THECOMPANY
YYDCisanonprofitcontemporarydancecompanydedicatedtotheteaching,productionand performanceoforiginalchoreographybyfounderandartisticdirectorYueYin.Yin’sworkdrawsonher originalmovementvocabulary FOCO Technique™ afusionofChineseclassicalandfolkdance,, balletandcontemporarymovement UnderYin’sdirection,thecompanyhaspresenteditsworksto audiencesonU.S.andinternationalstagesincludingTeatroRistoriVerona,TeatroComunalediModena (Italy),BelgradeDanceFestival(Serbia),Schrit tmacherFestival(Germany),SummerStageinNewYork City,Jacob’sPillowDanceFestival,BAMFisher,ChelseaFactoryandmanymore.
Inadditiontoproductionandperformance,YYDCiscommittedtoaneducationalmissionofsharing, teachinganddevelopingofFOCOTechnique™forbothaspiringdancersandinclusivelyforthosewith noformaldancetraining.YinhasintroducedFOCOTechnique™tostudentsatuniversitiessuchasTisch SchoolofTheArts,NYU,JuilliardSchoolofDance,PrincetonUniversity,USCKaufmanandmany more.
CREATIVETEAMBIOS
YUEYIN|ArtisticDirector,Choreographer:isthefounderandartisticdirectorofYYDance CompanyandthecreatorofFoCoTechnique™.ShebeganhertraininginChineseclassicalandfolk danceinChinaattheprestigiousShanghaiDanceAcademyandcompletedherMFAindance atNYU’s TischSchooloftheArtsin2008 In2018,YinfoundedYYDC,anon-profitcontemporarydance companydedicatedtotheteaching,productionandperformanceofheroriginalchoreographicwork.Yin’s workembodieshersignatureFoCoTechnique™whichfuseselementsofChineseclassicaldance,folk forms,balletandcontemporaryvocabulary Yinutilizesthistechniqueintrainingandcreativeprocessto achieveatexturedandgroundedphysicalityinenergetic,complexandnuancedchoreography.YueYin wastherecipientofthe2021HarknessPromiseAward Thisprestigiousaward recognizesherinnovation inchoreographyandeducation Shewasthewinnerof HubbardStreetDanceChicago2015International CommissioningProject,winnerofthe2015BalletXChoreographicFellowship,andwinnerofNorthwest Dance Project’s5thAnnualPrettyCreativesInternationalChoreographicCompetitionin 2013 Yin’s workhasbeencommissionedfromacclaimedcompaniesaswellasother companiesandorganizations suchasGibneyCompany,MarthaGrahamDance Company,OregonBalletTheater,BalletMet,Boston Ballet,PhiladelphiaBallet,LimonDanceCompany,AlbertaBallet, BallettoTeatrodiTorino,Peridance ContemporaryDanceCompany,JuilliardSchoolforDance,USCKaufman SchoolofDance,Tisch SchoolofTheArtsandmanymore
GRACEWHITWORTH|RehearsalDirector:GracewasbornnearCleveland,Ohio.Shegrewup dancingatTheFineArtsAssociation(FAA)andwashonoredtoreceivetheOutstandingSeniorAward withascholarshiptoattendtheconservatoryofherchoice.GraceattendedPointParkUniversityin Pittsburgh,PAandearnedaBAinBalletandJazzstudies.ShewasaproudrecipientoftheNicoleMarie FalboMemorialScholarship Aftergraduating,GracemovedtoChicago,ILanddancedonscholarshipat LouConteDanceStudio,(homeofHubbardStreetDanceChicago).GracemovedtoNewYorkCityin 2011andbegandancingforYYDC,LaneCoArtsandABARUKAS.During13yearswithYYDC,Grace
hasperformedintheUSandtouredinternationallytoChina,Italy,GermanyandSerbia.Graceis currentlyservingasrehearsaldirectorandstagerofYYDC'srepertoryworksaswellasmasterteacherof FoCotechnique Inthepast,GracebeganbyassistingYinYueincommissionsforBruceWoodDance, AlbertaBallet,BostonDanceTheater,Ririe-WoodburyDanceCompany,BalletMet,DanceAspen,to nameafew Atthecollegiatelevel,GraceassistedYinduringcreationforTischNYU,Rutgers University,BarnardCollege,GeorgeMasonUniversityandmostrewardingly,heralmamater,PointPark University.GracehasrestagedworksforRutgersUniversity,SanFranciscoDanceWorks,OregonBallet Theater,PARAMARDanceTheaterandnextupHoustonContemporaryDance Sheisenjoyingthe dancejourneythatYYDChassourcedforherandasalwaysgratefulfortheCHANCETODANCEin anycapacity.
