Opening Act's Choreographers
John Henry Reid
Born in Houston, Texas, John began his training at the Houston Ballet Academy under the direction of Ben Stevenson. He started his training in a young men's program at the age of 10 and graduated from Houston Ballet Academy at the age of 20. While there, he studied many different dance styles, including classical ballet, partnering, character, modern, jazz, and many others, and he was also the first to receive the Ben Stevenson Scholarship award.
Upon his graduation from the academy, John was asked to join Texas Ballet Theater. At Texas Ballet he performed many principal roles from the Nutcracker Prince, Franz in Coppelia, Peer Gynt in Ben Stevenson’s Peer Gynt and Ben Stevenson’s End of Time pas de deux. He spent the next seven years dancing for companies like Colorado Ballet, where he met and danced for Martin Fredmann, to Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York, and City Ballet of San Diego. He has guested for Cincinnati Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, Twin City Ballet Theater, Houston Ballet Rep Ballet, Uptown Street Dance Company, Ballet Artisan, and the University of Oklahoma. His repertoire includes leading roles in Dracula, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Celts, Company B, 9 Sinatra Songs, Swan Lake, Walpurgisnacht, and many more contemporary ballets choreographed by choreographers such as Dwight Rhoden, Igal Perry, Jessica Lang, Darrell Grand-Moultrie, Jo Funaki, and others.
Mr. Reid spent eight years continuing to expand his extensive repertoire while dancing, teaching, choreographing, and coaching in Japan. His choreographic works have been set on companies and schools across Japan.
Aidan Kohles-Wolf
Aidan is a professional contemporary ballet artist, choreographer, educator, and arts leader. After completing her training at the Colorado Ballet Academy, she continued her studies with the Joffrey Ballet in New York City and participated in numerous prestigious summer intensives and professional development programs across the country.
Aidan began her professional career with Arch Ballet in Manhattan before joining Complexions Contemporary Ballet, where she spent four seasons performing and touring nationally and internationally. During her career, she has performed works by acclaimed choreographers including Dwight Rhoden, Desmond Richardson, Jae Man Joo, Garrett Smith, Micaela Taylor, Helene Simoneau, and many others.
Alongside her performing career, Aidan has established herself as a respected choreographer and mentor. Her work has been presented through Vitacca Ballet, VDanse, Studio G, The Woodlands Ballet Academy, and other organizations, with choreography earning top placements at YAGP, ADC/IBC, and other regional and national competitions.
Aidan currently serves as Artist Development Director at The Dance Barre, Studio Company Director at Vitacca Ballet School, and Co-Founder, Co-Director, choreographer, and company artist with KODA Contemporary Ballet, where she is committed to fostering artistic excellence, collaboration, and innovation within Houston's dance community.
Jack Wolff
Jack is a born-and-raised Houstonian, a Demi Soloist dancer for the Houston Ballet, and a passionate choreographer. As a student, he studied at Precision Dance Academy, Houston METtoos, HSPVA, Houston Ballet Summer Intensives, and the JKO School at ABT on full scholarship. Since joining the Houston Ballet company in 2018, Jack Wolff has been a featured dancer in works by Stanton Welch, Trey McIntyre, Arthur Pita, Justin Peck, Azure Barton, Jiri Kylian, and other respected choreographers. In regards to his own choreography, Wolff has created pieces for Houston Ballet company and academy, Houston Contemporary, Skylar Campbell Dance Collective, HSPVA, and Philadelphia Ballet II. Some of his works have been featured in dance festivals in Houston, NYC, Tokyo, and Mexico City. Wolff also was the inaugural recipient of the Lauren Anderson Dance Residency at the Ucross Foundation, and was recognized by Dance Magazine as an “on the rise” choreographer in May 2025.
Andrea Dawn Shelley
Andrea, a native of Miami, Florida, received her classical ballet training predominately from Magdalena Maury and Magda G. Auñon. She studied dance at the University of South Florida under Gretchen Ward Warren and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Education from Florida International University. Andrea began her professional career with Southern Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet and danced as a principal artist with Maximum Dance Company, Miami Contemporary Dance Company, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, State Street Ballet and iMEE performing throughout Americas and Europe. She is a Co-Founding Director of iMEE Dance Company, est. 2009. As a choreographer, Shelley has created original works commissioned by professional dance companies and festivals such as: iMEE, Ballet Florida, Miami Contemporary Dance Company, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, State Street Ballet, O Dance, Ad Deum Dance Company, The Dance Gallery Festival / Level UP, palcoscenico danza, METdance, Island Moving Co., the black box INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL THEATRE & DANCE, Festival Ballet Providence, Bellingham Repertory Dance, 16th Annual Mid-Atlantic Choreographic Showcase, Houston Contemporary Dance Company and Vitacca Ballet. Her choreographic works have been presented throughout the Americas and Europe; including California, Florida, Texas, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Washington, Virginia, Italy, Bulgaria and Mexico City. She has participated in Residencies and created original works for dance programs including; Sam Houston State University, High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Houston, Salve Regina University, Providence College, Western Kentucky University, Moorpark College and St. John’s School. As a dance educator, Shelley had the distinguished honor of serving as an annual preliminary panelist for the National YoungArts Foundation, YoungArts program in Choreography, Ballet and Modern for five consecutive years. She has served as Adjunct Ballet Faculty at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI and assumed the roles of Resident Choreographer and Company Director for the University’s junior company. Ms. Shelley served as an annual Guest Choreographer, School Principal, Resident Artist Program Director and Senior Faculty at Vitacca Vocational School for Dance in Houston, TX as well as Rehearsal Director for Vitacca Ballet for four seasons. Currently, Shelley is in her fifth season with Houston Contemporary Dance Company as Ballet Mistress and Rehearsal Assistant to the Director.
