Hubbard Street 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

Hubbard Street Director of Summer Intensives & Senior Rehearsal Director

As Senior Rehearsal Director and Director of Summer Intensives, JONATHAN E. ALSBERRY shapes the daily practice of the company dancers while fostering connectivity across departments. He designs physically mindful schedules that ensure seamless transitions between repertory stagings, new creations, and performances. He also leads morning company classes rooted in wellness, joy, and excellence. As Director of Summer Intensives, he curates four dynamic programs, bringing in diverse choreographers and instructors, highlighting Chicago’s cultural richness, and attracting aspiring dancers ages 13–25 from across the globe.

Jonathan’s dance journey began at his mother’s Agape Dance Center, continued at The Chicago Academy for the Arts, and led to a BFA from The Juilliard School, where formative collaborations with Aszure Barton and Lar Lubovitch launched long-standing creative partnerships. Affectionately known as “Jojo,” he is a Creative Associate with Aszure Barton & Artists, assisting on works for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Hamburg Ballet, Malpaso Dance Company, and Teatro alla Scala. He also performed with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company for over a decade, continuing his work as a stager and teaching artist.

He has performed internationally with legends including Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alessandra Ferri, and with organizations such as Despertares, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and LA Opera. Other collaborations include Luna Negra Dance Theater, Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, The Chase Brock Experience, and Pier Group Dance.

Now in his ninth season with Hubbard Street, Jonathan brings joy, rigor, and artistry into every space he enters. Through partnerships with organizations like Springboard Danse, Arts Umbrella, and the Chicago Dance Health Fund, he remains committed to nurturing the next generation and uplifting the spirit of dance.

Hubbard Street Rehearsal Director

CRAIG D. BLACK JR. from San Jose, CA is a dancer, educator, stager, and 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 ten 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. Now in his fourth season as rehearsal director, Craig has been a guest artist with HSDC and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, a guest rehearsal director for FLOCK, and a stager for Alejandro Cerrudo. 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, Rennie Harris, Johan Inger, 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 as well as assisting Robyn Mineko-Williams with the official music video for Sen Morimoto’s Pressure on the Pulse.

Craig is a passionate teacher and mentor. He is certified in IMAGE TECH for Dancers™ introductory through advanced level. He has been a guest company class instructor for DanceAspen, Giordano Dance Chicago, and South Chicago Dance Theatre. Additionally, Craig is on faculty for Dupree Dance and has served as guest faculty for the Hubbard Street Professional Program, The Joffrey Academy, New York City Dance Alliance, Peridance Center, and Steps on Broadway.

Hubbard Street Manager of Training Programs

SHAWN LENT moves the world as a social practice dance artist, educator, nonprofit leader, program manager, writer, and facilitator. With more than 30 years of experience in dance education across the competitive, community, and recreational sectors—plus 25+ years in nonprofit administration—she is thrilled to be launching her tenure at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

Shawn served as Programs and Communications Director at Chicago Dancemakers Forum from 2016–2025, where she led initiatives to support and amplify local dance artists and strengthen the city’s dance ecosystem. Previous roles include writer and alliance-building lead for the arts think tank Createquity, Arts Integration Program Specialist at Columbia College Chicago, and EducationUSA Advising Coordinator for Egypt.

A U.S. Fulbright Scholar (2012–2013) and United Nations Alliance of Civilizations International Fellow, Shawn’s honors also include serving as the 2014 Commencement Speaker for Millikin University and the 2025 Keynote Speaker for the Illinois Dance Education Organization’s statewide conference.

CREATE Intensive Choreographer

BANNING BOULDIN is a dancer, choreographer, producer, and community organizer based in Nashville, TN. She received her BFA from the Juilliard School in 2002, and spent the next decade performing internationally—working with Aszure Barton, Cullberg Ballet, Camille A. Brown, Mats Ek, Johan Inger, Hubbard Street, Lar Lubovitch, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Alexander Ekman, Jacquelyn Buglisi, Wen Wei Wang, and Robert Battle. She was a soloist and choreographic assistant during her tenure with Aszure Barton and Artists from 2003-2010.

