“These men and women easily embody the choreographer’s sense of dancers as angelic athletes.”
– Robert Greskovic, The Wall Street Journal
The dancers of the Martha Graham Dance Company comprise the oldest dance company in the United States and one of the most celebrated in the world. Whether performing the masterworks of Martha Graham or new works from some of today’s top choreographers, these versatile dancers are exemplars of contemporary dance. Under the artistic direction of Janet Eilber since 2005, the Company is made up of 18 extraordinarily athletic, expressive dancers of unmatched virtuosity.
Lloyd Knight
Lloyd Knight
LLOYD KNIGHT joined the Company in 2005 and performs the major male roles of the Graham repertory including in Appalachian Spring, Embattled Garden, Night Journey and many others. Dance Magazine named him one of the “Top 25 Dancers to Watch” in 2010 and one of the best performers of 2015. Mr. Knight has starred with ballet greats Wendy Whelan and Misty Copeland in signature Graham duets and has had roles created for him by such renowned artists as Nacho Duato and Pam Tanowitz. He is currently a principal guest artist for The Royal Ballet of Flanders directed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Born in England and raised in Miami, he trained at Miami Conservatory of Ballet and New World School of the Arts.
Instagram: @lloydknight
Xin Ying
Xin Ying
XIN YING joined the Company in 2011 and performs many of Martha Graham’s own roles including in Herodiade, Errand into the Maze, Chronicle, Lamentation, Deep Song, and Cave of the Heart. Ms. Xin has also danced solo roles in Clytemnestra and Diversion of Angels. She has been featured in works created for the Company by Nacho Duato, Pontus Lidberg, Annie-B Parson, Kyle Abraham, Liz Gerring, Maxine Doyle and Bobbi Jene Smith. Ms. Xin also starred in the Chinese production Dreams and has been commissioned to create new choreography for Co•Lab Dance. Her Instagram account, on which she posts her own improvisations, has thousands of followers.
Instagram: @Xin_Ying_Dance
Lorenzo Pagano
Lorenzo Pagano
LORENZO PAGANO joined the Company in 2012 and dances lead roles in Graham’s Appalachian Spring, Embattled Garden, Night Journey, and Diversion of Angels and in contemporary works by Andonis Foniadakis, Lucinda Childs, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Nacho Duato, Pontus Lidberg and Lar Lubovitch. A native of Torino, Italy, he moved to the US and trained as a scholarship student at The School at Jacob’s Pillow and The Martha Graham School. In 2016 Pagano received the Italian International Dance Award for “Male Rising Star”.
Instagram: @pagano_lorenzo791
Leslie Andrea Williams
Leslie Andrea Williams
LESLIE ANDREA WILLIAMS, from Raleigh, North Carolina, joined the company in 2015 and performs featured roles in Appalachian Spring, Diversion of Angels, Embattled Garden, and the lead in Chronicle – the first Black dancer to do so. Her performance was mentioned in The New York Times’ “Best Dance of 2019” list. Ms. Williams’s work has been described as “hypnotic” and “larger than life.” Her artistic strength lies in her innate ability to tap into character roles and “effortlessly control the gaze of the audience.” Ms. Williams has been featured in Dance Magazine as a dancer “On The Rise” and in Teen Vogue as a “Rising Star Personifying Black Excellence.” Leslie received her BFA from The Juilliard School.
Instagram: @lezandrea
Anne Souder
Anne Souder
ANNE SOUDER joined the Company in 2015 and performs Martha Graham’s own roles in Dark Meadow Suite, Chronicle, Ekstasis
Instagram: @anniesoud
Laurel Dalley-Smith
Laurel Dalley-Smith
LAUREL DALLEY SMITH joined the Company in 2015, performing lead roles in Steps in the Street, Errand into the Maze, Cave of the Heart, Diversion of Angels and Maple Leaf Rag. She also dances featured roles in new works by renowned Choreographers – Pam Tanowitz, Bobbie Jene Smith, Maxine Doyle, Lucinda Childs, Lar Lubovitch and Marie Chounaird. Laurel guests internationally with Yorke Dance Project, dancing solo roles choreographed for her by Sir Robert Cohan, also creating work independently with Kim Brandstrup and Darshan Singh Bhuller. Laurel graduated from Central School of Ballet London with a First Class Honours Degree, upon graduation she joined the 50th Anniversary cast of West Side Story performing featured Jet and Shark roles.
