Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP PROFILES
Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell (Artistic Director, she/her) is the Artistic Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, appointed in 2021 after an extraordinary career as a professional dance artist and educator. Her appointment marked a historic first: she is the company’s first alumna, woman, and person of color to lead the organization. Under her visionary leadership, Hubbard Street has experienced a revival, returning to pre-pandemic vibrancy with sleek, memorable programming and a renewed era of artistic excellence. Her impact has been recognized in The New York Times (“At Hubbard Street: Making a Place for ‘the Other Folks’”) and on the cover of Dance Magazine (August 2023, “Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is Returning to Stability—And Its Roots”). Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Fisher-Harrell trained at the Baltimore School for the Arts with Sylvester Campbell and Stephanie Powell, apprenticed with the Capitol Ballet under Doris Jones, and studied on full fellowship at The Ailey School before attending The Juilliard School. She began her professional career with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago at the invitation of founder Lou Conte. She performed with the company for three years before becoming a Principal Dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, under the legendary Judith Jamison.
During her 13-year tenure with Ailey, Fisher-Harrell toured globally and was featured in works by Alvin Ailey, John Butler, Ronald K. Brown, Ulysses Dove, Rennie Harris, Judith Jamison, Alonzo King, Lar Lubovitch, Donald McKayle, Elisa Monte, and Dwight Rhoden. Career highlights include guest artist performances at Les Étoiles du 21e Siècle in Paris and Toronto, World Stars of the Opera in Budapest, and special appearances at the White House State Dinner in honor of the President of Kenya and the Kennedy Center’s 12th Annual Gala alongside Nancy Wilson and Liza Minnelli. As an educator and leader, Fisher-Harrell has had a profound impact in her hometown of Baltimore. A professor of dance at Towson University since 2005, she also served on the faculty of the Baltimore School for the Arts, served as director, founder, and principal grant writer for AileyCamp Baltimore at Towson University, and facilitated nine Ailey II residencies at Towson University. Her mentorship has shaped the next generation of artists, many of whom now perform in professional companies and productions worldwide. Fisher-Harrell holds an MFA in Dance from Hollins University. Her pedagogy is dual focused, the Lester Horton Technique and an ABT® Certified Ballet Teacher; she remains a sought-after instructor for universities, companies, and organizations nationwide. Her scholarship includes the entry “Alvin Ailey” in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Modernism. In 2025, she was honored with the Martha Hill Mid-Career Award for her artistic excellence, visionary leadership, and enduring impact on the dance field.
David McDermott (Executive Director, he/him) leads Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s organization-wide strategy and administration, overseeing the company’s finances, operations, marketing, and development. Before joining Hubbard Street, he served as First Deputy Commissioner at the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, where he managed daily operations and helped shape major initiatives including the Chicago Cultural Plan and the launch of the Chicago Architecture Biennial. Earlier in his career, McDermott served as Political and Community Outreach Director for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and managed political campaigns at the congressional, county, and municipal levels. He is a graduate of Trinity College at the University of Dublin with a degree in Public Policy and recently completed a fellowship at the University of Chicago’s Civic Leadership Academy.
Lou Conte (Founding Artistic Director, he/him) after a performing career that included roles in Broadway musicals such as Cabaret, Mame and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, established the Lou Conte Dance Studio in 1974. Three years later, he founded what is now Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Originally the company’s sole choreographer, he developed relationships with emerging and world-renowned dancemakers Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Margo Sappington, and Daniel Ezralow as the company grew. He continued to build Hubbard Street’s repertoire by forging a key relationship with Twyla Tharp in the 1990s, acquiring seven of her works as well as original choreography. It then became an international enterprise with the inclusion of works by Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, and Ohad Naharin. Throughout his 23 years as the company’s artistic director, he received numerous awards including the first Ruth Page Artistic Achievements Award in 1986, the Sidney R. Yates Arts Advocacy Award in 1995, and a Chicagoan of the Year award from Chicago magazine in 1999. In 2003, he was inducted as a laureate into the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, the state’s highest honor, and in 2014, was named one of five inaugural recipients of the City of Chicago’s Fifth Star Award. He has been credited by many for helping raise Chicago’s international cultural profile and for creating a welcoming climate for dance in the city, where the art form now thrives.
