Josie Walsh is the Artistic Director / Choreographer of BalletRED, “Project Protégé” and the Joffrey Ballet School in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Josie has danced professionally with the Joffrey Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre and the Zurich Ballet in Switzerland where she began her choreographic career. Moving onto several freelance projects throughout Europe she returned to Los Angeles and integrated this vast background into the commercial as well as concert dance world. Known as the “Renegade” ballerina for her cutting edge hybrid style of edgy classical and contemporary ballet fusion, Josie is infamous for transcending boundaries and setting new trends. Josie was named 25 to watch by Dance Magazine, awarded the “Outstanding Choreography Award 2016 at the Youth American Grand Prix and honored with the endorsement from the Los Angeles Times as “Faces to Watch 2014” for Dance.

Also directing: Complexions Contemporary Ballet, as well as instructing in the Joffrey Experience, and NYC Ballet Intensive.

Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the great modern dancers of his time”, Desmond Richardson is a multi talent artist who has mastered a wide range of dance forms including classical, modern, and contemporary. Richardson’s immense talent was first recognized as a student at New York High School for the Performing Arts during which time he received a merit scholarship from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (1983-1986) and the International Academie des Tanz in Koln, Germany (1984-1985). He is also a recipient of a Presidential Scholar Award for the Arts (1986).

In 1987, Richardson joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater where he was a principal dancer for seven years. After leaving the Ailey Company, he traveled to Germany where he performed with Ballet Frankfurt. Richardson has performed as a guest artist with several world-renowned companies including the Swedish Opera Ballet, the Washington Ballet, Teatro at La Scala, and the San Francisco Ballet.

In 1997, he joined the American Ballet Theater where he performed the lead role in the company’s world premiere of Othello. Following his performance, the New York Times described him as “one of the most majestic dancers ever to tread the MET Stage.”

In 1998, Richardson joined the premiere cast of the Broadway Musical Fosse for which he received a 1999 Tony Award Nomination. He has also appeared on Broadway in the musical, the Look of Love and the critically acclaimed Movin’ Out. He had a principal role in Debbie Allen’s theatrical presentation, Soul Possessed, which premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1999.

Richardson has worked in television, film, and video in the United States and abroad. These experiences have allowed him to perform with musical artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Madonna. He is featured in Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi’s film, One Last Dance and the Oscar winning Chicago. He made his singing debut in Charles Randolph Wright’s 2005 film, Preaching to the Choir and performed the lead role of Beowulf in Julie Taymor’s Grendel at the LA Opera as well as in Taymor’s film, Across the Universe. He recently performed as a guest artist on So You Think You Can Dance in Australia and the United States.

Desmond Richardson is the Artistic Director and co-founder of the extraordinary Complexions Contemporary Ballet Company.

Also a NYC Ballet Instructor.

Mrs. Era Jouravlev studied at the famed Perm State Choreography Academy in Russia under directorship of such notable mentors as L. Sakharova and L. Ulanova. While dancing as a Principal with the Perm State Opera and Ballet Theatre, she toured internationally with the Stars of the Kirov and Bolshoi Ballet: L. Semeniaka, A. Fadeechev, O. Chenchikova, L. Kunakova, M. Daukaev. She has toured with American Ballet Theatre Principal Nina Ananiashvili in Japan and South Korea. Also she has toured with Bolshoi Theatre Principals E. Maksimova and V.Vasiliev in Tokyo and with N. Pavlova and V. Gordeev in Moscow. During a summer tour in China, she danced with the “Stars of American Ballet”.

In 1995 Mrs. Jouravlev joined the New Jersey Ballet as a Principal Dancer, where she performed the works of George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Paul Taylor, Antony Tudor, Johan Renvall, Margo Sappington, Robert Weise, and Robert North, among others.

Mrs. Jouravlev has performed many Principal roles in both classical and contemporary repertoires and was given the unique opportunity to learn the classical pas de deux “Papillon” directly from International Kirov Star Irina Kolpakova and worked with American Legend Mr. Edward Villella on George Balanchine’s famous “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux”.

Mrs. Jouravlev taught for the New Jersey Ballet for fourteen years, and started teaching at the Joffrey Ballet School in 1997. She worked as the Head of Classical Ballet Studies at JBS under the direction of Mr. Robert Ray for many years, assisting him in implementing a codified ballet technique syllabus for the entire Ballet Trainee Program. With an incredible career, over thirty years of teaching experience, and a fierce passion for shaping dancers into artists, Era Jouravlev is delighted to share her expertise as the Ballet Trainee Program Director.

Founding Artistic Director/Resident Choreographer of Complexions Contemporary Ballet

Dwight has established a remarkably wide-ranging career, earning distinction from The New York Times as “one of the most sought out choreographers of the day.” A native of Dayton, Ohio who began dancing at age 17, Rhoden has performed with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Les Ballet Jazz De Montreal and as a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. As a performer, he has appeared in numerous television specials, documentaries and commercials throughout the United States, Canada and Europe and has been a featured performer on many PBS “Great Performances” specials.

In 1994, Rhoden and legendary dancer Desmond Richardson founded Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Together they have brought their unique brand of contemporary dance to the world for nearly 2 decades. CCB is widely considered as “America’s Original Multicultural Dance Company”, and is celebrated for its pioneering spirit, and the building of a universal brand that continues to challenge traditional ideas, and redefine possibilities in the dance arena.
Under Rhoden’s direction, Complexions has become a dance institution that is much in demand. Leading the way, as a destination for innovation through courageous and cutting edge programming, Complexions has become a force to be reckoned with. Over the years, Complexions has remained consistent in delivering a profound passion for diversity, that has framed its vision and become its hallmark.

For nearly 2 decades, Rhoden’s choreography has been the lynchpin in the development of the Complexions repertory. For over 18 years, Rhodens’ work has filled some of the most prestigious theaters across the globe including, The Joyce Theater,(NYC) The Bolshoi Theater, (Moscow) The Marinsky Theater,(St Petersburg) Maison De La Danse, (Lyon) The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion,(Los Angeles) BAM,(Brooklyn) Cairo Opera House (Egypt) The Arts Center, (Melbourne Australia) The Auditorium Theater,(Chicago)Telaviv Opera House (Israel) The ASB Theater, (New Zealand) Holland Dance Festival, Grand Theatre De Geneva (Switzerland) Isle De Dance Festival (Paris) to name a few. CCB and Rhodens’ work has been presented on 5 continents and in over 20 countries – including the USA, Canada, South America, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, The Baltic Region, Egypt, Israel, and the Middle East. “Musicality, innovation, purpose, consistency, a brilliant use of stage space and the ability to tell a story — all these qualities make him (Rhoden) one of today’s elect choreographers. (The LA Times)

Since 1994, Rhoden has created over 80 ballets for Complexions, as well as numerous other companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Arizona Ballet, The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Company, BalletMet, The Dance Theater of Harlem, Colorado Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, The Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, New York City Ballet/Diamond Project, North Carolina Dance Theater, The Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadanco, Marinsky Ballet (Kirov), Minneapolis Dance Theater, Phoenix Dance Company, Sacramento Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, The Washington Ballet, and Zenon Dance Company, amongst others. Mr Rhodens’ has also directed and choreographed for TV, film, theater and live performances including So You Think You Can Dance, E! Entertainment’s “Tribute to Style” , Amici, and Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity, and choreographed and appeared in the feature film “One Last Dance”. He has also worked with, and/or created works for such high-profile artists as Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Kelly Clarkson, ELEW, David Rozenblatt, Nicholas Payton, The Drifters, Paul Simon, Billy Strayhorn, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, U2, The Turtle Creek Chorus, and Patrick Swayze. Rhoden was also recently commissioned to create a work for the centennial celebration of reknowned collage artist Romare Bearden. “Rhoden’s work is post-Balanchinean choreography,a new aesthetic in movement, stage, picture, and performance concepts reflecting a post-modern, techno-savvy worldview” (Dance Magazine).

Widely known as “a dancer’s choreographer,” Rhoden has worked with, coached and created for some of the most diverse artists spanning the worlds of ballet and contemporary dance including legendary dance artists Carmen De Lavallade, Wendy Whelan, Maria Kowroski, Diana Vishneva, Desmond Richardson, Sandra Brown, Jodie Gates, and Gus Solomons, to name a few. Mr.Rhoden is the Resident Choreographer of North Carolina Dance Theatre and has lectured, taught, created works for and served as Artist in Residence at universities around the United States including New York University, Juilliard, UC Irvine, Skidmore College and The University of Mississippi, where his 2004 Racial Reconciliation Project was credited as a catalyst for dialogue in a community that has been historically divided.

Rhoden is a beneficiary recipient of various honors and awards including the New York Foundation for the Arts Award, The Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, and The Ailey School’s Apex Award in recognition of his extensive contributions to the field of dance.

Ashley Mayeux was born and raised in Houston, Texas where she graduated from the High School for Performing and Visual Arts.  She then went on to SUNY Purchase college where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor degree in fine arts. After college, Ashley continued her studies at the Dance Theatre of Harlem and went on to perform with the touring show, Aida. She has been featured in publications including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, as well as Pointe Magazine. Ashley became a company member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, in 2012. Ashley joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre 2016.

Christina Lyon was born in Newport Beach, California and began dancing at the age of twelve. She studied with Yvonne Mounsey, former principal dancer with New York City Ballet and Rosemary Valaire formerly of the Royal Ballet. At age thirteen, she was invited to train at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia. She was awarded the Friends of Joffrey Scholarship and was the first place winner of the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards. She also spent many summers on merit scholarship at School of American Ballet in New York. At sixteen, she was invited to join American Ballet Theatre where she toured internationally with the company. She was also a guest artist with English National Ballet in London and Bavarian National Ballet in Munich. She has worked with such luminaries as Margot Fonteyn, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Natalia Makarova, Maya Plietstskya, Agnes DeMille, Twyla Tharp and Gelsey Kirkland.
Lyon is the founder and artistic director of Gala de Danza in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The gala is designed to bring the world’s elite artists to Mexico in an event to enrich the community. In collaboration with Youth America Grand Prix and keeping with YAGP’s mission to provide performance opportunities to young dancers, the talented finalists are invited to perform with the outstanding guest artists from around the world. The support and sponsorship of the community has been extraordinary and has made it possible to continue the event as an annual tradition.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Hee Seo began her ballet training in her
hometown at the Sun-hwa Arts Middle School. She was awarded a
three-year full scholarship to continue her training at the Kirov
Ballet Academy in Washington, D. C. In 2003, Seo won a scholarship to
train at the John Cranko Ballet Academy in Stuttgart. She is the
recipient of the 2003 Prix de Lausanne Award and the 2003 Grand Prix
at the Youth American Grand Prix in New York.

Seo joined the ABT Studio Company in 2004 and the main Company as an
apprentice in May 2005 and the corps de ballet in March 2006. Her
repertoire with the Company includes Polyhymnia in Apollo, Nikiya,
Gamzatti, the Lead D’Jampe and a Shade in La Bayadère, Cinderella in
Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella, Twig in James Kudelka’s Cinderella,
Prayer in Coppélia, Mercedes and a flower girl in Don Quixote, the
Glove Seller in Gaîté Parisienne, Giselle and Zulma in Giselle,
Caroline in Jardin aux Lilas, Olympia in Lady of the Camellias, The
Moor’s Wife in The Moor’s Pavane, Natalia Petrovna in A Month in the
Country, Clara, the Princess and one of the Nutcracker’s Sisters in
Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, Natalia in On the Dnieper, Tatiana
in Onegin, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Aurora, the Lilac
Fairy, the Fairy of Sincerity and Princess Florine in The Sleeping
Beauty, Odette-Odile, the pas de trois, the Polish Princess and a big
swan in Swan Lake, the Sylph in La Sylphide, the Prelude in Les
Sylphides, Ceres in Sylvia, Thaïs Pas de Deux and roles in Ballo della
Regina, Birthday Offering, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Chamber
Symphony, Dark Elegies, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, Duets, From
Here On Out, The Leaves Are Fading, Monotones II, Overgrown Path,
Raymonda Divertissements, Seven Sonatas,Thirteen Diversions and Valse
Fantaisie. She created a leading role in With a Chance of Rain.

Seo was appointed a Soloist in August 2010 and a Principal Dancer in July 2012.

Seo made Guest appearance at Mariinsky Ballet for her well known
repertories Giselle and Sleeping Beauty and dance most prestigious
stages In Italy, Brazil, Japan, China, Korea, Mexico,United Kingdom
Russia and many more.

Seo also is a founder of non-profit foundation called “HeeSeo
foundation” and a representer of YAGP Korea.

Ms. Seo’s performances with American Ballet Theatre are sponsored by
Pamela and David B. Ford.

Nijawwon Matthews a native of Auburn, New York, studied under the tutelage of Sean McLeod, founder of the New York Institute of Dance & Education.Inspired by solid training and early achievements, Nijawwon was motivated to pursue his interest in dance further. He landed opportunities with several companies including the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Philadanco, and the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. As a dance educator and choreographer, Mr. Matthews has travelled nationally to instruct master classes for a host of academic schools, dance studios, and professional companies and is now a proud instructor at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York. He has taught internationally at institutions in the British Virgin Islands, Germany, Taiwan, South Africa, and Curacao. To his credit, Nijawwon orchestrated theatrical performances for Partnership for Results, a community-wide after-school youth program under the direction of Susan Muldoon. With Michael Henty, the founder of Champions for Life Sports Center, he created dances expressly developed for children with autism. Nijawwon taught dance at the Cayuga Home for Children, a community support services provider, where as a guest speaker he inspired at-risk teens with his own story of overcoming life’s challenges. Recently, Nijawwon Matthews has finished a film called “Black Nativity” featuring Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, and Jennifer Hudson. He also performed in the Macy’s day Parade on the Cirque du Soleil float. Nijawwon quoted an inspirational quote ““What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence” – Dr. Samuel Johnson.

Also a Jazz & Contemporary Trainee Instructor, as well as a Joffrey San Francisco Instructor and Choreographer.

Bradley Shelver (South Africa) trained at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg and The Ailey School. He has danced with the Alvin Ailey Repertory Company, Elisa Monte Dance Company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, The Francesca Harper Project, Limón Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theater (UK) and in projects with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co. Lar Lubovich Dance, The Universal Ballet, Radio City Music Hall and in productions with the Mark Morris Dance Group. He currently dances as a soloist for The Metropolitan Opera Ballet. Mr Shelver is an international touring solo artist and has choreographed works for companies in the USA, Israel, Sweden, Denmark and Italy, including; Ballet Austin, Lustig Dance Theater, Compania Rio Danca, New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble, Cape Dance Company, Cedar Lake 2, Sobers & Godley Dance, as well as creating works for the Royal Danish, Royal Swedish Ballet Schools, Joffrey Ballet School, The Ailey School, Long Island University. He is the founder of Bradley Shelver Contemporary Dance Theater, and the Artistic Director of the STEPS Repertory Ensemble as well as Production Director for Steps on Broadway. He is on the Faculty of schools and universities worldwide having taught for ABT, Royal Danish and Royal Swedish Ballet Schools, Ateballeto, Mathew Bourne’s “Adventures in Motion Pictures”, The Ailey School, La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts, Joffrey Ballet School, Bikuratim (Israel), Centro Coregrafico (Brazil) amongst others. He is co-producer and Curator for the annual REVERBdance Festival and has written a monthly column for Dance Spirit Magazine. His book, “Performance Through the Dance Technique of Lester Horton” is available worldwide.

Also a Joffrey San Francisco and Joffrey Experience Instructor.

Jon Ole Olstad started dancing at the age of 16 and took his first ballet class when auditioning for a high school dance department. He quickly realized dancing was his big passion and that he would do anything to make his dream of becoming a professional dancer come true. Later he was accepted into the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, and graduated with a bachelor degree in 2009. After college he was hired for the tour project “Kamuyot”, a collaboration between the Swedish Riksteatern and Batsheva Dance Company led by artistic director Ohad Naharin. During this time he participated in daily ‘gaga’ class, the training form they use in Batsheva Dance Company, and developed a great love and respect for this work. In 2010 Jon Ole formed the choreographic duo “Ruth n ´Walter” together with Caroline Skjoershammer. Their first duet “Epilogue” got invited to the Cross Connection Choreography Competition and in 2012 they created “Dear, its time to turn the lights off”, which was performed in different festivals and venues. In 2013, Jon Ole was hired by Nederlands Dans Theater 1, led by artistic director Paul Lightfoot. He has worked with choreographers such as Paul Lighfoot and Sol Leon, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Marco Goecke, Alexander Ekman, Jiri Kylian, Mehdi Walerski and Crystal Pite. He started teaching in 2009 and has a huge passion for sharing knowledge and the love of dance. He has taught at numerous colleges and studios across Norway, as well as in Los Angeles and New York City. Class description; “In my class I want each and every one of the students to discover something new about themselves, both physically and mentally. To be able to step outside the box but at the same time gain the knowledge of being inside the box with your center and technique. The class focuses on expanding your limits, reaching further as a dancer, breaking habits and a personal investigation to take your dancing to a completely different landscape. I encourage a balance between doing the steps that are given to you, but at the same time letting who you are as a dancer and person color the movements.” – Jon Ole Olstad.

Andrew Brader was born and raised in New Orleans, LA, and began his training with Karen Hebert and at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts with Jan Miller and Miguel Lopez. He attended The Harid Conservatory on full scholarship and the Jaqueline Kennedy Onasis School at American Ballet Theatre, also studying privately with Susan Jaffe. He was then invited to join ABT as an Apprentice dancing with the company at The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. Andrew then joined the Houston Ballet performing in ballets by Stanton Welch, Ben Stevenson, John Cranko, Kenneth MacMillan and George Balanchine. He danced with the Los Angeles Ballet for four seasons performing principal roles in George Balanchine’s Agon, The Four Temperaments, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Serenade, Kammermuzik No.2 Lar Lubovich’s The Evangelist, Bourninville’s Napoli Pas de Six and original works by Josie Walsh, Sonya Tayeh, Olivier Wevers, and Melissa Barak’s Scrying presented as the first dance installation ever to be performed at NYC’s Modern Museum of Art. Mr. Brader was a 2009 Lester Horton Award nominee for Outstanding Achievement in Performance and has been selected to dance with the National Choreographers’ Initiative for 4 seasons in Orange County, California. Andrew spent two seasons with BalletMet Columbus before joining Stadtische Theater Chemnitz  as a Soloist in Chemnitz, Germany. Andrew is currently dancing with Complexions Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson and also continues to work as a freelance dancer, teacher, and choreographer.

Africa Guzman was born in Madrid, Spain. She began her training with her mother at the “Escuela de Ballet y Danza Española Africa Guzmán” and continued at the “Escuela del Ballet Nacional de España” directed by Lola de Avila.

As a student, Africa was awarded honors by both the “Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza de Madrid” and “The Royal Academy of Dancing”.

In 2007, Africa furthered her education with a “Diploma in Dance. Specialty: Choreography and Interpretation Techniques of Dance”.

At a young age, Africa was awarded first prize in classical dance at the County of Kent, 1985; at the County of Sussex, 1987; in the “Concurso Nacional de Danza Monteprincipe”, 1987.

In January 1988, she joined “Ballet del Teatro Lirico Nacional” (now “Compañía Nacional de Danza”) directed by Maya Plisetskaya where she danced principal roles in classical and neoclassical repertoire in ballets choreographed by Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, Michail Fokine, Alberto Mendez, Ray Barra, etc.

Under Nacho Duato´s artistic direction with CND, Africa was promoted to Principal Dancer. Africa had a long tenured career with CND and has played an integral role in a multitude of Duato’s work from 1990 to 2010. She has been a pivotal dancer in both the creative and performance processes.

In 2003, she joined “Netherland Dans Theater” until 2005 when she returned to CND.

Africa’s artistic career includes working with numerous choreographers such as Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot y Sol León, Hans Van Manen, Jorma Elo, Johan Inger, Angelin Prejolcaj, Olga Roriz, Paul Norton, Nicolo Fonte, Örjan Anderson, Gustavo Ramirez, Meryl Tankartd, André Gingras and many more.

As an acclaimed artist, Africa has danced in over 30 countries. Her artistic talents have led her to be a frequent guest at a multitude of international ballet galas throughout the world.

In 2000, Africa presented her first choreographed work in Madrid titled “Reflejos de un Lied”, for the “Taller Coreográfico of the Compañía Nacional de Danza”. Her choreographed works have led her to create pieces for the “Joffrey Ballet School”, the “Joffrey Concert Group” and the “Alvin Ailey School” in New York, and the “Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Carmen Amaya” and “Ballet Joven Africa Guzmán” in Madrid.

Africa has continued to share her talents as a teacher at the “Escuela de Ballet Africa Guzmán”, where she started her career and the “Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Carmen Amaya” in Madrid. She has worked as guest teacher for “Joffrey Ballet School” and “Peridance Capezio Center” in NY, the “School of Oregon Ballet Theater” in Portland and “The Academy of Performing Arts” in Prague.

Ms. Guzman is a ballet master and assistant of Nacho Duato´s works.

Africa was invited in 2013 and 2014 to work with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow.

Since 2012 she has been invited several times to judge the classical ballet exams for the private dance career ACADE.

Africa’s talents have led her to perform on stage as well as on film. In 1999 she filmed several episodes for Spanish television (TVE) series “Step to step with Nacho Duato”; in 2004, she filmed for Dutch television (NPS) “Kerst met het NDT”; and in 2010, she filmed the documentary “Nacho Danse la Danse” by Alain Deymier.

Josie Walsh is the Artistic Director / Choreographer of BalletRED, “Project Protégé” and the Joffrey Ballet School in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Josie has danced professionally with the Joffrey Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre and the Zurich Ballet in Switzerland where she began her choreographic career. Moving onto several freelance projects throughout Europe she returned to Los Angeles and integrated this vast background into the commercial as well as concert dance world. Known as the “Renegade” ballerina for her cutting edge hybrid style of edgy classical and contemporary ballet fusion, Josie is infamous for transcending boundaries and setting new trends. Josie was named 25 to watch by Dance Magazine, awarded the “Outstanding Choreography Award 2016 at the Youth American Grand Prix and honored with the endorsement from the Los Angeles Times as “Faces to Watch 2014” for Dance.

