Founder and artistic director of Paracosm Dance, Alyssa is a multimedia dance and performance artist, instructor, and visual creator. She began her training with the Brockus Conservatory in LA where she was introduced to her movement foundations of Luigi Jazz and the Lester Horton Technique. Integrating martial arts with dance theatre, she then furthered her training at Alonzo King LINES Ballet, BANDALOOP, and UC Berkeley. She danced as a guest artist with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for Judith Jamison’s retirement tour, choreographed works under the direction of Joe Goode, and - for her excellence in dance scholarship and performance - received the Julia Payne Dance scholarship from UCB. She danced as a soloist with Peninsula Ballet Theatre under the artistic direction of David Fonnegra and performed in works by BrickaBrack Theater’s Gabriel Grilli, Scott Wells & Dancers, and SMDC's Erica Santiago. She is currently an aerialist with Blue Lapis Light, receiving critical acclaim for her 2023 performance as a principal soloist in "Belonging II Universe".  __________ For the past 13 years, Alyssa has taught dance across the world – in and out of the studio – studying osteological development and understanding different movement modalities. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major in Dance & Performance Studies and Forensic Anthropology, using her pedagogical, anatomical, neurological, and osteological studies to further the integration of physiology and dance technique. Taking her findings to a global stage, she is currently a cultural exchange ambassador to China via 我的风格艺术教育, based out of the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art.

Alicia is an artivist, dance educator, performer, and choreographer living and creating work in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a Black, White, Brazilian, American woman and mother, and it is the intersectionality of these identities that informs and drives her work. Alicia holds an MFA from Hollins University and a BFA from the University of Arizona. Since her international return from Brazil in January of 2017, she has worked as a dance professor at several Colleges and Universities, including Salve Regina University, Grand Canyon University, Community College of Aurora, Glendale Community College, and Scottsdale Community College. She has performed works of master choreographers such as Katherine Dunham, Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Talley Beatty, and Milton Myers, Gary Abbott, Nejla Yatkin, Ray Mercer, and Christopher Huggins with Philadanco’s D2 and Cleo Parker Robinson Dance. Alicia performed in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, with Mario Nascimento Dance Company, had a leading role in the Beatles musical ‘Because’, and presented solo works Solivagant and Arco-Iris as a member of Rede Sola de Dança. As a teacher and choreographer, she was the Assistant Choreographer and Rehearsal Director for Contemporary Dance Company Sala B, directed by Fernando de Castro. She taught at the world-renowned Grupo Corpo and at the dance and art conservatory Palácio das Artes, where she choreographed for the graduating class of 2015 with a piece entitled Wanderlust. Since moving to Phoenix she has performed and presented work with the Black Theatre Troupe, BlakTinx Dance Festival, Breaking Ground, and was the liaison for Dianne McIntyre’s residency at ASUs Gammage. She is currently involved in her own projects, directing a high school dance program, and teaching as a faculty associate at Arizona State University.