Jonathan E. Alsberry (Senior Rehearsal Director & Director of Summer Intensives, he/him). As Senior Rehearsal Director and Director of Summer Intensives, Jonathan shapes the daily practice of the company dancers while fostering connectivity across departments. He designs physically mindful schedules that ensure seamless transitions between repertory stagings, new creations, and performances. He also leads morning company classes rooted in wellness, joy, and excellence. As Director of Summer Intensives, he curates four dynamic programs, bringing in diverse choreographers and instructors, highlighting Chicago’s cultural richness, and attracting aspiring dancers ages 13–25 from across the globe. Jonathan’s dance journey began at his mother’s Agape Dance Center, continued at The Chicago Academy for the Arts, and led to a BFA from The Juilliard School, where formative collaborations with Aszure Barton and Lar Lubovitch launched long-standing creative partnerships. Affectionately known as “Jojo,” he is a Creative Associate with Aszure Barton & Artists, assisting on works for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Hamburg Ballet, Malpaso Dance Company, and Teatro alla Scala. He also performed with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company for over a decade, continuing his work as a stager and teaching artist. He has performed internationally with legends including Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alessandra Ferri, and with organizations such as Despertares, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and LA Opera. Other collaborations include Luna Negra Dance Theater, Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, The Chase Brock Experience, and Pier Group Dance. Now in his ninth season with Hubbard Street, Jonathan brings joy, rigor, and artistry into every space he enters. Through partnerships with organizations like Springboard Danse, Arts Umbrella, and the Chicago Dance Health Fund, he remains committed to nurturing the next generation and uplifting the spirit of dance.
Craig D. Black Jr. (Rehearsal Director, he/they) from San Jose, CA is a dancer, educator, stager, and the Rehearsal Director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. He was appointed to this role in 2022 for the company’s 45th Anniversary: Sapphire Season. At the age of ten, Craig began dancing at South Bay Dance Center and continued his dance training at Abraham Lincoln High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. In 2011, Craig received his BFA from The Juilliard School. He obtained additional training at Springboard Danse Montréal, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the School at Jacob’s Pillow. Craig is a recipient of the 2010 Princess Grace Award in Dance as well as the 2011 Lorna Strassler Award for Student Excellence from the School at Jacob’s Pillow. For six seasons Craig performed and toured with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet under the direction of Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty. In 2017, Craig joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago where he danced for five seasons before transitioning into the HSDC Rehearsal Director position. Now in his fourth season as rehearsal director, Craig has been a guest artist with HSDC and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, a guest rehearsal director for FLOCK, and a stager for Alejandro Cerrudo. He has had the privilege of dancing works by Kyle Abraham, Aszure Barton, Cherice Barton, Rena Butler, Alejandro Cerrudo, Peter Chu, Nacho Duato, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, Rennie Harris, Johan Inger, Jirí Kylián, Fernando Melo, Robyn Mineko-Williams, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, and Cayetano Soto Ramirez among many others. Craig has had the pleasure of co-choreographing and rehearsal directing Cardi B and Offset’s 2019 BET Awards performance as well as assisting Robyn Mineko-Williams with the official music video for Sen Morimoto’s Pressure on the Pulse.
Craig is a passionate teacher and mentor. He is certified in IMAGE TECH for Dancers™ introductory through advanced level. He has been a guest company class instructor for DanceAspen, Giordano Dance Chicago, and South Chicago Dance Theatre. Additionally, Craig is on faculty for Dupree Dance and has served as guest faculty for the Hubbard Street Professional Program, The Joffrey Academy, New York City Dance Alliance, Peridance Center, and Steps on Broadway.
