MOVING THROUGH MARCH
Presented by The Click and développé Dance Studio
March 8-10, 2024 in The Foundry's STEAM Set Room
Moving Through March is an ongoing collaboration between The Click and développé Dance Studio that builds bridges and connections between pre-professional youth dancers, adult recreational dancers, and professionals. The show presents works created and performed by The Click, the students of développé and - for the first time ever! - The Click’s Community Contemporary Repertory students.
Featuring work for The Click dancers and students by:
Angelina Benitez, Alexandria Nunweiler, and Kristin Wagner
and work for développé dancers by:
Olivia Coombs, Tony Guglietti, Alexandria Nunweiler, and Meredith Wells
Featuring work for The Click dancers and students by:
Angelina Benitez, Alexandria Nunweiler, and Kristin Wagner
and work for développé dancers by:
Olivia Coombs, Tony Guglietti, Alexandria Nunweiler, and Meredith Wells
Virtual Program
Access the virtual program for this show below.
mtm24_program.pdf |
ABOUT THE DANCERS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS IN THIS SHOW:
Marina Battenfeld (she/her) moved to the Boston area from North Carolina in 2022 and loves exploring her new home! She works as a teacher at a Montessori school and dance studio in Quincy, and enjoys getting to share her love and creativity with children. When she’s not teaching, Marina loves wandering about and taking dance classes for herself, especially with The Click!
Blair Bean (she/her) lives and works in Brookline as an event manager. She has studied dance for 20 years and is thrilled to be taking the stage for the first time since before the pandemic. Thanks to Angie, The Click, and the cast for the opportunity!
Paige Befeler (she/they) has been taking classes with the Click for the past year and is thrilled to be dancing with them for Moving through March! Paige has been a dancer her whole life, as well as an enjoyer of other creative outlets including acting, singing and writing. Paige lives in Somerville and is still digging her roots into the Boston community, adjusting to winter weather as an LA native, and click-ing with other artists. Thank you to the Click for this wonderful opportunity!
Angelina Benitez graduated from Salem State University with a B.A in both Modern/Contemporary Dance and has since studied at Bates Dance Festival and continues to study with local Boston-based artists. Her choreography at Salem State was presented at Boston's American College Dance Association Conference and earned her a Presidential Arts Scholarship and a Creativity Award in Dance. Angie has immersed herself in teaching dance in the Greater Boston area at local studios, schools, and residencies. Her recent performance experience includes local arts festivals and events such as Verse / Visual, 24 Hour ChoreoFest, Salem Arts Festival, Art Walk with Luminarium, and more. Much of her work is focused on collaboration. When she's not teaching dance, you can find her working as a social media strategist, creating fiber art, and taking pole dance classes.
Lucy Bingham has been taking ballet since she was three years old. She took classes at the Boston Ballet School for several years before beginning to train with Meredith Wells in 2019. Since then, Lucy has been there throughout the entirety of développé’s journey so far. Over the years she has performed in various productions such as The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella, and has attended summer programs at San Francisco Ballet and Nashville Ballet, among others.
Louisa Borba was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but raised in Brazil. She began dancing at the age of three on her own, until the age of thirteen when she joined crew Xaxim Jazz. For two years, she performed with Xaxim Jazz throughout Curitiba, Brazil. Louisa started her formal training at the DanceShow school, investing in various styles of dance and expanding her vocabulary and her own style of dance. In 2022, Louisa returned to Boston and became a member of Phunk Phenomenon, where she had the opportunity to dance in music videos such as “Clothes are so Obnoxious” and “Forever Mine.” In Boston, she has trained under choreographers/ teachers such as Jessenia Velazquez, Bianca Brewton, Sabina Lundgren and Dan Lai, Kayla Maria and Alexis Beffer as part of the pre-professional program at Boston Dance Studios.
