Fred Mathews (Choreographic Advisor) graduated from Stephens College where he worked under the tutelage of Harriette Ann Gray, former Humphrey-Weidman dancer, subsequently becoming her protégé. He then joined the internationally recognized Jose Limón Dance Company, where he became known for his dramatic portrayals. He also performed in a broad repertory of works including “There is a Time’, “The Winged”, “A Choreographic Offering” (dedicated to Doris Humphrey), “The Unsung”, “The Traitor”, “Missa Brevis” and as was featured as the ‘white man’ in “The Emperor Jones”. In addition, he performed in original works by Anna Sokolow, Ruth Currier and Ted Rotante. In 1975, he was engaged to dance opposite Rudolph Nureyev at the London Coliseum in Limón's masterpiece“The Moor's Pavane.” His first major work, “Solaris”, was premiered by the Limon Company in 1975 and received enthusiastic reviews. His next piece, “Lunaris”, was choreographed for Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers and became known as his signature work. In 1979, he and former Limon dancer, Gary Masters, formed the Mathews-Masters Dance Company in New York City, performing throughout the United States and in Europe. He has choreographed for several professional companies and taught for many years at New York University. In addition, he has given extended workshops at Harvard University, Radcliffe College and Sarah Lawrence College. In 1989 Mr. Mathews was invited to join the faculty at San Jose State University. Professor Mathews is Choreographic Advisor for sjDANCEco and also serves as an adjudicator for sjDANCEco’s Choreoproject series. In 2008, his innovative piece, “Witness the Dawn”, was performed by sjDANCEco and he directed a structured improvisation as part of “Velocities” for their 2011 season at the California Theatre. Professor Mathews is a long time faculty member of the Dance Program at San Jose State University where he teaches choreography and performance. Most recently he has been invited to give workshops in choreography at the New Ballet School in San Jose.
Matthew Antaky (Lighting Designer) has created both scenic and lighting designs for all of the performing arts including Theater, Opera, Dance and Music since 1985. His design history includes many years designing with companies such as Liss Fain Dance Company, Festival Opera, Lily Cai Dance Company, Mark Foehringer Dance Project, Opera San Jose, Caminos Flamencos, Utah Symphony, Cabrillo Music Festival, Shadowlight Productions, The San Francisco World Music Festival and Flyaway Productions among many others. Mr. Antaky is a five-time nominee and two-time recipient of the Isadora Duncan award for Outstanding Visual Design. This is Matthew’s sixth season designing for sjDANCEco. Please visit his website for more information at Matthewantakydesign.com
Barbara Day Turner, Music Director & Conductor
NATASHA ADORLEE is an Emmy Award-winning choreographer, filmmaker, composer, and educator in San Francisco, CA. A first-generation Asian American woman, she was the final Artistic Fellow with Amy Sewiert's Imagery. Natasha began choreographing in 2014 while maintaining an award-winning dance career with Robert Moses' Kin, ODC/Dance, Kate Weare and Co., and The San Francisco Symphony. After winning over ten international awards for her acclaimed short film "Take Your Time" in 2018, she has been a sought-after filmmaker, choreographer, and composer ever since. After attending SUNY Purchase and graduating from UC Berkeley, Natasha was invited to join ODC/Dance. As a performer, Natasha has danced a vast repertoire of works and contributed original choreography, sound design, and art direction to over 20+ ODC/Dance repertory works. In addition, Natasha has created over 20 original dance-based works- spanning stage, film, and immersive performance mediums. Most recently, she was commissioned to create for Joffrey Ballet's Winning Works, Kansas City Ballet, BalletX, Ceprodac (Mexico), Kawaguchi Ballet (Japan), Ballare Carmel, Ballet22, and Imagery. In addition to working for dance companies, Natasha has created original work for Pixar Animation Studios, Occulus, National Geographic, and New Yorker Magazine. Natasha founded Concept o4 to create multimedia dance-based experiences advocating for more accessibility to the arts. Awarded an NEA Grant, Dresher Fellowship, and Jacob's Pillow Choreographic Fellowship and multiple commissions for new works in 2024, Natasha is pursuing a prolific creation period while sharing her deep knowledge of movement and film with the greater community through Dance on Camera workshops. She is also an Artistic Advisor for Ballet22.
