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Eric is a seasoned box office operations & ticketing management professional who first began as a Ticket Seller with AEG/Staples Center in 2008 and was soon promoted within AEG to Manager, Box Office Operations at the formerly named Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE (now Peacock Theater) in Los Angeles. He has had further box office and ticketing management leadership roles with AEG and the Los Angeles Clippers, gaining valuable management and guest experience knowledge that he has applied to his role as LAB’s Box Office Manager since 2022. Home / Staff / Administrator Eric Gonzalez Director of Box Office Operations Eric is a seasoned box office operations & ticketing management professional who first began as a Ticket Seller with AEG/Staples Center in 2008 and was soon promoted within AEG to Manager, Box Office Operations at the formerly named Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE (now Peacock Theater) in Los Angeles. He has had further box office and ticketing management leadership roles with AEG and the Los Angeles Clippers, gaining valuable management and guest experience knowledge that he has applied to his role as LAB’s Box Office Manager since 2022.

Los Angeles Ballet presents a company of outstanding dancers from local communities and around the world. LAB dance artists master classical as well as contemporary techniques. Sarah-Ashley Chicola Hometown Westfield, NJ Seasons with LAB 3 Seasons with LAB Sarah-Ashley trained at American Ballet Theater’s JKO program, Manhattan Youth Ballet, and was then invited to attend Miami City Ballet School with a full scholarship, where she performed alongside the company. After graduating in 2021, she joined BalletMet 2, where she danced for two seasons. Since joining LAB in 2023, she has performed the featured roles of Cinderella in Liang’s Cinderella , Marie in The Nutcracker , Russian Girl in Balanchine’s Serenade , The Princess in Possokov’s Firebird . She has been featured in neoclassical ballets by Melissa Barak and Justin Peck.

Los Angeles Ballet dancer Christopher McDaniel has added published author to his long list of accomplishments. Home / News / New Item LAB Dancer Christopher McDaniel Gets Published August 2, 2013 Company News from the Staff at LAB Los Angeles Ballet dancer Christopher McDaniel has added published author to his long list of accomplishments. His story, "A Dance with Destiny," was included in the recently published Chicken Soup for the Soul: From Lemons to Lemonade. Purchase the book now to read Christopher's inspiring story. READ ARTICLE AT SOURCE