Kalee Burrows (she/her/hers) is a queer theatre artist, writer, and educator. Officially recognized as a Certified Artist by the City of Boston, she enjoys performing and collaborating with other artists. This is Kalee’s first dance experience in 10 years and she’s thrilled to be dancing again! For more info about Kalee, visit www.kaleeburrows.com or follow on Instagram @kaleeburrows
Jing Cai (she/her) lives and works in Cambridge as a language instructor. An amateur in the land of dance, but thrilled to be part of this series and to perform with a bunch of joyous souls!
Tess Carpenter began her dance training at Fresh Pond Ballet and Boston Ballet. She has been a student of Meredith Wells since 2016 and of Kristin Wagner since 2014. She attended summer programs at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive, Nutmeg Conservatory and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. This summer, she will attend Ballet Austin’s Summer Intensive. She is currently a junior at Belmont High School. Recent repertoire includes Meredith Wells’ Clara’s Voyage, Meredith Wells’ Peter Pan, Alexandra Nunweiler’s Processing…, Kristin Wagner’s After Awhile, and Meredith Wells’ Echoes of Fragility. She has been a student at développé evolving dance since 2020.
Katrina Conte is a dancer and choreographer based in Boston MA. She was raised in Mt Pocono PA, where she attended the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. Katrina graduated with her BFA in Dance with a minor in Technical Theater from Ball State University. She has had the opportunity to work with Sidra Bell, Jamy Meek, Shen Wei Dance Arts, Noa Shadur and Kairos Dance Theater. Katrina also has a passion for lighting design; she designed several dance shows at Ball State, and has had the opportunity to work as a technical crew member for Terri O’Conner, Rosie Herrera Dance Theater, Paul Taylor, Pilobolus, and Shen Wei Dance Arts. For the 2023-24 season, she is dancing The Click, Alive Dance Collective and Luminarium Dance, she is so excited to share this season with these inspiring artists.
Olivia Coombs began her training in ballet under the direction of Jessica Wilson at Ballet Workshop of New England, then at the Alonzo King Lines Ballet Training Program. Olivia also is a founding Core Member of Boston Dance Theater and also serves in the roles of Rehearsal Director and Trainee Program Coach. As a dancer she has performed the works of Itzik Gallili, Sidra Bell, Rena Butler, Yue Yin, Marco Goecke, Rosie Herrera, Jessie Stinnett, Karole Armitage, and Shannon Gillen. She is excited to be in her third year teaching at développé.
Emily Eckland (she/her) is a mover, writer, and organizer. She recently finished her masters in American Studies and is working on building an independent research practice. Since she was young, dance has been an important outlet for her self expression and creativity. Connect with Emily on Instagram @emily_eckland.
Mara Featherstone is a local massage therapist, living in Boston. She is finding herself through dance and using movement as a tool for healing and personal evolution. She hopes to continue her healing journey through dance and sharing it with others through her work. Learn more about Mara through her Instagram @taurusmoonmassage
Helena Gillin began dancing at age 5, studying ballet, jazz, and tap. In 2021, she started her training at Developpe Evolving Dance. She currently studies ballet, modern, and contemporary. Helena will be attending Providence College in the fall, and plans on pursuing a dance minor and continuing her dance career.
Livee Gillin began dancing at the age of 5. She has been a part of développé for 3 years studying ballet, modern and contemporary. Livee is currently a senior in high school at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and plans to continue dancing in college.
Known by the New York Times as the “deliciously goofy Guglietti,” Tony Guglietti received his BFA from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Upon graduation he became a founding member of Sean Curran Company, with whom he toured regularly across the United States, France, Germany and Central Asia. While in New York, Tony also performed with Brian Brooks Moving Company, Peter Pucci, and Joanna Mendl Shaw. Tony has been privileged to dance on some of New York’s finest stages, including Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Metropolitan Opera House, and three seasons at The Joyce Theater. His performances have been cited in the New York Times, the Village Voice, the LA Times, and other local publications. From 2010-2016, Tony directed the dance program at the Pomfret School in CT. He has also taught at Adelphi University, Harvard University, and a number of local pre-professional and competitive studios. Tony regularly dances and collaborates with partner Kristin Wagner as “Decent Dance.” They recently expanded their company, taking on the enthusiastic mover Nico Guglietti (born December 2023). Outside of dance, Tony referees hockey, owns a painting company (call Steady Guglietti Precision Painting for your painting needs!), and recently started performing stand up comedy.
