Artistic Director / Founder
Christopher Mohnani

Mr. Mohnani is originally from Makati City in the Philippines. He was a soloist and principal dancer with Ballet Manila, Krasnoyarsk State Opera, Ballet Theater of Russia, and for nearly 10 seasons, the top male Principal Danseur at Nashville Ballet.
 
During the course of his career, he has had the privilege of dancing a wide variety of roles, most notable of which are Romeo in the world premiere of Nashville Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet, Snow King in their World Premiere of The Nutcracker, Conrad in the Asian premiere of Le Corsaire, Dracula in the Asian premiere of Dracula, Prince Desire in the Tennessee premiere of a full-length The Sleeping Beauty, Albrecht in the full-length Giselle and Young Warrior and Faun in the Nashville premieres of The Rite of Spring and Afternoon of a Faun. Other roles include the Waltz Boy in Serenade, Phlegmatic in Four Temperaments and The Lead Boy in Square Dance – all three being George Balanchine ballets revived in their full form.

In 1997 he was the recipient of a finalist certificate at the 6th Asia Pacific International Ballet Competition held in Japan and regularly performed as a principal guest artist for companies around the United States as well as in his hometown in the Philippines. He was a nominee for the Most Outstanding Alumnus and Citizen of the University of St. Thomas – Philippines in 1998 and was named the Asian Bank Artist in 1999. In 2004, he founded the Asian American Performing Arts Society (AAPAS), a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that promotes and celebrates the beauty and diversity of Asian Performing arts and artists. In 2007, Mohnani was the sole recipient of the Individual Artist Fellowship Award for Dance given by the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Arts Commission. This was the first time the award was offered to only one individual exemplifying the best performing arts contribution in the state. In 2009, he received the Sono Osato Fellowship Award offered by Career Transition for Dancers. This is the highest award given to a single professional dancer in the United States.

As an instructor, choreographer, ballet restager and dance school director, he has trained and coached numerous students who have gone on to pursue successful professional careers in dance. Notable among these is Christine Joy Rocas, the top medalist at the recently concluded New York International Ballet Competition, now one of the leading ballerinas at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet.

As an artistic director and non-profit arts organization leader, he presented and directed two International US Tours of Asia’s most prolific ballet company, Ballet Manila, twice appearing in Nashville with critical and commercial success. He also presented the Tennessee premiere of International Japanese jazz pianist sensation Hiromi, and the Tennessee premiere of Oscar & Cannes Film Festival winning documentary, Imelda.

Artistic Associate / Principal Coach
Elaine Thomas

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dance in London, England, Ms. Thomas received the Academy’s highest honor: The Adeline Genee Medal. Upon graduation she joined the Royal Ballet Company, rising to senior soloist and dancing the title roles in ballets such as Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia and The Sleeping Beauty. She also distinguished herself as a teacher at the Royal Ballet School and, while touring extensively, conducted master classes throughout England and America. In addition, she served as Assistant Ballet Mistress for the Royal Ballet.
 
Ms. Thomas has worked with major ballet luminaries including Sir Frederick Ashton, Nijinska, Sir Kennethe McMillan, John Cranko, Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. In demand as a ballet mistress and re-stager, she has personally reconstructed choreography and staged full-length ballets such as Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Les Sylphides, Coppelia and Swan Lake. She has worked and shared her talents as a ballet mistress, repetiteur, coach, choreographer, and director with Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet West, San Diego Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet and Nashville Ballet.