Maleficent isn’t the only witch in town. Madge, the evildoer in August Bournonville’s 1836 Romantic ballet “La Sylphide” also has been creating misery (and laughs). Home / News / New Item Review: Los Angeles Ballet floats with 'La Sylphide and Serenade' June 9, 2014 Los Angeles Times by Victoria Looseleaf Maleficent isn’t the only witch in town. Madge, the evildoer in August Bournonville’s 1836 Romantic ballet “La Sylphide” also has been creating misery (and laughs). As devilishly portrayed by Los Angeles Ballet’s co-artistic director Colleen Neary and choreographed by her co-director husband, Thordal Christensen (after Bournonville), this witch is only one element that gave “La Sylphide” its wings Saturday at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. The program, which also presented George Balanchine’s 1934 classic “Serenade,” featured about three dozen dancers breathing life into these difficult, alluring works. One performer in particular proved unstoppable. Allyssa Bross danced the lead in both numbers on little notice, replacing an ailing Allynne Noelle in “Sylphide.” The pair alternates in the role, so Bross knew her stuff; the question was stamina. But Bross brought insouciance, grace and technique to burn in a sumptuous production last presented by the troupe in 2009. What man wouldn’t fall for her? Set in Scotland to taped music by Herman Severin Løvenskjold, “La Sylphide” told the story of the kilt-clad James as he succumbed to this exquisite creature’s charms. Kenta Shimizu as James offered powerful leaps and turns — pesky sporran aside — as well as quicksilver, precise beats. Alas, he already was betrothed to Effy, articulately danced by Chelsea Paige Johnston, with their wedding scheduled that day. James’ cottage teemed with people, including best pal Gurn (a wonderful Zheng Hua Li), a semi-buffoon who winds up marrying Effy after James disappears, as well as a corps of tartaned-out friends, six children and a pair of bagpipers. But wedded bliss wasn’t meant to be. After James offended the witch, Madge was out for blood — or at least death by sylph wing-removal. Act II’s forest scene had Madge and four crones hexing it up around a caldron to make a poisoned scarf. Neary, a former New York City Ballet principal, dove into Madge with glee, adding luster to this production that’s originally from the Royal Danish Ballet, a company Christensen once headed. The sylphs were also out in fairy force, with lovely, airy dancing by Bianca Bulle, Julia Cinquemani and Paige Johnston, a fine corps abetting them. But after James gifted the Sylph (Bross) that scarf, she began her death spiral. Yes, the ballet ends badly: James crumpled in grief; seeing his dead fairy float up to heaven, he’d lost everything. “Serenade,” set to taped Tchaikovsky and staged by Neary, could also be seen as a work about loss. A poetic vision of yearning, 17 women in diaphanous dresses filled the stage with intricate patterns and circlings. There were also off-balance arabesque lunges, legs scissoring in lifts and an impassioned waltz; hair streamed loose, and several men came and went. Bross was stunning as lead ballerina, sharing the stage at first with a capable Ulrik Birkkjaer, then the able Alexander Castillo, as well as a divine Cinquemani and a thin Kate Highstrete. And, of course, there was the corps, among whom crisp footwork and floating arms were paramount. The ballet had the love-disillusioned-by-destiny theme of Balanchine’s later neo-Romantic works, but its propulsive energy and beauty came from the pure movement patterns that continually introduced new motifs and variations. Los Angeles Ballet, on a roll, made the old new again. calendar@latimes.com ------------ Los Angeles Ballet What: “La Sylphide” and “Serenade” When and where: 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach; also 7:30 p.m. June 21 at Royce Hall, UCLA Tickets: $24-$95 Information: (310) 998-7782, losangelesballet.org READ ARTICLE AT SOURCE