Kaayna Jain began her dance training at Miss Maria’s School of Dance in 2011. She was a part of their competition team from 2016-2023. She joined the Jose Mateo Ballet Theater in 2022 before she started taking classes at développé Evolving Dance Education in 2023. She has spent summers training at Bates Dance Festival and Interlochen School of the Arts. She has performed in Clara’s Voyage (2023).
Jody Leader (she/her) retired as a clinical psychologist last July. Now she chairs the Parish Board at a Unitarian-Universalist church in Brookline and studies and performs with Lynn Modell/Making Dances. In January, she performed with The Click in “The Edge of Aquarius.” Dancing feeds her most authentic self and so she’s scheduling another hip replacement…
Rachel Linsky is a Boston-based dance artist. She holds a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography from Elon University where she graduated summa cum laude. She directs and choreographs ZACHOR, an ongoing series that seeks to preserve the words of WWII Holocaust survivors through dance. She has presented work at venues throughout Boston including New England Conservatory, the Boston Center for the Arts, The Huntington Theater and The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She has presented dance films in national and international festivals such as Earl Mosely’s Diversity of Dance “Dance is Activism Film Festival '', Prague International Film Festival, and many more. Most recently, Rachel was one of the 2022-23 JArts & CJP Community Creative Fellows, and is currently a member of the 2023-24 Next Steps for Boston Dance cohort. In addition to her choreographic work, Rachel performs with KAIROS Dance Theater and The Click and teaches workshops throughout the Boston area in Contemporary, Ballet, and Yiddish Folk Dance.
Chloe Nasser lives in Roslindale and works in Brookline as a toddler teacher. She is a former dancer and circus performer, who now uses her love for the arts in her classroom. Getting to dance with The Click has brought back so many amazing memories!
Described by Dance Informa as “grace with power,” Alexandria Nunweiler creates community by uncovering true stories (whether that be in the classroom, on stage, or on the yoga mat) through ethnography and collaborative reflection. She works within The Click in projects for stage, screen, and augmented reality app, as well as devising her first evening-length work Edge of Aquarius that premiered in January 2024. Alexandria creates duet stage works and co-heads a curation series with Ashlea Sovetts, a collaboration that spans the east coast, and has performed in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival (2021), DanceNOW Boston (2022), and BOOM Charlotte (2022), among others. A lifelong learner, she earned her BA in Dance from Winthrop University (2014), MSc from Hult International Business School (2017), and 200-hour RYT (2021).
Kara Olivere (she/her) lives in Somerville with her 8 year old son, Elliot. In addition to dance, Kara enjoys gardening and leading family hikes for the Appalachian Mountain Club. Kara shares her work as a teacher for students with visual impairments on her Instagram @OlivereTVICOMS
Linda Spencer (she/her) retired from Harvard University three years ago, and returned to dance after a 30-year hiatus. Linda is a company member of Back Pocket Dancers, a local intergenerational dance company. Recent performances include the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company production of “What Problem?” as a Community Participant, the Peter DiMuro /Public Displays of Motion production of Momentum-A Greenway Dance Program as a Community Guest, and The Click’s production, The Edge of Aquarius, as a Guest Performer.
Alex Tansey (she/they) lives and works in Boston as a clinical research coordinator. She has been dancing all her life and is excited to continue to do so with The Click.
