Moving Ground

Collaborators

Elizabeth Costello

Writer

Elizabeth Costello is a writer and collaborator with musicians, dancers, and jokers of all stripes. She has taught creative writing to incarcerated youth and to graduate students, has lived in a crumbling apartment in Istanbul, on an anarchist farm in Spain, and in a 14th-century castle in Southeastern France. Currently, she lives in Portland, Oregon, but maintains many connections to the Bay Area, including working as an editor in marketing and communications for UC Berkeley. She has written about arts and culture for venues including SFWeekly and 7×7, and her poetry chapbook, RELIC, can be found at Bird and Beckett books in San Francisco. Her debut novel, The Good War, is forthcoming from Regal House.  www.elizabethscostello.com www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethscostello

    Katarina Eriksson

    Choreographer / Dancer

    Katarina Eriksson has been involved with improvisational dance since 1989, collaborating with artists, such as Julyen Hamilton, Cathie Caraker, Ray Chung, and as a member and co-founder of Swedish improvisation ensemble Floke. She teaches Contact Improvisation and other improvisational forms internationally, and curated the performance series Moments Notice in Berkeley from 2000 to 2012.

    Katarina’s traditional dance background includes graduation from The Ballet Academy, Gothenburg and working at The Gothenburg State Theater and Opera, as well as with numerous choreographers and dance companies in Sweden.

    Some of her performance endeavors are; Artist in Residency at CounterPULSE, San Francisco, touring in Europe with improv project Hoppalappa, site-specific work with Siljeholm/ Christophersen in Beirut, clowning at Noh Space, SF, and Teatro C’Art, Italy, performances in Norway and New York with Siri og Snelle Produksjoner, and, most recently, choreographing “Pause Piece” for herself and 3 other 50+ dancers in SF, and Gothenburg, as well as touring in Sweden with Big Wind’s adaptation of The Tempest for children with special needs. She is a regular collaborator and performance coach with Echo Theater Suitcase, San Francisco, and Spinn Dance Company, Sweden.

    Katarina’s teaching and directing supports collaboration, diversity of expression, and “beginner’s mind”. Her main guides in art making are vulnerability, musicality and deep play.
    https://katerimpro.wixsite.com/website-1

      Maxine Flasher-Düzgüneş

      Poet / Movement Artist

      Maxine Flasher-Düzgüneş is poet, dance artist, and filmmaker engaging with the disciplines of choreography and visual art as tools for grasping poetic language. She has served as resident artist at Djerassi Resident Artist Program, Tofte Lake Center, Surel’s Place, iMPACt Center for the Arts, and The Center at Eagle Hill, and has been commissioned by Sadler’s Wells (UK) for her dance writing and by World Stage Design (Canada), 92NY’s Future Dance Festival (New York), and FACT/SF Summer Dance Festival (San Francisco) for her choreography. She is currently a teaching artist for California Poets in the Schools and Gallery Route One, and the coordinator of Marin County’s first Youth Poet Laureate Program. 

        Diana Lara

        Choreographer/Performer/Teacher/Researcher

        Diana Lara is a professional dancer, choreographer, and a registered somatic movement educator from Honduras. She graduated from the choreography program of the Center for Research and Choreography at the Mexican National Institute of Fine Arts (INBA) in 2003 and from the Somatic Research and Participatory Arts program at Moving-on-Center in Oakland in 2007. She is a graduate from the Body-Mind Centering® certification program on Developmental Movement. Currently, Diana teaches and oversees a somatic movement and a taichi for arthritis program for older adults at On Lok 30th Street Senior Center. Diana holds a M.S. in Kinesiology with emphasis in movement science from San Francisco State University.  www.dianalara-somatics.com

          Tanja London

          Performing, haptic, visual, sound artist/ Somatic Educator

          Tanja London is a performing, haptic, visual and sound artist as well as a somatic educator based in West Oakland, CA. Topics such as the erosion of democracy, inherited stress and trauma, the cultural impact of military technology, climate change and resilience shape her theoretical and in studio research. With her electronic sound projects Tanja London alias qualia-c is dedicate to experimentation and to explore the somatic impact of vibrations, interconnection, as well as the edges of her emotions and thoughts. Besides a BA in Social Pedagogy and Contemporary Dance she majored in Math and Art in German High School, holds a MFA in Modern Dance including a Screendance Certificate, is a certified STOTT Pilates® Instructor and Medical QiGong Practitioner.  https://tanjalondon.com/

            Bhumi B Patel

            Movement Artist/Writer

            Bhumi B Patel directs pateldanceworks and is a queer, desi, home-seeker, and science fiction choreographer (she/they). In its purest form, her performance work is a love letter to her ancestors. Patel moves at the intersection of embodied research and generating new futures, using improvisational practice as a pursuit for liberation. She is a member of Dancing Around Race, founded by Gerald Casel, and has presented her choreographic work in the Bay Area, Manoa, Hawai’i, Los Angeles, California, and Columbus, Ohio. pateldanceworks.org

