VLADIMIR ISSAEV
SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL BALLET
VISCB Faculty
Mary Carmen Catoya
BALLET AND VARIATIONS
Prima ballerina of Miami was born in Venezuela. She began her training at the age of six in Caracas and began her professional career at the age of 13. She danced with the Youth Ballet of Venezuela, the Contemporary Ballet of Caracas, Cleveland Ballet and as a principal with the National Ballet of Caracas, where she was coached and trained by Ballet Master Vladimir Issaev. She danced as a principal at the Miami City Ballet from 1999 to 2015. Ms. Catoya has danced extensively abroad at many festivals and galas in America, Asia, Europe and the US.
A multi awarded ballet dancer Mary Carmen have been coached and trained by remarkable artists such as Jose Pares, Vicente Nebrada, Vladimir Issaev, Rafael Portillo, Zane Wilson Karelia Moreno, Elena Madan Vera at the Ballet Nacional de Caracas, Dennis Nahat at Cleveland Ballet, Ileana Lopez, Violette Verdy, Jean Pierre Frohlich, Maria Cagliari, Mary Ashley and Edward Villella at Miami City Ballet. Her latest performances include, Poland, Mexico, Peru, Cuba and Indonesia next to her ballet master Vladimir Issaev.
Lusian Hernandez
BALLET AND CONTEMPORARY
Yayoi Sasaki
BALLET, POINTE AND VARIATIONS
Ms Sasaki was born in Miyagi, Japan. Her early ballet training started at the Company Bona Terra. She then went on to train at the New Zealand School of Dance where graduated in 2019. Ms. Sasaki has won many awards including the Sendai Mayor Award 1st prize in 2015 and 2016, The Gailene Stock Memorial Young Dancer Award, and the Incentive Award at the Educational Ballet competition in 2018. She was the finalist at the Japan Grand Prix in 2021 and won 1st prize at Miami International Ballet Competition in 2023 and 2024. Prior to joining Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in 2021 she danced with Fort Wayne Ballet. Since joining the company Ms Sasaki’s repertoire has included soloist and principal roles in Coppelia, Tarde en la Siesta, Pentimento, Chipollino, Le Corsaire, Four Seasons, and The Nutcracker, amongst others. She has also performed at the International Ballet Festival in Barranquilla, Colombia and the Miami Dances Festival in 2023.
A resident of Miami Dade sin 2010, Lusian was born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela where she started her ballet training at the Fundacion Escuela de Ballet Clasico del Edo. Lara. She has participated in international dance festivals including the Festival Danza Joven in Colombia and attended the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre in Minneapolis. She was awarded Bronze Medal at the International Ballet Competition
She has performed the repertoire of the company including Yanis Pikieris’ Danzon, and Issaev’s The Nutcracker, Chipollino, Suite of Waltzes, Dr. Ouch!, Shostakovich Suites, Vicente Nebrada’s Pentimento, Alberto Mendez’s Tarde en La Siesta, A Celebration to Klimt, Coppelia, Paquita, and Glinka Suite Fantastique among others.
She has completed the Progressive Ballet Technique Certificate and she is looking forward to obtain the Vaganova Teachers Certificate of Vladimir Issaev. She has been a guest teacher at the R. Schottland Summer Intensive Program in Lima, Peru for the last 3 years. Her students have been awarded in several important competition in the US including the Miami International Ballet Competition and the Universal Ballet Competition. She has been part of the faculty of Arts Ballet’s Summer Intensive Program for the last four years.
Gentry George
CONTEMPORARY
Gentry George was born in Miami, Florida in 1990. At age eight he began studying with Linda Agyapong at the Community Book and Dance Academy. Gentry also trained with Sylvia Padron at Charles R. Drew Middle School, and with Vladimir Issaev at Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida. He was a scholarship student at The School at Jacob’s Pillow, The Ailey School, and The Miami Conservatory’s Thomas Armour Youth Ballet. In 2008 he graduated from New World School of the Arts High School.
George is a recipient of a Level 1 YoungArts award, and is featured on HBO’s “Masterclass,” also starring Jacques d’Amboise. In 2012 Gentry graduated from the Juilliard School and began dancing with Ailey II of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Later that year he was featured in the NY Post as “one of three men to watch in Ballet.” George was also a member of Lustig Dance Theatre, as well as the Dance Theatre of Harlem, under the Direction of Virginia Johnson.
In 2013 he founded Washington Heights NYC’s premiere dance company Zest Collective. In New York Zest has performed at SummerStage, The United Palace, HarlemStage Gatehouse Theater, The Wassaic Project, and Fort Tryon Park. In 2020 George relocated to South Florida and was appointed Rehearsal Director of Miami’s leading contemporary ensemble, the Peter London Global Dance Company. He now teaches at his Alma Mater New World School of the Arts (NWSA) in both the Dance and Musical Theatre Divisions.
Yasamin Haghayegh
BALLET
She began her ballet training at Vladimir Issaev School of Classical Ballet at the age of 10. Since then, Yasamin has expanded her extensive repertoire by performing in all of the company’s productions such as The Nutcracker, Firebird, Doctor Ouch!, Petrouchka, Taiko, Suite of Waltzes, Fuga con Pajarillo, Harlequinade, Fairy Doll, Chipollino, A Celebration to Klimt, among other classical and neoclassical pieces, as well as contemporary pieces by choreographers J. Garant, Yanis Pikieris and Edgar Anido. She has also consistently demonstrated her vigorous dedication to her training, by attending all Summer Intensive Programs of Russian Technique. She has traveled around the world with the company to participate in various renowned dance festivals in Germany (2008), Denmark (2009), Mexico (2010), Poland (2012) and Germany (2014).