In 2007, she began to research her own contemporary technique practice—developing an improvisation and non-binary partnering syllabus which she taught for two years at the Theatre de la Danse and Studio Harmonic in Paris. During that same time, she joined a small group of fellow Juilliard graduates to form Rumpus Room Dance, based in Portland, Oregon and Goteborg, Sweden. Together they co-created and performed two evening length site-specific dance works and were nominated one of Dance Magazine’s “Top 25 to Watch” in 2010.  In the Fall of 2010, Banning returned to her hometown, Nashville, where she was engaged as an instructor and choreographer for the Nashville Ballet and Vanderbilt University, developing the contemporary dance curricula for both training programs. In 2013, Banning formed New Dialect—responding to Nashville’s need for a professional contemporary dance company and community-centric resource that would support dancers, teaching artists, and choreographers, while providing new opportunities for local dance artists to collaborate and contribute to the larger national dance ecology. As a community organizer and director, she since has nurtured the creation of numerous dance programs and productions in Nashville. Through her leadership of New Dialect and significant contributions to contemporary dance in the South, Banning has received several honors and awards, including a two-time nomination for the United States Artist Fellowship.

As a freelance choreographer, she has been commissioned to create works for Visceral Dance Chicago, Springboard Danse Montréal, Northwest Dance Project, Whim W'Him, SALT Contemporary Dance Company, the Juilliard School, Gibney Dance Company, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts (Dallas), Groundworks Dance Theater, the Fine Arts Center Greenville, Middle Tennessee State University, and New Dialect. She has been featured in articles and interviews for Dance Magazine, The New York Times, Dance Teacher, and Dance Spirit magazine. From 2020-2023 Banning was a research artist for the National Center for Choreography at the University of Akron, where she investigated new frameworks for supporting dance through NCCAkron’s Creative Administration Residency (CAR). Her essay Causing a Scene: How I Helped Build the Contemporary Dance Ecosystem in My Hometown, details her experience forming New Dialect and was published by the University of Akron Press in September 2024. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Dance at Bennington College and in residence at the Centre Chorégraphique National Montpellier in France.

CREATE Intensive Choreographer 

KEERATI JINAKUNWIPHAT is a NYC-based choreographer, movement director, and performing artist, originally from Chicago. She received her BFA from the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase. She has worked with and performed works of artists such as Kyle Abraham, Trisha Brown, Jasmine Ellis, Shannon Gillen, Kevin Wynn, Doug Varone and more. Keerati joined A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham in 2016 and performed and collaborated with the company for over seven seasons. Keerati has been commissioned to set and create works on A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham, New York Choreographic Institute, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Bang On A Can, Princeton University, Whim W’him Seattle Contemporary Dance, MOVE NYC, Fire Island Dance Festival, Barnard/Columbia University and more. In 2023, she had the honor of becoming the first Asian American woman to be commissioned to choreograph for the New York City Ballet with music by Pulitzer-prize winning composer Du Yun. 

Keerati’s choreography has been performed at venues including the Joyce Theater, New Victory Theater, MASS MoCA, Lincoln Center, Works & Process at the Guggenheim, New York Live Arts, Chelsea Factory and more. Keerati has graced the cover of Dance Magazine as one of their 25 to Watch in 2021. She was awarded a 2023 Jadin Wong Fellowship Artist of Exceptional Merit by the Asian American Arts Alliance, a 2023 Princess Grace Award in choreography, and is a 2025 NYSCA/ NYFA Artist Fellow in Choreography. Keerati was a 2024 Artist in Residency at the Baryshnikov Arts, where she recently premiered her debut evening-length work, Of Dishes and Dreams, and is a 2025-26 Artist in Residence at the 92NY's Harkness Dance Center.

CREATE Intensive Choreographer 

DREW LEWIS is a performer, choreographer and educator originally from Oak Park, IL. He graduated magna cum laude from Cornish College of the Arts in 2016. Drew has performed extensively with Sidra Bell Dance New York, Little House Dance, C-LS, Project 44, Attack Theatre, The Joel Hall Dancers, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, and in projects by Lucy Riner and Erin Kilmurray. As a choreographer, Drew has created works for DanceWorks Chicago, Common Conservatory, Loyola University, Skidmore College, Hyde Park School of Dance and many others. He has served on faculty at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA and at Common Conservatory in Chicago, IL. Most recently, Drew was awarded a two-year Fellowship by the Arts Club of Chicago for 2025-2026, marking the first time in history a dance artist has received this role.

