Hometown: Barra Mansa, Brazil

Luiz Silva, grew up in a small town in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and started dancing at age 15 at Escola de Dança Fundação Porto Real under the direction of Maria Angélica Costa.

In 2011 he began participating in many competitions in Brazil, one of which earned him a spot at Youth American Grand Prix in New York. He competed in April 2012 and received a scholarship to Orlando Ballet’s summer program. In September 2012, he also received a scholarship for the year-round program at University of North Carolina School of the Arts at the competition “Entreatos Internacional,” where he did course with Raymond Lukens, Warren Connover, Liz Malm and Rafi Maldonado.

In 2013, he attended the MCB Summer Intensive on full scholarship. He had the opportunity to perform his first Balanchine ballet, Square Dance, and was invited to stay for the year-round program, which he began in January 2014.

During his time as a student and as a member of the MCB School Ensemble, Silva has performed leading roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Serenade, “Diamonds,” Western Symphony, Les Sylphides and Theme and Variations.

He was named an Apprentice for the 2015-16 season and officially joined MCB as a corps de ballet dancer in 2016.

Roles since joining MCB:

George Balanchine
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®
Romeo and Juliet

* Miami City Ballet School Alumni