Onward, Upward, and Sometimes Upside Down
Invertigo’s dance theatre creates a unique spin on the world.
MEET OUR ARTISTS, OUR INNOVATORS
Alexandria Bingham
Operations Associate
Linda Berghoff
Board Member, Dancing Through Parkinson’s Teacher
Jeannette Bland
Performing Artist
K. Bradford
Executive & Programs Director
Jonathan Bryant
Dancer
Kyreanna Breelin
Dancer
Cody Brunelle-Potter
Dancer & KTP Costume Coordinator
Heidi Buehler
DTP Teaching Artist
Hyosun Choi
Dancer
Jessica Dunn
Dancer
Jessica Emmanuel
Ktichen Table Project Dancer
Amanda Eno
Ktichen Table Project Stage Manager
Jessica Moneà Evans
Teaching Artist
Mallory Fabian
Rehearsal Director
Spencer Jensen
Dancer
Corina Kinnear
Dancer
Laura Karlin
Artistic Director
Anakaren Silva
Creative Engagement & Production Intern
Toby Karlin
Composer
Najeeb Sabour
Composer & Performer
Diana Lynn Wallace
Board Member, Composer & Performer
Eric Mason
Composer
Dominique McDougal
Dancer
Tatiana McClung
Media & Production Intern
Rosalida Medina
Costume Designer
Rachel Murata
Programs & Operations Associate
Veronica Mullins
Sound Designer
Rosa Navarrete
Community Engagement Manager & Teaching Artist
Haylee Nichele
Interim Artistic Director & DTP Teacher
Sanna Rafalovich
Operations Manager
Chelsea Roquero
Dancer
Keon Saghari
Dancer
Nadia Maryam
Dancer
Chelsea Sutton
Development Manager
Austin Tyson
Kitchen Table Project Dancer
Rachel Whiting
DTP Teaching Artist
Luke Dakota Zender
Dancer
Alexandria Bingham
Operations Associate
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, MI, she has always been involved in arts and culture whether it be performing or visual. Alexandria is a current dual MBA/Art Business Master Candidate at Claremont Graduate University here in california. She is an innovative creative professional and leader with a background in arts curation and public programming in contemporary art museums. Alexandria enjoys curating stories through art and culture, with a drive to create equity, start necessary conversations, and enrich and educate through art. Her background is primarily based in Philadelphia, where she completed her undergraduate degree in Art History at Temple University, working at Temple Contemporary Gallery, The Colored Girls Museum, and The African American Museum in Philadelphia.
Linda Berghoff
Board Member, Dancing Through Parkinson’s Teacher
Linda Berghoff (Dancing Through Parkinson's teacher, Invertigo board member, person living with Parkinson's) has danced recreationally all of her life. When she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2006, the diagnosis struck a blow at her most beloved activity. She continued to stay active and take dance classes. While in NYC visiting her children and grandchildren, she found out about the Dance for PD® program and received teacher training with Invertigo Dance Theatre members, both in Brooklyn and LA. She is proud to collaborate with Invertigo to bring an invaluable program to people living with PD. Linda's health continues to be strong, perhaps aided by her continued movement, travel, Ladino study and dance regimen, including being a teaching artist for multiple DTP classes. She is also a board member of Invertigo Dance Theatre.
Jeannette Bland
Performing Artist
Jeannette believes that the inherent curiosity of life that each person holds dear can be satisfied and amplified with the help of mentors, experiences, and keen outlets of expression. From a bassoonist with the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra at age 9, later playing jazz under the tutelage of Sri Turiasangitananda, coordinating Artists-in-Residence programs between the Washington State Department of Corrections and the Washington State Arts Commission, to composing a chamber piece, she finds harmony and beauty in the spaces between the obvious. She currently is CEO and Founder of Gaia Knowledge Institute, an organization dedicated to overlooked and underrepresented people telling their own stories by connecting intersections of cultures and histories. www.GaiaTalk.orgHer academic background is in the arts and arts education–BAs in cultural anthropology and sociology (Western Washington University), graduate work in ethnomusicology, education, physics (University of Washington), and a doctorate in archetypal depth psychology and mythological studies (Pacifica Graduate Institute). Jeannette is an independent student of Talmudic thought, logic, and humor (Jerusalem, Tzfat, Austin, Los Angeles, Sado-ga Shima).Jeannette grew up surrounded in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest of the United States, achieving levels of initiations from Teachers to whom she bows with every breath when developing ceremony, teaching ritual methodologies, or listening to the still, small inner whispers of the heart. She publishes journals (Awakening! Journal of Encouragement/ Amazon.com), creates ketubot and other calligraphy pieces in multiple languages and designs ritual objects and tools. JR2D.bigcartel.comHer personal philosophy is based on achieving the dynamic knowledge, understanding, and wisdoms of a balanced life paired with attentive appreciation of everyday experiences with ease and kindness.
