Dancing in the Park

Antonina Skobina

Antonina Skobina was born in Mariupol, Ukraine. She is a 3-Time US National Ballroom Dance Champion and a World Championship Bronze Medalist. She is also a Blackpool Dance Festival Winner, which is the most prestigious Ballroom dance competition in the world. Together with Denys Drozdyuk, Antonina co-founded a collaborative ballroom dance duet “DNA” – whose goal it is to develop Ballroom dance as a performing art. Antonina also participated on NBC’s Hit Television Show World of Dance for 2 Seasons and was the finalist on TV Show Revolution in Canada. Antonina performs frequently as a Guest Artist with the Stars of American Ballet and in various International Ballet Galas, Festivals, and Productions worldwide. Antonina is also the recipient of NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Choreography, CUNY Dance Initiative Residency, and Green Box Arts Residency. Apart from dancing, Antonina has a great passion for acting and she is a graduate of the New York Film Academy. She also teaches workshops and master classes throughout the world.

Denys Drozdyuk

Denys Drozdyuk was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine where he started dancing at the age of 4. From then on he has been continuously trained in ballroom dance. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from the Juilliard School and a Master of Arts Degree in Dance Education from New York University.

Together with Antonina Skobina, Denys co-founded a collaborative ballroom dance duet “DNA” with the mission to develop Ballroom dance as a performing art. Denys also participated on NBC’s TV show World of Dance for 2 Seasons and was the finalist on TV Show Revolution in Canada. Being a versatile dancer, Denys is also a winner of So You Think You Can Dance Canada Television Show. Some of his ballroom dance achievements include: 3-Time World Ballroom Champion, 3-Time USA National Ballroom Dance Champion, 7-Time German National Ballroom Dance Champion, 3-Time Canadian National Ballroom Dance Champion and a Blackpool Dance Festival Winner. Denys performs frequently as a Guest Artist with the Stars of American Ballet and in various International Ballet Galas, Festivals, and Productions worldwide. Denys is also the recipient of NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Choreography, CUNY Dance Initiative Residency, and Green Box Arts Residency. He also teaches workshops and master classes throughout the world.

Olivia Bell

Olivia Bell is a member of New York City Ballet’s Corps de Ballet. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, she trained locally before being accepted to the School of American Ballet in 2018. While a student, Olivia performed in the New York Choreographic Institute, the Virginia B. Toulmin Female Choreography Program, and the 2022 SAB Annual Workshop, originating a featured role in Gianna Reisen’s Signs. Olivia was selected for Rising Stars Weekend at Kaatsbaan Summer Festival in 2022, where she performed works by George Balanchine, and originated a role in Haley Winegarden’s Reminisce for Tomorrow. As an apprentice with New York City Ballet, Olivia has performed works by George Balanchine, including a featured role in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker.

Frances Samson

Frances Lorraine Samson is a New York based artist originally from Toronto, Canada. She has been featured by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), TEDx and Harper’s Bazaar, and has had the honor of working for institutions such as The Juilliard School, SUNY Purchase College and the Danish National Academy of Music. Frances was a principal dancer with the Limón Dance Company from 2017-2023 and is currently on faculty for the Limón Institute. She has had the pleasure of collaborating with artists such as Kate Weare, Francesca Harper, Raúl Tamez, Kayla Farrish, Madeline Hollander and Aszure Barton. Frances most recently performed for Award-winning choreographers Twyla Tharp and Baye & Asa. She is the 2023 recipient of the Clive Barnes Award for Dance and is an unarmed actor combatant certified by The Society of American Fight Directors.

Spencer Lenain

Born in San Diego, California, Spencer Lenain began his dance training at age 7 at Ballet Arte where he was instructed by Erlends Zieminch and Sara Viale. He also attended nine summer intensives at American Ballet Theater, earning the National Training Scholar scholarship three times. He attended the California Institute of the Arts and graduated with a BFA in dance in May 2024. Spencer is also very active on social media where his ballet videos are featured on TikTok @spencerdancerrr and Instagram @spencerdancer. 

Daisy Kate Jacobson

Emiko Nakagawa // SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE

Emiko Nakagawa is a Japanese tap dance artist currently based in NYC. She went on to further develop her tap artistry with Yukiko “Smilie” Misumi’s mentorship, and she served as dance captain on various stages, including ARTN Company’s solo “Legends of Tap” series 2015-2020 in Japan. Before coming to NY, she achieved international recognition through performing at “JUBA!” at Chicago Tap Festival and Big Apple Tap Festival. She also has had success at many international tap dance contests. She was a winner of both Woodshed Experience and LA Tap Fest cutting contests in 2019. In the tap dance contest “KAWASAKI TAP FESTIVAL” in Japan, she won six prizes until 2016 and was the champion in 2017.
After coming to NY, Emiko is an alumnus of The School at Jacob’s Pillow 2023. Her choreographies and performances have been shown at 54 Below, Symphony Space and more, and she has a great appreciation for being in NY.

Colorado Ballet

Presenting exceptional classical ballet and innovative contemporary dance through performances, training, education and community engagement, Colorado Ballet continues to inspire and grow an increasingly diverse audience base in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1961 by Lillian Covillo and Freidann Parker, Colorado Ballet is a non-profit organization celebrating 63 years of excellence. As a world-class professional company serving over 100,000 national and international patrons, Colorado Ballet presents 58 performances annually to sold-out audiences in the 2,000 seat Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The Company’s 36 professional dancers and 22 studio company dancers come from all over the world. Colorado Ballet’s The Armstrong Center for Dance, a 35,000 square foot building, boasts eight state-of-the-art professional dance studios and amenities for the professional Company. Under the direction of Artistic Director Gil Boggs, Colorado Ballet performs classical ballet masterpieces, full-length story ballets and its critically acclaimed repertory production Ballet MasterWorks, featuring varied works from neoclassical ballets to world premieres. The Raydean Acevedo Colorado Ballet Academy serves over 1,200 students from toddlers to seniors each year. Colorado Ballet’s Education & Community Engagement offers programs to students and community members, making over 25,000 contacts and reaching over 200 schools and organizations annually. Participants come from a variety of backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses including youth, families, teachers, and people with and without disabilities. For more information, please visit coloradoballet.org. 

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance

Currently celebrating its 54th Season, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is an international, cross-cultural, dance-arts and educational institution rooted in African-American traditions and the Diaspora, dedicated to excellence in performance, instruction, and community programming. The renowned Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble holds the works of some of the most iconic choreographers of American modern dance in its repertoire, including Katherine Dunham, Donald McKayle, Eleo Pomare, and Alvin Ailey. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance views dance as a universal language of movement which transforms the world and transcends boundaries of culture, class, and age. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is committed to honoring diversity and inclusiveness throughout the global community.