Joy Womack Ballet Company
The Joy of Dance
Gala Concert Programming
03/20/2025
March 20, 2025 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Epicentre, 24 Rue Antoine-Julien Hénard, 75012 Paris, France.
The "The Joy of Dance" Gala celebrates Parisian dancers while supporting JWBA’s charitable missions. This edition funds a medical mission for the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and a dance teacher training program in Nigeria. JWBA is committed to supporting emerging talent and making ballet more accessible. The gala unites artists for a noble cause, offering the Parisian community an immersive experience and an opportunity to contribute to a global movement bringing ballet to those who dream of it.
Artists
Joy Womack (Director)
Florent Operto (Director)
Toma Bervetsky (Musical Director & Violinist)
Carla Moujahed-Coste (Cellist)
Alba Shkreli (Pianist)
Lusiza Bettevy (Artist)
Alana Morgenstern
Marco Carrer
Tais Vinolo
Oleksii Tiutiunnyk
Giacomo Luci
Andreas Giesen
Axel Alverez
Shanti Mouget
Alexia Barre
Tristian Ridel
Program
Act 1
Hallelujah – Axel Alvarez performs to music by Leonard Cohen, accompanied by pianist Alba Shkreli and violinist Toma Bervetsky.
Black Swan – Pas de Deux – Joy Womack and Oleksii Tutunnique dance a piece choreographed by Lev Ivanov after Marius Petipa, with music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Toma Bere.
Corps et Accord – Florent Operto performs with accompaniment by cellist Alba Shkreli, set to Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major (Prelude) by Bach.
Moscow Waltz – Marco Carrer and Alana Morgenstern perform choreography by Vyacheslav Gordeev, with music by Vyacheslav Gordeev.
Le Corsaire – Pas de Deux – Tristan Ridel and Shanti Mouget dance a piece choreographed by Marius Petipa, with music by Adolphe Adam and Cesare Pugni.
Reviens – Florent Operto and Alexia Barré perform choreography by Isabelle Stanlowa, with music by Claude Debussy (Clair de Lune). Pianist Alba Shkreli accompanies the performance.
New York, New York – Axel Alvarez performs to the song composed by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb.
Golden Age Tango – Tais Vinolo and Tristan Ridel perform to music by Shostakovich, with choreography by Yuri Grigorovich.
Act 2
The Muse and the Poet – Marco Carrer and Alana Morgenstern perform choreography by Marco Carrer, with music by Sergei Rachmaninov.
Michael Jackson – Solo – Axel Alvarez presents a tribute solo performance.
Diana and Acteon – Pas de Deux – Tais Vinolo and Andreas Giesen perform choreography by Agrippina Vaganova, with music by Cesare Pugni.
Mythosis – Florent Operto and Giacomo Luci perform choreography by Giacomo Luci.
Nutcracker – Pas de Deux – Joy Womack and Oleksii Tutunnique perform choreography by Anderson Santana after Marius Petipa, with music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
La Vie en Rose – Axel Alvarez performs to music by Édith Piaf and Louis Guglielmi.
Prayer – Finale – All dancers come together for the finale, with music by Samuel Barber (Adagio for Strings). Choreographed by Joy Womack and Florent Operto, the piece features musicians Carla Moujahed-Coste (cellist), Toma Bervetsky (violinist), and Alba Shkreli (pianist).
Joy Womack
Joy Womack, a US citizen currently based in Paris, is a dynamic ballet artist known for her extraordinary grace and talent. Trained at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Kirov Ballet Academy and Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Joy has graced the stages of renowned ballet companies, including the Paris Opera Ballet. Her career spans guest roles, choreography, and even film, with notable appearances in "Joy Womack: The White Swan" and "Joika." As a guest lecturer at universities and a jury member at international ballet competitions, Joy is not only a performer but also an influential figure in ballet education. Her dedication extends to the Joy Womack Ballet Foundation, which supports aspiring dancers. With an extensive repertoire and a commitment to the future of ballet, Joy Womack is a captivating presence in the dance world. She envisions using her newfound experience to build more dance companies and opportunities for performances worldwide with her new fledgling ballet company.
