Catinka Träger
Catinka is the founder and teacher at Studio Odette. She has experience as a ballet dancer and dance teacher and has taught all ages and levels of ballet. She has danced at the Royal Swedish Opera in ballets such as Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Onegin, The Nutcracker and The Sacrifice of Spring. In addition to this, Catinka has been a national gymnast in rhythmic gymnastics with individual gold in, among other things, the Swedish Team Championships. Using her knowledge from gymnastics and ballet, she has developed the specially designed program for Strength and Flexibility that is only available at Studio Odette.
Emily Slawski
Our wonderful ballet teacher Emily is a dancer at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. She has danced roles such as Husan in The Nutcracker, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, danced in Mats Ek's Julia & Romeo and performed Fågel blå in Sleeping Beauty. Emily was born and raised in Florida and received her training at "Kirova Ballet" in Miami before moving to Sweden in 2012 and starting working at the Royal Swedish Opera.
Tia
Wenkman
Our wonderful teacher Tia Wenkman is an American professional ballerina who currently dances with the Royal Swedish Opera. Prior to that, she danced with the Sarasota Ballet in Florida, where she danced many works by Fredrick Ashton and George Balanchine.
Tia's professional ballet training began at the Master Ballet Academy in Arizona, USA. She then went on to study at The Royal Ballet School's secondary school in London, England. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance. During her time in London, she performed with the prestigious Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet, dancing in "Swan Lake", "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Nutcracker".
Tia has a solid background in dance competitions and performances. She has appeared on the FOX program "World of Dance" and has won several awards, including a bronze medal at the USA IBC in Jackson, Mississippi, a bronze at the Beijing IBC, and Grand Prix at the ADC IBC and YAGP.
Celine Urquhart
Celine is a teacher at Studio Odette. Originally from Sydney, Australia, she began her ballet training there before moving abroad to study at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart, Germany.
After graduating with a diploma in dance, she moved to Sweden, where she has been performing with the Royal Swedish Ballet since 2022.
During her time with the Royal Swedish Ballet, Celine has appeared in numerous classical and contemporary productions. Highlights include the Bond pas de deux in Giselle,
Pas de Trois and little swans in Swan Lake, odalisques in Le Corsaire, and being a part of Mats Ek’s Julia & Romeo.
Elena Hrytsenko
Our amazing dance teacher Elena is educated at Kharkiv State University of Culture with expertise in choreography. She helps children, youth and adults discover and develop their dance potential through a unique teaching method. With a focus on musicality, coordination and stretching, dancing in Elena's classes becomes an enriching experience. She guides adults and children on a dance journey and helps them achieve their dreams.
Gianmarco Romano
Gianmarco Romano is an Italian ballet dancer with a classical background and a genuine interest in expressive stage work. He trained at the prestigious Teatro alla Scala Ballet School in Milan and has performed with the Finnish National Ballet and the Bavarian State Ballet. He is currently a soloist with the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm. During his career, Gianmarco has performed several central roles in well-known productions such as Manon, Carmen and Cinderella. He has also had the privilege of working with prominent choreographers such as Kylián and William Forsythe. Through his collaboration with the Opéra de Lyon, he has further broadened his experience in both classical and modern dance. Gianmarco values musical interplay, stage presence and storytelling in movement.
Levi
Blad
Our awesome ballet teacher Levi has participated in performances at the Royal Swedish Opera and danced abroad on tour in Canada and France. Levi is educated at the Royal Swedish Ballet School and received Gösta Svalberg's scholarship upon graduation and has received several scholarships from Carina Ari during his time at the school.
Hampus Gauffin
Our super talented teacher Hampus is a soloist dancer at the Royal Swedish Opera. He has also worked internationally as a dancer for several years in Canada, as well as in guest performances on stages around Europe. During his career, Hampus has danced roles in many ballets, including Blue Bird in Sleeping Beauty, Bond pas de deux in Giselle, Pas de trois and the Fool in Swan Lake, Benvolio in Juliet and Romeo. He has also danced soloist roles in many modern works by famous choreographers such as Bella Figura and Wings of Wax by Jiří Kylián, Swan Lake by Mats Ek, Cacti by Alexander Ekman and Artifact suite by William Forsythe. Hampus is trained at the Royal Swedish Ballet School in Stockholm.
