Arantxa Ochoa was born in Valladolid, Spain, where she took her first artistic steps as a rhythmic gymnast. At age 12, she moved to Madrid to study at the Centro de Danza with Victor Ullate. Ms. Ochoa continued her studies at the Academie de Danse Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo. Three years later, she came to the United States and studied at The School of American Ballet. Her renowned teachers include Stanley Williams, Truman Finney, Suky Schorer, and Marika Besobrasova.

Ms. Ochoa spent three years at Hartford Ballet before joining Pennsylvania Ballet in 1996 as a member of the Corps de Ballet. She was promoted to Soloist in 1999 and to Principal in 2001.

Ms. Ochoa has danced many starring roles, including Odette/Odile in the world premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's Swan Lake, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Swanilda in Coppélia, Lise in La Fille mal gardée, Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew, and the title roles in James Kudelka's The Firebird and Marius Petipa's Giselle. Her extensive repertoire of George Balanchine ballets includes the leads in Apollo, Agon, Bugaku, Ballo della Regina, Concerto Barocco, Divertimento 15, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Monumentum pro Gesualdo, Movements for Piano and Orchestra, Prodigal Son, Raymonda Variations, Serenade, Theme and Variations, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, Western Symphony, and Who Cares?.

Ms. Ochoa has also danced leading roles in Jerome Robbins' The Concert and In the Night, Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room and Nine Sinatra Songs, Peter Martins' Fearful Symmetries and Waltz Project, and William Forsythe's In the middle, somewhat elevated, and has originated many roles in works by Matthew Neenan, Kirk Peterson, Jorma Elo, and Benjamin Millepied, among others.

Ms. Ochoa has had the opportunity to participate in many galas and festivals throughout Europe, including the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, The Stars of the New York Ballet in London, the Sintra Festival in Portugal, the Northwest Phalen Tanz in Germany, and with the Chicago Ballet. In addition to her performing career, Ms. Ochoa has been a teacher, leading master classes in Boston, Philadelphia, and Connecticut. She is married to Principal Dancer Alexander Iziliaev, and they have a son. www.arantxaochoa.com.