GRAND RAPIDS BALLET SCHOOL FACULTY & ADMINISTRATION

Grand Rapids Ballet School has long enjoyed a reputation for providing the highest quality of dance training . The School offers a complete curriculum designed to achieve a unified style. The distinguished and diverse faculty of thew GRBS is comprised of current and former dancers from the Grand Rapids Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, PNB, Slovak National Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Eliot Feld Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Luna Negra, St. Louis Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Ballet Chicago and the Romanian National Ballet.

Melanie Anderson Brossiet

Mrs. Brossiet loves teaching ballet! She has over thirty years of expertise as a professional ballerina, choreographer, and master instructor. She graduated with top honors from the Interlochen Academy of the Arts, majoring in dance, and pursued her professional career with The Cleveland San Jose Ballet and The Chautauqua Dance Company of NY, before advancing as a soloist, then principal with The Washington Ballet, Augsburg Ballet Germany, and Grand Rapids Ballet. Highlights of her career include performing in our nation’s capital for the president and first lady, being a featured dancer at Lincoln Center and The Joyce Theater NYC, Sadler’s Wells London, and sharing the stage with Rudolph Nureyev at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After serving on the college faculty of GVSU Dance Department, she founded her own injury preventative studio, balletmore, and was the Artistic Director for 17 years. She is thrilled to again be working alongside her former colleagues, Mindy and Attila Mosolygo, continuing to pass along her passion and knowledge of dance to the next generation of artists.

James Cunningham (he/him/his)

James Cunningham is originally from Little Hocking, Ohio. His early dance education began at age 10 from the Mid Ohio Valley Ballet Academy. In 2010, he graduated from the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. While earning a BFA in dance on full scholarship, he was also able to begin his career as a professional dancer with Cincinnati Ballet in 2008. There, James performed roles such as Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet, Country Boy from Fancy Free, Principal Pas de Deux from Rubies, Escamillo from Carmen, the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, and Kashchei from Firebird. James danced with Cincinnati Ballet for 11 seasons and was promoted to Soloist in 2016. Cunningham has worked with many choreographers; Adam Hougland, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Jennifer Archibald, Justin Peck, Ma Cong, Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa, Trey McIntyre, Val Caniparoli, Nicolo Fonte, and Yuri Possokhov. In 2016 and 2017 James was selected to be a dancer for the National Choreographers Initiative. Beginning in 2014, James has taught year round for the Otto M. Budig Academy of Cincinnati Ballet. His choreography for Prohibition Condition was selected for Director’s Cut in 2016. That year he also created a ballet for the fall showcase at the University of Cincinnati. Chamber music groups in Cincinnati have commissioned him for short works that cater to site specific venues. James has also contributed choreography for an annual benefit concert in Columbus, OH. Proceeds go to the Central Ohio Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation. He has also created works for Cincinnati Ballet II. In 2017 he made a duet in collaboration with musician Brice Dessner that opened the Music Now Festival. His most recent solo work, Mercurial Impulses, appeared at the 2018 USAIBC for bronze medalist Chisako Oga.

Jillian Gasper

Jillian grew up in Gowen, Michigan where she began her dance training at the age of 11. She was classically trained in Ballet through the Cecchetti method and in many dance styles including pointe work, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and hip-hop, as well as the opportunity to participate in competition teams. She is a 2011 graduate of Hope College where she earned a bachelors degree in dance with a focus on performance and choreography and a minor in psychology. During her time at Hope College, she performed and choreographed many original pieces. Post graduation she had the opportunity to travel to Buffalo, New York and take part in the Lehrer Dance summer intensive. She has been teaching at Grand Rapids Ballet since 2014 and she continues to share her passion for dance by teaching and choreographing at various locations.

Nicholas Gray (he/they)

Nicholas is absolutely honored to be among the few chosen to teach on the Grand Rapids Ballet School faculty. Nicholas was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI where they had the privilege to train and perform at the highest professional level at the many accredited arts organizations there including Milwaukee Ballet School and Academy. Nicholas brings with them a wealth of knowledge in many different dance styles (Graham, Tharp, Morris, Robbins) acquired through their studies nationwide at The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and more. After receiving their Bachelor’s Degree in Ballet with an Outside Field in Theatre and Drama from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2018, Nicholas moved to Grand Rapids to work as an Apprentice for Grand Rapids Ballet where you may have seen them perform in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Nutcracker, or Alice in Wonderland. Nicholas works locally as a freelance dancer, director/choreographer, and dance educator at institutions like Circle Theatre and Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s School of Theatre Arts. Check out their website nicholas-gray.com for upcoming projects and more information about their work! Nicholas is excited to pass onto the students of the Grand Rapids Ballet School their many years of accrued knowledge and instill in the next generation of performers the philosophy that dancing, above all, should be joyful, safe, and inclusive and that each and everyone of them is unique, worthwhile, and beautiful.

Lydia Hart

Bio coming soon.

Kate Matlack

Kate Matlack is a Registered Teacher and Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance as well as a Certified Instructor of Progressing Ballet Technique. She danced professionally with Texas Ballet Theater and has performed internationally with TALK Dance Company and The Messiah Project. She served as administrator as well as full-time instructor of Texas Ballet Theater School for two years before taking on the directorship of Credo Dance Academy for eight years. In 2016, she relocated to Virginia and was adjunct faculty at Old Dominion University, The Governor’s School for the Arts, and Todd Rosenlieb Dance Company/Virginia Ballet Theatre. In 2019, Ms. Matlack and her family moved to Grand Rapids, MI where she is currently based. Ms. Matlack began her dance training under the tutelage of Peggie Wallis, Registered Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance. She completed the RAD’s Vocational Graded Exams with Distinction. In 2004, Ms. Matlack competed in the Youth America Grand Prix in New York, NY. In 2005, she continued her training at The Ailey School. She has trained extensively with Master Teacher and Choreographer, Steve Rooks, former Principal Dancer with Martha Graham Dance Company. In 2013, she completed the Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma with Distinction at The Royal Academy of Dance, London, UK. In her free time, Ms. Matlack enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children and curling up with a good Dorothy L. Sayers detective novel.

