dancers

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Zikr Dance Ensemble 2024 Company members

Danielle Archuleta

Danielle Archuleta is originally from Littleton, Colorado. She received her early training at Belliston Academy of Ballet and went on to attend summer intensive programs at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Boston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Miami City Ballet, where she continued her training in their pre-professional program under the direction of Lordes Lopez and Arantxa Ochoa. In Miami, she had the opportunity to perform Balanchine's Western Symphony and Valse Fantaisie and a principal role in Ballabile (from Napoli). Upon graduating from Miami City Ballet, she joined City Ballet of San Diego, where she performed numerous roles including, Balanchine's The Four Temperaments, Serenade, and danced the role of Clara in Elizabeth Wistrich's The Nutcracker. In 2019, Danielle accepted a position with Ballet Austin II where she performed in several productions, including Stephen Mills' The Nutcracker and Joshua Manculich's Menagerie. In 2021, Danielle joined Zikr Dance Ensemble. While dancing with Zikr Dance Ensemble, she has had the opportunity to perform soloist and principal roles in numerous ballets, created by artistic director David Taylor and Tomm Ruud’s Mobile. Danielle is currently a freelance dancer based in Denver. She has been a guest artist with Central Oklahoma Ballet and Yellowstone Ballet. Danielle has also had the opportunity to be a guest artist with The Rosin Box Project, under the direction of Carly Topazio; in addition to collaborating and performing So Close, by Emily Adams and REM, by the choreographic duo, FLOCK. Most recently, Danielle was a guest artist with AVID Dance Company, under the direction of Emily Speed, where she performed an excerpt from Italian Suite, by Gerald Arpino.

Jacob Amey

Jacob Amey is originally from Portland, Oregon and started his dance journey at the age of 12 when he attended the Arts and Communications Magnet Academy (ACMA). At ACMA, he explored various forms of art, but it wasn’t until he tried dance that he found his passion and went on to train at the pre-professional program, Dance West. Jacob then went on to perform with The Portland Ballet and spent his summers training with San Francisco Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet. After high school, Jacob attended the University of Arizona, where he grew in his technical training and artistry and performed numerous pieces from faculty and renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine and Paul Taylor, as well as performing works by Christopher Compton in the Solo Duo Dance festival in New York. In 2023, Jacob graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts in Dance. He has most recently been a part of the Wonderbound company for their 23/24 season.

Zac Bigbee

Zachariah Bigbee was born and raised in Taos, New Mexico. He began his artistic journey in visual arts, working in graphite and oil, moving on to studying and competing in martial arts, an experience which sparked his passion to move. That spark would further ignite when he began taking ballet classes in his senior year of high school. While attending the University of Arizona on a dance scholarship he completed a Bachelors degree in Russian Language with a minor in Math. During this time he also had the privilege of training intensively with the Royal Danish Ballet, Netherlands Dance Theater, and Batsheva Dance Company to name a few. After graduation he danced with the Cocodaco dance project in Chicago, touring nationally and to Panama. Zac has also performed as a guest artist with Convergence Ballet Theater and Colorado Ballet. He has been dancing for Zikr more than 7 years, during which time he has originated and developed several leading roles.

Laura Carvalho

*Kindly sponsored by Joana Carvalho for the Fall 2024 Season*

Laura Carvalho is from Liera, Portugal, where for the last sixteen years, she has trained at the Academia De Ballet Danca Annarella Sanchez and then at the Conservatorio Internationale De Sanchez-Cibdas in classical ballet, pas de deux, contemporary and character dance. Laura danced as a member of Companhia de Ballet Classico de Liera, performing several classical works under Maina Gielgul, contemporary pieces by Enrique Perez-Cancio Cantero, Ricardo Flores and Roberta Ferrara and neoclassical pieces by Yannick Boquinn and Sinner Boquin. She is also a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dance Level 3, and the American Academy of Ballet Level 6 Gold and has studied with internationally acclaimed dancers, former dancers and teachers David Makhateli, Julio Bocca, Mischa Tchoupakov and Tamara Rojo. She was a 3rd place award winner as a soloist in the International Dance Competition in Paris in 2021, a 2nd place winner in contemporary pas de deux at Dancarte, Faro in 2022, and was an invitee to dance the Flames of Paris pas de deux at the Tutti in Scena per Telethan in Naples, also in 2022. This is Laura’s first season with Zikr Dance Ensemble.

