BODYVOX - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
ALICIA CUTAIA is a celebrated dancer, instructor, choreographer, fire performer, and harness aerialist. She earned her BFA as a double major in Classical Ballet and Jazz with honors from Point Park University in Pennsylvania. Cutaia's training was furthered as a scholarship recipient at Hubbard Street Dance, North Carolina Dance Theater and River North Dance Company. She has worked with and performed pieces by many renowned choreographers from all over the world including Lauren Edson, Jamey Hampton, Ashley Roland, Ron De Jesus, Gina Patterson, Lar Lubovitch, Louis Falco, Michael Foley, Keisha Lalama, Joel Hall, Lou Conte, Daniel Gwirtzman, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Daniel Ezralow, Choo-San Goh, Alan Hineline, Harrison McEldowney, Kevin O'Day, Frances Patrelle, David Storey, Margo Sappington, Christian Holder and Bianca Sapetto. Cutaia has spent over 15 years touring internationally with professional dance companies, acting as rehearsal director, costume manager and company dancer with Eisenhower Dance Detroit, as well as a company dancer with Hubbard Street Dance (Chicago), Giordano Jazz Dance (Chicago), and BodyVox (Portland. Along her journey, she fell in love with circus performance and became a professional fire dancer and harness aerialist, which she moved on to perform both locally in Portland and around the world.
At the age of three, Andrea began dance training in Hillsboro, Oregon. She continued to train at the Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and Loyola Marymount University, where she received a BA in dance in 2009. After graduating she joined Northwest Dance Project in Portland, Oregon, where she received a Princess Grace Dance Fellowship award in 2010. For 11 years she performed nationally and internationally, as well as choreographed contemporary dance works for the project company and students. Over the past four years Andrea has self produced three dance theater pieces for live theater and film. She's currently in residence with Portland based organization, From the Ground Up, and creating a new solo autobiographical work. She teaches dance throughout the greater Portland area and is also on faculty at Pacific University.
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Patron Services Specialist
Anna Hooper resides in Vancouver, WA and received dance training with Vancouver School of the Arts & Academics, Northwest Dance Project, Bodyvox, and the Jefferson Dancers. She studied at SUNY Purchase College & Taipei National University of the Arts, graduating in 2018 with a BFA in dance performance and composition, minor in psychology, and the Outstanding Senior Award. Anna has danced in works by Kyle Abraham, Sidra Bell, Birdhouse, Sue Bernhard, Merce Cunningham, Tracey Durbin, Jessica Hightower, Caitlin Javech, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Emily Kessler, Josie Moseley, Sara Parker, Jonathan Reidel, and Michelle Thompson Ulerich. Anna's choreography has been performed at Portland'5, BodyVox Dance Center, Purchase College's Dance Theater Lab, American Dance Guild Festival, T2 Dance Project's ChoreoFest, and during artistic residency with Vancouver School of the Arts & Academics. Most recently, she choreographed for the production of Tinderella presented by Stumptown Stages. Anna is proud to have assisted Kyle Abraham in rehearsals with New York City Ballet for the creation of The Runaway, in addition to dancing in the 2019 film Cunningham directed by Alla Kovgan. She teaches at BodyVox Dance Center, Shaun Keylock Company and Hillsboro Dance Center. Anna is currently dancing with Sara Parker Dance and Shaun Keylock Company in Portland, OR.
Ariel Isakowitz was born in Philadelphia, raised by an Argentine family, has German and Israeli roots, and has lived in more places than you can imagine. They started dancing at 18 at Northwestern University, where they joined the Giordano Jazz Young Company in their final year. They went on to train with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (Israel) and the Ballet Jeune de Geneve (Switzerland). Ariel has performed with many choreographers and companies, including: Itzik Galili, Mats Ek, Barak Marshall, Rami Be'er, Guilherme Botelho, Marina Mascarell, Stijn Celis, Ioannis Mandafounis, Kamea Dance Company, Odelya Kuperberg, Peter Kyle, Michael Mao, Catapult, KYLD (Kun-Yang Lin Dancers) and Mayumana. Ariel also has great love of theatre, and has performed in plays, musicals and operas around the world. For career highlights and to see Ariel's solo work, you can search "Ariel Moves" (in quotations) on Youtube. Ariel is thrilled to be joining Bodyvox for the 2022/2023 season!
