HSDC Artistic Director

Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell is the Artistic Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Linda-Denise ascended to this role in 2021, after an extraordinary career as a professional dance artist and educator.

Linda-Denise was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and began her dance training at the Baltimore School for the Arts under the guidance of Sylvester Campbell and Stephanie Powell. She was an apprentice with the Capitol Ballet in Washington D.C. and a full fellowship student at The Ailey School. While a student at The Juilliard School, she was invited by Hubbard Street founder Lou Conte to join the main company at the age of 19, thus beginning her professional dance career.

After three seasons with Hubbard Street, Linda-Denise became a Principal Dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, under the direction of Judith Jamison. During her 13-year tenure with the company, Linda-Denise performed all over the world and was featured in the works of Alvin Ailey, Robert Battle, Talley Beatty, Ron K. Brown, John Butler, Donald Byrd, Ulysses Dove, George Faison, Rennie Harris, Geoffrey Holder, Judith Jamison, Louis Johnson, Alonzo King, Lar Lubovitch, Donald McKayle, Elisa Monte, Jennifer Muller, David Parsons, and Dwight Rhoden.

Linda-Denise was invited to give a number of special performances throughout her career, including the White House State Dinner in honor of the President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, and the 12th Annual Kennedy Center Gala with Nancy Wilson and Liza Minelli.

Linda-Denise has led a distinguished career as a dance educator in her hometown of Baltimore where, since 2005, she has been a Professor of Dance at Towson University and has served on the faculty of the Baltimore School for the Arts. Her research and scholarship in continuing the Ailey legacy within the Towson University and Greater Baltimore community has resulted in the Ailey II residencies from 2011-2019 hosted by Towson University and the establishment of AileyCamp Baltimore at Towson University in 2014 where she served as Director. Ms. Fisher-Harrell holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree in dance from Hollins University and is an ABT® Certified Teacher. As a scholar, her entry "Alvin Ailey" has been published by the Routledge Encyclopedia of Modernism

HSDC Director of Summer Intensives & Senior Rehearsal Director
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

Jonathan E. Alsberry from Normal, IL is a dance educator, creator and coach focused on inspiring excellence and joy in the study of Ballet, Jazz, and Modern techniques with a constant dedication to the exploration of artistry and the creative process. Currently the Rehearsal Director with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Jonathan began dancing with his mother Lyndetta and went on to graduate from The Chicago Academy for the Arts where he has since been a guest faculty member. In 2006 he received his BFA from The Juilliard School where he met Aszure Barton. Jonathan a.k.a “Jojo” is now dancer, rehearsal director, and creative collaborator with Aszure Barton & Artists and has assisted Mrs. Barton in over a dozen creations including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Bayerische Staatsballett and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In 2007 Jonathan also joined the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company and is currently a performer, rehearsal director and teaching artist with the company. He has shared two tours with Mikhail Baryshnikov’s “Hell’s Kitchen Dance” as well as “Evolution” with Alessandra Ferri and Herman Cornejo. Other credits include The Chase Brock Experience, Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Nilas Martins Dance Company, and Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. Since 2007, Jonathan has been teaching, coaching and creating work at various educational institutions including Arts Umbrella, Harvard University, University of California at Irvine, Springboard Danse Montreal, Ballet Hispánico and University of Southern California

HSDC Rehearsal Director

Craig D. Black Jr. (Rehearsal Director, he/they) from San Jose, CA is the Rehearsal Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. He was appointed to this role in 2022 for the company’s 45th Anniversary: Sapphire Season. At the age of 10, Craig began dancing at South Bay Dance Center and continued his dance training at Abraham Lincoln High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. In 2011, Craig received his BFA from The Juilliard School. He obtained additional training at Springboard Danse Montréal, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the School at Jacob’s Pillow. Craig is a recipient of the 2010 Princess Grace Award in Dance as well as the 2011 Lorna Strassler Award for Student Excellence from the School at Jacob’s Pillow. For six seasons Craig performed and toured with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet under the direction of Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty. In 2017, Craig joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago where he danced for five seasons before transitioning into the HSDC Rehearsal Director position. He has had the privilege of dancing works by Kyle Abraham, Aszure Barton, Cherice Barton, Rena Butler, Alejandro Cerrudo, Peter Chu, Nacho Duato, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, Jirí Kylián, Fernando Melo, Robyn Mineko-Williams, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, and Cayetano Soto Ramirez among many others. Craig has had the pleasure of co-choreographing and rehearsal directing Cardi B and Offset’s 2019 BET Awards performance. Craig is a passionate teacher and mentor. He is certified in IMAGE TECH for Dancers™ introductory through advanced level. Craig is on faculty for Dupree Dance and has served as guest faculty for the Hubbard Street Professional Program, Steps on Broadway, Peridance Center, The Joffrey Academy, and New York City Dance Alliance.

