Season 5

Kia S. Smith

Kia S. Smith is a Chicago native and her early training included Hyde Park School of Dance, The Joel Hall Dance Center, ETA Creative Arts Foundation, StoryCatchers Theatre, and the American Dance Festival. She holds a BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University and an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she was an Advanced Opportunity Program Fellow.

She is the Founder and Executive Artistic Director of the South Chicago Dance Theatre, the company’s Resident Choreographer and the founder of its signature programs South Chicago Dance Festival, the Choreographic Diplomacy Program, Choreographic Fellowship and Arts Administration Fellowship. As a freelance choreographer, Kia’s recent and upcoming commissions include Madison Ballet (2021), Chicago Repertory Ballet (2022), Houston Contemporary Dance Company (2023), Chicago Opera Theater (2022, 2023), Ruth Page Civic Ballet Training Company (2022), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2023), Giordano Dance Chicago (2023), Western Michigan University (2023) and a new evening length work Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley for South Chicago Dance Theatre premiering at the Auditorium Theater of Chicago. Kia S. Smith was recently named a Rising Star in 2023 by Chicago Magazine and Player of the Moment in the category of Dance for New City Magazine’s annual 50 Players List in 2023.

Additional collaborative and choreographic credits include; Nike, Chicago Opera Theatre, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, actor Jack Black, world renowned visual artists Manuel Mendive and Nick Cave, “Loving the Silent Tears” an original musical (director Vincent Patterson), the “Afterword” film (director Catherine Sullivan), saxophonist/composer Ernest Dawkins, South Shore Opera Company, Chicago Fringe Opera, HBO, the City of Chicago’s Night Out in the Parks Concert Series, String Quartet D-Composed Chicago, cellist Lilianna Zofia Wosko and Seoul, South Korea’s Choomna Art Center. Her work has been presented at Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival, Kennedy King College (Chicago, Illinois), Englewood Jazz Festival (Chicago, Illinois), Sons D’hiver Jazz Festival (Paris, France), Chicago Home Theatre Festival, the Jacob Caruthers Center for Inner City Studies (Chicago, Illinois), Young Auditorium (Whitewater, Wisconsin), the Logan Center for the Arts (Chicago, Illinois), the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Harris Theater For Music and Dance, where SCDT is a Resident Company.

In 2018, she received the inaugural Young and Ambitious Entrepreneurship Award from the Metropolitan Board of the Chicago Urban League and was chosen by the New York City based Stage Director’s and Choreographers Foundation as a member of the national Observership class. In 2021, Kia received a 3Arts Make A Wave award and was an Ann & Weston Hicks Choreographic Fellow at the renowned Jacobs Pillow. She was a 2022 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Awardee and a participant in the Artist in Residence “AIR“ Program at the Cliff Dwellers Chicago. As a recipient of the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Individual Artist Grant Kia worked as a cultural ambassador for the city at Impulstanz Dance Festival in Vienna, Austria in the summer of 2016. She is a member of the International Association of Blacks in Dance where she received the Joan Myers Brown Artist Development Fund scholarship and was a 2018 invited panelist for “Women of Color Arts Leaders”.

Headshot_Marling, Terence (©JosephAHernandez)

Terence Marling

Terence Marling, originally from Chicago, began his dance training under the direction of Larry Long at the Ruth Page Foundation School of Dance in 1982. Professionally Terence danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Nationaltheater Manheim, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago over the course of 17 years. He began making choreography in 1999 for Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. Over the past 24 years he has choreographed on PBT as well as Hubbard Street, Hubbard Street 2, Robert Moses’ Kin, Orange County Ballet Theater, Point Park University as well as many others. In 2010 upon retiring from the stage, Terence became rehearsal director for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Later he transitioned into the role of Artistic Director of Hubbard Street 2. From 2019 to 2023, Terence created and ran COMMON conservatory as a laboratory for new choreographic works and a training program for pre-professional dancers.

Tsai Hsi Hung

Tsai Hsi Hung graduated from the Taipei National University of the Arts in 2011. In 2009, she traveled to Australia as an exchange student for the Dance at Queensland Technology University Dance Department. She has worked with the Australian Dance Theater, Tasdance, Expressions Dance Company, and Chunky Move Dance Company Dancers.

In 2020, Hung received a Choreography Fellowship from the New Jersey Council on the Arts. Shortly after, Hung’s work was selected by the Joffrey Academy of Dance for its Spring 2020 Winning Works performance in Chicago. Hung was invited to Taipei National Dance Theater to perform the work in July 2020. In 2021, Hung won Western Michigan University’s National Choreography Competition and will premiere a new work in 2022. For BalletX’s 2022 Season, Hung created a new work for their dancers through the BalletX Choreographer Fellowship. Battery Dance Company of New York also premiered an original work in the summer of 2022, inspired by the paintings of Hans Hofmann. Hung was in residence at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, in the summer of 2022 to create new work for the students of their dance department. Hung premiered a new work in the Spring of 2022 with the Ballet Hispánico Professional Studies dance students. Hung was recently commissioned by the South Chicago Dance Theatre to create a new work for their 2024 season. She will also continue to work with the Taipei National University of the Arts in 2023/2024, teaching and creating new work for their department.

