February's Featured Artists
AUSTIN COATS (Choreographer) is a BFA Commercial Dance Major at Pace University. He has been dancing since his freshman year in high school, and has worked with choreographers and teachers such as Scott Jovovich, Chloe Arnold, Susan Misner, Cherice Barton, Paul Sutherland, and Jessica Hendricks. He will be performing in Pace University’s annual Dance Concert, Dance Out Loud, this spring in a piece set by Andy Blankenbuehler and an aerial piece by Joshua Dean, among others. Originally from North Carolina, he choreographed and performed for the theatre group, The Talent Company, of which he is a founding member.
JORDI COATS (Producer) has found herself filling many roles in the New York theatre community. Previously, she has worked with Binder Casting, Tara Rubin Casting, and Telsey + Company casting, as well as produced and directed several pieces in the area. Most recently, she assistant produced and assistant directed the award winning production of "Volleygirls" at this years New York Musical Theatre Festival (Best of Fest). She is a graduate of the Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in NC, she founded The Talent Company, a theatre company for middle and high school students in the Uwharrie region that is currently in its 7th season. Jabali.
NYSSA DUCHOW (Violinist) is an actor/singer/musician and recent graduate of the Webster Conservatory for Theatre Arts with a BFA in Musical Theatre. While in school some of her favorite shows included 25th Annual Putnam County… (Logainne), Legally Blonde the Musical (Enid), and Hot L Baltimore (Jackie). Regional credits include Sunday in the Park with George (St. Louis Rep. Theatre), Almost Heaven (Great Plains Theatre), and while in New York, several readings with the up and coming Envelope Ensemble. Nyssa is also an accomplished musician, studying violin for over 18 years. Her playing has been featured in many shows and has been seen in over a dozen professional pit orchestras and symphonies.
ASHLEY GUNSTEENS (Producer) is a Brooklyn-based actor and director with a penchant for movement and ensemble-based work. Her favorite projects include recent work on What Every Girl Should Know ("Best Ensemble" NY Fringe Festival 2013), Volleygirls The Musical (“Best of Fest” NYMF 2013), All My Children, Julius Caesar, andHow I Learned to Drive. She is a proud Tar Heel with degrees in Dramatic Art and Journalism & Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ashleygunsteens.com
MELISSA HUNTER McCANN (Music Video) is currently a BFA Commercial Dance major at Pace University. This past summer she worked for Ocean City Theatre Company in Singin’ in the Rain and Peter Pan (Tiger Lily). Since studying at Pace, Melissa has had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Andy Blankenbuehler, Mandy Moore, Chase Brock, Cherice Barton, Paul Sutherland and will be working with Al Blackstone this spring.
DUSTIN ISOM (Music Video) is currently a BFA Commercial Dance major at Pace University. A recent graduate of Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, he has performed at several regional theaters including: Reagle Music Theater of Waltham and Trinity Repertory Company in Rhode Island. At Walnut Hill he was seen in 42nd Street, A New Brain, Hippolytus and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. At Pace, Dustin has had the privilege to work with choreographers such as Andy Blankenbuehler, Chase Brock, Chloe Arnold and Greg Russell.
JESSE JAMES KEITEL (Music Video) is currently studying as a BFA Acting major at Pace Univeristy. Recent credits include: Refresh and Ohio Impromptu (La MaMa ETC.), Beautiful Province (The Claire Tow Theater, Lincoln Center), and Celebrity Ghost Stories (Biography Channel). Jesse will next be seen in Lucky Disaster: 303 at Don't Tell Mama's and Fox Hunt at Pace University.
AURY KREBS (Vocalist) is a Musical Theatre Major at Pace University. She was last seen sporting her infamous double chin in Pace University’s recent production of Dogfight. She has worked with composers and directors such as Adam Guettel, Ryan Scott Oliver, Peter Foley, Bob Cline, Amy Rogers, Matt Cowart, and Zak Sandler. Other Pace credits include I Capture the Castle, Jasper in Deadland, and Hatched! at 54 Below. She is currently rehearsing Once on this Island at Pace which will run March 5-12.
LARAH PAMPLIN (Music Video) is a BFA Commercial Dance major at Pace University, NYC. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, some previous credits include: Dance Out Loud at Pace University, DancesPace, Moscow Ballet Nutcracker, Cats, and a Spurs Halftime Show. She also teaches and choreographs here in New York City and back home in Texas. She has worked with prestigious choreographers such as Cherice Barton, Jeremy Duvall, and Chloe Arnold.
LIAT RACIN (Painter) hails from New York and curacao. She follows a Spirtual and creative approach to drumming, singing, massage and yoga. Her recent art she's now sharing here explores sacred words to Jewish prayer, ritual and texts, combined with a spicy mix of her personal experiences in the Caribbean and Israel.
