Optimal Stopping

Ilse Orozco is a graduate of CODARTS, Rotterdam and the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company’s dance residency program. She has performed with Compagnie Cobalt (CH), Company M.E.S.S (BE), Nubem Compañia de Danza and has worked with a number of international choreographers including Damien Jalet, Sylvain Emard and Jirí Kylián amongst others. Ilse currently works as a stage performer in the Centro de Producción de Danza Contemporánea – CEPRODAC- in Mexico City and in Formal Dance Research – FDRdance- as manager&producer. She speaks and writes Spanish, English and French.

Gaby Hernandez is a dancer and choreographer currently based in Mexico City. Gaby began her studies in N.Y.C and Los Angeles, graduating from Glendale college majoring in dance and Social Studies. During her time in Los Angeles she worked with Erica Sobol, Sabrina Phillips, Ami Mattison and Jason Gorman as well as being a member of Marrow Dance, Mattidance, & Silverlake contemporary ballet. She also formed part of the first generation of The Gypsy Project working with with Jiri Pokorny and Tilman O’Donnell. Gaby has also completed part of her dance training in Israel and Hamburg. Gaby moved back to Mexico at the end of 2017. She started an independent company, MOTORES Danza, who have been part of the itinerary of some of the most important theatres and festivals in Mexico, such as the FIDCDMX festival international de danza Ciudad de Mexico. Gaby’s works Outside Wonderland & MUCHO Pink were selected and premiered at the National Award for Dance & Choreography Guillermo Arriaga as they were semifinalist pieces in 2018 and 2019.

Ana Paula Oropeza holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, from the National School of Classical and Contemporary Dance of the National Institute of Fine Arts, in Mexico. Additionally, she studied with internationally renowned dance institutions such as the National School of Havana, Cuba; Youth Ballet of Quebec, Canada; Escuela de Víctor Ullate, Spain; and Alvin Ailey in NYC, U.S. From 2004 to 2010, Ana Paula was a member of the Monterrey City Ballet in Mexico, where she had the opportunity of performing important roles from the classical ballet repertoire, as well as contemporary ballet pieces and modern choreographies. Later, Ana Paula was invited to join the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company II, and Kamea Dance Company, both based in Israel. Here, she was able to perform works by Rami Be’er, Tamir Ginz, Itzik Galili, and Mats Ek. Her passion for Mexican culture brought her back to her native country, where she has been featured as a soloist dancer with companies such as Convexus, Humanicorp, Axioma Dance Project, VSS Compañia de Danza, Danza Visual, Laleget Danza, Pálido Teatro, Rising Art, Realizando Ideas AC, among others. Since 2017, Ana Paula has been a vital member of the dance troupe, Contempodanza—one of the most prestigious contemporary dance companies in Mexico—and, under the artistic direction of Cecilia Lugo, gets later promoted to ballet mistress, in 2019.

Raul Tamez In 2017 and 2018, Tamez received a ‘Luna del Auditorio’, one of the most prestigious awards for performing arts in Mexico, recognising the creation of the International Contemporary Dance Festival of Mexico City. In 2016 he won the ‘National Dance Award of Mexico’ for his choreography. Tamez holds a bachelor’s degree in dance from CODARTS in Rotterdam. He has been dancing professionally for 14 years in different countries such as China (2 move dance company), Lithuania (Aura Dance Theater), Latvia (Riga’s Chamber Ballet), Canada (Le Jeune Ballet du Quebec), Spain (It dansa), The Netherlands (Dirk Dumon) and Mexico (National Dance Company of contemporary dance, CEPRODAC). Through his career as a dancer he has performed repertoire by Nacho Duato, Alexander Eckman, Wayne Mc Gregor, Ohad Naharin, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Rafael Bonachela and Jiri Kylian. As a choreographer Tamez has presented his work at the most important venues for performing arts in Mexico and in different countries such as Spain, Colombia, Cuba, The Netherlands and Sweden. Most recently he was celebrated as the first Mexican choreographer since José Limon himself to make a work on the Limon Company. The work, Migrant Mother, received much audience and critical acclaim after its premiere at the Joyce Theatre in New York winning a 2023 Bessie Award for best choreography. Raúl Tamez also holds a bachelor degree in sociology and an MA in Dance from the John Moores Liverpool University.

