Meet the Dancers
Our Professionals
Angelina Bartolozzi
Angelina Bartolozzi is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer based out of Charleston,
South Carolina. Originally from Vineland, New Jersey, she trained with Maxine’s Dance Studio
LLC. and the Vineland Regional Dance Company, spending summers training at Alonzo King
Lines Ballet, Burklyn Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Pennsylvania Ballet.
She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Purchase College, SUNY with a BFA in Dance
Performance and a BA in Arts Management. During her time at Purchase College, Angelina
performed works by Jenelle Figgins and Doug Varone, as well as performed in the Purchase
College Opera’s Dido and Aeneas. Additionally, Angelina had the honor of performing an
excerpt of In the Middle Somewhat Elevated by William Forsythe (staged by Jodie Gates).
Angelina is currently a professional ballet dancer with Palmetto City Ballet. In her first
season with the company, she had the opportunity of performing in two World Premieres, Four
Seasons and The Nutcracker. Angelina also had the honor of performing at the Gaillard Theatre
in collaboration with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. Alongside her work with Palmetto
City Ballet, Angelina has performed with the contemporary ballet company, Unbound Ballet
Project.
Angelina is ecstatic to be dancing in her second season with Palmetto City Ballet.
Victoria Bevil
Victoria Bevil, a native of Charleston, began her training at Charleston Ballet Theater and Classical Ballet Centre. In 2015, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux selected her as the first Clara in Charlotte Ballet’s The Nutcracker at the Gaillard Center. In 2017, she was accepted to Cary Ballet Conservatory’s Professional Training Program, directed by Mariaelena Ruiz. Victoria performed Snow Queen and Dew Drop in The Nutcracker, Second Shade in La Bayadere, and Big Swans in Swan Lake. Working with renowned choreographer Krista King Dougherty, she participated twice in YAGP Finals and ADC/IBC.
Victoria attended summer intensives with American Ballet Theatre New York, Bolshoi Ballet, Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky, Galina Panova, Master Ballet Academy, Orlando Ballet, Carolina Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, and Charlotte Ballet. After attending Charlotte Ballet’s Summer Intensive on a scholarship, Victoria was invited to join Charlotte Ballet as a Trainee in 2019. There, she trained with Patricia McBride, founding member of New York City Ballet and Kennedy Center Honoree. She performed in Bonnefoux’s The Nutcracker and Matthew Hart’s The Sleeping Beauty. She trained privately with Bo Busby and Julia Moiseeva.
In 2020, Victoria began her professional career at Palmetto City Ballet. Her repertoire includes the Ingénue in French Twist, Albino (Dying Swan) in Carnival of the Animals, Arabian Princess in Cinderella, Moth and Fairy of Light in Thumbelina, Rose in Snow Queen, and the company’s feature film Why Our Walls. She originated the roles of the Winter soloist in Four Seasons, Hatter (Marzipan) in The Nutcracker, and danced as a soloist with the company in Charleston Symphony Orchestra’s “Let’s Dance!” at the Gaillard Center. Victoria was invited to perform as a guest artist with Savannah Ballet Theatre in 2023, where she danced the principal role of Titania in Sir Fredrick Ashton’s The Dream. She attends University of Florida Online as a Public Relations major. In addition, she is an Ambassador for Chameleon Activewear by April Giangeruso, based in New York City. She looks forward to performing again with Palmetto City Ballet in the upcoming season.
Amanda Evans
Amanda is a classically trained ballet dancer from Copper Canyon, Texas. Amanda received her primary ballet training at The Ballet Conservatory in Lewisville, Texas and danced with Lakecities Ballet Theatre from 2009-2014. Amanda then attended The University of Oklahoma where she danced with Oklahoma Festival Ballet and Contemporary Dance Oklahoma and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet Performance. During her time at The University of Oklahoma, Amanda’s choreography was selected for the Young Choreography Showcase from 2016-2018 and was awarded the Miguel Terekhov Ballet Choreography Award in 2016. She also received honors including the Yvonne Chouteau Ballet Award, the Juli Busken Memorial Scholarship Award, the John Michael Gore Memorial Essay Scholarship and the Ballet Ovation Award for excellence in performance. In addition to her primary training, Amanda has attended summer intensives at Centre de Dansa de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and America Ballet Theatre NY.
