Genevieve Bernard (Artistic Director) is a founding member of Voci Dance. She has worn many hats in the company including dancer, choreographer, and costumer. She holds her Masters in Dance Education from Temple University and has received awards and fellowships for her choreography. Genevieve comes to Voci from the Orlando International Theatre Fringe Festival, where she served as Associate Producer. Genevieve also worked for Orange County Public Schools as a dance and music teacher for 8 years and spent much time creating and implementing a dance curriculum for OCPS elementary school students. She is also a choreographer for IBEX puppetry. This is Genevieve’s 10th season with Voci Dance.

Katherine Fabian (Guest Dancer) is originally from South Florida, where she began her dance training at age 3 and received her BA in Dance Studies from the University of South Florida. She went on the attend American University in Washington DC, obtaining her MA in Performing Arts Management. While in DC, Katherine had the pleasure of interning with the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange and Americans for the Arts. She also worked as the Membership Manager at Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance. Katherine recently relocated to Orlando with her husband and works as the School Manager at the Orlando Ballet.

Leah Marke (Dancer/Choreographer) holds her BFA in Dance from the University of South Florida. Her most recent works in Orlando include the Macabre Vignettes and Heather Henson’s Panther and Crane. After dancing alongside Voci in last year’s Happenstance, Leah is excited to be performing in her first season with Voci Dance.

Lisa Mie (Dancer/Company Manager) Hailing from Denver, CO, Lisa was a dance major at the Denver School of the Arts and the University of Northern Colorado, but came to Orlando to receive her B.S. in Hospitality Mgmt from UCF. She has danced with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and Kim Robards Dance Companies and performed with the National Broadway Touring Company of Joseph! Lisa has studied under many dancers and choreographers including Hannah Kahn, Leah Belliston, Jerald Vincent and Dave Rickard, in numerous styles ranging from modern and Egyptian, to hula and cirque aerial arts. She has loved using dance as a means to reach and enlighten her community and is looking forward to continuing that mission with Voci. Lisa is honored to begin her 4th season with Voci Dance.

Rokaya Mikhailenko (Dancer/Choreographer) has studied dance and movement throughout her life. She attended Cornish College of the Arts and the University of Oregon Modern Dance Programs. She has lived in Holland and the south of Spain, where she fully took advantage of the vital Post-Modern Dance community. In addition to her studies in Modern and Ballet, she discovered Flamenco, Arabic folk dance, Contact/Improvisation, gyrotonics and New Dance Development with teachers including Vida Peral & Mahdi Emara and at Da.Te.Danza & Ballet at Terpsichore. Rokaya also took an intensive in Flamenco Puro at Carmen Cuevas in the Albacin, which was one of the most inspiring experiences of her life. It prompted the proposal of her first screen play using dance in film. Since 2006, she has  performed/choreographed  in four films produced by A Wrong Alfredo Films in Rome, Italy. Her films have been shown at art & film festivals in Granada, Barcelona and throughout Italy. In addition to Voci, she teaches and performs with A Magi Arabic Folk Dance. Rokaya’s long term interest continues to be the choreographic process and using dance in film. She believes that Post-Modern Dance is an active movement, and is happily a part of it! This is Rokaya’s 3rd season with Voci Dance.

Adrienne Nichols (Founder/Dancer/Choreographer) has studied dance in England, France, Pennsylvania and New York City. After receiving Highly Commended ratings in advance study from the Royal Academy of Dance of England, Ms. Nichols continued to dance at Wilkes University where she obtained her BA in International Economics and French with a minor in Dance. She has performed soloist roles in many major classical ballets and with modern dance companies in New Jersey and New York, including the Shore Ballet Company, Solstice Dance/SoHo, the American Heritage Dance Company. This is Adrienne’s 10th season with Voci Dance.

Amanda Oost Bradberry (Guest Artist/Choreographer) is originally from Tampa Florida, where she graduated with a BFA in modern dance from the University of South Florida. After graduating, she performed with a local dance company, Moving Current. Her most recent performances in Orlando include, Macabre Vignettes, Happenstance and The Orlando International Fringe Festival: All Hallows Eve. She is delighted to be working with Voci Dance.

Becky Rankin (Dancer) grew up dancing in Central Florida with a passion for jazz and tap. She attended Florida State University before transferring to Rollins College, where she earned her BA in Theatre and Dance. Becky happily danced with Voci Dance for its initial 2 seasons before moving to New York City, where she continued to study at various New York institutions. Having recently returned to Central Florida, Becky is pleased to be joining Voci once again for their 10th season.