In 2020, Drew formed his ensemble, House of DOV, as a vehicle to explore his own creative work and heritage, and to provide talented yet under-represented Chicago dancers with opportunities for paid work in performance and practice. House of DOV's vision is of a dance field that celebrates diversity of genre, body-type, race and gender, and their mission is to be a changemaker in the local dance conversation while engaging with global discourse through touring. Since their inaugural performance at the Adler Planetarium (Finalist for the Chicago Reader’s Best of 2021), House of DOV has performed throughout Chicago including at Fulton Street Collective, Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble, and Navy Pier (among many more venues). They've received commissions for original works from The Steppenwolf Theatre and The Arts Club of Chicago, and have been in residence at the Chicago Cultural Center, Ragdale, The Schoolhouse, and The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago. For more, visit www.houseofdov.com.

TEACHING: Countertechnique

SOPHIE MINOUCHE ALLEN is a Chicago-based performer, choreographer, teacher, and collaborator who imbues playfulness and nuance in all her endeavors. She has studied Countertechnique® since 2019, including three One Body One Career intensives, and successfully completed the Countertechnique® Teacher Training program in 2023. Sophie is on faculty at The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, co-facilitates the Chicago Countertechnique® Community Class Series, and offers open classes at The Rooted Space and beyond. Sophie currently performs with Carrie Hanson/The Seldoms and Fever Dream Dance Collective. She has also had the pleasure of working with Ayako Kato/Art Union Humanscape, Al Evangelista, Darling Squire, Katlin Michael Bourgeois, Sean Roschman/Niko8, and Nora Sharp among others. She has self-produced her work at the Drucker Center and Links Hall in Chicago, and her choreography has been presented by FACT/SF, Thodos Dance Chicago/DanceWorks Chicago, Midwest RADFest, Detroit Dance Exchange, Side Street Studio Arts, and COMMON conservatory among others. Sophie holds both a BFA in Dance and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from The University of Michigan. www.sophieminouche.com

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
Teen CREATE Intensive Choreographer

KYLE ANDERS (he/him, Sykesville, MD) began his pre-professional training at Savage Dance Company under the direction of Nichole Savage and Brandy Fry, where he trained for thirteen years. He is a 2024 graduate of The University of Arizona, where he continued his training artistically and academically, receiving his BFA in Dance and his BSBA in Business Management. Outside of his undergraduate studies, Kyle studied the repertoire of Marco Goecke at Orsolina28, and is an alumnus of The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program, where he worked with Milton Myers, Ronald K. Brown, Jennifer Archibald, and Amy J. Gardner. He was honored to serve as a Company Swing for Hubbard Street’s Season 47, covering the Company’s tracks for works by Aszure Barton and Maria Torres and performing alongside the Company in Johan Inger’s IMPASSE at the Harris Theater Winter Series. Kyle is thrilled to be joining Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for Season 48 as a Main Company Dancer.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
Teen CREATE Program Lead

ALEXANDRIA BEST (she/her, Raleigh, NC) is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina where she began her pre-professional dance training. During this time, she acquired knowledge from instructors across programs such as American Ballet Theatre, Arts Umbrella, Carolina Ballet, DamianiDance, French Academie of Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She is a 2021 graduate of Pace University where she earned her BFA in dance, with a concentration in performance and pedagogy, and a minor in business. Immediately following post-grad, Alexandria joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as a company dance artist under the new direction of Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell. Now going into her third season, she has had the opportunity to perform many great works by many great-minded artists alike. She is thrilled to be announced as a 2023 Princess Grace Foundation Award winner in Dance and to be joining its community of artists, including many past and present HSDC members as well.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
Teen CREATE Intensive Choreographer
Teen REP Program Lead

DOMINICK BROWN (he/they, Oklahoma City, OK) is a professional dance artist originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Dominick began training under the direction of CeCe Farha. While training, Dominick attended summer intensives with The Washington School of Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Dominick received a BFA from the University of The Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfeild as a Directors Scholar in 2021. While at the university, Dominick worked with Ballet Preljocaj in Aix en Provence, France. Dominick also attended The American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. Dominick has previously danced as a company artist with Kun Yang Lin Dancers and SALT Contemporary Dance. Dominick joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as a main company dancer in 2024. Dominick has performed works by Merce Cunningham, Ihsan Rustem, Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, Mathew Rushing, James Gregg, Johan Inger, and Peter Chu. Dominick is thrilled to embark on their second season with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
Teen 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 also teaches company class, has choreographed for the CREATE Summer Intensive, serves as a repetiteur for choreographies by Penny Saunders (Ballet Idaho, Grand Rapids Ballet, Seattle Dance Collective, Royal New Zealand Ballet), and is a freelance dancer with Robyn Mineko Williams and Artists. Her choreography has been commissioned by Chicago Movement Collective for the Claire Bataille Legacy Program, Danza Visual in Mexico City, and Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of Murder on the Orient Express under the direction of Annika Boras.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
Teen CREATE Intensive Choreographer

