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Biographies
C o m p a n y
HNM Dance, founded in 1995, is a contemporary dance company based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. With 50+ original dances and 100s of performances... HNM is recognized for its sensual musicality, starkly dramatic, and wildly humorous repertoire. The company values collaborations with artists and organizations in all disciplines, and is committed to making dance accessible and enriching for everyone through public performances, workshops and classes. The company was deemed "Exceptional Creative Group" by the City of Windsor. "BEAUTIFUL" -Windsor Star; "MESMERIZING" -Room Magazine. HNM Dance is a recipient of the Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts.
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A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r
Anh Nguyen is a dance artist from Canada. Currently he is residence choreographer of HNM Dance and collaborating with other innovative artists and organizations on multi-disciplinary projects for the 11/12 arts season. Anh makes regular guest appearances with other progressive dance companies, symphony orchestras, art galleries, festivals and universities; including Dancetheatre David Earle, Danny Grossman Dance Company, American Ballet Theatre, Dance Nonce, Detroit Dance Collective, Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, and Michigan Opera Theatre. In recognition for his contribution to artistic and cultural life, Anh was given the Mayor's Award of Excellence for Outstanding Artist. Anh's choreography and compositions have been presented internationally by various dance and music ensembles. The Globe and Mail writes, "Nguyen's complex, energetic crisscross diagonals and clean, economical, athletic movements are as elegant as they are refreshing... brilliant stage pictures that perfectly mirrored the counterpoint and fugue of Bach's music... the ability to build very interesting dances on a clear, single focus." The Courier-Journal describes Anh's choreography as, "PURE PLEASURE".
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A r t i s t i c A s s o c i a t e
Katie Mecher-Williams is a native of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She is currently the artistic associate and dancer of HNM Dance Company. Katie is a graduate of the 'Theatre Dance' program at Ryerson University in Toronto (1989). She has trained at the Minsk Choreographic School in Russia, with Toronto Dance Theatre, and with Ottawa's Le Groupe de la Place Royale. Katie has worked with a number of dance companies and has enjoyed both performing and participating in educational programming. Katie shares her love of the artform with the students of the musical theatre program at St. Clair College. She also works with the "Learning Through the Arts" program where she facilitates public school students in establishing dance as their voice and as a means of interpretation.
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D a n c e r
Judith Aikman began dancing in her native country of Jamaica at the age of 6. She was given a solid foundation in Classical Dance at the Fay Simpson Dance School. Her love of the art form blossomed when exposed to Modern Dance under the tutelage of Neville Black and Jackie Guy. At the age of 23, Judy took on the challenge of dancing professionally with L'ACADCO, a Caribbean Modern Dance company, performing in Jamaica, Mexico and Holland. She migrated to Canada and found comfort and familiarity dancing as a member of HNM Dance Company. Judy has expanded her dance vocabulary by experimenting with Tap and Jazz at Cathy's Dance Studio. Judy's newest role in dance is that of Instructor in beginner Ballet and Modern dance at that studio.
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D a n c e r
Sigrid Chistiansen has been dancing with HNM since 2005. With a B.A. in Drama from Franklin and Marshall College and training in modern dance and ballet, Sigrid danced with Chrysalis Dance Company in Providence, Rhode Island from 1977 to 1980. From 1980 to 1982 she danced as a free-lance dancer in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York working with choreographers such as Kitty Daniels, Ruby Shang, and Gerry Houlihan until retiring to teach and pursue other interests. Returning to Detroit, she taught and choreographed throughout the city until a knee injury sidelined her dancing completely until knee surgery in 2001. From 2002-2003 she stepped in to run the Cranbrook/Kingswood dance department when Jessica Sinclair suddenly retired. From 2003 to 2005 Sigrid was a guest dancer with Detroit Dance Collective where she first met Anh and performed a duet with him. In the 2004 and 2005 she performed her own solo dances with More Dances Contemporary Dance Company. Sigrid is also a singer, guitarist and songwriter. Her CD, In The Cradle Of The Moon, was released in July of 2009.