              Kristen Rulifson

              Movement Artist/Performer/Director

              Kristen is inspired to make work that connects us with our humanity and interconnectedness with the environment. She has fostered this practice through the study of contemporary dance, contact improvisation, axis syllabus, break dance, amongst other families of movement. Her creative work has been received throughout the Bay Area and greater North West, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, and Germany. As a Director, she bring strategies for devising new work with multiple mediums and perspectives. She pulls from her studies in the Tamalpa Life Art Process to bridge intimate memoir to the public stage and the Yat Bentley approach to character development in finding dynamic, authentic relationships to self, other, and environment. These schools of theater and creative expression accompanied by her experiences in performance, teaching, and directing support the creation and development of current and responsive work. https://www.kristenrulifson.com/

                Grace Shaver

                Dancer/Somatic Practitioner

                Grace is an interdisciplinary artist, dancer, and somatic practitioner emphasizing joy in the everyday. Her goal is to make people feel full and appreciative of their bodies and the world around them. Learn more about Grace and her work at www.graceshaver.com

                  Esther Young

                  Singer/Songwriter

                  Esther Young writes and performs lyrically rich, ethereal indie-folk music to highlight the power of honest storytelling. As a community engagement organizer and event host, she facilitates artists and non-profit organizations who serve and represent the multicultural creatives and families of East and Downtown San Jose. As a freelance writer, she profiles artists for Content Magazine and covers weekly events for Metro San Jose. You can find her music videos and more at hyperfollow.com/estheryoung

                    Catalina O’Connor

                    Movement Artist

                    Catalina is a modern/contemporary dancer and teaching artist based in Oakland, CA. She attended several different studios growing up and practiced mainly ballet through high school. She then attended Saint Mary’s College of California and began to study modern dance; as well as Mexican Folklórico and Flamenco. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Saint Mary’s College of California in 2019 where she studied Dance, Hispanic Literature, and Art History. Catalina was an Assistant Teaching Artist for Jia Wu’s AAIACE (American Alliance of International Arts, Culture, and Education) inaugural Summer camp in Suzhou, China in Summer 2019. She is currently working as a Lead Teaching Artist with HeART with LINES and as an instructor in the Shawl-Anderson Youth Program. She has had the honor to work with Andrew Merrell, Lenora Lee, Liz Duran/Piñata Dance Collective, Davalos Dance, Andi Salazar, Hailey Yaffee, and Kaveri Seth.
                    Photo credit: Robbie Sweeney

                      Deb’e Taylor

                      Movement Artist

                      Deb’e Taylor is a dancer, actor, taiko drummer and teacher who both creates her own work and performs with Dance Brigade, Moving Ground, and Maikaze Daiko, among others. She has performed and taught internationally with David Rousseve/Reality, Dance Berlin and more. Deb’e co-taught and collaborated in creating work with Anna Deavere Smith at Stanford University. She toured as a dancer/actor with the National Theater of the Deaf and was on the faculty of their Professional Summer School. She performed and co-directed with Fairmount Theater of the Deaf, winning awards at the Brno Deaf Theater Festival in Czechoslovakia, and worked with Tyst Teater in Sweden. Deb’e is a dancer in the documentary film Call of Life about mass extinction of species. Deb’e teaches Improvisation/Composition and Contemporary Dance at Alonzo King LINES Ballet School. She teaches and creates Taiko/Dance pieces for Social Justice themed performances for Dance Mission’s Youth/Grrrl Brigade programs. She offers public workshops in Contemporary Dance and Improvisation/Composition. Deb’e is also a certified Gyrokinesis teacher and ASL/English interpreter.
                      Website: www.dancerartisthuman.com

                        Maica Folch

                        Movement Artist

                        Maica Folch is a movement artist and performing arts educator. She teaches performance arts and aerial dance for the SF Youth Theater and The Marsh Youth Theater, and on various SFUSD campuses.  
                        She enjoys contact improvisation and is constantly dancing, singing, clowning, flying and moving in all directions.  Since moving to the Bay Area, she has partnered and collaborated with local artists and performers such as Rhodessa Jones, Theresa Dickinson, Lizz Roman, Kim Epifano, Moshe Cohen, Krista DeNio and Diana Lara. She is currently working with Nita Little and the Institute for the Study of Somatic Communication. Maica danced and worked on the choreography for the production of EVE an Opera, composed by Andrea Densmore presented at the Palace of Fine Arts.  She has been a MovingGround collaborator since 2022.

