There’s flying through the ranks, and then there’s American Ballet Theatre’s SunMi Park, who skyrocketed from apprentice to soloist all within the span of a year.

Even before she realized it, Yusha-Marie Sorzano’s identity as an immigrant was the driving force behind her all-encompassing career—one that has ranged from company positions with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Camille A. Brown & Dancers to guest artist spots and commercial work to choreographing, teaching and becoming the co-artistic director of Zeitgeist Dance Theatre.

In 2008, Adrienne Carter headed to a summer intensive at Miami City Ballet, determined to become a professional dancer. “I applied to be considered for the year-round school and got accepted,” she recalls.

“My community reminds me that there is always a story to tell. Being a queer Asian male, I realize my roots; my family history, the city I grew up in and the people that surrounded me have all built me. I hope I keep fine-tuning all of my mediums of expression so that, over time, I can better articulate what my unique perspective is and share my stories—and those of
my people—with a nuanced accuracy.”

“I’m still processing everything that’s happened and really enjoying the moment. But I’m constantly looking for more ways to improve myself and my dancing, and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store.”

A principal since 2010, Makhateli now balances DNB’s repertoire with roles as a guest artist and life as a mother. “I’m really grateful because I have this luxury of making it all work, and that is very rare.”

“The more I danced here, the more I really got into the style, the classes and the magic of the opera house,” she says. “Everyone was adjusting to so much change with the pandemic that it empowered me to go for it.”

Growing up in Hawaii, Babatunji Johnson started his dance training in an unconventional way: by watching YouTube tutorials. Seeing Alonzo King LINES Ballet perform on tour inspired him to make dance his career.