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SAM MCREYNOLDS
Sam McReynolds is an LA-based dance artist originally from St. Louis, MO, where he received his BFA in Dance at Lindenwood University and trained closely under hip hop choreographer/instructor Anthony “REDD” Williams. He expanded his understanding of dance greatly through his experience exploring the movement language known as “Gaga” here in the U.S. and in Tel Aviv, Israel. Since moving to LA in 2016, he has danced for several notable choreographers and dance companies, such as Sarah Elgart / Arrogant Elbow, Brian Friedman, Marguerite Derricks, No)one. Art House, Ate9 Dance Company, WHYTEBERG, Fabe Dance, The TL Collective, and many more. Sam also has a great passion for choreographing and has presented live works in LA at CONGRESS: Legalize Dance, Club Jete, LAVENDER, and Stage & Screen Show. In May of 2021, he won the Best New Filmmaker Award at the Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival for his dance short film Proclamation, which he conceptualized, directed, co-choreographed, and edited. He occasionally holds "GREYaRea" sessions at Stomping Ground LA, which serve as a space to workshop movement with dancers of all levels and backgrounds. He also hosts occasional improv jams with live accompaniment and lighting installation, also at Stomping Ground LA. Sam finds much of his inspiration and passion for dance through improvisation both as a mover and an observer. In the summer of 2021, Sam had the honor of performing a new work by choreographer Sidra Bell with Owen/Cox Dance Group in Kansas City, MO. He has since developed a close working relationship with the company, and continues to perform with Owen/Cox any chance he gets. While Sam continues to dance and make dance in LA as his main focus, he deeply cherishes the privilege to travel and make magic wherever the dance journey takes him. He is thrilled to be working with Owen/Cox Dance Group on yet another new and exciting project! |
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LAURA JONES WALLNER
Laura Jones Wallner, originally from Hamilton, Montana, started dancing at the age of 6. She began attending the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ School of Dance when she was 14, where she later graduated from their high school Classical Ballet program. During this time, Laura also studied with Boston Ballet and Houston Ballet. After high school, Laura danced professionally with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet II and with the Missouri Contemporary Ballet. Since moving to Kansas City, she has danced extensively with Quixotic and with Owen/Cox Dance Group. |
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CHRISTOPHER PAGE-SANDERS
Originally from St. Louis, MO, Christopher is the Founding\CO-Artistic Director of NU-World Contemporary Danse Theatre. As a performer, he has danced extensively with national dance companies such as the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Hannah Kahn Dance Company, Leah Glenn Dance Theatre, Owen/Cox Dance Group, and Wylliams\Henry Contemporary Dance Company to name a few. As a director and choreographer, Christopher has had the privilege to work with theatre companies such as The Aurora Fox Arts Center, COCAPresents, Fly North Theatricals, Metro Theatre Company, Town Hall Arts Center, Vintage Theatre Productions, as well as teaching and choreographing for Chapman University, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Davis Contemporary Dance Company, Deeply Rooted ECS, Denver School For The Arts, Dwana Smallwood Performing Arts Center, and Park Hill Dance Academy. He is the recipient of The Leni Wylliams Award from Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and a two-time True West Award winner for his work on Amplify (Arvada Center) and The Scottsboro Boys (Vintage Theatre Productions). He is also a 2020 Colorado Henry Award winner for his choreography in The Scottsboro Boys (Vintage Theatre Productions). “On the shoulders of my ancestors and mentors, I Dance!” |
SHAINA MCGREGOR
Shaina McGregor, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ailey/ Fordham with a BFA in Dance. Since graduation, Shaina has performed as a freelance artist with companies such as The Francesca Harper Project, A Thomas Project, McKoy Dance Project, and HopeBoykinDance. She performed in Nick Cave’s “The Let Go,” which received a Bessie Award as an Outstanding Production. She has spent her summers dancing at intensives such as Hofesh Shechter, Hubbard Street, Abraham. In. Motion, Ballet Hispánico, and most recently Springboard Danse Montréal where she performed an excerpt from Ballets Jazz Montréal’s “VANISHING MELODIES.”
