Berkeley Dance Project 2015: Dancers

Meet our talented cast!

	Heather Brown \| Working with Lisa Wymore Sophomore - Social Welfare, Dance and Performance Studies. I started "officially" dancing when I was 16 years old, taking ballet and modern at my local community college, as well as the Performing Arts Center near my house, from then on all of my free time has been dedicated to dance. I take modern dance here at Berkeley, and I also go outside of campus to take ballet. I hope to one day join a company, but even if I don't, dance will always be a part of my life because it is who I am and I can't survive without it.
	Alisa Carreras \| Working with Jo Kreiter Junior - Dance and Performance Studies I have been dancing for 12 years, starting with ballet at the age of nine. After I graduate from UC Berkeley I aspire to travel with a professional modern dance company. At the end of my physical career, I plan on opening my own school of dance, and working on community projects to make dance more accessible to underprivileged kids.
	Sarang Cho \| Working with Lisa Wymore Senior - Theater Dance and Performance Studies Sarang is a senior at University of California Berkeley majoring in Theater/Performance Studies and minoring in Dance. She dance Korean Traditional dance for 9 years and now she is learning other genre of dance to express herself through her body.She is planning to never leave the stage as performer and she wants to thank Lisa and her wonderful cast & crew.
	Amy Cranch \| Working with Ann Carlson Principal Editor - Marketing and Communications / University Relations The first thing you'll notice is that I'm not a student. I work at Cal as an editor. So while I write about students all the time, this is the first time I get to hang out with them -- AND I CAN'T WAIT! I have trained and performed in various performance styles since childhood, including West African dance, spectacle theater, physical theater, 5Rhythms, and improvisational storytelling. I'm also a member of Anna Halprin’s advanced performance lab, where I have the incredible fortune of creating dances with this legendary woman every week.
	Sarah Cronin \| Working with Lisa Wymore Junior - Psychology, minor in Dance and Performance Studies The first time I saw BDP, it was as a freshman who had never taken a formal dance class. Fast forward two years, and here I am, dancing learning what it means to be an 'artivist'. I am so grateful to be a part this year's BDP, which has allowed me to actively and expressively engage with larger societal issues. When I am not dancing on stage, I am starting dance parties in kitchens, pizzerias, and sometimes even busy street markets… Never miss a chance to dance!
	Christian Felix \| Working with Lisa Wymore, Jo Kreiter Senior - Psychology, minor in Dance and Performance Studies I’ve been exploring movement for the past 8 ½ years. My favorite styles include afro-modern and contemporary. I chose to perform and be part of the BDP process to transform my cathartic use of dance into something that is inviting to others; so they too can be part of the movement and all of its manifestations.
	Rozina Fonyo \| Working with Ann Carlson Senior - Linguistics I am very excited and honored to be part of Berkeley Dance Project! I hope to gain new experiences and outlooks on life and dance from both the process and the cast. I look forward to performing the piece and hope that the audience will leave satisfied yet intrigued.
	Tania Funes \| Working with Ann Carlson Senior - Ethnic Studies Dance has always been something special in my life. I have been motivated to pursue dance in college thanks to the support of my roommates, my sisters, mentors, and my very close friend, Alma. Through BDP I plan to share my passion with others and hope that they can embrace the beauty of dance.
	Miguel Sebastian Hernandez \| Working with Lisa Wymore Junior - Art Practice, Theater Dance Performance Studies, minor in Chicano Studies I have always danced or have been part of various dance productions since very little and have moved my body in different modes that were appealing to me. I have been an aztec dancer for eight years now and have had a Mexican folkloric dancing background as well but in more recent years I have integrated voguing and modern dance into my repertoire. Im excited to be part of the fluidity of modern dance production and seeing the dance come together as well as getting to know other great passionate dancers.
