Member Biographies
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related pages: YD Members and YD Board
Members 2010-2011:
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Laura Bass
Saybrook '15
Info coming soon! |
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Catherine Camp
Jonathan Edwards '14
Catherine is so, so happy to have found YD, her family away from home! Catherine
was at first a total bunhead, starting ballet lessons at age 10. At 13 she
joined the Spence School dance company and began training in contemporary
ballet and modern dance, where she stayed until age 18. Catherine spent several
summers at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts and completed the
Peridance summer intensive. Besides dance, Catherine loves theater, gymnastics,
yoga, kittens, and cupcakes. I SEE YOU, YD! |
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Tim Creavin
Berkeley '15
Info coming soon! |
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Rebecca Distler
MPH '13
A native New Yorker, Rebecca began dancing at the tender age of four. She received training from School of American Ballet, dancing children’s roles with New York City Ballet, as well as from Studio Maestro and Briansky and spent two summers at American Ballet Theatre’s intensive in Orange County, California. She was also a principal dancer for three years at Warwick Ballet Theatre, and performed in over 13 different full length ballets with them. Internationally, she has trained in both China and Japan, spending a month in the former studying with different ballet companies. Her most rewarding dance experience, however, was this past summer, which she spent volunteering with Groove With Me, teaching young girls from low-income families in East Harlem creative movement and ballet. A freshman in Davenport, Rebecca is so ridiculously excited to return to Yale in the fall (and to her YD family!), where she spends the time she isn’t dancing with YD dancing with A Different Drum Dance Company, as well as indulging her other passions for writing, nutrition, books, and friends! |
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Natalie Drucker
Pierson '14
Info coming soon! |
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Nicole Feng
Jonathan Edwards '16
Info coming soon! |
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Jane Fisher
Jonathan Edwards '14
Info coming soon! |
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Laura Fridman
Branford '15
Info coming soon! |
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Molly Gibbons
Pierson '14
Info coming soon! |
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Henry Gottfried
Jonathan Edwards '13
Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Henry was lucky to have great dance opportunities in high school. He is so thrilled to be part of YD, and continue dancing with some really talented people. Love to Mindy Congleton. "Yeah YD, you go YD!" |
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Natalia Khosla
Saybrook '14
Natalia is psyched to be a member of YD, an inspirational group of dancers! A true Chicagoan, Natalia started dancing Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance) at the age of 5, along with Bhangra and Bollywood style Indian dance. She started training in ballet, tap, modern, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, and jazz at the Center for Dance in Westmont, Illinois at the age of 11, and later joined the Center Stage Dance Company. Natalia competed at numerous levels with the company until halfway through high school, when she started dancing in the city of Chicago at Hubbard Street's Dance Center, Joel Hall Dance, and Joffrey Ballet. Go YD!!! |
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Juliette Jeanfreau
DIV '13
Info coming soon! |
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Elena Light
Jonathan Edwards '13
Elena Light trained in ballet and tap from ages three to five, but then stopped to play sports with her twin sister. She started up again at age nine at Oakley Ballet Center, where she has been dancing ever since. Trained in classical ballet and modern, Elena attended summer intensive programs at Oregon Ballet Theatre and The Boston Conservatory. There, she was exposed to flamenco, jazz, Limon modern dance, and the Alwin Nikolais choreographic philosophy. She has choreographed numerous pieces, including some for the International Baccalaureate World Dance Studies course/examination. Elena is loving the dance world at Yale and is beyond happy to be a YD baby! |
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Alex Lin
Pierson '13
Alex began her ballet training at the Menlo Park Academy of Dance when she was three years old. At six, she transferred to Western Ballet in Mountain View, California where she then spent the next eleven years dancing and getting excited whenever the Nutcracker costumes were taken out around late October. In middle and high school, she attended summer intensives at American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet, and Ballet San Jose. In sophomore year, she was first exposed to non-classical dance as a serious form of training. With her demanding high school performance group, she has explored numerous kinds of dance and garnered invaluable experience in choreography. Though she doesn't know what she wants to study or do with her life, she does know she loves dance and is so happy to be in YD! |
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Mimi Owusu
Yale Medical School '13
Mimi has been grooving and contorting in various forms since her youth. It all began many moons ago at a gymnastics preschool program and has progressed through various countries and styles thereafter... From first position in England, shuffle hop steps in Norway, cheerleading in Scotland, jazz hands in Texas, dance teaming as a Harvard undergrad, and cha-ing as an Oxford MSc student, Mimi is delighted to have chassed her way into YaleDancers as a medical student this year! |
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Christian Probst
Pierson '16
Christian Probst is a freshman from St. Louis, MO who couldn't be happier to have joined the YD family who has truly welcomed him here at Yale! Having performed at the St. Louis Muny for 11 consecutive summers, performing is in Christian's blood. He started taking tap, ballet and jazz lessons when he was seven at the Krupinski Academy of Dance and hasn't kept his feet or body still since! Although tap dancing still remains his favorite form, Christian thanks YD for helping grow in all areas of dance. Special thanks to Mark, Karen and Ashley Krupinski, Simonie Bieber and Julie Probst (mom) for being sources of constant support, training and encouragement. And thanks to Michael reminding us what YD cares about: SAFETY!! |
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Michael Rosen
Ezra Stiles '14
Info coming soon! |
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Ferrin Ruiz
Yale Medical School '12
Ferrin trained in classical ballet since the age of four at Long Beach
Ballet. She has performed annually in their Nutcracker, Spring Show, and Summer Intensive performances. She is a recent graduate of Scripps College in Claremont, California where she received a dual Bachelor's degree in Dance and Biology. Ferrin is now beginning her first year at Yale School of Medicine. She just returned from a tour in China with LBB's program "Ambassadors to China" that she participated in this summer. |
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Alex Shaheen
Trumbull '13
Info coming soon! |
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Scott Simpson
Branford '13
Scott began his dance career at Yale; having dedicated much time to music and sports, once arriving freshman year he began pursuing this new interest! He first auditioned for Yale Jashan Bhangra, an indian dancing troupe. After a year learning and performing the vibrant cultural dance, he decided to venture out further into the ballet and contemporary world of YD! He is thrilled with the opportunity to learn classical dance from such talented Yalies and explore the art of choreography through the company. |
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Grace Teng
Post-Doctoral Student
Info coming soon! |
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Alana Thyng
Saybrook '16
Info coming soon! |
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Gracie White
Jonathan edwards '16
Gracie White does not have a traditional dance background, and instead grew up performing in a circus. She trained aerials and hand balancing with Circus Juventas from 2005 though 2011, and then took a gap year to work professionally in New York with Company XIV. Gracie is so excited to be a part of YD and to have the opportunity to train with such an incredible group of people! |
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