Opening Act's Cast
Devon Drybread
AJ Garcia-Rameau
Devon Drybread
Elissa Fonseca
AJ Garcia-Rameau
Devon Drybread
Elissa Fonseca is originally from Pleasant Grove, Utah, and has been dancing professionally for 12 years. Elissa started training at 6 years old, focusing on ballet, but also in contemporary, jazz, tap, and Irish dancing. In high school, she trained with Utah Regional Ballet (now Utah Metropolitan Ballet) and danced with the second compa
Elissa Fonseca is originally from Pleasant Grove, Utah, and has been dancing professionally for 12 years. Elissa started training at 6 years old, focusing on ballet, but also in contemporary, jazz, tap, and Irish dancing. In high school, she trained with Utah Regional Ballet (now Utah Metropolitan Ballet) and danced with the second company for 3 years. Elissa spent two very formative summers in college dancing at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance under the direction of Summer Lee Rhatigan.
Elissa graduated with her BFA in Ballet Performance from the University of Utah in 2014, and then joined Salt Lake City based company SALT Contemporary Dance for 4 seasons. In 2018 Elissa moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where she was a company member with Minnesota Dance Theatre for 4 seasons. Elissa joined Vitacca Ballet in Houston, Texas in 2022, and recently completed her 4th season there.
In college and throughout her professional career, Elissa has worked with renowned artists such as Summer Lee Rhatigan, Bobbi Jene Smith, Peter Chu, Val Caniparoli, Garrett Smith, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Banning Bouldin, Alex Ketley, Lise Houlton, Sean Aaron Carmon, Hélène Simoneau, Andrea Dawn Shelley, Tina K. Bohnstedt, Gabrielle Lamb, Brendan Duggan, and many more.
Elissa is now a freelance dancer in Houston, TX, has a young daughter with her husband, and is honored to be a Guest Artist with KODA Contemporary Ballet for their first performance!
AJ Garcia-Rameau
AJ Garcia-Rameau
AJ Garcia-Rameau
AJ Garcia-Rameau is a professional dance artist, based in Austin, Texas. AJ is the director & founder of Ventana Ballet, a professional contemporary ballet company in Austin that presents local professional talent and brings accessible performances, events, and classes closer to the community. AJ is also partner-owner and technical direc
AJ Garcia-Rameau is a professional dance artist, based in Austin, Texas. AJ is the director & founder of Ventana Ballet, a professional contemporary ballet company in Austin that presents local professional talent and brings accessible performances, events, and classes closer to the community. AJ is also partner-owner and technical director of East Side Performing Arts (ESPA), a brand-new white-box theater and dance studio venue, serving the Austin area as an accessible performance, rehearsal, and education space; ESPA is home to more than 150 Austin-based performing arts companies and individual professional artists. AJ holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas, and she currently works as a semiconductor engineer in the Austin area, as well. When AJ isn't dancing or lighting designing or playing in spreadsheets, she is usually gardening or playing darts in the backyard with her husband, Ryan!
Coltin Snyder
Coltin Snyder
Coltin Snyder
Coltin Snyder grew up in Tooele, UT and began his dance training at age seven. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona with a B.F.A. in dance and a B.S.B.A. in accounting in May of 2021. Coltin is a former inaugural member of Vitacca Ballet. In August of 2025, Coltin debuted as a company member with Bruce Wood Dance Da
Coltin Snyder grew up in Tooele, UT and began his dance training at age seven. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona with a B.F.A. in dance and a B.S.B.A. in accounting in May of 2021. Coltin is a former inaugural member of Vitacca Ballet. In August of 2025, Coltin debuted as a company member with Bruce Wood Dance Dallas. In his short time with the company, he has performed works by notable choreographers such as Robert Battle, Lar Lubovitch, Jessica Lang, and Joy Bollinger, as well as premiered his own choreography on the members of the company. He has also had his work showcased at schools and studios in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and Texas. In addition to his professional performing career, Coltin has guested with Dallas Repertoire Ballet in Allen, TX, Kingwood Ballet in Kingwood, TX, Chula Vista Ballet in San Diego, CA, and Ballet Centre Utah, Inc. in Murray, UT, as well as served as a company manager and rehearsal director. He continues to seek out new teaching and choreographic opportunities at schools and studios across the US.