Yaroslav Villafuerte Rodríguez studied at the National School of Classical and Contemporary Dance in Mexico City. In 2007 he was invited by the company Ballet Hispánico in New York, to collaborate in an intensive program on company repertoire, ballet and other techniques. He later joined the dance company A poc Apoc directed by Jaime Camarena and in 2009 Teatro Danza Aérea Humanicorp directed by Gerardo Hernández. In 2008 Yaroslav won the award at the Extremadura dance festival held in Monterrey obtaining the best dancer award. In 2012 Yaroslav won 1st place in the national contest "Opera Prima @ el colectivo" broadcast on channel 22, Mexico and the same year collaborated with artists from Cirque de Soleil in a tour of Austria, Hungary and Germany. Yaroslav has spent time in Spain where he worked with a number of Europe’s leading choreographers and is the Creator of the Atma method, teaching courses and classes throughout Mexico, Germany, Austria, Hungary, France and China.

Linda Luke resides in the NSW Illawarra region, the Wadi Wadi of the Dharawal land. Linda has been a dancer and choreographer for more than 20 years. Her work aims to deepen sensitivity and excavate the subtle undercurrents we experience in relation to self, each other and our environment. Linda has performed in Australia and internationally. Her most recent solo performances include ALLEGORIES OF ASH at the Eurobodalla Botanical Gardens (2021) and STONE at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery (2019). She has performed extensively with De Quincey Co and has collaborated in projects with numerous artists and companies; most recently with PYT: Fairfield, Flight Path Theatre Co, The Cad Factory, Liberty Kerr and Victoria Hunt. Linda is a lecturer for the performing arts at the University of Wollongong.

Susan Kennedy is a theatre performer who works in movement. She has worked with companies such as the Marionette Theatre of Australia, TOEtruckTheatre, Canberra Theatre Company and Merrigong Theatre. She has also appeared in numerous projects for large and small screen. Susan played Jules in the short comic film Zara’s Tale produced by Murray Fahey and the winner of the Multicultural Award. A founding member of Not Another Theatre Company and A Dark Horse, Susan completed her Bachelor of Arts (Theatre) Degree at the University of Western Sydney’s Theatre Nepean in 1989. She was subsequently funded to take part in the International Training Program run by the Suzuki Company of Toga in Japan. She also trained and performed with Leisa Shelton’s Theatre Is Moving corporeal mime troupe. Most recently she played one of the twelve jurors in Fox Showcase’s The Twelve alongside Sam Neill, Kate Mulvany, Brendan Cowell, Brooke Satchwell and others.

Madeline Backen is twenty-five years old and began dancing at Joanne Grace School of Dance in Wollongong at the age of thirteen. Madeleine’s acceptance into Austinmer Dance Theatre in 2016 allowed her the opportunity to work with a range of international choreographers including Sagi Gross, Maurice Causey, Spencer Gavin Hering, Ashley Wright, Martin Chaix and Israel Aloni. In 2016 Madeleine was one of the few dancers from around the world selected to partake in a residency with Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich in Mexico City. She was also accepted into Israel’s Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company’s five-month Dance Journey program in 2017. Madeleine took part in two workshop series with Dance Makers Collective in 2020 and 2021 and performed in Resurgence as a part of the Dance Makers Collective’s Future Makers in early 2022. She was also involved in the creative development of a new work with Proper Motion choreographer Lisa Maris McDonell.

Bubblez Phan’s name is Andrew but everyone in the dance community knows him by the name ‘Bubblez’. He started dancing Hip Hop in his late teens after meeting and seeing Bboys whilst visiting family in Vietnam. In 2009 Bubblez started classes in Hip Hop, Breaking, Popping and Locking at Street Beatz studios in Wollongong. After many years as a student, travelling overseas and interstate for workshops and battles, Bubblez began teaching at Street Beatz as well as Wollongong High School of Performing Arts, Holy Spirit College, DanceWorld and The Illawarra Grammar School amongst others.

Jack Tuckerman Born in Nowra on the NSW South Coast Jack began training in contemporary dance with Wollongong based Austinmer Dance Theatre in 2015 before moving to Perth in 2018 to complete his Bachelor of Arts: Dance with the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Jack has performed in the Perth International Arts Festival 2020 remount of Stephanie Lake’s ‘Colossus’ and in Lisa Maris McDonell’s ‘Chamber dances’ (2017). During his study Jack had the opportunity to work with artists such as Cass Mortimer Eipper and Raewyn Hill. During 2021/22 Jack has worked with Wollongong’s Proper Motion, Catapult in Newcastle and performed as part of the Sydney International Ballet Gala in a duet with Davide De Giovanni. As an Artist Jack is interested in improvisation as performance and continuing his practice of Contact Improvisation. Jack seeks to develop his own choreographic practice further by working as a performer and creating his own work.

