Gianna Reisen is a choreographer and movement director based in New York City. She began her journey as a student at the School of American Ballet where she studied the Balanchine technique for seven years. Gianna’s passion for dance-making developed during the creation process of her very first piece for SAB’s Student Choreographic Workshop. Soon after showcasing her work at the school, she was asked to participate in the Fall Session of the New York Choreographic Institute where she presented her first ensemble ballet, Hexapoda.

After graduating in 2017, Reisen accepted a job in Germany as a dancer with the Dresden SemperOper Ballet. That same year, she was commissioned to choreograph an original work for the New York City Ballet’s Fall Fashion Gala, naming her the youngest choreographer in history to offer a ballet to NYCB’s storied repertory. Following the premiere of Composer’s Holiday, with costumes by Virgil-Abloh, the piece would go on to run for the company’s upcoming Winter Season, at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Gianna returned to the states in 2018 to create her second work for NYCB and to continue her professional dance career with the Los Angeles Dance Project. During her time with the company, she traveled the globe and explored a modern repertoire, performing works by Benjamin Millepied, Martha Graham, Bella Lewitzky, Kyle Abraham, among others. She also had the pleasure of choreographing for LADP and made her west coast debut in 2019 with Rising Water.

Upon moving back to New York, Gianna began to explore film as a medium. She directed and choreographed two short films for the School of American Ballet and has since worked as a movement director on several music videos and fashion campaigns. In 2022, Reisen returned to the stage, creating Signs for SAB’s annual Workshop and Playtime for the New York City Ballet, with an original score by Solange Knowles. Signs was picked up by the Carolina Ballet as well as NYCB, making its company debut this year for their annual Fall Fashion Gala. Her recent works for the Carolina Ballet include, A Moment, Forever and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in collaboration with Artistic Director, Zalman Raffael.