The Dancers
DOROTHY ANDERSON-PERALES is grateful for the balance she has found in life as a clinical social worker, mother of three girls and dancer in Encore Dance Ensemble and The Deborah Abel Dance Company. She is a graduate of The School of the Toronto Dance Theater, University of Toronto and Lesley University. As an independent choreographer and dance artist, she has performed in Fringe Festivals across Canada and the Canada Dance Festival. She has joined creative projects with choreographers: Marie Josee Chartier, Peter Chin and Colleen Friedman. More recently, she has choreographed and performed with Encore Dance Ensemble in various New England showings. Dorothy joined the Deborah Abel Dance company in 2016.
HAISSAN BOOTH is a performer, dancer, choreographer, and entertainer. He was introduced to dance at a later age in middle school where he idolized one of his major influence Sir David Vaughan who offered him to become a street performer and be apart of a Hip-Hop team that later performed at the Apollo Theater in New York City. At the age of fifteen Haissan began his classical dance training at the Boston Arts Academy performing arts high school where his true passion for the art of dance evolved over the years. Haissan is trained in ballet, modern, jazz, west African dance and Hip-Hip genres met choreographer, teacher, and dancer Tony Tucker was invited to join his Hip-Hop dance company "StreetHype" and has competed in countless dance group competition and Exhibitions. Upon graduating high school, Haissan decided to continue furthering his dance training at the University of Hartford' Hartt school dance program majoring in dance performance Emphasis training mostly classical ballet/ modern, contemporary and improvisation. During his time there he became knowledgeable in Music theory, choreographic Composition, and Laban movement Haissanworked with many different dance company's, schools and intensives around the country such as the Gate City Ballet in Nashua NH, American Ballet Theater, Atlanta Ballet, performing in various works from The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Continuo by Balanchine and Psalm/Mazurkas by José Limon. In 2014 Haissan traveled to Mexico City Cholula for ArcDanz summer intensive on full scholarship and became ambassador of the United States after performing in the Museo Soumaya. Haissan performed with various companies in Boston such as BoSoma Dance Company and Mystique Illusions Dance Theater.
LILLY CRYAN grew up in Haverhill, Massachusetts. She trained at The Salem Dance Network under the Direction of Teri Desrosiers. She holds a BFA in Dance from Towson University. In addition, she is also a 200 Hour Certified Yoga Instructor. Lilly has danced for Boston Community Dance Project, Kairos Dance Theater, Pantos Project, as well as in her own choreographic projects. In 2017 she began dancing with Deborah Abel Dance Company. In addition to her performance career, Lilly shares her love of dance by teaching students of all ages in a range of styles.
MICHELLE DALTON earned a BFA in Dance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Michelle was a member of the Windhover Dance Company in Rockport, MA, where she performed original works by Doris Humphrey and Ina Hahn. She danced with the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble from 2003- 2016. Michelle has been teaching dance on the North Shore for over 20 years, and currently shares her passion for movement at the Andover School of Ballet, where she has been teaching for since 1996. She is currently employed at STEM ACADEMY in Lowell, MA sharing her knowledge and love of dance with inner city kids. Michelle is delighted to be a member of the Deborah Abel Dance Company, where dance and spirituality are seamlessly intertwined. Michelle lives in Andover, MA with her husband and 3 beautiful children.
JOE GONZALEZ began dancing at the age 13 at the Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts as well as attended the Boston Arts Academy as a dance major, where he graduated with honors and received the "Dance Award". Joe has earned his BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory in 2011. In his professional career Joe has worked nationally and internationally with Prometheus Dance, Anna Myer and Dancers, "A" Major Dance Co., Waheed-Works, Putty Dance Project, and Philadanco. With additional participation in distinguished festivals and programs such as, American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, and Springboard Danse Montréal, Gonzalez has grown not only as a dancer but as well as a choreographer. His works are influenced by a diverse array of styles and is now co-founded and director of Jo-Mé Dance Arts Inc. an organization dedicated to bringing out an artistic voice from all ages and all backgrounds. After performing "Calling To You" (India tour) with Deborah Able Dance Company, Joe looks forward to working again on a new and his second performance with the company.
ALONZO GUZMAN is a native Puerto Rican. As a child, Alonso dedicated 8 years to martial arts study, and at age 14 began dance training. At 17, thanks to scholarships from the Oprah Winfrey Foundation Scholarship and the Olive Tree Foundation, he moved to NYC to study at The Ailey School. Alonso later worked as dance demonstrator for Mr. Milton Myers at The Juilliard School, The Ailey School and at Steps Dance Studio. He has performed for internationally acclaimed organizations such as Ballet Hispanico I and II, The Metropolitan Opera House, Armitage Gone Dance!, and at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. Naturally, Alonso showed profound interest in Latin Dance. specifically in Argentine Tango. He trains and teaches Tango with Tango Master, and later on, partner in life, Dardo Galletto. He joined Deborah Abel Dance Company in 2016.
FLORA HYOIN KIM is a performer, dance educator and choreographer who earned her B.F.A. in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Madisonin 2014. Flora has performed and presented works by prestigious companies and choreographers in Boston including Prometheus Dance, Jennifer Lin, Korhan Basaran, Riley Watts, Hollis Bartlett and Nattie Trogdon, Lorraine Chapman, The Company, and Urbanity Dance. Flora is currently a company member at the Prometheus Dance and she has performed at numerous venues such as the The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Boston Center for the Arts. As a choreographer, Flora’s most recent work “Gim Hyo In”, a solo piece to find her identity as a Korean-American, was presented at the Harvard Kennedy School and the First Church in Cambridge, Congregational, U.C.C. in January 2019. As a dance educator, Flora has taught various age groups at Boston Ballet School,Endicott College, Urbanity Dance, LINX Dance,Boston Public Schools and dance studios in greater Boston area.