Hong Kong native, San Francisco-based conductor and composer, Jaco Wong currently serves as the assistant conductor of San Francisco Symphony and Opera Parallèle, and previously at Oakland Symphony. Wong has conducted the Orchestre symphonique de Québec under the guidance of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Toyama Sinfonia, Mason Bate’s Mercury Soul. Other career highlights include serving as assistant conductor for Festival Opera, Louisville Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic, and conducting the Taipei Philharmonic, for Emmy Award-winning composer Jeremy Zuckerman, and participating in the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and Monteux Music Festival.
Wong’s composition Inkling was performed at New World Symphony’s “By Ear: A Journey into Musical Perception”. A finalist of the American Prize in composition, Psithaura has been performed under the baton of Donald Nally at the Northwestern University New-Music Conference. Wong has previously composed for San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Iris Contemporary Dance Company, Hocket piano duo, Lang Lang, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, and San Francisco Symphony.
As an active educator, Wong directs the Harker School Orchestra to perform in Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center and is also the guest conductor of the Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra. Wong holds degrees from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, University of Southern California, and San Jose Staté University.
Luis Isiordia is a dance artist from Turlock, CA. He began dancing at eight with Center for Urban Performance and Service directed by Kylene Murphy. Recently, he received his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from San José State University where he performed repertory work from renowned choreographers Mike Ezperanza, Doug Varone, Camille A. Brown, Shlomit Fundaminsky, Cameron McKinney, and José Limón. Luis is also an aerialist, having training from Kat Hughes, Irina Jang, Rebekah Leach, and Chloe Axelford. In 2021, he received his aerial certification from Jill Franklin of Aerial Physique. Luis has had the opportunity to train in many styles. He has training in ballet, modern, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, jazz, and tap. Aside from the more classic styles, he has also been trained in styles with cultural influences including Ballet Folklorico, Cumbia, Bachata, African, and Capoeira. Currently, he is excited to be with sjDANCEco for their twenty first season.
Hsiang Hsiu Lin, Company Choreographer
Fred Mathews, Choreographic Advisor
Maria Basile, Artistic Director, Company Choreographer & Dancer
Alexandra Sheppard, Company Dancer
Kelly Barry, Company Dancer
sjDANCEco music director for many years, Maestra Barbara Day Turner is the founder and music director of the San José Chamber Orchestra, and its family of youth orchestras. An ardent advocate for new music, she has premiered more than 200 new works just with SJCO. Named a 2012 Silicon Valley Arts Council “On Stage” Artist Laureate, Maestra Day Turner spent 13 years as Music Administrator and Conductor of the Utah Festival Opera and 18 years with Opera San José. She has appeared as guest conductor with orchestras and opera companies in the US, Germany and Mexico, and She served many years as an adjudicator for the Metropolitan Opera national auditions, annually serves as a judge for the Irving M. Klein International String Competition, and served on the advisory boards of OperaNeo in San Diego, the Delphi Trio, and on the board of directors for the National Women's Philharmonic Advocacy association.
Matthew Antaky, Lighting Designer
Kevin Gaytan graduated San Jose State University as a double major in Sociology and a bachelor’s in fine arts. He has worked and trained under the instruction of Bay Area choreographers and lecturers such as Heather Cooper, Raphael Boumaila, Jill Yager and Dominique Lomuljo. In addition, he has studied composition and the art of choreography under the instruction of Fred Mathews at San Jose State University. Some of Mr. Gaytan’s performing highlights include classical Jose Limon works such as Psalm and Misa Brevis. He has also had the honor of performing and working for Tandy Beal & Company. In addition, as part of a choreography in residence program, he has performed with Doug Varone and dancers in Doug Varone’s “In the shelter of the fold” in 2018. Mr. Gaytan is currently an active company member of SjDanceCo under the artistic direction of Gary Masters and Maria Basile. As well as Rogelio Lopez and Dancers under the artistic direction of Rogelio Lopez. In addition to also working with Cypher Dance Company, under the artistic direction of Karina Cervantes.
Kevin Gaytan, Company Dancer
Nominated twice for choreography award from the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards, Hsiang-Hsiu Lin is the Artistic Director of Lin HH Dance Company and sjDANCEco company choreographer.
