Ariana Sugay trained at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and later graduated with a BA in Contemporary Dance from Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London. She is a freelance performer who has recently appeared in Danceworks and Thodos Dance Chicago's New Dances at the Athenaeum Theatre, as well as at the Dance for Life gala at the Auditorium Theatre. This year, she is teaching and choreographing at Artistic Pursuit in Westmont and at North Shore Elite Talent Company in Glenview.

Elayne Podolske is a contemporary and classical ballet artist based in Chicago, Illinois. She gained her early training in ballet, jazz, modern and tap at the Dance Academy of Libertyville under Amy Rose, Rob Lane, Lisa Sheppard Shipman, Phil Brooks, Emily Winkler and Katie McCann. She has attended many summer programs and workshops with companies such as Milwaukee Ballet, Joffrey Academy of Dance, A&A Ballet, Ballet West, River North, Visceral Dance Chicago and DanceWorks Chicago. Upon graduating, she joined Fort Wayne Ballet as a trainee where she

performed in classical and contemporary works. She came back to Chicago by invitation to join Ruth Page’s Training Program in their inaugural season. While in the program she had the pleasure to work with Dolores Long, Birute Barodcaite, Rigo Sauro, Maray Guterriez & Victor Alexander. During that year she also traveled to dance and train with international schools InColBallet in Cali, Colombia and Escuela de Música y Danza in Coruna, Spain. During a short season as an apprentice with Ballet Quad Cities she helped run outreaches to local schools and performed in

regional tours with the company. Elayne then joined Ballet 5:8 as a trainee in 2020, followed by a promotion to the second company. She was then offered a company position with Central Illinois Ballet where she performed in Rebekah von Rathonyi’s The Nutcracker and an original ballet of Les Miserables as well as works by Jessie Williams and Dyson. Ramey. Elayne also worked as Operations Manager for their school where she organized fundraising events and co-directed outreach performances for local Peoria schools. Elayne is passionate about bringing dance to all audiences and is excited to be back in the Chicago area moving and grooving once again!

Mary Swansburg is originally from Boston, MA. She began her training at L’Ecole de Ballet and the MA-based ballet company, Dance Prism. She performed with Dance Prism’s corps de ballet in Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and Sleeping Beauty, among a variety of other ballets, and was promoted to apprentice company member in 2017. Mary went on to graduate from Wheaton College, MA (no affiliation with Wheaton College, IL) where she majored in English and Psychology and minored in Dance. At Wheaton, Mary studied primarily under Cheryl Mrozowski, Leticia Guerrero, and Andrea Taylor-Blenis. As a member and eventual Captain of the college’s dance company she had the opportunity to work with choreographers across New England such as Diane Arvientes, Kurt Adametz, and Sarah-Katarina (SKooj CorE-O.) Since graduating in 2022, Mary relocated to Chicago to continue her training with Winifred Haun’s 3rd Coast Contemporary Dance Program, and has been invited back to guest choreograph for the dance department at Wheaton for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons.

Kalie Ferry is an artist, choreographer, performer, and instructor. She received her BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle Washington. She has been a company member of Metamorphosis Dance Company, Elemdi Performance Collaborative, and Balliamo Dance Collective. She has taught contemporary, jazz, and ballet to professional dancers in Rhode Island for several years, and has just moved to Chicago. Kalie is a certified personal trainer, yoga instructor, and nutrition coach through the International Sports Science Association. As an artist, Kalie is interested in exploring opposing energies of bound and free movement, while honoring the importance of anatomical sustainability. Kalie identifies as a dancer who pushes the boundaries of tradition to make space for mental, emotional, and physical health in the dance world.

Nic Steffensen grew up in the Chicagoland area where she trained as a competitive figure skater for over fifteen years.  She holds a BFA from Columbia College Chicago where she graduated summa cum laude (‘21), and spent a year training at COMMON Conservatory under the direction of Terence Marling.  Her supplemental training includes summer programs with Alzono King Lines Ballet, Moonwater Dance Project, and COMMON Conservatory.  She is delighted to continue training with the guidance and support of the faculty at Chicago Movement Collective.

