Bret Easterling, Founding Artistic Director  

is a dance artist, creator, educator, and producer based in Los Angeles, California who received his BFA and the Hector Zaraspe Prize for Choreography from The Juilliard School.  He was a formative member of Gallim Dance and a recognizable contributor to Ohad Naharin’s internationally acclaimed Batsheva Dance Company before investing in his own work through the inaugural Jacob’s Pillow Choreographic Fellowship and an Artist in Residence position at LA Dance Project.

Bret is a certified Gaga teacher and stages Ohad Naharin’s works at dance programs and companies around the world, a USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance faculty member, an Ilan Lev method practitioner, and the co-founder of Ghost Light Residency. 

Julia Eichten, Director of Collaborations and Fierce Joy

is a graduate of the Juilliard School, where they received the Hector Zaraspe Award in recognition of their choreography in 2011. Eichten was a founding member of L.A. Dance Project and is a current member of AMOC* (American Modern Opera Company). During the summer of 2022, Eichterling, an ongoing project with creative partner Bret Easterling had a premiere of their latest work, “Dance in The Park,” at the Ojai Music Festival. ‘What followed was a joyous, frockling pas de deux of love, extinction and human evolution — Charles Darwin meets Fantasia.’- SF Classical Voice. At the start of 2023, Eichten was choreographer and the co-director of “Expostulations of Mary,” a new chamber opera for voices, strings, dance, and electronics with composer Eliza Bagg and director, George R. Miller. Eichten performed and was movement director in Carolyn Chen’s, “How to Fall Apart,” at Baryshnikov Art Center, NYC. Last year, at Frieze Art Festival, Eichten performed an excerpt of, “Julie with a Beet,” as a part of Open Studios at L.A. Dance Project, Los Angeles, CA.’This smart choreographic rhythm by Eichten is the kind of dance that you always want to stumble upon and be taken by surprise with.’ - LA Chronicle. Eichten performed in Bobbi Jean Smith's “Broken Theater” at Carolina Performing Arts, Chapel Hill, NC & Oz Arts, Nashville and most recently to a sold out run at La Mama, NYC. ‘Julia Eichten, in the role of stage manager, provides some much-needed comic relief.’ - NY Times. Eichten started 2024 with a debut at Long Beach Opera as choreographer and dancer in the world premiere of, “ISOLA,” composed by Alyssa Weinberg and directed by George R. Miller. ‘The linchpin of this production was the physical theater of Eichten’ SF Classical Voice.

Spenser Theberge, Director of Creative Strategy

is a performer and creator based in Los Angeles. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School and a former company member with Nederlands Dans Theater I & II and The Forsythe Company. As a creator, Spenser researches the intersection between process and performance, using improvisation and multi-disciplinary collaboration to investigate presence. His creations include commissions for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Goteborgs Operans Danskompani, LA Dance Project, The Juilliard School, The Broad Museum, GroundWorks DanceTheater, Modus Operandi, Springboard Danse Montreal, NAVEL, and the Korzo Theater. As a Movement Director, Spenser has collaborated with artists and brands including Taylor Swift, Rihanna x Savage Fenty, Ben Platt, LANY, Soo Joo Park, and Rami Malek, among others. Spenser is a former faculty member at CalArts School of Dance, and an Artist in Residence at The Juilliard School and USC's Kaufman School of Dance. He is a Princess Grace Award winner, a YoungArts winner, and a Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

Austin Tyson, Associate Director

is originally from Portland, OR where he trained with the Jefferson Dancers. He received his BFA from NYU - Tisch School of the Arts. Post university, Austin joined Andrea Miller’s Gallim Dance where he was involved with numerous creations that were performed nationally and internationally. Austin went on to perform in Punchdrunk’s critically acclaimed, Sleep No More, where he eventually became a rehearsal director. Currently, Austin is based in LA where he is a freelance performer/choreographer and pilates instructor.

