Conservatory Dancers step into the next stage of their careers and life as accomplished young artists. Many are now performing across the world’s most prestigious stages, and others have taken the discipline and confidence their training has instilled in them as they pursue other career paths.

Universities and Dance Programs

  • CalArts School of Dance
  • Point Park University
  • Alvin Ailey/Fordham
  • SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance
  • Point Park University
  • Princeton University
  • Alonzo King/LINES Ballet BFA
  • Tisch School of the Arts at NYU
  • The University of the Arts
  • The Juilliard School
  • USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance
  • Harvard University
  • Duke University
  • Georgetown University
  • Columbia University
  • Princeton
  • University of Michigan Musical Theater 

Companies

  • Rubberband Dance
  • Studio Wayne McGregor
  • Bruce Wood Dance 
  • San Francisco Ballet
  • Golden State Ballet 
  • American Ballet Theater
  • Mark Morris Dance Group 
  • Staatsballett Berlin
  • The Washington Ballet
  • Ballet Hispánico 
  • Dance Theatre of Harlem
  • PHILADANCO! 
  • Gibney Dance 
  • L-E-V Sharon Eyal/Emanuel Gat
  • Ballet Quad-Cities
  • Ballet Zurich 
  • PBII Philadelphia Ballet
  • Lyon Opera Ballet 

Summer Intensive Schools, Scholarship Schools, and Offers

  • ABT National Training Scholars: Ela Sevillia, Ella Berton, Eric Poor (2023)
  • LINES Ballet
  • Arts Umbrella
  • The Juilliard School
  • Nederlands Dans Theater
  • Orsolina28
  • Springboard Dance in Montreal
  • B12 in Berlin
  • ImpulsTanz
  • Spectrum Dance Theater
  • Koresh Dance Company
  • Gallim Dance
  • Dance Theater of Harlem
  • Miami City Ballet
  • Orlando Ballet
  • Complexions Contemporary Ballet Academy
  • Steps on Broadway
  • Houston Ballet
  • Kansas City Ballet
Diana Amalfitano

Diana Amalfitano

Répétiteur, Conservatory

Grace Cho (She/Her)

Grace Cho (She/Her)

Faculty

Dana Pajarillaga

Dana Pajarillaga

Matthew McLaughlin

Matthew McLaughlin

Mariano Zamora Gonzalez (He/Him)

Mariano Zamora Gonzalez (He/Him)

Mariano Zamora González (He/Him) is a Costa Rican artist residing in London. Mariano accepted a scholarship to pursue a BFA in Dance from the University of Southern California under the direction of Jodie Gates and William Forsythe, where he performed works by Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, Alejandro Cerrudo, and Dwight Rhoden. Between 2021 and 2023, he toured with Ballet Hispánico of New York, performing at the Lincoln Center’s BAAND Together Dance Festival, as well as premiere in Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s “Doña Perón” as part of the 2022 Fall for Dance festival of the NYCC. Mariano is currently touring the world with Company Wayne McGregor, and has since modeled for Moschino’s 40th anniversary collection at Milano Fashion Week; performed at Frieze London, Roberto Bolle and Friends Gala in Milano, and the 2024 edition of La Biennale di Venezia. He is soon to premiere McGregor’s “Deepstaria” at the 44th edition of the Montpellier Danse Festival in France. Aesthetically driven with a minor in Architecture, Mariano is interested in the intersectionality of fine arts, craftsmanship, fashion, and film. Discover him on social media @nanozamora and  follow his ever evolving career.
Nicole Liebeler (She/Her)

Nicole Liebeler (She/Her)

Ryan Carlough (He/Him)

Ryan Carlough (He/Him)

Faculty

Kevin Pajarillaga (He/His)

Kevin Pajarillaga (He/His)

Jade Diouf

Jade Diouf

Makani Yerg

Makani Yerg

Corbin Holloway

Corbin Holloway

School of American Ballet Royal Ballet School 2021-2022 YAGP finals Hope award, Gold Medalist, & Silver Medalist USAIBC Jury encouragement award YAGP Gala x4
Rebecca Stewart

Rebecca Stewart

Lucas Castro

Lucas Castro

Mackenzie Davis

Mackenzie Davis

Mackenzie Davis grew up in Frederick, Maryland where she began her dance training at age 4. She started her love for dance at 24/7 Dance Studio in Frederick, Maryland where she learned all styles of dance such as jazz, contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballet, and musical theater. She then trained at City Dance School and Conservatory in Bethesda, Maryland under the direction of Lorraine Audeoud Spiegler and Ballet Master Stanislav Issaev. Mackenzie performed many classical and contemporary works in her training, and participated in the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition where she placed 1st in the contemporary category and Top 12 in the classical category. To further her training and evolve her love for ballet, Mackenzie attended summer intensives at the Joffrey Ballet School in Chicago and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Mackenzie joined Grand Rapids Ballet under James Sofranko for the 2021/2022 season as a Trainee, and later as an apprentice in 2023. At her time in Grand Rapids she performed many roles in Val Caniparoli’s Nutcracker which include Snow and Flower Corps, Sugar Plum Doll, and Marzipan. She also performed in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella, George Balanchine’s Serenade, George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Christopher Stowell’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Isaac Aoki’s Soireé, and Little Red Riding Hood in Artistic Director James Sofranko‘s Spring Break for Kids. She is excited to join Golden State Ballet as a Corps De Ballet member for their 23/24 season.

CityDance Conservatory Alumni

Taylor Mickal Photography

XMB Photography

XMB Photography

JHsu Media

Stanislav Issaev

EnMotion Photography

Testimonials

“I’m back in California to finish my last year of college, so I’ve been reminiscing about my past and my education and without the help and work of CityDance I wouldn’t be where I am. I just wanted to thank you so much for your support during my high school years! I really really appreciate all that you did for me and continue to do for so many children at CityDance!”

Nano Zamora

CityDance Lumina Class of 2017, USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Class of 2021 Company Dancer with Ballet Hispánico, starting fall 2021

“I studied at CityDance because of its strong ballet and contemporary training. CityDance is special because of the lasting bonds I have made with fellow students and faculty. I have forged lifelong friendships with incredibly diverse people. Everyone in the Conservatory is so close that we are practically a family.”

Jade Diouf

CityDance School & Conservatory Class of 2019, The Juilliard School

“I graduated in 2013 and I am now in Berlin working at the Staatsballett and also working on my own projects. After CityDance, I went to New York and trained at Juilliard for 4 years, and then after that, I was in Montreal dancing with RUBBERBAND. CityDance had prepared me for everything – a wide variety of techniques, performing anywhere and working with anyone. It was a lot of work and I feel like I am resilient because of this work. It’s really special.”

Dana Pajarillaga

CityDance School & Conservatory, Class of 2019, The Juilliard School Graduate, Staatsballett Berlin

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