Dancers and Production Staff
Amanda Selwyn, artistic director/choreographer
Artists, Staff
Amanda Selwyn (Artistic Director/Choreographer) founded Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre/Notes in Motion in 2000 and in 25 seasons, has directed over 125 productions, developed a network of artists, and created Notes in Motion’s dance education program. Amanda’s choreographic works include: Awaken, Habit Formed, Threads, Hindsight, Crossroads, Refuge, Renewal, It's a Game, Detour, Five Minutes, Passage, Undercurrent, Hearsay, Interiors, Disturbance, Salut, Tilt, Tidal, Shift, Siren, Contradicting Unity, Save My Spot, Hold On, Momentum, and Behind Us. Amanda recently taught workshops at Peridance, a Residency at Hofstra University, New Women, New York, the New York Gender Conference, and a Choreography Master Class at Temple University. Her 24th Season was presented at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center and her 20th Anniversary Season was presented at Baruch Performing Arts Center both as Residency Artists of the CUNY Dance Initiative. She has choreographed dance for Chicago's Motivity; for theatre productions including House on Mango Street, Free to be You an Me, Once Upon a Mattress, The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory; and for her original theatre productions which include Herland, Yellow Feather, and Slitting the Clouds. In addition to her choreographic work, Amanda has directed off-broadway theatre in NYC at John Houseman Studio, 30th Street Theatre, Grove Street Theatre, Kraine Theatre, Center Stage, and the Producer’s Club. Amanda teaches dance and theatre to New York City children and has been on faculty at The Brearley School, Brooklyn Friends School, Beit Rabban School, Solomon Schechter School, and the New Acting Company. She has taught dance composition and technique at the Berkshire Institute for Music and Art and taught dance and theatre in Israel at the Israel Museum, English Village, and the Arad Community Center. Amanda led the workshops “Accessing Inspiration for Dance-Making” and "Teaching a Choreographic Process" at the 3 NYC Arts-in-Education Roundtable's Face to Face conferences. She has also presented her choreography at NYU’s Women and Theater conference and at Dance Teacher Summit. She is the recipient of grants from the NY State Council on the Arts, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, the Friars Foundation, Dizzy Feet Foundation, Bronx Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Development Fund, NY City Council Members Bill DeBlasio, Kevin Riley, Andy King, Carlina Rivera, Althea Stevens, James Gennaro, Irma Vernikov, Marjorie Velazquez, Farah N. Louis, Margaret Chin, and Rosie Mendez, Manhattan Borough President, Met Life, City National Bank, Credit Suisse, and the Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation. Amanda participated in the Choreographer's Lab program at Jacob's Pillow. Her work has been presented twice on Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Stage, at Tribeca Performing Arts Center, in the American Dance Guild Festival, DUMBO Dance Festival, APAP Conference, COOL NY Dance Festival, Wassaic Dance Festival, WestFest Dance Festival, Movement Research’s Performance Series, Earth Celebrations, Dixon Place, and Pushing Progress at Peridance. Amanda has a 500-hour yoga teacher's certification from Laughing Lotus Yoga Center in NYC and teaches yoga privately and at Crunch Gym in NYC. She has a Masters from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in performance studies and a B.S. from Northwestern University in theatre, women's studies, and dance.
Torrey Harada believes wholeheartedly in the power and importance of movement. Raised just outside of Philadelphia, Torrey spent her childhood studying ballet and modern dance at Metropolitan Ballet Academy. She performed as a seasonal guest artist with Pennsylvania Ballet Company from 2004-2008. She then moved to New York City and continued her education at Marymount Manhattan College, receiving a B.F.A. in Dance. Torrey has performed in works by choreographers such as Jessica Lang, Kanji Segawa, Kate Skarpetowska, Lar Lubovitch, Pam Tanowitz, Deganit Shemy, Abdur Rahim Jackson. Torrey was a selected artist for the Cunningham Fellowship Trust Workshops from 2012-2014. She then joined H.T. Chen and Dancers and performed and toured with the company until 2022. She has performed with Lisa Fagan Dance Problems and Suzanne Ponomarenko Dance in various theaters across New York City and is a current member of Amy Marshall Dance Company. Torrey is a long-standing Master trainer at Physique 57 instructing in person, on camera, and national television. Torrey is kept on her toes at home as well in her most important role as mother of two girls- Noa (4 years) and Niamh (10months).
Manon Hallay, originally from France, trained at the Conservatoire de Tarbes, the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp and The Ailey School as a scholarship student. Manon has worked with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Michael Shannon, she is the artistic director of Les Ballets Nomades and is a teaching artist with Notes in Motion.
