Melissa Rummel (Dancer/ Studio Coordinator/Associate Director of SCDE) was raised in Dryden, Michigan where she started dancing at the age of seven. She graduated from Belhaven University with a BFA in dance, emphasis on modern dance and choreography. She has trained with companies such as Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, RiverNorth Chicago, Ad Deum Dance Company, and Sarasota Contemporary Dance. This is Melissa’s Fifth season with Sarasota Contemporary Dance and Second as Studio Coordinator. Melissa is the Associate Director for SCDEnsemble(Student Training program). She is passionate about teaching and currently teaches with SCD and Woodland Fine Arts Academy. She also enjoys fitness and the positive effect it can bring to others, and she strives to find new ways to combine her love of dance and fitness. This year she wants to continue to stretch herself as a performer, choreographer, and teacher.
Raychel Ceciro (General Manager) has been working administratively and creatively in the arts since her days at the New College of Florida, where she first met Leymis and graduated with honors in 2018. Raychel has worked in administrative and managerial positions at the Koresh Dance Company, National Constitution Center, and New College of Florida, and couldn’t be more thrilled to be working alongside Leymis as the new General Manager at SCD. In her performance career, Raychel has had work featured at the Annenberg Performing Arts Center at the University of Pennsylvania, 954 Dance Movement Collective, Ursinus College, the Shoebox Theater Festival, the Ringling Museum of Art, the National Association of Interpretation, Vox Populi, and with the Windmill Theatre Company at NCF. Her artistic work has been supported by the Mellon Foundation, Florida Humanities Council, Sarasota Arts and Cultural Alliance, and the Florida Public Archaeology Network.
Karina Herrera (Marketing Coordinator) recently joined Sarasota Contemporary Dance in August of 2020 as the company’s new Marketing Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator. Karina is a multifaceted videographer, photographer, graphic designer, illustrator, musician and marketer. Her work has been featured in VVWS and Bridge Builders for Shannon Rohrer-Phillips, LLC, Enrique Pino Photography, Suncoast Community Church, 81aStudios, and the Music Department at State College of Florida. She is also a bilingual Peruvian/American Sarasota native and recent graduate from Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL), where she earned her BBA in Marketing. In her marketing career, she has been working for the Voice + Visibility Women’s Summit as their Marketing Intern since 2019 when she was able to witness Leymis and SCD perform for VVWS’s first annual Summit in February of 2020 at the Hyatt Regency. Karina is an advocate for the arts in the Sarasota Community and feels welcomed into the SCD family.
Celeste N. Silsby Mannerud (Lighting Designer/ Videographer) is co-founder of Flip Flop Productions and specializes in design and archival for theatrical and private events. She received her BA in theatre design from USF and her MFA in design management from IADT, and her repertoire includes lighting design and production video/ photography for local and international dance and theatre companies; stage lighting instruction at various Florida colleges; and production management, technical/artistic design, and lighting/audio installations for the Dali Museum, Tampa Museum of Art, L’Unione Italiana Ybor City, and ArtLab Studios in Germany. Aside from her “real job,” Celeste is in the midst of renovating an old Airstream to tour the U.S. and is most at peace when under sail with her husband, Andreas, and son, Cobyn.
Logan Gabrielle Schulman (Technician) is a theater designer, director, performer, and visual artist working between both Philadelphia, PA and Sarasota, FL. They received their BA with Honors in Theater and Religious Studies from the New College of Florida, and their acting education from Stella Adler’s Studio for Actor Training in New York. Logan has created work for DopoLavoro Teatrale (Toronto), the University of Pennsylvania (PHL), Enya Kalia Creations (NYC), Renegade Theater (PHL), the Chautauqua Institution (NY), and InterAct Theatre (PHL), among others. Their work has been supported in residencies and grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Florida Humanities Council, Bread & Puppet Theater, the Chautauqua Institution, Headlong Dance Theater, Philadelphia Directors Gathering, the Directors Lab North (Toronto) and the Directors Lab West (LA). Learn more at loganschulman.net.
Alex Pinchin (Sound Engineer) is excited to be joining Sarasota Contemporary Dance for his first full season. He is a multimedia designer based out of Sarasota. He works with several companies in the Sarasota area designing lights, sound, and projections. He is also one of the new Production and Design teachers at Booker High School. He uses his connections with local theaters to give students an opportunity to experience a side of productions that they may not normally have.