AARON CHOATE (they/them, Lexington, KY) is a graduate of The Juilliard School class of 2022. After studying at Diana Evans School of Dance in Kentucky, they were named a 2018 Presidential Scholar in the Arts. They have performed the works of renowned choreographers, such as Kyle Abraham, Aszure Barton, Bob Fosse/ Gwen Verdon, Ohad Naharin, Justin Peck, Matthew Rushing, Jamar Roberts, Bobbi Jene Smith, Rennie Harris, Lar Lubovitch, and Ted Shawn. They are also an avid choreographer. In 2025 they were an Emerging Choreographer for Springboard Danse Pittsburgh’s 25th anniversary. In the same year they created a work for the composition department of Princeton for their semi-annual “Sound Kitchen”. Summer of 2023 they had a process at Gibney Dance called the Moving Towards Justice Fellowship created by Scott Autry and in 2022, they presented a work at 92nd Street Y as a part of the Future Dance Festival.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Program Lead

MORGAN CLUNE (she/her, Barrington, IL) graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts in 2018. She was recognized as a National YoungArts Winner in New York for Contemporary dance in 2018 where she performed solo at Baryshnikov Arts Center. Morgan attended the Juilliard School under direction of Alicia Graf Mack between 2018-2022 where she worked with renowned choreographers such as Bobbi Jene Smith, Justin Peck, Jamar Roberts, Ohad Naharin, and more. Upon graduation from Juilliard, Morgan was awarded the Martha Hill Prize for her achievement and leadership in Dance as well as a Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship for her promise as an entrepreneur and her engagement in the arts. She is an emerging choreographer, choreographing at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s CREATE Summer Intensives (2023 & 2024) and The Juilliard School Summer Dance Intensive in 2023. Morgan is currently in her fourth season with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago under the direction of Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

MICHELE DOOLEY (she/he/they, Philadelphia, PA) is a dance artist and teacher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Michele began training at The Institute of the Arts, continued studying at The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, and later earned a BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts. Michele has had the pleasure of working with numerous choreographers throughout their professional career, such as Gary Jeter, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Donald Byrd, Aszure Barton, Jermaine Spivey, Spenser Theberge, and Matthew Rushing, amongst others. Michele has worked with Eleone Dance Theatre and Spectrum Dance Theater, and they are beyond thrilled to continue their artistic journey with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago!

TEACHING: Pilates

VERONICA GUADALUPE was certified in the Pilates method by Romana Kryzanowska in 2002. Veronica’s goal is to promote the highest possible quality of life for every client who walks through her door by sharing the knowledge and experiences she has attained through Pilates. Her first career was as a contemporary ballet dancer. She attended a performing arts high school and then spent the next 15 years dancing professionally with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Santa Fe Opera, Gus Giordano II, and River North Chicago. While dancing with Luna Negra Dance Theater for over 10 years, she also took on the position of Rehearsal Director and later became the Associate Artistic Director of the company. Veronica began her Pilates education at a young age, eventually starting her formal training with Grand Master Teacher Juanita Lopez. She continues her Pilates education with Grand Master Teacher Sari Mejia-Santos, Anthony Rabara, Cynthia Shipley, Rhonda Celenza, and Maria Sison-Wright as well as many others in the Romana’s Pilates Community.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

ELLIOT HAMMANS (he/him, Santa Fe, NM) 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. He 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 studies abroad at Austria’s Tanzzentrum SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance), he earned his BFA in Dance in 2014 from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. He joined Hubbard Street 2 in August 2014 and was promoted to Hubbard Street’s main company in August 2016. Elliot also works at Athletico Physical Therapy as a Rehabilitation Aide and enjoys practicing and teaching somatic methods.

