Behind the Scenes

Julie E. Ballard (lighting design) Some of her favorite dance designs include 5 Characteristics of Brother (Marquez Dance), Rhapsody (Shapiro & Smith) and Falling on Lobsters in the Dark (Stephanie Carter). She has worked for Hedwig Dance, Mordine & Co., Dance COLEctive, The Seldoms and Same Planet Different World. Ms. Ballard has been a part of numerous festivals as well as American Dance Festival, and has toured nationally and internationally with David Dorfman Dance. Ms. Ballard is full time staff and adjunct faculty at the Dance Center of Columbia College. Ms. Ballard is no stranger to theatre either, working with Signal Ensemble as an Artistic Associate designing both lights and media. She has also worked with Irish Rep Theatre, Grey Zelda and Whitehorse Theatre Company. Some of her favorite theatre designs include Cabaret (University of Florida), 1776 (Signal Ensemble Theatre) and I Sing (Whitehorse Theatre). Ms. Ballard earned her MFA from the University of Florida. www.overlaplighting.com

John Bohannon (executive producer) was born in New York in 1974. He arrived at the University of Oxford, U.K. in 1998 as the first American winner of the Christopher Welch Scholarship. After obtaining his Ph.D. in molecular biology (Oxon 2002), he left the laboratory to write full-time. He is a contributing correspondent for Science Magazine and also writes a regular online column, The Gonzo Scientist. Bohannon's science writing began with an essay on birth control, "A private celebration" (Oxford Times, 16 March 1999), which won 2nd prize in the U.K. SET99 Science Writing Competition. He won an American Fulbright journalism fellowship and lived in Berlin 2003 - 2006. His report on the environmental crisis in the Gaza Strip ("Running Out of Water--and Time," Science 25 August 2006) won the 2006 Reuters-IUCN Media Award for Excellence in Environmental Reporting from Europe. He lives in Vienna and is a 2008/2009 visiting scholar in the Program in Ethics and Health, Harvard University.

Jenn Liang-Chaboud (producer, choreographer) is a graduate of University of Miami with a BA in music engineering technology. She has an extensive recording engineering background in both jazz and classical, including artists such as Maria Schneider and Bob Dorough. She also was involved in the recording production of A Night in the Tropics, published on the Naxos label and nominated for a Grammy award. She has been involved in product development of cutting edge audio and video editing applications under Sonic Foundry and Sony. Currently she works in Global Product Management at Shure Inc. As a dancer, Jenn has been choreographing and performing for over 10 years. She has performed worldwide including The Overture Center for the Arts (Madison, WI), The Celebrity Theater (Las Vegas, NV), and Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferre (Santurce, Puerto Rico).

Chloe Jenson (choreographer) is a National Champion Acrobat and a professional dancer and choreographer. AMEBA is the place where all of these worlds merge, where acrobats transform skill into artistry and where dancers not only leap, turn and jump, but also flip, swing and fly. Chloe immersed herself in dance at Northern Illinois University while also pursuing independent research exploring how physical fitness enhances learning and mental functioning. Chloe continued her study of choreography and functional anatomy at Arizona State University while teaching Acrobatic Dance and Ballet to dance majors. In 2004, Chloe received one of two available scholarships to the International Aerial Dance Festival in Boulder, Colorado. She returned to the festival in 2005 with funding from the City of Chicago (CAAP) and was awarded a second CAAP grant to create new aerial dance work Lifelines that premiered in July 2006. In addition to her work with AMEBA, Chloe has performed with Marc Vincent Leatham, Paula Frasz, The Midnight Circus, The Lyric Opera of Chicago and Cirque du Soleil choreographer Debra Brown.

Chris Hartnett (sound design), a Chicago area native, lover of all things science (No, really, ask his girlfriend, she would tell you, "He reads Richard Feynman lectures for fun.") and audio engineer has been active in the Metro area music scene for the last 5 years, both as a musician and sound reinforcement engineer. During his graduating semester at Northern Illinois University (B.S. - Physics) Chris was recruited by Derrick Stout to join the independent record label, Darwin Records, as a recording engineer. There he honed his skills behind the mixing console, working on countless tracking and mix sessions for corporate jingles, group singles and full-length albums. During his residency at the record label he was offered and accepted a position in the Global Product Management division of Shure Incorporated, an industry leading audio electronics company, where he works on multi-discipline development teams creating new products.