Beckanne Sisk was born in Longview, Texas and studied at Longview Ballet Theater until the age of fourteen. She then moved to Philadelphia, PA to attend The Rock School for Dance Education’s RAPA program for four years. Sisk won the Jerome Robbins award in 2007 and competed at the Youth America Grand Prix from 2007-2010. She then joined Ballet West II in 2010 and was promoted to Principal Artist in 2015. Sisk won the Princess Grace Dance Fellowship Award in 2012 along with the Bronze Medal at the Beijing International Ballet Competition. She has performed leading roles in Anna Marie Holmes Don Quixote, John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet, Adam Sklute’s adaptation of Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. Sisk was featured on a reality TV series on the CW called Breaking Pointe.

Chase O’Connell was born in Fredericksburg Virginia. He started his professional training at 13 at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C. He then went to the Royal Ballet School in London for 2 years on scholarship. After Royal he was offered a temporary contract with the Paris Opera Ballet Company. He then joined Ballet West II in 2012 and was promoted to Principal in 2015. He has performed Principal roles in John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet, Adam Sklute’s adaptation of Swan Lake, George Balanchine’s Symphony in C ( Second Movement), Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, Jiri Kylian’s Petit Mort, Overgrown Path and Forgotten Land.

Also a Jazz & Contemporary Trainee Instructor, as well as a Joffrey San Francisco Instructor and Choreographer.

Bradley Shelver (South Africa) trained at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg and The Ailey School. He has danced with the Alvin Ailey Repertory Company, Elisa Monte Dance Company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, The Francesca Harper Project, Limón Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theater (UK) and in projects with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co. Lar Lubovich Dance, The Universal Ballet, Radio City Music Hall and in productions with the Mark Morris Dance Group. He currently dances as a soloist for The Metropolitan Opera Ballet. Mr Shelver is an international touring solo artist and has choreographed works for companies in the USA, Israel, Sweden, Denmark and Italy, including; Ballet Austin, Lustig Dance Theater, Compania Rio Danca, New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble, Cape Dance Company, Cedar Lake 2, Sobers & Godley Dance, as well as creating works for the Royal Danish, Royal Swedish Ballet Schools, Joffrey Ballet School, The Ailey School, Long Island University. He is the founder of Bradley Shelver Contemporary Dance Theater, and the Artistic Director of the STEPS Repertory Ensemble as well as Production Director for Steps on Broadway. He is on the Faculty of schools and universities worldwide having taught for ABT, Royal Danish and Royal Swedish Ballet Schools, Ateballeto, Mathew Bourne’s “Adventures in Motion Pictures”, The Ailey School, La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts, Joffrey Ballet School, Bikuratim (Israel), Centro Coregrafico (Brazil) amongst others. He is co-producer and Curator for the annual REVERBdance Festival and has written a monthly column for Dance Spirit Magazine. His book, “Performance Through the Dance Technique of Lester Horton” is available worldwide.

Also a Company Member with Grand Theatre de Geveve (Geneva Ballet).

Angela is currently one of 22 professionals, dancing in Switzerland, for ‘Ballet du Grand Theatre de Genève’, in Geneva. > She is currently touring Europe and the world with Geneva Ballet; performing the various repertoire in China, Thailand, Zurrich, cities in France, and Italy. The Company will tour to Canada and a number of States in the US as well as to South Africa this year. > Angela has worked with known European Choreographers Ken Osalla, and Michel Kelemenis, performing the works of world wide known Andonis Foniadakis, Benjamin Millepied, as well as European names of Pontus , Emmanuel Gat, Didy Veldman.

Angela has been in Ballet Geneva’s classic contemporary interpretation of Romeo& Juliette, Giselle, A MidSummer Nights Dream, Les Sylphide, as well as the large variety of the Geneva’s creations. Angela was born in South Africa; where she began her professional Career with ‘Ballet Theatre Afrikan’ under the direction of Martin Schonberg. Angela received her Advanced II in the classical method of Cechettic Training with Mr Schonberg as well her Associates Teaching Qualification. In 2007 Angela was invited to join ‘State Street Ballet’ in Santa Barbara, California where she spent 5 Seasons. It was in California that Angela had the honor of meeting Mrs Josie Walsh and performing as ‘Lilias’ in Mrs Walsh’s story ballet ‘The Secret Garden’ , set on ‘State Street Ballet’ at the time. Angela enjoyed the roles of Arabian and Doll in ‘State Street Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ as well as ‘Kaa’ the python snake in the company’s ‘JungleBook’.

Angela also enjoyed teaching for the ‘Gustafson Dance’. Both for the students as well as Adult open classes; and she enjoyed guest teaching for ‘Dance ‘n Motion’ in Encinitas California under the ownership of Cassandra Ream. Angela returned to South Africa in 2012 to Guest perform with ‘Cape Town City Ballet’ in ‘Raymonda’ and with ‘Cape Dance Company’, a few works, one of which was choreographed by Christopher Huggins.. Based in New York. Another by Bradley Shelver who also resides in the US. After which, in August 2013, Angela moved to Europe to begin her contract with ‘Ballet du Grand Theatre de Genève’.

Andrea Schermoly (Andi) is born in South Africa where she attended the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg studying Vaganova technique with Vyvyan Llorayne as well as African Dance, Contemporary and Flamenco.  She also competed around the world as a member of The South African Olympic Rhythmic Gymnastics Team. She received a full scholarship to Rambert Ballet and Contemporary School in London and shortly thereafter a full scholarship to The Royal Ballet School, London, where she completed her dance education.  After graduation she joined Boston Ballet Company.  Whilst in Boston she danced leads in ballets ‘Ginastera’ by Rudi van Dantzig and ‘Sharp Side of Dark’ by Jorma Elo.  She was invited to join Netherlands Dance Theater in Holland and began at NDT2 and later danced with NDT1.  Andi enjoyed years of professional performance and touring with Netherlands Dance Theater.  She had the extraordinary experience of performing existing repertoire as well as new creations by choreographers such as Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Leon, Ohad Naharin, Hans van Manen and many other great contemporary choreographers.

Andi is a choreographer, and freelance performer herself, and has choreographed for Festival Ballet Theater, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, Ballet Theatre Afrikan, Quixotic Fusion Company, Boston Ballet 2, Joffrey Concert Group, Grand Rapids Ballet Company, Kansas City Ballet, NDT Workshops as well as over 80 solos and group pieces for students attending dance competitions such as YAGP throughout the US and Europe. She was awarded the “Outstanding Choreographer” award in both 2012 and 2013 at Youth America Grand Prix and in 2014 was awarded “Emerging Choreographer Award” – a grant to choreograph at Lincoln Center at YAGP’s 15th anniversary gala 2014 evening, choreographing on dancers Maria Kochetkova (principal San Francisco Ballet) and Joaquin de Luz (principal New York City Ballet).  The piece was a great success and has since been staged again at ‘Buenos Aires International Dance Festival’, Argentina and ‘Stars of the 21st Century’ gala at the Champs Élysées in Paris.  She choreographed for ‘Stars of American Ballet’  touring to South Africa 2014 with principal dancers from acclaimed companies worldwide and performed herself as well. Andi will be choreographing for Boston Ballet’s gala next season as well as presenting at Montreal Dance Festival, ‘Stars of American Ballet’, Santa Fe, The Ashley Bouder project premiering at the Joyce 2015 and she will be directing a star group going to the South Africa gala again in 2016, both choreographing and performing herself.  She has also choreographed for feature films and commercials in Hollywood including ‘Bunheads’ TV series, ‘Beautiful Now’, ‘Budweiser Superbowl Commercial’ and ‘Star Trek into Darkness’.  She has recently choreographed on Chase Finlay and Lauren Lovette, both of NYCB, on a pas de deux for Youth America Grand Prix gala and is currently choreographing on Kansas City Ballet and Grand Rapids Ballet.  She has upcoming commissions this 2015 with several other companies.

Also directing: Artistic Director Ballet West

Adam Sklute brings passion, diversity and eclecticism to Ballet West. Since 2007, Sklute has expanded Ballet West’s repertoire, visibility, and overall outlook with exciting company premieres, increased touring, new full-length classics, and new creations by renowned and up-and-coming choreographers.

Under Sklute’s leadership Ballet West has toured extensively, appearing twice at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, twice at New York City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival, and twice at the Chicago Dancing Festival. Over the past five years The Company has also appeared at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in 2011, The Laguna Dance Festival in 2010, and in Las Vegas with Nevada Ballet Theater in 2010 and 2012. In 2009, Ballet West graced the cover of Dance Magazine for the first time in 25 years. In 2012, Ballet West was the subject of the BBC Worldwide Production’s reality television series Breaking Pointe, which aired on the CW Network.

Sklute has introduced Ballet West to such renowned contemporary choreographers as Jiri Kylian, Mark Morris and Twyla Tharp, among others, while expanding the company’s Balanchine repertoire and adding early 20th Century Diaghilev-era masterpieces. In addition to reintroducing lost elements of Christensen’s production of The Nutcracker, Sklute has conceived and produced new versions of Swan Lake andThe Sleeping Beauty and developed Ballet West’s wildly successful new works program – Innovations.

Sklute danced with and rose to the rank of Associate Director at The Joffrey Ballet before joining Ballet West. An Adjunct Professor of dance at the University of Utah, Sklute is also a guest teacher, judge, and coach for dance programs, competitions and workshops worldwide.

Born: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Joined Ballet West: 2007
Promoted to Demi-Soloist: 2011

Training: The Parou Ballet Company under Debbie Parou, followed by the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet under Jean Gedeon.

Current Repertoire: World premiere of Susan Shields’ Grand Synthesis; Michael Smuin’s The Tempest; Mark Morris’ Gong; Stanton Welch’s Madame Butterfly; Michel Fokine’s Polovetsian Dances; the world premiere of Peggy Dolkas’ “Yes, But How Did You Get There?”; the world premiere of Nicolo Fonte’s The Immeasurable Cadences Within; Adam Sklute’s newly conceived and produced Swan Lakeand The Sleeping Beauty; John Butler’s Carmina Burana; Jiri Kylian’sSinfonietta; Nicolo Fonte’s Bolero; and the 2011 world premieres of Tom Mattingly’s Fall Into Loving Arms and Avichai Scher’s White Noise. Her Balanchine repertoire includes: Agon, Prodigal Son, Serenade, Stars and Stripes, Chaconne, and The Four Temperaments.

Additional Information: Before becoming a professional dancer, Allison earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ballet from Indiana University.  Allison also spent one year with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program.

Also a Joffrey San Francisco and Joffrey Experience Instructor.

Jon Ole Olstad started dancing at the age of 16 and took his first ballet class when auditioning for a high school dance department. He quickly realized dancing was his big passion and that he would do anything to make his dream of becoming a professional dancer come true. Later he was accepted into the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, and graduated with a bachelor degree in 2009. After college he was hired for the tour project “Kamuyot”, a collaboration between the Swedish Riksteatern and Batsheva Dance Company led by artistic director Ohad Naharin. During this time he participated in daily ‘gaga’ class, the training form they use in Batsheva Dance Company, and developed a great love and respect for this work. In 2010 Jon Ole formed the choreographic duo “Ruth n ´Walter” together with Caroline Skjoershammer. Their first duet “Epilogue” got invited to the Cross Connection Choreography Competition and in 2012 they created “Dear, its time to turn the lights off”, which was performed in different festivals and venues. In 2013, Jon Ole was hired by Nederlands Dans Theater 1, led by artistic director Paul Lightfoot. He has worked with choreographers such as Paul Lighfoot and Sol Leon, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Marco Goecke, Alexander Ekman, Jiri Kylian, Mehdi Walerski and Crystal Pite. He started teaching in 2009 and has a huge passion for sharing knowledge and the love of dance. He has taught at numerous colleges and studios across Norway, as well as in Los Angeles and New York City. Class description; “In my class I want each and every one of the students to discover something new about themselves, both physically and mentally. To be able to step outside the box but at the same time gain the knowledge of being inside the box with your center and technique. The class focuses on expanding your limits, reaching further as a dancer, breaking habits and a personal investigation to take your dancing to a completely different landscape. I encourage a balance between doing the steps that are given to you, but at the same time letting who you are as a dancer and person color the movements.” – Jon Ole Olstad.

Andrew Brader was born and raised in New Orleans, LA, and began his training with Karen Hebert and at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts with Jan Miller and Miguel Lopez. He attended The Harid Conservatory on full scholarship and the Jaqueline Kennedy Onasis School at American Ballet Theatre, also studying privately with Susan Jaffe. He was then invited to join ABT as an Apprentice dancing with the company at The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. Andrew then joined the Houston Ballet performing in ballets by Stanton Welch, Ben Stevenson, John Cranko, Kenneth MacMillan and George Balanchine. He danced with the Los Angeles Ballet for four seasons performing principal roles in George Balanchine’s Agon, The Four Temperaments, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Serenade, Kammermuzik No.2 Lar Lubovich’s The Evangelist, Bourninville’s Napoli Pas de Six and original works by Josie Walsh, Sonya Tayeh, Olivier Wevers, and Melissa Barak’s Scrying presented as the first dance installation ever to be performed at NYC’s Modern Museum of Art. Mr. Brader was a 2009 Lester Horton Award nominee for Outstanding Achievement in Performance and has been selected to dance with the National Choreographers’ Initiative for 4 seasons in Orange County, California. Andrew spent two seasons with BalletMet Columbus before joining Stadtische Theater Chemnitz  as a Soloist in Chemnitz, Germany. Andrew is currently dancing with Complexions Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson and also continues to work as a freelance dancer, teacher, and choreographer.

Also a instructor of Joffrey San Francisco.

Anh Dillon has had an early extensive training in classical ballet at the conservatoire in Paris France, and later extended her passion to jazz and modern. Her professional career covers diverse types of work from music videos (Usher) to industrials (Redken, Aveda) and commercials (PBS), working with industry choreographers such as Michael Rooney, Travis Payne, and John Carrafa. Her heart will however always belong to concert dance: as a principal dancer with ballet and contemporary companies, she has been fortunate to perform around the world – US, Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, South Korea. Anh is also the recipient of a Lester Horton Award for best performance.

As a choreographer, Anh has worked with various shows (L’Oréal, LA Music Awards) and artists (Prince). She teaches ballet, contemporary and jazz in Germany, Italy, Belgium and the US (including Edge PAC, LA Ballet Academy, and Hama’s Dance Center in Los Angeles).

Her experience and career led her to co-create and co-direct the online dance hub DancePlug.com.

Also directing: XIOM Dance Theatre and a instructor of the Joffrey San Francisco Intensive.

ZAK RYAN SCHLEGEL is an internationally recognized dancer, teacher and choreographer. He is the artistic director of LA-based AXIOM Dance Theatre and company member of Shen Wei Dance Arts in New York City, currently performing at American Dance Festival, Spoleto Festival and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

He grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he attended Fishback Studio of the Dance, training under Krista King Doherty. He later attended Chapman University, where he studied Literature, Performance and Choreography and received a BFA in Dance Performance. He has been a recipient of multiple talent scholarships and was awarded Outstanding Performance 2009, 2010, 2011 as well as Outstanding Choreography for his piece Bunker in 2011 at the Chapman University Department Honors.

Zak has trained and performed with a number of leading choreographers and companies. His work ranges from concert, commercial and film to modeling, performance art and cabaret. In 2010 he joined Backhausdance, where he has performed a number of original works both across the country and internationally in venues such as New York City Center, American Dance Festival, Vernon Center for the Performing Arts in Canada, Carpenter Center, Segerstrom Center and McCallum Center. In the same year he joined Lisa Eaton’s riotous Rouge Cabaret in LA as a soloist, performing in Hollywood and at the Fonda Theater under direction of actress and spokeswoman Jaime Pressly. He moved on to become performer and assistant choreographer to multimedia image/projection mapping dance company WIFE performing in New York, LA and at the TedX SoCal event at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Upon graduation, Zak traveled to Australia where he trained with Rafael Bonachela and learned repertory of Sydney Dance Company. He returned to LA and in 2013 joined Ryan Heffington and painter Nolan Hendrickson’s art/dance/performance installation KTCHN premiering at Mack Sennett studios. That summer he traveled to Portland, participating in Northwest Dance Project’s LAUNCH 8. Other esteemed choreographers Zak has worked with include Stephen Petronio (Stephen Petronio Company), Sarah Slipper (Northwest Dance Project), Helene Blackburn (Cas Public), Danielle Agami (Ate9/Batsheva), Lucas Crandall (Hubbard Street), Andrew Cowan (Shen Wei Dance Arts), Kitty McNamee (Hysterica Dance Company) and Yin Yue (YYDC). Additionally, Zak can be seen in music videos, print and national commercials including Britney Spears, MIKA, Fitz and the Tantrums, Years & Years Sam Sparro, The Pierces, Toyota Prius, Lexus, Sleep Number, FLAUNT and OUT magazine.

Simultaneous to his illustrious performance career, Zak began choreographing professionally in 2010 when he became assistant choreographer for WIFE. Zak’s collaboration The Grey Ones premiered at the TedX SoCal event at the Long Beach Convention Center and later was featured on the electronic music artist Amon Tobin’s box set DVD. In 2011 Zak again collaborated and performed in WIFE’s MUMA, which was commissioned by Ford, Milk and Legs Media and was performed in New York and Los Angeles alongside five other multimedia artists. In the meantime, Zak began to research and develop the launch of his own company, AXIOM Dance Theatre, in 2011 with long time artistic partner and co-founder Denna Thomsen. ADT has performed two evening-length productions including their self-titled show in the spring of 2013 and LILIT, which premiered in the fall of 2014 to critical acclaim. Zak is very thrilled for the engagement of his teaching and choreography and is, most recently, the proud recipient of the 2014 & 2015 Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Choreographer award.

Colleen Barnes hails from South Texas. While earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet from University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music on scholarship, Colleen danced with Dayton Ballet, served as a rehearsal mistress at School of the Performing Arts, fitted pointe shoes, and lived abroad in Nanchang, China, where she taught all forms of dance at Allen Ballet under director Song Ting.

She danced with Ballet Pensacola and Dance Now Miami!, touring domestically and abroad. In 2013 Colleen had the honor and pleasure being hand-picked by Anna-Marie Holmes to work with the late David Holmes as the guest principal dancer in his production of The Nutcracker, where she performed both Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen. Her favorite roles include Diego Salterini’s Chronicles; Hannah Baumgarten’s Unburden; Swan Lake’s Pas de Trois; the Opera Singer in Gaite Parisienne; and the demi-soloist role in Balanchine’s Walpurgisnact, among others.

Colleen Barnes has worked at the Joffrey Ballet School since 2009, working as both faculty and administration, where she has taught Ballet, Pointe, Dance Conditioning, Rehearsals, and Music for Dancers. In addition to pursuing her Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch Dance Department, she is the Artistic Director for both the Joffrey South (Georgia) and Joffrey Denver summer intensives. Impassioned to inspire and empower young people through dance, Colleen has participated in the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s teacher training workshop in both 2014 and 2016, in addition to the Joffrey teacher training program for the last four years; she is also a certified Pilates mat instructor. Colleen has taught ballet around the world, coaches dancers privately, and serves as a judge/teacher for the Wild About Dance Competition. She resides in Brooklyn with her husband and their two miniature Australian shepherds.

Suzette Boyer Webb returned to Cincinnati Ballet in 2011. Ms. Webb is a former Principal dancer with Cincinnati Ballet. Prior to her return to the Company, she had served on the Dance Division faculty at the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music, where she continues to teach. There, she was the recipient of the University of Cincinnati’s Outstanding Adjunct Teacher of the Year award.

Ms. Webb began her early training with Tom Adair and Mme. Seda Sorvillo, in Poughkeepsie, NY. She received scholarships at The School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theater School.   As a Principal dancer with Cincinnati Ballet under the direction of directors David McClain, Frederic Franklin and Ivan Nagy, she has danced principal roles in works by choreographers Frederic Franklin, Ivan Nagy, George Balanchine, Ruth Page, Peter Anastos, John Butler, Sir Kenneth McMillian, Ben Stevenson, James Truitte, and Lester Horton.

Recently Ms. Webb has participated in a Dancers Over 40 panel, honoring the American choreographer Ruth Page, taught for Joffrey Ballet South, has choreographed on Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company for Lumenocity, and staged children’s roles for Victoria Morgan’s New Nutcracker in Cincinnati and Anchorage AK, and Septime Webre’s ALICE (in wonderland) for Kansas City Ballet.

Suzette is currently the Cincinnati Ballet Director of Second Company /Children’s Coach.

Kristina is currently a third year MFA in the Department of Dance at The Ohio State University where she is a Graduate Teaching Associate, the recipient of a Ohio State University Fellowship and a Career Development Grant. She has presented at the TedX Ohio State University and received a Columbus Dances Fellowship award for choreography.

Kristina graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Cincinnati with a B.F.A. in dance where she studied on scholarship. While in college she danced as a member of the Tulsa Ballet II and the Louisville Ballet. She has also performed as a guest artist with the Dayton Ballet and Kentucky Ballet Theatre. After graduating she danced for three years with the Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island while also working with Colleen Cavanaugh’s contemporary dance company Part of the Oath Dance Theater as a performer and instructor in her outreach after school program.

Kristina enjoys teaching students ages three-adult and has worked locally in Columbus, Cincinnati and Rhode Island. She spent a summer as an instructor of ballet, pointe, variations and composition at the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education Senior and Junior summer intensives. Kristina is currently on staff with BalletMet dance academy and the BalletMet Educational Outreach program.

Trey Mitchell is a New York City based Choreographer, Director, and Teacher.  A Virginia native, he graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts before receiving his BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah University.

