23-24 On The Edge - Other - Page 13
GUEST ARTISTS
Iori Araya, Guest Artist
Iori Araya, a native of Japan, danced at Singapore Dance Theatre and New Jersey
Ballet prior to joining Ballet Memphis in 2017. She has danced Aurora in The
Sleeping Beauty, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Serenade, Allegro
Brillante, Divertimento #15, Stanton Welch’s Maninyas, Val Caniparoli’s Chant,
Edwaard Liang’s Age of Innocence. She was a finalist at the 10th Asian Pacific
International Competition, winning a scholarship to The Australian Ballet School
where she was chosen to be a part of The Australian Ballet’s Dancers Company
Tour. Her noted performances with Ballet Memphis include George Balanchine’s
Square Dance and Matthew Neenan’s Water of the Flowery Mill.
Sara Falstad, Guest Artist
Sara Falstad, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, began her ballet training with
the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education, where she studied for 10 years
before relocating to New Orleans in 2009. In New Orleans, Sara furthered her
training at the Schramel Conservatory of Dance under the direction of Greg
and Marjorie Hardwick Schramel before accepting a traineeship with the
Charlotte Ballet Academy in 2012, and then a traineeship with the Joffrey
Academy of Dance in 2013. During this time, she also enjoyed returning to
New Orleans to dance in New Orleans Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker and
Summer Solstice.
In 2015, Sara’s career took her to the Sarasota Ballet, where she performed in
ballets by Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Matthew Hart, George Balanchine, Dame
Ninette de Valois, Anthony Tudor, and Sir Frederick Ashton. In 2017, she took
the opportunity to dance internationally with Tokyo Disney Resort by joining
their flagship live show One Man’s Dream II: The Magic Lives On, a Disney
medley featuring many of Disney’s iconic characters. She remained in Japan for
three years dancing in both title and ensemble roles until the show’s closing in
December 2019. Upon her return to New Orleans, Sara rejoined New Orleans
Ballet Theatre as a company artist.
Since rejoining the company, Sara has performed in a variety of works,
including the company’s production of Swan Lake, George Balanchine’s
Concerto Barocco and Serenade, Tara Lee’s Under the Olive Tree, Diogo de
Lima’s Esplanade, and Oliver Halkowich’s Romeo + Juliet. She has also
originated roles in works choreographed by Gregory Schramel, Diogo de Lima,
and, most recently, the role of Mina in Oliver Halkowich’s Dracula.
Rafael Ferreras, Guest Artist
Rafael Ferreras received his early ballet training in New York with the Dance
Theatre of Harlem and the Joffrey Ballet School. Audiences know him for
his leading roles in Romeo and Juliet, Dracula, The Firebird, Angels in the
Architecture, Midsummers Night’s Dream, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and The
Sleeping Beauty. He danced with Ballet Memphis, Tulsa Ballet, Hartford Ballet,
New Jersey Ballet and Elisa Monte Dance. Ferreras is currently the Ballet Master
for the San Antonio Ballet.