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aTrek Dance Collective Artists
Past and Current Master Guest Artists and Impulse Educators
Founder
Angela Culbertson (founder, artistic advisor)
aTrek Dance Collective Artists
  Diana Barrios (Co-artistic
and Managing Director) received her BA in Dramatic Arts, Dance
from the University of California, Berkeley where she founded the
Annual Outdoor Festival of the Arts, a one day interdisciplinary
collaboration of artists designed to generate support and visibility
for the arts in a science dominated university environment. After
college, She went on to become the senior producer and managing
partner of Web Zeit, a small Internet development firm located
in Manhattan. Ms. Barrios has choreographed eight works that have
been shown in both Berkeley, California and New York City. She
danced from 1994-1997 with the Bay Area Repertory Dance Company,
touring throughout California and Mexico. Additionally, Ms. Barrios
has extensive experience as a stage manager and lighting designer.
Ms. Barrios has had the opportunity to study dance with Mark Morris,
Merce Cunningham, Bill T. Jones, Susan Marshall, Margaret Jenkins,
Joe Goode, Stephen Petronio and Robert Moses, and with company
members from Alvin Ailey, Margaret Jenkins, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor,
Martha Graham, Trisha Brown, Oberlin Dance Company, Elizabeth Streb,
and Isaacs/McCaleb & Dancers.
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 Betsy Brandt Hartland (Co-artistic
and Development Director) has been a choreographer, performer,
educator, and administrator with aTrek since 2003. She received
her BA in Dance and Political History from Kenyon College, where
she performed in works by Balinda Craig-Quijada, Kristina Isabelle,
Julie Brodie, and Bebe Miller, performed and choreographed for
the American College Dance Festival, and served as president of
the Kenyon Danswers Cooperative. Her participation in the past
five IMPULSE Festivals enabled her to participate in the creation
of new works choreographed by guests artists including Kim Epifano,
Lisa Race, and Mathew Janczewski. Prior to her work with aTrek,
Betsy worked in arts administration and development for the Contemporary
Art Museum St. Louis and Young Audiences of St. Louis, and is currently
teaching aTrek’s Moving Through Math and Moving Through Science programs in schools throughout St. Louis.
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 Kristen Best - Kinscherff is faculty at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Prior to SIUE she was an assistant professor of dance at Lindenwood University and the co-director of the LU Dance Ensemble. Kristin is a founding member of Turn of Change Dance Collective and has performed with aTrek Dance Collective, Duarte Dance Works , University of Iowa’s premiere touring ensemble Dancers in Company , and The Slaughter Project . She has danced and choreographed in opening acts for hypnotist Tony Z , comedian Phyllis Diller , the Nokia Sugar Bowl as well as on ESPN for the National Dance Team Championship. Best has taught at the University of Iowa, Lewis and Clark College, SIUE, Turning Pointe Academy of Dance, M2 Dance Center, Jane Mannion’s School of Dance, Rena’s Dance Unlimited, Dance Station, Broadway Center of Arts as well as a Universal Dance Association Head Instructor. Her choreography has been presented at the American College Dance Festival, National Dance Week, the Gala/Extravaganza for Body Worlds 3, the Victoria Ballet Theater, in Texas, The University of Iowa, SIUE, Lindenwood, the Universal Dance Association’s summer curriculum, as well as many award winning routines for area dance teams. Best received her MFA in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa and a BA in Theater and Dance from Southern Illinois University.
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 Dianna Andrews Gaither received a BFA in dance from Webster University. She was also granted departmental honors upon graduating. Dianna furthered her studies in New York City at The Ailey School, where she extensively studied the Lester Horton technique of modern dance. She has performed with such venues as The Ailey School, Turn of Change Dance Collective, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Slaughter Project, Webster University Dance Ensemble, Movement Dance Theater, and State Street Dance Company. Dianna is also an educator for aTrek's elementary school performance and residency program Moving Through Math. Dianna has over ten years of teaching experience and decided to open a studio of her own in June of 2008. Turning Pointe Academy of Dance is Located in Maryville, Illinois. Dianna’s latest accomplishments include an adjunct professor position at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Dianna is also one of the founding Company members and choreographer for Turn of Change Dance Collective.
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Summer Beasley received a BFA in Dance from Webster University and an MFA in Theater w/an emphasis in movement from Lindenwood University. Her work has been showcased in Washington D.C., Seattle, Kansas City, MO and extensively in St. Louis. She produced, directed, and choreographed In Concert (2004), Panorama (2007) and has collaborated with other St. Louis choreographers to produce Gramo Danse (2006). She is currently on faculty at MICDS.