HSDC Manager of Training Operations
TEACHING: Hip Hop

Krista graduated from the University of Iowa with a BBA in Business Management, Dance Minor, and a Performing Arts Entrepreneurship Certificate.  Following graduation, Krista moved to Chicago to pursue a professional career in Arts Administration. She has been employed at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago since 2011, and currently serves as the Manager of Training Operations. 

In 2012 Krista joined BOOM CRACK! Dance Company (BCDC), under the Artistic Direction of Trae Turner. She serves as the Artistic Director of BANG BANG! Dance Company, an affiliate training company of BOOM CRACK! Dance Company. She is also a faculty member at Extensions Dance Studio and teaches annually for Hubbard Street’s Summer Intensives. She has taught master classes throughout the Midwest, and had the opportunity to guest choreograph for Hubbard Street’s Professional Program (HSPro), Whitney Young High School, St. Ignatius Orchesis, and Dreyfoos School of the Arts. Additionally, Krista has choreographed for the Chicago Luvaballs Dance Team. 

Krista has performed at many local and regional showcases including: Dance Chicago, Urbanite, Chicago Carnival, Culture Shock International Showcase, Mad Expressions Showcase in Atlanta, and World of Dance Live in Universal City, CA. She has also competed at WOD Dallas, New York, and Chicago, Prelude Midwest, and Hip Hop International Championships in Las Vegas, NV.

CREATE Intensive Choreographer
TEACHING: BalleX Cross-training

Ms. Brictson grew up dancing and training in both Elgin and Chicago. A graduate from Larkin High School’s Performing Arts program, Hanna accepted a company position with River North Dance Chicago in 2004. Within her 12 years dancing at RNDC, Ms. Brictson choreographed on the company, worked as Rehearsal Assistant, and performed all over the world.

Hanna most recently danced and assistant Rehearsal directed for two seasons with Visceral Dance Chicago. Hanna has danced in works by Frank Chaves, Robert Battle, Danielle Agami, Nick Pupillo, Monica Cervantes, Mauro Astolfi, Ivan Perez, Sidra Bell, Lauri Stallings, Harrison McEldowney, Sherry Zunker, Frank Chaves, Luca Signoretti, Anton Rudakov, Julia Rhodes,and Kevin Iega Jeff. Hanna has also worked with ODC in San Francisco and Northwest Dance Project in Portland. Her choreographic work has been set on Dance Works Chicago (2018), Dance For Life (2018), Chicago Ideas Week (2018), Eisenhower Dance Detroit “New Dances” (2018), Visceral Dance Chicago “WITHIN” (2017,2018), University of Iowa Dance Department (2017), Still Inspired Chicago (2017), Dance In the Parks Chicago (2016,2017), MADCO Dance Company St.Louis (2016), River North Dance Chicago (2015), Kmart National commercials (2016), high school dance teams, and competitive dance studios through out the country. She has taught in Israel, Russia, Germany, and all over the U.S..

Miss Brictson has now turned to creating her own project of work called Hanna Brictson and Dancers. Her company most recently performed in Dance For Life 2018, and Chicago Ideas Week 2018. HBD continues to grow in the Chicago Scene, bringing dance into peoples lives. She also directs, trains and choreographs for her own youth company “ Integrity Dance Company” based in the suburbs of chicago. Miss Brictson has been recognized for her dedication to the dance art form and her career in Dance Magazine on two separate occasions and is also a former Princess Grace Dancer Nominee and also a Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship Nominee.

