Present Company 2019
Tara McAninch graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her time at UCSB, McAninch completed the 2015 Divison II Summer Intensive at the Complexions Contemporary Ballet in NYC and received the opportunity to Apprentice for the Santa Barbara Dance Theater Company's 2016-2017 Season. Through Christopher Pilafian, she had the pleasure of working with amazing choreographers including Andi Schermoly, David Maurice and Rebecca Lemme. McAninch was also a company member in the UCSB Dance Company from 2017-2018, working hand-in-hand with Monica Bill Barnes and Company, Jacqulyn Buglisi and Nancy Colahan, touring and performing throughout Europe and the Santa Barbara County. Since graduating, McAninch has performed Fleur with Palm Dance Collective at the San Francisco Movement Arts Festival and Tres Saintes De La Mer 2014 with Motion Theater Dance Company at HH11 Festival.
Kelly O’Connor was born and raised in Southern California where she began dancing at the age of three, training in a variety of styles including Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Tap, and Character Dance. Kelly then attended UCSB where she studied Dance and Applied Psychology. While working towards the BFA at UCSB Kelly toured and performed with the UCSB Dance Company for two consecutive seasons and spent her summers attending workshops where she studied GAGA, a movement language developed by Batsheva Dance company’s former Artistic Director Ohad Nahirin. During college Kelly grew passionate about the practice of dance improvisation as research on the body-mind connection and used this research to help contour her creative and choreographic voice. Kelly currently resides in Santa Barbara teaching dance while continuing to hone her performance and choreography skills. This is her first season with the Motion Theatre Dance Company.
Sammy Gerraty graduated from UCSB's BFA Dance Program in 2018 as a member of the UCSB Dance Company and with a double major in zoology. During that time she choreographed five original works culminating in an Honors Project that calls attention to the crisis of vanishing ecosystems. She also choreographed two musicals and several improvised collaborations with student composers and musicians. She recently joined the Motion Theatre Dance Company in 2018 and would like to thank Maria for the opportunity to present her work. This is her first season with the Motion Theatre Dance Company.
Gianna Burright has completed her MFA in choreography at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, BFA in Dance UCSB. Credits include; England, Wales, Italy, Czech Republic, the Bonnie Bird Theater and The Place, Gianna is passionate about creativity and collaboration which are her foundation for her choreography, performance work and dance education. Current credits; performing and creating her own work, assistant to Danielle Agami of Ate9 and freelance performing, teaching and choreography. This is her first season with the Motion Theatre Dance Company.
Maia Mook (actor) was last seen with Motion Theatre Dance Company in King Lear/Mysteries of Light at Center Stage Theatre in 2011. She has performed with Dijo Productions in Ghetto (Lina the puppet), Fighting the Invisible, The Vagina Monologues, Talley's Folly (Sally Talley), and Inherit the Wind (Mrs. Krebs), also at Center Stage Theatre. At the Plaza Playhouse Theatre (Alcazar), she was last seen in Fools, The Gazebo, and The Exonerated (Sue Gauger/Sandra Cook). First stage appearances include Peanut Gallery Productions; The Miracle Worker at the Alhecama Theatre; Little Women (Beth) and The Sound of Music at the Goleta Valley Community Center; and The Most Happy Fella with The Theatre Group at Santa Barbara City College.
Bianca Salazar is a Southern California native, where her dance training began at the Academy of the Performing Arts in Huntington Beach. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from UC Santa Barbara in 2018. There she was a member of the UCSB Dance Company, performing works by as Monica Bill Barnes, Jacqueline Buglisi, & José Limon (Reconstructed by Alice Condodina). She is currently a 5th year company member with Selah Dance Collective. This will be Bianca's first season performing with the Motion Theatre Dance Company.