DIRECTORS
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FOUNDER | Jodie Randolph is a choreographer and dance educator based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is a graduate of Jacksonville University where she received her MFA in Choreography.
Jodie served as an adjunct lecturer of dance at Eastern Michigan University and teaches master classes throughout the country. She has taught for companies, colleges, conventions, and festivals including Platinum Dance Experience, Versatile Dance Company, Michigan Dance Project, Detroit Dance City Festival, Brighton Dance Festival, Wayne State University, and Escuela Nacionale de Danza (Santo Domingo). Her students have gone on to study at The Juilliard School, Marymount of Manhattan, Indiana University, Point Park University, University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, and Eastern Michigan University. Her students can be seen working on Broadway, in Sleep No More, and notable companies like Batsheva Dance Company and The New York City Ballet. Jodie has presented work at esteemed venues across the United States and Caribbean including Hudson Guild Theatre (NYC), Huntington Avenue Theatre (Boston), Music Hall (Detroit), and Palacio de Bellas Artes (Santo Domingo), among others. Jodie's choreography has been commissioned for Brighton Dance Festival (MI), Dance Masters of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University (MI), Snow College (UT), and ENDANZA (DR). Her work has been presented at DUMBO Dance Festival (NYC), Boston Contemporary Dance Festival (MA), Brighton Dance Festival (MI), Detroit Dance City Festival (MI), Michigan Dance Festival (MI), Oakland Dance Festival (MI), and EDANCO (Dominican Republic). She founded Young Dancers Initiative in 2013 and continues to make work and tour around the country. |
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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | Kaitlyn Pollock attended Western Michigan University and graduated with a BFA in Dance in 2013. Throughout her university experience, she had many opportunities to work with professional artists and perform professional works such as Gerald Arpino's "Viva Vivaldi", KT Nelson "Light and Landless" (2013), Lauren Edson "Foreground" (2012), David Parsons "The Envelope" (2011), Gerald Arpino's "Birthday Variations", Harrison McEldowney "Dance Sport" (2010), Autumn Eckman Premiere of "Yes, and..” (2010), Ron DeJesus (2009) Premiere of "Khamsin". Following graduation she moved to New York City and performed professionally with Shawn Bible Dance Company, artistic director Shawn T Bible, BOM DIGGS, artistic director Bonnie O’Rourke, Smashworks Dance Collective and DoubleTakeDance Co. She also performed in various freelance dance projects throughout NYC. KP recently moved back to Kalamazoo, MI and is excited to lead Young Dancers Initiative!
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ASSISTANT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | Isabella Varon is a Michigan native and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College. She has most recently been featured at the Detroit Dance City Festival as a guest company member with Artlab J. Isabella began her dance training at the age of 2 at Juliart Dance Studio in Troy, Michigan. Her training includes ballet, pointe, contemporary, modern, lyrical, jazz, and tap. Additionally, during her training at Juliart, Isabella spent 9 years dancing at the competitive level obtaining numerous awards and scholarships.
During her classical studies at Marymount, under the direction of Katie Langan, Isabella performed several new choreographic works and repertoire by artists Kyle Abraham, Adam Barruch, Michael Thomas, Breton Tyner-Bryan, John Heginbotham, and Nancy Lushington. Her additional summer training includes Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s professional intensive, American Ballet Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and SpringboardX. Currently, Isabella resides in Detroit, Michigan, and is the assistant artistic director of Young Dancers Initiative and frequently guest-instructs across various programs. |
