Kristina Ancil Edwards,
though originally born in Michigan, Kristina received her formal training from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School under the direction of David Holladay and training of Colleen Pratt, Kimmary Williams, Janet Popeleski, Dana Arey, Nancy Schaffenburg, Roberto Munoz and Marianna Tcherkassky. While there, she had the opportunity to perform and understudy with the company and completed both the Schenley High School and Graduate Programs.
She spent summer intensives at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Washington School of Ballet, and North Carolina Dance Theatre, training with such teachers as Amanda McKerrow, John Gardner, Joseph Fritz, Duncan Noble, and Rebecca Massey to name a few.
Upon graduation, Kristina went on to perform as a trainee with Louisville Ballet, directed by Bruce Simpson, Helen Starr, and Patrick Hinson. Performing La Sylphide, Les Sylphides, Who Cares, and Anna Karenina.
She then danced with American National Ballet in Duluth, MN, where she had the honor of performing works by Fernando Bujones and Twyla Tharpe, as well as contemporary works by director Armando Maldonado.
Kristina moved to Chicago in 2007 when she became a member of Chicago Ballet directed by Paul Abrahamson. She has guested with the Pittsburgh Opera, Albany Berkshire Ballet, Peoria Ballet, Duluth Festival Opera, Ballet Legere, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Chicago Folks Operetta.
She was a member of Nomi Dance Company for five seasons and enjoyed presenting her choreography on the company twice, in Casting Lots (2012) and Infinite Possibilities (2013). She also danced with Winifred Haun & Dancers, and had the opportunity to perform as a back-up dancer for Hannibal Buress when he came to Chicago.
Kristina taught extensively throughout the Chicagoland area including at Visceral Dance Center, Art Reaching Children of Chicago, and Design Dance. She completed two Peff Pointe Teacher Trainings, with Mme. Peff Modelski, and was a teaching mentor with Design Dance (2013 & 2014).
In 2015 Kristina relocated to Washington DC where she performed with ClancyWorks Dance Company, the Ivy Chow Movement Project, Company E, and Motion X Dance DC.
While there she had the honor to choreograph on Classical Repertory Dance Ensemble (2016, 17, & 18), Errant Movement (2016), and Motion X Dance DC (2018).
She also taught as adjunct faculty at George Mason University, and at BalletNova Center for Dance, Central Maryland School of Ballet, Joy of Motion, and The Washington School of Ballet.
In 2018, after the birth of her first son, Kristina moved to Richmond, Virginia where she continues to teach. Notably serving as an artistic associate at Charlottesville Ballet and Stavna Ballet, as adjunct faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University, and faculty with West End Academy of Dance. She has set works on both RADAR Dance and Stavna Ballet and is continuing her performing career with the newly formed Conflux Dance Theater. She enjoys spending her free time with her husband and two sons exploring Central VA and loves calling Richmond home.
Photo by Alisa Foytik