MARINA TIMOFEEVA
BALLET TEACHER, CHARACTER DANCE INSTRUCTOR, COACH

Miss Marina teaches the Junior PTP level at ABA. Miss Marina is a graduate of the famous Perm State Academy of Ballet in Russia. She performed the Classical repertoire in Russia, Europe, Asia and America. Marina danced with the Russian State Ballet and Moscow Ballet in Russia.

Miss Marina has taught at ABA since 2017 in technique, pointe, character, preparing students for national and international competitions, coaching and mentoring them for various performances and is an experienced Vaganova instructor who has a special talent with our younger dancers.

This experienced ballet teacher has embodied strength, discipline, and artistry - a mentor whose legacy is as enduring as her influence.

KATERYNA DERECHYNA
PILATES MAT AND REFORMER INSTRUCTOR

Kateryna Derechyna is a Ukrainian-born ballet professional with over two decades of performance experience. Trained at the Odesa Ballet Academy and a top prizewinner at the Kyiv International Competition and Youth America Grand Prix, she graduated from The Harid Conservatory on a full scholarship. Her career spans performances with Columbia Classical Ballet, Carolina Dance Theatre, Grand Rapids Ballet, and The Washington Ballet. Derechyna has danced principal and soloist roles in works by legendary choreographers like Balanchine, Cranko, and Tharp, earning features in Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine. Today, she coaches students in the Washington, D.C., area and works as a certified Pilates instructor.

ABA welcomes Miss Katya who will be teaching Pilates mat and Reformer lessons for our Professional Training Program students, supporting their strength, alignment, and overall condition.

ELIZABETH GAHL LE NOTRE
CONTEMPORARY TEACHER AND CHOREOGRAPHER‍ ‍

Elizabeth is a dancer, choreographer, and educator whose career spans the United States and France. She began her dance training at the Washington School of Ballet as a scholarship student and performed with The Washington Ballet in productions including Mary Day’s The Nutcracker, George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, and Septime Webre’s Peter Pan. She later danced with CityDance Ensemble in Washington, DC, performing contemporary repertory by choreographers including Paul Taylor, Kate Weare, Alex Neoral, Paul Emerson, and Christopher K Morgan.

Since 2015, Elizabeth has been a choreographic artist with Compagnie José Montalvo at the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris, performing in creations including Gloria, Carmen(s), Asa Nisi Masa, and Y Olé throughout Europe and internationally. She is also the Founding Artistic Director of Dancing Beyond Borders, through which she has created and performed work in the United States, France, Greece, the Philippines, and Spain.

Elizabeth has extensive teaching experience, having served on the faculty of the Washington School of Ballet and CityDance Conservatory, and has taught master classes and served as a jury member for the classical ballet entrance examination at the Conservatoire Supérieur de la Danse et Musique de Paris.

ABA is delighted to welcome Miss Liz to our esteemed faculty. She will be teaching Contemporary Choreography classes and creating new works for ABA dancers, enriching ABA’s artistic voice with her vision and expertise.

Sona Kharatian is a seasoned professional in the world of ballet, bringing over two decades of experience as a professional ballet dancer, instructor, and rehearsal director. She spent 25 years with The Washington Ballet, where she performed an extensive repertoire of principal and featured roles before transitioning into the role of Rehearsal Director. As Rehearsal Director at The Washington Ballet, she was instrumental in coordinating rehearsals, teaching and coaching dancers, and maintaining the artistic integrity of performances. Currently, she works with Chamber Dance Project as Rehearsal Director, serves as Artistic Advisor with Moveius Contemporary Ballet, and is a faculty member at George Mason University.

Sona's journey in ballet began with her training at the Choreographic Institute in Yerevan, Armenia, followed by studies at the prestigious Kirov Academy of Ballet and The Washington School of Ballet. Her extensive training and dedication to the art form have led to a successful career marked by performances in principal and featured roles in a diverse range of ballet works by renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Choo San Goh, Antony Tudor, Nacho Duato, Christopher Wheeldon, Trey McIntyre, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Hans van Manen, Frederick Ashton, Septime Webre, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and more. Notable roles in her repertoire include Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, Giselle and Myrtha in Giselle, Carmen in Carmen, and The Siren from Prodigal Son, among others.

In addition to her work on stage, Sona is deeply committed to sharing her knowledge and passion for ballet through teaching and coaching. Her strong teaching expertise, pedagogical knowledge, and leadership abilities have made her a valuable asset in nurturing the next generation of dancers and fostering a lifelong appreciation for dance. Sona is fluent in English, Russian, and Armenian, allowing her to communicate effectively with diverse teams and audiences. She is a two-time recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award, recognizing her contributions to the arts and her dedication to artistic excellence.

ABA is honored to welcome Miss Sona to our faculty. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and will be teaching Variation/Repertoire classes.