Tori Han

Tori Elizabeth Han began her training at a small studio in Dallas, Texas where she studied all dance styles. She then trained with Elite Classical Coaching before joining European School of Ballet in Amsterdam, The Netherlands as a trainee while completing her senior year of high school. While training, she has had many performance opportunities including performing Shards by Riva/Repele, Straight Forward by Maurice Causey, Subject to Change by Maurice Causey, POV by Brian Stevens, Untwisting Metal by Gregory Dawson, and an excerpt from Coppelia in Elite’s Spring Gala. Tori is a 2022/2023 Texas Young Masters of the Arts Grant recipient in recognition of her unique talent and accomplishments as an emerging young Texas artist, a 2023 National YoungArts Cash Prize recipient in ballet, a 2023 Dance Council of North Texas Cindy Day Ballet Scholarship recipient, a 2022 Dance Council of North Texas Fred Kelly Scholarship recipient, and a Shirley Williams Full Year-Round Tuition Scholarship recipient. At 2022 YAGP Dallas, she was a Third Place Award recipient in both Classical for her La Bayadere variation and Contemporary for Red Means Stop choreographed by Brian Stevens. In both 2022 and 2023, she received invitations to perform at YAGP Finals. In 2022 Tori was invited to perform in the Final Round at ADC/IBC Finals, where she was a Fourth Place Award recipient for her Don Quixote variation performance. She attended summer intensives at American Ballet Theater, Elite Classical Coaching, The Juilliard School (multiple summers), and the Alonzo King LINES Ballet’s pre-professional division on full scholarship. In January 2024, she began her professional career at Staatstheater Nürnberg Ballett as a guest artist under the direction of Goyo Montero. This is Tori’s first season with Zikr Dance Ensemble.

Mayim Stiller

Mayim Stiller, originally from Seattle Washington, started his dance training doing salsa, hip hop, and some ballroom/vaudeville at the age of 8. His formal ballet training began at age 11 with Oregon Ballet Academy under the direction of John Grensback. He continued his training on scholarships at the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the School of American Ballet, where he performed with the company at PNB and did the lead role in Faust at the end of the year workshop at Lincoln Center for SAB. Stiller began his professional career with Los Angeles Ballet where he danced for three seasons. He then joined Ballet San Antonio in 2016 as a corps de ballet member and was promoted to soloist in 2017. He has also guested with Alberta Ballet and in 2020 Stiller joined Oklahoma City Ballet as a corps de ballet member. His professional repertoire includes works by George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Fredrick Ashton, Jiří Kylián, Jerome Robbins, Kent Stowell, Bruce Wells, Edward Liang, Willy Shives, Jean Grand-Maître, Brian Enos, Bryan Pitts, Robert Mills, Septime Webre, Stephen Mills, Alexander Ekman, Val Caniparoli as well as many other works after Petipa. His favorite roles performed include Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, principal man in Round of Angels,Thor in Golden Section, Baron in Lady of the Camellias, Espada in Don Quixote, Slow Couple in Variations for Six, and Corp Men in Stars and Stripes. Roles Stiller would like to perform include Petite Mort, In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, The Concert, Playlist (EP), and Manon. Stiller has also choreographed several of his own works. This is Mayim’s first season with Zikr Dance Ensemble.