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Diana Fleming – Dancing more years than she can remember, Diana began her terpsichorean journey as a ballet student of Jack Bickle. As an adult, she was introduced to modern, jazz and country western dance and took numerous classes and workshops in these genres in Canada and the United States. She has performed with the Windsor Light Opera, University Dancers and HNM Dance Company. She has also been involved with dance as a board member of Gina Lori Riley Dance Enterprises and the University Dance Series and has taught social dance at the University of Windsor. She is grateful for the support and encouragement of her fellow HNM dancers and her partner, Cecil.
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D a n c e r
Shanti Guirao is originally from stockton, california where she started her early training and danced with sacramento ballet. She received her BFA in dance performance from SMU in Dallas, TX., and upon graduating moved to new york city where she spent the last eleven years. She danced for Radio City Productions, Nai Ni Chen, Taylor II, David Grenke, Dario Vaccarro dance theatre, and Battleworks dance company. She also spent time teaching for city centers outreach program for inner city schools. She has performed throughout north america as well as abroad. She moved to Windsor in june '09, and is thrilled to be a part of this wonderful company.
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D a n c e r
Jasmin McGraw has been a member of HNM Dance Co. since 2000. Introduced to ballet at a young age, dance has since been a great passion. She started her training at the Dance Studio of Academie Ste. Ceceile 1988 and Windsor City Ballet 1995. Jasmin was drawn to the modest power and simplicity of contemporary dance. This passion grew and was unavoidable. She moved to Toronto in 2002 to begin her studies at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre (STDT). During her studies at STDT she performed works by a number of influential choreographers including Peggy Baker, Marc Boivin, Peter Chin, Christopher House, Sasha Ivanochko, and Michael Trent. After graduation she danced for José Navas in Montréal’s Springboard Danse Professional Project. Next was a year at Codarts’ Rotterdam Dance Academy in the Netherlands 2005. She collaborated with choreographer Aida Reza, visual artist Frans Huisman and performed works by Jérôme Meyer. That experience sparked the need to travel and the following year she was in Panama teaching English as a Second Language for St. Clair College. There, she also taught Dance to the Contemporary Dance students at the University of Panama. Jasmin is currently in her final semester of Massage Therapy at Canadian College of Health Science and Technology. Drawn to a mosaic of ambitions, she immerses herself into all her endeavours.
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D a n c e r
Patricia Morneau is what could be called a late bloomer when it comes to dance—she took her first modern class with HNM hesitantly at forty years of age, attending with one of her daughters hoping to spark an interest in dance. Almost eleven years later, she is still taking classes (daughter had moved on to other activities!) and loving every minute of it. In her “other life”, Patricia obtained her Master of Social Work and has been employed with the Greater Essex County District School Board since 1990 after working for a number of social service agencies. She is actively involved in social justice initiatives locally. Being able to perform with HNM is truly living a dream. She is grateful for the encouragement, laughter, patience and friendship offered by everyone in the company and all who attend classes.
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D a n c e r
Megan Noel has been passionate about dance from a very young age. She has been studying ballet for 10 years. Megan enjoys taking yearly Cecchetti exams and has just recently completed her Standard Six for which she passed with special merit. For the past few years Megan has been enjoying taking modern/contemporary classes and is feeling privileged to be dancing with HNM this season.
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D a n c e r
Marie Ouellette-Noel is a true “Essex County girl”. She has been working at a local hospital for the past 22 years as a registered nurse. Although Marie’s family is her first priority, her dancing is where her true passion lies. Marie first studied Cecchetti at a young age under the teachings of Madelyn Weingarden at The Dance Studio and then at the Academie of St. Cecile. After trying different genres of dance she discovered her true passion for contemporary/modern dance. For the past 13 years she has been dancing with HNM under the direction of Anh Nguyen for which she feels is a true priceless gift.
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