Robert started dancing in Pennsylvania with the Allegheny Ballet Company, trained at Houston Ballet, and then joined Ballet West as a trainee. Now, he performs with Nevada Ballet Theatre, taking on lead roles like Prince Charming in Cinderella, Siegfried in Ben Stevenson’s "Swan Lake" and Scarecrow in Septime Webre’s "Wizard of Oz."  Besides dancing, Robert is studying business at Penn State World Campus. He used his love for ballet and business skills to create BalletScout, a website helping dancers find auditions, training, and jobs.  He aims to help connect dancers of all ages, levels, and abilities to opportunities that fuel their passion.

Lauren Fadeley Veyette trained at the Orlando Ballet School and the School of Performing Arts in Florida before moving to New York City to study full time at the School of American Ballet. She began her professional career at 16 with the New York City Ballet at the invitation of Peter Martins, performing works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon, and Peter Martins.

After 2 years with NYCB, she chose to further her academic and dance education by attending Indiana University. In 2007, she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance and an Outside Field in Kinesiology. Ms. Fadeley then joined the corps de ballet of Pennsylvania Ballet. She was promoted to Soloist for the 2011 season and Principal Dancer in 2012. Lauren later joined Miami City Ballet as a Soloist in 2016 and was promoted in Principal Soloist in 2017. 

During her career, she performed featured roles in a vast array of classical, Robbin’s and Balanchine works, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™, Serenade, Jewels, Coppélia, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Four Temperaments, Concerto Barocco, Agon, The Cage, Walpurchisnaught, La Valse, Dances at a Gathering, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, In G Major, Cinderella, Other Dances, NY Export:Opus Jazz, Ballo della Regina, West Side Story Suite, and La Sylphide. She’s also performed leading works by some of ballet’s most noted contemporary choreographers, including Twyla Tharp, Alexi Ratmansky, Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor, Liam Scarlett, William Forsythe, Justin Peck, Mauro Bigonzetti and Nacho Duato. Lauren originated featured roles in new works by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Nicolo Fonte, Matthew Neenan, Brian Brooks, Pam Tanowitz, Melissa Barak and Ratmansky. 

Ms. Fadeley performed in the Academy Award-winning film Black Swan and danced for Pope Francis at the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. She has appeared as a guest artist with the Carolina Ballet, Stars of American Ballet, as well as BalletX, at the Vail International Dance Festival and The Joyce Theater in NYC. In the summers of 2018 and 2019, Ms. Fadeley joined Barak Ballet for performances at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA, The Joyce, and Jacob’s Pillow.

Lauren started her teaching career working with young dancers in creative movement and beginning ballet while attending Indiana University. Seeing the love of the art form through her students’ eyes, ignited a passion of teaching that continued to grow while she danced professionally. While a Principal of the Pennsylvania Ballet, Ms. Fadeley served on the faculty of their school, as well as the children’s ballet mistress for the Hoops in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™. Over the past 10 years, Lauren has taught summer intensives and master classes at the Cincinnati Ballet School, Indiana University Ballet Theater, The Colburn Academy, Nantucket Dance Festival, Westside School of Ballet, Swarthmore Ballet, Pennsylvania Regional Ballet, Juneau Dance Theater, Ballet Elite, Toledo Met, Indianapolis School of Ballet and Virginia Regional Ballet. In 2018, together with her husband Francis, they founded Veyette Virtual Ballet School which specializes in private instruction, coaching and mentoring for dancers of all ages. 

She retired from Miami City Ballet and dancing professionally in 2021 after accepting the position of Daytime Principal of the Kansas City Ballet School. While at KCB she served as children’s ballet mistress for all company productions involving the school, including works by Devon Carney, Val Caniparoli, and Septime Webre. She ran and grew the focused daytime program and oversaw all aspects of the school’s many competition participants. Lauren became the Head of School at Indianapolis Ballet in January 2025, bringing her love of dance and many years of experience to the Indianapolis School of Ballet.

Camille Kellems is currently a Company Artist with Nevada Ballet Theatre under direction of Roy Kaiser. She graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance and an Outside Field in Arts Management in May 2019, working closely with Kyra Nichols, Carla Körbes, Michael Vernon and Sarah Wroth. She was born and raised in Newport Beach, California, and primarily trained at the Maple Conservatory of Dance. Some career highlights have been performing Wendy in Trey McIntyre's Peter Pan, the Second Violin in George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, as well as the principal woman in Jerome Robbins’s Spring.

Camille is currently the marketing manager and a ballet advisor for BalletScout. She enjoys connecting with the dance world in this way- trying to help dancers of all ages find their path.