CHOREOGRAPHER PROFILES
Aszure Barton is a prolific creator whose dance work has been equated to “watching the physical unfurling of the human psyche” by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts. She started tap dancing at the age of three and has been creating for as long as she can remember. Her works have been performed on stages throughout the world, including the Palais Garnier, Mariinsky Theater, The Kennedy Center, Studio 54, Lincoln Center, and Sadler’s Wells, as well as in museums and exhibits, such as the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. She has choreographed for theater, film, and opera, including Broadway, notably for the production of The Threepenny Opera. Early in her career, she founded her own project, Aszure Barton & Artists, in order to create an autonomous, interdisciplinary, and collaborative platform for process-centered creation. Aszure has worked with celebrated artists and companies including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jessica Chastaine, Misty Copeland, Alan Cumming, Cyndi Lauper, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Nederlands Dans Theater, Teatro alla Scala, American Ballet Theatre, Sydney Dance Company, English National Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Cuba’s Malpaso Dance Company, and Martha Graham Dance Company, among others. Last year, she premiered a new work (Mere Mortals) at San Francisco Ballet in collaboration with British electronic music producer/DJ Floating Points and mixed media artists Hamill Industries—the first evening-length work created by a woman in SFB’s history, curated by Artistic Director Tamara Rojo. Aszure is also delighted to be the current Resident Artist at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Her latest artistic venture is a collaboration with acclaimed trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire; the two premiered their first work titled B E N D at Kampnagel’s International Summer Festival and plan to tour it internationally over the next few years with the partnership of Pomegranate Arts. Tanz Magazine’s Falk Schraiber described its “refusal of categorization” and called it “a collaborative work that also draws its appeal from the fact that two artists who are completely secure in their field playfully unsettle each other.” They also created a full-evening collaboration, Slow Burn, at Hamburg Ballett and will premiere a new collaboration (Join) with the Limón Dance Company later this month. Aszure Barton continues to be an innovator of form, having contributed to an evolution of highly specialized dance and theater companies worldwide. Over the years, she has received a myriad of accolades including a Bessie Award for her work Busk. She was the first Martha Duffy Resident Artist at Baryshnikov Arts and is a recipient of the prestigious Arts & Letters Award, joining the likes of Oscar Peterson, Karen Kain, and Margaret Atwood. She is also an official ambassador of contemporary choreography in Canada. As an educator, Aszure is a creative partner with Boston Conservatory at Berklee College and has built a longtime working relationship with The Juilliard School.
Bob Fosse is one of the most internationally recognized figures in the history of the performing arts for his groundbreaking, genre-defining work as a director, choreographer, performer, and writer across various mediums on both stage and screen. In 1973, he became the first director in history to win the Oscar, Tony, and Emmy awards in a single year for his spectacular triumphs with Cabaret on film, Pippin on Broadway, and “Liza with a Z” on television. Though he got his start as a performer, Mr. Fosse’s career as a creative force on Broadway began in 1954 when he served as choreographer for the Original Broadway production of The Pajama Game, earning him the first of his nine Tony Awards. He went on to choreograph Damn Yankees, Bells Are Ringing, New Girl In Town, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and direct and choreograph Redhead, Little Me, Sweet Charity (which he also conceived), Pippin, Liza, Chicago (for which he also co-wrote the book), Dancin’, Big Deal (for which he also wrote the book), and the 1986 revival of Sweet Charity. On film, he served as director and choreographer for Sweet Charity, Cabaret, All That Jazz (also co-screenwriter), and Star 80 (also co-screenwriter), earning him an Academy Award and two additional nominations for Best Director, as well as a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. All That Jazz also won the Palme d’Or at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival. His additional film credits include choreography for The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, and The Little Prince. Born in Chicago, Mr. Fosse began dancing at age nine and made his first professional appearance at thirteen with his childhood friend Charles Grass under the name “The Riff Brothers.” After serving with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Islands during World War II, he reignited his career as a dancer, performing alongside Mary Ann Niles in Call Me Mister, Make Mine Manhattan, and Dance Me a Song. He also appeared in the MGM films Give a Girl a Break; The Affairs of Dobie Gillis; and Kiss Me, Kate. His last performing engagements were with New York City Center, dancing the title role in their revival of Pal Joey and dancing the role of The Serpent in The Little Prince on screen. Bob Fosse passed away in 1987, on the Opening Night of the National Tour of Sweet Charity. Mr. Fosse’s work constantly finds new life in productions like the long running Broadway revival of Chicago (1996), Fosse (1999), and the Broadway revival of Dancin’ (2023), as well as in the Emmy Award-winning FX series “Fosse/Verdon” (2019), and the trio of dances Sweet Gwen Suite (2021). The Verdon Fosse Legacy®, founded by his daughter, Nicole Fosse, ensures Mr. Fosse’s enduring legacy will continue to help shape the entertainment landscape for years to come.
