artistic director & founder

ChristinaNoel Reaves is a multidisciplinary performing artist, choreographer, and educator. She received her BA in Music: Voice Performance from Georgia State University and an MFA in Dance at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. As a performer Reaves has worked with the likes of Danielle Russo Dance Co, Patricia Noworol Dance, Collectivodoszeta, Ivy Baldwin, Nathan Trice/Rituals, Monstah Black, Zoetic Dance Ensemble, expanDANCE, more.

Reaves has presented original work at Peridance Capezio Center, The Irondale Center, Judson Memorial Church, Teatro LaTEA, Triskelion Arts, Dance Theatre of Ireland, The Bessie Workshop, the DanceNOW Dancemopolitan Festival ,Joe’s PUB, LaMama, Legros Women in Dance Studio Series, Fete de L’Hurricaine Festival, DanceNOW Raw Festival, Dixon Placeʼs Crossing Boundaries Festivals and more. She originated “Rapture Of The Heroine (guurrrl)” on Zoetic Dance Ensemble of Atlanta in 2012 & 2013.

Reaves has been a teacher and choreographer for Dancewave of Brooklyn, Open House Nursery School, Muse Academy, and The Dalton School. She has led master classes and workshops for Irelandʼs Shawbrook School, Scotlandʼs Aberdeen International Youth Festival, and Zoetic Dance Ensemble of Atlanta. Reaves has been an Ambassador for Zoetic Dance and is the Resident Movement Instructor for The Harrower Professional Opera Workshop held annually in Atlanta

In 2011 Reaves founded her company, ChristinaNoel & The Creature creating cohesive works drawing on the unique talents of her performers.

In 2016 Reaves formed her own children’s performing company, The Ephyras, which derives its name from the youthful stage of a jellyfish lifecycle. Her process for Ephyras is to develop children’s technique by first focusing on their imaginations by employing exercises in creativity.

executive director

Liz Westbrook is a movement artist and dance maker originating from New Hampshire. She attended Bennignton College and The University of the Arts for Movement Composition and Contemporary Dance. She has previously interned in dance administrative, education, and publication based roles with Critical Correspondence, Movement Research, Vermont Dance Alliance, Urbanity Dance, and Mark Morris Dance Group. She was an instructor at Urbanity Dance in Boston, where she specialized in community-driven initiatives that supported children with physical and developmental disabilities, underfunded arts programs in schools, and immigrant-focused vocational training programs. Through her work, she harnessed the transformative power of dance and movement education to empower and uplift these communities. She has danced in original work by: Natalia Fernàndez, Unbound Dance Collective, Denali Huff, Yang Sun & Poets, Nadine Gerspecher, Grant Jacoby, Laura Sanchez, The Seacoast Repertory Theatre, and more. Her original work has been presented at MADCO Dance, Arts on Site, Creature Space, The Seacoast Repertory Theatre, Junction Dance Festival, The Foundry Boston, Moulin/Belle in France.

www.lizwestbrook.com

faculty member & co-director of education

Basia Lamy is a dance educator based in New York City. She trained Pre-Professionally at Pacific Northwest Ballet School before receiving her BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a minor in Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. 

Her training includes programs with Miami City Ballet, The Kirov Academy of Ballet, Ballet Chicago, and Alonzo King Lines Ballet. 

Basia has over five years of teaching experience and is a Certified Teacher in American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, Pre Primary- Level 3. In the present, Basia works as a Teaching Artist for both Ballet Tech Public School for Dance and American Ballet Theatre. 

In 2023, Basia joined the Ephyras team creating the ballet program. In 2024, she became a Co-Education Director for the Ephyras and put on the very first Ephyras Nutcracker production. 

head of development & director support

Shadé Mckenzie is a systems-minded creative and operations professional with over a decade of experience supporting organizations, founders, and community-centered businesses. With a background spanning executive assistance, operations, fundraising, event planning, and youth-focused work, Shadé brings a thoughtful, people-first approach to building structures that allow organizations to grow sustainably.

Shadé has over 15 years of experience working closely with children and families as both a caregiver and tutor, grounding her professional work in patience, communication, and care. She has also spent 11 years supporting a successful local business as an executive assistant, developing a deep understanding of day-to-day operations, leadership support, and behind-the-scenes problem solving.

Certified in wedding and event planning, Shadé has contributed to a wide range of events and productions, including New York Fashion Week and large-scale community festivals. Her experience includes social media management, customer engagement, and operational coordination across both in-person and remote environments.