                          Ramlah Yavar

                          Movement Artist

                          Following a love affair with tango that took her halfway around the world, Ramlah has danced with a gorgeous array of human and equine artists in the Bay Area. She received an MFA in Art at the University of Iowa and acted in film and stage projects over a decade in Los Angeles, and her movement practice is rooted in conversation with these and other forms. Ramlah is ever grateful for collaborations with musicians, artists, and culture workers and the chance to explore relational narratives and collective liberation through the embodied language of dance.
                          Photo credit: Ramlah Yavar

                            Sophia Grimani

                            Movement Artist

                            Sophia Grimani is a Bay Area based artist focusing in the mediums of dance, film, and photography. She obtained her BA from Bennington College in 2022 and is now working in San Francisco. Her work functions around the themes of the female experience, sexuality, the gaze, and nature. She is interested in the intersection of dance and media, making the majority of her work multimedia performance. Sophia has presented work at Safehouse arts and Dance Mission Theater. She works as a solo and collaborative artist and is especially interested in interdisciplinary making. 

                              Pau D’Arco

                              Music Artist

                              Pau D’Arco (they/them, she/her, he/him) is just another sad boi Chicane artist born and raised in San José, giving herself permission to enjoy the fruits of her family’s labor in Silicon Valley. Pau D’Arco is only around when she follows her gut. Their grandparents’ legacy of performing and composing Mexican boleros and other folk songs lives through the covers they share with listeners in various genres: Latin American traditional and neo-folk, Latin pop, jazz, boleros, bossas, and indie folk. There is a special place in Pau D’Arco’s heart for Latin American protest music and icons such as Violeta Parra, Mercedes Sosa, Ana Tijoux, and many more.

                                Folarin Erogbogbo aka Prof. Eros

                                Music Artist

                                Dr. Folarin Erogbogbo, affectionately known as Prof. Eros, Ph.D., stands at the forefront of Afrocentric performance, wielding his mastery in percussion and vocal call-and-response dynamics. Of Nigerian Descent, his journey into the rhythmic realm began under the tutelage of the esteemed Nigerian record producer, Don Jazzy. From those early days, drumming became more than a skill for Prof. Eros; it evolved into a fervent passion that would shape his life’s trajectory.

                                Throughout his illustrious career, Prof. Eros has graced the stages of a myriad of events and venues, captivating audiences with his infectious beats and electrifying performances. From the pulsating rhythms of JollofTech to the corporate halls of PricewaterhouseCoopers and Google, from the academic sanctuaries of San Jose State University to the cultural celebrations of the DreamKeepers Awards and First Friday festivals, Prof. Eros has left an indelible mark on each stage he touches.

                                His transcendent artistry extends beyond mere entertainment; it delves into the very essence of Afrobeat hand drumming. Prof. Eros unveils the transformative power inherent within the drum, a force capable of reshaping atmospheres and elevating energetic states with its primal rhythms. Through his presentations and performances, he elucidates how these rhythmic variations infuse Afrobeat music with its distinctive vitality, serving as the heartbeat of the genre.

                                In his captivating presentation, Prof. Eros unveils the hidden potential of Afrobeat hand drumming. Drawing upon the rich traditions of Nigerian percussion, he demonstrates how the rhythmic pulse of the drum possesses the alchemical ability to metamorphose emotional and mental states. With each beat, a subtle shift occurs, resonating deeply within listeners and catalyzing profound transformations. Through live demonstrations and interactive sessions, Prof. Eros invites audiences to experience firsthand the captivating allure of Afrobeat hand drumming.

                                Prof. Eros’s pioneering research delves into the therapeutic efficacy of drumming as a medical device. From its ancient origins as a tool for depression alleviation to its modern-day applications in neuropsychological healing, he explores the intricate interplay between rhythm, physiology, and mental wellness. Through engaging presentations and hands-on workshops, Prof. Eros elucidates the biomechanical feedback loop between drumming and the body, showcasing its profound impact on brainwaves and physiological biomarkers. By harnessing the power of rhythm, he empowers individuals to embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing, one beat at a time.

                                As a visionary Afrocentric performer and esteemed scholar, Prof. Eros continues to redefine the boundaries of percussion artistry while advancing the therapeutic potential of drumming. With each resounding beat, he not only ignites the spirit of his audience but also heralds a new era of holistic well-being through the transformative power of rhythm.

                                  Paula Riofrío

                                  Translator

                                  Paula is an Ecuadorian multidisciplinary artist based in between The Galapagos Islands and London. Paula started her Theatre Studies in Laboratorio Malayerba, and has pursued a dance path within contemporary dance, ethno contemporary and dancetheatre at Espacio Vazio, Siobhan Studios, National Company of Dance (Ecuador) and within independent dance masters in Ecuador. Paula studied Communication and Literature (Ecuador) and an MA in Dance Philosophy and history (London). Her dance film Refracción was awarded by Inédito Festival (Ecuador) and Noise Moves (Ireland). Her dancetheatre solo, Un río en la niebla, was part of Cuerpos, Contemporary Dance Festival (Cuenca). Inside the literature field she has published translations, essays, short stories, poetry; and performed several workshops on creative writing and movement at Pontifical University of Ecuador, Liverpool Hope University and the Galapagos Islands. She is currently writing for the Dance Arts Journal and working as a freelance dramaturg, translator and dance facilitator.

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