CREATE Choreographer

JUEL D. LANE has been noted as one of the most gifted dance talents in the country, and his awe-inspiring work today still yields this title. An Atlanta native, he received his early training from Tri-Cities High School, The Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, and The University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Lane is one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” He has performed nationally and internationally with Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, and currently dances with Bessie Award-winning Camille A. Brown & Dancers. He has presented works on Ailey II, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Atlanta Ballet, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, and various universities. Dancer: The Metropolitan Opera (“Fire Shut Up In My Bones"), Amazon Prime ("Harlem"), NBC ("Jesus Christ Superstar Live"). Executive Artistic Associate with the Black Acting Methods Studio. Theatre Credits: True Colors Theatre: Spunk, Alliance Theatre: I DREAM, PCLO: Once (Associate Choreographer), The DCPA & ACT Theatre: Choir Boy. Bronzelens film festival award winner for, “The Maestro.” @jueldlane

Photo by Shocphoto.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

JACQUELINE BURNETT (she/her, Pocatello, ID) received her formative classical ballet training in her hometown of Pocatello, Idaho, from Romanian Ballet Master Marius Zirra. She moved to New York City in 2005 to pursue the Ailey School/Fordham University joint BFA degree, graduating magna cum laude with departmental honors in 2009. She joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in January 2008 as a Center Apprentice while completing her degree and became a member of the main company in August 2009. She received a 2011 Princess Grace Honorarium for Dance and was a member of the HSDC contingent for DanceMotion USA 2013, a U.S. State Department/Brooklyn Academy of Music cultural diplomacy tour in Algeria, Morocco, and Spain. In addition to dancing with HSDC, she has served as an Artistic Lead and teacher for Hubbard Street Summer Intensives, a repetitor for choreographies by Penny Saunders (Ballet Idaho, Seattle Dance Collective, Royal New Zealand Ballet), and a freelance dancer with Robyn Mineko Williams and Artists and Seattle Dance Collective. She recently choreographed for Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of Murder on the Orient Express under the direction of Annika Boras and premiered a new work, co-choreographed with David Schultz, for Danza Visual in Mexico City.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

AARON CHOATE (they/them, Lexington, KY) is a recent graduate of The Juilliard School class of 2022. After studying at Diana Evan's School of Dance in Kentucky, they were named a 2018 Presidential Scholar in the Arts and a YoungArts Gold Medalist. They have worked with renowned choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Justin Peck, Jamar Roberts, and Bobbi Jene Smith, and have restored works by Trisha Brown, Ted Shawn, and Paul Taylor. They are an avid choreographer and were lucky enough to present their piece One Hundred People in a Line at 92nd Street Y as a part of the 2022 Future Dance Festival. They were also selected to create for Juilliard’s Choreographers and Composers 2021 and Senior Production 2022. In 2021, they received the George J. Jakab Grant Award from Juilliard to create their first fully realized collaborative dance film. Upon graduation they were awarded the Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship. They are honored, humbled, and thrilled to be joining HSDC for their first season this coming fall.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

MORGAN CLUNE (she/her, Barrington, IL) graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts in 2018. She went on to receive her BFA in dance from The Juilliard School with the Class of 2022. She grew up dancing competitively before receiving classical and modern training in high school. She has attended summer intensives at Arts Umbrella, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Nederlands Dans Theatre, The Juilliard School, and Springboard Danse Montreal. She has participated in Dance For Life performances at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago under direction of Randy Duncan. She was recognized as a National YoungArts Winner in New York for Contemporary dance in 2018 where she performed solo at Baryshnikov Arts Center. During her time at Juilliard, she was selected to choreograph for Juilliard’s Choreo-Comp (2021), Senior Production (2022), and multiple Choreographic Honors. She has had the opportunity to perform works by Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, Bobbi Jene Smith, Alan Lucien Øyen, Justin Peck, Jamar Roberts, and more. She was awarded the Martha Hill Prize upon graduation for her achievement and leadership in Dance as well as a Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship for her promise as an entrepreneur and engagement in the arts.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

Alysia Johnson was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She first found dance at Dallas Black Dance Theatre and later went on to graduate from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts where she studied ballet, modern, and composition. A graduate of The Juilliard School and a two-time recipient of Juilliard's Entrepreneurship Grant she has served the Dallas dance community by founding and directing programs that cater to young artists in the DFW metroplex since 2015. Recently, Alysia was awarded the Princess Grace Honoraria Award for dance and is endlessly thankful for the dance community at large for their support and unmatched creativity.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