K. Bradford
Executive & Programs Director
Bradford is an interdisciplinary artist, educator and cultural innovator whose public practice has spawned projects and programs in Austin, Chicago and Los Angeles. Most recently, K. launched The Qosmos Projects - a post-drag performance spectacle and an LGBTQIA+ youth world-building series, Qumanity. This fall, Qumanity rolls out as an interdisciplinary art lab for LAUSD students in a new Virtual Enrichment Program. K. has taught at Antioch University, CalArts, and for eight years at Columbia College, where they were the head of the LGBTQ Office of Culture & Community. K. has directed and co-founded: Gender Fusions, a large-scale annual queer spectacle + cultural dialogue (Chicago), The Raw Works, a story and performance program for low-income and homeless LGBTQIA youth (Chicago), It’s a She-Shoot a film and story program for women and girls (Austin) and One Mile, an arts + social justice program that poetically re-imagines the challenges of our times through immersive public art installations (Los Angeles). K. has performed across the U.S., and their writing has appeared in publications such as the LA Review of Books, Viralnet.net, Gulf Coast, Trop and more. K. has received scholarships from the Fulbright Foundation, Tin House Writers Workshop, Bread Loaf Writers Conference, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Hailing from New England originally, K. holds an MFA in Writing and in Art + Technology from CalArts.
Jonathan Bryant
Dancer
Jonathan Bryant is a dance artist with 14 years experience as a performer, choreographer and educator. Performance credits include Moses Pendleton’s Momix (Botanica and Remix) the works of choreographers Rosanna Gamson (STILL), Ting-Yu Chen (Shift, Inmortality), and Keith Thompson (Science of Risk). Jonathan received his MFA from the California Institute of the Arts and his BFA from Shenandoah University. He is fascinated by dance in its many forms and is interested in works that generate palpable, infectious wonder as well as share his curiosity in those things that stir the soul. He is very excited to be part of the Invertigo family.
Kyreanna Breelin
Dancer
Kyreeana Breelin holds a BFA in Dance and Choreography and a Minor in Digital Arts from California Institute of the Arts. Her choreographic works have been showcased nationally and internationally. She is an adjunct professor at Citrus College in Dance Production. She has toured with B. Dunn Movement and through Dance Film of "Double Up" with Francesca N. Penzani and Nedra Wheeler which toured internationally. Kyreeana has been an artist with Invertigo Dance Theatre for over three years. She also is a co-collaborator with interdisciplinary arts company The Paint Brush Game with her brother Vinci Lewis. Additionally, Kyreeana is on dance faculty at California School of the Arts-SGV and is adjunct dance staff at Chadwick School.
Cody Brunelle-Potter
Dancer & KTP Costume Coordinator
Cody is a non-binary dance artist currently performing and creating in Los Angeles. They began their dance and performance career in NYC, where they were a dancer and Assistant Director for In-Sight Dance Company, a nonprofit service organization based in Queens. Since moving to Los Angeles, they have had the pleasure of working with many local companies and choreographers in the concert dance world which include Invertigo Dance Theater, WhyteBerg, Mollie Wolf, Luke Zender, Heidi Duckler, Iris Company, Acts of Matter, FABE and Rosanna Gamson World Wide.They have also worked in the commercial dance world with Teresa (Toogie) Barcelo, William Ylvisaker, Ashley (ROBI) Robicheaux, Matty Peacock and Amy O’Neal. They have performed in work for artists like Reggie Watts, Billie Eilish, FYOHNA, Ben De La Creme, Jinx Monsoon and more.Cody’s personal work explores the boundaries of being wild and delicate while balancing the honesty of the emotional impetus for each movement. They are interested fiber sculpture as well and are working to incorporate moving fibers sculptures into their work. They have partnered with Fiber Artist Mimi Haddon on many occasions and lead workshops in using fiber sculpture partnered with movement to explore how we can understand ourselves better as emotional beings through the putting on and use of costume.
Heidi Buehler
DTP Teaching Artist
Heidi Buehler is a professional contemporary dancer currently dancing with companies in Los Angeles and Long Beach. She has worked with various professional ballet, modern, and musical theater companies in the past and was even a dance soloist in a national touring production. She is a fitness and adventure enthusiast and loves teaching barre classes. In addition she also enjoys being an instructor for Dancing Through Parkinson’s. In her free time she and her husband enjoy training Jiu Jitsu and travelling the world.
Hyosun Choi
Dancer
At the age of 4, Hyosun mimicked her parents during their ballroom dance classes. An observing instructor offered to teach her. Around that time, she followed her cousin to a Korean cultural dance school and afterwards, declared that she was going to learn. Upon quickly mastering the Korean drums, fans, and swords, she performed regularly. At 7, she was winning National and Regional Ballroom Dance Competitions, including the Grand Prix. When her parents stopped ballroom dancing, Hyosun had to quit. A few years later, she stopped Korean cultural dance to focus on her schooling. This began a decade-long separation from dance.After graduating as high school valedictorian, Hyosun attended USC on a scholarship with acceptance to their accelerated pre-pharmacy program. To her parents' disappointment, Hyosun announced that she did not want to follow her father's footsteps as a pharmacist after graduating in 3 years with a B.A in Biology and a minor in Cinema. During her last year, having enrolled in a jazz class on a whim, Hyosun was asked to join USC's Jazz II Dance Company, and to perform for both faculty and student choreographers. One of the graduating choreographers she was paired up with was Kate Hutter, co-founder of Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company (LACDC), who would hire her years later.Hyosun began recreationally dancing at EDGE Performing Arts Center as she secretly pursued professional acting while studying at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Encouraged by her family, she went to New York Law School. In New York, she took open classes at Atlantic Acting School, Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center (BDC) and STEPS. BDC's faculty teacher, Ginger Cox, invited her to join LiNK Dance Company. This launched her professional dance career.Within a few weeks of moving back to Los Angeles, she auditioned for LACDC and was hired. Hyosun currently dances with LACDC, Invertigo Dance Theatre, Iris Company, and La Dansa Dansa. She is a certified trainer in the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis Methods, works as a Corporate Trainer at Bank of Hope, is admitted to the State Bar in CA and NY, plays cello, piano, and guitar, composes music, and reads. Books. Now and then, she sleeps. She is very happy.
