First State Ballet Theatre Directors

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Pavel Kambalov
Artistic Director

Mr. Kambalov is a graduate of the world-renowned Kirov School in St. Petersburg, Russia. He danced professionally with the Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theater in the Ukraine, National Ballet of Komi in Russia, New Jersey Ballet, Ballet Theater Pennsylvania and Russian Ballet Theater of Delaware.

He has performed leading roles in great classical ballets such as Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Coppelia, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty and others as well as the choreographic works of Robert LaFosse, Matthew Neenan, John Selvia, Gerald Arpino, Daniel Baudendistel and Leslie Browne. Mr. Kambalov also performed as a guest artist with "Stars of the American Ballet," Ballet Teatro Municipal de San Juan, Dance Theater of Pennsylvania, National Ballet of New Jersey, Philadelphia Ballet Theatre and the Opera Company of Philadelphia.

In 1999 he co-founded the First State Ballet Theatre. Under his artistic direction, FSBT has presented acclaimed performances of major full-length ballets including Coppélia, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake Act III and Paquita and numerous mixed repertory performances. In 2004, Mr. Kambalov founded the Arabesque international festival of classical and contemporary ballet. Mr. Kambalov teaches intermediate and advanced level students at The School of First State Ballet Theatre. Mr. Kambalov was honored with the 2006 Wilmingtonian Award for outstanding contributions to the quality of life in Wilmington.

Kristina Kambalov
School Director

Ms. Kambalov began her training with Jean Allenby in her hometown of Evansville, Indiana. She continued her dance studies at North Carolina School of the Arts and the Joffrey Ballet School. She danced four seasons with Ballet Theater Pennsylvania before joining Russian Ballet Theater of Delaware, where she danced soloist roles in the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet and Don Quixote as well as the choreographic works of Robert LaFosse, Matthew Neenan, Daniel Baudendistel and Leslie Browne. Ms. Kambalov also performed with "Stars of the American Ballet," Ballet Teatro Municipal de San Juan and Philadelphia Ballet Theatre.

In 1999 she co-founded First State Ballet Theatre. Under her direction The School of First State Ballet Theater has built an extraordinary record of achievement. Students of The School of First State Ballet Theatre have attended and received scholarships to many of the most prestigious ballet schools in the U.S. including American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet, School of American Ballet, Harid Conservatory, Universal Ballet Academy and Pacific Northwest Ballet. FSBT students have lauched professional careers with Alabama Ballet, Festival Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet , Richmond Ballet and Tulsa Ballet. Ms. Kambalov was honored with the 2006 Wilmingtonian Award for outstanding contributions to the quality of life in Wilmington.

Stefanie Caputo

Stefanie Caputo studied under Pasha and Kristina Kambalov at The School of First State Ballet Theatre School. She attended summer programs with Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theater and Richmond Ballet. In 2002, she was one of the top 12 finalists in the senior division of the Youth America Grand Prix world finals in New York City. She has performed with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Ballet Theater of Maryland, where she was also a faculty member.

Lev Assouliak
Assistant Artistic Director
Lev Vladimirovich Assouliak graduated from the Perm State Choreographic Institute. He then embarked upon a 20-year career as an international soloist. Laureate of the Varna International Ballet Competition and many other honors followed. As a teacher and ballet master, Mr. Assouliak has worked with major ballet companies across the former USSR. He was the Ballet Master of the prestigious Russian State Theatre of Classical Ballet, which performs in the Palace of Congresses within the walls of the Kremlin in Moscow. The famous Russian dancers, Vasiliev and Kasathikina, whose careers at the Bolshoi are now legendary, were heads of the Company. In 1996, Mr. Assouliak became Ballet Master of the Russian Ballet Theater of Delaware. He is currently the Assistant Artistic Director of the First State Ballet Theatre.

