Fabrice Herrault
Began classical training with Daniel Franck at Académie Chaptal in Paris before enrolling in L'Ecole de Danse de l'Opéra de Paris, under Claude Bessy. Graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris under Serge Golovine and Attilio Labis. Has danced with Le Jeune Ballet de France, Hamburg Ballet, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Les Ballets de Marseille (under the direction of Roland Petit), Twyla Tharp and Dancers, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Has appeared on film and television in La Dame aux Camelias with the Hamburg Ballet, and with Twyla Tharp and Dancers in In the Upper Room on PBS's Dance in America series. Has taught at Barnard College, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theater Summer Intensive, Miami City Ballet Summer Intensive, and the New York International Ballet Competition. Current ballet faculty, Steps on Broadway, N.Y.C and The Julliard School.  This is the 3rd year Mr. Herrault is offering his Ballet Intensive here at The Ailey Extension.

Misty Copeland
Born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in San Pedro, California, Misty took her first ballet class at 13, an advanced age to begin this traditional art form. Training at the San Pedro Dance Center, Misty was en pointe within three months. Soon after she starred as Clare in The Chocolate Nutcracker, the Debbie Allen narrated African American version of The Nutcracker. At age 15, Misty won first place in the prestigious Los Angeles Spotlight awards prompting the Los Angeles Times to name her as the Best Young Dancer in the Greater Los Angeles Area. After winning Spotlight, Misty accepted a full scholarship to attend San Francisco Ballet’s summer intensive program. Subsequently, Misty began training at The Lauridsen Ballet Center in Southern California. Misty was once again offered a full scholarship in 2000 to attend American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive Program and was also declared ABT’s National Coca Cola Scholar. At the completion of the Summer Intensive, among 150 dancers, Misty was one of six girls chosen to join American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company.     

Additionally, Misty was asked to accompany the main company on their China tour. In 2001 Misty joined ABT’s Corps De Ballet. In 2002 Misty was selected by ABT’s director, Kevin McKenzie, to compete for the Princess Grace Award. In 2007 Mr. McKenzie again chose Misty to compete for the Erik Bruhn Prize. He promoted Misty that same year to the rank of Soloist with American Ballet Theatre, and she became the first African American female in two decades to earn the position of Soloist. In 2008, Misty was honored with the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts. This two year fellowship is awarded to young artists who exhibit extraordinary talent, providing them additional resources in order to attain their full potential.

Her roles with American Ballet Theatre include: Firebird-The Firebird, Gamzatti- La Bayadere,  Muse-Duo Concertant, Gulnare-Le Corsaire, Flower Girl-Don Quixote, The Peasant Pas de Deux-Giselle, Lead Harlot-Romeo and Juliet, Fairy of Valor-The Sleeping Beauty,  Princess Florine-The Sleeping Beauty, Pas de Trois and a Cygnet-Swan Lake, The Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Sinatra Suite-Twyla Tharpe, workwithinwork-William Forsythe, Overgrown Path-Jiri Kylian, Gong-Mark Morris, Company B, Airs-Paul Taylor, Milkmaid-The Bright Stream and a Principal role created on her in Alexei Ratmansky’s Dumbarton.Misty’s performances with American Ballet Theatre are sponsored by Harriette Cole.

Misty has been featured in numerous publications and television programs including: People Magazine, Time Magazine, "O"  The Oprah Magazine, W Magazine, Dance Magazine, New York Times, CNN, Headline News, BET, Fox News, the Tavis Smiley Show and Lopez Tonight. As further evidence of her broad appeal, Misty was handpicked by Prince to star in his “Crimson and Clover” video and was special guest artist at his concerts in Nice, France – July 2010, Madison Square Garden and IZOD Center- December 2010 and the Los Angeles Forum- April/May 2011. Misty was honored with induction into the Boys and Girls Club National Hall of Fame in May of 2012. In addition, her services have been sought after by award winning recording artists such as Ne-Yo, award winning documentary filmmaker, screenwriter and producer Morgan Spurlock and designer Rachel Roy. Passionate about giving back, Misty’s charitable endeavors have included performing for friend, actress and author Victoria Rowell’s "Foster Children's Positive Plan" (RFCPP) annual High Tea at Noon fundraiser and Uptown Dance Academy's "Black Nutcracker”. Her endorsements past and present include BlackBerry, Proactiv, Payless, Capezio, Sansha, Boys & Girls Club Lavazza Coffee, Bloch and Diet Dr Pepper.

Paloma Herrera
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she began her training at the age of seven with Olga Ferri and graduated with the highest qualification at the Institute of Art at the Colon Opera Theatre. At age 14, Paloma was awarded the finalist diploma at the XIV Varna International Ballet Competition, Bulgaria, in l990. In January 1991, having just turn 15, she moved to New York and continued her studies at the School of American Ballet, where she was given the lead role in Balanchine´s Raymonda Variation for its annual workshop. After six months, she joined the American Ballet Theatre. She was promoted to Soloist two years later. In l995, age 19, she became the youngest Principal Dancer in the American Ballet Theatre history.

Her roles with the American Ballet Theatre include: Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, La Bayadère, Swan Lake, Le Corsaire, Coppelia, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, The Snow Maiden, Raymonda, Sylvia, The Merry Widow, among many others, and contemporary ballets: Apollo, The Prodigal Son, Stepping Stones, American We, Fancy Free, Without Words, etc. Famous choreographers created leading roles for her as Twyla Tharp, Nacho Duato, James Kudelka, Alexei Ratmansky among others and worked with Jiri Kylian and William Forsythe.

She appeared as Guest Artist with the most important International Companies: New York City Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Colon Theatre, Kremlin Palace Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba and has just danced at the Teatro Alla Scala of Milan, the opening of the new production of Coppelia, and the most prestigious Gala: Le Gala des Etoiles; Gala of Dance and Music, in London; The World Ballet Festival, in Japan; Gala at the Finnish National Opera; Festival de La Habana, The Bournonville Gala with the Royal Danish Ballet. Alessandra´s Ferri Farewell Galas in Tokyo; “An Evening with Paloma Herrera” at the Esplanade Theater, in Singapore, among many others.

Paloma´s photograph was on the cover of The New York Times Magazine as one of 30 Artists whom The New York Times critics chose- “as among those most likely to change the culture for the next 30 years" (the only one in Dance).

Sofiane Sylve
Born in Nice, France, where she studied at the Académie de Dance. At the age of 14 she joined the Stadttheater in Karlsruhe, Germany.

In 1993, she joined the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, expanding her repertory with works from George Balanchine, Frederick Ashton, Hans van Manen, Rudi van Dantzig, Wayne Eagling, Glen Tetley, William Forsythe, and David Dawson. In the winter of 2002-2003 Sofiane Sylve appeared as a guest artist with New York City Ballet, performing in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, Kammermusik No. 2, Serenade, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, Symphony in Three Movements, and Western Symphony.

In fall 2003 Sofiane Sylve joined New York City Ballet as a principal dancer. She performed featured roles in ballets by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, and Christopher Wheeldon. She created roles in works by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Jorma Elo, Susan Stroman, and Alexei Ratmansky. Sofiane Sylve continues to perform regularly in Europe, notably with Dutch National Ballet and English National Ballet.