Jared Osoria

Jared was born and raised in San Diego, and began his ballet training with the San Diego Ballet School, under Robin Sherertz-Morgan and Igor Yurlov. While only recently beginning his professional career, he has attended various programs around the world for ballet. He has attended summer intensives at the San Francisco Ballet School, the Royal Ballet School in London, Ballet International Training in Tijuana, the School of American Ballet in New York, and many others. He attended the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, where he graduated with a focus in dance under Annette Barcelona and Jessica Curiel.

Who Influenced you most to become the dancer you are today?

I would say all of my teachers have influenced me to become the dancer I am today. I’m addition, the friends I have made in my art form constantly inspire me to achieve bigger and better things, and keep me passionate on the daily.

What goes through your mind just before you perform?

Before I perform there are one of two things that go through my mind, either I try not to think of anything, or the exact opposite—I think of too much. Either way, my mind will clear once I get on stage, and it soon is just me and the music.

What was the funniest epidoes(s) you’ve experienced in your career?

I think the funniest thing to happen to me was when I was dancing in the Nutcracker a number of years ago. I was Fritz, and I had to ride a rocking horse. Well, once I tried to get off, the leg of my pant was stuck on the horse, and I ended up dangling upside down for what seemed like forever.

Who would you most like to share the stage with (living or dead)?

I think I would most like to share a stage with a really ancient ballerina, like maybe Marie Taglioni. I think our movement styles would compliment one another.

What do you like/admire most about San Diego Ballet?

I really admire that San Diego Ballet is so original with their choreography and repertoire. It really allows us as dancers to expand our technique, and learn to move in different ways.

Olivia Holabird

Olivia Holabird grew up in Los Angeles, CA where she trained at Los Angeles Ballet and the Colburn School under the guidance of Leslie Carothers and Jukka Aaroma.  While training she performed lead roles in The Nutcracker, La Sylphide, Don Quixote, Napoli, and Konservatoriet. She graduated from Butler University with a BS in Dance-Arts Administration and an Environmental Studies minor in May 2020. There, she performed various roles in remastered ballets such as The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, and Cinderella, as well as premiere modern and contemporary works. Olivia also traveled with Butler Ballet across Eastern Europe in a semi-professional touring company.  After graduating, she spent a year dancing with City Ballet of San Diego and is now excited to begin her first season with San Diego Ballet!

Who has influenced you the most to become the dancer you are today?


The support of family, friends, and fellow dancers has been immeasurable in both my love of dance and my pursual of it. 


What goes through your mind just before you perform?


It’s really a magical feeling. You’ve worked so hard and you’re next to all your friends who have worked alongside you and together you’re going to go out there and make the audience feel something. Being able to transport the audience away from their lives for just a little is one of my favorite parts of being a dancer.  


What is the funniest episode/episodes you’ve experienced in your career?


One time in The Nutcracker we had the smoke machine set off the fire alarm during one of the shows. So everyone, including the audience and all the dancers, had to evacuate. So we were standing outside in the winter cold in our tutus and pointe shoes. It was a funny moment because it felt like the fourth wall was broken, but as soon as we went back on stage I felt closer to the audience because I had been able to relate to them out in the cold. 


Who would I most like to share the stage with living or dead?


I missed my last performance at Butler University because of the pandemic so I would love to perform one more time with my class.  We had gotten close over the years and it was sad to leave without one more performance.


What do you like/ admire about San Diego Ballet?

I love the variety of works here. From contemporary to classical, it’s fun to not stick to the same style! The dancers are also so welcoming. I’m very grateful for being pushed to work at my best, but also supported to try something new. 
P.S. I did graduate with a BS in Arts Administration and have worked with several dance companies doing admin work so if you ever need some help around the office, I have a decent amount of experience and would love to help!

Kara Covaleski

Kara Covaleski was born in Westlake Village, CA and began her dance training at the age of three and spent fourteen years at California Dance Theatre under the direction of Kim Maselli. After high school, she moved to Ohio to be a trainee with Cincinnati Ballet and was then promoted to be a member of Cincinnati Ballet II the following year. While at Cincinnati Ballet, she has been grateful to perform in Septime Webre’s Peter Pan, Kirk Peterson’s Swan Lake, Victoria Morgan’s The Nutcracker to name a few and be casted in soloist roles in Pam Robinson’s Aladdin and as the lead in Pam Robinson’s Snow White as Snow White. Kara is super excited to begin her first season with San Diego Ballet and be back on stage! 