In June of 2018, the MET Dance Company performed Hung’s work IO for 12 dancers at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Houston, Texas. In 2019, Hung’s piece DOUBLEND was performed at the NU VU Festival at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Martha Graham Studio Theater, and NYU Skirball Center. Her most recent work, Brushstroke- X2, was performed at the 2020 APAP Peridance Showcase in New York.

Hung teaches the open class at the Peridance Capezio Dance Center and NYU Tisch Dance and /MOVE|NYC|.

Monique Haley

Monique Haley, Associate Professor of Dance and African American & African Studies, Western Michigan University, earned MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, BFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Creator of the Diasporic Encounter Method (DEM)– a foundational teaching practice centering on African cultural values and cultivating ritual in jazz dance pedagogy. Published chapter, Cultivating African Diasporic Ethos and Cultural Values in Contemporary Jazz Dance, in the book Rooted Jazz Dance: Africanist Aesthetics and Equity in the 21st Century. 2022 summer faculty for American Dance Festival; NEA (2022, Soul Remedy, collaborating with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, residing as the resident choreographer for the company. Choreographed for various concert dance companies and collegiate programs on the regional and national scales; is an Adult Artist Awardee (2021) for the black album. mixtape. (Culture Loop); 3Arts awardee (2012).

Donald Byrd

Donald Byrd (he/him) is the Artistic Director of the Seattle based Spectrum Dance Theater, a TONY nominated (The Color Purple) and Bessie Award winning (The Minstrel Show) choreographer. He has created works for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, The Joffrey Ballet among others; and worked extensively in theater and opera including The New York Public Theater, The 5th Avenue Theater, CenterStage (Baltimore), Seattle Opera, Dutch National Opera, The Atlanta Opera, The Israeli Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and San Francisco Opera. Awards, prizes, and fellowships include Doris Duke Artist Award, James W. Ray Distinguished Artist Award, Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts (Cornish College of the Arts), Masters of Choreography Award (The Kennedy Center), Fellow at The American Academy of Jerusalem, James Baldwin Fellow of United States Artists, Resident Fellow of The Rockefeller Center Bellagio, Fellow at the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue (based at Harvard), Rainier Club Laureate, the Gordon Davidson Award (Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation) and the Mayor’s Arts Award for his sustained contributions to the City of Seattle.

Headshot_Blake Carter, Joshua (WebRes_FernandoRodriguezPhotography)

Joshua Blake Carter

Joshua Blake Carter is the Artistic Director of Dance Kaleidoscope in Indianapolis, IN. Originally from Atlanta, GA, he spent 14 years in Chicago with Giordano Dance Chicago, first as a dancer and then as an administrator and Director of Giordano II, a position he held for 10 years. During his time at GDC, Joshua created three original works for the main company and nine original works for Giordano II. As a freelance artist, he has created works for dance companies, theater companies, and events across the nation. Joshua was the 2009 winner of Wonderbound’s (formerly Ballet Nouveau Colorado) national choreography competition dancemakers2.0. In 2013, he was commissioned to create a new work for DanceWorks Chicago’s DanceMoves choreography competition, and he was awarded the Producers’ Panel Prize by the Ruth Page Foundation for his work, Ripen. Joshua’s choreography for Disney’s Newsies at the Paramount Theatre was nominated for a Jeff Award and a Regional Broadway World Award. Other commissions include Missouri Contemporary Ballet, Nomi Dance Company, Visceral Dance Chicago, and Artifact Dance Project, as well as an original work for Embarq with Joffrey Ballet. In 2016, he created the finale for the event Sing! Featuring Elton John. Joshua has been an Artist in Residence with Brenau University, Glendale Community College, Illinois State University, Salve Regina University, and Southeast Missouri State University.

Taylor Yocum

Taylor Yocum began her dance career in Spokane, Washington studying ballet at Spokane Ballet Studio under the direction of Sara Donnelly. Taylor graduated with a BFA from SUNY Purchase College in December of 2021 where she attended on a merit scholarship. During her time in college, she was selected to study abroad in Beijing, China at Beijing Dance Academy. During 2020, she took a gap year from college and moved to Chicago to attend COMMON Conservatory. She is currently a company member with PARA.MAR Dance Theatre and is returning to South Chicago Dance Theatre for a third season as a Guest Artist. Taylor has also performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in their production of Carmen. Along with being a dancer, Taylor is researching her choreographic voice as she was chosen as a choreographer for Thodos Dance Chicago and Danceworks Chicago’s New Dances in 2022 and was commissioned for a new work for COMMON Conservatory.