Jessica Dunn
Dancer
Jessica Dunn started dancing at 9 years old in her tiny town of Tehachapi. She danced with a local ballet company before leaving to attend CSU Long Beach’s BFA Dance program. She continues to dance and perform in Los Angeles. When she has free time she likes to draw, stretch, and tries to pet stray cats.
Jessica Emmanuel
Ktichen Table Project Dancer
Jessica Emmanuel is a Los Angeles based dancer, choreographer, performance artist, educator and curator. She studied Dance & Choreography at the BOCES Cultural Arts Center in New York and is a graduate of The California Institute of the Arts with a BFA in Performance & Choreography. Jessica is the founder of Mothership LA and a co-founder of the theater-based artist collective Poor Dog Group. Her work has been presented internationally at the Bootleg Theater, Live Arts Exchange Festival, the New Original Works Festival at REDCAT, Montserrat DTLA, Highways Performance Space, The Electric Lodge, Zoukak Studios (Lebanon), The Getty Villa, Interferences Festival (Romania), Baruch Performing Arts Center, The Curtis R. Preim Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), Pieter Performance Space, Palace of Culture and Science (Warsaw, Poland), Girlschool LA Festival, Project Row Houses and The Contemporary Art Museum Santa Barbara. She has choreographed/performed for Poor Dog Group, Heidi Duckler Dance Theater, The MOVEMENT Movement, Ania Catherine & Dejah Ti, Genevieve Carson, Bryan Reynolds and the Transversal Theater Company, Son of Semele Ensemble, The CalArts Center for New Performance, Paul Outlaw, No)one. Art House and Stacy Dawson Sterns. Jessica has also curated art events at various locations in Los Angeles.
Amanda Eno
Ktichen Table Project Stage Manager
Amanda Eno (Production Stage Manager) is a native of Colorado who now calls Los Angeles her home. Previous projects include Movement and The White Album (Los Angeles Performance Practice), Dragon Show and Sherwood and Nottingham (Spy Brunch), Elle S’envoie (Linked Dance Theatre), AMC DeadQuarters (San Diego ComicCon 2019/Giant Spoon), HULU Castle Rock Activation (San Diego Comic Con 2018/OA Experiential), Wood Boy Dog Fish and Kaidan Project (Rogue Artists Ensemble), Prometheus Bound (Getty Villa/CalArts Center for New Performance). Amanda holds an MFA in Stage Management from California Institute of the Arts.
Jessica Moneà Evans
Teaching Artist
Jessica Moneà Evans is a multifaceted artist/manager from Raleigh, North Carolina. She studied Acting to complement her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Professional Theatre at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (NC A& T) and received her Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), for Theatre Management. Jessica has traveled the world managing a variety of dance, theater, concerts, and comedy shows at organizations including CBS, REDCAT, Disney Hall, Sundance Theater Lab and heidi duckler dance, including production managing with B. Dunn Movement and HDD’s salons and galas over the past two years. Some producing credits include: Add Water and Stir, Distorted Realities at the Bootleg Theatre, One Leg at a Time at the California Institution for Women, Move Well @MLK at The Gateway at a Willowbrook Senior Center, Culver City Centennial project, Ebb & Flow Festival at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook (Culver City), When I am King at theKing Hing Theater (Chinatown), and FishEyes at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (San Pedro). Since Evans adolescences she always expressed a passion for entertainment and bringing people together. Her artistic bliss allows her to advance company goals by integrating her wealth of knowledge and experience in the art.
Mallory Fabian
Rehearsal Director
Mallory Fabian, a Las Vegas native, received her BFA from California Institute of the Arts. Mallory has performed for Gob Squad, RGWW, Zoe Scofield, Szalt, The Assembly, Dance Aegis, B. Dunn Movement and more. Mallory is the board president and a dancer for Rosanna Gamson/World Wide, and the Rehearsal Director for Invertigo Dance Theatre. In 2017, Mallory founded her dance company fabe Dance. fabe has presented work at REDCAT, Highways Performance Space, Bootleg, Civic Center Studios, Mimoda, Lula Washington, The Rose Center Theatre, Calarts, Diavolo and more. Mallory has toured around the US and internationally performing and teaching her own work and others. Mallory has also launched a new company, PCKT, with Darby Kelley that offers freelancers more opportunity to get work, and where producers and directors can meet new artists to create the work of their dreams. @fabedance @pcktla
Spencer Jensen
Dancer
A southern California native, Spencer Jensen received his BFA in Dance at California State University, Long Beach, and has continued to perform as a freelance dancer in both Los Angeles and Orange County. Spencer received his formal dance education from Keith Johnson, Rebecca Lemme, Lorin Johnson, Summer Brown, Rebecca Bryant, and Alicia Head. His credits include performing as a dancer in Willam Shakespeare’s The Tempest at the Walt Disney Concert Hall along with the LA Philharmonic under the direction of Barry Edelstein and choreographed by Patrick McCollum, FLEX presented by L.A. Dance Project’s MAKING:LA Residency Program choreographed by Jay Carlon, and Keith Johnson and Dancers’ 20th Anniversary Show. Spencer is a member of Dance Discovery Foundation, a non-profit charitable arts organization, where he assists in programs providing young students more accessible ways to participate in dance and the performing arts. This is Spencer's first season with Invertigo and he is very excited to make his debut at The Broad Stage.