Trey’s acting career began on the road portraying Frank Lippencott in the National Tour of “Wonderful Town” and as The Cat in The Hat in “Seussical.”  Regionally he was seen as L.A. in “Gypsy” at North Shore Music Theatre (starring Vicki Lewis) and as Posner in the regional premiere of “The History Boys” at Northern Stage Company.  New York credits include “The Drowsy Chaperone” at The Gallery Players (Winner of four New York Innovative Theatre Awards, including Best Musical) and as Trevor in “The Jungle Fun Room” (New World Stages/New York International Fringe Festival).

As a choreographer, Trey’s credits include “A Little Night Music” at The Gallery Players (2014 New York Innovative Theater Award Nominee for Best Musical), “Wonderful Town” (Gallery Players), “The Lover” (GAMUT Theater), “Nine” (Hollins University), and “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (Burton Center for the Performing Arts).  Other shows include Oklahoma!, Annie Get Your Gun, Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods, and as Associate Choreographer for Dreamgirls and Rent (Gallery Players).

This past summer, Trey premiered a piece for SIDEWAYS, a contemporary company based in Atlanta, and most recently worked with Troy University, teaching and setting pieces for their Dance and Theatre Departments. For the past four years, he has served as the Master Musical Theatre Instructor and Acting for Dancers Teacher at the Joffrey Ballet School’s Summer South Intensive.  Trey currently performs with the Dance/Theater Company, “The Treehouse Shakers” and continues to teach and choreograph across the country.  He is a proud member of Actors Equity Association.

Mitchell A. Finke is from Columbus, Ohio and travels the country as a freelance choreographer, emcee, and entertainment and  event producer. He has directed and choreographed over 100 stage shows for regional, collegiate and high school theatres including 4 seasons at Park Playhouse in New York. In addition, his choreography has been seen in theme parks, industrials, show choirs and dance studios all over the country (including the infamous Abby Lee Dance Company and Candy Apples Dance Studio). He has worked on events with The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, National Basketball Association, Nationwide Insurance, The Limited Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch, Ohio Department of Transportation, Special Olympics, American Cancer Society and DECA just to name a few.

He grew up studying tap, jazz, ballet, acro, break dancing (yes, break dancing) at Pinnell Dance Centre in Columbus  at the age of 5 and continued his training at conventions and studios throughout the country. Mitchell has been teaching at conventions and intensives for over 10 years focusing on musical theatre, jazz and tap. He has been seen on TV’s hit reality show DANCE MOMS as a choreographer and emcee and was the on-air host of the nationwide Fox Kids Club. He has performed in regional and touring productions of 42nd Street as Andy Lee, Chicago as Fred Casely, Crazy for You as Bobby, A Chorus Line as Mike, Grease as Doody, and Peter Pan as Peter Pan. Although not performing anymore, Mitchell can often been seen as the emcee at several dance  competitions during the year. He has a degree in Marketing and Public Relations from Ohio Dominican University and is elated to share his art of dance with all the students at Georgia South.

Also an instructor with Joffrey West LA.

Shellie Cash, free-lance master teacher, choreographer and teacher of the Alexander Technique. Former Professor of Dance and Division Head (2000-2012),

Shellie taught ballet, pointe, composition/improvisation, modern dance, jazz, flamenco, yoga, Alexander Technique and theory courses at the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music, Dance Division from 1994 – 2012. She taught ballet, pointe, jazz, flamenco and movement for actors courses at Bucknell University from 1989 – 1994. She holds a B.F.A. in Ballet from University of Utah, a M.A. in Movement Studies and Dance from Wesleyan University and has danced professionally with Ballet West, Tanz-Forum (Germany), Ballet Theatre du Silence and Peter Goss Dance Company (France) among others. Shellie has been on the Joffrey Ballet School New York Summer Satellite Programs faculty for Joffrey West LA and South Athens (2015); Joffrey West LA and Southwest Dallas (2013 and 2014); at Interlochen Arts Summer Camp (2000- 2012); as well as invited to guest teach for the Guangzhou Ballet Academy and the Bartholin International Ballet Seminar at the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen. She has been the recipient of four NCCI/NEA grants and is an ATI certified teacher of the Alexander Technique since 1998. Ms. Cash currently maintains her private Alexander Technique practice in Lighthouse Point, Florida and teaches for the New World School of the Arts/University of Florida in Miami, Florida.

Also an Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary Intensive Instructor

Chris Coates is a New York City based dance/teacher/choreographer who as dance professionally for 12 years. He has toured Europe and the U.S. with Jeff Amsden’s “A Few Good Men…..Dancing”, danced for many Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway teachers including Tracie Stanfield and Geoffrey Doig Marx and has worked with Joe Lanteri, NYCDA, and ONSTAGE NY for the past 7 years. A Georgia native, Chris trained in Atlanta for 10 years before starting his professional career performing on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Navigator and Explorer of the Seas.

Currently he is a member of Oliver and Teri Steele’s company, STEELEDANCE, who’s New York season just premiered at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater in February. In addition, Chris has performed with many other modern companies around the country, including Salvatore La Russa Dance Theater in NYC and Project 7 and Sideways Contemporary Dance Company in Atlanta, GA. He has done many industrials and commercials including ones for Wal-Mart (choreographed by Ray Leeper), the E.L.C.A, and New York Sports Club.  Chris also danced with recording artist and Academy Award Winner Jennifer Hudson and performed in the Annual Easter Bonnet Competition-Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

As a guest instructor, he has taught at Peridance, The Joffrey Ballet School in NY and spent 5 years as a choreographer and teacher for The Joffery Summer Jazz and Contemporary Intensive in New York City.  There he continues his contemporary modern dance training and travels around the country to teach and choreography for many dance studios and schools.

Also a NYC Jazz & Contemporary Instructor.

JoiLynn trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Boston Conservatory, and The Ailey School before studying Haitian folklore with Ase Dance Theatre Collective and hip hop styles in the underground scene of NYC. She has been a featured dancer for numerous venues including projects for Kiesza,Parliament, Target, Regis and Kelly, Rachel Ray,  The David Letterman Show, Maybelline, Impulse
Dance Company, Balance Dance Theatre, JuxtaPower, Jazz Ain’t Dead, “Holler if You Hear Me” based on the work of Tupac Shakur, “Journey to the West” based on the life of Bruce Lee, The Apollo Club, and music videos for Jay-Z, Shakti, and Laura Pausini.  She is also a core dancer for recording artist Kiesza. As director of JoiLynn Productions, she produces provocative and innovative dance based projects and is known as a “sci-fi “ choreographer creating projects that have a distinct conceptual message, are entertaining, and celebrate the technicality and artistry of dance. As a choreographer her work has been featured in projects such as “The Rainbow Project’ in Barbados, The Ladies Of Hip Hop Festival, DC Fringe Festival, for recording artists Sofi Green and Mental™, for “The Shipment” a play by Young Jean Lee and the musical “Loving You” presented by The Riant Theatre, at Sol Afrik: African Fashion Week in NYC, and “Michael and Michael have issues“ on Comedy Central. She is a sought after teaching artist who has taught workshops in Barbados and throughout the US at schools such as New Jersey Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School. She also has a passion for sci fi, action, and fantasy films using her mastery of movement to enhance her experience as an actress and is a vocalist featured in music with recording artist Caktuz, General Steele of Smif-N-Wessun, and afro beat sensation Wunmi.

Check her out at JoiLynn.com

Colleen Barnes hails from South Texas. While earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet from University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music on scholarship, Colleen danced with Dayton Ballet, served as a rehearsal mistress at School of the Performing Arts, fitted pointe shoes, and lived abroad in Nanchang, China, where she taught all forms of dance at Allen Ballet under director Song Ting.

She danced with Ballet Pensacola and Dance Now Miami!, touring domestically and abroad. In 2013 Colleen had the honor and pleasure being hand-picked by Anna-Marie Holmes to work with the late David Holmes as the guest principal dancer in his production of The Nutcracker, where she performed both Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen. Her favorite roles include Diego Salterini’s Chronicles; Hannah Baumgarten’s Unburden; Swan Lake’s Pas de Trois; the Opera Singer in Gaite Parisienne; and the demi-soloist role in Balanchine’s Walpurgisnact, among others.

Colleen Barnes has worked at the Joffrey Ballet School since 2009, working as both faculty and administration, where she has taught Ballet, Pointe, Dance Conditioning, Rehearsals, and Music for Dancers. In addition to pursuing her Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch Dance Department, she is the Artistic Director for both the Joffrey South (Georgia) and Joffrey Denver summer intensives. Impassioned to inspire and empower young people through dance, Colleen has participated in the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s teacher training workshop in both 2014 and 2016, in addition to the Joffrey teacher training program for the last four years; she is also a certified Pilates mat instructor. Colleen has taught ballet around the world, coaches dancers privately, and serves as a judge/teacher for the Wild About Dance Competition. She resides in Brooklyn with her husband and their two miniature Australian shepherds.

Rodney Hamilton, a native of St. Louis, began his dance training at the age of 10 and trained with Carr Lane V.P.A., COCA, Alexandra School of Ballet, and Katherine Dunham. After graduating with a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School, he joined Ballet Hispanico of New York where he was a principal dancer and assistant rehearsal director for 10 years. During this time, he performed works by José Limon, Paul Taylor, Hans van Manen, Robert Battle, Ohad Naharin, David Parsons, William Whitener, Ann Reinking, Ramon Oller, Sergio Trujillo, Trinette Singleton, Agnes DeMille, Talley Beatty, Annabel Lopez Ochoa, Vicente Nebrada, and numerous other well-known choreographers. Mr. Hamilton was part of the national touring cast of Hello Dolly with Carol Channing and worked with the Broadway cast of Tarzan. In 2012 Mr. Hamilton became the resident choreographer for the Saint Pete City Theater where he choreographed Hello Dolly, Footloose, and Memphis. Mr. Hamilton has taught ballet and modern all over the world, and is a master teacher of the Dunham technique. He is now obtaining his Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University.

Risa Mochizuki, a principal dancer with the New Jersey Ballet Company, was born in Tokyo and trained at the Antwerp Royal Ballet School and the Kishibe and Kawasaki Ballet School in Japan. She has won medals at several international ballet competitions. She danced solo and principal roles with Teatrul de Balet Sibiu, Constanta National Opera Ballet, and Timisoara National Opera Ballet in Romania. Principal roles include Don Quixote, Paquita, Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Chopiniana and La Vivandiere. Risa has also become an experienced teacher, teaching classes and coaching at many schools including Idaho Falls School of Ballet, Idaho Ballet Theater, Dance Tech in Ammon, ID, Elite Studio in Shelley, ID, Studio One in Idaho Falls, and New Jersey School of Ballet.

Kristina is currently a third year MFA in the Department of Dance at The Ohio State University where she is a Graduate Teaching Associate, the recipient of a Ohio State University Fellowship and a Career Development Grant. She has presented at the TedX Ohio State University and received a Columbus Dances Fellowship award for choreography.

Kristina graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Cincinnati with a B.F.A. in dance where she studied on scholarship. While in college she danced as a member of the Tulsa Ballet II and the Louisville Ballet. She has also performed as a guest artist with the Dayton Ballet and Kentucky Ballet Theatre. After graduating she danced for three years with the Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island while also working with Colleen Cavanaugh’s contemporary dance company Part of the Oath Dance Theater as a performer and instructor in her outreach after school program.

Kristina enjoys teaching students ages three-adult and has worked locally in Columbus, Cincinnati and Rhode Island. She spent a summer as an instructor of ballet, pointe, variations and composition at the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education Senior and Junior summer intensives. Kristina is currently on staff with BalletMet dance academy and the BalletMet Educational Outreach program.

Also a NYC Ballet Instructor.

Mrs. Era Jouravlev studied at the famed Perm State Choreography Academy in Russia under directorship of such notable mentors as L. Sakharova and L. Ulanova. While dancing as a Principal with the Perm State Opera and Ballet Theatre, she toured internationally with the Stars of the Kirov and Bolshoi Ballet: L. Semeniaka, A. Fadeechev, O. Chenchikova, L. Kunakova, M. Daukaev. She has toured with American Ballet Theatre Principal Nina Ananiashvili in Japan and South Korea. Also she has toured with Bolshoi Theatre Principals E. Maksimova and V.Vasiliev in Tokyo and with N. Pavlova and V. Gordeev in Moscow. During a summer tour in China, she danced with the “Stars of American Ballet”.

In 1995 Mrs. Jouravlev joined the New Jersey Ballet as a Principal Dancer, where she performed the works of George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Paul Taylor, Antony Tudor, Johan Renvall, Margo Sappington, Robert Weise, and Robert North, among others.

Mrs. Jouravlev has performed many Principal roles in both classical and contemporary repertoires and was given the unique opportunity to learn the classical pas de deux “Papillon” directly from International Kirov Star Irina Kolpakova and worked with American Legend Mr. Edward Villella on George Balanchine’s famous “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux”.

Mrs. Jouravlev taught for the New Jersey Ballet for fourteen years, and started teaching at the Joffrey Ballet School in 1997. She worked as the Head of Classical Ballet Studies at JBS under the direction of Mr. Robert Ray for many years, assisting him in implementing a codified ballet technique syllabus for the entire Ballet Trainee Program. With an incredible career, over thirty years of teaching experience, and a fierce passion for shaping dancers into artists, Era Jouravlev is delighted to share her expertise as the Ballet Trainee Program Director.

Also a NYC Ballet and Pre-Professional Instructor.

Matthew Prescott, born and raised in Idaho, graduated high school from Interlochen Arts Academy and attended the inaugural year of the Joffrey/New School University in New York City. In 2000, he joined the Joffrey Ballet for a number of years before setting out as a freelance artist. Working as a freelancer, Matthew has worked and performed with Donald Byrd’s Spectrum Dance Theater, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Ballet NY, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Amanda Miller, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, The Alabama Ballet, Armitage Gone! Dance, BalletX, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, Morphoses the Wheeldon Company, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. Matthew was featured in Robert Altman’s film The Company. Matthew has choreographed works performed by Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Chamber Dance Project, the Joffrey Ballet School, BalletX, Interlochen Arts Academy, for Misty Copeland for Prince’s Coming to America 2010 Madison Square Garden performances, as well as the Vail International Dance Festival. Matthew was the Resident Choreographer on the national tour of Billy Elliot as well as performing the roll of Older Billy. Matthew made his Broadway debut on Broadway in the cast of Phantom of the Opera.

www.Matthew-Prescott.com

Also, an Instructor for the NYC Pre-Professional, Ballet and Jazz Intensives.

Maximilien Baud; Trained at the School of American Ballet for 10 years under the guidance of Peter Martins, Jock Soto, Peter Boal, Olga Kostritzky, and Andrei Kramarevsky. While a student, he performed with the NYC Ballet, and was part of the original cast of two world premieres: Organon by Elliot Feld and Scenes De Ballet by Tony Award winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.

Mr. Baud began his professional career with the Carolina Ballet under Robert Weiss. There he would work with choreographers such as Lynne Taylor Corbett, Robert Weiss, Damian Woetzel, and Christopher Wheeldon. In 2005, Mr. Baud joined the Pennsylvania Ballet under the directorship of Roy Kaiser and would perform principal roles in ballets by Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, George Balanchine and many more. In 2009, Mr. Baud had the opportunity to work on the Oscar nominated film for Best Picture, Black Swan, by Darren Aronofsky. In 2010, Mr. Baud would join the national/international tour of Billy Elliot, the Musical performing the role of Older Billy, and was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for Best Supporting Performer in a Musical. He was in the ensemble of the national tour of Flashdance the Musical based on the iconic 80’s film under the directorship of Tony Award-winning choreographer, Sergio Trujillo. Maximilien has reprised his role of Older Billy in regional productions of Billy Elliot with the MUNY, North Carolina Theater, and the North Shore Music Theater company.

Mr. Baud has had the opportunity to teach at numerous dance studios around the country, as well as coach the young Billy’s from Billy Elliot. Currently, he is on the staff at The Joffrey Ballet School Jazz and Contemporary Trainee program. He helped co-create the Joffrey Ballet School Musical Theater Summer Intensive, where he holds the position of Associate Director. Mr. Baud also serves as a teacher and an adjudicator for Sheer Talent, the international dance competition. While teaching, Mr. Baud enjoys enriching the lives of dancers through discipline and a passion for the arts.

Also a NYC Ballet Instructor.

From her first studies with her mother in Seattle, Washington, Francesca Corkle knew a career in ballet was all she ever wanted. After finishing High School at the age of 15Francesca Corkle left Seattle to head for New York City and the Joffrey Ballet School. After five months as an apprentice, she became a member of the company and developed into one of the world’s finest dancers.

Ms. Corkle was a member of the Joffrey Ballet Company from 1969 – 1978 and performed in ballets by Ashton, Balanchine, Bournonville, Cranko, DeMille, Feld, Fokine, Harkarvy, Joos, Massine, Robbins, Tharp and Tudor. During her ten year tenure with the Joffrey Ballet, she received enthusiastic acclaim throughout her career. Known for her brilliant technique, speed and wit, Ms. Corkle won high acclaim for her roles in such classics by Joffrey Ballet co-founder Gerald Arpino as “Confetti,” “Kettentantz” and “L’Air d’Esprit” and in John Cranko’s “Pineapple Poll.” In 1974, her first major dramatic role was choreographed for her by Robert Joffrey in “Remembrances” to the music of Richard Wagner. After the premiere, the NY Post described her as “feather-light and soft as she makes the most difficult lifts effortless.” In 1978 Chicago critic Ann Barzel wrote that “She is a perfectionist in technique and superbly intelligent in matters of style.”

Additional praise for Ms. Corkle’s work included Richard Christiansen’s of the Chicago Daily News who called her “the Joffrey’s foremost ballerina in the classical vein.” Clive Barnes called her “a dancer of great mystery and intensity.” Esquire Magazine named Ms. Corkle as one of the 45 Best Dancers in the World and said that she was “the secret ingredient” in the Joffrey Productions.

In 1979, Ms. Corkle became a principal ballerina with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, where she performed the full-length classics: “Giselle,” “The Sleeping Beauty,” “Swan Lake,” “Coppelia,” “The Nutcracker” and “La Sylphide” as well as lead roles in “Le Combat,” “Etudes,” “The Merry Widow,” and “Les Sylphides.”

In 1982 Ms. Corkle left Pittsburgh to become a guest dancer and teacher during which time she appeared with her partner, former Royal Ballet Principal Keith Martin. Ms. Corklecreated the role of Juliet in his production of “Romeo and Juliet” which she performed with the Santa Barbara Ballet and the Phoenix Ballet Company. Ms. Corkle teaches exclusively at the Joffrey Ballet School in the Trainee Program. She has been a faculty member for over twenty years.

Also a NYC Ballet Instructor.
Mr. Jouravlev studied at the famed Perm State Choreography Academy in Russia and went on to become a Principal Dancer in the Perm State Opera and Ballet Theatre. He won a Diploma and the Silver Medal in international ballet competition in Russia.

Mr. Jouravlev toured internationally with the “Stars of the Kirov and Bolshoi Ballet”. He has been in performances in England, Italy, Japan, China, Czechoslovakia, Poland, South Korea and Germany. Mr. Jouravlev has toured with American Ballet Theatre Principal Nina Ananiashvili in Japan and South Korea, where he danced Espada of “Don Quixote”. This Performance is available on video around the world. Also he toured with Bolshoi Theatre Principals E. Maksimova and V. Vasiliev in Tokyo and Osaka.

After the Jackson Ballet Competition he joined the New Jersey Ballet as a Principal Dancer. He danced with the “Stars of American Ballet” during a 1997 summer tour in China. Mr. Jouravlev has performed the ballets of George Balanchin, Agnes de Mille , Antony Tudor, Paul Taylor and worked with contemporary choreographers Robert North, Margo Sappington, Donlin Foreman and many more.He has performed in over thirty Principals roles in classical and contemporary repertoires including “Giselle”, “Swan Lake”, Sleeping Beauty”, “Don Quixote”,The Nutcracer”, “La Bayadere”, “Spartacus”, “Raymonda”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Coppelia”, “Cinderella”, “ La Sylphide”, “Serenade” “Theme and Variations”, “Carmen”, “Who Cares”, “ Death and the Maiden”, “Antre Dos Aguas”, “Belong”, “Allegro Brilliante”, and others.

Also directing: NYC Ballet Intensive, NYC Summer Dance Camps, Joffrey Miami and Tap Spectacular Miami.

Jo Matos is the Artistic Director for the Joffrey Ballet School’s Children’s Dance and Youth Ballet Programs and Summer Intensives in New York and Miami. She joined the Joffrey Ballet School, as a Director in 2008. Jo devised a curriculum and acts as liaison for a partnership between the Joffrey Ballet School and Fort Hamilton High School’s, “Joffrey Dance Academy” in Brooklyn. Jo teaches in the Children’s Dance, Youth Ballet and Ballet Trainee Program. She has over 35 years experience as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and arts administrator at many prestigious institutions, including Ballet Hispanico, The Hartford Ballet, and the University of Hartford. She is also the co-founder of “Dancing Day,” a school that brings dance to disabled children and adults. Jo’s work with autism and dance was featured in PBS documentaries in 1999 and 2004. Ms. Matos teaches as a Master Teacher around the country.  Jo trained at the School of the Hartford Ballet and performed with The Connecticut Children’s Ballet, the School of the Hartford Ballet and as a guest artist with Dance Now! Miami. Jo is the Artistic Advisor to Alison Cook Beaty Dance in New York City. She holds a BFA in Dance from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford.

Also the Stretch & Lengthen Instructor in the year-round Adult Program as well as a NYC Ballet and NYC Jazz & Contemporary Intensive Instructor.

Alison Cook Beatty is from Milford, CT. She received her BFA from the Boston Conservatory of Music and was awarded the Ruth Sandholm Ambrose Scholarship Award. Ms. Beatty is the Artistic Director of ACB Dance Company, founded in 2012 and based in New York City. The company has performed throughout California, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and Massachusetts. As the Choreographer and Artistic Director of ACB Dance Company her work has been commissioned by such companies as Columbia Ballet Collaborative, Carolina Ballet Theater, the Joffrey Ballet School, Opera Dolche, NYU, and Ballet Next. In 2012 Ballet Next commissioned her work TINTINNABULI for its Joyce Theater season as well as performances at the 92nd Street Y and Kaatsban.