Brodie Wolf

Brodie Wolf is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, where his training exposed him to an array of artists and dance styles, and sparked his interest in choreography, performance, and dance education.
Brodie’s affinity for movement investigation led him to pursue a BFA in Dance at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance in a range of techniques including hip-hop, ballet, and contemporary. He has performed works by Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, Yue Yin, and Kyle Abraham, among others. Brodie attended the School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Performance Ensemble where he collaborated on three new creations with Sidra Bell, Rena Butler, and Antoine Vereecken from Studio Wayne McGregor.
Brodie pursued a double minor in Cinematic Arts and Entertainment Industry allowing him to work with production company RYBG.co and earn producing credit on IMDb from his work on Soundstage. He has been involved with Kaufman Connections, a community engagement initiative that provides dance classes to students at 32nd Street Elementary School in Los Angeles. Brodie curated a local event in Los Angeles titled “Where We Meet” to explore the relationships of dance, film, and music through a community-oriented environment.

Faith Von Atzigen

Faith von Atzigen is from Riverside, California where she began training at a competitive dance studio at the age of fourteen. While in high school, she had the opportunity to work with multiple commercial choreographers in the L.A. area such as Tina Landon, Michael Peña, and Jason Myhre. She went on to graduate from Oral Roberts University in 2020 with a B.A. in Dance Performance and was named the Outstanding Senior for the Theatre, Dance, and Visual Arts Department. Since graduating she has been working as a freelance dancer and has attended intensives with Doug Varone and Dancers, Parsons Dance, and Ad Deum Dance Company. This summer she was accepted as a professional artist to attend Zion Dance Project’s Summer Series where she was featured in multiple works by Vincent Hardy. She was also chosen to attend the 2023 OBOC Countertechnique intensive in Amsterdam where she worked with Anouk van Dijk, Tom Koch, and Elita Cannata. Since moving to Chicago, Faith has had the opportunity to work with Chicago-based artists Terrence Marling, Noelle Kayser, and Jackie Nowicki. Also passionately pursuing a career as a choreographer, she recently received the full DCASE Individual Artist Program grant to create and produce a dance work. Faith is overjoyed to return to South Chicago Dance Theatre for their seventh season.

Marissa Thomas

Marissa Thomas (she/her) is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at The Ohio State University in 2019. Marissa is currently in her second season with South Chicago Dance Theatre. She has previously danced as a Company Dancer with the Dancing Wheels Company in Cleveland, OH. Marissa has had the honor of performing and collaborating in works by choreographers Donald Byrd, Dianne McIntyre, Crystal Michelle Perkins, and André M. Zachery and performing in historic works by Merce Cunningham and Donald McKayle. Marissa is also a Teaching Artist for SCDT’s Education Programs and is the Tour Manager for the Dancing Wheels Company & School.

Lourdes Taylor

Lourdes Taylor primarily trained at Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center under the direction of Homer Hans Bryant. She also studied at Dance Theatre of Harlem and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater in their summer intensive programs. While in college, she danced with the Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco!)’s second company, D2.

Headshot_Richardson, Elijah (credit MReid Photography)

Elijah Richardson

Elijah Richardson (San Jose, California) is a Filipino-American dancer based in Chicago. His early training consisted of musical theatre, classical choir, and figure skating before earning his BFA in Dance Performance from Chapman University in 2018. After graduating, Elijah joined DanceWorks Chicago for three seasons and has appeared as a guest artist with Collage Dance Collective, Giordano Dance Chicago, Zion Dance Project, and The Cambrians. His repertory include works by Ohad Naharin, George Balanchine, Alex Ketley, Stephanie Martinez, Kia Smith, Ron De Jesus, Crystal Michelle Perkins, Hanna Brictson, Ido Tadmor, and Joshua Manculich. His own creations have been presented at South Chicago Dance Festival, Loyola University Chicago, Zion Dance Project, Evanston Dance Ensemble, Second City Dance Ministry, Trifecta Dance Festival, Iowa International Screendance Festival, and four times at Mobile Dance Film Festival. As an educator, he has shared classes at the University of Chicago, Western Michigan University, Northern Illinois University, University of Michigan, and Common Conservatory. Recently named Dance Magazine’s 2023 “25 to Watch”, Elijah is currently in his third season with South Chicago Dance Theatre.

Hayley Midea

Hayley Midea is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher. In Spring of 2020, Hayley received a BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University. Hayley’s choreography has been awarded the Maggie Allesee Choreography Award by the Michigan Dance Council, “Best Spoken Word Used in a Film” and “2021 Viewer’s Choice Award” at the inaugural Dance Is Activism Film Festival. Among other festivals, Hayley was selected to perform at the ACDA National Conference in Long Beach, California. Hayley has had the privilege of performing in the Dance for Life finale choreographed by Randy Duncan as well as traveling to Amsterdam, Netherlands with SCDT. This is Hayley’s fourth season with SCDT where she has performed works by Wade Schaaf, Ron De Jesus, Crystal Michelle Perkins, Monique Haley, Stephanie Martinez and Kia S. Smith. Along with performing, Hayley teaches and choreographs at competitive dance studios in the Chicagoland area.