Anna Goolsby
Anna Goolsby is dancing her first season with Palmetto City Ballet. Anna, an Atlanta, GA native, has been in love with ballet since the age of 2. She joined Metropolitan Ballet Theatre at age 11, where she was mentored by Prima Ballerina, Maniya Barredo. While at MBT, her favorite roles included Sugar Plum Fairy and Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker and Swanhilda in Coppélia. Anna has attended multiple summer intensive programs including Orlando Ballet, Ballet West, and Nashville Ballet’s Choreographic Workshop. Anna is looking forward to dancing alongside Palmetto City Ballet’s amazing group of artists and is excited for the upcoming season.
Anne-Marie Mahaffey
Anne-Marie Mahaffey is a talented dancer who has been on a journey of self-discovery and growth. Born in North Dakota and raised in a military family, Anne-Marie has experienced a lot of movement in her life, which has led her to learn from various teachers in different locations. At the age of 8, she began her dance training in England, where her passion for dance took root.
Anne-Marie’s training truly took off when she joined the Lowcountry Youth Dance Academy (LYDA) training program in its starting years, under the guidance of Amanda Neikirk and Sarah Walborn in South Carolina. Her dedication and talent earned her admission into the prestigious South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH), where she trained with renowned teachers such as Irina Ushakova, Thomas Shoemaker, and Miriam Mesa-Pelly.
In 2022, Anne-Marie performed Scope of Gems, an original piece choreographed by Jennifer Archibald, during her senior year of high school. After graduating from SCGSAH, Anne-Marie was accepted into the University of South Carolina to study as a Dance Performance Major. However, she later decided to become more serious with her training and investigated further into Palmetto City Ballet.
Anne-Marie had been a Constellation during The Nutcracker with Palmetto City Ballet in 2022 and decided this career path was a better fit for her. She is continuing her undergraduate studies at the University of South Carolina Upstate as a Criminal Justice major through the Palmetto College program. Anne-Marie is excited for her first season with Palmetto City Ballet as a trainee and cannot wait to share her joy with everyone. We wish her all the best for her future endeavors in the world of dance and beyond.
Jillian Kerr
Jillian Kerr, a talented ballet dancer from Harrington, Delaware, has been passionate about dance since the age of three. She began her training at the First State Dance Academy and later went on to train at the Tatiana Akinfieva Dance Academy until her junior year of high school. For her senior year, Jillian attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where she had the opportunity to train in ballet under the guidance of Eva Draw and Jennet Zerbe.
Over the years, Jillian has had the privilege of working with many renowned choreographers, including Zippora Karz, Dani Rowe, Maria Konrad, Dwight Rhoden, and Desmond Richardson. She has showcased her talents as a soloist and principal dancer, portraying characters such as Nikiya from La Bayadere, Kitri from Don Quixote, Paquita, Romantic Girl from Graduation Ball, and more. Additionally, Jillian has worked with Jonathan Tabbert at Burklyn Ballet Theater, performing his Shostakovich Suite in 2019 and Spring in 2023.
Apart from dancing, Jillian enjoys performing as a singer and guitarist at local open mics downtown. With her impressive dance background and diverse talents, Jillian is all set to embark on her second season with Palmetto City Ballet and continue to inspire audiences with her artistry and dedication.
Vivian LaCerda
Vivian LaCerda was born in Cincinnati, Ohio where she began training at Cincinnati Ballet and Northern Cincinnati Youth Ballet. Vivian was part of Cincinnati Ballet’s inaugural Professional Training Division in 2017 where she danced and rehearsed with the main company under the direction of Victoria Morgan.
