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Haley
Heckethorn
Haley is a native of Las Vegas, Nevada. She trained at Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, BC, where she was awarded the Emerging Artist scholarship. She was mentored by Crystal Pite as part of the Young Choreographers Program. She joined Crystal Pite’s Kidd Pivot as an apprentice in 2016, then toured internationally with BODYTRAFFIC for 3 years. Haley has performed with Peter Chu’s Chuthis, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and in “It Starts Now,” an evening-length work produced by the Joyce Theater. As a member of BODYTRAFFIC, Haley was named a cultural ambassador for the arts by the Obama Administration. Haley has taught, choreographed, and organized workshops internationally for the past 10 years, leading to two of her students being awarded the Young Arts Scholarship with her choreography. In 2020 she co-founded HD Theatre, a project based contemporary dance company in Southern California, which will produce its first evening-length work in January 2025. Most recently, Haley started a mentorship program for dancers pursuing a post-secondary dance education.
Haley
Heckethorn
Haley is a native of Las Vegas, Nevada. She trained at Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, BC, where she was awarded the Emerging Artist scholarship. She was mentored by Crystal Pite as part of the Young Choreographers Program. She joined Crystal Pite’s Kidd Pivot as an apprentice in 2016, then toured internationally with BODYTRAFFIC for 3 years. Haley has performed with Peter Chu’s Chuthis, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and in “It Starts Now,” an evening-length work produced by the Joyce Theater. As a member of BODYTRAFFIC, Haley was named a cultural ambassador for the arts by the Obama Administration. Haley has taught, choreographed, and organized workshops internationally for the past 10 years, leading to two of her students being awarded the Young Arts Scholarship with her choreography. In 2020 she co-founded HD Theatre, a project based contemporary dance company in Southern California, which will produce its first evening-length work in January 2025. Most recently, Haley started a mentorship program for dancers pursuing a post-secondary dance education.
Joseph
Kudra
Joseph was born in Chicago, Illinois. He has danced with DanceWorks Chicago, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, BODYTRAFFIC, Ate9 Dance Company, Aszure Barton & Artists, Kamea Dance Company, Eastman|Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, and most recently Rambert. He has created and performed works by choreographers such as Danielle Agami, Aszure Barton, Shahar Binyamini, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Alexander Ekman, Andonis Foniadakias, Emanuel Gat, Johan Inger, Jiri Kylian, Anton Lachky, Alan Lucien Øyen, Arthur Pita, Crystal Pite, Alain Platel, Victor Quijada, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Hofesh Shechter, Richard Siegel, Jo Stromgren, Imre and Marne Van Opstals. He joined Eastman - Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and performed “Satyagraha” directed by Cherkaoui, and “Pelleas et Melisande” directed by Cherkaoui and Damian Jalet. Joseph also works as a choreographic assistant and stager for Alexander Ekman, Shahar Binyamini, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
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Joseph Kudra taught at Carmel Dance Festival's Summer Program in 2023 and joined Ballare Carmel in 2024. He is featured in works by Anouk van Dijk, Robin Dekkers, Javon Ja'moon Jones, and Kelly Ashton Todd.
Babatunji
Johnson
Babatunji Johnson was born in Portland, Oregon and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. He received his formal dance training from Center Stage Dance Studio and the University of Hawaii in Hilo before moving to San Francisco to train at the LINES Ballet Training Program on full scholarship.
Babatunji has performed works by diverse choreographers such as Sidra Bell, Amanda Miller, Gregory Dawson, and Maurya Kerr. He has performed overseas in Japan and China and danced with Philein/ZiRu productions, Maurya Kerr’s tinypistol, and Dawson|Wallace Dance Project. Babatunji joined LINES Ballet in 2013 and danced with the company for six years before returning as a guest artist in 2021. Currently, he also dances with Post:Ballet and SFDanceworks in San Francisco.
Babatunji joined Ballare Carmel in 2022 and is featured in works by Jennifer Archibald, Robin Decker's and James Gregg.
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Photography © RJ Muna
Javon "Ja'Moon"
Jones
Performance artist Javon “Ja’Moon” Jones discovered his love for movement in his hometown of Detroit, MI. Following his graduation from Cass Technical High School he went on to train, traditionally, at The Juilliard School. During his college tenure “Ja’Moon” has performed works by some of the leading names in the concert dance community; Crystal Pite, Jose Limon, Bill T Jones and more. “Ja’Moon” took a leave from his formal studies to join in the thoughtfulness of A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham. He has had the privilege to dance works that have allowed him to move audiences from stages at The Joyce Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Peter J. Sharp, and Ralph Freud Playhouse. “Ja’Moon” is developing his own sacred illustrations as an independent performance artist while also continuing to expand through his ventures as a bi-coastal freelance artist.