Shaina McGregor, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ailey/ Fordham with a BFA in Dance. Since graduation, Shaina has performed as a freelance artist with companies such as The Francesca Harper Project, A Thomas Project, McKoy Dance Project, and HopeBoykinDance. She performed in Nick Cave’s “The Let Go,” which received a Bessie Award as an Outstanding Production. She has spent her summers dancing at intensives such as Hofesh Shechter, Hubbard Street, Abraham. In. Motion, Ballet Hispánico, and most recently Springboard Danse Montréal where she performed an excerpt from Ballets Jazz Montréal’s “VANISHING MELODIES.”
CHRISTIAN A. WARNER
Christian A. Warner is a multidisciplinary artist with a career that displays his curiosities in dance, theater, and film. He has danced repertoire from choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Aszure Barton, Kyle Abraham, Alan Lucien Øyen, Guy Shomroni/Yaniv Abraham, Darius Barnes, Sonya Tayeh, Dwight Rhoden, & Yoshito Sakuraba. His company credits include Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Omar Roman de Jesus' Boca Tuya and TU Dance, in which he was a founding member of "Come Through" - an evening length collaboration with the grammy-award winning band Bon Iver. His musical theatre credits include productions such as Disney's The Lion King, Oliver! The Musical, Hairspray, and Little Shop of Horrors. As a creator, Christian's choreography and direction has been commissioned at HSPVA (Once On This Island, Ragtime, Dance Dept.), James Madison University, TX State University, Jeremy McQueen's Black Iris Project, the 40th Annual Battery Dance Festival, McCoy Dance Project, and New York Times Best-Selling Author Michael Levin.
Christian A. Warner is a multidisciplinary artist with a career that displays his curiosities in dance, theater, and film. He has danced repertoire from choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Aszure Barton, Kyle Abraham, Alan Lucien Øyen, Guy Shomroni/Yaniv Abraham, Darius Barnes, Sonya Tayeh, Dwight Rhoden, & Yoshito Sakuraba. His company credits include Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Omar Roman de Jesus' Boca Tuya and TU Dance, in which he was a founding member of "Come Through" - an evening length collaboration with the grammy-award winning band Bon Iver. His musical theatre credits include productions such as Disney's The Lion King, Oliver! The Musical, Hairspray, and Little Shop of Horrors. As a creator, Christian's choreography and direction has been commissioned at HSPVA (Once On This Island, Ragtime, Dance Dept.), James Madison University, TX State University, Jeremy McQueen's Black Iris Project, the 40th Annual Battery Dance Festival, McCoy Dance Project, and New York Times Best-Selling Author Michael Levin.
TAYLOR COLLIER
Taylor Collier is a native of Washington, DC where she trained with Dance Institute of Washington, KTM Extremes, and the Washington School of Ballet, under the direction of Rebecca Wright. In 2014, she graduated magna cum laude from the Dominican University of California/Alonzo King Lines Ballet BFA Program. She had the privilege to perform in Showboat at the San Francisco Opera, Black Nativity at the Penumbra Theater, Come Through with Bon Iver, and Guys and Dolls at the Guthrie Theater. In 2014, Taylor joined TU Dance Company and had the opportunity to perform works by Alvin Ailey, Ron K. Brown, Dwight Rhoden, Francesca Harper, Stephanie Batten Bland, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Marcus Willis, and Gioconda Barbuto. Taylor is also a certified Pilates instructor and dance educator.
Taylor Collier is a native of Washington, DC where she trained with Dance Institute of Washington, KTM Extremes, and the Washington School of Ballet, under the direction of Rebecca Wright. In 2014, she graduated magna cum laude from the Dominican University of California/Alonzo King Lines Ballet BFA Program. She had the privilege to perform in Showboat at the San Francisco Opera, Black Nativity at the Penumbra Theater, Come Through with Bon Iver, and Guys and Dolls at the Guthrie Theater. In 2014, Taylor joined TU Dance Company and had the opportunity to perform works by Alvin Ailey, Ron K. Brown, Dwight Rhoden, Francesca Harper, Stephanie Batten Bland, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Marcus Willis, and Gioconda Barbuto. Taylor is also a certified Pilates instructor and dance educator.
