Courtney Wadman
Nevada Union High School Dance Director
Courtney has been teaching at Nevada Union High School since 2010. She started her ballet training at the age of three, and over the years expanded her movement training to include jazz, modern, tap, hip hop, pointe, and Pilates. In 2006, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Chapman University in Orange, California with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and a B.A. in Teaching English. At Chapman, she performed and choreographed in numerous faculty and student productions, and she earned various awards including “Outstanding Student Choreographer” and the “Fannie Kalis Award for Outstanding Contribution in Dance.” Her choreography was selected for the Gala performance at the American College Dance Festival. Courtney has danced professionally in venues for choreographers Sean Greene (Director of the Gallimaufry & Greene Dance Company), Tiffany Billings (Director of Club Jete), and Jennifer Backhaus (Director of Backhausdance Contemporary Dance Company). Courtney’s teaching experience includes numerous private dance studios as well as public schools. She taught classes at Expressions School of Dance and worked as an assistant dance instructor at Santa Ana High School. She directed two jazz performance teams and taught multiple dance classes at Backhaus Contemporary Dance Center in Orange County. Courtney also taught ballet and jazz at The California Conservatory of Dance in Mission Viejo. In 2009, Courtney completed her graduate studies at Chapman University, where she received a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and a Master of Arts in English. Courtney has taught English at Santa Ana College and Chapman University. Upon her relocation to Northern California, Courtney taught English at Sierra College and joined the faculty at the Northern California Dance Conservatory to teach, choreograph, and run a program of community dance classes for the City of Roseville. She also worked alongside her mentor, Yelena Holt, to choreograph and stage manage for Mrs. Holt’s final production of An Evening of Dance. Upon Mrs. Holt’s retirement, Courtney was honored to take over the dance program at her high school alma mater. The Nevada Union Theatrical Dance program has expanded under Courtney’s direction to include several new enrichment classes, productions, field trips, and fundraiser events. Courtney received her Gateway Mat 1 Pilates Certification in 2015, and she attends conferences and workshops for California Dance Educators annually.
Toria Talbott
Assistant Director
Toria Talbott, a Northern California native, received her B.F.A. in Dance from California State University, Long Beach. While in school Toria worked with professional choreographers, performing and choreographing numerous pieces that were produced through the CSULB Department of Dance. She was awarded the Ameda J. and Julia M. Bergeron, and Dramatic Allied Arts Guild Scholarships for her academic achievements. Toria had the opportunity to perform Rebecca Bryant’s piece “Manufactured” in the Wave Rising Series in association with the 92Y Harkness Dance Center in New York City. She is currently teaching at various schools in Nevada County including Forest Charter, and Nevada Union High School. She is also an artistic director of Collective Roots Dance Company. As a mover, experimenter, and artist, she deeply values the internal connection between the self and movement and its relationship to creative choice. Through a collaborative process her work investigates these personalized choices and draws upon the individual experience to capture a sense of realism that is relatable to any viewer.
GUEST TEACHERS
Kristin Aguilar
Conditioning/Pilates Instructor
I am proud to be a lifelong member of Nevada County. At thirty-two, I started my fitness journey in a 5:30am group fitness class. From participant to instructor to manager, I have been involved in fitness for over 20 years, and I am certified in Bodypump, Bodycombat, Bodyflow, Bodystep, CXWORKS, Cycling, TRX Group, TRX Sports Medicine, RIPPED, Inferno Hot Pilates, Personal Training, and 200 Hour Power Vinyasa Flow; however, my outdoor love is road cycling. Currently, I am halfway through my master’s degree in MFT Counseling. I am fascinated with the mind-body connection, and I have learned that the harder I push physically, the stronger I am mentally. I believe that the only thing that we can control is our reaction to any given circumstance, and that we are all stronger than we know…and we should never take ourselves too seriously because FUN is so important.
