Andrew Hubbard As Artistic Director/Owner, Co-Founder & Artistic Director of Exhale Dance Tribe, Andy has been named in the “25 to Watch” list in Dance Magazine. Andy is an exceptional Broadway dancer and choreographer whose talent has graced theatre, tv, the music industry, corporate and commercial work and a variety of professional arts media. His creative ability and raw talent transcended his own movement into a passion for training and teaching others, and for several years he taught as an Adjunct Professor at universities, colleges and performing arts high schools. He landed in Cincinnati where he is inspired by the talent, the arts, the joy of mentoring, and the part of all of us that share his passion to dance. Dance and Choreography: Broadway’s CATS (Tumblebrutus), Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, Broadway’s Footloose, CAC Collaboration with OBEY artist Shepard Fairey, Cincinnati Ballet “Infamous Love Songs,” Guiding Light, Today Show, Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine Awards: Best of Cincinnati 2011 Dance Educator Award, 2007 Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Critical Achievement in Choreography, Best of Cincinnati 2007 Best Collaboration with Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Princess Grace Nominee for 2011 Cincinnati Ballet New Works, Easter Bonnet Show- Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS- Choreography Teaching: Dean College (Franklin, MA), University of Cincinnati (CCM), Broadway Dance Center in NYC with partner Missy Lay Zimmer Andrew has also been featured in several publications and continues to work both locally and nationally to communicate through dance. KELSI BENAGE - core Kelsi Benage has spent the majority of her life dedicating her time to dance. A native of Wichita, Kansas she grew up dancing competitively since the age of 3. Kelsi has been a part of the competitive and concert dance world for 19 years. She studied dance at the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri Kansas City. She graduated with her Bachelors in Fine Arts in May 2015 with a dual emphasis in ballet and modern techniques. Her technique vocabulary is advanced and has studied extensively under ballet and modern masters such as Paula Weber, Ronald Tice, Mary Pat Henry, Gary Abbott, DeeAnna Hiett and Sabrina Madison-Cannon. Kelsi has performed numerous works from these masters on the UMKC stage. While attending UMKC she has been a part of the UMKC Dance Team, in which she was Captain. While being a member, the team has been nationally ranked and she has received numerous team and individual awards. Missy Lay Zimmer As Artistic Director/Owner, Co-Founder & Artistic Director of Exhale Dance Tribe, Missy has been named on the “25 to Watch” list in Dance Magazine. Missy is a tremendous talent who has danced on Broadway and choreographed & performed for Broadway National touring companies, the music industry, tv, film and a variety of other professional arts industries. Her impressive resume, only partially listed, pales in comparison to her passion for dance. Inspired to create Planet Dance Cincinnati, she shares her gift with all her students. New York City Credits: Broadway’s CATS (The White Cat, Victoria), Broadway’s Jesus Christ Superstar Anniversary Tour, Saturday Night Live MTV & VH1 Orion Pictures Little Man Tate with Jodie Foster Choreography: Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas,” Over The Rhine “Infamous Love Songs” Concert with Cincinnati Ballet, Rakim music video, Tarkan (Turkish Pop Star) Choreographer, Cincinnati Ballet – “New Woks” 2009-2011, PETER FRAMPTON LIVE! Spring 2013, Paramount/Kings Production, NY Knicks City Dancers Awards: Best of Cincinnati collaboration with Know Theater “Christmas Yet to Come,” Best of Cincinnati 2011 “Best Dance Instruction, ” Princess Grace Nominee for 2011 Cincinnati Ballet, 2007 CEA award for Critical Achievement in Choreography, Easter Bonnet Show- Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS- Choreography Award recipient with Tony Award winning choreographer Chris Gattelli Dani Green - Executive Director Dani Green - Executive Director Ali Rose - Senior soloist Ali Rose is 17 years old and has been training since she was 3. Her favorite style/genre of dance is Contemporary but she has also trained extensively in genres Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Musical Theatre. Ali is a senior at Butler Tech School of the Arts where she majors in Dance. This is her third year at Planet Dance Cincinnati and her third season performing with Exhale.Ali has danced solo work for the Tribe in Dead Can Dance 2014-2017 at The Aronoff Center for the Arts and The Gift of Age at the Know Theater of Cincinnati 2017. This past season she appeared in the performance “Promises” by Missy Lay Zimmer and Andrew Hubbard at the TEDx Cincinnati event at Memorial Hall. She is so thrilled to be a Senior Soloist this season and she is so thankful to Missy and Andy for the amazing training and all of the wonderful opportunities they have provided. Kelly Craft - Senior core Kelly Craft is from Columbus, Ohio. She is a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati and is studying pharmacy. She has been dancing since a very young age and previously danced pre-professionally at Northpointe Dance Academy. Kelly is extensively trained in many genres of dance including Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Contemporary, Lyrical, and Hip Hop. Kelly has worked with many well known artists such as Travis Wall, Andrew Winghart, Jaci