Starting her dance training in Taiwan at the age of four, she graduated from the National Taiwan University of Arts. Later, she received her BA in dance and MA in performing arts from the San José State University. She was the charter member of the Limón West Dance Project of San Jose, and then joined the Limón Dance Company’s critically acclaimed 50th Anniversary World Tour. Lin was also the Honored “Excellent Artist” of the City of Kaohsiung and Honored Alumni of National Taiwan University of Arts.
Ms. Lin established Lin HH Dance in 2003 and has received numerous grants and awards from Taiwan’s National Cultural and Arts Foundation (NCAF) for her outstanding performances and choreographies. After relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area, Lin joined sjDANCEco as the company choreographer and dancer. And established Lin HH School of Dance and Dancing Yoga.
In the Summer 2015, Lin HH Dance was invited to Taipei orchestrating “Hungry Heart” performances with sjDANCEco at ” Taipei International Arts Festival” . Lin has taught at the Dance department of San José State University and Taipei National University of the Arts, the National Taiwan University of the Arts, Kaohsiung City Ballet, Taipei Circle Dance and Cloud Gate Dance Theatre. She is also a certified Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher. Currently, she is living in Taipei and teaching at the National Taiwan University of Arts and Cloud Gate Dance School and conducting Dancing Yoga and Improvisation workshops in Taiwan.
Emily Nagase, Augmented Company Dancer
Wade Reynolds, Company Dancer
Natasha Adorlee, Guest Choreographer
Alexandra Sheppard found her love for dance at Modesto Junior College. After graduating from San Jose State with your BFA in dance she moved to New York to pursue her professional dance career. She set out to NYC with a plan to be there for 2 years (max)…almost 8 years later she moved back to the California. During her time in NYC Alex had the pleasure of dancing with many talented artists; Mike Esperanza, Jana Hicks, Marijke Eliasberg, Alison Chase, and Omri Drumlevich to name a few. Alex loved her time in New York but is excited to be back in California. She now lives in Oakland with her husband, fur babies and human baby; Finley. Alex is proud to be dancing for sjDANCEco for the first year and looks forward to more! Alex would like to dedicate this performance, and every performance, to her husband and son for their endless support and encouragement.
Luis Isiordia Company Dancer
Danielle Noda began her dance training at NCDC under the direction of Jen Bradford. Danielle was a part of the pre-professional program in her youth with a focus on modern dance. After graduating highschool, she received the Virgina Ann Excellence in Dance scholarship which allowed her to continue her training at San Jose State University. During her time at SJSU she was a company member of University Dance Theater and performed works by Raphael Boumaila, Heather Cooper, Mike Esperanza, Doug Varone, Chafin Seymour, and Shlomit Fundaminsky. Noda received awards for her work titled “Resilience During the Pandemic”(2020) and “Above and Beyond”(2023). In Spring of 2023, Noda received her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Dance from San Jose State University. Outside of the studio, Danielle is passionate about collaborating with artists of other disciplines. Most recently, Noda produced her own live performance that involved artists from diverse disciplines.
Gary Masters (Founder and Co-Artistic Director) for sjDANCEco is the 2014 Isadora Duncan Awardee for Outstanding Achievement in Restaging/ Revival/Reconstruction for the company’s 2012 production of Joseé Limón ‘s The Moor’s Pavane and the 2007-8 Awardee for ‘Sustained Achievement’. He has been a Professor of Dance at San Josée State University since 2001. A graduate of the Julliard School, he has been associated with the Limón Dance Company/Foundation as Dancer, Artistic Associate, Reconstructor, Director of the Limón West Dance Project and the Limón Dance Company’s San Joseé Operations since 1969. He has been hailed by Dance Magazine as “...one of the most gifted performers in contemporary dance...” and his choreography as a “...dance with symbolism that may be seen as something deeply spiritual, a kind of seeking into the unknown...” Besides choreography for sjDANCEco, he has created work for the Limón Dance Company/NY, Limón West Dance Project/San José, Diablo Ballet/Walnut Creek, Nashville Ballet, Dance Kaleidoscope/Indianapolis, Path Dance Company/Baltimore, Cabrillo Music Festival and Opera San Joseé. For more than a decade together with Fred Mathews, he directed the Mathews-Masters Dance Company/New York that toured the US, Canada and abroad. Other awards include Council Silicon Valley’s 2005 Artist Fellowship for Choreography and two National Endowment Choreography Fellowships.