MICHELBANABILA|Composer
:bornin1961,MichelBanabilaisaDutchsoundartist,composer, andproducer.Banabilahasreleasedmusicsince1983andhasproducedmusicalscoresfornumerous films,documentaries,theatreplaysandchoreographies HewasawardedwithanEdisoninthecategory JazzNationalin2003.Banabila'srecordingsvaryfromminimalloop-basedelectronica,fourthworld,and neo-classicalpieces,todrones,experimentalelectronicaandtribalambient Inadditiontoacoustic instrumentation,Banabilauseselectronics,fieldrecordings,andsnippetsfromradio,tvandinternet His recordingshavebeenreleasedinternationallybylabelslikeBureauB,(DE),EileanRec(FR),Knekelhuis (NL),SéanceCentre(CA), andmore
SOLOMONWEISBARD|LightingDesigner:
OriginallyfromPortland,Oregon,Solomonhascreated originalworksindrama,opera,dance,andmusicacrosstheUS,Canada,DominicanRepublic, Germany,Greece,Italy,Russia,andSlovenia.Highlightsinclude Otello (FestspielhausBadenBaden, Germany); Il Trovatore (TeatroComunalediBolognaandTeatroRegiodiParma,Italy); Oedipus (AncientTheatreofEpidaurus,Greece;AncientTheatreofPompeii,TeatroOlimpicodiVicenza,and TeatroMercadantediNapoli,Italy)allwithRobertWilson; Macbeth (directedbyJohnDoyleatClassic StageCompany,NYC); The Shape of Things (createdbyCarrieMaeWeemsattheParkAvenueArmory, NYC); Duat (SohoRep,NYC);and Men on Boats (WorldPremiere:PlaywrightsHorizons/Clubbed Thumb,NYC).Solomon’sworkindance,dance/theatreandavant-gardemusicincludesoriginal full-lengthpieceswithAletheaAdsitt,JenniferArchibald,JonahBokaer,ChristineBonansea,Joshua Beamish/MOVE,MariaChavez,XimenaGarnica/Leimay,LaneGifford,InvisibleAnatomy,LoudHound Movement,MarthaGrahamDanceCompany,OfeliaLoretdeMola,PatrickLovejoy,BelindaMcGuire, StefanieNelson,PatriciaNoworol,TheNerveTank(asresidentdesigner),JenniferHarrisonNewman, Waxfactory,andfourmajorworksasassociatesetdesignerwithBillT.Jones.Solomoniscurrentlythe AssociateDirectoroftheSchoolofMusicandTheateratPortlandStateUniversity MFA:YaleSchoolof Drama
STRIPEDCANARY|ScenicDesigners:
StephenB Nguyen(bornLittleFalls,MN,1976)andWade Kavanaugh(bornPortland,ME,1979)havecollaboratedsince2005 Theyhavecreateddozensof site-specificinstallationsusingpaperandwoodastheirprimarymedia.Theirworkhasbeen commissionedbyinternationalgalleriesandmuseumssuchasMassMoCAintheUSandtheMuseum RijswijkinHolland.Theircollaborationswithdancecompanieshavebeenfeaturedatworld-renowned venuesincludingtheBrooklynAcademyofMusicinBrooklyn,NYamongothers.Theirworkhasbeen supportedbyartfoundationgrantsfromthePollock-Krasner,NancyGraves,andEllis-Beauregard
FoundationsandartistresidenciesatMacdowellandYaddo.StephenandWadehavecollaboratedsince 2005andhavecreatedworksthatsuggestlayersofearth,theflowofaglacier,theexpanseoftheforest andtheswellofthesea Althoughtheirworksaretypicallysculpturalandimmersive,theirprocessis moreakintodrawing.Theirprojectsareiterativeanddevelopedthroughcollaborativeeditingand revision