Instagram: @laureldalleysmith
So Young An
So Young An
SO YOUNG AN, a native of South Korea, joined the Company in 2016. She performs featured roles in such Graham classics as Embattled Garden, Errand into the Maze, Diversion of Angels, and Secular Games and in roles in contemporary works by Anne-B Parson, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Lar Lubovitch, Hofesh Shechter, Bobbi Jene Smith and Maxine Doyle. Ms. An is the recipient of the International Arts Award and the Grand Prize at the Korea National Ballet Grand Prix. Ms. An has danced with Korean National Ballet Company, Seoul Performing Arts Company and Buglisi Dance Theatre. She has also performed works by Yuri Grigorovich, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Mats Ek, Patricia Ruanne and Samantha Dunster.
Instagram: @so.young.an
Marzia Memoli
Marzia Memoli
MARZIA MEMOLI, from Palermo, Italy, joined the Company in 2016 and performs lead roles in Graham’s El Penitente, Steps in the Street, Satyric Festival Song and works by Elisa Monte, Hofesh Shechter, Bobbi Jean Smith, Lar Lubovitch, Maxine Doyle, Andrea Miller and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. In 2018 Dance Spirit said she “may be the…Company’s newest dancer, but her classical lines and easy grace are already turning heads”. She performs for Twyla Tharp Dance in In the Upper Room and Nine Sinatra Songs. She graduated from Bejart’s school, where she performed with the Bejart Ballet Lausanne.
Instagram: @marziamem
Jacob Larsen
Jacob Larsen
JACOB LARSEN joined the Company in 2016 and performs many Martha Graham classics such as Diversion of Angels, Secular Games, Appalachian Spring, Dark Meadow Suite, Embattled Garden, The Rite of Spring, and more. He also performs contemporary works by Sir Robert Cohen, Jenn Freeman, Pontus Lidberg, Andrea Miller, Hofesh Shector, Sonya Tayeh, Pam Tanowitz, and Yin Yue. Mr. Larsen received his BFA from Marymount Manhattan College performing works by Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Aszure Barton among others. He has worked collaboratively with Sidra Bell Dance New York, and while at Springboard Danse Montreal 2015 he performed works by Alexander Ekman and Banning Boulding of New Dialect. Jacob was a member of Graham 2, where he immersed himself with the wonders and mysteries of Graham technique. He can also be seen as a featured dancer in Hulu’s “Up Here” choreographed by Sonya Tayeh.
Instagram: @jacoblarsn
Alessio Crognale-Roberts
Alessio Crognale-Roberts
ALESSIO CROGNALE-ROBERTS, from Abruzzo, Italy, joined the Company in 2017 and dances featured roles in Graham’s Errand into the Maze and Diversion of Angels as well as in works by Pontus Lidberg, Michelle Dorrance, Larry Kegwin, Bulareyaung Pagarlava, among others. Mr. Crognale graduated with high honors from Centro Studio Coreografici Teatro Carcano in Milan and from the Graham School where he was a member of Graham 2.
Instagram: @crognaless
Richard Villaverde
Richard Villaverde
RICHARD VILLAVERDE, born and raised in Miami, FL, he began dancing at the age of 13, privately coached by Maria Eugenia Lorenzo, is a New World School of the Arts graduate and received his B.F.A from University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Notably, he was a part of Arsenale della Danza 2012 at La Biennale de Venezia under the direction of Ismael Ivo. He later joined BalletX (2012-2021) where he was featured in works by Matthew Neenan, Kevin O’Day, Dwight Rodan, Nicolo Fonte, Penny Saunders, Cayetano Soto, Trey McIntyre, Jodie Gates, and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. He’s performed at the Vail International Dance Festival, Ballet Sun Valley, Belgrade Dance Festival as well as at Jacob’s Pillow.
