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Colorado Ballet Academy Faculty
Giana Jigarhan
Principal Teacher
Giana Jigarhan, Ballet Instructor, is a graduate of the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and received a Masters Degree in Ballet Instruction, Choreography and Stage Production from the prestigious Moscow University of Theatre Arts having studied with Prof. Marina Semyonova, one of the most successful student of Vaganova, legend of Russian and World Ballet. She also trained for two years as a Ballet Instructor and Choreographer at the Bolshoi Theater and is a member of the Russian Professional Art Association. Ms. Jigarhan was a soloist ballet dancer for fourteen years with the Novosibirsk Ballet Theater, National Ballet Theater (Kirghizia). Her repertoire included the most famous classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Cinderella, Giselle, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, La Corsaire, as well as ballets by the most prestigious modern Russian choreographers. In the former USSR, Asia and Europe, Ms. Jigarhan’s choreographic credits include ballets Paquita, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Raymonda, Bakhiana Brasiliana by Villa Lobos, numerous concert pieses and dances for operas Aida and Rigoletto. She has coached both students and artists for ballet competitions and performances. Ms. Jigarhan has taught ballet and coached at many well known institutions including: Moscow Musical Theater, the Polish National Ballet School, Polish National Ballet Theatre, Asami Maki Ballet Company in Japan, Star Dance Ballet, Japan; Prague National Theater, National Theater of Korea, Universal Ballet Company in Korea, EWHA University Dance Department in Korea, Washington School of Ballet, Kirov Ballet Academy, Tulsa Ballet, Towson University, Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, the Peabody Institute Dance Department at Johns Hopkins University, where she choreographed an original version of the full length ballet Coppelia. Currently she is working at Academy of Colorado Ballet, official school of Colorado Ballet Company, as a Principal Ballet Instructor.
Igor Vassine
Principal Teacher, Central Academy
Igor Vassine was born in Tallinn, Estonia. He retired as a principal dancer with Colorado Ballet in 2011, after completing his 17th year with the Company. He graduated from the Tallinn Ballet School of Estonian National Ballet, where he was also a principal dancer and was a finalist in the Helsinki International Competition in Finland in 1990. He has performed as a guest artist in Japan and also appeared on the cover of Dance Magazine in 1997. He has performed all major classical roles including those in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle and La Sylphide, and was seen as Oberon in Christopher Wheeldon's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Basilio in Don Quixote, Franz in Coppelia, Prince Charming in Cinderella and danced in Colorado Ballet's performance of Twyla Tharp's Nine Sinatra Songs.
Julie Anderson
Julie studied Dance Education at Arizona State University and the University of Idaho where she earned a B.S. in Dance in 2005. She studied modern, ballet and jazz dance technique through an internship/scholarship program at Broadway Dance Center in New York City with Bill Hastings, Kat Wildish and others. She has studied and danced with Bill Evans, a world renowned modern and tap dancer, since 2003. In 2009, Julie completed the Bill Evans Dance Technique Certification Program. Julie currently performs with the jazz and modern company, Louder Than Words Dance Theater in Denver, and teaches for various studios and outreach programs in the Denver metro area.
Jennifer Bakane
Jennifer Bakane is from North Carolina and studied ballet, jazz, modern, tap and musical theatre. She has a B.A. in Theatre from Meredith College and trained in classical dance at Infinity Ballet Conservatory under the direction of Debra Sayles-Senchak, Lori Christman-Bourtasenkov and Timour Bourtasenkov. Upon graduation, she became the Dance Director at Cardinal Gibbons High School and joined the faculty of Infinity Ballet Conservatory and The Ballet School of Chapel Hill. Ms. Bakane has been a dancer and choreographer for performing troupes in North Carolina and Colorado, including performances in Cabaret, Follies, The Goodbye Girl, Cinderella, Nutcracker, Paquita, and La Vivandière among other independent works, and she continues to dance locally. Ms. Bakane currently serves as a Youth Programs Specialist for the City of Lakewood.
Dana Benton
Dana Benton is from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and joined Colorado Ballet in 2001. She is currently a Soloist at Colorado Ballet. She trained at The National Ballet School in Toronto and the Hamburg Ballet School in Germany. She was awarded the Peter Dwyer Scholarship for Excellence in Dance in 2000. Her many roles over the years have included Belle in Beauty and The Beast, Cow Girl in Rodeo, Swanilda in Coppelia, Ave Maria Pas de Deux, Clara in The Nutcracker, Tinker Bell in Peter Pan, Flower Girl and Cupid in Don Quixote, Diamond Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle, Pink and Aqua in Bruch Violin Concerto, Gulnara in Le Corsaire, Hermia and Peaseblossom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Bomb Squad in The Upper Room and Lead Souvenir Lady in The Great Galloping Gottschalk. Ms. Benton has been teaching for the Colorado Ballet Academy for several years.
