COMPANY BIOS
Catherine De Angelis (Cat) holds a BFA in Dance from SUNY Brockport and will complete her Master’s Degree in May. As part of her Graduate Assistantship within the department, she costumed designed 14 works for the Company Choreographers of Second Avenue Dance Company and over 20 student works. She recently designed the costumes for “Save the Robots,” Gerald Casel Dance Company’s fall show at Dance New Amsterdam. As a member of the James Hansen Assemblage Group, she has performed at the Alvin Ailey CitiGroup Theater, the Jacobs Pillow Inside/Out Festival, and the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center.
Lara Gemmiti is a 2nd year MFA student and is thankful to be apart of the Second Avenue Dance Company. Lara has had the privilege of working with Brook Notary, as well as performing works by her fellow company members. Lara received her BFA from Ryerson University’s Dance Program, In Toronto Canada. There she had the opportunity to work with Andrea Nann, Malgorzata Nowacka, D.A Hoskins and Robert Glumbeck.
Tracy Gilland, is a MFA candidate. She has toured nationally and internationally as a company member with Ad Deum Dance Company of Houston, Texas. Tracy has had the pleasure of performing repertory works of David Dorfman, and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company at ADF. She has also performed with Indonesian choreographer, Sukarji Sriman, for the International Choreographers Commissioning Program.
Traci Klein is originally from Sarasota, Florida and holds a B.F.A. in dance performance from Southern Methodist University where she had the pleasure of performing works by Paul Taylor, Mary Cochran, Agnes de Mille, and Larry White. From 2006-07, Traci was a soloist with the Martha Graham Ensemble and had the opportunity to perform abroad. Her Graham roles included the solo, Satyric Festival Song, the “Bride” in Appalachian Spring, and the “Leader of the Chorus” in Night Journey.
Tzu-Ying Lee is originally from Taipei, Taiwan. She received her BFA in Dance from National Taiwan University of Art. She joined Taipei Ballet Dance Company in 2001 and Century Contemporary Dance Company from 2004 to 2006. In 2008 and 2009, she has performed for Patricia Noworol Dance and Yin Yue Dance.
Faye Minili, A native of Singapore, Faye Lim received her B.A. in World Arts and Cultures at UCLA. She has studied and/or worked with Maria Gillespie, Holly Johnston, Tammy Wong and Cheng-Chieh Yu. Since moving to NYC, she has worked with Tina Croll, Patricia Noworol Dance, Kristen Schifferdecker and Yin Yue Dance. In 2006, she studied at Germaine Acogny’s Ecole des Sables in Senegal.
Brittany Murchie, is a 2nd year MFA student and proud member of SADC. She’s had the pleasure of working with artists Jill Johnson and Robert Glumbek and enjoys pursuing all aspects of the arts. Theatre credits include Anything Goes (Kavinoky Theatre), Pepper Park (Irish Classical Theatre), “Duck/Cover” (Joe’s Pub w/ Lance Horne). Much love to my family and Bubbi.
Nikki Nasto received her BFA in dance at the New School with the Joffrey Ballet. There she studied ballet with David Howard and Rebecca Wright. In 2000 Nikki worked with Raymond Lukens, former Artistic Director of the Boston Ballet, on a ballet syllabus that was recorded and sold for commercial distribution by the Dance Educators of America competition circuit. In addition to attending the Tisch School of the Arts, she dances both for Second Avenue Dance Company and Diesel Fusion Dance Theater.
John-Mark Owen began his dance training under Jean Evans Weaver in 1994. From there he trained at Chautauqua Institute and Nutmeg Conservatory and joined Nashville Ballet as an apprentice in 1997. After three seasons with the company he joined Ohio Ballet under Heinz Poll. From there he spent four seasons with the American Repertory Ballet after which he spent four seasons with Ballet NY. He currently dances with Dances Patrelle and is a Masters Candidate at NYU/Tisch with an anticipated graduation in May 09.
Elizebeth Randall grew up dancing in Santa Cruz, CA. In 2003 she received her BA in Dance from San Francisco State University. Elizebeth performed and toured extensively with San Francisco companies Liss Fain Dance, Deborah Slater Dance Theater, Paco Gomes & Dancers, Dance Ceres, and Davalos Dance Company. In New York she has performed with James Martin Music/Dance and Patricia Noworol Dance. Elizebeth has enjoyed teaching dance at SFSU and numerous Bay Area studios and public schools. She is currently on faculty at Boston Ballet School’s Summer Dance Program.
Kao Vey Saephanh is currently pursuing his MFA in dance at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts. In 2007, he received his B.A in dance from San Francisco State University. He has worked with Robert Moses, Renee Redding-Jones, and Brook Notary and has participated in workshop with artists such as Alonzo King and Joe Goode. He has danced with Nguyen Dance Company, SFSU Dance Theater, and Serene Dance Collective. His stage credits include performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Kao has been praised by the San Francisco Chronicle as a dancer who, “moved with sinuous grace through the staging”.
Stephanie Sherman: From 2005-2007, she received a Fulbright to choreograph in Ecuador. From 2002-2005, she danced with Prometheus Company, Boston. In 2001, she graduated from Vassar College with Phi Beta Kappa and High Honors in Hispanic Studies. She has danced, taught and studied in Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Argentina, Spain, Italy and Ecuador. She is a published bilingual poet.
Christeen Stridsberg, originally from Columbus, OH, is currently pursuing her M.F.A. She received her Bachelor's Degree from Otterbein College where she trained under the instruction of Stella Kane and Randy Skinner. She has danced on scholarship at E.D.G.E. Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. With over ten years of instructing and choreographing experience, Christeen has received several choreographic awards. Christeen has performed with BalletMet, Catco Columbus, Tapsounds Underground, Annatomical Scenario, and the New York Titans. Outside of dance, Christeen studies music, writing, and film.
Hee Ra Yoo, Originally from Kwang-Ju, Korea, Hee Ra Yoo trained with the Kirov Ballet in Russia, and has danced with the Korean National Ballet and the California Ballet. The Yoo Hee Ra Dance Company has performed in Australia and in Korea. Ms. Yoo taught ballet for the Australian Olympic Gymnastics Team and at Tulane University in New Orleans. In 2007, Ms. Yoo was nominated for the New Orleans Big Easy Award for best choreographer.
