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Resident Dancers
Kelsey Bartman
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Kelsey Bartman, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began formal training with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School (PBTS) and Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA). Summers were spent studying at American Ballet Theatre, New York, Jacob's Pillow Jazz Program for two years and PBTS for several years. Kelsey then continued as a trainee with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT). During that time she choreographed works for PBT’s School and Company. She then joined Nashville Ballet 2 in 2007 and was hired as a Nashville Ballet Apprentice. She is a co-creator of Works in Progress (WIP) Choreography Project, and has choreographed for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Nashville Ballet, Nashville Ballet 2, Arova Contemporary Ballet, Columbus Modern Dance, and Texture Contemporary Ballet. Kelsey's works, Stills From Italy and Old Skin, have been performed at White Wave DUMBO Dance Festival, and The Rose was showcased at Dance Canvas in Atlanta. She had the great pleasure of choreographing for Resonance Works’ production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. She has had the honor of dancing in Balanchine's Four Temperaments, Theme and Variations, and Serenade, Sarah Slipper's Postcards From the Boys, as well as Paul Vasterling's Adjustable Wrench and Carmina Burana, as well as multiple works by Alan Obuzor and Gabriel Gaffney Smith. Ms. Bartman has taught for the School of Nashville Ballet, Evolve Productions, Alloy School, Laurel Youth Ballet, Xtreme Tumbling and Dance and is currently teaching for Millenium Dance Complex. She has recently had the privilege of teaching a workshop for the group Yaledancers at Yale University. Kelsey is now Associate Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer, and Dancer for Texture Contemporary Ballet.
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Rachel Harman
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Rachel Harman, originally from Leesburg, VA, recently graduated from Point Park University in April of 2017 with a B.A in Dance. While studying at Point Park, Rachel had the pleasure of performing works by Nicolas Petrov and Ernest Tolentino as well as performing Giselle choreographed by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. Rachel has previously trained at summer intensives such as Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, Ballet Austin, and Indiana University. She is very excited to be working with Texture Contemporary Ballet.
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Madeline Kendall
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Madeline Kendall was raised in Sacramento, California where she trained from the age of eight at Capitol Ballet Center under the direction of Stuart Carroll and Sharron Newton. In 2014, Madeline moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to dance with Ballet West, where she had the opportunity to perform in productions of Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, George Balanchine’s Symphony in C, and John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet. Over the past two years, Madeline toured the state of Utah as a part of an educational outreach called Ballet West for Children. She also performed as a guest artist in a production of The Nutcracker in Fairbanks, Alaska. More recently, Madeline travelled to Germany where she participated in a Cultural Dance Exchange Program with The Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin.
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Katie Miller
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Katie received her early ballet training at Paavola School of Dance in Flint, MI. After graduating high school, she continued her training with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program. In 2010, Katie joined the Sacramento Ballet, under the direction of Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda, and danced with the company for six seasons. Katie joined Texture as a guest dancer in 2012, and joined as a resident dancer in 2016. She has toured with Texture to NYC for the DUMBO Dance Festival and to Massachusetts for the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Katie was also honored to have the opportunity to dance with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet for its farewell tour in December 2017.
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Alan Obuzor
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Alan Obuzor was honored in 2013 by Dance Magazine by being named one of the "Top 25 to Watch". Originally from Pittsburgh, Alan began dancing at the age of nine. Two years later he attended Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School(PBTS), where in 1998 he was a recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Foundation Dance Honorarium. Alan received a contract to join Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's(PBT's)professional company at the age of 17. During his seven years in PBT's Company, he danced a wide array of ballets ranging from classical to neoclassical to contemporary, which included principal and soloist roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Symphony in C, Carmina Burana and Divertimento 15. In that time he also worked with many world renowned figures in dance, and was selected to originate soloist roles in new works by choreographers Dwight Rhoden, Derek Dean, Matjash Mrozewski and Jiabin Pan. Alan began teaching in 2002; from 2007-2012 Alan was on the faculty of PBTS as one of the primary Pre-Professional Division teachers and choreographers. In the fall of 2012, Alan joined the teaching faculty of Pittsburgh Youth Ballet. Alan choreographed his first work in 2002 on himself and a fellow dancer. Since that time he has choreographed over 55 new works for Texture Contemporary Ballet, PBT, PBTS, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet Company, New Ballet Ensemble, Harvard Ballet Company, Point Park University, Dancers' Trust, Canton Ballet, Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts and various independent projects. In 2011, Alan won first place in the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Dance/Choreography competition. He is also the founder and Artistic Director of Texture Contemporary Ballet in 2011.
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Sophie Powell
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Sophie Powell was born in Kirkland, WA. In her years growing up, Sophie trained with Deborah Hadley, where she started her pursuit of a dance career. She also trained at the Houston Ballet Academy in their Professional Division from 2015-2018. From there she moved to Pittsburgh to train at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. She joined their Graduate Program and performed with the company in their productions of The Nutcracker, Giselle and Beauty and the Beast. Sophie is excited to begin this new part of her life dancing with Texture Contemporary Ballet.
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Elaina Sutula
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Elaina Sutula, of Brookfield, Connecticut, graduated magna cum laude from Mercyhurst University with a B.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Pre-Nutrition Studies in May 2016. Under direction of dance chair Tauna Hunter, she performed works including Flower Festival in Genzano, Pas de Quatre, Bruce Marks’s La Fille Mal Gardée, contemporary choreography by Rick McCullough and Hannah Baumgarten, and the title role in Melissa Bobick’s production of Little Match Girl. She received additional training during summer programs at The Nutmeg Conservatory, Ballet Austin, and Tulsa Ballet. Elaina spent four years in Minnesota dancing professionally with St Paul Ballet and Ballet Co.Laboratory, where she worked with choreographers including Zoé Henrot, Joseph Morrissey, Peter Davison, and Kinsun Chan. Elaina is an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She is excited to be working alongside the beautiful artists of Texture Contemporary Ballet.
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Alexandra Tiso
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Alexandra Tiso began her dance training in jazz, tap, and contemporary styles at various schools in Tampa, Florida. At twelve years old, she changed her focus to classical ballet and modern with teachers Amanda Keeney and Mitsie Kraack. She was accepted into the dance program at Blake High School of the Arts where she studied under Albena Arnaudova and Kelly Rayl. Alexandra also attended training intensives at Orlando Ballet, the ROCK School, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet and Nashville Ballet. After graduation, Alexandra joined the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate program, where she danced as a trainee for two years. She is currently a company member and artistic administrator for Texture Contemporary Ballet in Pittsburgh, PA. Alexandra also holds an Associate Degree in Business from the Community College of Allegheny County.
Alexandra has performed works by George Balanchine, Robert Moses, Gabriel Ash and Annalee Traylor. She has performed on tour in New York, Chicago, Florida and at the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts. Her choreography has been set on Texture Contemporary Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and Blake High School of the Arts. Alexandra joined the staff at Dancexplosion Arts Center in 2012 and now holds the title of Assistant Director and Youth Director. She is also on staff at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. |