Ashley McQueen is a New York City-based performer, choreographer, and teaching artist. She holds a BFA in Dance from Webster University and an MFA in Dance from Hollins University. Hailed as “a dancer with the grace of a ballerina, the groundedness of an Isadora acolyte, and the impetuous musicality of someone who dances because she must” (Oberon’s Grove), McQueen has worked with choreographers such as Amanda Selwyn, Shawn T. Bible, Paris Wilcox, Maurya Kerr, Jennifer Medina, Christine Knoblauch-O’Neal, Jennifer Huffman-Olivas, Omar Olivas, James Robey, Uri Sands, and Michael Uthoff; and performed as a company member with ShawnBibleDanceCo, Common Thread Contemporary Dance, and Arova Contemporary Ballet. Her choreography has been commissioned by organizations such as Peridance Youth Ensemble, Hamilton College, Minnesota Ballet, Big Muddy Dance Company, Arova Contemporary Ballet, Alabama Dance Theatre, and Southern Danceworks; and presented at festivals such as Dance St. Louis Spring to Dance, Midwest RADFest, NYC Transit Museum, Westfest: All Over Westbeth, and American College Dance Festival. She previously taught as an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Manhattanville College, and choreographed in residency with Hamilton College and Webster University. She is the Founder/Artistic Director of Smashworks Dance, a New York-based nonprofit dance organization, whose collaboration credits include writing the movement activities for Rebel Girls Productions’ chapter book, “Alicia Alonso Takes The Stage,” and exploring dance-clown fusion at the Theaterlab Hotel New Work residency, in collaboration with Hope Salas and Justin Cimino.
Kevin Avila, dancer
Artists
Kevin Avila is originally from Minnesota and danced with the esteemed Larkin Dance Studio for over 10 years. During that time he had the opportunity to perform on the NBC tv show World Of Dance with the trilogy. He has recently finished a worldwide contract performing for Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Emanuele Fiore, dancer
Artists
Emanuele Fiore is a dancer and choreographer from Bari, Italy. In 2019 he moved to New York to study at The Ailey School in the Certificate Program, where he had the chance to dance choreography by Helen Simoneau, Daniel Ross, Janice Rosario, Darrell Moultrie, Amy Hall Garner and Ronald K. Brown. Emanuele also got the chance to perform for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Opening Night 2022 at New York City Center and to be a member of the Ailey Student Performance Group. Outside of his school experience, he participated to several performances, dancing choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Nicole Corea, Yebel Gallegos, Norbert De La Cruz III, Earl Mosley, Alrick Thomas, Paul Taylor and David Parsons. Emanuele has also choreographed several pieces and he is premiering his first show “What about Love?” for Spark Theater Festival in Fall 2023. He is currently a company member of MWC2, AFFEKT Dance Company and Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre/Notes in Motion INC. here in New York City.
Gianna Guzzo, dancer
Artists
Gianna Guzzo is a NYC-based dance artist. She began her professional career touring as an assistant with Revel Dance Convention. Gianna graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in dance and economics from Hofstra University in May of 2024. At Hofstra, she performed works by Doug Varone, Larry Keigwin, Liz Gerring, Robin Becker, Max Stone, Janis Brenner, and Maiya Redding. During this time, Gianna attended the Ailey School's Professional Division Summer Intensive and was awarded a full scholarship to the Business and Economics Exchange Programme at the University of Amsterdam where she would dance at the Henny Jurriëns Studio. Gianna has since performed professionally with Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, Keigwin & Company, and iKADA Contemporary Dance Company at venues such as the Apollo Theater and NJPAC. She continues her dance training at the Taylor School as a scholarship recipient.
Misaki Hayama, dancer
Artists
Misaki Hayama, originally from Tokyo, Japan, graduated from Saitama Prefectures High School of Arts and studied dance at Japan University of Art. She performed in a dance ensemble for The Lion King and A Chorus Line in Japan for four years. Misaki attended The Ailey School as a Fellowship Student. She performed at The Apollo Theatre and has worked with Oberdiah Wright, Leslie Dockery, and Alfredo Gillman.
Isaac Kerr, dancer
Artists
Isaac Kerr, originally from Ontario, Canada, is a graduate of The Ailey School’s Certificate Program. His performance credits include: The National Ballet of Cuba’s Hansel and Gretel, CBS’ Star Trek: Discovery, and Disney Channel Canada’s The Next Step. He is also a Teaching Artist with Notes in Motion.
Minseon Kim Jeun, dancer
Artists
Minseon Kim Jeun, originally from South Korea, trained at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of the Arts and received a BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College. Min has danced with Lauren Hale Dance and has performed works by Adam Barruch, Sidra Bell, John Butler, Abigail Levine, Sophie Maslow, Milton Myers, Alwin Nikolais, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Shen Wei and more. Currently, she is a company member and rehearsal director of Lydia Johnson Dance and is a certified yoga instructor.
Jack Randel, dancer
Artists
Jack Randel, originally from Farmington Hills, Michigan, received a BFA in Dance from the University of Michigan. They have worked with choreographers Shannon Gillen, Jessica Fogel, Jillian Hopper, Nicole Reehorst, Leah O’Donnell, and J’Sun Howard. Jack has performed in many regional theatrical productions in southeast Michigan. They have choreographed for various dance troupes and theatrical productions during their time on campus. Their choreography was showcased at the American College Dance Association National festival in 2023.
