SANTA BARBARA DANCE THEATER
PROFESSIONAL COMPANY IN RESIDENCE AT UCSB
DANCERS
PAIGE AMICON is a dance artist and teacher based in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts under Susan Jaffe with a BFA in Contemporary Dance. Performance experience includes work by Danielle Agami(Ate9), Merce Cunningham, Yuval Sharon, Brandon Whited (Santa Barbara Dance Theater), Christopher Pilafian (Santa Barbara Dance Theater), Helen Simoneau and David Maurice. Amicon teaches on faculty at Orange County School of the Arts and is the Program Manager for UNCSA Summer Dance.
DERION LOMAN is a Multimedia Artist/Dancer based in Los Angeles. He holds a B.A. and B.F.A. In Psychology and Dance, respectively, from the University of California Santa Barbara. He began his career in Ballet Hispanico’s Second Company, where he performed at a variety of different events. Most notably the 2013 Presidential Inauguration. He then went on to tour internationally and domestically with Pilobolus Dance Theatre from 2013-2017. Derion joined the cast of Diavolo Architecture in motion in 2017 for America’s Got Talent, and then toured with the company full time. He was also Divisional Finalist on NBC’s World of Dance Season 3. Currently he works as a freelance choreographer with an array of organizations including Google, Portland Opera, and The Los Angeles Dance Film Festival. He most recently set works on Dallas Black Dance Theatre II and UC Santa Barbara Senior Dance Company.
DALYA MODLIN is a recent graduate of UCSB with a B.F.A Dance and B.A. Psychology. Originally from Southern California, Dalya trained at Orange County School of the Arts in the commercial dance conservatory. Dalya has attended intensives and workshops such as Abraham In Motion, The Joffery Ballet, Chuthis, and Hubbard Street. Last year Dalya performed with the UCSB Student Dance company under the direction of Delila Moseley, and she joined SBDT as a company member in August 2023.
NICOLE POWELL born and raised in Carpinteria, CA is a dancer, choreographer, and studio owner/director. She graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance and a BA in philosophy from SMU (2013). She also holds a high school diploma from Idyllwild Arts Academy with a dance performance major, where she received Senior Class Scholar and the Bella Lewitzky Dance Award. She experienced additional training at San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Martha Graham School, Czech Republic Ballet, NW Dance Project, and Rubberband Dance. Since graduation, Nicole has danced professionally and taught all over the world. She has been dancing with Santa Barbara Dance Theatre for 7 seasons along with a flourishing freelance career. Nicole is excited to continue finding her own choreographic voice with upcoming commissions, as well as building and directing her school CSD School of Performing Arts in Carpinteria.
CALDER WHITE is a freelance dance artist based on the unceded and stolen lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations (so-called “Vancouver, British Columbia”). He is an alumnus of Tkaronto’s Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre and holds a BFA in Dance from the Ohio State University (2018). He has originated roles in work by Shay Kuebler (Shay Kuebler/Radical System Art), Joshua Beamish (MOVEthecompany), Wen Wei Wang (Wen Wei Dance), Rachel Meyer, Colin Connor (José Limón Dance Foundation), and Santee Smith (Kaha:wi Dance Theatre). Calder’s choreographic interests lay in oversharing, recalling memory, and the effects of video documentation on self-image. His work has been shared with audiences across Canada and the US, receiving commissions from Ohio Dance Festival, The School of Dance Ottawa, and Dancing on the Edge (Vancouver). Calder is also a floorwork teacher, sharing his workshops with institutions across North America including the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, UC Santa Barbara, Training Society of Vancouver, and the Ohio State University. He is the proud recipient of the 2022 Hnatyshyn Foundation’s Ukraine – Heritage, Spirit, and Future award for Exceptional Talent in Contemporary Dance.
APPRENTICES
RILEY HALEY (Apprentice-Understudy) is a fourth-year Dance BFA student at UCSB and a third-year Santa Barbara Dance Theater apprentice. She began training in ballet and modern at the Beck Center for the Arts in Cleveland, Ohio. After moving to San Diego, California, her training continued at Del Mar Ballet, where she worked with choreographers and teachers Beverly Bagg, Jennifer Golonka, Dianne Moroney, Stéphano Candreva, and more. She has attended workshops led by Juliano Nunes, Flockworks, Ohad Naharin, and former Batsheva dancers. Some performing role highlights include Brandon Whited's Her (abridged) with SBDT, Meredith Ventura's Sound and Smoke, Juliano Nunes's Elements, and Flockworks' Winged Victory. Riley is incredibly excited to share her work with Santa Barbara Dance Theater as an apprentice.
SKY PASQUAL (Apprentice-Understudy) is a fourth year UCSB student studying dance and economics and accounting. She began her dance training at San Diego Dance Center and continued training at Danceology Performing Arts Campus in styles of modern, contemporary, tap, hip hop, ballet, and jazz. For the 2023-2024 season she will be performing with the UCSB Dance Company. Sky is grateful to be an apprentice of Santa Barbara Dance Theater and is excited to further her career in dance.
TIERSHA LIN (Apprentice-Understudy) is a fourth-year Dance BFA and Economics & Accounting BA. Previously, she danced and choreographed with IndepenDance Company, and trained at the CalArts CSSSA intensive. At UCSB, Tiersha has performed in multiple concerts, including Sound and Smoke with Selah Dance Collective. She is currently a member of UCSB Dance Company in addition to apprenticing with SBDT.
GABI SMITH (apprentice-understudy) is a Senior at UCSB getting her Bachelor Of Fine Arts in dance. Gabi has been dancing since the age of 3, starting at the Deane Dance Center in Sacramento, CA. Gabi's training includes The School of American Ballet, The Royal Ballet School, The Boston Ballet, and The Joffrey Ballet Academy, where she trained year-round. Gabi is spending her senior year performing with the UCSB Dance Company for the 2023-2024 season.