Based in the Washington, DC metro area, UpRooted Dance creates intersections between dance and other art forms. Artistic Director Keira Hart-Mendoza collaborates with dancers, visual artists, musicians, technology, theater, and design. UpRooted’s colorful fantasy world creates expressive visually striking work. Movement, images, sounds, and words allow UpRooted Dance to connect to audiences through storytelling and immerse audiences deeper into the work.
UpRooted Project Performers
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CAROLINE BARNA (2013 - 2015, 2016 - present)
Caroline Barna has been a member of UpRooted Dance for four years. A graduate of James Madison University's School of Theatre and Dance, she has been living and performing in the DC area for 6 years. While at JMU she was a part of the Virginia Repertory Dance Company, Contemporary Dance Ensemble and Student Co-Director of the Associate Dance Ensemble. She's completed internships through Bates Dance Festival, Dance Place, Dance Exchange and Joe's Movement Emporium focusing on arts administration along with dance performance. In addition to dancing with UpRooted, she works for lululemon Old Town Alexandria and is an instructor at Barre3 Old Town. |
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AMANDA BLYTHE (2013 - present)
Amanda Blythe serves the Washington, DC dance community as a dance artist, choreographer and administrator. Classically trained in ballet, she first experienced modern dance and contact improvisation in college where she studied under Chris Aiken, Peter DiMuro, Colleen Thomas, Ishmael Houston-Jones, Tania Isaacs and many others. She currently dances with Erica Rebollar/Rebollar Dance and UpRooted Dance as a company member, as well as collaborating on independent projects. Prior credits include Nancy Havlik’s Dance Performance Group, ClancyWorks Dance Company and Kitchen Sink Fest. She has performed at Atlas Performing Arts Center, Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival, Baltimore Theatre Project, Black Rock Center for the Arts, Cultural Arts Center at Montgomery College, Dance Exchange, Dance Loft on 14, Dance Place, Green Space (NYC), Harman Center for the Arts, Jack Guidone Theater, Joe’s Movement Emporium, Josephine Butler Parks Center, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Reston CenterStage and Takoma Park Community Center. Amanda also has experience as a freelance marketer, social media manager, digital media specialist, theatrical costume designer, photographer, videographer, Q&A facilitator, talkback moderator, stage manager, sound technician, flash mob coordinator and is willing to try anything once. |
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JAMIE DOUGHTY (2012 - 2015)
Originally from Frederick, MD, Jamie graduated magna cum laude from James Madison University with a B.A. in Dance and Communication Studies. At JMU, she was a part of the pre-professional Virginia Repertory Dance Company and the Contemporary Dance Ensemble, as well as the Student Co-Director of JMU’s Associate Dance Ensemble. There she performed works by students, faculty, and guest artists such as Kelly Bartnik, Sonia Rafferty, Ric Rose, and Vincent Thomas. Currently, Jamie works as a dancer, choreographer, and arts administrator in the Washington, DC area. She has had the privilege of performing with UpRooted Dance since she became a member in 2012 and has performed throughout the DC area at venues such as Atlas Performing Arts Center, Dance Place, Dance Exchange, Joe’s Movement Emporium, and the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. Most recently, Jamie worked with Flying V Theatre as their Choreographer for their latest project Flying V Fights: Love is a Battlefield. Along with performing and choreographing, Jamie has also interned with arts organizations such as the American Dance Festival and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Currently, she is working as the Assistant Manager of Membership in the Development Office at the Kennedy Center as well as the Administrative and Social Media Coordinator for UpRooted Dance. |
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SHELBY GRATZ (2012 - 2015)
Shelby is from Stafford, Virginia and has been dancing for 18 years. She danced at Dance and Gym Expressions for 12 years where she was also a competitive dancer. She graduated from James Madison University in May 2012 with her B.A. in Dance. She was the Vice President for the JMU Dance Theatre, part of the Contemporary Dance Ensemble and Virginia Repertory Dance Company. She was granted scholarships to study with River North Chicago Dance Company, CityDance Ensemble out of Washington D.C. and Eisenhower Dance Ensemble in their Great Lakes Dance Festival. She has had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Kelly Bartnik, Laurie Eisenhower and Vincent Thomas. She currently works for George Mason University and teaches in the DC area. She will be going in to her third season with Uprooted Dance where she has had the opportunity to work on a variety of site specific works as well as main stage performances including The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. This season she has the opportunity to expand her creativity and artistry through UpRooted by working with N.Y choreographer Aaron McGloin and Taiko drummer/performer Mark H. Rooney. |
