ATLANTA BALLET
March 28–29, 2026
March 28-29, 2026
Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Gennadi Nedvigin
DEAN OF THE CENTRE FOR DANCE EDUCATION
Sharon Story
Music by Jules Massenet
Choreography by Bruce Wells
Staging by Serena Chu
Costume Design by Atlanta Ballet Costume Shop
Lighting Design by Joseph R. Walls
Associate Lighting Design by Ben Rawson
Narration by Amelia Fischer
Performed by Atlanta Ballet 2
Atlanta Ballet 2 Repetiteur Serena Chu
Academy Rehearsal Assistants
Marlena Abaza, Anna Penny, Natalya Vyashenko
Children’s Cast courtesy of Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education
Supported by
ATLANTA BALLET 2
Pierce Bevans, Caroline Giltner, Daniel Gray, Sayaka Iwase, Camille-Margaret Jackson, Jacob Lainchbury, Santiago Larronda, Emily McAllister, Sakura Natorigawa, Avery Nelson, Isabela Oku, Leo O’Reilly Okuno, Dyhan Pierre, Ícaro Queiros, Gianni Salazar, Eliza Soto, Kahlen Wright
Atlanta Ballet 2 courtesy of Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education
Atlanta Ballet 2 dancers are selected from all over the world and represent the artistic vision of Artistic Director Gennadi Nedvigin. These young individuals are dancers who have arrived at a defining point in their transitions to become professional dancers. They receive individual classes and coaching from esteemed faculty members. The intense level of training, opportunities to rehearse with the Atlanta Ballet company, and the experiences of their own performances help mold the young artists’ awareness of the high expectations demanded of professional company members. Currently, 12 company members are Atlanta Ballet 2 alumni.
Dorothy Moses Alexander - Atlanta Ballet Founder, 1929 - 1960
Robert Barnett - Artistic Director Emeritus, 1961 - 1994
John McFall – Artistic Director, 1994 - 2016
Visit centre.atlantaballet.com/atlanta-ballet-2
Atlanta Ballet 2 dancer portraits courtesy of Kim Kenney.
Once upon a time in midwinter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven, a queen sat sewing at her window, which had a frame of black ebony wood. As she sewed she looked up at the snow and pricked her finger with her needle. Three drops of blood fell into the snow. The red on the white looked so beautiful that she thought to herself, “If only I had a child with, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as the wood in this frame.”
Soon afterward she had a little daughter who had lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony wood, and they called her little Snow White. But as soon as the child was born, the queen died.
A year later, the king took another wife. She was a beautiful woman, but she was proud and arrogant, and she could not stand it if anyone might surpass her in beauty. She had a magic mirror. Every morning she stood before it, looked at herself, and said, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?” To this the mirror answered: “You, my queen, are fairest of all.” Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the mirror spoke the truth.
Snow White grew up and became ever more beautiful. When she was a teenager, she was as beautiful as the light of day, even more beautiful than the queen herself. One day, the queen asked her mirror: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?” It answered: “You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Snow White is a thousand times fairer than you.” From that hour on, whenever the queen looked at Snow White her heart turned over with envy.
Then she summoned a huntsman and said to him, “Take Snow White out into the woods. I never want to see her again.” The huntsman obeyed and led Snow White into the enchanted forest. He took out his hunting knife and was about to stab her, but the huntsman could not bring himself to harm her and told her to flee. She ran as far as her feet could carry her, and, just as evening was about to fall, she came across a house. She went inside to rest and fell asleep.
After dark, the masters of the house, seven dwarfs, returned home. She looked so peaceful that they decided to let her sleep. The next morning when Snow White woke up, the seven dwarfs startled her, but they were friendly. She told them that her stepmother had tried to kill her, that the huntsman had spared her life, and that she had run the entire day, finally coming upon their house. The dwarfs said, “You can stay with us and have everything you want.”
Every morning the dwarfs went into the mountains looking for ore and gold, so she spent her days alone. The good dwarfs warned her to be wary of the evil queen and to not invite visitors inside the house. So she kept house for them.
Now the queen, believing that she was again the most beautiful woman of all, asked her familiar question of the magic mirror. It answered: “You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Snow White, beyond the mountains with the seven dwarfs, is still a thousand times fairer than you.” This startled the evil queen, for she knew that the mirror did not lie, and she realized that the huntsman had deceived her and that Snow White was still alive.