Jermaine Maurice Spivey, Director of Jams

was born in Baltimore, Maryland USA and is a graduate of Baltimore School for the Arts and The Juilliard School. From 2002-2017, Jermaine lived and worked predominately throughout Europe. He has been a company member of Ballet Gulbenkian and Cullberg Ballet, worked as a freelance/guest artist for Hofesh Shechter Company, Robyn Live 2016, The LID, Arias Company and The Forsythe Company from 2013-2015 as well as a cast member of American Repertory Theater's original production The Shape She Makes conceived by Susan Misner and Jonathan Bernstein. Since 2008, Jermaine has been a member of Crystal Pite's project based company Kidd Pivot. He has rehearsal assisted and/or staged Crystal Pite's work for companies such as Cedar Lake Ballet, Carte Blanche, Hessisches StaatsBallett Wiesbaden, Netherlands Dance Theater and Paris Opera Ballet. Jermaine has instructed dance all across North America and Europe for professional companies, universities, studios and training programs including USC Kaufman School of Dance, Cal Arts, The Juilliard School, UCLA, NYU Tisch, Baltimore School for the Arts, The Performing Arts Project, MOVE NYC, No)one. Art House, Nuova Officina Della Danza and GöteborgsOperans Danskompani. He is a 2001 Princess Grace Awardee and a 1998 National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts 1st Level Awardee. As a choreographer, Jermaine has been commissioned by Salt Contemporary Dance, Rambert 2, LA Dance Project, The Broad Museum, Christina Aguilera Live at The Hollywood Bowl with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil, and most recently Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, NDT 2 and Ballet Flanders. Jermaine has also created and performed two full evening works with partner and collaborator Spenser Theberge titled Rather This Then and Position 3.

Stephanie Amurao, Teaching Artist

was born and raised in Vancouver, BC where she trained at the Richmond Academy of Dance and went on to be a 2010 graduate of the Juilliard School.  Stephanie began her professional career at the Stadttheatre Bern, Switzerland under the direction of Cathy Marston and joined the Batsheva Dance Company in 2012.  Here, Stephanie toured Ohad Naharin’s work for two seasons.  She went on to dance for Benjamin Millepied at L.A. Dance Project for three seasons where she danced in a wide variety of pieces including film and site specific works by artists including Justin Peck, William Forsythe, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Roy Assaf, Emanual Gat, to name a few.  Stephanie is currently a Berlin based freelance dance artist working with Noé Soulier, Trajal Harrell, EASTMAN, Gerard & Kelly.  She is a founding member of Mo.Ré, a Berlin based teaching collective.

Olivia Ancona, Teaching Artist

is a freelance performing artist, teacher, and stager. Originally from Portland, Oregon Olivia has lived abroad for over a decade and is currently based in Berlin. Olivia trained at the Juilliard School, after three years she left to join the Batsheva ensemble in Tel Aviv and later the main company, under the direction of Ohad Naharin. She was a founding member of Sharon Eyal’s troupe, L-E-V and now stages her works on dance companies throughout Europe. During her time in Israel she became a certified gaga teacher and regularly teaches classes, repertoire and research workshops internationally.

Olivia has guested with Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Goteborg Danskompani, Staatsballett Berlin, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s EASTMAN, and was a formative member of the Royal Swedish Ballet. She has worked with a variety of creators including Mats Ek, Johan Inger, Wim Vandekeybus, Sasha Waltz, Oona Doherty, and Bryan Arias, amongst others. She danced, acted, and was a movement coach for Luca Guadagnino’s film Suspiria, working alongside Damien Jalet. Most recently you will see her in Alan Lucien Øyen’s 2019 creation ‘Story, Story, Die’ and current work in progress, Rivers, set to premiere in Norway 2021.

