ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Biographies

Erica Essner (choreographer & artistic director)

Originally from New York, Erica Essner attended Bard College for Dance Composition and received her B.A. in Art & Social Change at New College in San Francisco. Her dance training includes: graduate studies at Mills College, and technique training with The Merce Cunningham Foundation NY; Academy of Ballet; Alonzo King, and Joe Goode. The choreographer was an artist-in- residence at ODC Theater (San Francisco) and has been commissioned by San Jose State University and San Francisco State University. Ms. Essner was a recipient of the Bessie Schonberg Choreographers & Dancers Residency 2005 at The Yard. In March 2008, Ms. Essner was commissioned by Alaska Dance Theatre and invited to present her company in Anchorage, Alaska.

LoMa Familar (dancer)

LoMa Familar has performed in NYC, along the east coast, and internationally. Originally from North Carolina, BFA graduate of East Carolina University, she has had the pleasure to work with the following artists, choreographers, directors and residencies: Li Han Zong & Ma Bo, Jane Comfort, Leonard Cruz, Camille Dieterle, Erica Essner, Jenny Rogers & Clove Galilee, James Hansen, Daman Harun, Mark Jarecke, Ashleigh Leite, Lee Breuer and Mabou Mines, Tere O'Connor, Julia Mandle of J. Mandle Performance, Dagmar Spain, Basil Twist, The Yard: 2005, Bessie Schoenberg Residency.

Courtney Drasner (dancer)

Courtney Drasner grew up in Minnesota and later graduated with a BFA in dance from NYU. Since moving to New York she has performed with choreographers such as Gina Gibney, Jana Hicks, Max Stone, Paul Singh, Jenni Hong, Janessa Clark, Jordana Che Tobak, RDC, and M. Lindsay Smith. She has been working with Erica Essner Performance co-Op since 2008.

Jenni Hong (dancer)

Jenni Hong, made in Taiwan, is a choreographer, performer and teacher. She has worked and collaborated with artists including Kirstie Simson, Jana Hicks, Akiko Furukawa, Taipei Dance Circle, Guido Tuveri, Nathan Trice, Amanda Drozer, and Gina Gibney Dance, among others. From 2004- 2008, Jenni taught Yoga and movement awareness to survivors of domestic violence in New York City and was a guest teacher at Tisch, NYU as part of the Artist in Residency Festival with Gina Gibney Dance. She is currently a company member with Delirious Dances/Edisa Weeks, and Erica Essner Performance Co-Op. Her choreography has been presented in Taiwan, Italy and the United States. In New York City, Jenni's work has been seen at dancenOw/NYC, Danspace Project's "Food for Thought" series, Joyce Soho, "RAW Material" at Dance New Amsterdam, The Puffin Room, and Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. She graduated from Columbia University.

Joshua Palmer (dancer)

Joshua Palmer, native of Maine, began his dance training during his high school years at a local studio in his hometown and Bates College. Moving to New York, he began his undergraduate degree at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in 2004. Josh graduated in 2007, earning a B.F.A. in dance. He currently dances for Gina Ginbney Dance, Erica Essner Performance Co-op, Hilary Easton & Co., Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance, Danielle Russo Dance Company, and choreographer Jim Martin.

Hannah Seidel (dancer)

Hannah Seidel studied dance at Interlochen Arts Academy in her home state of Michigan. She received her BA from Pomona College, and has since danced on the East Coast with Gina Gibney Dance, the Erica Essner Performance Co-Op, Pi Dance Theatre, Chris Ferris, Nee Danse Company, From the Horse's Mouth, and both the Notes In Motion Company and Education Ensemble. She has taught and created dances on both coasts and has spent five summers on the modern dance faculty at Interlochen.

Paul Singh (dancer)

Paul Singh earned his BFA in Dance from the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign. He is currently dancing for Gerald Casel, Erica Essner, Risa Jaroslow, Douglas Dunn, and Christopher Williams. He has had his work presented at the Judson Church, Dance Theater Workshop, Joe's Pub, Dixon Place, La Mama E.T.C, and in 2004 his solo piece "Stutter" was presented at the Kennedy Center. While in NYC, Paul hopes to continue dancing and choreographing for his little company, Singh & Dance, until his feet fall off.

Miguel Frasconi (composer)

Miguel Frasconi has created over three dozen dance scores and received a 1997 Isadora Duncan Dance Award for his work with Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, and recently performed with modern dance pioneer Anna Halprin at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. He has collaborated with the Balinese composer I Dewa Berata on music for a new large-scale shadowplay, and has performed with the Tibetan songwriter Techung in concerts throughout India. Frasconi's early work includes nine years as a founding member of THE GLASS ORCHESTRA, the internationally acclaimed new music ensemble featuring all glass instruments. His recent activities include a new score for choreographer Alonzo King, performances with electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick, a newly commissioned work for Gamelan Son of Lion, and concerts with the composers collective Ne(x)tworks.

Martina Nevermann (costume designer)

Martina Nevermann studied costume design and worked in theatre in her native Hamburg-Germany. She moved to LA and worked in independent movies, commercials and music videos for several years.

After turning her back to the 'glamorous world of Hollywood' by moving to San Francisco and giving birth to her first son she met Erica Essner who introduced her to dance theatre.

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