Then she went into her most secret room and made a poisoned apple. From the outside it was beautiful, and anyone who saw it would want it. But anyone who might eat it would die. The evil queen disguised herself as a peasant woman and headed straight to the seven dwarfs’ house. She knocked on the door. Snow White stuck her head out the window and said, “I am not allowed to let anyone in.” “That is all right with me,” answered the peasant woman. “I’ll easily get rid of my apples. Here, I’ll give you one of them.” Snow White stuck her hand out and unknowingly took the poisoned fruit. She barely had a bite in her mouth before she fell to the ground dead.
When the dwarfs came home that evening, they found Snow White lying in bed. She was not breathing at all. As they mourned Snow White and prepared her coffin, a young prince passed by their cottage in the woods. He was so taken by her beauty that he fell instantly in love with Snow White. He leaned over and kissed her ruby lips. Magically, breath returned to Snow White’s body, and she awoke as if from a long slumber. The prince told her what had happened and then said, “I love you more than anything else in the world. Come with me to my father’s castle.” Snow White loved him too, so she went with him. They then lived happily ever after.
G E N NADI NE DVIGIN ( Ar tistic Director), in Februar y 2016 , was named
G E N NADI NE DVIGIN ( Ar tistic Director), in Februar y 2016 , was named
Atlanta Ballet’s fourth artistic director in the Company’s then 87-year history. Nedvigin, born in Rostov, Russia, began his training at age 5. At 10, he was accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Upon graduating, he joined Moscow Renaissance Ballet, as a soloist, before he was invited to dance with Le Jeune Ballet de France in Paris. In 1997, while on tour in the U.S., San Francisco Ballet (SFB) Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson offered Nedvigin a soloist contract. After three years, he was promoted to principal dancer. While at SFB, Nedvigin won the International Competition’s Erik Bruhn Prize (1999). He has also received three Isadora Duncan Dance Awards (2001, 2010 and 2017). Along the way, Nedvigin was fortunate to work with many world-renowned choreographers. In addition to his dancing career, Nedvigin also taught master classes and staged ballets in the U.S. and abroad before becoming an artistic director. Recently, Nedvigin sat on juried panels at the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, the International Ballet Competition held in Jackson, Mississippi, and the Youth America Grand Prix. Under Nedvigin’s guidance, Atlanta Ballet has established the Academy training program, which includes a top-tier performance ensemble, Atlanta Ballet 2, representing his commitment to training for the next generation of professional dancers.
Atlanta Ballet’s fourth artistic director in the Company’s then 87-year history. Nedvigin, born in Rostov, Russia, began his training at age 5. At 10, he was accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Upon graduating, he joined Moscow Renaissance Ballet, as a soloist, before he was invited to dance with Le Jeune Ballet de France in Paris. In 1997, while on tour in the U.S., San Francisco Ballet (SFB) Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson offered Nedvigin a soloist contract. After three years, he was promoted to principal dancer. While at SFB, Nedvigin won the International Competition’s Erik Bruhn Prize (1999). He has also received three Isadora Duncan Dance Awards (2001, 2010 and 2017). Along the way, Nedvigin was fortunate to work with many world-renowned choreographers. In addition to his dancing career, Nedvigin also taught master classes and staged ballets in the U.S. and abroad before becoming an artistic director. Recently, Nedvigin sat on juried panels at the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, the International Ballet Competition held in Jackson, Mississippi, and the Youth America Grand Prix. Under Nedvigin’s guidance, Atlanta Ballet has established the Academy training program, which includes a top-tier performance ensemble, Atlanta Ballet 2, representing his commitment to training for the next generation of professional dancers.
