MEET THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE FACULTY!

FACULTY

Alexander Andison

Alexander Andison was born in Vancouver, B.C., where he received his early training at Arts Umbrella Dance under the guidance of Artemis Gordon. He went on to earn a degree from The Juilliard School in New York City. Upon graduation in 2018, Alexander moved to Germany to work with the Saarländisches Staatsballett under the direction of Stijn Celis. Since 2021, Alexander has been working with Netherlands Dans Theater 1 under the directorship of Emily Molnar. Additionally, he has also performed with Aszure Barton & Artists as well as Gallim Dance. Throughout his training and career, Alexander has created and performed works by makers such as Marcos Morau, Tao Ye, Felix Landerer, Sharon Eyal, Jiri Kylian, Gabreila Carrizo, Marco Goecke, Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Alan Lucien Øyen, Stijn Celis, Ohad Naharin, Azure Barton, Andrea Miller, among others.

Anders Hellstrom

Born in Stockholm, where he got his professional education at The Royal Swedish Ballet School followed by his first engagement at the Royal Swedish Ballet in 1980. After nine years, 1984-1993, as Principal Dancer at The Hamburg Ballet he continued his dancing career at William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt, 1993-1999. 1999-2002 he took on the Artistic Directorship of The Gothenburg Ballet, where he raised the company’s international and contemporary profile.

2004-2009 appointed Artistic Director of the Nederlands Dans Theatre. In this position he commissioned and introduced works by among others Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke, Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Alexander Ekman, Medhi Walerski. After three years of international freelancing, he returned to NDT in the position of Curator & Artistic Producer 2013-2019.

Besides teaching and coaching the dancers of the companies he has directed, Anders Hellstrom has been a regular Guest Teacher with Royal Swedish Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, Berliner Staatsballett

Anna Bekirova

Anna Bekirova (she/her) grew up in Amsterdam and completed her ballet training at the Dutch National Ballet Academy. She moved to Vancouver to continue her studies at the Arts Umbrella Grad Program, under the direction of Artemis Gordon. After graduating she joined Ballet BC, first as an Emerging Artist and the following season as a Full Company member, under Emily Molnar’s and later Medhi Walerski’s direction. She had the pleasure of dancing with Ballet BC for 4 seasons. In 2022 she moved back to The Netherlands to join Nederlands Dans Theater 1. Throughout her career Anna’s had the honour of working with and performing works by world renowned choreographers such as William Forsythe, Sharon Eyal, Crystal Pite, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Marco Goecke, Medhi Walerski, Felix Landerer, amongst many others. Being a performing artist has meant connection and continuous learning from the many extraordinary people she gets to spend her time with, in the studio and on stage and she’s grateful to practice and share this craft.

Aurélie Cayla

Aurélie Cayla was born in 1980 in Paris, France. She studied at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse in Lyon, France from 1996-1999. From 1999 to 2002, danced with Aalto Ballett Theater in Essen, Germany. She then joined Nederlands Dans Theater 2 from 2002-2005 where she created and danced for choreographers such as (i.a) Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin, Hans van Manen, Paul Lightfoot/ Sol Leon, and Jiri Kylian. In 2005, Aurélie was invited to join NDT 1 and performed works by Hans Van Manen, William Forsythe, Mats Ek (i.a) and creating with Jiri Kylian, Crystal Pite, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Leon, Wayne Mac Gregor, (i.a) Presently, Aurélie Cayla is dancing as a freelance Artist and stages works by Jiri Kylian for international dance companies and workshops in schools. Aurélie is also part of the collective OFFprojects, created in 2012 around dance works and installations of dutch-israeli choreographer-musician Amos Ben Tal. She graduated in Cultural Mediation-Art Management in September 2012, and works as manager for choreographers Johan Inger and Tom Weinberger.

Darren Devaney

Born and raised in Edmonton, Canada, Darren began his studies at Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts. He continued his studies at the Boston Conservatory, and after receiving a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts, joined Ballet BC under the direction of Emily Molnar. There he performed works by Johan Inger, Jorma Elo, Cayetano Soto, and William Forsythe, to name a few. Since 2016, he has been heavily involved in Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar’s L-E-V Dance Company, where he has toured internationally. He was part of the creation of Eyal&Behar’s ‘Love Chapter 2’, ‘Chapter 3: The Brutal Journey of the Heart’, ‘Into the Hairy’, as well as many location-specific projects.

