23-24 Carmina Burana - Other - Page 18
GUEST ARTISTS, Cont.
Avery Ward, Guest Artist
Avery Ward began her dance journey at the age of 3 at the Lawrenceville School
of Ballet under the direction and instruction of Phyllis Allen and Amy Gilbert.
Her early training continued at Gwinnett Ballet Theatre under the direction
of Wade Wathall and summer intensives at Carolina Ballet, Miami City Ballet,
American Ballet Theatre in New York, Houston Ballet, and The Joffrey Ballet
in Chicago. In 2017, Avery joined the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory program
under the direction of Sharon Story, where she performed in the debut of
Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker, choreographed by Yuri Possokhov and in George
Balanchine’s Serenade staged by Bobby Barnett. During her senior year of
high school, Avery joined the Trainee program at The Joffrey Ballet Academy
of Dance in Chicago, where her love for classical ballet and contemporary
dance flourished under the instruction of Sir Ashley Wheater, Raul Casasola,
and Katlin Bourgeois. While at Joffrey, Avery had the opportunity to work with
choreographers Durante Verzola (Ballet de Coeur), Chanel DaSilva (Borders),
Tsai Hsi Hung (Brushstroke), and Pablo Sanchez (Viva!) to perform their original
choreography during Winning Works 2020 and 2021.
After graduating from the Joffrey Trainee program in 2021, Avery continued
as a Trainee with Cincinnati Ballet with Sarah Hairston and David Morse under
the direction of Victoria Morgan and Jodie Gates. While at CB, Avery performed
in Victoria Morgan’s The Nutcracker, Bolero, and Juliet in her Romeo and Juliet
Balcony Pas de Deux. Additionally, Avery performed as a Fairy in Septime
Webre’s Cinderella, a flamingo and playing card in Septime Webre’s Alice in
Wonderland, in George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie staged by Margaret Tracey,
and Les Corsaire Pas de Deux by Marius Petipa.
Aaron Wiggins, Guest Artist
Aaron Wiggins was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Growing up, he trained
in Vaganova ballet technique, tap, jazz, and musical theatre from the age of
4. He went on to attend summer programs from American Ballet Theatre, the
School of American Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School, and Houston Ballet. Aaron then
graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a B.F.A. in dance. While in
college, Aaron broadened his training with Horton and Graham techniques and
performed works by Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, and Loni Landon.
Locally, he has performed with Marigny Opera Ballet, Delta Festival Ballet,
Melange Dance Company, Rivertown Theatres, Komenka Ethnic Dance
Ensemble, and Jefferson Performing Arts Society. Aaron proudly teaches Ballet,
Tap, and Contemporary at SCOD. This is Aaron’s second season with NOBT.