Meet the Dancers
AMINA YUFANYI
Amina Yufanyi is a sophomore dance and sociology major at LMU. She was born in Washington, DC and raised in Northern Virginia, just outside of DC. Amina started dancing at the age of 3, studying all genres of dance through graduating from high school. Amina performed for 7 years in the Burke Civic Ballet’s Nutcracker, with numerous lead roles including Arabian, Chinese, French, Snow, and Spanish. Amina has attended a number of dance intensive programs, including Joffrey, Paul Taylor, Jessica Lang, and DanceMakers International. Amina performed in the Remidee Smile video in 2016.
CELINE CHAI
Celine Chai is a creative thinker whose artistic motivations are inspired by culture and human experience. Originally from Malaysia, she trained in contemporary and modern dance under Michael Cali at Jakarta Intercultural School (Indonesia) - gaining an International Baccalaureate in Dance. Her international exposure has paved opportunities for her to choreograph and perform concert dance works in Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan. Celine is currently pursuing a dual degree in Dance and Marketing at Loyola Marymount University. During her time at LMU, she debuted two original works in the 2017 and 2018 Spring Concert. She has also performed pieces choreographed by Jess Harper and Scott Heinzerling. Combining her interdisciplinary skills of dance and marketing, Celine hopes to continue a journey of artistic storytelling that spans cross-continents.
EVA CRYSTAL
Eva Marina Crystal grew up in Oregon and is currently a senior at Loyola Marymount University. In her time at LMU, she has been featured in works by Sidra Bell, Stephanie Zaletel, Rebecca Lemme and Rosalynde LeBlanc Loo in annual concerts. In collaboration with Halie Donabedian, Eva has created multiple duets that have been invited to be performed at the Dean's Convocation, Annual Spring Student Concerts, and ACDA in 2018. Collaboration is at the heart of everything that Eva does and she deeply enjoys bringing art to life through movement. She will graduate with a B.A. in Dance this spring
HALEY SMITH
From the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina, Haley Smith is a detail-oriented dancer specializing in ballet and modern. She discovered an interest in dance at age three while watching the classic film Singin’ in the Rain. She’s trained in gymnastics, Gyrotonics and various genres of dance including Horton technique. As a dance student at Loyola Marymount University, she performed in original choreographic works by Rosalynde Leblanc Loo, Scott Heinzerling, Kristen Smiarowski, and Jess Harper. She performed in the restaging of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company piece Love Re-Defined at LMU in November 2018. Dedicated to learning, she leapt at the opportunity to study dance in Paris, France during the summer of 2018. In May 2020, she will graduate from Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelors of Arts in Dance and Spanish. Her passion for language and dance guides her as she travels and performs across the world.
Halie Donabedianis currently a senior at Loyola Marymount University. She was born and raised in Kingsburg, California and began her dance training at The Dance Company. Since her enrollment at LMU she has performed in the Fall Faculty Concert, Spring Concert, IMPULSE, Artists Speak, Senior Thesis showcase, Undergraduate Research Symposium, Dean of the CFA’s Annual Convocation, March Madness and LMU’s Best Dance Crew with the IB Modern Dance Crew. She was a part of the recreation and performance of Bill T. Jones D-Man in the Waters for the Can You Bring It: D-Man in the Waters documentary produced and co directed by Professor Rosalynde LeBlanc Loo. She is excited to enjoy her last semester in the CFA program and will graduate with a degree in Dance this summer.
HALIE DONABEDIAN
KELSEY ANG
Kelsey Ang is a captivating artist and creator whose career spans the globe. She began training in Hong Kong and the Philippines before moving to Los Angeles to earn her double degree in dance and marketing at Loyola Marymount University. At LMU, Kelsey studied under Lillian Barbeito, Jason Myhre, John Todd, Haylee Nichele, Rosalynde Leblanc Loo, and Kate Hutter. Kelsey then furthered her technique at intensives with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, GaGa USA, the Joffrey Ballet School and BODYTRAFFIC, where she was awarded a full scholarship.Her powerful dancing also earned her a Broadway Dance Center scholarship. She has had the pleasure of performing work by Bill T. Jones, Sidra Bell, Rebecca Lemme, Marjani Forté,Maleek Washington, Stephanie Zaletel and BODYTRAFFIC repertoire. Her professional experience includes work with Jess Harper and Dancers, Lizzy Mulkey and the upcoming short film “The Accompanist.” Her choreography has also premiered at the Strub theatre in LA. Kelsey is excited to inspire a global community of creative, diverse and empowered movers by sharing her joy and passion for dance and marketing.