Melissa Rummel (Dancer/ Studio Coordinator/Associate Director of SCDE) was raised in Dryden, Michigan where she started dancing at the age of seven. She graduated from Belhaven University with a BFA in dance, emphasis on modern dance and choreography. She has trained with companies such as Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, RiverNorth Chicago, Ad Deum Dance Company, and Sarasota Contemporary Dance. This is Melissa’s Fifth season with Sarasota Contemporary Dance and Second as Studio Coordinator. Melissa is the Associate Director for SCDEnsemble(Student Training program). She is passionate about teaching and currently teaches with SCD and Woodland Fine Arts Academy. She also enjoys fitness and the positive effect it can bring to others, and she strives to find new ways to combine her love of dance and fitness. This year she wants to continue to stretch herself as a performer, choreographer, and teacher.
Raychel Ceciro (General Manager) has been working administratively and creatively in the arts since her days at the New College of Florida, where she first met Leymis and graduated with honors in 2018. Raychel has worked in administrative and managerial positions at the Koresh Dance Company, National Constitution Center, and New College of Florida, and couldn’t be more thrilled to be working alongside Leymis as the new General Manager at SCD. In her performance career, Raychel has had work featured at the Annenberg Performing Arts Center at the University of Pennsylvania, 954 Dance Movement Collective, Ursinus College, the Shoebox Theater Festival, the Ringling Museum of Art, the National Association of Interpretation, Vox Populi, and with the Windmill Theatre Company at NCF. Her artistic work has been supported by the Mellon Foundation, Florida Humanities Council, Sarasota Arts and Cultural Alliance, and the Florida Public Archaeology Network.
Karina Herrera (Marketing Coordinator) recently joined Sarasota Contemporary Dance in August of 2020 as the company’s new Marketing Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator. Karina is a multifaceted videographer, photographer, graphic designer, illustrator, musician and marketer. Her work has been featured in VVWS and Bridge Builders for Shannon Rohrer-Phillips, LLC, Enrique Pino Photography, Suncoast Community Church, 81aStudios, and the Music Department at State College of Florida. She is also a bilingual Peruvian/American Sarasota native and recent graduate from Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL), where she earned her BBA in Marketing. In her marketing career, she has been working for the Voice + Visibility Women’s Summit as their Marketing Intern since 2019 when she was able to witness Leymis and SCD perform for VVWS’s first annual Summit in February of 2020 at the Hyatt Regency. Karina is an advocate for the arts in the Sarasota Community and feels welcomed into the SCD family.
Logan Gabrielle Schulman (Technician) is a theater designer, director, performer, and visual artist working between both Philadelphia, PA and Sarasota, FL. They received their BA with Honors in Theater and Religious Studies from the New College of Florida, and their acting education from Stella Adler’s Studio for Actor Training in New York. Logan has created work for DopoLavoro Teatrale (Toronto), the University of Pennsylvania (PHL), Enya Kalia Creations (NYC), Renegade Theater (PHL), the Chautauqua Institution (NY), and InterAct Theatre (PHL), among others. Their work has been supported in residencies and grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Florida Humanities Council, Bread & Puppet Theater, the Chautauqua Institution, Headlong Dance Theater, Philadelphia Directors Gathering, the Directors Lab North (Toronto) and the Directors Lab West (LA). Learn more at loganschulman.net.
Celeste N. Silsby Mannerud (Lighting Designer/ Videographer) is co-founder of Flip Flop Productions and specializes in design and archival for theatrical and private events. She received her BA in theatre design from USF and her MFA in design management from IADT, and her repertoire includes lighting design and production video/ photography for local and international dance and theatre companies; stage lighting instruction at various Florida colleges; and production management, technical/artistic design, and lighting/audio installations for the Dali Museum, Tampa Museum of Art, L’Unione Italiana Ybor City, and ArtLab Studios in Germany. Aside from her “real job,” Celeste is in the midst of renovating an old Airstream to tour the U.S. and is most at peace when under sail with her husband, Andreas, and son, Cobyn.
