Staff

Adrian Moore Trask

She/Her
Director of Strategic Development

Adrian joined Keshet’s staff in 2016 with ten years of experience in strengthening arts & culture nonprofit organizations and advanced training in public humanities. Before moving to Albuquerque, Adrian worked as the development & communications manager at Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, leading fundraising and marketing efforts to support the state’s humanities community. Adrian maintains her connection with Rhode Island as a volunteer with Dance Legacy, supporting organizational systems and policies to effectively engage Dance Legacy’s dispersed network of volunteers and contractors. Early in her career, Adrian worked in the creative aging field as program director for Arts for the Aging and danced with Nancy Havlik Dance Performance Group in Washington, DC. Adrian has implemented projects that incorporate performance, fine arts, and history with American Dance Legacy Initiative, Everett: Company, Stage and School, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Y-Space (Hong Kong), the National Museum of American History, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Adrian has a bachelor’s degree in dance and anthropology from Wesleyan University and earned a master’s degree in Public Humanities from Brown University, focusing on community building and public engagement through arts and culture, specifically dance. Adrian came to Keshet in August 2016 and says, “with a personal mission to connect community through the arts and humanities and to support artists by providing business development support, Keshet is the perfect place for me! I’m very grateful to be part of this inspiring, creative community.”

Alana Sanchez

She/Her
Teaching Faculty

Alana graduated from Keshet’s Pre-Professional Program (KP3) in 2019, and has experience training in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, and pointe technique over 11 years. She is currently a student at the University of New Mexico finishing her B.S. in Psychology with minors in Chemistry and Health, Medicine, & Human Values, and a Designation in Honors. Alana plans to pursue a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies in the hopes of one day being able to provide accessible healthcare to underserved women in New Mexico. Dance has continued to play an integral role in nurturing her own physical and mental wellness as well as allowing for her to exercise her creativity amidst a busy schedule. As a member of Keshet’s Education Faculty, Alana thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to foster other people’s enjoyment of the arts and help young students discover a passion for dance through the pursuit of personal excellence, technique acquisition, and finding freedom in the joy of movement.

Alissa Trujillo

She/Her
Education and Engagement Coordinator

Alissa was born in West Virginia, but moved to New Mexico at a young age. She graduated from Manzano High School and got her nursing assistant certification at TVI. Alissa has been working with children and young adults with physical and developmental disabilities for the past 14 years. As the Community Relations Manager, Alissa is excited to contribute to Keshet’s community in a new way. Alissa has been part of Keshet’s community since 2011 when she enrolled her daughter into her first dance class, shortly after Alissa began taking classes and they both have been dancing ever since! Alissa and her husband are also Keshet volunteers. Alissa has been married to her husband, Mat for 13+ years, and together they have three children, Jordyn, Ryan and Devyn. When Alissa isn’t working, or dancing, she enjoys camping, hiking, swimming, going on road trips to visit family, watching her son play sports, shopping and cooking with her daughter, and checking out local breweries with her husband. What Alissa loves most about Keshet is how inclusive it is, any and all people are welcomed at Keshet, which is what has brought and kept her and her whole family as an active part of it.

Ana Lopes Aréchiga

She/Her
Keshet Company Dancer, Director of Programming and Engagement, Teaching Faculty

Ana was born in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico, and began dancing at an early age. She has a BA in dance and psychology, having graduated with honors Summa Cum Laude in Psychology, Magna Cum Laude in Dance from the University of New Mexico. She apprenticed for the Keshet Dance Company in 2013, Kamea Dance Company in Israel in 2014, and then returned to New Mexico, re-joining Keshet as a Company Dancer in 2016, and has been dancing with Keshet ever since! She has also danced for the Santa Fe Opera, Jewell and Company, Blythe Eden Dance Company, J. Garcia Dance Company, lisa nevada dance, and Esteban Garza Dance Company. While she continues to dance for many of these companies, Ana additionally teaches some fantastic classes each week!

