Born in Trani, Southern Italy, Mr. De Nigris trained with the prestigious La Scala Di Milano, where he performed with the company in his graduate year. He continued his professional career with Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre in Houston Texas, and the Czech National Theatre Brno, and is currently a soloist with Augsburg Ballet in Germany under the direction of Robert Conn. Mr. De Nigris has been featured in numerous works from world-renowned choreographers, including, William Forsythe, Mauro Bigonzetti, Itzik Galili, Robert North, Young Soon Hue, Michael Pink, Mauro De Candia, Bridget Breiner, Angel Rodriguez, Francesco Ventriglia, and more. Many of these artists created roles for him and inspired him to follow his own passion and desire to choreograph. As a choreographer, Mr. De Nigris has showcased his talents in several creations for the Augsburg Ballet, among them a series of solos, Po Poff, Modo, and Summer from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The past two seasons he has premiered new works, Ascending Glide, and Narcissis/Bolero. The first for Augsburg Ballet’s triple bill, Of Men and Gods, sharing alongside two choreographic icons, Edward Clug and George Balanchine.

Mr. De Nigris is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Augsburg Allgemeine Award for outstanding artist, and the audience prize for his choreography, Can I Say Something?, at the Genesis International Choreographic Competition for the Milwaukee Ballet. Following the premiere of his work, Ascending Glide, in 2016, Mr. De Negris was hailed as one of the young new choreographers to watch. In 2026, Mr. De Negris received the Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Choreographer Award for his work, LEVE LEVE, on the Hinsdale Dance Academy.

Nilas was born in Copenhagen and received his early dance training at the Royal Danish Ballet School in Denmark. As a student, he performed with the Royal Danish Ballet in works such as John Neumeier’s Romeo and Juliet, August Bournonville’s Konservatoriet, A Folk Tale, Napoli, and Glen Tetley’s Firebird. In 1984, he moved to New York City and enrolled at the School of American Ballet and in September 1986, he became a member of New York City Ballet (NYCB) where he was promoted to the rank of soloist and subsequently rose to the rank of Principal Dancer in 1993. While at NYCB, Mr. Martins danced numerous lead roles and worked closely with choreographers including John Alleyne, Lynn Taylor Corbett, Boris Eifman, William Forsythe, Peter Martins, Trey McIntyre, Kevin O’Day, Susan Stroman and Richard Tanner. His film credits include “Live from Lincoln Center” (broadcast of Ray Charles in Concert), “The Nutcracker” (released in 1993 by Warner Brothers) and “Dance in America” telecast of “Dinner with Balanchine” where he danced the role of Apollo with Paris Opera Ballet star ballerina, Isabel Guerin. In addition, Mr. Martins was featured in “Lincoln Center Celebrates Balanchine 100” where he performed “The Man I Love” from Balanchine’s Who Cares? featuring Wynton Marsalis. Mr. Martins has been lauded for his deep knowledge of both the Danish and Balanchine pedagogy and in addition to his skills as a dancer, instructor, choreographer and coach, he gained programming and management experience leading his own company, The Nilas Martins Dance Company, which toured around the world. It was during this time that he was described in the press as “a warm, dynamic, and engaging artist, bursting with passion for dance, for opera, for his new dance company and for New York City Ballet....” After an acclaimed twenty-four year dance career, Martins was accepted as one of ten fellows into the renowned DeVos Institute for Arts Management at The Kennedy Center under the direction of Michael Kaiser. As a repetiteur for The Balanchine Trust© as well as guest teacher and choreographer for companies, universities and festivals around the world, Martins brings programming management skills, institutional marketing and organizational leadership experience to Las Vegas. He also continues to teach master classes to students in Maryland and Washington.

Nadia was trained in Australia by her mother, Frances Davis Thompson, and graduated from the Royal Ballet School after winning the bronze medal at the Adeline Genee Awards. Before moving to the United States and to Boston Ballet, she worked with Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre and London City Ballet, performing for such dignitaries as HRH Princess Diana, Princess Margaret, the Duchess of York and Her Majesty the Queen at the Royal Command Performance.Nadia has danced principal roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Don Quixote and Abdallah, Twyla Tharp’s Upper Room and Waterbaby Bagatelles. In addition, Lila York created Brown Girl in Celts and Principal Lady in Ode to Joy on her. Her vast Balanchine repertoire includes Russian and Elegy in Serenade, Principal Lady in Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto #2, Divertimento #15, Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux, Mozartiana, Rubies and Choleric in The Four Temperaments.Nadia has worked as a guest teacher with Trey McIntyre Project, White Oak, Colorado Ballet, Boston Ballet, Queensland Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Harvard University, Wellesley College, West Australian Ballet and Queensland University of Technology Australia. She also works as a répétiteur for Michael Pink’s ballets, setting Dracula and The Hunchback of Notre Dame for Atlanta Ballet, Colorado Ballet and Kansas City Ballet, and stages Ballet Augsburg's House Choreographer, Riccardo DeNigris' works and Milwaukee Ballet's Resident Choreographer, Timothy O’Donnell’s works.  Ms. Thompson has been Co-Director of Ballet Hagen in Germany and is presently Docent at the Palucca University of Dance in Dresden, Germany. 

Elaine Kimble holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, with a minor in Film Studies, from the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. She has worked with renowned choreographers including Robert Battle and Joshua Beamish. Her choreography has garnered national recognition, earning multiple Youth America Grand Prix “Outstanding Choreographer” awards and nominations for “Best Contemporary Performance” from the Industry Dance Awards. Her professional credits include Kansas City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School, California Festival Ballet, Quixotic Fusion,  Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company and Musical Theatre Heritage.

A passionate educator and artist, Elaine continues to inspire the next generation of performers, with her students advancing to prestigious programs, universities, and professional companies around the globe.

Carly Crowder began her training at Wynn Twins School of Dance, where she became a Dance America/Dance Olympus National Champion, earned Most Promising Performer, and was later named Senior Dancer of the Year. She graduated Cum Laude from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance Performance and a minor in History, serving as Female Deputy of the American Spirit Dance Company.

Professionally, Ms. Carly has toured internationally with Remix Dance Company and appeared in a national commercial for National Geographic’s Brain Games presented by Acura. She has judged, choreographed, and taught throughout the Midwest, including serving as a national judge for BravO! National Dance and Talent Competition. She also danced professionally for several seasons with Inaside Chicago Dance.

Ms. Carly was the Junior Company Director at Hinsdale Dance Academy in Chicago, Illinois, for several seasons, guiding dancers to numerous Top 10, Top 3, and 1st Overall awards. Before returning home to Kansas City to raise a family, she helped shape the next generation of dancers through her leadership and mentorship. Since returning to Kansas City, she has launched the highly successful Carly Crowder Photography, which proudly serves as BAMO’s official photography company.

Michael Blake holds an MFA in Dance from Purchase College and is a 2010 Bessie Award recipient for his work with PARADIGM Dance. His distinguished career in performance includes the Murray Louis Dance Company, the José Limón Dance Company, and Donald Byrd/The Group, where he performed numerous principal roles. His work spans concert dance, musical theater, and cabaret, with appearances in a national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, performances at New York City’s Supper Club, and touring with Cab Calloway’s Cotton Club Review.

Since relocating to Kansas City in 2019, Blake has choreographed for the UMKC Dance Department, the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, and Musical Theater Heritage. A former Artistic Director of the Jazz and Contemporary Program at The Joffrey Ballet School, he has taught nationally and internationally and is featured in the HBO Max documentary Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Modern Dance at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.