Anna Mainero

Anna began dancing recreationally at the age of three until becoming a student at the Grand Rapids Ballet School at age 7. During her time at GRBS, she danced in the Junior and Senior companies and performed alongside the company dancers until graduating high school. Anna furthered her dance education at Western Michigan University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Bachelor of Science in Special Education. At WMU, Anna was trained in ballet, jazz, and modern, and participated/performed under guest artist residencies. She started teaching dance classes while in college. Anna has taught ballet, contemporary, jazz, and recreation dance classes, and was previously a performing arts counselor at a recreational summer camp.

Anna’s full-time job is at Lowell High School where she is a special education teacher. Additionally, Anna has been the choreographer for the school’s musical program at the high school for the past two years. Anna is passionate about creating an inclusive environment, building relationships, and sharing her diverse knowledge and experience with her students. In her free time, Anna enjoys yoga, reading, and traveling.

Attila Mosolygo, Director & Junior Company Artistic Director (he/him)

Attila was born in Kisvarda, Hungary. He received his early training at the National Ballet Institute in Budapest. After moving to the United States, he joined the Joffrey Ballet School. He has performed as a guest artist with Mobile Ballet, Bravo Dance, Harrisburg Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Chicago and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Attila spent sixteen years as a company dancer and eight years as a Ballet Master at Grand Rapids Ballet. As a company dancer, a few of his notable roles include The Prodigal Son in George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son, Max in Septime Webre’s Where The Wild Things Are, Charlie Chaplin in Gordon Peirce Schmidt’s Flickers, Tibalt in Mario Radacovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, and Melancholic in George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments. Attila became the Director of the Grand Rapids Ballet School Junior Company in 2011 and School Director in 2017. For the Junior Company, Attila has choreographed Snow White, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Carnival of the Animals, Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes, and The Wizard of Oz.

Mindy Mosolygo, School Curriculum Coordinator (she/her)

Mindy has been teaching at the Grand Rapids Ballet School since 1996. She received her early training under the instruction of Charthel Arthur and Robert Estner at Grand Rapids Ballet School. Mindy danced professionally with Grand Rapids Ballet for 15 years before retiring in 2009. She was the company’s Ballet Mistress for 2 years before becoming the School Curriculum Coordinator in 2011. Mindy is married to Attila Mosolygo (School Director and Junior Company Director). They have a daughter, Vivian, and a son, Cameron.

Yuka Oba-Muschiana (she/her)

Yuka was born in Japan where she received her training from Hitomi Takeuchi Ballet School. In 2006, Yuka attended English National Ballet School in the UK where she also danced many soloist roles. Upon graduating, Mario Radacovsky invited Yuka to join the Slovak National Ballet where she danced a variety of roles. Yuka was then invited to join the Grand Rapids Ballet in 2011 where she has since danced principal roles in ballets by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Olivier Wevers, and Penny Saunders. Yuka has won many competitions in Japan including NBA All Japan Ballet Competition, Saitama All Japan Dance Competition, UB All Japan Ballet Union Competition, International Ballet Competition in Yokohama and others. In 2013, Yuka had the honor of performing Olivier Wever’s The Sofa at the Joyce Theatre in New York and reprised her role in Seattle, WA. Yuka performed Le Corsaire Pas de Deux in the gala at The National Theatre in Tokyo and the Pas de Deux from Le Carnaval de Venise in Fukushima. In 2014, Val Caniparoli choreographed Clara on Yuka for the world premiere of The Nutcracker. She also choreographed Tomorrow Never Comes on Grand Rapids Ballet for their MOVEMEDIA program in 2015.

Nigel Tau (he/him)

Nigel began dancing at age 10 with The Academy of Dance in his home town of Savannah, Georgia. In 2013, he became a trainee with Next Generation Ballet, and performed in the school’s own productions as well as with Opera Tampa and the Florida Orchestra. He went on to train with BalletMet on a full scholarship, where he performed and rehearsed alongside the company in shows such as The Great Gatsby and The Nutcracker. Since he started working with the company in 2015, he has been a part of tours to Kalamazoo, St. Louis, and Seattle, and performed in pieces such as Paul Taylor’s Company B, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Dangerous Liaisons, and Penny Saunders’ The Happy Price and Other Wilde Tales. In his time with the company has also had the privilege of working with choreographers such as Brian Enos, Jennifer Archibald, Dani Rowe, and Bruce Wells, among others. His first work, Errant Thoughts, debuted on the company in 2019.

Jessica Winter-Troutwine

Jessica grew up studying at the Grand Rapids Ballet School and performed alongside the professional company as a member of the GRBS Sr. Company. She attended Grand Valley State University and graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. As a member of GVSU’s Dance Ensemble, she performed soloist roles in works by many artists including Thang Dao of Thang Dao Dance Company, Patrick Corbin, Mary Beth Cabana of Ballet Tuscon, and Michael Philips of Rioult. While at Grand Valley, Jessica was also member of GVSU’s Laker Dance Team, which competes nationally. After college, she danced professionally as a member of MoreDances Contemporary Dance Co. (Detroit), The Dance Hall Twigs (Chicago), and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (Chicago) before returning to Grand Rapids. Jessica has also been able to spread her love of dance through teaching. She has taught ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop styles at studios throughout Michigan and the Chicago area.