Alex Pinchin (Sound Engineer) is excited to be joining Sarasota Contemporary Dance for his first full season. He is a multimedia designer based out of Sarasota. He works with several companies in the Sarasota area designing lights, sound, and projections. He is also one of the new Production and Design teachers at Booker High School. He uses his connections with local theaters to give students an opportunity to experience a side of productions that they may not normally have.
Sorcha Augustine (Photographer) has been photographing dancers for over a decade. Her relationship with Sarasota Contemporary Dance started with her senior thesis project at Ringling College of Art and Design in 2009. Afterward she went on to photograph ballroom dancers, continuing her study of figure and movement all over the country. She became the first woman in history to hold an official photographer’s badge at the Blackpool Dance Festival in England, the world’s oldest and most prestigious ballroom competition.
After her return to Florida in 2016, Sorcha reunited with SCD to create stage and promotional photography for the company. She now photographs dancers, performers, and artists of all kinds in her studio in Sarasota. She continues to study figure through her experience as a figure model for internationally renowned professional artists and illustrators. Sorcha is also the official photographer for Sarasota‘s Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.
Sorcha Augustine (Photographer) has been photographing dancers for over a decade. Her relationship with Sarasota Contemporary Dance started with her senior thesis project at Ringling College of Art and Design in 2009. Afterward she went on to photograph ballroom dancers, continuing her study of figure and movement all over the country. She became the first woman in history to hold an official photographer’s badge at the Blackpool Dance Festival in England, the world’s oldest and most prestigious ballroom competition.
After her return to Florida in 2016, Sorcha reunited with SCD to create stage and promotional photography for the company. She now photographs dancers, performers, and artists of all kinds in her studio in Sarasota. She continues to study figure through her experience as a figure model for internationally renowned professional artists and illustrators. Sorcha is also the official photographer for Sarasota‘s Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.
Leymis Bolaños Wilmott, a Cuban-American artist, mother, and teacher with rhythm inextricably in her bones found her voice through dance at an early age. As the Founder and Artistic Director of Sarasota Contemporary Dance, she has the privilege of using those bones to create art that has been called “stunning and imaginative” by Carrie Seidman of the Herald Tribune. As Artist-in-Residence at New College of Florida, she has the opportunity to share her love of dance and to be an influential member of Florida’s dance community. Featured in Sarasota Scene Magazine’s Arts & Cultural Issue: Ladies of the Arts, Leymis has been the recipient of numerous artistic achievement and leadership awards throughout her career. She was honored to receive the Dance Magazine award for “Southeast Best Choreographer” and was listed in Sarasota Magazine as one of the Top 28 Most Powerful People in the Arts. Her 80+ dance works include collaborations with artists and organizations of various disciplines from musicians to museums. Collaborative highlights include: Sarasota Orchestra, Choral Artists of Sarasota, Westcoast Black Theater Troupe, Asolo Rep, Salvador Dalí Museum, Kaleidoscope, John and Mable Ringling Museum, Art Center of Sarasota, Stephen Miles of New Music New College, composer Eduard Cosla, percussionist Scott Blum, Mark Dancigers of NOW Ensemble, multitalented Francis Schwartz, and legendary principal harpist, Ann Hobson Pilot. Her works have been performed nationally at the John F. Kennedy Center, Ailey Citigroup Theater in NYC, Colony Theater and Jackie Gleason Theatre in Miami, and internationally in Ramallah, Argentina, and Spain. Leymis pioneered the Dance and Healing certificate at the University of Florida and holds a Master of Fine Arts in Performance and Choreography from Florida State University. Her research in dance as a healing art form and its ability to harness and foster community building came to fruition in 2006 when she and Rachael Inman founded Fuzión Dance Artists, now Sarasota Contemporary Dance. Leymis is a professor of dance at New College of Florida, a certified Pilates instructor, and through her Dance for PD certificate experience founded and developed the dance program at Parkinson Place in 2012. She served as Vice President of the Florida Dance Association from 2013-2017 and is a member of the Arts and Health Coalition in Sarasota. Her most precious honor, however, is being married to her husband, Kavin, of sixteen years and mother to eleven-year-old Charles Edward and five-year-old, Valda Elizabeth who inspires her dance-making daily.