Born in Phoenix Arizona, Mr. Anthony V. Spaulding II began his dance training at Dance Incorporated under the direction of Hodgie Jo. He later studied with the School of Ballet Arizona under the direction of Mr. Kee Juan Han and Nadia Zubkov. Mr. Spaulding later moved to San Francisco, California to finish his studies and ballet training with the San Francisco Ballet School under the direction of Gloria Govrin where he was named apprentice with the San Francisco Ballet in 2004. Mr. Spaulding joined the San Francisco Ballet Company under the direction of Helgi Tomasson in 2006 as a Corp de Ballet member. In 2008, Mr. Spaulding was promoted to Soloist dancer where he performed numerous works by many acclaimed choreographers. Mr. Spaulding's works include, Giselle (Tomasson), King of the Snow, King of the Mice, Arabian, Spanish, and Party Guest in Nutcracker (Tomasson), Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet (Tomasson), Cavalier in the Sleeping Beauty (Tomasson), Von Rothbart, Spanish, Aristocrat, and Mazurka in Swan Lake (Tomasson), Espada and Toreador in Don Quixote (Tomasson/Possokhov), Sylvia (Morris), The Little Mermaid (Neumeier), Fates in Cinderella (Wheeldon), Demi-soloist in in "Haffner" Symphony, Johnny in Nanna's Lied, demi-soloist in On a Theme of Paganini, and principal in Trio (Tomasson), Pas de deux from Agon, Allegro Brillante, demi-soloist in "Diamonds," 3rd Theme and Melancholic in The Four Temperaments, Elegy in Serenade, Arias II in Stravinsky Violin Concerto, 4th movement principal and 1st movement demi-soloist in Symphony in C (Balanchine), Created role of John Rosmer in Ibsen's House and role in Lambarena (Caniparoli) Double Evil (Elo), Artifact Suite and In the Middle Somewhat Elevated (Forsythe), 2nd movement principal in Symphonic Dances (Liang), Chroma and Eden/Eden (Mcgregor), Soldier in Winter Dreams (MacMillan), Two Pieces for Het (for Rachel) and Variations for Two Couples (van Manen), Rodeo (de Mille) (Continued), Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes (Morris), Guide to Strange Places (Page), Principal in Diving into the Lilacs, and Firebird (Possokhov), Russian Seasons (Ratmansky), Glass Pieces and West Side Story Suite (Robbins), Changes and Spring Rounds (Taylor), Principal in Naked (Welch), Carousel (A Dance), principal in Number Nine, principal in Rush, and Within the Golden Hour (Wheeldon), 3rd movement pas de deux in Underskin (Zanella) Mr. Spaulding joined the Dance Theater of Harlem in New York City, New York during the companies 2018/2019 season under the direction of Virginia Johnson. Anthony's guest performances include, 2nd act pas de deux in La Bayadere at Scottsdale School of Ballet Student Showcase, Herberger Theatre, Phoenix, Az June 2013, 2nd act of Giselle and the pas de deux from Possokhov's Diving into the Lilacs, Bozeman, Montana, June 2012, Possokhov's Diving into the Lilacs, Liang's Somewhere in Time, and a pas de deux from Possokhov's Magrittomania at the Hong Kong Galaxy Ballet Gala, June 2011, performed Diving into the Lilacs for Youth America Grand Prix Gala at New York City Cente, March 2011, Diving into the Lilacs for Gala at Baadisches Staattheater, Karlsruhe, Germany, June 2010, Competed in the Eighth International Competition for the Erik Bruhn Prize, Toronto, March 2009. Spaulding's performances captured on video/film includes dancing the role of Arabian in "Great Performances" Dance in America: San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker on TV/DVD (2007), San Francisco Bay Area News KTVU interview segment "Bay Area People" captured rehearsing Nutcracker's Snow Pas de Deux. He was also featured in PBS "Great Performances" John Neumeier's "Little Mermaid" captured on TV/DVD (2011), Calvin Walker's Free Time (2015) and A Stroll in Paris which won Dance Magazine's Video of the Month in (2014) Mr. Spaulding was a judge for the District's Artist of Promise Dance Adjudication (2018). Is an Alumni with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix MLB AZ D-Backs Branch and was a guest speaker at "Today's Kids, Tomorrow's Stars" Gala Benefit Performance with the Boys and Girls Club (2016) Mr. Spaulding served as Interim Artistic Director of Southwest Ballet Theatre during the 2023-2024 season, where he provided artistic leadership, guided productions, and contributed to the company's continued growth. In 2026, he appeared as a Guest Artist with Arizona Repertory Ballet under the Artistic Direction of Lainie Seretis, returning to the stage to perform with the company during its season. Anthony always had great ambitions to maximize his skills and talents to be the best, and pride himself with exceptional work ethics.