Kristin Wagner is a movement enthusiast living, learning and growing in the Greater Boston and Worcester areas. Kristin has been performing with a number of local dance theater companies and freelance choreographers since 2012, and creates her own work both independently and as part of The Click (@the.click.boston) and Decent Dance (@decentdance). Beyond performing and creating work, Kristin has an extensive teaching practice in recreational, competitive, pre-professional and professional settings, and has created/supported numerous opportunities for communities to enjoy dance as an arts administrator. She is a certified artist in the City of Boston and an RYT-200 yoga teacher, and has been supported through residencies and grants from the New England Foundation for the Arts; MASS MoCA; The Dance Complex; The Foundry; the cities of Boston, Somerville, Brookline, and Worcester; and more. In both dance and yoga, Kristin is guided by the belief that authentic, uncensored movement can be a pathway for personal growth and healing. Presently, she spends much of her time dancing in the kitchen with her baby, Nico. Learn more: bodiesmoving.com, Instagram: @bodies_moving
Meredith Wells has been educating youth in the art of ballet since 2003. She has taught at well-renowned ballet schools, recreational programs and public schools as well as coaching gymnasts and adult students. After years of exploring many outlets to share her knowledge, she is overjoyed to have created développé, a unique dance education program to foster the technique, desire and life skills that aspiring young dancers need to make their way in the world of dance. Meredith’s ballet path started in Minneapolis where she studied at Ballet Arts Minnesota. Opting to pursue a college education post high school, she went on to Hampshire College where she focused her studies on child psychology and movement therapy. During her second year of college, she found herself dreaming of nothing but dancing professionally, so she took leave from her education and pursued a career on the stage. She moved to Atlanta, GA where she danced with Atlanta Festival Ballet for the ‘02-’03 season. In 2003 Meredith moved to Newport, RI to join Island Moving Company (IMC, now Newport Contemporary Ballet) where she was a company member until her retirement in 2013. It was there that she began her professional teaching career; working with the students of Newport Academy of Ballet, Rosemary’s School of Dance and teaching in the local public schools through the outreach program that IMC provided. When not teaching or on contract, she worked as a guest artist for Spindle City Ballet and Tony Williams’ Urban Nutcracker. In ‘13, Meredith retired from a full-time performance career, married her husband Jon and moved to Natick, MA. Since moving to MA, she has taught for NorthEast Rhythmic Gymnastics, Suzanne’s Dance Connection, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Koltun Ballet Boston, Revolution Trapeze and has taught open classes at The Dance Complex and Green Street Studios. She loves nothing more than helping dancers to find the potential that is within themselves and is beyond excited to have created a space where she can do that for her dancers every day.
Marina Battenfeld (she/her) moved to the Boston area from North Carolina in 2022 and loves exploring her new home! She works as a teacher at a Montessori school and dance studio in Quincy, and enjoys getting to share her love and creativity with children. When she’s not teaching, Marina loves wandering about and taking dance classes for herself, especially with The Click!
Blair Bean (she/her) lives and works in Brookline as an event manager. She has studied dance for 20 years and is thrilled to be taking the stage for the first time since before the pandemic. Thanks to Angie, The Click, and the cast for the opportunity!
Paige Befeler (she/they) has been taking classes with the Click for the past year and is thrilled to be dancing with them for Moving through March! Paige has been a dancer her whole life, as well as an enjoyer of other creative outlets including acting, singing and writing. Paige lives in Somerville and is still digging her roots into the Boston community, adjusting to winter weather as an LA native, and click-ing with other artists. Thank you to the Click for this wonderful opportunity!
Angelina Benitez graduated from Salem State University with a B.A in both Modern/Contemporary Dance and has since studied at Bates Dance Festival and continues to study with local Boston-based artists. Her choreography at Salem State was presented at Boston's American College Dance Association Conference and earned her a Presidential Arts Scholarship and a Creativity Award in Dance. Angie has immersed herself in teaching dance in the Greater Boston area at local studios, schools, and residencies. Her recent performance experience includes local arts festivals and events such as Verse / Visual, 24 Hour ChoreoFest, Salem Arts Festival, Art Walk with Luminarium, and more. Much of her work is focused on collaboration. When she's not teaching dance, you can find her working as a social media strategist, creating fiber art, and taking pole dance classes.