Alexandria Best is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina in which she began her dance training  and love for its expressive art form. In her formal training years, Best acquired knowledge from various instructors across programs such as American Ballet Theatre, Arts Umbrella, Carolina Ballet, French Académie of Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She has had the great opportunity to perform various works by choreographers such as Rena Butler, Alexandra Damiani, Jessica Hendricks,  Jiří Kylián, Florian Lochner and Alice Klock (also known as “FLOCK”), and Crystal Pite. Best is most recently a graduate of Pace Univeristy, where she received her BFA in Dance, and she is in her first season with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

TEACHING: Pilates

Nara Carman is a certified Level 5, Romana’s Pilates International. A former apprentice of Rhonda Celenza and Juanita Lopez, Nara has been classically trained in traditional Pilates technique. She has continued her training by attending workshops with Marjorie Oron, Juanita Lopez, and lessons with Janice Dulak. Nara’s connection with Pilates is personal as well as professional. While a professional dancer she suffered a neck and spine injury that hampered her movement and caused her pain for many years. Pilates has restored her body and freed her from the restrictions of her injury.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

Michele Dooley is a dance artist and teacher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She began her dance training at The Institute of the Arts, graduated from The High School for Creative and Performing Arts, and later earned her BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts. Michele has completed programs with Bates Summer intensive, BalletX Summer Program, and DCNS Summer Dance Intensive and has worked with choreographers Gary Jeter, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Dara Meredith-Stevens, Milton Myers, and Nora Gibson. She has had the privilege of working with Eleone Dance Theatre, and Spectrum Dance Theater.

TEACHING: Yoga

Originally from Cary, IL, Kimberly graduated high school from North Carolina School of the Arts with a major in ballet and was recognized as a NC Scholar. Upon graduation, she joined The Joffrey Ballet and danced for two years under the direction of Gerald Arpino and Mark Goldweber. She danced with Luna Negra Dance Theater for the 2007-2008 season and was a principal guest artist for State Street Dance Studio's Nutcracker before joining Danceworks Chicago in August 2008 and had the opportunity to perform throughout Europe as part of the Love Hurts....Petrushka production. She moved to Los Angeles to dance with Los Angeles Ballet for their 2011-2012 season and started working for the Walt Disney Company in May 2012. She joined the entertainment team at Universal Studio’s Orlando Resort in Winter 2013 and performed in Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue and The TriWizard Tournament in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As a proud member of Actors Equity Association, she performed at Walt Disney World in the cast of Festival of the Lion King as a principal dancer and aerialist and was the Equity Lead for the cast. In 2019, she was awarded the Quarterly Award at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Park. Prior to joining the cast of Festival of the Lion King, she was part of the creation team and performed in Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire and performed in A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas. She was a back-up dancer for Sofia Carson’s “Rotten to the Core” music video featured on Univision’s New Year’s Eve special 2016 as well as the Disney Channel and danced in Disney’s primetime Christmas specials on ABC in 2017 and 2018 choreographed by NappyTabs. She has performed with various production and entertainment companies at events and for film and tv throughout the Orlando area. She has taught at many schools and intensives, including the Joffrey Academy of Dance and Hubbard Street, and given masterclasses while on tour in Europe. Kimberly graduated Summa Cum Laude in May of 2020 with a B.A. in Organizational Leadership and an Undergrad Certificate in Paralegal. She is a 500 hour certified yoga teacher and registered with the Yoga Alliance and Yoga Alliance International. Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to be a performer, choreographer, stage manager, dance captain, office manager, production manager, and instructor.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

ABDIEL FIGUEROA REYES (he/they, Las Vegas, NV) was born and raised in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico prior to moving to the United States. He began his professional dance training at The Rock Center for Dance while attending Las Vegas Academy of the Arts as a Dance Major. In 2016, he joined the Las Vegas residential company at Contemporary West Dance Theater (formerly known as the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater) under the direction of Bernard H. Gaddis, where he continued his training in modern, ballet, and contemporary. In 2017, he became a member of HSDC’s Professional Program (HS Pro) under the direction of Alexandra Wells where he trained under educators such as Peter Chu, Claire Bataille, and Glenn Edgerton, as well as HSDC company artists and guests. After a one-year apprenticeship, he was promoted to the main company in 2019. He is beginning his fourth year with the company.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

