COMPANY BIOS
ALANA MARIE URDA
Photo by: Colleen Keeley
WATCH ALANA’S SIGNATURE VIDEO!
Alana Marie Urda is (Co-Founder and Artistic Director) of ADC where she pursues using dance for a purpose through her choreographic works, documentaries and company events. She has envisioned and produced a range of distinguished dance events, charity projects, and educational workshops with ADC, and is a Fiscally Sponsored Artist with The Field since 2009. Her ADC repertoire has been celebrated in renowned NYC venues and tours both nationally and internationally. Commissioned for 8 choreographic projects, Alana has set choreography on dancers across the states and presented work at BBKings, The Times Center, Ailey Citigroup, MMAC and Merce Cunningham Studio. Alana is an Artist in Residence at Bridge for Dance and so grateful for support of this magnitude. With a BFA in dance from FSU, Alana is Assistant Director of The Trinity School After School Program where she teaches dance, and is Choreographer for the West Side Y’s Professional Kids Company and The Events in Orlando, FL. Her extensive freelance highlights include choreographing for Lily Chiam’s debut album concert in Asia and Off-Broadway productions, Dear Mr. Rosan / Cherry Pit Theatre, Willy Wonka, Jr. and Once On This Island / The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater, The Jungle Book / 3LD Theatre and Angels, the Musical / Duke Theatre. She has worked with artists such as Peter Kalivas, Ronnie Demarco, Suzanne Farrell, Dan Wagoner, and Jawole Zollar. As an entrepreneur, she continues to create events that provide more job opportunities for dancers.
AUBREY A. STICKLAND
Photo Credit: Nathan Johnson
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Aubrey A. Strickland (Co-founder / Senior Producer) has an extensive background and expertise in production. As Associate Producer for Christie’s Auction House, she works with some of the greatest works of art in the world and coordinates filming for the world’s largest auction events. Aubrey has been on several acclaimed production teams for PBS National Broadcast Television including African American Lives 2, The Supreme Court, and Beyond the Steps: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. She worked alongside film director, Michel Gondry and holds a BA in Communications as a Cum Laude graduate from Marymount Manhattan College. Aubrey is a NY based freelance dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She has been on teaching faculty at Sweet Soul Movement, Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX), The POINT CDC, & Columbia Secondary School. She can be found improvising life and art, writing, and traveling. Aubrey was ADC’s founding principal dancer for 6 years and Associate Artistic Director for 4 years, appointed as Senior Producer in 2012.
SARAH FOSTER
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Sarah Foster (Dancer / Interim Producer) was born and raised in upstate New York and was extremely fortunate to grow up dancing with Lois Welk and the American Dance Asylum. In Ithaca, NY she performed a variety of roles with the Kitchen Theatre Company under the direction of Rachel Lampert, taught modern dance to kids and adults at the Community School of Music and Arts and was the co-founder and artistic director of Wide-Eyed Dance Theatre. Before moving to New York City, she was on the dance faculty of Boston University where she choreographed solo, group, and site-specific work and also taught ballet and modern. Sarah started with ADC as an Apprentice in Spring 2011 and joined the Company in Fall 2011. As of May 2012 she is Coordinator of ADC’s Amalgamate Artist Series. Sarah’s goal in life is to make beautiful things and to make people happy.
NATE BUCHSBAUM
Photo Credit: Katie Felis
Nate Buchsbaum (Dancer) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised throughout South. He began his dance life in Mobile, Alabama before moving to Florida, joining the Danscompany of Gainesville, and performing in numerous community events. Nate received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from the Florida State University where he performed in works by José Limón, Alan Danielson, Lynda Davis, Gerri Houlihan, Tim Glenn, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, and Rick McCullough. During his time at Florida State, he was a member of the school’s Dance Repertory Theater company and has performed in numerous roles with The Tallahassee Ballet. Outside of the university, he has worked with and performed in works by Martha Clarke, Robert Battle, and Camille A. Brown, and has trained at the American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. Nate joined Amalgamate Dance Company in 2011 and looks forward to working with them as well as collaborating and performing in the works of his friends and peers.