TEACHING: Hip Hop

DANIEL "BRAVEMONK" HAYWOOD is an artist, visionary, b-boy, host/emcee and educator based in Chicago. As a cultural ambassador and leader in the Hip-Hop community he has regularly served as a guest artist throughout the US and internationally. His credits include Dance Gathering in Lagos, the International Cultural Festival of Contemporary Dance in Algiers, The Hip-Hop Theater Festival at the MCA, the movie Dreams released by Lionsgate Films, and a feature in the anthology Black Theater Is Black Life: An Oral History of Chicago Theater and Dance, 1970-2010. As a Master of Ceremonies BRAVEMONK has kept the energy hype while managing the flow and vibe of large-scale events including: Red Bull Dance Your Style U.S.A. National Finals (2023), Red Bull North USA Qualifier (2024), Fusion Concept USA Qualifier Final (2024), Snipes Cypher Series Grand Finale (2025) & The B-Series: Hip-Hop & Street Dance Festival of Columbia College Chicago (2014-2025). BRAVEMONK’s is a member of Chicago’s legendary and internationally recognized breaking crew Phaze II Crosstown Crew (est. 1982) and co-founding Artistic Director of BraveSoul Movement. BRAVEMONK has been on faculty at Columbia College Chicago since 2017. He has taught and set work at many other prestigious institutions including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Beloit College, Kennesaw State University, Western Michigan University, and the University of Chicago. In 2017 he was recipient of the Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist Award. He made NewCity’s Players 50 (Top 50 leaders of Chicago’s theater, dance, opera and comedy culture) 2018 & 2023. BRAVEMONK has played the character “Basilio” (since 2018) in The Rosina Project, a Hip-Hopera by The Chicago Fringe Opera & BraveSoul Movement, and was cast/appeared as a character in an episode of Fox/Disney television series The Big Leap, and as a Voice Over Actor in the upcoming fanimated series titled Rise of the Last Dragon.

TEACHING: Vogue Aesthetics

DARRELL JONES is a performer, educator, researcher, and choreographer. He has performed extensively across the United States and globally, in all kinds of venues, including Links Hall in Chicago, Danspace Project, Dance Box – Kobe, Japan, and the Venice Biennale. He maintains long-term collaborative relationships with Bebe Miller Company and Ralph Lemon. Additional foundational experiences have included working with Min Tanaka, Ronald K. Brown, Kokuma Dance Theatre (Birmingham, UK), and Urban Bush Women. Jones is a two-time Bessie Award recipient and has received grants and awards including the 3Arts Award, Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the MAP Fund and a Walder Foundation Platform Award. He is a tenured faculty member at The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago where he teaches classes in physical practice, performance, and improvisational techniques. He holds an MFA in Dance from Florida State University.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

BIANCA MELIDOR (she/her, Dacula, GA) comes from Atlanta where she received her dance training at the Gwinnett Ballet Theater under the artistic direction of Lisa Sheppard Robson and Wade Walthall. Melidor then furthered her training in jazz at Point Park University under the direction of Ruben Graciani and Garfield Lemonius. In addition, she has spent many of her summers training at intensives with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mark Morris Dance Group, Ballet West, Atlanta Ballet and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. She graduated from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, Magna Cum Laude and soon after joined Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s DBDT: Encore! with the artistic direction of Nycole Ray. After three seasons, she joined the main company of Dallas Black Dance Theatre with Melissa Young as artistic director and performed in countless programs by Matthew Rushing, Christopher Huggins, Darrell Grand Moultrie, and many more. Bianca is delighted to continue her professional career with HSDC.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer

SHOTA MIYOSHI (he/him, Kanagawa, Japan), trained extensively in jazz, ballet, tap, and hip-hop before moving to the United States to pursue his studies at SUNY Purchase College, where he earned his BFA in Dance in 2022. Upon graduation, he joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, performing works by acclaimed choreographers including Aszure Barton, Ohad Naharin, Matthew Rushing, Rena Butler, FLOCK (Alice Klock and Florian Lochner), and James Gregg, among others. Expanding his artistry into choreography, Shota was commissioned to create new works for The Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Works 2025 and New Dances 2025.

TEACHING: Flamenco

JONATHAN PACHECO is a dancer and arts administrator. He is a member of the internationally acclaimed Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater and the Executive Office and Campaign Manager at the Tony Award winning Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Jonathan has worked closely with some of the world’s most influential Spanish dance artists and his work is centered around the presentation and promotion of the various dance and music traditions of Spain. Jonathan’s numerous accolades include being recognized as a flourishing cultural leader by the publication Negocios Now in its “Latinos 40 Under 40” List, he received an Individual Artist Program Award from Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and he was named “Best Dancer” by the Chicago Reader in 2024. In 2025, Jonathan received the inaugural Emerging Leader Award from Dance/USA, the national service organization for America’s dance industry.