CHRISTINA RAMIREZ (Painter) is thrilled to make her painting debut. Though she is no stranger to the stage, Christina has never painted in front of anyone before. In fact, until recently, painting was just the thing she did to help her stay sane while attending theatre school. As Christina began sharing her work on social media, she cultivated a following and a community of people who now own her work. Christina has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Webster Conservatory in St. Louis, MO – her beloved hometown. Christina is delighted to share her work among so many other inspiring artists.
DIANE SHAKAR (Dancer) is happy to be making her video dance debut with Max Stone and Travis Waldschmidt’s Sexy Beast NYC. She started her dance career in Detroit, Michigan with the Severo Ballet and Detroit City Ballet and last performed in New York City in 2007 with Sunhwa Chung’s Ko-Ryo Dance Theater. She’s a poet and fiction writer and practitioner of Reiki energy healing and grateful to still be dancing after all these years.
CASSIDY STONER (Music Video) is a BFA Musical Theatre major at Pace University where she was last seen in Jacob Brent's production of Lysistrata Jones and Rhonda Miller's Dance Out Loud. This past summer Cassidy was a member of the Resident Company at the Forestburgh Playhouse.
MAX STONE (Sexy Beast NYC Artistic Director) holds an MFA and served as Senior Lecturer on the dance faculty at Southern Methodist University. He was with the original Broadway cast of the Neil Simon/Marvin Hamlisch musical/play, They're Playing Our Song. He has guest taught at the Juilliard Conservatory,
Complexions Summer/Winter Intensives,Bates and Joffrey Summer Dance Intensives, and conducted choreography seminars for Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère. During their NY City Center season in 2010, Max was invited to give company classes for Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. He was Artistic Director of The New York Dance Exchange, an international intensive workshop series, and he continues to work throughout Europe and Japan. Max is on faculty at STEPS on Broadway, and Peridance Capezio Center. Currently, Max’s choreography can be seen in the hit new film, “Frances Ha”.
Follow him on Twitter: @Maxdstone
Complexions Summer/Winter Intensives,Bates and Joffrey Summer Dance Intensives, and conducted choreography seminars for Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère. During their NY City Center season in 2010, Max was invited to give company classes for Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. He was Artistic Director of The New York Dance Exchange, an international intensive workshop series, and he continues to work throughout Europe and Japan. Max is on faculty at STEPS on Broadway, and Peridance Capezio Center. Currently, Max’s choreography can be seen in the hit new film, “Frances Ha”.
Follow him on Twitter: @Maxdstone
TRAVIS WALDSCHMIDT (Co-Artistic Director/Dancer) has choreographed, taught and performed nationally and internationally. Travis has danced with Lane + Co dance company, and has also been a member of Shen Wei Dance Arts. Travis co-choreographed with Max Stone on the NYTimes Critic pick Frances Ha starring Greta Gerwig. Broadway credits include: Wicked and Matilda. National tours of 9 to 5: The Musical, Disney’s High School Musical, and the world tour of West Side Story. He has also been seen as (Enoch Snow Jr.) in Carousel at the Goodspeed Opera House. Travis holds a B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University. Follow him on Twitter: @Twaldsch
JACOB WILLIAMS (Stand-Up) is a comedian, actor, and writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Jacob is originally from North Carolina and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he performed improv and wrote sketch comedy with the Chapel Hill Players (CHiPs), DSI Comedy Theater, and wrote articles for BoUNCe Magazine. Since moving to New York, Jacob has studied at the Upright Citizens Brigade, performs with his indie improv team "Little Critter" (named after the children's book series) and is part of the two-man group "Jake O'Langtern" (named after a terrible pun) with Langston Antosek, with whom he has hosted the comedy variety show "You're Welcome" and collaborated on a variety of projects. Follow him on Twitter: @jacobstweets.
GIANNA WOLF (Contortionist) is currently pursuing a Commercial Dance Major and a minor in Arts and Entertainment Management at Pace University. She has been practicing contortion for just under a year and is looking forward to making her debut at the Schimmel Theatre for Dance Out Loud this spring.She is thankful for the opportunity to perform and inspire others to express themselves through art.
JOSH WOLONICK (Actor) is a professional actor and writer with specific interests in ensemble-based physical theatre, Shakespeare, and improv. After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill and performing regionally in North Carolina, he moved to NYC the week before Sandy hit in 2012. His credits include several Off-Off-Broadway productions, two commercials, and work on television shows like All My Children, Deadly Sins, Brain Games, and Smash. Favorite roles include Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Charlie Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Solomon inSpeech and Debate, Lorenzo in Melancholy Play, and Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet. He is currently preparing to play Dr. Gruen in a production of S.I. Witkiewicz's The Madman and the Nun, running at The Producer's Club April 4-26. Joshwolonick.com.
