ANERIZ RE
Interim Co-Artistic Director
Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Aneriz Re has built her career through talent, perseverance, and a deep belief in the transformative power of dance. Her journey reflects many of the values at the heart of Westchester Ballet Company: artistic excellence, resilience, and a genuine commitment to nurturing the potential of young dancers.
Aneriz began her classical training at Ballet AD São Caetano in Brazil, where she developed the discipline and dedication that would define her professional life. As a young dancer, she competed in festivals and competitions throughout Brazil and earned a Distinction in the Royal Academy of Dance examinations. Her determination to pursue an international career led her, in 2013, to her first trip to the United States for an international ballet competition, an experience that exposed her to a broader artistic world and strengthened her resolve to dance professionally abroad. Despite financial challenges and limited access to many opportunities available to her peers, she remained committed to her goals and, in 2018, joined the acclaimed Cisne Negro Companhia de Dança in Brazil.
In 2019, Aneriz relocated to New York and joined Cleveland Ballet, beginning a new chapter of artistic growth that would take her through American Repertory Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and New York Theatre Ballet. Her repertoire spans classical and contemporary works, including featured roles in Giselle, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Coppélia, Alice in Wonderland, and Ethan Stiefel's A Midsummer Night's Dream. She has performed as a guest artist with numerous organizations, including Westchester Ballet Company, and her training encompasses the Brazilian, Balanchine, Cecchetti, and Cuban traditions, giving her an unusually broad artistic perspective.
Beyond the stage, Aneriz has developed a deep passion for teaching, coaching, and rehearsal direction. She has served as ballet instructor and rehearsal assistant with students of all ages and levels, and her own experience navigating new countries, ballet traditions, and professional cultures has made her an empathetic and effective mentor.
Her connection to Westchester Ballet Company extends beyond performance. As a guest artist in The Nutcracker and Rehearsal Director for WBC's 2026 Spring productions, she has already demonstrated her ability to work collaboratively with dancers, families, volunteers, and artistic staff. Her familiarity with the organization's culture, traditions, and community provides continuity while helping carry WBC forward into its next chapter.
As Interim Artistic Director, Aneriz brings warmth, professionalism, and a collaborative spirit rooted in service to the art form. Having personally benefited from teachers and organizations that invested in her potential, she is committed to providing young dancers with the guidance, encouragement, and opportunities they need to thrive. She believes ballet has the power not only to shape artists, but also to cultivate confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love for the art form.
ELIAS RE
Interim Co-Artistic Director
Elias Re is an internationally trained ballet artist, educator, and emerging arts leader whose career reflects a lifelong commitment to artistic excellence, mentorship, and community. His experience as a performer, student, and advocate has shaped a leadership philosophy that closely aligns with the mission of Westchester Ballet Company: creating meaningful opportunities for young people to grow through the discipline and inspiration of dance.
Elias began his formal training at the prestigious La Scala Ballet Academy in Milan, Italy, under the direction of Frédéric Olivieri. His artistic formation was profoundly shaped by Kirov Ballet Master Irina Ivanova, with whom he trained privately for five years, developing not only a strong Vaganova technique but also a deep understanding of musicality, discipline, and the responsibility that artists carry within a company environment. A full scholarship later brought him to the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School in Florida, and through additional scholarship opportunities he trained at the Escuela Nacional de Ballet in Havana, Cuba.
Having personally benefited from scholarships, mentorship, and institutions that invested in his development, Elias understands firsthand the profound impact that access and opportunity can have on a young dancer's future. The teachers, directors, and organizations that opened doors for him throughout his training reinforced a conviction that great ballet organizations are built not only on artistic excellence, but also on a commitment to helping young people discover their potential.
His professional career spans more than one hundred productions in the United States and internationally. Elias has performed with Dance Theatre of Harlem, American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, and the Civic Ballet of Chicago, working alongside distinguished choreographers and artistic directors including Ethan Stiefel, Maria Kowroski, and Robert Garland. His repertoire includes principal roles in Don Quixote, Swan Lake, La Sylphide, Flames of Paris, and The Nutcracker, as well as works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon, Geoffrey Holder, Gerald Arpino, and Nacho Duato.
Beyond performance, Elias has emerged as a mentor and leader in the studio environment, coaching younger dancers, coordinating rehearsals, and representing organizations in donor and public-facing settings. Colleagues and students value his ability to combine high artistic standards with encouragement, discipline with compassion, and excellence with a genuine commitment to the growth of others.
He is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts in Financial Economics at Columbia University, an academic background that deepens his understanding of organizational leadership, strategic planning, and long-term sustainability for arts institutions.
As Interim Artistic Director, Elias brings to WBC a rare combination of artistic depth, institutional experience, and gratitude for the mentors who helped shape his journey. He is committed to preserving the traditions that have made WBC a treasured community institution while creating an environment where young dancers can develop artistic excellence, confidence, discipline, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts. Through mentorship, opportunity, and high artistic standards, he hopes to help inspire the next generation of dancers both on and off the stage.
Ingrid Silva
Resident Choreographer
Ingrid is a Brazilian choreographer, educator, advocate, and former principal artist with Dance Theatre of Harlem. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she began her ballet training at age eight through Dançando Para Não Dançar, a social project serving children from underserved communities. She later studied on full scholarship at the Escola Estadual de Dança Maria Olenewa and Centro de Movimento Deborah Colker and, at age 17, became an apprentice with Grupo Corpo, one of Brazil’s most celebrated contemporary dance companies.