Job Titles:
- Artistic Director
- Secretary of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- Co -
- Co - Artistic Director
Ashley Roland is a true American original. With an unparalleled imagination and an acuity in both choreography and theatrical effect, she creates work that is unbridled, ebullient, and unabashed, resonating deeply with audiences around the world. A native New Yorker, Ashley began her dance training at age 3. A remarkably talented athlete, she graduated from high school with 8 varsity letters, and was the captain of the swimming and track teams. She was Connecticut state high school champion in indoor hurdles, gymnastics beam and floor, and diving, and won a national scholar athlete award as a senior.
In New York, Ashley studied with legendary ballet teacher David Howard and at the Alvin Ailey studios. She attended North Carolina School of the Arts, leaving in her sophomore year to begin her professional career. In that year, she helped form MOMIX, setting off on a string of international tours that took her to Paris, London, Tokyo, Rome, New York, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, and virtually every major city in the world. In 1987, she formed ISO (I'm So Optimistic) with her partner Jamey Hampton, as well as Daniel Ezralow and Morleigh Steinberg. ISO toured the world for seven years with an equally robust schedule, as well as choreographing several international fashion shows for Issey Miyake, and making videos for music artists including U2, Sting, Simply Red, Pat Metheny, and choreographing the Glass Spider Tour for David Bowie.
Ashley co-founded BodyVox in 1997 with Jamey Hampton. Now in its 18th season, BodyVox reflects everything that Ashley is: Endlessly creative, truly unique, and deeply American. BodyVox works in dance, opera, theater, film and print media. Since the creation of BodyVox Ashley and Jamey have made over one hundred fifty works including three full-length opera productions. They have toured their work throughout the U.S. and Europe while becoming a beloved favorite to their home audience in Portland, Oregon. As noted Portland art blogger Byron Beck says, "Ashley Roland is one of the most important women working in dance today."
Ashley is the recipient of numerous awards, including an Emmy for her work on ISO's "Episodes", and an American Choreography Award for her work on the BodyVox/Mitchell Rose film series "Modern Daydreams." As a solo performer Ashley has danced her work in galas throughout Europe, Canada and the United States. She has created and performed in benefits for Amnesty International, Fashion Aid, Friends In Deed, Canadian Aids Relief, Cascade Aids Benefit and the Connecticut Tibetan Resettlement Project. Ashley has choreographed and licensed pieces to companies around the world. In 1993 she choreographed the full-length ballet, "Sheherezade" for the Georgian State Ballet in Tiblisi, Republic of Georgia. Other companies performing her work include Introdans (Denmark), Batsheva (Tel Aviv, Israel), Trinity Irish Dance (Chicago), River North (Chicago), and Oregon Ballet Theater (Portland).
Ashley has collaborated with the preeminent dance photographer of our time, Lois Greenfield, on literally thousands of images. These photographs have been featured in print ads around the world, as well as in Greenfield's Breaking Bounds and Airborne book series, in Greenfield's annual calendars, and on the cover of the Anne Rice novel "Lasher".