GENNADI NEDVIGIN (Artistic Director), in February 2016, was named Atlanta Ballet’s fourth artistic director in the Company’s then 87-year history. Nedvigin, born in Rostov, Russia, began his training at age 5. At 10, he was accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Upon graduating, he joined Moscow Renaissance Ballet as a soloist before he was invited to dance with Le Jeune Ballet de France in Paris. In 1997, while on tour in the U.S., San Francisco Ballet (SFB) Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson offered Nedvigin a soloist contract. After three years, he was promoted to principal dancer. While 19 seasons at SFB, Nedvigin won the International Competition’s Erik Bruhn Prize (1999). He has also received three Isadora Duncan Dance Awards (2001, 2010 and 2017). Along the way, Nedvigin was fortunate to work with many world-renowned choreographers. In addition to his dancing career, Nedvigin also taught master classes and staged ballets in the U.S. and abroad before becoming an artistic director. Recently, Nedvigin sat on juried panels at the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, the International Ballet Competition held in Jackson, Mississippi, the Japan Grand Prix and the Youth America Grand Prix. Under Nedvigin’s guidance, Atlanta Ballet has established the Academy training program, which includes a top-tier performance ensemble, Atlanta Ballet 2, representing his commitment to training for the next generation of professional dancers.
TOM WEST (Executive Director)
TOM WEST (Executive Director)
assumed his role as Atlanta Ballet’s
assumed his role as Atlanta Ballet’s
TOM WEST (Executive Director) assumed his role as Atlanta Ballet’s Executive Director in 2021. West’s career in arts management spans more than 25 years, including leadership roles at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and American Film Institute. An actor and theatre director by training, West received a Master of Arts in arts management from American University and began his career in arts management at the Kennedy Center in 1997, where he rose to serve as Vice President of Development, overseeing all fundraising programs for the National Symphony Orchestra and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and leading Farrell’s effort to fund a remount of Balanchine’s Don Quixote. In 2007, West served as Vice President of Development for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. From 2010-2021, West served as the Chief Advancement Officer for the American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles, where he championed the development of new programs to provide bridges to the film industry for under-represented storytellers in Hollywood. West established the AFI National Council in 2011, a community of philanthropists from across the United States who serve as champions for excellence in the art of film and opportunities for the next generation of great storytellers. Since joining Atlanta Ballet in 2021, West’s focus has been on Atlanta Ballet’s long-term financial health and prestige, expanding engagement in the greater Atlanta region and breaking down historic barriers to full participation in the artform of Ballet for all.
Executive Director at the top of the 2021 | 2022 Season. West’s career in arts management spans for more than 20 years including leadership roles at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and American Film Institute. An actor and theatre director by training, West received a Master of Arts in arts administration from American University and began his career in arts management at the Kennedy Center in 1997, where he rose to the serve as Vice President of Development, overseeing all fundraising programs for the National Symphony Orchestra and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and leading the effort to fund a remount of Balanchine’s Don Quixote. In 2007, West served as Vice President of Development for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. From 2010-2021, West served as the Chief Advancement Officer for the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, where he championed the development of new programs to provide bridges to the film industry for under-represented storytellers in Hollywood. West also served on AFI’s senior leadership team, shaping organizational strategy for the Institute’s filmmaker training programs and working with major studios developing on targeted diversity initiatives, as well as its strategy for weathering the COVID-19 pandemic. West established the AFI National Council in 2011, a community of philanthropists from across the United States who serve as champions for excellence in the art of film and opportunities for the next generation of great storytellers.
Executive Director at the top of the 2021 | 2022 Season. West’s career in arts management spans for more than 20 years including leadership roles at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and American Film Institute. An actor and theatre director by training, West received a Master of Arts in arts administration from American University and began his career in arts management at the Kennedy Center in 1997, where he rose to the serve as Vice President of Development, overseeing all fundraising programs for the National Symphony Orchestra and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and leading the effort to fund a remount of Balanchine’s Don Quixote. In 2007, West served as Vice President of Development for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. From 2010-2021, West served as the Chief Advancement Officer for the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, where he championed the development of new programs to provide bridges to the film industry for under-represented storytellers in Hollywood. West also served on AFI’s senior leadership team, shaping organizational strategy for the Institute’s filmmaker training programs and working with major studios developing on targeted diversity initiatives, as well as its strategy for weathering the COVID-19 pandemic. West established the AFI National Council in 2011, a community of philanthropists from across the United States who serve as champions for excellence in the art of film and opportunities for the next generation of great storytellers.