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KATHRYN HARRIS BANKS (2015 - present)
Kathryn Harris Banks is a professional dance artist based in Washington, DC. Originally a bunhead, Katie fell in love with modern while studying at the Governor's School for the Arts during high school. She then received a B.F.A. in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University (magna cum laude) in Richmond, VA. Since then, Katie has had the pleasure of dancing with Starr Foster Dance Project (Richmond, VA), Laura Peterson Choreography (NYC), Kate Weare Company (NYC), Christopher Hutchings (NYC), Daniel Burkholder/The Playground (DC), Sharon Mansur/mansurdance (DC), Christine Stone Martin (DC), Katie Sopoci Drake (DC), as well as many other collaborations. After years of friendship and sharing the stage with the multi-talented Keira Hart-Mendoza, Katie is excited to be making her UpRooted Dance debut this season. Katie has taught dance at James Madison University, Rowan University, Virginia Commonwealth University, The Governor's School for the Arts, The Steward School, Saint Catherine's School, Saint Christopher's School, Collegiate School, Washington Area Independent Schools Dance Education Association, Joy of Motion Dance Center, and others. She is currently on faculty at the National Cathedral School, and Children's House Montessori. In addition to dance, Katie is an Experienced Registered Yoga teacher (E-RYT 200) in the YogaWorks method, and teaches group classes and private instruction daily throughout DC. Katie enjoys all the "random gigs" a life in dance has presented to her - from teaching yoga in a hallway at Georgetown University Hospital, to interacting with unsuspecting guests through dance at a fancy-schmancy fundraising gala, to getting talked into completing a Zumba certification. When she's not dancing, you can find Katie tricking her 3 year old daughter into eating vegetables, making endless to-do lists that she'll never complete, and laughing/crying at how insane life is. |
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CAROLYN HOEHNER (2016 - present)
Carolyn Hoehner grew up all over the east coast but calls home the Shenandoah Valley where she went to James Madison University. In college she danced with the Virginia Repertory Dance Company and had the opportunity to perform and teach in the Sichuan province of China. In college she performed work by Ryan Corriston, Tara Mullins, Scott Putnam, Donna Costello, Alex Springer & Xan Burley, Shannon Hummel, Shane O'Hara, and Ting-Yu Chen. After graduating magna cum laude in dance and English Carolyn went on to work as an assistant for Pilobolus Dance Theater outside of New York City. She continued her work as a performer by studying with and performing works by Zoe Scofield and Doug Varone. Recently she moved to the D.C area as a recipient of a research fellowship at the Trinity Fellows Academy where she studied and wrote extensively about the intersection of faith and the performing arts. She currently works as the programming assistant at Dance Place and in audience services as Studio Theatre. In D.C. Carolyn hopes to expand the breadth of her work as a writer, choreographer, and performer while blending these mediums together. She is thrilled to dance with UpRooted where she gets to collaborate and form community with this group of intelligent and compassionate artists. |
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KATIE SOPOCI DRAKE (2015 - present)
Katie Sopoci Drake is a Washington D.C. based professional dancer, choreographer and teacher specializing in Laban-based contemporary dance. As a teacher versed in somatic-based technique and theory, Katie has held positions at the University of Maryland, College Park, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Nova Southeastern University, Miami Dade College-Wolfson, Miami Dade College-Kendall, Carthage College, and Lawrence University. As a performer, Sopoci Drake is described as a "sinuous, animal presence of great power; watching her dance is a visceral experience." (Third Coast Digest, 6/12). Company credits include Mountain Empire Performance Collective (since 2013), Rebollar Dance (since 2014), Mordine and Company Dance Theater of Chicago (2012-2013), Momentum Dance Company of Miami (2009-2012), Wild Space Dance Company of Milwaukee (2005-2009), and Rosy Simas Danse of Minneapolis (2001-2005). Katie has also made appearances as an independent artist with many companies including Brazz Dance, Your Mother Dances, The Florentine Opera, and The Minnesota Opera. Katie's choreography, described as "a beautiful marriage between choreography, music and poetry" (On Milwaukee, 12/06) and "sinuous, sensual beauty" (Journal Sentinel, 11/07) arises from her explorations in Laban Movement Analysis, her fascination with the idiosyncrasies of daily life, and the flights of fancy that arise from ordinary inspirations. Her work has been performed by Momentum Dance Company, Wild Space Dance Company, The Florentine Opera, Lawrence University Opera, Miami Dade College and many more companies and schools. Independent productions have been presented at the National Portrait Gallery, The Southern Theater, Patrick’s Cabaret, Danceworks Performance Studio and The Milwaukee Art Museum. Holding an MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Graduate Laban Certification in Movement Analysis from Columbia College - Chicago, and a BA in Theater/Dance with a minor in Vocal Performance from Luther College, Sopoci Drake continues to take classes and various somatic practices to inform her work and life as a curious mover. Katie spends her free time exploring the local flora and fauna with her husband. They both adore bird-watching and are aspiring naturalists. Nothing in life is so simple that it cannot invoke myriad dreams. |
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MELISSA SWARINGEN (2012 - 2015)
Melissa is entering her third year as a company member with UpRooted Dance. She began her formal dance training in Malaysia at age 13 with Celestar Studio of Performing Arts under the direction of founder Celeste Theunissen. As a young dancer, Melissa trained with a heavy focus on Jazz, performing in various aspects of the entertainment industry. After moving to the U.S., she attended James Madison University where she developed a passion for Modern dance. During her time at JMU, Melissa was a two year member of the pre-professional Virginia Repertory Dance Company and a three year member of the Contemporary Dance Ensemble where she had the opportunity to work with various artists including; Daniel Burkholder, Maurice Fraga, Kelly Bartnik, Vincent Thomas and Alvin Mayes. During her final year, she also taught youth modern at Dance & Co. in Harrisonburg, VA. Melissa was fortunate to become a member of UpRooted Dance immediately upon graduation in 2012 and has been dancing with them since. Off the stage, she has spent time working with the national dance service organization, Dance/USA, and is currently pursuing a career within government public relations. Melissa loves the breadth of opportunity and the thirst for art that surrounds the D.C. Metropolitan area and is excited to jump forward into another collaborative year dancing with UpRooted. |
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LIZ SALUKE (2014 - 2015)
Liz began her dance training at Dayton Ballet School, where she performed many youth and corps de ballet roles in Dayton Ballet productions including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Romeo and Juliet among others. She was introduced to modern dance as an undergraduate at Emory University, performing in Emory Dance Company works and dancing with Atlanta-based contemporary dance company Staibdance after graduation. From Atlanta Liz moved to Tallahassee to pursue her MFA in Dance at the Florida State University School of Dance. Liz completed her MFA in December of 2012, and, after a few months in New York and New Orleans, settled in Washington, DC. In DC, Liz has performed alongside DancEthos, and is thrilled to be a company member with UpRooted Dance. In addition to her work with UpRooted, Liz teaches yoga and dance classes, and works as the Executive Assistant for the American College Dance Festival Association. |
PREVIOUS UPROOTED COMPANY MEMBERS
DC Metro Area: Caroline Barna, Mariel Procter, Amelia Cox, Heather Doyle, Kate Folsom, Jaedra DiGiammarino, Pirjo Garby, Sarah Gosselin, April Gruber, Stefanie Quinones Bass, Mary Lane, Carrie Monger, Jennifer Rivers, Lori Yuill
Charlottesville, VA: Lori Jablonski, Jessie Laurita-Spanglet, Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp, Dayle Todeshini, Rachael Shaw, Kelly Silliman, Aaron Wine.
DC Metro Area: Caroline Barna, Mariel Procter, Amelia Cox, Heather Doyle, Kate Folsom, Jaedra DiGiammarino, Pirjo Garby, Sarah Gosselin, April Gruber, Stefanie Quinones Bass, Mary Lane, Carrie Monger, Jennifer Rivers, Lori Yuill
Charlottesville, VA: Lori Jablonski, Jessie Laurita-Spanglet, Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp, Dayle Todeshini, Rachael Shaw, Kelly Silliman, Aaron Wine.
