The Joffrey Ballet Welcomes Four New Dancers to the Company

Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet recently announced the addition of four dancers to the Joffrey roster for the 2024-25 season: Tenley Connors, Guillem Cabrera Espinach, Amanda Illuminati, and Scott Reed.

“I am pleased to welcome new dancers Tenley, Guillem, Amanda, and Scott to the Joffrey,” says The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE. “With Guillem and Amanda coming directly from training at the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet—this year’s expansion of the Company reinforces the strength of the Academy in cultivating the next generation of talent and creating a pipeline from our training programs to professional dance opportunities.”

Wheater adds, “Opening our 69th season with the U.S. premiere of Cathy Marston’s Atonement, followed by an ambitious year that embodies the Joffrey’s maverick spirit, we look forward to the diversity of experience and dedication this new cohort will bring. With their undeniable talents, I am confident that Tenley, Guillem, Amanda, and Scott will be valuable to the Company in our pursuit of world-class artistry and storytelling.”

Tenley Connors, from the Patel Conservatory Youth Ballet, joins after attending prestigious summer courses with institutions like the School of American Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. Guillem Cabrera Espinach, born in Catalonia, Spain, comes from The Royal Ballet School and most recently, the Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet’s Studio Company. Amanda Illuminati, from Monterrey, Mexico, trained at La Escuela Superior de Musica y Danza de Monterrey and later joined the Joffrey Academy’s Ballet Trainee program and Studio Company.

Rounding out the new additions is Scott Reed, born in Marietta, Georgia, who began ballet training at 12 with the Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre. Reed later joined Cincinnati Ballet’s Professional Training Division and Second Company before being promoted to Apprentice. These four dancers bring diverse backgrounds and impressive training to the Joffrey Ballet. Their experiences include performances in renowned productions such as The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Giselle, and Swan Lake, showcasing their technical skill and artistic promise.

For more information on The Joffrey Ballet and its new dancers, visit joffrey.org.