2026 CRB Dancers: Bennett Cullen

Bennett Cullen began his dance training in the suburbs of Chicago before continuing his classical education at the University of Iowa, where he studied ballet under Eloy Barragan, George De La Peña, and Kristin Marrs. Since graduating, Bennett has performed professionally with St. Louis Dance Theatre, Visceral Dance Chicago, Trifecta Dance Collective, Bodies of Water Dance, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Ballet Harmony and EnbyBallet.

Bennett has had the privilege of performing works by internationally acclaimed choreographers including Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, Christian Spuck, and Marguerite Donlon, as well as Brian Enos, Shannon Alvis, Stephanie Martinez, Michelle Manzanales, Katlin Bourgeois, Monique Haley, Nick Pupillo, Sarah Olsen, Marc Macaranas and Omar Roman De Jesus.

In addition to performing, Bennett is a dedicated educator and coach, teaching ballet technique and mentoring dancers at numerous institutions throughout the Chicagoland area. His passion for cultivating artists extends beyond the studio through arts leadership and administration.

From 2022–2024, Bennett served as Executive Assistant and Educational Coordinator for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre. He currently serves as Director of CRDT II, the organization's second company, and as Rehearsal Director for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre. Bennett also works as an administrator for Bodies of Water Dance, supporting organizational development while continuing an active career as a performer, educator, and arts leader.

2026 CRB Dancers: Trey Alexander

TREY ALEXANDER (they/them), from Washington, MO, began their dance training at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in Saint Louis. Trey received a BFA in Performance and Choreography from the UMKC Conservatory of Dance in 2019. While studying at the conservatory, they were mentored by Deeanna Hiett, Gary Abbott, and Paula Weber.  They have performed works by choreographers George Balanchine, Frank Chavez, Gregory Dawson, Kevin Iega Jeff, Christopher Wheeldon and more. Trey has danced professionally with Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre,  Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, DanceWorks Chicago, and South Chicago Dance Theatre. They’re excited have also worked professionally as a costume designer for companies in Kansas City and Chicago.  Trey is excited for their first show with CRB, and would like to thank Wade for the opportunity and trust to portray Lord Capulet this season.

CRB 2026 Dancers: Nikyle Scott

Nikyle M. Scott (Gary, IN) began his dance training at the age of 11 under the guidance of Larry Brewer, Joshua L. Ishmon, and Cheryl Barnes. He attended Wirt-Emerson Visual and Performing Arts, majoring in Dance, while also training and performing with South Shore Dance Alliance. In 2022, after rediscovering his passion for dance, Nikyle began training with Ballet Chicago, where he performed George Balanchine's Who Cares?, Serenade, Tarentella, and additional repertory. He has participated in several of Deeply Rooted's pre-professional programs and completed an apprenticeship that allowed him to perform works by Nicole Clarke-Springer, Gary Abbott, Kevin Iega Jeff, and Ulysses Dove. He is grateful to begin his first season as a company member with Deeply Rooted and looks forward to enhancing the boundaries pushing his artistic voice. 

CRB 2026 Dancers: Jackson Liee

Meet the Artists: Yanis Eric Pikieris

Get to know Yanis!

We sat down with choreographer Yanis Eric Pikieris to ask him about his journey with dance, his new work for Chicago Repertory Ballet and more.

CRB: Tell us about your pathway to dance? How did you start dancing?

Yanis: I’ve been surrounded by dance my entire life! My parents were both Principal Dancers with Miami City Ballet and my dad had his own company, Maximum Dance Company, while I was growing up. My parents also have a school, Miami Youth Ballet, that is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary this upcoming season!  Even with all of this, I didn’t start taking dance seriously until I was in high school - briefly at my parents’ studio and then for a few years at Miami City Ballet School. I then danced with Charlotte Ballet as an apprentice for two years before moving back to Miami in 2016 to join Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami as a founding member of the company. 

CRB: What about choreography? When did you become aware that you're interested in making dance?

Yanis: When I was at Miami City Ballet School we had the opportunity to choreograph on our peers as part of a composition class. It was my first experience choreographing anything and, while the result wasn’t great, it sparked my curiosity and encouraged me to continue exploring choreography. I had similar opportunities at Charlotte Ballet, but it wasn’t until I moved back to Miami that I really started to find my footing as a choreographer - first choreographing on the students at Miami Youth Ballet and, eventually with Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami.

CRB: What are some of your favorite works that you've made before?

Yanis: Some of my recent favorites have been Voyager (2023) and Arcadia (2024), both at Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami with music by Oliver Davis.  Voyager actually premiered while on tour in Charlotte, which made the experience especially meaningful for me. Another favorite ballet is Before Sunrise (2025), which was the first time I got to work with my friends at Ballet Vero Beach, and with a commissioned score by my very talented friend Gabriel Aguilar. 

CRB: What are some of your inspirations as a choreographer?

Yanis: My main motivation is always the music! I have to really love it. Whenever I listen to music, I try to visualize colors and shapes which then help inform every other detail of the work - from the movement quality to the design of the costumes. 

CRB: What can you tell us about your upcoming work at CRB?

Yanis: I’m calling the piece ‘Beyond the Blue Line.’ While it’s unfortunately not inspired by the CTA Blue Line, the title draws from the idea that our blue line represents the horizon - the place where sky and sea appear to meet - which appears to be both a boundary and an invitation. ‘Beyond’ suggests stepping past what is visible, crossing into the unknown, and venturing toward new opportunities and new possibilities.