Corina Kinnear
Dancer
Corina Kinnear started her training at her mother’s studio Parker Dance Academy, and then at International Ballet School. She continued in San Francisco, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts with Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet and Dominican University, as well as her certification as a Gyrotonic® instructor. Since, she has danced and toured as a performing artist and choreographer with companies in Los Angeles, New York, Montreal, Colorado, San Francisco, and throughout Europe including Invertigo Dance Theatre, the Deutche Oper Ballet, LA Opera, MiMoDa, Gibson Muriva Dance Company, Deutche Fernsehballet, The Movement Movement, Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre, Arrogant Elbow, and creating work in residencies at PARTS in Brussels, the CND in Paris, TanzFabrik in Berlin, and for the Oydessy Theatre Dance Festival.
Laura Karlin
Artistic Director
Laura Karlin is the Founder and Artistic Director of Invertigo Dance Theatre, a teacher, choreographer, and movement activist.Since establishing Invertigo in 2007, Laura has created over 40 pieces for the company, including eight full evening-length works. Her work for Invertigo has been presented at venues including the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ford Amphitheatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Broad Stage, and LACMA. Her work is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the California Arts Council, LA County Arts Commission, and the New England Foundation for the Arts.Laura graduated from Cornell University with a dual degree in Choreography/Production and Pre-Law/LGBTQ Civil Rights. In London, she choreographed for and performed with Synergy Dance Theatre, Snapdragon Dance and the prestigious Resolution! Festival.Laura has also been commissioned by LA Contemporary Dance Company, Celebrate Dance, and the Southern California Dance Invitational. She has been a guest artist and teacher at Loyola Marymount University, Santa Monica College, Pierce College, La Companyia in Barcelona, and University California, Santa Barbara. Additionally, she has established ongoing partnerships with other non-profit arts organizations in LA, including choreographing for and performing alongside the Independent Shakespeare Company for ten summers.When she isn’t in the Invertigo office or rehearsal room, Laura can be found teaching Invert/ED and Dancing Through Parkinson’s classes, practicing sustainable gardening in her home, or in the world camping and traveling.
Anakaren Silva
Creative Engagement & Production Intern
Anakaren Silva is a Mexican artist from Monterrey, Nuevo León primarily working with photography and moving images, who recently graduated from California Institute of the Arts with a dual BFA in Film / Video and Photography and Media. An overarching theme in her art practice has been language and how it facilitates or influences specific modes of thinking because of their history, grammatical structures and phonetics. Themes like collective memory, pop culture, and childhood are also often underlying themes in her art. At the root of her art practice, an element of community and teaching nurtures every idea that she harbors, as they are the values she considers most in line with her dreams for art communities. Anakaren strongly believes in the capacity of an arts education to build new and meaningful relationships that nurture our energies and spaces. Her dream is to build a community studio/exhibition space where processes are influenced by others in close proximity and resources are shared. She has recently focused on documenting behind the scenes and still photography in video productions, as well as practicing the art of tattooing for a living.
Toby Karlin
Composer
Toby Karlin is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and performer from Los Angeles, CA. He holds a degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.Currently residing in Los Angeles, Toby continues to evolve and create, with a particular interest in collaborating in visual art, film, virtual reality, and multi-media projects. While the scope of his music remains broad, he is particularly interested and skilled in producing in the following genres: ambient/atmospheric, funk/hip hop, electronic/synthwave, percussive/high energy/big beats, live saxophone, dramatic tension and release, quirky whimsical stabs and interludes. Toby has composed for Invertigo Dance Theatre since the beginning, and he is producing, songwriting and performing for an album of original music with Myuna to be released in 2020. Myuna writes, records, and performs music, and co-creates sound baths and multi-sensory experiences.
Najeeb Sabour
Composer & Performer
Najeeb Sabour is a New Orleans born and Texas raised composer, cellist, singer-songwriter, studying classical music at The Boston Conservatory and contemporary music at the Berklee School of Music. Najeeb takes his diverse community and cultural experiences into his eclectic style of composing and performing as he draws the listeners threw a journey of storytelling. @NajeebSabour
Diana Lynn Wallace
Board Member, Composer & Performer
Diana Lynn Wallace is a singer/composer based in Los Angeles. Growing up the daughter of a preacher, she has strong roots in gospel and choral music, however she draws inspiration from world rhythms and indigenous music.As a vocal artist, songwriter, composer and teacher, Diana Lynn leads with her whole heart. Through her wide lens, extensive skills, creative gifts and pure passion for life, Diana combines all of her strengths to inspire, support and help others find their voice, honor their strength & embrace their power to reach their highest selves.Diana holds real life experiences, certifications and qualifications in vocal performance, drum circle facilitation, music, music technology and visual arts. She has been a mentee and student of globally acclaimed musicians, healers as well as luminary leaders of awareness and consciousness.Diana serves a global audience of diverse communities. Her vision is to help others lead a life of joy, creativity, strength and full expression. Diana is currently working on new musical compositions and voice workshops both on Zoom and in person and facilitates drum circles throughout the Los Angeles areas.
