Tashara Gavin-Moorehead

Tashara Gavin-Moorehead is a professional dancer, choreographer, educator and emerging dance scholar, currently based out of Los Angeles. Tashara graduated Cum Laude from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in 2008 and has recently earned her MFA from California State University Long Beach. In the last fifteen years she has danced with Inspirit Dance Company, Vissi Dance Theater, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Lula Washington Dance Theater, and Jazzantiqua Music and Dance Ensemble. Tashara has presented her independent work through The Orange County Emerging Choreographers Showcase, “Reflect” choreography showcase, and The LA Dance Festival. She loves the art of teaching and teaches at a variety of universities and in public school throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Tashara is passionate about her African ancestry and heritage, and uses dances as her way of understanding herself and her world better. She is currently researching the relationship between the Nguzo Saba and jazz improvisation as a liberation practice and is deeply committed to the continued fight for liberation and freedom for people of the African diaspora.

Julia Hallissey-Horner

Julia Hallissey Horner (she/her/ella) is a dance performer, educator, and seminary student based in New York City. A graduate from Cleveland School of the Arts, and the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program she holds a dual-BFA in Dance and Gender Studies. She currently directs the non-profit, JUNTOS Collective, an organization that creates opportunities for intercultural exchange and leadership development through dance. She also teaches ballet with Discovery Programs in the UWS, and performs with Hudson Ballet Theatre across the city and the Hudson Valley. Julia will graduate from Union Theological Seminary this May, earning her Masters of Divinity, concentrating in Preaching, Worship, and the Arts and Interreligious Engagement.

Nastia Khlopina

Nastia Khlopina, MDiv ‘23 (Union Theological Seminary). Jane Wohl and Nastia were in the same dance class together. Nastia feels very honored and grateful that Jane invited her to have this part in her final project. 

Anabella Lenzu

Originally from Argentina, Anabella Lenzu is a dancer, choreographer, writer and teacher with over 30 years of experience working in Argentina, Chile, Italy, and the USA. 

Lenzu directs her own company, Anabella Lenzu/DanceDrama (ALDD), which since 2006 has presented 390 performances, created 14 choreographic works and performed at 100 venues, presenting thought provoking and historically conscious dance-theater in NYC.

As a choreographer, she has been commissioned all over the world for opera, TV programs, theatre productions, and by many dance companies. She has produced and directed several award-winning short dance films and screened her work in over 50 festivals both nationally and internationally, including London, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, Poland, Serbia, Cyprus, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

Anabella’s work has been seen at La Mama, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Movement Research at Judson Church, Draftworks at DanceSpace project/ St. Mark Church, 92nd Street Y, HERE Arts Center, Abrons Arts Center, DUO Multicultural Arts Center, Queens Museum, Bronx Museum, Gibney Dance, Center for Performance Research, Triskelion, Chez Bushwick, Roulette, Chashama, Dixon Place, Sheen Center, The Consulate of Argentina in NYC, NYU/Casa Zerilli Marimo, University Settlement, Baruch Performing Arts Center, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Instituto Cervantes, 3LD Center for Art & Technology, Kumble Theater/Long Island University, among many others.  She has received grants from Brooklyn Arts Council, Puffin Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Edwards Foundation, The Vermont Community Foundation, and the Independent Community Foundation.

Lenzu has written for various dance and art magazines, and published her first book in 2013, entitled Unveiling Motion and Emotion. The book contains writings in Spanish and English on the importance of dance, community, choreography, and dance pedagogy. 

Currently, Lenzu conducts classes at NYU Gallatin, School of Visual Arts, The Joffrey Ballet School, and Peridance Center.

Kathy Lin

Kathy Lin is a first-year MDiv student studying Psychology and Religion. Her interests include queer theology, queer art and religious iconography, and cats.

Jane Wohl

Jane Wohl is a poet and retired teacher. She is currently a Masters of Divinity Student at Union Theological Seminary in New York. This piece was a project for the "Dance in Practice" class at Union.