Donna Krasnow

Donna Krasnow is Professor Emerita and Senior Scholar, Department of Dance, York University, Toronto. She has a distinguished career as a choreographer, performer, teacher, researcher, and author. Donna performed with the Daniel Lewis Dance Repertory Company in New York, Footloose, Northern Lights, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane, and directed her company Möbius and professional dance school Dance Source in San Francisco. Donna developed the curriculum in Limón technique at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre and headed the modern program from 1988 – 2007.

Donna specializes in dance science, receiving her master’s degree in 1994 and her Ph.D. in 2012. She has published over 40 articles, book chapters, and books, including Conditioning with Imagery for Dancers, Motor Learning and Control for Dance, Dancer Wellness, and Daniel Lewis: A Life in Choreography and the Art of Dance. She created C-I Training™ (Conditioning with Imagery) including a video series and certification courses for teachers.

Donna received the University-wide Excellence in Teaching Award, senior faculty category (2002), University of Oregon’s Distinguished Alumna Award (2015), Lifetime Achievement Award from Healthy Dancer Canada (2018), the Dance Educator Award from International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (2020), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from National Dance Education Organization (2021).

Fernando Hernando Magadan

Fernando Hernando Magadan is a freelance choreographer, stager and teacher with roots in professional gymnastics. Throughout his 20 seasons with the Nederlands Dans Theater, he created with and performed works by prominent choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, Crystal Pite, Sol Leon, Paul Lightfoot, Johan Inger, and Hofesh Shechter among others. Notably, he was invited to perform at the Benois de la Danse Gala Performance at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. He later went on to be rehearsal director and ultimately Artistic Leader of the prestigious junior ensemble NDT2.

He has been invited to teach in dance institutions around the world and has set works of Jiří Kylián, Johan Inger, Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot for companies such us the Norwegian National Ballet, Ballet British Columbia, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ballett Zürich and Ballett Saarländisches Staatstheater.

Characterized by his highly physical, inventive and musical movement vocabulary, Magadan has created original works for companies such as NDT1 and NDT2, Cross Connection Ballet Company, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Ballet Mainz, Ballett Saarländisches Staatstheater, Korzo Theater, Compañia Lava, Ballet British Columbia, Theater Luzerner and BODYTRAFFIC.

Francisco Martinez

Francisco Martinez was a dancer with Compania Nacional de Danza, and Ballet Royal de Wallonie. He received his training at the National Ballet School in Spain, Maria de Avila Dance School and with Victor Ullate. He obtained his Ballet Degree from the Royal Conservatory of Dance in Madrid before graduating from the Dance Education Laboratory at the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center and Summa Cum laude from ESC with a BA in the arts. Mr. Martinez is also a certified Hatha yoga and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction instructor. He was a guest rehearsal director for Ballet Hispanico from 1996 to 2000 and has guest taught for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal, Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Boston Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Compania Nacional de Danza, Ballet British Columbia, Cedar Lake contemporary Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Lyon Opera Ballet and Netherlands Dance Theater, among others. He has also been a faculty member of Sarah Lawrence College, Arts Umbrella, Boston Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet School, The Ailey School, Marymount Manhattan College, BAE, and is currently a full time faculty member of the Juilliard School since 2009.

Gioconda Barbuto

Gioconda Barbuto is an internationally esteemed Canadian dancer and choreographer. As a long-time member of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and Nederlands Dans Theater III, Gioconda was quickly recognized as a versatile and magnetic artist, gracing the works of many leading choreographers. Her synergy in studio with Jiří Kylián in particular led to two celebrated dance films, Birth Day and Car Men. In 1996, she was nominated for The Kennedy Center Fellowship and received The Banff Centre’s Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award. Gioconda has unflaggingly pursued her choreographic calling, creating detailed, dynamic friezes of full-bodied gesture, marked by her innate musicality. Her oeuvre now counts over fifty works. In 2015/16 Gioconda was selected as the McKnight International Choreographer and was also selected for Oregon Ballet Theater’s Choreography XX competition. Gioconda shares a collaborative approach to creation and methods for moulding space and energy through her Movement workshops and is invited to choreograph and teach worldwide.

