Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Announces Its 2025-26 Master Class Series The Classes Will Be Taught by PBT Company Artists and Artistic Staf

PBT Principal Artist Tommie Lin Kesten; Photo by Aviana Adams

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) is thrilled to announce a Master Class Series for the Pittsburgh community. Renowned PBT artists and artistic staff will teach this popular dance series. New this year, each class will include a Q&A session with the PBT teaching artist after the class. The classes, offered monthly during PBT’s 2025-26 season, will begin September 9, 2025. 

“This is an amazing opportunity for local Pittsburgh area dancers to learn from the same professional dancers they have watched onstage for years,” said Raymond Rodriguez, Dean of the PBT School. “We are delighted to be able to support the growth of local dancers and help to enhance their ballet skills through this program.” 

The PBT Master Class Series provides a unique opportunity for students to learn from esteemed company artists and the artistic staff of PBT. Master classes are an integral part of dance training, as they support dancers in developing their technique and artistry, while also introducing them to various dance methods. The Master Class Series is designed for dancers ages 14 and older, with intermediate to advanced level dance experience. The classes will be taught at PBT's studios on each of the selected dates at 6:15 p.m. 

Classes are $35 each or $300 for the series of nine classes. Due to space limitations, registrations will be on a first-come, first-served basis. To register for the PBT Master Class Series, visit https://pbt.org/master-classes/.

The schedule of the PBT Master Class Series for the 2025-26 Season includes:

Tuesday, September 9, Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM 

Tommie Lin Kesten, PBT Principal Artist

Tommie Lin grew up in Pittsburgh and is a Principal Artist with PBT. She was chosen for Pointe Magazine‘s top 10 "Stars of the Corps” in 2019, as well as Dance Magazine’s “25 Dancers to Watch” in 2020. Tommie Lin has performed with PBT for seven years and was promoted to Principal Artist in 2023. Read her bio here.                                         

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Tuesday, October 7, Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM

Matthew Griffin, PBT Corps de Ballet Artist

Matthew began his ballet training in Sarasota, Florida at the International Ballet of Florida and graduated from Butler University (Indianapolis, IN) in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Arts Administration. Before joining Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in 2023, he spent six seasons with Cincinnati Ballet. Read his bio here.

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Tuesday, November 11, Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM

Adam W. McKinney, PBT Artistic Director

Adam joined PBT as Artistic Director in 2023. He has a diverse and accomplished background in arts leadership, having served as an arts organization director, tenured professor, choreographer, dancer and educator. McKinney was previously an Associate Professor of Dance in Ballet at Texas Christian University. Adam has danced with some of the world’s most prominent dance companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Béjart Ballet Lausanne, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet Company. Read his bio here.         

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Tuesday, December 9, Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM

Raymond Rodriguez, Dean of PBT School

Raymond has been the Dean of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School since 2023, after having served as the Academy Director at the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. He has previously danced with American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and the Cleveland Ballet (Ballet San Jose). Raymond is a current judge and Master Teacher for the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP). He also serves on the advisory board of the national dance publication Pointe Magazine and is an ABT-certified teacher and an international guest instructor. Read his bio here. 

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Tuesday, January 13, Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM

Madeline Gradle, PBT Corps de Ballet Artist 

Madeline trained at Arlington Center for Dance, The Washington School of Ballet and the PBT Graduate Program. She was promoted to PBT’s Corps de Ballet in 2023, after joining the company as an apprentice in 2021. Prior to PBT, Madeline danced four seasons with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet. You can read her bio here.

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Tuesday, February 10, Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM

Madison Russo, PBT Corps de Ballet Artist 

 

Madison began her training in West Palm Beach at Ballet East at the age of six. She received numerous awards in 2014-2015 at the Youth American Grand Prix, American Dance Competition and the Indianapolis International Ballet Competition (IIBC). She joined the Houston Ballet Academy in 2015, was promoted to Houston Ballet II in 2017 and became an apprentice with the Houston Ballet in 2018. Russo joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in 2024. You can read her bio here.

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Tuesday, March 10,  Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM

Hannah Carter, PBT Principal Artist

Hannah, originally from Orsett, Essex, UK, joined PBT in 2013 after dancing as a Corps de Ballet member with Estonian National Ballet. She graduated from the Royal Ballet School with honors and has been a principal artist with PBT since 2016. Read her bio here.

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Tuesday, April 7,  Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM

Kurtis Sprowls, PBT Corps de Ballet Artist

Kurtis, originally from Ohio, trained for three years in the PBT School Graduate program before joining the company in 2015. He has taken summer Intensives with Jacob’s Pillow, Nederlands Dans Teatr, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and Orsolina 28 Nunes. Kurtis has also been an instructor at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive. He has choreographed numerous works for PBT and PBT School, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Hartwood Acres, Strange Dreamz and Ethereal. Read his bio here.

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Tuesday, May 12,  Class: 6:15-7:45 PM; Q&A: 7:45-8:00 PM

Steven Annegarn, PBT Rehearsal Director

Steven became a rehearsal director after retiring as a Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre principal dancer in 2003. He received his advanced training from the Royal Ballet School in London and toured with Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet Company before joining the London City Ballet in 1984. He was promoted to principal dancer two years later. A highly acclaimed performer with both impeccable classical technique and powerful dramatic ability, Steven has also been a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. Read his bio here.

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Coming to PBT in the 2025-26 Season:

Watch the 2025-2026 Season Video

• Dracula, October 31-November 2, 2025, Benedum Center

• The Nutcracker,  December 5-28, 2025, Benedum Center

• America 250 with the PBT Orchestra, February 20-22, 2026, Benedum Center

• Spring Mix: Premieres,  April 10-12, 2026, August Wilson African American Cultural Center

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the PBT Orchestra, May 15-17, 2026, Benedum Center

Ticket Information

Single tickets for the 2025-26 Season performances start at $33.50 and are available at pbt.org or 412-456-6666. Subscription packages are also available. More information is available at pbt.org or by calling 412-454-9107.

Groups purchasing eight or more tickets save up to 50%. More information is available at pbt.org/groups. 

About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has been Pittsburgh’s premier professional ballet company since 1969. Today, PBT is a nationally recognized ballet company of 30 professional dancers, a training institution for over 1,200 students of all ages, and an incubator for education and accessibility programs in classrooms, libraries and community centers throughout the region. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Adam W. McKinney and Executive Director Nicholas Dragga, the company performs a wide-ranging repertoire of classical ballets, contemporary masterworks and new commissions in nearly 50 performances annually. 

About PBT School

PBT School, the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, is recognized as one of the nation's finest schools for dance education and training.  Under the direction of PBT School Dean, Raymond Rodriguez, PBT School provides a diverse dance curriculum to students across its Children's, Student, and Pre-Professional Divisions.  Ranging from pre-ballet to pre-professional, PBT School fosters the expression, discipline, and joy of ballet at every level and cultivates the next generation of professional dancers.  While students grow in their technique and artistry, PBT School works to instill a long-term appreciation for the art of ballet and the values it embodies.