Kerry Aradhya
~ joined 2005
Kerry began her eclectic dance training at Long's School of Dance in Erie, Pennsylvania, but fell head over heels for modern dance during her college days at Duke University. Barbara Dickinson, Clay Taliaferro, Betty Jones, Gerri Houlihan, and Alvin Mayes are among the teachers who have inspired her the most over the years. Today she is a science editor at a genetic information company but continues to pursue her passion for dance. Kerry has performed with the Houston Grand Opera, the Isadora Duncan Project, Joan Karff's New Dance Group, the Michele Brangwen Dance Ensemble, and Kinor Dance Company. A founding member of the Natasha Carlitz Dance Ensemble, she is honored to be dancing with the company again after a long hiatus.
Audra Edwards
~ joined 2023
Audra grew up in Eagle, Idaho, where she studied ballet at Eagle Performing Arts Center with Jeff and Cathy Giese and Lisa Moon. While in high school, she also studied vocal music and theater. She continued her dance and vocal studies at Butler University, where she fell in love with modern dance. Audra has also trained with Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Joffrey Chicago, Boston Ballet, The Rock School, and American Conservatory Theater. Upon receiving her BFA from Butler, Audra moved to New York City, where she was a company dancer with Impact Movement Collective and an apprentice with Lydia Johnson Dance. Audra moved to Denver in 2017, where she was a dancer with Hannah Kahn Dance Company from 2017-2022. While in Denver, Audra was also a company member with Maureen Breeze Dance Theatre and T2 Dance Company. In November 2022, Audra moved to England where she danced with Northern Dance in Newcastle upon Tyne. Audra is new to the Bay Area, and is excited to be joining the Natasha Carlitz Dance Ensemble!
Marie Hamel
~ joined 2023
Marie Hamel is originally from Portland, Oregon, where she studied dance with Christine Hamel (her mother) at Hamel Dance Academy. In high school, she joined the Junior Artist Generator program at BodyVox, where she trained under Sara Parker and Heather Jackson. She now studies marketing and dance at the University of San Francisco while also working at ODC. Marie has been with NCDE since January 2023.
Maggie Hurd-Fleck
~ joined 2013
Maggie grew up in the Bay Area and began her dance training at the Adage School of Performing Arts and Teen Dance Company of the Bay Area. In 2012 she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from University of California, Santa Barbara, in which she was awarded Honors Distinction in the major as well as Emerging Choreographer. She has had the opportunity to perform with many dance projects throughout the Bay Area and California such as Blind Tiger Society, Ka.nei.see Dance Collective, Scratch Dance, and H2O Dance Company. Maggie also has her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Long Island University Brooklyn and is currently a Physical Therapist at Westcott Physical Therapy in Los Altos.
Jeanne-Claudius Martin
~ joined 2018
Jeanne-Claudius (JC) Martin is a Bay Area native who began their dance career studying jazz with Marie Stinnett and appearing in local community theater productions both on and off stage. They continued dancing through their time at Humboldt State University, falling in love with modern dance and how it celebrated all the weird and wonderful ways you could move your body. Since emerging from the emerald forests of Northern California they're happy to have found a home for their love of dance and performing as they pursue their career as a science educator. A former camp counselor for the Girl Scouts of America, JC is also a designated removal escort for any bugs that find their way into the studio during rehearsals.
Elizabeth Musco
~ joined 2023
Elizabeth began her dance journey in her hometown of Fort Wayne, IN, where she started with hip-hop classes at a local dance studio and got to travel to Monsters of Hip-Hop every year. MOHH inspired her to grow as a dancer, and throughout high school, she tried other genres and classes. This fire led Elizabeth to study dance at University of Dayton in Ohio where she trained under the direction of past and present Dayton Contemporary Dance Company members, earning the "Dr. G Award for Excellence in Mainstage Theatre." She graduated Summa Cum Laude with dual degrees: a BME in Mechanical Engineering and a BA in Theatre, Dance, and Performance Technology. After moving to California to work as an Education Coordinator at a Redwood City nonprofit, Elizabeth is eager to continue to grow as a dancer as she explores the vast Bay Area dance community.
Alyssa Plummer
~ joined 2021
Originally from Sunnyvale, Alyssa began dancing ballet at a young age, and then continued to dance all throughout college. She earned a double major Bachelors in Science in Dance Choreography and Performance and Biochemistry, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Saint Mary's College of California. In college she started training seriously in modern dance, and fell in love with dance all over again. Her choreography thesis performance was presented at the American College Dance Association. She enjoys dancing, choreographing, and teaching. Alyssa loves the feeling of dance, and the creative freedom. She currently works as Manager of Academic Services for various Saint Mary's Graduate programs. She also teaches dance for students from 3 to 18 years old. In her free time she enjoys playing with her four cats, playing video games and trying new food.
Avery Rissling
~ joined 2023
A dance artist rooted in social justice work, Avery holds a dual B.A. in Dance and Political Science with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies from Santa Clara University. Here she discovered her love for collaborative dance-making and devised theatre, and co-created several works exploring movement as a catalyst for cultural and social change. She graduated Summa Cum Laude, was inducted into the National Honors Society for Dance Arts, and received the Anna Halprin Dance Award for the graduating senior dancer who best exemplifies excellence in dance and an awareness of community values. In addition to NCDE, Avery currently performs with Cat Machines Dance (joined in 2022) and enjoys teaching ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, and improvisation dance classes at local studios across the Bay Area.
Yu-Chen Rockwell
~ joined 2023
Yu-Chen Rockwell graduated from the Department of Dance at National Taiwan University of Arts. She has been a lead dancer for TUI-Mein Schiff in Germany; a musical tour dancer for Mark Thompson Productions in the UK; a performer, manager, and art director for Leofoo Village amusement park in Taiwan; a contemporary dancer for Taipei Circle Dance company; and an actor/dancer for Shanghe Taiwanese Opera. In addition, she has participated as a dancer in many well-known musicals (including Burlesque, Tanz der Vampire, and Tina) in Europe. Beyond her extensive performance background, she has engaged in dance teaching and choreographing work in various places and won many awards in cheerleading jazz dance competitions.
Clara Yang
~ joined 2017
Clara fell into the wonders and joys of dance through her seven years competing in colorguard and winterguard. She loves the whole rehearsal process and how movement, colors, breath, song, and acting all come together for a moment's connection with a stranger. At Syracuse University, she dove deeper into the world of dance through a potpourri of dance classes and through dancing and choreographing with Orange Pulse Dance Troupe. After graduation, she returned to the Bay Area where she got the privilege to pioneer and teach a dance and flag ministry at Forerunner Christian Church and dance with ArtistEdge Dance Company. She is thrilled now for the opportunity to grow as a dancer and performer with the talented and fun group of NCDE and to be a part of bringing Natasha's creative ideas to life.