Christopher M. McCray is the co-founder and Artistic Director for Corpo Dance Company. Chris completed his fine arts degree from Lincoln College prior to performing with, and choreographing for, local dance companies like Chicago Moving Company, Hedwig Dances, Instruments of Movement, Valerie Alpert Dance Company, Chicago Dance Crash, Red Moon Theater, Deeply Rooted, and Circuit Mom Productions. Through Chicago's May I Have This Dance program, he teaches ballroom dance at inner-city middle schools promoting social awareness, confidence, creativity, consideration for others, and teamwork to students. Chris has also volunteered his time performing during the 2006 Gay Games Opening Ceremonies and Test Positive Aware Network's Chicago Takes Off and Aware Affair. Chris was the 2006 recipient of the Katherine Dunham Award for Best Choreography by the Black Theatre Alliance, for his original concept of the movement play Ghost Play.

Helena Reynolds , a contemporary dancer and aerialist, graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts with a BFA in 2007. She has had the pleasure of working Velvet Glove, Alban Elved, and Group Ascensions. Currently working with Aloft, she enjoys a mixture of contemporary and aerial dance, concentrating on silks, trapeze, lyra, and duo acts with her aerial partner Laura Lippert. She looks forward to developing her work both on the floor and in the air.

The Dancers

Dina Ballard, originally from Southern Illinois, graduated from Webster University in May 2007 with a BFA in Dance. Shortly after, she moved to Chicago to dance with Inaside Chicago Dance. In September 2008, Dina began training with AMEBA Acrobatic and Aerial Dance. Dina is thrilled to be a part of AMEBA and would like to thank everyone who has supported her.

Melissa Bartz was born in the suburbs and began dancing as a child. In High School she danced in the Eurythmic Dance Company and attended the National High School Dance Festival in Miami. She graduated from the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago and began working with AMEBA in 2006. Melissa enjoys teaching aerial dance and directing the student dance company, AMEBA2. Melissa thanks her Mom, Dad, sister, brothers, friends, teachers, ex-boyfriends, dance instructors, directors, roommates, pets, extended family, Chicago Police officers, professors and God for shaping her into what she is today and making life incredible.

An NYC bebe with some Island spice, BRAT came to Columbia College Chicago to broaden her dance horizons. Since being here she has had the opportunity to work with Gesel Mason, Blanca Aviles, Cara Sabin, Emily Stein, Bill Young, Atalee Judy, Baraka de Soliel, Kate Insolia, and Curt Flowers. Her newest works The Human Healing Process Interrupted, a movement experiment that comments on society? suffocation of human emotions, and Homebody, a work that shares cultural and movement background through solo dance form, will both encourage and even demand at times audience participation.

Jeremy Blair graduated magna cum laude from Millikin University with a B.A in Theatre and a minor in dance. He began training as a gymnast at five and discovered dance as an artistic medium in college. Before finishing school, he had the opportunity to spend a summer in Paris training with Friches Theatre Urbaine where he learned stilts, trapeze, and other circus arts. Since moving to Chicago he has performed with AMEBA Acrobatic and Aerial Dance, Chicago Moving Company and Khecari Dance Theatre. Jeremy is a Hatha Yoga instructor and teaches dance and yoga for the Chicago Sport and Social Club as well as the Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls. He is in his second season as a dancer and choreographer with Thodos Dance Chicago.

**** JEREMY BLAIR APPEARS COURTESY OF THODOS DANCE CHICAGO****

Christina Chen is a recent graduate of Northwestern University, where she earned a bachelors degree in Dance and Psychology. During her time at Northwestern, Christina successfully completed one and a half quarters of Gen Chem before deciding that she was too weak to declare herself a pre-med student. But thankfully, she had dance to fall back on. So while Christina is by no means a scientist, she describes herself as a science enthusiast. This is Christina's second season with AMEBA and her first season with Corpo Dance. She is honored and excited to be a part of this great experiment.

Paul Christiano trained pre- professionally for eight years before joining Hubbard Street II in 1998, Thodos Dance Chicago in 1999, and The Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2008. Paul's first choreographic effort, Miracle, Interrupted, formerly in the repertory of The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, merited a 2001 Ruth Page Award and inspired the Chicago Tribune to designate Paul one of sixteen "Chicagoans of the Year." In 2003, Paul received the Dance Chicago Choreography Award for Balada para un loco, currently in the repertory of River North Chicago Dance Company, and was voted "Best Dancer in Chicago" by Chicago Magazine. Paul recently completed his first year of MFA course work in Choreography at the University of Iowa.