James Kudelka

James Kudelka is among todays’ most versatile and innovative dance artists. He has choreographed for many of the world’s leading ballet companies and smaller contemporary troupes. His creative range reflects his eclectic musical interests, command of diverse movement idioms, and commitment to working collaboratively with artists from other disciplines. Kudelka is renowned for distinctive versions of such classics as The Nutcracker and Cinderella – signature works of the National Ballet of Canada where he served as artistic director (1996-2005). Equally, Kudelka excels in making smaller-scaled dances, rich in psychological implication and human drama. Born in Newmarket, Ontario and trained by Canada’s National Ballet School, Kudelka began choreographing as a student and continued throughout his dancing years with the National Ballet (1972-1981) and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (1981-1990). He began an affiliation with Toronto’s Citadel + Cie in 2006 and has experimented with cross-disciplinary collaborations as resident choreographer since 2008. As a teacher, Kudelka has worked with Arts Umbrella, Ryerson University, and Canada’s National Ballet School, and continues to work internationally as a choreographer. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2005 and is among the 2020 Dance Collection Danse Hall of Fame inductees.

Julia Cratchley

Julia Cratchley is a Toronto based choreographer originally from Richmond Hill, Ont. Julia trained as a contemporary and classical artist in Vancouver, B.C, with Arts Umbrella’s Graduate Program under the direction of Artemis Gordon and Lynn Sheppard. Having the opportunity to work with internationally known choreographers, including Emily Molnar, Roberto Campanella, Serge Bennethon, and Robert Glumbek to name a few.

Julia was lucky enough to be a part of Toronto dance company Helix Dance Project for four seasons as a dancer and assistant choreographer. She was a dancer and choreographer for Bridge to Artists first three seasons. Julia also danced for Toes for Dance, Conteur Dance Company and Rutherford Movement Exchange. Julia has toured Canada, New York and Dominican Republic.

Julia opened her own professional dance company TranscenDance Project in 2015 with its first interactive show “Eve of St.George” which has now run for four seasons as well as “A Grimm Night” which has run for two seasons. TranscenDance Project has a few things in the works for its 2025 season including a new premiere in the spring.

Julia has also recently been certified as a pilates instructor to support her dance training and teaching.

Katrina Cruickshank

Katrina Cruickshank has been a dance educator at Arts Umbrella since 2011. She is a graduate with honours from the three year Teacher Training Program at Canada’s National Ballet School. Katrina has completed teaching qualifications with the Cecchetti Society of Canada, Registered Teacher Status with the Royal Academy of Dance and teaching qualification in National Dance. Throughout Katrina’s teacher training she was under the tutelage of leading dance mentors such as Glenn Gilmour, Carina Bomers, Rosalie Deligioridis, Evelina Krasnova-Ganina, Teresa Randall, and Anushka Roes. Katrina has extensive knowledge in Ballet, Pointe, Repertoire Studies, Injury Prevention, History of Dance, Voice, Character Dance, Creative Movement, Modern (Irene Dowd) and Music. She continues to attend pedagogy workshops and master classes around the lower mainland with world renowned dance educators and examiners.⁠

Katrina held the position of Secretary as a member of the Cecchetti Society of Canada, B.C. branch from 2011-2014. She has been the adjudicator of dance for the District Authority Scholarship in British Columbia for 2021 and 2022 and recently was Rehearsal Director for the 2023 Cecchetti Awards Celebration.⁠

Lia Poole

Lia Witjes Poole was born in Ontario, Canada. Having received her formal dance education at Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, she started her career in Toronto as a company member of Desroisiers Dance Theatre. In the Netherlands, Lia has performed as an independent artist with such choreographers as Pieter de Ruiter, Jennifer Hanna, Itzik Galili, Omar Rajeh and Heather Ware, and has also made two dance films with Ivar Hagendoorn. In 2002, Lia became a regular artist with the acclaimed Dutch dance company

LeineRoebana. Since the birth of her two daughters she has taught dance in Amsterdam at The National Ballet Academy, Expanded Contemporary Dance and Codarts in Rotterdam.

