ZIRU DANCE - Key Persons
Areta Wang (Chinese American) is a Visual Artist who has worked as a Key Creative Collaborator with Philein since 2007. Her visual works are often used as a backdrop for Ziru Dance's set design and color schematics. Further, she reviews drafts of Philein's choreography and provides insight and constructive guidance as each piece of work takes shape.
Babatunji Johnson was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii. Though never formally trained as a child, Babatunji was always moving his body to the beat. At the age of 15, he discovered the art of hip hop.
Following over a decade of self-taught street performance, he has developed a unique approach to various styles of hip hop such as breakdance, popping, and krump.
While cultivating his own movement language, Babatunji began training in ballet, modern, and contemporary dance, going on to work and perform around the world with Alonzo King LINES Ballet for six years, among other inspiring companies.
Babatunji has been with ZiRu dance since 2011. In 2015, he was awarded a Princess Grace Award, as well as a Chris Hellman Award for his outstanding achievements and promise in the world of dance. Babatunji teaches the Break Dancing Basics and Breakdancing Skill Building classes for ZiRu Dance's new initiative Project Dance O.F.F.
Charmaine is a dancer, teacher, and creative artist based out of San Francisco and Seattle. After graduating high school with an Associate's Degree, she continued her training at Alonzo King LINES Ballet's Training Program in San Francisco. Charmaine has worked professionally with various choreographers, including Amy J Lambert, Babatunji Johnson, Beth Terwilleger, Cameo Lethem, Dwight Rhoden, Petra Zanki, Robert Dekkers, Robert Moses, and Vanessa Thiessen. Additionally, she's performed with Coriolis Dance, Post:Ballet, the Seattle Opera, and Verlaine & McCann's Burlesque Nutcracker, and Sarah Van Patten's Tahoe Dance Camp. In 2019, Charmaine completed her bachelor's degree in Marketing & Entrepreneurship.
Christian Burns has been choreographing, teaching and performing in the Bay Area for 21 years. His pursuit for finding meaning and purpose through dance has yielded a dynamic range of interdisciplinary dance works for stage, video and visual art.
Em Withenbury joined ZiRu Dance in 2010 as a founding dance member and arts administrator. During that time, she traveled to China with the company 5 times and performed/collaborated on several new works with Artistic Director, Philein Wang and resident choreographers. In 2017, she opened and led Iconica Social Club in Northampton, MA as a café with an arts and events space in a historic carriage house. Upon selling the business in 2020, she has relocated to Lexington, KY and is developing the baking program at Brevedé Coffee.
Fabiana Santiago from Crystal Lake, Illinois, started dancing with ZiRu in 2020. She began training at the age of 4 under Judith Svalander. She attended intensives with the Boston Ballet, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and the Bolshoi Ballet Academy (BBA) resulting in a full scholarship to study in Moscow, Russia. Fabiana completed her sophomore year with BBA in Moscow training with the international training class under the direction of Marina Lionova and performed in the historical Bolshoi Theatre stage as the lead gypsy in La Fille Mal Gardee and the Spanish Duet from La Cachucha. She was awarded a talent scholarship to attend Butler University in Indianapolis where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance. Upon graduating Fabiana began her career with Menlowe Ballet in the fall of 2017 where she performed ensemble, soloist, and leading roles as well as choreographing for the spring season of 2019. She is currently a freelance dancer throughout the Bay Area working with multiple choreographers such as Alyssa Mitchel Choreographer, Marika Brussels, Ziru Dance, and Em(body) Dance Project. Fabiana is also a dance instructor in ballet and contemporary as well as a choreographer for competition with multiple schools throughout the Bay Area.
Gretchen received her formal training from the Grand Rapids Ballet School and Alonzo King's LINES Ballet training program; she had the opportunity to work with Alonzo King, Patricia Barker, Maurya Kerr, Arturo Fernandez, Shannon Gillen, Giaconda Barbuto, and Gregory Dawson. Upon graduation, she joined Dark Circles under the direction of Joshua Peugh. There, original works were set on her by Peugh, Sidra Bell, Eoghan Dillon, and Mark Caserta. Once in Los Angeles, Gretchen began creating and performing her own works, as well as performing for Rosanna Gamson, Mike Tyus, Alejandro Perez, and Laurie Sefton. She values the disciplining of the self through understanding the body, the mind, and how to use those to communicate ideas piercingly and honestly.
