PDT Alumni
Sally Megargee
Sally Megargee was a student at Philadelphia Dance Theatre from 2011-2019. Following her time at PDT, Sally joined Miami City Ballet School's Pre-Professional Program. After two years in Miami she moved to Seattle to join Pacific Northwest Ballet School's Professional Division. During her time in Seattle she performed in several Pacific Northwest Ballet company productions including George Balanchine's The Nutcracker and A Midsummer Night's Dream, Crystal Pite's The Season Canon, Peter Boal's Giselle, and Kent Stowell's Swan Lake and Carmina Burana. She also performed featured roles in PNB's school productions: The Evil Queen in Bruce Wells' Snow White and Dark Angel in George Balanchine's Serenade.
“PDT taught me the discipline of how to act and learn in the studio environment. This naturally translates into the "real world" when learning to take care of yourself from a young age, and carrying one's self with a higher level of poise.”
Henry Griffin
Henry Griffin began his training at age 8 at Philadelphia Dance Theatre under Joy Delaney-Capponi and Yosbel Delgado. After attending summer programs at the School of American Ballet from 2017–2019, Griffin joined SAB at age 16. He also attended summer programs at Ballet Academy of Texas in 2019. Griffin attended Regional Dance America in 2018 and 2019 where he performed original works from emerging choreographers.
Griffin joined Boston Ballet II in 2021. He joined Boston Ballet as an artist of the Company in 2022.
Kiley Dolaway
Kiley Dolaway was born and raised in Philadelphia where she trained under the direction of Joy Delaney-Capponi at Philadelphia Dance Theatre. She completed her dance training at the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, where she danced repertoire by Shannon Gillen, Kevin Wynn, Sidra Bell, Merce Cunningham, among others. In 2017 and 2018 she was a participant in the Springboard Danse Montréal, where she was seen in choreographies by Peter Chu and Johannes Wieland. From 2018 to 2022 she was a member of the VIM VIGOR DANCE COMPANY in New York under the artistic direction of Shannon Gillen. She has also worked as a dance instructor at the Juilliard School, New York University , Fordham Ailey, Purchase College, Springboard Danse Montréal, MOVE NYC, Movement Invention Project and the University of Calgary. She has been a member of TANZ_KASSEL at the Staatstheater Kassel since the 2022/2023 season and also appeared as a choreographer with the premiere you always you never as part of the dance series in TiF Season 2: Let's Talk About Bodies in Space
Gabriella Galati
Gabriella Galati attended PDT from 2001-2013 and went on to graduate from The Ohio State University where she studied journalism with a focus in broadcasting. Galati has worked as a sideline reporter at Big Ten Network and was a special assignment reporter and host at the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. In 2019 Gabriella returned to Philadelphia and Gabriella spent four seasons covering the Philadelphia Eagles as an on-air reporter and host. Some of her highlights include hosting three days of live coverage on NFL Draft Central, interviewing former Eagles greats, and of course, following the Birds as they made their incredible run to Super Bowl LVII. In 2023, Gabriella Galati joined the 6 ABC Action News team as a sports reporter and producer.
“"PDT offers so much more than a dance education. I learned life lessons that I tap into everyday of my life. Working in TV, I’m better equipped to work with people of different backgrounds, how to show and earn respect, how to attack a dream, perform even when it’s hard, and to enjoy the process in between. My life truly wouldn’t be the same without PDT.”
Maggie Bucko
Maggie began began dancing when she was 12 years old at Philadelphia Dance Theatre. In 2019, she moved to Sarasota, FL, and danced as a trainee with Sarasota Ballet for two years. While there, she had the opportunity to dance with the main company in The Nutcracker and their 29th Season Gala. In 2021, she moved to Phoenix, AZ, to join Ballet Arizona as a Studio Company member. She danced in Balanchine’s Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto, Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs, and in Artistic Director Ib Andersen’s World Premiere Guan Gabriel, among others. Her most prominent role was Juliet’s Cousin in Ib Andersen’s Romeo and Juliet. In 2022, Maggie joined Ballet Hartford as a Company Artist and is looking forward to starting her third season with the company
Jennifer Gruener
Jennifer Gruner attended PDT from 2005-2010 and went on to earn her BFA in Ballet from Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music. Jennifer moved to New York to pursue her dance career. Ms. Gruener’s New York credits include West Side Story (Broadway), A Trip of Love (Stage 42) and I Married an Angel (New York City Center). Her regional credits include Barrington Stage Company, Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. Jennifer has also performed on television on “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Elementary,” and the iHeartRadio Music Video Awards with Camilla Cabello.
