National Ballet Competition Jury

Svetlana Svinko is originally from Krasnoyarsk, Russia. In 2009 she graduated from the Krasnoyarsk State Choreographic College, class of the teacher Mikhieva Svetlana. During her studies she took part in international and all-Russian contests, in 2009 she was awarded a scholarship of People's Artist of Russia N.L. Semizorova.

In 2009 she joined the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater under the direction of Igor Zelensky, People's Artist of the Russian Federation. Passed the creative way from the corps de ballet to the principal ballerina. Has taken part in all the theater's productions and premieres. Has worked with teachers Ya. Serebryakova, V. Ryazhenova and Olga Kostritskaya.

From 2016 - 2023 she worked as a principal ballerina at the Leonid Yakobson St. Petersburg Ballet Theater. She danced principal roles in the ballets “Swan Lake”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “Don Quixote” on the best stages of Russia at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg and the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.

Since 2018 she started her teaching career, working as a teacher at the Leonid Yakobson Ballet Theater.

In 2021 she graduated from the Academy of Russian Ballet named after A. Vaganova - Bachelor of Education in Ballet Pedagogy.

Since 2023 she has been working at Clevelandballet. She has performed principal roles in the ballets The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty.

Awards:

Winner of the Galina Ulanova All-Russian Competition in 2008 (silver medal)

Winner of the International Ballet Competition in Moscow in 2009 (bronze medal).

Winner of the 12th Russian Youth Delphic Games in 2013 (silver medal)

Laureate of the 13th Youth Delphic Games of Russia in 2014 (bronze medal)

Diploma winner of the International Ballet Competition in Varna in 2014.

Laureate of the prize to support talented youth, established by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, in 2013 and in 2014.

Repertoire:

Swan Lake: Odette - Odile, Pas de trois.

The Corsair (Chor. Petipa, Gusev, Khomyakov): Medora, trio of odalisques.

La Bayadera: Nikiya, Gamzatti, shadow trio.

Paquita: solo and variations.

Chopiniana: solo.

Giselle: Giselle, Myrtle.

Coppelia: friends of Swanilde, variations.

Don Quixote: Kitri, Street Dancer, friend of Kitri, The Queen of the Dryads.

Sleeping Beauty: Aurora, Lilac Fairy, Diamond.

The Nutcracker: Masha, Sugar Plum.

Cinderella (Chor. K. Simonov): Stepmother.

Pulcinella (Chor. K. Simonov): the two girls.

Cippolino (Chor. Mayorova): Countess Cherry.

Whisper in the Dark (Chor. E. Liang).

Apollo Musaget (Chor. Balanchine): Polyhymnia.

Who cares? (Chor. Balanchine): five soloists.

Sacred Spring (Chor. Patrick De Ban): Tribe of the Sun.

"Pas de quatre" Chor. L. Jacobson

"Firebird" Douglas Lee: Princess

"Queen of Spades" Iñaki Urlezaga: Countess

"Don Quixote" Johan Kobborg: Mercedes

"Swan" Chor. L. Jacobson

Mariaelena Ruiz — recipient of the 2019 Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) NYC Finals Outstanding Teacher Award— was born in Caracas, Venezuela, where she trained under Nina Novak, Prima Ballerina of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

At just 14, she became the youngest member of Ballet Nacional de Caracas under Vicente Nebrada. She soon earned 3rd place in the Junior Division at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson and a full scholarship to the School of American Ballet in New York. Additional accolades followed, including the Best Couple Award and 3rd place in the Senior Division at the Varna International Ballet Competition, and a prize at the Prix Volinine in Paris.

Over the next seven years, Mariaelena performed principal roles with Bay Ballet Theater, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, and Ballet Hispánico, and appeared as a guest artist across the U.S. and Europe. From 2000–2006, she danced an extensive Balanchine repertoire with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, performing at the Kennedy Center and on tour internationally.

Mariaelena began teaching at The Rock School for Dance Education in 2000, becoming full-time Ballet Master in 2006 and training many of today’s top ballet talents. In 2015, she and her husband became part-owners of Cary Ballet Conservatory, where she launched the Professional Training Program and was named Artistic Director of Cary Ballet Company. Under her direction, the Conservatory has earned national acclaim, including Outstanding School awards from YAGP in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, and ADC|IBC in 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024 and 2025, features in Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine, and Mariaelena’s own cover story in Dance Teacher Magazine.

