Susan has been dancing all her life.  Her first love was classical ballet, but she discovered, through a graduate student at Temple University, that modern dance was better suited to her body type and her desire to improvise.  Susan has been a choreographer since the age of 25, and most recently choreographed for the Asheville Art Museum, the Thomas Wolfe Society, Co Danza of Cuba, and for her own company, Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre.  She also choreographed movement for Jodie Foster in the film Nell. Susan has been creating festivals in Asheville and abroad such as Asheville Fringe Festival and the White Dog ProjectX.  She has continued her international collaborations with Mexico, France and Cuba.

Giles is co-director of Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre.  He has lived abroad in France and Israel, and has performed internationally.  Giles currently teaches modern and boy’s dance at the New Studio of Dance in Asheville.  In addition to dance, Giles is a fencer and instructs students in foil and saber technique.  He has performed with ACDT since 1986 and most recently premiered his work at the Asheville Fringe Festival and Men Dancing IV.

Jenni received her M.A. in Dance and Woman’s Studies from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2002.  She has been a member of ACDT since 2003 and is also co-creator of the group butohmoshpit.

Jessy earned a BA in Dance from Scripps College in Claremont, CA in 2002.   She performed in numerous faculty and guest choreographer pieces and attended the southwestern American College Dance Festival multiple times.  She studied La Danza Contemporanea at El Estudio de Danza Margarita Fernandez in Argentina.  Jessy has taught dance and gymnastics to children of all ages. She has danced at New Studio of Dance since 2004 and joined ACDT in January, 2007.

Jaime graduated with honors from Beloit College with a BA in Theater Arts (Dance).  As a member of the Chelonia Dance Company, she has worked with many different choreographers and has performed throughout the Midwest, Washington, D.C., and in Moscow, Russia.  For the past several years she has been teaching and choreographing at private dance studios including New Studio of Dance.  Jaime joined ACDT in August of 2007.

Karen received a BA in Dance and Psychology from William Smith College in Geneva, NY. She has danced with Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre in Indianapolis, IN, BIODANCE in Rochester, NY and INSPIRIT: A Dance Company in New York, NY. She currently teaches dance in Pisgah Forest, NC and works at Tapestry: A residential eating disorders treatment facility as well as Wellsprings Academy of the Carolinas. Karen joined ACDT in the fall of 2009, and she is excited to be dancing in Western North Carolina.

Sharon Cooper was born in Winston-Salem, NC. She began dancing at 5 years old. She attended NC School of the Arts from 93-95. From 1996-2000 Sharon attended UNC Charlotte where she received a BA in Dance and Communication Studies. In 2000 she moved to Asheville and joined  Asheville Contemporary Dance Thaetre from 2000-2005. After taking a few years off, she is excited to return to dancing this year.

Lola York graduated magna cum laude from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA with a BA in Dance, and is a certified KRI Kundalini Yoga Teacher. As a dancer and actor, she has performed the work of over 15 choreographers for stage, film, and television in the US and abroad. Lola has 8 years of experience as a dance educator and currently teaches dance in Flat Rock, NC. Lola is a member of MOVE American Dance Theatre based in Charlotte, NC and is is delighted to join ACDT for the 2010-11 season.

Amy was born in Lousiana and moved to NC at the age  of seven. She grew up doing tap, jazz, and ballet in the Mini and Junior Companies at Asheville Dance Theater. The discovery of and transition to modern dance in high school led her to New Studio where she enjoyed dancing until college. After receiving a BA in Dance UNCG she earned a Master’s in Dance/movement Therapy from Drexel University. Amy practices yoga and is also a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner. She has lived , worked. and danced in Philadelphia and NYC since college but is excited to have returned to Asheville and to be dancing with ACDT again.

Alexis is a certified Pilates instructor who moved to Asheville in September 2010. Originally from Massachusetts, Alexis graduated from Connecticut College with a BA in Dance and French, moved to San Francisco to dance with companies RAWdance and Alayo Dance Company, and is delighted to be dancing with ACDT and teaching Pilates at the New Studio of Dance.