet Ariel, in Denver. At Ballet Ariel, Yoshi danced solo roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, the Good Fairy in Fairy Tale Suite, the Bird in Peter and the Wolf. She is thankful for the opportunity to do what she loves for a living and to all those in her life who have supported her mission as an artist.

Echo Sweet a Denver native, started dancing at the age of 3 with Colorado Ballet Academy. Echo began dancing at Ballet Melange Academy in 2014 (formerly Classical Ballet Academy), and later becoming a trainee with Ballet Melange. She performed many major roles at Ballet Melange such as Paquita, Cipollino, Myrtha and Gulnara. Echo also danced with Maureen Breeze Dance Theater in productions such as Traveling the Labyrinth. She trained under Elizabeth Shipiatsky for 11 years and has completed certification for teaching levels 1-8 in the Vaganova method.

Samantha Harmon (Sammi) grew up in Aurora, Colorado, where she began dancing at the age of three. She finished her training in Colorado at International Ballet School under Mark and Sandra Carlson, and also attended summer intensives at Boston Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Ballet West and Colorado Ballet. She then moved to Salt Lake City to study at the University of Utah, during which time she was a New York City Finalist at Youth America Grand Prix, as well as a member of Utah Ballet. After she graduated Magna Cum Laude with her BFA she returned to Denver, where she went on to perform professionally with Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company, Ballet Ariel, Ballet5280, and Reformation Dance Company, while also receiving her Doctor of Physical Therapy. Most recently Sammi has been the physical therapist for Frozen the Musical on their North American Tour. She is thrilled to return to performing with Ballet Ariel.

Obinna Morton started dancing at Ballethnic Academy of Dance and Atlanta Ballet in Georgia. She attended summer programs at Atlanta Ballet and Alvin Ailey. Upon graduation, she became serious about training with Ballethnic Academy of Dance, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Institute of Atlanta, and STEPS On Broadway. She was most recently a trainee with the Roanoke Ballet Theatre for two seasons, and performed in full-length shows and black box performances.

Charlotte Meilaender graduated from Genesee Dance Theatre School in western New York, and has taught and performed in the western New York region for several years. She received further training at acclaimed international ballet schools such as Masters of Ballet Academy in London, England, and the Vaganova Academy summer program in St. Petersburg, Russia. She holds a BFA in Dance from Mercyhurst University. Charlotte has performed both classical and contemporary repertoire with the Mercyhurst University Dance Department and Genesee Dance Theatre, and has choreographed for both stage and screen. Her performing credits include Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and Paquita, as well as original works by Jeffrey Rockland and Noelle Partusch. She joins Ballet Ariel for her first season, as well as teaching dance to all ages in the greater Denver area.

Annika Grace Weidemann, of Glenwood Springs, CO, began her training at Glenwood Dance Academy at the age of ten. In 2016, she attended the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts under the direction of Victoria Mazzarelli. In 2018, she continued her training in Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program under the instruction of Marjorie Grundvig and Janet Popeleski. There she danced corps de ballet roles in Terrence Orr’s The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, while working as an assistant/substitute teacher at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. She then joined Ballet Rhode Island in 2021, where she performed corps and soloist roles in Yury Yanowsky’s The Nutcracker, new works by Yury Yanowsky, Clay Murray, and Adele Walden. During her time in Rhode Island she also taught extensively in the School of Ballet Rhode Island, the ProviDANCE Scholarship Program, and for Tribe Dance Center in Monson, MA. She is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and is passionate about holistic wellness for dancers. She is thrilled to have returned to her home state to start her first season with Ballet Ariel.

Antonio Houck began dancing at the age of 9 at Colorado Conservatory of Dance, then known as Ballet Nouveau Colorado. He had his first Nutcracker and Studio Company performance, Prince Igor, at the age of 13. Since then, he has danced at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Indiana University Ballet Theatre, and Boulder Ballet, where he has performed in works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Sasha Janes, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Jerome Robbins and Martha Graham.

Bean Shindell Social Media Coordinator began dancing at the age of one and a half at the Dancers’ Workshop in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Her foundational training was under the tutelage of Ahita Ardalan Bergman, affiliated with the Paris Opera Ballet. Bean has had the privilege of studying with Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, New York City Ballet, Eugene Ballet, and San Diego Ballet, in addition to contemporary ensembles such as the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Bean was a company dancer with the San Diego Ballet for three seasons. Bean has also danced professionally with Columbia Classical Ballet, Montgomery Ballet for two seasons, and Huntsville Ballet, and the Russian Ballet Orlando each for a season. She has performed in many notable ballets including leading roles in classics such as “Giselle,” “Coppélia,” “Les Sylphides,” “The Nutcracker,” “The Little Humpbacked Horse,” “Pas De Quatre,” “The Sleeping Beauty,” and many more. Bean is extremely excited to be starting her first season with Ballet Ariel.

Peter Strand has danced with several companies: Oakland Ballet, Minnesota Ballet, Granite State Ballet in New Hampshire, Micheal Mao Modern Dance Company, Les Ballets Trocaderos de Monte Carlo, the Connecticut Ballet, and as a principal for “Pirouettes” International, the Lexington Ballet (KY), and The Quad Cities Ballet. Locally, he has danced with Zikr Dance Ensemble. Currently, he is the Department Chair for the Multimedia Graphic Design program at Pikes Peak State College and designer/photographer for Ballet Ariel. He has been dancing with Ballet Ariel since 2009 and would like to dedicate his performances this year to his sister Kate.

Xilin Zhu (Drew) is originally from Beijing, China where he was invited as Tai Chi master to the US in 1995. He decided to stay in the US after he was re-invited in 1996 and began his long visa change process. He joined Ballet Ariel’s 2008 season to begin his ballet performing experiences. Later Drew joined Zikr Dance Ensemble and David Taylor Dance Theatre, and performed in Denver Ballet Theatre’s productions of The Nutcracker, Paquita, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, and Coppelia.

Gabriella Spaulding started her classical ballet training at Colorado Ballet Academy. She later completed her studies at Classical Ballet Academy and Ballet Melange, under Elizabeth Shipatsky and Sergii Sydorskyi. She studied in the summer with Oklahoma City Ballet, Ballet Arizona, Milwaukee Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, and American Repertory Ballet. She attended Cincinnati Ballet’s and Ruth Page Civic Ballet’s summer programs on scholarship. She is excited to be dancing with Ballet Ariel. She is very grateful to her family for supporting her career.