"Splendidly showcasing an impressively talented cast, chock-full of precision in attitudes, dexterous ballonnés, effortless extensions, and fearless fish dives." - Splash Magazine
When A&A BALLET’s unique take on Sleeping Beauty ballet debuted in 2019, it was received with rave reviews and starred a recent Youth America Grand Prix honoree. In fact, since then almost every performance by A&A BALLET stars a number of North American and International competition winners. Since 2016, the prestigious ballet school and company has had roughly 60-70 Grand Prix winners, First, Second and Third Place Prize winners at the various elite competitions globally available to ballet dancers. A&A’s spring performance of Sleeping Beauty Saturday, May 24, 2025 at the Athenaeum Theater will highlight its most recent internationally acclaimed and award-winning dancers and program.
Of those who have won an award through A&A, many have gone on to receive scholarships to study at reputable programs around the world, To date, A&A students have secured more than 200 full scholarships and multiple company, apprentice and studio company positions with world renown programs including Paris Opera Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Royal Danish Ballet, Boston Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, Houston Ballet, Princess Grace Academy of Monaco, Bolshoi Ballet, Colorado Ballet, BalletMet and Sarasota Ballet.
What’s unique is the approach by A&A BALLLET’s Anna Reznik and Alexei Kremnev to training young dancers and preparing them for careers in ballet that may take them around the world, making it one of the premiere ballet training programs and youth performance companies in the country.
“These competitions provide exposure and connections to world renown programs and companies for our students,” says Kremnev. “There is truly a world of people united by the same love and aspiration for dance, ballet and the impact it can have on young lives and developing talent. It’s our mission to give these opportunities to our dancers.”
Sleeping Beauty Ballet May 24
Cursed by a wicked fairy, the newborn Princess Aurora is fated to die from a prick to her finger on her sixteenth birthday. A good fairy intervenes to alter the wicked fairy’s tragic spell: instead of dying, Princess Aurora, and her entire kingdom, will fall into a deep sleep. Only true love’s kiss will unleash the power to awaken her and the rest of her kingdom.
We all know the story, but this unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty is a new spin on the timeless classic as only A&A BALLET can tell it. With colorful, playful costumes, exciting and original choreography A&A brings together an extraordinary visual splendor and Tchaikovsky’s monumental score, heralded as ballet’s most sumptuous and artistically exacting masterpiece, to enchant the entire family.
The award-winning cast includes:
Alyssa Casey (Aurora), 19, Barrington, 2nd Place Classical Seniors, 3rd Place Contemporary Seniors YAGP 2025
Tatiana Chen (Lilac Fairy), 16, Naperville, First Place, UBC 2025; 3rd Place Classical Seniors YAGP 2025
Nikhil Sengupta, (Puss in Boots) 14, Chicago, YAGP Grand Prix 2025 Award; Second Place, First Place Classical Pas-de-deux UBC 2025
Evangelina Kragt (Carabosse), 16, Chicago, Second Place, UBC 2025; 1st Place Classical Seniors YAGP 2025
George Alex Kremnev (Bluebird), 13, Chicago, First Place Contemporary Juniors, Classical Juniors YAGP 2025; First Place Classical Pas-de-deux UBC 2025
Mari Million (White Cat), 13, Chicago, Second Place, Juniors Classical and UBC Aspire Award 2025 Winner
A&A BALLET - The Outstanding Coach Award 2025 UBC, 11th YAGP Outstanding School Award 2025.
“Preparation for competitions require a lot of detailed private work to be able to polish each solo and create new choreography. It develops dancers’ character and charisma and exposure to programs around the world. This is how principal dancers are made. It’s very different from 30 years ago, but this is what is needed develop the dancers of today and tomorrow.”
Performance Dates:
Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. All ages. 105 minutes with intermission.
Where: Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago, IL
Tickets: $18.70-59.00 available here. Group tickets available for 50 or more. Contact: info@aacenterfordance.org