Ricardo Alvarez
Ricardo Alvarez is a graduate of
Indiana University with a BFA in Graphic
Design and a BA in Creative Studies in
Dance and Technology, with honors. In 2005
he was the recipient of the Battenhouse
Award for Outstanding Performance in
Contemporary Dance by the National Society
of Arts and Letters, Bloomington Chapter.
He also attended the American Dance
Festival on scholarship in 2006. Alvarez
also received a fellowship through the
Hispanic Scholarship Fund/McNamara Family
Grant for his work in dance and technology.
In 2005, he had the pleasure of presenting
his studies in video dance collaborations
at the National Dance Education Conference
in Buffalo, NY. His dance for camera work
has been featured nationally in numerous
galleries and film festivals.
|
Odbayar Batsuuri
Odbayar Batsuuri trained at the State Music
and Dance College of Mongolia in classical
ballet and Mongolian folk dance, graduating
in 2004. After graduating Batsuuri joined
Tumen Ekh and has been part of the folk dance
ensemble's major productions and
international tours including the Annual
National Independence Day Festival and modern
dance performance tours to Korea, Canada, the
United States and Japan. In addition to his
work in folk dance, he has trained
intensively in modern dance through the
American Dance Festival Summer School, Emio
Greco | PC and Pieter Scholten Company
workshops in Mongolia in 2009, and Dana Tai
Soon Burgess & Company workshop in
Mongolia in 2011. In 2007-2008, he received
two contemporary dance-training scholarships
from the Chicago Moving Company and the
American Dance Festival. The scholarships
awarded 10 months of dance training at the
Hubbard Street Dance Company, Columbia
College in Chicago, Joe Hall Dance School and
attendance at the Summer School of American
Dance Festival 2008 in Durham, NC. During his
residency in the US, he was a selected as a
dancer for the "Tyego" Dance Project 2008. In
2009, he created his first contemporary dance
performance "Sense and Feeling" devoted to
the 20th Anniversary of the Tumen Ekh. This
work was supported by the Arts Council of
Mongolia and Open Society Institute.
|
Yeonjin Cho
Yeonjin Cho was born in Pusan, South
Korea and started taking ballet at age 13.
She continued her dance training at
Duck-won Performing Arts High School and
Chung-Ang University. After graduating Cho
performed as a guest artist in a Korea
National Ballet production of "The
Nutcracker", choreographed by Yuri
Grigorovich. In 2002 Cho joined the Korea
National Ballet and a year later she
transitioned to the Canada National Ballet
School. She completed her professional
training in 2006 at the 'Academie de Danse
Classique Princesse Grace' de Monaco under
the direction of Marika Besobrasova. Cho
moved to Los Angeles, CA where she started
her freelance dance career. She performed
with City Ballet of Los Angeles, Pasadena
Dance Theater, and Monet
Ballet. Cho taught at Lee Ballet
Academy and has been certified as a Bikram
Yoga instructor. Currently, Cho is living
in Washington DC pursuing an MFA in Dance
at George Washington University.
|
Katia Chupashko
Photo credit: Jeff Watts
high res version: b/w
color
Katia Chupashko graduated with honors
from The George Washington University where
she majored in Business and Dance. She has
participated in company teaching residencies
at Georgetown and George Washington
University and has had the honor to tour
internationally with the company.
|
Sarah Halzack
Photo credit: Jeff Watts
high res version: b/w
color
Sarah Halzack graduated from The
George Washington University with degrees in
Journalism and Dance. She has performed with
The Maida Withers Dance Construction Company
and The Sonia Plumb Dance Company and was an
intern at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.
Halzack is also a member of Unevenlane Dance
Company, directed by Mary Lane.
|
Miyako Nitadori
Photo credit: Jeff Watts
high res version: b/w
color
Miyako Nitadori is the senior company
member and many works have been inspired by
her unique quality as a dancer. Nitadori
studied the methodology of the Royal Academy
of Dance at Kimura Izumi Ballet Academy in
Japan and obtained the title of ARAD in 1994.
She holds an Associate Degree in Physical
Education/Dance from Japan Women's Junior
College in Tokyo. Ms. Nitadori
was recognized as the Outstanding Individual
Performer from the Annual Metro D.C. Dance
Awards, 2003. Nitadori is a nationally
certified and massage therapist and
practitioner in Washington, DC.
|
Felipe Oyarzun
Felipe Oyarzunl is from Santiago,
Chile. He began dancing at the age of
12 and has since received Chile's Best Dancer
Inter-American Circle of Dance Professionals
Award, First Place standard mode in Ballroom
dance and the Best All Around Group in Hip
Hop. Oyarzun also ran his own folkloric
company in Santiago which toured extensively.
He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Dance with
honors from the University of Chile. Oyarzun
has danced in various choreographies which
have led to multiple tours in Chile and
abroad.
|
Hala Shah
Photo credit: Zain Shah
high res version: b/w
color
Hala Shah trained in ballet and
modern dance at the Washington School of
Ballet, Steps on Broadway and Peridance
Center in New York. She also studied
Flamenco with the Jose Greco and holds a BA
in Journalism from New York University. She
danced with El Teatro de Danza
Contemporanea de El Salvador for two years,
toured Central America with Ballet Teatro
Internacional, and has appeared as a guest
artist with BalletNova. Shah heads the
adult dance program at BTI Dance Institute
and teaches at Episcopal High School.
|
Kelly Southall
Photo credit: Jeff Watts
high res version: b/w
color
Kelly Southall graduated with honors
from Ohio University, earning a BFA in Dance
Performance and Choreography. He performed in
works by Sean Curran, Azaguno, African Dance
and Percussion Ensemble and the Shelter
Repertory Dance Theater. Southall's
choreography has been performed at the
American College Dance Festival and at
Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec,
Canada. He won the 2001 US Midwest
Championships in Traditional Irish
Dance. Southall is a faculty member at
The George Washington University and
coordinates the DTSB&Co. Asian American
Dance Program.
|
Tati Valle-Riestra
Photo credit: Jeff Watts
high res version: b/w
color
Tati (Maria Del Carmen) Valle-Riestra
was originally trained in Latin America where
she danced with various contemporary dance
and dance theater companies such as Retazos,
Humanizarte, Pata de Cabra and Integro.
She has toured Europe and Latin America
extensively and is critically acclaimed
throughout Latin and South America.
|