Ralphie Rivera De Jesús, Puerto Rican performer, choreographer and teaching artist. Recent credits: On Your Feet! (National Tour), ¡Viva! Broadway Aquí y Allá, In the Heights (MUNY, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival), Momia en el Clóset (Gala Theatre). He has also danced with Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico, Ballet Brío, Rhythms Dance Company and Sabor Ajeno Dance Company. His dance training includes Ballet, Jazz, Salsa, Hip-Hop, Modern and Contemporary Dance. A lover of movement!
Oscar Antonio Rodriguez, originally from Venezuela, has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has trained at the Warehouse Dance Complex in San Jose, Costa Rica, the Chuthis Movement Intensive (Costa Rica), the b12 Dance Festival (Germany) and the VIM fiVIGOR Intensive (New York). He was featured in the first Costa Rican Broadway musical productions “West Side Story” and “Chicago”; and Short North Stage productions of “West Side Story” and “Saturday Night Fever”. Oscar has worked with Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance, he is an EMC Candidate and a member of SAG-AFTRA.
Lauren Russo, dancer
Artists
Lauren Russo, from Bridgeport, CT, graduated with honors from The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program. She pioneered a study abroad program at The London Contemporary Dance School. She has worked with Darrell Grand Moultrie, Matthew Rushing, Bruno Guillore, the American Swiss Ballet, Ballaro Dance and has performed at The Hudson Yards Heatherwick Unveiling Event of The Vessel, and alongside the The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (AAADT). Lauren has also walked in New York Fashion Week, danced in the Pure Dance Developmental Lab and performed with the Merce Cunningham Trust.
Alexa Garzon, born in Hawthorne, New Jersey,began her training at D3Dancenter and Broadway Dance Center, studying various dance styles and performing with their respective performance companies. Currently, she is a student at Hofstra University pursuing a BFA dance degree, studying ballet and various forms of modern dance techniques, while also pursuing a minor in business management. In her first year at Hofstra University, she was awarded “Outstanding First Year” by the dance department. She is also a part of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Throughout her college experience, she has performed in pieces choreographed by faculty and guest artists such as Amanda Selwyn, William Isaac, Dyane Harvey-Salaam, Alexis Robbins, Yoshito Sakuraba, Livia Vanaveer, Robin Becker, Jesse Obremski, Kizuna Dance, and Kathryn Alter. She has attended and performed in conferences and workshops including ACDA, “Aim Invitational” at Broadway Dance Center, “Choreography Seminar” at Mark Morris, and NYSDEA.
Alisha Khatwani is a passionate dancer originally from Austin, Texas, earned her BFA in Dance with a minor in Digital Art and Design from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in May 2024. Trained under esteemed mentors from Limón, Gallim Dance Co., Kyle Abraham’s AIM, and other prestigious artists, Alisha’s diverse experiences have shaped her into a versatile performer, creator, and curator. She has showcased her artistry in repertories by Gallim and Kyle Abraham, including a performance at Radio City Music Hall. Alisha’s artistic journey includes two summers studying abroad at Berlin's B12 program. Currently, Alisha is interning with American Ballet Theatre’s JKO school, the Co-Founder of AGORA, a teacher at Four Corners Creative, and the Marketing Director/Research Assistant for Giada Mattieni at Wandering Avian Dance Experience. Recently, Alisha performed in THE RETURN at Pen and Brush, curated by Leslie Boyce and choreographed by Pau Aran Gimeno, as well as in Battery Dance Festival’s Object Permanence by Zev Haworth. Abroad, she performed in The Body Keeps It Honest, an on-site work at The Eden Garden, choreographed by Pau Aran Gimeno. With her dedication to dance and innovative spirit, she seeks opportunities to grow as both an artist and educator.
Madeline Kuhlke is from Long Island, New York, and attended The Long Island High School for the Arts. In 2020 she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a BFA in Dance. After college, Madeline furthered her dance training by studying in the Advanced Studies Program with a focus on Performance at The Martha Graham School. She danced as a soloist with Alison Cook Beatty Dance for two years. She currently dances on scholarship at The Taylor School where she also teaches for their Arnhold Tier 3 program and performs with The Taylor Outreach Ensemble. Madeline is an ABT® Certified Teacher who has completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum and is a Lead Teacher at Pure Barre NYC studios.
Nir Arieli, photographer
Artists
Nir Arieli launched his career as a military photographer for the Israeli magazine Bamachane, before receiving a scholarship to pursue a BFA at New York’s School of Visual Arts; he graduated with honors. Nir's photographic passion is within the portraiture and dance fields. He is an admirer of gentleness, beauty that embodies a sense of conflict and physical intelligence.
Nir received the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship (2009-2012), SVA's Photography Department Award (2009, 2011) and the 5th Year Award by Gotham Imaging and FotoCare (2012). He was chosen as one of the 2013 talents to watch by "Next" magazine, was a USA winner of Flash Forward (2015) and won 1st place in the PDN "Faces" portrait contest (2012). Nir was nominated for the Tierney Fellowship (2012) and PDN’s 30 New and Emerging Photographers (2013), was a finalist in the Google Photography Prize (2012) as well as in W. magazine's “In A Fashion Minute Video Contest” (2010) and a semi-finalist in the Adobe Design Achievement Awards (2012). His work has been published, exhibited and collected internationally and his New York clients include the Juilliard School, The Ailey School, The School of Visual Arts, Time Out NY, Bloomingdales, Gallim Dance, , MADboots Dance, Hewman Collective, Pontus Lidberg, Loni Landon, Jonah Bokaer and Shannon Gillen, among others.