Lia is currently a dance artist with Dance On Ensemble (@dance_on_ensemble) in Berlin, performing in works by Christos Papadopoulos, Jan Martens, Lucinda Childs, Ginevra Panzetti-Enrico Ticcino and Rabih Mroué @denationaleballetacademie

Livona Ellis

Livona Ellis was born in Vancouver on the unceded CoastSalish Territories. She completed her training at Arts Umbrella under the direction of Artemis Gordon. In 2010 she received her Dance Diploma and began dancing with Ballet BC. Throughout her time with the company she has performed works by world renowned artists such as Crystal Pite, Sharon Eyal, Medhi Walerski, Johan Inger, William Forsythe, and many others. Independently she has collaborated with Jennifer McLeish-Lewis for the EDAM Spring Series, Rachel Meyer and Jennifer Mascall for Dancing on the Edge Festival 2019, and Mary-Louise Albert and Peter Bingham for Solo Dances 2020. She has created works for Dances for a Small Stage, Dance Deck Trois, Public Salon 2019, Contemporary Art Gallery Gala 2018, and Arts Umbrella Dance. In 2017 she received the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award for Emerging Artist. In 2019 Livona staged Medhi Walerski’s “Prelude” on Staatsoper Hannover in Germany. Livona was also a guest artist with Konzert Theater Bern in Switzerland for their 2019/2020 season. She completed a residency at Left of Main in January 2021 and will continue her choreographic research towards developing a new work. She is a full-time company member at Ballet BC.

Lukas Timulak

Lukáš Timulak studied at the Dance Conservatory in Bratislava and the Academie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo. He works in the fields of performing arts and film. As a dancer he has worked with Les Ballets de Monte Carlo and at Nederlands Dans Theater. He has choreographed for several companies around the world including NDT, Gothenburg Ballet, Balé da Cidade de São Paulo, Royal Swedish Ballet, Staatsballett Hannover, Lyon Opera Ballet among others. His interest in cinematography led him to intensive study at New York Film Academy, which strengthened his skills as an editor and director for short films & documentaries. Since then he has worked on a few short films with director Ruben van Leer including the award-winning film Symmetry, shot inside CERN, the largest experimental particle physics facility in the world. Most of his works since 2004 are in collaboration with designer Peter Bilak, concerning new concepts for contemporary dance. In 2017 they started Make Move Think foundation for interdisciplinary artistic collaboration.

timulak.com

make-move-think.org

Marc Boivin

Dancer, improviser, teacher and choreographer, Marc Boivin begins his dance career at Le Groupe de la Place Royale in Ottawa under the directorship of Peter Boneham and in 1985 joins Ginette Laurin and her newly formed company O Vertigo Danse. Since 1991 he has worked as an independent dancer, performing among others for Louise Bédard, Mélanie Demers, Sylvain Émard, Jean-Pierre Perreault, Tedd Robinson and Catherine Tardif. Affiliated with l’EDCM (l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal) since 1987 Boivin regularly guest teaches and choreographs in schools and professional organizations across Canada. He was president of Espace Perreault – Transmissions chorégraphiques 2006-2024, president of the RQD (Regroupement québécois de la danse) 2010-2014 and sat on the board of the Montreal Arts Council 2005-2010. He is the recipient of the Canada Council’s Jacqueline-Lemieux prize (1999) and the Dora Mavor Moore award (2014) for interpretation, in Mélanie Demers’ WOULD, alongside Kate Holden.

Nicole Rose Bond

Nicole Rose Bond began her formal dance training at York University, graduating with a BFA – Dance cum laude in 2005 after being awarded the Grant Strate Award in Dance in 2003 and 2005 and the Harry Rowe Bursary in 2004. Nicole was also featured in The Toronto Star, Arts & Entertainment, Dance’s Class Acts of ’05, as one of ‘Ten Promising Young Dancers to Watch’. Nicole has felt privileged to perform works by esteemed choreographers including Peggy Baker, Patricia Beatty, Tom Brouillette, Susan Cash, Bill Coleman, David Earle, Danny Grossman, Ryan Graham Hinds, Christopher House, James Kudelka, Learie McNicholl, Andrea Nann, Yvonne Ng, John Oswald, Peter Quanz, Peter Randazzo and Andrea Spaziani.

Nicole has had three cross country Canadian tours with the Toronto Dance Theatre [TDT]: performing ‘Rivers’ in 2012; ‘Eleven Accords’ in 2014; and, in celebration of the TDT 50th anniversary following the company’s tour of Medellin and Bogotá, Colombia in 2017, TDT toured Canada a third time in 2018. Following the world debut of ‘Who We Are In The Dark’ in Toronto in 2019, Nicole toured with Peggy Baker Dance Projects along with Sara Neufeld and Jeremy Gara of Arcade Fire to other Canadian cities as well as Den Haag, Netherlands and Guanajuato, Mexico. Whilst residing in Toronto, Nicole has worked as a course director in Graham Technique & Contemporary Dance at York University and Canada’s National Ballet School, and taught dance classes and workshops within the Toronto District School Board. Nicole has also served on the Toronto Arts Counsel Advisory Panel and as a member of the Dance Collection Danse ‘Encore: Hall of Fame’ Committee and the Heliconian Club.