Ms. Beatty worked closely with Michele Wiles, Ballet Next Artistic Director, and Jason Reilly, Principal Dancer of the Stuttgart Ballet, during the creation of this dance. Ms. Beatty has been awarded the 2013 sjDANCEco Award for Artistic Merit & Best Choreography, the Caroline H. Newhouse Scholarship Award, a grant from the Putney School in Vermont, as well as grants from the Milford Fine Arts Council and the Arts Council of Greater New Haven in Connecticut. As a dancer she has performed with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Taylor 2, and many other prominent choreographers and companies in NYC. She is currently on the faculty at the Joffrey Ballet School.

Also a Youth Ballet Program Ballet Instructor.

Lara Tant was born in Philadelphia, PA, and began her earliest training with Donna Chrostek. Lara trained under Jean Gedeon at Pittsburgh Youth Ballet where she danced many lead roles. She furthered her training under the late Edward Stewart, who created many original solo works for her. Mrs. Vilches then continued her training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC. She began her professional career at Ballet Theatre of Maryland, after which she danced in the Trainee Program at the Joffrey.

Recently Lara has performed with Connecticut Ballet, Mooney-Cooley Dance and Exit 12 Dance Co., where she has performed the roles of Gamzatti in La Bayadere and the Sugarplum Fairy in the Nutcracker, as well as many other classical and contemporary works.  Four years ago she co-founded Exit 12 Dance Company,NYC, where she remains as the Ballet Mistress. Mrs. Vilches has been teaching at Armonk Dance and Ballet des Enfants in Westchester County and Connecticut. She has recently performed with ACB Dance Company. Lara aspires to pass on her love of ballet to her students.

JoDe Romano “La Chispa” was a guest Teaching artist & graduate of the High School for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas were she was featured in the Houston Grand Opera Carmen. She has also danced in the Franco Zeffirelli original production of Carmen, starring Placido Domingo and Maria Benitez, at the New York’s Metropolitan Opera, including in front of then President & Hilary Clinton, which was broadcast on the PBS series “Live From Lincoln Center” and toured Japan in 1997. For over 20 years, Ms. Romano lived, studied and performed Spanish dance in Spain and Japan, and was a soloist and choreographer for the José Greco Dance Company. She has also danced as part of The Charo Show in Las Vegas with Jerry Lewis. She has choreographed The Broadway Workshop production of Rita Hayworth-Hollywood Goddess, numerous zarzuelas (traditional Spanish operas) and the mixed media dramatic presentation, Picasso’s Guernica, at The Thalia Theater in New York. Ms. Romano has taught workshops at The Alvin Ailey Studio and Ballet Hispanico and has also been featured on the “Dr. Oz” show teaching a castanet workout. Currently, Ms. Romano conducts Spanish dance and castanet classes for adults at 92nd Street Y’s Harkness Dance Center where she has taught for over 15 years and is a graduate of the 92Y Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) program. She was recently a guest teacher at Hunter College and co-developed and taught a DEL workshop. She also teaches at Studio Maestro and Steps in New York, as well as other locations throughout the NY metropolitan area. She is available for performances, lecture demonstrations, workshops and has completed a series of instructional DVDs on castanet and flamenco movement techniques. Ms. Romano has also produced and played castanets on her Spanish Classical Piano and Castanets CD. You can visit her website
www.FlamencoRomano.com

Jennifer Lee Crowl is an actress, musical theatre performer, and choreographer. Originally from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, her theatre credits include The Producers (1st National Tour/Dance Captain), Young Frankenstein (Original Broadway Cast), and Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Rockette). Her first television appearance was in PBS: Great Performances/Crazy for You (1999). She danced in two production numbers in the Universal Pictures 2005 remake of Mel Brooks’ Musical The Producers as a Girl in Pearls and a Little Old Lady. Jennifer will appear in the 2012 film Arbitrage as the receptionist.

Also a NYC Summer Dance Camp Instructor.

Ms. Jaafar-Melton graduated cum laude with a BFA from the Alvin Ailey / Fordham University dance program. She has worked with Buglisi Dance Theater, Hope Boykin Dance, The DanceNow Ensemble!,YaaSamar Dance Theater, Broward Ballet, and apprenticed with Pascal Rioult Dance Theater. Sabrina has performed a wide range of works by choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor, Ohad Naharin, Doug Varone, Ronald K. Brown, Helen Pickett, Tim Rushton and Elisa Monte. Teaching is her passion and has taught for schools such as Alvin Ailey, The Friends Seminary School, Ballet Eliete, Fort lauderdale Christian School (designed program and curriculum), The Boden Center for the Performing Arts and currently at the Joffrey Ballet School. Her classes are structured, yet flexible to meet the needs of pre-schoolers through primary students who need to have fun while learning.

Also a Children’s Dance and NYC Ballet Instructor.

Hayley Descavich began her training at Stoneleigh Burnham School in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She graduated from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Dance Pedagogy in 2012. While at Hartt she studied ballet with Hilda Morales, Debra Collins Ryder, and Samantha Dunster.  She performed works by Shannon Gillen and Charlotte Griffen. She was recently affiliated with Cirque du Solei. She has participated in intensive programs with AlivinAiley, David Parsons, and Paul Taylor.  This summer she showcased her choreography, Descavich Choreography, at the Secret Theatre in Queens. She holds a Pilates certification. Hayley’s teaching experience includes Sorvino Dance Intensive in Massachusetts, and University of Hartford Hartt School Community Division emphasis on teaching children.  She has actively volunteered in local theater and children’s workshops, choreographing and teaching dance. Hayley is very excited to join the faculty at Joffrey ballet and to share her love of dance with her students!

Also a Children’s Dance, and NYC Ballet Instructor.

Vanessa is a New York City based Dance Artist, Educator, Illustrator, and Model. In her early dance training, she concentrated on classical ballet, studying with Tatiana Akinifieva-Smith, Elena Manakhova, and Betty Webster. Soon she joined a preprofessional ballet company and performed in many of the classics, including the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Coppélia. After high school, she made a dream come true: she moved to New York City to pursue dance. She attended the Alvin Ailey School in partnership with Fordham University at Lincoln Center and earned a BFA Degree in Dance Performance. While pursuing her degree as a scholarship student, she performed works by Zvi Gotheiner, Kevin Wynn, Elisa Monte, Robert Battle, Pascal Rioult, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Nathan Trice, Ronald K. Brown, Max Luna III, Troy Powell, and Alvin Ailey. She furthered her education through studies at American Ballet Theatre, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet.

Following graduation, she accepted professional performance opportunities in the concert and commercial dance spectrum. Since 2010, she has been performing with CONTINUUM Contemporary/Ballet, where she is a founding company member. There she has had the honor of working with such choreographers as Juanjo Arques, Amy Seiwert, Emery LeCrone, Tawny Chapman, and Donna Salgado. Her experience also includes performing with the Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre, Ailey/Fordham Student Dancers, Deborah Lohse’s ad Hoc Ballet, Nejla Yatkin’s NY2Dance, and Darion Smith’s Janusphere Dance Company. Within the commercial spectrum, she has performed in industrials for L’Oreal, the International Beauty Show, The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on CBS, and as a guest artist for corporate galas in Miami and Barcelona, Spain. She is currently represented by McDonald Selznick Associates in New York City.

Vanessa is also an accomplished dance educator. She holds a certification from the Dance Education Laboratory and has worked as an Associate for the Education Department at New York City Center. She has taught young dancers across Manhattan and has been part of the faculties of The School at Steps on Broadway, The Ballet Hispanico School, The Alvin Ailey First Steps Program, and the Joffrey Ballet School. Combining her interests in performing, teaching, and illustration, Vanessa is also the creator of Crafterina ® a series of dance education books & resources for families. Designed to spark the imagination and inspire movement, Crafterina playfully encourages empowerment and teaches youngsters they have the ability to make anything possible! Vanessa’s work has been featured in Dance Teacher Magazine,Dance Informa, and METRO US Newspaper, among others. For more information visit: www.Crafterina.com

Also a NYC Ballet Intensive Instructor.

Trained in house, hip hop and breakdancing Eva Bust a’ Move, who is originally from Guatemala and now a Harlem b-girl is a powerhouse of a performer. Outside of bringing her unique style to the Haus of Sweat, Eva Bust a’ Move is an apprentice for Ephrat Asherie Dance Company, teaches hip hop to teens and is a flash mob choreographer.

Also a Children’s Dance and NYC Ballet Instructor.

While at Spelman College studying drama with a concentration in dance Jazmine performed with the Spelman Dance Theatre and graduated Cum Laude in 2010. In 2013 she earned an MFA in acting from the University of Florida (UF) where she is a founding producer and director of The Black History Variety Show. In 2013 she completed her Masters of Fine Arts degree while serving as a teaching intern at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) in South Africa. While at OWLAG Jazmine was a dance and acting instructor, mentor and assistant director/choreographer for the OWLAG Dance Company. She was honored with the opportunity to conceive a dance piece entitled “Catherine” for their repertory. In 2013 Jazmine became a co-choreographer for The Experimental Dance Group, a pre-professional children’s dance company. She is the founding director and choreographer of the Harlem Children’s Zone Lincoln Community Center Dance Company. In addition to the company, Jazmine co-facilitates “Pretty Me,” an enrichment program dedicated to helping girls realize their potential and true value in society.

Josie Walsh is the Artistic Director / Choreographer of BalletRED, “Project Protégé” and the Joffrey Ballet School in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Josie has danced professionally with the Joffrey Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre and the Zurich Ballet in Switzerland where she began her choreographic career. Moving onto several freelance projects throughout Europe she returned to Los Angeles and integrated this vast background into the commercial as well as concert dance world. Known as the “Renegade” ballerina for her cutting edge hybrid style of edgy classical and contemporary ballet fusion, Josie is infamous for transcending boundaries and setting new trends. Josie was named 25 to watch by Dance Magazine, awarded the “Outstanding Choreography Award 2016 at the Youth American Grand Prix and honored with the endorsement from the Los Angeles Times as “Faces to Watch 2014” for Dance.

Also directing: Complexions Contemporary Ballet, as well as instructing in the Joffrey Experience, and NYC Ballet Intensive.

Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the great modern dancers of his time”, Desmond Richardson is a multi talent artist who has mastered a wide range of dance forms including classical, modern, and contemporary. Richardson’s immense talent was first recognized as a student at New York High School for the Performing Arts during which time he received a merit scholarship from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (1983-1986) and the International Academie des Tanz in Koln, Germany (1984-1985). He is also a recipient of a Presidential Scholar Award for the Arts (1986).

In 1987, Richardson joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater where he was a principal dancer for seven years. After leaving the Ailey Company, he traveled to Germany where he performed with Ballet Frankfurt. Richardson has performed as a guest artist with several world-renowned companies including the Swedish Opera Ballet, the Washington Ballet, Teatro at La Scala, and the San Francisco Ballet.

In 1997, he joined the American Ballet Theater where he performed the lead role in the company’s world premiere of Othello. Following his performance, the New York Times described him as “one of the most majestic dancers ever to tread the MET Stage.”

In 1998, Richardson joined the premiere cast of the Broadway Musical Fosse for which he received a 1999 Tony Award Nomination. He has also appeared on Broadway in the musical, the Look of Love and the critically acclaimed Movin’ Out. He had a principal role in Debbie Allen’s theatrical presentation, Soul Possessed, which premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1999.

Richardson has worked in television, film, and video in the United States and abroad. These experiences have allowed him to perform with musical artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Madonna. He is featured in Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi’s film, One Last Dance and the Oscar winning Chicago. He made his singing debut in Charles Randolph Wright’s 2005 film, Preaching to the Choir and performed the lead role of Beowulf in Julie Taymor’s Grendel at the LA Opera as well as in Taymor’s film, Across the Universe. He recently performed as a guest artist on So You Think You Can Dance in Australia and the United States.

Desmond Richardson is the Artistic Director and co-founder of the extraordinary Complexions Contemporary Ballet Company.

Kathryn is known from her work on So You Think You Can Dance, appearing both as a Season 6 contestant and as an All-Star in following seasons. Cast as a dancer in the feature film remake of Fame, she soon appeared as the female lead in Step Up Revolution and Dance-Off. Kathryn’s TV credits include a guest-starring role on CSI: Las Vegas, Dancing With The Stars, The Academy Awards, The Emmy Awards, and The Kid’s Choice Awards. She has worked with artists such as Muse, Christina Perri, Vienne, Timbaland, Neyo, and John Torres. Kathryn’s latest projects include being a co-creator/featured artist in the documentary Like Air, a principal performer in Ted 2, the indie drama Lift Me Up, and choreography for Britt Nicole’s “Hits Deep Tour”. She is a member of Stacey Tookey’s, “Still Motion”, “Movement One”, CLI Studios, performed as a guest artist with “Shaping Sound” for their fall tour in 2015 and was a guest artist for “Body Traffic” in 2016. Kathryn is a motivator and first had the chance to share that part of her by traveling with The Revolve Tour as a Featured Speaker, she most recently joined Season 13 of So You Think You Can Dance as a mentor for The Next Generation. Throughout the year she spends her time touring around the country as a faculty member and co-director of The Collective with Dance Makers convention. Storytelling has been the greatest gift in Kathryn’s life and she is so excited to continue to do so through acting, dance, and/or motivational speaking.

Talia Favia is a Los Angeles based Choreographer, Dancer, Artist and Creator/Artistic Director of LIV Dance. She has taught and choreographed all over the Unitd States, Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, and has choreographed on “So You Think You Can Dance” Vietnam. Along with traveling the world, Talia is the founder and director of her Los Angeles based contemporary company, “The Difference Between.” Talia and her company had their first show, “The Difference Between Sinking & Drowning” in Phoenix, AZ and performed to a sold out audience in 2013. In 2014, she brought the show to Los Angeles and was fortunate enough to perform for another sold out audience. Talia’s dream to keep her company going is becoming reality.

Her accomplishments include being a finalist in the 2014 Capezio ACE Awards where she and her company took home 1st place. In July of 2015, Favia’s company took the stage with a brand new show, “The Difference Between Actions & Words” at Dancerpalooza in Long Beach, CA where her work preceded to touch and affect a brand new sold out audience. Favia’s blessings increased soon after when she went straight into rehearsal for Season 12 of So You Think You Can Dance. Most recently, she choreographed a highly praised freestyle performance for Peta Murgatroyd and Nyle DiMarco on the Dancing With the Stars Season 22 Finale, and they went on to take the win!

Talia’s choreography has been described as challenging from the inside out. Her passion and love for teaching is indescribable when you see her in a room and watch her spread her knowledge to the next generation.

Chaz Buzan grew up in Scottsdale AZ and trained at Arizona Angels Dance Studio at the age of 13. He primarily studied jazz before finding his true passion for contemporary movement. Chaz’s early contemporary training came from his time with Dana Metz and Natasha Louis with the pre-professional company “Initial Existence.” Chaz has performed on various television, award shows, and other special events over the years including “The PULSE On Tour” where he began assisting Mia Michaels. He then proceeded to train under Mia and work closely with her on various projects. His performance credits include Cirque du Soleil “Believe,” Florence + the Machine MTV VMA performance, Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” Music Video, Demi Lovato – “Dancing with the Stars,” and Madonna’s “MDNA World Tour 2012.” Chaz made his film debut in the short film “Secret Project Love Revolution” as “The Angel of Love” directed by Madonna. Buzan is the male principal dancer for Talia Favia’s contemporary dance company “The Difference Between.” While in this role, he has performed as the Lead male dancer in ‘The Difference Between Singing & Drowning’ in Scottsdale, AZ in 2013, followed by the companies debut in Hollywood, CA in 2014. Chaz continues to travel the globe, sharing the information he has gained throughout his career; merging humanity with movement.

Chehon was born in Chicago, IL and raised in Sydney, Australia and Zurich, Switzerland. He began dancing at the age of 13 and at 14 was offered a spot at The Royal Ballet School, London. Whilst still a student Chehon received many prestigious dance and choreographic awards, including the Grand Prix at the ‘American Dance Competition’ and the coveted ‘Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award’ in London. Chehon has been invited on various occasions to perform for the Royal Family of England and in Copenhagen for the Queen of Denmark. Upon graduating from the RBS, Chehon joined the Los Angeles Ballet in 2009 where he performed various principal roles.

In 2011 Twyla Tharp invited Chehon to join her award winning Broadway Show ‘Come Fly Away’. Chehon joined the cast of CFA as the youngest company member, where he performed all the leading roles. His performances and capability to command the stage earned him rave reviews across the US, proclaiming him as one of the strongest and most promising young dancers of today.

Chehon put a hold on his dancing career in 2012 to audition for the FOX hit TV show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. It was his eagerness to grow as an artist and expand his horizon that prompted him to do so. In the course of the show Chehon performed some of the most memorable routines in the history of SYTYCD. His emotional journey and capability to grow as a performer won over the hearts of America and he went on to take the title of ‘Americas Favorite Dancer’. Since then Chehon has been seen on the SYTYCD Top10 National Tour, he was featured on the Cover of Dance Spirit Magazine, appeared on the ELLEN show and guest starred on the popular TV series ‘Bones’.

Chehon has already made 2013 his biggest year yet, landing his first starring role in a full-length feauture film, ‘East Side Story’. He has also created his own unique brand for movers: ‘CheForce’, with which he aims to inspire and give dance a louder voice.
Chehon lives in LA where he continues dancing and hopes to pursue a acting and choreographic career.
Chehon would like to thank his family and all the special people who love and supported him throughout his journey.

Robert “Chino” Lopez got his start in dance as a b-boy, back in Arizona. He eventually transitioned to other forms of dance like hip hop choreo, popping, ballroom, contemporary , jazz, samba, and and all latin styles including salsa. What Chino loves most about his work with dance has been his opportunities to work with charities, giving back to those less fortunate. He passionately shares his knowledge with anyone willing to learn. Chino has worked with artists such as Eminem, J-Lo, Ingrid Michaelson, Jody Watley, Sergio Mendes just to name a few. He has been featured on America’s best Dance Crew, Dexter, How I Met Your Mother, Indiana Jones, Transformers 3, Honey 2 and many commercials from Nike, Verizon, Guess, Boost and many others.

Also directing: NYC Jazz Intensive, Joffrey Experience NYC Intensive and Musical Theater LA, and a NYC Ballet Instructor.

Michael Blake holds an MFA in dance from Purchase College, and a 2010 Besse Award for Dance and Performance. He began his dance career in the Murray Louis Dance Company where he danced from 1982-1984. In 1986 he joined the Jose Limon Dance Company, dancing principal roles until 1991. Michael danced with Donald Byrd/The Group from 1991-1998. He has also danced with PARADIGM Dance, Joyce Trisler Danscompany, Shapiro and Smith, and Janis Brenner and Friends. He has appeared on stage at the Supper Club, NYC, national tour of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, toured with Cab Calloway in Cab Calloway’s Cotton Club Review, and danced in the films THE ADVENTURES OF CRI CRI (Murray Louis), and UNSETTLED DREAMS (Donald Byrd). He has taught numerous workshops both nationally and internationally. Michael is Director of the Jazz and Contemporary Program at the Joffrey Ballet School, NYC.

Also directing: Complexions Contemporary Ballet, as well as instructing in the Joffrey Experience, and NYC Ballet Intensive.

Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the great modern dancers of his time”, Desmond Richardson is a multi talent artist who has mastered a wide range of dance forms including classical, modern, and contemporary. Richardson’s immense talent was first recognized as a student at New York High School for the Performing Arts during which time he received a merit scholarship from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (1983-1986) and the International Academie des Tanz in Koln, Germany (1984-1985). He is also a recipient of a Presidential Scholar Award for the Arts (1986).

In 1987, Richardson joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater where he was a principal dancer for seven years. After leaving the Ailey Company, he traveled to Germany where he performed with Ballet Frankfurt. Richardson has performed as a guest artist with several world-renowned companies including the Swedish Opera Ballet, the Washington Ballet, Teatro at La Scala, and the San Francisco Ballet.

In 1997, he joined the American Ballet Theater where he performed the lead role in the company’s world premiere of Othello. Following his performance, the New York Times described him as “one of the most majestic dancers ever to tread the MET Stage.”

In 1998, Richardson joined the premiere cast of the Broadway Musical Fosse for which he received a 1999 Tony Award Nomination. He has also appeared on Broadway in the musical, the Look of Love and the critically acclaimed Movin’ Out. He had a principal role in Debbie Allen’s theatrical presentation, Soul Possessed, which premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1999.

Richardson has worked in television, film, and video in the United States and abroad. These experiences have allowed him to perform with musical artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Madonna. He is featured in Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi’s film, One Last Dance and the Oscar winning Chicago. He made his singing debut in Charles Randolph Wright’s 2005 film, Preaching to the Choir and performed the lead role of Beowulf in Julie Taymor’s Grendel at the LA Opera as well as in Taymor’s film, Across the Universe. He recently performed as a guest artist on So You Think You Can Dance in Australia and the United States.

Desmond Richardson is the Artistic Director and co-founder of the extraordinary Complexions Contemporary Ballet Company.

From the screen to the stage, Mia has transformed dance into inspired and unique works of passion and beauty. This year will mark a highly anticipated stage venture that will propel this multiple Emmy award winner to even further heights as one of our most sought after innovators, not only in the world of dance, but in the entire entertainment industry.

In 2015, Mia joined forces as choreographer with dream team Harvey Weinstein, Diane Paulus, and Barry Weissler for the hugely successful Broadway musical FINDING NEVERLAND. She choreographed a special preview of the song, “Neverland” for the 68th Tony Awards featuring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, as well as served as guest choreographer of the opening number for the Rockettes Spring Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall and as guest artist and mentor at Broadway at the White House hosted by Michelle Obama, Kristen Chenoweth, and Matthew Morrison.