Jenna Marie was born in Philadelphia, PA and began dancing with ZiRu in 2020. She began her dance training at Olga Kresin's Ballet School and later attended The Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Jenna has participated in a number of dance competitions including The Youth America Grand Prix, where she was featured in the documentary "First Position." As a scholarship student at The Ailey School, Marie became a member of Ailey II under the direction of Sylvia Waters. Following Ailey II, Jenna was a member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Nai Ni Chen Dance Company, Momix, The Metropolitan Opera and Ballet Hispanico. She Has been a guest artist with The black Iris Project and has worked for artists such as Beyoncé, Romeo Santos, Nile Rodgers, and Betsey Johnson. Currently, Jenna is dancing with Post:Ballet and Robert Moses' Kin and teaching at Berkeley Ballet Theater and Moving Arts Academy of Dance here in the Bay Area.
Job Titles:
- Artist in Residence at Princeton University
New York based theater artist Jennifer Harrison Newman works extensively with artists across disciplines, pushing the boundaries of dance, opera, and theater.
Recent site-specific and theatrical work includes: We Were Everywhere (Princeton University); The Infinite Hotel (Prototype Festival); Angel's Bone (Hong Kong New Visions Festival); Place (BAM/Next Wave Festival); If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must be a Motherf*cker (Yale School of Drama); an installation/walking tour of Seneca Village in Central Park (Bard Graduate Center for Material Culture's Focus Festival: Ritual and Capital); la ronde (International Festival of Arts & Ideas); Bread of Heaven (LABA Live); The Children (Yale School of Drama); Three Women (Ojai Playwrights Conference); The Geneva Project (Yale University, Central Arts Festival in Seoul, Korea, JACK NYC, and Bronx Academy of Art and Dance); Bulrusher
Jennifer has been an artist in residence at Princeton University, Yale University, Central Connecticut State University, The Field, Mabou Mines, Baryshnikov Arts Center, 651 Arts, and Sisters Academy Inkost and has led workshops across the United States, Sweden, South Africa, China, and Mexico. Jennifer received her B.A. from UCLA and her MFA from Yale School of Drama. Jennifer first worked with ZiRu Dance from 2012-2014 as the Co-Artistic Director for ZiRu's successful multi-city tour of China.
Job Titles:
- Associate Artistic Director
Karah served as an artistic advisor for ZiRu Dance since 2013 and is now the company's Associate Artistic Director, helping to slowly shape the company, repertory and programming.
Lucia Flexer-Marshall is a freelance contemporary dancer and teacher based in the Bay Area, holding BA in Dance from UC Santa Cruz. Growing up in the East Bay, she trained at the Oakland Ballet School, before joining the Shawl Anderson Youth Ensemble in high school. She has attended a number of summer programs, including Alonzo King Lines Ballet Summer Intensive, California State Summer School for the Arts, Camping in Paris, and b12 in Berlin. Lucia's professional experience includes work with Janice Garrett, Fullstop Dance, Alyssa Mitchel, Tandy Beal, and Robert Moses. She also teaches at RoCo Dance, Oakland Ballet School and Shawl Anderson Dance Center.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Nathaniel is an Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with a specialization in dance/movement therapy. He uses dance and movement to explore thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Dance/movement therapy relies on the premise that the mind and body are interconnected and that all movement is meaningful. Through the process of therapy, clients can learn to express themselves authentically, improve self-awareness, and create meaningful relationships with themselves and others. Nathaniel also uses a person-centered approach and draws from a variety of techniques, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness, positive psychology/strengths-based, and existential therapy.
Nick is in his second season with ZiRu Dance and grew up in the Seattle area. Nick graduated from Chapman University with a BFA in Dance Performance and a minor in Kinesiology. Since moving to the Bay Area, he has had the pleasure of working in the dance community as a performer with RAWdance, administrator, and somatic healer. Nick became a Certified Massage Therapist in California (CMT) in 2019 and a Responsive Body Level I Practitioner in 2021. In 2022, he started a private practice with the intention of helping bodies of all abilities learn and find embodied ways of being, which can be found at nwbodywork.com.