A sought-after guest teacher and judge, she has served on panels for YAGP and the New York International Ballet Competition, appeared in the award-winning documentary First Position, and was featured in WHYY Philadelphia’s 2009 documentary on the Curtis Institute of Music and Rock School collaboration. In 2016, she received the Outstanding Teacher Award at ADC|IBC.

Her coaching has produced medalists at major international competitions, including Moscow IBC, USA IBC in Jackson, Boston IBC, Prix de Lausanne, YAGP, and ADC|IBC. Her students dance with leading companies worldwide, such as the National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theatre, Het Nationale Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, Houston Ballet, Ballet West, Washington Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Royal Ballet, and on Broadway.

As Artistic Director of Cary Ballet Company, Mariaelena has staged a sold-out full-length Nutcracker annually since 2016, introduced one-hour narrated Nutcracker mini-shows, brought acclaimed choreographers to Spring Works productions, and choreographed or adapted classical favorites including Le Corsaire, La Bayadère, and Don Quixote. Under her leadership, Cary Ballet Conservatory dancers have been invited to the Prix de Lausanne in 2021, 2023, and 2024 — with a silver medal win in 2025.

Kaylin Carrera holds a degree in Dance Education from SUNY Brockport, where she studied modern and contemporary technique under renowned modern dance pioneer Bill Evans. During her studies, she explored kinesiology and anatomy in depth, examining their relationship to movement efficiency, injury prevention, and expressive range. She brings this wealth of knowledge into her teaching, creating a holistic approach that blends artistry with an informed understanding of the body.

She currently serves as contemporary faculty for The Sarasota Ballet’s Margaret Barbieri Conservatory and Trainee Program, under the direction of Christopher Hird and Dierdre Miles Burger. In this role, training students from across the country, she brings a contemporary voice into a ballet-based environment, expanding dancers’ range of movement and artistic expression.

Passionate about both teaching and choreography, Kaylin creates works that blend emotional honesty with refined physicality, offering dancers a platform to explore vulnerability, precision, and transformation. Her choreography and coaching have received national and international acclaim, garnering first-place honors and the prestigious Grand Prix Award at Youth America Grand Prix.

In addition to her conservatory work, Kaylin is committed to arts accessibility through Sarasota Ballet’s Dance – Next Generation, a tuition-free program for dancers from underserved communities. She uses this platform to mentor young students and foster creative empowerment through movement.

Mr. Charov started his professional career at the age of seventeen at the Donetsk Opera and Ballet House in Ukraine. He began touring nationally and abroad and enjoyed great success, quickly building a rich classical repertoire. In 1991, he moved to the United States and continued his performing career with the Indianapolis Ballet (Cavalier in Nutcracker, Hilarion in Giselle, Pas d’ Esclave, Zuniga in Carmen). In 1996 he was invited to perform for Her Majesty, The Queen Anne of Romania and Her Royal Highness, The Princess Sophie of Romania. In the same year he joined Philadelphia Ballet, formerly Pennsylvania Ballet, and started adding a wide collection of Balanchine works to his range. Mr. Charov has also performed in original works by many internationally acclaimed choreographers such as Jerome Robbins, Ben Stevenson, Margo Sappington, Kirk Peterson, John Cranko, James Kudelka, L. Taylor-Corbett, Alvin Ailey, Dwight Rhoden, Christopher Wheeldon, Paul Mejia, Alberto Alonso, Matthew Neenan, and others. His performances were highlighted and reviewed by the press in Europe and Asia, as well as in the United States.

Mr. Charov served as a Ballet Master for Koresh Dance Company and helped to develop the Children’s Ballet Program for the school. Currently, Mr. Charov works for Philadelphia Performing Art String Theory Schools as a coordinator of curriculum for classical ballet programs for beginner levels. He is also serving as a faculty member of the School of Philadelphia Ballet. Mr. Charov teaches master classes and stages classical performances and original works around the country and internationally.

In 2016, Mr. Charov received a Bachelor’s Degree in Choreography, Directing, and Teaching. In January of 2018, he completed his Masters in Fine Arts and Pedagogy. He is also official judge for W.B.A.C. Grand Prix.

