DANCERS
- Craig Black
- Katherine Bolaños
- Paul Busch
- Samantha Klanac Campanile
- Sam Chittenden
- Katie Dehler
- Seth DelGrasso
- Nolan DeMarco McGahan
- Emily Proctor
- Seia Rassenti
- Joseph Watson
Craig Black is excited to be starting his first season with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Born and raised in San Jose,California, Craig began dancing at age 10 with South Bay Dance Center. While attending Abraham Lincoln High School he was captain of the nationally ranked dance team, The Lincoln Convertibles. Recently, he received his BFA from The Juilliard School, where he was awarded the 2010 Princess Grace Award in Dance and the 2011 Lorna Strassler Award for Student Excellence. He has attended summer programs including Springboard Danse Montreal, Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive, and Jacob’s Pillow. “Dancing is my way of experiencing all the beautiful things in life over and over again.”
Katherine Bolaños is in her eighth season with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. At the age of 15, she began her professional career with Ballet Oklahoma where she remained for 7 years. As a guest artist with the Los Angeles Ballet Ensemble, she toured extensively throughout Taiwan and China. Katherine says she expresses herself best through movement. “Dancing is demanding both physically and mentally, and I love to be challenged.”
Paul Busch is in his first year with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Born in Romania, Paul first started dancing at the age of thirteen and joined Dayton Ballet II a year later. He received his high school diploma from Interlochen Arts Academy in 2007. Paul graduated from The Juilliard School with a BFA in dance in May of 2011. Since graduation, he has danced in the Festival Classique in Den Haag, Holland, the Springboard Danse de Montreal summer program, and with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet in their production of Romeo and Juliet. He has spent summer intensives at The School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
Samantha Klanac Campanile is in her tenth year with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Growing up in Orchard Park, New York, Samantha trained at the American Academy of Ballet, and, later, on scholarship at The Chautauqua Institute, New York State Summer School of the Arts, and School of American Ballet. Having studied at SUNY, Purchase Samantha completed her BA in the Arts from the State University of New York (SUNY) Empire State College, Center for Distance Learning.
Sam Chittenden is in his fourteenth year with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. A BFA graduate of the University of Utah Ballet Department and Colorado State University, he enjoys the physicality of dance and the pairing of that physicality with artistic intention. “I love the mental challenges of dance and the thrill of performing,” says Sam. He has danced with the Utah Ballet and Canyon Concert Ballet in Fort Collins, Colorado, and studied at the Ballet West Conservatory. Sam is also a freelance graphic designer and an avid rock climber.
Katie Dehler's passion for dance is palpable. “I love dancing because I love to perform on stage – you get to be somebody else for 20 minutes – or you get to just let go and see where the movement takes you. It’s like a different world that dancing allows you to glimpse.” Born and raised in St. Joseph, Minnesota, Katie began her ballet training at the Stroia Dance Studio. She continued her studies on scholarship with the University of Utah’s Department of Ballet where she received her BFA with a performance emphasis. Now in her twelfth season with ASFB, Katie sees dancing as challenging. “It’s so inherently individual – it’s fun to see how everyone interprets the movements differently.”
Seth DelGrasso is proud to be a founding member of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, now beginning his sixteenth season with the company. “The relationship created between choreographer, dancer, and audience, whether expressing a character, or a choreographer’s intention and feeling, is the most rewarding facet of dance” says Seth. The Colorado native moved to New York City to study dance with David Howard, Nanette Charise, Simon Dow, Gelsey Kirkland, and Talara Ruth. Although Seth has made numerous guest appearances with Complexions Contemporary Dance and other companies, he considers “ASFB to be the prime influence throughout the development of my career.”
Nolan DeMarco McGahan, a native of Dallas, Texas, trained at Dallas Ballet Center, Ballet Academy of Texas, and with Fernando Bujones at the Orlando Ballet School. He received further training at Ballet Austin, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Boston Ballet. He attended Booker T. High School of the Performing and Visual Arts before graduating from The Juilliard School in New York City, earning his BFA in Dance. “One thing I have loved about dancing from day one is the athleticism.” This is Nolan’s fifth season with ASFB.
Emily Proctor, a graduate of The Juilliard School, is thrilled to be starting her fifth season with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. “I love dancing because I love meeting the people thatare involved in the field. It’s fun to be a part of the small world that is dance.” A native of North Carolina, Emily trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Emily has trained at the Houston Ballet, ABT New York, and Montreal’s Ballet Divertimento professional summer program. Prior to joining ASFB she had the opportunity to join Hell’s Kitchen Dance on a national and international tour of Aszure Barton’s Come In, starring Mikhail Baryshnikov. Emily was selected as one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch in 2010.
Seia Rassenti, originally from Arizona, danced with Flamenco Y Mas as a youngster and began her ballet training with Linda Walker at The Tucson Regional Ballet. In 2002 she was accepted to The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. under the artistic direction of Oleg Vinogradov. While at the Kirov she spent summers on scholarship with Jilana, Debbie Allen, Alvin Ailey, and the Miami City Ballet. Seia graduated from the Kirov and joined North Carolina Dance Theater’s second company in Charlotte. She also trained with Alonzo King LINES Ballet and Dwight Rhoden’s Complexions. “Dancing is like breathing for me; I just can’t live without it!” This is her third season with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.
Joseph Watson, started his formal dance training at an after-school program called T.W.I.G.S. (To Work In Gaining Skills). His training at T.W.I.G.S. led to his acceptance into the Baltimore School for the Arts. He attended The Juilliard School where he received his BFA in dance. In 2007, Joseph joined North Carolina Dance Theatre where he performed both contemporary and classical roles such as Dwight Rhoden’s Othello. Joseph believes “dance is a way for me to do a lot of self discovery and realize that there is no limit to what a person can do artistically.” This is his third season with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.