Eric Mason
Composer
Eric has performed as principal cellist for several orchestras over the years as well as being a member of the SCSBOA All-Southern and CODA/CMEA California All-State Honor Orchestras. He is an alumnus of UCLA with a B.A. in Business and Economics with a Minor in Music and New Media, where he performed as a member of the UCLA Philharmonia Orchestra. He has composed multiple evening length and segment work for dance companies and choreographers including LA Contemporary Dance Company and Invertigo Dance Theatre. His compositions and sound design have also been created for commercial clients including Google, The Natural History Museum, ITVS, and many others. Eric's musical style combines both his love for classical instrumentation and contemporary musical sensibilities. Outside of music, Eric is also an accomplished Flame artist and Visual Effects Supervisor for commercial and film work. He lives in LA with his wife Kate and two kids, and enjoys a good hammock.
Dominique McDougal
Dancer
Dominique McDougal, a native of Lakeland, Florida, started his education in theater at the age of 9. He later went on to train in classical ballet at Florida Dance Theatre becoming a trainee with their professional company his senior year in high school. Upon graduating, he moved to Philadelphia and joined Smoke, Lilies & Jade under Zane Booker. Dominique then furthered his education in movement through the Alonzo King LINES Ballet training program. Throughout his dance education and professional experience Dominique collaborated with artists such as Earl Mosley, Brigette Dunn-Korpela, Ferdinand DeJesus, Carol Krajacic-Erkes, Lennie Meek re-staging Lar Lubovich Concerto 622, Norbert De La Cruz III, James Sewell, Amanda Miller, Gregory Dawson, Alonzo King, Maurya Kerr, Sidra Bell, Renee Redding Jones, Kevin Wynn, Caron Eule and many more. This is Dominique's second season with Invertigo Dance Theatre!
Tatiana McClung
Media & Production Intern
Tatiana McClung, a recent graduate of California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) where she majored in studio art and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts hails originally from Houston, Texas. It was there in Houston where she trained in classical ballet, hip hop, and contemporary dance as well as rhythmic gymnastics and the martial art of Taekwondo. All the while Tatiana maintained a love for the visual arts as well and studied at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s Glassell Junior School and was an active member of the museums H.A.N.G. (Houston Art New Generation at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston) the museum’s self defined digital think tank. Tatiana also volunteered regularly at the Bayou City Arts Festival and several other local organizations which further developed her love of giving back and philanthropy. Tatiana is currently pursuing scenic painting and furthering her philanthropic work with non -profit organizations such as Invertigo.
Rosalida Medina
Costume Designer
Rosalida Medina is a costume designer rooted in the art of cloth & storytelling. Born in France to a French artist mom and a Puerto Rican chef from the Bronx, she wove her passion for costuming and fashion, and her collaborative artistry took her to the Paris Opera, theaters in North Carolina and Los Angeles, and movie and TV productions on both coasts. Now based in Los Angeles, Rosalida also Dove into her early passion designing dance costumes. The companies she collaborates with are Cedar Lake Ballet, Contra-Tiempo, Donna Sternberg & Dancers, Clairobscur Dance and Viver Brasil. She also supervises the shows for LADance Project. She is forever grateful for the opportunity to concept design and build pieces, wearable art costumes, for Laura Karlin’s brilliant-hearted storytelling shows and would like to particularly, thank the messages rooted in diversity that Invertigo Dance Theatre brings to the world of dance.
Rachel Murata
Programs & Operations Associate
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Rachel Murata started dancing at a young age beginning with ballet in preschool, and then training in hula for seven years. In high school, she quickly fell in love with other dance forms through her exposure to jazz, ballet, contemporary, hip hop and musical theater. Her career in dance was accompanied by print modeling, commercials, and acting for major television networks such as ABC. She has recently graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 2021 with Magna Cum Laude. During her time at Loyola Marymount University she studied under Rosalynde LeBlanc Loo (Bill T. Jones), Lillian Barbeito (BODYTRAFFIC), Kate Hutter Mason (L.A. Contemporary Dance Company), and James Gregg (Wewolf). Through her studies, Rachel is committed to fostering a career that integrates her business minor, body awareness/wellness, and her pure enjoyment for movement.
Veronica Mullins
Sound Designer
Ms. Mullins is a California native. She received her B.F.A in Sound Design from California Institute of the Arts. She has worked with amazing companies such as Kronos Quartet,The Industry Opera Company, Cornerstone Theater Company, Drive Theater Company, Fabe Dance, and Walt Disney Imagineering, Specializing in fantastical, musical and technology-infused theater and interactive design, she uses her backgrounds in music and electronics to create unique experiences.
Rosa Navarrete
Community Engagement Manager & Teaching Artist
Rosa Navarrete is a Writer, Actor, and Director. Her movement work is centered around storytelling and dance theater work. Rosa enjoys teaching all ages, allowing for sources of movement to emerge from choreography, storytelling, and the community themselves. Rosa's experience with intergenerational communities stems from her work with organizations like Angela’s Pulse (angelaspulse.org), The Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton (themuck.org), and the families of Casa 0101 Theater’s Youth Program (casa0101.org). In 2018, she worked in a year-long community organized project titled Pittsfield Moves! in Massachusetts - funded by the Ford Foundation and produced by Angelas’s Pulse and Jacob’s Pillow. These days, playing is a lost art for most adults, so let’s shake it up with our littles and enjoy moving in rhythm together. Education: UC Berkeley, Minors in Creative Writing & Dance Performance. | Certified in Laban/Bartenieff Fundamentals by Integrated Movement Studies | Serves on the Casa 0101 Theater Board | For more info: www.rosastory.com
Haylee Nichele
Interim Artistic Director & DTP Teacher
Hailing from Vancouver, BC Haylee Nichele started her professional training at Arts Umbrella and continued in NYC at the Juilliard School where she graduated with a BFA in Dance. She has 10+ years of performance experience and has worked for: Punchdrunk, Third Rail Projects, Brain Brooks, Justin Denton, Capital W, The Speakeasy Society, BODYTRAFFIC, Heidi Duckler Dance, Clairobscur, and Tender Claws. She is an immersive theatre creator and choreographer. Her work PACK was shown at the Scotia Dance Center in Vancouver and CREATURE co-created by Justin Denton and produced by The Great Co. She consulted for the VR experience The Key, was one part of The 5th Wall Forum’s inaugural teams, and has taught many dance and immersive workshops in the USA and Canada. Haylee has been an active collaborator with Invertigo since 2018 and is continually grateful for their support and artistic/community vision.
