2023 Cast

PRINCIPAL DANCERS

Claire Gorham
The White Witch

Claire Gorham began dancing before she was 2, and spent most of her life at Wilmore Christian School of Ballet under the direction of Hannah Henderson. At 16, she joined Next Generation Ballet in Tampa, Florida, as a trainee, where she performed as Clara in The Nutcracker and corps de ballet/soloist roles in Western Symphony and Le Corsaire. She danced in ensembles for Opera Tampa in “The Pearl Fishers,” and placed first in senior contemporary at YAGP Tampa. She later trained under Sharon Story at Atlanta Ballet, and Norbe and Rafaela Risco at Kentucky Ballet Theater before joining Nashville Ballet’s professional division in 2021. Gorham has previously performed in this production as Lucy Pevensie a few times, and is thrilled to be returning to Narnia again.

Keynald Reinaldo Vergara Soto
Peter Pevensie

Keynald Reinaldo Vergara was born in Havana, Cuba and started dancing at the age of 10 at the Juan Pablo Duarte Elementary School. He finished training at The National Ballet School “Ena” in 2010. After graduation, he continued on to Prodanza in Cuba where he danced many roles, including Dracula (Renfield, Court), The Nutcracker (Cavalier, Doll, Joker, Arabian, Russian), Le Corsaire (Ali, Pas de Esclave, Merchant), La Sylphides (James), Paquita (Pas de Trois) and many others. He has worked with great teachers and choreographers including Magaly Suarez, Fernando Alonso, William Starrett, Laura Alonso and Ramona de Zaa Bello. He was a principal dancer with the Columbia City Ballet for two seasons from 2015 to 2017. Recently, he competed in the 2018’s International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi making it to the final round.

Angelica South 
Susan Pevensie

Angelica South is originally from Traverse City, Michigan where she trained in classical ballet under the direction of Thomas Morrell. She attended The Harid Conservatory, American Ballet Theatre, and The Bolshoi Ballet Theatre summer programs. In 2013, she won first place in the Pas de Deux category at the Youth America Grand Prix, and was invited to the finals in NYC. The Bolshoi Ballet also invited her to attend their year-round school in Moscow, Russia. Angelica danced professionally for six seasons with The Lexington Ballet. She performed many principle roles, The Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker), Alice (Alice in Wonderland), and Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty), amongst many others. She danced with Allegro Dance Project for three seasons, and was a guest artist with Virginia Youth Ballet and Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre. Currently, she is the Artistic Director of United Fine Arts Academy in Georgetown, KY, and a Managing Partner of United Talent. Angelica has choreography 11 original ballet productions for her company and has been a YAGP coach since 2017. Her students have gone on to attend Cincinnati Ballet, Nutmeg Ballet, Lexington Ballet, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and Berklee College of Music. Angelica lives in Lexington with her husband, three cats, and loves to hike and travel.

SOLOISTS

Emilio Santiago
Edmund Pevensie

Emilio Santiago was born in 2002 in Puebla Mexico, began his studies at a local academy at the age of 15, later moved to the city of Monterrey and began his professional studies at the Monterrey High School of Music and Dance, obtaining excellent results and recognition throughout his career, attending important courses such as the YAGP, and as a guest dancer attending different schools and companies in the United States such as Quennedit Dance Theatre, Royal School of McAllen among others. At the ESMDM, he has played leading roles and corps de ballet in ballets such as Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Graduate Ball, The Nutcracker, and Gayaneh, and has also shared the stage with dance stars such as Elisa Carrillo Cabrera at the Monterrey International Gala. 2019. Important national and international teachers such as Alejandro Jáuregui, Carlos Atayde, Diana Farias Ortegon, Telmo Gomez Moreira, Rosalinda Moller, Siner Gonenc Boquin, Isaac Hernandez, Rosario Murillo, James Kelly, Irina Provorova, Angelica Kleen have contributed to his artistic training along with Roberto Machado Inerarity. He finished his studies in 2023 graduating with “Tango para Cinco”, choreography by Telmo Gomez Moreira. Emilio is excited to be in his first season with Kentucky Ballet Theatre as a Trainee.

Kinley Reed
Lucy Pevensie

Kinley Reed was born in Lexington, Kentucky. She began her studies in ballet at the age of 8 at Gloria Deo School of the Arts. While at Gloria Deo, Kinley was under the direction of Artistic Director, Sarah Henderson, Keynald Reinaldo Vergara Soto, and Hannah Henderson and participated in Summer Intensives taught by Emily Carrico and Sergio Masero. When Kinley was 10 years old she was invited to participate in a pas de deux workshop where she trained in pas de deux technique with Dave Goud. Kinley danced the lead part as Lucy Prevensie in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Ballet in years 2018 and 2019. In 2020, after the close of Gloria Deo School of the Arts, she began training with Academy Director, Mrs. Rafaela Risco at Kentucky Ballet Theatre. While at KBT, Kinley has had many opportunities to dance corps de ballet with the Kentucky Ballet Theatre professional company under the instruction of Artistic Director, Mr. Norbe Risco. Kinley loves the art of ballet and is excited about continuing her education with Mrs. Risco, learning and growing as a dancer, and hopes to join the Kentucky Ballet Theatre Company after graduation.

COMPLETE CAST