Chris Courtney began his hip-hop dance career in 1998 as a breakdancer and then joined the national company Culture Shock Chicago. Chris began teaching in 2000 and has taught at the Columbia College Chicago, Beverly Arts Center, Old Town School of Folk Music, LCDS, Grant Elementary School, Crunch Fitness, the Chicago Cultural Center and Danza Viva. During his dynamic career, Chris has shared the stage with Ludacris, Camron, Chicago Dance Crash, Busta Rhymes, Stick and Move, LIFE, Fivestar Boogie, Common and Kanye West. He plans to expand his knowledge of dance and continue to influence those around him.

Whitney Cover graduated with a BA in Dance from the University of California, Irvine. Since moving to Chicago after graduation, she has studied on scholarship at Lou Conte/Hubbard Street Dance Center and has worked with Khecari Dance Theatre, Thodos Dance Chicago, and currently Winifred Haun and Dancers.

Danielle Garrison is a recent graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana where she founded an on campus dance company called "DARforPEACE", which raised money that was donated to Genocide Intervention Network. She is in her second year with Ameba and wouldn? trade it for the world. The challenge of Aerial dance keeps her on her toes and having the opportunity to choreograph is exploring her realms of creativity. Teaching for Ameba, the Joffrey Ballet and Dance for All allow her to share with students the dedication, discipline and love of dance.

Emily Haines is a Des Moines, Iowa native and graduated from Columbia College with her B.F.A. in Choreography in 2006 with honors. Since she has been self producing work at Chicago? Links Hall. Her movement background spans ballet, jazz, contact improv, yoga, modern, capeoira, ballroom, and anything that keeps her moving. Emily has been lucky enough to study with and perform for Angie Hauser, Bebe Miller, Darrell Jones, Lucky Plush Productions, Lisa Gonzales, Susan Aldous, David Dorfman Dance, BRAT, Peter Carpenter, and Blanca Aviles among many others. Currently, Ms Haines is finishing her Yoga Teacher Training at Moksha Yoga, teaching with Hubbard Street, and exploring and training in aerial dance.

Starting in New York, Ginnia Higgins began her career by training in competitive gymnastics at the Dutchess County Gymnastics Center and dance at Ballet Arts Dance Studio.  She has spent over eighteen years studying ballet, modern, hip hop and jazz and performed with the Dutchess Ballet Company.  Ginnia has acquired an international background in dance by spending a month in London, researching dance and theater as cultural metaphors and six months in Seville, Spain studying flamenco and Sevillanas.  She then went on to spend a month in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil studying the history and performance of Brazilian dance through capoeira, and four years learning the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning.  In addition, Ginnia has taught dance at several different studios and was an instructor on the National Cheerleaders Association staff for four years.  After winning Goucher Freshman Dance Award in 2003, she ultimately graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD in 2006.  Since earning her Bachelors degree in Dance and International Relations with a Spanish minor, she has since gone on to become the Resource Coordinator of Enlace Chicago/Rosario Castellanos Community School in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago.  Ginnia looks forward to training with Corpo and to using her experience to help guide the next generation of dancers and forward thinkers.

Sarah Keating graduated from Webster University in St. Louis, Mo. with a B.A. in dance and returned to her hometown to continue her training at the Joel Hall Dance Center in Chicago. In 2003, she joined Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater as a performing apprentice and was promoted to a company member from 2004-2008. As well as company member of Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater, she has been both a company member and ballet mistress with Chicago Dance Crash(under artistic director Christopher McCray) from 2003-2007. Ms. Keating received critical acclaim in her portrayal of "Joanna" in Dance Crash's production of "Tribulation and the Demolition Squad". The Chicago Sun Times called her "a tiny powerhouse dancer with virtuosic stage presence. In 2009 she is very excited to back dancing for Christopher McCray and Corpo Dance Company. She feels blessed and thanks Mr. McCray for the opportunity. In addition to performing, Sarah is a dedicated teacher at Fisher Dance Center and volunteers her time at the Dance Foundation which provides academic and dance scholarships to underprivileged children. Sarah would like to thank her family for their unconditional love and support.

Nadine Lollino studied dance therapy and psychology at Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois. Nadine has been a licensed and practicing massage therapist and yoga teacher for the past eight years. She has danced with the Anatomical Theatre, Breakbone dance company, and has choreographed and performed work for Motivity Dance Festival, Minnesota Fringe Festival, Undershorts Film Festival, as well as her own self produced performance at Links Hall. Nadine and musician/artist Bob Garrett co-produce POSTERCHILD, multi-media performance group (posterchildart.com).