In addition, Shadé has applied for and supported hundreds of grant applications for her own business and for organizations she has worked with, with a focus on growth, improvement, and long-term sustainability. Known for her attention to detail, adaptability, and collaborative spirit, Shadé is deeply committed to creating systems and spaces where both people and organizations can thrive.

faculty member

Makenna Hosobuchi-Wolff is a New York City–based dancer and performing artist originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. She trained at the California Academy of Performing Arts, where she developed a well-rounded foundation in ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, tap, and musical theater. Makenna deepened her education through summer intensives with renowned institutions including American Ballet Theatre, the Kirov Academy, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

She earned her BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2021, where she had the opportunity to perform in the off-Broadway production of Oklahoma! as well as in repertory works by Chuck Wilt, Shamel Pitts, Patricia Hoffbauer, and fellow student choreographers. Her training also extended internationally, studying abroad with Toscana Dance Hub in Florence and at the B12 Festival in Berlin.

As a freelance artist, Makenna has performed with a range of companies and choreographers including Bitedown Collective, Sikora + Dance, SLUT Dance Collective, Miranda Stück, and Sunhi Willa Keller. Her own choreographic voice has also been featured in performances with Chainmail, a multidisciplinary art collective.

Makenna is passionate about storytelling through movement and is actively pursuing a career on Broadway, bringing versatility, discipline, and a deep love of performance to every stage she steps on. 

faculty member & the creature company member

Isabelle Dayton (she/her) was pre-professionally trained in Chicago, Illinois at Extensions Dance Company under Lizzie MacKenzie before receiving her BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2020. After graduating she spent a year working professionally in Chicago with companies and collectives like Symbiosis Arts, Boom Crack!, and Identity Performing Arts. She is now currently based in Brooklyn, NY and working as a freelance artist with The Creature, Urban Tribe, Arsenal Movement, and Grace Tong. This is her second season with The Creature, and she’s looking forward to seeing how this next process will develop!

faculty member

I was born in Liberia and grew up in the United States, dancing my way through a local community studio. A serendipitous performance opportunity just prior to 2020 brought me to NYC for the first time, where I quickly realized I had finally found my heart’s home and next set my intention to train in NYC as soon as possible.
I then spent my high school training years at both NW Dance Project and Open Space in Portland, Oregon. I was honored to study with Gibney in the summer of 2024 and thrilled to be invited to their Choreographic Process which then brought my dreams full circle to move to NYC at age 19 in October of this last year.
I have been honored to set choreography over several years in Portland and was thrilled to make my NYC debut in June.

faculty member & the creature company member

Jonathan Matthews-Guzmán (they/them) joined The Creature in 2015 for Ash and Honey not long after graduating NYU Tisch with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Music. Their studies in work have taken them abroad to Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance, Toscana Dance HUB, Springboard Danse Montréal, and the International Theatre Festival of Kerala. They have additionally performed and choreographed with Darrah Carr Dance, Valerie Green/Dance Entropy, This is Not a Theatre Company, mishiDance, and BREAKTIME. A collaborative musician, Jonathan sings in The Cecilia Chorus of New York and Cantori New York, accompanies dance classes at Tisch and Barnard College, and music directs at West Milford Presbyterian Church. They were a 2021 dance curatorial fellow at SMUSH Gallery, and their writing can be found at Eye on Dance and the Arts, Dance Magazine, and BAC Stories. Jonathan's teaching has brought them to PS107, Irish Arts Center, The Calhoun School, and The Ephyras, for which Jonathan assistant teaches. 

the creature company member

Maddie Hopfield is a New York City-based dancer, performer, choreographer, writer, and taiko drummer (Casual Fifth, Taikoza). She has shown work at spaces including Kestrels, LifeWorld, the MAAS building, Urban Movement Arts, and Vox Populi. She currently makes work with Marin Day under the name PEPTALK. She has performed in the work of Barnett Cohen, Amelia Heintzelman, Paris Cullen & Sarah Zucchero, Lindsey Jennings, Maya Lee-Parritz, Leah Stein Dance Company, Philly Kerplop (Vince Johnson), Lily Kind, and Concept Kinetics ("Cricket" / James Colter), among others. She graduated from Bard College in 2017 with a BA in Dance and Written Arts. maddiehopfield.com

the creature company member

Rebecca Gual (she/her) is an Afro-Latine performer, choreographer, and project manager from Queens, New York. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance and Choreography from California Institute of the Arts. Gual creates dance works exploring involuntary emotional responses, dormant stimuli, and brutal honesty. Her works have been presented at venues including REDCAT, Ailey/Citigroup Theater, and Queens Museum. Alongside her choreography, she is a performer with ChristinaNoel and The Creature. rebecca-gual.com