Mary Kovalcheck

Mary Kovalcheck grew up in Grayslake, IL and started training at Dance Connection, her local dance studio. She also took classes at the Lou Conte Dance Studio during high school. She recently graduated from Grand Valley State University in Michigan, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and a Business minor. During her time in the dance program, she had the opportunity to work with several artists such as Queala Clancy, Yoshito Sakuraba, Wallie Wolfgruber, Deborah Lohse, and Renaldo Maurice. Mary has performed at the American College Dance Association (ACDA) regional conferences in 2022 and 2023. Her senior capstone solo “Forward” was selected to be in the Spring Dance Concert. Mary is also a recipient of the Upper Division Dance Scholarship and the Alexander Calder Honors Scholarship. Mary is excited to be a part of the South Chicago Dance Theatre for their 2023/2024 season.

Sydnee Jones

Sydney Jones is a dancer, choreographer, and educator. She attended the Chicago Academy for the Arts for high school and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Point Park University. She began dancing with South Chicago Dance Theatre in 2020 and is currently a company member with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre. She is grateful to have worked with wonderful choreographers including Shannon Alvis, Katlin Bourgeois, Monique Haley, Ron De Jesus, Stephanie Martinez, Crystal Michelle Perkins, Kia S. Smith, and more. Her recent performances include SCDT’s Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley, CRDT’s Spring Concert Series, Trifecta Dance Festival, and Focus on the Arts, among others. In the spring of 2021, she won Inaside’s choreographic competition. Her choreography has been commissioned by Inaside Dance Chicago, Simantikos Dance Chicago, Movementum Dance Project, and Trifecta Dance Collective. Additionally, she is the Competition Coordinator for Dance on Broadway in Chicago and is on faculty at Artistic Pursuit in Westmont.

J'Nae Howard

J’Nae Howard is a Chicago-based dancer originally from Nashville, TN. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 2022, where she received her BFA in Dance. During her college career, J’Nae has had the honor of performing and collaborating in works by Autumn Eckman, Kristopher Estes-Brown, Joshua Blake Carter, Jennifer Archibald and many more.

Jack Halbert

Jack began his dance training at the age of five in his hometown of St. Louis, MO at a small dance studio called Charmette Academy of Dance. Over the years, he trained extensively in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Modern. In 2013, he accepted a scholarship to continue his training with the University of Arizona School of Dance. He was privileged to perform incredible works by amazing professors and master artists, including José Limón and Sherry Zunker, as well as have the opportunity to tour in New York City and Europe. In May 2017 he graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in dance and a Minor in Sports Management, in addition to numerous awards and accolades. He feels incredibly lucky and humbled to have continued his training with the eclectic company Giordano Dance Chicago for four seasons, and to have performed with contemporary and street style fusion dance company, Chicago Dance Crash, for two years. In addition to dancing, he instructs group fitness classes at Equinox gyms, guests with AJA Talent Agency, and continues to build his career as an educator and choreographer at several local Chicago studios. Jack is excited to continue his career in his first season with all of the artists in South Chicago Dance Theatre

Keeley Clark

Bio coming soon!

Kim Davis

Kim Davis is from Portsmouth, VA, and started dancing at the age of 4. Kim is a 2019 graduate of George Mason University where she performed Bhangra Fever by Donald Byrd, Kosmos by Andonis Foniadakis, and understudied Na Floresta by Nacho Duato. Kimberly joined DanceWorks Chicago in August 2019. At DanceWorks she performed pieces by Harrison McEldowney, Joshua Manculich, Greg Blackmon, and more. She’s now dancing with South Chicago Dance Theater where she has worked with Crystal Michelle, Ron De Jesus, Monique Haley, August Tye, and Stephanie Martinez. In her dance career she has traveled internationally to Germany and the Netherlands where she has both performed and taught!

Maddie Counsell

Maddie Counsell (she/her), originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a 2020 graduate of James Madison University (JMU) with a double major in Dance and Media Arts and Design. Her work was featured in three student concerts, selected for a mainstage concert, and presented at the American College Dance Association. In addition, she was a member of the JMU’s pre-professional company. While at school, Maddie had the pleasure of working with Abraham.In.Motion, DanceWorks Chicago, Rubén Graciani, and Matt Pardo. After moving to Chicago, Maddie trained at COMMON Conservatory under the direction of Terence Marling. Most recently, she has presented work at the Going Dutch Festival and Emergence Festival. Maddie is excited to be entering her second season with South Chicago Dance Theatre as an Emerging Artist.

