We are incredibly excited to announce our guest artists for this year’s The Nutcracker: Performing as the Sugar Plum Fairy will be Erica Felsch and her Cavalier will be Michal Wozniak!

Erica Felsch began her professional training at North Carolina School of the Arts.  She was later offered a full scholarship to San Francisco Ballets’ pre-professional program.  She performed in many company productions, and toured with SFB in their production of “Don Quixote”.  After several years with San Francisco Ballet, Erica joined Colorado Ballet with artistic director Martin Fredmann.  She continued on to perform soloist and principal roles with Madison Ballet, Nova Ballet, North Carolina School of the Arts Summer Performance Series, and Sierra Nevada Ballet, where she performed Odette/ Odile in “Swan Lake”.  She also performed world premiers by Adam Hougland, Emery Lecrone, Robert Dekkers, and Rick McCullough.  In 2008 Erica joined Ballet Arizona under the direction of Ib Anderson. She performed in George Balanchine’s “Four Temperaments”, “Stravinsky Violin Concerto”, “La Valse”, “Rubies”, and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.  She was also featured in ballets choreographed by Ib Anderson, Alejandro Cerrudo, and Marius Petipa.  After four season with Ballet Arizona Erica moved to Los Angeles.  She was featured in commercials, print ads, and an episode of Disney’s “Shake it Up”.  She later joined Smuin Ballet in 2012 with artistic director Celia Fushille.  She has performed both principal and soloist roles with Smuin, and has originated roles in world premiers by Adam Hougland, Helen Pickett, Val Caniparoli, and Garrett Ammon. She has also worked with and performed pieces by Michael Smuin, Jiri Kylian, Trey McIntyre, Darrell Moultrie, Amy Seiwert, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Ma Cong, among others.  Erica is a passionate dance teacher and choreographer.  She has choreographed for Smuin Ballet and has taught master classes and workshops throughout the United States.  After seven season with Smuin Ballet, Erica has embarked on a freelance career. She will be guesting with various companies throughout the season

Michal Wozniak began his training in gymnastics at age seven, and his ballet training when he was 10 at the State School of Ballet in Warsaw, Poland. As a student, Michal was invited to perform in ballets and operas at the Great Theatre in Warsaw, and in 2004 was awarded first place in the ballet competition there. In 2006, he accepted a full scholarship to study at The School of American Ballet in New York City where he trained for two years. Michal continued studying on full scholarship at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. Since joining Ballet Arizona in 2009, Michal has been featured in Swan Lake, George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, Petipa’s Raymonda, and Ib Anderson’s The Sleeping Beauty. Michal danced the principal role in Balanchine’s Prodigal Son and Ib
Anderson’s Mosiak. Michal toured with Ballet Arizona to perform Andersen’s Diversions at The Kennedy Center, Balanchine’s “Rubies” (from Jewels) at the Chicago Dancing Festival and Andersen’s Play at The Joyce Theatre in New York City.