Lucy Bingham has been taking ballet since she was three years old. She took classes at the Boston Ballet School for several years before beginning to train with Meredith Wells in 2019. Since then, Lucy has been there throughout the entirety of développé’s journey so far. Over the years she has performed in various productions such as The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella, and has attended summer programs at San Francisco Ballet and Nashville Ballet, among others.
Louisa Borba was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but raised in Brazil. She began dancing at the age of three on her own, until the age of thirteen when she joined crew Xaxim Jazz. For two years, she performed with Xaxim Jazz throughout Curitiba, Brazil. Louisa started her formal training at the DanceShow school, investing in various styles of dance and expanding her vocabulary and her own style of dance. In 2022, Louisa returned to Boston and became a member of Phunk Phenomenon, where she had the opportunity to dance in music videos such as “Clothes are so Obnoxious” and “Forever Mine.” In Boston, she has trained under choreographers/ teachers such as Jessenia Velazquez, Bianca Brewton, Sabina Lundgren and Dan Lai, Kayla Maria and Alexis Beffer as part of the pre-professional program at Boston Dance Studios.
Kalee Burrows (she/her/hers) is a queer theatre artist, writer, and educator. Officially recognized as a Certified Artist by the City of Boston, she enjoys performing and collaborating with other artists. This is Kalee’s first dance experience in 10 years and she’s thrilled to be dancing again! For more info about Kalee, visit www.kaleeburrows.com or follow on Instagram @kaleeburrows
Jing Cai (she/her) lives and works in Cambridge as a language instructor. An amateur in the land of dance, but thrilled to be part of this series and to perform with a bunch of joyous souls!
Tess Carpenter began her dance training at Fresh Pond Ballet and Boston Ballet. She has been a student of Meredith Wells since 2016 and of Kristin Wagner since 2014. She attended summer programs at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive, Nutmeg Conservatory and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. This summer, she will attend Ballet Austin’s Summer Intensive. She is currently a junior at Belmont High School. Recent repertoire includes Meredith Wells’ Clara’s Voyage, Meredith Wells’ Peter Pan, Alexandra Nunweiler’s Processing…, Kristin Wagner’s After Awhile, and Meredith Wells’ Echoes of Fragility. She has been a student at développé evolving dance since 2020.
Katrina Conte is a dancer and choreographer based in Boston MA. She was raised in Mt Pocono PA, where she attended the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. Katrina graduated with her BFA in Dance with a minor in Technical Theater from Ball State University. She has had the opportunity to work with Sidra Bell, Jamy Meek, Shen Wei Dance Arts, Noa Shadur and Kairos Dance Theater. Katrina also has a passion for lighting design; she designed several dance shows at Ball State, and has had the opportunity to work as a technical crew member for Terri O’Conner, Rosie Herrera Dance Theater, Paul Taylor, Pilobolus, and Shen Wei Dance Arts. For the 2023-24 season, she is dancing The Click, Alive Dance Collective and Luminarium Dance, she is so excited to share this season with these inspiring artists.
Olivia Coombs began her training in ballet under the direction of Jessica Wilson at Ballet Workshop of New England, then at the Alonzo King Lines Ballet Training Program. Olivia also is a founding Core Member of Boston Dance Theater and also serves in the roles of Rehearsal Director and Trainee Program Coach. As a dancer she has performed the works of Itzik Gallili, Sidra Bell, Rena Butler, Yue Yin, Marco Goecke, Rosie Herrera, Jessie Stinnett, Karole Armitage, and Shannon Gillen. She is excited to be in her third year teaching at développé.
Emily Eckland (she/her) is a mover, writer, and organizer. She recently finished her masters in American Studies and is working on building an independent research practice. Since she was young, dance has been an important outlet for her self expression and creativity. Connect with Emily on Instagram @emily_eckland.
