Kayla Mak surges with energy in George Balanchine’s sprightly Tarantella pas de deux. At a gala for Youth America Grand Prix this spring, the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company dancer brought just the right amount of attack to her performance, showcasing her boundless jump and sharp musicality. A fixture on the competition and convention circuit as a kid, and then a teenage contestant on NBC’s “World of Dance,” Mak has continually gone outside her comfort zone to become a more multifaceted performer. Now, she’s bringing those skills to her blooming ballet career.
Company: American Ballet Theatre Studio Company
Age: 22
Hometown: Rye Brook, New York
Training: Westchester Dance Academy; Ballet Academy East; The Juilliard School (BFA in dance, 2025)
Accolades: Senior Best Dancer, The Dance Awards; Outstanding Senior, New York City Dance Alliance; Youth America Grand Prix finalist; 2021 Dance Spirit Cover Model Search runner-up
Comp kid roots: Mak’s early training focused on contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and ballet. She started attending competitions and conventions at around 9 years old, which helped her become a versatile and fearless performer. “Competition dancers are very resourceful and attentive to the environment that they’re in,” says Mak. She later spent a year at Ballet Academy East to refine her ballet training. “I felt like a fish out of water, but I learned so much,” she says.
“World of Dance”: As a high school sophomore, Mak competed on Season 3 of “World of Dance,” shuttling between home and Los Angeles to film episodes. The show brought her national attention and a huge social media following. “Honestly, I’m still not used to it.”
College bound: Juilliard’s conservatory training allowed Mak to further develop her versatility. “The modern techniques—Graham, Horton, Cunningham, Limón—were quite new to me.” She also had the opportunity to perform Justin Peck’s In Creases.
An unexpected invitation: Mak first met ABT Studio Company artistic director Sascha Radetsky in her first year of college, when she performed at a gala at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park. Two years later, he invited her to take company class, and Radetsky offered her a contract afterwards. “I was speechless,” she says. She was able to make it work through Juilliard’s Professional Performance Exchange, which allows students to pursue professional opportunities during their final year.
Learning curve: When Mak first joined the Studio Company, she had never danced a Nutcracker, wasn’t used to full days on pointe, and struggled with impostor syndrome. “But being outside my comfort zone helps me grow,” she says. “I’ve been working on being gentler with myself and embracing what I can offer, like with contemporary rep.”
What her director is saying: “I knew Kayla’s unique artistry, intelligence, rigor, and fluency across all dance genres would add great value to our studios and stages,” says Radetsky. “She had some tough moments early in the season, but she never wavered or complained; she kept charging forward, and almost always with a smile.”
Food fanatic: Mak, who is of Cuban, Japanese, and Chinese descent, is fond of her family’s cultural cuisines. “I love getting boba with my friends, and my dad and I go to Chinatown all the time to eat. Thanksgiving at my house is just ‘chef’s kiss!’ ”
Putting it all together: Going forward, says Mak, “I want to keep my options open,” whether that involves pursuing classical ballet, joining a contemporary company, or dancing the work of one of her favorite choreographers, William Forsythe. “My experiences at Juilliard, ABT, and everything that came before have helped me turn into a different dancer every time I (change environments)—I feel like a chameleon.”
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