TRICIATOLIVER|ProductionandStageManager:TriciaToliverhasworkedfortheVailDance Festivalsince2013andhasalsostagemanagedforYo-YoMaandtheSilkRoadProject Shehashadthe pleasureofworkingprimarilyinthedanceworldforsuchcompaniesastheTrishaBrownDance Company,LucindaChilds,LarLubovitch,TheLimonDanceCompany,DougVaroneandDancers, DonaldByrd/TheGroup,LesBalletsTrockaderodeMonteCarlo,SusanMarshall,DavidDorfman Dance,CamilleA.BrownDanceCompany,ParsonsDanceandComplexions,NationalBalletofCuba, NetherlandsDanceTheatreII,CityCenterTheaterandNJPACaswellasstagemanaging Cirque Dreams, Jungle Fantasy onBroadwayin2008
JOSEPHTEDESCHI|PresidentandDirector:TogetherwithYueYin,Josephistheco-founderof YYDCandservesasitsPresident Whennotworkingtosupportthemissionof YYDC,Josephisa seniorlawyerandstrategicadvisorwithafocusonmedia,entertainmentandthearts.Josephisamember oftheBoardofDirectorsofVolunteerLawyersfortheArtsNY,anorganizationthathasprovidedpro bonolegalservicestotheartscommunityforover50years.JosephgraduatedfromHarvardUniversity magnacumlaudewithaB.A.inHistoryandLiteratureandearnedhisJ.D.attheUniversityofVirginia SchoolofLaw
PERFORMERBIOS
SARAHALLEN|Performer:SarahE AllenisaNewYorkbasedcontemporaryartist Shemovedto NewYorkin2019toattendNewYorkUniversity,whereshereceivedaBFAinDancefromtheTisch SchooloftheArts.Sarahworkswithinbothconcertandcommercialdancefieldsasanindependent contractorinperformance,film,andchoreographicwork Mostrecently,Sarahhashadtheopportunityto danceattheJacob’sPillowDanceFestival,YYDCinternationaltour,andfeaturedinamusicvideofor CMAbandoftheyear,OldDominion.
D’ANGELOCASTRO|Performer:D’Angelogrewuptraininginhisparentsdancestudiofor14years whilesimultaneouslyalsohavingtheopportunitytoworkwithsomeofMiami’smostprestigiousballet companies Histrainingconsistsofmanyformsofdancewhichhasgrantedhimvastperformance experience,nationallyandinternationally.In2018,D’AngelobecametheUnitedStatesYouthNational LatinBallroomChampionwhilealsobecomingaguestmemberofDimensionsDanceCompanyin Miami,Fl Recentlyhehasperformedinasmallnumberofverywell-knowntheaterssuchastheRoyal AlbertHallandtheSadler’sWellsTheaterasamemberoftheLondonbasedjuniorballetcompany, Rambert2 SincethenhehasconsistentlyappearedonSeason31ofDancingWithTheStarsasa troupe memberalongwithperformingattheSchrittmacherDanceFestivalinAachen,Germanyandthe BelgradeDanceFestivalinSerbiawiththeYinYueDanceCompany.Hehasworkedalongsideincredible dancersandchoreographerssuchasSharonEyal,MatanDavid,ShamelPitts,IanRobinson,Tom
Weinbergerandmanymore.D’Angeloisincreasinglyexcitedaboutexploringthenewparadigmsof dancethatcontinuetounfoldthemselvesandextremelylooksforwardtofuturecollaborationswithmany moreinspiringartists
SYDNEYCHOW|Performer:SydneyChow(she/her)isaChinese-Americanfreelancemovement artistfromLosAngeles,California SheattendedtheLosAngelesCountyHighSchoolfortheArts, whereshewasnamedaYoungArtswinnerinModern/ContemporaryDance.ShethenreceivedherBFA inDanceandminorinComputerProgrammingfromNYUTischSchooloftheArts Asacompany memberwithGallimDanceunderthedirectionofAndreaMiller,shehasperformedatvenuessuchasthe JoyceTheater,ChelseaFactory,andLincolnCenter.Sincegraduating,shehasalsoperformedinworksby GabrielleLamb,RohanBhargava,GinaMoxley,andChuckWiltandCrystalPiteatSpringboardDanse Montreal.SheishonoredtobewelcomedintotheYYDCfamily!