Gwen Verdon is “widely regarded as the best dancer ever to brighten the Broadway Stage” (The New York Times). Her early career was marked by her close working relationship with Jack Cole, for whom she worked as both a performer and assistant choreographer. Her most enduring professional partnership, however, was with the man she would marry, Bob Fosse. Together, Ms. Verdon and Mr. Fosse ran up a string of iconic theatrical successes not rivaled by a director/choreographer and star before or since. After she earned her first of four Tony Awards in her breakout role as Claudine in Can-Can, her collaboration with Mr. Fosse began. She starred in Damn Yankees (Tony Award), New Girl in Town (Tony Award), Redhead (Tony Award), Sweet Charity (Tony nomination) and Chicago (Tony nomination). Her work in feature films includes roles in On the Riviera, David & Bathsheba, Mississippi Gambler, Damn Yankees, Cocoon, Cocoon: The Return, The Cotton Club, Nadine, Marvin’s Room, Alice, Bruno, and Walking Across Egypt. Early in her career, she helped stage Marilyn Monroe’s performance of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She served as Artistic Advisor for Steam Heat, the Emmy Award-winning documentary about Mr. Fosse. She also appeared on the television programs “Mash,” “Fame,” “Trapper John,” “M.D.,” “Webster,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “The Equalizer,” “Dream On,” “Dear John,” “Homicide,” and “Legs.” Her work in the concert dance world spanned decades and continents, including Chicago’s Hubbard Street Dance, the Beijing Ballet School in China, the Houston Ballet Company, and the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Counted among the hundreds of partners with whom she danced throughout the course of her career were Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolph Nureyev. Among her many accolades, Ms. Verdon won a Grammy Award for Redhead and received a National Endowment for the Arts & Humanities Award.
Amy Hall Garner is a native of Huntsville, Alabama, and a graduate of The Juilliard School. Her work has been praised internationally and commissioned by Ailey II, ABT Studio Company, Collage Dance Collective, The Juilliard School, The Ailey School, Barnard College, The University of the Arts, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, Point Park University, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Recently, she has received virtual commissions from BalletX, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Guggenheim Museum’s Works & Process Digital Series, ABT Studio Company, Boulder Ballet, and a virtual collaboration between Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor American Modern Dance. She personally coached Grammy Award winner Beyoncé, providing additional choreography for The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Theatrical choreography credits include: The Color Purple (Milwaukee Repertory Theater) and Invisible Thread, associate choreographer (Second Stage Theater, NYC). In 2018, she was selected to participate in Alvin Ailey’s New Directions Choreography Lab supported by the Ford Foundation. Garner was one of the first recipients of the Joffrey Ballet’s Choreography of Color Award (now titled Winning Works). Recently, she created a new children’s ballet titled Rita Finds Home for Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet and reimagined Baltimore School for the Arts’ new production of The Nutcracker. Amy is an adjunct professor at New York University’s New Studio on Broadway at Tisch School of the Arts and is the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Choreographer-in-Residence at BalletX.
James Gregg. Internationally acclaimed choreographer James Gregg has carved a unique path in the world of contemporary dance, infusing his bold, innovative style into every project he undertakes. Gregg embarked on his dance journey at the age of nine, training with esteemed institutions including Ballet Oklahoma, Houston Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and The Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. Gregg’s exceptional talent has garnered numerous accolades throughout his career, including the prestigious 2015 Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award and first place in Ballet Austin’s 2014 New American Talent choreographic competition. His work has graced the stages of some of the world’s most esteemed dance companies and institutions, such as Edmonton Ballet, Ballet X Bodytraffic, Whim W’Him, Arts Umbrella, Danceworks Chicago, Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, Cirque du Soleil, and Springboard Danse Project Montreal. Gregg has collaborated with a number of world-renowned choreographers and companies, including Aszure Barton & Artists, BJM Danse, Rubberband Dance Group, and Bodytraffic. With each new venture, Gregg continues to captivate audiences and redefine the landscape of contemporary dance.
