KIPLING HOUSTON studied ballet in Boston, Los Angeles, and New York City prior to being asked to join New York City Ballet. Promoted to the rank of Soloist by George Balanchine, Mr. Houston danced many featured roles with NYCB throughout his career. He feels fortunate to have had an intimate working relationship with choreographers George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. He has been seen on Broadway in principal roles in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, and in numerous dance specials on film and television. And now a ballet répétiteur, staging works in the USA, Europe, and Russia since 2013.

ADAM LUDERS began his ballet training at the Royal Danish Ballet School and graduated to become a member of the Royal Danish Ballet in 1968. He was a principal dancer with London Festival Ballet (1973–5) and New York City Ballet (1975–94) creating roles in Balanchine's Davidsbündertänze, Kammermusik No. 2, and Walpurgisnacht, as well as Robbins's In Memory of... among others. Since retiring he has taught widely, including at the School of American Ballet, and staged Balanchine repertory for the George Balanchine Trust. Trained in the Bournonville tradition, Luders was the classic ‘danseur noble’. He is part of the last generation of dancers who worked closely with Balanchine at the New York City Ballet and has danced most of the Balanchine and Robbins repertoire. Luders is famous for his skill in pas de deux, and he has partnered most of Balanchine’s ballerinas as well other international stars. For the Interpreters Archive he has coached many ballets besides those choreographed on him, including the first movement of Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, Ballade, La Valse, Chaconne, Orpheus and Vienna Waltzes.

MAYA MILIĆ is a recent member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. Her primary training took place in Vancouver, British Columbia. Prior to studying in NYC at the School of American Ballet Milić attended programs at the Royal Danish Ballet School, the Paris Opera Ballet School, the Princess Grace Academy, the Royal Ballet School. Milić enrolled as a full-time student at SAB in 2019. As a student, Milić was the recipient of several awards from the World Ballet Arts Competition (2017) and Youth America Grand Prix (2013-17). She became an apprentice with NYCB in July 2024, and as an apprentice, performed in George Balanchine’s Serenade as part of a celebration of SAB’s 90th anniversary. Milić joined the corps de ballet in July 2025. She is a classically trained pianist and an honors graduate from the Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege Division.

KYLIE VERNIA is a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. She began her dance training at age 7 in San Diego, California and later attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet before enrolling as a full-time student at SAB for the 2021 winter term. As an SAB student, she performed in George Balanchine’s Serenade at New York City Ballet, as part of a celebration of SAB’s 90th anniversary. Vernia became an apprentice with NYCB in November 2024 and joined the corps de ballet in October 2025.

KYLIE WILLIAMS is a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. She was born in New York City and began her dance training at age 4 at Sunnyside Ballet Studio, founded by her mother Yasko Takeno-Williams, furthering her studies at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and summer programs at the School of American Ballet before enrolling as a full-time student at SAB for the 2022 Winter term. Williams became an apprentice with NYCB in August 2024 and as an apprentice, performed in George Balanchine’s Serenade as part of a celebration of SAB’s 90th anniversary, and she originated a corps de ballet role in Alexei Ratmansky’s Paquita. She joined the corps de ballet in August 2025. As a student at SAB, she was a recipient of the 2024 Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise.

HUGO MESTRES is a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. He was born in Seattle, Washington, and trained at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School from ages 11 to 15 under Peter Boal and Le Yin. Mestres attended summer programs at the School of American Ballet from 2019 to 2021, before enrolling as a full-time student at SAB for the 2021 Winter term. He became an apprentice with NYCB in August 2024, and as an apprentice, he performed in George Balanchine’s Serenade as part of a celebration of SAB’s 90th anniversary. Mestres joined the corps de ballet in August 2025.

ALEXANDER PERONE is a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. His dance training began in Princeton, New Jersey, supplemented in summer programs at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the Royal Danish Ballet School. In 2022, Perone was accepted as a full-time student at the School of American Ballet and became an apprentice with NYCB in August 2024. As an apprentice, he performed in George Balanchine’s Serenade as part of a celebration of SAB’s 90th anniversary, as well as a featured role in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (Tea). Perone joined the corps de ballet in August 2025. As a student at SAB, Perone was a recipient of the 2024 Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise. He also appeared as a dancer in Season 3 of the HBO Max TV series And Just Like That…

JUAN MICHAEL PORTER II After performing around the world for 15 years, Juan Michael Porter II transitioned into criticism as the Managing Editor of BroadwayWorld Dance. From there he expanded his portfolio, writing for Ballet Review, Dance Magazine, American Theatre Magazine, Documentary Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Christian Science Monitor, Philadelphia Inquirer, PBS, and HuffPost. Most recently served as host of HIV Unmuted, the International AIDS Society's podcast and Senior Editor of TheBody.com and TheBodyPro, making him the first person living with HIV to hold the positions. Currently, he serves as the Director of Communications of Positive Women's Network-USA, Communications Officer of the U.S. People Living With HIV Caucus, and Dance Listings Editor of TDF Stages. Notably, Juan Michael is the first Black man in history to serve as a Drama Desk Award nominator.

NANCY REYNOLDS is the founding director of the George Balanchine Video Archives. She is a former dancer with New York City Ballet and has been Director of Research for The George Balanchine Foundation since 1994, when she conceived the Video Archives program. Among her books are Repertory in Review: Forty Years of the New York City Ballet; No Fixed Points: Dance in the Twentieth Century (with Malcolm McCormick); and Remembering Lincoln. In 2013 she received a “Bessie” award for “outstanding service to the field of dance.”

PAUL BOOS, Director of the Video Archives since 2021, is a former dancer with NYCB and répétiteur for the George Balanchine Trust. His work for the Trust has been presented at several theaters, including the Maryinsky, Bolshoi, Paris Opera, La Scala, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Boston Ballet. He is the director of Rye Ballet Conservatory’s pre-pro division as well as a guest teacher abroad and locally.