JOANDWIARTANTO|Performer:JoanDwiartantotrainedatTheJuilliardSchoolwhereshedanced inpiecesby choreographerssuchasAszureBarton,OhadNaharinandJustinPeck.In2020,Joan co-directedandperformedinacollaborativefilmforTheParkAvenueArmory’s100 Years|100Women event Shedirectedandproducedthefilm,CryingOnTheIsland TheyOwn,whichpremieredin2022, andhassincewonmultiplefilmfestivalawards.
KRISTALYNGILL|Performer:KristalynGillgraduatedfromEastCarolinaUniversity’sHonors CollegewithdualdegreesinDancePerformanceandInterpersonalCommunication.Sheisadancer, choreographer,author,actor,andeducator Aboveallelse,sheconsiderscreativityasaconduitfor community,curiosity,andconversation.KristalynishonoredtobeanartistwithYueYinDance Company,SoulProjectDanceCompany(CandaceBrown),andSHINSA(BoPark).Herdancecredits includeJacob'sPillowDanceFestival,FireIslandDanceFestival,SolomonR GuggenheimMuseum, SchrittmacherFestival(Germany),92NY,theAmericanDanceGuild'sPerformanceFestival,Judson Church,andFeud(FX) Additionally,shehasworkedwithcreatorssuchasAkiraUchida,BrianGolden, JamesAlonzo,andJosephHernandez KristalynisbasedinNewYorkCityandrepresentedbyClear TalentAgency.Asachoreographer,Kristalynreceivedthe2023QueensArtsFundNewWorkGrantfor herlatestevening-lengthimmersivework"LOOKATME"andcurrentlyteachescontemporaryat PeridanceCenterandBroadwayDanceCenter.
CORINNELOHNER|Performer:CorinneLohner(they/she)isaperformingartistanddancemaker fromDallas,Texas.TheyfreelanceinNYCwithcompanieslikeYYDanceCompany,DavidDorfman Dance,DouglasDunn+ Dancers,andmore NotablepastcreditsincludeBostonDanceTheaterand Ririe-WoodburyDanceCompanywheresheperformedworksbyStefanieBattenBland,RajaFeather Kelly,andAndreaMilleramongstothers.TheyreceivedtheirB.F.A.inDancefromNewYork University’sTischSchooloftheArts
ALEXSANDERSWADER|Performer:AlexsanderSwaderisfromBirmingham,Alabamawherehe grewuptrainingattheRoyalAcademyofDanceaccreditedAlabamaBalletSchool Whileattending intensiveslikeHubbardStreetWinterIntensiveandNetherlandsDanceTheaterSummerIntensive,they alsoperformedvariousprofessionalroleswiththeAlabamaBalletCompany.HereceivedaBFAinDance in2021onscholarshipfromNYU’sTischSchooloftheArtsandperformedguestworksbyartistslike
ShamelPittsandRenaButler.HejoinedHubbardStreetDanceChicagoin2022,thenYYDCin2023for multiple projectsliketheworldpremiereofNowhere,performancesofRippleandThroughtheFracture ofLightatAPAPandSchrittmacherFestivalinGermanyin2024 Alexisthrilledtobecontinuingthe trilogyoffulllengthworkswiththeworldpremiereofSomewherein2024.
NATWILSON|Performer:NatWilsongrewupinMichiganandstudiedballetatBalletChelseabefore turning theirfocustocontemporarydance.In2016,theymovedtoIsraeltojoinKibbutz Contemporary DanceCompany,wheretheyhadtheopportunitytoperformand teacharoundtheworld InJanuaryof 2020theymovedtoNYCtopursueafreelance career Sincethen,they’veworkedinbothNewYorkand LosAngeles,performing withYYDC,ZviDance,Ballez,ate9dANCEcOMPANY,andVoltaCollective aswellas creatingtheirownwork