DANCER PROFILES
Kyle Anders (he/him, Sykesville, MD) is from Sykesville, Maryland where he began his training at Savage Dance Company under the direction of Nichole Savage and Brandy Fry for thirteen years. He is a 2024 graduate of The University of Arizona, where he received his BFA in Dance and BSBA in Business Management. Within his four years studying at Arizona, Kyle received numerous performance opportunities, such as being a featured soloist in Thang Dao’s Nevermore, performing in Duane Cyrus’ Bolero at The Joyce Theater, alongside roles in works by Martha Graham, Frank Chavez, Paul Taylor, Jason Hortin, and more. He is additionally an alumni of The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program, directed by Milton Myers, and attended Orsolina28, focusing on Marco Goecke repertoire.
Alexandria Best (she/her, Raleigh, NC) is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina where she began her pre-professional dance training. During this time, she acquired knowledge from instructors across programs such as American Ballet Theatre, Arts Umbrella, Carolina Ballet, DamianiDance, French Academie of Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She is a 2021 graduate of Pace University where she earned her BFA in dance, with a concentration in performance and pedagogy, and a minor in business. Immediately following post-grad, Alexandria joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as a Company Artist under the direction of Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell. Now going into her fifth season, she has had the opportunity to perform a diverse body of repertoire by many great-minded artists. She is honored to be named a 2023 Princess Grace Foundation Award winner in Dance and to be joining its legacy of artists. Alexandria is thrilled to continue her time growing her artistry and community with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in its upcoming season.
Dominick Brown (he/they, Oklahoma City, OK) is a professional dance artist originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Dominick began training under the direction of CeCe Farha. While training, Dominick attended summer intensives with The Washington School of Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Dominick received a BFA from the University of The Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfeild as a Directors Scholar in 2021. While at the university, Dominick worked with Ballet Preljocaj in Aix en Provence, France. Dominick also attended The American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. Dominick has previously danced as a company artist with Kun Yang Lin Dancers and SALT Contemporary Dance. Dominick joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as a main company dancer in 2024. Dominick has performed works by Merce Cunningham, Ihsan Rustem, Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, Mathew Rushing, James Gregg, Johan Inger, and Peter Chu. Dominick is thrilled to embark on their second season with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
Jacqueline Burnett (she/her, Pocatello, ID) received her formative classical ballet training in her hometown of Pocatello, Idaho, from Romanian Ballet Master Marius Zirra. She moved to New York City in 2005 to pursue the Ailey School/Fordham University joint BFA degree, graduating magna cum laude with departmental honors in 2009. She joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in January 2008 as a Center Apprentice while completing her degree and became a member of the main company in August 2009. She received a 2011 Princess Grace Honorarium for Dance and was a member of the HSDC contingent for DanceMotion USA 2013, a U.S. State Department/Brooklyn Academy of Music cultural diplomacy tour in Algeria, Morocco, and Spain. In addition to dancing with HSDC, she also teaches company class, has choreographed for the Create Summer Intensive, serves as a repetiteur for choreographies by Penny Saunders (Ballet Idaho, Grand Rapids Ballet, Seattle Dance Collective, Royal New Zealand Ballet), and is a freelance dancer with Robyn Mineko Williams and Artists. Her choreography has been commissioned by Chicago Movement Collective for the Claire Bataille Legacy Program, Danza Visual in Mexico City, and Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of Murder on the Orient Express under the direction of Annika Boras.
Aaron Choate (they/them, Lexington, KY) is a graduate of The Juilliard School class of 2022. After studying at Diana Evans School of Dance in Kentucky, they were named a 2018 Presidential Scholar in the Arts. They have performed the works of renowned choreographers, such as Kyle Abraham, Aszure Barton, Bob Fosse/ Gwen Verdon, Ohad Naharin, Justin Peck, Matthew Rushing, Jamar Roberts, Bobbi Jene Smith, Rennie Harris, Lar Lubovitch, and Ted Shawn. They are also an avid choreographer. In 2025 they were an Emerging Choreographer for Springboard Danse Pittsburgh’s 25th anniversary. In the same year they created a work for the composition department of Princeton for their semi-annual “Sound Kitchen”. Summer of 2023 they had a process at Gibney Dance called the Moving Towards Justice Fellowship created by Scott Autry and in 2022, they presented a work at 92nd Street Y as a part of the Future Dance Festival.