Karen Chuang, Teaching Artist

is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in Los Angeles, CA. Born and raised in the SF Bay Area, Karen graduated from UCLA with a BA in Business Economics. As a professional dancer Karen has appeared in a variety of television shows, films, live events and tours, and danced with artists including Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, P!NK, and Khalid. Karen is represented by Clear Talent Group, and is a founding member of Entity Contemporary Dance. As a choreographer, Karen meshes her different experiences in the commercial and contemporary dance worlds. She's presented original works at Laguna Dance Festival, the Capezio A.C.E. Awards in New York, and the McCallum Choreography Festival in Palm Desert, CA. Recently, Karen choreographed a segment for Julianne Hough and Harry Shum Jr. in the ABC special, “Step Into…the Movies with Derek and Julianne Hough”, and worked with artists including Shawn Mendes, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Kacy Hill. Karen has taught internationally in countries including: Spain, Mexico, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. She is currently on faculty for Hollywood Vibe Dance Convention and is a lead contemporary instructor for STEEZY Studios.

Chanel DaSilva, Teaching Artist

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Chanel DaSilva is a multifaceted artist whose work reflects her deep connection to the transformative power of the arts. She began her training at Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center and Creative Outlet Dance Theater of Brooklyn, followed by LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and The Juilliard School, under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes. Her additional training includes The Ailey School and Springboard Danse Montreal. Chanel was a member of the highly celebrated Trey McIntyre Project based in Boise, Idaho where she was a muse for the creation of many of Mr. McIntyre’s works. In 2011 Chanel graced the cover of Dance Magazine and as a part of Brooklyn Academy of Music's "Dance Motion USA," Chanel toured throughout Asia with TMP as a cultural ambassador to the United States of America.

As a choreographer Chanel has been commissioned to create works for Parsons Dance Company, Gibney Company, Joffrey Ballet, American Repertory Theater, Harvard Dance Project, The Juilliard School, Ariel Rivka Dance, and LaGuardia High School among others. She is also a notable repetiteur of the works of Trey McIntyre and has re-staged his ballets on companies and institutions across the nation. Chanel is a widely sought after teacher, educator, and mentor having taught master workshops and seminars across the nation for institutions such as The Juilliard School, Harvard University, NYU, LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, Ballet Hispanico, and New Orleans Ballet Association among others.

Nina Flagg, Teaching Artist

is a LA native, Dance Artist, Choreographer, and Educator. Her movement foundations began with Gymnastics, Classical Ballet, and Modern Dance followed by studies in West African Dance, Tap, Jazz, and Hip-Hop/Street Dance. After graduating from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), Nina went on to obtain her BA in Sociology with a Specialization in Communications from UCLA. Over the past two decades, Nina’s work has evolved as an embodied intersection between multiple movement traditions, explored through the lens of Hip-Hop consciousness. The plurality of her training has lent itself to a diverse career in concert dance, television, and academia. As an educator, Nina has been on faculty at CalArts, UCLA, Connecticut College and is currently on faculty at USC Kaufman School of Dance. She has worked with such artists as Prince, Tina Turner, Beyoncé, Bette Midler, Chris Brown, Solange, J Balvin and her choreography has been featured on The Grammy’s, TV Land Awards, ABC, ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. As a BIPOC artist and educator, Nina remains passionate about creating curricular strategies for equitable, multi-generational engagement in dance education and live performance.

Allysen Hooks, Teaching Artist

graduated from The Juilliard School in 2010. She worked with Dance Heginbotham under direction of John Heginbotham from 2011-12. In 2012 Allysen joined Gallim Dance, under direction of Andrea Miller, and performed nationally and internationally with the company through 2019. She is a close collaborator of Miller's, working as her Creative Assistant on commissions at various companies and institutions including Rambert 2, Ballet Hispanico, The Juilliard School, and Martha Graham Dance Company. Allysen has set Gallim's work at many colleges and universities. Her choreographic work has been commissioned for The High School for Performing and Visual Arts and Indiana University, and has been presented at Tangente Danse in Montreal. She was adjunct faculty at Rutgers University in 2020 and is currently an MFA candidate at Sarah Lawrence College.

