Lauren Steele is a Southern California–based dancer, educator, and arts leader, and the Co-Founder of New Classics Ballet Theatre, which she established alongside fellow dancer Katie O’Gara to honor classical ballet traditions while supporting emerging and contemporary voices. She holds a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of California, Irvine, where she performed in faculty, undergraduate, and MFA concerts, including Dance Visions, appearing in George Balanchine’s Serenade, works by Vitor Luiz (Bitter Suite and Luna E’motions), and Molly Lynch’s Moonlight. Lauren also performed in MFA works by Ashley Cook (My Felicity and Fabric of Life) and repertory by Taylor Grandy, Theodora Oldfield, and Milena Raeber, and in 2025 appeared as a Friend in Coppélia at the SoCal Ballet Scene Festival. Her early training includes full-length ballets with the Academy of Ballet Arts, participation in the Youth America Grand Prix, and performance at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive (La Bayadère). As an educator, Lauren teaches ballet throughout Southern California and is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor. She is a two-time recipient of the William J. Gillespie Foundation Scholarship.

Sterling Tu is an emerging professional dance artist and arts leader based in Southern California. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from the University of California, Irvine in 2025. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she trained in classical ballet at Alameda Ballet Academy under Abra Rudisill and continued her studies through intensive programs with City Ballet School San Francisco, American Ballet Theatre, and Bolshoi Ballet Academy. At the UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts, Sterling expanded her training to jazz, modern, and hip hop, broadening her technical repertoire. Notable UCI performances include George Balanchine’s Serenade, staged by Zippora Karz; Molly Lynch’s Moonlight; and Archaea, a collaboration by S. Ama Wray and Cyrian Reed. Sterling recently performed in ChoCoLA in Kassandra Vogel's Invisible Red Thread and as a guest artist with Anaheim Ballet's Nutcracker this past season. She received the William J. Gillespie Scholarship and was a two-time recipient of the Sylvia Reines Dance Scholarship. Sterling looks forward to dancing and administrating with New Classics Ballet Theater, and she is excited to share her passion and dedication for performing arts with the local community. 

Katie Thomas was raised in Mountain View, California, where she trained at Western Ballet until 2019. She then continued her training at City Ballet San Francisco, studying the Vaganova technique and performing featured roles including the Arabian Soloist in The Nutcracker and the Teresina variation from Napoli. After graduating in 2022, Katie joined State Street Ballet’s Trainee Program in Santa Barbara, California, where she performed in The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Giselle. In 2024, she moved to Los Angeles to join Hollywood Ballet, dancing multiple soloist roles such as Spanish Chocolate in The Nutcracker, the Showtime Spectacular solo, and “I’m So Excited” from A Night with Hollywood Ballet. Katie strives to discover new and exciting ways to perform and hopes to continue sharing and expanding the art of ballet in Los Angeles.

Kassandra Vogel is a dancer and choreographer originally from San Diego, California, currently based in Anaheim. She began her formal dance training at California Ballet before earning BFAs in Dance Performance and Choreography, and a BA in Psychological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine. While at UCI, she had the opportunity to perform in Serenade under the direction of Zippora Karz and Diane Diefenderfer. Since graduating, Kassandra has worked as a freelance artist, performing with companies including Little Women Ballet, Anaheim Ballet, and Ballet Project OC. Her recent performance highlights include dancing Aurora as a guest artist with On Pointe Dance Studio, dancing as a Snow Princess in Anaheim Ballet's Nutcracker, as well as portraying Beth March in Little Women Ballet’s immersive productions and Sallie Gardiner in their full-length ballet. In addition to performing, Kassandra is an emerging choreographer. Her work was featured in ChoCoLA 2025 and will be presented again at Little Women Ballet’s inaugural showcase this March. She is deeply interested in expanding her choreographic voice and hopes to contribute to a more thoughtful, expressive, and inclusive ballet community.

Antoinette Wood is a classical ballet dancer from Redlands, California. This past June, she earned a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and a B.A. in Educational Sciences from the University of California, Irvine. Prior to university, she apprenticed with Inland Pacific Ballet, performing extensively in their classical repertoire. At SoCal Arts in Monrovia, she performed principal roles such as the Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker and Myrtha in Giselle. She trained at prestigious summer intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and Los Angeles Ballet. At UCI, her credits include George Balanchine’s Serenade, Paquita, and original works by dance faculty Tong Wang, Molly Lynch, and emerging choreographers. In her last year, she received the William J. Gillespie Foundation Scholarship, awarded to outstanding dance majors with an emphasis in ballet. In addition to performing, Antoinette has taught ballet at Portola High School and various studios, working with students of all ages and levels. She is pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential to teach elementary school. She is thrilled to join New Classics Ballet Theatre, aiming to inspire the next generation through artistry, education, and passion.

Adrian Yali Pekurovsky is a professional ballet dancer originally from Israel, currently based in Los Angeles. At the age of 19, he relocated to LA to pursue an international career in ballet and contemporary performance. Adrian brings a diverse and athletic background to his work, having trained for over ten years as a competitive gymnast and dancer. Between 2020 and 2024, Adrian represented the Israeli national team in ballroom dancing, gaining extensive experience in performance, musicality, and technical precision. In 2025, he became a finalist at the Dance World Cup in the contemporary category with an original choreography, highlighting his voice as a movement creator. In December 2025, he performed the role of the Jester in The Nutcracker as an apprentice with Grand Ballet LA. Adrian is currently a dancer with NCBT, Keshet Chaim Ensemble, and an apprentice with Grand Ballet LA. He is a student at the Grand Academy of Ballet in Los Angeles and a graduate of Danceline Dance Sport Academy in Israel. Adrian is driven to create and perform work that excites and inspires himself and his audiences. He is committed to advocating for greater appreciation of men’s technique and artistry in ballet, beyond traditional physical expectations, and strives to develop a distinct and authentic artistic identity.