McClaine Timmerman (Dancer/Choreographer) is a recent graduate from Columbia College Chicago, with a BA in dance. She attended North Carolina School of the Arts for 2 high school years in the ballet program. She has also attended the summer intensive workshops of Boston Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Ballet West, The Seldoms, Thodos Dance Chicago, and Janice Garrett and Dancers. McClaine had the privilege of dancing as a trainee member for Orlando Ballet after working her way up the program dancing the roles of Clara (02’), and Sleeping Beauty (03’). Also, she was a member of Joel Hall Dancers II of Chicago in 07’.  She is also blessed to have worked with mentors and choreographers such as Fernando Bujones, Paige Cunningham, Peter Stark, Trisha Brown, and Milissa Hayden. McClaine recently taught at the Orlando Ballet Summer Intensive, and is thrilled to continue teaching around the Orlando area. This is McClaine’s 1st season as a company member with Voci Dance.

Kathryn Tosh (Guest Dancer) began her training at the Orlando Ballet School, where she studied under Peter Stark and Fernando Bujones for many years. In 2006, she joined the Orlando Ballet, under the direction of Bruce Marks, where she spent 3 years as a company member. Kathryn also spent three years as a National Training Scholar with the American Ballet Theatre and received scholarships to many other schools including The Rock School, San Francisco Ballet School, and Orlando Ballet School. She has performed works by Twyla Tharp, George Balenchine, Fernando Bujones, David Parsons, Salim Gauwloos and Lila York, to name a few.

Guest Artists

Ellie Potts Barrett (Guest Choreographer/Director of BARRETTWERKS) trained at Boston Conservatory and graduated with a B.A. in Dance from the University of South Florida. She is a highly sought after dancer/teacher/choreographer by national dance organizations, professional theatre companies and universities. Ellie danced with the Ina Hahn Modern Dance Company, Boston Dance Company and with Mary Anthony in New York, and has been an associate at the Atlantic Center for the Arts to Master Artists Merce Cunningham, Meg Harper and Elizabeth Streb. Along with teaching at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, she also is on the faculties of the School of Performing Arts in Orlando, the Dance Company in St.Augustine and Dance Olympus/Dance America/New York. In April, 2008, she was the recipient of the Central Florida Lifetime Achievement Dance Award given by the University of Central Florida. Voci first commissioned Ellie’s work in the Fall of 2006 and have since worked together for several productions.

Tara Lee Burns (Guest Artist/Choreographer) Tara graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a BFA in Dance in 2003. She also received an MA in Digital Performance from Hull University’s Doncaster College, UK in 2006. While in England, she performed with Palindrome Inter.media Dance Group and Kathinka Walter throughout the UK and Germany. From 2005 - 2006, Tara had the opportunity to perform with Voci before joining Adele Myers and Dancers in NYC in 2006. Tara also took on the role of company manager for Adele Myers and Dancers shortly after joining the company as a performer as well as company managing for Alexandra Beller/Dances in NYC. In addition to performing and managing, Tara is a freelance graphic/web designer and is beginning to show her choreography in NYC. She is delighted to be working with Voci’s wonderful dancers and thanks them for the opportunity and their spirit. www.taraleeburns.com

Cheryl Mann (Guest Artist/Choreographer) fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a Hubbard Street dancer in 1997. She has been fortunate in her career to travel and perform in 15 countries, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and countless domestic cities in the U.S. Ms. Mann retired after 10 1/2 years with the company in October 2007. She is now the owner of Cheryl Mann Photography, and plans to stay close to the community through dance projects/photography. She has felt privileged to share the stage with Voci in a beautiful dance collaborative.

Mary Clymene Baugher (Guest Artist/Choreographer) graduated with a BFA in Dance and with an Honors Award for Distinction in Choreography from Fordham University/ The Ailey School in New York. During her time at The Ailey School, she performed in The Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble and with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She also apprenticed with the Sean Curran Dance Company in New York. She taught dance at Douglas Anderson High School for the Arts in Jacksonville, Florida and has a Masters degree in Mental Health Counseling from Rollins College. Mary performed with Voci Dance for 3 seasons but now has relocated and currently dances in New York City.

Elsa Valbuena (Guest Artist/Choreographer) was born in Cali, Columbia. Her studies in dance include Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, dance theatre with Jean Binoche and George Perla, as well as various alternative forms. In 1982, she founded her company, Guadere Danza, in Cali, Colombia. There, she developed a dance education program and has made significant contributions to contemporary dance in that country.  Her company was invited to represent Colombia in festivals in Barcelona, Caracas, Venezuela and Bogota, Colombia. She has also performed, served as assistant director, and choreographed for the Compania Colombiana de Ballet in Bogota. Since her arrival in 1993 to the Tampa Bay Area, Elsa has guest taught and choreographed at the University of South Florida, University of Tampa, Eckerd College and St. Petersberg Junior College. In 1996, she received an Emerging Artist Grant from the Arts Council of Hillsborough County. Her company, Guadere Danza, has appeared several times at Off Center Theater at The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center as well as the Gene Frankle Theater in N.Y., N.Y. and was most recently presented by Danspace Project/St. Mark’s Church, N.Y., N.Y.