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photo by Skye Schmidt
Natalie
Leibert
Natalie Leibert trained at various dance schools in the Los Angeles area including Westside Dance Project in Redondo Beach and Pacific Festival Ballet in Agoura Hills. She continued training at the Miami City Ballet School and Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program. Leibert has attended workshops and programs at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, the Joffrey Ballet School, the School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Juilliard School, Nederlands Dans Theater and Batsheva Dance Company. Natalie joined Hubbard Street 2 Dance Chicago in August 2014, and danced there through 2017. She danced with LA-based BODYTRAFFIC, where she worked from 2017 through 2020. She currently freelances based in LA, and has done projects such as LA Opera’s Tannhauser and work with James Gregg. Natalie joined Ballare Carmel in September 2021.
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Photo by Lee Gumbs
Katherine
Lingle
Katherine Lingle is a dancer and choreographer originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. She received BFAs in both Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Digital Arts from the University of California, Irvine in 2021. There she worked closely with Lar Lubovitch, Dr. Lisa Naugle, and Molly Lynch, and earned the Donald McKayle Scholarship and the Chancellor’s Award of Distinction. Supplemental to her education, she has attended the Alvin Ailey School, Peridance, Ate9, and Entity Contemporary Dance intensives. Since graduating, Katherine has trained as an apprentice with Ate9 and choreographed/produced a dance concert at Stomping Ground L.A. Recently, she was selected as a Dance Fellow for Carmel Dance Festival’s inaugural Fellowship Program in 2023, performing in new works by Alex Ketley and Natasha Adorlee. This summer, she will perform as a guest artist for Natasha Adorlee’s company, Concept o4, for their new work premiering at the San Francisco International Arts Festival. Katherine is currently based in Los Angeles working as a freelance dancer and as a Visual Effects Coordinator on various feature films for Universal Pictures and The Walt Disney Studios.
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Kelsey
McFalss
Kelsey McFalls began her ballet training at Dance Centre North in Syracuse, New York. She trained with Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Nutmeg Conservatory, and ABT in New York. Her career began as an apprentice with American Repertory Ballet in Princeton, New Jersey. She went on to dance as a company member for American Contemporary Ballet in Los Angeles. In the bay area, Kelsey has worked for Company C, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and as a guest artist for the San Francisco Symphony. Kelsey has recently danced with Sacramento Ballet, Amy Seiwert's Imagery, and Dance Theatre San Francisco. She joined Ballare Carmel in 2024.
In addition to dancing, Kelsey is the director of communications for the Berkeley-based educational technology company Socos.
Anthony
Pucci
Anthony Pucci, born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, began his dance training at Studio Dance under Michele Burke. He attended the University of Iowa, where he received a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography. Anthony has danced with Ballare Carmel, NW Dance Project, PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, and Post:Ballet. He has been privileged to create new works with choreographers such as Ihsan Rustem, Stephanie Martinez, Patrick Delcroix, Wen Wei Wang, Cayetano Soto, Danielle Agami, Luca Vegetti, and Jennifer Archibald. He will appear as the soloist in a dance film by the visually stunning Tori Lawrence & Co later this year. Anthony is also a 200-hour certified yoga instructor through the Yoga Alliance. He is a founding member of Ballare Carmel.
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Photo by Michael Slobobian
Skye
Schmidt
Skye Schmidt is a dancer and photographer hailing from Southern California. She trained in Vaganova method classical ballet at Southland Ballet Academy with Salwa Rizkalla from the age of 4. She earned a BFA in Dance Performance from UC Irvine, where she was the recipient of the William J. Gillespie Scholarship and awarded for Excellence in Dance Performance. Skye danced professionally with Festival Ballet Theatre from 2012-2018, where she performed principal and soloist roles in classical ballets and contemporary works. She has also danced for BalletRED, Benita Bike’s DanceArt, Contempo Arts Productions, MULTIPLEX Dance, and Re:borN Dance Interactive. Skye is a founding member of Ballare Carmel and was commissioned to choreograph and perform a multimedia piece for the company in 2021. Some of Skye’s favorite performances include: Florence + The Machine “Spectrum” music video, YAGP’s “Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow” tour, motion capture for Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and American Ballet Theatre’s The Sleeping Beauty.
Photo by Mark Baer
Maxwell
Simoes
​Maxwell is an international movement artist that has an expansive and fluid background in contemporary dance with classical roots. His strengths pour over into the commercial and fashion industry. He grew up in Philadelphia, PA. and is an Italian and American citizen. He placed gold at the Berlin Tanzolymp competition for his contemporary solo and as a duet finalist in the YAGP NYC. Following this success, Maxwell studied at the Rudra Béjart École in Switzerland, student of Azari Plissetski, leading to performing with the Béjart Ballet in pieces by Maurice Béjart including Bolero, Le Sacre du Printemps, and Petruschka. Relocating back to the States, he has performed with The Metropolitan Opera, The San Francisco Opera, Smuin Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Jacob Jonas The Company, and Sadler’s Wells theatre Gala in London. Maxwell is currently working on a new Amazon Prime TV series called 'Etoile' With Marguerite Derricks as a dance body double and on the creative side. He is as well Laura Dern's love interest as Vladamir the russian ballet dancer in 'Palm Royal' Season 2. He can be seen performing in Sia's newest music video, Ryan Murphy Prodcutions 'Grotesquerie" FX series and dancing + Movement directing the music artist, Kesha. Along with doing freelance projects, he has the added opportunity to create and teach internationally, though recently he has performed for fashion brands such as Hermès, Prada, and Greg Lauren.