To state the obvious, Los Angeles Ballet's identity will be forged through its repertory and how its dancers perform. Home / News / New Item Los Angeles Ballet: A spring in its step February 24, 2008 Orange County Register by Laura Bleiberg To state the obvious, Los Angeles Ballet's identity will be forged through its repertory and how its dancers perform. But the fledgling company's true branding will take form from the dances it commissions: the ballets it has that no one else does. Los Angeles Ballet artistic directors Colleen Neary and Thordal Christensen know that. So for this, the second season, they ordered up two new pieces for their 26 dancers. The first one, "Lost in Transition" by soloist Melissa Barak, debuted at the spring season opener this weekend at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. It is a smart, taut and whimsical winner. Ballet is not baseball, but let's just say that signing "free agent" Barak and bringing her back from Manhattan to her Los Angeles hometown was one of Neary's and Christensen's smartest decisions. Frustrated in the corps de ballet at New York City Ballet, and already an accomplished choreographic craftsman, Barak is blossoming further as a dancer with LAB. With "Lost in Transition," this 20-something advanced, too, as a dancemaker. Her four-movement premiere demonstrated clear purpose and great skill in execution, especially with the corps de ballet. The complicated layers and patterns she knitted for the all-female ensemble continuously surprised this viewer, and then delighted with each succeeding revelation. She gave us a trail of treats to follow using repeated motifs, which guided us gently, not obviously, through the piece. Barak's choreographic "voice" is rooted in the modernism of George Balanchine (like other NYCB alumni), but she is quickly finding her own movement colors and pitch. "Lost" is sleek abstraction, but with warm undertones, just like the (recorded) score, selections from two separate concerti by composer and virtuoso bassist Edgar Meyer. Barak began with an upstage line of women holding hands, their arms raised in a V. Like dominoes, they collapsed through a cascading canon. They pulled into a tight circle, and then burst open like flower petals exploding in fast motion. In the third movement, the corps was clumped in four tiered rows and occasionally burst into mechanistic, syncopated arm signals, a kinetic illustration of the chaotic musical outbursts unexpectedly sprinkled through Meyer's "Double Concerto for Cello and Double Bass." For her lead couples, Aubrey Morgan and Damien Johnson – two sensational newcomers – and Erin Rivera-Brennard and Peter Snow, Barak provided brisk, if less interesting, partnering challenges. But Barak was never timid – when Rivera-Brennard exited at one point, the abandoned Snow wandered sadly about until she returned. A trio for Sergey Kheylik, Lauren Toole and Kelly Ann Sloan was a sassy diversion, filled with loose torsos and rolling hips, big leaps for Kheylik and attacking footwork for Toole and Sloan. Patricia Guillem's neon-colored unitards and Tony Kudner's suggestively mysterious lighting were the appropriate finishing touches to this exciting piece. The program's other three ballets highlighted the many moods of Balanchine. Neary and Christensen spread about the solo parts, coaching every with exactitude. Overall, the dancers were more relaxed and greatly improved from a year ago. The cast approached the radical precision of "The Four Temperaments" (1946), to Paul Hindemith's equally revolutionary score, with still too much severity. But there were also sparks of adventurousness. In the "Melancholic" movement, Kheylik pulled his body to extremes, folding nearly in half forward and backward. His cat-like leaps soared ever upward and yet he still hit the floor, his body flat, on the beat. In "Sanguinic," Corina Gill amped up every inside and outside spin, losing a few, but still making the risks worthwhile. Her dependable partner, Peter Snow, also left caution at the wings and flew through his jumps. The dancers in the "Phlegmatic" section were one-note serious, but Andrew Brader's fluid arms and legs seemed to lengthen and ripple with each wave. The bravura "Tarantella" (1964, music by Louis Moreau Gottschalk) followed "Lost in Transition" on the program – a dessert when one was not needed. But Gill and guest artist Rainer Krenstetter made it the dance equivalent of sweet sherbet, a light entertainment intended only to please. Gill impressed with her pointe work and balance, while Krenstetter's sunny disposition and beautifully articulated beats made him an irresistible presence. The final act was devoted to "Who Cares?" (1970) and the dancers took to the Gershwin songs and the choreography's frothy sassiness with carefree and energetic eagerness. We were glad to see this other side of Los Angeles Ballet.. Barak was a sensuous and sophisticated soloist in "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise." Despite a few bobbles, Nancy Richer brought lyrical playfulness to "My One and Only." Morgan and guest artist Eddy Tovar filled "The Man I Love Duo" with aching love. The male ensemble sprang with palpable joy. Los Angeles Ballet presented itself in the 600-seat Freud Playhouse, taking the box-office risks on its own shoulders. This same weekend at Royce Hall, UCLA Live was presenting the similarly attractive but inferior State Ballet of Georgia, and audience members commented to me how happy they were to see classical dance on the lineup. This is a ridiculous state of affairs. Los Angeles Ballet is coming up fast. Wake up, you folks at UCLA Live (and all you other presenters around town). Take this young talented group under your wing, because everyone will benefit. DOWNLOAD PDF

