WE CREATE! 2019 COHORT
Alli Ross/Excavate
Alli Ross is a dance theater artist most curious by the way the body moves toward deeper humanity. Ross is the founding member of the local performance collective, Excavate. Inspired by her students always, you can find Alli in her 6th year of teaching Movement for Actors at the Conservatory at Berklee and has recently been awarded an Urban Service Award for designing and teaching a new course, Theater and Community Engagement. Love and thanks to the village of family and friends who make it possible to work in the arts with a budding family.
Ang Azofeifa
Ang is a Queer Central American dance-theater director and born in Costa Rica. Azofeifa is currently working on an English literature Master’s degree in the University of Costa Rica. Ang's areas of focus include anti-/de-/des-colonialism, gender and sexuality, immigration, dance-theater, kundalini yoga, reiki, English literature and theater direction.
Ang is the director of Kixim (2016) in Costa Rica and was the director of Children’s Theater Company’s Boston production: Battle of the Butter Book by Dr Seuss for 2018 Children’s Theater Camp.
Antonio Hernández del Toro
"I'm a contemporary dance and drama student in Puerto Rico. Looking forward to using my body as a medium for artwork. I identify as an independent artist that works as a collaborator. I am currently training in improvisation and Alexander technique with Karen Langevine and contemporary dance with Petra Bravo in Puerto Rico. Additionally, I am collaborating as a dancer in Boston's Danza Orgánica, under the project: Melaza, Weaving Stories- with residencies in Boston and Puerto Rico."
Jenny Oliver/Amanda Graff
Jenny Oliver is a well-recognized teacher & choreographer in Boston; on Faculty at several institutions, including Tufts University, Emerson College & The Dance Complex. After completing a BA Degree in 2005, she received the Excellence in Achievement Award from the School at Jacob’s Pillow in 2009. When not in the studio Jenny spends time working for the Rasin Foundation,a non-profit healthcare center in Leogane, Haiti.
Amanda Graff is a balancing acrobat, educator, and social change activist. In 2011 Amanda completed the Professional Training Program at the New England Center for the Circus Arts in Vermont, and she has been teaching, training and performing in Boston ever since. The inspiration for her work comes from a synthesized love of high level acrobatics, modern dance and storytelling. Her work intends to inspire, delight and encourage all people to tell their stories.
Jesse Epstein
Jesse Ericka Epstein is a Sundance Award-Winning documentary filmmaker. She received an Masters Degree in Documentary Film from NYU, and was named one of “25 filmmakers to watch” by Filmmaker Magazine. Her films have screened in over 40 film festivals worldwide, at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), MaSS MoCA, The Peabody Museum, and Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. Jesse's film 34x25x36 received a national PBS Broadcast on POV. In addition, she has a published video Op-Doc in the New York Times.
Lauren Horn
Lauren Horn is a movement and text based artist from Windsor, CT. She graduated from Amherst College with degrees in Psychology and Theatre and Dance. Lauren’s work explores identity and the ways it can be uncovered, marginalized, highlighted, and erased. Lauren’s choreographic work has been showcased at The Studio of Contemporary Dance and Thought in Northampton, MA, The Northampton Center for the Arts, Amherst College and ACDFA New England.
Lilly E. Lionpaw
Lilly Evelet Lionpaw is a self taught multimedia Indigenous artist of mixed heritage. Her works are founded in otherness, womxnhood and her indigenous culture. Lilly weaves into her works an in-between experience, processes of healing, social justice topics and issues of disenfranchised peoples that offer spaces for dialogue and restoration.
Maggie Cee
Maggie Cee is an artist, activist, dancer, writer, and educator committed to community and social change.In 2018 she received an aMASSiT choreography fellowship from the Dance Complex, was a Creator-in-Residence at Earthdance, and received a New England Dance Fund Grant.Maggie is the founder and artistic director of “The Femme Show,” a ground-breaking touring variety show about queer femme identity and femininity and co-producer of “Dancing Queerly,” a dance festival for the LGBTQ community.
Melissa Nussbaum Freeman/Walls
I am a theatre-maker, teaching artist and activist. I am founding director of Red Sage Stories: Playback Theatre & Art for Social Change. Beyond the scope of "La Mesa/the Table: the Welcome Project", RSS thrives in the Dorchester/Roxbury community, monthly seen at Haley House and currently, engaged in two commissions: "Celebrate & Activate" and "TimeSlips with Seniors".
I identify as multi-cultural and Queer, and still consider Tepoztlán home.
Sifu Mai Du, Wah Lum Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy
Rooted in an ancient lineage of Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu, and updated and brought to the US by Grandmaster Pui Chan, Wah Lum Tam Tui has spread nationally and internationally to preserve traditional Chinese martial arts and promote health and well-being in its practitioners. Led by Sifu Mai Du, the Malden/Quincy Wah Lum school continues in this tradition, fostering not only healthy physical activity (as well as a healthy competitive spirit at tournaments!) but also community, family and spiritual development through kung fu, tai chi, dragon and lion dance.
Tai Jimenez
Tai Jimenez, a native of New York City, began her dance training with Joan Millen Mesh and went on to study at the School of American Ballet, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Laguardia High School, with Madame Gabriella Darvash and Ken Ludden. She was a member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem School Ensemble before joining DTH, where she became a Principal Dancer.
She has taught at Harvard University, Phillips Academy in Andover, The Boston Conservatory, Boston Arts Academy, East Street Dance, Jeannette Neill’s, Boston Ballet Summer Intensive, Dance Theatre of Harlem School and ModasDance Summer Intensive. She has been featured on the cover of Pointe magazine, in Dance Teacher Magazine, and her writing has appeared in both Pointe and Dance Magazine.
Tai Jimenez teaches an irreverent form of ballet at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Harvard University, Phillips Academy Andover and others.