Raven Bautista, Company Dancer
Raven Jones Bautista, born in the Philippines but raised primarily in the dynamic cities of San Francisco and San Jose, is an artist and educator with a passion for the performing arts. His journey into the world of creativity commenced in high school, where he was introduced to the electrifying domain of color guard. Raven's relentless pursuit of artistic excellence propelled him to march for an impressive five years in drum corp, notably spending two years with the Blue Devils color guard. Fueling his ambition, he pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance at San Jose State University, masterfully honing his skills and knowledge. Raven has dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation of performers. With seven years of teaching experience, he proudly serves as the color guard director for two high schools, sculpting young talents and instilling a profound appreciation for the performing arts.
Jinny Cha was introduced to dance at age 5 in Korea and re-discovered her passion at 8 while training at Lin HH Dance School under Hsiang-Hsiu Lin. During her formative years, she participated in dance competitions and local performances throughout the Bay Area, achieving significant milestones such as winning first place at Nationals and receiving judges’ awards. During High School, Jinny was featured in sjDanceCo’s 2021 and 2022 Spring showcases: “Rising” by Hsiang-Hsiu Lin and “Hymn to a New Dawn” by Fred Matthews and Gary Masters and is so excited to be part of the program again for the 2024 Fall Performance.
Danielle Noda, Company Dancer
Maria Basile is the 2010 recipient of Arts Council Silicon Valley Artist Fellowship for Performance, received the 2009 Individual Artist Special Recognition award for her choreographic contributions in Santa Clara County and was a 2009 “Isadora Duncan Award” nominee for Best Performance in Birthing the Ascension. Maria was recently honored with a Blessay Award for Performance & Acting by Bay Area Dance Watch/San Francisco. She is a founding member and Co-Artistic Director for sjDANCEco. Basile’s Birthing the Ascension (2006) was hailed by Rita Felciano as “one of her finest achievements…exquisitely designed dance… (that)eloquently spoke of permanence within change. It was her opening solo as roaming spirit over the waters that set the tone.” Besides her annual choreography for sjDANCEco, Maria is a soloist in the Premiere of Oceans with Spector Dance (Marina, CA) this coming November. She has choreographed for the Cabrillo Music Festival (2001 and 2002), Operaé (2005), Midsummer Mozart Festival (2005), De Anza College (2005) and San Jose State University Dance Theatre (2003, 2005, 2007, 2010). Performing highlights of Ms. Basile’s career have been as a charter member of The Limón West Dance Project of San Jose, CA (1994 -1998) and as part of The Limón Dance Company’s critically acclaimed 1997-1998 50th Anniversary World Tour. She has also danced in the Bay Area with ODC/SF and Anne Bluethenthal & Dancers. Ms. Basile competed in The XXIII Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Varna, Bulgaria in 1987. Ms. Basile is a Balance a certified instructor by the Balance Center (posture/ structural integration), and since 1996 a prominent teacher of Ballroom, Modern, and Latin dance at De Anza College and San Jose State University. She received her BS in Dance from the University of Oregon.
Emily Nagase began dancing at Ah-Lan Dance Studio at the age of five. She is currently in her senior year at San Jose State University earning her BFA in Dance. Emily is also a company member of University Dance Theater and has learned and performed works by Chafin Seymour, Shlomit Fundaminsky, Cameron McKinney, Jay Carlon, Elise Knudson, and David Dorfman Dance Company.
San Jose Chamber Orchestra are recipients of three ASCAP/League of American Orchestra awards for adventurous programming, the San Jose Chamber Orchestra has commissioned and premiered over 80 new works by North American composers since the orchestra's inception in 1991. Making SJ's Le Petit Trianon its concert home, SJCO always has something new and exciting on stage. The orchestra also mentors and oversees 4 youth orchestras serving 90 young string players, and frequently collaborates with young composers from SJSU through our Composition Connection program.