Annie Maria Aguilar
Yoga Instructor
Annie is a dancer and educator from Grass Valley, California and trained with NUHSTDP as a teenager. She sent on to earn a B.A. in Neuroscience from Middlebury College in Vermont and has trained in anti-racist/anti-bias public health with the Kennedy Krieger Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and various birth doula programs in the Bay Area and Argentina. Currently, Annie is the Curricula Coordinator for Project Commotion, a San Francisco nonprofit that provides movement experiences for families. She is also a free-lance dancer for various companies and collectives on the west coast and is a trained yoga instructor. Annie is most inspired by the healing arts, and will be attending Northwestern University of Health Sciences to study integrative chiropractic care. She strongly believes that expressive movement and loving body awareness support community health.
Gaby Blaney
Contemporary Dance Instructor & Choreographer
Originally from Northern California, Gaby Blaney grew up a Nevada County native. At a young age she started competing as an elite gymnast, which in return led to the start of her dance career. Gaby attended college at the University of California, Irvine where she earned a full ride scholarship along with a degree in dance and education. She then moved to New York City where she danced professionally for six years. Gaby was a member of SynthesisDANCE under the Artistic direction of Tracie Stanfield. Gaby has performed at numerous venues including BAM, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, High Line Ballroom, Ailey City Group Theater, the Brooklyn Museum and The Salvatore Capezio Theatre. She has taught at Broadway Dance Center’s Children and Teen Program, AMDA College & Conservatory of the Performing Arts in NYC and surrounding studios in the tristate area. She is the Assistant Director of Theatrical Dance at Nevada Union High School as well as the Director of the Advanced Dance Team, Lines in Motion. Gaby teaches contemporary to all levels of the NU dance program, and she teaches a creative movement enrichment class for children. In 2019, Gaby was hired to be the new Director of Dance at Bear River High School.
Roxanna Cohen
Pilates Instructor
Roxanna has been a physical therapist since 1990. She is a Fellow of Movement System Impairments through Washington University in ST. Louis and a board certi?ed Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS). Her physical therapy practice has been movement science based since 2001, when she was originally certi?ed as a Rehab Specialist thru Polestar Pilates. Roxanna is a PMA-CPT (Pilates Method Alliance-Certi?ed Pilates Teacher), a Senior Educator (Teacher Trainer) and Examiner for Polestar Pilates, and Oov level one Educator. Roxanna’s movement background began with dance at the age of 5 and yoga at the age of 15, both of which she still practices. She parlayed her love of movement into a career teaching group and individual ?tness for over 10 years before becoming a PT. Roxanna is the owner of The Pilates Place in Grass Valley, and she teaches Pilates classes to all levels for the Nevada Union Theatrical Dance program.
Grechen Colón
Caribbean Dance Fusion Instructor & Choreographer
Grechen Colón was born in Puerto Rico, a land that has given life to rhythms and dances such as the Bomba, the Plena, Boogaloo, Salsa, and Reguetón – amongst others. As she explains, “Music and dance is the daily bread of the people of the enchanted island of Puerto Rico.” In addition to dancing all types of Carribean folkloric dances, she also was formally trained for more than a decade in classical ballet, modern dance, and Spanish dance. Grechen studied theatrical arts at the University of Puerto Rico, where in 2002 she received a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities with an emphasis in Theater. Part of the dance company “Teatro Rodante de Puerto Rico,” she extended her performances to international festivals in the United States, Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Spain, Germany, and South Korea. She is passionate about cultural diversity, education, Ayurvedic wisdom, and all areas of arts. Her path is one on which she interconnects all of the above disciplines of study within a community-based environment. Grechen now resides in Grass Valley and is the mother of two beautiful children.
Daisy Hang
Hip Hop Instructor & Choreographer
Chris Jacobsen
Lyrical/Jazz Fusion Instructor and Choreographer
Stepping into his first dance class, Chris Jacobsen felt himself come alive. A connection with the art was created that has guided him through life since that moment. His journey of creative discovery continued while attending The San Francisco School of the Arts, where he studied Ballet, Modern, Jazz and Afro-Haitian. Armed with a deeper understanding of dance, he then began to experiment with the art of choreography. In 1999, Chris established The Dance Company of San Francisco. As the Artistic Director, he created an alternative environment for passionate dancers to explore the art of dance with less focus on commercial standards and more on personal growth. Continuing through to today, the desire to share his passion consistently challenges his dancers to exceed their perceived capabilities. Chris has been traveling nationally with the highly acclaimed dance convention Adrenaline Dance Inc since its inception. He continues to create choreographic works for companies and schools across North America. He has been an Artist in Residence at Ruth Asawa (San Francisco) School of the Arts since 2016. As co-director and founding member of The Dance Sessions, Chris is driven to educate dancers in a loving and safe environment, so his students can enlighten and inspire each other with their own passion. He welcomes all to his class and invites us all to be present and let go of expectations.