In 2007, Ingrid moved to New York on a full scholarship to attend the Dance Theatre of Harlem Summer Intensive and was subsequently invited to join the company’s Professional Training Program. She later joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble and became a company member when DTH resumed full operations. During her 18-year journey with the organization, she performed leading roles in works by George Balanchine, Arthur Mitchell, Robert Garland, John Alleyne, Nacho Duato, Geoffrey Holder, Glen Tetley, Ulysses Dove, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Francesca Harper, Donald Byrd, Dianne McIntyre, and many others.
In addition to her performing career, Ingrid has become a sought-after choreographer. Her recent and upcoming commissions include projects for Ballet West, Ballet Co.Laboratory, New Ballet (San Jose), the University of Utah School of Dance, New England Ballet Theatre, and other institutions across the United States. Her work reflects a commitment to storytelling, musicality, collaboration, and mentorship.
A passionate advocate for equity and representation in the arts, Ingrid is the founder of podHER, a platform dedicated to education, mentorship, and community-building, and co-founder of Blacks in Ballet, an organization that amplifies the voices and experiences of Black ballet dancers worldwide.
Her impact extends far beyond the stage. A pair of her hand-painted pointe shoes is part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, recognizing her role in advancing diversity and inclusion in ballet. She was the first Afro-Brazilian dancer to appear on the cover of Pointe Magazine and has been recognized internationally for her artistic achievements, advocacy, and leadership.
As Westchester Ballet Company’s Resident Choreographer for the 2026–27 season, Ingrid brings extraordinary artistic experience, creative vision, and a deep commitment to inspiring the next generation of dancers.
CASSIA LOPES
Rehearsal Director
Cassia Lopes is a highly respected ballet educator, rehearsal director, and mentor whose career spans more than twenty-five years across some of the most distinguished institutions in Brazil, the United States, and the international ballet community. Her work is defined by the same values she brings to every rehearsal room: uncompromising artistic standards, genuine care for each dancer's development, and a belief that technical excellence and personal growth go hand in hand.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Cassia received her foundational training at the Johnny Franklin Ballet School and went on to study at the Escola de Danças Maria Olenewa at the Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro, one of South America's most prestigious classical ballet institutions. She later continued her studies in New York through the Professional Training Program at Dance Theatre of Harlem. Her formation spans classical ballet, modern and contemporary dance, Afro-Brazilian dance, character work, pas de deux, pedagogy, anatomy, and ballroom dance, and she holds a Vaganova Teacher Certificate through Levels I to IV. She also earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Paulista in São Paulo, reflecting an intellectual rigor, discipline, and institutional perspective that complement her artistic leadership.
As a professional dancer, Cassia performed with Dance Theatre of Harlem in productions of Giselle at Lincoln Center and in Washington, D.C., appeared as a guest artist with Garden State Ballet, and danced as soloist and corps de ballet with The Maryland Ballet in The Nutcracker. At the Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro, her repertoire included Giselle, La Bayadère, Les Sylphides, Sleeping Beauty, and Paquita, as well as modern works performed throughout Brazil.
Her teaching and coaching career has been equally distinguished. At the Harlem School of the Arts, she was appointed Principal Trainer for the Youth America Grand Prix competition team, directing all aspects of rehearsal from repertoire selection through performance preparation. At Dance Theatre of Harlem, she has served as Senior Teacher Instructor, contributing to the artistic training and development of students at one of America's most celebrated dance institutions. She has also taught at Manhattan Ballet School and delivered master classes at summer intensives and competitions internationally.
She has been consistently involved with the Prix de Lausanne, Switzerland's most prestigious international youth ballet competition, for seven years, starting from 2020. In 2025, she took on the coordinator role for the Prix de Lausanne Latin American Preselection.
Throughout her career, Cassia has remained deeply committed to the development of young artists. Whether coaching a student preparing for a first competition, mentoring aspiring professionals, or guiding advanced dancers through the rehearsal process, she brings the same combination of high artistic expectations, discipline, and genuine encouragement to every stage of a dancer's journey. Her ability to balance excellence with compassion has earned the trust of students, families, and colleagues alike. That commitment to artistic growth, mentorship, and individual potential is what she brings to Westchester Ballet Company and to every dancer she has the privilege of guiding.
SEBASTIAN VINET
Artistic Director—Summer Intensive Program
Born in Santiago, Chile, Sebastian Vinet began his training at the Escuela de Ballet del Teatro Municipal de Santiago before continuing on full scholarship at Houston Ballet Academy under Ben Stevenson. He joined Houston Ballet in 2009 and San Francisco Ballet in 2010, performing principal roles by renowned choreographers including Kenneth MacMillan, William Forsythe, Christopher Wheeldon, Helgi Tomasson, Stanton Welch, Mark Morris, and John Cranko.
Vinet has appeared at international galas worldwide and was a prize winner and apprenticeship recipient at the 2009 Prix de Lausanne. He has served as a juror for prestigious competitions including Prix de Lausanne and Youth America Grand Prix, becoming one of the youngest invited judges in their histories.
In addition to his performing career, Vinet has directed international ballet projects and is an international guest teacher for institutions including ABT, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, San Francisco Ballet, and Princess Grace Academy. His teaching work inspired the creation of the Bailarines del Mañana scholarship program and his artistic leadership of the Westchester Ballet Company Summer Intensive.