Who has influenced you the most to become the dancer you are today? 

My parents have definitely influenced me the most to become the dancer that I am today. They have given me the tools to navigate the dance world and to push myself to be better each day. Without my parents, I would not have the positive outlook and strong mindset I have needed to challenge myself to be the dancer and human I am today. 


What goes through your mind just before you perform? 

There is a lot that goes through my mind before I perform but I think I mostly feel great emotions of gratitude to be able to share what I love most with an audience! This helps me have the confidence to perform my best and leave it all out on the stage. 


What is the funniest episode/episodes you’ve experienced in your career? 

The funniest thing to happen to me on stage would have to be when I was performing in my studio’s end of the year recital when I was 10 years old. We were doing a jazz piece to the Cheetah Girls music and wearing rainbow and cheetah printed unitards with a neon skirt. I led me and my friend out of the wings 2 eight counts too early, I didn’t know what to do so we just freaked out and sprinted off. The audience got a kick out of it too. Since then, I always know to count my music!!


Who would I most like to share the stage with living or dead?

I have been very lucky to share the stage in the past with my favorite ballerina, Tiler Peck before so my next dream would be to share the stage with all of my amazing teachers and mentors who have helped me reach my dream of being a professional ballerina. I have learned everything I know from them and they have all had incredible careers. It would be a dream to share the stage and watch them dance. 


What do you like/admire about San Diego Ballet? 

I really admire the positive and welcoming energy of all the dancers in San Diego Ballet! The people definitely make it easier to wake up in the morning and be ready for a great day of dance and fun in the studios! 

Gian Carlo Vargas

As a kid in Lima Peru, Gian carlo Vargas first dream was to be in the circus. One day he discovered that his grandfather was a Ballet dancer and that changed his mind, and he dreamed of being a ballet dancer instead.

Gian Carlo Vargas started dancing ballet at the age of 18 at the academy of Allegro ballet then the national ballet school of Lima, Peru. He did all of this despite not being in the ideal physical conditions to be a ballet dancer. But with time and hard work  he acquired those physical abilities, with a  daily routine of the Ballet Conrad’s placement method, massages and stretching along with a vegan diet.

During his time at the national ballet school of Lima, Peru he was selected to represent Peru in different International festivals in Poland and Peru.

After four years of hard training he joined the Ballet municipal of Lima and then moved  to the USA to keep improving his ballet technique under the direction of Magaly Suarez of The art of classical ballet.

During those years he learned ballet among professional dancers and teachers from Cuba and France as Taras Domitro, Adyaris Almeida ,Walter Gutierrez, Luis Javier Fuentes, Alexis Saramite ,Ibis Montoto and Valerio Cespedes.

Who Influenced you most to become the dancer you are today?

It was my ballet teacher Magaly Suarez, she taught me how to be disciplined and patient in life while doing the things you love to do while pushing your limits and working in small chunks to achieve big.

What goes through your mind just before you perform?

Being in the moment, breathe ,feel yourself and being the music.

What was the funniest epidoes(s) you’ve experienced in your career?

During a Nutcracker’s performance I was dancing the Chinese dance and my hat was falling through my face and I didn’t know what to do so I kept dancing while I was holding the hat with my hands

Who would you most like to share the stage with (living or dead)?

Rudolph Nureyev because he started doing ballet at the age of 17, despite that he became the star of Mariinsky theater.He kept learning ballet with Erik Bruhn, former principal dancer from Denmark as well his curiosity made him learned other styles of dances while working with Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham.

What do you like/admire most about San Diego Ballet?

What I like about San Diego Ballet is its diversity of choreographies that included  classic technique and popular music like social dance giving to the public a new way of enjoying movement with relation to the San Diego culture

City Heights Story

The San Diego Ballet holds free classes for children and teens ages 6-18 on Saturday mornings at the City Heights Library Performance Annex. Zoe Marinello-Kohn talks about adapting this program to the challenges of this last year what its like to be a ballerina and dance teacher during Covid and how watching the future generations of ballet gave hope during this difficult year.

Continue reading “City Heights Story”