Artistic Faculty
JACQUELINE AKHMEDOVA
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & BALLET TEACHER, COACH
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.
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.
RINAT IMAEV
INTERNATIONAL TEACHER, CHOREOGRAPHER
Rinat Imaev is an internationally respected ballet teacher, choreographer, and former Principal Dancer whose artistic lineage is rooted in the Vaganova tradition and shaped by decades of global performance and pedagogy. Originally from Oufa, Russia, he trained at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg and began his career with the Kirov Theatre (now Mariinsky Ballet). He went on to perform as a Principal Dancer with Sofia National Ballet in Bulgaria and the Royal Ballet of Flanders, dancing a broad classical repertoire including Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, and La Bayadère. In 1986, he was awarded the Gold Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, a recognition of his early artistic excellence and technical mastery.
For 15 years, Imaev served as Company Teacher at American Ballet Theatre, shaping generations of dancers through a deeply embodied understanding of classical technique rooted in stage experience. From 2016 to 2024, he was Senior Faculty and head of the men’s program at The Washington School of Ballet, where he continued to transmit this lineage within professional training. Alongside his teaching, Imaev has maintained an active international presence as a guest teacher, rehearsal director, and choreographer, working with companies and institutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia. His recent stagings include Swan Lake for Hakucho Ballet in Japan, Giselle for The Hartt School, and Don Quixote and Paquita for major international projects. He is a long-standing jury member of Youth America Grand Prix and serves as artistic advisor for IBStage in Barcelona. Currently working as a freelance teacher and choreographer, Imaev continues to transmit a living classical tradition—one grounded in rigor, clarity, and the deep intelligence of the dancing body.
Mr. Rinat will be teaching the Professional/ Advanced Class refining technique, artistry and strength.
XIOMARA REYES
INTERNATIONAL DANCER, TEACHER, CHOREOGRAPHER
Xiomara Reyes is a Cuban-born dancer, teacher, and choreographer whose work bridges the rigor of classical ballet with an evolving inquiry into embodied presence, artistic consciousness, and human potential. She danced internationally for over two decades, beginning at the National Ballet of Cuba, continuing with the Royal Ballet of Flanders, and spending 14 years as a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre. Her repertoire spans the great classical canon—Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Manon, and Romeo and Juliet—as well as works by MacMillan, Ashton, Tudor, Neumeier, Wheeldon, and Ratmansky. She has appeared as a guest artist with companies and international galas across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
After retiring from the stage in 2015, Reyes transitioned into teaching and artistic leadership, bringing her performance experience into the training of the next generation of dancers. She served as Head of School and later Professional Division Head at The Washington School of Ballet, where she expanded the curriculum to include mime, mindfulness, and a deeper integration of artistic awareness within technical training. Her choreographic work includes Chronos (2020), created during the pandemic and later included in the Library of Congress Performing Arts COVID-19 Collection, along with other works for students and company settings. She has co-adapted major classical ballets with her husband, Rinat Imaev, including La Bayadère, Don Quixote, Paquita, and Raymonda, expanding performance opportunities for young artists.
Reyes continues to teach internationally as a freelance artist, choreographer, and mentor. Her current work focuses on bridging technique with presence, encouraging dancers to access not only form, but awareness, imagination, and inner life within movement. She is deeply committed to dance as a transformative practice—one that refines attention, expands perception, and cultivates a more conscious relationship between body, mind, and spirit.
Miss Xiomara will be teaching a warm up for the body and the soul. Mindfulness that will help every dancer in their careers and goals.
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
BALLET COACH
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. She was 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 roles in a diverse range of ballets by renowned choreographers such as Balanchine, Ratmansky, Forsythe, Kylian, and many more.
Sona is deeply committed to sharing her knowledge and passion for ballet through teaching and coaching.
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.
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.
LINDSEY GREER
YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Lindsey discovered yoga after many years of being a competitive athlete. At first, she was skeptical that she could find value in the practice. However, almost immediately, Yoga drew Lindsey in with its ability to challenge and calm her mind and body simultaneously.
She is grateful for the opportunity to share Yoga with ABA students and loves seeing people experience the benefits it can bring when they commit to the practice of learning and growth.
MIMMO MICCOLIS
CONTEMPORARY GUEST TEACHER & CHOREOGRAPHER
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. 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.
ARTURO GARCIA
CONTEMPORARY SUMMER GUEST TEACHER
Arturo 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. 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 CANTERNA-HARDY
CONTEMPORARY CHOREOGRAPHER
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.
ACCOMPANISTS
NATASHA SUTHERLAND
ACCOMPANIST
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.
GLENN SALES
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.
Choreographers and guest teachers who worked with ABA PTP students:
Hee Seo, Edwaard Liang, Alicia Canterna, Rainer Krenstetter, Misha Tchoupakov, David McCarty, Alice Wylie, Deanna Pearson, Courtney Washington, Arturo Garcia