Brandon Penn

Brandon Penn was born and raised in Richmond, VA. At the age of 10 he began his dance training at the Pine Camp Cultural Arts Center where he studied with Annette Holt, Rodney Williams and Willie Hinton learning a variety of styles. He later enrolled into the School of Richmond Ballet where he studied under Igor Antanov, Malcolm Burn, and more. After spending three years at the Richmond Ballet Mr. Penn was accepted as a trainee of the company whilst completing his senior year. After graduating, Brandon spent one year at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Purchase College Conservatory for Dance, studying under Larry Clark, Taryn Russell, and Ted Kivitt and others. After spending a year at SUNY, Penn was offered a position with Atlanta Ballet 2. After two years there, Brandon was offered a company position with the Columbia City Ballet. Later, after much experience and repertory under his belt, Brandon accepted a principal contract with the Fort Wayne Ballet where he spent two successful seasons. Since, he has taken upon a freelance career and guested across the country and further. He would like to immensely thank his family for all of their love, support and words of wisdom. This is Brandon’s third season with Zikr Dance Ensemble.

Anaka Weiss-Jones

Anaka Weiss-Jones was born and raised in Colorado. She began dancing in the Boulder area at age 8, most notably under Jayne Persch. In 2018, she joined in the inaugural year of Ballet Melange and spent three years training with Elizabeth Shipiatsky, Sergii Sydorskyi, Maureen Breeze, and Rya Merschat. In addition to her classical training, Anaka nurtured her love of contemporary ballet and modern dance by attending summer intensives at Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Ballet X, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theater and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Her professional career began after competing in the International Ballet Competition in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2020, where she was presented with multiple Special Judges' Awards and asked to join the Klaipėda State Music Theater in Lithuania for the 2021-2022 season. Since returning to the States, she has been freelancing in the Greater Denver and New York City areas. Fun Fact: Although she doesn’t remember it, but the very first dance performance that Anaka’s parents took her to see when she was a toddler was an outdoor performance by Zikr Dance Ensemble. She is excited to have come full circle and join the company for her third season.

Taylor Yocum

*Kindly sponsored by Marcia Yocum for the Fall 2024 Season*

Taylor Yocum began her dance career in Spokane, Washington studying ballet at Spokane Ballet Studio under the direction of Sara Donnelly. She graduated in December of 2021 with a BFA from SUNY Purchase College where she attended on a merit scholarship. During her time at college, she was selected to spend a semester studying abroad in Beijing, China at Beijing Dance Academy. She is currently a member of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre and serves as a choreographic assistant to founder and director Stephanie Martinez. Taylor has previously performed with South Chicago Dance Theatre, Peckish Rhodes Performing Society, Niko8 and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Taylor is also researching her choreographic voice as she was chosen as a choreographer for Thodos Dance Chicago and Danceworks Chicago’s 2022 New Dances and was commissioned for a new work by COMMON Conservatory. This Taylor’s first season with Zikr Dance Ensemble.

Zikr Dance Ensemble 2024 Apprentice Company member

Sofia Dadone

Sofia Dadone is from Poirino, Italy. After a 5 year private course with Oxana Kichenko in Turin she went on to graduate from the Ecole superieure de balletdu Quebec, Canada, where studied under Jose Manuel Carreno, Andrea Boardman, Gaby Baars and Annik Bissonnette. Her summer studies have included the Verona Ballet Summer Program, the ONDANCE Workshop under Roberto Bolle and Choreographic workshops under Jiri Kylian, Wayne McGregor and with the Maurice Bejart Repertoire. In 2022 Sofia attended a workshop and performed under Juliano Nunes and Flock, and then spent two weeks in Tel Aviv where she was able to experience more deeply Ohad Naharin's GAGA technique. In May of 2023 she had the privilege of performing choreography created on her by Yosmell Calderon Mejias, principal dancer of the Ballet Jazz de Montreal. Additional professional performing experiences have included Ballet Ouest, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and the Stephanie Lake Company. This is Sophia’s first season with Zikr Dance Ensemble.

Sofia is kindly Sponsored for the 2024 Season by Manuela Dadone