Anthony Lomuljo, Teaching Artist

is an international dance artist and creator based in Stockholm, Sweden. Originally from Mountain View, California he trained at The Juilliard School under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes receiving his B.F.A. in 2010. After graduation, Lomuljo danced with Göteborgs Danskompani and he is currently a first soloist at The Royal Swedish Ballet. Since 2016, Anthony has been guesting around the world with other companies such as Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Baush and Sasha Waltz & guests, as well as performing the works of Mats Ek, Crystal Pite, and Alexander Ekman. Anthony is a part-time faculty member of Kungliga Svenska Balettskolan and a frequent guest teacher of Balettakademien as well as Danscentrum in Stockholm. As a choreographer he premiered his solo “My longest companion” in 2019, produced by Dans I Nord.

Rebecca Margolick, Teaching Artist 

is a dancer and choreographer based in NYC and raised in Vancouver, Canada. Her multi-disciplinary and solo works have been presented in Poland, Bulgaria, Israel, Seattle, San Diego, Montreal, Vancouver, Wells BC, Mexico City and NYC. Her solo Bunker + Vault won the Jury Prize for “best indoor choreographic work” at the 2019 Festival Quartiers Danse in Montreal. She was a Dance Artist in Residence at The Banff Centre for the Arts in December 2019 and a 2020 New Directions Choreography Lab Fellowship at the Ailey School under the mentorship of Gus Solomons Jr. She was a 2020 artist in residence at the Dance Deck in Vancouver. She received the Conney Conference Fellowship to study the archives of the Clara de Hirsch Home for Working Girls at 92nd St Y. She was a 2017 GPS Fund Movement Research Artist in Residence at Derida Dance Center in Sofia Bulgaria, and a 2015/16 LABA Fellow at the 14th St Y in NYC. Rebecca danced with Sidra Bell Dance New York, and is currently a member of Chuck Wilt’s UNA Productions and works with Kayla Farrish/Decent Structures Art. She trained at Arts Umbrella in Vancouver and graduated from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, with a BFA in Dance. rebeccamargolick.com

Jillian Meyers, Teaching Artist

is an Emmy nominated Los Angeles based choreographer and dancer. She works at the nexus of commercial, stage, film, and site-specific performance. From choreographing Hozier's "Work Song", to dancing on multiple tours with Janet Jackson, Jillian was also an assistant choreographer for the award-winning film, "La La Land." She most recently wrapped the second season on the NBC show, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” as an episodic co-choreographer. She wears many hats and makes many faces—and both reconciles and indulges in all of these disciplines in her collaborative ongoing genre-bending project, "The Seaweed Sisters.”

Troy Ogilvie, Teaching Artist

has worked with and for many choreographers and directors including - Sidra Bell, Andrea Miller, Margie Gillis, Antonio Brown, Zoe Scofield, Malena Dayen, Susan Misner, Kevin Newbury, Punchdrunk, and Peter Sellars. She teaches Emergent Improvisation as a digestion of her artistic lineage and adrienne maree brown’s “Emergent Strategy.” Troy is a team member at The Dance Union Podcast, a board member of Springboard Danse Montreal, as well as an active member of Kensington-Windsor Terrace Mutual Aid. www.troyogilviecom

Or Schraiber, Teaching Artist

is a performer and a choreographer. He danced for the Batsheva Dance Company from 2010 to 2017. In parallel to his time in the company, he served at the IDF for three years. After moving to NYC, Schraiber starred in or choreographed films such as Boaz Yakin’s ‘AVIVA’, and Terrence Malick’s ‘The Way of the Wind’; He played the role of Zelger in the national Broadway tour of ‘The Band’s Visit’. Since 2018, he has been collaborating with his partner, Bobbi Jene Smith, creating dance-theater pieces presented by companies such as - Paris Opera Ballet, Batsheva Dance Company, L.A. Dance Project, Royal Danish Ballet, and more. Throughout the years, Schraiber directed, choreographed, and performed in several films, commercials, and music videos. Schraiber is a founding member of the American Modern Opera Company. He is an alumnus of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and the Stella Adler Studio for Acting.