Elliot Hammans began his formal dance training in 2008 with Robert Sher-Machherndl and continued his ballet and modern dance education with Moving People Dance in Santa Fe, NM, under the direction of Curtis Uhlemann. Hammans joined Moving People Dance Company as an apprentice in 2010, trained on full scholarship at the Alonzo King LINES Dance Center in San Francisco, and attended Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s 2011 and 2012 Summer Intensives. Following one season with Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance and studies abroad at Austria’s Tanzzentrum SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance), Hammans earned his BFA in Dance in 2014 from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Hammans joined Hubbard Street 2 as a full company member in August 2014 and was promoted to Hubbard Street’s main company in August 2016.

TEACHING: Horton

Ethan Kirschbaum graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors in Dance Performance from the Ailey School/Fordham University B.F.A. Program. Since then he has danced with Hubbard Street 2, River North Dance Chicago, Lucky Plush Productions, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, and the Saarlandisches Staatstheater. He has been on faculty at the Ailey School, Joffrey Academy, and Lou Conte Dance Studio and was recently certified by the Ailey School to teach all levels of Horton. In 2020, Kirschbaum founded Chicago Movement Collective; a new home for dancers of all backgrounds to train and grow.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

SHOTA MIYOSHI (he/him, Nakagawa, Japan), a native of Japan, started to train in jazz and ballet at Nakura Jazz Dance Studio. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from SUNY Purchase college in 2022. He has performed works by Norbert De La Cruz Ⅲ, Jamar Roberts, Martin Løfsnes, Doug Varone, George Balanchine, Martha Graham and José Limón. Additional training includes MOVE|NYC|’s S.W.E.A.T and Paul Taylor Summer Intensive. He hopes to become a versatile dancer who is able to collaborate with a variety of musicians in order to create something the world has never seen before.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

DAVID SCHULTZ (he/him, Grand Rapids, MI) began his training in Michigan with the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet, where he then performed for four seasons with its company, the Grand Rapids Ballet. He joined Hubbard Street 2 in 2009 and was promoted to the main company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, in 2011 where he has worked with many of the world's leading contemporary choreographers.  He is a recipient of a 2012 Princess Grace Award. As a choreographer he has had the honor of creating works for DanceWorks Chicago, Chambered Squared, Boston University, and a Co-choreographed piece with Jacqueline Burnett for Danza Visual in Mexico City. When he is not dancing, or choreographing, he has spent many years studying music and has performed and scored many pieces for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as well as for his own works.

Kevin J. Shannon is a graduate of the Baltimore School for the Arts. He received additional training from the School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Paul Taylor, and Springboard Danse Montréal. After receiving his BFA from The Juilliard School in 2007, Kevin was invited to join Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. While a dancer with Hubbard Street, he has had the privilege to work under the direction of Jim Vincent, Glenn Edgerton and the current Artistic Director Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell. Kevin is honored to have performed works by Crystal Pite, Kyle Abraham, Jirí Kylián, Aszure Barton, Sharon Eyal, Twyla Tharp, Alejandro Cerrudo, Robyn Mineko Williams, William Forsythe, Peter Chu, Ohad Naharin, among many others over his fourteen years with the company. In 2013 Kevin participated in DanceMotion USA, a cross cultural exchange program between Hubbard Street, BAM and the US State Department, where he taught and performed in North Africa and Spain. As an educator, Kevin has taught dance master classes around the world, led and programmed the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Summer Intensive and is currently a guest teacher for Hubbard Street’s main company. He has served as faculty for The Joffrey Academy, Chicago Movement Collective, and Peridance Center. In addition, Kevin is a certified IMAGE TECH for Dancers™ teacher. 

