New England Ballet Theatre
presents
Emerging Works
March 2025
Presenting new ballets by five up-and-coming choreographers, Emerging Works will captivate you with its wide variety of pieces.
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Meet the Choreographers
SARAH GRACE MASTRO
Sarah Grace Mastro is a choreographer and dancer originally hailing from Pennsylvania and currently based in NYC. She began her dance training at Berks Ballet Theatre, and she continued her dance studies at Mercyhurst University under the tutelage of former Ballet West principal Tauna Hunter, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in dance/choreography and English. Sarah’s choreographic style blurs lines between classical and contemporary, pulling different influences from her experiences working in ballet, contemporary dance, and musical theater environments. Sarah began working with NEBT in 2022 when she was commissioned to create a new work on the company in
collaboration with Connecticut State Poet Laureate Antoinette Brim-Bell. The commissioned work was performed for both Connecticut and NYC audiences across two seasons. Her other choreography credits include pieces for New England Ballet Collective, Lake Erie Ballet, Erie Festival of Dance, Pennsylvania
Youth Ballet, Mercyhurst Ballet Theatre, American College Dance Festival, and NTL Night Of showcases in New York. Sarah’s performance credits include dancing with Mark Dendy (dendy/donovan projects) for Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Ballet Bloom Project, Salvatore LaRussa Dance Theatre, West Side Story at White Plains Performing Arts Center, and Anastasia at the Ciccone Theatre. Sarah is thrilled to be joining NEBT again for their fifth season!
SAKI MORIMOTO
Saki Morimoto is a dancer and choreographer based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She grew up in Osaka, Japan, and later moved to the United States, where she trained at the Academy of Ballet NJ under the direction of David Gallagher. She continued her training at UNCSA under the direction of Susan Jaffe and graduated with a BFA in Dance. Since joining Fort Wayne Ballet, she has danced featured roles including Swipe by Val Caniparoli, Confetti by Gerald Arpino, Empyrean Dances by Edward Stierle, and Pas de Déesses by Robert Joffrey. Saki’s full-length classical repertoires include principal roles in Coppélia, Cinderella, Giselle, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty. As a choreographer, Saki has created original works for Fort Wayne Ballet, the Auer Academy of Fort Wayne Ballet, and New England Ballet Theatre, and she has recently presented her work at the St. Louis Contemporary Dance Festival. Saki is a fully certified ABT® Affiliate Instructor and enjoys teaching the academy students.
FELIPE PULETINI
Brazilian born and a Member of the International Dance Council - CID/ UNESCO, Felipe earns a Degree of Vocational Higher Education Fine Arts (Performing Arts Major), and is a certified teacher in ABT National Curriculum Training (Pre-Primary-Level 6), Nan Giordano Certificate Program in Giordano Jazz Technique, and have Knowledge in Olympic Preparation for dancers. Currently the Head of Children’s Division for the School of BALLET RI coordinating the school and being the Children’s Cast Director for the Yuri Yanowsky's annual Nutcracker and Cinderella, as well assisting the director, Kathleen Breen Combes, as Company Manager of BALLET RI. Throughout his professional career in Brazil and USA, he has performed in repertory classical ballet, musical theater, as well as participation as a dancer and actor in television shows and commercials. Guest Teaching Artist for CCSU (Central Connecticut State University - Dance Education), and coach/choreographer for many schools in New England, Connecticut, preparing dancers for important ballet competitions having his students in top 10 of the YAGP, Universal Ballet Competition, and CT Classic Scholarship Competition. Read Felipe's full biography here.
RACHAEL GNATOWSKI
NEBT'S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Rachael Gnatowski co-founded New England Ballet Theatre in January 2020, and serves as Artistic & Executive Director. Originally from Frederick, Maryland, Rachael began her dance training under the direction of Joyce Morrison at the Frederick School of Classical Ballet. Rachael then went on to graduate from Mercyhurst University in 2013 with a BA in Dance. It was during her time at Mercyhurst where she was given the chance to perform with the Lake Erie Ballet and the Mercyhurst Ballet Theatre. Since graduation, she has danced professionally with Ballet Fleming, Fort Wayne Ballet, and Ballet Hartford. Read Rachael's full biography here.
SYDNEY D'ORSO
YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHER AWARD
Sydney grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut, where she trained with the MacDonal-Pin Dancers under the direction of Carrie Pin, and the CES Regional Center for the Arts under the direction of Alana Reagan. Sydney holds a BFA in Ballet, a BA in English, and a Certificate in Professional Writing from the University of Cincinnati. In her free time, Sydney is a copy editor and published writer. With a background in childcare and early childhood education, Sydney believes that creativity is an inherent desire of human nature and is passionate about engaging with others through art. Sydney is currently an apprentice with New England Ballet Theatre.