Anastasia Knodle 

She/Her
Keshet Arts Apprentice and Teaching Faculty

Anastasia Knodle was born in Gallup, but ended up growing up in Albuquerque at a young age with dance helping her navigate life. Anastasia has been a part of Keshet’s KP3 Program for 5 years and finds ways of going back to Keshet to dance. Anastasia has always thought of everyone in Keshet as family and the place a home. Always trying to be there for others, lending a listening ear when needed, and pushes herself and everyone around her to be their best person. She went to a performing arts school from 6th grade to 11th grade and had Hip-Hop dance as her performing art. As a person who really enjoys different art styles, she tries to learn different styles whether it is visual, performance, musical, or written. She may not be good at it, but she does it so she can see why the arts are so important in cultures and to the people creating those arts. She also likes to create art in a way to communicate and to connect with other people. Anastasia is a recent graduate from Del Norte High School and wants to go to ENMU to be an educator and an influencer on the younger generation.

Angel Kopacka

She/Her
Mixed Ability Teaching Faculty

Angel’s love for dance started at the age of 4 where she was a student at Fishback Studio’s, in Albuquerque, NM training in ballet, jazz and tap until the age of 14. Angel’s dream of becoming a professional dancer was altered due to a tragic automobile accident, which left her with a vertebral compression fracture in her spine. Due to her injury Angel found a new love at the age of 16, where she started as a Recreation Leader for the City of Albuquerque, Therapeutic Recreation Program, working with children and adults with and without disabilities. 

In 2006, Angel took a full-time position with the City of Albuquerque, Therapeutic Recreation Programs, as a Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator, where she oversaw serval programs for mixed abilities, which included a popular adult dance called MerryMakers. In addition, she spent the next 10 years hiring and training City of Albuquerque employees on how to implement inclusive programming for people with and without disabilities.  Her love for people turned in to a 23-year career with the City of Albuquerque, not only working with people with disabilities, but also managing several Community Centers, and just recently her last endeavor as the Program Director for AmeriCorps Seniors, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.

Angel was introduced to Keshet Dance Company in 2008 when an instructor came to Loma Linda Community Center to teach a dance class to the children who were registered in the summer program. At that time, Angel had the love of dance spark back into her soul and decided to sign up for Keshet’s Nutcracker on the Rocks.  After her participation in that show, Angel was determined to start dancing again and found a place of peace in a community which embraces ALL ABILITIES. The rest is history! She became a student of dance once again at the age of 26 after a 12-year absence.  Angel began to heal from her past trauma both physically and emotionally which she says came from, the support, love, and friendships from this beautiful community, which is Keshet.  

In 2012 Angel became a part time teaching faculty, teaching Creative Movement, Children’s Ballet, Contemporary and the Mixed Abilities classes. She continued dancing and teaching dance until the birth of her beautiful daughter, Avalynn, in 2018. 

Angel is thrilled to join Keshet once again not only as a student of dance but also as a full-time employee in an organization which believes in kindness, mentorship, and love!

Diana MacNeil

She/Her
Costumer, Teaching Faculty

Diana MacNeil is a choreographer and teacher dedicated to the movement arts. Her work over the last four decades has included initiating roles at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts and the Lewitzky Dance Company. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Loyola Marymount University, Occidental College, The Cerritos Center for the Arts and the Yorke Dance Project, among others, have commissioned her choreography and her credits include educational projects from elementary to post-graduate levels at home and abroad. She founded the PostHouse Dance Group in Los Angeles which has performed to critical acclaim. In 2017 Diana relocated to Albuquerque to further her work with Keshet.

Edward Carrion

He/Him
KCA Theater and Facilities Director

Edward Carrion is a stage manager, production manager, and general theater technician who finds joy in helping bring art to life. Being based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, allows Eddie to enjoy time with his family and friends while he works on festivals, music and dance shows, cabarets, and the occasional large-scale public event. After graduating from the University of New Mexico with a BA in Design for Performance in 2016, he spent time in Las Vegas as an Intern Stage Manager with Cirque du Soleil, followed by taking a handful of shows on small tours, performing in Taos and Las Vegas, NM; Tucson, AZ; and Vancouver, BC, Canada. Here at home, Eddie spent a few years as a member of Tricklock Company and served on the Board of Directors for the Albuquerque Theater Guild. He also freelances regularly with numerous performance companies across the city! Eddie is most excited to bring art to Albuquerque, and share magic with the world!

