Carlyn Hudson

Co-Founder | Dancer | Choreographer

What is your astrological sun sign? Leo How does this show up for you in 3 words: Growl when sleeping.
What is your spirit animal? Frog
Who is your spirit choreographer? Mark Morris even though we probably wouldn’t get along.
Ballet? Discuss. Yes. It’s a cruel must-have.
If you could have one superpower what would it be? Healing people
What would constitute a “perfect” day for you? Wake up around 10 AM, take a ballet class, rehearse with friends/artists for 4+ hours, perhaps with a lunch break. Take a nap, shower, get dressed up, go out for an amazing five-star meal, and go to sleep next to someone I love. That’s an amazing day.
Describe the worst costume you have ever had to wear. Ha! I was the dutchess in a production of Alice in Wonderland. I had begged for the role when someone had dropped out due to injury, but when I found out what the costume was I regretted that. The hat was easily eight times heavier than my head. And humongous. And there was basically a flat sheet fixed to my back as a cape.
What time of day are you most creative or inspired? Definitely first thing in the morning.
List 3 to 5 activities/work besides dance that are a part of your life. I serve tables begrudgingly to keep afloat. I like to do arts and crafts, and I love to go shopping for vintage clothes. It’s the bane of my wallet’s existence.
What is your all time favorite kitchen utensil? A brand-new, super sharp, chefs knife. Don’t mess.
Tequila OR Whiskey? Tequila in the summer, whiskey in the winter. White Wine OR Red Wine? Used to be white, slowly transitioning into being a red drinker. Beer OR Cider? Beer. I don’t think I’ve ever drink the cider in my life. It’s gross.
Almond OR Ahhhhmond? Was this question directed at me?
Where do you feel most alive, most grounded, most substantial: Coast, Mountains, Desert? Coast
Technology and dance: discuss. It can be awesome or completely extraneous. It needs to serve a purpose. A purpose that only it can serve.
Does the carpet match the drapes? Only in a well decorated home.
Most divine morsel of food ever placed upon your quivering tongue: cuttlefish crudo at Marea in NYC

Cerrin Lathrop

Co-Founder | Dancer | Choreographer | North Dakota

Jess Evans

Co-Founder | Dancer | Choreographer

What is your astrological sun sign? How does this show up for you in 3 words: CANCER. Nurturing, Emotion-centric, Tidal.
Briefly describe a memorable/significant dream you still think about: I encountered a scorpion with an elephant’s head. It stung my foot and I woke with a start. All at once the thought came to me: the elephants in all of our life-rooms are poisonous.
What is your spirit animal? Pegasus
Who is your spirit choreographer? At the moment, subject to change: A little bit Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Rosas danst Rosas), a little Pina Bauch, a little Crystal Pite. (oooooooh looky, all Woman)
What would constitute a “perfect” day for you? It would involve a walk to a high mountain lake, a nap on a warm granite rock, a picnic of champions, a surprise kiss, writing a poem, dancing a dance, good hair, eye contact with a wild animal, the end of warring and the scale of collective consciousness tips to the Light.
What time of day are you most creative or inspired? Early morning.
List 3 to 5 activities/work besides dance that are a part of your Life. Massage/Bodywork/Energy Therapy, Mindfulness practices, all of nature’s splendor and medicine, writing,
What is your all time favorite kitchen utensil? a really lovely coffee cup, which is a utensil in my book.
Where do you feel most alive, most grounded, most substantial: Coast, Mountains, Desert? Well, the Coast is where I feel my most complex, where I experience all of my past tides. The Mountains are where I feel my most physically substantial, I know the strength in my legs the best, and I feel the limitless future. The Desert is clarity; the barren and present Truth.
Does the carpet match the drapes? In the #flawless way that a good outfit matches.
If you could live in any other city in the world, where would you live? Barcelona, Spain. Or thereabouts. Spanish guitar, Tapas, and Javiers? Gimme.

