Guest Artists

Eliezer Rabello

The Nutcracker Prince, Trepak

Eliezer Rabello was born and raised in Brazil, beginning his dance training with the dance masters in the State of Amazonas — Conceicao Souza, Marco Venicius, and Jorge Kenedy. Eliezar also trainied with well-known teachers in South America Olga Shimasaki (National Ballet of Peru), Raul Candal (Colon Theatre of Argentina), Jair Moraes (Ballet Guaira of Brazil), and other internationally renowned teachers Ivo Karaguiorguiev (National Ballet of Sophia), and Ronald E. Brown (Alvin Ailey Dance Theater).

As a professional in Brazil, Eliezer performed with Grupo Espaco de Danca do Amazonas (GEDAM), Cia. de Danca do SESC, and Corpo de Danca do Amazonas (the resident company of Amazonas Opera House). Mr. Rabello was invited by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Amazonas State to direct and teach at Bale de Camara do Palacio Rio Negro and Centro Cultural Claudio Santoro. In 1995 Eliezer founded Cia. Ballet da Barra, a dance school and company that performed Rabello’s version of The Nutcracker for three years at the famous Amazon Opera House. He also received awards in important dance festivals in Brazil such as Festival de Danca do Mercosul in Bento Goncalves from 1995 to 1997 and IX Seminario Internacional de Danca Brasilia in 1999.

Here in the USA, Eliezer worked for five years with Lula Washington Dance Theater and has been a guest artist with other companies such as the American Repertory Dance Company, Ballet Folclorico do Brasil, Project 21, Kin Dance Co., and Ballet Collective. He recently finished filming a featured role in Ford Austin’s shortcut picture Tiny Dancer (not yet released).

Eliezer is currently working as a ballet and modern dance teacher at the Lake Arrowhead School of Dance and at the Studio for Performing Arts in Malibu. This is fifth season with the Lake Arrowhead Classical Ballet Company.

For now, Eliezer has as his most important project “to build a solid marriage with my beloved and eternal friend,” his wife Danae.

Armando Neri

Spanish

Señor Neri, a native of San Bernardino, California, is an accomplished artist in the dance form of Flamenco. He began his Flamenco studies at an early age with Eduardo Cansino (father of Rita Hayworth) and various members of the Cansino Family. He became a member of the Luisa Triana Dance Company and traveled throughout the United States and Canada as a featured dancer in that company. During the last several years, he has been associated with Lupe Del Rio, teacher/dancer in Hollywood, who for ten years was the lead female dancer for Jose Greco.

Luigi de Nuñez

Spanish

Luigi began his Flamenco training with Armando Neri at the age of thirteen. For several seasons, he appeared in the Mexican-American Pageant at Valley College of San Bernardino with Señor Neri’s company Los Flamencos. He continued his studies with Lupe Del Rio in Hollywood during which time he performed on the Walt Disney Channel. Other performances have been in the musical production of Luisa Fernanda with opera singer Hernan Pelayo at the Downey Opera House, and in the San Bernardino Civic Light Opera’s production of The Man of La Mancha as Jose. He has also appeared as a guest artist with Margo and her Dance Company.

Raymond Genato

Mouse King, Parent

Born in the Philippines, Raymond has been dancing for more than a decade. A veteran of over thirteen years with the Lake Arrowhead Classical Ballet Company, Raymond has danced the roles of the Nutcracker Prince, Arabian, Trepak, and Toy Soldier. This year he reprises his role as the swashbuckling Mouse King. You’ll also see him on stage with his wife, Anny, as the Prussian party guests.

An accomplished dancer, actor, and choreographer, Raymond danced at the University of California, Irvine, where he studied under the careful tutelage of dance masters Israel “El” Gabriel, James Penrod, and Donald McKayle. He has performed such modern dance classics as McKayle’s Games and Album Leaves, and Sophie Maslow’s The Village I Knew. Ray’s theater and stage credits include Evita, West Side Story, and Me and My Girl. He has also been cast for roles in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet.

Michelle Mercier

Arabian

Michelle has been dancing for over twenty years, studying all styles and disciplines of dance. She has a strong ballet background, training with Nancy Julian using the Royal Academy of Dancing’s curriculum and testing, and Lila Zali’s expertise with Laguna Beach Ballet. While living for a short time in Chicago, she studied under Lisa Boehm, performing in many productions. Michelle has been participating in Nutcracker ballets since a very young age and has danced almost every role. She has appeared with Ballet Pacifica, San Francisco Ballet, and Lisa Boehm Ballet. Michelle now teaches at various studios in Orange County as well as coaching competitive teams.

David Oliveri

Arabian, Mirlitons

David started his dance training at Saddleback Valley Dance Center in 1995 under the instruction of Ann Mari. In 1998 he started at Ballet Pacifica and received full scholarships to San Francisco Ballet, The Rock School, Houston Ballet, and American Ballet Theater. He also won a full scholarship to Milwaukee Ballet from Dance Masters of America.

During 2003 and 2004 David danced at the Lake Arrowhead School of Dance and participated in a number of LACBC productions. He left to attend Indianna University. He joined St. Louis Ballet as a principal dancer in 2005. He has also performed as a guest artist with Delaware Opera, Westchester Ballet, and Pennsylvania Ballet.