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

Simone Stevens earned her BA in Dance and Minor in Anthropology from Kennesaw State University in July 2017. One year post-grad, Stevens moved to Chicago and trained on scholarship at the Lou Conte Dance Studio where she was mentored by Laura Wade, Ethan Kirschbaum, and Kristina Fluty. During that time, Stevens also freelanced throughout the city and performed works choreographed by Alice Klock, Alysia Johnson, Hanna Brictson, LOUD Bodies, and Joshua Peugh among others. Most recently she performed as a company member with Katlin Bourgeois's Ensemble180 and was on faculty with Ethan Kirschbaum’s Chicago Movement Collective before joining Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In Stevens’s first season as a member of HSDC, she will be performing works choreographed by Jermaine Maurice Spivey, Aszure Barton, Rena Butler, Ohad Naharin, Nacho Duato and others.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

CYRIE TOPETE (she/her, Peoria, AZ) is from Peoria, Arizona, where she trained in competitive dance beginning at the age of thirteen. She then graduated from The Juilliard School where she received her BFA in the summer of 2022. She was given the FENDI Vanguard Award and is a YoungArts winner. She also attended programs including, Springboard Danse Montreal, Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program, B12 in Berlin, Germany, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and more. She has also performed works by Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Alan Lucien Øyen, Bobbi Jene Smith, Peter Chu, Justin Peck, Aszure Barton, Jenn Freeman, and Jamar Roberts. 

TEACHING: Hip Hop

TRAE TURNER is the founder and Artistic Director of BOOM CRACK! Dance Company and BOOM BOX Dance Company, as well as the founder and Creative Director for BANG BANG! Dance Company. He serves as an adjunct Hip Hop Professor at Columbia College, is on faculty at Visceral Dance Chicago, and was a former faculty member at LCDS for over 15 years. He has completed choreography and artist development for recording artists including Kelis, Phenix Phenom, Andre McCray, Jess Godwin, R&B singer Kam, and teen sensation Yemi Marie. Over his 13-year career as a performer he has opened for Ne-Yo, Rod Stuart, Janet Jackson, and many more. Trae continues to change the perception of hip hop dance by pushing its boundaries and showcasing hip hop on professional platforms.

Summer Intensive Accompanist

Stephanie Kosarin has been a dancer and musician all her life. As a pianist, Stephanie has accompanied Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Mark Morris Dance Group, The Joffrey Ballet, Preljocaj Ballet, Hubbard Street, Bill Evans, and Eliot Feld Ballet. She most recently was a company pianist for American Ballet Theatre. She looks forward to accompanying the Royal Ballet of London this upcoming season.

As a dance educator, Stephanie has taught ballet/creative dance for Alabama Ballet, Eastern Michigan University, Birmingham Ballet, Children's Dance Foundation, CityDance, and has operated her own studio, "Ballet with Stephanie" since 1993.

Summer Intensive Accompanist

Natalia Kushnir was born in Ukraine and graduated from National Music Academy in Kyiv with a major in Piano Performing. She moved to the USA to pursue her career in music performance and has been a piano accompanist for classical ballet since, working with major ballet companies in the Midwest and on the east coast, also abroad in Europe.

Summer Intensive Accompanist

From the age of four years old, Jonathan Schang has been devoted to the pursuit and creation of original music. After studying percussion and music theory extensively throughout his education in Oak Park, IL, Jonathan spent his freshman year of college in 2002-2003 at Boston’s illustrious Berklee College of Music. He returned to Chicago to study jazz drumset with Paul Wertico at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, whereupon he graduated with a BA in Jazz Studies in 2005. Shortly thereafter, he founded the world-renowned progressive rock band District 97. Jonathan and his bandmates regularly record and tour the world. In 2016, Jonathan was named one of the Top 5 Prog Rock drummers in the Modern Drummer Magazine Reader's Poll. 

In addition to his activities with District 97, Jonathan is one of Chicago’s busiest and most in-demand Modern and Ballet dance accompanists. He works regularly at Hyde Park School of Dance, Joffrey Ballet, Columbia College Chicago, Chicago Academy for the Arts,  Intuit, and is thrilled to join HSDC for their Summer Intensives. 

Summer Intensive Accompanist

Paul Sottnik is a freelancing Chicago producer and multi-instrumentalist. They play piano professionally, teach music, accompany dance and work with theater companies including The Second City. Their passion is songwriting. They perform live with their computer to combine songs and poetry along with their beatapes and other sound projects. You can find more details such as recordings, show dates, and a complete resume at www.melacollective.com/sottnik-music.