	Julia Houser \| Working with Jo Kreiter Freshman - Applied Mathematics Julia Houser was previously a principal member of California Contemporary Ballet in La Canada, California, where she practiced ballet, contemporary, modern, and aerial ballet. She also performed aerial ballet as Tinker Bell in Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy's production of Peter Pan. Julia's motivation to dance comes from giving something back to the audience and she hopes to do this with the message Berkeley Dance Project: Aloft sends.
	Rosalind Hsu \| Working with Jo Kreiter Sophomore - Molecular and Cell Biology Dance is a huge part of Rosalind’s life. She did Chinese aboriginal dance in elementary school, then moved on to ballet, contemporary, and ballroom throughout middle school and high school. She is currently studying modern dance in pursuit of a dance minor as well as participating in hip hop teams in the greater Berkeley dance community.
	Marcella Jean \| Working with Lisa Wymore Senior - Theater Dance and Performance Studies, Chemistry, minor in Music Marcella Jean is thrilled to be performing in her very first BDP production. Marcella is a senior double majoring in Theater and Chemistry with a minor in Music. Currently she works nights at Highland General Hospital in Oakland while studying to become a doctor. She is very active in Bay Area Community and Regional Theater. As a research project she developed the Theater & Music Dramatic Outlet Program for Sexually Exploited Children at a non-profit organization in inner city Oakland. She would like to thank her family and friends for all of their love and support and most importantly Brian (1:13), thank you for being the most amazing, magnificent, incredible, supportive, marvelous, encouraging, caring, magnanimous person I have ever met in my life.
	Danyel Mann \| Working with Lisa Wymore Junior - Practice of Art, Dance and Performance Studies Dance has been my savior and creative outlet throughout my entire life. Growing up in Indiana I fell in love dancing at Dixon Dance's small two room studio; it was my home. I studied, taught, and competed with what I had access to: tap for 17 years, jazz for 8 years, and musical/show choir all throughout high school. Since coming to Berkeley I've broaded my horizons with ballet, contemporary, and mostly modern. I read a quote once that resonates true: "I dance to save my life." Additionally, I dance to move others and to make change and to critically engage with the world around me. My hopes for BDP is to do just that and for everyone who is involved in this process to take away something invaluable to them. Thank you to Lisa and my fellow dancers for this amazing first-time experience.
	Ashley Mou \| Working with Lisa Wymore Sophomore - Mathematics, Economics I was a ballet dancer when I was young, and started Hip-hop dance four years ago. I started to do modern dance after I came to Berkeley, and decided to be a dance minor. BDP helped me to grow as a dancer and also as person.
	Jessica Robertson \| Working with Lisa Wymore Freshman - Undeclared Jessica loves modern dance with all of her heart. She enjoys its expression, athleticism, and inspirational tendency more with every class she takes and every show she performs in. As a Freshman, Jessica is thrilled and so thankful to be a part of BDP alongside an amazing and beautiful cast.
	Haley Rowland \| Working with Jo Kreiter Senior - Computer Science, Cognitive Science From age three to eighteen, Haley studied ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary forms of dance. Since entering the dance community at Cal, she has enjoyed redefining her relationship with her body and movement through her exploration of modern dance. Haley has grown immensely through collaboration with her peers, teachers and choreographers, and is thrilled to culminate her undergraduate dance education with the Berkeley Dance Project.
	Crystal Sasaki \| Working with Ann Carlson Senior - Dance and Performance Studies Crystal Sasaki is a dancer and performance artist living in Oakland, CA. She has never worked on a large scale production and is excited to be a part of the effort to create the Berkeley Dance Project 2015.
	Sneha Singh \| Working with Lisa Wymore Senior - Molecular and Cell Biology (Neurobiology) Sneha began dancing at the age of 5, studying classical ballet and popular Hindi film dance. In her sophomore year at Berkeley, she took her first TDPS dance class and has since fallen in love with many new dance forms including modern, contemporary and Afro-Cuban. This will be her last BDP and she is so excited to share the stage with so many amazing dancers!