Nir is represented in NYC by Daniel Cooney Fine Art gallery, in North Carolina by MoNA gallery and in Israel by Pinzeta initiative. His second solo show "Flocks" was on view at Daniel Cooney Fine Art gallery between April 21st and June 4th 2016.
Maria Baranova has been working with the Theater and Dance community of New York since 2011. From photographing dress rehearsals and promotional shoots to her own portrait project "Faces of Downtown Scene", which elevates members of the performance community off-stage, Maria completed jobs for Off-Off' Of' and Broadway companies in New York and around the East Coast. Maria graduated from Art School with a BA in Art Painting and later got a degree in Photography, both in Helsinki, Finland. Fluently speaking Russian, Finnish and English helped her to find and complete projects around the world. Her photographs appeared with a variety of reviews in ARTFORUM, American Theatre, Brooklyn Rail, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, among others. Outside of performance photography, Maria expands her work to still life, medium format film portraits, as well as street photography and darkroom printing.
Anna-Alisa Belous received an M.F.A. in textile design from the Art and Design Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia and an M.F.A. in costume design from Brandeis University. She has designed costumes for Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Philadanco (PA), Elisa Monte Dance Company, Big Apple Baroque, Dusan Tynek Dance Company, Rebecca Kelly Ballet, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Marymount Manhattan College, The Juilliard School, Actor’s Shakespeare Project (MA), Portland Stage Company (ME), Manhattan School of Music Opera Department, Immigrant Theater, The New School for Drama, LAB Theater, Boston Playwrights Theater (MA), Modus Opera, and Blessed Unrest Company both as set and costume designer. Anna-Alisa works as an Artist in Residence for Dance Department at Williams College, MA. She has been costume designer for Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre since 2002.
Whitney Browne, photographer
Artists
Whitney Browne is an experimental and commercial photographer whose work explores themes of movement and gesture as reflection’s of mental states. In addition to working with individual artists and companies, Browne has been an educator for The School at Jacob’s Pillow since 2012.
Browne’s work invites us to join the conversation she is having with her subjects. Her philosophy, “let’s meet at the lens” is an exploration in connection that challenges her subjects to be active in her creative process. She has spent the last decade developing her own experimental movement photography methods, working to build a visual language between photography and performance.
Best known for her involvement in the dance community, she currently works in New York City and Los Angeles. Browne received a BA and BFA from Hunter College in Social Anthropology and Fine Art Photography. In 2020, Browne started Light Language Workshops, which is her independent online teaching practice.
Christopher Duggan is a highly-respected NYC-based wedding/dance photographer. 10+ years of experience as a dance photographer in New York City and for Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival have helped me master the art of photographing fleeting, meaningful moments that happen in the blink-of-an-eye. Unlike any other art form, photography and videography are the only ways to record the experience of dance. There is no score, no canvas, and no repetition. No two moments are ever the same. When I photograph dance, I anticipate when the most climactic and special moments are about to happen, so I can capture them in a split second. Those split seconds hold the true essence of the dance. My photographs have been published in The New York Times, Dance Magazine, Style Me Pretty, and The Knot, among others, and displayed in exhibitions at The National Museum of Dance, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Dance New Amsterdam and The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
Robert Dutiel is an Associate Professor of Theater Arts at Marymount Manhattan College (MMC). In addition to teaching scenic design and technical production courses, he is also the Technical Director for the Theater Program and the Theresa Lang Theater at MMC. While at Marymount, he has been the Technical Director for over 70 productions and the Scenic Designer for over 20 shows, most recently productions of The Balcony by Jean Genet, and Mr. Burns- A Post Electric Play by Anne Washburn. In addition to his work in higher education, Rob's recent scenic design work includes several seasons of the Hip to Hip Shakespeare company, Red by John Logan at the Schoolhouse Theater, and is currently working with The American Bard Theater on a design for their new work, The Sweet Spot.
Zachary Ludescher is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker and co-founder of Dakoit Pictures. Zachary began his career editing numerous shorts, commercials, and documentaries, including the 2006 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award-winning documentary "LifeLinkPSU: A Road to Independence." Since then, he has branched out into high-definition cinematography, shooting a profusion of both narrative and non-narrative work. In addition to his collaboration with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre, he is currently producing Beer Nation, a series for the web that follows this country's beers from brewery to pint glass. His latest piece, Brooklyn is for Lovers, can be viewed online at www.goboHD.com.
