THE DANCERS

Blake Brown is from Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she trained at the Colorado Youth Ballet under the guidance of Patricia Hoffman. She earned scholarships at the American Academy of Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet Academy, and State Street Ballet. Blake's professional career began with Ballet Idaho as a guest artist in "The Nutcracker" before joining State Street Ballet. In 2016 she joined the American Swiss Ballet and the Ravensquid Ballet Compagnie in Paris, France, for the Fall/Winter season of 2022.

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Blake has performed both classical ballet and contemporary works across the United States and Europe, taking part in multiple international tours and festivals in the US, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Some of these experiences include performances with Orsolina 28, City Dance NY, Metropolitan Ballet, Jersey City Ballet, CXID Opera Ukraine, and more. 

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Her repertoire includes Myrtha in "Giselle,” soloist roles in "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker," and works by choreographers Jiri Kylian and William Forsythe. Blake is currently working as a freelance artist in NYC. She is excited to be joining Sheep Meadow Dance Theatre this fall.

Sydney grew up in Dallas, Texas, attending Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts before continuing her training at the University of Utah’s School of Dance. Her favorite roles that she performed during her collegiate career include Giselle in Giselle, the lead in Vivandiere, and the female duet in Stephen Petronio’s MiddleSex Gorge.  While still in college, she danced under the directorship of Michele Wiles as a member of BalletNext, performing in New York City as well as at Kaatsbaan with the company. During her training, she also attended institutions including American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. 

Since graduating with a BFA in Ballet Performance from the University of Utah, Sydney danced with Avant Chamber Ballet in Dallas for five seasons, where she has performed works including Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Odette in Swan Lake, and After the Rain by Christopher Wheeldon. Following her time with the company, she danced as a soloist in Carmen with The Dallas Opera, and has been freelancing in New York City with Pigeonwing Dance and Sheep Meadow Dance Theater.

Sydney is also passionate about dance education, and has loved sharing her love of dance through teaching. Trained initially in pedagogy at the University of Utah, she has been fortunate enough to teach all ages at The Dallas Conservatory, as well as taking part in the Utah Ballet Summer Intensive as a faculty member in recent summers. Sydney May is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

Devon Darrow is a freelance dancer based in New York City. She trained with New Mexico Ballet Company, Texas Ballet Theater, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of the Arts in English Language and Literature. Devon has also lived and worked abroad in Paris.  

In her professional dance career, Devon has worked with Richmond Ballet, and in New York, Dances Patrelle, CityDanceNY, and Ballet Neo. Devon has performed roles in ballets including Romeo & Juliet, Cinderella, Dracula, the Nutcracker, George Balanchine’s Rubies, and various other works. Outside of dancing, she has also worked as a software engineer and project manager working with companies ranging from online media organizations to digital agencies with clients ranging from the luxury fashion sector to the art gallery world. 

Devon is very excited to be joining Sheep Meadow Dance Theatre this fall.

Sabrina Pretto was born in Vicenza, Italy. After her initial training, she was admitted to the prestigious Acadèmie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace in Monaco, Monte Carlo. Upon graduation, she earned third prize at the International Dance Competition in Spoleto, Italy. Her performance credits include the English National Ballet, Stadttheater Koblenz in Germany, and Les Ballets Grandiva.

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In 2011, Sabrina joined Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, where she danced lead roles such as Esmeralda, Giselle, and Swan Queen, performing worldwide until 2019. She now focuses on teaching; after serving as a faculty member for two years at the American Youth Dance Theatre, she currently teaches at the New York Community Ballet.

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Additionally, Sabrina creates costumes for SMDT, with designs featured in productions such as Sleeping Beauty (2021), Gershwin Preludes (2023), Goldberg Variations (2024) and River Daughter (2025). 

Originally from Michigan, Tanya holds a B.A. from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. She danced with
several professional companies across the country before settling in New York City to work as a
freelance artist where she has performed principal roles in Swan Lake, Beauty & the Beast, Cinderella,
Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, and many more classical ballets & original contemporary works.
Tanya has experience as the Creative Director and Co-Founder/Producer of a touring company that
performed in Denver & Vail, Colorado, and premiered its first full-length performance in NYC in June of
2024.

She is also the founder and creator of the patented Bulletproof Ballerina cross-training system. Through
fitness, nutrition, & lifestyle coaching, she works with dancers to help them reach their true potential as
artists. She loves traveling to teach master classes and was an Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins
University – Peabody Institute for a body conditioning course for the BFA Dance program.

More information at BulletproofBallerina.com.

Andrew Demakakos is a native New Yorker who grew up in Astoria, Queens. A graduate of the Conservancy of Dance at Purchase College (2023), he holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Ballet. Andrew has danced numerous works with the Purchase Dance Company, including those composed by Eve Chan, Michelle Ulrich Thompson, and Christopher Rudd. He also performed in a staging of George Balanchine’s Serenade as a waltz couple. After graduating Purchase, Andrew joined Madison ballet under direction of Ja’ Malik for 2 seasons where he performed in productions such as The Nutcracker and A Mid~Summers Night Dream. As well as contemporary works  Hallelujah Junction, Rhapsody in Blue, and Guitar Concerto and more. As a choreographer, Andrew was selected to be a part of Steps on Broadway Performance Lab, where he showcased his contemporary ballet, Rollercoaster of Love. Andrew is currently a company member with Thomas/Ortiz dance and continues to evolve his craft.