Master Class Series with Mirella & Sergio

Mirella Costa Neto

Mirella Costa Neto is from São Paulo, Brazil and began her classical ballet training at the age of eight. At the age of 16, she was invited to join Miami City Ballet School and moved to the U.S. Throughout her career, she has participated in several acclaimed Ballet competitions world-wide including Youth American Grand Prix, where she placed Top 12 in the U.S.; Festival de Dança de Joinville, which earned her a Gold Medal; and the Helsinki International Ballet Competition in Finland. In 2013, she joined Sarasota Ballet where she performed works by Masters including Sir Frederick Ashton, Michael Fokine, Anthony Tudor, Sir Peter Wright and August Bournonville, as well as modern and contemporary choreographers such as Paul Taylor and Christopher Wheeldon. She has also danced many ballets by George Balanchine including Jewels, Stars and Stripes, Who Cares? and Apollo.

Since joining Nevada Ballet Theater in 2017, Mirella’s lead roles have included “Waltz Girl” in George Balanchine’s Serenade, the female Principal in George Balanchine’s Tarantella, lead female in Raymonda Variations as well as the Sanguinic lead in Balanchine’s Four Temperaments.

“Rum and Coca Cola” in Paul Taylor’s Company B, “Winter Fairy” in NBT’s production of The Nutcracker and the role of Svletana in Ben Stevenson’s Dracula.

Most recently she performed the role of “Eaglet” in Septime Weber’s Alice in the Wonderland and the role of Odette and Odile in Ben Stevenson’s Swan Lake.

Sergio Álvarez

Sergio Alvarez was born in Manizales, Colombia and trained at the Miluzka Ballet School, Ballet Anna Pavlova and National Ballet of Colombia. He furthered his training in 2009 when he received scholarships to attend prestigious summer programs including Jacob’s Pillow and Ballet Hispánico, and received a full year scholarship to The Rock School for Dance in Philadelphia. He has worked and performed as a guest artist with Roxey Ballet, Ballet DesMoines, Christopher Fleming, Leonard Ajkun, Netziona Ballet (Israel), Ballet GranDiva, Ballet Festival Puerto Rico. In 2017, Sergio debuted his choreography at the Mystère Theatre in Las Vegas for the 10th annual A Choreographers' Showcase, the acclaimed partnership between Nevada Ballet Theatre and Cirque du Soleil. During his time at NBT since 2015, he has performed Principal and Soloist roles in both Classical and Contemporary Ballets by James Candfield including "Tybalt” in Romeo & Juliet, the "Prince" in Cinderella, “Snow Prince” in The Nutcracker, the "Beast" in Lew Christensen's Beauty and the Beast, Paul Taylor's Company B, featured in the worlds premier of Matthew Neenan, Nicolo Fonte’s and Fonte’s Bolero of Ravel. He has danced the lead roles in Ballets by George Balanchine including Serenade, Who Cares?, Western Symphony (Rondo), Raymonda and Four temperaments (Sanguinic), and most recently danced the lead roles (Dodo) in Septime Weber’s Alice in Wonderland  and Ben’s Stevenson productions of Dracula (Frederick) and Swan Lake (Siegfried).