COLLABORATORS
Natalie Allen
An interdisciplinary movement artist based in Los Angeles, Natalie Allen is particularly interested in collaborative art that reflects the visual, physical, audible, and immersive nuances of the modern world. Working in both the concert and commercial dance sectors, Natalie’s recent credits include: The NorthFace, Banks, “Holey Moley,” and the new film Renfield starring Nicolas Cage and choreographed by Kat Burns. Specializing in immersive entertainment, Natalie contributed to Tyra Banks’ “Modelland” and Netflix/Secret Cinema’s “Stranger Things Drive-Into Experience.” Natalie served as Secret Cinema’s Assistant Director on “Arcane” which premiered in November 2021. Natalie had the privilege of performing at Jacob's Pillow for the Ann and Westin Hicks Choreography Fellowship and Dance Gallery Festival as a dancer for Gianna Burright. Most recently, Natalie served as the Associate Choreographer for Oregon Shakespeare Festival's adaptation of Macbeth alongside Jon Rua. Natalie has trained with LA Contemporary Dance Company, VIM VIGOR, BODYTRAFFIC, New Dialect, and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, among others. She holds a BFA in Dance and BA in Communications with a Minor in French Art & Culture from the University of Arizona. Natalie is certified in Classical and Contemporary Mat Pilates and currently teaches personal and group fitness at Pvolve in Los Angeles.
Nicole Hagen
Nicole Hagen (she/her) is a New York-based dancer, educator, and choreographer, who has performed works by Elías Aguirre, Gianna Burright, Genevieve Carson, Roderick George, Tess Hewlett, Madison Hicks, Iker Karrera, Kate Hutter Mason, Waeli Wang, and WHYTEBERG among others. Nicole is a company dancer and rehearsal director for the Moving Forward Collective and was formerly a company dancer with L.A. Contemporary Dance Company and MashUp Contemporary Dance Company, which provided her the opportunity to perform at iconic venues including LA Dance Project, The Odyssey Theatre, ODC Theater, The Architecture & Design Museum, and Highways Performance Space. Commercially, Nicole's credits include Paramore, NBC’s This Is Us, Banks, and Netflix’s Dear White People.Passionate about grant writing, education, and cultivating community within numerous dance ecosystems, Nicole works as an administrative and grant writing assistant for arts consultant, Emily Wanserski and serves as the Company Manager for Moving Forward. She previously served as the Community Action Manager for L.A. Contemporary Dance Company, where she directed and produced all of the company’s community engagement and educational outreach programs. Choreographically, Nicole’s work has been seen on a multitude of stages throughout southern California such as AMDA’s Cosmo Theater, LA Dance Project, LA Theater Center, IAF, Bootleg Theater, Sophia B. Clarke Theater at Mt. San Antonio College, McCallum Theatre, Musco Center for the Arts and Waltmar Theater at Chapman University, and ACDA's Screen Dance Festival. She has been a two-time finalist at the McCallum Choreography festival and has been commissioned by Mt. San Antonio College and AMDA College. Nicole is on faculty at AMDA College, and holds a BFA in Dance Performance, with a minor in Business Administration from Chapman University.
Alexandra Rix
Alex Rix (she/her/they) is a freelance movement artist and massage therapist originally from Western Massachusetts and currently based out of Los Angeles. Alex is interested in exploring how the nuances of life translate into the body and to movement. The body is a constant well of inspiration and curiosity for both her dance and bodywork practices - discovering how to navigate each moment and movement with care in our ever-changing environment. Currently Alex is dancing with Summation Dance/LA, Rebecca Lemme // Acts of Matter, Gianna Burright, as well as producing and creating her own work in the greater LA area. Most recently Rix performed in: NEW SHOES at Highways Performance Space, DIG and Fête with Acts of Matter, and Show ‘N Tell's "it's all a game" in Long Beach. As a collaborator, dancer, bodyworker, and producer, Rix is inspired by the radical act of caring for self and thus caring for others. Rix received their BFA in Dance and BA option in Dance Science from Cal State Long Beach and their Bodywork and Healing Arts Certification from Panacea Holistic Institute.
Sio Tepper
Sio (Shio) is a multi-instrumental performer, composer, music director, and singer-songwriter based in New York City and originally from Santa Barbara, California. She received her M.A. from Berklee College of Music NYC. Her background in theater consists of performing in the Broadway production of A Strange Loop as the keys/guitar player, and music-directing with companies throughout California and New York such as Montclair University, Berklee NYC, Strasberg NYU, Live and In Color, Musical Theatre Factory, Pace University, CAP21 Molloy College, Out of the Box Theatre Company, and SBCAW. With a background in ethnomusicology, she approaches her work with the understanding that creating art is a vital cultural act. She has co-created community theatre projects like the community art film “Labyrinth” with Joseph Velasco. She also composes for contemporary dance in collaboration with Gianna Burright, with works having been featured at festivals such as Jacob’s Pillow Choreography Fellowship, Dance Gallery Festival, and Stomping Ground LA, LA Dance Project, STEPS and also having been toured throughout Europe.