Jeff Lynch began his formal dance training at Northwestern University while pursuing a B.A. in theatre. While at Northwestern, he studied ballet under Laura Wade, and choreography under Billy Siegenfeld. As an undergraduate, he produced, designed, and choreographed his own show for three years, culminating in an honors thesis. Since graduating in 2008, he has been training at Lou Conte Dance Studio and with Larry Long at the Civic Ballet of Chicago.

Olivia May hails from Knightdale NC, a 2008 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, she is enjoying her first year in Chicago with AMEBA!

Jonny Nobleza has a passion for all things movement that started when he was very young and has evolved into a life filled with meditation, yoga, music, dance, and bodywork. His intuition and understanding of the ancient tradition of Thai Massage has emerged not only from intense formal training in the U.S., Thailand, and Laos, but also from deep studies in movement, yoga, meditation, rhythm and sound. He is currently playing, teaching, and sharing AcroYoga and Thai Massage in Chicago and throughout the country.

Megan Rhyme is originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin. In 2006 she graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in dance. She has since studied with teachers such as Molly Shanahan and danced with artists such as Khecari Dance Theater, Janet Schmid, and Nicole Gifford Dance. Megan teaches dance at several studios around the Chicagoland area.

Sarah Schmitt was born and raised in Columbia, MO. She attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA where she received her BA in Dance with a concentration in modern. After moving to Chicago a little over a year ago she is happy to be "climbing" into a new course of study with AMEBA.

Linnea Schlegel, a graduate of Loyola University Chicago completed her B.S. in Physics with a minor in Dance, and while at Loyola she co-directed a new on campus dance company, NVUS/Scorch Dance. She's formerly danced for Royal Caribbean Productions and currently instructs high school dance teams through the Universal Dance Association. Also, Linnea enjoys teaching group exercise classes like yoga, step, hip hop, and indoor cycling at gyms throughout Chicago and has a blast as a freelance choreographer.

Elise Sipos grew up in Abita Springs, LA where she began to dance at a young age. She graduated from Oberlin College in 2007 with a BA in Biology. She is very excited to be part of a project that incorporates her two passions, movement and scientific exploration.

Tracy Von Kaenel has been dancing since the age of 6. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, she was awarded the Talented Student Scholarship for all years attending NIU. Tracy has performed with numerous dance companies, and in several musicals including A Chorus Line, Hair and The Pulse of the City. Tracy has won the praise of both critics (Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, Gary Indiana Northwest Phoenix) and audiences alike. Most recently Tracy was presented with the 2006 Audience Choice Award for her choreography in Dance Chicago Festival. This is Tracy? fourth season flying with Ameba.

Jessica Miller Tomlinson graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts in 2003 with a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance. As a young dancer, Jessica had the fortunate opportunity to apprentice with the NC Dance Theatre under the direction of former NYC Ballet principals Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. She has performed works by Warren Conover, Paul Taylor, David Parsons, Neta Pulvermacher, Mark Morris, Lucas Crandall and Lar Lubovitch. In the summer of 2002 Jessica performed in the Taos, New Mexico Dance Festival where she worked with Gail Gilbert and Kevin Wynn. Upon moving to Chicago, she was on scholarship for a year at the Lou Conte Studio. It was during this time that Jessica was honored to collaborate with Lauri Stallings of the Hubbard Street Dance Company. Jessica also has an interest in choreography and has choreographed professionally for the Chautauqua Ballet Company. Jessica? work ?orget What You Came For? which premiered at New Dances 2006 was selected to be included in Thodos Dance Chicago's repertory. Jessica was recently honored to be the 2008 NC School of the Arts Alumni Choreographer at the Manteo Summer Dance Festival. Her work " Die Lieder Tanzen" was performed as part of the concert series. In addition to dancing and choreographing, Jessica teaches ballet, dance medley and jazz for the youth dance program at the Menomonee Club for Boys & Girls. She is in her fifth season with Thodos Dance Chicago.

**** JESSICA MILLER TOMLINSON APPEARS COURTESY OF THODOS DANCE CHICAGO****

Emmy Walker graduated from the University of Texas in Austin in May 2008 with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance/Theatre. She received her Associate of Arts Degree in Dance/Photography at Collin College in Plano Texas. She started training at an early age in gymnastics at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy. At UT her choreography, Night Terrors, was selected for the Gala Concert at the American College Dance Festival in February 2008. Emmy was introduced to aerial dance at UT when she was selected to perform in Portrait, an installation piece with harnesses. She started aerial silk training at Blue Lapis Light in Austin. In September 2008 she moved to Chicago and is excited to be dancing with AMEBA.