Raymond Rodriguez is the Dean of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. He began his dance journey at the age of six, attended the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan and trained in classical ballet at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) School on a full scholarship. Rodriguez later joined ABT as an apprentice before joining the Cleveland Ballet (Ballet San Jose), where he became a principal dancer and later took on the roles of rehearsal assistant, répétiteur, regisseur, principal ballet master, associate artistic director and managing director.

In 2016, Rodriguez relocated to Chicago to join the Joffrey Ballet as Head of the Studio Company and Ballet Trainee Program.  In 2019 he was promoted to Academy Director.  Under his leadership, the Joffrey Academy of Dance enjoyed many accomplishments, including the expansion of new studio space and presence in the South Loop neighborhood, a newly created Contemporary Ballet Trainee Program, the launch of Rita Finds Home -a new family-friendly ballet and the creation of the BIPOC Academy Committee (BAC) to help parents and school leaders better support students of color. His tenure saw many Academy students promoted into the Joffrey Ballet Company and others who accepted contracts with ballet companies worldwide.

Throughout his career as a principal dancer, he performed many diverse and challenging roles and successfully staged numerous ballet productions worldwide. He has appeared in various films and television shows and he is a current judge and Master Teacher for the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP). Rodriguez also serves on the advisory board of the national dance publication Pointe Magazine and served as co-chair of Dance/USA’s school director’s affinity group.

Rodriguez is an ABT-certified teacher and an international guest instructor. In 2018, Rodriguez earned an MFA in Dance from Hollins University. He is the founding co-artistic director of Pointe of Departure, Cleveland’s classical ballet company. Some of the awards he has won include an Isadora Duncan Award (Izzie), Crain’s Chicago Business Notable LGBTQ Executive and the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture’s Outstanding Achievement in the Arts award.

Bernadette Mirentxu Torres grew up in San Diego, California, and began her ballet
studies at the age of six. She attended intensives at American Ballet Theatre- New York,
Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet where she was offered a year-round scholarship,
and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Additionally, she was offered a trainee position with
the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. As a pre-professional, Ms. Torres competed in the Youth
America Grand Prix, attending the New York Finals and the World Ballet Competition
attending the Orlando Finals.

At the age of 17, she received her first company contract with the San Diego Ballet and
rose through the ranks to Principal by the age of 22 with the California Ballet. In her first
year as a professional, Ms. Torres was approached by the Artistic Director to begin
teaching in the school due to her keen eye for detail and technical understanding. This is
where she discovered her passion and curiosity for teaching.

Wanting to explore more, as a dancer, she transitioned to being a freelance artist where
she traveled and worked with many international directors, choreographers, and artists.
She performed in several international galas within the United States and Europe,
receiving the “Riconoscimento al Talento” and the “Riconoscimento alla Carriera” awards
in Italy. She was a dancer, dance captain, and assistant choreographer with the San
Diego Opera, working with the company for over 10 years in the operas Tannhauser,
Aida, Romeo and Juliet, Rigoletto, Turandot, Samson and Deliah, Ballo, Don Quixote, La
Traviata, and La Cenerentola.

While building her reputation as an artist, she was also building her reputation as an
instructor known for her care of each individual dancer, attention to detail, technical
expertise, communication skills, adaptability, patience, and command of the studio. In
addition, Ms. Torres has choreographed several original works, both classical and
contemporary, for various dance companies and schools. She has been a guest judge in
Italy and the USA for competitions and performance casting. Ms. Torres has also enjoyed
being a guest master teacher for schools, summer intensives, and companies.
Ms. Torres opened her first business, Happy Hour Pilates and Wellness in January 2020.
Her passion for Pilates, anatomy, and helping people from all walks of life feel better was
her driver for opening her doors. In September 2020, after years of teaching ballet, she
opened her second business, the Torres Di Dio Ballet Program (TDBP). As the Artistic
Director of TDBP she created a program intent to meet the needs of students and parents
seeking quality education, in a more personalized environment. Emphasizing technique,
artistry, anatomy, dance history, and the business of dance, Ms. Torres’ students and
program earned recognition in the city of San Diego as being a school with excellent
technique, a true focus on the student as an individual, and equipped with an innovative
business strategy. Her students have placed at major competitions, earned year-round
and summer intensive scholarships at prestigious schools, and have obtained spots in
BFA programs nationally.