Andi is a Chilean Choreographer, Dance Educator, Performer, and Sociologist. She got her BA degree in Sociology at UC of Chile, the same place where she founded Kazé Dance, a Contemporary dance company where she was the Artistic Director and Choreographer for eight years. In 2017, Andi relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, California, and obtained her MFA in Dance and Choreography from Mills College. There, she also had the opportunity to perform for choreographers such as Joe Landini and Molissa Fenley and showed her work with her Dance Company “A Pulso Dance Project" at many festivals around the State. During her years in the Bay, Andi also worked as a faculty member at the Bay Area Ballet Conservatory, Shawl Anderson Dance Center, and as a Teaching Artist at Alonzo King Lines Ballet Dance Center. In 2023, she relocated to New York to keep her studies and joined the Master’s degree “Teaching Dance in the Profession: ABT Ballet Pedagogy” at New York University while working as a Teaching Artist for ABT and as an assistant at the ABT JKO School. During her time in NYC, she also did an internship at Peridance Contemporary Dance Company with Igal Perry as an administrative assistant and worked as a Contemporary faculty member for Maria Kowroski’s New Jersey Ballet Summer Intensive. In 2024, she moved to Michigan and currently works as a lecturer for the University of Michigan Dance Department, as a Visitor Assistant Professor of Dance at Western Michigan University, as a Contemporary Faculty member at Grand Rapids Ballet, as a choreographer for Eastern Michigan University and as a Ballet and Modern faculty member for Fenton Ballet Theater.

Samantha Shelton received her professional training from the Joffrey Ballet in New York and in Michigan with Rose Marie Floyd. She also studied in London with Anita Young (Royal Ballet) and at the Cecchetti International program in England. Most recently, she was appointed to the American Ballet Theatre Board of Examiners which involves traveling to various schools across the nation to examine for the ABT NTC and teach master classes.

She has set classical repertoire and choreographed for the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensives in Tampa, at the University of South Florida; Austin, at the University of Texas-Austin; Tuscaloosa, at the University of Alabama; and Detroit, at the Detroit Opera House. She has also choreographed for YAGP, university, and college programs through out the USA and Taiwan. She has been invited to guest teach at Houston Ballet and Duke University, as part of the partnership between the ABT Studio Company and Duke University. 

For the past twenty years, she has been on the ballet faculty for American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, formerly directed by Melissa Allen Bowman and currently directed by Kate Lydon, setting ABT repertoire and choreographing new ballets for the final performances. She has also traveled the country as an adjudicator for the ABT National Audition Tour, selecting dancers for training programs in New York, Texas, California,Florida and Alabama. Samantha taught at the ABT programs at the University of South Florida, directed by Julie Bravata, University of Alabama, directed by Carla Stallings; University of Texas-Austin, directed by Wes Chapman, and the Detroit Opera House/Wayne State University, directed by Alaine Haubert. 

She has choreographed and taught for the professional ballet programs at Houston Ballet, Walnut Hill School in Boston, Ballet Tennessee, Missouri Contemporary Ballet, Duke University, and Interlochen Arts Academy and taught company class for Complexions, Ballet Hispanico and Grand Rapids Ballet. Samantha received her first professional offer at 17, and has performed extensively in both classical and contemporary ballets. Classical roles include the Grand Pas from Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Giselle and Raymonda. In her guest artist performances, she has partnered with Craig Salstein (of ABT), Arch Higgins (New York City Ballet) and Christopher Stowell (San Francisco Ballet) among many others. 

Samantha holds an M.F.A in Dance from the University of Michigan, where she was awarded a Rackham Thesis grant, and a B.A. in Political Science also from the University of Michigan. She has also done graduate work at New York University in Performing Arts Administration with internships in development, PR and marketing at Carnegie Hall and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

For six years, she served on the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance Alumni Society Board of Governors and in May 2012 spent three weeks in Taiwan, teaching and presenting a piece of choreography for Tainan

University. She has also held professorships at several colleges and universities, including Wayne State University, Alma College, Grand Valley State University and most recently as an associate professor at Belhaven University in Jackson, MS. She is certified through the American Ballet Theatre National Curriculum Training Program and in has co-taught the ABT NTC with Harriet Clark, at the Detroit Opera House.

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Nirvan Singh attended Western Michigan University on a full ride academic scholarship as a Medallion Scholar. He graduated in 2021 with the privilege of performing in works created by choreographers Seyong Kim, Paul Taylor, Aszure Barton, and George Balanchine.