Dwain Travis
Coltin Snyder
Coltin Snyder
Dwain is a Houston native and began training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC at age 12. His professional career began with BAHBT in South Houston, where he spent four years as Principal and Artist in Residence under Luis Fuente and Lynette Mason Gregg. Other credits include: Houston Ballet, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, t
Dwain is a Houston native and began training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC at age 12. His professional career began with BAHBT in South Houston, where he spent four years as Principal and Artist in Residence under Luis Fuente and Lynette Mason Gregg. Other credits include: Houston Ballet, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Joffrey Ballet's JKO School, the Harid Conservatory, and Nunamaana Immersive Dance Theatre. In 2017, Dwain joined Houston Met Dance, where he performed works from Mario Zambrano, Katarzyna Skarpetowska, and Dominic Walsh among others. In 2018, he co-founded and directed Juxtapose Arts Collective in South Houston. His first piece of choreography, Dearly Departed, was selected for the RDA/SW Dance Festival and the 2010 Craft of Choreography Conference, and further awarded the RDA Choreography Connection Grant. His second piece, Pulse, was chosen for the 2012 RDA National Festival in Montreal, Canada. Other choreographic credits include: Barnstorm Dance Fest (2016), Austin Dance Project (2016 & 2017), blank/SLATE (2018 & 2019), and Houston Choreographers X6 (2019). Currently Dwain is a proud company member of Houston Contemporary Dance Company as well as a guest artist with Prokop_Theory Dance. As a founding member of HCDC (2019), Dwain has worked with choreographers like Peter Chu, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Norbert De Le Cruz III, and Yin Yue - among others - and has had the opportunity to tour to the Red Rock Dance Festival, St Louis Contemporary Dance Festival, and Austin Dance Festival. He is currently in his 7th season with HCDC. @dwizzlestick
Jack Wolff
Coltin Snyder
Jack Wolff
Jack Wolff is a born-and-raised Houstonian, a Demi Soloist dancer for the Houston Ballet, and passionate choreographer. As a student, he studied at Precision Dance Academy, Houston METtoos, HSPVA, Houston Ballet Summer Intensives, and the JKO School at ABT on full scholarship. Since joining the Houston Ballet company in 2018, Jack Wolff h
Jack Wolff is a born-and-raised Houstonian, a Demi Soloist dancer for the Houston Ballet, and passionate choreographer. As a student, he studied at Precision Dance Academy, Houston METtoos, HSPVA, Houston Ballet Summer Intensives, and the JKO School at ABT on full scholarship. Since joining the Houston Ballet company in 2018, Jack Wolff has been a featured dancer in works by Stanton Welch, Trey McIntyre, Arthur Pita, Justin Peck, Azure Barton, Jiri Kylian, and other respected choreographers. In regards to his own choreography, Wolff has created pieces for Houston Ballet company and academy, Houston Contemporary, Skylar Campbell Dance Collective, HSPVA, and Philadelphia Ballet II. Some of his works have been featured in dance festivals in Houston, NYC, Tokyo, and Mexico City. Wolff also was the inaugural recipient of the Lauren Anderson Dance Residency at the Ucross Foundation, and was recognized by Dance Magazine as an “on the rise” choreographer in May 2025.
aidan kohles-wolf
aidan kohles-wolf
aidan kohles-wolf
Aidan began her dance training in Colorado and completed her studies at the Colorado Ballet Academy before accepting merit scholarships to train with the Joffrey Ballet in New York City. She furthered her training through numerous acclaimed summer programs, including Joffrey NYC and LA, Complexions, SONDER, MODAS, Francisco Gella, and oth
Aidan began her dance training in Colorado and completed her studies at the Colorado Ballet Academy before accepting merit scholarships to train with the Joffrey Ballet in New York City. She furthered her training through numerous acclaimed summer programs, including Joffrey NYC and LA, Complexions, SONDER, MODAS, Francisco Gella, and others.
Aidan began her professional career with Arch Ballet in Manhattan before joining Complexions Contemporary Ballet, where she spent four seasons touring nationally and internationally. During her time with Complexions, she performed works by renowned choreographers including Dwight Rhoden, Desmond Richardson, and Jae Man Joo throughout the United States, Israel, Latvia, and Germany. She later performed with Queer The Ballet at the Joyce Theater in New York City.
Most recently, Aidan has performed as a company artist with Zikr Dance Ensemble and Vitacca Ballet, performing works by leading contemporary choreographers while continuing to develop her artistic and creative career.
sarah kohles-wolf
aidan kohles-wolf
aidan kohles-wolf
Sarah began her training in New Jersey before continuing her professional education at the Joffrey Ballet School, where she specialized in ballet, contemporary, and jazz through the Contemporary & Jazz Pre-Professional Program. She further refined her artistry through intensive training with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and a diverse
Sarah began her training in New Jersey before continuing her professional education at the Joffrey Ballet School, where she specialized in ballet, contemporary, and jazz through the Contemporary & Jazz Pre-Professional Program. She further refined her artistry through intensive training with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and a diverse range of renowned artists and educators.
Sarah's performance career began at a young age, including an appearance with the Dizzy Feet Foundation in Hollywood, California. In 2022, she launched her professional career and joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet, performing works by acclaimed choreographers and touring with the company for nearly two seasons. She later appeared at the iconic The Joyce Theater as an artist with Queer the Ballet.