Chloe (they/them) is nonbinary + queer person whose life is guided by pleasure activism, yoga, earth/body/community connection, and the celebration of change. They are a dance artist and community organizer, and their calling is to create spaces for fellow queer folk to expand and heal through intuitive and somatic practice. Chloe’s artistic research centers embodiment as a bridge towards collective liberation.

Alyssa Rose (they/them) is a disabled, queer, non-binary radical dreamer of liberation. They create paintings, sculptures, dance performances, and healthy cultural ecosystems in the San Diego dance community. Alyssa studied Pure Mathematics and Theater Arts, Dance and graduated with highest honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Alyssa feels called to guide people home to their bodies, empower marginalized people through embodiment, and use dance to express the chaos and mystery of the human experience. Currently, Alyssa is interested in exploring how Buddha Dharma, collective liberation, and community care can be expressed through art and art-making.

Chloe and Alyssa are inspired by the work of adrienne maree brown, Alok, Jacoby Ballard, and Gerald Casel.

@alyssarosecreative @chl0bie (instagram)

Anna Brown Massey (she/her) draws from a background in North Atlantic percussive and Scottish dances to bring rhythmic attention to choreographic forms. She works intimately with sound, and frequently enlist text in conversation with movement. Her research manifests in outside installations, multi-media immersions, and dances on stages.

Anna danced with over 25 companies in New York City, and teaches diverse methods of action, composition, and entrepreneurship. She has received numerous grants and residencies, including from the Times Square Alliance, the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design, The Work Office, and Marble House Project. Anna co-founded NACHMO and the Columbus Dance Alliance. She is a Research Fellow for Livable Futures. Anna holds an MFA in Dance from the Ohio State University and is a faculty member of San Diego State University. She lives on Kumeyaay land.

Liveinpublic.org

Sara Celaya (she/her) is a Mexican American choreographer and dancer. Sara has trained with various dance teachers along Southern California. She has performed works by Jose Limon and Donald McKayle. Sara is an alumni of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, San Diego Mesa College, and the California State University, Long Beach where she received her B.A in Dance. Sara has created works for CPMA Middle School, the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, San Diego Mesa College, Disco Riot, and Stomping Ground LA.

S.E.A. (they/he) is a freelance artist focusing their work in creating auditory and visual experiences for their viewer. Living in Seattle Washington for a number of  years they were able to work with dance artists like Stephanie Zaletel, Alfonso Cervera and Pat Hon along with showcasing their own work at local shows like Base: Experimental Arts + Space’s 12 Minutes Max. Now living in San Diego, S.E.A. has had the opportunity to work under up and coming choreographer Odessa Uno, and has premiered some of their own solo work with local dance companies.

Instagram: @sara.aloeveraaa @seaflo99

Ironstone (he): Born and raised in Los Angeles, my Dance career begins with the percussive American Dance form, Tap. Under the direction of Arlene Kennedy at Universal Dance Design (now demolished), I was able to join her internationally performing company. Moving along, I returned to concert dance training in high school at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and later Juilliard. Returning home in 2017, I began choreographing and dancing for artists such as Dorian Electra and Pussy Riot as well as presenting short form and evening length works. Whether throwing it down at REDCAT or twisting at Cheetah’s Hollywood, I enjoy the kinesthetic logic and intuition of movement invention. In this, my independent works examine the physical horrors of global politics and are based on queer and trans acts. I am thrilled to share the stage with many exciting contemporary Dance makers. To stay updated with future projects, please find @ironstonedance

Born and raised in San Diego, California, Caleb (he/him) is a queer Latino artist who values culture and community. He has immersed himself in a diverse range of dance training and performances, such as hip hop, vogue, contemporary, ballet, jazz, modern, African, and pole dance. Through these, he has developed his individual style, which is reflected in his choreographic works. His passion for choreographing has grown over the last five years since he created his first work in 2018. Just a year ago, he received his B.F.A. in Modern Dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. In those four years, he has discovered a whole new realm of queer culture, which has heavily influenced everything he does, from dancing and choreographing to traveling. If it weren’t for his mom and sister’s unconditional love and support for his dreams, he believes he would be nothing.

movement by: @calebthomas words by: @corrinewho

Gabriel Mata (pronounced: gah-bryehl mah-tah) (he/him) is a Mexican American dance choreographer, educator, arts advocate, and performer. He navigates the world as queer, Latinx, immigrant, and as of recently a permanent resident to the United States. He received his MFA in dance from the University of Maryland – CP.

Mata’s genre of dance is motion memoirs. Through his work, Mata accesses histories of the moving body living in colored skin. Mata taps into distant memory, and uses voice to work through intersectionality. While focused on movement, the work is about centering marginalized narratives and identities removed from expectation of concert dance and the white lens.

Mata’s dance works have been performed in Minnesota, California, New York, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington DC, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Additionally, his work has been presented at Stanford University, San José State University, Georgian Court University, and American University.

@gabrielmatamovement

Derrick Paris (he/they/she) is an LA native and an ever evolving movement and music artist. They graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a BFA in Dance and now work administratively as the Community Programming Director at Stomping Ground L.A. becoming the founder of the “VOICES” series. Derrick has recently been a Guest Artist with L.A. Contemporary Dance Company performing works by Elías Aguirre and Jamila Glass. His recent commercial work includes collaborations with artists Fitz & the Tantrums and G Flip. Currently, he produces music for competitive and professional-sports dance teams. He has had the pleasure of working alongside many artists such as Kate Hutter Mason, Rebecca Lemme, Teresa “Toogie” Barcelo, Genna Moroni and Karen McDonald. His current focus is rooted in the research of discovering the intersectionality of his upbringing alongside his unearthing as an adult to continue to produce and perform authentically throughout their artistic career.

derrickparis.com / IG: @derrbearr @parisounds

Joseph Lister began his dance training at California State University, Channel Islands at age 19. While there, he became the founder and captain of CI’s first dance team, Breaking Pointe. He then transferred to University of California, Riverside where he received his Bachelors of Arts in Dance (2015). While at UCR Joseph received the GLUCK fellowship award and the Chancellor’s Performance Award. During his time there he was an apprentice for Lula Washington Dance Theatre (2013) while attending their Professional Development Program. Joseph also got the chance to assist in choreography in MSJC’s production of Pippin under the direction of Lori Torok. Post grad, Joseph had the opportunity to dance with No) One Art House in a residency at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. He also took a summer course at Voronezh Ballet School in Russia where he received a certificate on completing their character folk dance intensive. He has since danced with a variety of companies including: Avocado Dance Theatre, Donna Sternberg and Dancers, DagDag Dance, Fuse Dance, and Goblin Party. He currently dances for  San Diego Ballet, Malashock Dance, Fresh Congress, and is co-founder and Artistic Director of CalliOpus Contemporary Dance.

@brosephlister_