TEACHING: Graham

ANNE O’DONNELL PASSERO is a free-lance performing artist based in Chicago and New York City. Recently completing a decade long career with Martha Graham Dance Company as a Soloist, Anne toured internationally performing Grahams’ original principal roles as well as original works by renowned choreographers Mats Ek, Hofesh Shechter, Bobbi Jene Smith, Pam Tanowitz, Lar Lubovitch, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Sonya Tayeh to name a few. Anne studied on full scholarship at The Ailey School and was invited into Ailey II under the direction of Sylvia Waters. She dances for Buglisi Dance Theatre and Chicago Lyric Opera and was accepted into Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program, Glimmerglass Opera Festival, and SpringboardDanse Montreal. Anne graced the cover of Dance Spirits' Issue “Young and Modern” and enjoys a range of commercial modeling jobs and teaching the next generation of dancers currently on faculty at The Joffrey Academy.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

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.

Teaching: Ballet, Image Tech, Limón

KEVIN J. SHANNON (he/him) was born in Baltimore, Maryland and 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, Kevin was invited to join Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. While a company dancer with Hubbard Street from 2007 to 2022, he had the privilege to perform works by Kyle Abraham, Aszure Barton, Alejandro Cerrudo, Peter Chu, Sharon Eyal, William Forsythe, Jirí Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, Twyla Tharp, Robyn Mineko Williams, among many others. As an educator, he has led and programmed the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Summer Intensive and is currently a guest teacher for Hubbard Street’s main company, José Limón Dance Company and Gibney Company. He has been a visiting artist for the School of The Art Institute of Chicago and has served as faculty for The Joffrey Ballet School, Gibney Dance NYC, Chicago Movement Collective, Youth America Grand Prix, and Peridance Center. Kevin is a certified IMAGE TECH for dancers™ teacher. He is on faculty for the Gibney Pro professional certificate program under the direction of Alexandra Wells. Currently he is a freelance artist dancing with Flockworks Dance, Brian Brooks/Moving Company, KNONAME and Danielle Russo.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
EXPLORE Program Lead

SIMONE STEVENS (she/her, Atlanta, GA) received her dance training in her hometown of Stone Mountain, GA at En Pointe School of Dance before graduating from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Minor in Anthropology. Upon moving to Chicago, Simone studied on scholarship at the Lou Conte Dance Studio, receiving mentorship from the incomparable Claire Bataille, Laura Wade, and Ethan Kirschbaum. Simultaneously, she performed as a freelance artist throughout the city, working closely with Hanna Brictson and Katlin Bourgeouis, among others. In addition to performing with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Simone has been recognized as one of Dance Magazine's 25 To Watch; served as creative Lead for the company’s Summer Intensives; and expanded her network as an instructor at The Rooted Space, Red Clay Dance Center, and her alma mater. Forever grateful for the spaces and communities that continue to welcome and uplift her, Simone looks forward to embarking on a fifth year with the company.

Hubbard Street Company Dancer
CREATE Intensive Choreographer

CYRIE TOPETE (she/they, Peoria, AZ) is from Peoria, Arizona. Following her father, she began as a break-dancer and started training in competitive dance at the age of thirteen. She was recognized as a YoungArts Merit winner in 2018 before moving to New York City. She graduated with a BFA from The Juilliard School in 2022, where she received the FENDI Vanguard Award. Following graduation, Cyrie was featured in an On Running brand ad choreographed by Justin Peck and joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Company. Entering her fourth season, she’s had the opportunity to perform works by Aszure Barton, Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin, Bob Fosse & Gwen Verdon, James Gregg, Rennie Harris, Kyle Abraham, FLOCK, Rena Butler, and more. She’s been featured in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise” and choreographed for the HSDC Create Summer Intensive in 2024 & 2025. She is ecstatic to be announced as a 2025 Princess Grace Honoraria Recipient and to be a part of a prestigious community of artists. Cyrie is honored to contribute to the enduring and impactful legacy that Hubbard Street carries forward.

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

Working as a professional pianist since 2012, IMOGEN SMITH has always favored cross-disciplinary collaboration as a musician, working regularly and extensively with actors, dancers, and singers. Beginning their professional career in Seattle, they regularly played for Seattle Opera and worked as the staff accompanist/coach for the Cornish College of the Arts Music Department. Since moving to Chicago in 2019, they have played for numerous Chicago groups, studios, and companies including Lyric Opera, Joffrey Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.