Kristi Capps
Kristi Capps is from North Carolina. Her ballet training includes the School of American Ballet, Harid Conservatory and North Carolina School of the Arts.While at NCSA, she was chosen to study and perform with the Hungarian State Ballet School in Budapest, Hungary. Upon her graduation, she was a member of the Atlanta Ballet for three seasons and then joined Cincinnati Ballet in 1996, where she rose quickly through the ranks to Principal. As a guest artist, she performed with many ballet companies and galas such as the International Ballet Festival of Miami, International Dance Festival in Vail, Colorado and Stars of American Ballet in Spain. Ms. Capps also danced as a Principal with the Chautauqua Ballet Company in New York under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. In 2007, she performed original works by Luca Veggetti at New York City’s Guggenheim Museum “Works in Process” series and in 2008, she performed the leading role in George Balanchine’s Chaconne with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Ms. Capps maintained a faculty position with the Otto M. Budig Academy of the Cincinnati Ballet. She held guest faculty positions at Midwest Ballet Theater, The Eric Kunzel School of Creative and Performing Arts and Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet. She has also been a guest teacher at numerous ballet schools, colleges, and conservatories.
April Charmaine
April Charmaine is the founder and artistic director of Sol Vida Dance!, a Denver based, Fusion Dance Studio. In addition to running her own company, she frequently serves as a guest artist, specializing in dances of the African and Latin diasporas, modern, jazz, musical theatre and creative movement. She has taught for Colorado Ballet, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Denver School of the Arts and serves as the resident choreographer for East High School and Rocky Mountain Children’s Choir. Her teaching style gives youth and adults the confidence to feel good in their bodies and express themselves wholly with profound joy.
Cara Cooper
Cara Cooper is from Jackson Hole, Wyoming and joined Colorado Ballet in 2005, where she is a member of the Corps de Ballet. She was awarded the Florence Rustin Award for Excellence. During the 2007-2008 season Ms. Cooper danced with the English National Ballet in London, England. Ms. Cooper has performed several leading roles including Rum and Cola in Paul Taylor’s Company B, Arabian in The Nutcracker, the Pas de Trois in Swan Lake, Flower Girl and Gypsie Queen in Don Quixote, Brown Woman in Celts and the Haughty Stepsister in Cinderella. In 2009, Ms. Cooper was invited to perform in the Gala Performance for the New York International Ballet Competition in the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Gregory DeSantis
Gregory DeSantis, born in Staten Island, New York, began his training at Center Stage Dance and Theater School in Marlboro, New Jersey. He is currently a member of Colorado Ballet's Corps de Ballet. He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts where he received a B.F.A. in Ballet. While at NCSA he was trained by Ethan Stiefel originating the roles of Arabian, Herr Drosselmeyer, and Cavalier in his production of The Nutcracker. In between his sophomore and junior years he toured with Twyla Tharp’s Movin’ Out as James. He has also trained at The Washington Ballet, Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Ellison Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Princeton Ballet and the Jacob’s Pillow Summer Dance Festival. Mr. DeSantis has performed choreography by Sir Frederik Ashton, Karole Armitage, Merce Cunningham, Agnes de Mille, Marius Petita, Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine among others. He has performed as a guest with the Greensboro Ballet, Urban Ballet Theatre and The Washington Ballet. Mr. DeSantis joined Colorado Ballet as a member of the Studio Company in 2010 and has since performed in Dracula, The Nutcracker, and Romeo & Juliet.
Diana Fantano-Hoffman
Diana Fantano-Hoffman, originally from Huntington, New York, graduated from The Julliard School where she earned her BFA in Dance. She performed with several ballet and modern dance companies in New York and Virginia including Eglevsky Ballet, Contemporary Ballet Theater, Ballet Long Island and Zawacki Dance, and has worked with world-renowned artists Anna Sokolow, Anthony Tudor, Alexandra Danilova, Melissa Haydon, Edward Villella, Hector Zaraspe and David Parsons, among others. Ms. Fantano-Hoffman has performed principal roles in Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Flower Festival in Genzano, Stars and Stripes and Serenade, as well as many modern and contemporary works. She had the pleasure of representing the United States in the International Festival of Dance Academies held in Hong Kong and Taiwan in 1986. She also appeared on the Live from Lincoln Center PBS Broadcast of Juilliard at 80, and is an award recipient of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Talent Search.