Since moving to Vancouver, Nicole has been teaching at Arts Umbrella, Modus Operandi and Simon Fraser University and has served as resident choreographer for three independent plays. Nicole is passionate about the pedagogy of the Graham Technique whilst honouring those who have come before her. Nicole is beyond grateful that her vocation encompasses doing what she loves and is humbled by, and indebted to, the unique and beautiful arts community that she calls home.

Paxton Ricketts

Paxton Ricketts was born in Denmark and grew up in Canada. He trained at Arts Umbrella Dance from the age of 9 until 19. In 2014, Paxton joined NDT 2 and moved to NDT1 in 2017. After ten seasons with the company, he is leaving for new adventures.

As a choreographer, Paxton has created roughly twenty works for stage, film, and site-specific venues. He has participated in Switch by NDT Dancers for every iteration since 2015. In 2022, he studied choreography under Crystal Pite during her creation at The Royal Ballet. In 2023, he participated in the Pioneer Project hosted by Korzo. Recently, he has choreographed new works for Kammerballetten (Denmark), NDT Summer Intensive (Netherlands), Fabula Collective (UK), Korzo Theater (Netherlands), Sonder Ensemble (Germany), Arts Umbrella Dance (Canada), HD Theatre (USA) and Club Guy & Roni Spring Seminar (Netherlands). His work was a semi-finalist in the 2022 Rotterdam International Duet Choreography Competition.

Rafael Sady

Rafi Sady had his dance training at Bat-Dor Beer-Sheva/Tel-Aviv dance school.He was a member of the Cullberg Ballet for 14 years where hedanced many lead roles. He worked with many world known choreographers: Ohad Naharin, Jirí Kylián, ChristopherBruce,Oscar Araiz, Rudi van Dantzig, Didy Veldman, Robert North, Kenneth Kvarnstrom, Caroly nCarlson, Örjan Andersson, Cristina Caprioli, Alexander Ekman Since 2009 Rafi assists Mats Ek around the world teaching dance companies :Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, Zurich Ballet, the Royal Swedish Ballet, NederlandsDans Theater (NDT), taught Mats Ek’s ”Carmen” to Sylvie Guillem and the Tokyo Ballet, and the Opera de Paris, Staatsballett Berlin, Norwegian National Ballet. Rafi participated in a dance project ” age on stage” ( managed by Charlotta Öfverholm), that collaborate with “dance on” fromBerlin ( exdancers from Forsythe dance company) and work with choreographers Martin Harriague Sharon Friedman and Johannes Wieland 2017/18 Rafi has been invited to give workshop of Mats Eks repertoire and participate in many performances, galas around Europe, USA, Canada and Israel

Risa Steinberg

RISA STEINBERG is active in many facets of the dance community as a performer, teacher, re-constructor of the works of José Limón, rehearsal coach, and choreographer mentor. A native New Yorker, Ms. Steinberg attended the High School of Performing Arts. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Juilliard School, where she has served as full-time faculty since 2004 and held the position of Associate Director of Juilliard Dance from 2008-2016. Ms. Steinberg has been a guest teacher worldwide and in many summer intensives.

In 2022, she received the DanceTeacherMagazine Award of Distinction.

As a performer, Ms. Steinberg was a principal dancer with the José Limón Dance Company and guested with companies worldwide.

She was a cast member of Punchdrunk’s, Sleep No More from 2015-2020.

As a choreographic advisor, she has mentored many emerging and established choreographers. Ms. Steinberg is the co-director of the Ann and Weston Hicks Choreography Project at Jacob’s Pillow.