Angela Jean Weber
Yoga Instructor
Angela is a 500-hr YogaWorks certifies teacher and trainer to the Stars with over 10 years teaching experience at some of LA’s most renowned studios. She has been featured in publications such as The Chalkboard Mag and Mantra Yoga and Health Magazine and in online classes for Yoga Wake Up, Udaya and Do You Yoga. She holds a BA in musical theatre from UCLA and has performed professionally throughout Southern California with companies like Cabrillo Music Theatre and Musical Theatre West. Angela’s classes combine breath awareness with dynamic flowing movement while always being rooted in a strong foundation of Yoga Philosophy and proper, safe alignment. This mindful flow of body and breath helps to elevate awareness, build flexibility/strength, and reduce stress so that students can feel and function their absolute best. Angela has taught at top studios including YogaWorks, Yoga Salt, Santa Monica Power Yoga and Bhakti Yoga Shaka and has studied under Senior Teachers Alexandria Crow, Tamal Dodge, Sarah Ivanhoe and Jesse Schein. She is thrilled to be back at Nevada Union teaching yoga in the very same room where she first fell so deeply in love with the art of movement.
Erin Reynolds Modern Instructor and Choreographer
Reynolds grew up dancing in a small town in rural California. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from California State University, Long Beach, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and Performance Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and an AA degree in Dance and AS degree in Chemistry from Cabrillo College. She is a recipient of the Grand Canyon National Park Artist Residency, the Tandy Beal Award, the 2020 CSULB Graduate Dean’s List and Distinguished Achievement in Creative Activity Awards, KAZU’s Emerging Choreographer, and Insight’s Artstreet: Artist to Watch. Reynolds is currently the co-artistic director of the collaborative dance performance groups E&C and Bare Outlines, the artistic director of Erin Reynolds Performances, and an ongoing collaborator with Heather Barker and the Immersive Design Research Lab. Highlighted works have been shown in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berlin, Istanbul, and Vienna. She is currently a lecturer for the Department of Theatre and Dance at California State University, Sacramento, a lecturer for the Department of Kinesiology at the California State University, Chico, and researches the intersections between performance, new media, and public space. https://www.
GUEST CHOREOGRAPHERS
Chelsea Asman
Guest Choreographer
Chelsea, a Southern California native, was the founder of the Contemporary Modern Dance Cooperative. A graduate of Chapman University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance, she has danced with Invertigo Dance Theatre, Diavolo Dance Theatre’s Education Company, and has been a member of METHOD Contemporary Dance Company since 2007. In 2013, Chelsea joined Kairos Dance Company in an evening-length work performed in Ogden, Utah, and has continued to perform with the company throughout Los Angeles. Last spring Chelsea completed her first semester as adjunct faculty at Fullerton College where she taught beginning hip-hop dance. Currently, Chelsea is a member of the dance faculty for The Gabriella Foundation teaching various dance styles and age groups at Gabriella Charter School, as well as in their after school program, Everybody Dance! She recently joined the faculty at Loyola Marymount University where she teaches Modern Dance I. Chelsea’s work has been shown at MixMatch Dance Festival and was selected for Transient Truths, and Not Quite Love Stories thematic showcases. Chelsea is a Master Trainer, certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the National Exercise and Sports Training Association. She is also a certified instructor for Les Mills Body Pump, Nike Training Club, and TRX Suspension Training. Last spring Chelsea begins received her MFA in dance from University of Irvine, CA. Chelsea visits Nevada Union annually to teach master classes and to set choreography on advanced dancers.
