Fall2 2025 EC Program DIGITALfile v3 - Flipbook - Page 10
ARTIST PROFILES
SHANIA RASMUSSEN
Shania Rasmussen, originally from Denver, CO, began her
professional career with the Sacramento Ballet, performing
principal and soloist roles in classical ballets and works by George
Balanchine, as well as being featured in works by Jermaine Spivey,
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Penny Saunders, among others. She
was additionally a dancer with Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, touring
to The Joyce Theater and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. As a
choreographer, she has presented numerous works for stage and
film. Rasmussen joined Smuin in 2024.
YURI ROGERS
Yuri Rogers, from San Francisco, CA, began his training with the
Academy of Ballet San Francisco under the direction of Richard
Gibson and Zory Karah. He then had the opportunity to continue
his training and perform with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Grand
Rapids Ballet, and BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio. Rogers has
performed works by Lar Lubovitch, Leiland Charles, and Edwaard
Liang. Rogers joined Smuin in 2021.
JOÃO SAMPAIO
João Sampaio trained in classical ballet in his hometown of Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil. He has won national and international dance
competitions, including YAGP and the World Ballet Competition.
Sampaio joined Tulsa Ballet in 2014, where he performed featured
roles in Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, Wayne McGregor’s Infra, Nacho
Duato’s Remanso, Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table, Yuri Possokhov’s
Classical Symphony, and Edwaard Liang’s Romeo and Juliet and Age of
Innocence. In 2018, he joined Festival Ballet Providence, performing
lead roles in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Swan Lake, and The
Nutcracker. Sampaio joined Smuin in 2019.
BRENNAN WALL
Brennan Wall, originally from Cape Cod, MA, began her
professional training at Los Angeles Ballet Academy before joining
Silicon Valley Ballet as a trainee, and later The New Ballet’s Studio
Company. In 2017, Wall joined Ballet de Monterrey where she
danced for two seasons, performing in La Bayadere, Swan Lake, Don
Quixote, and dancing soloist roles in The Nutcracker, Phantom of the
Opera, and Shorthand of Emotion. At Smuin, Wall has performed in
works by Val Caniparoli, Trey McIntyre, Amy Seiwert, Annabelle
Lopez Ochoa, and Michael Smuin. Wall joined Smuin in 2019.
10 • FALL | EX TREMELY CLOSE • 2025