Instagram: @Richardvillaverde
Devin Loh
Devin Loh
DEVIN LOH (New Dancer) From Fanwood, NJ, Ms. Loh holds a BFA from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, SUNY. She was named a recipient of the Bert Terborgh Award upon graduation for Leadership and Excellence in Dance. Shortly after, Ms. Loh continued her performance and pedagogical studies at the Martha Graham School, and performed with Graham 2.
Instagram: @devinloh
James Anthony
James Anthony
JAMES ANTHONY (New Dancer) was born and raised in New York City. He began his formal training at the age of nineteen at Manhattan Youth Ballet. He Graduated from Point Park University in 2020, with a degree in Dance. During his Junior year in College, he was given the opportunity to work with Broadway Sacramento’s summer stock production of In The Heights The Musical, Choreographed by Rickey Tripp. James has worked with leading choreographers such as Christopher Huggins, Edwaard Liang, Matthew Powell, Ohad Naharin, Cameron McKinney, Yusha- Marie Soriano, Rutkay Özpinarand, and Katarzyna Skarpetowska. James is very excited to start his journey with the Martha Graham company.
Instagram: @__jamestony
Antonio Leone
Antonio Leone
ANTONIO LEONE (Apprentice), a native of Italy, began his early training at “Dance Studio” near his hometown Salerno. While there, he won scholarships to travel to both Budapest in Hungary and Los Angeles in the United States, to participate in winter and summer Dance Intensives. In 2019, Mr. Leone joined the Rudra Bejart School in Switzerland, where he performed works by Maurice Béjart, Michel Gascard, Julio Arozarena and Tancredo Tavarez, among others. Upon graduating from Rudra Bejart in 2021, Mr. Leone enrolled in the Advanced Study Certificate Program at the Martha Graham School in New York and joined the Graham 2 company. Here, he has had the opportunity to perform in classical Graham works, such as Dark Meadow and Acts of Light and to have featured roles in Appalachian Spring Suite.
Ane Arrieta
Ane Arrieta
ANE ARRIETA (Apprentice), dual citizen of Spain and the U.S., grew up in Rhode Island and trained at the Newport Academy of Ballet. She received a BFA in Dance Performance and Pedagogy from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, earning the Outstanding Senior Award. She has worked with choreographers Jacqulyn Buglisi, Pascal Rioult, Bryan Arias, Francesca Harper and Colin Connor, and has been a member of Newport Contemporary Ballet, Buglisi Dance Theater and Graham 2. This is her first season with the company.
Meagan King
Meagan King
MEAGAN KING (Apprentice), of Brooklyn, NY, is an Ailey/Fordham BFA graduate and LaGuardia H.S. alumna. Ms. King danced with Ailey II, receiving features in Dance Spirit, The TODAY Show, PIX11, NY12, Good Day Sacramento, and named BLOCH Young Artist. She performed at Holland Dance Festival and Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary and choreographed for Women/Create! This is her first season with the company.
Matthew Spangler
Matthew Spangler
MATTHEW SPANGLER (Apprentice)
Zachary Jeppsen
Zachary Jeppsen
ZACHARY JEPPSEN (Apprentice), raised in Southern Wisconsin, is an alumnus of The Juilliard School where he received his BFA in Dance. He has had the pleasure of performing pieces by Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Donald McKayle, Paul Taylor, Ohad Naharin, and many other choreographers. Before Juilliard, Zachary attended The Chicago Academy for the Arts where he studied under Randy Duncan and Patrick Simoniello.
Travon Williams
Travon Williams
TRAVON WILLIAMS (Apprentice)
Amanda Moreira
Amanda Moreira
AMANDA MOREIRA (Apprentice) is originally from Roxbury, NJ. In May of 2022, she graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Dance and a concentration in Modern. While at Marymount, she has had the opportunity to perform works by Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp, May O’Donnell,Pascal Rioult, and Jessica Lang, among others. In her last semester of college, she had the opportunity to apprentice with Parsons Dance.
Justin Valentine
Justine Valentine
JUSTIN VALENTINE (Apprentice) is a member of Graham 2 after being Principal Dancer at Columbia Classical Ballet. Justin performed in many galas in five continents, taught master classes, and coached students preparing for competition. Formal training began at Valentina Kozlova Dance Conservatory of NY. He won gold medals in international competitions for ballet and contemporary dance before beginning his professional career.