Braeden Barnes

Dancer // Chicago

(Photo for Visceral Dance Company by Michelle Reed)

Braeden Barnes, a native from Chicago, Illinois, received his training from Faubourg Ballet, Academy of Dance Arts, San Francisco Ballet School, and Houston Ballet school. Braeden was then accepted into the Joffrey Ballet training program under the directors Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik.Braeden has worked professionally with Balletmet, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Ron de Jesus Dance, Billy Elliot the Musical, Cocodaco Dance Project, LEVELdance, and Nevada Ballet Theatre. Among his time at these companies, Braeden has worked with choreographers such as James Canfield, Paul Vasterling, Adam Pelty, Sam Watson, Andre Kaftan, Gerald Charles, Eddy Ocompo, Danielle Agami, and Kevin O’Day. He is currently working with Visceral Dance Chicago and is in his second season with the company. Braeden has also danced professionally in major cities such as Milwaukee, Columbus, Portland, Montreal, Lancaster, Palm Springs, and Las Vegas. During his travels, he has worked and danced works by choreographers such as Jose Navas, Matthew Neenan, Sarah Slipper, Banning Bouldin, Yoshito Sakuraba, Lucas Crandall, and Ronn Stewart. Braeden Barnes is also a choreographer based in Chicago, IL. His choreography has been featured on stage in such cities as Chicago, Las Vegas, New York City, Denver, and Atlanta. He has choreographed for festivals such as: Dance Chicago, Dance Canvas and REVERBDance Festival in New York, where his work won the First Place audience choice award. He has choreographed on various companies such as Visceral Dance Chicago, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Cirque Du Soleil, LEVELDance, Cocodaco Dance Project, and in New Dances, a collaboration between Thodos Dance Chicago and Dance Works Chicago. In 2016, He co-founded the dance company, Symbiosis, which is based in Denver, CO.

Quincie Bean

Dancer // Chicago

Quincie Bean spent her youth training in Utah at Provo Civic Ballet--now known as Ballet West Academy. At Provo Civic, she danced original pieces by Garrett Smith, Victor Plotnikov, and Brian Reeder. She spent summers training at Kelsey Kirkland, Complexions, NW Dance Project, and Modas. Quincie studied at the Modas Dance Program in residence at Santa Fe University of Art and Design.  Her training was overseen by Layla Amis and Duncan Cooper. Following her year at Modas, she moved to Chicago and accepted positions with both Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre and Cocodaco Dance Project.  Since moving to Chicago, she has danced at the Dance for Life Festival in Chicago, Chicago Ideas, Harvest Dance Festival, and was honored to perform with Cocodaco at Prisma-Festival Internacional de Danza Contemporanea in Panama. 

Miranda Borkan

Dancer / Administration // Chicago

(Photo by Chloe Hamilton @chloealexisham)

Miranda Borkan grew up in Chicago, IL training with Extensions Dance Company under the direction of Lizzie MacKenzie. She attended the Ailey School/ Fordham University BFA program and graduated with a double major in Dance Performance and Theology. After graduating, she became a performing apprentice with River North Dance Chicago.  She then joined Cirqua Rivera Dance Company and became their rehearsal director, meanwhile she also enjoyed teaching at Extensions Dance Center acting as assistant to the director, and setting original choreography on the company.  She has spent 2 summers as a company member with Dance In The Parks, was a company apprentice for Visceral Dance Chicago for 1 season, and performed in Utah with Odyssey Dance Theatre’s “Thriller”. Miranda has also danced with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and made her musical theater debut in 2018 as an ensemble member in the Marriott Theatre’s production of “Oklahoma!” as well as “The Producers” at The Paramount Theatre in Aurora, IL.

Kristen Donovan, originally from Pinckney, Michigan, began her dance training with Performing Arts Dance Theater. She attended the University of Michigan, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance and studied with faculty members such as Peter Sparling, Rodger Belman, Julie Tice, and Amy Chavasse.Kristen currently dances with Cocodaco Dance Project, and serves as the company’s Rehearsal Director. She has been performing with a 90’s hip hop cover band, Too White Crew, for the past 4 years. Kristen is inspired by sensuality, grit, and generosity of movement.

(Photo by Megan Guise Photography)

Jack  Taylor, Southern California native, started dancing at the age of nine where acclaimed tap dancer, Alfred Desio, quickly discovered Jack’s potential and made him his protégé. In his preteen years, Jack trained at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, where he was exposed to a variety of different dance styles. Ms. Allen encourages her students to be "triple threats,” which led Jack to train as an actor and singer, as well as a dancer. Jack is most notably known as Dandruff Danny on the television series Hannah Montana. Jack continued his training at the Orange County School Of the Arts (OCSA), where he majored in Musical Theatre and Commercial Dance. It was his training and involvement at OCSA that led him to meet Jessie Riley, creative director of the company Westside Dance Project (WDP). Jack performed with WDP for 6 years, while also obtaining his BFA in Dance and BA in Dance Science from California State University, Long Beach. The summer of 2018, Jack decided to change his scenery and move to Chicago. He excited to now dance for the contemporary company NOW Dance Project directed by Jackie Nowicki.