HOPE
Spears
Hope Spears was born in Vietnam and grew up in West Palm Beach, FL. She trained at various local dance studios including Bak Middle School of the Arts and Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. She attended George Mason University where she received her BFA in Dance in 2021. During her college career, Hope performed works by Kyle Abraham, Micaela Taylor, and Hope Boykin as well as works by her peers and faculty at Mason. Hope has continued her training at summer programs with Bates Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, NW Dance Project, and Ballare Carmel as well as the virtual intensives of BODYTRAFFIC, the TL Collective, And Doug Varone. Since graduating, Hope has worked with Coalesce Virtual Dance Company, based in Chicago, LA Dance Project directed by Benjamin Millepied, and now, Ballare Carmel.
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Photo by Lorrin Brubaker
ARIEL
CLARKE
Ariel Clarke is a dancer, educator, model, and most recently a 2023 Ballare Carmel Inaugural Fellow under the direction of Lillian Barbeito. She has accumulated a wide range of educational and performative experiences through various different programs, both national and international. From multiple Gaga Labs, to BODYTRAFFIC’s full-length summer program, to Springboard Danse Montreal’s 20th edition in 2022, where she had the opportunity to perform works by Juliano Nuñes with Ballet Jazz Montreal and Kelly Ashton Todd. Ariel has performed new creations by Alex Ketley, MiCaela Taylor, Rena Butler, Clementine Deluy, Niharika Senapati, Gabrielle Clarke, and Gianna Burright.
Being a creator, Ariel has presented multiple works for different festivals and has branched into the film industry in partnership with several music artists and The Raven Foundation for their educational film series exploring the Theory of Mimesis, something she is extremely proud of. She finds great joy in sharing her passion for dance and has taught for many years to a variety of different ages and levels at numerous institutions. Drawing inspiration from all aspects of her life, her hunger and curiosity for new information and understanding propel her to constantly question and step beyond her own boundaries within her pursuits and creative explorations.
Matt
Luck
Matt Luck is a contemporary dancer and choreographer based in Los Angeles, CA. Presently, Luck dances as a part of The TL Collective. Recent performances include works premiered at Vilar PAC’s Residency Program, Jacob’s Pillow, Springboard Danse Montréal, and The Wallis Center for Performing Arts, each choreographed by Micaela Taylor. In addition to other international performances, Luck has traveled throughout the United States and Europe instructing classes. He is currently training alongside performing artist Adam Linder in Los Angeles and producing stage work for the band Fig’s Vision. Matt is represented for commercial work by Clear Talent Group and is looking forward to his fourth season with The TL Collective. He started dancing with Ballare Carmel in 2021.
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Morgan
McDaniel
Morgan Reed McDaniel (Buffalo, NY) began dancing at the age of 3 at Buffalo City Ballet under Marvin Askew and continued her dance training at Configuration School of Ballet under Joseph Cipolla. In 2020, Morgan graduated summa cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program. While at Ailey, she worked with esteemed teachers and choreographers including Ana Marie Forsythe, Gabrielle Lamb, Adam Barruch, Milton Myers and Francesca Harper and performed excerpts of iconic works by Alvin Ailey. After graduating, Morgan moved to Chicago to join South Chicago Dance Theatre as an emerging artist. Soon after, she joined Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre where she worked with choreographers including Monique Haley, Shannon Alvis, Katlin Bourgeois and Stephanie Martinez. In 2021, Morgan joined Visceral Dance Chicago as a company artist where she performed works by Nick Pupillo, Marguerite Donlon, Mike Tyus, Harrison McEldowney and Erin Kilmurray. Morgan currently works as a freelance artist based in Chicago.
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Rachel
Walton
Rachel Walton (she/her) is a Los Angeles based movement artist. She is a graduate of the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance At USC.
Madison
Tanguay
Madi Tanguay (she/her) is a founding member of Ballare Carmel. She was featured in the company's launch in 2021.
She joined Gibney Company as an Artistic Associate in 2023. With the company she has performed works by Johan Inger, Sharon Eyal, and has premiered works by Spenser Theberge & Jermaine Spivey, and Mthuthuzeli November. Most recently working with the TL Collective in 2020, she has premiered several works by Micaela Taylor including MISFIT and BlueNav, and has assisted choreographic residencies at USC and B12. Recent works and collaborations include Damien Jalet, BRAINDEAD, Nowness, and Vogue Protugal.
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Interested in a career that expands across many mediums, Madi graduated from UCLA with highest honors in World Arts and Cultures B.A. and International Development Studies B.A.