After graduating in 2018, Vivian began her training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where she studied under Susan Jaffe, Jared Redick, Jennet Zerbe, Eva Draw, Laura Martin, Angie Sansone, and many other esteemed faculty. Through UNCSA Vivian also had the opportunity to complete her Mat Pilates Teacher certification for which she received a grant in 2021. She later completed her certification in Progressing Ballet Technique. In her final year of college, Vivian completed a Traineeship with Charlotte Ballet as an Internship. In 2022 Vivian graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts and a Minor in Arts Entrepreneurship. Vivian is returning as a dancer with Palmetto City Ballet
Shannon Maloney
Shannon Maloney, originally from Augusta Georgia, began her dance training at the age
of two. While initially she trained in traditional Irish Step dancing, Shannon began ballet at the
age of seven and ultimately fell in love. Under the direction of Zanne and Ron Colton, Peter
Powlus, and Bon Ellis, she rigorously trained at the Augusta Ballet School and danced in
Balanchine’s Nutcracker for nearly ten years. At just thirteen years old, she was accepted into the
school’s affiliate company “Dance Augusta”, later renamed to the Colton Ballet Company, as an
apprentice company member. As a company member, Shannon earned her first soloist role as
Spanish Hot Chocolate in “The Nutcracker” at only fourteen years old, and was a featured dancer
in the contemporary ballet “Cube” choreographed for her by Caitlin McCormick. At fourteen
years old, she also attended Paris Ballet’s Winter Intensive in West Palm Beach, Florida where
she performed excerpts from Sleeping Beauty and Don Quixote under director Jean-Hugues
Feray.
Soon after, Shannon moved with her family to Charleston, South Carolina. Here she
trained with Dance Conservatory of Charleston in their Pre-Professional Half Day Program.
Under the direction of many talented teachers, she performed several pieces by George
Balanchine such as “Serenade” and “Who Cares!” Under these teachers, she also performed in
many ballets’ featuring their original choreography, the most memorable being “The Conductor”
in “Symphonietta” and “Autumn” in “The Four Seasons.”. She also attended several masterclasses led by Dale Lam.
After graduating high school early, Shannon attended The College of Charleston as a
Dance major and trained under Olga and Michael Wise, Kristin Alexander, and Dr. Gretchen
McLaine. During her freshman year, she participated in many of their original choreographic
works. Most recently, Shannon can be seen dancing in season three of “The Righteous
Gemstones” on HBO. Now, Shannon is thrilled to be joining the Palmetto City Ballet Company
under the direction of Jonathan Tabbert and Stephen Gabriel, and cannot wait to train and
perform.
Natasha Nast
Natasha spent four years dancing in Pittsburgh prior to moving to Charleston to join Palmetto City Ballet as a guest artist in the fall of 2017 and would go on to officially join the company the following winter. Her repertoire with the company includes the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, the Ringmaster in Carnival of the Animals, the Lounge Singer in French Twist, the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, the Sorceress and Fairy of Beauty in Thumbelina, and the Red-Winged Blackbird in The Snow Queen, as well as principal roles in neo-classical works such as Why Our Walls, American Quartet, and Accumulation. Alongside her work with Palmetto City Ballet, Natasha has danced with Moranz Entertainment and Unbound Ballet Project and can be seen as a featured dancer in HBO’s series, The Righteous Gemstones. Natasha very much looks forward to dancing in her seventh season with Palmetto City Ballet.
Andres Neira
Andres Neira was born in Cali, Colombia. He started his dance education at the Colombian Institute of Classical Ballet (Incolballet). Eight years of intense training provided him with the opportunity to work with teachers, choreographers and coaches of national and international notoriety. After graduating Mr. Neira joined the Ballet de Cali Company, where he became the youngest soloist in the company’s history to date, performing a wide variety of classical and contemporary roles worldwide.
Mr. Neira’s career in the U.S.A. began when in 1996 he received the first ever Lefkowitz Award for Outstanding Performance of a Solo at the New York International Ballet Competition (NYIBC), then he went on to participate as guest dancer and/or guest ballet master for numerous companies in the U.S. and abroad such as New Jersey Ballet, Connecticut Ballet center, Ballet Hispanico, Eglevsky Ballet, Granite State Ballet, The Renval Project, and Bejart Ballet Lausanne.
Mr. Neira’s performance experience includes a wide range of rolls varying from Petipa’s classics such as Corsaire, Don Quixote, Raymonda and Sleeping Beauty, to contemporary works, some of which have been created for him, including Backthi by Maurice Bejart, Tango by Johan Renval, Rhapsody in Blue by Alex Proia, For Ella by Margo Sappington with music by Ella Fitzgerald and many more. Mr. Neira joined Palmetto City Ballet as a principal guest artist for the world premiere of Ancient Tales in 2015 and is glad to return this season.