the creature company member

Jamie is a freelance artist, performer, choreographer, and dance instructor in NYC. Originally from Long Island, NY, Jamie received her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Adelphi University with a major in Dance and minor in Psychology, and studied abroad at the London Contemporary Dance School in the UK. As a choreographer, she has set pieces at Adelphi University, for music videos, and on various dance studios. As a performer, she has danced works by Ohad Naharin, Azure Barton, Alexander Ekman, Paul Taylor, Manuel Vignoulle, Alice Klock, Florian Lochner, William Briscoe, Wesley Ensminger, and Michelle Thompson Ulerich, among others. Jamie has been a movement artist with Urban / Tribe, VALLETO Dance, Zullo/Raw Movement, Cloude.nyc, and currently, SAXYN Dance Works, TAKE Dance, and ChrstinaNoel & The Creature.

faculty member

Elleigh McClelland is a Brooklyn based human whose zest for connecting with other humans through unfiltered storytelling, shape making and laughing together is apparent in her teaching style and dance makings. McClelland has had the pleasure of presenting her own work at Arts On Site, SMUSH Gallery, Art House Productions, Wichita Art Museum and Harvester Arts. McClelland danced for six seasons with Regina Klenjoski Dance Company in Wichita, KS, where she also served as rehearsal assistant. While dancing with RKDC McClelland had the opportunity to perform at the Los Angeles Dance Festival, Spring to Dance Festival in St. Louis and at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City. McClelland earned her BFA in Dance Performance from Wichita State University in 2020, under the direction of Nick Johnson. While at WSU, McClelland performed works by such luminaires as Darrell Grand Moultrie, Charlotte Boye-Christensen, Jammie Walker, among others.

faculty member

Tonya Goltsev (she/they) is a theatre-maker, educator, visual artist, and director based in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up between California and Moscow, she trained at the American Conservatory of Theatre in San Francisco. Her studies took her to New York and Berlin, and in 2020, she earned a BFA in Acting from the  Experimental Theatre Wing and a minor in Film Production, at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Tonya’s artistic influences include training with theatre and movement practitioners such as Enrico Stolzenburg, Monika Gossman, Kevin Kuhlke, K.J. Holmes, and Ishmael Houston-Jones. Previously, she taught theatre at Portola Valley Theatre Conservatory in the Bay Area, and developed Arts and STEM curricula at Curious Jane in Brooklyn. In 2023, she started the theatre program at The Ephyras, where she teaches acting, improv, and devised theatre in weekly classes and summer programs. Passionate about fostering spaces for laughter, creativity, and collaborative storytelling, Tonya is dedicated to empowering young performers through movement-based theatre.

company musician

Brooklyn-based guitarist and composer Cameron Mizell, has been part of the diverse New York City music scene for over a decade, performing in a wide variety of genres from experimental improvisation to bluegrass musicals, salsa bands to solo jazz guitar. As a band leader and solo artist, Mizell has released eight albums in the past 17 years, ranging from jazz-funk to Americana to avant-garde experimentalism, and has collaborated with or produced artists on dozens more recordings. His latest solo effort, a meditative album titled The Order of Things, is a cinematic trip through ambient and post-rock textures, melodies, and improvisations. The Order of Things was created to find balance and calm through slow, purposeful, meditative music. Said New York Music Daily of the result: “Quietly and efficiently, Mizell has put together a remarkably tuneful, eclectic, understatedly cinematic body of work. In a world overpopulated by guys who play a million notes where one would do, Mizell’s economical, purposeful style stands out even more.”

To hear his music and learn more, visit http://cameronmizell.com.

company musician

Andreas Brade was born in Waiblingen, Germany but moved Massachusetts to study music at Berklee College of Music where he received his BA. After Graduating with his masters in Music from Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, Massachusettes, Andreas moved to NYC. Since then he has been an accompanist at the Mark Morris Dance Center, the Martha Graham School, the Joffery Ballet School and played classes for Alvin Ailey, Peridance, Tisch NYU and many more. As modern dance composer, Andreas has been composing music for over five years for Cornfield Dance and is music was performed at the 2015 Bryant Park Summer Concert Series, University Settlement, Dixon Place and the Scranton Civic Theatre. Andreas has performed with several world music groups at festivals and venues such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Kennedy Center, Boston Symphony Hall, The Blue Note and the Apollo Cafe, to name a few.

visual media artist, company musician

Aeric Meredith-Goujon was raised in southern Indiana but has been a New Yorker for the past decade and a half. In 1999 he received an MFA from Pratt Institute and his photographic interests revolve around bodies in states of extreme activity. Music, erotic portraiture, dance and fashion are among the subjects he pursues. Aeric lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children. http://aericmg.com