Website: www.joywomack.com
Florent Operto
Florent Operto est un danseur professionnel originaire du sud de la France, au parcours international. Formé à l’Académie du Ballet de Munich, il danse dans des compagnies prestigieuses comme le Ballet National de République Tchèque, le Ballet de Halle et le Ballet de St-Gall en Suisse en tant que soliste. Polyvalent et expressif, il évolue entre classique et contemporain, collaborant avec des chorégraphes de renom. Aujourd’hui basé à Paris en tant que danseur freelance, il se produit dans des projets variés, notamment “Les Souliers Rouges” de Marc Lavoine, et apparaîtra prochainement dans la série “Étoile” sur Amazon Prime.
Parallèlement à sa carrière d’interprète, Florent développe son travail dans la création, l’assistanat chorégraphique et la direction artistique. Il participe à la conception de nouveaux projets scéniques mêlant danse, théâtre et musique, et collabore avec différents metteurs en scène et chorégraphes. Diplômé d’État en danse classique, il transmet également son savoir avec passion, accompagnant danseurs en formation et professionnels dans leur évolution technique et artistique.
Alana Morgenstern
Alana, originally from the U.S., trained on full scholarship at San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and The Rock School for Dance Education. She was a finalist at the international competition Youth America Grand Prix and the Bronze Medalist at the American Dance Competition. She has danced for numerous companies internationally including the Philadelphia Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, New York Dance Project, and Israel Ballet, and has been a Principal Guest Artist in New York, Costa Rica, and Spain. Alana is now based in the Netherlands where she is a freelance artist, performing across the EU and UK.
Marco Carrer
Marco Carrer was born in Treviso, Italy, in the year 2000. He started studying ballet in his hometown very soon at the Center Study Ballet under the direction of Rosita Noviello. He then trained at Bolshoi ballet academy in Moscow under the direction of Marina Leonova and at the European school of ballet of Jean Yves Esquerre in Amsterdam where he graduated. He then danced for the Israel ballet as a demi soloist and was also a dancer with the Croatian National ballet in Split.
During his career he has danced soloist and principal roles in many of the classical productions such as “The sleeping beauty”, “The nutcracker”, “Swan lake” and “Don Quijote”. He also had the chance to dance the works of some of the most prestigious contemporary choreographers like Sharon Eyal, Itzik Galili, Andonis Foniadakis and Angelin Preljocaj. Marco is currently based in Amsterdam and he works as international guest artist.
Tais Vinolo
Taïs Vinolo is a professional ballerina from Hossegor, in the south of France. She began her ballet training at École des Ballets Lipszyc in France and later expanded her studies internationally. Taïs trained at the Gillespie School in Costa Mesa, California, before joining the prestigious Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York, where she completed her pre-professional training. During her time at ABT, she performed a range of repertoire with the company on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House, gaining invaluable stage experience.
Following her studies at ABT’s school, Taïs joined the Boston Ballet Post Graduate Program, where she continued her intensive training. She is currently a member of the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto, where she continues to expand her repertoire and grow as an artist with the company.
Oleksii Tiutiunnyk
Alexis Tutunnique is an accomplished dancer who has performed in prestigious companies including the National Opera of Ukraine, Mariinsky Theater, and NOVAT. Alexis became a principal dancer in 2012.
Since 2021, Alexis has been a freelance dancer, performing across Europe and the USA.
Giacomo Luci
Giacomo is a dancer, performer and choreographer. First at the opera in Rome, he confronts as leading dancer some of the great works of the classical repertoire. Later, interested in the deconstruction of language, he joined the Lyon Opera, where he encountered the works of some of the biggest names in the contemporary repertoire (including William Forsythe, Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, Lucinda Child, Trisha Brown). In 2022, together with Silvia Gribaudi, he co-created the solo The right time to, which debuted the same year at the Espace des Arts in Chalon-sur-Saône. In 2023, he joins the cast of Etoile, a TV series produced by Amazon Prime and directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Andres Giesen
Trained at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris, Andreas Giesen has danced with renowned international companies, including the Polish National Ballet and the Opéra de Bordeaux. Since 2020, he has collaborated with prestigious institutions and major French houses as a Creative Director and Movement Director. With a deep passion for artistic expression and innovation, Andreas continues to shape the future of ballet through his expertise in choreography, movement direction, and creative storytelling.
Axel Alverez
Axel Alvarez is a dynamic, triple-threat artist known for his exceptional talent in dance, singing, and acting. Trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School, the CNSMDP, and the Royal Ballet School in London, Axel began his professional career with the Paris Opera Ballet in 2012, later performing soloist roles at the Rome Opera, Bordeaux Opera, and with the English National Ballet. His career has taken him to stages across Europe, Japan, and Malaysia, showcasing his versatility and passion for performance.