Los Angeles Ballet [LAB] Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are thrilled to present New Wave LA which involves four contemporary World Premieres from guest choreographers. Home / News / New Item Four World Premiers in NextWave LA March 8, 2010 LAB Public Relations Guest Choreographers from the Hit Show "So You Think You Can Dance" (Los Angeles, March 8, 2010 ) Los Angeles Ballet [LAB] Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are thrilled to present New Wave LA which involves four contemporary World Premieres from guest choreographers Josie Walsh, and Sonya Tayeh, Mandy Moore and Travis Wall from the hit FOX show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Each choreographer will present an innovative, modern, edgy and world class piece with Los Angeles Ballet dancers. New Wave LA is a ground-breaking program for LAB, commissioning four acclaimed choreographers to create on LAB dancers. This program follows Los Angeles Ballet’s mission of incorporating new creations specifically for LAB dancers throughout its season. The four choreographers Josie Walsh, Sonya Tayeh, Mandy Moore and Travis Wall are all elated to be pre- senting FOUR world premieres in ONE evening which is rarely done in a ballet company. Los Angeles Ballet is also proud to present Transmutation, by LA’s own Josie Walsh, developed from a piece originally commis- sioned by the First Annual LAB Choreographic Workshop. Sonya Tayeh, Mandy Moore and Travis Wall’s World Premiere pieces are still untitled. Josie Walsh is a native of Los Angeles and a former professional dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, Zurich Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Upon her return to Los Angeles, Walsh integrated her vast background into the commercial world. Walsh founded MYOKYO Renegade Rock Ballets in 2000. She is the director, producer and choreographer for the company, creating an eclectic style of inter-disciplinary cooperation. Sonya Tayeh incorporates her deeply rooted form with the essence of contemporary technique, mixing her own ‘quirky’ style into her choreography. This stylized, free-flowing movement is aggressively formulated through one-on-one physical contact. She is currently a choreographer for “So You Think You Can Dance.” Mandy Moore is an exciting, emerging choreographer and performer whose work has been seen on films and television shows such as “So You Think You Can Dance.” She was one of the choreographers for Celine Dion’s “Taking Chances” World Tour. Travis Wall is a choreographer who choreographed for “So You Think You Can Dance” and was principal dancer for Wade Robson on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” These four outstanding choreographers will exercise their unique style and personality in the World Premieres of New Wave LA. The much-anticipated repertoire will take place at venues across Los Angeles from May 15 to May 30 (please see full performance schedule below). DOWNLOAD PDF

In her capacity as a Répétiteur for The George Balanchine Trust, Los Angeles Ballet Co-Artistic Director, Colleen Neary traveled to Saint Petersburg, Russia to rehearse with The Kirov Home / News / New Item Colleen Neary Stages Balanchine at The Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg June 1, 2011 Company News from the Staff at LAB In her capacity as a Répétiteur for The George Balanchine Trust, Los Angeles Ballet Co-Artistic Director, Colleen Neary traveled to Saint Petersburg, Russia to rehearse with The Kirov, now known as The Mariinsky Ballet, in June 2011. She worked with the company for 2 weeks on Balanchine's Ballet Imperial and Symphony in C which she staged for them in 2004 and 2008. The works were performed in the annual White Nights Festival, and on tour in London. This is Colleen's third trip to Saint Petersburg to work with the Mariinsky Ballet.

On December 16th, 2008 Los Angeles Ballet appeared on the Dr. Phil show. Home / News / New Item Los Angeles Ballet Appears on Dr. Phil! December 1, 2008 Company News from the Staff at LAB On December 16th, 2008 Los Angeles Ballet appeared on the Dr. Phil show. Excerpts from The Nutcracker were performed on a special holiday program, and Dr. Phil's studio audience was invited to attend LAB performances throughout the 2008/2009 Season.

The Nutcracker 2015 Christensen and Neary / Tchaikovsky SarahAnne Perel Julia Cinquemani and Kenta Shimizu with the LAB Ensemble Julia Cinquemani and Erik Thordal-Christensen LAB Ensemble Biana Bulle with LAB Ensemble Allyssa Bross with SarahAnne Perel and David Block Samuel Akins Julie Cinquemani and Alexander Castillo SarahAnne Perel, David Block and Zheng Hua Li LAB Ensemble LAB Ensemble Ashely Millar and Laura Chachich SarahAnne Perel, David Block and Zheng Hua Li Javiar Moya Romero SarahAnne Peral and Javiar Moya Romero Kenta Shimizu Julia Cinquemani SarahAnne Perel, David Block and LAB Ensemble Bianca Bulle and Zachary Guthier Allyssa Bross and Kenta Shimizu SarahAnne Perel and Zheng Hua Li LAB Ensemble SarahAnne Perel and LAB Ensemble SarahAnne Perel Julia Cinquemani and Kenta Shimizu with the LAB Ensemble Julia Cinquemani and Erik Thordal-Christensen LAB Ensemble Biana Bulle with LAB Ensemble Allyssa Bross with SarahAnne Perel and David Block Samuel Akins Julie Cinquemani and Alexander Castillo SarahAnne Perel, David Block and Zheng Hua Li LAB Ensemble LAB Ensemble Ashely Millar and Laura Chachich SarahAnne Perel, David Block and Zheng Hua Li Javiar Moya Romero SarahAnne Peral and Javiar Moya Romero Kenta Shimizu Julia Cinquemani SarahAnne Perel, David Block and LAB Ensemble Bianca Bulle and Zachary Guthier Allyssa Bross and Kenta Shimizu SarahAnne Perel and Zheng Hua Li LAB Ensemble SarahAnne Perel and LAB Ensemble Previous Gallery All photos by Reed Hutchinson Click on image for a fullscreen presentation. Next Gallery

