Cheryl Delostrinos (Mama bear)
is a Filipino American born and raised in Seattle. She trained with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Cornish College of the Arts, and the University of Washington Dance program. Delostrinos spent summers attending dance intensives with the American Ballet Theater, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, the American Dance Festival, Doug Varone and Dancers, and the Alvin Ailey School in New York. In 2013, she graduated with a B.A in Dance from the UW and was awarded the Evelyn H. Green endowed scholarship for artistic merit and promise. In September of 2014, Delostrinos presented her duet Closer at the CHIN Project at the 92 street Y under the direction of Doug Varone. In Seattle, she has been commissioned to choreograph for Relay Dance Company, The Contemporary Jazz Dance Festival, and for Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences. Delostrinos is the Artistic Director of Au Collective and is currently working with Pat Graney on her premiere of Girl Gods presented by On the Boards.
Sam Picart
Picart originally started dancing in Kansas City as a teenager, being self-taught in urban dance styles. Picart continues to develop his own unique style by blending Urban Street disciplines and contemporary dance techniques, respectively. He began his formal dance training at 18 years old with his Aunt Jennifer Picart-Branner (formerly of the Frankfurt Ballet). Picart received a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts and studied on scholarship at Joffrey Ballet in New York City. He has danced featured roles in the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Jose Limon’s ‘Psalm’, and Camille A Brown’s ‘New Second Line’. Picart is also a founding member of Ashani dances directed by Iyun Ashani Harrison. Recently, Picart was the chosen winner of Ellen Degeneres’ Dance Off competition and was a featured guest on the show. Currently, Picart teaches, choreographs, and performs all over the US with Seattle as his home base. Picart is also a new addition to AU Collective beginning the spring of 2016. He forever considers himself a student.
Our supporters
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
The American Dance Therapy Association
Good Therapy
Megan Erickson
is a Seattle based dance artist with a B.A. in dance from the University of Washington. Post graduating, Erickson trained with Spectrum Dance Theater’s Academy Program where she also held an internship under the direction of the Artistic Director of the School. Erickson has a strong passion for choreographing, and recently choreographed for Relay Dance Collective’s benefit performance in the spring of 2015. In her time at the University of Washington she choreographed for the Dance Major’s Concert for two years, was president of the Dance Student Association (DSA), and participated as a dancer and choreographer in DSA’s productions of InFlux. Erickson was the stage manager/lighting designer for Seattle Contemporary Jazz Project in 2013. She has attended the Limón Summer intensive 2012 in New York, and the Dance This 2009 in Seattle. Erickson’s other performance opportunities include Spectrum’s Holiday performance, UW’s MFA concert, Westlake Dance Center’s Sign of the Times, and the American College Dance Festival.
Austin Nguyen
Is a Seattleite, performer, creator, and advocate for both the arts and the sciences. Nguyen graduated from the University of Washington in 2013 with degrees in biology-physiology and dance studies. Prior to his formal dance education at the UW, he began his dance career in the comfort of his living room, learning various styles of hip-hop, particularly popping and locking and isolations. Since graduating, he has had great pleasure working with wonderful companies and people including the Chamber Dance Company, Jennifer Salk, Paul Moore, Paula J. Peters, and Rhonda Cinotto, among others. Nguyen is currently focused on fusing both his contemporary modern and hip-hop dance techniques while trying to find his own voice and identity in the dance community. Outside of the arts, Nguyen is an advocate for health and is currently applying to medical school.