Bo Brinton, BodyVox
BO BRINTON was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He began his training at Arizona Ballet Theatre under the direction of Cecily Bressel and Norman Walker, and was awarded scholarships to attend summer programs at American Ballet…
BO BRINTON was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He began his training at Arizona Ballet Theatre under the direction of Cecily Bressel and Norman Walker, and was awarded scholarships to attend summer programs at American Ballet Theatre in New York City and Alonzo King LINES Ballet in San Francisco. He continued his training at School of Dance at the University of Arizona, where he learned and performed a variety of works choreographed by George Balanchine, Elizabeth George and James Clouser. Upon graduating from the University of Arizona in 2016 with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in dance, Bo accepted a position with Artifact Dance Project in Tucson, Arizona. The following year, he joined José Mateo Ballet Theatre in Boston for the company's final repertory season. He then spent three seasons with San Diego Ballet, where he danced soloist roles in classical and contemporary works by artistic director Javier Velasco. Bo is excited for his second season with BodyVox!
Brent was born in Portland and raised in the area. He attended Point Park University and graduated with a BFA in Dance. Since then he has worked with the Pillow Project, Attack Theatre, Eowyn Emerald & Dancers, skinner|kirk dance ensemble, Washington Dance Creative, and BodyVox. Through these companies he has been lucky enough to tour internationally to France, England, Germany, and China as well as around the US including extensive touring in Alaska.
Brett began her training in Chicago at The Chicago City Ballet School under the direction of Maria Tallchief and Paul Mejia and later continued studying at the Ruth Page School with Larry Long.
Brett danced professionally with several companies including Eugene Ballet where she danced many principal roles including Giselle, Aurora, and Juliet, as well as originating roles in works by artistic director, Toni Pimble. One highlight of her time at Eugene Ballet was a tour to the Middle East and Asia, which included performances at historic sites such as the citadel in Aleppo.
Brett has been sharing her love or dance and dedication to ballet through teaching for many years. She has taught at various Portland area dance studios including Center for Movement Arts and The Portland Ballet.
Not only has Charles danced with Rihanna at the VMA's, but because of his versatility he has also worked internationally with professional corporations, formal dance companies, and popular teaching conventions. After earning his BA from Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, Charles spent the last decade of his career establishing his craft as a teacher, choreographer and all-around entertainer. He has performed at legendary venues for massive audiences; and as a choreographer he has choreographed for international music artists and award winning teams. These days Charles tours the country teaching workshops of his own design that tailor to advancing students' overall wellness as well as their skill. Working with others is truly where he finds his greater purpose.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Job Titles:
- Associate Artistic Director
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- Associate Artistic Director / Tour Manager
- Tour Manager
Although based in Portland Oregon, Daniel Kirk has extensive performance experience both nationally and internationally. His technique ranges from classical ballet to contemporary to innovative theatrical and aerial work. This eclectic style has…
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- Dean Richardson
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Job Titles:
- Junior Artist
- Junior Artist Generator ( JAG ) Coordinator
Heather trained on scholarship at Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet and at 14 became a Ballet Major at the University of Utah where she earned her BFA. She performed with Utah Ballet and Ballet West while in Utah. Before leaving Salt Lake, Heather was an administrator and instructor at the School of Ballet West until her move to Oregon in 2003 where she started working with BodyVox. While dancing with BodyVox Heather enjoyed working with skinner|kirk DANCE ENSEMBLE, The Portland Opera, and other choreographic projects. During her time with the company, Heather led the creation BodyVox's Junior Artist Generator program and directed them through 2022. Ms Jackson has enjoyed teaching ballet she was 17 and truly has a passion for it. Her well-rounded training and career gives her the ability to understand students from all backgrounds. Heather wants everyone in her classes to find joy in movement, whether an absolute beginner or a professional, in her ballet classes as well as with her certified GYROTONIC®and GYROKINESIS® instruction.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Job Titles:
- Artistic Director
- Co - Director
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- Co -
- Co - Artistic Director
Jamey Hampton has had a storied career in dance, theater, television, and film that has spanned five decades. Born in Portland, Oregon, he was a distinguished athlete in high school, receiving varsity letters in track and football, while also appearing in numerous theater productions. He attended Dartmouth College, where he was a competitive ski racer, rugby player, as well as rowing stroke on the freshman crew team. Dartmouth was also where Jamey began dancing in earnest, meeting Pilobolus Dance Theater while pursuing a BFA degree in Theater. After Dartmouth, he danced with Pilobolus around the world for five years. He then helped form and danced with MOMIX from 1982-87, followed by ISO Dance from 1987-1995. Both MOMIX and ISO appeared on hundreds of stages around the world, as well as in music videos, fashion shows, galas, workshops, and feature films. In 1997, Jamey formed BodyVox with his partner, Ashley Roland. Now in its 24th season, BodyVox is a vibrant and singular dance company known to audiences worldwide for its ebullient and deeply imaginative work. Additionally, the BodyVox Dance Center has become a hub for dance performance and education in Portland, attracting and enabling myriad artists in the dance field to study and pursue their craft.