Maxwell Transue, Collaborator

is an international composer and sound designer specializing in making immersive, thematic music and sound by weaving together layers of organic and synthetic elements, complex rhythms, and atmospheric textures.  As the founder of Verdant Sound Records, Maxwell has extensive experience as a composer and sound designer for film, live theater, dance, marketing content, and recording artists, winning several awards for original scores including First Place and Audience Choice awards at international dance film festivals. 

His music is currently being used in works by dance choreographers and filmmakers Bret Easterling, Jermaine Spivey, Spenser Theberge, Robert Bruce Hope, and The Kusanagi Sisters. As an independent artist Maxwell has performed alongside major artists such as Slow Magic, Low Leaf, Goodnight Cody, and Monster Rally. Maxwell is on staff at the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance as the lead accompanist and currently touring a new original work "BRECHT" in collaboration with Bret Easterling.

Bobbi Jene Smith, Teaching Artist

is a director, choreographer, and dancer, who makes work for both live theater and film. Her work explores affect and apathy, domestic politics, and the rhythmic and formal connections between music and movement. She danced for the Batsheva Company from 2005-2014. Since then she has choreographed original work for the Paris Opera Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, Los Angeles Dance Project, VAIL Dance Festival,  CORPUS, the Batsheva Dance Company, and others. Her dance and music theater works have been presented and supported by the American Repertory Theater, PS 122, La Mama, ODC Theater, Stanford Live, Carolina Performing Arts, Kaufman Hall at the 92nd St. Y, Luminato, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, and others. Additionally, she has starred in or choreographed films including Elvira Lind's Bobbi Jene, Georgia Parris's Mari, and Alex Garland's Annihilation. She has directed her own dance films including Broken Theater and Gallop Apace.

Smith is an alumnus of the Juilliard School, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Royal Winnipeg School. She is a founding member of the American Modern Opera Company (AMOC). In 2019 she was awarded The Harkness Promise Award and was The Martha Duffy Resident Artist at Baryshnikov Art Center. Smith is currently an Artist In Residence at LADP.

Lea Ved, Teaching Artist

is a dance artist, teacher, creator, and collaborator from the USA. Since earning her BFA from The Juilliard School, she has danced with RUBBERBANDance Group, The Royal Swedish Ballet, and is now with Nederlands Dans Theater 1. She has created with Victor Quijada, Crystal Pite, Hofesh Shechter, Sharon Eyal, Wim Vandekeybus, Alexander Ekman, among others, and performed the role of "Julia" in Mats Ek's 'Julia and Romeo'. Lea maintains close ties to dance communities across the US and Canada, teaching for both young dancers and professionals alike. She has worked closely with Victor Quijada, teaching the RUBBERBANDance Method and assisting with directing and staging repertory at Springboard Danse Montreal, USC Kaufman School of Dance, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Domaine Forget. Lea has also shared her own workshops at creative platforms like Gibney Dance and The Playground in NYC, and No)One. Art House in Los Angeles. Her large interest in creation and choreography brought her to make work for Göteborgs­­Operans Dans­kompani, NDT's Switch Program, and Korzo Theater. Her passion for collaboration, among other creations, has led her to also publish film, music, and writing.

Kevin Zambrano, Co-Director of Ghost Light

is a Los Angeles native who received his BFA from CalArts in 2018. During his final year at school, he received the Interdisciplinary Grant Award for his new play “Red Curtain: The Great Pretender”. He is a freelance artist who has worked with a plethora of LA based companies including WeWolf, No(one)Arthouse and the TL Collective. His choreographic work has been shown internationally at the Seoul International Choreography Festival in Korea, the Henny Jurriens Solo Concert in Amsterdam and REDCAT LA. In addition, Kevin has performed for musical artists Charli XCX, Solange Knowles and Dorian Electra. He is currently playing Moose in the “West Side Story” Broadway revival, choreographed by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker and directed by Ivo Van Hove. Kevin is interested in movement as a means of depicting the natural essence of the human being. The creature without ego. The creature without humility.