In 2015, Axel broadened his artistic journey by stepping into the world of musical theater, debuting as "Mr. Mistoffelees" in CATS at the Théâtre Mogador in Paris. His captivating portrayal led to international tours, solidifying his status as a versatile performer. In 2022, he joined the cast of The Producers at the Théâtre de Paris and enrolled in intensive acting training at the Méthode Acting Center in Paris.
Driven by a desire for creative independence, Axel self-produced his one-man show ARTISTE?, which blends dance, singing, acting, and tap to explore the question: "Are we born artists, or do we become one?" The show has played to sold-out audiences in Parisian theaters, including the Théâtre de la Reine Blanche and the Grand Point Virgule, and received critical acclaim for its originality.
In 2024, Axel appears as a dancer and actor in the Amazon series Étoile, set to release in spring 2025. With an infectious energy and a passion for bringing joy to his audience, Axel Alvarez continually redefines what it means to be an artist, declaring, “What I live for is to make people smile.”
Shanti Mouget
A classical and contemporary dancer, Shanti Mouget was invited to join the Royal Ballet School of Flanders in Antwerp for her final year of training. Following this, she joined Northern Ballet at the age of 18. She continued her career with the National Ballet of Portugal for three years before returning to Paris, where she became an additional dancer with the corps de ballet of the Paris Opera.
Throughout her career, she has performed in around fifteen productions and participated in four international tours. Recently, she was cast in the upcoming dance series Étoile, set to be released in 2025.
Alongside her professional activities, Shanti is actively involved in various educational and volunteer projects focused on artistic and cultural education. She works with diverse audiences, including apprentices in vocational training programs, refugees in France and abroad, unaccompanied minors, and schoolchildren in French Guiana.
Alexia Barre
Born in Paris in 2000, Alexia Barré began her studies at the Conservatoire Régional de Paris before joining the École de Danse de l'Opéra de Paris. In 2013, she entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, and in 2019, she joined the Ensemble Chorégraphique, a professional student company. After graduating, Alexia became a freelance dancer and worked with brands like Dior, Lacoste, and Louboutin. She currently performs in the musical "Les Souliers Rouges" and also collaborates with Ballet D'Jerri.
Tristian Ridel
Born in 1993 in Casablanca, Tristan Ridel starts dancing at the age of seven. After entering the conservatoire National regional and the CNSMDP in Paris. In 2010 he joins the prestigious Royal ballet School in London where he will receive most of his education as a ballet dancer. After graduating in 2012 he integrates the corps de ballet at the Wienerstaastoper directed by Manuel Legris.
Since this time he approached the great ballets of the classical repertoire such as Manon , La sylphide , L’Arlesienne, Don Quixote, Summer Night Dream,Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Raymonda, Joseph Legend, Romeo and Juliet, Mayerling, Études, La Fille Mal Gardée, ,Onegin , Concerto, Le Pavillon D’Armide , Le Sacre, Verklungene Feste, Peer Gynt, Suite en Blanc , Sylvia, Le Corsaire, Murmuration, Cacti, Sleeping Beauty .In 2019 after dancing the Principal Role of Éros in Sylvia , Tristan is promoted to Demi Soloist on Stage by Manuel Legris alongside the director of the Opera Dominique Meyer.He also has performed other solo roles such as Lankedem in le Corsaire, Eros in Sylvia, Blue bird in sleeping beauty, Peasant pas de deux in Giselle, Beranger in Raymonda, pas de Cinq (friends of Siegfried) in swan lake, Eden Eden by Wayne Mc Gregor to name a few.
In recognition of their achievements, they were awarded the Wiener Staatsballet Förderpreis in 2019, granted by Manuel Legris and officials of the Ballet Club of the Vienna State Opera. They also received the Diplôme d'État de Professeur de Danse in 2016, an official teaching diploma granted by the Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, and earned a Cambridge University BTEC Level 3 in Production Arts Management with Merit in 2012.