CRB: What do you like to do outside of dance?

Yanis: Unfortunately, I’m a pretty busy guy! Splitting my time between being Resident Choreographer and Company Manager at Dimensions Dance Theatre and serving as Associate Director of Miami Youth Ballet. When I do get a chance to escape, I love to travel! I’m happiest exploring new and exciting places - or just revisiting and enjoying my favorite cities, like Chicago! I also love immersing myself in all the arts - musicals, opera, live music, museums, all of it! I try to see and experience as much as I can while I have the chance. At home, I also love to cook (big Food Network fan) and read (big murder mystery fan) and sleep.. though unfortunately never enough!

2026 CRB Dancers: Jessica Larbig

Jessica Larbig, originally from Germany, graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts from the Theatreschool in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

In the early years of her career she focused on Cunningham-based contemporary works, dancing with Ton Simons’ Danceworks Rotterdam, touring to Russia, Indonesia, Romania and Cyprus in Simons' works as well as other choreographers' works like Sjoerd Vreugdehil and Lucy Guerin.

Larbig then moved on to join the Singapore Ballet, performing in Goh Choo San's Romeo & Juliet, Janek Schergen's Nutcracker and Swan Lake and George Balanchine's Serenade.

In Singapore she met Soren Niewelt, who she followed back to Germany and co-founded JSLN Dance Company with in Berlin.

At JSLN Larbig danced most of Niewelt's neo-classical creations as well as repertoire pieces such as Petrouchka, La Sylphide and Romeo and Juliet. She was promoted to Soloist in 2014, after performing in Niewelt's rendition of Swan Lake as Odette/Odile and went on to tour with the company to England, Wales, Scotland, Italy, the Netherlands, Malaysia, China and France before finally making her first connection with Chicago, when Niewelt and Larbig performed as Sugar Plum and Cavalier with the North Shore School of Dance.

Having taken Wade Schaaf's open classes in Chicago that time, Larbig greatly enjoyed their style and approach to the artform. She has since had the opportunity to perform with Chicago Repertory Ballet in Wade Schaaf's Il Vespri Siciliani and The Capulets.

2026 CRB Dancers: Roberto Vega Ortiz

Roberto Vega Ortiz (he/they)

Roberto Vega Ortiz is a Puerto Rican ballet artist and director based in Chicago. His work blends classical technique with queer storytelling and a deep connection to his cultural roots.

Born and raised in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, Roberto trained at Escuela de Ballets de San Juan, Conservatorio de Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Escuela Especializada en Ballet Julián E. Blanco, and Miami City Ballet School. He has performed across the United States, the Caribbean, and internationally, including two years with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. His career includes Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Nashville Ballet, Diablo Ballet, Ballet22, and Ballet Nacional de Cuba.

In 2020, he co-founded Ballet22 and served as Artistic Director through 2023. He now co-directs EnbyBallet and leads ENBY Studios, creating inclusive spaces where dancers can train, perform, and belong as they are.

2026 CRB Dancers: Andreas Bautista

Andreas Bautista is a proud Mexican-American actor, dancer, and singer from Fresno, California. He began his performing journey in local musical theatre productions before relocating to Chicago to attend The Chicago High School for the Arts, where he received pre-professional conservatory training and discovered his passion for ballet.

He continued his studies at the University of Arizona, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts a year early and performing in works including Ravel’s Bolero by Duane Cyrus and Tammy Dyke-Compton. Following graduation, Andreas returned to Chicago to train as a trainee with The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet under the direction of Suzanne Lopez. During his time there, he performed in pieces such as Sea Change by Keelan Whitmore, Bereshit by Karley Childress, and Imperium by Sofia Tucker.

Andreas is honored to begin his first season with Chicago Repertory Ballet and looks forward to continuing to grow and contribute as an artist.

2026 CRB Dancers: Alberto Andrade

Alberto Andrade is from Queens, New York. He started his training at a small school in Georgia then went to train at the Colburn School, and the Milwaukee Ballet school. He attended a number of summer programs such as the School of American Ballet, The Harid Conservatory, Ellison ballet, and the Milwaukee ballet school. He has previously danced with Milwaukee ballet 2,  Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Zikr Dance ensemble. Alberto is very excited to begin his first season with CRB.

2026 CRB Dancers: Nathaniel Urie

Born and raised in Seattle, Nathaniel fell in love with performing at the age of 10 in a local production of Gone With the Breeze. Inspired by that unabashed feeling of self-expression, he continued performing in musicals, as well as exploring eclectic hobbies from piano to karate. At 16, Nathaniel joined Olympic Ballet School. Under the instruction of Mara Vinson and Oleg Gorbulev, what started as a way to improve his dancing for musical theatre quickly grew into a devotion to ballet itself. 

Nathaniel was accepted in 2021 into the University of Arizona School of Dance. There, he was featured in Light Rain by Gerald Aripino, as well as other works by Sarah Lisette Chiesa and Sam Watson. He also presented two original choreographic pieces at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, igniting his passion for artistic creation in addition to performance. 

In addition to performance and choreography, Nathaniel expanded his training at intensives with the José Limón Dance Company and American Ballet Theatre, and in 2024 became a trainee with Ballet de Barcelona. Nathaniel recently graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arizona in 2025 with dual degrees in Marketing and Dance. Now in Chicago, he is thrilled to make his professional debut with Chicago Repertory Ballet and to start this new chapter in his artistic journey