Royal, and Mike Minery. This is her first year as a Senior Core member with the tribe and is so excited to grow with the company. She would like to thank all of the teachers and choreographers that have helped her throughout her dancing career as well as her family and friends for all of the support. Lindsay Hough - Core Lindsay Hough, from Vienna, Virginia, started dancing at the age of 4. During her early years, Lindsay danced with the Gainesville Dance Center (formerly known as The Dansations) under the direction of Patricia Bray. Lindsay graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance Performance with a jazz concentration. While training at East Carolina University, Lindsay performed works choreographed by Tommi Galaska and Teal Darkenwald. Lindsay has also studied dance at the Gus Giordano Dance Center on scholarship and has worked with choreographers Ray Leeper, Marinda Davis and Amber DeGaray. Lindsay performed with Inaside Chicago Dance during the 2012-2014 seasons as a performing apprentice, working with choreographers Richard Smith, Sarah Ford, Preston Miller and Kirsten Harvey. Since then, Lindsay has performed with West End Dance Company under the direction of Amber DeGaray. This past year, Lindsay was a performing apprentice with Alluvion Dance Chicago under the direction of Johnny Huntoon. Lindsay has taught and choreographed all over the Chicago area for the last five years. Recently, Lindsay relocated to Cincinnati and is very excited to perform as a member of Exhale Dance Tribe. SARAH EMMONS - REHEARSAL DIRECTOR / SENIOR SOLOIST Sarah, originally from Paducah, KY, is happy to begin her second season with Exhale Dance Tribe as a Sr soloist. Currently, Sarah is enrolled in Northern Kentucky University’s Bachelors of Fine Arts program with emphasis in dance and is also training at Planet Dance Cincinnati under the direction of Hubbard, Lay-Zimmer and Rutherford. Sarah is also a dance instructor at Planet Dance Cincinnati. A dancer of 18 years, Sarah originally trained and instructed at the academy of movement of performing arts (AMPA), under the direction of Tressa Wilham. In 2010, Sarah was selected to attend Kentucky’s Governor’s School for the Arts. Emmons has also assisted celebrated artists such as Brooke Pierotti, Chris Jacobsen, Missy Lay Zimmer and Andrew Hubbard (Cincinnati Ballet) and has had the pleasure of personally working with Sonya Tayeh, Caroline Lewis Jones, Liz Schmidt, and Jenn Freeman. Sarah is ecstatic to have found her home in Exhale Dance Tribe. Brian Spencer - Core Brian Spencer began dancing when he was 17. Born and raised in Cincinnati, he is now a senior at Northern Kentucky University pursuing a BFA in Dance while training at Planet Dance Cincinnati under the instruction of Hubbard, Lay-Zimmer, and Rutherford. Recent performances include West Side Story at the Carnegie Center for the Performing Arts; Grease, Spamalot, Wedding Singer, and Les Miserables at Northern Kentucky University; and A. Lincoln: A Pioneer Tale with the Lincoln Boyhood Drama Association. Brian is thrilled and honored to be joining Exhale this season! Kendall Maley - Core Sarah Rolfsen - Senior soloist Sarah Rolfsen has been studying dance for 13 years and has been performing for 7 years. Her favorite genres are Contemporary and Jazz, and has trained in Ballet, Lyrical, Tap, Hip Hop and Musical Theatre. She loves the stage and recently performed in Dead Can Dance (Exhale Dance Tribe), Clara (Physical Productions), as well as with several invitational dance companies. She is thrilled to be in her first year performing with Exhale Dance Tribe and she is grateful to Missy and Andrew for their encouragement and the world-class training at Planet Dance as well as the performance opportunities that they provide through Exhale. Maddy Cundiff - Core Maddy Cundiff was born in Hamilton, Ohio and has been studying dance for 11 years. Maddy started her dance training at Next Generation Dance and has continued her training at Planet Dance Cincinnati for the past two seasons. She has a well rounded dance education in Contemporary, Ballet, Hip Hop and Jazz. Maddy is currently a freshman at Hamilton High School and hopes to continue to pursue a dancing career into the future. She would like to thank Planet Dance, including Missy and Andrew, for all of their encouragement and guidance, as well as performance opportunities they provide though Exhale and Planet Dance. COURTNEY HOWARD - SENIOR SOLOIST Courtney Howard is a native of Fairfield, Ohio. This is Courtney’s 4th season as a member of Exhale Dance Tribe. “ I am grateful for this experience and to Missy and Andrew. I’ve had the opportunity to work with choreographers like, AC Ciulla (Broadway choreographer of Footloose), Jessica Hendricks, Lauren Adams, Liz Schmidt, and even Tai and Taane from Okareka Dance Company in New Zealand because of my experience with Exhale”. ELENI GEORGETON - SENIOR SOLOIST Eleni Georgeton is a freshman at Mason High School, who has been training at Planet Dance Cincinnati under the direction of Hubbard, Lay-Zimmer and Rutherford for the past 5 years. During her time on the Planet Dance Cincinnati company she had been awarded scholarships at many conventions such as NYCDA, 24/Seven, and Jump. At only 15 years old, she is grateful for the many experiences made possible by her mentors and choreographers, Missy Lay Zimmer and Andrew Hubbard with Exhale Dance Tribe. Eleni was a trainee and apprentice for the last two years with Exhale Dance Tribe, and is thrilled to currently have been hired as a core member for this season.