Elysia Pope

She/Her
Keshet Company Dancer, Director of Arts and Justice Initiatives, Teaching Faculty

Elysia is a dance artist, educator, and administrator based in Albuquerque, NM. Elysia joined the Keshet Dance community in 2001 as a community dancer. She trained in the KP3 program from 2007-2011 and received a BA in Contemporary Dance from the University of New Mexico in 2016. She has danced in works created by Keshet Dance Company, the J. García Dance Company, lisa nevada and dancers, the SHIFT Dance Collective, Lawine Torrén, Navarasa Dance Theatre, and Yeztli Danza y Arte. Elysia has served Albuquerque nonprofit arts organizations for over a decade, teaching dance and working in development, fundraising, and marketing for the National Institute of Flamenco, the University of New Mexico’s Friends of Dance Association, and Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts. Elysia began teaching in Keshet’s M3 program in 2017 and served as the M3 Program Director in 2018. In 2019, Elysia moved to Washington, DC, where she designed virtual events and fundraisers for a progressive political nonprofit, People For the American Way. Elysia is thrilled to be back in her hometown and with her Keshet community, serving as the Director of Arts and Justice Initiatives (AJI). 

Evelyn Mendoza

She/Her
Teaching Faculty

Evelyn Mendoza is an artist, dancer, and emerging choreographer with Latin American roots. Born and raised in rural Southern New Mexico by her migrant family, Evelyn is proud to be the first generation of her family to graduate from college with a B.A. in Contemporary Dance from the University of New Mexico in 2021. Evelyn is grateful to have danced works by renowned artists such as Amanda Hamp, Donna Jewell, Miguel Gutierrez, Vladimir C. Reche, and Patricia Dickinson. As an ambitious student, she also had the opportunity to create and perform contemporary modern pieces collaboratively and individually. Since her academic years, Evelyn has gone on to intern at the National Dance Institute of New Mexico and performed with the dance company at Dance Theatre Southwest. In addition to teaching and choreographing for the Ruidoso Academy of Ballet and Dance’s summer intensive, today, she continues to strengthen her technique and pedagogy within dance. Her mission is to bring a warm, welcoming, inclusive and exploratory environment to all her students.

Evening Star Barron

She/Her
Communications Manager

Evening Star joined Keshet in 2022 after a decade of professional experience within the Albuquerque theatre and artistic community. Actor, burlesque performer, intimacy director, and stage combat artist, Evening Star contributes both as an Acting Company Member with Duke City Repertory Theatre, as well as freelances with several local companies including The Left Turn Stage Combat and Stunt Workshop, the New Mexico Shakespeare Festival, and FUSION. She brings a love of marketing and grant writing, most recently with Theatre 3 and Duke City Rep, to her position at Keshet and uses her experience with internet outreach to connect with the community. A queer woman who was raised by professional dance educators in rural New Mexico, Evening Star has studied dance with City in Motion in Kansas City, the United World College in Las Vegas, the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and Move West in Santa Fe. She is passionate about and dedicated to fostering consent-forward practices in all aspects of artistic work. 

Gerome Olona

He/Him
Data Manager

Gerome Olona is a local artist here in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is very excited to join the Keshet team. As Data Systems Manager, he is looking forward to using data to reflect the needs and makeup of our community, as well as aid in grant reporting requirements. A UETF Resiliency Residency Recipient through the National Institute of Flamenco, he has been involved in grant reporting processes and knows how valuable data can be when looking for funding to support artistic programs. Gerome has been involved in theatre and film for the past decade, and is continuously appreciative of this community and their willingness to see the myriad shows and productions across the city. 

James Anderson

He/Him
Advancement Manager

James joined Keshet Dance Company and Center for the Arts in 2024, bringing with him a love for performing arts and more than 15 years’ experience supporting nonprofit arts, education, and food justice programs.  A native of Southern California, he obtained a B.A. in History from UC Santa Barbara where he got his first experience fundraising for nonprofit programs.  James’ varied career has given him the opportunity to sail historic tall ships along the coast of California, teach English to Elementary and High School students in Madrid, Spain, and work with award-winning Chefs preparing meals for families experiencing food insecurity.  He is very excited to join such an inclusive and talented team at Keshet where he looks forward to continue serving his community.  In his downtime, James enjoys spending time with his partner chasing their toddler around the house, playing table top RPG’s, and trying his best to catch up on sleep as a new father.

