Ascential Dance

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Tool, Miami 2005

Choreography by Juliana Arias

Jennifer Fagan Archer 

Click here for biography.

Tobi Johnson Compton

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(Photo & hyperlinks available soon)

 Brittany Feiten

(Guest Artist)

Brittany has been studying dance for fifteen years. She received her primary training in Jazz, Modern, and Ballet from Christina Meyers, Christina Noel-Adcock, and other beloved teachers at the Arvada Center in Colorado. She spent seven years there as a member of the Arvada Center Dance Theatre, where she originated the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She is currently on scholarship at the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri, Kansas City working toward a bachelor of fine arts in dance. There, she has had the privilege of working with renowned professors such as Paula Weber and Mary Pat Henry.

     Brittany has attended the River North Chicago Dance Company Summer Workshop, the Cleo Parker Robinson Summer Institute with Milton Myers, and the Snowy Range Summer Dance Festival, and the American College Dance Festival. Her performing experience includes works by Rodni Williams, Jennifer Medina, Sabrina Madison-Cannon, Tobi Compton, General McArthur Hambrick, and Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Keith Saunders. She has also had the privilege of working with Jerri Kumery as an understudy for Balanchine’s Serenade. She will return to UMKC this fall to complete her last year of undergraduate work and to choreograph and set a ballet inspired by the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

     In addition to dancing, Brittany is experienced in providing latte-therapy to caffeine-deprived persons through her job as a barista. Brittany is thrilled to be working with Ascential Dance this summer and gives her thanks to the friends, family, teachers, and God who have provided so much love and support.

(Photo available soon)

 Jessica Garcia

     Jessica Garcia began her dance training at age three in southern New Mexico. She continued her dance training in Modern, Ballet, and Flamenco at New Mexico State University where she earned her B.A. in Dance in 2005. She has danced with Debra Knapp, Lucilene de Geus, Paco Antonio, Bill Evans and Friends, Sol y Arena and Evolving Doors Dance Project. In addition to dance, Jessica enjoys teaching and is currently working on her certification of massage therapy at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy. Jessica joined Denver's Hannah Kahn Dance Company in July 2007 and Ascential Dance Theatre Colorado in June 2008.

 Candess Giyan

     Candess is a dancer, choreographer and teacher out of Denver, Colorado and has just recently moved back from Atlanta, Ga where she spent the last eight years as Co Founder and Co Artistic Director of Zoetic Dance Ensemble.  Ms. Giyan has performed nationally with several professional companies, such as Denver Contemporary Dance Theater, Kris Cangelosi Dance Project and Gathering Wild Dance Company.   

     As Co-Director of Zoetic Dance Ensemble, Candess has developed educational programming for children and professionals, created repertory pieces for consorts, and commercial events.  As a choreographer, Ms. Giyan has been commissioned by Spelman College, Kennesaw State University, Brookwood Highschool, Turner Broadcast System (TBS), Dad's Garage Theater, and Theatrical Outfit and her work has been performed at a number of dance festivals including Midtown Music Festival, Modern Atlanta Dance Festival and the Inman Park Festival. 

     Most recently, Ms. Giyan received her 200-hour yoga certification at Kashi Atlanta through the National Yoga Alliance, and was the recipient of a 2006 Individual Artist Grant from the Dekalb County Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment.

Jennifer Hightower

     Jennifer Hightower grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she began her dance training at the age of three, at the Mountain Dance Center. She went on to study at the Canyon Concert Ballet school, as well as attending numerous dance festivals throughout the country, such as the American Dance Festival, Bates College Dance Festival, Oberlin Dance Festival, and the Glenwood Springs Dance Festival. In 2004, she graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Colorado at Boulder. While attending school, Jen had the pleasure of working with a variety of dance artists, including David Capps, Toby Hankin, Nada Diachenko, Michelle Ellsworth and Onye Ozuzu, as well as guest artists in residence, Gabe Masson and Shelly Senter. She also had the opportunity to travel to Albuquerque, NM and Bellingham, WA to perform at the American College Dance Festivals.

     Jen then went on to choreograph and perform for the Boulder International Fringe Festival and "Seperation Anxiety", a modern dance/ electronic music collaboration with Boulder/ Denver area dancers and artists. Shortly after graduation, she moved to Seattle and studied at the Velocity Dance Center. While in Seattle, Jen danced and performed with Andre Bouchard and Walrus Performance Productions, Contact Improvisation artist Alia Swersky for the Northwest New Works Festival, and Juliet Waller-Pruzan. Jen moved back to Colorado in 2007 and currently dances with the Hannah Kahn Dance Company as well as the Evolving Doors Dance Project. She is now very excited to be dancing with Jen Archer and Ascential Dance.

Sara Lohmeyer

     Sara Kay Lohmeyer began dancing at her mother’s studio in Alliance, Nebraska.  Sara attended the University of Wyomingon a dance scholarship, and later transferred to the University of Oregonwhere she completed her Bachelor of Science of Dance.  She then traveled to Tucson, Arizona where she danced with ORTS Theatre of Dance, a modern and Aerial dance company.  While there, she taught the company class, classes at the company’s studio to all ages and taught dance in the Tucson Unified School District.  After September 11, Sara decided to move to the big apple!  Sara spent six years in New York City taking dance classes at Peridance, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, and Dance New Amsterdam (formerly DanceSpace), performing with Janessa Clark/ Kilterbox, Ballet Arts of Southern Westchester, Dansfolk/ Jessica Danser, and iNDie Dance/Nicole Durfee and Dancers as well as teaching Pilates at several gyms. 

     In the fall of 2007, Sara and her husband moved to Denver to enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle and to be closer to family.  Sara has continued teaching Pilates as well as begun teaching Gyrotonic at Center Strength.  She is currently taking class from Hannah Kahn/Hannah Kahn Dance Company, Katie Elliot/3rd Law Dance Theatre, Debbie Mercer, Patricia Renzetti and Jen Archer/Ascential Dance Theatre Colorado and working with dance companies Ballet Ariel and Ascential Dance.

Carla Menchinella

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Kristi Peterson

Kristi Peterson a Colorado native, started dancing at the age of four. She particpipated in the first Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Vail, Colorado and received a scholarship to the School of American Ballet Summer Program.  She apprenticed with both Colorado Ballet and David Taylor Dance Theatre.  Kristi teaches ballet at the Academy of Theatre Arts.This is her fourth season with the Hannah Kahn Dance Company, and in addition to dancing with Ascential Dance Theatre Colorado, she can be seen on stage with Moraporvida, The Denver Independent Choreographer's Project and Evolving Doors Dance Project. 

(Photo & biography available soon)

 Mason Lawrence Taylor

(Photo available soon)

 Diana Tobias

     Diana Tobias is oringinally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and moved to Denver in 1991.  For several years she danced and trained on scholarship at Ballet Denver Academy under Rieke Love.  Diana is a former member of the Hannah Kahn Dance Company and has taught dance for several outreach programs.  She is very excited about her first season with Ascential Dance.