SONA KHARATIAN
BALLET COACH

MIMMO MICCOLIS
CONTEMPORARY GUEST TEACHER & CHOREOGRAPHER

ARTURO GARCIA
CONTEMPORARY SUMMER GUEST TEACHER

ASHLEY CANTERNA-HARDY
CONTEMPORARY CHOREOGRAPHER

ACCOMPANISTS

NATASHA SUTHERLAND
ACCOMPANIST

Glenn Sales, Pianist, has been well-known to Washington, DC audiences since his National Symphony Orchestra debut at age 14 and his subsequent invitations as soloist with NSO. Sales attended the Juilliard School on scholarship and was featured in 1980 on PBS as the winner of the Beethoven Fellowship for American Pianists in a performance of Chopin’s Etudes, Opus 25. He has been a guest pianist at American Ballet Theatre since 1990 and has also played for The Royal Ballet, The Paris Opera Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Washington Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet and The Suzanne Farrell Ballet for performances as well as a film for the Balanchine Foundation of Meditation. Sales has collaborated with Damian Woetzel and Yo-Yo Ma in various projects at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, various public schools in the Washington, DC vicinity, the Smithsonian Institution Hirshorn Museum and The White House.

Glen is a guest artist for the Akhmedova Ballet Academy.

GLENN SALES

Mme. Akhmedova teaches the Senior PTP level at ABA.

Mme. Jacqueline Akhmedova graduated with honors from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and the Ukrainian Academy of Dance in Kiev, with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Ballet Performance, Pedagogy and Choreography, she quickly moved into the world of European classical dance performance.

She is the Founder and Artistic Director of her own school, the Akhmedova Ballet Academy, in Silver Spring, MD. Her vision for ABA is to provide the finest quality ballet training utilizing the Vaganova Method. Her Professional Training Program offers a well-rounded training with personal and artistic mentoring to prepare young dancers to become strong and fully developed artists ready to take their places in major dance companies and universities around the world.

JACQUELINE AKHMEDOVA

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & BALLET TEACHER, COACH

Mimmo Miccolis, born in Italy, is a freelance neoclassical and contemporary choreographer and guest teacher at the Akhmedova Academy. He was awarded the “Excellence in Dance” by the Italian Cultural Society of Washington in 2019. Among his accolades, Miccolis has received the “Outstanding Choreographer” award at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) in 2015, the Indianapolis International Ballet Competition in 2017, and the Washington DC Grand Prix in 2021 and 2022.

In recent years, his choreographic works have gained recognition at dance competitions across Europe and the U.S., making him a notable figure in the global dance scene. He was a speaker at the 2022 TEDx conference, discussing the power of dance as a tool for self-expression and breaking stereotypes.

For seven years, Miccolis has served as a judge and Master Teacher at the American Dance Competition (ADC-IBC), creating original works for its prestigious Final Gala of the Stars and teaching and choreographing at the Akhmedova Ballet Academy.

Garcia is a highly accomplished and versatile performing artist from Monterrey, Mexico. With a diverse range of skills as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and producer, Arturo has captivated audiences in numerous national and international festivals across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. As a valued member of Tania Perez-Salas Compañia de Danza, he has performed at renowned festivals such as Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and the Biennale de la Danse in Lyon, France. In 2009, Arturo founded Company Danzante, a collaborative performance group that showcased his innovative choreographic vision. His creations have been presented at prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Arturo’s dedication and contributions have been recognized through grants and awards, including the Kennedy Center’s Local Dance Commissioning Project and the Strauss Artist Grant from the Arts Council of Fairfax County.

Ashley received her ballet training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. on full scholarship. At 14, she was the winner of the junior Division of the Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition. That same year, she represented the United States in Varna at the 2000 International Ballet Competition. She won the silver medal (the highest awarded) and the City of Varna Award for being the youngest competitor to pass to the third round. She performed with Bad Boys of Ballet in “Rock the Ballet” at the Joyce Theater in New York and on their European tour. Ashley is proud to have received choreography awards from the USAIBC and the Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition. She is honored to teach and choreograph for the Akhmedova Ballet Academy annually under the direction of world renowned ballerina and teacher Jacqueline Akhmedova. Ashley is creating beautiful solos and ensemble choreographies for ABA since 2013.

Natasha Sutherland is an accompanist for ABA since September 2016. She was born in Moscow and graduated with honors from the Moscow Children’s Music School in 1976. She also graduated from the Mussorgky Conservatory in 1986 as a concert pianist with a master degree.

Natasha accompanies the Professional Program Levels classes and rehearsals and plays for demonstrations and shows.

Choreographers and guest teachers who worked with ABA PTP students:

Hee Seo, Edwaard Liang, Alicia Canterna, Rainer Krenstetter, Misha Tchoupakov, David McCarty, Kathy Whitelaw, Meaghan McHale, Alice Wylie, Deanna Pearson, Courtney Washington, Carlos Gutierrez, Kathryn Abdul-Baki, Arturo Garcia