Artists
       
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MELANIE LALANDE, JOHN CRAIG, AMY CUPPETT STIVERSON, GRACIE VALDEZ
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
CREATIVE PRODUCER
MANAGER OF OPERATIONS
SOULS
VANESSA BUSH, JULIUS ELEGIDO, SHELLY HARTSOOK, JENN RUHL KUBILUS, MICHELLE MURGIA, MONICA MURGIA, TYREE RAMOS, JOYE THOMAS
Melanie Lalande, company Founder and Director, has been a noted dance instructor in the DC metropolitan area for many years, based in northern Virginia, following her training at GMU. Meanwhile, she has worked extensively as a choreographer in the corporate/commercial realm—most notably as the tour choreographer for acclaimed hiphop act The Roots and her current work as Artistic Director of Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE. Mayzsoul is the manifestation of a long gestation–the emergence of the artist from the cocoon–allowing Melanie Lalande to, at last, showcase not only the whip crackin’ craft of her long trained ensemble, but also, of course, her ideas as a choreographer in her own right, unfettered, with no constraints, not to mention as an amateur scientist, philosopher and all around curious cat. It’s been a long time comin’ …home.
Amy Cuppett Stiverson, Artistic and Business Director, is Mrs. Cuppett’s’ Grand Finale’. Under her mother’s tuttelage, Amy performed and competed with the Cuppett Dance Company and danced as a soloist in all the Cuppett ballets. She also studied with the Washington Ballet School, and attended the Teacher’s Training School at Kent University. Amy earned a B.S. degree in Finance from Old Dominion University in 1992 and managed a successful career in Mortgage Banking and Real Estate for 7 years. Feeling a ‘pull’ back to her art, she took her business skills and began managing and promoting the Cuppett Performing Arts Center in the late 90′s, of which her efforts contributed to tripling the enrollment at CPAC. More recently Amy has been rehearsing her ‘Artistic’ side—her award-winning choreography can be seen on the 55-member Cuppett Dance Company for which she directs. Amy served as Master Teacher for a Dance Masters of America Student/Teacher Workshop and was recognnized as a Virginia Governor’s School Outstanding Educator in 2004. She is a teacher member of the Cecchetti Council of America. Amy is the mother for three beautiful girls and a handsome boy.
Gracie Valdez is a graduate of George Mason University with a B.A. in Art (History). She danced through college with the nationally ranked George Mason Masonettes Dance Team. Gracie was an award winning choreographer and teacher for Cuppett Performing Arts Center in Vienna, VA and the coach of the James Madison High School Dance Team. Currently, Gracie is on tour with Cirque du Soleil as a stage manager. Gracie has been dancing with Mayzsoul since it’s creation and was named Rehearsal Director/Operations Manager in 2008. In 2009, she was named Assistant Artistic Director.
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Vanessa Bush is a graduate of Virginia Tech and a lover of many forms of dance. Throughout her life, she has been trained in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip hop, swing, salsa, belly dancing and Filipino folk dancing. During her college years, she was very involved in Blacksburg’s dance community. She was a member of Salsa Tech and the Contemporary Dance Ensemble (CDE). CDE provided many opportunities for Vanessa to choreograph, teach and perform. During her junior year, she helped build and coordinate the Remembrance Through Dance program and served as the Memorial Director her senior year. She was a dance instructor at The Center of Dance for 3 years teaching ballet, jazz, Afro-centric movement and creative movement.
Currently, Vanessa is a marketing professional for an IT security group located in Northern Virginia. She is happy and excited to share her love of dance with the other members of Mayzsoul and the dance community as a whole.
Julius Villalobos Elegido grew up in the islands of the Philippines where his parents let him roam free to explore the world with no boundaries. As a young mover, Julius discovered many native forms of dance that led him to other types of movement like swimming and karate. Julius began his professional training in high school with Melanie Lalande at Fairfax Academy for Communications and Arts. He then joined La Me Zoul and was given the opportunity to perform in Phoenix, Arizona. Mayzsoul was the glue that put Julius together, and he was named Assistant Artistic Director for the company. Julius soon left for school and continued his training at Virginia Commonwealth University where he is working to achieve a BFA in Dance and Choreography. There he has worked with gifted professors James Frazier, Scott Putman and Martha Curtis. In the summer of 2011, Julius trained at the American Dance Festival where he had the chance to work with Monica Bill Barnes and Trebian Pollard. After many years of dance training and performance, Julius found his niche in the art form of Drag, and he will pursue his career in Los Angeles after he graduates.
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Shelly Hartsook has been dancing with Mayzsoul since August 2010. She has recently completed her second performance, “Siren.” Shelly is currently studying jazz, tap, lyrical, and hip-hop at The Dance Company in Fairfax, Virginia. She is grateful to have the opportunity to express herself through dance with such an amazing group of dancers.