MANUELA SANCHEZ
Photo by: Isaiah Bouie
Manuela Sanchez (Dancer) started training in dance at the age of eight at Eileen’s Studio of Dance in Queens, NY. She continued her dance studies at Talent Unlimited High School where she was awarded dance scholarships to Ballet Hispanico and The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. She then furthered her studies at Long Island University- Brooklyn Campus where she earned her BFA in Dance and a minor in Psychology. She has had the privilege of working with choreographers such as Nathan Trice, Kevin Wynn, Earl Mosley, Christal Brown, Astrid Von Ussar, Kate Weare, Alenka Cizmesjia and Brian Brooks to name a few. She was a company member of Nai-Ni Chen Dance Co. She has been featured as a guest artist with Eva Dean Dance Company. Manuela continues to work closely with Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance Inc. and EMIA. She currently teaches the Anya Mind+Body Curriculum on Pilates Apparatus at Studio Anya in Chelsea. In her spare time, she enjoys choreographing and cooking. She is thrilled to be in her first season with Amalgamate Dance Company and is grateful to her family and friends for all their love and support as she continues to passionately explore her artistry in search for meaning in all forms of movement.
JOSHUA REAVER
Photo by Aubrie Rodriguez
Joshua Reaver, a Magna Cum Laude graduate from Florida State University with a BFA in Dance, has had the privilege to perform the works of prestigious choreographers such as José Límon, George Balanchine, Gerri Houlihan, Bulayoung Pagalava, Dan Wagoner, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, and Darshan Bhuller. Along with his training at FSU, he has studied at the American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, and the Florida Dance Festival. Additionally, Joshua’s choreography has been shown throughout Florida including the NewGrounds Festival in Tampa. As both a dancer and choreographer he hopes to connect to audiences on a deep philosophical level and change the way these people view their surroundings having them realize that most things in life can be humorous without losing their significance. When not in the studio, Joshua relaxes by cooking elaborate meals and singing along to the soothing sounds of his guitar.
APPRENTICES
APPRENTICES
TRINA HINES
Trina Hines (Apprentice) a native of Cleveland, Ohio; has studied various dance forms such as; Horton, Limon and Graham techniques. She also has experiences with contact improvisation, African Diaspora movement, ballet, capoeira and most recently hip-hop. Trina has danced in workshops/showings for contemporary artists, Nia Love; Blacksmith’s Daughter Dance and Jenny Efremova; Expression Dance Co. She has also danced for NYU Alums; Yuki Hasegawa, Sarah Moore and in Maira Duarte’s dance film; ‘Being There’. Trina holds a B.S. in Psychology from Baldwin-Wallace College and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Dance Education from New York University. In September 2011, Trina began working with both Amalgamate Dance Company, and Movement of the People Dance Company. She is grateful for these experiences.
INTERNS
INTERNS
ANN STERLING DALE
Ann Sterling Dale (Tailored Internship) has a B.F.A. in Dance and Choreography from Elon University. She performed as a member of the Elon Dance Company from 2007-2011 in Classical and Contemporary Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and African pieces by Elon Faculty and guest artists, Chuck Davis and Jon Lehrer. She attended the Ailey School as an Independent Study Student and performed in the 2010 Ailey Spring Concert in Sonia Dawkins’ piece. She attended the 2009 Ailey Summer Intensive and peformed in Maguette Camara’s West African piece and Richard Amaro’s Latin Jazz piece. She attended the 2011 Parsons Summer Intensive and she is currently in the Work Study Program at Steps on Broadway. She has taken Contemporary master classes from Robert Battle, Dwight Rhoden, Desmond Richardson, Kevin Wynn, Elisa Monte, Pascal Rioult, Andrea Miller, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, and Monica Bill Barnes. She has choreographed numerous pieces at Elon University that were selected to be in the faculty dance concerts, and she choreographed a Senior Thesis Contemporary piece comprised of solo and group sections. Ann Sterling has her Pilates Mat 1 Certification. She has performed professionally with the Winston-Salem Festival Ballet and was a 2010 member of the Naganuma 2 Dance Company. She has also performed with the High Point Ballet Theatre. She is now a member of the Community Dance Project Company as well.
