The Ballet Hispánico Company Dancers
Ballet Hispánico's Company dancers are some of the world's most elite artists. These artists represent one of America's Cultural Treasures and largest Latinx cultural organization.
Chris Bloom Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Christopher Bloom
Christopher Bloom is from Virginia where he began his training before moving to New York to study in the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program.
Entering into his 9th season with the Company, Chris has performed on stages across the world in Norway, Scotland, and more. When asked why he's remained with BH he said "I am proud to be part of an organization that works to include rather than divide."
Shelby Colona Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Shelby Colona
Raised in Houston, TX, Shelby is an alumna of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and a graduate of The Ailey School's Certificate Program.
Shelby danced with BH's second company, BHdos before moving up as an apprentice with the main Company. She's since been featured in prominent roles throughout her seven seasons, most notably as Carmen in Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's CARMEN.maquia.
Gabrielle Sprauve Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Gabrielle Sprauve
Gabrielle was born in Queens and raised in Savannah, GA. She spent her summers dancing at the Martha Graham School and the Ailey School, and in 2017, received her BFA from Marymount Manhattan College.
Going into her 5th season with BH, Gabrielle reflects on what drew her in: "I chose to come to Ballet Hispánico because it was the first Company that spoke to all of who I am, not just parts. I saw myself represented on that stage, and I knew that it was where I needed to be."
Jared Bogart Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Jared Bogart
Jared was raised in small town outside of Tampa, FL and joined the Company after graduating from Jacksonville University in 2017.
Jared booked a last-minute flight to NYC to audition for BH during spring break of his senior year of college. In his 5 seasons with the Company, Jared has performed on some of dance's most well-known stages at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Vail Dance Festival, and more.
Dandara Veiga Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Dandara Veiga
Dandara is originally from Brazil and moved to New York City after receiving a scholarship to train at the Ailey School in 2016-2017.
Encouraged by her teachers Caridad Martinez and Charla Glenn, she auditioned for BH and was offered a spot as an apprentice in 2017. Now in her 5th season, she's danced as a featured soloist in several works including Michelle Manzanales' Con Brazos Abiertos.
Omar Rivera Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Omar Rivéra
Omar was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Dallas. He received his BFA in dance from the University of Arizona in 2018.
Omar saw the Company perform in Dallas and knew this was something he wanted to be a part of: "For the first time ever, I saw myself being represented as a Mexican-American on stage in the most pristine way." This is now Omar's 4th season with the Company.
Laura Lopez Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Laura Lopez
Laura is a Miami native and an alumna of New World School of the Arts High School and New World College at the University of Florida.
Laura danced professionally with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and in Ballet Hispánico's second company, BHdos, before joining the main Company. In her 4th season, she's toured nationally and internationally with the Company and has been a guest on BH's virtual Watch Parties.
Antonio Cangiano Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Antonio Cangiano
Antonio was born in Naples, Italy and began his dance training at the age of sixteen. He later moved to New York City on a scholarship to train at the Martha Graham Dance School.
Antonio has toured nationally with BH and is now in his 3rd season with the Company. Most recently, he's performed as a featured dancer in Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's work, Tiburones, at Jacob's Pillow and Lincoln Center's BAAND Together Dance Festival.
Lenai Wilkerson Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Lenai Wilkerson
Lenai is from Washington D.C. and attended college at the University of Southern California as a Glorya Kaufman scholar where she graduated with her BFA in dance and a minor in Political Science.
In her 3rd season, Lenai has been an integral part of BH's in-person and virtual programming. She performed in the world-premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Tiburones at the Apollo in 2019 and has served as a moderator and panelist for BH's Diálogos and virtual Watch Parties.
Paulo Hernandez-Farella Photo by Rachel Neville (2020) by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Paulo Hernandez-Farella
Paulo is a first-generation Salvadoran-American from Los Angeles, California. They graduated from the University of Southern California with a BFA in dance and a Master’s in public education.
Paulo performed as a featured soloist at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in 2021 in Vicente Nebrada’s Batucada Fantástica and has been a guest panelist in BH’s Diálogos on “The Stereotypes of Machismo in Dance.” This is his 3rd season with BH.
Simone Cameresi Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Simone Cameresi
Simone was born in Italy and raised in Anaheim Hills, CA. She is a graduate of Fordham University and The Ailey School with a BFA in dance and a minor in New Media and Digital Design.
Now in her 3rd season with BH, Simone has performed at Jacob’s Pillow as a featured soloist in Vicente Nebrada’s Batucada Fantástica and at the Company’s first in-person performances in NYC since the beginning of the pandemic at Lincoln Center’s BAAND Together Dance Festival.
Leonardo Brito Photo by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Leonardo Brito
Leonardo is from Saquarema, Brazil. His training brought him to the states several time where he studied with Miami City Ballet School and The Ailey School.
Leonardo has appeared in Tommy Hilfiger’s 2019 Pride Campaign, OUT Magazine, and season 2 of the FX Television series, POSE. In his third season with the Company, Leonardo as danced in BH in-person and virtual performances.
Amanda del Valle | Photo by Rachel Neville (2021) by Rachel NevilleBallet Hispánico
Amanda del Valle
Amanda was born and raised in Miami, FL where she studied at the New World School of the Arts. She attended Point Park University where she graduated with a BFA in dance.
In her 1st season with BH, Amanda made her debut virtually in the 50th Celebration in the spring of 2021. She’s now danced with the Company on some of dance’s most well-known stages at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and at Lincoln Center’s BAAND Together Dance Festival.