John Reiser

He/Him
Teaching Faculty

Originally from Washington, D.C., John studied music and modern dance at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and went on to the Columbia College Chicago Dance/Movement Therapy graduate (M.A.) program. He studied modern dance for 25 years and has danced and presented original choreography in Washington, D.C. , Chicago, and Santa Fe. He taught contemporary dance at Dance Space Santa Fe before moving to Albuquerque in 2023. John has a background in dance, music, theater, and film. He enjoys teaching people of all ages and all levels from absolute beginners to very experienced dancers. He has a passion for creating choreography combining his interests across all the performing arts. He strongly believes dance is for EVERYONE.

Julian Jimenez

He/Him
Keshet Arts Apprentice

Julian is a passionate and dynamic young artist on a journey to explore and celebrate the boundless realm of creativity. With a heart that beats to the rhythm of innovation and a spirit that dances through life’s diverse experiences, Julian has always believed that the world is a canvas waiting to be painted with emotions, expressions, and colors. A multifaceted artist utilizing mesmerizing dance performances, thought-provoking paintings, and melodious musical compositions, Julian finds joy in expressing himself through every stroke, step, and note. Among the numerous art forms that Julian explores, dance holds a special place in his heart. Dance is where Julian finds solace, liberation, and an unbreakable connection between his soul and the rhythm of the world. Julian’s journey isn’t solely about artistic endeavors—it’s also about making a meaningful impact on the world around him. Julian is dedicated to helping his community thrive. Through various initiatives and projects, Julian aims to harness the power of art to foster unity, inspire positive change, and uplift those who need it most. Julian’s dedication extends to the realm of juvenile justice reform, recognizing the importance of fairness, empathy, and rehabilitation. He actively advocates for a more just and compassionate system that gives young individuals the chance to transform their lives positively. By merging his passion for art and his commitment to reform, Julian strives to create a safer and more equitable world for everyone. Julian sees every moment as an opportunity to inspire, create, and evolve. Through his art and community efforts, he is committed to igniting the spark of creativity in others and fostering an environment where dreams can thrive.

Juliana Gorena

She/They
Keshet Company Dancer, Teaching Faculty 

Juliana Gorena is a recent graduate of the Public Academy for Performing Arts and Keshet’s Pre-Professional Program (KP3) where she studied various art forms over the years. She is currently a student at the University of New Mexico, majoring in dance and minoring in sociology, hoping to pursue her work of social justice through art. In addition to being a Youth Leader at Keshet, Juliana volunteers with the Democratic Party of New Mexico and is a member of the executive committee of Keshet’s Arts and Justice Youth Leadership Council.

Kaia Allen

She/They
Teaching Faculty

Lara Segura

She/Her
Keshet Company Dancer, DEI-ABJ Coordinator, Teaching Faculty

Lara fell in love with using movement as a form of expression as a small child. This love has carried her on a journey that has embraced many dance styles, a professional performance career, educational pursuits, creative curiosities, and curated offerings. She still finds delight in exploring new ways of moving and is ever inspired to make dances with themes rooted in social justice, environmental consciousness, community engagement, joy and play. She holds an MFA with an emphasis in Site-Specific Choreography, wherein her passions for nature, movement and human connection meld and occasionally make magic. Lara is honored to serve as an Ambassador for National Water Dance and as Keshet teaching faculty, company dancer, staff liaison for Keshet’s Arts & Justice Youth Council and Keshet’s DEI-ABJ Coordinator (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Belonging, Justice).