Chloe Chandler

Chloe Chandler, from Southeast Michigan, is a performer, creator, and dance educator. She received her BFA in Dance from the University of Michigan. She has had the privilege to work with artists such as Sidra Bell and Shannon Gillen, and assist artists such as Elizabeth Parkinson, Suzi Taylor, Will Johnston, John Crutchman, and more. Chloe is honored to be a new member of South Chicago Dance Theatre this season!

Amaya Arroyo

Amaya Arroyo was born in Columbus, Ohio and began her dance training at the age of 13 years old. Arroyo was a founding member of Dance ELITE Performance Academy where she trained under the direction of Samara Tillman, in modern, ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop techniques. In addition, Arroyo has seven years of competitive dance experience. Recognized for her choreography and technique, Arroyo was the recipient of the 2017 University of Illinois High School Talent Competition scholarship award and the honorary 2019 Vicki Sheer award. Arroyo is currently continuing her training at Columbia College Chicago working towards her BA in Dance.

Mya Bryant

Originally from Fort Worth Texas, Mya Bryant is an artist who values inclusivity and community. Bryant attended Margo Dean School of Ballet led by Margo and Webster Dean where she had the privilege of being a company member in Ballet Concerto, their summer company. In May of 2022, Bryant graduated from Sam Houston State University with her B.F.A in dance and minor in kinesiology.

Trey Alexander

Trey Alexander (they/them), from St. Louis, MO, began their dance training at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) under the direction of Kirven and Antonio Douthit-Boyd. Trey received a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the UMKC Conservatory of Dance in 2019. While studying at the conservatory, they were mentored by Deeanna Hiett, Gary Abbott, and Paula Weber. They have performed works by choreographers George Balanchine, Frank Chavez, Gregory Dawson, Kevin Iega Jeff, Christopher Wheeldon and more. Trey has danced professionally with Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, and DanceWorks Chicago. Trey has performed works by Chicago-based choreographers Katlin Bourgeois, Shannon Alvis, and Stephanie Martinez. Trey is currently dancing with South Chicago Dance Theatre under the direction of Kia S. Smith.

Kelly Anderson

Kelly Anderson, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She now resides in Chicago, Illinois as a Main Company Member of South Chicago Dance Theatre. This is Kelly’s third season with SCDT in which she also serves as Rehearsal Assistant. During her time with SCDT, she has had the privilege of working with choreographers such as Wade Schaaf, Stephanie Martinez, Ron de Jesus, and Kia S. Smith. In addition to her own dancing, Kelly finds joy in teaching and choreographing at local competitive dance studios and is privileged to share her love for dance with her students, company, and community.

Tanniqua-Kay Buchanan

Tanniqua-Kay Buchanan is a dancer, choreographer, and urban planner. She received her Bachelor of Science in Theater with a Dance focus and minor in Community Planning where her emphasis was on the Black Dancing Body explored through color theory social experiment. In Fall 2015, Ms. Buchanan presented on this subject at the National Dance Education Organization conference in Arizona. Tanniqua-Kay has been a guest artist at Kansas State University (Spring 2017 and 2019) and an Independent dance artist and choreographer in the Chicagoland area.

While pursuing her Masters in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Ms. Buchanan concentrated on spatial planning. Her research examines Movement (Dance) and Urban Form (an improvisational planning technique and movement method) in cities. Ms. Buchanan was granted a fellowship with The Field Foundation of Illinois, advocating for a number of Arts Organizations on the South and West sides of Chicago, an impactful experience in community empowerment.

Her interests explore social movements and their spatial impacts on cities, the movement dialogue that dancers/movers have with transitional and permanent spaces, and the shared elements of dance and design. She approaches these themes through the intersectional lens of an urbanist and lover of art and movement. Through her work, Tanniqua-Kay seeks to inspire collective introspection that sheds layers of socially ascribed identity and calls people to return home – to their culture and themself. Ms. Buchanan is currently working as an independent artist/choreographer, Faculty and Outreach Faculty at Hyde Park School of Dance, and Dramaturgical Research for South Chicago Dance Theater’s 2020 – 2021 season.

Sarah Schaefer

Sarah Schafer, born and raised in Omaha, NE, began her training on scholarship at The School of Ballet Omaha with Robin Welch and Robert Vickrey. She later went on to train with such notable teachers as Jillana, Larry and Dolores Long, and Birute Barodicaite. Beginning her professional career as a dancer with Ballet Omaha at the age of 17, she danced works by Balanchine, Lou Christiansen, Mauricio Wainrot, and Charles Moulton, among others. After moving to Chicago in 1996, she continued her career dancing in Ruth Page’s “Nutcracker”, and with companies such as Paul Abrahamson’s Moose Project, Luna Negra Dance Theater, The Civic Ballet of Chicago, and Alma Dance Company. Sarah has also danced for the Dallas Opera, Omaha Theater Ballet, most recently with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In 2003 she choreographed “Momentum is a Vector” for the Omaha Theater Ballet. Having taught ballet for many years, Sarah also became a certified Pilates instructor in 2004. Sarah’s teaching credits include Chicago Conservatory for the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, Columbia College Chicago, Lou Conte’s Dance Studio, The Ruth Page Foundation, Visceral Dance Studio and Chicago Ballet Arts. Since 2002, Sarah has spent her summers in Taos Ski Valley, NM, teaching for the Jillana School Summer Intensive and Technique In Taos. She is very happy to be joining the staff of the South Chicago Dance Theatre.

