Watching Eric Best navigate the sensuous curves of Stanton Welch’s Tapestry, during Houston Ballet’s Jubilee of Dance this December, the dancer’s flow and exactitude merged into a seamless whole. His generous port de bras caressed the space, drawing out Welch’s nuanced choreographic lines. With his crisp technique, subtle swagger, and beguiling fluidity, Best catapulted from the corps de ballet to soloist at the opening of the season, and audiences cannot get enough of him.

From Broadway stages to international arenas, Mattie Love’s dancing is electrifying. She has an uncanny ability to move through choreography fluidly but with punchy accents and a raw, earthy quality. Although having such a distinctive style of moving might have intimidated her at first, it’s become her superpower, leading her into some of the most coveted gigs, including performing as Madonna’s doppelgänger in her Celebration Tour.

There is an explosive energy to Michael de la Nuez’s dancing that will not be denied. In Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate during American Ballet Theatre’s summer season, he sliced through the air like an arrow and spun like a top, equal parts bravura showstopper and clean classical dancer.

Borrow­ing from hip hop, popping, house, contemporary, and other genres, he dissects established moves to uncover their intricacies and repackages them in unexpected patterns that require astonishing coordination. Though highly technical, his choreography never lacks feeling, resonating with global audiences through cinematic digital shorts, as well as with live audiences at his full-length shows.

At 19 years old, Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s Christian Burse commands the stage with expansive and exacting movement beyond her years. In Dwight Rhoden’s recent Endgame, she uses her classical sensibility to morph into contemporary shapes, her gaze projecting into the audience with cool intensity. Her stability in moments of stillness is as much of a standout as her quick feet and soaring leaps.

When Jaxon Willard dances, he soars through the air and glides along the floor, and his transitions are equal parts surprising and seamless. Willard’s flexibility, strength, and raw passion allow him to layer a spectrum of aesthetics, from expansive and powerful to graceful and soft.

Iris R. Dávila didn’t plan on becoming a ballet dancer. “It was sort of a mistake!” says the second-year BalletMet artist. Growing up in Puerto Rico, she excelled in gymnastics and swimming, and took her first ballet class at age 11 because a friend was in it.

The Cincinnati Ballet soloist exudes a quiet confidence and curiosity, coupled with striking technique. It’s no surprise that just into her second season, the Cuban dancer had nabbed a promotion and already danced her first full-length title role, in Septime Webre’s Alice (in Wonderland).