Mia has served as the ever-popular judge and contributing choreographer for Fox’s award winning hit TV show “So You Think You Can Dance” (SYTYCD). Not only has Mia won three Emmy awards for Outstanding Choreography for her work on SYTYD, but her role in SYTYCD contributed to the show receiving the “Best Reality TV Show” award at the 2008 Reality TV Show Awards. Additionally, her brilliant choreography and huge fan-base in Canada has led her to share her talents for a reoccurring role as judge and guest choreographer with SYTYCD Canada for the entirety of the four year series. Mia also directed and choreographed a dream sequence with Hugh Laurie for the hit television show, HOUSE MD, entitled “Get Happy.”

Mia’s choreography was showcased when she reunited with her SYTYCD judge alumnus, Adam Shankman, in the big screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, ROCK OF AGES. Her moves were showcased by the star-studded cast, which includes Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Catherine Zeta-Jones. She followed that with a co-starring role in Summit Entertainment’s STEP UP 4.

She directed and choreographed Blake McGrath’s Relax video, which was nominated for Video of the Year at the 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards. Other work in film and television includes: “Cool Women” for AMC/DreamWorks Television, and award winning commercials for Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Bacardi, Coldwell Banker, Ziploc, the WNBA, Star TV and VISA.

Mia choreographed the most notable Celine Dion show, A New Day, which played at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for over five years and received stunning reviews. The New York Times raved, “The greatest pleasure…was the go for-broke physicality of the choreography”. The show featured a cast of 50 dancers with two hours of pure dance artistry. Other shows featuring Mia’s choreography include Celine Dion’s world Tour, Taking Chances and Cirque du Soleil’s first touring show, Delirium, which premiered in March 2006. She has also created works for numerous recording artists including Madonna, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Anna Vissi, and Prince.

Mia’s dedication to the art of dance naturally carries a presence in the dance concert arena. Included in her diverse concert and stage work was the critically acclaimed New York based dance company, RAW, for which she was the founder, artistic director, and choreographer; the Paper Mill Playhouse’s production of “Hello Dolly!” starring Tovah Feldshuh; Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal; and Jazz Dance Chicago. Recently, Mia was honored with the prestigious Tom Adams award for her dedication to TITAS and the arts. The La Fete du Ballet chairs, Ambassador Ron Kirk and Matrice Ellis-Kirk, presented the award.

Mia’s expertise in the area of dance has made her a highly sought after guest instructor and choreographer worldwide. She has held faculty positions at prestigious institutions of dance around the world including Alvin Ailey, the Joffrey Ballet, and International Dance Festivals all over the world. Mia continues to teach inspirational master classes worldwide. Every year Mia is on faculty for the Jump International Tour with Break the Floor Productions for 100,000 aspiring dancers. This dynamic and unique weekend dance event features the top choreographers and instructors within the dance industry. Her students and peers around the world have noted her as a memorable influence. She has a way of touching people’s lives with passion, emotional expression and style of dance.

Mia is currently working on writing a book, which will be a memoir that will certainly inspire dance professionals and fans throughout the world.

Founding Artistic Director/Resident Choreographer of Complexions Contemporary Ballet

Dwight has established a remarkably wide-ranging career, earning distinction from The New York Times as “one of the most sought out choreographers of the day.” A native of Dayton, Ohio who began dancing at age 17, Rhoden has performed with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Les Ballet Jazz De Montreal and as a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. As a performer, he has appeared in numerous television specials, documentaries and commercials throughout the United States, Canada and Europe and has been a featured performer on many PBS “Great Performances” specials.

In 1994, Rhoden and legendary dancer Desmond Richardson founded Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Together they have brought their unique brand of contemporary dance to the world for nearly 2 decades. CCB is widely considered as “America’s Original Multicultural Dance Company”, and is celebrated for its pioneering spirit, and the building of a universal brand that continues to challenge traditional ideas, and redefine possibilities in the dance arena.
Under Rhoden’s direction, Complexions has become a dance institution that is much in demand. Leading the way, as a destination for innovation through courageous and cutting edge programming, Complexions has become a force to be reckoned with. Over the years, Complexions has remained consistent in delivering a profound passion for diversity, that has framed its vision and become its hallmark.

For nearly 2 decades, Rhoden’s choreography has been the lynchpin in the development of the Complexions repertory. For over 18 years, Rhodens’ work has filled some of the most prestigious theaters across the globe including, The Joyce Theater,(NYC) The Bolshoi Theater, (Moscow) The Marinsky Theater,(St Petersburg) Maison De La Danse, (Lyon) The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion,(Los Angeles) BAM,(Brooklyn) Cairo Opera House (Egypt) The Arts Center, (Melbourne Australia) The Auditorium Theater,(Chicago)Telaviv Opera House (Israel) The ASB Theater, (New Zealand) Holland Dance Festival, Grand Theatre De Geneva (Switzerland) Isle De Dance Festival (Paris) to name a few. CCB and Rhodens’ work has been presented on 5 continents and in over 20 countries – including the USA, Canada, South America, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, The Baltic Region, Egypt, Israel, and the Middle East. “Musicality, innovation, purpose, consistency, a brilliant use of stage space and the ability to tell a story — all these qualities make him (Rhoden) one of today’s elect choreographers. (The LA Times)

Since 1994, Rhoden has created over 80 ballets for Complexions, as well as numerous other companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Arizona Ballet, The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Company, BalletMet, The Dance Theater of Harlem, Colorado Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, The Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, New York City Ballet/Diamond Project, North Carolina Dance Theater, The Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadanco, Marinsky Ballet (Kirov), Minneapolis Dance Theater, Phoenix Dance Company, Sacramento Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, The Washington Ballet, and Zenon Dance Company, amongst others. Mr Rhodens’ has also directed and choreographed for TV, film, theater and live performances including So You Think You Can Dance, E! Entertainment’s “Tribute to Style” , Amici, and Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity, and choreographed and appeared in the feature film “One Last Dance”. He has also worked with, and/or created works for such high-profile artists as Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Kelly Clarkson, ELEW, David Rozenblatt, Nicholas Payton, The Drifters, Paul Simon, Billy Strayhorn, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, U2, The Turtle Creek Chorus, and Patrick Swayze. Rhoden was also recently commissioned to create a work for the centennial celebration of reknowned collage artist Romare Bearden. “Rhoden’s work is post-Balanchinean choreography,a new aesthetic in movement, stage, picture, and performance concepts reflecting a post-modern, techno-savvy worldview” (Dance Magazine).

Widely known as “a dancer’s choreographer,” Rhoden has worked with, coached and created for some of the most diverse artists spanning the worlds of ballet and contemporary dance including legendary dance artists Carmen De Lavallade, Wendy Whelan, Maria Kowroski, Diana Vishneva, Desmond Richardson, Sandra Brown, Jodie Gates, and Gus Solomons, to name a few. Mr.Rhoden is the Resident Choreographer of North Carolina Dance Theatre and has lectured, taught, created works for and served as Artist in Residence at universities around the United States including New York University, Juilliard, UC Irvine, Skidmore College and The University of Mississippi, where his 2004 Racial Reconciliation Project was credited as a catalyst for dialogue in a community that has been historically divided.

Rhoden is a beneficiary recipient of various honors and awards including the New York Foundation for the Arts Award, The Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, and The Ailey School’s Apex Award in recognition of his extensive contributions to the field of dance.

He was a Principle dancer at Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Ballet Hispanico. He Is A Recipient Of Princess Grace Award For Excellence In Choreography in 2009. He Was the The Associate Artistic Director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet where he direct & teach the company and also performed for past 15 years. Joo Started Classical Ballet Training In Kwang-Ju, Korea Where He Was Born And Raised. In 1996, He Received The Best Individual Artist Award From The Bagnolet International Dance Festival in Paris, France. He worked with Ballet Hispanico, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Shen Wei, Zvi Gotheiner, Igal Perry, Jessica Lang, Michel Elliman and More. He Choreographed “Sorrow” (Frank Schubert) At DTW IN 2004. “Duet” (Jules Massenet) 2006 Korean Dance Museum invitation. He was a In-House Choreographer for Complexions contemporary Ballet. He choreographed “TEARS” (Sergei Rachmaninoff) in 2007, “SURFACE” (Claude Debussy) in 2008, “Atmosphere”(J.S.Bach) in 2009, ”Flight” (J.S Bach) in 2012 All works premiered at Joyce theater NYC. And in 2013 Joo premiered a sensitive approach & visual focused his first full length Act work ”Recur”(Max Richter, Silverstrov ) commissioned by Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Which World Premiered at Aram Opera House in Korea, and NY Premiere at the Joyce Theater. “Recur” performed in national and international 2014 tour including ‘BALLET OPEN’ Festival in St.Petersburg, Russia. In 2015 Joo Premiered “Beautiful Imperfection” (Nyman, Montero) Commissioned by Marymount Manhattan College Dance Spring Concert. In 2015 Alvin Ailey School / Fordham BFA Commissioned & Performed His Creation “Into The Light” Music Of Antonio Vivaldi, in 2016 He restaged “Into the Light” for Igal Perry’s Peridance Contemporary dance company. Recently He finished create a New Work “Circular” (Denison, Handel) for AILEY II company. which will be world premiered in OCT 2016.

Complexions was founded in 1994 by Master Choreographer Dwight Rhoden and the legendary Desmond Richardson with a singular approach to reinventing dance through a groundbreaking mix of methods, styles and cultures. Today, Complexions represents one of the most recognized and respected performing arts brands in the World. Having presented an entirely new and exciting vision of human movement on 5-continents, over 20-countries, to over 20-million television viewers and to well over 300,000 people in live audiences, Complexions is poised to continue its mission of bring unity to the world one dance at a time.

Complexions has received numerous awards including The New York Times Critics’ Choice Award. It has appeared throughout the US, including the Joyce Theater/NY, Lincoln Center/NY, Brooklyn Academy of Music/NY, Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts/New Orleans, Paramount Theatre/Seattle, The Music Center/Los Angeles, Winspear Opera House/Dallas, Cutler Majestic Theater/Boston, New Victory Theater/NY, and Music Hall/Detroit, The Bolshoi Theater, The Kremlin, The Mikhailovsky Theater, Melbourne Arts Center, and will make it’s debut at the Kennedy Center in 2017, as a part of Ballet Across America.

The Company has appeared at major European dance festivals including Italy’s Festival of Dance ,the Isle De Dance Festival in Paris, the Maison De La Dance Festival in Lyon, the Holland Dance Festival, Steps International Dance Festival in Switzerland, Łódź Biennale, Warsaw Ballet Festival, Kraków Spring Ballet Festival, the Dance Festival of Canary Islands/Spain, and the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur/Canada. In addition Complexions has toured extensively throughout the Baltic Regions, Korea, Brazil, Japan, Egypt, Israel, Russia, New Zealand, Bermuda, Serbia, Jamaica, and Australia.

The company’s foremost innovation is that dance should be about removing boundaries, not reinforcing them. Whether it be the limiting traditions of a single style, period, venue, or culture, Complexions transcends them all, creating an open, continually evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of our world—and all its constituent cultures—as an interrelated whole.

In 2006, Complexions held their first Summer Intensive program, serving 80 students in its first year. The program has grown to multiple cities and serves over up to 600 students annually. Since 2009, a Winter Intensive was added to the roster, serving an additional 400 students, and CCB added its Pre- Professional Program in 2016. Complexions’ artistic directors and company members teach master classes throughout the world, sharing the Complexions technique with dancers of all levels.

Together, Rhoden and Richardson have created in Complexions an institution that embodies its historical moment, a sanctuary where those passionate about dance can celebrate its past while simultaneously building its future. In the 23 years since its inception, the company has born witness to a world that is becoming more fluid, more changeable, and more culturally interconnected than ever before—in other words, a world that is becoming more and more like Complexions itself.

Manuel Vignoulle, French choreographer based in New York, studied at The Conservatoire National Supérieur de Danse de Paris and went on to work with different French contemporary companies including Claude Brumachon, Corinne Lanselle and Bernardo Montet.

He was a dance artist with both Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève (Switzerland) and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (New York) where he worked with inspiring choreographers such as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Andonis Foniadalkis. Hofesh Shechter, Cisco Aznar, Ohad Naharin, Jo Strongen, Didy Veldman, Carolyn Carlson, Benjamin Millepied, Alexander Eckman, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Malou Airaudo and Benoit-Swan Pouffer among others.

Manuel appeared as a guest for La La La Human Steps (Canada), Het Nationale Ballet (Netherland), State Theatre (South Africa) and The Forsythe Company (Germany).

He has also been an assistant to modern-jazz choreographer, Redha, on various productions. Such productions include concert dance, television, film, fashion, musical theater and operas in which he often performed in.

Manuel’s work, performed in France, Switzerland, Germany, Israel, Mexico, Brazil, Canada and USA, has been commissioned by Ailey II, Whim W’Him, Satellite Collective, 10 Hairy Legs, Chicago Repertory Ballet, Peridance Contemporary Ballet Company, Steps Repertoire Ensemble, Periapsis Music & Dance, The Ailey School, Rutgers University, Springboard and Antigel Festival.

He has performed his work with Manuel Vignoulle – M/motions at Jacob’s Pillow, Fire Island Festival, Bryant Park (New York), APAP, Booking Dance Festival, Monterrey International Ballet Gala (Mexico), The Dance Gallery Festival, WestFest, Pushing Progress Showcase Series and Latin Choreographers Festival.

Doug Elkins is a two-time New York Dance and Performance (Bessie) Award-winning choreographer and 2012 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Creative Arts Fellow. He began his dance career as a B-Boy, touring the world with break dance groups New York Dance Express and Magnificent Force, among others. Elkins is a recipient of significant choreographic commissions and awards from the NEA, The Yard on Martha’s Vineyard (Paul Taylor Fellowship, 1991, and Resident Artist, 2011-2013), NEFA/National Dance Project, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Joyce Theater Foundation, Arnhold Foundation, Dianne & Daniel Vapnek Family Fund, National Performance Network, Jerome Foundation, Choo-San Goh & H. Robert Magee Foundation, Arts International, The Greenwall Foundation, and The Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts.  He has received a Brandeis University Creative Arts Medal, sharing the stage with author Philip Roth and photographer Nan Goldin (1994); the Martha Hill Award for Career Achievement (NYC, 2006); and an Elliot Norton Award for Choreography (Boston, 2010).

Elkins has taught and choreographed extensively in the US and Europe and has created original work for Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company, Flying Karamazov Brothers, MaggioDanza, Pennsylvania Ballet, Union Dance and CanDoCo of London, as well as a number of university dance companies and the renowned Mini & Maxi of Holland. For the 2016 season at Lincoln Center, he was commissioned to create new work for Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance [The Weight of Smoke, praised by The New York Times’ Alastair Macaulay: “Not only did this closing section give us a view of Mr. Elkins at his liveliest — with strong elements of club/disco dancing and impish comedy, rhythmically exuberant — but it was also the first important gift to these remarkable dancers that the company has had in years, showing all of them in new lights”]. Two new works for his own company – a short film titled A Hundred Indecisions, and a dance for five performers titled O, round desire – have been commissioned by The Office of Arts & Cultural Programming of Montclair State University for world premiere there in April 2017.

Work in theater includes collaborations with Joanne Akalaitis and Philip Glass, Robert Woodruff, Pavel Dubrusky, Jonathan Larson, Molly Smith, Craig Lucas, David Henry Hwang, Barbara Karger and Michael Preston (including Fräulein Maria), Anne Kauffman, Arin Arbus, Andrew Eggert for Gotham Opera, and, most recently János Szász for The Master & Margarita at Bard SummerScape.  A graduate of SUNY/Purchase, Elkins received his MFA in Dance from Hollins University/ADF in 2007. His tenure at The Beacon School on the upper west side of Manhattan is the subject of Where the Dance Is, a short film by Marta Renzi.  In fall 2013, he became a full-time faculty member at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. www.dougelkinschoreography.com

A native of Atlanta, GA, Gartrell brings twenty five years of experience to the art of dance. A graduate of the Dekalb Center for the Performing Arts in Atlanta. Allyne also attended Florida A&M University and Florida State University where he excelled in Instrumental Music and Dance. As a dancer, Allyne has worked with Joel Hall Dance Theater, Ballet Wisconsin, City Ballet Theatre and for seven years he was one of the Lead Male Dancers for the Internationally known Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, where he served as Company Instructor and Rehearsal Director for DCDC II. While at DCDC, Allyne performed ballets of Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Talley Beatty, Ulysses Dove, and Donald Byrd to name a few. His Broadway credits include; the Wiz, A Chorus Line, Sophisticated Ladies, and his most notable performance as Crown in the National Touring Production of Porgy & Bess. Allyne also served as Assistant to the Tony Award Winning Choreographer Hope Clark for the production of Porgy & Bess which premiered at the Kennedy Center for the Arts.
Over the past two decade Allyne has worked as Principal Male Dancer, Rehearsal Director and Resident Choreographer for the Dallas Black Dance Thaetre. In 2006, Allyne became Director of DBDT II, Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s2nd Touring Company. Under his direction DBDT II elevated its artistic value and was able to establish a National Touring Season. Collaborations with the Allen Civic Orchestra in Peter & the wolf and the Dallas Symphony in Carnival of the Animals became staples of the Season! Allyne is a  highly recognized Master Dance Instructor in the country-known for his high energy, & physically demanding ALLYNISM and Contemporary Ballet Classes. His pulsating choreography has been featured on several dance companies and Universities including, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, DBDT II, Milwaukee Dance Connection, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Morgan State University, Spelman College, City College of San Francisco, and Grambling State University. In 2006 Allyne choreographed Primary Movements; a Contemporary ballet in collaboration with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, with original scoring by classical composer Jonathan Bailey Holland. Primary Movements became the official kick-off for Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s 30th Anniversary Celebration.
In 2010, The ATLANTA DANCE CONNECTION, Atlanta’s Premiere Contemporary Dance Company, under the direction of Mr Gartrell made it’s debut in Georgia.  Addressing the need for an artistic outlet for young artist, the CONNECTION’S mission is to present quality art, entertainment and education in the field of Concert Dance. In 2004 Allyne was recognized for his contribution at risk youth in the mid-west by Senator Russ Fiengold, and was awarded the 2004 AKA Trail Blazer Award for Outstanding Community Service. Currently Allyne is a member of the International Association of Blacks in Dance, Atlanta African American Dance Community , and for the past fifteen years he has serves as Scholarship Chairman for the Black College Dance Exchange, a coalition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Allyne is the recipient of the 2009 Presidential Edition of Who’s Who in the Arts, awarded the Dallas Black Dance Theatre 2009 Artist Award, and in December of 2009 Allyne was featured in Dallas Modern Luxury Magazine as one of The New Iconoclasts for 2010. Under Allyne’s leadership the ATLANTA DANEC CONNCETION has taken its place as one of the leading professional dance companies in the SOUTH! In 2011 the company received the Outstanding Community Partner Award for Dance Education and the 2011 Phoenix Award presented by Mayor Kasim Reed of Atlanta. In celebration of 5 Years of Artistic Excellence, May 22, 2015 was Proclaimed ATLANTA DANCE CONNECTION DAY by the Atlanta City Council!

Levi Philip Marsman is currently in his third year as Choreographer in Residence at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School for the Arts (Florida). He is a Boston, Massachusetts native and his extensive training includes Boston Arts Academy, OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center, and Jeanette Neill Dance Studio as a scholarship recipient in their Boston Youth Moves Program. A graduate from the Walnut Hill School of the Arts (Ballet), Levi continued his formal training as a fellowship student at The Ailey School. He received his B.F.A. from Fordham University under the direction of Ana Marie Forsythe and the late Denise Jefferson, which lead to his formal invitation to join Ailey II by former director, Sylvia Waters.

Levi’s other performance invitations include Radio City Christmas Spectacular (New York), Movement Dance Company (Jamaica), OrigiNation (Boston), Lula Washington Dance Theatre (Los Angeles), Reed Dance (Pittsburgh) and PHILADANCO! The Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadelphia).

Under the direction of Christopher L. Huggins, Levi has helped set works for companies nationally and internationally such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Cape Dance Company (South Africa), and Movements Dance Company (Jamaica). He has also set works with Mr. Huggins at acclaimed arts schools across the country such as Duke Ellington School for the Arts, Douglas Anderson School for the Arts, the Ailey School and the Juilliard School. Levi co-choreographed The Rite of Spring which was a collaborative piece with Mr. Huggins and piano duo Anderson & Roe. As an assistant choreographer his premiers include The Big Bang! for PHILADANCO! (2013), His Grace (2014) and Furtherance (2016) both for Dallas Black Dance Theatre.

Levi’s choreographic work has graced many institutions including the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Sharron Miller Academy for the Performing Arts, Alexander W. Dreyfoos School for the Arts, Marygrove College’s Institute of Music and Dance (Festival of Dance), Renaissance High School, Boston Youth Moves at Jeannette Neill Dance Studio and The Ailey School. His commissioned work includes Bitter for Reed Dance in Pittsburgh, The Rite of Spring for the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, Voices for the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Power for the Ailey Student Performance Group and most recently Runaway for Ballet Ecclectica at Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in St. Louis.

Levi Marsman’s awards include Contemporary Dance Silver Medalist of the 4^th Seoul International Dance Competition, 2007 Young Professionals Awardee—Martha Hill Dance Fund and Best Performance at the 10^th Annual Oakland Dance Festival in Michigan for his ballet, ’Round and ’Round We Go.

Shelly Hutchinson is a choreographer, instructor, dancer, actress and producer in New York City. She has been a Contemporary and Musical Theater choreographer for “So You Think You Can Dance” Ukraine for the last four seasons, also on the creative teams and performed in operas such as Candide, Samson and Delilah, and Aida as associate choreographer and assistant director. Choreographer for adapted for stage version of Disney’s High School Musical. TV appearances include MTV, CBS Morning Show, ABC, Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, Lipstick Jungle, Ugly Betty, Kings, HBO Miniseries “Mildred Pierce”, The Today Show, David Letterman, The Learning Channel, dancer for Wyclef Jean and in Lou Bega’s “Mambo #5”. Performing credits include Radio City Music Hall, Warner Brothers Films, Disney, Off- Broadway and Regional Theatre, Broadway Bares, International Arts Festival in Italy, Care Wave Japan, National and European Tours including “Fame, the Musical”, Bye Bye Birdie, Irene, and West Side Story, assistant choreographer for “Falco”, a multi- media show in Vienna, Austria based on the late 80’s pop star.