Jeremy is a USA-based choreographer, performer, and educator whose work bridges movement, technology, and somatic awareness. His professional performance experience includes contemporary and modern dance, musical theater, ballet, opera, street dance, circus, ice skating, and acting. He has performed at some of the most iconic venues around the world; the Lincoln Center, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the 5th Ave Theater, the O2 in London, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, and the Victoria Theater in Singapore. Most recently he has toured nearly 100 cities in 8 countries with Disney on Ice, performing as a skater, acrobat, and live host for audiences of over two million people. Jeremy holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in choreography from the University of Iowa. His choreography—known for its original movement vocabulary, interactive digital projections, and original music—has been presented across the US on stage and in film. In 2021 he co-founded Skoptur, a London-based company exploring the fusion dance and music with emerging digital arts. In 2022 and 2023 he was a Residential Lenz Fellow at Naropa University, investigating the relationship between improvisational dance and emergent forms in Buddhism and complexity theory. Jeremy is also a certified practitioner in the Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education®, which informs his artistic work and furthers his commitment to teaching the next generation of artists to work smarter, not harder, to unlock their creative potential.

Nayon Iovino is a Brazilian-American choreographer celebrated for his emotionally resonant, musically inventive, and architecturally striking works. He serves as the Resident Choreographer for Ballet Arizona and is the Artistic Director of the Sedona Choreography Retreat. A prolific creator since 2013, Iovino has crafted over 25 original works, 11 of which were commissioned by Ballet Arizona. His creative arc reached a new zenith in 2024 with the creation an original full-length ballet “Moving Movies” on a theme of the golden era of Hollywood for Ballet Arizona. This ambitious project represents a significant innovation in how narrative ballet is presented, blending cinematic storytelling with his signature contemporary ballet style. Iovino’s distinguished career includes being selected for the New York Choreographic Institute and receiving accolades such as the Phoenix New Times’ “Best Choreographer” and recognition as an “Up and Coming Artist Under 40” by AZCentral. His works continue to push the boundaries of the art form through dynamic movement and cross-disciplinary innovation.

Jillian began her training at Delaware Dance Company and later studied with Sherry Hiott, continuing her education during the summers at several prestigious schools, including Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Orlando Ballet School. She was a finalist in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Kennedy Center Ballet Class Series and a soloist in the 2006 Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York City. Before retiring after 16 seasons with Ballet Arizona, Jillian originated the title role in Ib Andersen’s Cinderella and performed numerous principal roles in Romeo & Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Giselle. She has danced featured roles in George Balanchine’s La Sonnambula, The Four Temperaments, La Valse, Apollo, Divertimento No. 15, and Rubies from Jewels, as well as in Ib Andersen’s original works Play, Mosiak, and the premiere of Diversions at the Kennedy Center.

Kate, a company dancer with Ballet Arizona, began her ballet training at First City Dance Studio, and then at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota under the direction of Daniel and Julie Blake. She then moved to Maryland when she was 16 to continue training at the Maryland Youth Ballet. Before joining the Company, Katherine danced with the Ballet Arizona Studio Company.

Ethan was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. He began dancing in the School of Ballet Arizona where he received his classical ballet training, as well as taking part in programs at both State Street Ballet and The Kirov Academy of Ballet. Later he would be granted a spot in Ballet Arizona’s studio company where he would continue training and performing with the company. In 2016, he entered the main company where he would do featured roles in such ballets as The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Napoli, Les Patineurs, The Nutcracker, George Balanchine’s Symphony in Three Movements, George Balanchine’s Emeralds, and a number of Ib Anderson’s works including Round, Eroica, Romeo and Juliet, Indigo Rhapsody, Preludes and Fugues and The Fire Bird.

Jules Rodriguez is a versatile dance artist and current student in the Ailey/Fordham BFA program, where she has performed works by Vivake Khamsingsavath, Adrienne Hurd, Burr Johnson, and Adam Barruch, with whom she has worked on multiple occasions. In November 2025, she performed Khamsingsavath's piece at GIDEON GOMM Development II: ANTEGRADE, sponsored by Gucci Changemakers. Outside of Ailey, Jules has performed repertory by Barak Marshall and Marco Goecke, participated in a student sharing of work by Jiří Kylián, and trained directly with Alice Klock and Florian Lochner of FLOCK. Most recently, Jules made her professional debut with Paracosm Dance in VISITORS at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix, deepening her passion for dramatic storytelling as an emerging artist.