Karen Attix
Guest Choreographer
Karen, a native of Oakland, CA., danced professionally with the New York based modern dance companies of Merce Cunningham and Kathyrn Posin. She also collaborated with New York choreographers Jane Comfort and Matthew Diamond. Returning to the Bay Area in the mid-1970, she quickly became part of the new contemporary dance scene working with Margaret Jenkins and Brenda Way (founder of ODC) and studying with Alonzo King, artistic director of LINES. She received two choreography fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts and set her choreography on dance companies in Fairbanks, Alaska as well as Sao Paulo, Brazil and Limas sol, Cyprus. As a solo performer and Affiliate Artist, she toured extensively throughout the states of Idaho, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. She co-founded MATTIX DANCE with fellow Margaret Jenkins’ dancer Virginia Matthews and together they performed in New York, Turkey and Israel and throughout the Bay Area. Karen Attix has taught contemporary Cunningham based technique at Mills College, UC Berkeley, Reed College and San Francisco Ballet. Moving to Nevada County in 2005, she has continued her teaching and choreography with Center Stage Dance Studio. She is the Founder of the Nevada City Dance Festival, and she guest choreographs annually for the Nevada Union Theatrical Dance program.
Jesse C Beck
Guest Choreographer
Jesse began training in Grass Valley, California at Nevada City School of the Arts. He went on to study with Nevada Union Theatrical Dance before attending college at Chapman University as a dance major. Upon transferring to Tisch School of Dance at New York University, he obtained his BFA in Dance as well as completed a double major in Politics. He is the recipient of the Edward Weisik Scholarship as well as the Bill Cosby Memorial Scholarship. He has performed in works by Gus Solomons Jr., Sean Greene, Tiffany Billings and Brook Notery. His choreography has been presented in California and New York. He has danced professionally with James Martin Dance, apprenticed with Zvidance, and was a principle company member with Lane & Co. Dance.
Alison Clancy
Guest Choreographer
Alison is a versatile performing artist and creative director. She hails from Nevada City where she trained at NUHS and Sierra Dance Institute. She earned a BFA in Dance from New York University and currently lives and works in New York City. She dances professionally at The Metropolitan Opera and tours internationally as dancer with various companies. She is the lead singer and songwriter for the bands HUFF THIS and Loving You, and choreographs and models for fashion and fine art projects. She is currently on the faculty of the dance department at NYU.
Efren Corado
Guest Choreographer
Efren completed his MFA at the University of Utah and is Creative Director of Project Revisited Grounds, which uses dance concerts to promote longevity in community serving agencies. Efren is also a Certified Laban Movement Analyst. As a performer, Efren has performed works by BARE Dance Company with artistic director Mike Esperanza, Sean Greene of Gallimaufry and Greene, Stephen Koester, Andrea Sobke, Abby Fiat, Nancy Dickson-Lewis, Amy Nakamura and Heather Gillette. Efren was awarded second place with the Choreography Design Project in junction with the Utah Regional Ballet for his piece A Road to Remembrance, Winner of the Sugar Show with this work Transcripts. Efren was adjunct faculty at Utah Valley University until he was offered a full time position to dance professionally with Repertory Dance Theatre.
Jordan Isadore
Guest Choreographer
Jordan received his B.F.A. in Dance from California State University Long Beach in 2009. Upon relocating to New York, Jordan danced for Shen Wei Dance Arts and has performed at the David H. Koch Theater, Mariinsky Theater, throughout China, South America, and Europe. Additionally, he’s worked with Christopher Williams, Andrea Miller, and Sydney Skybetter. His own work has been presented at The Museum of Arts & Design, 92nd Street Y, Joe’s Pub, Madame Tussauds, and The American Dance Festival. Jordan has taught locally at Sierra Dance Institute, Nevada City School of the Arts, and his high school alma mater, Nevada Union.
Jackson Knappen
Guest Choreographer
Jackson began his dance training with the Nevada Union Theatrical Dance department at age 15 and graduated from the advanced class in 2015. After graduation, he spent five months in Seattle, Washington studying with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theater, and Velocity Dance Center, and then he relocated to Santa Monica, California to train at Santa Monica College and with a local ballet studio. Jackson has performed at the Youth American Grand Prix and choreographed pieces for the Northwest Regional Dance Festival in Vancouver, WA as well as the National High School Dance Festival in Pittsburgh, PA at Point Park University.