Following graduation, Mr. Singh danced as a guest artist with Wellspring Cori/Terry & Dancers as well as performing for three seasons with Eisenhower Dance Detroit. Throughout Eisenhower's three seasons, Nirvan has had the opportunity to perform and tour in works by choreographers Norbert De La Cruz III, Maleek Washington, Tess Voelker, WeWolf (Rauf “Rubberlegz” Yasit & James Gregg), Yoshito Sakuraba, Joshua Peugh, Stephanie Pizzo, and Laurie Eisenhower.

Nirvan is also a dance instructor at many studios in the Metro Detroit area. His scope of teaching has included spaces such as festivals, competitions, and university settings across the US. In addition to teaching and performing, he enjoys choreographing for projects when the opportunity is available. Nirvan’s work has been showcased at Western Michigan University, Boll Theatre, Detroit School of Arts, NewDANCEFest, and various Youth America Grand Prix competitions. Nirvan has been a part of Michigan Ballet Festival faculty in the past and is beyond excited to return and work with all of the dancers!

Caitlin Sloan, founder & CEO of The Brainy Ballerina, is a Dance Educator and Career Mentor based in Madison, WI. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Grand Valley State University and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri.

Caitlin danced professionally with companies including Ballet Tucson and Mareck Dance (formerly Missouri Contemporary Ballet). She served as Director of The School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet and on faculty of Central Indiana Academy of Dance and the School of Madison Ballet. In 2019, Caitlin founded The Brainy Ballerina, a virtual resource providing support and guidance for aspiring ballet dancers. Through 1-1 career mentorship, workshops and digital resources, dancers gain the skills necessary to build a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry.

Grace Derocha is a registered dietitian and nationally board certified health and wellness coach. She loves helping others learn how to live a healthier and happier lifestyle. Grace was born and raised in Michigan. She attended Michigan State University (Go Green!) and received two bachelors of science degrees in dietetics and psychology and a bonus dance specialization certificate. She also completed her dietetic internship at MSU. Grace later received her MBA focusing in marketing and management from Wayne State University. Grace is proud to be one of the national media spokespeople for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Grace grew up dancing and now gets to be a dance mom to her daughter. Grace is a provider for Doctors for Dancers and has the honor and pleasure to speak locally at a variety of dance studios, along with traveling to places like the CLI Conservatory and being the dietitian for the Nicholson Twins Wonder Workshops. Grace is passionate about educating dancers on how to nourish and fuel their bodies and minds to be the best athletic artists they can be. 

Brooke Holvick began her classical ballet training at the age of nine at the Brighton School of Ballet.  Ms. Holvick continued her classical training under the direction of ballet master Thomas Morris at Alma College where she received her BFA in Theatre and Dance as well as departmental honors for her work in the dance department.  As an Alma College Dance Company member, dancing on scholarship, she was given performance opportunities in numerous classical pieces as a soloist.  Her repertoire includes The Nutcracker, Swan Lake Act II, Aurora’s Wedding from The Sleeping Beauty, Pas de Quatre, Les Sylphides, Les Patineurs, Pas de Dix, La Bayadere, among many others.  Upon graduation, she returned to Brighton School of Ballet where she remained on staff until 2017.  Her lifelong love of the arts and passion for ballet led to the formation of Fenton Ballet Theatre.  

Ms. Holvick is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is also a STOTT PILATES® Certified Instructor for Level 1 Matwork, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, and Barrels.  Ms. Holvick has also completed her certification in Progressing Ballet Technique, a revolutionary training program designed to enhance ballet technique and the overall strength of a dancer. Her goal is to bring the timeless beauty of ballet to Fenton and its surrounding areas, providing exceptional training in a professional environment.

Grace was raised in Michigan and has been studying the art and sport of dance since 2000. She attended the University of Michigan where she studied dance and business and graduated with a Bachelor's of Business Administration. Her training includes ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, lyrical, composition, and improvisation. Grace has been teaching dance since 2012, and before that was a teacher’s assistant at her studio. Her background is rooted in classical ballet, studying with the American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, and the Rock School for Dance Education.

As the founder of the 501(c)3 non-profit The Assist, Grace is a globally recognized advocate, consultant, and speaker for athlete rights and trauma-informed coaching. She serves as an Advisory Board member for International Safe Sport, International Safeguards for Children in Sport, and has served on expert advisory committees for the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, and Apple. Grace is one of the recipients of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2018 ESPYs, a 2018 Glamour Women of the Year awardee, and a 2021 and 2022 Liberty Bell Awardee from the Michigan Bar Association for her work in athlete rights.

Grace is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Grace holds additional certifications in Alixa Flexibility (Modules 1 & 2), Acrobatic Arts (Preschool & Module 1), and Pointe Safe. These programs reflect her commitment to safe, developmentally appropriate training rooted in dancer wellness and injury reduction.