Rae Beck is originally from Highland Park, IL. Dancing for 19 years, she primarily trained at Extension Dance in Chicago under the direction of Lizzie MacKenzie. Rae also attended summer intensives and camps like Interlochen Arts Camp, River North, MIP 2, NWDP, and BOOM CRACK!.  Shaping her into the versatile dancer she is today, Rae continuously studies ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern, and hip hop. She furthered her dance education at the University of Michigan, and received her BFA in Dance in December! At U-M, Rae gained many choreographic and performance opportunities, growing her love for artistry and creation! She was an Artist in Residence at the Croft Residency, developing her love of intertwining nature with her art. Recently, Rae created a dance performance alongside her peers as her senior thesis titled “Tales from our Roots.” She is currently teaching dance and a company member on Boom Crack! Rae is enthusiastic to be back in Chicago and to learn from such spectacular artists!

Samantha Leigh Anderson started her formal dance training at Central Texas Ballet Conservatory under the direction of Caitlin Kelly. Samantha graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, Theater and Dance Department where she earned her B.F.A. in Dance under the direction of Charles Anderson. While at The University of Texas, Samantha had the pleasure of performing works by Charles Anderson, Dorothy O’Shea Overbey, Joel Valentin-Martinez, Kevin A. Ormsby and Will Brown. Upon graduating in December 2022, Samantha was invited to dance as a trainee with Visceral Dance Chicago.While training she performed works by Nick Pupillo, Braeden Barnes, Noelle Kayser, Tina Diaz. Most recently Samantha had the pleasure of dancing with New Dances 2024 under the direction of Julie Nakagawa and Melissa Thodos. Samantha has attended multiple Summer Intensive programs and Collegiate Intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Gibney Winter Intensive, Mark Morris Gaga Lab and Flockworks Dance. Samantha focuses on the coexistence within dance, equal parts of collaboration and communication between the artist and the audience. She believes in contributing to an environment that allows dancers and collaborators to speak freely without bias of race, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. So that dancers and herself may have the opportunity to see themselves within the work, choreography, plot, theme and the audience. She hopes for an honest and true representation of what dance depicts.

Sidney Valdez (she/her) is a multidisciplinary dancer from the Chicagoland area. Sidney grew up dancing at DuPage Dance Academy and graduated from Dickinson College in 2023 where she majored in Dance and Neuroscience and was awarded the Gould Award for exceptional contribution to the Theatre and Dance department. While at Dickinson, Sidney had the pleasure of working with Sarah Skaggs, Erin Crawley Woods, Emie Hughes, and Orange Grove Dance, as well as train with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet instructors including Frances Perez-Ball and Matthew Donnell. During her junior year, Sidney studied abroad at the Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy where she engaged in exploratory, conservatory style dance theater training under Alessio Trevisani. Sidney currently teaches dance in the Chicago area and writes for SeeChicagoDance.com through the Dance Writer Incubator Program.

Taylor Walzem, with over twenty years of dance practice and experience, moved to Chicago in 2023 from New Braunfels, Texas. She studied Texas Woman’s University where she received a Bachelor of the Arts in Dance with a minor in Art History, benefitting from professors such as Jordan Fuchs, Mary Williford-Shade, and Sarh Gamblin, through which program she was able to perform regionally as well as be credited as an international performer at the Coco Dance Festival. Walzem was also on the company Transcend Motion, started by Sarah Tran in 2020, where she learned the joys and hard work required for professional dance, spurring her to pursue her career to new heights. Continuing her growth in Chicago she has studied under Winifred Haun, Ariel Dorsey, Patti Eylar, and Imani English as part of the Third Coast Contemporary Dance Program.

Valerie Lowder is a classically trained ballet and modern dancer based in Chicago. She currently dances at CMC. Valerie has been doing ballet for 17 years and Horton-based modern for 10 years. She has also had 2 years of jazz training and has taken a variety of classes in hip hop, contemporary, and African. She spent 6 years in Hyde Park School of Dance’s pre professional company in high school where she danced 15+ hours every week. Throughout her time at Hyde Park School of Dance, she realized that she wants to dance professionally. Valerie is currently pursuing her BFA at the Art Institute of Chicago after which she aims to blend visual arts and dance to create new avenues of storytelling.