Laura Orozco Garrett

She/Her
Keshet Company Dancer, Community Education & KP3 Program Manager, Teaching Faculty

Laura Orozco Garrett grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and graduated from Goucher College. She is the former Artistic Director of Moving Arts Española. She has taught and choreographed all over New Mexico at various organizations, including Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, En Pointe School of Dance Los Alamos, Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts, Moving Arts Española, Millennial Music Makers (Tri-M) Santa Fe, and The Santa Fe Playhouse. Her work, Junto a ti, was awarded the Phi Beta Kappa Brooke Pierce Award in the Fine Arts and was selected to be performed in the American College Dance Association’s National Gala in 2020. This work explores her Mexican heritage and the pain caused by policies of the United States to many immigrant families. In March 2020, she directed, produced, and curated an art gallery and performance entitled “Mujeres Fuertes.” For this production, she brought together Latina artists and performers from Baltimore to showcase their work centered on the theme of honoring influential Latina women from history. In 2022, she was selected into the first National Cohort of David Herrera Performance Company’s Mentorship and Networking Program, LatinXtensions. As a performer, she has danced in works by Karole Armitage, Charlotte D’Amboise, Iyun Harrison, Kevin Jenkins, Ann Reinking, and Yin Yue. Follow her work at www.lauraorozcogarrett.com

Lindsay Shettlesworth

She/Her
Teaching Faculty

Lindsay began dancing at the age of 5 in Danville, CA. For 12 years, she studied Ballet, Jazz, and Modern dance techniques at the Ballet Conservatory in Aliso Viejo, CA under the direction of Alan and Rosemary McCarter and Marie Barnett. She spent several summers attending intensive dance camps, including the San Francisco Ballet School and Dance Aspen summer programs. As a dance scholarship recipient, Lindsay continued her dance training at the University of Arizona as well as the University of California at Irvine. She began her journey as a dance teacher in Tucson, AZ in 1999 and continued to teach in Orange County, CA and Dallas, TX. Lindsay has been teaching at Keshet since 2007 and became involved on the administrative side of Keshet in 2012 as Education Director. She then served as the Director of Human Resources from 2017-2021. In 2021-2022, she shifted her focus to HR Advisor, helping to support the Human Resources Coordinator and Keshet’s Leadership Team, and now is excited to focus her time at Keshet specifically as a teacher and choreographer! 

Maria Chimarusti

She/Her
Teaching Faculty

Maria has been dancing since she was 4 years old at East Mountain Dance. She is a New Mexico Native who graduated from The Public Academy for Performing Arts and Keshet’s Pre-Professional Program (KP3).  She has a B.A. in Pre-Dance Therapy, a B.S. in Integrative Physiology, and a Certificate in Dance Wellness, from the University of Montana. Maria is currently studying Physical Therapy and the University of New Mexico. Her goal is to create a welcoming environment where everyone can enjoy the joy of dance.

Marissa Reynolds

She/Her
Human Resources Coordinator

Marissa was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and initially started exploring the world of movement through gymnastics at a young age, eventually leading her to modern dance. Following her passion, she was able to study dance through college and graduated from the University of New Mexico with her B.A. in Contemporary Dance. Throughout her career she has had the honor of working with many incredible artists, dancers, and choreographers that have helped her develop her style, expand her technique and grow artistically. In 2013, Marissa became a Keshet Company member and performed nationally and internationally under Artistic Director, Shira Greenberg. Marissa then found a new passion for dance through teaching as Keshet’s M3 Director from 2014-2018, instructing and mentoring students within New Mexico’s Juvenile Prison System. From 2018-2021, Marissa took on a new adventure as Keshet’s Community Volunteer Manager – overseeing Keshet’s amazing Volunteer Program. Most recently, Marissa embraced a new position at Keshet as the HR Coordinator- serving Keshet and Keshet’s incredible staff as Keshet continues to thrive and embark on new endeavors.

Mark Koenig

He/Him
Teaching Faculty

Having grown up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he competed in and taught gymnastics, Mark Koenig undertook his university education in art and dance at the University of California at Irvine and Santa Cruz, California and at Pau and Paris, France. Mark has been teaching and performing Contact Improvisation dance independently and with LeyZokiParl and LAVA, the two improvisational music and dance performance collectives he cofounded, since 1996 in areas including Northern California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minneapolis, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. Mark also co-founded GLACIER, the annual Great Lakes Area Contact Improvisation Enthusiasts Retreat, in Willard Wisconsin in 2002, which continues today. He participated in the teachers advisory group of the annual West Coast Contact Improvisation Festival in Berkeley, California from 1998 through 2009. He currently resides in Rio Rancho with his wife Cynthia and their son Luc, who is attending UNM in architecture.