Kailee McMurran

Co-Founder | Dancer | Choreographer | Media Manager

What is your astrological sun sign? How does this show up for you in 3 words: Scorpio. Intuitive, secretive, determined.
What is your spirit animal? I want to say goat…but probably a…yeah a goat.
Who is your spirit choreographer? hmmm….Eric Handman, I think he is pretty unknown, but I saw a piece of his like 9 years ago and it still resonates with me.
Ballet? Discuss. I ♥ doing ballet! I like watching it because it looks so easy, but I can appreciate how hard it is.
What would constitute a “perfect” day for you? It would probably include a lot of food, a lot of magic, and end with a full view of the Milky Way.
Describe the worst costume you have ever had to wear. Bare with me. Black skin-tight unitard with hood, black ninja mask, black socks, and black gloves. Homemade upper body harness. Two metal pieces that both hinged in the middle with swimming noodles and EL light wire wrapped around them, hung from the bottom of the harness. Clipped to the top of the harness was a bike helmet that went on my head (I think it had flowers on it). On top of the bike helmet was a toilet plunger with the front facing forward. Attached to the plunger was cardboard and EL wire that expanded 4 ft in diameter to create flower petals…To control all of this I had to hold onto the ON switch in my mouth while I manipulated the legs (dangling metal) and then frantically turn on and off on the right music cues. Yeah…I was a light up, pointe shoe wearing, flower. 😐
What time of day are you most creative or inspired? This changes depending on what I need to be inspired for. Work I do best mid morning. Dance and Art is usually into the late night. Early morning I’m inspired to sleep 😀
List 3 to 5 activities/work besides dance that are a part of your Life. Graphic Design, dance/gymnastics/acro teacher, cooking & baking, ultimate frisbee
What is your all time favorite kitchen utensil? Kitchen Scissors are the best!
Tequila OR Whiskey? BOTH! White Wine OR Red Wine? Rosé all day. Beer OR Cider? Cider
Where do you feel most alive, most grounded, most substantial: Coast, Mountains, Desert? I love all three. The expansion of the desert is unreal and humbling, the mountains feel like beings watching over us, and I was a Coast Guard kid, so the ocean is what I know.
Technology and dance: discuss. Yes. Dance is amazing on it’s own, and it can be amazing (in a different way) with the help of technology. Ex: Video can pick up eye movement, or twitches that a traditional theatre setting can’t.  Projection can change the setting in a theatre in seconds. Live streaming can reach broader audiences. Sometimes all you need is dance though.  

Lena Traenkenschuh

Co-Founder | Dancer | Choreographer

What is your astrological sun sign? How does this show up for you in 3 words: Leo:  Loyalty, Pride, Warmth
Briefly describe a memorable/significant dream you still think about. I was standing across a small river from a little town or village perched right on its bank.  It was late summer, the grass was tall and gold like stalks of wheat, there was warmth on left shoulder, soft buzz of insects and the air smelled like baked dirt.  The water was a deep blue and running swift.  The light and the grass never changed but I watched the village age and begin to disintegrate.   I saw concrete crumble, red roofs fade, and building fall.  Eventually the town started to disintegrate and tumble  into the waters until there wasn’t much but an echo left in rubble and grass.  I was only 10, its been over 20 years but I still can close my eyes and feel like Im there.
What is your spirit animal? Sea Cucumber
Who is your spirit choreographer? Pina Bausch
What would constitute a “perfect” day for you? I have them often and each one never quite looks like the last.
Describe the worst costume you have ever had to wear. Inside a Giant, very phallic shaped iceberg… slowly… smoothly… sliding across the stage.  This was post BFA in dance kids
What time of day are you most creative or inspired?  I am most creative and inspired in the late morning at exactly half way through my second cup of coffee.
List 3 to 5 activities/work besides dance that are a part of your Life. Massage Therapy, surfing, reading, sipping whiskey and witty banter.
What is your all time favorite kitchen utensil? simple…Spoon… it’s not fancy,  but it’s what brings ice cream to my face
Tequila OR Whiskey? Whiskey White Wine OR Red Wine? Red Beer OR Cider? Cider
Almond OR Ahhhhmond?  Oh dear… we all know i’m on the side of Almonds.  Now… bag or bAg?
Where do you feel most alive, most grounded, most substantial: Coast, Mountains, Desert?  All are healing, but the Coast is always calling me closer
Technology and dance: discuss. So many ways of making dance accessible to wider audiences,  manipulating how those mediums are usually used.  An area I feel really passionate about.  Bringing all elements together to present a unified vision to an audience.
Does the carpet match the drapes? Girl, I am all about color coordinating
Write a haiku on the subject of your choreographic process: Empty space and light | Waiting to be carved and full | just needs some revising