KIERA BREAUGH
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Kiera Breaugh is a well versed dancer and choreographer whose style lives at the intersection between contemporary and hip hop. Recognized for her work as both a dancer and choreographer, she has assisted choreographers including Ian Eastwood, Willdabeast and Janelle Ginestra; is the head choreographer of Kuumba Beatz and has appeared on Canada’s hit TV show The Next Step and Make it Pop. Kiera is currently a member of Young Lions, Immabeast and Immabreathe - all LA based companies. Her piece “Wash” premiered at LMU’s student concert and was chosen to be presented again at the ACDA Gala in March of 2019. With Kiera’s versatile dance vocabulary and unique choreography, she is making her mark on the West Coast dance scene.
MACKENZIE McELROY
Born and bred in Ohio and strapping on her ballet slippers at the age of two, Mackenzie McElroy has trained extensively in Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Modern, Musical Theater, Contemporary and Hip Hop for over two decades. She’s worked with renowned choreographers Jimi Tate, Mike Minery, Jana Hicks, Marijke Eliasberg, Mia Michaels, Evan Kasprzak, Misha Gabriel, and Bobby Newberry. A Senior at LMU and pursuing a Bachelor’s in Dance she trains with the esteemed dance faculty Lillian Barbeito, founder of LA’s modern dance company BODYTRAFFIC, Rosalynde LeBlanc Loo, and Rihanna’s choreographer, Jason Myhre. Dancing professionally for the Dr. Oz Health Corps Gala at the Waldorf Astoria and Gotham Hall and “Jazz on Tap Festival” three years in a row, She’s an active member of Dance Educators of America and has teacher certifications from Dance Educators of America, Acrobatic Arts, and Rhee Gold’s “DanceLife Tap Intensive” and educates and choreographs for studios across the country such as Jordan Center Dance, Aspire Dance Studio, and The Dance Quarter.
MIMI RUPERT
Mimi Rupert was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where she trained in contemporary, jazz, hip hop, ballet and tap. She has spent summers studying at The San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and NW Dance Project, training with and learning repertory from Summer Lee Rhatigan, Bobbi Jene Smith, Alex Ketley, Yin Yue and Andrea Parson. Mimi is currently a sophomore at Loyola Marymount University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Communication Studies, with a minor in Public Relations. While at LMU, Mimi has performed in works by Kristen Smiarowski, James Gregg, Tanya and Thaddeus Wideman-Davis and the restaging of “Love Re-Defined” by Bill T. Jones
MOLLY WILSON
Molly Wilson is a sophomore Dance Major, with two minors in Theatre Arts and Business Administration. Growing up in Colorado, Molly had the opportunity to work with many choreographers at her home dance studio in Denver. She has worked with choreographers such as Jennifer Backhaus, Dee Caspary, Mandy Moore, Will Johnston, James Gregg, Lillian Barbeito, Tanya Wideman Davis and Thaddeus Davis. Molly has also trained in many styles of dance, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, hip-hop and modern. Molly has danced for 17 years, and hopes to continue her training and move into a professional career in the future.
MONICA WILLIAMS
Midwest native Monica Williams is a contemporary dancer and choreographer based in Los Angeles, California. She was born in San Francisco and grew up in Omaha, where she trained with the Nebraska Dance Company. Monica is currently a junior at Loyola Marymount University where she studies modern, ballet, jazz, motif notation, and dance composition. While at LMU, Monica has performed original and restaged works by Rosalynde LeBlanc Loo, James Gregg, Alice Klock & Florian Lochner, Sidra Bell, Chad Michael Hall, and Wideman-Davis Dance. Monica has crafted her own unique style, rooted in narrative and characterized by sensory-based, indulgently athletic movement. With her passion for choreographic and cross-disciplinary collaboration, Monica seeks involvement with contemporary dance collectives and multimedia arts organizations across the globe.
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