Winter Intensive

John Abenanty (Brooklyn, New York) introduction to ballet came early when he was selected for the Brooklyn Ballet School’s outreach/scholarship program that placed ballet teachers in public schools. John graduated highschool from The Harid Conservatory and danced as a soloist with South Carolina’s Columbia Classical Ballet, then as guest soloist with the State Ballet of Georgia in Tbilisi. John was also the first American principal dancer of the Sofia National Opera and Ballet. During John’s time in Tbilisi and Sofia he has toured around Europe and was a guest performer at the Bolshoi Ballet. His notable roles have included, Albrecht and Peasant Pas De Deux in Giselle, Matthew in Moulin Rouge, Dracula in Michael Pink’s Dracula, Conrad and Lankendem in Le Corsaire, Basilio in Don Quixote, Cavalier and Snow Prince in The Nutcracker, Zuniga in Carmen, Gurn in La Sylphide, and many more. John is a Laureate of the Varna International Ballet Competition (2018) and a finalist in the U.S.A. International Ballet Competition (2023). John is currently a company dancer with the Orlando Ballet. 

Sofia Abenanty was born in Sandanski Bulgaria and began dancing at the age of six. At the age of nine Sofia was admitted to the National School of Dance Arts in Sofia Bulgaria where she would continue her training until she graduated. She continued her education and has a master’s degree in ballet pedagogy. During her highschool years she has participated in the shows of the Sofia National Opera and Ballet and officially became part of the company in her graduating year. Over the eleven years that she has danced in Sofia she has performed many notable roles such as Gulnare and Odalisques in Le Corsaire, Myrtha in Giselle, Nurida in One Thousand and One Nights, Fortuna in Carmina Burana, Pas de trois and Four Little Swans in Swan Lake, Pas de trois in Paquita, Diamond and Generosity fairies in Sleeping Beauty, Warrior Woman in Legend of the Lake, Trio shades in La Bayadare, Bridesmaids in Don Quixote, Daria Oblonskaya in Anna Karenina, Waltz Girl in Serenade and many more. In 2018 Sofia was awarded a Bronze medal in the prestigious Varna International Ballet Competition and was promoted to Soloist in the following season. She has also been fortunate enough to tour to many countries such as Italy, Finland, Spain and Russia. One of her most proud achievements has been to dance Odalisques on the Bolshoi stage in Moscow. Sofia is currently a company dancer with the Orlando Ballet.