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 Ellen Hinkel began her training in Lexington, Kentucky, before moving to St. Louis to attend SLU, where she is currently balancing her dancing by working on her doctorate in Psychology. In addition to performing regularly with aTrek, she also participates in aTrek's elementary school performance and residency program Moving Through Math. Ellen also dances with The Slaughter Project and Turn of Change Dance Collective , and teaches dance in and around St. Louis.
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Tessa Reed graduated with a dance degree from SIUE. She has been dancing with aTrek for four years, during which time she's had the opportunity to dance under numerous choreographers. Presently she is also attending Concordia Seminary — soon to finish with a Masters in Theology and Diaconal Studies. Tessa also performs and teaches aTrek’s educational program, Moving Through Math.
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 Loryl Breitenbach has been performing, teaching and choreographing locally for over 15 years. She graduated from Webster Univ. in 2001 with a BFA in Dance, and has since then shared her talents with Summer Beasley, Dawn Karlovsky, Jennifer Medina, Mid American Dance Company, and Webster Univ. 2007 Alumni Dance Concert. In 2006, Loryl worked alongside Beckah Voigt and Sarah Anne Patz as Project Manager for One River Mississippi, a 7 state site-specific dance project that took place on the Mississippi River. To fully flex her cultural curiosities, Loryl works as a Lithic Analyst by day, for the Univ. of Illinois. Currently, Loryl is a member of Turn of Change Dance Collective.
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 Lindsay
Kelly Stewart graduated from Webster
University in 2004 with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. While
at Webster she was a member of Webster University Dance Ensemble
under direction of Gary Hubler and Beckah Voigt. From 2005-2007
she was a first company member and resident choreographer for The
Slaughter Project in St. Louis. She has also studied and performed
with Alexandra Ballet Company, Dance Aspen, Les Grands Ballets
Canadiens, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Saint Louis Ballet, State
Ballet of Missouri, The Jillana School, and The Rock School of
the Pennsylvania Ballet. Currently, Ms. Kelly is a Financial
Aid Counselor and Graduate student at Lindenwood University. She
is adjunct faculty in Lindenwood’s Department of Dance. Ms.
Kelly is also a company member, choreographer, and a co-founder
of Turn of Change Dance Collective.
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 Kristina Bemis has training in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, musical theatre and acrobatics. In addition to many dance concerts, her productions credits include “Crazy For You”, “A Chorus Line,” and “Solo” (film). In 2007 she earned a BA in dance from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA and continued working with several dance companies in the LA area for the next year. Choreographers and instructors Kristina has trained with include Holly Johnston, Maria Gillespie, Regina Klenjoski, Shel Wagner-Rausch, Patrick Damon Rago, Chad Michael Hall, Kristin Smiarowski, Jason Myhre, Paige Porter, Denise Leitner, Denise Scheerer, Scott Heinzerling, and Tekla Kostek.
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 Erin Warner began dancing at a young age and acquired her B.A. in Dance and Spanish at Colorado State University. Erin also danced for Fusionworks II Dance Company in Providence, RI and taught for the Topf Center for Dance Education in Boston. Currently she is teaching at the Dance Center of Kirkwood, coaching the color guard and dance teams at Webster Groves High School, and dancing and choreographing for the Slaughter Project. She is also working towards her Master of Fine Arts in Arts Management at Webster University.
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Guest Artists
Dawn Karlovsky teaches modern dance and related courses at Washington University in St. Louis and also at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA). As a dance artist, she’s been performing, choreographing, and teaching professionally for over 15 years. Her choreography has been presented by Webster University, Washington University in St. Louis, The University of Minnesota-Duluth, The University of Utah, American College Dance Festival (ACDF) Faculty Concert, Dance St. Louis for their Contemporary Moves Festival and by various modern dance and theater companies nationally.
Jennifer Medina began her dance training in St. Louis, MO with Barbara Craig. She holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and an MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa. As a performer, Jennifer has had the privilege of performing the choreography of artists such as: Bill T. Jones, David Parsons, Sean Curran, Hanya Holm, William Whitener, Milton Myers, Fred Benjamin, Kevin “Iega” Jeff, and many others with her time as a performer with the Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company. As an educator, Jennifer has taught throughout the U.S. at many institutions and festivals, both as regular faculty and a guest artist. Faculty positions include Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Arias Dance NYC, The Kansas City Ballet School, Webster University, the Glenda Brown Choreography Project, and multiple studios throughout the NYC area. Guest teaching includes the Virginia School of the Arts, Alabama School of Fine Arts, Washington University, Ball State University, RDA Southeast Regional Festival (SERBA), multiple ACDFA festivals, and the Georgia Athletic Health, Recreation and Dance Association.
