About

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About

Meet Our Team

Kate Corby is a contemporary choreographer, educator and performer. She has been on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) since 2008 and continues to create work with her Chicago-based company, Kate Corby & Dancers. Her choreography has been called “ingenious” by the Chicago Reader, “jarringly beautiful” by the Isthmus and is consistently a Critics’ Pick in Time Out Chicago. Kate was also featured in Dance Magazine’s as one of six choreographers “on the cusp of making waves in the larger dance world.” She completed her MFA in Dance at the University of Illinois at Urbana, where she was also an instructor, and received her BA in Dance and Women’s Studies from Beloit College. Kate has served on the faculties of Beloit College, Columbia College Chicago and the Pedagogy Department of the Hungarian Dance Academy. Her work with Performing Ourselves was recently recognized by the UW’s Arts Institute with the Joyce J. & Gerald A. Bartell Award in the Arts. Kate has been a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County since 2009 and is thrilled to combine her work in dance with her passion for youth development and activism through Performing Ourselves.

Mariah Meyer LeFeber is a board certified dance/movement therapist, licensed professional counselor and dance educator. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in dance and psychology from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and then went on to Columbia College Chicago, where she earned her master of arts of dance/movement therapy and counseling. Mariah has worked extensively in the field of dance/movement therapy, serving people of all ages in both group and individual settings. She has written several chapters on her work with children, specifically on using dance/movement therapy with autism spectrum disorder. Mariah served as an Associate Lecturer in UW dance department from 2010-2015. There she combined her passions for dance education and dance/movement therapy in the co-creation of Performing Ourselves. She is honored to continue her work with Performing Ourselves from her new home base of Portland, Oregon.

Kristin Corinne Schleich graduated from The Ohio State University (OSU) with a B.F.A. in Dance with honors and distinction. She worked extensively with a National Dance Institute affiliate dance program in Columbus, Ohio for 4th graders as a lead instructor, choreographer, training manual manager and development manager. Kristin has taught children ages 2 ½-adult, directed a youth performing company, and developed a modern dance syllabus for a youth modern program. She received her 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher certification in 2012 and incorporates her dance background into many levels and styles of yoga classes. Kristin started her own business in 2015,  kristincorinneyoga.com , which pairs yoga with non-traditional sites and venues making it more accessible to the public.Kristin lives Madison with her husband and canine side-kick, Luna. She is thrilled to be working with the Performing Ourselves team.

Molly Hodgson  is a senior at UW-Madison working towards a BFA in Dance and a certificate in pilates. She is from Waterford, WI where she trained and performed at  local dance  studios from the age of 4. Her passion to continue a career in the arts was fostered by the beautiful minds of her dancing peers and educators at UW-Madison. Hodgson has worked with UW-Madison Dance faculty Chris Walker, Jin-Wen Yu, and Kate Corby as well as guest artists Robert Kitsos, Julie Mayo, Tine Aspaas, and Chang Chien-Kuei. She received a scholarship to dance at a summer intensive in Seattle, WA in 2015 and will be participating in World Dance Alliance-Korea and World Dance Alliance-Mexico this summer 2016 on scholarship.

Niki Hofslien , native of Prior Lake, Minnesota is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Dance, Physical Therapy, and Pilates. Niki has been dancing for 18 years and has studied ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, and contemporary. During her time at UW, she has worked with faculty members Karen McShane-Hellenbrand and Jin Wen Yu, along with numerous student choreographers. This past spring, Niki was was fortunate enough to perform in American College Dance Association’s adjudicated concert and Gala performance. This past summer, Niki performed in both Puebla, MX, and Detroit, MI. This is Niki’s first year with Performing Ourselves and she looks forward to sharing her love of dance with the community of Madison.

Monica Holland  is a current undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in dance and a certificate in entrepreneurship. Dancing since the age of three years old, Monica has had the experience to learn and perform all types of dance including ballet, jazz, hip hop and contemporary. In high school she participated in her national championship award winning showchoir, The Classics of Wheaton Warrenville South High School where she was the dance captain for two consecutive national championships. Through her experience with showchoir, she has had the pleasure and opportunity to aid in teaching and choreographing for children ranging in ages from preschool through high school at various showchoir camps (Rising Stars Showchoir Camp and Showchoir Camps of America). Here she's been able to work with kids from across the country and has been fortunate enough to work under and with choreographers such as Corey Anderson, Heath Gemar, April James, Dwight Jordan, Linda McEachran, Stephen Todd, and Jarad Voss. Thus far in her college career, she has had the opportunity to perform in two UW Dance Department faculty concerts in works choreographed by Li Chiao Ping, and Karen McShane Hellenbrand. She has also had the opportunity to perform with Li Chiao Ping's dance company at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. Additionally, she has performed in works choreographed by Christopher Walker through the concert Moonshine. Currently, Monica teaches hip hop, jazz, musical theater, and lyrical at Synergy Dance Academy in Madison, Wisconsin where starting this year she will be the choreographer for their competitive team's teen hip hop.

