Elise Csizmadia
Elise Csizmadia, born in Ann Arbor Michigan, was a nationally ranked level 9 gymnast before she started dancing at the age of 15. Elise began her ballet training at Orlando Ballet School, under the direction of Dierdre Miles Burger and Rebecca Martin under full scholarship, attaining the level of trainee. She also trained with Katerina Fedotova and Laurel Skousen Allen on full scholarship at Russian Ballet of Orlando.
After training at Nashville Ballet for a year, Elise then had the great honor of being invited to join the Cincinnati Ballet Professional Training Division’s inaugural year as a trainee under the direction of Sarah Hairston, Zack Grubbs and Dawn Kelly on scholarship. While at Cincinnati Ballet, Elise was chosen by Zippora Karz to dance the Waltz Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Solo Girl and Demi's in George Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht. She also danced Lilac Fairy from Sleeping Beauty and Dew Drop, Grand Pas and Snow Queen in their Academy Nutcracker. She has had the honor to dance in Cincinnati Ballet’s professional company productions such as Romeo & Juliet, Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, Dancing to Oz and Peter Pan.
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Elise was then offered a position at Indy Ballet as an apprentice where she had the honor to perform in ballets such as George Balanchine's Who Cares?, George Balanchine's Rubies, Tango Forever, The Nutcracker and various contemporary and neoclassical pieces. Elise then decided to continue her career with Confluence Ballet for two years. While at Confluence Ballet, Elise had the honor to perform in several principal and soloist roles in ballets and contemporary works such as La Sylphide, Durante Verzola's Spirited Syncopations, Julia Erickson Piantina, Pas de Quatre and Nutcracker for a Difference.
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She has had the privilege to dance Alonzo King’s Ocean during a summer spent at Washington Ballet and was selected to perform a choreographed piece by Heather Britt to Greatest Showman for Proctor and Gamble’s yearly Gala.
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Elise is very excited to return for her second season with Azara Ballet.
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