Dan Ozminkowski has a B.F.A. in theatre design/technology from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts & Film, Purchase College. He has collaborated with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre since Disturbance in 2006. Recent regional credits include Treasure Island – A New Musical (Arkansas Repertory Theatre); Let Me Down Easy (Arena Stage, Wexner Center, Philadelphia Theatre Company, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre). Additional design credits include Spirit of Uganda 2010, 2012 (North American Tours); Treehouse Shakers (US tours); A Celebration of Maurice Sendak with Tony Kushner (92Y); If You Could See (o/o Broadway); To Walk in Darkness & B*tch (o/o Broadway); Merry-Go-Round Playhouse (Four Musicals). Associate & Assistant work includes: One Night With Janis Joplin (Regional Tour); Impressionism (Broadway), and Le Reve (Wynn, Las Vegas). Nominated, Barrymore PECO Award 2011. A member of United Scenic Artists local 829.
Danica Paulos, photographer
Artists
Wife, mother, artist, storyteller. I love love! I have been telling stories through photography since 2016. I am a life-long dancer - I performed professionally around the world with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 2014-2020. NYC raised me, but I am a SoCal girl at heart. My son Solomon brings the highest joy and freedom to my life. Weddings, family, celebration, love - these things are what inspire me most in photography. I decided to start capturing weddings because I wanted to be part of something beautiful and meaningful in peoples’ lives. Human connection, community, family - all of these relationships are sacred and should be memorialized in beautiful images for generations to come.
Joseph Rannazzisi (jojoSOUL) is an Artist/Musician from Long Island, NY. With 30+ years experience studying music and drums/percussion, jojo's studies have led him to composing, writing, performing, and teaching. As a NYS vendor, jojo coordinates a music program at youth corrections facilities for the Office of Child & Family Services, as well as performing as DJ at Office of Mental Health youth facility events. jojo works as a teaching artist in music & movement classes for all ages. Previous venues include the National Academy Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Gramercy Theatre, Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre, and the Laurie Beechman Theatre. jojo was invited to teach at schools at Deer Isle-Stonington, Maine for an artist residency, as well as to perform in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. In 2023, jojo fulfilled a lifelong dream of studying music and culture while living in a village in Mali, West Africa. jojo continues to create, perform, and study, and make handmade jewelry while living in Manhattan, NY.
Gina Solebello is an NYC-based Stage Manager who is thrilled to be working with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre! Gina is a regular stage manager for the Ailey School, AileyCamp, and Ailey Extension, and is also a substitute Assistant Stage Manager for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Recent theatrical credits include: (A)loft Modulation (the american vicarious), Make Believe (Second Stage Theater), Faust 2.0 (Mabou Mines), Emma and Max, ms. estrada, INANIMATE (The Flea Theater). Gina is a proud member of the Actors Equity Association.
Joel Wilhelmi is the theater technical coordinator at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. He is proud to be working with Amanda since 2007. His design credits include Sweeney Todd, Spelling Bee, Snapshot, India Dreaming, Motel Blues, The Heiress, Low Life, Three Women in Indecision, and Bogusnova. He was sound engineer for many theatre productions including The Listener, Bridge & Tunnel, Dream A Little Dream, Fucking A, Something Old Something New, Blue Surge, Good Thing, The Castle, Evolution, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and for films including Palmetto, Madison, Lawn Dogs, People Like Us, The Last Late Night, This Train, Winner Takes All, and My Father’s House. This is Joel’s fourteenth season with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre.
Amanda Selwyn, artistic director/choreographer
Artists, Staff
Amanda Selwyn (Artistic Director/Choreographer) founded Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre/Notes in Motion in 2000 and in 25 seasons, has directed over 125 productions, developed a network of artists, and created Notes in Motion’s dance education program. Amanda’s choreographic works include: Awaken, Habit Formed, Threads, Hindsight, Crossroads, Refuge, Renewal, It's a Game, Detour, Five Minutes, Passage, Undercurrent, Hearsay, Interiors, Disturbance, Salut, Tilt, Tidal, Shift, Siren, Contradicting Unity, Save My Spot, Hold On, Momentum, and Behind Us. Amanda recently taught workshops at Peridance, a Residency at Hofstra University, New Women, New York, the New York Gender Conference, and a Choreography Master Class at Temple University. Her 24th Season was presented at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center and her 20th Anniversary Season was presented at Baruch Performing Arts Center both as Residency Artists of the CUNY Dance Initiative. She has choreographed dance for Chicago's Motivity; for theatre productions including House on Mango Street, Free to be You an Me, Once Upon a Mattress, The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory; and for her original theatre productions which include Herland, Yellow Feather, and Slitting the Clouds. In addition to her choreographic work, Amanda has directed off-broadway theatre in NYC at John Houseman Studio, 30th Street Theatre, Grove Street Theatre, Kraine Theatre, Center Stage, and the Producer’s Club. Amanda teaches dance and theatre to New York City children and has been on faculty at The Brearley School, Brooklyn Friends School, Beit Rabban School, Solomon Schechter School, and the New Acting Company. She has taught dance composition and technique at the Berkshire Institute for Music and Art and taught dance and theatre in Israel at the Israel Museum, English Village, and the Arad Community Center. Amanda led the workshops “Accessing Inspiration for Dance-Making” and "Teaching a Choreographic Process" at the 3 NYC Arts-in-Education Roundtable's Face to Face conferences. She has also presented her choreography at NYU’s Women and Theater conference and at Dance Teacher Summit. She is the recipient of grants from the NY State Council on the Arts, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, the Friars Foundation, Dizzy Feet Foundation, Bronx Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Development Fund, NY City Council Members Bill DeBlasio, Kevin Riley, Andy King, Carlina Rivera, Althea Stevens, James Gennaro, Irma Vernikov, Marjorie Velazquez, Farah N. Louis, Margaret Chin, and Rosie Mendez, Manhattan Borough President, Met Life, City National Bank, Credit Suisse, and the Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation. Amanda participated in the Choreographer's Lab program at Jacob's Pillow. Her work has been presented twice on Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Stage, at Tribeca Performing Arts Center, in the American Dance Guild Festival, DUMBO Dance Festival, APAP Conference, COOL NY Dance Festival, Wassaic Dance Festival, WestFest Dance Festival, Movement Research’s Performance Series, Earth Celebrations, Dixon Place, and Pushing Progress at Peridance. Amanda has a 500-hour yoga teacher's certification from Laughing Lotus Yoga Center in NYC and teaches yoga privately and at Crunch Gym in NYC. She has a Masters from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in performance studies and a B.S. from Northwestern University in theatre, women's studies, and dance.
