ChristinaNoel Reaves
Director
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.
Teaching Artists
All of our Teaching Artists are professional dancers with ChristinaNoel & The Creature, ChristinaNoel’s dance theatre company. Teaching artists occasionally guest teach Ephyras classes, and often act as mentors to the older students during their regular rehearsals. These professionals dance with The Ephyras in their performances and inspire the students with their artistry and technique!
ISABELLE DAYTON
TONYA GOLTSEV
BASIA LAMY
Cameron Mizell
Composer
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.
Michelle Zassenhaus
Company Photographer
Michelle Zassenhaus is an independent photographer and digital product designer in Brooklyn, NY. After earning a BFA in Art Photography from Syracuse University, Michelle went on to shoot architecture, spaces, and emotional landscapes for both Getty Images (where she is currently a contributor) and as a fine artist. Michelle exhibits her large-scale photographic work throughout the Northeast. She also independently consults on digital product design for startups in the NYC area. Michelle shoots portraits and group shots for The Ephyras, still images for The Creature, and considers the photography work an artistic collaboration with the company. Michelle also maintains our Shootproof site, through which parents can order portraits of their Ephyras.
Learn more about her work at www.michellezassenhaus.com.