Candess Giyan
Candess Giyan is a native of Denver, Colorado. She moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 where she spent many years growing up and figuring out that her heart lies in the art of movement. During this time she danced with several local dance companies, taught movement classes for the Atlanta community, received an individual artist grant, achieved yoga certification and co-founded and co-directed Zoetic Dance Ensemble. Since her return home, Ms. Giyan has performed and collaborated with several local movement companies such as Ascential Dance, Control Group, Fresh Blood and Daughter Cells (an experiential movement company that she co-directs with her sister Kaila June). Ms. Giyan is now teaching dance and yoga for Colorado Ballet's Department of Education and Outreach, Creative Dance Inc; The Logan School and A Living Arts Center.
Becca Jacobson
Ms. Jacobson has her B.A. in Religious Studies and World Dance and Culture from the University of Colorado, and is currently pursuing her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy and a certification in Play Therapy through Regis University. She is active with two local professional dance companies, developing her skills as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer. She is a Teaching Artist with Think360 Arts and a member of the ArtReach Programs Advisory Committee. Ms. Jacobson has worked for Colorado Ballet's Department of Education and Outreach for four years and also serves as the teacher for the Be Beautiful, Be Yourself Dance Program.
Page Jenkins
Page Jenkins graduated from the University of Colorado in 2009 with a B.A. in Dance. She is currently dancing with 3rd Law Dance/Theater, Interweave Dance Theatre and Louder Than Words Dancetheatre. Page teaches for Colorado Ballet’s Dance Renaissance Program, the Denver School of the Arts and is the Assistant Artistic Director of Colorado Youth Dance Theatre.
Stephanie Koltiska
Stephanie Koltiska was born and raised in Sheridan, Wyoming. She received a B.F.A. in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts. In 2004, Ms. Koltiska join the modern dance company Motion Lab. In 2006, she joined the Robert Moses Kin and performed a solo in the world premiere of Draft. Ms. Koltiska completed her Masters of Fine Art studies at Purchase College in New York, in 2010. During her time in New York City, she was given the opportunity to work with world-renown choreographers such as Carmen deLavallade, Regina Larkin, Riedel Dance Theatre, Lauren Grant, LisaRace and Nicole Wolcott. Ms. Koltiska joined Kim Robards Dance Company in 2010, and is currently a performer with Apex Contemporary Dance Company. She is also a faculty member at the Colorado Ballet Academy, and also serves as the Dance Coordinator for Colorado Ballet.
Carolina Pahde Mallarino
Carolina Pahde is from Bogota, Colombia and studied dance at the Hochschule fur Musik und Theater in Hannover, Germany. She has a B.A. in Performing Dance and a B.A. in Dance Pedagogy. Ms. Pahde received a M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Michigan. Ms. Pahde has taught classical ballet, modern, jazz, tap, character dance and has taught at various schools including the Ballet School Voges and the Kreismusikschule in Germany, the Ballarte Escuela de Ballet and the Academia de Danza María Sanford in Colombia and the University of Michigan, Dance Department and Dance Gallery Studio. She also served as Studio Director. Ms. Pahde has also performed and choreographed for different companies and dance schools in Colombia, Germany, the Hannover National Opera House, the Lübeck National Opera House in Germany and the Ballet Al Parque Festival in Colombia.
