choreographers
Namita Kapoor is an interdisciplinary rhythm dancer, choreographer and visual artist. Her proficiency as a performer of Tap, Jazz, Body Percussion and Indian dance forms has earned her both national and international credits, with performances on Broadway and Off-Broadway, at the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, SFJazz and the Ford Amphitheater. As a performer and teacher her international credits span from India, Brazil, Turkey, Italy and Iceland to Japan, and from Bollywood to Hollywood with both film and television appearances. Currently performing with Keith Terry’s Slammin All-Body Band and Corposonic Percussion Ensemble, Kapoor has performed and collaborated with International Percussive groups such as Barbabatuques (Brazil), Leela Petronio (France), Gamelan Sekar Jaya (Bali) and KeKeÇa (Turkey) and plays an active part in yearly International Body Music Festivals around the world. Kapoor has also performed works choreographed or directed by Gregory Hines, Jerome Robbins, Jimmy Slyde, Lynn Dally, Marguerite Derricks, Baayork Lee, Farah Khan and Vigi Prakash. Among the dance makers who have most influenced Kapoor’s own choreography, rooted in Jazz dance techniques and traditions, are Lynn Brilhante and Ann Barrett. Kapoor is currently on faculty at ODC and Alonzo King Lines Dance Center in San Francisco, and she will teach at ODC’s Next Moves Summer Intensive this August. Her current interests lie in exploring the unique relationship between Indian and Jazz dance, using percussion and theater as the basis for creating movement. Kapoor also explores rhythm and movement through painting and has completed several large artworks and installations in and around the Bay Area.
Lynn Brilhante’s dancing and choreography are often described as dynamic, fluid and gutsy. She brings a fresh and innovative approach to the world of Jazz and shows a unique ability to merge and update various elements, in the process creating her own trademark style. These talents have recently earned her a nomination for the Theatre L.A. Ovation Award for Choreography. Ms. Brilhante has also received the Dance Masters of America Choreographer’s Award and the Robbi Award for Choreography. Her acclaim reaches internationally to the Jazz workshop, Die Werkstatt, in Dusseldorf Germany, where she continues to be invited as a guest artist. Her success in transferring her love of dance through teaching is evidenced by a flock of loyal students, both in her studio classes in the San Francisco Bay Area and at numerous workshops, master classes and camps throughout the world. Ms. Brilhante boasts a long and impressive resume of choreographic and performance achievements, spanning the diverse media of stage, film, television and video. Her contributions will continue to enrich the dance world. Lynn Brilhante teaches at Alonzo King Lines Dance Center. For information on her classes please visit Alonzo King Lines Dance Center. More information can also be found here: brilhante.com, Facebook.
Ann Barrett, a true artist in the field of jazz dance, has been nurturing her skills over the years to make her one of the most coveted dance instructors and choreographers around. After training in Ballet and Modern, Ann Barrett found her home in Jazz with Ann Marie Garvin who, like Jack Cole and her friend and choreographer Ron Lewis, worked relentlessly to get dancers to reach their potential while choreographing unbelievable material. In researching this project, Ann found that she knew many of Jack Cole's steps because of her training, and knows that they were passed down to her by competent dancers, familiar with Jack Cole's style and work ethic. Performing and serving as Line Captain in Ann Marie Garvins "Dance Between The Lines" was invaluable to her understanding the ins and outs of choreography and theater. For this she is eternally grateful. As a choreographer, Ann Barrett's credits include Adidas, Coca Cola, Apple, JCP, Avia, and Macy's. Working with Dick Bright, she choreographed SRO, and in Las Vegas, The Emeralds at the Las Vegas Hilton. Other theater credits include Bally's, Harrah's and Great America. Ann currently teaches at City Dance in San Francisco. Ann teaches at City Ballet in San Francisco. For more information on her classes please visit City Dance Studios.
Bruce Biada has choreographed, performed and taught dance professionally in the SF Bay Area for 30+ years including work on the East Coast and abroad. His work has encompassed industrial/commercial work as well as studio and company concerts. Extensive early training in several dance styles adds to the diversity of his work. Bruce feels strongly that the clear, well-rounded strength of a solid tap foundation, for beginners of any age, is a gift for the future. Bruce currently teaches at ODC. For more information about his classes, please visit ODC Dance School.