Torrey Harada believes wholeheartedly in the power and importance of movement. Raised just outside of Philadelphia, Torrey spent her childhood studying ballet and modern dance at Metropolitan Ballet Academy. She performed as a seasonal guest artist with Pennsylvania Ballet Company from 2004-2008. She then moved to New York City and continued her education at Marymount Manhattan College, receiving a B.F.A. in Dance. Torrey has performed in works by choreographers such as Jessica Lang, Kanji Segawa, Kate Skarpetowska, Lar Lubovitch, Pam Tanowitz, Deganit Shemy, Abdur Rahim Jackson. Torrey was a selected artist for the Cunningham Fellowship Trust Workshops from 2012-2014. She then joined H.T. Chen and Dancers and performed and toured with the company until 2022. She has performed with Lisa Fagan Dance Problems and Suzanne Ponomarenko Dance in various theaters across New York City and is a current member of Amy Marshall Dance Company. Torrey is a long-standing Master trainer at Physique 57 instructing in person, on camera, and national television. Torrey is kept on her toes at home as well in her most important role as mother of two girls- Noa (4 years) and Niamh (10months).
Manon Hallay, originally from France, trained at the Conservatoire de Tarbes, the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp and The Ailey School as a scholarship student. Manon has worked with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Michael Shannon, she is the artistic director of Les Ballets Nomades and is a teaching artist with Notes in Motion.
Ashley McQueen is a New York City-based performer, choreographer, and teaching artist. She holds a BFA in Dance from Webster University and an MFA in Dance from Hollins University. Hailed as “a dancer with the grace of a ballerina, the groundedness of an Isadora acolyte, and the impetuous musicality of someone who dances because she must” (Oberon’s Grove), McQueen has worked with choreographers such as Amanda Selwyn, Shawn T. Bible, Paris Wilcox, Maurya Kerr, Jennifer Medina, Christine Knoblauch-O’Neal, Jennifer Huffman-Olivas, Omar Olivas, James Robey, Uri Sands, and Michael Uthoff; and performed as a company member with ShawnBibleDanceCo, Common Thread Contemporary Dance, and Arova Contemporary Ballet. Her choreography has been commissioned by organizations such as Peridance Youth Ensemble, Hamilton College, Minnesota Ballet, Big Muddy Dance Company, Arova Contemporary Ballet, Alabama Dance Theatre, and Southern Danceworks; and presented at festivals such as Dance St. Louis Spring to Dance, Midwest RADFest, NYC Transit Museum, Westfest: All Over Westbeth, and American College Dance Festival. She previously taught as an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Manhattanville College, and choreographed in residency with Hamilton College and Webster University. She is the Founder/Artistic Director of Smashworks Dance, a New York-based nonprofit dance organization, whose collaboration credits include writing the movement activities for Rebel Girls Productions’ chapter book, “Alicia Alonso Takes The Stage,” and exploring dance-clown fusion at the Theaterlab Hotel New Work residency, in collaboration with Hope Salas and Justin Cimino.
Kevin Avila, dancer
Artists
Kevin Avila is originally from Minnesota and danced with the esteemed Larkin Dance Studio for over 10 years. During that time he had the opportunity to perform on the NBC tv show World Of Dance with the trilogy. He has recently finished a worldwide contract performing for Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Emanuele Fiore, dancer
Artists
Emanuele Fiore is a dancer and choreographer from Bari, Italy. In 2019 he moved to New York to study at The Ailey School in the Certificate Program, where he had the chance to dance choreography by Helen Simoneau, Daniel Ross, Janice Rosario, Darrell Moultrie, Amy Hall Garner and Ronald K. Brown. Emanuele also got the chance to perform for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Opening Night 2022 at New York City Center and to be a member of the Ailey Student Performance Group. Outside of his school experience, he participated to several performances, dancing choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Nicole Corea, Yebel Gallegos, Norbert De La Cruz III, Earl Mosley, Alrick Thomas, Paul Taylor and David Parsons. Emanuele has also choreographed several pieces and he is premiering his first show “What about Love?” for Spark Theater Festival in Fall 2023. He is currently a company member of MWC2, AFFEKT Dance Company and Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre/Notes in Motion INC. here in New York City.