As a choreographer, Jennifer has been presented throughout the U.S. Recent works have been commissioned by the Virginia School of the Arts, Arova Contemporary Ballet (Birmingham, AL), Missouri Contemporary Ballet (collaboration with world famous Jazz musician Bobby Watson), and Independence (invitational performance produced by the Eidolon Ballet Company) at the City Center, NYC. Jennifer was recently invited to teach in the 2011 Alvin Ailey American Dance Center Summer Intensive and choreograph a work on their students. Jennifer is very happy to be back in her hometown sharing her teaching and choreography after a 6 year absence. Look for her new company, Common Thread Dance to premiere in STL this year.
Paula Young David's is a guest teaching artist with aTrek. Her performing credits include Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Lynda Martha Dance Company and the Lake Shore Dance Theatre. While performing with HSDC, under the artistic direction of Lou Conte, she worked with choreographers Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Margo Sappington, David Parsons, Richard Levi, John McFall, Rick Hilsabeck, Lou Conte and Claire Bataille.
In 1988, Paula began full time teaching and choreographing. During the next 20 years, she taught at several Chicago area studios including the Lou Conte Dance Studio, Dance Centre North, Northbrook Dance Centre, Sedala School of Dance, School of Dance West Ballet, and Bonnie Ardelean School of Dance. In 1997 she co-founded the Dance Academy of Libertyville, where she taught ballet and jazz, and directed the Terpsichore Dance Ensemble. Paula successfully choreographed 10 original contemporary pieces for the company as well as co-produced the ballets, Coppelia and Giselle. She has also set works on the Boca Ballet Theatre and Dance West Ballet. In 2002, Paula was asked to revive “Rodin Impressions”, an original piece performed by Hubbard Street and choreographed by Lou Conte, on dancers, Iasabele Melo Elefson (former soloist with Sao Paulo Ballet of Brazil) and Michael Anderson (former soloist with the Joffrey Ballet) for the Boca Ballet Theatre. Since leaving Chicago and moving to the St Louis area, she has been busy guest teaching and choreographing, and returns each year to her former studio to work with the students.
YouAreHere Dance was founded in 2004 and is run by sisters and native St. Louisans, Melissa Anderson and Laura Lander. Prior to establishing their company, Melissa and Laura spent 5 years immersed in the dance community in New York City, where their creative voices were molded and the roots of the company were formed. The company continues to collaborate with New York choreographers and dancers in order to keep an open dialogue with what is new and exciting in the world of dance. Melissa studied at Arizona State University and received her BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City in 2002. Laura received her BFA in Dance from the University of Colorado in 1998, during which time she spent a summer at the American Dance Festival. Laura completed her MFA in Dance at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she was the graduate fellow for video. YouAreHere Dance was awarded the Dance Space Initiative Grant by the Center of Creative Arts in University City and has been rehearsing there for the past four years.
Our technique class offers an opportunity to work in-depth on body alignment, finding the connections within the body and between our bodies and space. We will work on movement initiation and how using momentum and breath allows for physically full dancing. In the warm-up, the dancers are guided through exercises to mentally and physically awaken and energize. Students will explore how connection to weight and space allows for powerful movement. The class culminates with phrases from the YouAreHere Dance company repertory that will challenge the dancer to find strength and momentum within a highly articulate and intricate vocabulary. Time will be given to taking risks within the phrase material, as well as to exploring such concepts as musicality and performance quality.
Angela Culbertson (founder) has had extensive training in improvisation and modern dance. Currently, Ms. Culbertson performs solo dance programs, conducts educational residencies and improvisation workshops. Her career began in 1987, receiving a Creative Artist Project Grant from the Missouri Arts Council. Two years later, Ms. Culbertson founded Atrek Contemporary Dance Theatre and has since developed over 30 dances for Atrek. She has also been guest choreographer for Dimensions Dance Company, COCA Dance, Saint Louis Academy of Dance, Ballet Conservatory of Saint Louis and the Saint Louis Ballet. Most recently, Ms. Culbertson conceived, produced and directed In The Beginning There Was Dance, a collaborative effort that resulted in three world choreographic premieres. Most notable in this evening length work, Of the Fruit Thereof, incorporated dance, film, and live vocal music into a suite of dances about the role of Eve in the Garden of Eden and its correlation to the role of women in contemporary society. Ms. Culbertson’s work has received grant support from the Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission of Saint Louis, the Arts and Education Council of Greater Saint Louis, and the Whitaker and Gateway Foundations. |
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