Spencer Dickhaus

Spencer Dickhaus is a freelance dancer, creator, rehearsal director and teacher based in The Hague, Netherlands. He graduated from the Juilliard School with a BFA in 2012 after which he joined Nederlands Dans Theater for seven seasons (2012-2019) and worked with choreographers Crystal Pite, Hofesh Shechter, Jiří Kylián, Alexander Ekman, Franck Chartier & Gabriela Carrizo, Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar and Johan Inger. Most recently he performed in Khôra by Astrid Boons, and Clowns by Hofesh Shechter. Spencer is an assistant to Crystal Pite and has restaged her works at The Royal Opera House in London, Zurich Opera Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, and Staatsballett Berlin. He has created a lineage of solo works titled Practice I-III as well as works Uhgen and Uhgain and Again (2020) and Recess (2022).

Valentina Scaglia

Valentina began her dance education in Torino, Italy at the Studio Danza Narcisa where she studied for 10 years. In 1995 she participated at the Prix de Lausanne and won the ‘Prix Espoir’ with a Scholarship for the Hamburg Ballett School where she finished her dance studies. She joined The Hamburg Ballett (by John Neumeier) where she danced 3 years. In 2001 Valentina joined the Nederlands Dans Theater 2 and three years later Nederland Dans Theater 1 where she worked until December 2013. At NDT she had the privilege of working and creating with choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Paul Lightfoot/Sol Leon, Hans van Manen, Johan Inger, Wiliam Forsythe, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite among many others. Recently, she has been active in coaching and teaching NDT repertory to companies and schools and is involved in various educational dance projects. She loves teaching young kids the magic gift of dance as an expressive means (Kids Atelier). Valentina is also a certified trainer and coach for the GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® method since 2014 under her own studio Body in Flow.

Yvan Dubreuil

After his studies at the Conservatory of Paris, Yvan Dubreuil started his career at @ndtdance in 1991. In the 18 years that followed he danced in works by Jiri Kylian, Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe and Saburo Teshigawara to name a few. Yvan has also worked as co-choreographer, dramaturge and set designer with such artists as Karine Guizzo, Johan Inger and Dylan Newcomb. Prizes have distinguished several of those works, such as Walking Mad by Inger, winning the Lukas Hoving Prize best production 2001; as well as Newcomb’s Passing and Full Circle, winning the same prize in 2000 and 2003 respectively. Yvan has been collaborating with Amos Ben-Tal since his very first creation in 2005. Yvan Dubreuil is one of the co-founders of @offprojects, a collective consisting of former dancers of Nederlands Dans Theater and @batshevadancecompany Ensemble, gathered around the work of choreographer and musician Amos Ben-Tal.⁠

⁠Darren Devaney

Musicians

Sacha Levin

Sacha Levin is a percussionist based in Vancouver. Dance accompanist by day, performer by night. You can catch her gigging with her duo Shrinking Mountain, performing as a solo artist, or playing as a hired gun with any number of bands. She is also a member of the Drum Cafe, who create team building experiences for hundreds of corporations across BC and Alberta.

Sacha has studied world rhythms across the globe, from Ghana, to London, to Vancouver. Mostly self taught, she is inspired by the sounds of nature and draws from her experience of her travels to create unique and colourful rhythmic patterns. Uniting music and movement is where she finds inspiration and joy.

From tabletops to swing sets, Sacha finds rhythm in every corner of her life.

Craig Wingrove

Craig Wingrove graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music with his ARCT in piano performance and has his Honors BFA in music from York University. He has been a full-time musician at Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) for 33 years. He has also been a regular guest pianist for the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto and in the summer has worked at Arts Umbrella in Vancouver. He has produced 31 cds that feature music especially arranged for dance classes. These tracks are available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and several other digital platforms. Craig also teaches all three levels of the Teacher Training Program at NBS and has written two books on music for the dance teacher. As part of the pioneer team at NBS, he plays and composes music for the Dance for Dementia initiative and regularly gives workshops to teachers and facilitators at Baycrest. Craig has also given lectures and master classes at the Royal Academy of Dance and more recently in New York at the Mark Morris Dance Centre in Brooklyn. His lectures are for both musicians and dance teachers. Craig’s expertise is in how to put these two art forms together in harmony.