Jonathan is a Southern California dance artist from Ontario currently living in the Bay Area. He is a recent first generation LatinX, graduate from San Jose State University where he earned his Bachelors in Fine Arts degree in Dance. While attending San José State University Jonathan was part of the University Dance Theatre for two years. Being part of the company allowed him to show his dance work “Through the Cracks” at ACDA (American College Dance Association) South Central Conference at the University of Texas at Austin. While at his time at SJSU he performed works by David Dorfman, Jay Carlon, Chafin Seymour, Jenni Hong and Israelian choreographer Shlomit Fundamisky. Through his experience in the program he found a strong passion for choreography and was awarded the Creator award for his graduating class. His journey for dance began through the world of musical theatre during his high school years. Through this he found his love, passion, and respect for the art form of dance. Jonathan has worked with Chaffey High School’s theater company for multiple seasons. Jonathan has co-choreographed works with Chaffey High School such as “In the Heights” 2016, “Beauty and the Beast” 2017 and choreographed “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” in 2019.
Jinny Cha, Augmented Company Dancer
Jonathan Guevara, Augmented Company Dancer
Gary Masters, Artistic Director Emeritus, Advisory Board of Trustees
Kelly Barry graduated from San Jose State University with a BFA in Dance in 2020 and joined sjDANCEco in 2021. She has been actively involved in the professional dance world for nine years as a teacher, backup dancer, character performer, and more. She began her training at Katie’s Dance Studio in El Cerrito, CA, where she trained in tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, and acrobatics from 2000-2015, and continued at SJSU in modern, contemporary, ballet, and jazz. Kelly enhanced her skills through programs like The Rockettes’ Summer Intensive in New York (2016) and Axis Dance Company’s summer intensive in Oakland (2018). As a member of SJSU’s University Dance Theater, she had the honor of performing in the ACDA 2018 National College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Currently, Kelly is pursuing a career in public school dance education, with a mission to bring dance to students who may not otherwise have access to pursue this incredible art form.
San José Chamber Orchestra
Jaco Wong, Conductor
Nhan Ho, Company Choreographer
Wade Reynolds [MFA in Dance from Mills College (2022), BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University (2012)] has studied with the DAH Theater in Belgrade, Serbia, and performed in Urban Bush Women’s American Masterpiece “Shelter”, when it was restaged on VCU Dance students in 2011. Wade has worked with choreographers in New York and Philadelphia, including Helen Simoneau, Von Howard Project, Olive Prince Dance, Sharp Dance Company, Alchemy Dance Company, and Ellie Goodie-Averill. In 2015 Wade founded DNR in Denver, CO: a collaborative project bringing dance, punk, and hardcore bands together as a channel for social change, while focusing on exposing youth to multiple facets of counterculture art. Her recent work and performance opportunities include dancing as a guest artist with FACT/SF and working closely with Liz Lerman as her artist assistant. Wade currently dances with Aleño Dance Project, ArcTangent Dance and teaches at Danspace in Oakland, CA.
Nhan Ho is a dedicated dance professional with extensive experience in performing, choreographing, and mentoring across the United States. As the founder and Artistic Director of the Nhan Ho Project since 2010, he has created numerous professional opportunities for artists, helping them achieve their full potential. His innovative and unpredictable choreography has been showcased nationwide at esteemed venues such as sjDANCEco’s ChoreoProject Awards, West Wave Dance Festival, and more.
Nhan's work reflects a deep respect for diverse dance styles and a commitment to cultural understanding and adaptability. He has choreographed for numerous academic and professional programs, including Sacramento State University, San Jose State University, Modesto Junior College, and the University of Idaho. As a performer, Nhan has collaborated with renowned companies such as BODYART Dance Company, Sasha Soreff Dance Theatre, and PUSH Dance Company. He balances his roles as a performer, choreographer, instructor, director, and mentor, bringing a wealth of practical experience to his teaching.
In addition to his artistic roles, Nhan has held directorial positions at Step I Dance & Fitness and Northern California Dance Conservatory, mentoring students and professional dancers in the San Jose and Sacramento communities. He emphasizes community outreach and sustainable partnerships in his work.
Currently, Nhan serves as an Assistant Professor of Dance at Northwestern State University in Louisiana, as well as the Artistic Director of the Nhan Ho Project Dance Company and its Movement Choir. He received his MFA in Dance at the University of Arizona, where he also presented at the Dance Studies Association (DSA) conference on the fusion of Limón Technique and Hip Hop. Along with his former cohort, Nhan will be presenting at the 2024 National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) National Conference titled REVITALIZE: Breathing New Life into Your Dance Programs and Teaching Methods. Nhan is dedicated to fostering respect for dance styles and cultural understanding in his students, preparing them for diverse professional opportunities.