WENDY LAWSON was raised in Honolulu, Hawaii where her formative dance training included Hula, Ballet and Modern (Graham and Limon techniques). After college, she moved to the Boston area where she continued to dance and perform while becoming a mother to three precious daughters. Wendy has performed with the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble (1985-2016), Dreamscape Dance Project (2012-present), and the Deborah Abel Dance Company (2006-present). With gratitude to the entire cast: Dancing with you is a joy. To my dear family: You grace my life abundantly.
I dance with Love.
HADASSAH SEGAL, a Boston area native, holds a BA in History from Barnard College and an MFA in Dance from OSU. While in NY, she studied modern dance at the Jose Limon Studios and the Paul Taylor School. She has taught dance/ movement in professional and academic settings, including the Limon Studios, Emory, Harvard, Gann Academy, and MIT. Currently, Hadassah trains clients in the Gyrotonic® Method of Exercise at her studio in Newton, MA.
TONY TUCKER (Jamaica) is a dancer, choreographer, and dance educator. Tony discovered his love for dancing at age 18, while attending Boston University’s summer dance program, “Reach”. Inspired by his mentor, Jeffrey Louizia, Tony began training more passionately in hip hop, Haitian folklore, and jazz dance, and later went on to join the J.S. Fusement Dance Company. He now performs with numerous companies in the Boston area, and directs his own hip hop company called StreetHYpE. Tony continues his education by attending classes in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, modern, and pas de deux. Tony is also a beloved and popular teacher, who enjoys sharing his love of dance in every way he can.
JOY MASTERSON WEIR trained intensively at a young age as a dance major at Interlochen Arts Academy with emphasis across ballet, modern and jazz. She went on to dance professionally as a member of Hubbard Street Dance Company under the direction of Lou Conte. In a change of direction, she began a more practical career in technology start-ups and management consulting but continued to maintain a fulfilling practice in dance through various talented choreographers and dance studios. Shortly after relocating to the Boston area seven years ago, she discovered Deborah Abel's modern classes and dance company, and has enthusiastically embraced Deborah's unique Bhakti Modern approach to dance. She is grateful for the opportunity to be a member of The Deborah Abel Dance Company and to her family for their support.
Calling to You Dancers
KRISTEN ANTONIO earned a BA cum laude in Anthropology from Boston University (2010), and is currently a graduate student/ licensure candidate in School Adjustment Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lesley University. She has been studying modern dance with Deborah Abel since she was in the fourth grade. After many years of taking Deborah’s uplifting and inspiring classes, Kristen is delighted to become a member of the Deborah Abel Dance Company. Kristen lives in Cambridge with her husband, Brian.
FERNANDO CARRILLO (Los Angeles, CA) trained at the Ailey School in NYC. Mr. Carrillo has performed with Ailey II, Ballet Hispanico, Broadway’s 1st National Tour of “The Lion King”, Chippendales of NY, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. He worked with Hinton Battle in “Bronx Casket” (musical workshop) and “Louis- The Movie” (motion picture), and performed at Carnegie Hall with Jessye Norman (choreography by Milton Myers). Mr. Carrillo is currently an instructor at the Ailey School, Joffrey Ballet School (Jazz & Contemporary) and STEPS on Broadway. He previously taught at the Juilliard School, Kirov Academy of Ballet, CAP21 Musical Theatre Conservatory, Peridance Capezio Center, Washington Institute of Dance, Louisiana Dance Foundation, ADACLAM-French Guyana, and TSA-Japan. Mr. Carrillo is a proud member of AGMA, SAG, and ACTOR’S EQUITY.
MERLI V. GUERRA graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Mount Holyoke College (2009), where she earned a BA in Dance and Studio Art. She is a member of Nataraj Dancers, a classical Indian dance company, with whom she traveled on tour to India and Japan. In 2010, Merli co-founded Luminarium Dance Company (Cambridge, MA). Luminarium has received dozens of grants and performance opportunities since its founding, showing its work in New England, New York, and on the West Coast. Merli is also an artistic filmmaker, who has won several awards for her dance-on-camera films and video installation artworks. Her interests lie in the layering of video projection and nontraditional lighting with live performance, and in setting the visual arts into motion. Additionally, she is an arts-based graphic designer, who currently designs the bi-monthly Art New England magazine, as its new Production Manager. Merli joined the Deborah Abel Dance Company in 2011.
ALEXIS CHEN JOHNSON grew up in Bangladesh and India. During her childhood, she studied Bharatanatyam with Leela Samson at Sri Ram Bharatiya Kala Kendra. Under Leela Samson’s tutelage, Alexis completed her solo debut performance (Arangetram) at the age of sixteen. Once in America, she decided to switch to modern dance. She was a dance major at Wesleyan University, and then taught dance for two years at Milton Academy. After a decade-long hiatus, during which Alexis became a mother of three children and launched a Presentation Skills consulting practice, she joined the Deborah Abel Dance Company. Alexis is profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work with a modern dance company that is deeply influenced by Indian art and culture. She would like to thank her family and Deborah for their love and inspiration.