Los Angeles Ballet presents a company of outstanding dancers from local communities and around the world. LAB dance artists master classical as well as contemporary techniques. Poppy Coleman Hometown Portland, OR Seasons with LAB 4 Seasons with LAB Poppy studied at The Portland Ballet and joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet Schools' Professional Division program in 2020. While a student, she performed in company productions of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake . Poppy joined the Los Angeles Ballet as a company member in 2022.

Los Angeles Ballet presents a company of outstanding dancers from local communities and around the world. LAB dance artists master classical as well as contemporary techniques. Nick Sedano Hometown Orange County, CA Seasons with LAB 1 Season with LAB Nick began his professional training at Maple Conservatory of Dance in Irvine, California. He was trained by Charles Maple (former soloist with American Ballet Theatre), Patrick Frantz (former principal with Paris Opera Ballet), Kristin Hakala (former principal with Ballet West) and Tong Wang (former principal with Shanghai Ballet and Ballet West). He has danced in such festivals as Regional Dance America , The Ballet Alliance , and East Meets West: International Dance Festival . Nick attended Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Summer Intensive in 2019, and he was invited into their Professional Division Program on full scholarship the same year. He has danced as a freelance artist with Ballet Project OC, and has performed with SoCal Ballet Scene as a guest artist.

Swan Lake 2015 Christensen and Neary after Petipa and Ivanov / Tchaikovsky LAB Ensemble Allynne Noelle & Ulrik Birkkjaer Allynne Noelle & Rainer Krensetter Allyssa Bross, Kenta Shimizu & LAB Ensemble Chelsea Paige Johnston, Christopher Revels & LAB Ensemble Julia Cinquemani & Allyssa Bross Rainer Krensetter & Allynne Noelle Kenta Shimizu & Julia Cinquemani Allynne Noelle & Ulrik Birkkjaer Kenta Shimizu & Allyssa Bross Allynne Noelle & LAB Ensemble LAB Ensemble Julia Cinquemani & Kenta Shimizu Allynne Noelle & LAB Ensemble LAB Ensemble Allynne Noelle & Ulrik Birkkjaer Allynne Noelle & Rainer Krensetter Allyssa Bross, Kenta Shimizu & LAB Ensemble Chelsea Paige Johnston, Christopher Revels & LAB Ensemble Julia Cinquemani & Allyssa Bross Rainer Krensetter & Allynne Noelle Kenta Shimizu & Julia Cinquemani Allynne Noelle & Ulrik Birkkjaer Kenta Shimizu & Allyssa Bross Allynne Noelle & LAB Ensemble LAB Ensemble Julia Cinquemani & Kenta Shimizu Allynne Noelle & LAB Ensemble LAB Ensemble Allynne Noelle & Ulrik Birkkjaer Allynne Noelle & Rainer Krensetter Allyssa Bross, Kenta Shimizu & LAB Ensemble Chelsea Paige Johnston, Christopher Revels & LAB Ensemble Julia Cinquemani & Allyssa Bross Rainer Krensetter & Allynne Noelle Kenta Shimizu & Julia Cinquemani Allynne Noelle & Ulrik Birkkjaer Kenta Shimizu & Allyssa Bross Allynne Noelle & LAB Ensemble LAB Ensemble Julia Cinquemani & Kenta Shimizu Allynne Noelle & LAB Ensemble Previous Gallery All photos by Reed Hutchinson Click on image for a fullscreen presentation. Next Gallery