Maria Mosina
Maria Mosina was born in Moscow and graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia. Upon graduation, Ms. Mosina join the Bolshoi Ballet Grigorovich Company and (immediately) was chosen for principal roles. Mosina had toured the world appearing on all major European, American, African and Asian stages. Ms. Mosina performed leading roles in all major productions as a member of the Company, as well as a guest artist with many other festivals, galas, and companies. Among the most memorable ones are the International Arts Festival in Spoletto, Italy, Gala Performance in Memory of Nureyev in Ufa, and Fernando Bujones Gala in Miami, Florida. She also proudly possesses a commemorative diploma for appearing in the Royal Variety Performance before Her Majesty the Queen of England. Ms. Mosina was invited by Colorado Ballet to join as a leading principal dancer. In the last 17 years, Ms. Mosina performed all major parts in classical productions such as Clara and Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Sylphide in La Sylphide, Odette-Odille in Swan Lake, Aurora and Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle in Giselle, Swanhilda in Coppelia, Kitri in Don Quixote, Talioni in Pas de Quatre, The Dying Swan, Le Spectre de La Rose and pas de deux from Le Corsaire, Talisman, Paquita, Les Sylphides. Ms. Mosina also had the chance to show her talent in neoclassical, modern and contemporary choreographed master pieces such as Balanchine’s Apollo, Rubies, Theme and Variations, Western Symphony, Serenade, Concerto Barocco, Stars and Stripes and Who Cares?, as well as Christopher Weeldon’s A Midsummer Night's Dream, Peter Pucci’s Size Nine Spirit (as seen on PBS). She has also performed Alvin Ailey’s River, Martha Graham’s monumental Appalachian Spring, Agnes de Mille's Rodeo, Paul Taylor's Company B, F.Ashton's Facade, Antony Tudor's Leaves are Fading and Echoing of Trumpets, Twyla Tharp's Nine Sinatra Songs and In The Upper Room, Michael Pink's Dracula and Hunchback of Notre Dame, S.Welch's Of Blessed Memory, Martin Fredmann's Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, A Little Love, Mon Dieu, Sechertorte, Silent Woods and Dreamspace ( as seen on PBS), Vebre's Where the Wild Things Are, Clark Tippet's Bruch Violin Concerto No.1, Lynn Taylor-Corbett's Great Galloping Gottschalk and many more.
Loelle Poneleit
Loelle Poneleit took her first Nia class in 2003. Since then, Nia has become more than just an exercise class for her as it has also developed her mind and spirit. In 2008, Poneleit became a certified Nia teacher and is thrilled to share the joy of movement as a teacher.
Heather Prokhnitski
Heather Prokhnitski is from Norfolk, Virginia and received her early dance training from the Old Dominion University Ballet School. She was a full-scholarship student at the Kirov Academy in Washington D.C., and studied for a year at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. For three summers, she was invited by the North Carolina School of the Arts to study in Budapest, Hungary at the Hungarian State Ballet School. Ms. Prokhnitski danced with Colorado Ballet for 10 seasons as a Soloist with the company. She danced many leading roles including the Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker, the Lilac fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, the Pas de Trois in Swan Lake, the Dryad Queen in Don Quixote and Lucy in Dracula. Ms. Prokhnitski was also a featured dancer in Taisiya Korobeynikova's Elysium, Jessica Lang's From Foreign Lands and People, Darrell Moultrie's Vital Sensations and many other works by contemporary choreographers. Ms. Prokhnitski began teaching at the Colorado Ballet Academy in 2008. Ms. Prokhnitski serves as the Director of Student Casts for Colorado Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker, rehearsing and staging all students selected to perform in the production.
Kim Robards
Kim Robards is the Artistic Director/CEO of Kim Robards Dance, a professional modern dance touring company she founded in 1987. She has served on the faculty of Colorado Ballet for 14 years. Ms. Robards' career includes national and international teaching residencies and choreographic commissions by numerous professional companies and university dance programs. Her work has received critical acclaim and success in Beijing, China at the Nines Theatre and the Coca Cola Olympic Stage; Edinburgh, Scotland at Venue 150; Joyce SoHo in New York; among others. She has to her credit guest residencies in Taiwan, in France hosted by the French Ministry of Cultural Affairs, as a guest dancer in the Tokyo International Choreographers' Competition in Japan, and has received both the Mayor’s and Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts, among others. Ms. Robards is respected as a teacher of her own technique which provides a solid technical base for aspiring dancers and professionals alike. Ms. Robards’ modern dance training includes Limon, Humphrey-Weidman, Hawkins, Graham, Cunningham and Nikolais Techniques. She holds her M.A. in Dance from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Kristi Siciliano
Kristi Siciliano is a Colorado native and started dancing in her childhood at Aurora Dance Arts. She studied ballet extensively at the Colorado Ballet Academy and later, apprenticed with both Colorado Ballet and David Taylor Dance Theatre. She has also performed in various modern dance companies in the Denver/Boulder area including the Hannah Kahn Dance Company. She has taught classes and workshops in many schools in the Metro area as well as with Colorado Ballet's Dance Renaissance Program.
LaRana Skalicky
LaRana Skalicky is the Associate Executive Director/Principal Company Member of Kim Robards Dance (KRD). She also works as a teacher at the KRD School and in the educational outreach programs. Ms. Skalicky has taught at the Colorado Ballet Academy for eight years. She was selected for an Associateship with The Rocky Mountain Women’s Institute and has served as a Dance Teaching Artist for the Aesthetic Education Institute of Colorado. She graduated cum laude with honors from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri with a B.F.A. in Dance and a minor in Philosophy.
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