Ashwini Srivatsan is an established Indian Classical Dancer based in San Jose,CA. Her fundamental training in Bharatanatyam was under renowned Guru Nirmala Madhava of 'Pampa' fame and training in 'Bharata Nrityam' from the late Guru Sundari Santhanam (disciple of Padma Bhushan Padma Subramaniam). In addition, she has extensively studied other dance forms such as Kathak, Jazz and Contemporary dance. Ashwini started her teaching career as founder and creative head of Mani Paduka Nrityashala in Las Cruces, NM. She became part of the dance faculty at New Mexico State University and taught a graduate level course in Bharatanatyam. In 2008 she became Co-founder and Creative Director of Tattva Dance Academy. Currently Ashwini is the creative head of Kanha School of Dance located in San Jose. kanhadance.com
musical directors
Jim Santi Owen is an award winning composer and performer. Owen has worked with numerous dancers and choreographers, including Pandit Chitresh Das, Alonzo King, Kim Epifano, Yannis Adoniou, Keith Hennessey, and K.J. Holmes. He has studied and taught Contact Improvisation and other body-based improvisational forms. From 1994 through 1998, Owen collaborated with dancer/musician Jules Beckman on an evolving form of dance, voice, and bucket drumming called Percussion Theater, which he continues to teach. Owen is currently on faculty with Dominican University, the San Francisco Dance Conservatory, LINES Ballet School, LINES Pre-Professional Program, and the ODC Children’s Program where he teaches music, drumming, and performance to hundreds of young dancers. For more information, please visit jimsantiowen.com
Teddy Raven is a saxophonist, composer, and educator based out of the San Francisco bay area in California. As a Fulbright Fellow, he lived in Plovdiv, Bulgaria (the oldest city in Europe- 6,000+ years old) from 2012-2013 and studied traditional Bulgarian folk music by learning the kaval (traditional flute), Bulgarian composition and arranging, piano, and participated in an educational program with a brass band of Romani youth. He hopes to integrate the complex and unique musical language of Bulgaria with his previous musical experience in jazz and western music. Since graduating with a B.M. in May of 2010, Teddy has been busy as an active performer, composer, and educator both in California and around the world. He has produced and released three records featuring his original music, and toured Western Europe twice with the international composers collective Sound Circus. In addition, he plays in a variety of ensembles in the San Francisco Bay Area in genres as far reaching as West African, Soul, Jazz, Balkan, and has become a consistent collaborator with the nationally acclaimed musician’s collective, the Jazz Mafia. For more information please visit: teddyraven.com
dancers
Navia Natarajan is a whirling vortex of energy and grace, an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer, and has a luminous presence on stage. Whether she is performing a complex sequence of steps or a free-flowing dramatic piece steeped in expressions, the lithe and petite Navia embodies impeccable flexibility, rhythm and technique. But beyond the flawlessness of her craft, she hypnotizes with their depth of emotion and uncanny ability to express abstract ideas. From her early days in Chennai as a student to her present day career as a solo performer and founder of the Navia Dance Academy in California, Navia has been performing around the world, beguiling critics and audiences. But she hasn’t let success lull her into a comfort zone. Instead, the thinking dancer seeks to push the boundaries of her own practice, and expand the vocabulary of classical dance to speak the language of the present, without diluting its essence or straying from tradition. She has been trained under Guru Smt. Padmini Ramachandran of Bangalore and is currently being mentored by Guru Sir A.Lakshmanan and Smt Bragha.G.Bessel, Chennai. Blessed with natural flair for the art, and relentless single-minded devotion, she has developed into her present status as an elite performing artist. Her abilities were recognized very early on and have been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, throughout her career. Her elaborate and elite performances have won all round appreciation and accolades from the press and public alike.
Though Navia holds a Masters Degree in Microbiology and worked as a Research Assistant at the Vittal Mallaya Scientific Research Foundation in Bangalore, she has decided to go with the passion that is so strongly rooted in her heart- Bharathanatyam.
Currently residing in the US, Navia returns to India for three to four months every year to perform as well as continue her learning. For more information , please visit navianatarajan.com
Though Navia holds a Masters Degree in Microbiology and worked as a Research Assistant at the Vittal Mallaya Scientific Research Foundation in Bangalore, she has decided to go with the passion that is so strongly rooted in her heart- Bharathanatyam.
Currently residing in the US, Navia returns to India for three to four months every year to perform as well as continue her learning. For more information , please visit navianatarajan.com
Gigi Axelrode, Bruce Biada, Beata Handra, Namita Kapoor, Beth Kreitzer, Chrissy MacDonald, Jonathan Mercer, Lynn Silverfoote, Ashwini Srivatan, Sushmita Srikanth, Woody Thompson, Sally VanLoon