Gianna Guzzo, dancer
Artists
Gianna Guzzo is a NYC-based dance artist. She began her professional career touring as an assistant with Revel Dance Convention. Gianna graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in dance and economics from Hofstra University in May of 2024. At Hofstra, she performed works by Doug Varone, Larry Keigwin, Liz Gerring, Robin Becker, Max Stone, Janis Brenner, and Maiya Redding. During this time, Gianna attended the Ailey School's Professional Division Summer Intensive and was awarded a full scholarship to the Business and Economics Exchange Programme at the University of Amsterdam where she would dance at the Henny Jurriëns Studio. Gianna has since performed professionally with Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, Keigwin & Company, and iKADA Contemporary Dance Company at venues such as the Apollo Theater and NJPAC. She continues her dance training at the Taylor School as a scholarship recipient.
Misaki Hayama, dancer
Artists
Misaki Hayama, originally from Tokyo, Japan, graduated from Saitama Prefectures High School of Arts and studied dance at Japan University of Art. She performed in a dance ensemble for The Lion King and A Chorus Line in Japan for four years. Misaki attended The Ailey School as a Fellowship Student. She performed at The Apollo Theatre and has worked with Oberdiah Wright, Leslie Dockery, and Alfredo Gillman.
Isaac Kerr, dancer
Artists
Isaac Kerr, originally from Ontario, Canada, is a graduate of The Ailey School’s Certificate Program. His performance credits include: The National Ballet of Cuba’s Hansel and Gretel, CBS’ Star Trek: Discovery, and Disney Channel Canada’s The Next Step. He is also a Teaching Artist with Notes in Motion.
Minseon Kim Jeun, dancer
Artists
Minseon Kim Jeun, originally from South Korea, trained at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of the Arts and received a BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College. Min has danced with Lauren Hale Dance and has performed works by Adam Barruch, Sidra Bell, John Butler, Abigail Levine, Sophie Maslow, Milton Myers, Alwin Nikolais, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Shen Wei and more. Currently, she is a company member and rehearsal director of Lydia Johnson Dance and is a certified yoga instructor.
Jack Randel, dancer
Artists
Jack Randel, originally from Farmington Hills, Michigan, received a BFA in Dance from the University of Michigan. They have worked with choreographers Shannon Gillen, Jessica Fogel, Jillian Hopper, Nicole Reehorst, Leah O’Donnell, and J’Sun Howard. Jack has performed in many regional theatrical productions in southeast Michigan. They have choreographed for various dance troupes and theatrical productions during their time on campus. Their choreography was showcased at the American College Dance Association National festival in 2023.
Ralphie Rivera De Jesús, Puerto Rican performer, choreographer and teaching artist. Recent credits: On Your Feet! (National Tour), ¡Viva! Broadway Aquí y Allá, In the Heights (MUNY, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival), Momia en el Clóset (Gala Theatre). He has also danced with Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico, Ballet Brío, Rhythms Dance Company and Sabor Ajeno Dance Company. His dance training includes Ballet, Jazz, Salsa, Hip-Hop, Modern and Contemporary Dance. A lover of movement!
Oscar Antonio Rodriguez, originally from Venezuela, has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has trained at the Warehouse Dance Complex in San Jose, Costa Rica, the Chuthis Movement Intensive (Costa Rica), the b12 Dance Festival (Germany) and the VIM fiVIGOR Intensive (New York). He was featured in the first Costa Rican Broadway musical productions “West Side Story” and “Chicago”; and Short North Stage productions of “West Side Story” and “Saturday Night Fever”. Oscar has worked with Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance, he is an EMC Candidate and a member of SAG-AFTRA.
Lauren Russo, dancer
Artists
Lauren Russo, from Bridgeport, CT, graduated with honors from The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program. She pioneered a study abroad program at The London Contemporary Dance School. She has worked with Darrell Grand Moultrie, Matthew Rushing, Bruno Guillore, the American Swiss Ballet, Ballaro Dance and has performed at The Hudson Yards Heatherwick Unveiling Event of The Vessel, and alongside the The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (AAADT). Lauren has also walked in New York Fashion Week, danced in the Pure Dance Developmental Lab and performed with the Merce Cunningham Trust.
Alexa Garzon, born in Hawthorne, New Jersey,began her training at D3Dancenter and Broadway Dance Center, studying various dance styles and performing with their respective performance companies. Currently, she is a student at Hofstra University pursuing a BFA dance degree, studying ballet and various forms of modern dance techniques, while also pursuing a minor in business management. In her first year at Hofstra University, she was awarded “Outstanding First Year” by the dance department. She is also a part of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Throughout her college experience, she has performed in pieces choreographed by faculty and guest artists such as Amanda Selwyn, William Isaac, Dyane Harvey-Salaam, Alexis Robbins, Yoshito Sakuraba, Livia Vanaveer, Robin Becker, Jesse Obremski, Kizuna Dance, and Kathryn Alter. She has attended and performed in conferences and workshops including ACDA, “Aim Invitational” at Broadway Dance Center, “Choreography Seminar” at Mark Morris, and NYSDEA.
