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Choreographer:
Aaron CashOriginally from Brisbane Australia, Aaron Cash is a talented performer and one of the original Tap Dogs.
Early in his career, world renowned choreographer Kenny Ortega (Dirty Dancing and High School Musical 1 & 2) cast Aaron in Cher’s Love Hurts Tour. This opportunity culminated in an impressive 10-year touring relationship as Cher’s lead dancer. His amazing talent drew the attention of many high-profile artists in the industry.
In the early 1990’s, Twyla Tharp hand-picked Aaron to become her personal Pas de Deux partner and the legendary Mikhail Baryshnikov added Aaron to their world tour. His innovative and creative skills as a performer, choreographer, and artistic consultant are now highly sought after the world over. He has consulted in a variety of mediums, from his work with Wet Design (the company responsible for the Belagio fountain in Las Vegas) on their fountain at Steven Wynn’s latest luxury hotel in Macao, China to serving as the personal tango coach for Jolie Richardson on Nip/Tuck.
Aaron is the face of Johnny Walker’s worldwide advertising campaign “Human – Keep Walking” and recently completed the role of the Matador in the Los Angeles Opera’s production of La Traviata starring world-renowned soprano Rene Fleming. He has been featured in films such as Titanic, Hook, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Bolt. His television credits include Scrubs and Nip/Tuck and the series debut of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, just to name a few. He travels the world extensively, hosting, coaching and teaching choreographic and dance seminars.
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Co-Director Dance & Educators Clear Talent Group:
Brandon SierraBrandon Sierra discovered his passion for the entertainment industry at an early age. Years of dance, vocal and other formal training led him to Niagara University where he earned his Bachelors in Fine Arts and Dance and had the honor and privilege of working with the legendary musical theatre duo, John Kander and Fred Ebb.
Living and working in New York City for seven years provided him numerous career building opportunities and professional experience, including his years of service to The Broadway Dance Center where he created successful relationships with many of today’s top dancers and choreographers. Brandon joined Clear Talent Group New York in 2009 and made the move to the Los Angeles office in the spring of 2010.
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Heather Langham
Heather Langham, a 6 year Rockette veteran, began dancing and performing at the age of 2 at the family owned dance studio, Langham Dance Center in Peoria, Arizona. Because of this she quickly found her love of dance and a DREAM of becoming a Rockette. Growing up in a dance studio allowed her to fully immerse herself in the art. She attended the University of Arizona her first year of college and then transferred to Arizona State University where she received her Bachelors Degree in Dance and Theatre. After college she began her professional career at Phoenix Theatre where she performed in Chicago, Swing, Cabaret, and A Chorus Line. In 2009 Heather, stepped on stage for the first time at Radio City Music Hall as a Rockette, she hasn’t stopped kicking since.
Heather’s impact on the dance world doesn’t stop in the studio or on stage. In 1998 she began working for the National Dance Alliance where she instructed, choreographed and judged high school and college dance teams across the nation. Her choreography can be seen on nationally ranked collegiate teams including: Southern Methodist University, Sacred Heart University, Northern Arizona University and University of Albany to name a few. She also has years of experience in national adjudication and has been on the panel of many prestigious competitions, including The Dance Worlds, held in Orlando Florida.
This year Heather received the honor of becoming an ambassador for the Circle of Hope Dancers Foundation and hosted the first annual New York City Dancers Against Cancer Fundraising Event. Her passion for helping people has come alive through this charity.
Currently she resides in New York city where she continues to dance with the Rockettes and embarks on her journey as a fitness instructor at Brooklyn Bodyburn, Flywheel and Elements Fitness.
TV Credits include: Michael Buble Holiday Special, America’s Got Talent with Pitbull, Live With Kelly, CBS Early Show, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Martha Stewart Show, and Super Bowl XXX. Musical Theatre Equity Credits: Chicago, Swing – Latin Couple/Featured soloist, Cabaret, A Chorus Line – Kristine, and West Side Story - Velma. Film: 2081 Finaly Equal, starring Armie Hammer from Social Network. Concert: Beyoncé’s Back to Business Tour, Atlantic City – Frank Gatson Jr.
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Jennifer Werner
Jennifer is thrilled to adjudicate for IDA!
Jennifer began her dancing career as a Radio City Rockette as well as Broadway, and now Directs and Choreographs for Broadway, TV, Industrials, Regional Theaters and theaters all over the world. She is currently the Associate Director for the Tony Award winning The Book of Mormon on Broadway. Other Broadway: As Long As We Shall Laugh (Choreographer), and she was a performer in Cabaret. Also in NYC: The Most Happy Fella & Follies (Assoc Dir, City Center Encores!) and the Drama League Awards (Choreo).
Off-Broadway Choreography: Bloodsong of Love (ArsNova), The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Lucille Lortel), ReWrite (Urban Stages), Things to Ruin (Second Stage). Tours: The Book of Mormon (US/London Assoc Dir), Winnie The Pooh (US & Int’l, Assoc Dir), Cabaret (Paris, Choreographer). Regional Choreo: The Black Suits (CTG), The Wiz (Maltz Jupiter Theatre), My Fair Lady (Ogunquit); Phantom (NCT), A Wonderful Life (Engeman), and numerous Regional productions of Cabaret. Also Robin & the 7 Hoods (Old Globe, Assoc Dir) and The Little Mermaid (NCT, Director), Spamalot (Sharon Playhouse, Director/Choreographer), Chess (Wharton Center, Director/ Choreographer). TV Choreography: Numerous commercials including NFL National Commercials, ABC’s Upfronts.
Jennifer has taught and choreographed over 10 productions at New York University. She is a strong supporter of up and coming young talent!