EMARA NEYMOUR JACKSON
Emara Neymour Jackson is a multi-hyphenated performer and creative and has experience in many different niches within her artform. Through her use of multimedia and performative exploration, she investigates energetic frequencies as it relates to a consciousness of Afro-diasporic movement language. Emara graduated from Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in 2016, with a focus in dance and choreography. She connected with Raymond Parks who exposed her to residencies with Dance Theater of Harlem, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Company Theater, Pilobolus, MOMIX, Paul Taylor, and many more amazing companies. Neymour is the recipient of Dance Saint Louis; Dance Career Award(2016) and attended California Institute of the Arts where she connected with mentors such as Charlie Hodges, Nina Flagg, Rosanna Gamson, Dimitri Chamblas, Julie Bour, Bridgette Dunn, and Sam Wentz. Emara has performed, toured, and collaborated with various artists and choreographers including “Rubberlegz”, James Gregg, Solange Ferguson Knowles, Moses Sumney, Gerrard and Kelly, Dimitri Chamblas, Nina Flagg, Spenser Theberge, and Julie Bour. She also has performed renowned repertoire by Rennie Harris, Salia Sanou, and Merce Cunningham.
Emara earned her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in 2020 and since has worked with artists such as Amy Gardner for Dance Hypha, Jermaine Spivey and Steven Galloway for Christina Aguilera, “Fullout Courtland” for City Girls (Quality Control), Micaela Taylor, Bret Easterling, Kevin Zambrano for Ghostlight, Julia Eichten, Melina Matsoukas for Calvin Kein, Yusha Marie- Sorazano (Associate Choreographer), Felicia Manning for Chiiild, Chris Emile for THE GETTY, and Rosanna Gamson World Wide for RedCat and ArtPower.
Her choreography explores the victories and complexities of the Black FemmeBody and mobilizes itself through black social dance and grooves while exploring the presence of black dance in spaces dominated by white bodies (both physical and virtual). Neymour’s work includes(SOAP)Sensations of Archived Pain;(2019), Ensomina’s KIKI: Nocturne(2019), and Cyborgs(2018). Her recent film work includes HairyScaryLady(2019),KIKI(2018), The Bluest Eye(2019), and Don’t Leave Me Now.
Emara Neymour Jackson is a multi-hyphenated performer and creative and has experience in many different niches within her artform. Through her use of multimedia and performative exploration, she investigates energetic frequencies as it relates to a consciousness of Afro-diasporic movement language. Emara graduated from Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in 2016, with a focus in dance and choreography. She connected with Raymond Parks who exposed her to residencies with Dance Theater of Harlem, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Company Theater, Pilobolus, MOMIX, Paul Taylor, and many more amazing companies. Neymour is the recipient of Dance Saint Louis; Dance Career Award(2016) and attended California Institute of the Arts where she connected with mentors such as Charlie Hodges, Nina Flagg, Rosanna Gamson, Dimitri Chamblas, Julie Bour, Bridgette Dunn, and Sam Wentz. Emara has performed, toured, and collaborated with various artists and choreographers including “Rubberlegz”, James Gregg, Solange Ferguson Knowles, Moses Sumney, Gerrard and Kelly, Dimitri Chamblas, Nina Flagg, Spenser Theberge, and Julie Bour. She also has performed renowned repertoire by Rennie Harris, Salia Sanou, and Merce Cunningham.
Emara earned her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in 2020 and since has worked with artists such as Amy Gardner for Dance Hypha, Jermaine Spivey and Steven Galloway for Christina Aguilera, “Fullout Courtland” for City Girls (Quality Control), Micaela Taylor, Bret Easterling, Kevin Zambrano for Ghostlight, Julia Eichten, Melina Matsoukas for Calvin Kein, Yusha Marie- Sorazano (Associate Choreographer), Felicia Manning for Chiiild, Chris Emile for THE GETTY, and Rosanna Gamson World Wide for RedCat and ArtPower.
Her choreography explores the victories and complexities of the Black FemmeBody and mobilizes itself through black social dance and grooves while exploring the presence of black dance in spaces dominated by white bodies (both physical and virtual). Neymour’s work includes(SOAP)Sensations of Archived Pain;(2019), Ensomina’s KIKI: Nocturne(2019), and Cyborgs(2018). Her recent film work includes HairyScaryLady(2019),KIKI(2018), The Bluest Eye(2019), and Don’t Leave Me Now.