Katya Gastonavich (alter-ego Katie Gaston) started Jill's Absolute Beginner class in January 2014 and has been dancing with Thrive ever since. She most enjoyed performing in the Shostakovich Jazz Suites for Carpe Dancem (Thrive's Spring Show) in 2018 and has appeared in many other Thrive performances including the 2019 World Premiere of Clara in the Underworld, A Zombie Nutcracker, Mozart's Eine Klene Nachtmusik, and "normal" production of The Nutcracker. When not dancing, Katya is a Biofuels researcher at the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden and is obsessed with pie. This is Katya's seventh season with Thrive Ballet.