Jayden Zayas
Jayden Zayas is an accomplished dancer who grew up in Georgia and trained as a soloist with the Roswell Dance Theatre. Her passion for dance was evident from an early age, and she represented the ballet company as the RDT Dance Captain. Over the years, Jayden has performed many roles in The Nutcracker, including the Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara, and Snow Queen. She has also showcased her talent in soloist roles, where she portrayed Mary in Mary Poppins and Abu in Aladdin.
Jayden’s dedication to her craft has seen her participate in numerous national competitions, including Youth America Grand Prix and Universal Ballet Competition. She has also continued to develop her skills by attending intensive training programs with prestigious ballet companies such as Carolina Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, Ballet Magnificat, and Nashville Ballet.
Jayden’s talent has been recognized in many of the Regional Dance America Southeast festivals, and she is excited to embark on her first season with Palmetto City Ballet. With her exceptional abilities and passion for dance, Jayden is sure to impress and inspire audiences with her performances.
Morgan Stinnett
As a professional ballet dancer, Morgan has performed with over 20 international companies spanning 6 countries. He grew up studying at Nan Klinger’s Excellence in Dance in Akron, OH, and then received his B.A. from Point Park University. He started his career with Texas Ballet Theater under world renowned director Ben Stevenson before relocating to NYC. He was a soloist with Connecticut Ballet for 8 seasons then joined East Coast Contemporary Ballet and Ballets With a Twist while simultaneously guesting as a principal dancer with Palmetto City Ballet and for multiple companies around the country. Morgan has also been fortunate to work with Deborah Wingert from the Balanchine Trust to perform over a dozen ballets by George Balanchine. Notable credits include a principal role choreographed by Broadway legend Ann Reinking, opening for Cyndi Lauper’s annual show “Home For the Holiday’s,” a feature in National Geographic, posing for Jordan Matter’s “Dancers After Dark” and performing alongside the original Broadway cast of The Wiz for “Broadway Sings for Pride.” He’s performed in several web series and short films that have won numerous awards including being nominated at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival and the first promotional dance film for New York City’s Office of Emergency Management. Throughout the year, he tours North America as the Master Ballet Instructor for the View Dance Challenge Convention in Canada and the U.S. based Elevation on Tour. He also judges for StarQuest International Dance Competition and Long Island Dance Challenge. Morgan currently lives in NYC and is the Lead Dance Education teacher at Success Academy Charter Schools in Manhattan.
Sarah Walborn
Sarah Walborn of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania began her training at the Central Pennsylvania
Youth Ballet (CPYB) under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. In 2007, Ms. Walborn was
invited to be an apprentice with the San Francisco Ballet. She performed many roles with the
company, including George Balanchine’s Diamonds and Helgi Tomasson’s The Nutcracker, Don
Quixote, Giselle, and The Sleeping Beauty. After joining The Washington Ballet in 2009, Ms.
Walborn originated roles including a world premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Sueno de
Marmol, one of the twins in Septime Webre’s Great Gatsby, and various roles in Webre’s Alice
(In Wonderland). She has performed with the company in Balanchine’s Four Temperaments,
Christopher Bruce’s Rooster, the staging of Anna-Marie Holmes’ Le Corsaire and Don Quixote,
as well as Twyla Tharp’s Push Comes to Shove, and the pas de deux Strangers in the Night
from Nine Sinatra Songs. In 2012, Ms. Walborn joined Kansas City Ballet under the direction of
William Whitener. She originated works from Jodie Gates and Devon Carney. Ms. Walborn also
had the opportunity to perform Summer Fairy in Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella, as well as
Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante, Michael Pink’s Dracula, Donald McKayle’s Hey-Hay: Going to
Kansas City, and Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s Mercury. In 2014, Ms. Walborn began dancing with
Ballet Arizona, performing in Balanchine’s Rubies, Western Symphony, Walpurgisnacht,
Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and La Sonambula. She has also danced in Alexei Ratmansky’s Le
Carnaval des Animaux, as well as the US premiere of August Bournonville’s full length Napoli.
This is Ms. Walborn’s 5th season with Palmetto City Ballet. Since joining the company, she has
performed the title role in Jonathan Tabbert’s Snow Queen, as well as originating the role of
Lavinia Fisher in Tabbert’s Dance Macabre, the title role in Cinderella, and the solo Split
Second. Ms. Walborn has also been featured in a film documentary as a principal dancer in Why
Our Walls.