CO-CREATORS

YEAJEAN CHOI

co-creator, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, & #DBS CO-Host

Yeajean Choi is a dance artist who creates multimedia and site-specific performances. Choi received her M.F.A in Dance from Texas Woman’s University. Originally from Seoul, Choi earned her B.F.A in Korean Dance from the Sung Kyun Kwan University in 2012. Her choreography has been presented internationally at World Dance Alliance-Americas General Assembly in Mexico, World Dance Alliance Global Summit in Canada, Texas Dance Improvisation Festival, Dallas Dance Fest, American College Dance Association, Seattle BOOST Dance Festival, Terrance M Johnson Dance Project, and Choreographer’s Series in Korea.  As one of eight choreographers and the only U.S. choreographer, she was selected to choreograph at the prestigious World Dance Alliance-Asia Pacific 2017 International Young Choreographer​ Project in Taiwan. Choi was chosen to facilitate a choreolab at World Dance Alliance Global Summit in Canada. A collaboration between Jordan Fuchs and YeaJean Choi, the dance film "Landscape without Horizon" is screened in the Seoul Dance Film Festival in Korea, EnCore: Dance on Film, Light Moves Festival of Screen dance, 305 & Havana International Improv Fest, 40 North Dance Film Festival, and Agite y Sirva. In 2014, she received the Excellence in Choreography Scholarship Award from Texas Woman’s University.  Currently, Choi is a full-time professor and a coordinator of dance at Universidad de las Américas Puebla in Mexico. ​

MARTHEYA NYGAARD (SCOTT)

CO-CREATOR, Managing DIRECTOR, & #DBS CO-HOST

Martheya G. Nygaard is a dance artist who cultivates the concept of “distortion” as an aesthetic philosophy, to challenge and expand notions of contemporary dance. Her work has been presented both nationally and internationally. Nygaard received her dance training with several ballet companies in the Dallas area. She earned her BFA in Dance from Sam Houston State University and her MFA in Dance from Texas Woman's University (TWU). At TWU Martheya was awarded the Dance Department Outstanding Graduate Student- Aileen Lockhart Endowed Scholarship, the Dance Department Adrienne Fisk Outstanding Service Award, and the Graduate Teaching Assistant Award of Excellence at the TWU Pioneering Spirit Awards.  Currently Martheya is an Adjunct Professor of Dance for Texas Woman's University and Dallas County Community College Eastfield Campus. Martheya is a professional dancer for Jordan Fuchs Company and Out On a Limb Dance Company. This summer kNOwBOX dance will perform in collaboration with Jordan Fuchs at the Prague Quadrennial 2019 in Prague, Czech Republic. In October, Martheya and collaborator Azaria Hogans will perform at the 2019 Women in Dance Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

#DBS PODCAST TEAM

"I am excited to be joining a team who is dedicated to expanding and participating in the future of dance, which will take on new forms, venues, and platforms."

AZARIA HOGANS

#DBS CO-HOST

Azaria Hogans holds an M.F.A. in dance from Texas Woman’s 
​University which expanded her research of dance as a means of social change with an emphasis on black modern dance.  Currently, Azaria is the Artist in Residence at Missouri State University. She has presented her works and performed at several conferences and venues including the Symposium on Performance of the African Diaspora as Social Change Conference, American College Dance Association South-Central and South-East Conferences, the World Dance Alliance Conference Puebla, Mexico, the Denton Black Film Festival, Sant’Agata Central Plaza (Sant’Agata, Italy), to name a few.  She has brought the art of dance to local schools including Putnam High School (Putnam, Georgia) and Lee Elementary School (Denton, Texas) through community outreach programs and residencies. Azaria’s interests extend from performance and choreography to publications and community outreach in her process of making and presenting dance. 
"I am joining the kNOwBOX team to help spread the value of dance globally by supporting their vision of collaboration, media archiving, and utilizing alternative formats."

REYNA MONDRAGON

#DBS CO-HOST

Reyna Mondragon is a dancer and choreographer born in Chihuahua Chihuahua, Mexico. Mondragon at the age of nineteen began her dancing career at Collin Community College in Plano, Texas. Later she went on to the University of North Texas where she majored in dance and minored in Spanish. After graduation, Mondragon moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota for a year where she produced her own show and performed alongside Blake Nellis. After a year performing Mondragon applied to graduate school moved back to Denton, Texas, and is currently attending Texas Woman’s University where she is incorporating technology into her dance making process. After graduation, Mondragon will travel internationally to share her love and knowledge of dance. ​

DA BRACAMONTES

DBS AUDIO ENGINEER

​From Salina Cruz, Oaxaca México, Da Bracamontes is a musician, drummer and composer graduated from the Universidad de las Americas Puebla.
As a composer he began his career composing for student dance projects, but in a short time his work led him to make more music, being able to collaborate with artists such as Cristina Goletti, Shannon Mockli, Stephanie Sherman, Mayra Morales, among others; composing music for dance works as well as for video dances. He has also collaborated with theatrical productions such as "Abrasados" by Luc Tartar directed by Jesus Rojas.
He is currently working as creative director and composer in the dance company "Perception". as an musician in the dance department of UDLAP.