Sanna Rafalovich
Operations Manager
Sanna Rafalovich is originally from foggy San Francisco, California and loves calling sunny Los Angeles her home. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Business Economics and minor in Accounting, after which she worked at Deloitte auditing financial statements. Seeking to create a greater impact in her local community, Sanna transitioned to serving multiple non-profit arts organizations. She hopes to promote arts access for all through her career, and is excited to contribute to Invertigo's work. In her spare time, Sanna enjoys practicing acro-yoga, exploring local ice cream shops, and playing with her roommate's goldendoodle.
Chelsea Roquero
Dancer
Chelsea Roquero (she/her), born in Escondido, CA, is a first generation Filipino-American dancer based in LA. Roquero grew up as a gymnast and progressively found her love for Hip Hop dance in her early years. She later started her formal dance training at San Diego Mesa College under the direction of Donna Flournoy. She then transferred to California State University, Long Beach in 2017, and later received her BA in Dance in 2019. She is interested in blending her backgrounds in hip hop and gymnastics with contemporary technique alongside being able to incorporate human emotion and tactile sensation in her movement. She has trained with Melissa Adao, Rebecca Lemme, Gracie Whyte, and Keith Johnson–along with the opportunities to perform works by Local LA Artist Camila Arana, Invertigo Dance Theatre, and Carlon Dance. As well as been a Guest Artist with Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company. You can find Chelsea most of her days at Stomping Ground L.A., a new dance space owned and founded by Kate Hutter-Mason, where she is a current team member. She is very proud to be a part of a team that continually works on ways to continually grow in providing accessibility and joy to our local LA dance artists and our surrounding communities.
Keon Saghari
Dancer
Keon is currently living in Los Angeles, CA and is represented by Lemon Lime Agency and Go 2 Talent Agency. There she does commercial acting, dancing, and modeling as well as freelance dance and choreography commissions. She has done work for clients including Nike, ESPN, Fitstar by Fitbit, CBS, and various clothing/ jewelry companies. She has been featured in Dance Magazine, Voyage LA, POPSUGAR, and Metro Magazine as well as being nominated (with her cast) for an Isadora Duncan Award for their performance of Kate Weare's "Giant". Keon is an ongoing company member and choreographic collaborator with Post:Ballet, Concept o4, Invertigo Dance Theater, and several other projects in the Bay Area and LA. Previously, Keon has been a member of ODC/ Dance, AXIS Dance Company, and Ziru Dance. She has toured 30 states nationally and internationally to Israel and China.
Nadia Maryam
Dancer
Nadia Maryam, a graduate of California Institute of the Arts, started dancing at Nevada Ballet Theater at the age of four. She later took part in a pre-professional company at Bunker Dance Center and continued her focus on dance in high school at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, where she found that she most enjoyed training in modern and contemporary techniques. She has also trained in ballet, jazz, tap, ballroom, and hip-hop styles. Nadia has had the opportunity to study with a variety of world renowned teachers and choreographers, including Peter Chu, Jermaine Spivey, Spenser Theberge, Medhi Walerski, Faustin Linyekula, Travis Wall, Mia Michaels, Sonya Tayeh, Summer Lee Rhatigan, Tom Weinberger and Okwui Okpokwasili. In 2017 she received the opportunity to study under the direction of Ailey II’s artistic director, learning and performing a portion of Alvin Ailey’s Streams. In 2018, Muhammad was given the chance to learn and perform Ohad Naharin’s Decadance under the direction of Tom Weinberger and Bobbie Jene Smith. And more recently, she was granted the chance to learn Jiri Kylian’s Falling Angels from former NDT member, Fiona Lummis, and perform it at RedCat Theater in Los Angeles, CA. In 2019, allow an easement, a choreographic work Nadia developed with Kayla Aguila was adapted into a dance film created in collaboration with Audrey Collette and Simon Gulergun. The film remains successful in its achievement of being projected, and awarded for its quality at the Hammer Museum. Nadia Maryam is active and consistent in her mission to capture the visceral beauty of emotion and sensitivity using a multi-disciplinary vessel of text and movement. In merging humanity, physicality, and balancing sensations such as effort and pleasure, she believes the work created and performed can challenge boundaries of self, colleagues, and interpreters.
Chelsea Sutton
Development Manager
Austin Tyson
Kitchen Table Project Dancer
Austin Tyson is originally from Portland, OR. He received his BFA from NYU - Tisch School of the Arts, following which he joined Andrea Miller’s Gallim Dance performing with the company nationally and internationally. Austin went on to perform in Punchdrunk’s critically acclaimed, Sleep No More, where he eventually became a rehearsal director. Currently, Austin is based in LA where he performs with the TL Collective and collaborates with the artists of BEMOVING. Austin is a certified Pilates instructor and is represented by Bloc LA.