Morgan Clune (she/her, Barrington, IL) graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts in 2018. She was recognized as a National YoungArts Winner in New York for Contemporary dance in 2018 where she performed solo at Baryshnikov Arts Center. Morgan attended the Juilliard School under direction of Alicia Graf Mack between 2018-2022 where she worked with renowned choreographers such as Bobbi Jene Smith, Justin Peck, Jamar Roberts, Ohad Naharin, and more. Upon graduation from Juilliard, Morgan was awarded the Martha Hill Prize for her achievement and leadership in Dance as well as a Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship for her promise as an entrepreneur and her engagement in the arts. She is an emerging choreographer, choreographing at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s CREATE Summer Intensives (2023 & 2024) and The Juilliard School Summer Dance Intensive in 2023. Morgan is currently in her fourth season with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago under the direction of Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell.
Michele Dooley (she/he/they, Philadelphia, PA) is a dance artist and teacher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Michele began training at The Institute of the Arts, continued studying at The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, and later earned a BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts. Michele has had the pleasure of working with numerous choreographers throughout their professional career, such as Gary Jeter, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Donald Byrd, Aszure Barton, Jermaine Spivey, Spenser Theberge, and Matthew Rushing, amongst others. Michele has worked with Eleone Dance Theatre and Spectrum Dance Theater, and they are beyond thrilled to continue their artistic journey with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago!
Elliot Hammans (he/him, Santa Fe, NM) began his formal dance training in 2008 with Robert Sher-Machherndl and continued his ballet and modern dance education with Moving People Dance in Santa Fe, NM, under the direction of Curtis Uhlemann. He joined Moving People Dance Company as an apprentice in 2010, trained on full scholarship at the Alonzo King LINES Dance Center in San Francisco, and attended Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s 2011 and 2012 Summer Intensives. Following studies abroad at Austria’s Tanzzentrum SEAD (Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance), he earned his BFA in Dance in 2014 from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. He joined Hubbard Street 2 in August 2014 and was promoted to Hubbard Street’s main company in August 2016. Elliot also works at Athletico Physical Therapy as a Rehabilitation Aide and enjoys practicing and teaching somatic methods.
Bianca Melidor (she/her, Dacula, GA) comes from Atlanta where she received her dance training at the Gwinnett Ballet Theater under the artistic direction of Lisa Sheppard Robson and Wade Walthall. Melidor then furthered her training in jazz at Point Park University under the direction of Ruben Graciani and Garfield Lemonius. In addition, she has spent many of her summers training at intensives with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mark Morris Dance Group, Ballet West, Atlanta Ballet and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. She graduated from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, Magna Cum Laude and soon after joined Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s DBDT: Encore! with the artistic direction of Nycole Ray. After three seasons, she joined the main company of Dallas Black Dance Theatre with Melissa Young as artistic director and performed in countless programs by Matthew Rushing, Christopher Huggins, Darrell Grand Moultrie, and many more. Bianca is delighted to continue her professional career with HSDC.
Shota Miyoshi (he/him, Kanagawa, Japan) trained extensively in jazz, ballet, tap, and hip-hop before moving to the United States to pursue his studies at SUNY Purchase College, where he earned his BFA in Dance in 2022. Upon graduation, he joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, performing works by acclaimed choreographers including Aszure Barton, Ohad Naharin, Matthew Rushing, Rena Butler, FLOCK (Alice Klock and Florian Lochner), and James Gregg, among others. Expanding his artistry into choreography, Shota was commissioned to create new works for The Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Works 2025 and New Dances 2025. For more information, please visit https://shotamiyoshi.wixsite.com/shota-miyoshi-dance.