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Director
- Director of Community and Outreach
Jonathan Sadony is from Portland Oregon. Jonathan teaches many different styles of dance including hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, jazz, and jazz-funk. He has taught at many studios all around Portland, Los Angeles and London England. He began his…
A lifetime of mind + body + spirit discovery: Laure Redmond is a published author, television personality, radio host and confidence coach practicing in Portland, OR and broadcasting internationally. Laure's work is dedicated to helping individuals…
Laure Redmond is a published author, television personality, radio host and confidence coach practicing in Portland, OR and broadcasting internationally. Laure's work is dedicated to helping individuals realize their true potential through attention to mind, body and spiritual principles and practices. Her trademark brand, Feel Good Naked™ has been featured on Oprah, KATU TV and VoiceAmerica Radio.
Laure has cultivated her craft, message and mission for over 35 years, having started her career in New York City as a fitness coach to celebrities including Madonna, Helen Hunt and Tom Cruise. Her focus on the power of movement to boost health, confidence and energy levels led her to produce a successful series of videos with Mary Tyler Moore. It was through Laure's immersion in the fitness industry that she first came to understand the power and connection of body movement as a gateway to remove mental blocks, generate spiritual flow and facilitate emotional healing.
Today Laure continues her commitment to nurture and strengthen the body through her restorative movement class called Stretch Appeal ™. These low-impact, high-energy classes combine inspirational soulful music, light dance choreography and yoga balance poses designed to strengthen the mind/body connection. Whether you are looking to rejuvenate your spirit or relax and relieve tension in the body, Stretch Appeal can help. By nourishing breath, balance and movement, you will strengthen your body as well as the clarity of your mental and emotional states.
Born in Taipei, Taiwan. Lee-Wei Chao started his ballet training with Ms. Xiao Lee,who brought from Russia the Vaganova ballet method to Taiwan.
In 1996 Mr. Chao joined Joffrey Ballet Concert Dancer in New York City, followed by dancing with Joffrey Ballet Chicago and Milwaukee Ballet Company.
Mr. Chao has taught at Alonzo King LINES Ballet, LINES Ballet BFA Program, Stanford University, ODC Dance San Francisco, Smuin Ballet company and among the others. Mr. Chao was featured in the August 2018 issue of Dance Teacher Magazine and is currently teaching in Portland, OR.