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Marcea Lane
Marcea Lane started her internationally known dancewear line just over 25 years ago. As a professional dancer, Marcea knows exactly what dancers and athletes are looking for in fashion.
They want quality, durability, comfort and active wear that makes a fashion statement. Marcea is a wonderful example to all young dancers as to follow your dreams. Dance does not stop once you walk off the stage; it crosses over into many aspects. Being a leading manufacturer of active wear continues to put Marcea in the forefront of the dance industry.
Today Marcea’s Costume Collection and Activewear line in its 23,000 square foot warehouse have numerous employees, including her energetic mother Gigi and brother Dale. Both Gigi and Dale have been with Marcea from the beginning of the company. Gigi is her Sales Manager, whom is known to thousands for her overwhelming support with all of the clients. Dale is the company’s Artistic Director. His skills and responsibility are truly tremendous. Marcea has grown in many entities with a positive and professional force behind her. She is an inspiration to young and old, enterprising and progressive!
Marcea’s dance career started at a very young age of four years old. Starting off in the small Iowa dance school, she received basic training enough to know that she wanted to be a professional dancer. With a stroke of good luck, her family moved to California. There she was crowned 1976 Miss Hemet (California), a role that forced her to acclimate quickly to a very public life. Marcea took dance classes at her local junior college, but her heart was also set on doing jazz. She planned a two-hour drive to Los Angeles to take classes at Joe Tremaine’s studio. Classes there were packed with over 75 people in each class. For over five years Marcea took class with Tremaine whenever possible; “I set out to be in his face”, says Marcea. Whatever she learned at Tremaine’s she passed on to her students at her own studio. Finally her break came, at a convention in Las Vegas; Marcea was called on stage to assist Joe Tremaine. She became his teaching assistant, which was a position she held for 17 years. In addition to working side by side with one of the jazz greats, Marcea took the dance industry by storm with working
with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars: Barbra Streisand, Sting, Janet Jackson, Natalie Cole, Prince and the king of pop himself, Michael Jackson. To date, working on Michael Jackson’s music video “Thriller” stands out as her most memorable project.
While living in Palm Springs, Marcea would drive two hours to rehearsal, after receiving a position in his music video, beating out hundreds of dancers that auditioned for the part. Barbra Streisand personally picked her for a position in her “Left In the Dark” video. On the choreography side of the dance floor, Marcea worked on projects for both Sting and Prince. Prince was her greatest challenge on “Bat Dance”. You had to be very professional with him and he was quite demanding. Marcea has worked on numbers for the Academy Awards and on the Emmys. These performances are so rewarding as they are so exciting and everyone watches them.
Her third career started somewhat unexpectedly. The beginning of Marcea Activewear began. At one convention with dancewear exhibits a woman held up a leotard and asked Marcea if she like it. Her reply was to make a few alterations here and there. The woman presented the leotard to her the next day, flattered by the gift, Marcea wore it and the dancers flocked to admire it. From that, the Marcea Active Wear line was born.
What began as a leotard business with one seamstress is today a 23,000 square foot manufacturing facility complete with showroom. “I always knew I would be a businesswoman of some sort,” she declared. “ I had started in business quite young, teaching dance classes in my parents garage. I owned my own dance school right out of high school. When I started the business, I was still on the convention circuit and teaching master classes. I had the creative vision of what I wanted, but my seamstress was responsible for production.” Once production was booming, Marcea was forced to learn the manufacturing business. She started from the beginning and learned about fabrics and patterns.
Marcea has become a role model to tens of thousands throughout the nation. “I miss working with the kids now that I’m not actively teaching. Yes, I’ve achieved success but money comes and money goes – watching children grow and prosper is the true success in this field, ” she explains. I want to instill in them a sense of confidence and achievement and to inspire them.” Marcea is a true idol. She has done such an amazing job dancing and has gone on to do other things. It’s good to let kids know that there is life after dance, it will always stay with you, but you can achieve amazing things when it’s in your heart.
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Director & Choreographer
James GrayJames is currently the Associate Choreographer for The Last Two People On Earth: An Apocalyptic Vaudeville starring Mandy Patinkin and Taylor Mac.
James Choreographed the Emmy Award Winning: Mel Brooks – AFI Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dolby Theatre Hollywood, televised on TCM and TNT.
He Directed and Choreographed Peg O’ My Heart The Musical, at the June Havoc Theatre NYC, which won the MITF Best Musical Award.
He was most recently the Resident Director/Choreographer and Associate Choreographer for Woody Allen and Susan Stroman's Bullets Over Broadway at the St. James Theatre on Broadway.
Associate Choreographer for the Broadway, Touring and Madison Square Garden productions of A Christmas Story The Musical.
Associate Director/Choreographer national tours of Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein the Musical.
Associate Choreographer for the Kelli O'Hara and Nathan Gunn, Carousel with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, also starring New York City Ballet Principle dancers Tyler Peck and Robbie Fairchild , televised on PBS.
AS A PERFORMER:
The Producers The Musical – Broadway company, Original London company, and the Movie Musical version.
The Royal Variety Performance in the presence of HRH Prince Charles ,as "Carmen Ghia" with Nathan Lane and the Original London Company televised on BBC.
Young Frankenstein, original Broadway company, also understudied and performed the role of "Igor."
Other US Productions include 42nd Street 1st US national tour, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Los Angeles Company), Jubilee (Las Vegas).
He has also performed at The Sporting Club in Monte Carlo and at the Lido de Paris with the famous Bluebell Girls.
James teaches Broadway Boot Camp Workshops across America and at Broadway Dance Center and the OpenJar Institute in NYC.