Nicole Voris

She/Her
Teaching Faculty

Nicole was born and raised in the Albuquerque area. She started dancing at a young age, fell in love with the artform, and quickly was put on the pre-professional track. She started her professional career in concert dance; dancing classical, neoclassical, and contemporary works for San Francisco Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Ballet Austin. She then moved to Los Angeles and transitioned into the freelance and commercial period of her career. She appeared in international advertising campaigns and was given the opportunity to perform in experimental dance works around LA. She was also given the opportunity to begin teaching dancers of all ages and abilities, where she prioritized their mental wellbeing, physical health, and ability to express themselves artistically. Not one to ever sit still, during her dance career, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting and acted as business manager for her husband’s art career. Their most well-known project “Ballet Zaida” catalyzed the dance photography movement on social media & has helped democratize the dance industry. She recently moved back to Albuquerque to be closer to family. She is excited to join the Keshet team and to continue to share and create with new artists.

Paul Cuffee

He/Him
Teaching Faculty

Paul’s passion is to connect with people and to transform lives by being Love in Action. He delights in realizing this through creative expression. Whether it be the written word, the painted image, or expressions with light; the idea of connecting with others lies at the heart of Paul’s work. After a long and exciting career lighting and photographing film, stage and television productions all over the world, Paul came to Albuquerque seeking new modes of expression, and a more relaxed way of life. Serendipity led him to Keshet where he was reacquainted with his first artistic love, lighting for dance. Paul finds great joy in meeting the challenges of serving the warm and welcoming dance family that is Keshet.

Sarah Williams Gonzales

She/Her
Teaching Faculty

Sarah Williams Gonzales is a “dancing historian,” a dance scholar, and a dance educator with a research focus on American dance history and dance pedagogy. A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Sarah began her dance training at Jordan College Academy of Dance, the pre-professional program of Butler University. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Performance/Choreography and French (Magna Cum Laude) from Hope College. In 2012, Sarah graduated with distinction from the University of New Mexico with a Master of Arts in Theatre and Dance with a concentration in Dance History and Criticism. Sarah is certified in ABT® National Training Curriculum from Pre-Primary through Level 5 and has trained in Vaganova, Cecchetti, and the French methods of Ballet. She is certified in Elementary Labanotation from the Dance Notation Bureau. Sarah is currently the Pre-Professional Education Director of Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts, in charge of the Keshet’s Pre-Professional Program (KP3) and JUMP programs. Sarah works to advance the field of dance through the daily teaching of technique classes, developing of dance curricula, and presenting research at conferences.

Sebrena Figueroa

She/Her
Concierge

Sebrena was born in Colorado and was quickly whisked away to sunny California, where she learned to love the beach, art and reading. She has since lived in many places, including Texas, Louisiana, Washington and Mexico before landing in Albuquerque in 1999. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of New Orleans. Sebrena found Keshet in 2009 and has been a permanent part of the Keshet community ever since! She has worked part time at the Front Desk, with volunteers and work studies, and at the Box Office. Sebrena has a passion for all things Keshet and loves connecting with all different humans.

Selina Sarmiento

She/Her
Concierge

Selina is elated to be a member of Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts staff working in Concierge/Box Office. Selina worked in big box warehouse retail for 28 years. She is mama to two grown children and their spouses, and Mimi to two beloved granddaughters. Selina loves to travel, camp with her family, paddle board and hike. She enjoys new challenges and enjoys meeting new people. Selina has supported Keshet for over 25 years in various ways and is very proud to be involved in a different space to continue that support