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing and Communications
MITCHELL ROSE (Filmmaker) is a frequent collaborator with BodyVox-they have now created 12 films together. But prior to becoming a filmmaker, Mitchell was a New York-based choreographer specializing in comedic work and was dubbed "the dance world's Woody Allen" by The New York Times. Eventually he was drawn more to visual media and disbanded his company to become a Directing Fellow at the American Film Institute. Now a professor of dance-filmmaking at Ohio State University, his films have won 77 awards in film festivals. A BodyVox collaboration Modern Daydreams, which has played in venues as diverse as the Getty Museum and the CBS JumboVision in Times Square, won the American Choreography Award (the Hollywood award for filmed choreography). And another collaboration Learn to Speak Body has been viewed three million times on YouTube. His films can be watched at:
Muffie Delgado Connelly (she/her) is a dance artist, movement researcher, teacher, and somatic practitioner in Portland, Oregon. As a dance and movement teacher she has taught pre-professional training at the The Chicago Academy for the Arts, The…
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- ADMINISTRATION
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Sarah grew up in Portland dancing with The School of Oregon Ballet Theatre under Elena Carter. She worked as a company member with OBT for many years before exploring an opportunity furthering her training in St. Petersburg, Russia. Sarah continued her professional career with Colorado Ballet, State Street Ballet and Nevada Ballet Theatre. In Nevada, Sarah worked as rehearsal assistant to the company and the school, she also had the privilege of working with Cynthia Gregory who became a coach and mentor. Since retiring from ballet, Sarah has performed with Éowyn Emerald & Dancers, a contemporary dance company based in Scotland. Through her dance journey and with the guidance of Elena and Cynthia, Sarah has learned the value of finding one's personal voice through artistry and the empowerment that comes with setting and achieving goals with a strong work ethic. Sarah now uses her teaching platform to encourage dancers of all ages to find their personal empowered path through dance.
Job Titles:
- Business & Box Office Manager
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor at Pacific University
- Choreographer & Founder
- Choreographer & Founder / ED, New Expressive Works, She / Her
Choreographer & Founder/ED, New Expressive Works, She/her Subashini is a curator, arts administrator, choreographer, Oregon Arts Commissioner, and former Creative Laureate of Portland (2018 - June 2021). As a Bharathanatyam artist, Ganesan has…
Subashini is a curator, arts administrator, choreographer, Oregon Arts Commissioner, and former Creative Laureate of Portland (2018 - June 2021). As a Bharathanatyam artist, Ganesan has been learning, teaching, performing, and presenting this art form for over four decades. She founded Natya Leela Academy in 2008, where she teaches and explores universal expressions of Bharathatyam. Her contemporary works include deep collaborations with acclaimed artists and arts organizations including Mike Barber (Founder, Ten Tiny Dances), Michelle Fujii (UNIT SOUZOU), Sabina Haque, Amna Mawaz Khan (Pakistan/Germany), Anita Menon, DJ Anjali, Third Angle New Music, PICA, APANO, and Portland Center Stage. Subashini is currently a guest choreographer at the Middlebury Dance Company (Middlebury College, Vermont) and is also choreographing Thumbprint, a contemporary piece presented by the Portland Opera.
Subashini founded New Expressive Works (N.E.W.) in 2012. Through residencies, artist conversations, and performance seasons, this vibrant performing arts venue celebrates bold new works created by multicultural independent performing artists.
Subashini is Adjunct Professor at Pacific University, teaching arts advocacy, an active Community Advisory Committee member of the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, and serves as a Board of Director for the Portland Parks Foundation and for the James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation.
Theresa Hanson was born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, where she grew up dancing at Pofahl Studios. She continued her dance career with Dance Alive National Ballet in 2009 and advanced to Soloist in 2012, performing repertoire such as Bolero, Rite of Spring, Scheherazade, Carmina Burana and Balanchine's Allegro Brilliante. Theresa moved to Orlando, Florida in 2016, working as a commercial dancer and actor, including performing for Universal Orlando. In 2018, she moved to Portland and joined PDX Contemporary Ballet for one season before joining BodyVox. She is grateful to return for her fourth season!
Thorey Mountain (MPhil, BA Hons, RAD Teaching Certificate) Thorey Mountain danced professionally in London for many years, appearing in the original West End productions of Applause, which starred Lauren Bacall, Pippin, and A Chorus Line. She was a…
Valerie Stegall has been in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and instructor for almost thirty-five years. She has several certifications, including Pilates Mat and The Ellové Technique, and has taught numerous formats throughout her career. Valerie believes in having fun while also being intentional and efficient. Currently she splits her time between BodyVox and Multnomah Athletic Club teaching MAC Strong, BarreFit, The Ellové Technique, and her signature class, Motion Sculpt.
