Liliana Watson joined VNB in 2022-23, and is thrilled to be with the company again in 2023-24!  She was born in Dover, Delaware and started dancing at the age of six at Delaware Dance Academy, taking a ballet/tap combo class once a week.  She then studied at the Dance Conservatory, in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, musical theatre, character, and ballroom.  She then studied at the School of Ballet Arizona, and the Denver Academy of Ballet, followed by the Storling Dance Theatre’s Artist Development Program, and the post graduate trainee program called Ballet Melange.  While dancing with several modern companies, Lili also became a certified ballet instructor in the Vaganova Syllabus for levels 1 and 2 and began teaching students of all ages and abilities.  In early 2020, Liliana competed in the Kyiv Grand Prix in Kyiv, Ukraine and received a company contract.  Unfortunately, due to the pandemic she could not go that fall, but she stayed home and collaborated with Maureen Breeze and created a contemporary ensemble that placed in the top 12 at YAGP Denver Regionals 2021, was invited to YAGP Finals 2021, and was featured in a dance film project titled: “Little. Black. Dress.” that was filmed in April of 2021 and was released in October of 2021.  Liliana graduated from Ballet Melange in June of 2021 and moved to Klaipeda, Lithuania, joining Klaipeda State Music Theatre.  She was cast in several leading roles right away including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and a soloist in Edward Clug’s Stabat Mater.   In May of 2022, Liliana competed in the Dance Grand Prix in Madrid, Spain where she won first place in contemporary and second place in classical.  Liliana is dancing this summer with the Capitol Ballet in London.