Cast Biographies

Lindsey Bauer (choreographer, dancer) is a dance artist, teacher, and choreographer. Lindsey has a B.F.A. in dance performance and education from Towson University and a M.F.A. from Arizona State University. She currently works as a dance teacher at Waterbury Arts Magnet School. Lindsey is a Co-Artistic Director of Elm City Dance Collective and is grateful to be a member of the New Haven dance community.

Kellie Ann Lynch (choreographer, dancer) holds a B.A. in dance performance from Rhode Island College and a M.F.A. in dance performance and choreography from Smith College.  She is currently touring with Doug Elkins and Friends in Fraulein Maria, a contemporary dance deconstruction of The Sound of Music.  She also dances with Adele Myers and Dancers in New York City.  As a freelance artist, Kellie has worked with Jennifer Archibald, Kyle Abraham, Bronwen MacArthur, Wire Monkey Dance, and Cathy Nicoli among others.  She is a Co-Artistic Director of Elm City Dance Collective and a Pilates instructor at Sarah Aldrich Pilates in downtown New Haven.

Margie Achee (dancer) is a student of psychology at Southern Connecticut State University. She has studied both modern and ballet at Goucher College and the New Haven Ballet. In addition to dancing with Clark Dance Theater she performs with Elm City Dance Collective and teaches for the New Haven Ballet.

Crystal Bella (dancer) is currently a NY based dancer.  She has studied with many of the amazing artists in the city for the past five years.  She relocated from Chicago, where she trained at Lou Conte Studios of Hubbard Street Dance.  Crystal has participated in workshops with Magpie Music & Dance in Amsterdam and Bates Dance Festival in Maine.  She is most grateful to her Chi-town mentor, Molly Shanahan for her motivation and support.

Jennifer Brubacher (dancer) is happily involved in creating/performing work and collaborating with the arts community of New Haven.  She is a movement artist, mother of two amazing boys, as well as a student going to school to get her teaching degree in Art Education.  Jennifer is also the co-founder of WhoCares?, a small international development organization that raises awareness of social justice issues and partners/supports sustainable living initiatives.  Her hope, be it with art and dance, being a mother, or her work with WhoCares?, is to live life in a way that is caring and aware, to offer and cultivate a different way of seeing and personally, to never be too comfortable.

Brendan Drake (dancer) graduated with a BFA in Dance under the Chancellors Talent Scholarship from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. While at the University, he had the pleasure of performing work by Doug Varone, Adrienne Hawkins, Cathy Nicoli, George Faison, and Jose Limon. Since relocating to New York City a year ago, Brendan has danced with choreographers Oliver Steele, Jana Hicks and Marijke Eliasberg, and currently works with Dance on Camera artist Meryl Merman and Elm City Dance Collective.

Kara Fili (dancer) is a resident of Cambridge, MA, and she currently dances with Dance Currents, Benkadi Drum and Dance, as well as Elm City Dance Collective.  Her own choreography was recently featured in the Dance Complex’s Shared Choreographers’ Concert in October 2010, and she continues to choreograph independently.  She is inspired by world cultures and making dance a catalyst for creative change.  Kara is also an Outreach Coordinator and Dancer for Express Yourself, a non-profit youth arts organization.

Meredith Lyons (dancer) currently serves as the Director of Dance at the Taft School and is a Special Lecturer in Dance at Providence College. She holds a B.A. in Dance Teaching and Choreography from Mercyhurst College, and an M.F.A. from Smith College where she received a full tuition scholarship and the Gretchen Moran Scholarship. Meredith has danced professionally with the Albany Berkshire Ballet, Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company, slipperyfish dance and Elm City Dance Collective. She is Guest Faculty at the Westover School and the Brass City Ballet.  She is forever grateful for another opportunity to work with ECDC and all the amazing contributing artists!

Leah Moriarty (dancer) began her training here in Connecticut with Joyce DiLauro, and at the New Haven Ballet. After graduating from the Educational Center for the Arts as a dance major, she received her BFA from UMass Amherst where she studied with artists such as Donna Mejia, Marilyn and Sekou Sylla, Chuck Davis, Jim Coleman and Wendy Woodson. She performed in the world premiere of Wally Cardona’s “Really Real” during New Haven’s International Arts and Ideas Festival of 2009. She currently loves working with ECDC on the evenings that she is not teaching dance at Performing Art Studio BE in North Haven.

Luis Rodriguez (dancer) graduated from the Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven, CT in 2005, where he studied dance under Susan Matheke. While attending ECA he also studied ballet at the New Haven Ballet under the direction of Noble Barker. In addition to making his own work, Luis has performed with Nazorine Paglia in CT and currently dances with Elm City Dance Collective.

Kate Seethaler (dancer) is a freelance dance artist and movement educator based in New Haven, Connecticut. She received her B.A. in dance from Springfield College, where she also completed minors in theatre and philosophy. Kate has taught and performed extensively throughout the greater Connecticut area, including her work with The Ethel Walker School, Judy Dworin Performance Project, and Elm City Dance Collective. In addition to currently working with ECDC, she also manages Center for the Arts at Christ Church, a small, affordable community arts space in downtown New Haven.

Millie VandenBroek (dancer) is a dancer based in New Haven, CT. She is a co-founder of Elm City Dance Collective. Millie started dancing after completing her Juris Doctor and Master of Public Health degrees and working as a litigator in Baltimore, MD. Millie performed with BosmaDance in Washington DC during their 2006-2007 season. She is a yoga teacher and holds certifications in Kripalu and prenatal yoga instruction.