A Brief Biography.
Anaka began dancing in the Boulder area at age 8, most notably under Jayne Persch, Artistic Director of Briah Danse.
In 2018, she joined the inaugural year of Ballet Melange in Denver, Colorado, and spent three years training under the excellent instruction of Elizabeth Shipiatsky, Sergii Sydorskyi, Maureen Breeze and the rest of the faculty. In addition to classical training, she nurtured her love of contemporary ballet and modern dance by attending summer intensives and/or performing with several contemporary companies, including (alphabetically) Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Ballet X, Briah Danse, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theater, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and the Maureen Breeze Dance Theater.
Anaka’s professional career began with the International Ballet Competition in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2020, where she was presented with multiple Special Judges' Awards and asked to join Klaipėda State Music Theater in Lithuania as a company dancer. Once COVID subsided, she moved to Lithuania and danced with KVMT for the 2021-2022 season. Anaka moved back stateside and is currently pursuing freelance work across the United States. She has worked with Boulder Ballet, Ballet Taos, Ballet Melange, CityDance NY, Connecticut Ballet, Dances Patrelle, Minnie Lane, Maureen Breeze Dance Theater, and returns to Colorado regularly to perform with Zikr Dance Ensemble.
Where I’m headed next:
Zikr Dance Ensemble.
2022-23 season.
Freelancing Projects.
2023.
Past Highlights
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Zikr Dance Ensemble
Fall 2022 & Spring 2023.
These were two amazing seasons. I was lucky enough to share the stage with (and learn from!) dancers from Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and some who trained at the LINES school.
David Taylor choreographed an elaborate new ballet, Portals, which premiered in the fall of 2022 and was reprised in the spring of 2023. Portals, along with numerous other works from Zikr’s extensive repertoire were performed on tour around Colorado and New Mexico.
I personally find David’s work and the inspiration he draws from religious practices worldwide to be fascinating. He presents his inspirations with the utmost respect for the culture of origin and in a way that teaches me about practices I am not totally familiar with, ultimately bringing awareness and understanding to Zikr’s audiences.
Photo Credit: Zikr Dance Ensemble
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Klaipeda State Music Theater
2021 - 2022.
Through a series of fortuitous events, I received a contract to dance in Klaipeda, Lithuania. It was a whirlwind season and I danced in many different contemporary, contemporary ballet, and theater dance performances, as well as operas. Highlights of this season were performing Stabat Mater by Edward Clug, touring Kirill Simonov’s adaptation of The Nutcracker (photo above), and dancing in Robert Bondara’s Faust.
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Little. Black. Dress.
2021.
A dance film choreographed and directed by Maureen Breeze, in collaboration with the Maureen Breeze Dance Theater and Ballet Melange. The film simultaneously explores how the ‘little black dress’ lets us wear experiences such as playfulness, grief, and power, while charting the journey from innocence to knowledge. (Maureen Breeze, 11-16-21.)
I danced two solos in the film, representing torment and darkness. It was at times difficult to embody these heavy emotions, but working closely with Maureen allowed me to find different ways to approach and express the essence of the choreography, and ultimately made the film a great learning experience.
Photo Credit: Maureen Breeze Dance Theater
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Le Corsaire
2021.
What a way to come back from COVID! It was wonderful to be back onstage with Ballet Melange, dancing Gulnara in Le Corsaire. I was coached by Elizabeth Shipiatsky and Sergii Sydorski for this role. Fun fact: the Pas d’Esclave variation was the first variation I danced at YAGP, and it was the last variation I performed before beginning my professional career. It’s always fun to go full circle!
Photo Credit: 2021 by Martha Wirth