JESSIE LECLERE
Jessica Leclere (Intern) is a certified graduate of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She has studied at the Pennsylvania School of Performing Arts, and has toured with their ensemble group, Spirit in Motion. She has also studied with Princeton Dance and Theater Studio as well as the Mill Ballet School. Some of Jessie’s dance credits include: Roxey Ballet Co. II (Dance), Roxey Ballet I (Apprentice), and Linda Diamond Co. (Dancer). She has been a Guest Dancer in Footprints Dance Co., Notes in Motion, and Gethsemene’. Currently, Jessie dances in Atmosphere Dance Company, which has been evolved from the touring dance convention, Project Dance and recently joined Body Threads Dance Company. She is very excited to be Interning in her second season with Amalgamate Dance Company.
CANDACE TABBS
Photo by Greg Pasternack
Candace Tabbs (Intern) A native of White Plains, New York, Candace began her dance training at The Masters School and continued her study at summer programs with Steps on Broadway. While attending The Masters School, Candace performed with and choreographed for Muse, The Masters School Dance Company. Before joining the professional dance community, Candace majored in Neuroscience and minored in Dance at Barnard College in New York. At Barnard, Candace performed in modern and contemporary works choreographed by esteemed artists such as Nora Chipaumire (“bismillah”), Brian Brooks (“Relay”) and Gwen Welliver (“A Sheet of Pictures”). Additionally, while at Barnard, Candace created and performed works with CoLab Performing Arts Collective. Recently, Candace had the pleasure of performing as an Amalgamate Dance Company guest artist in Aubrey A. Strickland’s “Letters From New York” and as ensemble in Poetic License’s “Underground: Vignettes from a Manhattan Bound Train.”
MARISSA JEAN NIGRO
Marissa Jean Nigro (Intern) was born and raised in Queens, New York. She received her early training through Broadway Dance Center’s Children and Teen Program and was accepted into their Arts in Motion Touring Company for two years. Marissa now attends The New School University, Eugene Lang College to complete her BA in dance with a minor in Writing. She has performed in works by Takehiro Ueyama, Karla Wolfangle, Ori Flomin, Jim May, Joao Carvalho, and is now currently working with their newest residency, Trisha Brown. Marissa also teaches dance at a studio in her hometown. She is very excited to start working with ADC!
ADC STAFF AND COORDINATORS
RACHEL FLETCHER
Rachel Fletcher (Development Associate) works for a nonprofit organization in Brooklyn. She graduated from Boston University with a degree in Journalism and Women’s Studies and was an active member of BU’s Dance Theater Group and three-time participant at the American College Dance Festival. She has been living in (and loving) Brooklyn for the past year and a half, after a stint in San Francisco. Rachel comes to ADC with a great experience and background in the development and fundraising field. She’s very excited to be joining the ADC team as their Development Associate, and can’t wait to get more involved with the ADC community!
ALYSSA BOTHMAN
Alyssa Bothman (Marketing Assistant) is a newcomer to NYC from Los Gatos, California. She recently graduated from Santa Clara University where she achieved a double degree with a BS in Finance and a BA in Dance. Upon graduation, Alyssa moved to New York to pursue her passion for the performing arts and continue her dance training. She is a contemporary dancer with extensive training in jazz, ballet, and modern styles through her university studies and student choreography works. She has trained with company members from the Martha Graham Dance Company, choreographed and performed in numerous dance concerts through her University, and has been an enthusiastic participant with ADC. She is also an active Volunteer Arts Educator, promoting education in all art forms for the youth. She is grateful and eager for the opportunity to develop ADC’s programs as a Marketing Assistant sharing her passion for dance while giving back to the community.
COORDINATORS
Heather N. Seagraves, Amalgamate Artist Series
Sarah Foster, Amalgamate Artists Series, Guest Artist Showcase