Shira Greenberg

She/Her
Founder & Artistic Director, Teaching Faculty

Shira is the Founder and Artistic Director of Keshet, launching the organization in 1996 – utilizing dance as a catalyst for change. She has created over 60 original dance works for stage and film, including “Nutcracker on the Rocks” [“Any unmoved spectators had to be dead” – Arthur Alpert, Prime Time Magazine]; “Ani Ma’amin” [one of the most moving and beautifully designed dances this viewer has experienced…totally absorbing” – Jennifer Noyer, Albuquerque Journal]; and “A beast an angel and a madwoman” [“Transformative” – Matti Straub-Fisher, KaosPilots, Bern, Switzerland]. She has been recognized by multiple organizations and awards including the Martin Luther King, Jr Multicultural Council’s Keep the Dream Alive Award for “creating an environment where the medium of dance is used to build cross-cultural and social bridges to every aspect of society” and the former President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Her honors include the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Outstanding New Mexico Women; New Mexico Business Weekly’s Top Performing CEO of a non-profit organization, the New Mexico Humanitarian Award, and the New Mexico Ethics in Business Award recognizing the highest standards of ethical conduct, integrity and civic and social responsibility. She has been a guest speaker throughout the United States, Europe and Israel, sharing Keshet’s integrated approach of the arts in the areas of social justice and economic development. In 2013 with a $1,000,000 investment from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Shira led the organization in the creation of the Keshet Center for the Arts, a 30,000sf performing arts center in Midtown Albuquerque, and within it launched the Keshet Ideas and Innovation Community (KIIC), a business incubator and resource center for arts entrepreneurs, including choreographic residency programs. Shira is grateful to have the daily opportunity to follow her life’s passion intersecting dance, education, engagement, innovation, entrepreneurship along with the empowerment of multi-generational voices, and a dedicated pursuit of systems change with an eye towards justice, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and belonging. She is honored to continue to learn and grow with this incredible Keshet team.

Sonia Bologa

She/Her
Keshet Company Dancer, IT Coordinator, Teaching Faculty

Originally from Timisoara, Romania, Sonia has been a New Mexico resident since 2006. She has dedicated her life to dance since the age of 16, studying modern, contemporary, hip hop, ballet, Latin ballroom, and most recently, Mexican Folklorico. After graduating from UNM in 2013 with a B.A. in Contemporary Dance, Sonia joined Keshet as a company dancer and teacher. Sonia’s work as an educator includes teaching in Keshet’s Movement + Mentorship = Metamorphosis (M3) program and in Keshet’s Pre- Professional Program (KP3). As a company dancer, Sonia is involved in the creation and touring of new works created for and with Keshet Dance. Recently, she has become Keshet’s IT Coordinator and Video Archivist. In addition to her work with Keshet, Sonia is involved with Navarasa Dance Theater, a performance company based in Los Angeles and India that fuses dance, martial arts, theater, and storytelling. She is also part of Yeztli Danza y Arte, a Contemporary and Mexican Folklorico performance company based in Albuquerque. Considering the impact dance has had on her life, she believes that art can have a life-changing impact on anyone, whether they are a student in a class, a performer on stage, or a spectator in the audience.

Vladimir Conde Reche

He/Him
Teaching Faculty

Professor Vladimir Conde Reche, originally from São Paulo, Brazil, is a distinguished artist with a multifaceted career in dance and choreography. He earned his BFA from The Juilliard School and an MFA in Choreography from the University of Iowa. His impressive performance history includes performing as a company member with the Cisne Negro Dance Company, Ballet Stagiun, as well as various guest appearances with other renowned companies. Vladimir’s global career has taken him to countries including Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Colombia, England, Germany, Italy, Mongolia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, the United States, and Uruguay.  Notably, he has also enriched his expertise through a workshop in Israel with Ohad Naharin and dancers from the Batsheva Dance Company, delving deeply into Naharin’s innovative Gaga technique.
With a robust foundation in ballet and a comprehensive background in Graham, Limón, and Taylor techniques, Vladimir seamlessly integrates traditional and contemporary approaches in his teaching. His technique classes are designed to equip dancers with the skills needed to excel in today’s diverse performance landscape. As a choreographer, Vladimir collaborates extensively with composers, costume, set, and lighting designers, creating works for both students and professionals across contemporary, ballet, and theatrical genres, including plays and musicals. His choreography often engages with current issues, utilizing both traditional and modern language to connect with collaborators, performers, and audiences.
In addition to his dance and choreography work, Vladimir is adept in digital media, using Final Cut Pro for video editing and Photoshop and Lightroom for his digital photography, further complementing his artistic practice.
Since moving to New Mexico he has choreographed more than 40 new works.