summer masterclass faculty

Scroll below to get to know our faculty!

CLASS STYLE: JAZZ

This class will help students develop jazz dance technique and style through improvisation and choreographed movement exercises. The movement practice will begin with a call-and-response warm-up rooted in social-vernacular dance, followed by exercises in full-body integration, isolated articulation, and rhythmic studies. The class will highlight both European and African influences in contemporary jazz dance. Dancers of all levels will develop individual expressivity by authentically connecting to the music and to fellow dancers.

MEET JEREMY BLAIR
Jeremy Blair is a choreographer, performer, and educator based in Kalamazoo, MI. His creative research investigates queer representation, social-vernacular dance, and jazz dance pedagogy. His choreography has been presented at Jacob’s Pillow, City Center, Gibney, Harris Theatre, and other venues throughout the United States. Jeremy has performed with Thodos Dance Chicago, Lucky Plush Productions, Chicago Moving Company, Khecari Dance Theatre, Aerial Dance Chicago, and with Friches Theatre Urbaine in Paris. Jeremy received an MFA in choreography from the University of Iowa and a BA in theatre from Millikin University. Jeremy currently is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Western Michigan University and is a 500-hour registered Hatha yoga teacher.

CLASS STYLE: creative movement for adults

This class will focus on deepening mind/body connection by engaging both our internal and external worlds. Beginning with a yoga-inspired warm-up and moving into creative prompts, this will be a safe space for self-exploration and freedom in our movement. We will practice safely and explore our artistic voices. No experience required.
MEET AMAYA MCKENZIE
Based in Kalamazoo, Amaya Mckenzie is passionate about sharing movement with all. She obtained her BBA in Digital Marketing with a minor in Dance at Western Michigan University in 2021. Amaya is currently on the administrative team at Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers and leads yoga with Kalamazoo Backyard Yogi's. As a lifelong learner, creative, and advocate of the arts, she works to strengthen and uplift all mediums.

CLASS STYLE: modern

This class consists of an abbreviated classical Wellspring company class warm-up, which will include floor work and standing sequences. Warm-up will be followed by learning current and past phrases/combinations from the Wellspring repertory. While learning the movement, emphasis will be placed on technique, line, energy, and initiation of movement. All levels are welcome in this nurturing environment.
MEET MARISA BIANAN
Marisa Bianan obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Western Michigan University in April 2018. Through her studies, Marisa had the privilege to work with choreographers including Jeremy Blair, Monique Haley, Carolyn Pavlik, and Brendan Duggan. While at Western Michigan University, Marisa also performed with the Western Dance Project, a pre-professional dance company, from the years of 2015-2016 under the direction of Whitney Moncrief. Since graduating, Marisa has presented choreographic works at the 2019 Midwest RADFest, Inaside Chicago Dance’s Summer 2020 concert, and the 2021 Maggie Allesee Choreography competition. Recent accolades include her commission to create a new work for Western Michigan University’s First Year Performance class, which premiered in February 2022, and being selected to participate in the 2023 Detroit Dance City Festival’s Choreographers Showcase. Most recently, Marisa has stepped into the role of Associate Artistic Director with Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers. 2022-2023 will be Marisa’s fifth season with WSCTD.

CLASS STYLE: INTRODUCTION TO CONTACT IMPOVISATION
How can we offer and seize opportunities with other human beings? This class will introduce concepts of contact improvisation and create a laboratory for investigating interactions with other bodies in movement. We will approach contact improvisation as an experience in play, negotiation, and learning to fly one step at a time. No previous contact improvisation experience required!
MEET HANNAH SEIDEL
Hannah Seidel is an Associate Professor of Dance at Grand Valley State University. Her research interests lie at the intersections of play, improvisation, and perceptions of bodies in motion. She received a BA from Pomona College, an MFA from the State University of New York at Brockport, and is currently studying Dance/Movement Therapy through the 92Y Alternate Route program. New York City performance credits include work with Gibney Dance, Mariah Maloney, and Tiffany Mills. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Dance Council.

CLASS STYLE: WEST AFRICAN
Participants will delve into the embodiment of polyrhythm through the exploration of traditional West African Dance. Dancers will learn Lamba the dance in honor of the Griot (Oral historians), as well as explore the freedom of improvisation within the cultural context. This class is beginner friendly!
MEET HEATHER MITCHELL
Heather Mitchell is an African Diasporic Dance performing artist in the Kalamazoo community for over 10 years. She teaches Dance for Education for the Arts, and Rootead Youth Drum and Dance Ensemble. Her work also includes Choreography at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, and the Civic. She is a collaborator with Women Empowering Women, GVSU, and UMS of University of Michigan. As a dance artist Heather has facilitated numerous workshops and classes that sought to connect people of various backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and abilities to the cultural knowledge, pure joy, and sense of community that African Diasporic dance brings. She believes that dance is the language of the spirit and is meant to be shared with her community!