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Jenn Ruhl Kubilus grew up dancing in New Jersey, New York City and the Philadelphia areas. She is well versed in contemporary, modern, lyrical, ballet, pointe, jazz and acro-dance. She graduated from George Mason University with a BFA degree in Dance and a minor in Arts Administration. While attending college she both performed and choreographed with the GMU Dance Company. As part of resident artist programs she has performed in the works of Kevin Campbell, Danny Ezralow, Susan Marshall, Kate Skarpetowska, Lar Lubovitch, and Paul Taylor. Jenn has presented works at GMU’s Harris Theater’s Dance Concerts and one of her piece’s represented GMU at the American College Dance Festival. Jenn also performed with Momentum Dance Theatre during the 2006 Capitol Fringe Festival while completing her Arts Administration Internship. Her athletic background in gymnastics, spring board diving and competitive dance has shaped her creative style. She has choreographed for the T.C Williams High School theater program and volunteered in dance outreach programs. She has worked throughout the DC Metro area as an independent dancer, model, and choreographer. In 2004 Jenn began working with the youth competitive company and recreational adult classes at Chris Collins Dance Studio. She has also joined the dance teaching staff at Cuppett Performing Arts Center and is the Show Choir Choreographer for Colonial Forge High School. Jenn is a dancer and choreographer with Mayzsoul, and is the current Manager of Operations.
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Laura is a dancer, choreographer, photographer, and occasional filmmaker. She has enjoyed dancing for Melanie Lalande, Alexandra Sachs, Giada Ferrone, and Kazuko Hirabayashi among others. She has presented her own work in Washington, New York, and in Charleston with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. Laura holds a B.F.A. from George Mason University, and has also studied at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the North Carolina School of the Arts, the American Ballet Theatre Collegiate Program, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. She often visits the Kalalau Valley on the island of Kauai, the one spot where she feels in tune with the world. Laura is currently serving as the Creative Producer for Mayzsoul while living and working in New York. www.lauramlamp.com
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Michelle is a dancer and choreographer with Mayzsoul and has been a part of the company from the start. She felt dance was for her after studying ballet under Troy Brown, but knew contemporary was her style after performing pieces by Billy Larson and the late Mark Marino. Having grown up in the competition scene of the dance world, she found her niche performing and had a budding love for choreography at an early age as well. Since dancing with Mayzsoul, Michelle has grown immensely as a dancer but is still evolving as a person and soul. In addition to dance and choreography, Michelle has a deep passion for both makeup artistry and food.
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Tyree was born in Alexandria, Virginia and started her dance journey at the age of three. She started her formal training with Chris Collins Dance Studio where she studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, gymnastics and Lyrical. Tyree became a member of Chris Collins Dance Company in 1993. In her many years of dance with CCDS she received awards for her 15 years of dedication and was also the 2001 Student of the Year. Tyree has competed in many east coast dance competitions such as Hall of Fame, Showstopper, Foot Loose and Accent on Youth. Tyree continued her studies in dance at Studio One School of Performing Arts where she found her niche in modern dance and also became a member of Fusion Dance Company. She has been graced with opportunities to study with great choreographers such as Kathy Hardy Gray, Bob Rizzo, and the Tap Dogz. In 2009, Tyree completed level four of the Dance Masters of America Teacher Training School where she received an advanced teaching certification. She has choreographed pieces for Flint Hill High School’s dance team, Dream in Color, Studio One, Creative Dance Center, and is currently teaching for Chris Collins Dance studio. Her favorite quote of all times is by Martha Graham and describes what she tries to instill in her students every day: “Great dancers are not great because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.” Tyree has recently decided to go back to school and apply her passion and dance knowledge to receive her MSC in Dance Science and Physical Therapy. Tyree is a proud dance member and choreographer with Mayzsoul, and is in charge of Media Relations.
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Before birth, Joye was already an artist. She was born a visionary and became a dancer. Joye Thomas has been dancing since the age of three. She started her formal training a couple years later at the Russell School of Ballet, home of the Fairfax Ballet, in Chantilly, Virginia. After Joye was asked to be in their company, she had the opportunity to perform at numerous venues such as George Mason Center for the Arts, Joy of Motion, and Dance Place. She danced in works by Tony Powell and Lucy Bowen-McCaley. During her last two years of high school she had the opportunity to take a dance class at the Fairfax County School for Communications and the Arts, under the tutelage of Melanie Lalande. After graduating high school Joye went on to attend Point Park University, for dance, under the teachings of Nicolas Petrov and Judith Leifer- Bentz. After a year and a half she left college, to find her way through the world without dance. Funny, because the second she tried to leave the dance world it came pulling her back in. Thats when her mentor, Melanie Lalande, started—Mayzsoul. A year later, inspired, Joye decided to continue her dance education at Virginia Commonwealth University for dance and teach for Jessica Morgan School of Dance. There she taught; Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Fitness, and Hip Hop. Some of her dances have won Gold and Platnium Awards, and also top score overalls. While she was teaching, Joye produced artists out of that studio. Joye has moved back to Northern Virginia and is more than excited to continue to be apart of Mayzsoul. She is ready to push the company further than they’ve ever gone, motivate, educate, and create original and groundbreaking work.
