Artists
             
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MELANIE LALANDE, JOHN CRAIG, AMY CUPPETT STIVERSON, LAURA LAMP, JOYE THOMAS, 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
GYPSIES
LINDSEY CULIN, ASHLEY CUPPETT, JAEDRA DIGIAMMARINO, ANNIE LEVITT, JULIA OAKES, TORI VIOLETTA
OLD SOULS
GABBY AMATO BOSELOVIC, JORDAN GEHLEY, LINDSAY INGRAM, AHMAD MAATY
COLLABORATORS
TOY FALCONE, JESSE GUESSFORD, JAIR KAMPERVEEN, CONNIE WEIS O’MARA, MICHAEL WIENER
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Lindsey Culin has been dancing since the age of three, studying ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical. Her training has included dancing at The Dance Company and Swan Ballet in Fairfax, Va., Joy of Motion in Washington, D.C. and the Broadway Dance Center in New York. Lindsey graduated with a BA in Communications from George Mason University. While attending college she danced for the nationally ranked George Mason Masonettes Dance Team. Currently, Lindsey is a senior instructor for The Dance Company and choreographer for the TDC Dancers competitive dance team. She also is a communications specialist for Fairfax County Government Office of Public Affairs.
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Ashley Cuppett has been dancing since the age of three. She is now teaching and choreographing at the studio that formed her into the dancer she is today—Cuppett Performing Arts Center. She has performed in many award winning dances and has been choreographing since the age of 15. She has been dancing with Mayzsoul since August of 2007.
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Jaedra DiGiammarino is a 2008 Dickinson College graduate with a B.A. in dance and theater. She gained additional dance training at the American Dance Festival in 2006 and 2008, at the Bates Dance Festival in 2009, and physical theater and mask work training at L’Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy 2007. She has a diverse movement background including yoga, contact improvisation, modern dance, commedia, and clowning. She currently dances for UpRooted Dance and Mayzsoul Dance as well as teaching Yoga in the DC metropolitan area. For more information check ayogapractice.yolasite.com.
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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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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.
ALUMN:
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Jordan Gehley graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2009 with a B.A. in Philosophy and a Minor in Dance. Jordan has been extremely lucky to perform in works by Andy Blankenbuehler, Ashley Anderson, Keira Hart, Ruth Andrien, and Jose Limon, as well as work with members of Paul Taylor Dance Company and Shen Wei Dance Arts through the American Dance Festival. She has also had the opportunity to work with Carnival Cruise Lines, UpRooted Dance, DC Dance Is The Answer, The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, 1st Stage Tysons Corner, Mayzsoul, Kelley Donovan & Dancers, and now Racoco Productions. She is currently pursuing performance and choreography in New York City.
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Lindsay danced with Mayzsoul from 2007-2010. Lindsay danced ballet and pointe throughout her highschool years, and was lucky enough to discover Mayzsoul while in undergrad. She started as a company member and was Operations Manager for one year. Mayzsoul has shaped her into the woman, and lover of dance that she is today. She loved her time with Mayzsoul and wished it could have lasted longer. Lindsay is currently studying for her doctorate in Clinical Psychology in Chicago, and is an alumnus of George Mason University and Marymount University. She has taken up marathon running to make up for the loss of such a wonderful company, and participates in contact improv jam sessions to keep dance in her life. Lindsay will always support Mayzsoul and is excited to see where the future takes this company!
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Ahmad M. Maaty is in his final year as an acting M.F.A. candidate at the acclaimed Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City. He graduated from George Mason University in May 2009 with a B.A. in Theatre and a Minor in Dance. Ahmad performs and teaches in NYC and the DC Metro area. He was also a member of the Bats Acting Company in NYC in the Summer of 2011 and regularly performs as a guest artist for Silk Road Dance Company in DC, with whom he performed in Doha, Qatar at the Asia Cup Games in January 2011. Ahmad danced with Mayzsoul, Inc. in six concerts beginning with “The Pull,” and ending with “Siren.” While with Mayzsoul, Inc. he was the Artistic Director for “Fresh” and “Le Monde Secret.”
COLLABORATORS:
Most people would classify Jesse Guessford as an experimental composer, his family, however, thinks he should write horror movie soundtracks. Over the years he has softened; occasionally a chord may appear that is not fully dissonant. Generally, he sees himself taking the rules broken in the 50′s and 60′s (which are now half a century ago) and borrowing what he needs fro different schools of thought for each piece. He subscribes to no set ideology, but that in itself is an ideology. He usually can found composing for electronics, but then again he also composes for solo instruments and chamber groups, so it all depends on what is on the program. Also, he has a secret interest in becoming a lounge pianist, which does not fit in musically with his compositions. As a side note, he does have a doctorate in composition, which lends a hint of credibility to some of his crazy ideas.
Connie has been dancing for 32 years and teaching for over 25. During this time, she toured throughout the Washington area with the Kathy Harty Gray Dance Theater. She also performed with Upright Vertebrates, Diane Floyd & Saturday Company, Contemporary Dancers of Alexandria, and as a guest performer for several local choreographers. Connie’s dance training has emphasized the historic modern techniques of Martha Graham, José Limon, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman. She holds an A.B. in Sociology from Miami University in Ohio. Connie has been honored with scholarships to study at the University of Chicago, where she received an M.A. in Urban Studies, and to study dance with the Joyce Trisler Company of New York and at the Dance Project in Washington, D.C. with Jan Van Dyke. Connie teachers Moern and Yoga for the Cuppett Performing Arts Center, stretch and tone classes for private corporations, and private/individual classes upon request.
Michael is a New York City based film and theater actor, performer and writer. Recent film: a central role as new age cult leader in The Other Way Round, the feature film debut of noted novelist Brian Pera. Next: title character, a disturbed Hasidic man, in Where is Joel Baum, the first narrative film from award-winning documentary filmmaker Pearl Gluck (“Divan”). A music collaboration, The Children… celebrates its first album release with a multimedia performance at St. Mark’s Church, Nov. 18. Michael is volcalist-lyricist of this group, composed of alumni from bands like Swans, Cop Shoot Cop, and Barkmarket. Michael’s projects have taken him to theaters, museums, galleries, rock clubs, college campuses, the pages of magazines, television talk shows, film festivals, runways and hotels all around the country. Much of this activity has occurred, or been birthed in New York City, and occasionally, his native Washington D.C. He is greatly inspired by this nascent collaboration with Melanie, Toy and Mayzsoul.
