Meet Us
Company
Cori Terry Artistic Director & Founder
Cori Terry, born in 1952 to politically active, Jewish liberals in Brooklyn, NY, danced with the renowned Erick Hawkins Dance Company from 1972-1980, touring nationally and abroad. During her career, Ms. Terry has created over 85 choreographic works. She has received numerous awards including two MCA Choreography Awards, Kalamazoo College's Women In Town Award, Kalamazoo's Community Medal of Arts Artistic Excellence Award, the Partners in Dance Advocacy Award, was a finalist for the Governor's Artistic Achievement Award, and the YWCA's Women of Achievement Award.
Kate Yancho Executive Director
Kate joins the Wellspring family as an administrator and an artist. Originally from northeast Ohio, Kate is the oldest of four girls, all of whom danced. Her parents are artists at heart and made sure that artistic endeavors were always available to their children. She received a BFA in Dance Performance from Kent State University in 2005 then took a turn in a new direction and embarked on a career as a higher education administrator for over 10 years. In addition to her roles with Wellspring, Kate also teaches group fitness classes makes delicious, healthy meals in her kitchen with her husband, and chases around her young sons.
Marisa Bianan Associate Artistic Director, Dance Academy Coordinator
Originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, Marisa Bianan obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Western Michigan University in April 2018. 2020-2021 will be Marisa’s third season performing with Wellspring Cori Terry and Dancers. Her most recent accomplishment includes the trio she choreographed on Chicago-based Jazz Dance Company, Inaside. “Forge the Flame” premiered in July 2020 during Inaside’s in-person/virtual hybrid concert.
Alexis Smith Rehearsal Director
Alexis Smith has been a Wellspring company member since 1997, providing many opportunities to develop herself as a dancer, performer, teacher, rehearsal director and choreographer. Currently, she is working on The Legacy Project, which includes digitizing and archiving Cori Terry’s major works from the past 42 years. Ms. Smith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Western Michigan University (1996) and in 1999, received an Irving S. Gilmore emerging artist grant to study micromovement with pioneer mover Emilie Conrad in NY. Within her business Windwater Healing LLC, Alexis is a practicing licensed massage therapist, a consulting astrologer integrating health, body, mind and movement awareness, a certified clinical hypnotist in Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy and a nature-based practice guide. Along with her work, Alexis loves being in nature, traveling and making memories with her teenagers, Eli and Lily.
Lachan Niedbala
Lachan Niedbala received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Hope College in 2019. While at Hope, she worked with choreographers such as Steven Iannacone, Sharon Wong, Matthew Farmer, and many more. Since graduating, she has worked with companies such as CPR Inhale Movement, Chamberlain Dance, Tapestry Dance Company, and Atelier Dance Company. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to take her choreography to Detroit (MI), Chicago (IL), and Paris (France.) Outside of performing and choreographing, Lachan is an instructor at Academy of Dance Arts and Wellspring Dance Academy. Lachan is the Coordinator for Wellspring Youth Performing Ensemble. Additionally, Lachan is passionate about her independent projects. She produced the film series Rooted Movement in 2021 and Perspectives Dance Concert in 2022! When Lachan isn’t dancing she is working as a barista at Starbucks. Lachan has been involved with Wellspring since 2019. Thus, she is thrilled to be joining Wellspring as a company member this year and to be performing alongside such wonderful artists!
Emily McKee
Currently enrolled at Grand Valley State University, Emily is receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree where she has been studying contemporary, modern, West African, jazz and ballet. Emily is currently working as an intern for Wellsprings Dance Academy as well as a dance teacher for Vicksburg Community Education Dance and Tumbling program. She is looking forward to her first season with Wellspring/Cori Terry and company.
Andrew Niedbala
Andrew Niedbala is a recent graduate of Hope College where he dual-majored in dance and civil engineering. While studying at Hope College, he also performed in Salt Lake City, Utah; Adelaide, Australia; and most recently, Paris, France. Andrew joined Wellspring in 2019.
Emma Shansky
Emma Shansky has had a passion for movement since she was very young. She feels so lucky that a dance studio opened in her town when she was 10 years old, and she learned Tap, Jazz, and Ballet. She continued studying at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Grand Rapids Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Lou Conte Studio, and she spent 2 semesters at Western Michigan University as a Dance Major. She has performed with the Left Bank Dance Theatre, Grand Rapids Ballet, Minnesota Ballet, Indiana University Dance Theatre, and Yale University. She played the role of Bebe in a touring company production of "A Chorus Line," performing the original Broadway choreography. She has choreographed musicals for high school, university, and community theatre productions. For the last several years, she has had a wonderful and fulfilling career as a certified Pilates and Yoga instructor, teaching and studying many different styles of movement. She loves to bake, take naps, and hang out with her husband and their two fluffy, orange cats!
Angel Sutton
Angel Sutton completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Western Michigan University in Spring of 2021, and she is taking the next year to finish her minor in Biology. While at Western, Angel was able to foster her love for choreography and collaboration as well as train primarily in Modern dance. She is looking forward to her first season at Wellspring and cannot wait to experience all of the opportunities this next year has to offer.
2023-2024
board of Directors
From left to right: West Nelson, Kate Yancho, Emily Deering-Caruso, Lisa Wainwright, Marisa Bianan, Ben Gulley, Cori Terry, Carl Brown, Alisa Lindsay, Sarah Graziano
Not pictured: Bianca Ciungan and Rebecca Hahn