Mara Featherstone is a local massage therapist, living in Boston. She is finding herself through dance and using movement as a tool for healing and personal evolution. She hopes to continue her healing journey through dance and sharing it with others through her work. Learn more about Mara through her Instagram @taurusmoonmassage
Helena Gillin began dancing at age 5, studying ballet, jazz, and tap. In 2021, she started her training at Developpe Evolving Dance. She currently studies ballet, modern, and contemporary. Helena will be attending Providence College in the fall, and plans on pursuing a dance minor and continuing her dance career.
Livee Gillin began dancing at the age of 5. She has been a part of développé for 3 years studying ballet, modern and contemporary. Livee is currently a senior in high school at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and plans to continue dancing in college.
Known by the New York Times as the “deliciously goofy Guglietti,” Tony Guglietti received his BFA from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Upon graduation he became a founding member of Sean Curran Company, with whom he toured regularly across the United States, France, Germany and Central Asia. While in New York, Tony also performed with Brian Brooks Moving Company, Peter Pucci, and Joanna Mendl Shaw. Tony has been privileged to dance on some of New York’s finest stages, including Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Metropolitan Opera House, and three seasons at The Joyce Theater. His performances have been cited in the New York Times, the Village Voice, the LA Times, and other local publications. From 2010-2016, Tony directed the dance program at the Pomfret School in CT. He has also taught at Adelphi University, Harvard University, and a number of local pre-professional and competitive studios. Tony regularly dances and collaborates with partner Kristin Wagner as “Decent Dance.” They recently expanded their company, taking on the enthusiastic mover Nico Guglietti (born December 2023). Outside of dance, Tony referees hockey, owns a painting company (call Steady Guglietti Precision Painting for your painting needs!), and recently started performing stand up comedy.
Kaayna Jain began her dance training at Miss Maria’s School of Dance in 2011. She was a part of their competition team from 2016-2023. She joined the Jose Mateo Ballet Theater in 2022 before she started taking classes at développé Evolving Dance Education in 2023. She has spent summers training at Bates Dance Festival and Interlochen School of the Arts. She has performed in Clara’s Voyage (2023).
Jody Leader (she/her) retired as a clinical psychologist last July. Now she chairs the Parish Board at a Unitarian-Universalist church in Brookline and studies and performs with Lynn Modell/Making Dances. In January, she performed with The Click in “The Edge of Aquarius.” Dancing feeds her most authentic self and so she’s scheduling another hip replacement…
Rachel Linsky is a Boston-based dance artist. She holds a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography from Elon University where she graduated summa cum laude. She directs and choreographs ZACHOR, an ongoing series that seeks to preserve the words of WWII Holocaust survivors through dance. She has presented work at venues throughout Boston including New England Conservatory, the Boston Center for the Arts, The Huntington Theater and The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She has presented dance films in national and international festivals such as Earl Mosely’s Diversity of Dance “Dance is Activism Film Festival '', Prague International Film Festival, and many more. Most recently, Rachel was one of the 2022-23 JArts & CJP Community Creative Fellows, and is currently a member of the 2023-24 Next Steps for Boston Dance cohort. In addition to her choreographic work, Rachel performs with KAIROS Dance Theater and The Click and teaches workshops throughout the Boston area in Contemporary, Ballet, and Yiddish Folk Dance.
Chloe Nasser lives in Roslindale and works in Brookline as a toddler teacher. She is a former dancer and circus performer, who now uses her love for the arts in her classroom. Getting to dance with The Click has brought back so many amazing memories!
