Milwaukee, WI –The Milwaukee Ballet ended its 2005-06 season Sunday May 7 and surpassed the revenue goal by 11% for the beloved favorite “Swan Lake”. Earned income for the 2005-06 season exceeded the 2004-05 season by $176,000 and the company sold 3000 more tickets than the previous season.

“This is wonderful news for the entire company,” said Amy Marshall, executive director.

“Clearly audiences reacted to powerful, new works like Michael Pink’s “Dracula” and the return of favorites such as Kathryn Posin’s “Scheherazade”. In other major news, Michael Pink, artistic director of the Milwaukee Ballet, has had his contract extended by the organization’s Executive Committee through July 2008. Pink has been artistic director since joining the organization in December 2002.

“We are delighted to make this announcement,” stated Board Chair Stewart Kerr. “Michael has brought a tremendous amount of passion and creativity to Milwaukee Ballet.” In addition, Pink announced the addition of two new dancers to the company for the 2006-07 season. Andrea Maciel de Faria will join the company from Columbia Classical Ballet and Rachel Malehorn from the Milwaukee Ballet II program will move into the company as an apprentice.

“I love the fact that we are able to bring in both new blood and promote from within” explained Artistic Director Michael Pink. “This promotion reflects very well on the strength of our trainee program.”

Leaving the company are Leading Artist Karisa Stich and Artist Kara Wilkes. Stich, who has been with the Milwaukee Ballet since 1994, retired after the Pabst Series in March and will move to Washington D.C with her family. Wilkes takes the skills learned while coming up through the ranks of the Milwaukee Ballet since 2000, to pursue a career overseas in Madrid, Spain.

“I wish Karisa and Kara all the best in their new endeavors,” Pink adds. “They are both beautiful and talented artists.”  Pink promoted Stich from the corps after his first partial season with Milwaukee Ballet in 2003 and watched Wilkes bloom in the title role of “Scheherazade” this past February.

New Dancers

Artists

Andrea Maciel de Faria – From: Brazil – Most recent company affiliation: Columbia Classical Ballet Apprentices

Rachel Malehorn – From: Pittsburgh, PA– Most recent company affiliation: Milwaukee Ballet II
Returning Dancers

Leading Artists

Jeanette Marie Hanley – Denver, Colorado

David Hovhannisyan – Yerevan, Armenia

Tatiana Jouravel – Kiev, Ukraine

Andrey Kasatsky – Moscow, Russia

Christian Laverde König – Cali, Colombia

Ryan Martin – Virginia Beach, Virginia

Douglas McCubbin – Melbourne, Australia

Jennifer Miller – Hershey, Pennsylvania

Marc Petrocci – Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada

Jennifer Provins – Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Luz San Miguel – Madrid, Spain

Artists

Christopher Fellows – Ithaca, New York

Ian Grosh – West Bend, Wisconsin

Dale Jordan – Long Island, New York

Adam Sterr – Green Bay, Wisconsin

Diana Stetsura – Tumen, Russia

Raven Wales – East Troy, Wisconsin

Brent Whitney – Traverse City, Michigan

Petr Zahradnicek - Brno, Czech Republic

Apprentice

Susan Gartell – Chandler, Arizona

Courtney Kramer – Crystal Lake, Illinois

Michael Linsmeier – Cato, Wisconsin

Jacqueline Mosicke – Sussex, Wisconsin

Andrea Maciel de Faria

A native of Brazil, Andrea Maciel de Faria began studying ballet as a child at the Sesiminas Ballet Institute. She studied with prestigious instructors including Christina Helena, Pablo Moret, and Radenco Pavlovich. Ms. Maciel de Faria is distinguished for having earned extensive recognition in numerous ballet competitions, including gold medals in prestigious competitions in Argentina and Brazil. Her professional repertoire includes such roles as Medora in Le Corsaire, Kitri in Don Quixote and Swanhilda in Coppelia among others.

Rachel Malehorn

Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Rachel Malehorn received her formal training at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School under Marjorie Thompson. There she performed in a variety of works including works by George Balanchine. In 2004 Ms. Malehorn attended the Milwaukee Ballet Summer Intensive program on full scholarship and was accepted into the prestigious Milwaukee Ballet II program as a trainee. This is Ms. Malehorn’s inaugural season as an apprentice with the Milwaukee Ballet.

Founded in 1970, the Milwaukee Ballet Company strives to inspire its audiences to think within and beyond traditional ballet through the presentation of quality performances and the implementation of educational opportunities.  With an annual operating budget of $5 million, the Milwaukee Ballet Company presents more than 40 performances to 70,000 people each year. For more information about the Milwaukee Ballet, call (414)-902-2103 or visit the Milwaukee Ballet online at www.milwaukeeballet.org.