Company Members

Jake Allison is from Muscatine, Iowa, where he studied with Bruce Brown. He attended Oklahoma City University, where he studied under Jo Rowan and Mary Price Boday, and has continued his training under Pasha and Kristina Kambalov. He has performed with Quad-Cities Ballet.

Anna Carapellotti is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She trained at Atlanta Ballet and Pittsburgh Youth Ballet and participated in summer intensives at Boston Ballet and Richmond Ballet. She performed with Richmond Ballet from 2005 to 2008.

Jewely Gruber is from Etters, Pennsylvania. She trained at the Pennsylvania Regional Ballet under Artistic Director Sandra Carlino and attended summer programs at Alonzo King Lines Ballet and Miami City Ballet. She received the Regional Dance American/Northeast FestivalJoshua B. Scholarship for best female performer and was chosen to perform in the IBC gala with Regional Dance America. Ms. Gruber participated in the Richmond Ballet trainee program in 2007.

Justin J. Estelle is from Clarendon, Vermont. His ballet training included summer intensives at the National Ballet School of Canada, and the School of American Ballet Theater. Mr. Estelle won first and second prizes in the Grand Prix Chicago and participated in Richmond Ballet’s trainee program in 2007.

Aynsley Inglis is from Wilmington, Delaware. She trained at the School of First State Ballet Theatre and the Kirov Academy. Her awards include a bronze medal in the senior division of the USA National Russian Pointe Competition. She received third place in the senior contemporary division in the 2005 YAGP Regional Semi-Finals and first place in the senior classical and senior contemporary divisions in the 2006 YAGP Regionals.

Nukri Mamistvalov was born in T’ibllisi in the Republic of Georgia. He trained at the School of First State Ballet Theatre and attended summer intensives at Harried Conservatory, Milwaukee Ballet and Richmond Ballet. His awards include the James Jamieson Scholarship and second and third place in the senior men’s division of the Youth American Grand Prix Regional Semi-Finals. Mr. Mamistvalov performed with Richmond Ballet in 2007.

Emily Shenaut is from Davis, California. Her early training was with Stuart Carroll and Sharon Newlon in Sacramento, California; she attended summer intensives at Boston Ballet and Richmond Ballet and performed with Richmond Ballet in 2007.

Jonathan Tavares is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He trained at the Metropolitan Ballet Academy and attended summer intensives at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theater, Orlando Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet’s “Beyond Technique.”

Angela Zintchenko is from Leesburg, Virginia. She trained at the Kirov Academy and Washington Ballet with Roudolf Kharatian as teacher and coach and attended summer intensives at Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet, Washington Ballet, Ballet Austin and Richmond Ballet. Her awards and scholarships include a National Youth Ballet Competition gold medal and an artistic scholarship to the Kirov Academy.

Trainees

Aubrey Lynne Clemens is from Kennett Square, Pa. she trained at Longwood Performing Arts, the School of First State Ballet Theatre and MacAleer School of Irish Dance and has attended summer intensives at Stiefel and Students, American Ballet Theater and the Kirov Academy. Her numerous honors include top 12 ranking in the Pre-Competitive Division of the 2004 YAGP World Finals and the gold medal in the Preparatory Division of the 2004 USA National Youth Ballet Competition. She received the 2006 James Jamieson Scholarship and was one of three FSBT dancers invited to perform in the 50^th anniversary Gala di Danza in the 2007 Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy.

Andrew R. Delaney is from Wilmington Delaware. He trained at the Woodlands Dance academy in Woodlands, Texas and at the School of First State Ballet Theatre.

Brittany Ross is from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. She trained at the School of First State Ballet Theatre and attended summer intensives at the Kirov Ballet Academy, School Of American Ballet, Kaatsbaan International Ballet Center, Steifel and Stars, Oregon Ballet Theatre and Harrid Conservatory. She has won numerous honors in the Youth America Grand Prix and other major competitions, received several scholarships to major companies and conservatories and was one of two American women invited to compete in the 2008 Prix de Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland.