CHOREOGRAPHER & ARTISTIC COLLABORATORS BIOS

Bret Easterling Bret Easterling is an international dance artist and educator who received his BFA from The Juilliard School in 2010. He was a formative member of Gallim Dance in New York City before joining the internationally renowned Batsheva Dance Company under the direction of Ohad Naharin. Now based in Los Angeles, Bret is on faculty at USC’s Glorya Kaufman International School of Dance and is a certified Gaga teacher who stages Naharin’s repertory at collegiate BFA programs and professional dance companies around the world. He is an avid dance creator who received the Hector Zaraspe Prize for Choreography in 2010 and was recognized as a Choreographic Fellow at the inaugural Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship at Jacob’s Pillow in 2018. Bret is the founder and Artistic Director of BEMOVING, a non-profit dedicated to the transformative power of movement by producing accessible dance content and educational opportunities.

William Peterson (lighting designer) graduated from Weber State University’s Department of Performing Arts with a BA in Lighting Design/Stage Management. While a student, he received the National Barbizon Award for Excellence in Lighting Design from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He is currently the Technical Director/Stage Manager for the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and in his fourth season as the Production Stage Manager for California State University Summer Arts.

Katie Taylor (Co-Artistic Director, choreographer) Katie Taylor received a BFA from Juilliard where she studied both ballet and modern. After graduation she danced professionally with GroundWorks Dance Theater under the direction of David Shimotakahara. Katie grew up dancing here in Utah Valley and is glad to be back living in the beautiful mountains after a decade away. She is grateful to the students for their artistry and dedication and to her husband and four young children for their support.

Doris Hudson Trujillo (Co-Artistic Director, choreographer) is a Full Professor and Chair in the Department of Dance at Utah Valley University. Doris has successfully integrated a career as a professional dance performing artist, choreographer, artistic director, scholar, administrator, and educator. Doris had an extensive international performance career as a member of the Ririe-Woodury Dance Company and has served as the Co-Artistic Director of Contemporary Dance Works and the Artistic Director of Hudson-Trujillo and Company.

Synergy Dance Company Cassidy Blackham, Sarah Christensen, Kamryn Daughters, Franky DeMartino, Nicholas Jolley-Harding, Tiffany Hipple, Sarah Hutchinson, Brookely Jenson, Jessica Ketchum, LeGrande Lolo, Jadyn Nelms, Edwin Perez, Savannah Petersen, Shain Salmon, Karlee Secakuku, Richelle Rindlisbacher, Katelynne Wade, Hannah White