Katherina Markowskaja was born in Kiev, Ukraine where she completed her training at the National Ballet Academy of Arts. As a student, she was cast in performances of the National Ballet of Kiev. At the age of sixteen, she accepted a scholarship of the Heinz-Bosl-Foundation, offered to her by Konstanze Vernon. Ms. Markowskaja graduated from the Ballet-Academy Munich and subsequently joined the Saxon State Opera Ballet Dresden under artistic director Vladimir Derevianko. She was promoted to the rank of First Soloist two years later. In 1999, she received the Mary Wigman Award. From 2010, she worked as a freelance ballerina and trained with the Bavarian State Ballet, being engaged as a First Soloist  until the 2015/2016 season. For the 2016/2017 season she returned as a guest artist to Munich. 

She grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, where she began studying dance as a child. Immediately after high school, she moved to New York City to study at Marymount Manhattan College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance and performance. It was here that she began her relationship with Parsons Dance. During her many years with the company, Abby traveled the world performing and teaching. She collaborated with Mr. Parsons on several projects, such as Verdi's Aida at the historic Arena di Verona. Other notable projects include her role as the lead dancer in Remember Me, which was filmed and broadcast by PBS in America. After the birth of her first child, Abby stopped traveling and focused on performing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where she danced in Rigoletto, directed by Michael Mayer, Two Boys with music by Nico Muhly and choreography by Hofesh Shechter. At the Met, she also performed in Turandot, Aida, Les Contes d’Hoffman, Parsifal, and Don Giovanni. Throughout her career, Abby has appeared in various dance magazines. She was featured on the cover of Dancer Magazineand was named "One to Watch" in Dance Magazine. She also worked as a model for O Magazine and for Jordan Matter's photography book Dancers Among Us.  She was a guest teacher for the Japan International Dance Program, teaching in Tokyo Dance and Actors and Osaka's Music and Dance School. After the birth of her second child, Abby and her family moved to Italy but remained connected to her roots with Parsons Dance. In recent years, Abby has taught and performed throughout Italy and Europe. She has collaborated with Fini Dance NYC and Fini Dance Italy, teaching performance and assisting choreographer Antonio Fini for the National Ballet of Kosovo. She became an ambassador for the Joffrey International School in New York City, recruiting dancers from all over Europe and conducting master classes. Her desire is to continue expressing her art and sharing her vast experience with talented and willing dancers worldwide.

Charlotte trained professionally at Laine Theatre Arts. 

Theatre credits include: Nini in Moulin Rouge! (Piccadilly Theatre); Kathy Selden in

Singin’ In The Rain (Sadlers Wells London and UK & International tour); Alex

Owens in Flashdance (International Tour); Tina Sparkle in Strictly Ballroom

(Piccadilly Theatre London, The West Yorkshire Playhouse and The Princess of

Wales Theatre Toronto); Dale Tremont in Top Hat (Aldwych Theatre London and

UK Tour); Penny Johnson in Dirty Dancing (2023 revival at the Dominion Theatre,

London, First-ever National Tour, West End revival at The Piccadilly Theatre

London and the original German production in Berlin), Margot in Legally Blonde

(Deaugu Opera House, Korea); Bombalurina in CATS (European Tour);

Patty Simcox and also understudying/playing Sandy in Grease (UK Tour); Him &

Me (UK Tour); The Golden Age Of Dance (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Fly With The

Stars (London Palladium); Dirty Dancing (Aldwych Theatre, London).

Other credits include: Strictly Come Dancing (BBC); Len Goodman’s For the Love of

Fred Astaire (ITV); The Royal Variety Performance (ITV); All Star Musicals (ITV); Ant

& Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV); Children in Need (BBC).

www.charlottegooch.com