CALEB PATTERSON began professional training In 2014 at The Joffrey Ballet School where he performed works for several notable choreographers such as Nathan Trice, Sekou McMiller, Rena Butler, Lane Gifford, and Patrick O'Brien. After Joffrey, he found work with Maleek Washington as well as Justin Giles’ Soul Escape. He has worked commercially as well, as seen in HBO’s Random Acts Of Flyness by Terrance Nance, choreographed by Domani Pompey. He most recently performed his own work, “Mariposa” with Michelle Thompson Ulerich’s Spark Movement Collective. Caleb is currently working with Dolly Sfeir&Dancers, MATHETA dance, Alpha Omega, Nathaniel’s Dance Collective, Javi Padilla’s Movement Playground, and Spark Movement Collective.
TAMARA LEIGH is a New York City based freelance dancer. Since graduating from Point Park in 2017 she has had the pleasure of dancing for various companies and projects in venues such as La Mama, BAM Fisher, and the Benedum Center. Currently, Tamara is currently exploring her choreographic practice with new dance collective wld(flwr), that she is a cofounder of.
LIANA KLEINMAN is an interdisciplinary artist and dancer from Los Angeles, CA. In 2018, she received her BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College, and subsequently worked with Soluq Dance Theater, The Movement Playground, and The Nash Conspiracy. In 2019, she was invited to The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity's residency, Preparing the Ground, under the direction of Medhi Walerski and Pierre Pontvianne, and curated by Emily Molnar. She has been commissioned to create work for Opera Notre Dame, The Angel’s Share at Green-Wood Cemetery, No-Distance Festival, and Futile Gestures Dance. As a filmmaker, she was honored to work as a video documentation intern at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 2016. Liana is currently pursuing her Master’s at London Contemporary Dance School researching postures of melancholia in the ecological body. Melding practices of live performance with video work, she strives to curate ecosystems for audience members to find safety, indulge in absurdity, and take space to be precious with themselves.
DEVIN RICHEY is a NYC based performer, choreographer, educator, director, writer, and musician. Pace University, BFA Commercial Dance spec. Choreography + Pedagogy. Credits: Phish’s NYE at MSG, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Rua’s West Side Story (A-Rab), Dance Lab NY, We Are Here (orig. Brent), RWS Entertainment, NYFW, NYMF, Saudade, LLMoves United Nations, Burning Man. NASM-certified trainer, founder of Human’s Playground, guest movement coach for Olympic International Skating Academy. Choreography credits include Young Choreographer’s Festival, Dumbo Dance Festival, Live At The Archway, OMV work for Gina Volpe, Mocap, and 43, ArtsForAlz Benefit, Leg Up On Life Spoken Word Gala; as associate choreographer to Lauren Gaul for Pace University’s Dancespace, and as assistant choreographer to Steven Hoggett and Yasmine Lee for A Beautiful Noise – The Neil Diamond Musical. IG: @devrichey
Michael-Jamar Jean Francois (videographer/photographer) I’m a Haitian-American cinematographer who has been living in Asheville for the past six and a half years. In 2013 I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design and Commercial Arts from Indian River State College, but not long after I followed my heart to my true passion: photography and cinematography.
After 14 years of practicing film photography I started Citadel Rising, a small production company focused on providing sanctuary for artists to capture their best work on camera. Some Asheville artists I’ve worked with include contemporary dance company Stewart/Owen Dance, fashion designer Coco Villa, and experimental pop musician Soft Talk.
My mission is to breathe life into projects that inspire people to succeed in any path they choose. I focus my time working with my peers and getting involved in community activism and local events. Currently I am forming a program that teaches low-income kids to operate 35mm film cameras, with the understanding that the next generation’s success relies on access to quality materials and education.
For more please visit Lakesolace.com
NICK ALSELMO is a graduate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) with a BFA in contemporary dance. Nick has a passion for choreography and recently formed his own company The Pocket Fuel Groovers. Nick has performed with Yoshito Sakuraba, Johnnie Cruise Mercer/TheREDProjectNYC, Lazer Eyes, The Nash Conspiracy and most recently an actor/co-choreographer for the Hip-Hop Vaudeville show “Rebirth of Rabbit’s Foot.”
NIKKI KING is from Miami, FL and trained at Dance Empire of Miami. In 2016, she received a BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College under the direction of Katie Langan. Nikki has performed works by Robert Battle, Ohad Naharin, Jamar Roberts, Nancy Lushington, Sonya Tayeh, Robert Moses, and Meagan Williams. She received additional training through San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Movement Invention Project, Module with Sidra Bell, Axis Connect, and Gaga intensives in Israel and New York.
