Grigori Arakelyan, born in Yerevan, Armenia, began his training at age eight at the National Choreographic Academy of Armenia. After graduating, he moved to the United States where he continued his training under Cynthia Young. In 2004, Grigori won The Music Center’s Spotlight Award, making him the first male dancer to win the competition in 16 years, in the Classical Ballet category. In 2004 and 2005 he trained with American Ballet Theater as a National Scholar. Grigori then moved to Las Vegas where he joined Nevada Ballet Theater for eight seasons as a principal dancer, working with renowned choreographers from all over the world including, James Canfield, Bruce Steivel, Twyla Tharp, Val Caniparoli, and Matthew Neenan. Throughout his career, Grigori has danced many roles as a principal dancer including, Romeo, in Romeo and Juliet, Albrecht in Giselle, Basilio in Don Quixote, Franz in Coppélia, Prince in Cinderella, Cavalier in The Nutcracker Ballet and Don Jose in Carmen. Additionally Grigori danced in other numerous works: Serenade, Rubies, Who Cares, 9 Sinatra Songs, Lambarena, Allegro Brillante, Concerto Barocco, Donizetti Variations, Dracula, Peter Pan and many more. Currently Grigori teaches and coaches ballet around the Los Angeles area and is one of four co-founders of ChoCoLA!