Her work has recently been seen at City Center, Merce Cunningham, Manhattan Movement Arts Center, and Salvatore Capezio Theater. With 17 years of deep and diverse teaching experience with all levels and ages, she has taught at various studios in the US, Germany, Italy, Austria, Prague, Argentina, Japan, Costa Rica, Cirque Du Soleil, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Joffrey Ballet School and Peridance in New York. Shelly continues to travel around the country for master classes, choreography, and private instruction.

She is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center and Peridance Capezio Center, and currently producing a series of concerts entitled “New York Moves” to benefit various charities. Also the Director of UNCOVERED CHOREOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS, a series of intensives based in New York City to help young dancers find their identities as choreographers.

Often humorous, sometimes quirky and always honest, present and open, the Lovelies work to uncover, establish and conclude the present through discovery. Makers of dance and sound, sculptors of space and designers of time, the Lovelies push each other, question the possibilities, listen to the thing, and generally help, hinder, intersect, bypass, support, infiltrate, destroy and create pieces in the moment. The Lovelies seek to work collectively to establish an environment and work with everyone involved: dancers, musicians and audience members, to build a dance spontaneously. The Lovelies focus on making interesting decisions to build a dance and pay attention to where it will go, unveiling the concept of the work simultaneously. During the Joffrey Experience, The Lovelies will share their knowledge and work to honor collaboration through acute listening, memorable choice-making and appreciation for all in the space. The live musician and dancers will riff off of one another establishing that there is no clear one leader, but all are equal parts of the work, creating a work that unfolds in a genuine way. Showings will be held on both Fridays of the Experience at 3pm.

Also a Joffrey San Francisco and Joffrey Experience Instructor.

Jon Ole Olstad started dancing at the age of 16 and took his first ballet class when auditioning for a high school dance department. He quickly realized dancing was his big passion and that he would do anything to make his dream of becoming a professional dancer come true. Later he was accepted into the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, and graduated with a bachelor degree in 2009. After college he was hired for the tour project “Kamuyot”, a collaboration between the Swedish Riksteatern and Batsheva Dance Company led by artistic director Ohad Naharin. During this time he participated in daily ‘gaga’ class, the training form they use in Batsheva Dance Company, and developed a great love and respect for this work. In 2010 Jon Ole formed the choreographic duo “Ruth n ´Walter” together with Caroline Skjoershammer. Their first duet “Epilogue” got invited to the Cross Connection Choreography Competition and in 2012 they created “Dear, its time to turn the lights off”, which was performed in different festivals and venues. In 2013, Jon Ole was hired by Nederlands Dans Theater 1, led by artistic director Paul Lightfoot. He has worked with choreographers such as Paul Lighfoot and Sol Leon, Johan Inger, Hofesh Shechter, Marco Goecke, Alexander Ekman, Jiri Kylian, Mehdi Walerski and Crystal Pite. He started teaching in 2009 and has a huge passion for sharing knowledge and the love of dance. He has taught at numerous colleges and studios across Norway, as well as in Los Angeles and New York City. Class description; “In my class I want each and every one of the students to discover something new about themselves, both physically and mentally. To be able to step outside the box but at the same time gain the knowledge of being inside the box with your center and technique. The class focuses on expanding your limits, reaching further as a dancer, breaking habits and a personal investigation to take your dancing to a completely different landscape. I encourage a balance between doing the steps that are given to you, but at the same time letting who you are as a dancer and person color the movements.” – Jon Ole Olstad.

Also directing: Complexions Contemporary Ballet, as well as instructing in the Joffrey Experience, and NYC Ballet Intensive.

Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the great modern dancers of his time”, Desmond Richardson is a multi talent artist who has mastered a wide range of dance forms including classical, modern, and contemporary. Richardson’s immense talent was first recognized as a student at New York High School for the Performing Arts during which time he received a merit scholarship from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (1983-1986) and the International Academie des Tanz in Koln, Germany (1984-1985). He is also a recipient of a Presidential Scholar Award for the Arts (1986).

In 1987, Richardson joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater where he was a principal dancer for seven years. After leaving the Ailey Company, he traveled to Germany where he performed with Ballet Frankfurt. Richardson has performed as a guest artist with several world-renowned companies including the Swedish Opera Ballet, the Washington Ballet, Teatro at La Scala, and the San Francisco Ballet.

In 1997, he joined the American Ballet Theater where he performed the lead role in the company’s world premiere of Othello. Following his performance, the New York Times described him as “one of the most majestic dancers ever to tread the MET Stage.”

In 1998, Richardson joined the premiere cast of the Broadway Musical Fosse for which he received a 1999 Tony Award Nomination. He has also appeared on Broadway in the musical, the Look of Love and the critically acclaimed Movin’ Out. He had a principal role in Debbie Allen’s theatrical presentation, Soul Possessed, which premiered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1999.

Richardson has worked in television, film, and video in the United States and abroad. These experiences have allowed him to perform with musical artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Madonna. He is featured in Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi’s film, One Last Dance and the Oscar winning Chicago. He made his singing debut in Charles Randolph Wright’s 2005 film, Preaching to the Choir and performed the lead role of Beowulf in Julie Taymor’s Grendel at the LA Opera as well as in Taymor’s film, Across the Universe. He recently performed as a guest artist on So You Think You Can Dance in Australia and the United States.

Desmond Richardson is the Artistic Director and co-founder of the extraordinary Complexions Contemporary Ballet Company.

Keith Alexander, a native of Virginia, first fell in love with dance at a young age watching the music videos of Janet Jackson and other pop stars. He would intensely study all the dances, and then promptly teach them to all of his friends at school. Keith went on to study acting at Virginia Commonwealth University where movement would find its way back into his life through his acute studies of the Grotowski Method with fight and movement master, David Leong.    

Keith later found his way to Chicago where he immersed himself in the dance culture. In the Windy City, he trained with Lisa Johnson-Willingham, Trey Turner, Karlo Familara, Angelina Grima, Miguel Antonio, Kevin Maher, Luam, Popping Pete. Keith was a company member of the Willingham Project and Design Dance Co. Keith Joined the Extension faculty in 2011, and co-created the very successful Hip Hop 4 Kids workshop, as well as the first ever Teen Extension Performance Class. Since moving to New York, he has worked with Hip Hop Public Health, Songs for a Healthier America, Hype break dance work out Video, the Dr. OZ show, and choreographed for the New York Department of Education, hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh, and New York Knicks, Iman Shumpert.

C. Tyson Garner discovered his passion for the arts at the age of 18. He was a member of the infamous song and dance group “The Young Americans” which launched him into his career. Tyson received a scholarship to Tremaine Dance Center in North Hollywood and continued his training at Orange Coast College, Jimmie DeFore Dance Center, and the Edge. He has an energetic performing style that can be seen in every aspect of the entertainment industry. From the stage to television, from Broadway to the classroom, his unique choreography, and passion for teaching has made him a sought after dance instructor. Tyson has performed on a number of television shows including Mad TV, Family Matters, The Parker’s and The Rosie O’Donnell Show. His stage credits include the European Tour of Grease, and most notably the Broadway Cast of Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA.  Tyson is very excited to share his love and passion of the arts with students of all ages. 

Born in Vienna, Austria, Christina began her dance education at age seven. She trained at the Boston School of Ballet, the School of American Ballet and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. By the time she was seventeen she began her professional career. She was a member of the Boston Ballet for two years before joining the Dance Theatre of Harlem, where she rose to become a principal dancer within four years. In her 13-year tenure with DTH she danced leading roles in much of the company’s repertoire, including Swan Lake, Giselle, Firebird, Voluntaries, Prodigal Son, Serenade, The Four Temperaments and Fancy Free.

Christina has worked with distinguished choreographers and coaches, among them, Jerome Robbins, Frederic Franklin, Suzanne Farrell, Allegra Kent and Sir Anthony Dowell. She also has had original works created on her by Glen Tetley, Rui Horta, Alonzo King and Dwight Rhoden among others. She was a member of the Swiss companies, Le Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve for five years and the Ballett Basel for two years, where her repertoire expanded to include works by William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, James Kudelka, Ohad Naharin, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Twyla Tharp, Amanda Miller and David Parsons to name a few. Christina has been a featured guest artist with various companies worldwide, including the renowned Royal Ballet of London. She is an original member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Christina made her Broadway debut in The Red Shoes. She is also featured in The African Americans, a book which portrays accomplished African Americans in various fields.

After her performance career Christina has been sought after as a teacher, coach and ballet master, and has worked with companies and schools such as the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Boston Ballet, Washington Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Pennsylvania Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theater, Gotesborg Ballett, Ballett Basel, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Armitage Gone! Dance, Cornish College of the Arts and the University of Washington to name a few. In addition, she assisted Frederic Franklin with the re-staging of Giselle for the Joffrey Ballet, and also assisted choreographers Dwight Rhoden, Nicolo Fonte, Trey McIntyre and Karole Armitage in creating world premieres. Christina held the position of Rehearsal Director for Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Armitage Gone! Dance, Trey McIntyre Project. She is currently the Rehearsal Director for Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

Christina holds a MFA in Dance from Hollins University in collaboration with the American Dance Festival, The Forsythe Company and Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts in Germany. She is a certified Life Coach and marathon runner, and speaks French and German.

Professional dancer and teacher Jonette Swider received her primary training in New Orleans, Cannes, France, and New York City with the virtuoso Vincenzo Celli. She has performed with numerous professional ballet companies internationally and is noted for her roles in The Nutcracker, The Red Poppy, and Copellia amongst others.

Jonette is anonymously known to millions worldwide as the ballerina model in the award

winning, bestselling poster series by Harvey Edwards.  Jonette has produced, directed, and performed in dance educational videos. Her choreography has won national awards and recognition. She has dedicated the past 17 years owning and developing a ballet dance center in Los Angeles with a focus on each individual student. She has choreographed and produced full length children’s ballets.

Ms. Swider is much sought after as a teacher/choreographer and judges dance competitions nationwide after touring with Joe Tremaine Conventions for 7 years. She continues to teach master classes and enjoys handing down the ballet tradition with an artistic and pure emphasis on strong technique and an inspiration for the love of dance.

Originally from Henderson, Texas, Brad Anderson currently resides in New York City where his Broadway credits include FOSSE, KISS ME KATE, THE BOY FROM OZ, ANYTHING GOES, ALL SHOOK UP, and most recently, the revival of A CHORUS LINE.  Mr. Anderson performed alongside legend Jerry Lewis in the National Tour of DAMN YANKEES and has countless regional credits including of LEAP OF FAITH, AIDA, SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE, HOT MIKADO, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, and PARADE starring T.R. Knight at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.  Brad also starred in SOUTH PACIFIC at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., where he received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Lt. Cable.

Most recently, he was featured as the Spirit of Fosse at the Hollywood Bowl’s production of CHICAGO, directed by Brooke Shields and starring Drew Carey, Lucy Lawless, Samantha Barks and Stephen Moyer.  He just finished the world premiere of TUCK EVERLASTING at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and the show will most likely have a Broadway opening this fall!   He is on faculty of The Broadway Artists Intensive and Broadway Theatre Connection and has taught for Broadway Artists Alliance in New York City.

Also directing: NYC Ballet Intensive, NYC Summer Dance Camps, Joffrey Miami and Tap Spectacular Miami.

Jo Matos is the Artistic Director for the Joffrey Ballet School’s Children’s Dance and Youth Ballet Programs and Summer Intensives in New York and Miami. She joined the Joffrey Ballet School, as a Director in 2008. Jo devised a curriculum and acts as liaison for a partnership between the Joffrey Ballet School and Fort Hamilton High School’s, “Joffrey Dance Academy” in Brooklyn. Jo teaches in the Children’s Dance, Youth Ballet and Ballet Trainee Program. She has over 35 years experience as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and arts administrator at many prestigious institutions, including Ballet Hispanico, The Hartford Ballet, and the University of Hartford. She is also the co-founder of “Dancing Day,” a school that brings dance to disabled children and adults. Jo’s work with autism and dance was featured in PBS documentaries in 1999 and 2004. Ms. Matos teaches as a Master Teacher around the country.  Jo trained at the School of the Hartford Ballet and performed with The Connecticut Children’s Ballet, the School of the Hartford Ballet and as a guest artist with Dance Now! Miami. Jo is the Artistic Advisor to Alison Cook Beaty Dance in New York City. She holds a BFA in Dance from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford.

Lisa currently teaches the Youth Ballet Program, Joffrey Miami, Musical Theater LA, and NYC Ballet Intensives.

Lisa was born and raised in the UK and moved to New York in 2012.She trained at London Studio Center (London), The Conservatoire de Paris (with Matt Mattox), Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey in New York.

Lisa taught in London for over 15 years. Disciplines such as ;Matt Mattox jazz technique, Theatre Jazz,Contemporary and Tap at many of leading London performing arts colleges such as Millennium Performing Arts, Mountview , GSA, Urdang, London Studio Centre and of course AMTA.

She is currently a faculty member at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York and has been for over 3 years ,teaching for them both in NYC and Miami on The Jazz and Contemporary ,Youth Ballet and for all their summer intensive courses.

Lisa is also a fully qualified Flybarre instructor at FlyWheelsports (NYC)

Her performing credits are:

NY/Regional credits : Mrs Corry in Mary Poppins (Ogunquit,Gateway,Music Hall) ; Ursula in Sweet Charity       (Engeman Theatre, NY); Mrs Gardiner in Pride and Prejudice (New World Stages, NY, staged reading)

West End credits include Velma Kelly in Chicago (Cambridge Theatre), 1^st U/S Ulla in The Producers (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Elaine U/S Nicky in Sweet Charity (Victoria Palace), Louise/Shelia in Crazy for You (Prince Edward), 1^st U/S Queen in My Fair Lady (NT and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Phyllis Fontaine in Once in a Lifetime (NT) ,Swing and U/S Roxie in Chicago (Adelphi), The Snowman (Peacock) International/UK touring/Regional credits include Judy U/S Cassie in A Chorus Line, Bombalurina in Cats, Irene in Crazy For You ,Helvetia Burrelli in The Rat Pack, Ann Reilly U/S Dorothy Brock in 42^nd Street, Lead Dancer/Dance Captain in The Opera Show , Sheila U/S Polly Baker in Crazy For You and ensemble in Anything Goes.

Lisa has performed the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago in many countries around the world including Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and Kuala Lumper, and is regarded as an expert of the ‘Fosse style’. She has worked with and assisted many leading choreographers including Susan Stroman, Matthew Bourne, Gillian Lynne, Baayork Lee, Chet Walker, Mitch Sebastian and Andrew Wright. She was the associate choreographer of Pippin at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, and has been choreographer or assistant choreographer on shows such as 42nd St, Crazy For You, Cats,A night of 1000 Voices, Carousel , Zombie Prom and recently a new show Siempre Navidad in Bogota,Colombia

She also wrote and successfully performed her own One Woman Show at the Bridewell,Leicester Square Theatre and The Delfont Room in London.

For more information www.lisadonmallreeve.com

Also the Artistic Director, Dance Now! Miami & Contemporary Dance for Ballet Dancers

Diego is the Founding Co-Director, Dance Now! Ensemble. Adjunct Faculty, Florida International University, Dillard Center for the Arts, and Casa Dei Bambina, Montessori Environment teaching Modern Dance and Modern Jazz . Italian television and taught throughout Italy and Europe at studios such as I.A.L.S. and Pineapple Covent Garden. Studied with Roberto Salaorini, Mamy Raoemeria, Ranko Yokoyama, Luc Buic, Michelle Ellis, and Flavio Bennati. Dance with Momentum Dance Company, Karen Petersen and Dancers, Zanadu, Kevin Black Productions, Ballet Flamenco La Rosa, and Michael Uthoff Dance Theatre as Principal Dancer.

Also the Artistic Director, Dance Now! Miami & Contemporary Dance for Ballet Dancers.

Hannah Baumgarten, originally from Santa Cruz, California, received her B.F.A. From the Juilliard School of Music in 1993. Hannah also attended the University of Utah where she danced with the Utah Ballet and served as company manager. She worked with the Michael Uthoff DanceTheatre as principal dancer and repeteur, Labyrinth Dance Theatre, William Adair and Dancers, Karen Peterson & Dancers, Momentum Dance Company, Giovanni Luquini and Ballet Flamenco La Rosa.
A State of Florida Choreographic Fellow, her work has been pre- sented in New York, Michigan, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Florida. Hannah has taught/choreographed at at the Cincinnati Conservatory, Rutgers University, New World School of the Arts, West Texas A & M, Interlochen Arts Academy and Camp, Mercersburg Academy, the Institutto de Danza at Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, University of Pennsylvania Ballet, University City Arts League in Philadelphia, at regional and National High School Dance Festivals. She directed the Dance Program at Dillard Center for the Arts in Ft. Lauderdale for 10 years; she continues to educate youth in the public schools at DIllard and the Academy of Arts and Minds in Miami. Hannah is mat certified in Pilates from Core Dynamics and has served as a grant Panelist for the State of Florida Department of Cultural Affairs and the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs.

An Associate Professor of Dance at Coker College and the Artistic Director of Sapphire Moon Dance Company. Angela, with her company, has performed at White Wave Dance Festival, the Dancenow Downtown Festival, Dance Theatre Workshop, Williamsburg Arts Nexus (WAX), Atrium Theatre and others in NYC, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and in Canada at the Fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists (fFIDA) and in Southeast at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Alabama Dance Festival, Charlotte Dance Festival, Dimensions Dance Festival, Sumter Opera House, Patriot Hall, CMFA Artspace and the Koger Center.

She has performed in the works of Jose Limon, Doug Varone, Dan Wagoner and Christian Von Howard. She has danced with AmDAT: Dance Art Technology (NY), Eisenhower Dance Ensemble (MI), the Power Company (SC) and worked on smaller projects with Ballet Preljocaj (France) and Anou Skan (France). She has also been a guest choreographer for Columbia Classical Ballet, Vibrations Dance Company, the Power Company, Converse College and others. Angela is often a sought after guest artist in both the k-12 schools and higher education. Some of the places she has taught include Peridance Center, New York Dance Center and the Movement Salon, the Hartford Ballet School, the University of Michigan and Southeastern School of Ballet.

She has been a guest artist at the Atlanta Ballet, Spelman College, the Alabama Dance Festival, Charlotte Dance Festival and others. Angela’s dance for film work has been shown in the Optica Film Festival and was a finalist in the Dance Film Association’s Film Festival. Angela recently was awarded the South Carolina Dance Associations Honor Award for sustained achievement in the field of dance. She has been the recipient of grants from the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties, South Arts, the Kyle Foundation, Black Creek Arts Council and was runner up for the SC Arts Commission’s Fellowship in Dance in 2007.

Angela received a MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Michigan and a BFA in Theatre and Dance from Central Connecticut State University. She is also a Pilates instructor certified through the Pilates Method Alliance and trained at the Kane School of Core Integration in NYC and the Core Grace Studios in Ann Arbor, MI.

Also a Miami Tap Spectacular Intensive Instructor.

Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Felipe Galganni started his training in dance and theater at the age of 10.  Mentored by Heather Cornell (Manhattan Tap), Felipe moved to New York City in the summer of 2010 to further his education in tap.  Since then he has had the honor of working with such great names on the tap scene as Tony Waag, Max Pollak (Rumba Tap), Chikako Iwahori, Lynn Schwab, Ray Hesselink, Michelle Dorrance, and Derick K. Grant. He has also studied under the master Brenda Bufalino and recently performed in one of her newest works.

In the nearly 15 years of his career, Felipe has given tap dance lessons at the best schools in Brazil, as well as worldwide for such well-known studios as Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center and the American Tap Dance Foundation in New York City. He has worked as a choreographer in shows and movies.  Revealing the unique Brazilian influence in his expression of tap dance, he also develops his own work with his company in New York City. Regarding his piece Fuga, the New York Times writes, “…Felipe Galganni juxtaposed the precision of tap with the curvaceousness of capoeira, the Brazilian martial art. As two crouching, cartwheeling capoeiristas and six tappers wove through one another to Baden Powell’s ‘Berimbau,’ their musicality was contagious.

Felipe has performed at Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, Joseph Papp’s Public Theater (Joe’s Pub), The NY Summer Stage, The Cotton Club, Metropolitan Room, The Bronx Museum, The New York City Center, Lavo NYC, Arlington Club, and others. As a Team Leader of New York’s Tap City festival, Felipe was interviewed by NBC Channel 4 in 2014.

Felipe is excited to share his love for tap dance with the students of the Joffrey Ballet School!

Also directing: NYC Jazz Intensive, Joffrey Experience NYC Intensive and Musical Theater LA, and a NYC Ballet Instructor.

Michael Blake holds an MFA in dance from Purchase College, and a 2010 Besse Award for Dance and Performance. He began his dance career in the Murray Louis Dance Company where he danced from 1982-1984. In 1986 he joined the Jose Limon Dance Company, dancing principal roles until 1991. Michael danced with Donald Byrd/The Group from 1991-1998. He has also danced with PARADIGM Dance, Joyce Trisler Danscompany, Shapiro and Smith, and Janis Brenner and Friends. He has appeared on stage at the Supper Club, NYC, national tour of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, toured with Cab Calloway in Cab Calloway’s Cotton Club Review, and danced in the films THE ADVENTURES OF CRI CRI (Murray Louis), and UNSETTLED DREAMS (Donald Byrd). He has taught numerous workshops both nationally and internationally. Michael is Director of the Jazz and Contemporary Program at the Joffrey Ballet School, NYC.

From the screen to the stage, Mia has transformed dance into inspired and unique works of passion and beauty. This year will mark a highly anticipated stage venture that will propel this multiple Emmy award winner to even further heights as one of our most sought after innovators, not only in the world of dance, but in the entire entertainment industry.

