MEGAN LOWE DANCES

JOSE E. ABAD

jose e. abad (they/them) is a multidisciplinary performance artist, DJ, and curator based in unceded Ramaytush Ohlone Territory. Born in Olongapo City, Philippines to a Filipina Mother and an Afro-Carribean U.S. Naval Soldier, their work explores the complexities of cultural identity at the crossroads of gender, sexuality, class, and race in the United States. Through dance theater, sonic and visual experimentation, they unearth lost histories that reside in the body, that the mind has forgotten and dominant culture has erased.

Photo by: Maurice Ramirez

Brenton Cheng

Brenton Cheng (he/him) is a movement explorer who has performed with many internationally-acclaimed and local heroes such as Contraband, Zaccho Dance Theater, Angus Balbernie, Epiphany Productions, Flyaway Productions, and many others, at such places as Jacob's Pillow, Bates Dance Festival, and the Avignon Festival in France. He teaches Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis, contact improvisation, and somatically-based performance skills to professional and non-professional movers in classes and workshops around the world. When not focused on movement, he supports efforts at the Internet Archive to provide universal access to the world’s knowledge.

Sonsherée Giles

Sonsherée (sher/her) is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, costume designer, and founder of the collaborative container, This Sweet Nothing. She enjoys making dances based on the observation of animals, landscapes, art history, and daily life experiences. Sonsherée has an MFA in performance/choreography from Mills College and from 2005-2015, she was a performing/teaching artist with AXIS Dance Company. In addition to dancing with MLD, Sonsherée has performed with Flyaway Productions, Lizz Roman & Dancers, Nancy Karp + Dancers, and more. She has taught contemporary dance in public school systems, institutions, dance festivals, and universities. Sonsherée has received an Isadora Duncan Dance Award for ensemble performance, and a Homer Avila Award for Excellence in the field of integrated dance.

Photo by: Gary Sexton

Melissa Lewis Wong

Melissa Lewis (she/they/他 - AKA Deuce Lee) is a queer, biracial Chinese American artist working with mixed identities and mediums. She thinks often of mother tongues, tube tops, Bruce Lee and drag. Her physicality comes from a background of traditional Chinese folk arts, Western modern dance, and martial arts—with contemporary performance as a place for her intersections to breathe. Melissa is also a photographer, a drag cabaret regular, and an arts administrator.

Photo by: Maurice Ramirez

Frances Teves Sedayao

Frances Teves Sedayao (sher/her) is a multi-disciplinary dance artist who has performed and toured with wonderful Bay Area notables over the past 20 years. She does collaborative and independent dance works both locally and internationally; is an alumna of Alvin Ailey American Dance School, NY and CSU East Bay where she currently teaches. Frances was a Serpent Source grant recipient, Featured Dance Artist for SF APAture, and Dance Resident of Art OMI International in NY. She currently works with Bandelion Dancetheater, Alleluia Panis’ Kularts, Anne Bluethenthal and Sarah Bush Dance Project. 

Photo by: Gary Sexton

ShirA Yaziv

Shira (sher/her) is a dancer, teacher, bodyworker, and facilitator. She enjoys encouraging people to be in their bodies while learning new skills, being creative, listening and adapting to the changing present moment. Shira is the co-founder and owner of Athletic Playground, a dynamic indoor place-space, inspiring physical play through a wide variety of movement classes. She offers private sessions, weekly group classes, workshops, bodywork sessions, and yearly retreats. In addition to dancing with MLD, Shira has performed with Scott Wells & Dancers, Sebastian Grubb/BodyWagging, Zoe Klein Productions, and more.

Photo by: Gary Sexton

Zachary Abelson

Zachary Abelson (he/him) is a half Chinese, half white musician originally from Cerritos, an asian immigrant town on the outskirts of LA county. He grew up playing jazz saxophone and enjoys jamming with other artists from all types of backgrounds. He spends his time with his loved ones and pondering life—always grateful for the opportunity to create and share.

Photo by: Lana Vasiljevic

Marica Petrey
GIRL SWALLOWS NIGHTENGALE

Girl Swallows Nightingale was hatched when Marica Petrey (she/her) wrote too much music for one of her fantasy film projects and made it the perfect excuse to start a band in Oakland. With songwriting inspired by Japanese folklore, anime, science fiction, and epic saga, GSN conjures a cinematic experience, painting a vivid musical canvas that shifts its colors between modern rock, jazz, theater, funk, and pop, to underwater soundscapes and dreams of outer space. In addition to leading GSN, Marica is an award winning filmmaker, a journalist for CALIFORNIA Magazine, and founder of RADIX Troupe Productions.

Andrea Wang

Andrea Wang (she/her) is a Chinese American musician, songwriter, and nonprofit brand strategist—a storyteller by trade. She currently works as a marketer for the de Young and Legion of Honor museums. A vocalist and pianist, Andrea has been a multi-genre performer for most of her life. She plays with the band Girl Swallows Nightingale and can be heard on their debut album, Shapeshifter.