Rachel Whiting
DTP Teaching Artist
Rachel Whiting is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, educator, and practitioner of healing arts who attended the Julliard School and completed her Bachelor’s degree of The Performing Arts graduating Cum Laude at St. Mary’s College of California.Rachel has been on the faculty of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and performed with the Cunningham Repertory Understudy Group. She was also an Artist in Residence for Denver School of the Arts and contributed to the launch of Colorado’s first International Baccalaureate dance program. In California, Rachel taught at Oberlin Dance Collective/SF, as a master teacher of the Cunningham Technique at the College of Performing Arts in Hollywood, and as a Dancing Through Parkinson’s Teaching Artist with Invertigo Dance Theatre.Internationally, Rachel was the Director of Dance at Oure Idraesthojoskole (Denmark); taught and performed extensively in the Nordic territories, including the prestigious Skanes Dansteater (Sweden); and performed in the Booking’s Beijing Olympic cultural exchange program in 2008.As a Choreographer, Ms. Whiting’s works have been commissioned by David Taylor Dance Theatre, Denver School of the Arts (Colorado), The Kitchen (New York), Contemporary Dance (Wyoming), Ny Musik Odense (Denmark), and at the College of Performing Arts in Los Angeles.As a Practitioner, Ms. Whiting is certified in the Pilates® and GyrotonicTM which she incorporates in treating a grateful and loyal private clientele with unique physical challenges.Rachel’s life long love of movement compels her to help others experiment with creativity, resolve pain and learn the discipline of a movement practice.
Luke Dakota Zender
Dancer
Luke Dakota Zender started dancing here in Los Angeles at the age of seventeen. Since then Luke has self curated an eclectic dance education giving him a versatile understanding of what it means to be a mover, performer and an overall aware human being. Zender has studied with Debbie Allen, Peridance Capezio Center, Bill T. Jones, David Dorfman, Northwest Dance Project, Body Traffic, Hubbard Street and most recently Anouk Van Dijk. After spending 4 years in the mountains and solitude of his hometown in Wyoming in an effort to find a deeper understanding of himself and the world in which he chooses to live, Luke has relocated back to the city of angels where it all started. Back in Wyoming, Luke Danced for Contemporary Dance Wyoming under direction of Babs Case for four years. While with CDW, Luke had the opportunity to perform in works by Babs Case, Francesca Romo, Gina Patterson, David Dorfman, Troy Ogilvie, Dan Walczak, Alysa Pires and Alice Klock. Since his return to Los Angeles Luke has worked with Heidi Duckler Dance, Brockus RED, and presented his own choreographic work. Zender is beyond grateful for the opportunity to share and bring Laura’s vision for “Formulae and Fairy Tales” to fruition with and for the community that the Broad Stage has cultivated.
OUR ALUMNI
Kelsey Ang • Chelsea Asman • Hannah Louise Beavers • Carole Biers • Celine Chai • William Clayton • Louie Cornejo • Olivia Das • Abraham Ponce Diaz • Hugo Diaz • Bahareh Ebrahimzadeh • F. Nicholas Factoran • SaraAnne Fahey • Jeremy Hahn • Adrian Hoffman • Isaac Huerta • Marisa Jimenez • Sofia Klass • Irene Kleinbauer • Jessica LeCheminant • James William Lynch • Jodie Mashburn • Alex Malachi Middleton • Lauren McLane • Herrbie Moore • Sarita Louise Moore • Sarah Nordquist • Shane Raiford • Ryan Ruiz • Sarri Sanchez • Chris Smith • Mary Tarpley • Kim Thompson • Cody Wilbourn • Sadie Yarrington • Aimee Zannoni
WEBSITE PHOTO CREDITS
Website Design
pH Collective
pH Collective is incredible. We cannot say enough about their workflow, responsiveness, empathic communication, professionalism, and artistry. We are so grateful for their creative and strategic partnership and seeing this website through from head to tail!
Website: pH Collective
Invertigo Dance Theatre
Our Creative Engagement Director K. Bradford led the charge in our website process. We deeply appreciate their vision, poetic framing, and hard work to bring forth our new online manifestation.
Thank you also to Laura Karlin, Kelsey Ang, Rachel Whiting, Rosa Navarrete and Glyn Gray for bringing energy, nitty-gritty details, and creative insight to the website process.
Taproot
For the lovely new rebranding and set of logos for Invertigo and its programs.
Les Guttman (Account Director), Tina Dahl (Project Manager), Mary Woodworth (Marketing Manager) and Adam King (Graphic Designer) all donated their time and brought incredible care, patience, creative power, and enthusiasm to the process.
We would like to pause and take a moment to honor the life and big energy of Les Guttman, who is greatly missed. We hope and believe he would have been very proud to see this project come to fruition.