Bernard Brown

A choreographer, performer, activist and educator, Professor Bernard Brown adds his talent and creativity to the Performing Arts: Dance Academy. He teaches dance in Sacramento State’s Department of Theatre and Dance and serves as artistic director for Sacramento/Black Art of Dance, a modern dance company. He describes dance as a catalyst that “sparks dialogue and change within our communities.”

Brown has performed as a dancer in numerous places including the Kennedy Center, New York’s Lincoln Center and the Hollywood Bowl. He choreographed Scott Joplin’s opera, Treemonisha,” for Skylark Opera Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota. His work “Champion” was presented at the launch of the Institute on Inequality and Democracy at UCLA Luskin in 2016.

Brown has taught dance at UCLA, New York University Tisch School of the Arts and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He earned his master of fine arts in dance from UCLA and his bachelor of fine arts in dance from State University of New York at Purchase.

Stephanie Martinez

Stephanie Martinez is an award-winning Chicago dance artist with over 30 years professional performing experience. Her 2009 choreographic debut, AviMar, for Luna Negra Dance Theater’s 10th anniversary season, instantly secured her status as a sought-after dancemaker. She has since traveled the country choreographing for dance companies and universities, including Elements Contemporary Ballet, Visceral Dance Chicago, Chicago Dance Crash, Jacksonville University, Shenandoah University, Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Richmond. In 2010, she assisted Broadway legend Ann Reinking in setting the Fosse Trilogy on Thodos Dance Chicago, as well as Daniel Ezralow, choreographer of Broadway’s Spiderman: Turn off the Dark, in remounting his celebrated work, Pulse, for Company C Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco. After a 17-year stint with River North Dance Chicago, for which she merited a Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Performance, Martinez joined the Lyric Opera of Chicago as a principal dancer for its productions of Manon and The Merry Widow, followed by the Marriott Theater’s production of Swing. She has also performed with Luna Negra Dance Theater, Ron de Jesus Dance, Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre and has appeared as a special guest performer for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Ethan Kirschbaum

Ethan Kirschbaum, originally from Oakland, CA, began his dance training under Pamm Drake’s Dance/10 Performing Arts Center, Reginald Ray-Savage, and the San Francisco Ballet School. He continued his training with scholarships to summer programs at Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet School, and the Juilliard School. Travelling to New York City to attend the Ailey School/Fordham University B.F.A. program, Ethan graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors in dance performance. While in his junior year, he joined Hubbard Street 2, dancing and teaching workshops around the globe while concurrently completing his degree. He has performed with the Santa Fe Opera, worked with Nacho Duato, danced in the Holland Dance Festival as well as at New York City Center and the Apollo Theater, and been on faculty at The Ailey School and the Lou Conte Dance Studio. In 2011 Ethan moved to Saarbrücken, Germany to dance with Donlon Dance Company at the Saarländisches Staatstheater under the direction of Marguerite Donlon. He is currently on faculty at Lou Conte Dance Studio and in his fourth season performing with River North Dance Chicago.

Oscar Villalobos

Oscar Villalobos III is a native of Florence, Alabama. They received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Theatre from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Aside from training in West Alabama, they have also trained in London, New York, and Chicago studying styles such as Jazz, Contact Improvisation, Gaga, Urban, Graham, Cunningham, and more. Villalobos has spent summers training with dance companies such as the American Ballet Theatre, Gus Giordano Dance School, Inaside Dance Chicago, and Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre under the direction of Cornelius Carter.

Jordan Ricks

Jordan Ricks is an Southern native who spent his upbringing in Phenix City and Montgomery, Alabama. He has been studying the performing arts for 14 years crossing through many worlds of music, modeling, concert and commercial dance, and theatre. At Booker T. Washington Magnet High School and Alabama Dance Theatre, Ricks received a great deal of his early training. To continue his studies, Ricks attended The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield where he received the Director’s Talent scholarship. While there he worked with artists including Gary Jeter, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Doug Varone, Andrea Miller/GALLIM, Mark Haim, and Juel D. Lane. Ricks received his BFA from UArts in May of 2020 and plans to continue his professional career in the arts field. His artistic mission is to find his own balance of flare, structure, movement, and abstraction. The goal of his performative research is to extrapolate what it means to weave through the realms of physicality, spirituality, mentality, and emotion in conventional and unconventional art spaces.