Melissa Rummel was raised in Dryden, Michigan where she started dancing at the age of seven. She graduated from Belhaven University with a BFA in dance, emphasis on modern dance and choreography. She has trained with companies such as Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, RiverNorth Chicago, Ad Deum Dance Company, and Sarasota Contemporary Dance. This is Melissa’s Seventh season with Sarasota Contemporary Dance and third as Studio Coordinator. Melissa is the Associate Director for SCD Ensemble(Student Training program) and the SCD Summer Intensive Director. She is passionate about teaching and currently teaches with SCD and Woodland Fine Arts Academy. She also enjoys fitness and the positive effect it can bring to others, and she strives to find new ways to combine her love of dance and fitness. She strives to never stop stretching herself as a performer, choreographer, and teacher.
Juliana Cristina was born in West Palm Beach, FL. A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). She received her B.F.A Degree in Dance under the direction of the current Artistic Director of American Ballet Theater (ABT) Susan Jaffe and Associate Dean Brenda Daniels. During her time at UNCSA, Ms. Cristina has had the pleasure of performing works by Azure Barton, Brenda Daniels, Kira Blazek, Helen Simoneau, Ming Lung-Yang and Juel D. Lane. Juliana has studied in Trainee Programs with Nashville Ballet, Ballet Palm Beach, and the New York City Rockettes. Her passion for dance has driven her to volunteer in her community, sharing her knowledge of dance with younger generations. She has performed for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Juliana has performed in multiple productions of the “Tales of Hoffman” with The Palm Beach Opera. This is Ms.Cristina’s Fourth season with the Sarasota Contemporary Dance company; she has recently been promoted to “Development Associate” at SCD. Ms. Cristina is also on faculty at The Sarasota Ballet and teaches ballet, jazz, and contemporary to students of all ages.
Born and raised in South Korea, Sea (pronounced as “Say”) Lee was trained both conservatively and professionally at SunHwa Arts High School under the direction of Seung Yup Hong. She received a BFA with Cum Laude honors from the University of Florida and MFA with a fellowship from Hollins University/ American Dance Festival. Sea has performed professionally with Moving Current Dance Collective, independent projects with Paula Kramer and a photographer Tom Kramer, and collaborated with Asolo Repertory Theatre with Kaleidoscope Connect project. Sea has been on the faculty at the University of Tampa, St. Petersburg College, and directed a dance program at Cypress Creek middle school. Sea’s choreography has been presented by Co-motion Dance Theatre (2013, 2014), HCC Dance Ensembles (2015-2021), ACDFA in University of North Carolina Greensboro (2013) and Florida State University (2011), University of Tampa (2015, 2016), Moving Current Dance Collective (2019) and presented at Hollins University, NewGrounds Festival, Sarasota Contemporary Dance and the American Dance Festival. Sea currently serves as a dance faculty at Hillsborough Community College and Sarasota Ballet, and teaches and performs with SCD, and with a physically integrated dance company, REVolutions Dance, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Jessica Obiedzinski holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dance and a Master’s Degree in Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management from the University of Florida. She has performed professionally in companies of New York City-based artists Elizabeth Streb, Laurie DeVito, Susan Vencl, and Beth Soll. Jessica has now been with Sarasota Contemporary Dance for four consecutive seasons, acting as a company member and rehearsal director. Jessica has presented choreographic works for the New Grounds Festival, Creative Pinellas, and most recently, Sarasota Contemporary Dance’s 2021 Voices production. Jessica also teaches Yoga, and Pilates, and is a certified Simonson Dance Technique teacher.
South Carolina native, Monessa Salley, is in her 4th season dancing, teaching professionally, and currently serving as Production Lead with Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company. She is also an adjunct dance educator for the Booker High School Dance Dept. and serves as a teaching artist for several arts organizations including, The Van Wezel Performing Art Center (Artworks Anywhere), Wholehearted Education, Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative, and assistant choreographer for West Coast Black Theater Troupe. She holds a B.A. in Dance Performance from Winthrop University and an M.Ed. in Divergent Learning from Columbia College. After continued education and serving as a certified dance educator for 12 years in SC, she went on to pursue her MFA in Dance Performance and New Media at New York University’s Tisch School of Arts. She has previously toured and performed professionally with Sapphire Moon Dance Company, Vibrations Dance Company, T.O. Dance Inc., The Power Company Collaborative, and NYU’s Second Avenue Dance Company. Salley enjoys sharing the joy and passion of dance with all ages. She has a mind, body, spirit approach to dance and relishes in refining her craft as a performer and teacher, generating health, healing, and happiness through dance, and enhancing community relations.
