Jennifer Balcerzak is delighted to be dancing with the Grand Rapids Ballet. Previously she performed with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, New Jersey Ballet, Fort Wayne Ballet Co., Rhode Island Festival Ballet and has danced as a principal guest artist in various states throughout the U.S. Ms. Balcerzak trained with the Joffrey Ballet School since the age of five and has attended summer sessions in San Antonio with the Joffrey Ballet, Chautawqwa Institute and San Francisco Ballet.

Kara Bond, a 1999 graduate of Grandville High School, has been with the GRB/SGRB organization for eleven years. This is Kara’s third year dancing with the professional company. She has participated in the Joffrey’s summer workshops. You may have seen her as Alice.

Melanie Brossiet is a Western Michigan original. She began her career with the Cleveland Ballet after graduating from the Interlochen Academy of Arts. For four years she danced in our nation’s capital with the Washington Ballet touring the U.S. and Europe. The mystery of Europe beckoned her to dance as a principal with Das Ballet in Augsburg, Germany. This will be Melanie’s fourth season with GRB.

L. Jonathan Collins began his ballet training at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. He then trained with Stefan Wenta of the Warsaw Opera. While in New York, he trained with David Howard, the Alvin Ailey School and Joffrey Ballet School. He danced leading roles with Connecticut Ballet and New Jersey’s Bergen Dance Theatre.

Jason Curtis is a graduate of the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. He has studied with the Grand Rapids Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Vail, Colorado, and the American Ballet Theatre in New York. As a guest artist, he has performed with the Alma College Dance Company, Kalamazoo Ballet, and the New Jersey Ballet. Mr. Curtis is currently attending Grand Rapids Community College and plans to transfer to Western Michigan University to pursue his PhD in Aeronautical Engineering. Jason and Lisa, his wife of four years, are expecting their first child in December.

Sean France began his dance training with his parents, Richard and Ellen at the France Academy of Dance. At the age of eleven he began to study ballet, tap and jazz. In 1979, Mr. France was awarded a full summer scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet, and in 1981 he was awarded a full scholarship and monetary stipend to study at the Houston Ballet Academy. Mr. France has danced all over the world, including principal roles in the following ballet companies: the Royal Swedish Ballet, The Norwegian National Ballet, Ballet Nuevo Mundo of Caracas, and the National Ballet of Venezula.

Elizabeth Gast has been dancing with GRB for eight years in various roles. This is her fourth season as a member of the professional company. She is currently a student at Aquinas College. Elizabeth is also an accomplished violinist.

Mindy Ignatoski, a Grand Rapids native, is now in her eighth professional season with the company. She began her training at SGRB at the age of 8, starting as a junior trainee and progressing up to the professional level. Mindy enjoys summer trips to NYC to study dance and is also currently teaching at the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet.

Rebecca Link began her dance training in her home state of Maryland at the National Ballet of Maryland. She went on to study at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. In addition to performing principal roles with the National Ballet of Maryland Company and the Ballet Theatre of Boston, she has also danced with the Albany/Berkshire Ballet Co. and the Granite State Ballet Co. She is excited about her first season with the Grand Rapids Ballet.

Attila Mosolygo was born in Budapest, Hungary where he received his early training at the National Ballet Institute. After moving to the U. S., he joined the Joffrey Ballet School. He has performed as a guest artist with the Mobile Ballet, Bravo Dance, Harrisburg Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Chicago and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. This is his fifth season with GRB.

Megan Quiroz (apprentice) joins the Grand Rapids Ballet as an apprentice this season. In addition to her extensive training at the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet, Meg has studied on scholarship at the San Francisco Ballet School and the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle, WA. Prior to this season she was in her fourth year as a member of the senior trainee program. Meg is dually enrolled at Catholic Central High School and Grand Rapids Community College, and is also a member of the National Honor Society.