An avid supporter of continuing education, Ms. Torres holds an AA in Accounting with
Honors from Southwestern College and a BS in Business Administration-Management
from San Diego State University. Additionally, she hold certifications in the Progressing
Ballet Technique, the Royal Ballet School Teacher Training- Continuing Education
Webinars, BASI Pilates, BASI Pilates Masters, Pilates for Dancers, Pilates for Pregnancy
and Beyond, Pilates for Injuries and Pathologies, and NASM-CPT. Annually, Ms. Torres
attends conferences in Pilates, Dance, and Business as she believes education and
continuous growth are lifelong practices.

Bernadette Torres is elated to join the Colorado Ballet Academy Team and to help shape
the next generation of artists.

Addison Ector (California, USA) began dancing at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles. After graduating high school, he was accepted into the scholarship program at The Alvin Ailey School in New York City, where he trained for three years. Throughout his training, he performed works by Debbie Allen, Judith Jamison, Ohad Naharin, Thang Dao, Alvin Ailey, Jennifer Archibald, Ron K. Brown, and Matthew Rushing.

Immediately following his training, Ector joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, where he danced for five years, touring internationally and performing works by Dwight Rhoden, Desmond Richardson, Ido Tadmor, Jae Man Joo, and Marcelo Gomes. He later joined TanzCompany Innsbruck in Austria under the direction of Enrique Gasa Valga for the 2018/2019 season and returned for the 2020/2022 seasons. He also guested with Limonada Dance Company in Austria, performing works by Enrique Gasa Valga, Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigonzetti, and Uwe Scholz.

Ector’s credits include Gap’s Fall 2016 Fitness Campaign, the music videos Ne Me Quitte Pas and Back Together, and features in the published books The Art of Movement by NYC Dance Project and Dancers After Dark by Jordan Matter. He has performed as a principal guest artist with L.A. Dance Project, Seoul Metropolitan Ballet, Company XIV, and Limonada Dance Company.

Ector has served as Associate Choreographer for the musical Mozart Her Story in London’s West End. He is also Assistant Choreographer to Jae Man Joo, collaborating with leading companies worldwide, including English National Ballet, Seoul Metropolitan Ballet, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater.

Ector most recently performed as Tybalt with L.A. Dance Project in Benjamin Millepied’s Romeo & Juliet Suite at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. He is currently an Artist-in-Residence with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, a Lecturer at Chapman University, an Artist-in-Residence at USC, and Assistant Choreographer to Jae Man Joo. Based in Los Angeles, Ector continues to freelance, teach, perform, and create internationally.

Ommi P. Leffler is a Thai-American ballet artist, educator, and choreographer. She is a member of the

ballet faculty at the Metropolitan School of the Arts and The Washington School of Ballet and serves as guest

faculty in the Western Dance Department at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

At age 14, Ommi received the Royal Academy of Dance’s Solo Seal Award and a three-year full

scholarship to study at The Royal Ballet School in London. At age 15, she became the youngest dancer to win the

gold medal at the 2001 Genée International Ballet Competition, now known as the Fonteyn International Ballet

Competition.

At The Royal Ballet School, Ommi performed leading roles in school productions and was handpicked to

perform with The Royal Ballet in numerous full-length productions. During her final year, she represented the UK

at international galas across Europe and Russia. She graduated with honors and received a Professional Dance

Diploma.

At age 18, Ommi joined San Francisco Ballet as its youngest soloist. Pointe Magazine named her one of

its “25 to Watch” emerging young artists. She later became a principal dancer with Ballet San Jose, performing an

extensive repertoire of classical and contemporary ballet works. She has also been featured on ABC7 News Bay

Area and Voice of America.

Ommi holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Hollins University. She is certified in the American

Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum and is a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance,

where she has been recruited to attend examiner training at its London headquarters.

Since 2013, Ommi has taught extensively throughout the United States and Asia. Her teaching experience

includes Pacific Ballet Academy, Menlo Park Academy of Dance, San Jose Dance Theatre, and Southern

California Ballet, as well as serving as a ballet master with Bay Pointe Ballet. She has taught at numerous dance

institutions and intensives across Asia, including Bangkok Dance Academy, Marlupi Dance Academy, and Sonata

Thailand Dance Intensive. In addition to teaching, Ommi choreographs solo works and has served as a judge for

international dance competitions.

Since relocating to the Washington, D.C. area, Ommi has continued to teach and guest teach at various

schools while maintaining an active professional presence throughout Asia.