Kaatsbaan Cultural Park

Born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Adrienne Schulte began her ballet training with Marcia Dale Weary at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet at the age of seven. She continued her studies at the Paris Opera Ballet School in France from 1996 to 1998 before joining the American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in 1998.

Jessica Saund began her early dance training with California Ballet before continuing her studies on full scholarship at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. In 1996, she joined the Washington School of Ballet under the direction of Mary Day, and that same year earned the Gold Medal in the junior division at the 2nd International Ballet Competition in South America.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Luciana Paris began her ballet training at the age of seven with Elena Perez. From 1991-1996 she studied at the Colon Theater Superior de Art Institute with Katty Gallo and Raul Candal. Paris is a recipient of a Colon Theater Foundation Scholarship, based on her outstanding qualifications at Colon Theater Superior Ballet Institute.

Elizabeth Ferrell was born in St. Louis, Missouri and began her training with Alexandra Zaharias. At age 14, she was awarded a Ford Foundation Scholarship to study at the School of American Ballet and upon graduation was chosen by Peter Martins to receive the Danish American National Cultures Exchange scholarship to study with the Royal Danish Ballet.

Mr. Mathis began his training at Ballet Arts Minnesota before training at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and San Francisco Ballet School. Some of his most influential teachers included Bonnie Mathis, Lirena Branitski, Flemming Halby, Jorge Esquivel, Johan Renvall, and Ricardo Bustamante. In 1999, Mr. Mathis was hired as an apprentice with San Francisco Ballet.

Martine van Hamel studied ballet in Copenhagen, Java, The Hague, Caracas, and Toronto. She leapt to widespread acclaim by winning The Gold Medal, and the seldom awarded Prix de Varna, at The International Ballet Competition in 1966. She went on to stardom, first with The National Ballet of Canada, and followed by two illustrious decades as a Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre.

Born in Burlington, Vermont and trained in Washington, DC by Mary Day, Kevin McKenzie won a silver medal in the Varna International Ballet Competition in 1972. After starting his professional career with the National Ballet of Washington under the direction of Fredrick Franklin and Ben Stevenson, he moved to New York City to work with the Joffrey Ballet before joining American Ballet Theatre as a soloist in 1979 and promoted to Principal dancer that same year.

Paloma Herrera was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and began her training at the age of seven. In January 1991, having just turned 15 years old, she moved to New York and continued her studies at the School of American Ballet. After only six months, she joined the American Ballet Theatre and, in 1995, became the youngest Principal Dancer in American Ballet Theatre history at age 19.

Faculty Along with KBI Artistic Director Paloma Herrera , faculty and guest teachers include Kaatsbaan co-founders Martine van Hamel , Kevin McKenzie, and returning resident instructor Lorin Mathis. More faculty to be announced soon!

Auditions will be held at Gibney Studios and Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in January 2026. Video submissions will be accepted starting on December 1, 2025. You must audition in order to be considered for a placement into Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive.

Join us at Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive and embark on a transformative journey in the world of ballet. Whether you dream of becoming a professional dancer or simply wish to elevate your skills, our program will provide you with the tools, support, and inspiration to excel. Come enjoy the magic of dance in the stunning Hudson Valley setting, and let your passion for ballet soar to new heights.

Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive is a unique training program designed for young dancers between the ages of 13 and 18 to develop exceptional technical skills, artistic refinement and a sophisticated approach to repertoire, with the ultimate goal of preparing attendees for a career in the arts. Our intensive ballet program offers aspiring dancers a unique and enriching experience, combining exceptional training, a stunning natural setting, and renowned faculty to nurture their artistic growth.