Conversations on Dance: Rising Voices

Gianna Reisen

Gianna Reisen is a choreographer and movement director based in New York City. Her journey began at the School of American Ballet, where she trained for seven years. After graduating in 2017, Reisen joined the SemperOper Ballet in Dresden, Germany. That same year, she was commissioned to choreograph an original work for the New York City Ballet’s Fall Fashion Gala, naming her the youngest choreographer in history to offer a ballet to NYCB’s storied repertoire. Following her choreographic debut, Gianna would go on to present three additional works for the company, collaborating with world-renowned artists such as Solange Knowles, Virgil Abloh, Alberta Ferretti and Alejandro Gómez Palomo. During this time, Reisen continued her professional dance career with the Los Angeles Dance Project, where she traveled the globe to perform works by Benjamin Millepied, Martha Graham, Bella Lewitzky, and Kyle Abraham, among others. In 2021, Gianna ventured into film, directing and choreographing two short films for the School of American Ballet. She has since worked as a movement director for various music videos and fashion campaigns. Reisen has created work for companies across the country, including the Carolina Ballet, where she premiered her very first full-length narrative ballet, Alice, this year.

My’Kal Stromile

My’Kal Stromile’s extensive training includes instruction from Kim Abel in Dallas/New York, Ceyhun Ozsoy and Dereque Whiturs in Dallas, and Anna-Marie Holmes in Boston. He attended The Juilliard School from 2014–2018 and received his BFA in Dance Performance. Stromile has danced with Bruce Wood Dance, Disney Productions, and Repertory Dance Company I. His repertoire includes William Forsythe’s Blake Works III, Aszure Barton’s Return to Patience, Crystal Pite’s Grace Engine, Dwight Rhoden’s Rise, Jerome Robbins’ MOVES, and George Balanchine’s Chaccone. In 2014, Stromile was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, awarded by President Barack Obama. That same year, at the invitation of TITAS Presents and choreographer Bruce Wood, Stromile participated in the 2014 Command Performance Ballet Gala, where principal dancers from all over the world performed new and existing repertoire. During his time at Juilliard, he received Choreographic Honors three years in a row and was awarded the school’s Hector Zaraspe Prize in Choreography in 2018. That same year, he joined Boston Ballet II and in 2019, joined Boston Ballet as an artist, where he became a Princess Grace Award Nominee and danced until December 2024. In 2023, My’Kal created a world premiere, Form and Gesture, for Boston Ballet and in October 2024, was commissioned to choreograph, Word for Word, for the prestigious, Paris Opera Ballet, collaborating with fashion house, CHANEL. Stromile participated in the New York Choreographic Institute at the New York City Ballet in November 2024 and will create a world premiere for Boston Ballet in 2026.

Rachel Lockhart

Rachel Lockhart (she/her) is a Birmingham, Alabama native who began her dance training at the J. Lockhart Performing Arts Institute under the guidance of her mother. She is an alumna of The Alabama School of Fine Arts and a recent graduate of The Juilliard School in New York, where she earned her BFA in Dance.

Rachel’s versatility as a dancer has led her to notable appearances on both stage and screen. She premiered on So You Think You Can Dance Season 17 and appeared in CBS’s series East New York. Following her graduation from Juilliard, Rachel performed in the MET Opera’s production of The Life and Times of Malcolm X and appeared at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards alongside singer Doja Cat. She went on to make her Broadway debut in the Sufjan Stevens musical Illinoise, directed and choreographed by Justin Peck. Rachel also showcased her talents on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and was nominated for a Chita Rivera Award for ‘Outstanding Dancer In A Broadway Show’ . Most recently, Rachel was selected for Dance Magazine’s 2025 “Top 25 to Watch” list and chosen for the cover. Currently, Rachel is on the MJ the Musical National Tour, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon.

Grateful for the continuous support she receives, Rachel is committed to inspiring others to pursue their dreams with passion and perseverance, believing that anything is possible with dedication and faith.