The Story
Vision
Banner Image:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Dancer: Michael Rebong
Gallery:
- Photographer: Souheil Michael Khoury, Dancers: Luke Dakota Zender, Spencer Jensen
- Photographer: George Simian, Dancers: Jessica Dunn, Hyosun Choi
- Photographer: George Simian, Dancer: Heidi Buehler
- Photographer: John Lambremont, Dancers: Jonathan Bryant, Heidi Buehler, Hyosun Choi, Jessica Dunn, Christian Farjado, Beau Foley, Corina Kinnear, Sofia Klass, Irene Kleinbauer, Chris Smith
- Photographer: Sea Sloat for the Broad Stage, Teaching Artist: Laura Karlin
- Photographer: GingerSole Photography
- Photographer: Sea Sloat for the Broad Stage, Teaching Artist: Luke Dakota Zender
The Artists
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Souheil Michael Khoury
- Dancers: Hyosun Choi, Jessica Dunn, Spencer Jensen, Dominique McDougal, Luke Dakota Zender
Board
Banner Image:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Dancers: Jonathan Bryant, Hyosun Choi
Champions
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Ben Gibbs
- Venue: the Broad Stage
Gallery
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Michael Souheil Khoury
- Dancer: Irene Kleinbauer
Gallery Photographer and Dancer Credits: Coming Soon
Performance
On Tour
Banner Image:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Dancers: Jessica Dunn, Hyosun Choi
Gallery Photographer and Dancer Credits: Coming Soon
In Production
All Images on Page:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Dancers: Jonathan Bryant, Hyosun Choi
In Development
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Sarvey Tahmasebi Rector
- Dancers: Hyosun Choi
Baku Image:
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Attributed to Gechū (Japan, active 18th century), Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection
Gallery Photographer and Dancer Credits: Coming Soon
Our Works
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Alberto Santillan
- Dancers: Jonathan Bryant, Sadie Yarrington
Engagement
Dancing Through Parkinson’s
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Brittany Gash
Dancing Through Life Image:
- Photographer: GingerSole Photography/Joelle Martinec
Gallery Photographer Credits: Coming Soon
Invert/ED
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Ngoc Ho
Community Engagement
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Sea Sloat, for the Broad Stage
Community Partners
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Sea Sloat, for the Broad Stage
- Teaching Artist: Laura Karlin
Independent Shakespeare Company image:
- Photographer: Neil Gieleghem
- Dancers: Jonathan Bryant, Kyreeana Breelin
World Refugee Day image:
- Photographer: Hannah Blume
- Dancers: Laura Karlin, Sofia Klass, Jessica Dunn, Sadie Yarrington
Craft Contemporary image:
- Photographer: Fiona Karlin
- Teaching Artist: Sadie Yarrington
Collaborate
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Fiona Karlin
NightLight Labs image:
- Photographer: George Siman, Formulae & Fairy Tales
American Youth Symphony image:
- AYS String Quartet plays for Dancing Through Parkinson’s through their Community Chamber Concert series
StirStudios image:
- Photographer: Laura Karlin, of Glyn Gray getting ready to shoot a dance film
George Simian image:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Dancers: Sofia Klass
Calling All Youth
Banner Image:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Teaching Artist: Sadie Yarrington
What's New
Upcoming Calendar
Banner Image:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Dancer: Cody Brunelle-Potter
Central Image:
- Dancer: Shane Raiford
Press
Banner Image:
- Photographer: George Simian
Archives
Banner Image:
- Photographer: John Lambremont
- Dancers: Jonathan Bryant, Heidi Buehler, Hyosun Choi, Jessica Dunn, Christian Farjado, Beau Foley, Corina Kinnear, Sofia Klass, Irene Kleinbauer, Chris Smith
Dance Care Packages
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Laura Karlin
- Dancers: Jessica Dunn
Impact
The Story
Banner and Main (Left) Image:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Dancers: Cody Brunelle-Potter, Hyosun Choi, Jessica Dunn, Spencer Jensen, Corina Kinnear, Dominique McDougal, Luke Dakota Zender
Main Image (Right):
- Photographer: GingerSole Photography/Joelle Martinec, of the Dancing Through Parkinson’s program
Milestones
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Sea Sloat, for the Broad Stage
- Teaching Artist: Laura Karlin
The Broad Stage image:
- Photographer: Mandy Matthews
- Teaching Artist: K. Bradford
University of Florida, Performing Arts image:
- Photographer: AniCollier
- Dancer: Luke Dakota Zender
Call To Action
Banner Image:
- Photographer: GingerSole Photography/Joelle Martinec
- Dancer: Chelsea Roquero
Book Us
Booking Info
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Ben Gibbs
- Dancer: Corina Kinnear, Luke Dakota Zender, Dominique McDougal, Hyosun Choi, Jessica Dunn
Public Engagement
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Sea Sloat, for the Broad Stage
- Teaching Artist: Laura Karlin
Other Current Works
Banner + Starry-Eyed and Sleepless image:
- Photographer: Luke Dakota Zender
- Dancer: Sadie Yarrington
Dreams of Grandeur image:
- Photographer: GingerSole Photography/Joelle Martinec
- Dancer: Corina Kinnear
Contact
Contact
Banner Image:
- Photographer: GingerSole Photography/Joelle Martinec
- Dancers: Spencer Jensen, Chelsea Roquero, Jonathan Bryant
Donate
Donate
Banner Image:
- Photographer: Sarvey Tahmasebi Rector
- Dancer: Hyosun Choi
Dance Makers Circle image:
- Photographer: George Simian
- Dancer: Cody Brunelle-Potter
Dance Enthusiasts image:
- Photographer: GingerSole Photography/Joelle Martinec
- Dancers: Chelsea Roquero, Jonathan Bryant, Keon Saghari
Donor Stories, Jeanie McNamara and Barbara Eve Harris:
- Photographer: GingerSole Photography/Joelle Martinec