	Tiffany Sumita \| Working with Lisa Wymore Junior - Theater Dance and Performance Studies Raised in Japan, Tiffany has been able to connect with dance from a young age. First introduced to the art form through ballet when she was 4 years old, she became inspired by hip-hop while in high school and has been dancing it since then. As soon as she got into UC Berkeley where the focus is on modern dance, she faced difficulties. Nonetheless, her love of dance has motivated her to challenge herself to embrace this new style through BDP so that she may continue to grow as a dancer and as a person.
	Elena Sun \| Working with Lisa Wymore Senior - Statistics Elena Sun is currently a fourth-year student majoring in Statistics. She has trained in ballet when she was young, and she began taking modern dance lessons last year with Lisa Wymore. She enjoys new challenges, and BDP is definitely the most amazing and memorable experience in her last year at UC Berkeley.
	Kyla Tillery \| Working with Lisa Wymore, Ann Carlson, Jo Kreiter Senior - Theater Dance and Performance Studies Kyla is a transfer student from Los Angeles, majoring in Theater, Dance and Performance Studies. After acting for her previous semesters at Cal, she decided to join BDP for her last semester because she believes that the pieces are meaningful and resonate truth. She hopes that every audience member can find a piece of their own truth from their experiences within the show.
	Amanda Turull \| Working with Jo Kreiter, Ann Carlson Senior - Dance and Performance Studies, minor in Conservation and Resource Studies Amanda is a life-long performer and has been dancing since she was 8 years old. She attributes her current dance philosophy and the motivation to study dance to her role model, Jess Humphrey. Amanda hopes to continue performing aerial dance after BDP and school is finished, as well as many other modern dance forms. She is grateful for the amazing support and community in the dance department at UC Berkeley.
	Cecilia Vasquez \| Working with Jo Kreiter Senior - Anthropology, minor in Dance and Performance Studies Dance makes life worthwhile. Dance has always been a part of my life, and always will be. My training had been in Mexican Folk forms, but I am always expanding my dance vocabulary.
	Sara Kei Wegmuller \| Working with Lisa Wymore, Ann Carlson Senior - Dance and Performance Studies I move, because I live. Here I am! Here we are!

	Heather Brown \| Working with Lisa Wymore Sophomore - Social Welfare, Dance and Performance Studies. I started "officially" dancing when I was 16 years old, taking ballet and modern at my local community college, as well as the Performing Arts Center near my house, from then on all of my free time has been dedicated to dance. I take modern dance here at Berkeley, and I also go outside of campus to take ballet. I hope to one day join a company, but even if I don't, dance will always be a part of my life because it is who I am and I can't survive without it.
	Alisa Carreras \| Working with Jo Kreiter Junior - Dance and Performance Studies I have been dancing for 12 years, starting with ballet at the age of nine. After I graduate from UC Berkeley I aspire to travel with a professional modern dance company. At the end of my physical career, I plan on opening my own school of dance, and working on community projects to make dance more accessible to underprivileged kids.
	Sarang Cho \| Working with Lisa Wymore Senior - Theater Dance and Performance Studies Sarang is a senior at University of California Berkeley majoring in Theater/Performance Studies and minoring in Dance. She dance Korean Traditional dance for 9 years and now she is learning other genre of dance to express herself through her body.She is planning to never leave the stage as performer and she wants to thank Lisa and her wonderful cast & crew.
	Amy Cranch \| Working with Ann Carlson Principal Editor - Marketing and Communications / University Relations The first thing you'll notice is that I'm not a student. I work at Cal as an editor. So while I write about students all the time, this is the first time I get to hang out with them -- AND I CAN'T WAIT! I have trained and performed in various performance styles since childhood, including West African dance, spectacle theater, physical theater, 5Rhythms, and improvisational storytelling. I'm also a member of Anna Halprin’s advanced performance lab, where I have the incredible fortune of creating dances with this legendary woman every week.