Saskia Ellis is a young emerging artist, currently based on Gadigal Land of The Eora Nation. She graduated from the Joanne Grace School of Dance in Wollongong’s full time diploma course and Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional program. She has been developing her movement practice over the last 8 years and has interspersed it with language, research and installation. Saskia’s artistic philosophies are collaborative, innovative and inquisitive. Her recent works demonstrate explorations of vulnerability, femininity, and fragility in physiological embodiments of a redefined conscious experience. She aims to expand her practice by facilitating inclusive, accessible collaborative performances, developments, and installations.

Madeleine High is a dance artist currently based on Dharawal Country, practising collaboratively and extending her work into teaching environments. She worked extensively with Austinmer Dance Theatre during 2014-2018, under the direction of Michelle Maxwell. There, performing the works of Ashley Wright, Sagi Gross, Maurice Causey, Iratxe Ansa, Spencer Gavin-Hering, Tim Farrar, and Rhiannon Davies; locally and as part of various Fringe Festivals across Australia. Madeleine has since returned as a Guest Artist in 2021 for the company’s 10th Anniversary Season. Madeleine was a resident dancer in Shanghai for Metamorphosis International Residency, with Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich during 2017. She performed in Long Museum, Power Station of Art, and Shanghai International Dance Centre Theatre. Prior to this, Madeleine trained with Ansa and Bacovich in Mexico City, June 2016 performing at Teatro de la Ciudad. She has worked in New Zealand with Kit Reilly and Chelsea DesLauriers on the full length work, ‘Utopia #9’. Developing the work in May 2019, later premiering at Tempo Dance Festival in Auckland, and as part of New Zealand Fringe Festival, Wellington (2020). Madeleine is currently in creation with Proper Motion, established by Lisa Maris McDonell, sharing space and researching with other community artists. She is teaching at schools Joanne Grace School of Dance (Fairy Meadow), and SCIPA School of Dance (Bomaderry).

Imogen Ross works across many different performance mediums as a production / set / costume designer and visual artist / maker of many things. Collaboration, imagination and integration of complex ideas is her specialty. Like Lisa Maris McDonell, during the COVID 19 shutdowns in 2020, Imogen continued to work creatively with performance makers across different states, including co- designing set, props and costumes with Robbie Curtis’ new circus company ARC in QLD from her home south of Sydney. His production of Bee Story subsequently performed at the Brisbane Festival post-lockdown and is currently in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Imogen’s design work regularly tours; this includes the National Theatre of Parramatta’s production of Stolen, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie for CDP, Diary of a Wombat and Hitler’s Daughter with Monkey Baa. She has designed Charcoal Creek, Deadman Brake, The Dapto Chaser and The Man Who Dreamt the Stars in previous years for Merrigong, her local theatre company in Wollongong. For Darlinghurst Theatre she recently designed Torch Song Trilogy and Kindertransport as well as The Woolgatherer, The Frail Man, Puglist Specialist, Dying City, The Gigli Concert and One Rotten Apple for their previous venue. For NTOP shedesigned Hillary Bell’s Comedy of Errors, Stolen and the children’s show Mr Owl and Friends. In 2003 Imogen woked alongside Jenny Tiramani as co-Masters of Wardrobe for Shakespeare’s International Globe in London, co-designing The Taming of The Shrew for Phylidda Lloyd and Edward II with Mark Rylance.

Tom Doyle (he/him) is a designer and theatre maker working on Gadigal and Dharawal land. Tom trained at the University of Wollongong, graduating with Honours in 2020. Recent credits include designing 'Taz vs the Pleb' (Rogue Projects), 'Dear Australia' (Spark Youth Theatre), The Lobster (Lisa Maris McDonell) and co-directing 'The Infinity Mirror' (Palava Co) with his frequent collaborator Lily Hayman. Tom is employed as a technician at the Sydney Opera House. Tom is a proud MEAA member.

Corey Zerna completed a Bachelor of Arts in dance at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He returned to the arts sector eight years ago through his role as Executive Assistant at Sydney Festival, supporting the last three artistic directors including Lieven Bertels, Wesley Enoch and Olivia Ansell. Corey has worked with Proper Motion as producer on recent projects including The Lobster ($20 Commissions Project) and Optimal Stopping.