By Steve Sucato

In a company loaded with talented female dancers, BalletMet newcomer Karen Wing sets herself apart. Whether portraying the obstinate half of a quirky couple in Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s Lovely Together; the sexy, gypsy-like character Temptation in artistic director Edwaard Liang’s Cinderella; or the social-climbing Myrtle Wilson in Jimmy Orrante’s The Great Gatsby, her versatility and intensity make her a standout.

The 24-year-old from Petaluma, California, graduated magna cum laude from the University of California—Irvine’s dance department. She spent a season with Sacramento Ballet before coming to BalletMet in 2014. Click here to read more.

By Steve Sucato

You’d never know that Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Marisa Grywalski initially wasn’t supposed to dance the Angry Girl in Jerome Robbins’ comedic gem The Concert this past season. She was a natural as the moody, nerdy character. “At first I was shy, but I decided I was going to have fun onstage and then the audience would have fun, too,” said Grywalski. And they did.

The statuesque 24-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, has made quite an impression. Hired out of the PBT School Graduate Program, Grywalski’s line and technique act as beacons, drawing eyes to her in ballets like Swan Lake, La Bayadère and Balanchine’s Serenade. Click here to read more.