	Sarah Cronin \| Working with Lisa Wymore Junior - Psychology, minor in Dance and Performance Studies The first time I saw BDP, it was as a freshman who had never taken a formal dance class. Fast forward two years, and here I am, dancing learning what it means to be an 'artivist'. I am so grateful to be a part this year's BDP, which has allowed me to actively and expressively engage with larger societal issues. When I am not dancing on stage, I am starting dance parties in kitchens, pizzerias, and sometimes even busy street markets… Never miss a chance to dance!
	Christian Felix \| Working with Lisa Wymore, Jo Kreiter Senior - Psychology, minor in Dance and Performance Studies I’ve been exploring movement for the past 8 ½ years. My favorite styles include afro-modern and contemporary. I chose to perform and be part of the BDP process to transform my cathartic use of dance into something that is inviting to others; so they too can be part of the movement and all of its manifestations.
	Rozina Fonyo \| Working with Ann Carlson Senior - Linguistics I am very excited and honored to be part of Berkeley Dance Project! I hope to gain new experiences and outlooks on life and dance from both the process and the cast. I look forward to performing the piece and hope that the audience will leave satisfied yet intrigued.
	Tania Funes \| Working with Ann Carlson Senior - Ethnic Studies Dance has always been something special in my life. I have been motivated to pursue dance in college thanks to the support of my roommates, my sisters, mentors, and my very close friend, Alma. Through BDP I plan to share my passion with others and hope that they can embrace the beauty of dance.
	Miguel Sebastian Hernandez \| Working with Lisa Wymore Junior - Art Practice, Theater Dance Performance Studies, minor in Chicano Studies I have always danced or have been part of various dance productions since very little and have moved my body in different modes that were appealing to me. I have been an aztec dancer for eight years now and have had a Mexican folkloric dancing background as well but in more recent years I have integrated voguing and modern dance into my repertoire. Im excited to be part of the fluidity of modern dance production and seeing the dance come together as well as getting to know other great passionate dancers.
	Julia Houser \| Working with Jo Kreiter Freshman - Applied Mathematics Julia Houser was previously a principal member of California Contemporary Ballet in La Canada, California, where she practiced ballet, contemporary, modern, and aerial ballet. She also performed aerial ballet as Tinker Bell in Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy's production of Peter Pan. Julia's motivation to dance comes from giving something back to the audience and she hopes to do this with the message Berkeley Dance Project: Aloft sends.
	Rosalind Hsu \| Working with Jo Kreiter Sophomore - Molecular and Cell Biology Dance is a huge part of Rosalind’s life. She did Chinese aboriginal dance in elementary school, then moved on to ballet, contemporary, and ballroom throughout middle school and high school. She is currently studying modern dance in pursuit of a dance minor as well as participating in hip hop teams in the greater Berkeley dance community.
	Marcella Jean \| Working with Lisa Wymore Senior - Theater Dance and Performance Studies, Chemistry, minor in Music Marcella Jean is thrilled to be performing in her very first BDP production. Marcella is a senior double majoring in Theater and Chemistry with a minor in Music. Currently she works nights at Highland General Hospital in Oakland while studying to become a doctor. She is very active in Bay Area Community and Regional Theater. As a research project she developed the Theater & Music Dramatic Outlet Program for Sexually Exploited Children at a non-profit organization in inner city Oakland. She would like to thank her family and friends for all of their love and support and most importantly Brian (1:13), thank you for being the most amazing, magnificent, incredible, supportive, marvelous, encouraging, caring, magnanimous person I have ever met in my life.
	Danyel Mann \| Working with Lisa Wymore Junior - Practice of Art, Dance and Performance Studies Dance has been my savior and creative outlet throughout my entire life. Growing up in Indiana I fell in love dancing at Dixon Dance's small two room studio; it was my home. I studied, taught, and competed with what I had access to: tap for 17 years, jazz for 8 years, and musical/show choir all throughout high school. Since coming to Berkeley I've broaded my horizons with ballet, contemporary, and mostly modern. I read a quote once that resonates true: "I dance to save my life." Additionally, I dance to move others and to make change and to critically engage with the world around me. My hopes for BDP is to do just that and for everyone who is involved in this process to take away something invaluable to them. Thank you to Lisa and my fellow dancers for this amazing first-time experience.