Lyndsay Lewis is originally from Muskego,WI where her love of movement began at a young age. Lyndsay is a fifth year senior at UW,  pursuing a double major in dance and psychology. Her interest in psychology has lead her to work under Dr. Richard Davidson, studying adolescent well-being through MR imaging, and Dr. Hill Goldsmith, studying twin resiliency. In 2014, Lyndsay participated in a research fellowship studying the developmental origins of anxiety in children. She has also co-coordinated concerts in the dance department, assisted guest artist Heidi Latsky, worked with numerous dance department faculty, as well as presented her own work in the 2015 Kloepper and 2016 H’Doubler concerts. Lyndsay has had opportunities to perform in Seattle, WA, Lewiston, ME, Puebla, MX, and Detroit, MI. She has performed in both Ames, IA and Stevens Point, WI in American College Dance Association’s festivals, and recently her work this digging reminds you has been selected to be presented as an adjudicated work for ACDA’s 2017 festival in Duluth, MN. This past year, Lyndsay had the opportunity to teach creative movement classes for preschoolers at Kennedy Heights Community Center through the Performing Ourselves program. This curriculum focused on integrating brain development and bodily connections. She also taught a summer dance course for girls ages 11-12 involved in the local Mentoring Positives program. Currently, Lyndsay is working with Mariah Lefeber to publish a paper about the benefits of combining dance education and dance/movement therapy principles as a means to increase resiliency and positive self-concept in adolescent girls. This is Lyndsay’s second year with Performing Ourselves and she looks forward to continuing to combine her passion for both dance and psychology through education and research.

Brigid Transon is a senior at University of Wisconsin- Madison (UW) pursuing a degree in Dance along with certificates in Dance/ Movement Therapy and Global Health.  She began dancing at age three, with Irish Dance, and then expanded her training.  Brigid was honored with the opportunity to dance with the cast of the Bill T Jones/ Arnie Zane Company in Continuous Replay when they performed in Madison at the Memorial Union theater in February of 2014.  She has performed in works by UW dance faculty members Liz Sexe, Chris Walker and Jin-Wen Yu, along with guest artists Christina Briggs-Winslow, Rob Kitsos and Julie Mayo. Not only has she had extensive training at UW but she attended numerous intensives/ conferences on scholarship.  These programs include American College Dance Association- North Central at University of Wisconsin Sevens Point (2016), Dance Education Laboratory at the 92nd Street Y (2015), Anna and Daria Halrpin Life Art Workship at the Esalen Institute (2015), Bill T Jones/ Arnie Zane Summer Intensive at New York Life Arts Center (2015), Artist as a Citizen Conference at Julliard School of the Arts (2015), American Dance Therapy Association Conference/ National Dance Educators Conference in Chicago (2014), Bandaloop Summer Workshop in Oakland, CA (2014), American Collage Dance Festival Association- North Central at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (2014), World Dance Alliance - Americas in Vancouver (2013) and Isthmus Festival at UW (2013). Brigid has also had two of her choreographed works presented at student concerts via faculty adjudication.  Another work of hers Fluid Endurance was presented at UW's Undergruaduate Research Symposium.  Brigid currently instructs dance through Performing Ourselves, a nonprofit that works with girls in underserved communities to build resiliency using a combination of dance education and dance/movement therapy principles.  In her future Brigid intends to use dance as a source of community unity and development in developing countries.

Kimi McKissic is a Junior at the UW and is currently working towards a B.F.A. degree in dance. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, Kimi trained in many different styles of dance including ballet, modern, and African. She continues to teach and mentor students at her home studio. After graduation Kimi will pursue a graduate degree in dance and will eventually establish her own studio to help others discover their own passion and purpose in life. Kimi feels privileged to use dance as a means to promote social change to help bring communities together.

Sarah Schwab is a 2015 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a dual bachelor’s degree in Dance and Nonprofit Management and certificate in Dance/Movement Therapy as well as a Violence Prevention certification from Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy. Sarah has worked with many professional dance artists including Christina Briggs-Winslow, Kate Corby, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Heidi Latsky, Li Chiao-Ping, Marlene Skog, Chris Walker, and Jin Wen Yu. She has performed in Chicago, Honolulu, Milwaukee, Nashville, New York City, Seattle, Washington DC, and internationally in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Puebla Mexico, Seoul Korea, and Tokyo Japan.   Sarah has been very involved in the dance and outreach community since moving to Madison six years ago, serving as President of the Dance Department Student Organization and Community Outreach Director of Movement Exchange while at the UW. Recently, she has worked with nonprofit organizations such as Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners, the YMCA, the YWCA, the Boys and Girls Club, East Madison Community Center, Kennedy Heights Community Center, the Goodman Center, and Allied Learning Center.  Apart from Performing Ourselves Sarah is a Youth Counselor at East Madison Community Center and Communications Director of Li Chiao-Ping Dance.  This is Sarah’s fourth year with Performing Ourselves and she is eager to continue to grow as a mover and educator.

performingourselves@gmail.com

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