Andrew Murdock (he/him, St. Alberta, AB, Canada) is a Canadian dancer, stager, stagehand, teaching artist, and rehearsal director based out of Chicago, IL, USA. He holds a BFA from The Juilliard School and has spent the majority of his dancing career at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Aszure Barton & Artists, Ballets Jazz Montréal, and Robyn Mineko Williams & Artists. He is a former Rehearsal Director for Ballets Jazz Montréal, guest Rehearsal Director for Para.Mar Dance Theatre, and he provides company classes and pre-professional training in the Chicagoland area. He has also staged work and assisted creations for Springboard Danse Montréal, AB&A, Ballet Jazz Montréal, RMW&A, Para.Mar Dance Theatre, Moonwater Dance Project, Arts Umbrella, American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet School of Canada, Ballet BC, Oklahoma City Ballet, Orlando Ballet, STEPS Repertory Ensemble, New York University, and is a former Artistic Lead for Hubbard Street Summer Intensives and Inside/Out choreographic workshop.
David Schultz (he/him, Grand Rapids, MI) began his training in Michigan with the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet, where he then performed for four seasons with its company, the Grand Rapids Ballet. He joined Hubbard Street 2 in 2009 and was promoted to the main company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, in 2011 where he has worked with many of the world’s leading contemporary choreographers. He is a recipient of a 2012 Princess Grace Award. As a choreographer he has had the honor of creating works for DanceWorks Chicago, Chambered Squared, Boston University, and a Co-choreographed piece with Jacqueline Burnett for Danza Visual in Mexico City. When he is not dancing, or choreographing, he has spent many years studying music and has performed and scored many pieces for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as well as for his own works.
Simone Stevens (she/her, Atlanta, GA) received her dance training in her hometown of Stone Mountain, GA at En Pointe School of Dance before graduating from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Minor in Anthropology. Upon moving to Chicago, Simone studied on scholarship at the Lou Conte Dance Studio, receiving mentorship from the incomparable Claire Bataille, Laura Wade, and Ethan Kirschbaum. Simultaneously, she performed as a freelance artist throughout the city, working closely with Hanna Brictson and Katlin Bourgeouis, among others. In addition to performing with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Simone has been recognized as one of Dance Magazine‘s 25 To Watch; served as creative Lead for the company’s Summer Intensives; and expanded her network as an instructor at The Rooted Space, Red Clay Dance Center, and her alma mater. Forever grateful for the spaces and communities that continue to welcome and uplift her, Simone looks forward to embarking on a fifth year with the company.
Cyrie Topete (she/they, Peoria, AZ) is from Peoria, Arizona. Following her father, she began as a break-dancer and started training in competitive dance at the age of thirteen. She was recognized as a YoungArts Merit winner in 2018 before moving to New York City. She graduated with a BFA from The Juilliard School in 2022, where she received the FENDI Vanguard Award. Following graduation, Cyrie was featured in an On Running brand ad choreographed by Justin Peck and joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Company. Entering her fourth season, she’s had the opportunity to perform works by Aszure Barton, Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin, Bob Fosse & Gwen Verdon, James Gregg, Rennie Harris, Kyle Abraham, FLOCK, Rena Butler, and more. She’s been featured in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise” and choreographed for the HSDC Create Summer Intensive in 2024 & 2025. She is ecstatic to be announced as a 2025 Princess Grace Honoraria Recipient and to be a part of a prestigious community of artists. Cyrie is honored to contribute to the enduring and impactful legacy that Hubbard Street carries forward.
Malachi Ashley Stevens (they/them, Abingdon, MD) is a multidisciplinary artist, blending dance, choreography, and poetry to tell powerful stories. Their journey began in the church, where movement became a spiritual expression and foundation for their artistic voice. They trained at Divine Dance Institute and graduated from the Baltimore School for the Arts (Class of 2021), later earning a BFA from USC Kaufman with a minor in Communication and receiving the Artistic Excellence scholarship. They have performed works by renowned choreographers including Kyle Abraham, Hope Boykin, Tassandra Chavez, Peter Chu, E. Moncell Durden, Micaela Taylor, Justin Peck, Helen Pickett, and Jiří Kylián. Their training includes prestigious programs such as Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary, Nederlands Dans Theater, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, Gallim dance company, and Springboard Pittsburgh. They are passionate about blending physicality and narrative to move and challenge audiences—and they are thrilled to begin their professional career with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.