Meet the NEXT STEP Artist: Joh Morrill
Interviewed by Eric Hipolito Joh Morrill (he/him) is from Seattle, Washington. He studied at Pacific Northwest Ballet and on scholarship at Colburn Dance Academy and attend summer courses at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, and on scholarship at School of American Ballet and Palluca. Joh joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2021 […]
Meet the NEXT STEP Artist: Lily Wills
Lily Wills (she/her) is from Los Angeles, California. She trained at The Portland Ballet, the Oregon Ballet Theatre School, and the graduate program at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. She attended summer courses at The Washington Ballet, HARID Conservatory, and Oregon Ballet Theatre School. She joined Carolina Ballet as a trainee in 2015 and was promoted to […]
Meet the NEXT STEP Artist: Noah Martzall
Noah Martzall is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He studied at Walnut School of the Arts and Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and he attended summer courses at the Chautauqua Institution, Nutmeg Conservatory, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Mr. Martzall joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2020 and was promoted to corps de ballet in 2021. […]
Meet the NEXT STEP Artist: Mark Cuddihee
Mark Cuddihee is from Greenville, South Carolina. He studied at Carolina Ballet Theatre, the School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet School, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and he attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet School, Boston Ballet School, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. In 2017, he was a participant […]
Meet the NEXT STEP Artist: Jonathan Batista
Jonathan Batista (he/him) is from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. He trained on scholarship at the English National Ballet and attended summer courses at Miami City Ballet and The Royal Ballet School on scholarship. He joined the National Ballet of Canada as an apprentice in 2012 before joining Boston Ballet as a member of the corps […]
Meet the NEXT STEP Artist: Malena Ani
Malena Ani is from Los Angeles California. She studied with Olga Tozyiakova, Natalia Sinitsyna, and Zippora Karz, and at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. She attended summer courses at the Chautauqua Institution, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Ms. Ani joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2020 and was promoted to corps […]
Meet the Artist Mark Haim
Originally from New York City, Mark Haim has been making dances and teaching dance for 35 years. He is creating a new work for NEXT STEP: OUTSIDE/IN on June 14, featuring PNB Principal dancer Noelani Pantastico and six PNB School students. In April 2019, Mark presented a new 70-minute solo work, Parts to a Sum, in which he recreated “movements […]
Meet the Artist: Dammiel Cruz-Garrido
Dammiel Cruz is from New York, New York. He joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2016 and was promoted to corps de ballet later that year. Dammiel is also a teaching artist for REACH Student Dance Group. REACH dancers premiered his work Innocent Unity at McCaw Hall on March 23rd, and will perform it outside at NEXT STEP: […]
Meet the Artist Calista Ruat
Get to know PNB dancer and NEXT STEP choreographer Calista Ruat in this Q&A about her artistic journey, creative process, and inspirations.
What is NEXT STEP?
Pacific Northwest Ballet fosters young choreographers in an unique program called – NEXT STEP. What is it? NEXT STEP is where Company dancers rise as choreographers and PNB School’s Professional Division students take center stage in an all-premiere lineup of works created just for them. “PNB has to be constantly creative and open to new ideas […]