Alisha Khatwani is a passionate dancer originally from Austin, Texas, earned her BFA in Dance with a minor in Digital Art and Design from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in May 2024. Trained under esteemed mentors from Limón, Gallim Dance Co., Kyle Abraham’s AIM, and other prestigious artists, Alisha’s diverse experiences have shaped her into a versatile performer, creator, and curator. She has showcased her artistry in repertories by Gallim and Kyle Abraham, including a performance at Radio City Music Hall. Alisha’s artistic journey includes two summers studying abroad at Berlin's B12 program. Currently, Alisha is interning with American Ballet Theatre’s JKO school, the Co-Founder of AGORA, a teacher at Four Corners Creative, and the Marketing Director/Research Assistant for Giada Mattieni at Wandering Avian Dance Experience. Recently, Alisha performed in THE RETURN at Pen and Brush, curated by Leslie Boyce and choreographed by Pau Aran Gimeno, as well as in Battery Dance Festival’s Object Permanence by Zev Haworth. Abroad, she performed in The Body Keeps It Honest, an on-site work at The Eden Garden, choreographed by Pau Aran Gimeno. With her dedication to dance and innovative spirit, she seeks opportunities to grow as both an artist and educator.
Madeline Kuhlke is from Long Island, New York, and attended The Long Island High School for the Arts. In 2020 she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a BFA in Dance. After college, Madeline furthered her dance training by studying in the Advanced Studies Program with a focus on Performance at The Martha Graham School. She danced as a soloist with Alison Cook Beatty Dance for two years. She currently dances on scholarship at The Taylor School where she also teaches for their Arnhold Tier 3 program and performs with The Taylor Outreach Ensemble. Madeline is an ABT® Certified Teacher who has completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum and is a Lead Teacher at Pure Barre NYC studios.
Nir Arieli, photographer
Artists
Nir Arieli launched his career as a military photographer for the Israeli magazine Bamachane, before receiving a scholarship to pursue a BFA at New York’s School of Visual Arts; he graduated with honors. Nir's photographic passion is within the portraiture and dance fields. He is an admirer of gentleness, beauty that embodies a sense of conflict and physical intelligence.
Nir received the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship (2009-2012), SVA's Photography Department Award (2009, 2011) and the 5th Year Award by Gotham Imaging and FotoCare (2012). He was chosen as one of the 2013 talents to watch by "Next" magazine, was a USA winner of Flash Forward (2015) and won 1st place in the PDN "Faces" portrait contest (2012). Nir was nominated for the Tierney Fellowship (2012) and PDN’s 30 New and Emerging Photographers (2013), was a finalist in the Google Photography Prize (2012) as well as in W. magazine's “In A Fashion Minute Video Contest” (2010) and a semi-finalist in the Adobe Design Achievement Awards (2012). His work has been published, exhibited and collected internationally and his New York clients include the Juilliard School, The Ailey School, The School of Visual Arts, Time Out NY, Bloomingdales, Gallim Dance, , MADboots Dance, Hewman Collective, Pontus Lidberg, Loni Landon, Jonah Bokaer and Shannon Gillen, among others.
Nir is represented in NYC by Daniel Cooney Fine Art gallery, in North Carolina by MoNA gallery and in Israel by Pinzeta initiative. His second solo show "Flocks" was on view at Daniel Cooney Fine Art gallery between April 21st and June 4th 2016.
Maria Baranova has been working with the Theater and Dance community of New York since 2011. From photographing dress rehearsals and promotional shoots to her own portrait project "Faces of Downtown Scene", which elevates members of the performance community off-stage, Maria completed jobs for Off-Off' Of' and Broadway companies in New York and around the East Coast. Maria graduated from Art School with a BA in Art Painting and later got a degree in Photography, both in Helsinki, Finland. Fluently speaking Russian, Finnish and English helped her to find and complete projects around the world. Her photographs appeared with a variety of reviews in ARTFORUM, American Theatre, Brooklyn Rail, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, among others. Outside of performance photography, Maria expands her work to still life, medium format film portraits, as well as street photography and darkroom printing.
Anna-Alisa Belous received an M.F.A. in textile design from the Art and Design Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia and an M.F.A. in costume design from Brandeis University. She has designed costumes for Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Philadanco (PA), Elisa Monte Dance Company, Big Apple Baroque, Dusan Tynek Dance Company, Rebecca Kelly Ballet, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Marymount Manhattan College, The Juilliard School, Actor’s Shakespeare Project (MA), Portland Stage Company (ME), Manhattan School of Music Opera Department, Immigrant Theater, The New School for Drama, LAB Theater, Boston Playwrights Theater (MA), Modus Opera, and Blessed Unrest Company both as set and costume designer. Anna-Alisa works as an Artist in Residence for Dance Department at Williams College, MA. She has been costume designer for Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre since 2002.