Vanessa Thiessen is from Portland, OR and is a teache and choreographer. She currently teaches ballet at Reed College, BodyVox, Open Space Dance, Northwest Dance Project, and Element Dance. She is committed to creating an open, safe and positive environment in every class, where all students are welcome to learn, create, inspire and perform. Her previous experiences includes teaching, choreographing, and/or re-staging for San Francisco State University, Mills College, Smuin Ballet, ODC Dance, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Oregon Ballet Theatre, The Portland Ballet, Sultanov Russian Ballet Academy, and Oregon Performing Arts School.
Vanessa was recently the Resident Choreographer for Post:Ballet in San Francisco, CA from 2017-2022. Her works include Lyra, La Folia, Surface Down, Hades and Persephone, Junction, and Lavender Country (nominated for Best Dance Performance 2019 by SF Classical Voice). She also co-created with Post:Ballet Artistic Director Robert Dekkers; their pieces include Incandescent Body, From Now On (Dance Theater of San Francisco), and Dear Light Along the Path to Nothingness (Grand Rapids Ballet).
Vanessa is passionate about being an artistic collaborator, and has long been inspired by a collective of voices and disciplines. Beginning in 2001, she created Smiling Outside Under a Cloudless Sky and In The Style of.. with fellow Oregon Ballet Theatre dancer Anne Mueller. In 2008, she created In Love We Disappear, performed live with San Francisco men's choir Conspiracy of Beards and Smuin Ballet. From 2013-2015, Vanessa worked alongside ODC Dance Co-Artistic Director KT Nelson, generating choreography for Sacramento Ballet, Owen/Cox Dance, RAWdance, Opera Parallèle, SF Conservatory of Music Blueprint Project, and for Chris Mason Johnson's dance film From The Beginning. In 2018, she created From the Well of Echoes for Berkeley Ballet Theater in collaboration with the Berkeley Symphony, and in 2019, she created Left for BodyVox JAG in collaboration with the Portland Youth Symphony.
As a dancer, Vanessa was a principal dancer with Oregon Ballet Theatre (1995-2003) and performed lead roles in ballets such as James Canfield's Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, CQ, Graph-ic, From Rain, Up, George Balanchine's Serenade and Who Cares?, Trey McIntyre's Speak, Paul Taylor's Cloven Kingdom, and Robert Joffrey's Pas des Déesses. She danced in San Francisco with Smuin Ballet (2003-2008), Amy Seiwert's Imagery (2004-2010), Post:Ballet (2014-2016), and ODC Dance (2008-2014), where she was nominated for an Isadora Duncan Award for her performance in They've Lost Their Footing. She has had the privilege of working with talented choreographers such as Paul Vasterling, Bebe Miller, David Parsons, Charles Moulton, Michael Smuin, Kirk Peterson, Eliot Feld, Brenda Way, Kimi Okada, KT Nelson, Kate Weare, Amy Seiwert, and Robert Dekkers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Zachary began his formative dance training with the legendary Ballet Russe dancer George Zoritch in his native Tucson, Arizona, and continued at The National Ballet School in Toronto, Ontario. Throughout his 25+ year performing career, he performed as a soloist and principal dancer with Oregon Ballet Theatre, Ballet Arizona, Minnesota Dance Theatre, and Ballet West. As a member of Portland's own Bodyvox for more than a decade, he toured widely, performing in Germany, Italy, India and Japan. He also served as the director of Bodyvox 2 for 4 years. Zachary has been on the faculty of Columbia Dance, New Vision and daVinci Arts Middle school, and is a current member of faculties of The Portland Ballet, Steps PDX, Open Space, and BodyVox. He is a frequent guest teacher for schools and Summer Intensives both in Portland and throughout the country.