Morgan McDaniel

Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Morgan Reed McDaniel began her dance training at the age of 3 with Buffalo City Ballet. Under the instruction of Marvin Askew, Morgan spent 13 years with the school, performing a number of roles in the company’s annual production of The Nutcracker and in their spring performances. At age 16, Morgan continued her dance training with Joseph Cipolla at Configuration School of Ballet where she performed featured roles in their productions and represented the school at the Youth American Grand Prix competition in 2014. She has attended summer programs with Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem and more.

In 2016, Morgan was accepted into the prestigious Ailey/Fordham BFA program in New York City. While studying at The Ailey School, Morgan trained in a myriad of techniques including ballet, Horton, Graham-based modern, contemporary, jazz, composition and improvisation. Over the course of her 4 years at Ailey, Morgan worked with esteemed choreographers such as Janice Rosario, Tina Bush, Nijawwon Matthews, Gabrielle Lamb and Francesca Harper and performed excerpts of iconic works by Alvin Ailey.

During her senior year, Morgan accepted a contract with the Met Opera Ballet and performed in the Metropolitan Opera’s spring production of Der Fliegende Holländer. Morgan recently graduated from the Fordham/Ailey BFA program with summa cum laude honors and a minor in English. She is excited to continue her journey with South Chicago Dance Theatre as an Emerging Artist this season.

Shannon Washington

Shannon, an Illinois native, began dancing at 3 years old. She began training heavily in ballet at age 9 with Homer Bryant, Sherry Moray, Watmora Casey, and Tatyana Mazur. Later, she expanded her training to include jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and hip hop. She practiced at different studios and learned from many Instructors: Amy Hutchings, Ted Jackson, Sam Renzetti, Nick Pupillo, and Lizzie McKenzie just to name a few. In high school, Shannon became one of the original members of Extensions Dance Company directed by Lizzie McKenzie. She also took various classes at Visceral Dance Center, Lou Conte Dance Studio, Ruth Page School of Dance, Joel Hall Dance Center, and attended Alvin Ailey’s Summer Intensive in the Summer of 2008.

Shannon graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, CA with a B.A. in Chemistry and a Dance minor. She choreographed many pieces for the Dance Department’s concerts and worked with several guest choreographers such as Jesse Zarrit, Jessica Harris, Linda Lehovec, Marjani Forte, etc. She had the honor of performing reconstructed classics like “Panorama” by Martha Graham and “Rainbow Etude” by Donald McKayle. Shannon studied Ballet, Modern, African, Laban, and other movement studies with various instructors such as Laurie Cameron, John Pennington, Victoria Koenig, Kim Gadlin, and other guest artists. Since graduating, she has been teaching and choreographing at various studios in the Chicagoland area. She has been in several Carnival performances, a company dancer for Mordine & Company Dance Theater and NoMi Dance Company, a dance instructor for Universal Dance Association (UDA), the assistant dance coach for Providence Catholic, and a dancer for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. In 2018, Shannon performed Joshua Blake Carter’s piece “Kim” at Dance for Life with NoMi Dance Company.

Shannon continues her training at Visceral Dance Center and South Chicago Dance Theatre. She believes that we are forever growing and developing as artists and as people. Her motto is to always leave everything on the stage. Currently, Shannon is the head competitive dance coach at Niles North High School, a board member for the Illinois Dance Coaches Association, a UDA instructor, and teaches and choreographs at Driven 2 Dance and various dance studios and teams in the Midwest. She also judges for various dance competition throughout the United States and on the roster for Impact Dance Adjudicators.

Shannon is super honored and excited to begin her 4th season with the South Chicago Dance Theatre. She is a founding company member, the rehearsal assistant, and executive assistant for SCDT.

“Be fearless. Once we become fearless, life becomes limitless.”

Heather Cagle

Heather Cagle is from Toledo, Ohio. She knew growing up in Toledo, that she wanted to be a professional dancer and she would not let anything stop her from achieving her dream. She went on to pursue her dream at Wright State University. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Wright State University, May 2019. She is extremely grateful, thankful, and excited to be pursuing her career by working with South Chicago Dance Theatre for their 20-21 season. Prior to this upcoming season, she has worked with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company for three seasons. Two of those seasons she was apart of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s Preprofessional Ensemble known as DCDC2. During the 19-20 season, she was one of the Jeraldyne Blunden Fellows. She has had the pleasure of working with guest choreographers such as Donald Byrd, Ray Mercer, Dwight Rhoden, Clifford Williams, Joshua Manculich, Alvin Rangel, Jennifer Meckley and Shannon Bramham to name a few. She has learned more than anything in dance, that hard work and a love for dance will get one farther than anything else. She would like to give a warm thank you to her friends, family, and teachers for their constant love and support. She would like to also give, a special thank you to Shonna Hickman-Matlock for always inspiring her to believe in her dreams.

