Juan Castellanos, a longtime dancer at the Metropolitan Ballet Academy in Jenkintown, recently joined Alabama Ballet as a company artist.

Juan went on to study on full scholarship at Charlotte Ballet. From Charlotte Ballet’s biography:

Juan’s dance training began in Dublin, Ireland, where he was born and continued in the U.S. at Metropolitan Ballet Academy in Jenkintown, PA, under the Direction of Lisa Collins Vidnovic. As a member of their nationally acclaimed Boys’ scholarship Program, Juan’s 11 years of study there included access to many world-class teachers and the opportunity to perform a variety of principal roles including “Prince” in Cinderella (2018), “Bluebird Pas” in Sleeping Beauty (2017) and “Puck” in A Midsummer’s Night Dream (2016), as well as soloist and principal roles in contemporary works choreographed by Jessica Lang, Sarah Mettin and Kanji Segawa. His summer studies were with the Charlotte Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Next Generation Ballet in Tampa, Fl. From 2009-2019, Juan has also appeared in various Nutcracker roles including “Nutcracker Prince” (2019) with Charlotte Ballet, “Russian” with The Moscow Ballet (2016), “Nutcracker Prince” and “Soldier Doll” with The Wilmington Ballet (2013-14) and “Fritz” with The Pennsylvania Ballet (2009-12), touring to Canada with the Company in Nov.-Dec. 2011. Juan made his Metropolitan Opera debut in July 2011 with Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet dancing a children’s role in Anna Karenina for the Lincoln Center Festival and appeared as a guest artist with Juneau Dance Theater in Juneau, Alaska. Most recently, Juan was a member of the Pre-Professional Division with Charlotte Ballet.

For more on the Metropolitan Ballet Academy, you can visit their Facebook page and website.

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Photo courtesy of Charlotte Ballet