"PDT not only gave me some of the best training to set me up for a successful dance career, but it also gave me a community and dance family that I am still connected with. PDT’s faculty set me up for the future, and taught me to be focused and determined. I also gained lifelong friendships and mentors."
Lila Kushner
Lila Kushner is a contemporary dance artist, choreographer and teacher based out of Philadelphia PA. She recently graduated from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she received her BFA in contemporary dance performance, with a composition emphasis. At the conservatory she performed works by notable artists including T. Lang, Victor Quijada, Brian Brooks, Bradley Shelver and Aszure Barton. Lila is passionate about choreography and making her own work. Outside of the Conservatory, Lila has choreographed works at Philadelphia Dance Theatre. Her most recent piece won the Regional Dance America NorthEast Emerging Choreography Award, and received a full scholarship to the National Choreography Intensive.
Lila has danced for Hybrid Motion Dance Theatre in Boston, and is a current Teaching Artist for Pilobolus.
Nicole DiGiovani
Nicole DiGiovanni attended PDT from 2001-2015 and went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and minor in Theatre from the University of Alabama in 2019. Nicole spent some time with professional ballet companies and is now living in New York City working as a freelance dancer. In addition to her dance career, Nicole has her own photography business (@NicoleMariaCreative, NicoleMariaCreative.com) and is fortunate enough to work with many amazing artists and people. Nicole has enjoyed finding another artistic passion that she loves just as much as dance.
“PDT taught me the value of hard work. Also, because I was so dedicated to dance in middle and high school I had to find a way to balance my rigorous school curriculum while also showing up for all of my classes and rehearsals. Although it wasn’t always easy, this set me up for success. Now having a freelance dance career, I use those same skills to balance all of my different jobs that I have to keep me afloat. I really have PDT and my early years in ballet school for teaching me the value of hard work and the skill of time management. I don’t think I would be able to balance all that I do now without those skills I acquired at PDT.”
Gabby Giles
Gabby Giles is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and began her training with Philadelphia Dance Theater under the direction of Joy Delaney Capponi. Gabby continued her dance training at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music where she received a BFA in ballet and an English minor. While in college, she danced with the Richmond Ballet for two years as a trainee and performed classics such as Serenade, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake. She was also a company member of Kim Robards Dance. Gabby has worked with artists such as Pablo Francisco Ruvalcaba, Colin Connor, Malcolm Burn, Jerri Kumery, Jasmine Grace and Deirdre Carberry during her professional career. Gabby is currently dancing with 3rd Law Dance/Theater.
PDT taught me the importance of discipline! “Progress takes time and discipline.”
Hope Blackburn
Hope Blackburn is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her dance training began under the direction of Joy Delaney-Capponi at the Philadelphia Dance Theatre where she portrayed numerous principal roles, most distinctly that of the Firebird. Inspiration also stemmed from the time she spent performing at the annual Regional Dance America festivals. Hope went on to study at Butler University where she graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in English Literature in the spring of 2021. With the Butler Ballet, Hope performed soloist and corps roles in full-length ballets including The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. She has also danced in some vibrant new works created by Cynthia Pratt, Derek Reid, and Susan McGuire. Hope joined Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet as an Apprentice II in 2021, and was promoted to a Company Artist in January 2022.
At PDT, I learned the hard work and creativity that goes into a dance performance or a dance work. It starts from the work you do in class, from the very first plie, undercurve, reach of the arm. All of this translates into the movement that is set to music and put on a stage. Everyone at PDT used every moment in the creative process to its fullest, and as a result, we got to experience some really remarkable works come to life on our bodies and on our peers.
Calling all PDT Alumni!
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