Rob Thaller

Rob Thaller is a ballet pianist based in Toronto. Rob has worked as a full time pianist for Canada’s National Ballet School since 2006, as well as playing in jazz venues throughout Ontario. Rob has a series of ballet class recordings that are used by teachers around the world. Rob studied classical music at the University of Saskatchewan, as well as studying Jazz at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York

Youngsin Choi

During her academic years in the States, with classical training background, Youngsin Choi continued her musical journey by accompanying for musicals, recitals, holding her own solo recitals, and winning awards at piano competitions. Later, she got her master’s degree in Dance Music at Kookmin University where she learned to provide music for dance: live accompaniment for ballet, modern, and traditional Korean dance, and recording and producing music for stage performances. She worked at Korea National University of Arts, Ewha Womans University, Seoul Tanz Station, and Universal Ballet Company. She was a music director at Vienna International Ballet Experience Korea, and a music producer at Seoul International Improvisational Dance Festival. With her experience, she released a ballet class album in 2019. She moved to Vancouver in 2022 and has been expanding her career at Arts Umbrella, graduating Digital Musical Production program from Langara College in 2023.

Ron Stelting

Ron Stelting has been a highly sought after Dance accompanist in Vancouver for over 25 years, accompanying Modern, Ballet, and Traditional West African classes.
Ron has facilitated rhythm events around the world, including for Deepak Chopra meditiation retreat, Bumbershoot, BCIT Orientation Day, South Asian Family Association, Capilano College, World Urban Fest, Canada Day at various locations, Project Stitch: a youth HIV/AIDS awareness project, The Starlight Dream Walk: a benefit for seriously ill kids and their families. Ron also works with Drum Café, a corporate team building company, travelling across Canada and the World. Ron has also performed and recorded with many artists including kids performers the Buddy System, Nuevo Flamenco sensation John Gilliat, World Music pioneers Drum Prayers, singer-songwriter Jim Foster and Beat Poet Ralph to name a few. Ron has been the Musical Director of Judith Marcuse’s ICE, has performed in Bah Humbug featuring Jim Burns as well as performing in the award winning show Little Mercies First Murder. He has directed or led processions for Public Dreams Illuminares, Parade of the Lost Souls, LightWaterDrums, the West Coast Sacred Music Fest, and the Fringe Fest.⁠

Craig Ziebarth

Craig Ziebarth received his music education at the University of Calgary, where he majored in piano performance. His interest in working with dancers has led him to playing extensively for both ballet and modern dance for over 40 years. He has performed and accompanied extensively throughout Canada, United States, England, China and Japan. From 1990 to 1999 he was a full-time accompanist in the Faculty of Dance and York University after which he joined the artistic staff and NBS and continuing into his 24th year. Craig is returning to Arts Umbrella ISDI for almost 20 years now and is thrilled to be working focusing on both ballet and Jose Limon Technique.

Zabelita Fraser

After living in Canada and Spain, Zabelita Fraser moved to Venezuela where she worked for Ballet Nacional de Caracas, and was an accompanist for the Santa Cecilia Choir. In 1995 Zabelita returned to Vancouver where she has since worked for Ballet Classique, Goh Ballet, Ballet BC, Harbour Dance Centre, and Arts Umbrella – where she has been an accompanist for more than 18 years. Each year Zabelita has accompanied the VBS Spring Seminar and, for many years, has played for the Cecchetti Society Workshops and exams.

Artistic Direction

Artemis Gordon

An artistic and pedagogical authority in dance, Artemis Gordon was named Artistic Director of Arts Umbrella Dance in 1992. Since then, she has developed the program’s international recognition. Artemis has toured the Arts Umbrella Dance Company to Europe, Asia, and the United States, and fostered collaborations with companies around the world. In 2015, Artemis secured an affiliation with Ballet BC, increasing opportunities for emerging artists and amplifying the impact of international choreographers in Vancouver. In 2016, Artemis won the YWCA Women of Distinction award in the Arts, Culture, and Design category. She was also awarded with the 2017 City of Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Awards in Dance.

Katrina Cruickshank

Livona Ellis

Sabra Perry

Sabra Perry began dancing under the guidance of Linda Klassen, and graduated from Canada’s National Ballet School. She has performed with companies including the National Ballet of Canada, Hartford Ballet, Merce Cunningham Repertory Group, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, in works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham, Ulysses Dove, Martha Graham, Nicolo Fonte, William Forsythe, and Dwight Rhoden. She has been a ballet mistress with Complexions, a faculty member at Ballet Academy East, and a guest instructor across the United States and Canada. Sabra holds a BA in dance from SUNY/Empire State College, and is a certified Pilates Mat instructor. Sabra joined the Arts Umbrella faculty in 2012.

08.02.2024