CLASS STYLE: HIP HOP
This class focuses on rhythm and coordination while encouraging individual style within hip hop movement vocabulary. Class will begin with a warm up that includes some cardio, stretching, body isolations, and footwork. Following the warm up, the dancers will learn short excerpt of hip hop choreography for the remainder of the class. Dancers should come prepared wearing clothes that make them feel comfortable and don't restrict their movements when practicing. Any workout clothes, loose clothes, and lightweight items that let you move and meet dance studio dress codes are acceptable. Dancers should participate either barefoot or in black-soled sneakers.
MEET LAUREN DONAHUE
Lauren is a choreographer, dancer, teacher and videographer from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Lauren received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Western Michigan University in 2017. As a dancer she has worked with choreographers such as: Peter Chu, Rennie Harris, Marlo Martin, Laura Edwards, and Annie Franklin. Lauren’s choreography and videography has been presented at Radfest dance festival, NACHMO dance festival, Detroit City Dance Festival, American College Dance Association, and the Dance Shorts College Film Festival. Lauren has received awards for her work including: Best in Show from the Detroit City Dance Festival, Top Ten at Dance Shorts Film Festival and multiple choreography awards. Currently, she teaches dancers in a traveling competition company based out of Grand Rapids, MI and travels throughout the year to teach master classes and choreograph. Lauren feels lucky to have daily inspiration through her continual work with passionate artists.

CLASS STYLE: COUNTERTECHNIQUE
Countertechnique provides tools for body and mind to deal with the demanding dance practice of the 21st century. It is a movement system to help the dancer think about the dancing body, focusing on the process of incorporating information into action. Within a clear structure of exercises, the Countertechnique class thoroughly prepares the body for rehearsal and performance, enabling dancers to move bigger, more fluidly and more spatially, while becoming stronger and more flexible.
MEET KELSEY PASCHICH
Kelsey Paschich is a multi-faceted dance artist originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico and currently based in Kalamazoo, MI. She is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Western Michigan University. Paschich holds an MFA in Dance from the University of New Mexico and she holds a BFA in Dance from Point Park University. She is 1 of 12 Countertechnique® Certified Teachers in the USA and 44 globally. Her international performance career spans 20 years and multiple genres. Paschich has performed extensively with: The Moscow State Classical Ballet, DCDC2, Thodos Dance Chicago, River North Chicago Dance Company, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Interdansa Dance Festival, Keshet Dance Company, ARCOS Dance, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the Hannibal Project in Solden, Austria amongst others. She experiments and creates live + digital work that explores humanness, the moving body, and its relationship to technology. Paschich's multimedia work includes: screendance, dance for film, and choreographic installations. Most recently she has been experimenting and developing work with motion capture technology. Her digital work has been screened in 11 festivals in Germany, Portugal, Turkey and across the United States. She was recently 1 of 3 faculty selected for the Presidential Innovation Professorship Award (2023-2026) at WMU. Paschich was selected as 1 of 4 international Distant Digital Dance Makers for Tanz mit dem Tiger 2021 + 2022 (Ulm, Germany), she was 1 of 4 international recipients of the Creative Living for Dancers Award 2021 (Brussels, Belgium), she was also selected for the Dancing Lab: Art Speaks 2.0 artistic residency at the National Center for Choreography at the University of Akron (NCCAkron) in 2021. Paschich was an invited speaker at The 5th International Conference on Arts and Design Education 2022 (Bandung, Indonesia), The Society of Korean Dance Studies International Symposium 2021 (Seoul, Korea), and was the recipient of the National Dizzy Feet Foundation Gene Kelly Legacy Scholarship in 2016. Paschich’s choreographic and performative experience continues to inform her pedagogical methodology in providing a progressive and holistic education that cultivates the next generation of artists.

CLASS STYLE: CONTEMPORARY MODERN
Lachan’s Contemporary Modern class combines elements from modern and ballet. Tools and techniques such as improvisation, contract-release, floor work, and more will be explored through this class. *barefoot or socks with grips on the bottom are recommended. Pants/leggings are recommended due to the nature of floor work being involved.
MEET LACHAN NIEDBALA
Lachan Niedbala is a local Kalamazoo instructor, performer, and choreographer. She has trained primarily in Modern, Ballet, and Jazz as well as some training in Improvisation/Partnering, Tap, Hip-hop, and Musical Theatre. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance & Choreography from Hope College in 2019. While at Hope, she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Steven Iannacone, Sharon Wong, Matt Farmer, and more. Additionally, she was a company member of both Striketime Dance Theatre and H2 Dance Company. After graduating, she has worked with CPR Inhale Movement, Chamberlain Dance, Atelier Dance Company, and Tapestry Dance Company. Outside of her performance work, she is also an instructor at the Academy of Dance Arts and Wellspring Dance Academy where she runs the Youth Performing Ensemble.