S HARO N S TO RY (D ean of the C entre for D ance Education) joined Atlanta Ballet after a professional dance career that spanned more than 20 years and included tenures with Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet, Stars of New York City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and 10 years with Boston Ballet. Her Boston Ballet tenure included international tours with Rudolf Nureyev. In 1996, along with her role as ballet mistress, Story became dean of Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education (Centre), which has grown to become one of the largest dance schools in the nation. The Centre is nationally recognized for its programs and community initiatives. Under Story’s direction, the Centre achieved accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). She serves on the board of directors for NASD. In 2021, Story received Atlanta Ballet’s Dorothy Alexander Award. She received the 2015 Women Making a Mark Award from Atlanta Magazine and was featured in the Arts ATL Legacy Series 2018. Story is committed to providing a noncompetitive atmosphere and access to dance education that is shaped by the community’s needs, is innovative and inspires the commitment and excellence that are the trademarks of Atlanta Ballet.
S HARO N S TO RY (D ean of the C entre for D ance Education) joined Atlanta Ballet after a professional dance career that spanned more than 20 years and included tenures with Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet, Stars of New York City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and 10 years with Boston Ballet. Her Boston Ballet tenure included international tours with Rudolf Nureyev. In 1996, along with her role as ballet mistress, Story became dean of Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education (Centre), which has grown to become one of the largest dance schools in the nation. The Centre is nationally recognized for its programs and community initiatives. Under Story’s direction, the Centre achieved accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). She serves on the board of directors for NASD. In 2021, Story received Atlanta Ballet’s Dorothy Alexander Award. She received the 2015 Women Making a Mark Award from Atlanta Magazine and was featured in the Arts ATL Legacy Series 2018. Story is committed to providing a noncompetitive atmosphere and access to dance education that is shaped by the community’s needs, is innovative and inspires the commitment and excellence that are the trademarks of Atlanta Ballet.
SHARON STORY (Dean of the Centre for Dance Education) joined Atlanta Ballet after a professional dance career that spanned more than 20 years and included tenures with Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet, Stars of New York City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and 10 years with Boston Ballet. Her Boston Ballet tenure included international tours with Rudolf Nureyev. In 1996, along with her role as ballet mistress, Story became dean of Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education (Centre), which has grown to become one of the largest dance schools in the nation. The Centre is nationally recognized for its programs and community initiatives. Under Story’s direction, the Centre achieved accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). She serves on the board of directors for NASD. In 2021, Story received Atlanta Ballet’s Dorothy Alexander Award. She received the 2015 Women Making a Mark Award from Atlanta Magazine and was featured in the Arts ATL Legacy Series 2018. Story is committed to providing a noncompetitive atmosphere and access to dance education that is shaped by the community’s needs, is innovative and inspires the commitment and excellence that are the trademarks of Atlanta Ballet.
SERENA CHU (Atlanta Ballet 2 Repetiteur and faculty) was born in Long Beach, New York, where she received her early training at the School of American Ballet, performed in numerous productions with the New York City Ballet, and danced in the 1990 Workshop performance of Puss In Boots by Robert LaFosse. After attending the Bolshoi Ballet program in Vail, Colorado, Chu went on to study as a scholarship student with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia, and was one of the first Americans to graduate from the school. She was a member of Sarasota Ballet before joining Tulsa Ballet, where she danced many featured rolls in works from renowned choreographers such as N. Duato, G. Balanchine, J. Kylián, W. Forsythe, V. Caniparoli, B. Stevenson, A. DeMille, P. Taylor, T. Tharp, C. Wheeldon and S. Welch. Some favorite ballets in Chu’s repertoire include Arenal, Without Words, Lambarena, Company B, Serenade, Nine Sinatra Songs, Remansos, Por Vos Muero, and Seathrough, a piece created on her by Tony Fabre. Chu was a guest principal with Ballet Des Moines during its inaugural years and helped build a new regional company in the U.S. Chu has been seen in Dance Magazine, The New York Times, Newsday, the cover of the Tulsa World and DM magazine. She is a YoungArts award winner and was featured on “CBS Sunday Morning”. In addition to performing leading roles on the stages of the Joyce Theater in New York City, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Chu has taught in many notable schools around the country, including Tulsa, Oklahoma; Salt Lake City, Utah; Des Moines, Iowa; Las Vegas, Nevada; and now in Atlanta, Georgia, where she has staged works with Atlanta Ballet 2, including their family ballets of Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Swan Princess, and Snow White
MARLENA MARSHALL ABAZA (Faculty) began her ballet training as a founding member of Ballet Florida, and continued her education with the School of American Ballet, Ballet West, and Hartford Ballet. After graduating from Hartford Ballet, Abaza danced professionally with the Omega Dance Company, Dances Patrelle, the Metropolitan USO, including guest appearances with the historic Shubert Theatre, and New York City Ballet. She’s performed soloist and corps de ballet work in Cinderella, Coppelia, Spartacus, Graduation Ball, Romeo & Juliet, Peasant Pas de Deux, Sleeping Beauty, A Christmas Carol, Peter Pan, Meditation, and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Abaza completed the Royal Academy of Dance’s 3-year teaching program with honors (LRAD), is an ABT® Curriculum certified teacher (Pre-Primary-Level 3), a licensed Silver Swans and BeMoved instructor, and earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Central Florida. Recently she was on faculty with the Orlando Ballet, teaching in their school, outreach programs, and leading the Come Dance With Us! (CDWU) division for students with special needs. She was awarded a 2021 National Dance Foundation Scholarship in recognition of her teaching and was a Top 4 Finalist at the Royal Academy of Dance’s 2024 Teacher of the Year Awards. Abaza is pleased to assist students in reaching their individual dance goals.