Tia Palomino

Co-Founder | Dancer | Choreographer

What is your astrological sun sign? Leo. I’m also year of the Tiger. Double feline, double fire sign. 🐱🐱🔥🔥
If you could go back in time to any decade in the last 200 years, which one would it be and why? The 40’s. My hair looks really good in that style and I love swing dancing. I wish we still had live music all the time.
What is your spirit animal? Tiger.
Who is your spirit choreographer? Jiří Kylián. Petite Mort oh my god.
Ballet? Discuss. Love it. Hate it.
If you could have one superpower what would it be? Telekinesis because it would make everything hella easier. Maybe I’d go for the NBA. Who knows? Anything would be possible!
Describe the worst costume you have ever had to wear. That would be the ‘Sprite’ costume with Do Jump- A snug unitard with quilted pieces of rainbow chiffon and spandex. Of course the most translucent pieces fall on my most private areas. And the hat: it’s a renaissance fairy princess stuffed wizard hat with sad ribbons kind of thing that has the sleeves of my costume attached. Enter: lizard neck. Photo evidence (with Tony too).
What time of day are you most creative or inspired? Mid-morning.
List 3 to 5 activities/work besides dance that are a part of your Life. Teaching dance and aerial classes, raising baby Roxy, and creating Trampoline Town with hubby Tony.
What is your all time favorite kitchen utensil? A very sharp knife.
Tequila OR Whiskey? Whiskey. Red Wine or White Wine? White in the summer, red in the winter. Beer or Cider? Cider.
Almond OR Ahhhhmond? Allllllmon……d.
Where do you feel most alive, most grounded, most substantial: Coast, Mountains, Desert? Mountains and lakes. Growing up in Colorado may have something to do with that.
If you could live in any other city in the world, where would you live? Paris.
Most divine morsel of food ever placed upon your quivering tongue: Fresh bruschetta in Italy. Delizioso!

Zahra Banzi

Co-Founder | Dancer | Choreographer | Berlin, Germany

What is your spirit animal? Tarsier. “One of nature’s smallest primates, it uses its powerful legs to jump and cling on to things with its freakishly long fingers.” For more info…watch this video.
Who is your spirit choreographer? Pina Bausch and Akram Khan’s love-child.
Ballet? Discuss. I love Ballet, but I haven’t always loved Ballet. As a child I dreamed of becoming a Ballerina. I trained from a young age at the Oregon Ballet Theater. A mean and abusive teacher stifled my love for Ballet and dance in general. It has taken a lot of amazing teachers to bring that love back. Now that I’ve found a passion in contemporary dance, Ballet seems to have less pressure attached to it for me. I now teach Ballet and it’s still my preferred technique to take when training. Without all the pressure of perfection and sometimes unachievable standards, Ballet has become an almost meditative and essential practice in my life.
Describe the worst costume you have ever had to wear. Close your eyes. Imagine a bright red, skin tight, head to toe unitard. Atrocious on its own…but were not finished. Now add a bright yellow feather boa wrapped around one arm and one leg. Can you guess what I was? A bird.
What time of day are you most creative or inspired? Night Night Night. I work best when I feel the rest of the world is sleeping. Somehow the dreams of sleepers creep out into my studio and inspire.
What is your all time favorite kitchen utensil? I have been known to use a rolling pin in the place of a foam roller for sore muscles. One time I used a meat tenderizer to self-massage…too far?
Tequila OR Whiskey? Whiskey all day. White Wine OR Red Wine? White wine in Summer, red in winter of course. Question is…what do we drink in Fall?? Beer OR Cider? 2 years ago I would have said Cider…now I live in Germany so BEER.
Almond OR Ahhhhmond? ALMOND. This is only a question when you know Carlyn Hudson. Sorry love…its Almond. 🙂
Where do you feel most alive, most grounded, most substantial: Coast, Mountains, Desert? Mountains. Moss under the toes, sun flares on the nose.
Write a haiku on the subject of your choreographic process: Magic, rhythms, hands. | This is shit and so am I. | Sweating, lights, go!