In 2015, Mia joined forces as choreographer with dream team Harvey Weinstein, Diane Paulus, and Barry Weissler for the hugely successful Broadway musical FINDING NEVERLAND. She choreographed a special preview of the song, “Neverland” for the 68th Tony Awards featuring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, as well as served as guest choreographer of the opening number for the Rockettes Spring Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall and as guest artist and mentor at Broadway at the White House hosted by Michelle Obama, Kristen Chenoweth, and Matthew Morrison.

Mia has served as the ever-popular judge and contributing choreographer for Fox’s award winning hit TV show “So You Think You Can Dance” (SYTYCD). Not only has Mia won three Emmy awards for Outstanding Choreography for her work on SYTYD, but her role in SYTYCD contributed to the show receiving the “Best Reality TV Show” award at the 2008 Reality TV Show Awards. Additionally, her brilliant choreography and huge fan-base in Canada has led her to share her talents for a reoccurring role as judge and guest choreographer with SYTYCD Canada for the entirety of the four year series. Mia also directed and choreographed a dream sequence with Hugh Laurie for the hit television show, HOUSE MD, entitled “Get Happy.”

Mia’s choreography was showcased when she reunited with her SYTYCD judge alumnus, Adam Shankman, in the big screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, ROCK OF AGES. Her moves were showcased by the star-studded cast, which includes Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Catherine Zeta-Jones. She followed that with a co-starring role in Summit Entertainment’s STEP UP 4.

She directed and choreographed Blake McGrath’s Relax video, which was nominated for Video of the Year at the 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards. Other work in film and television includes: “Cool Women” for AMC/DreamWorks Television, and award winning commercials for Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Bacardi, Coldwell Banker, Ziploc, the WNBA, Star TV and VISA.

Mia choreographed the most notable Celine Dion show, A New Day, which played at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for over five years and received stunning reviews. The New York Times raved, “The greatest pleasure…was the go for-broke physicality of the choreography”. The show featured a cast of 50 dancers with two hours of pure dance artistry. Other shows featuring Mia’s choreography include Celine Dion’s world Tour, Taking Chances and Cirque du Soleil’s first touring show, Delirium, which premiered in March 2006. She has also created works for numerous recording artists including Madonna, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Anna Vissi, and Prince.

Mia’s dedication to the art of dance naturally carries a presence in the dance concert arena. Included in her diverse concert and stage work was the critically acclaimed New York based dance company, RAW, for which she was the founder, artistic director, and choreographer; the Paper Mill Playhouse’s production of “Hello Dolly!” starring Tovah Feldshuh; Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal; and Jazz Dance Chicago. Recently, Mia was honored with the prestigious Tom Adams award for her dedication to TITAS and the arts. The La Fete du Ballet chairs, Ambassador Ron Kirk and Matrice Ellis-Kirk, presented the award.

Mia’s expertise in the area of dance has made her a highly sought after guest instructor and choreographer worldwide. She has held faculty positions at prestigious institutions of dance around the world including Alvin Ailey, the Joffrey Ballet, and International Dance Festivals all over the world. Mia continues to teach inspirational master classes worldwide. Every year Mia is on faculty for the Jump International Tour with Break the Floor Productions for 100,000 aspiring dancers. This dynamic and unique weekend dance event features the top choreographers and instructors within the dance industry. Her students and peers around the world have noted her as a memorable influence. She has a way of touching people’s lives with passion, emotional expression and style of dance.

Mia is currently working on writing a book, which will be a memoir that will certainly inspire dance professionals and fans throughout the world.

Also, an Instructor for the NYC Pre-Professional, Ballet and Jazz Intensives.

Maximilien Baud; Trained at the School of American Ballet for 10 years under the guidance of Peter Martins, Jock Soto, Peter Boal, Olga Kostritzky, and Andrei Kramarevsky. While a student, he performed with the NYC Ballet, and was part of the original cast of two world premieres: Organon by Elliot Feld and Scenes De Ballet by Tony Award winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.

Mr. Baud began his professional career with the Carolina Ballet under Robert Weiss. There he would work with choreographers such as Lynne Taylor Corbett, Robert Weiss, Damian Woetzel, and Christopher Wheeldon. In 2005, Mr. Baud joined the Pennsylvania Ballet under the directorship of Roy Kaiser and would perform principal roles in ballets by Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, George Balanchine and many more. In 2009, Mr. Baud had the opportunity to work on the Oscar nominated film for Best Picture, Black Swan, by Darren Aronofsky. In 2010, Mr. Baud would join the national/international tour of Billy Elliot, the Musical performing the role of Older Billy, and was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for Best Supporting Performer in a Musical. He was in the ensemble of the national tour of Flashdance the Musical based on the iconic 80’s film under the directorship of Tony Award-winning choreographer, Sergio Trujillo. Maximilien has reprised his role of Older Billy in regional productions of Billy Elliot with the MUNY, North Carolina Theater, and the North Shore Music Theater company.

Mr. Baud has had the opportunity to teach at numerous dance studios around the country, as well as coach the young Billy’s from Billy Elliot. Currently, he is on the staff at The Joffrey Ballet School Jazz and Contemporary Trainee program. He helped co-create the Joffrey Ballet School Musical Theater Summer Intensive, where he holds the position of Associate Director. Mr. Baud also serves as a teacher and an adjudicator for Sheer Talent, the international dance competition. While teaching, Mr. Baud enjoys enriching the lives of dancers through discipline and a passion for the arts.

TOKYO has a very unique induction into dance as he was not introduced to dance until he was a Senior in high school. TOKYO began training in martial arts at age 5. At age 17, after a promising undefeated amateur career, just a few months shy of making a professional career in MMA (mixed martial arts/cage fighting), TOKYO discovered dance and his life changed drastically. Since leaving the “fight world” and entering the dance world, TOKYO has been fortunate enough to have done master classes and choreography in the US, Canada, Australia, Central America, France, Poland, Ukraine, Croatia, Mexico, Ireland, Scotland and UK for many music artists, TV shows, music videos, musicals, studios, companies, colleges, casinos and Cirque Du Soleil. TOKYO is returning from Ukraine where he was a special guest judge for So You Think You Can Dance-Ukraine (International season). While in his time in Europe, TOKYO choreographed the largest musical production in France’s history, Adam et Eve. TOKYO also choreographed for MTV Music Video Award nominated music video “Holding onto You”. TOKYO is currently on faculty at the world-renowned professional dance studio Millennium Dance Complex. Most recently, TOKYO and Alisha Captain launched an incredible training program (TOKYOtheACADEMY) where dancers from all over the world come to train and enhance their talents!

Born and raised in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., Gary Lewis has forged a singular career in Dance and Theatre in the United States and abroad since 1982. Beginning at the age of 12, Lewis studied at the Ballet Theater of School of The Virgin Islands under the direction of the late Kay Atchison. Lewis spent his summers in New York City studying at Dance Theater of Harlem Summer Intensives under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. It was then that Mr. Lewis knew he would pursue dance professionally.

Lewis sought out further instruction beyond the Virgin Islands, moving to Washington D.C. to pursue his dream to become a professionally trained dancer at the Washington School of Ballet (TWSB), under the direction of and founder Mary Day. Known nationally and internationally, TWSB is recognized for its dedication to classical training, dance and dance education.

In 1989, Lewis made his professional debut as a company member of the Capitol Ballet of Washington, D.C. under the direction of late Doris Jones, where Lewis had the opportunity to work, and perform the critically acclaimed ballet “The River”, by Alvin Ailey. Following his tenure at the Capitol Ballet, Lewis was accepted at the Alvin Ailey American Dance School with a full scholarship under the direction of Denise Jefferson.

Lewis auditioned and was accepted into the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble in Denver, Co., in 1990, where he led lectures, demonstrations and master classes and performed ballets by Donald McKayle, Talley Beatty, Donald Byrd, Eleo Pomare, Kevin Jeff and Katherine Dunham, to name a few. He traveled with the Ensemble throughout United States, Europe and Africa for six years. Lewis was also a company member with the Colorado Ballet, where he performed “Swan Lake”, “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Nutcracker” in 1992 and 1993 seasons. He worked with Cleo Robinson and Colorado Ballet from 1990 through 1997.

Lewis joined Ron Brown EVIDENCE at the Joyce Theater, NYC in the fall of 1997 for a season. He went on to make his Broadway debut in the original cast of “The Lion King” on Broadway, as a Swing Dancer and Assistant Dance Captain, at the New Amsterdam Theater. Lewis also performed in the cast of “The Lion King National Gazelle Tour” in 2001 for two years performing to audiences throughout the United States.

Other featured performances include the 1998 Tony Awards with The Lion King; the 2008 Middle Eastern Film Festival Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Abu Dhabi, choreographed and directed by Otis Sallid; and performances of FAUST and CARMINA BARANA with the Colorado Symphony in Denver Colorado.

Also a Joffrey Experience Instructor.

Rena Butler is a native of Chicago, IL. She has danced with Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion, David Dorfman Dance, Mettin Movement, as a guest artist with Luna Negra Dance Theater, Yara Travieso, and for Manuel Vignoulle-M/Motions. She has been featured in FORMA magazine, Refinery29.com, The Dance Enthusiast, Jordan Matter’s Dancers Among Us and Dance Magazine. She began her studies at The Chicago Academy for the Arts, studied overseas at Taipei National University of the Arts, and received her BFA from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. Her choreographic work has been featured on the Ailey/Fordham BFA students, The Joffrey Ballet School in New York, in the Young Choreographer’s Festival in NYC, and CHTV Stories television program in Switzerland. Rena is a dancer, artistic collaborator, and choreographer based in New York. She currently dances for Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and Manuel Vignoulle-M/motions.

Also a NYC Ballet Instructor.

Sidra Bell has a BA in History from Yale University and an MFA in Choreography from Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. She is currently an adjunct professor at Barnard College (Columbia University). Recent commissions include River North Chicago Dance Company, The Ailey School (BFA, Certificate, & Extension Programs), The Duo Theatre, Ballet Divertimento (Montréal), Arts Umbrella Dance Company (Vancouver), Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre (Toronto), Purchase College Conservatory of Dance, Springboard Danse Montréal, National Choreographers Initiative, The Margie Gillis Foundation, Stella Adler Studio of Acting/NYU and Conservatory Programs, The Kelly Strayhorn Theater, LINES Ballet Training Program, University of Michigan, August Wilson Dance Ensemble, Bessie Schönberg Choreographers Residency at The Yard, New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble, The Barnard Project with New York Live Arts, Ballet Austin, Mystic Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Ailey II, Tisch School of the Arts Dance/NYU, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, Point Park University, The Juilliard School, New York Live Arts Studio Series, and Dance Theater Workshop.

Her work has been seen at many premiere venues throughout the United States and internationally in Denmark, Austria, Germany, Canada, Aruba, Spain, France, Brazil, and Greece. Bell has been commissioned for many special projects nationally and internationally. A solo work, Conductivity, won Second Prize for performance at the Internationales Solo-Tanz-Theatre Festival in Stuttgart, Germany in 2009 and was then toured in Greece and in select German cities. She was invited back to Stuttgart for the 2011 Solo-Tanz-Theatre Festival with a new solo Grief Point. where she received First Prize for Choreography and her dancer, Moo Kim, received First Prize for Performance. Grief Point. will tour Germany and Brazil in 2011/2012. Bell is a sought after master teacher and has taught her unique approach to creative process, improvisation, and technique Contemporary Systems at many prestigious institutions for dance and theater throughout the United States and in Canada.

Alison Mixon’s passion for dance began as a scholarship student at the School of Cleveland San Jose Ballet, School of American Ballet, Chautauqua Institution, and Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet School. In 1999, She moved to New York City to study at The Juilliard School and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2003. Since graduation, Alison has performed for dance, opera, musical theater, and entertainment companies nationwide. She just finished performing in Josephine, an exciting new musical about Josephine Baker. Alison has performed for Paramount Pictures, NBC/Universal, Disneyland Entertainment, The Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington National Opera, Dodgers Theatrical, Music Circus, Pasadena Playhouse, and Theater League. In addition to performing, Alison enjoys teaching dance to students of all ages. Her teaching credits include: Alvin Ailey’s Teen Extension, Arts in Education & AileyCamp, The Joffrey School: Jazz and Contemporary Program, Harlem School of the Arts, Stage Coach Theatre Arts Schools and several studios in the tri-state area. Alison is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association, American Guild of Musical Artists, and American Guild of Variety Artists. Please, visit www.alisonmixon.com for more information.

Nicholas Grubbs, originally from Southwest Virginia, is a New York City based dancer and choreographer holding a BFA in dance with a minor in psychology from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.  Nicholas has had the privilege of performing works by choreographers such as Bill T. Jones, Merce Cunningham, Shannon Gillen, Seán Curran, and Deborah Jowitt, and training under renowned instructors including Gus Solomons Jr., Pamela Pietro, Phyllis Lamhut, Rashaun Mitchell, Ori Flomin, and Ami Shulman.  He has trained abroad at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance as well as Springboard Danse Montréal, where he collaborated with Maxine & Conor Doyle of Punchdrunk and Banning Bouldin of New Dialect.  Nicholas is currently dancing for LoudHoundMovement and Bryn Cohn + Artists while pursuing his own choreographic endeavors.  Nicholas has presented work at various NYC venues, galleries, and public spaces including the Ailey Citigroup Theatre, the Jack Crystal Theatre, and Washington Square Park.

Colleen Barnes hails from South Texas. While earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet from University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music on scholarship, Colleen danced with Dayton Ballet, served as a rehearsal mistress at School of the Performing Arts, fitted pointe shoes, and lived abroad in Nanchang, China, where she taught all forms of dance at Allen Ballet under director Song Ting.

She danced with Ballet Pensacola and Dance Now Miami!, touring domestically and abroad. In 2013 Colleen had the honor and pleasure being hand-picked by Anna-Marie Holmes to work with the late David Holmes as the guest principal dancer in his production of The Nutcracker, where she performed both Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen. Her favorite roles include Diego Salterini’s Chronicles; Hannah Baumgarten’s Unburden; Swan Lake’s Pas de Trois; the Opera Singer in Gaite Parisienne; and the demi-soloist role in Balanchine’s Walpurgisnact, among others.

Colleen Barnes has worked at the Joffrey Ballet School since 2009, working as both faculty and administration, where she has taught Ballet, Pointe, Dance Conditioning, Rehearsals, and Music for Dancers. In addition to pursuing her Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch Dance Department, she is the Artistic Director for both the Joffrey South (Georgia) and Joffrey Denver summer intensives. Impassioned to inspire and empower young people through dance, Colleen has participated in the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s teacher training workshop in both 2014 and 2016, in addition to the Joffrey teacher training program for the last four years; she is also a certified Pilates mat instructor. Colleen has taught ballet around the world, coaches dancers privately, and serves as a judge/teacher for the Wild About Dance Competition. She resides in Brooklyn with her husband and their two miniature Australian shepherds.

Suzette Boyer Webb returned to Cincinnati Ballet in 2011. Ms. Webb is a former Principal dancer with Cincinnati Ballet. Prior to her return to the Company, she had served on the Dance Division faculty at the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music, where she continues to teach. There, she was the recipient of the University of Cincinnati’s Outstanding Adjunct Teacher of the Year award.

Ms. Webb began her early training with Tom Adair and Mme. Seda Sorvillo, in Poughkeepsie, NY. She received scholarships at The School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theater School.   As a Principal dancer with Cincinnati Ballet under the direction of directors David McClain, Frederic Franklin and Ivan Nagy, she has danced principal roles in works by choreographers Frederic Franklin, Ivan Nagy, George Balanchine, Ruth Page, Peter Anastos, John Butler, Sir Kenneth McMillian, Ben Stevenson, James Truitte, and Lester Horton.

Recently Ms. Webb has participated in a Dancers Over 40 panel, honoring the American choreographer Ruth Page, taught for Joffrey Ballet South, has choreographed on Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company for Lumenocity, and staged children’s roles for Victoria Morgan’s New Nutcracker in Cincinnati and Anchorage AK, and Septime Webre’s ALICE (in wonderland) for Kansas City Ballet.

Suzette is currently the Cincinnati Ballet Director of Second Company /Children’s Coach.

Kristina is currently a third year MFA in the Department of Dance at The Ohio State University where she is a Graduate Teaching Associate, the recipient of a Ohio State University Fellowship and a Career Development Grant. She has presented at the TedX Ohio State University and received a Columbus Dances Fellowship award for choreography.

Kristina graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Cincinnati with a B.F.A. in dance where she studied on scholarship. While in college she danced as a member of the Tulsa Ballet II and the Louisville Ballet. She has also performed as a guest artist with the Dayton Ballet and Kentucky Ballet Theatre. After graduating she danced for three years with the Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island while also working with Colleen Cavanaugh’s contemporary dance company Part of the Oath Dance Theater as a performer and instructor in her outreach after school program.

Kristina enjoys teaching students ages three-adult and has worked locally in Columbus, Cincinnati and Rhode Island. She spent a summer as an instructor of ballet, pointe, variations and composition at the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education Senior and Junior summer intensives. Kristina is currently on staff with BalletMet dance academy and the BalletMet Educational Outreach program.

Trey Mitchell is a New York City based Choreographer, Director, and Teacher.  A Virginia native, he graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts before receiving his BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah University.

Trey’s acting career began on the road portraying Frank Lippencott in the National Tour of “Wonderful Town” and as The Cat in The Hat in “Seussical.”  Regionally he was seen as L.A. in “Gypsy” at North Shore Music Theatre (starring Vicki Lewis) and as Posner in the regional premiere of “The History Boys” at Northern Stage Company.  New York credits include “The Drowsy Chaperone” at The Gallery Players (Winner of four New York Innovative Theatre Awards, including Best Musical) and as Trevor in “The Jungle Fun Room” (New World Stages/New York International Fringe Festival).

As a choreographer, Trey’s credits include “A Little Night Music” at The Gallery Players (2014 New York Innovative Theater Award Nominee for Best Musical), “Wonderful Town” (Gallery Players), “The Lover” (GAMUT Theater), “Nine” (Hollins University), and “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (Burton Center for the Performing Arts).  Other shows include Oklahoma!, Annie Get Your Gun, Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods, and as Associate Choreographer for Dreamgirls and Rent (Gallery Players).

This past summer, Trey premiered a piece for SIDEWAYS, a contemporary company based in Atlanta, and most recently worked with Troy University, teaching and setting pieces for their Dance and Theatre Departments. For the past four years, he has served as the Master Musical Theatre Instructor and Acting for Dancers Teacher at the Joffrey Ballet School’s Summer South Intensive.  Trey currently performs with the Dance/Theater Company, “The Treehouse Shakers” and continues to teach and choreograph across the country.  He is a proud member of Actors Equity Association.

Mitchell A. Finke is from Columbus, Ohio and travels the country as a freelance choreographer, emcee, and entertainment and  event producer. He has directed and choreographed over 100 stage shows for regional, collegiate and high school theatres including 4 seasons at Park Playhouse in New York. In addition, his choreography has been seen in theme parks, industrials, show choirs and dance studios all over the country (including the infamous Abby Lee Dance Company and Candy Apples Dance Studio). He has worked on events with The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, National Basketball Association, Nationwide Insurance, The Limited Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch, Ohio Department of Transportation, Special Olympics, American Cancer Society and DECA just to name a few.

He grew up studying tap, jazz, ballet, acro, break dancing (yes, break dancing) at Pinnell Dance Centre in Columbus  at the age of 5 and continued his training at conventions and studios throughout the country. Mitchell has been teaching at conventions and intensives for over 10 years focusing on musical theatre, jazz and tap. He has been seen on TV’s hit reality show DANCE MOMS as a choreographer and emcee and was the on-air host of the nationwide Fox Kids Club. He has performed in regional and touring productions of 42nd Street as Andy Lee, Chicago as Fred Casely, Crazy for You as Bobby, A Chorus Line as Mike, Grease as Doody, and Peter Pan as Peter Pan. Although not performing anymore, Mitchell can often been seen as the emcee at several dance  competitions during the year. He has a degree in Marketing and Public Relations from Ohio Dominican University and is elated to share his art of dance with all the students at Georgia South.

Also an instructor with Joffrey West LA.

Shellie Cash, free-lance master teacher, choreographer and teacher of the Alexander Technique. Former Professor of Dance and Division Head (2000-2012),

Shellie taught ballet, pointe, composition/improvisation, modern dance, jazz, flamenco, yoga, Alexander Technique and theory courses at the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music, Dance Division from 1994 – 2012. She taught ballet, pointe, jazz, flamenco and movement for actors courses at Bucknell University from 1989 – 1994. She holds a B.F.A. in Ballet from University of Utah, a M.A. in Movement Studies and Dance from Wesleyan University and has danced professionally with Ballet West, Tanz-Forum (Germany), Ballet Theatre du Silence and Peter Goss Dance Company (France) among others. Shellie has been on the Joffrey Ballet School New York Summer Satellite Programs faculty for Joffrey West LA and South Athens (2015); Joffrey West LA and Southwest Dallas (2013 and 2014); at Interlochen Arts Summer Camp (2000- 2012); as well as invited to guest teach for the Guangzhou Ballet Academy and the Bartholin International Ballet Seminar at the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen. She has been the recipient of four NCCI/NEA grants and is an ATI certified teacher of the Alexander Technique since 1998. Ms. Cash currently maintains her private Alexander Technique practice in Lighthouse Point, Florida and teaches for the New World School of the Arts/University of Florida in Miami, Florida.

Also an Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary Intensive Instructor

Chris Coates is a New York City based dance/teacher/choreographer who as dance professionally for 12 years. He has toured Europe and the U.S. with Jeff Amsden’s “A Few Good Men…..Dancing”, danced for many Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway teachers including Tracie Stanfield and Geoffrey Doig Marx and has worked with Joe Lanteri, NYCDA, and ONSTAGE NY for the past 7 years. A Georgia native, Chris trained in Atlanta for 10 years before starting his professional career performing on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Navigator and Explorer of the Seas.