Job Titles:
- Artistic Director
- Chinese / Taiwanese American
An award-winning Chinese-American poet/choreographer and distinguished Artistic Director, Philein Wang leads ZiRu Dance. Over the last half century, Philein herself has firsthand lived through racism as a native of Oakland, California. As a result, she has developed deep ties to African-American, Latino-American, and other Asian-American communities over several decades.
Philein's exploration of her own Chinese-American heritage led her to create a new dance form for the Chinese body and identity. Her goal is to build cross-cultural bridges, uniting generations of immigrants through a unique blend of dance elements from Asia, Europe, Africa, and America, in tandem with original music. Using a distinct combination of influences - modern dance, ballet, martial arts, and hip hop - she hopes to create something unique to offer Asian Americans, so they have a way to feel at home in their bodies and minds. Philein leads ZiRu Dance with an intrinsic understanding of how one experiences racism in this country. ZiRu is a company committed to continually bringing to light how we can grow and evolve in positive ways. This process of growth and healing from difficult, shocking, and divisive events and environments in the U.S. and worldwide is at the core of ZiRu Dance's mission and work.
"When a young Chinese person is feeling confused as I was, and looking for answers to the question, ‘Who am I?' maybe this dance can help them find their identity, their culture, and their strength. Help them know where they belong." - Philein Wang.
She was a soloist with several companies, including Janice Garrett and Cloud Gate Dance Theatre. She also received choreography mentorships from the late Bella Lewitzky and Lin Hwai-Min, Artistic Director of Taiwan's world-renowned Cloud Gate Dance and Margaret Jenkins. In 2016, she was recognized as an honoree at the first-ever Asian and Pacific Islander Heroes of San Mateo County reception. She has received awards from many foundations and institutions including the Community Foundation of San Carlos, twice awarded grants from the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, Apple, Microsoft, the Fleishhacker Foundation, and San Mateo County Strong. Nancy Pellegrini of Time Out Beijing said, "Wang herself is a force of nature, raising money, creating projects, and sharing the stage with artists of every stripe. And that alone is well worth a look." Pellegrini added that the multidisciplinary artist has a "…staggering level of broad-based talent… whatever you do, don't miss her show." When she's not directing, choreographing, or raising her young family, Philein is dedicated to building new investment and community bridges to support the company. Philein is also a partner at SV2 (Silicon Valley Social Venture Philanthropy).
Job Titles:
- Filipino American
- Music and Video Producer
Philip is a longtime collaborator with ZiRu Dance. He has produced all of the music and video content for ZiRu Dance since 2007. Philip is a music producer, blogger and media coach who was born in Los Angeles. Philip's music has been featured on numerous spots for TV, Film, artists, and brands. His credits include NBC, Warner Bros, MTV, Fox, Miramax, and countless Grammy nominees. He founded VisionQuest Sound in 2010 and has been instrumental in helping artists and brands to share their art and stories to the world.
Sawako Gannon (any/all) is a freelance dancer based in the San Francisco Bay Area from Japan. Upon moving to San Francisco from Tokyo, Sawako graduated with a B.A. in Dance from San Francisco State University. Sawako trained with Ray Tadio and Cathleen McCarthy, as well as academic instruction from Yutian Wong. Sawako had the privilege to work with choreographers such as David Herrera's David Herrera Performance Company, Natasha Adorlee's Concepto4, Andi Salazar's A Pulso Dance Project, Joe Landini's dog+pony, Jesselito Bie's STEAMROLLER Dance Company, Alyssa Mitchel, Anna Harris's Driven Arts Collective, Jennifer Gerry, Joselyn Reyes, Erin Yen, Raissa Simpson's PUSH Dance Company as a Pathway program dancer as well as numerous artists.
