Japanese native Iori Araya received the Idemitsu Scholarship at the Asian Pacific International Ballet Competition, enabling her to train at The Australian Ballet School. She has performed with The Australian Ballet’s The Dancers Company, Singapore Ballet, and New Jersey Ballet before joining Ballet Memphis. 

She has performed numerous principal and soloist roles including Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Principal Woman in George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, and Fate in Choo San Goh’s Romeo & Juliet. She has been featured in works by George Balanchine, Steven McMahon, Trey McIntyre, Matthew Neenan, Durante Verzola, Val Caniparoli, Edwaard Liang, Stanton Welch, Charles Askegard, Colby Damon and more. Outside of Ballet Memphis, she has performed internationally at Ballet Ensemble Gala in Japan, Palm Desert Choreography Festival, and National Choreographers Initiative 2024, 2026.

Iori Araya is appearing courtesy of Ballet Memphis under the Artistic Direction of Steven McMahon

Kennedy Ballard made his stage debut at age 4 as a party boy in The Nutcracker with the Bay Area Houston Ballet and Theatre. Since then, he has garnered an impressive resume. Kennedy grew up at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts with Ms. Lynette Mason Gregg, where he trained exclusively until the summer of 2015, when he studied at the prestigious School of American Ballet. In 2016, he trained at Feijóo Ballet School under the direction of Lorna Feijóo and Nelson Madrigal. Kennedy was a Principal Dancer with the Huntsville Ballet Company for three years. He is currently in his fourth season as a Company Artist with Ballet Memphis. Throughout his career, Kennedy has performed many roles. Some of his favorites are Albrecht (Giselle), Siegfried (Swan Lake), Basilio (Don Quixote), Romeo (Steven McMahon’s Romeo & Juliet), Principal Man (George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations), and Sugarplum Cavalier (The Nutcracker). Kennedy would like to thank Lorna Feijóo, Nelson Madrigal, Natalie Zundel, his parents, and Lynette Mason Gregg for everything he has become.

Kennedy Ballard is appearing through the courtesy of Ballet Memphis under the Artistic Direction of Steven McMahon.

Telmen Munkherdene began his training in his native Mongolia at the Mongolian State Conservatory, graduating in 2017. During his final year, he performed with the Mongolian State Opera and Ballet Theatre. Awarded a full scholarship to the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., Telmen joined the junior company and performed Giselle with the Cuban National Ballet at the Kennedy Center. He trained under ballet legends Bat Udval and Evgenia Singur, Marina Bogdanova.

Telmen has received numerous accolades throughout his career. He won the silver medal for classical ballet and the Grand Prix for contemporary dance at the 32nd World Association of Arts Exchange Festival in South Korea. Additionally, he earned the bronze medal at the Mongolian National Ballet Competition. In 2019, he received the Gold Medal at the World Ballet Grand Prix in New York and a full scholarship to attend the Joffrey Ballet School. He also won the silver medal and Best Technique Award at the Jewels Festival in New York and received a diploma at the YAGP 2019 finals.

Notably, Telmen is the youngest recipient of the Medal for Leading Cultural Artist in Mongolia, awarded by the Ministry of Culture. He has danced as a guest artist for several international productions, including in China, with Ajkun Ballet Theatre in the United States, and Fire Bird with Komaki Ballet Japan in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. His repertory includes leading roles in classical ballets such as Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, Flames of Paris, Walpurgis Night, Diana and Acteon, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Giselle.

Max Murdock is a 25-year-old ballet dancer based out of Las Vegas, NV. He was a member of the 5th graduating class of The Northwest Florida Ballet Académie in 2011. He continued dancing with the company in high school. After high school, he studied in the Florida State University dance program and as a demisoloist with The Tallahassee Ballet. Max has been performing ever since with Northwest Florida State College, Mobile Ballet, Las Vegas Dance Academy, and Northwest Florida Ballet.

Aaron began dancing at age 4, at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Houston, TX. Through high school, he was trained in Vaganova technique, jazz, tap, and musical theatre styles of dance. Aaron then went on to Marymount Manhattan College where he attained a BFA in Dance. While in college he studied the techniques and performed repertoire by Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, and Martha Graham, as well as continuing his Ballet training. He now happily lives in New Orleans where he has danced with Marigny Opera Ballet, Delta Festival Ballet, Melange Dance Company, and New Orleans Ballet Theatre. Aaron is currently in his fourth season as a company member with New Orleans Ballet Theatre. 

Guest Artists

2025-2026 Guest Artists

Iori Araya

Kennedy Ballard

Telmen Munkherdene

Max Murdock

John Aaron Wiggins