Currently he is a member of Oliver and Teri Steele’s company, STEELEDANCE, who’s New York season just premiered at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater in February. In addition, Chris has performed with many other modern companies around the country, including Salvatore La Russa Dance Theater in NYC and Project 7 and Sideways Contemporary Dance Company in Atlanta, GA. He has done many industrials and commercials including ones for Wal-Mart (choreographed by Ray Leeper), the E.L.C.A, and New York Sports Club.  Chris also danced with recording artist and Academy Award Winner Jennifer Hudson and performed in the Annual Easter Bonnet Competition-Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

As a guest instructor, he has taught at Peridance, The Joffrey Ballet School in NY and spent 5 years as a choreographer and teacher for The Joffery Summer Jazz and Contemporary Intensive in New York City.  There he continues his contemporary modern dance training and travels around the country to teach and choreography for many dance studios and schools.

Also a NYC Jazz & Contemporary Instructor.

JoiLynn trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Boston Conservatory, and The Ailey School before studying Haitian folklore with Ase Dance Theatre Collective and hip hop styles in the underground scene of NYC. She has been a featured dancer for numerous venues including projects for Kiesza,Parliament, Target, Regis and Kelly, Rachel Ray,  The David Letterman Show, Maybelline, Impulse
Dance Company, Balance Dance Theatre, JuxtaPower, Jazz Ain’t Dead, “Holler if You Hear Me” based on the work of Tupac Shakur, “Journey to the West” based on the life of Bruce Lee, The Apollo Club, and music videos for Jay-Z, Shakti, and Laura Pausini.  She is also a core dancer for recording artist Kiesza. As director of JoiLynn Productions, she produces provocative and innovative dance based projects and is known as a “sci-fi “ choreographer creating projects that have a distinct conceptual message, are entertaining, and celebrate the technicality and artistry of dance. As a choreographer her work has been featured in projects such as “The Rainbow Project’ in Barbados, The Ladies Of Hip Hop Festival, DC Fringe Festival, for recording artists Sofi Green and Mental™, for “The Shipment” a play by Young Jean Lee and the musical “Loving You” presented by The Riant Theatre, at Sol Afrik: African Fashion Week in NYC, and “Michael and Michael have issues“ on Comedy Central. She is a sought after teaching artist who has taught workshops in Barbados and throughout the US at schools such as New Jersey Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School. She also has a passion for sci fi, action, and fantasy films using her mastery of movement to enhance her experience as an actress and is a vocalist featured in music with recording artist Caktuz, General Steele of Smif-N-Wessun, and afro beat sensation Wunmi.

Check her out at JoiLynn.com

Born in Miami, Florida, Lissette Salgado evolved her passion for dance while studing with Judith Reece Newman and Marianna Alvarez. In 1988, She joined the Joffrey Ballet and danced with the company for seven years. Some of Lissette’s roles included: Balanchine’s Tarantella, Frederick Ashton’s Les Patinuers and La Fille Mal Gardee, Kurt Jooss’s The Green Table, John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet, Jiri Kylian’s Return to Strange Land, Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain and Viva Vivaldi, and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker.

In 1995, Lissette joined the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and danced lead roles in: Bengt Jorgens’s Swedish Song and Anthony Tudor’s Leaves are Fading. She was recognized for her role as Odette/Odile in Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Juliet in Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Beauty and Butterfly in David Nixon’s Beauty and the Beast and Butterfly, Lucy in Mark Godden’s Dracula, the principal role in Mikhail Fokine’s Les Sylphides, Paquita in Petipa’s Paquita, and Kitri in  Petipa’s Don Quixote.

Lissette is a renowned, international guest artist who has performed with the Daring Project under the direction of Margo Sappington and Valentina Kozlova. She also performed her role of Juliet in Florence, Italy with Teatro de Maggio Dance Company and was a guest artist with the ‘Stars of Canadian Ballet’ Company, touring throughout Canada and performing in the Pan Am Summer Games Closing Ceremonies 1999.

Lissette has taught at the North Carolina School of the Arts, South Carolina Governor’s School of the Arts, Dillard High School for the Performing Arts, Laguna Dance Theater and at Florida Dance Master.

In 2012, Lissette co-founded Shake the Ground with her husband David and in 2013, Universal Ballet Competition. Both competitions offer over $100,000 in scholarships to inspiring young dancers, annually, to assist each of them in reaching their remarkable potential, catapulting them to the next level of their dance careers.

Lissette’s extensive professional experience and relationships in the dance world with professionals in the industry allow Lissette to bring the highest level of judges to STG and UBC and to expand on a national platform.

Born in Chorley, England, and raised in Kelowna, B.C., Canada, David unveiled his passion for dance at age nine. The Canadian School of Ballet is where he began training under the direction of Betty Farrally, the co-founder of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company. He later trained in Toronto and graduated from the National Ballet School and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School.

David joined the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company in 1988 and danced for 14 years before retiring in 2000. He danced many lead roles such as: Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante and Tarantella, David Nixon’s Beauty and the Beast, Butterfly, Mark Godden’s Dracula, Paquita, Don Quixotes Pas de Deux and Brian McDonald’s Pas D’Action. It was with the RWB that he met his lovely wife, Lissette Salgado, and was honored to partner and perform many lead roles with her throughout his career.

David has also performed in five made for television dance movies as well as the popular Children’s TV show “The Toy Castle,” where he played the Strongman. He has also been invited as a guest artist to perform in Japan with the Reiko Yamamoto Ballet Company.

David was also the Artistic Director for the Canadian School of Ballet Summer program, which he and his wife, Lissette, directed for four years. David and Lissette choreographed and staged performances each year for the students. David later founded ‘The Stars of Canadian Ballet’ Company, which brought together the best artists in Canada from the National Ballet Company, The Alberta Ballet Company, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company. This renowned group toured in Canada and performed in the closing ceremonies for the Pan Am Games in 1999.

In 2012, David co-founded Shake the Ground with his wife, Lissette, and in 2013, Universal Ballet Competition. Both competitions offer over $100,000 in scholarships to inspiring young dancers, annually, to assist each of them in reaching their remarkable potential, catapulting them to the next level of their dance careers.

Ryan, better known as RK Davis, is a Jersey native with a strong infatuation for the arts. Growing up, he has always been fascinated with the arts and knew that a career in this field as an entertainer would be his number one pursuit. Being the shy individual that he was, RK would only dance/act/sing in the privacy of his room until his first stage debute in the 6th grade for a school talent show. Not again until his last years of high school did RK participate in any talent shows or school performances. In fact, it wasn’t until he was introduced to a now good friend (Charlene aka Chi-Chi) early on in college did he begin to take dance very seriously. After his eyes were first opened to the dance world back in 2005, there was no turning back. Being a college student however, RK was only able to sneak away to NYC every once in a while to explore his dream. Finally building up the courage to fully commit to his passion, in 2008 RK began to train frequently in NYC and everything else began to fall into place.

RK has since moved to New York City and had the pleasure of working with choreographers such as Nappy Tabs, Gil Dulduloa, Luther Brown, Parris Goebel, Nu Stylz, Rhapsody James, Tweetie, Dana Foglia, Luam, Jermaine Brown, Lajon Dantzler, Kelly Peters, Jamie J, and more. His experience continues to grow appearing in the Ariana Grande music video “Right There”, the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, various television commercials including the Fiat promo with J-Lo, and has danced live for recording artists Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys, Shontelle, and Salt -n- Pepa.  RK has also entered the role of choreographer, choreographing for a few up and coming artist in the NY area. Most recently RK has assisted with choreography on Ariana Grande’s “The Honeymoon Tour”. While continuing to further his dance training, RK is now also venturing off into many other forms of creative expression. Making his own brand “RKDavis Entertainment”, Davis is skilled in  photography, cinematography, music editing, and continues to broaden his spectrum and love for the arts.

Charles Smith is a NYC-based choreographer and Dancer. 

Projects include:  Dancing for Grammy nominated artist Jidenna and T-PAIN,Michael Jackson’s final album “Michael,” choreographed by Tweetie; Capazios 125th Anniversary, choreographed by Stephen “Twitch” Boss of So You Think You Can Dance.

 Charles recently choreographed and taught in China and Russia ,Good Morning America, Chaka Khan, Brianna Perry, The NBA Teams The Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls,Exit 21, Fly Panda,Disney’s Make Your Mark,Bratz Dolls,Chanelle Ray and Marz. 

SHEstreet, the name given to Cristti Streeter by a collective group of friends and colleagues best describes this choreographer and movement artist. This young lady has the ability to move the masses.  Moving with fluidity and grace, she still embodies an undeniable sense of “raw” feel!  SHE, the Movement Artist, is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, who relocated to Los Angeles, California.  SHE is trained in Hip Hop, Jookin, Poppin and has, over the years, married her foundational styles to many new styles! Her movement is forever evolving!  Since her move to Los Angeles her credits have only grown, working with artists such as Missy Elliott, Rye Rye, Avicii, and more.

Yorelis is a Tampa-based dancer who began taking hip hop at 8 years old under the instruction of Elsa Pardo Dance Center. At the age of 12, she began to explore other styles such as ballet, jazz and contemporary. She attended the Orange Grove Middle School of the Arts and Blake High School of the Performing Arts, where she furthered her training in dance. From 2012 to 2014, she was able to tour with The Pulse On Tour convention under the instruction of the industry’s most sought after choreographers such as Dave Scott, Gil Duldulao, and Brian Friedman. In 2014, Yorelis was initiated into the all-style crew “The Flooridians” where she received training in foundational hip hop such as popping, locking, breaking, house, etc. Yorelis, alsod competed on the television show “So You Think You Can Dance” Season 12 where she made it to the Top 14 dancers. Following the show, Yorelis joined the “So You Think You Can Dance Tour” traveling the United States and Canada. In 2014, Yorelis co-founded an all-style girl company named “Female Energy.” This company stresses training in all styles and female empowerment in the dance community. Nowadays, Yorelis resides in LA to further her dance training and further her dance career.

Film/Music Videos
Annie (20014) NYC Premiere Chor. Will Gluck, Dir.
Astr Music Video – Bleeding Love Co-Chor. Neil Schwartz, C.Dir.
Wynter Gordon, “Home” Music Video Co-Chor. Shruti Ganguly,Dir.
Nova “Boom Bap” Music Video Chor. Rhapsody James, Dir.
Love Jones Girlz “M.A.N.D.S. Music Video Chor. Rock, Dir.
Step Up 2: The Streets Dancer Jon Chu, Dir.
Jasmine Sullivan “Holding You Down” Dancer Marcus Rayboy, Dir.

Commercials
Jennifer Lopez for L’Oreal Principle Dancer Nappytabs, Chor.
Gnoise – Garage Magazine Principle Dancer Casey Brooks, Dir.
The Wendy Williams Show Principle Dancer Luam, Dir.
Verizon Dancer/Asst. Chor Nappytabs, Dir.
The Gap Dancer/ Co-Chor. David Brown, Dir.

Live Show
“Every Single Step” Show Chor. Brian Friedman. Prod.
iHeartMemphis – The Today Show Asst. Chor Luam. Chor.
BET’s Black Girls Rock Asst. Chor. Luam, Chor.
Natalie La Rose – College Tour Asst. Chor Jr Taylor/Luam, Chor.
Icona Pop – “David Letterman Show” Asst. Chor. Luam, Dir.
Brooklynettes Dance Team Guest Chor. Adar Wellington Dir.
Nike Industrial Principle Dancer Luam, Chor.
MAC Cosmetics “Heirloom Mix” Dancer Anthony Gabriel, Dir
Cirque Du Soleil “Mosaic” Dancer Muhktar Shariff, Dir
Monsters of Hip-Hop Show “The Monsters Way Dancer Chonique and Lisette, Dir. Motivating Excellence “Dream Catcher” Dancer Rhapsody James, Dir
Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week Dancer Shyrelle Kalilkane, Dir.

Teaching/Conventions
Broadway Dance Center Faculty
The Pulse: Teacher Workshop Guest Instructor
Millennium Dance Complex Guest Instructor
Movement Lifestyles Guest Instructor
Shear Talent Ltd. Convention Judge/Faculty
World of Dance Judge

CHOREOGRAPHY /
ARTISTIC DIRECTION
Serge Lazarev ‘Slow Mo’ Single
– Sony Music Moscow
Britain’s Got Talent – George Sampson Return 2009
– Syco Music
NBA Brooklynettes (Co-Choreographer)
NY Fringe Festival (Movement Director)
World of Dance UK 2011 (Creative Director)
Warner Brothers, Happy Feet 2 UK Promo
Goldie Lookin Chain 2009 UK Tour
Trevor Nelson BBC Wales 2007
Dawnstastig S4C BBC Wales
Samsung You tube promotion 2007
AMCK Agency Audition (Assistant Choreographer)
‘Take on That’ all live shows
Bacardi Online Promo 2011
BROADWAY
Circolombia (Choreographer / Developer)
OFF-BROADWAY
Gymnos: A Geek’s Tragedy (Choreographer)
Alone-ology (Choreographer/Developer)
COMMERCIALS
Bloomingdales 2015 ‘Do the B-Roll’ (Dancer)
– Directed by Frederick Pinet
VIDEOS
Rob Thomas ‘Trust You’ (Choreographer)
– Atlantic Records
Melanie Martinez ‘Training Wheels’ (Choreographer)
– Atlantic Records
George Sampson – “Body Language” (Choreographer)
– Syco Music
IvyRise “yes to running” (Choreographer)
– Sitcom soldiers
Icona Pop – “All Night” (Dancer)
– Mark Klasfeld
Addictive – “Domino Effect” (Dancer)
– Choreography by Tony Adigun
Diagram of The Heart “If I were you” (Dancer)
– Choreography by Kate Prince
Plant Duw – “Bandit” (Choreographer)
– Boomerang Productions
TEACHING
Broadway Dance Center, NYC
– Faculty
Alvin Ailey
– Faculty
Peridance Capezio Center
– Faculty
Pineapple Dance Studios London
– Faculty
Royal Ballet School London
– Guest Street Dance instructor
Hip Hop Master Classes in Europe:
– Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, UK, Russia, Ukrain,
Czech Republic, Poland and Netherlands
Drive Dance Project, Moscow
– Sponsored by Nike ‘08
LIVE TOURS
Blaze Street Dance Sensation (Dancer)
– Directed by Anthony Van Laast, West End/ World Tour
Some Like It Hip Hop (Dancer / Swing)
– Directed by Kate Prince, London West End
VIDEO GAMES
Nintendo Grease The Official Video Game 2011
(Dancer – John Travolta Motion Capture)
Sony Dance Star Party 2012 (Principal Dancer)
CONTRIBUTIONS
Expert Contributor to backstage.com
AWARDS
MOST OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
– New York Innovative Theatre Awards 2014

Candace Brown is a dancer/choreographer/instructor with a huge passion for the art of dance. She has taught in Los Angeles for 5+years as faculty at Debbie Reynolds Studio, Millennium Dance Complex, and Edge PAC. She has also traveled teaching around the world in various countries like Japan, Spain, Australia, Russia, Brazil, Greece, Poland, Ireland, Amsterdam and more, plus states across the US. Candace is a Monsters of Hip Hop Show Alumni, and was principal dancer on UNITY LA directed by Tessandra Chavez. She has choreographed for artists like Nicole Scherzinger, under the direction of Jaquel
Knight, plus danced/assisted major choreographers on various television shows like “X-Factor” (chor: Kevin Maher), “Dancing With The Stars” (chor: Aakomon Jones) and BET’s “Black Girls Rock” (chor: Luam
Keflezgy). Recent credits include dancing for Beyoncé on the 2016 VMA’s. Candace’s transition to New York City is an exciting time for her and she is so honored and humbled to share her craft with the
east coast. She hopes to continually be inspired and inspire others by
doing what she loves. Learn more about Candace and all upcoming
projects at CandaceReneeBrown.com.”

Credits include:

Beyonce
Janelle Monae
Nicole Scherzinger
Mark Ronson
X-Factor
Dancing With the Stars
SYTYCD Poland
Broadway Dance Center NYC
Millennium Dance Complex
Debbie Reynolds Studio

Curtis “Trix” Pearson is a very talented performer/Dance Choreographer. His passion and love for dance and Entertainment goes a long way. Former Dance Memeber of Round 1, and goes by the name “Trix”. He’s had the pleasure of teaching at the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington County, Gifted Students Camp at Princeton University, Musical Movents Dance Theater,Bucks County Technical High School, Artist in Motion, Arabesque Dance Studio and Modeling, Beyond Dance In Brooklyn NY, Dream Dance Studio in LedgeWood NJ and many other dance studios across the East Coast All Down To Orlando Florida. He also appeared and performed on BET’s 106 & Park with His Dance Group Round 1 many times. Very self motivated to stay postive and continue to do what he loves with moving forward to bigger and better things. A Very Great Accomplishment was appearing as a Las Veges Contestant For The Telvision Show “So you think you can dance” !! Recently a Cast Member of the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando Florida performing in the shows and Parades Such as, Disney Channel Rocks, Star Wars Hyperspace Hoopla, Monsters University, and The Move it Shake it Celebrate it Street Party. Was Recently Placed in the Data Base For Upcoming Contracts With Disney Live And Cirque Du Soleil after a successful audition Process. Had The Pleasure Of Being ask To Choreograph For The Orlando Magics Dance Team and Running Their Audition Process for The 2014-2015 Season. An Upcoming artist that Goes By The Name Chris C-PO Porter refers to “Trix” as The Go to choreographer For His Music Video! A Guest Faculty Member/Choreographer At New York Cities “Broadway Dance Center”, And “Peridance Capezio Center”, and HipHop Director at Peak Performance Arts Center Of New Jersey!

Casie Goshow, aka B-Girl ‘Tynee’ is hip hop choreographer and break dancer, who has been teaching both hip hop and break dancing for over the last 10 years around the country.  She is originally from a small town in Pennsylvania and went to live in New York City after college, before making the move to Los Angeles.  She has worked in the commercial entertainment industry working a variety of jobs as she pursues her dreams.  Casie has worked side by side with various artists and organizations such as Chris Brown, Lil John, Psy, French Montana, Beats Superbowl Commercial, the NBA, Adidas and was a Las Vegas Season 12 Street Finalist on So You Think You Can Dance?  Currently she is touring around the country teaching kids of all ages at studios, conventions and competitions.  Casie owns her own clothing line, Goshow Yourself, which was created in response to the bullying occurring around the country.  She wanted a clothing line that inspired people of all ages and walks of life to have the courage and confidence to be themselves.

Dexter Carr started dancing at the age of 16 in Miami, FL, and got his first professional job with Chris Brown in his hit music video, Kiss Kiss. While in NYC Dexter had the chance to work professionally with Joss Stone, Katy Perry, Kelly Rowland, and Beyonce. He also got to experience the Broadway community by being a part of the Original cast of Bring It On: The Musical (National Tour and Broadway) and later, In The Heights. Dexter also worked on a Puma National commercial and Discovery Channel Spot. Since Dexter left Broadway he has worked with; Aloe Blacc, Danity Kane, Missy Elliot, Jlo, Janet Jackson and many other amazing artists.

Also a NYC Ballet and Pre-Professional Instructor.

Matthew Prescott, born and raised in Idaho, graduated high school from Interlochen Arts Academy and attended the inaugural year of the Joffrey/New School University in New York City. In 2000, he joined the Joffrey Ballet for a number of years before setting out as a freelance artist. Working as a freelancer, Matthew has worked and performed with Donald Byrd’s Spectrum Dance Theater, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Ballet NY, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Amanda Miller, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, The Alabama Ballet, Armitage Gone! Dance, BalletX, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, Morphoses the Wheeldon Company, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. Matthew was featured in Robert Altman’s film The Company. Matthew has choreographed works performed by Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Chamber Dance Project, the Joffrey Ballet School, BalletX, Interlochen Arts Academy, for Misty Copeland for Prince’s Coming to America 2010 Madison Square Garden performances, as well as the Vail International Dance Festival. Matthew was the Resident Choreographer on the national tour of Billy Elliot as well as performing the roll of Older Billy. Matthew made his Broadway debut on Broadway in the cast of Phantom of the Opera.

www.Matthew-Prescott.com

Also, an Instructor for the NYC Pre-Professional, Ballet and Jazz Intensives.

Maximilien Baud; Trained at the School of American Ballet for 10 years under the guidance of Peter Martins, Jock Soto, Peter Boal, Olga Kostritzky, and Andrei Kramarevsky. While a student, he performed with the NYC Ballet, and was part of the original cast of two world premieres: Organon by Elliot Feld and Scenes De Ballet by Tony Award winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.

Mr. Baud began his professional career with the Carolina Ballet under Robert Weiss. There he would work with choreographers such as Lynne Taylor Corbett, Robert Weiss, Damian Woetzel, and Christopher Wheeldon. In 2005, Mr. Baud joined the Pennsylvania Ballet under the directorship of Roy Kaiser and would perform principal roles in ballets by Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, George Balanchine and many more. In 2009, Mr. Baud had the opportunity to work on the Oscar nominated film for Best Picture, Black Swan, by Darren Aronofsky. In 2010, Mr. Baud would join the national/international tour of Billy Elliot, the Musical performing the role of Older Billy, and was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for Best Supporting Performer in a Musical. He was in the ensemble of the national tour of Flashdance the Musical based on the iconic 80’s film under the directorship of Tony Award-winning choreographer, Sergio Trujillo. Maximilien has reprised his role of Older Billy in regional productions of Billy Elliot with the MUNY, North Carolina Theater, and the North Shore Music Theater company.

Mr. Baud has had the opportunity to teach at numerous dance studios around the country, as well as coach the young Billy’s from Billy Elliot. Currently, he is on the staff at The Joffrey Ballet School Jazz and Contemporary Trainee program. He helped co-create the Joffrey Ballet School Musical Theater Summer Intensive, where he holds the position of Associate Director. Mr. Baud also serves as a teacher and an adjudicator for Sheer Talent, the international dance competition. While teaching, Mr. Baud enjoys enriching the lives of dancers through discipline and a passion for the arts.