Brittany Castillo is currently a junior attending UCSB as a dance major. She grew up in Porterville, California, learning dance from Deenie's Dance Workshop and Dancer's Edge in Visalia, California. While growing up, Brittany was an avid participant in sports such as soccer, track, basketball, and water polo. She currently loves working in choreography and improvisation with dance. In her spare time, Brittany teaches hip-hop to kids at Cruz Dance and Entertainment in Goleta. Brittany's hobbies include theatre, singing, and surfing. After graduation she hopes to become a personal trainer and one day have her own dance company and dance studio.
Olivia Mia Orozco, second year dance student, has been dancing since a child and continues to train at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has previously studied at the Ben Levy Summer Workshop, The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and the Alvin Ailey Summer Program. She currently is wokring on a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Philosophy. She is very excited to create collaborative artwork and hopes to continue choreographing. She would like to thank all of those involved, her parents, and especially her Max, a never ending source of inspiration.
Melissa Ullom, native to Santa Barbara, received her early training and performing experience with the Santa Barbara Festival Ballet, and spent summers studying with the Joffrey Ballet School in New York and the Houston Ballet Academy. Upon graduation from high school, Melissa received scholarships and trained full-time with the Houston Ballet Academy and later Lou Conte Dance Center/Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Melissa has worked professionally with such companies as Houston Ballet, Houston Grande Opera, State St. Ballet of Santa Barbara, Smuin Ballet/SF, Company C Dance in the Bay Area, and Inaside Chicago Dance. Ms. Ullom is currently pursuing a B.A. in Art History at UCSB, and looks forward to returning to her professional dance career upon graduation in June.
Myra Joy Veluz began her dancing career at the age of eight and at the age of nine, she was the youngest member to join the Sr. Jazz and Ballet Company at SMDA. Since then she has competed throughout the USA and internationally. During high school years she was a member of both the Junior and Senior Saltatrix Dance Companies and as a senior was granted the position of President of Sr. Salt. Upon graduation Myra was given the highest honors in both dance and academics as well as the opportunity to dance in Europe through the Young!Tanzsommer 2006 Lunaris tour with the Let's Dance Company. Last summer she was awarded the Patricia Sparrow Dance Award to study with Stephen Petronio in New York City. Myra is a sophomore at UCSB majoring in both dance and communication with a minor in anthropology.
Born in Belarus, Pavel was raised in Sweden, and later in Peru. He then moved to Grass Valley, CA, in 2002. He began hip-hop dancing at age 15, in 2004, at the Sierra Dance Institute, where he also choreographed some pieces. Two years later, he began training in Ballet, Jazz, and Modern, with Yelena Holt. He also started B-boying shortly after, and got to dance with the Rhythm n' Air Crew. Currently, Pavel is majoring in Dance (B.F.A.).