ISAAC MARTIN LERNER is a freelance dancer based in New York City with a BFA in Dance Performance from The Hartt School. Since moving to New York in 2016, Isaac has had the chance to perform with David Parker and the Bang Group, Dugal Dance Projects, and has been working with the Nash Collective since its formation in 2018. Outside of performing Isaac finds a deep appreciation for his own creative process, getting the chance to premiere his own work in Atlanta in 2017 as well as choreograph the opera Rusalka for Des Moines Metro Opera in 2018.
SAM ASSEMANY of South Lyon, MI, is an eclectic and versatile artist, who constantly strives to marry athleticism with grace. Whether taking class or performing for a large audience, Sam consistently challenges herself to explore the various dynamics and raw emotions elicited in the body through movement, and honors the juxtaposition that arises when these elements are blended. She aims to build genuine relationships with those she has the pleasure of moving with, and this becomes evident when watching her work.
Sam received her BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University in 2015, and soon after relocated to New York City. In her early career, Sam had the opportunity to perform works by Peter Chu and Ohad Naharin, and was selected to travel to Montreal, where she worked closely with O Vertigo, Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Edgar Zendeias, and Ecole de Danse de Contemporaire. She has since resided in New York City NY, where she’s had the opportunity to perform for various artists including NOW Dance Project, Andrea Ward, Rosie DeAngelo, Eimile Davis, Shawn Bible Dance Co., and Hollye Bynum’s Of Bones ||, and is currently dancing for BARE Dance Company, Jolt Dance Project, LooseKanonDance, and Jodie Randolph Dance. Sam recently performed in Bryant Park Presents: Contemporary Dance (2018 and 2019) hosted by ITE Dance, and the Mr. Abbott Awards (2019) choreographed by Jenn Rose.
MARY KATE HARTUNG, A Wisconsin native, received her training from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and The Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance. Her favorite credits include the Finding Neverland 1st National Tour (Wendy), Broadway Dance Lab, the 2017 Tonys, An Immersive Peter Pan (Wendy), PHISH concert at MSG, The Fire Island Dance Festival (Lorin Latarro), Tree Frog In Stonehenge (Twyla Tharp, original cast), and of course, with Rosie Deangelo. Mary Kate is proud to be represented by CESD. When not dancing, MK can be found tutoring academics, teaching dance, and finding New York City’s best hidden gems.
JESSICA STROH is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher originally from Ocala, Florida. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of South Florida in 2015. Under scholarships, Jessica further trained with Bodytraffic, Repertory Dance Theatre, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, and USF’s Dance in Paris Program. In 2016, Jessica moved to New York City where she had the honor of working and collaborating with Colleen Thomas Dance, Dugal Dance Projects, Alexeya EM, Rosie DeAngelo, Bryce Dance Company, and BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance. In NYC, Jessica had the privilege of teaching with Greenhouse Arts Center and Global Community Charter School.
Jessica has choreographed, performed, and taught in NYC, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Paris, France. She is the recipient of Brooklyn-based Spoke the Hub’s 2018 People’s Choice Award where she presented an evening-length work with collaborator, Laura Mobley. Jessica now resides in Austin, TX and joyfully teaches and creates with her performance company, Alt Project, alongside co-founder, Laura Mobley. Altproject.co
Photo by Nicholas Croft
JACOB KRUTY (videographer/photographer) is a Brooklyn-based dancer, choreographer, musician/sound designer, videographer, and photographer. Originally from Bucks County, PA, Jacob attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and graduated in May of 2016. Prior to that, Jacob was a student at Interlochen Arts Academy with a focus in Dance while taking classes in photography. Outside of formal schooling, Jacob has trained at Hubbard St, San Francisco Conservatory, B12, and the Merce Cunningham Trust. Jacob's work has been most recently been seen at the Mare Nostrum Elements' Emerging Choreographers Series, the Italian Dance Connection Festival, and the CreateArt showcase at Gallim Dance.
EFFY GREY (videographer/photographer) is a Brooklyn based photographer and choreographer/dancer. Due to a debilitating injury, Effy sought out photography as a creative outlet, which allowed them to work with many artists when they moved to New York City in 2014. Along with The Nash Conspiracy, Effy has worked with choreographers/companies Baira Mvmnt Phlsphy, Abby Zbikowski: Abby Z and the New Utility, BoyFriday, The Feat3r Theory, Coco Karol, Gallim, Emily Smith: Not for ReTale, Lucy Kerr and others in varying forms of collaborations photography, videography, and performance.
In performance, photography and videography, Effy explores the possible ways of connection, perspective and the understanding of human emotions and identities through varying orientations, relations, qualities, textures and desires. Their photo work has been featured in the NYTimes, TimeOUT, HuffPost, Dance Magazine, festival promotions, and various institutional publications.