Veronika Perepelitsina
CHARACTER
Graduated from the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts as Dance Teacher and Choreographer. She is a highly established character dancer, with a particular expertise in Russian Dance. She was a dancer of the honorable A. V. Alexandrov Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army and of the very famous State Academic N.S. Nadezhdina Choreographic Ensemble “Beriozka”. Her technique combines elements of Russian dance and folk culture, bringing a new and exciting dimension to every performance.
ATARU MATSUYA
CONTEMPORARY
Mr. Matsuya was born in Japan and began his early training at the Lucia Ballet School at the age of six. He was later accepted at the Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower in Mougins, Cannes – France where he graduated in 2022. Mr. Matsuya received Bronze Medals at the Hatsukaichi International Ballet Competition and the Youth America Grand Prix – Japan, as well as Silver Medals at the Kobe All Japan Dance Competition and the Miami International Ballet Competition. Mr. Matsuya has also performed as a guest artist in Medellin, Colombia in 2022. Since joining the company in 2022, Ataru’s repertoire includes leading roles in pieces such as Le Spectre de La Rose, Le papillon, The Nutcracker, Pentimento, and Chipollino.
Isabella Kennedy
BALLET
She started her ballet training at Vladimir Issaev School of Classical Ballet and has recently graduated. Since a young age, Isabella demonstrated her passion for dance. She has performed an important repertoire of both classical and neo classical ballets including The Nutcracker, Firebird, Coppelia, Danzon among others. She has also participated in the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida’s Summer Intensive program of Russian Technique under the tutelage of Vladimir Issaev, Andrei Bossov, Yelena Zabalkanskaya, Valentina Biczyna among others. She is looking forward to become an elementary and ballet teacher in the near future.
Remina Tanaka
BOYS
Was born in Sendai, Japan. His early ballet training started at Soki Ballet International, under Kenichi Soki and Kumi Soki. He also trained at Academié Princesse Grace in Monaco and San Francisco Ballet School. In 2019, he joined Orlando Ballet where he was part of their productions of Vampire’s Ball, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Moulin Rouge, Peter Pan, and The Robert Hill Collection. He also performed as a pianist with Orlando Ballet in the production of Vampire’s Ball, Uncorked, Ballet Ball and The Robert Hill Collection. Since joining Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in 2021, Mr. Tanaka has performed Vladimir’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and Coppelia Pas de Deux at the International Ballet Festival of Miami, and soloist roles in The Nutcracker, Viva Espana, Coppelia, among others.
ANTONIO DRIJA
JAZZ
Actor, dancer, choreographer and Artistic Director ANTONIO DRIJA had been for 14 years principal artist, choreographer, coach and cast captain at Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity in Las Vegas, responsible for several principal roles. His career began in a TV station in Caracas Venezuela. Nelson Ortega was his theater master, teaching him with his "Truth Without Effort" method. Interpreted celebrated pieces such as "Facing light" and "Besame Mucho" a motion picture. Developed his dance skills, training in New York City and his coach for talented artists worthy of principal roles in Broadway. Antonio created two dance pieces for The Nevada Ballet Theater/ Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. Credited with several on screen work for advertising, TV specials and award shows in the Hispanic Markets in the US, including Univision, Telemundo and Emilio Estefan Enterprises and artists such as Celia Cruz, Thalía among others. Choreographed and Artistic Directed “Misochic made the best show in town the sun” with the Miami Symphony Orchestra. He was invited in 2015 in several presentations for Cirque Éloize of Montreal, highlighting the show Monaco, where Drija particularly devotes a Monologue the guest of honor, Prince Albert II of Monaco.
ANITA VIVAS
BROADWAY JAZZ
Anita Vivas, Artistic Director of the Anita Vivas Dance Studio, has illuminated the dance and entertainment scene for three decades. Leading EDAV VENEZUELA for 25 years, she has nurtured outstanding professionals and earned the Municipal Dance Award twice.
With a career spanning Venezuela, the United States, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Spain, England, and Mexico, Anita has left an international mark. Her versatility is evident in roles such as an image consultant on shows like "Quien Baila Mejor" in the Dominican Republic and the "Intercollegiate Dance Championship" on "Date con Todo."
She has also served as a choreographer on Telemundo's iconic "Sábado Gigante," produced by Emilio Estefan. In 2017, she debuted as an actress and singer with her monologue "La Música y El Espejo" in Miami, directed by Enrique Salas. Anita directed the first 15-minute musical comedy at Micro Teatro Venezuela, titled "No Me Calo Tu Final Feliz."
Anita not only shines in the arts but also devotes time to social causes. She teaches dance at the Adriana Barraza Acting Studio in Miami and advocates for animal adoption and rescue as a volunteer at Animal Services in Miami Dade. As the creator of the "Dancing for Pets" event, she raises supplies for animal shelters in Venezuela.
On social media, especially Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, Anita and her children have garnered 10 million views and 700,000 comments. Their online presence is a fount of inspiration, radiating joy and passion for dance.
Anita Vivas, with discipline and perseverance, has transcended dance, leaving a legacy that will endure. Her influence extends beyond the artistic realm to social commitment and inspiration on digital platforms.