CURRENT DANCE ARTISTS/COLLABORATORS (2025/2026)
My name is Erin Alberts, and I have been dancing for almost 22 years in one way or another. I began learning ballet at the age of 5, and since have experimented in almost all styles of dance. For me, dance combines movement, intellectuality and creativity in a way that no other art form does. It is this unique combination of traits that brings me back to it over and over again. I am native to Oregon but now live in Wisconsin and have participated in several dance projects in Madison over the years.
Abby Frank Taylor (she/her) is a dancer, maker, and arts administrator based in Madison, Wisconsin. Abby started making dances in the living room as a kid, and the habit stuck. Making things - dance, pottery, sweaters, or otherwise - helps her feel connected to herself and the world around her. She has previously performed with Liz Sexe Dance, Shapiro & Smith Dance, SLO Dance, and work by choreographers Leila Awadallah, Gerald Casel, Leyya Mona Tawil, Martha Graham and Garth Fagan. Abby was a resident company member at Timber Lake Playhouse and spent a summer at Jacob's Pillow on the Company Management team.
Eve Levi discovered her love of dance at four years old and has been moving ever since. After a two-year hiatus from dance spent farming on the West Coast, she has returned to the studio with fresh eyes and renewed passion. She sees dance as a way to strengthen the bonds within our community and bring people together in a way that is joyful and thought-provoking. Eve has enjoyed the opportunity to work with Liz and her collaborative, lighthearted and subtle approach to choreography.
Tara McAninch is a California-native and graduate of UC-Santa Barbara, with a BFA in Dance. Prior to moving to Madison, in 2023, she performed with Selah Dance Collective (2019-2023), Nebula Dance Lab (2019 & 2022), Motion Theatre Dance Company (2019), Palm Dance Collective (2019), and Santa Barbara Dance Theater (2017) as an Apprentice. Since relocating Tara has contributed to Madison Contemporary Dance (2023 & 2024), Isthmus Dance Collective (2024-present), and co-founded Unincorporated Dance Lab, u.DL.
Megan Schimke has been dancing since she was a child, but remembers the moment in a high school dance class when she realized she wanted to continue working in it as a career. Following that, she continued to find her voice in performing, but now loves the art of story-telling through choreography. Megan is interested in creating choreography that is a physical representation of our internal processing of emotions and mental health. She believes dancing and creating dance helps find self-understanding and empathy for others.
SOUND DESIGNER/COMPOSER
Tim Russell lives at the confluence of the aural and the visual. Called “The premier composer for Modern Dance in Milwaukee” (Shepherd Express), and a “thrilling show within the show” (Dance Tabs), Tim is an extremely active performer/composer, creating almost exclusively with choreography. He holds an MFA in Music Improvisation from Mills College, where he studied electronic music, composition and improvisation. Tim is the Music Director for the University of Wisconsin’s Dance Department. He was selected as 2019–20 Cowles Visiting Artists at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, a first for a Musician in the field of Dance. He curates performances at his house in Madison, Wi. called Common Sage. His audio shares the stage with a vast array of choreographic artists, bringing Tim and his music across the country from the Judson Church in NYC to ODC in San Francisco. www.avoidancepolicy.com
Past Collaborators:
Dancers:
Bethany Alwa
Katie Apsey
Lauren (Gibbs) Atkins
Miye Bishop
Cynthia Bachhuber
Eva Cahnman
Leah Cain
Caroline Criste
Lily Edgar
Allison Espeseth
Kimi Evelyn
Victoria Franz
Haley Halverson
Elisa Hildner
Henry Holmes
Nellie Holmes
Emily Janik
Lauren John
Katherine Jones
Brooke (Schroeder) Knoke
Amanda Kolsch
Dianne Kotsonis
Abbey Laufenberg
Natalie Machado
Palmer Mathews
Ryann Marlar
Molly Nethery
Dani Oblitas
Jessica Robling
Mariel Schneider
Emily (Miller) Schultz
Luella Shapiro
Amy Slater
Abbi Stickles
Hannah Wolf
Guest Choreographer with:
Central Midwest Ballet (2023)
Isthmus Dance Collective (DELVE) (2025)
Kanopy Dance Company (2018, 2019)
Point Dance Ensemble (2026)
Scratch Dance (2017)
Unincorporated Dance Lab (2025)
Sound Design/Musicians:
Andrew Bocher (2023, 2026)
Lorna Dune (2025)
Emili Earhart (2023)
Luigi Marino (2009, 2010)
Paul Naughton (2009)
Eric Sheffield (2013)
Joe Straub (2009, 2010)
Sean Wesche (2007)
Thomas Wincek (2025, 2026)
UW Madison Music Department’s Wind Ensemble, Music by John Harbison, Conducted by Scott Teeple (2024)
Lighting Design:
Jarrod Bainter
Claude Hintz
Jim Vogel
Film/Sets/ Multimedia work
Heidi Johnson (film)
Jake Neuman (film)
Jim Vannes (film)
Joey Caster (set design)
Grant (MAX programing)