Toma Bervetsky
Toma Bervetsky, born in 2000 in Lviv (Ukraine) into a family of musicians, began playing the violin at the age of six with Yuri Sokolovsky. At eight, he made his debut with an orchestra. In 2015, he joined the class of Alexandre Brussilovsky at the Conservatoire de Versailles, where he obtained his Diplôme d’Études Musicales (DEM), followed by a Master's degree in Musical Performance (MIP). A laureate of numerous international competitions, he notably won 1st prizes at the Jugend musiziert (Germany), Semper Music (Italy), Flame (Paris), and Joseph Hassid (Estonia) competitions. Currently a student at the École Normale de Musique de Paris Alfred Cortot, he is also one of the young soloists of the Jaroussky Academy. In 2023 and 2024, he participated in the "Un été en France" festival, sharing the stage with cellist Gautier Capuçon, as well as the prestigious Pablo Casals Festival in Prades. In 2024, he performed in the Jeunes Talents program during the Music Chain for Ukraine concert. In December 2024, he made his solo debut at the Philharmonie de Berlin. Toma Bervetsky regularly performs in solo recitals and as a soloist with orchestras. He has collaborated with the Orchestre de la Garde Républicaine and made recordings for NDR Kulture and the Suoni e Colori label.
Carla Moujahed-Coste
Carla Moujahed-Coste began playing the cello at seven at the Conservatoire de Lyon under Augustin Lefebvre, where she earned her Diplôme d’Études Musicales (DEM). In 2021, she was admitted to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon (CNSMDL), studying with Emmanuelle Bertrand, and earned her Bachelor's degree with honors. Currently pursuing a Master's degree with Anne Gastinel, she also studies chamber music at the Conservatoire de Paris with her Duo Topaze under François Salque and Claire Désert, and is mentored by the Trio Wanderer.
Carla has won numerous awards, including first prizes at the C.I.R.C.E Salina International Competition (2022), the Luigi Cerritelli International Competition (2021), and the Flame Competition (2019). In 2023, she became a laureate of the Orpheum Foundation and received the Nadia and Lili Boulanger International Center Scholarship to support a project on female composers. She also received backing from the SAFRAN Foundation for her first album.
In December 2023, Carla performed Haydn's First Cello Concerto with the Orchestre Symphonique de Colonne, conducted by Christophe Coin. She participated in the "Un été en France" tour, sharing the stage with Gautier Capuçon. Carla is preparing her debut album dedicated to French contemporary music, titled "From Dream to Nightmare," which will feature four original pieces. She plays a 2012 Frank Ravatin cello and a bow by Doriane Bodart, generously provided by the Talents & Violoncelles Association.
Alba Shkreli
Alba Shkreli, a 24-year-old pianist with Swiss-Albanian roots, began her musical training at four at the Conservatoire de Zurich (now MKZ). Her passion for piano grew early, and by ten, she studied under Seung-Yeun Huh. During her Bachelor's at the Haute École de Musique de Fribourg, she was mentored by renowned professor Elza Kolodin, who expanded her artistic horizons.
A pivotal moment in her career came when she met pianist and pedagogue Rena Shereshevskaya, leading Alba to move to Paris in 2022 to study at the École Normale de Musique de Paris Alfred Cortot.
Alba has won numerous first prizes in national competitions, including the SJMW, the Laupersdorf Competition, and the Steinway Competition in Switzerland, where she represented the country at the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg. She was also awarded the Mozart Society of Zurich Support Prize.
Recently, she performed Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Filharmonia e Kosoves and RTSH Orchestra in Pristina and Tirana, under the direction of Dario Salvi and Gridi Kraja. Currently, she is working towards her Diplôme de Concertiste in Paris and regularly performs as a soloist, with her trio, and collaborates with singers.
Luiza Bettevy
Luiza Bettevy (b. 1993), is an emerging abstract artist based in Paris. Her mission is to bring hope and healing through her work, creating meaningful and life-giving art for those who feel overwhelmed or hopeless.
Art has been a central part of Luiza’s life from a very young age, deeply influenced by her father, an accomplished sculptor. Alongside her passion for painting, Luiza has always embraced creativity, particularly in interior design, aiming to infuse spaces with meaning and beauty. After earning a degree in Applied Languages in Barcelona, she returned to her first love, painting, to further explore her passion for color and form.
Although still early in her career, Luiza has already undertaken various projects, including one in Switzerland where she created 100 small, distinct abstract paintings. In 2024, she broadened her engagement with the public through a live art performance at Le Salon in Paris.