Kyle Cunningham

Kyle Cunningham started dancing at the age of 16 in Santa Cruz, California. He began his training at Pacific Arts Complex and Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. He went on to study at the University of Utah Department of Ballet from 2014 to 2018. While in Utah, Kyle performed lead roles in Raymonda and Swan Lake, as well as original choreography by Matthew Neenan and Jay Kim. He then briefly danced with Nashville Ballet as a trainee before moving to Chicago to pursue his freelance career. Kyle is thrilled to join South Chicago Dance Theatre for his first season.

Dorianne Thomas

Dorianne E. Thomas is a native of Chicago, IL and credits her formal dance training to Mayfair Performing Co. (formerly Mayfair Academy of Fine Arts). Dorianne spent many of her summers studying dance. She attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp (Twin Lake, MI), The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Summer Intensive (New York City, NY) and in the summer of 2018 she studied European contemporary dance and ballet abroad at Webster University’s campus in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dorianne received her BFA in Dance, with an emphasis in ballet in May of 2019 from Webster University. In addition to the faculty at Webster, she had the pleasure of performing work choreographed by Nejla Yatkin, Alicia Graf Mac, Cleo Parker Robinson, Eve Mason, Judine Somerville, Antonio Douthit-Boyd, Graciela Acedo and Estelle Bovay.

Dorianne teaches ballet and jazz to a varied range of students around the Chicagoland area, in both studio settings and after-school enrichment programs. She is excited to start her second season as an emerging artist with South Chicago Dance Theatre.

Catherine Eng

Catherine Eng is an inter-mediary dance artist who’s interested in making collaborative work that address topics of technology, thought, and experiences of being. Growing up in Chicago, she studied at Hyde Park School of Dance, where she focused on ballet and Horton technique. She expanded her training at Sarah Lawrence College to include contemporary, Butoh, and experimental theater. As a young choreographer, she’s be mentored by John Jasperse, David Neumann, Dean Moss, and Sara Rudner. After graduating, she performed and set her own work while also dancing freelance for various friends in New York City. This includes being a dancer and choreographer with ZCO Dance Project, a performer with One Space Arts, and a collaborator with Sara Rudner.

Imani Williams

Imani Williams, from Atlanta, GA, started dancing as a junior in high school and developed his passion at Sugarloaf Performing Arts. After graduation, Imani accepted a full scholarship at Joffrey Ballet School’s (New York) Jazz and Contemporary Program directed by Michael Blake, where he had the honor of dancing in works by Jennifer Archibald, Bradley Shelver, Matthew Powell, Nathan Trice, and Kevin Wynn. He has worked with former prima ballerina Margo Sappington, Tony Award-winner Chet Walker, and choreographer of Rent, Marlies Yearby, and performed pieces by Emily Bufferd, Lane Gifford, Tyler Gilstrap, and Sekou McMiller. Imani was featured in Joffrey Ballet School photos by Lois Greenfield and was selected to showcase his choreography at The Ailey Citigroup Theater. Imani spent two seasons with Florida Dance Theater and one season with Giordano II. Imani joined DanceWorks Chicago in September 2018.

Westley Young

Westley is a Chicago native. He started dancing at the age of 14 with After School Matters program and from the start he thoroughly enjoyed it. He participated in the program called Soul Du Ballet and during the summer worked with Les Enfant under the direction of Shakeena Beckford. He trained in ballet and African dance.

After relocating to Delaware, he trained at Cab Calloway School of the Arts (Cab). While there he worked with Joan Phibbs and Allyson Choen. concurrently he also trained at Wilmington Ballet Academy of Dance, where he started training in more seriously under the tutelage of Jorge Laico and Ann Cole, Sophie Malin and Karin Holster. Westley was a member of the first company where they performed at the Philadelphia Dance Festival and Delaware Dance Festival. He was cast as the Mouse King in the production of the Nutcracker.

Following high school graduation from Cab he attended the University of the Arts (U-Arts), Philadelphia, PA. While there he worked with Kyle and Danita Clark, Tommie Waheed Evan’s, Ann White, Wayne David and Micheal Sheridan. After transitioning from U-Arts Westley trained with Phildanco, The Philadelphia Dance Company. He was a member of the second company member under the direction of Donald Lunsford. Westley trained in modern techniques Horton and Graham with Kim Bears and Graham with Janine Beckles.

Westley received a full scholarship to train at the Rock School for Dance Education. During the training there he was also a member of Chocolate Ballerina Company and Dancefusion professional companies.

Westley finds his inspiration from great artists such as Misty Copeland, Debra Austin, Natalie Osipava and Eric Underwood. Westley dreams of one day opening his own dance company and school for young people.

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Season 5’s Whirlwind of a Start