A movement artist and educator, Rayshawn is a full-time teacher at Heritage Academy Gateway and dancer with Bodies Contemporary Co., AnthroArts Collective, and Paracosm Dance. You can find him around the valley taking class or performing within the community, most recently at BlakTinx Dance Festival 2025. As he looks towards the future, he is determined to make a lasting impact on the lives of his students, encouraging them to embrace their creativity and express themselves freely through dance. His unwavering dedication to education and passion for movement continue to shape a brighter, more vibrant world for those he teaches.

Dustyn is the Company Manager and Head of Costume for Paracosm Dance's stage productions, and the lead HMUA and Prosthetics Engineer for Paracosm's film division. She is also a licensed medical massage therapist, working full time for the artists of Paracosm Dance while treating dancers, athletes, and adults with Parkinson's disease across the Valley. Outside Paracosm, Dustyn is an avid swing dancer, socially grooving through community most nights of the week! (You can and should come join!)

Behnam is a composer, violinist, and producer. He started playing violin at the age of 6, making his solo debut with orchestra at the age of 13. He started writing and performing his own compositions at the age of 12. By 17 he had premiered his own violin concerto and had several symphonic works performed by the Austin Symphony. He went on to study violin performance at the Colburn School conservatory, and violin and music composition at the University of Houston. Behnam has composed for film, writing and mixing the music for “1 out of 30”, as well as the entire repertoire of Paracosm Dance's award-winning films, most recently "NOW SLEEP". As a musician in Austin, he has performed original solo works for violin and voice at Zach Theater, worked as a session musician for local artists, and teaches violin, composition, and music production privately. Behnam also holds degrees in computer science and physics, is a yoga instructor, and a competitive youth team climbing coach.

Reid is an educator, photographer, filmmaker, and movement artist. The primary communities he currently works in are Phoenix and Minneapolis. He has covered large-scale performances and events for Red Bull, Breaking for Gold, Paracosm Dance Company, and Meridians Dance Company. Often crossing between mediums and roles, Reid has helped mediate for Street style choreographers' evenings and battles. UPRIZING, Rooted, Mixtape, New Black City, Coffee House, and countless community-based battles, tournaments, and short films. As a dancer, Reid has instructed at HOD Twin Cities and All Day Studios, and has performed at the Minnesota Orpheum, Fitzgerald Theater, and community battles in various states. Reid has an extensive history both documenting and learning street styles (Krump, Popping, Jookin, Flexn, Turfing, Breaking, Animation). For years, Reid has worked alongside leaders and pioneers, including McKnight fellows Herbert Johnson, Tumelo Khupe, and Cecil Neal, to expand street dance knowledge in the public zeitgeist.

Ri Lindegren is the Founder and Creative Director of Dances With Tech, a media arts practice rooted in movement and amplified by technology. An award-winning artist and educator, she has over a decade of experience filming and directing dance, performance, and interdisciplinary work, with more than 300 performances, interviews, and creative projects documented. Ri received an MFA in Dance & Technology from Arizona State University, where she was named Outstanding Graduate Student for the Herberger Institute and taught as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance and Media. Her work has been supported through collaborations with arts organizations, municipalities, and grant-funded initiatives, including partnerships with the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture and other community-based programs. As Resident Cinematographer for Paracosm Dance, Ri led the creative direction and production of a seven-camera shoot for VISITORS (thirteen cameras over two nights), crafting a dynamic, dance-literate filming approach that translates live performance into compelling, multi-dimensional screen experiences. She is deeply committed to preserving the integrity of movement while expanding its reach through thoughtful, high-quality media.

Composing from across the ocean in Germany, SEMIQUAVER is one of Paracosm Dance's in-house composers, creating the score for the critically acclaimed VISITORS and VISITORS | CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE. He -----REDACTED. GO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC.

в цьому світі є так багато різних проблем, які вас оточують, але коли ви танцюєте, ви вільні -There are so many different problems that come at you in this world, but when you dance, you are free- Immigrating to the US from Ukraine in 2024 as an international ballroom competitor, Ruslan joins Paracosm Dance as a guest performer. A semi-finalist and finalist in competitions around the world, he was a participant of the Ukrainian Dance Sports Team and candidate for Master of Sports. . Ruslan, you are deeply missed.