Company

		Charmian Wells is co-director of Refractions Dance Collective (RDC) founded in May of 2003. Since then she has produced four successful New York seasons for RDC. She received her BFA in Dance from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She has also been commissioned by Consortium of the Arts to choreograph several performances in California and in Washington D.C. Her work has been performed in numerous New York festivals and in Martha’s Vineyard. Charmian teaches dance to kids in NYC, and is currently dancing with Forces of Nature Dance Company. Charmian is also blessed with the opportunity to teach dance to kids in NYC She would like to thank her dancers for their talents and grace.

COMING SOON		Sarah Donnelly was born and raised in north Oakland California. Her choreography is influenced by her experience of growing up in Oakland, her work in youth development and empowerment and her technical dance training at Tisch School of the Arts, Berkeley Ballet Theater, The Ailey School and The Joffrey Ballet. Aside from creating work, Sarah has been blessed with the opportunity to dance for various independent choreographers including Nicole Berger Mary Seideman, Khalda Logan, Alona Mor and Breezy Berryman; as well as, the opportunity to intern at the Village Voice for Elizabeth Zimmer where she published dance and literary reviews. Currently, Sarah is learning how to fly at STREB, working with the amazing students at The Thurgood Marshall Academy, playing the electric keyboard for BFF and continuing to create work with Refractions Dance Collective. Sarah would like to thank her dancers for their unbelievable commitment and beauty and Charmy for believing.

		Rachel Buschert is honored to continue her role as a dancer and choreographer for Refractions Dance Collective. She also had the pleasure of dancing her third season with Kim Whittam & Co. Rachel is originally from Virginia Beach and attended the Governors School for the Arts and Virginia Ballet Theatre. She studied at the Erick Hawkins School of Dance, and then as a scholarship student at Jacob's Pillow. She then furthered her education at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and studied abroad at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance. Upon graduation, she worked for Martha Bower's Dance Theatre Etcetera, White Wave Dance Company, and participated in many festivals such as Dance Now NYC, the SWEAT modern dance series, and the Dumbo Dance Festival. Rachel certified by Yogafit, American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Rachel is currently enrolled at Brooklyn College pursuing a career in Physical Therapy.

		Breean Brasile studied at the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theater. She received scholarships to the Bolshoi Ballet, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Tisch School of the Arts at NYU where she received her BFA in Dance in 2002. Ms. Brasile danced with Ballet Hispanico from 2002 to 2003. She has also performed with La Compania, and The Albano Ballet Company. Over the last four years Ms. Brasile has had the honor of working with Ann Reinking, Peter Pucci, and Kevin Wynn. She is currently dancing with Cherylyn Lavagnino, Gritty Cherries, and RDC. Ms. Brasile is a founding member of RDC and has worked with Ms. Donnelly and Ms. Wells for the past five years.

		Courtney Drasner grew up in Minnesota and later recieved a BFA in dance from NYU. Since moving to New York, she has performed with many different choreographers including Jana Hicks, Janessa Clark, M. Lindsay Smith, Nicole Berger, Alethea Adsitt, and Jordana Che Toback. She is also currently a member of Gina Gibney Dance, and has been performing with Refractions Dance Collective since 2004.

		Maia McKinney is a native of Detroit, MI. Her background is West African, contemporary and post modern, jazz, Afro-Carribean, hip-hop and dance-theater. She grew up performing in children’s dance companies. Her modern training is rooted in Dunham and Horton technique and she received a BFA in dance performance and choreography from the University of MI-Ann Arbor. Since arriving in New York over two years ago Maia has performed on tour with Urban Bush Women, appeared with Creative Outlet of Brooklyn, and currently divides her time between Forces of Nature Dance Theater Company and freelancing. She has enjoyed her experiences with Refractions Dance Collective.

		Emily McKinnon is a native of Virginia Beach, VA. As a young performer she attended and graduated from the Virginia Governor's School for the Arts, where she had the opportunity to study with many guest artists from around the nation. Emily received her BFA in Dance and Choreography from Ohio University where she graduated with honors. While living in New York, she has performed with Kim Whittam & Company, Todd Rosenlieb Dance, Skip Costa's Off- Broadway Rock Stars NYC, Refractions Dance Collective, Kennedy Dancers, Carol Nolte Dance and Anandance. Ms. McKinnon has also performed with Second Wind Dance Company and the Virginia Opera. Emily is a certified personal trainer and is on faculty at Danceworks Studios in Montclair, NJ and at Broadway Dance and Theatrical Studio in Bayonne, NJ.

		Christina Orloff is from Alamo, CA. She trained at Berkeley Ballet Theater, and attended summer programs at Boston Ballet and the Julliard School. She received her BFA in dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Christina has worked for John Passafiume, the Headless Whorse Company and The Morgan Scott Ballet. Christina has also established her own company, Contour Pilates. She is a founding member of Refractions Dance Collective.

		Frances Lai Stohlman graduated from The University of the Arts, where she received a B.F.A. in Modern Dance Performance. She is a recipient of the Elizabeth Ann Pulaski Memorial Scholarship and "Outstanding Performance in Modern Dance" Award by faculty recommendation. She has also studied at Berkeley Ballet Theater, ODC/San Francisco, Alvin Ailey, and Limon West Coast. She has represented Red Bull Energy Drink as an improvisational performer and has performed works by Fernando Bujones, Brian Sanders, Christopher Huggins, Rachel Berman, Roni Koresh,Curt Haworth, Breezy Berryman, Faye Snow, Jeffrey Freeze, and Silvana Cardell.

		Kate Lawrence received her formal training from The University of the Arts (Philadelphia) where she graduated in 2005 with a BFA in Modern Dance with honors. She has also studied at the Taylor School, Melt at Movement Research, Parsons Dance Company, and Battleworks. While in Philly, Kate had the pleasure of working with choreographers such as Reggie Wilson, Curt Haworth, Manfred Fishbeck, and Brian Sanders. Since coming home to NY Kate has performed with Amy Marshall Dance Company, KDNY, The Elan Awards, Elojes Dance Theater, and the burlesque group The Love Show. Kate is currently pursuing a degree is Massage Therapy at the Swedish Institute.