Described by Dance Informa as “grace with power,” Alexandria Nunweiler creates community by uncovering true stories (whether that be in the classroom, on stage, or on the yoga mat) through ethnography and collaborative reflection. She works within The Click in projects for stage, screen, and augmented reality app, as well as devising her first evening-length work Edge of Aquarius that premiered in January 2024. Alexandria creates duet stage works and co-heads a curation series with Ashlea Sovetts, a collaboration that spans the east coast, and has performed in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival (2021), DanceNOW Boston (2022), and BOOM Charlotte (2022), among others. A lifelong learner, she earned her BA in Dance from Winthrop University (2014), MSc from Hult International Business School (2017), and 200-hour RYT (2021).
Kara Olivere (she/her) lives in Somerville with her 8 year old son, Elliot. In addition to dance, Kara enjoys gardening and leading family hikes for the Appalachian Mountain Club. Kara shares her work as a teacher for students with visual impairments on her Instagram @OlivereTVICOMS
Linda Spencer (she/her) retired from Harvard University three years ago, and returned to dance after a 30-year hiatus. Linda is a company member of Back Pocket Dancers, a local intergenerational dance company. Recent performances include the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company production of “What Problem?” as a Community Participant, the Peter DiMuro /Public Displays of Motion production of Momentum-A Greenway Dance Program as a Community Guest, and The Click’s production, The Edge of Aquarius, as a Guest Performer.
Alex Tansey (she/they) lives and works in Boston as a clinical research coordinator. She has been dancing all her life and is excited to continue to do so with The Click.
Kristin Wagner is a movement enthusiast living, learning and growing in the Greater Boston and Worcester areas. Kristin has been performing with a number of local dance theater companies and freelance choreographers since 2012, and creates her own work both independently and as part of The Click (@the.click.boston) and Decent Dance (@decentdance). Beyond performing and creating work, Kristin has an extensive teaching practice in recreational, competitive, pre-professional and professional settings, and has created/supported numerous opportunities for communities to enjoy dance as an arts administrator. She is a certified artist in the City of Boston and an RYT-200 yoga teacher, and has been supported through residencies and grants from the New England Foundation for the Arts; MASS MoCA; The Dance Complex; The Foundry; the cities of Boston, Somerville, Brookline, and Worcester; and more. In both dance and yoga, Kristin is guided by the belief that authentic, uncensored movement can be a pathway for personal growth and healing. Presently, she spends much of her time dancing in the kitchen with her baby, Nico. Learn more: bodiesmoving.com, Instagram: @bodies_moving
Meredith Wells has been educating youth in the art of ballet since 2003. She has taught at well-renowned ballet schools, recreational programs and public schools as well as coaching gymnasts and adult students. After years of exploring many outlets to share her knowledge, she is overjoyed to have created développé, a unique dance education program to foster the technique, desire and life skills that aspiring young dancers need to make their way in the world of dance. Meredith’s ballet path started in Minneapolis where she studied at Ballet Arts Minnesota. Opting to pursue a college education post high school, she went on to Hampshire College where she focused her studies on child psychology and movement therapy. During her second year of college, she found herself dreaming of nothing but dancing professionally, so she took leave from her education and pursued a career on the stage. She moved to Atlanta, GA where she danced with Atlanta Festival Ballet for the ‘02-’03 season. In 2003 Meredith moved to Newport, RI to join Island Moving Company (IMC, now Newport Contemporary Ballet) where she was a company member until her retirement in 2013. It was there that she began her professional teaching career; working with the students of Newport Academy of Ballet, Rosemary’s School of Dance and teaching in the local public schools through the outreach program that IMC provided. When not teaching or on contract, she worked as a guest artist for Spindle City Ballet and Tony Williams’ Urban Nutcracker. In ‘13, Meredith retired from a full-time performance career, married her husband Jon and moved to Natick, MA. Since moving to MA, she has taught for NorthEast Rhythmic Gymnastics, Suzanne’s Dance Connection, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Koltun Ballet Boston, Revolution Trapeze and has taught open classes at The Dance Complex and Green Street Studios. She loves nothing more than helping dancers to find the potential that is within themselves and is beyond excited to have created a space where she can do that for her dancers every day.
Photography by Baby Viking Photography and Nicole Marie Photography