	Ashley Mou \| Working with Lisa Wymore Sophomore - Mathematics, Economics I was a ballet dancer when I was young, and started Hip-hop dance four years ago. I started to do modern dance after I came to Berkeley, and decided to be a dance minor. BDP helped me to grow as a dancer and also as person.
	Jessica Robertson \| Working with Lisa Wymore Freshman - Undeclared Jessica loves modern dance with all of her heart. She enjoys its expression, athleticism, and inspirational tendency more with every class she takes and every show she performs in. As a Freshman, Jessica is thrilled and so thankful to be a part of BDP alongside an amazing and beautiful cast.
	Haley Rowland \| Working with Jo Kreiter Senior - Computer Science, Cognitive Science From age three to eighteen, Haley studied ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary forms of dance. Since entering the dance community at Cal, she has enjoyed redefining her relationship with her body and movement through her exploration of modern dance. Haley has grown immensely through collaboration with her peers, teachers and choreographers, and is thrilled to culminate her undergraduate dance education with the Berkeley Dance Project.
	Crystal Sasaki \| Working with Ann Carlson Senior - Dance and Performance Studies Crystal Sasaki is a dancer and performance artist living in Oakland, CA. She has never worked on a large scale production and is excited to be a part of the effort to create the Berkeley Dance Project 2015.
	Sneha Singh \| Working with Lisa Wymore Senior - Molecular and Cell Biology (Neurobiology) Sneha began dancing at the age of 5, studying classical ballet and popular Hindi film dance. In her sophomore year at Berkeley, she took her first TDPS dance class and has since fallen in love with many new dance forms including modern, contemporary and Afro-Cuban. This will be her last BDP and she is so excited to share the stage with so many amazing dancers!
	Tiffany Sumita \| Working with Lisa Wymore Junior - Theater Dance and Performance Studies Raised in Japan, Tiffany has been able to connect with dance from a young age. First introduced to the art form through ballet when she was 4 years old, she became inspired by hip-hop while in high school and has been dancing it since then. As soon as she got into UC Berkeley where the focus is on modern dance, she faced difficulties. Nonetheless, her love of dance has motivated her to challenge herself to embrace this new style through BDP so that she may continue to grow as a dancer and as a person.
	Elena Sun \| Working with Lisa Wymore Senior - Statistics Elena Sun is currently a fourth-year student majoring in Statistics. She has trained in ballet when she was young, and she began taking modern dance lessons last year with Lisa Wymore. She enjoys new challenges, and BDP is definitely the most amazing and memorable experience in her last year at UC Berkeley.
	Kyla Tillery \| Working with Lisa Wymore, Ann Carlson, Jo Kreiter Senior - Theater Dance and Performance Studies Kyla is a transfer student from Los Angeles, majoring in Theater, Dance and Performance Studies. After acting for her previous semesters at Cal, she decided to join BDP for her last semester because she believes that the pieces are meaningful and resonate truth. She hopes that every audience member can find a piece of their own truth from their experiences within the show.
	Amanda Turull \| Working with Jo Kreiter, Ann Carlson Senior - Dance and Performance Studies, minor in Conservation and Resource Studies Amanda is a life-long performer and has been dancing since she was 8 years old. She attributes her current dance philosophy and the motivation to study dance to her role model, Jess Humphrey. Amanda hopes to continue performing aerial dance after BDP and school is finished, as well as many other modern dance forms. She is grateful for the amazing support and community in the dance department at UC Berkeley.
	Cecilia Vasquez \| Working with Jo Kreiter Senior - Anthropology, minor in Dance and Performance Studies Dance makes life worthwhile. Dance has always been a part of my life, and always will be. My training had been in Mexican Folk forms, but I am always expanding my dance vocabulary.
	Sara Kei Wegmuller \| Working with Lisa Wymore, Ann Carlson Senior - Dance and Performance Studies I move, because I live. Here I am! Here we are!