ANNA PENNY (Faculty) has been dancing and performing since the age of 4 years old, starting from rhythmic gymnastics until the age of 10. She was accepted into the Belarusian State Choreography College, where studied classical, character dance, modern, and other styles of ballet. During this time she traveled with the college all over Eastern and Western Europe and Asia. Anna performed in international competitions Prix De Lausanne representing the country of Belarus. She performed many roles in ballets such as Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Corsair, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, and Raymonda. Anna performed for the Queen of the Netherlands and for Chelsea Clinton and participated in the movie Russian Arc which made “The Guinness Book of World Records” for non-stop taping in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia. Being the Valedictorian of graduating class, she traveled to the United States with the International Group of Performers in 1998. Penny worked and performed with the Carolina Ballet and was also teaching gymnastics and ballet to children. In 2000, she danced for the movie A Parent’s Guide to Ballet. In 2002, Penny started a professional teaching career at Cary Ballet Conservatory, Florida Dance Theater, and Southern Florida College. During this time she staged many classical ballets and choreographed original ballets, character dances, and contemporary pieces. Penny had the opportunity to coach and take students to Youth America Grand Prix. Some of her students now perform on stages such as NYC Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Carolina Ballet, and Los Angeles Ballet, among many others.
NATALYA VYASHENKO (Faculty) began her professional performing career as a dancer with the Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Tashkent after graduating from the National Academy. Vyashenko was accepted into Tashkent University in 2002, where she earned a degree in Classical Ballet Choreography and Pedagogy. Vyashenko began her teaching career in 2002 when she was hired as a classical ballet and character dance pedagogue at the Tashkent National Academy. She relocated to Ohio in 2005 and was named artistic director of the Ohio Youth Ballet in 2007. Vyashenko then started a ballet school, which she and her husband, Nurzhan, ran for ten years. In 2017, Vyashenko became an American Ballet Theatre (ABT) fellow instructor, and in 2019, she joined the ABT NTC team, as a certification examination proctor. Vyashenko and her husband, Nurzhan, were invited to join the Fort Wayne Ballet in 2019. She joined Atlanta Ballet Academy’s faculty in the fall of 2021.
KIRILL ZARETSKII (Faculty) began his classical training at the Moscow Academic Choreography School before continuing his advanced studies at the Moscow Institute of Choreography. He began his professional performing career in 1994 with Yuri Grigorovich Studio at The Bolshoi Theatre, later joining the Moscow State Academic Theatre of Classical Ballet in 1995. Zaretskii’s international career includes tenures with San Francisco Ballet, Ochi International Ballet in Japan, and the Ballet of Moscow. Following his time on stage, he worked extensively as a freelance dancer and Ballet Master from 2014 to 2022, specializing in classical repertoire and technical coaching. In 2023, Zaretskii was appointed as the Artistic Director Assistant at the Gwangju City Ballet in South Korea. Zaretskii joined the faculty of Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education in 2025, where he now utilizes his vast international background to mentor the next generation of dancers.