Samantha Miller is an emerging dance artist originally from Kendallville, Indiana. She trained for 16 years in the areas of tap, jazz, ballet, and modern at Tri-County Dance Academy for the Performing Arts. In 2013, Samantha continued her studies at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. During her time at the University of the Arts, Samantha was able to perform works by Curt Haworth, Douglas Becker, Esther Baker Tarpaga, Jen McGinn, Sidra Bell, Robert Burden, and Lauren Putty White. She was also able to work with Jeanine McCaine performing her work "Under Her Skin" in the Philadelphia Fringe Art Festival in 2015. Samantha received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance, in May 2016 and is now exploring the world of dance in St. Petersburg, FL. Since residing in Florida. Samantha has been able to work and perform alongside Helen Hansen French, Mary Chase Doll, and Lauren Slone. She is a member of RogueDance Company and a new member of the Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company.
Jordan grew up in Michigan where her love for the performing arts developed. Through her training, she discovered the endless possibilities dance offered in exploration and story-telling. The idea that she would never stop learning intrigued her, and she began her journey at Point Park University earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medical and Pre-Professional Studies, and Minor in Chemistry. While at the conservatory, she had the privilege of performing works by Larry Keigwin, John Heginbotham, Mark Burrell, Jess Hendricks, Garfield Lemonius, Kiesha Lalama, Jason McDole, Robert Priore, and others. She furthered her training at Keigwin & Company, Sarasota Contemporary Dance, and chuthis. summer intensives. Youth education is an important part of her life and she strives to promote healthy, positive ways of movement and self-acceptance. When she is not dancing or teaching, Jordan enjoys working in the field of clinical research and spending time with family. Jordan is very excited and honored to be joining the SCD family this year!
Gabrielle Henry, began her dance training with Pittsburgh Youth Ballet Company & School under Jean Gedeon, at the age of three. She furthered her dance education at Slippery Rock University with Nola Nolen-Holland, Ursula Payne, and Teena Custer. Her most notable performances while at SRU, were the repertory works of Nora Ambrosio and Helen Simoneau. In just three years, she graduated Suma Cum Lade with her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Dance. Professionally she’s danced with Vivid Ballet, Exhalations Dance Theatre and now Sarasota Contemporary Dance Company. Her other passions include teaching and choreographing. She loves to motivate students to reach their full potential and to create works that stimulate and captivate performers and audience members. Ms. Henry has also completed her RYT200 Yoga certification along with her Lagree Fitness certification. Both of which she loves to practice in her free time to help keep her grounded and strong mentally and physically. She looks forward to continuing learning and expanding her career in dance.
Xiao-Xuan Yang Dancigers (Founding Company Member/Associate Director of SCDE), nominated for Best Female Dancer in Australia in 2009, has performed throughout Asia, Europe, Australia, and the United States with Australian Dance Theater and Cloudgate 2. Previously Assistant Professor at the Taipei National University of Arts, she has danced with and choreographed for Sarasota Contemporary Dance since 2012. In 2013, Xiao-Xuan co-choreographed Dreamfall featuring music by NOW Ensemble with Leymis Bolaños Wilmott. She has also danced as a soloist in Leymis’ Summer Days, of which the Sarasota Herald-Tribune wrote, “With…Dancigers’ total ownership of the characterization, it was stunning.” She was also a soloist in Gerri Houlihan’s Every Little Movement, of which the Bradenton Herald wrote, “A highlight on opening night was the long and unspeakably gorgeous solo by Xiao-Xuan Yang Dancigers. If you appreciate dance at all, you find yourself wishing the solo would never end.” In 2017, she choreographed and performed the solo Signal for New Music New College to music by Luciano Berio, with the Herald-Tribune calling the performance “stunning...precise". Xuan is also the dance instructor at Parkinson’s Place in Sarasota, and Associate Director of Sarasota Contemporary Dance Ensemble.