Sharon Kung was born in New York, and currently resides in the San Francisco bay area. She joined ZiRu in 2021. Sharon received her early training at the Jean M Wong School of Ballet in Hong Kong, and continued in the bay area before graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of California, Irvine with a BFA in Dance Performance and BA in Economics. She is currently a freelance dance artist in the San Francisco bay area, performing, collaborating, choreographing, and teaching. Her repertory includes works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Bob Fosse, Yayoi Kambara, José Limon, Graham Lustig, Dexandro "D" Montalvo, Robert Moses, Donald McKayle, Crystal Pite, and Amy Seiwert. Her experience includes Dance Theatre of San Francisco, KAMBARA + DANCERS (San Francisco), Thodos Dance Chicago along with freelance projects and film collaborations in San Francisco, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, and Morocco.
Job Titles:
- Marketing Professional and Performing Artist
Simon Ting is a marketing professional and performing artist. He has managed marketing campaigns for numerous tech companies in California and abroad. Beyond the marketing realm he has an extensive background in both music and dance. His musical journey began with piano at the age of 4 before later getting involved with drumming, singing/rapping, song-writing, and music production. Simon has written and produced music for ZiRu dance shows and toured this music with the company in the US and abroad. He has also performed live drumming while on tour with the company. Besides his involvement with ZiRu Dance, Simon was also a Co-Director of Str8jacket - a Bay Area based competitive hip-hop dance team that thrives in creativity and that has performed on America's Got Talent and NBC's World of Dance.
Vincent Chavez was born and started his dance career in Albuquerque, NM. At age 17 he began his pre-professional dance training, studying with several organizations including Dance Theatre Southwest, Ballet Hispanico, Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre and the LINES Ballet Training Program.
Drawing on the training, education, and experience he has gained, Vincent is currently a freelance dance artist in the Bay Area. He spends the majority of his time his time choreographing, teaching, and dancing.
Vincent is not only one of the founding members of ZiRu Dance, he is also one of the active company dancers for ZiRu Dance.
Vincent has enjoyed the opportunity to dance and collaborate on many projects and with many other companies, including New Mexico Ballet Company (2003-07), Nevada Ballet Theatre (2007-2011), Robert Moses' Kin (2012-present), and Oakland Ballet Company (2013-present).
Winifred R. Harris is a multi-faceted artist, teacher, and community activist. As a choreographer, she consciously balances the inherently beautiful escapism of dance and the social realities that form today's aesthetic and cultural values. She enjoys working with fantasies and dreams, as well understanding and taking responsibility for issues grounded in reality. In short, Ms. Harris is a visionary who creates art as conversation, a connective tissue to the world, and a means to see beyond what we think of as "limits." Her work is a strong balance of technical prowess and expression through gesture. Ms. Harris began her training under the guidance of Denver's critically acclaimed Cleo Parker Robinson. She then went on to dance professionally for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble for 10 years, Dallas Black Dance Theater immediately following, and also enjoyed a solo stint in New York and abroad during that time. In October 1991, Ms. Harris relocated and made her home in Los Angeles, founding the critically lauded and award nominated Winifred R. Harris' Between Lines - a contemporary modern dance company. During the past fifteen years of Ms. Harris' work as a choreographer, she has garnered special notice from both the Los Angeles Times and the California Arts Council for LA Cultural Affairs. In recognition of her work, she has been nominated for the Lester Horton Choreography Award as well as the Alpert Award. In recognition of her dedication and commitment in bringing dance to underprivileged youth through her teaching efforts within the Los Angeles community, Ms. Harris has received several awards from the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles.
Zaria Jackson (Z), started their classical ballet training at Alabama Dance Academy at age 3. Throughout high school they had the opportunity to train at multiple summer intensives, the most recent being BalletX's SI in 2020. After high school, Zaria attended the Alonzo King Lines Ballet | Training Program in San Francisco under the direction of Karah Aboig. In the program they performed works by Sidra Bell, Greg Dolbasian, Alex Ketely, Christian Burns and Carmen Rozestraten while having the opportunity to learn LINES Repertory. After graduating the program in 2020, Zaria worked with Fermata Ballet Collective and shortly after moved to Salt Lake City to dance with SALT2. Now back in San Francisco, Z is pleased to be dancing with ZiRu for their Spring Season as well working with their outreach program.