Luis Antonio
Luis Antonio (Teaching Artist, Dancer) is a original dancer of Elm City Dance Collective, performing since 2008. Luis graduated from the Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven, CT in 2005, where he studied dance under Susan Matheke and studied ballet at New Haven Ballet under Noble Barker. Luis wrote, choreographed, and produced “Escapade: An Unusual Experience,” which premiered in October 2015 at Lyric Hall Theater in New Haven. Luis has performed with Nazorine Paglia (New Haven, CT); Full Force Dance Theater (Hartford, CT); and Salix Productions (Hartford, CT). Luis is a teacher and choreographer at Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School in New Haven, CT; New England Ballet School in Orange, CT; and Cross Drama at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, CT. Luis is excited to be dancing with stunningly talented dancers and is thankful for the opportunity to be able to do what he loves.
"My short spurt of time here in New Haven has seemed to be divinely linked with the IYKYT project. I came in right as it was beginning and will be moving away only 3 short months after it's premiere. It has been a most incredible honor to step into the shoes of an ECDC company member for one of their full length works. The way ECDC collaborates with each other and pours their lives and souls into their creative process is unlike anything I've been apart of before. This is the first full-length, evening work I've been a part of from start to finish and it has been an absolute joy ride! I have learned so much about myself (both past and present) through this process and have simply fallen in love with this company of magnificent creatures. I will miss each of them and this magical work most ardently!"
Samantha Russell
Samantha (Sam), a dancer from North Carolina, has been with ECDC since June of 2014, right as the creative process for IYKYT was beginning. Although you won't see her physical self inside of the piece (due to maternity leave) know that many of her "isims" live inside of the work with her spirit embedded in its blueprint.
Sam attended Purchase College, SUNY, as a student of their dance conservatory program and completed her BA in Dance at Appalachian State University in 2011. She co-founded the non-profit, NC based, dance company Defero Dance Collective back in 2009 and still works with them from afar. Sam also works for Aldrich Pilates as a Pilates, GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® instructor. She will be moving back home to NC this June; a bittersweet return.
~