Artists Biographies

Here are the amazing and talented artists whose work, vision, and creativity have contributed to the dance making process of oNi daNce in recent and current projects.


Maria Gillespie - Choreographer

Maria Gillespie is choreographer and artistic director of the contemporary dance company, Oni Dance. An artist who thrives on improvising, developing, accumulating and interpreting movement, Gillespie’s choreography is a seamless blend of classicism and supple, grounded quirkiness. Originally from Nashville, TN, she studied at the School of Nashville Ballet and performed with the company. She received her BFAin dance from SUNY Purchase in 1993. As a member of the Purchase Dance Corps, Ms. Gillespie performed choreography by Charles Weidman and Lin Hwai-min of Cloud Gate Dance Theater. Upon graduating in 1993, she formed 86 NYLON, a collaborative trio whose choreography was presented (93-95) by Dixon Place, Movement Research, Gowanus Arts Exchange, and Next Stage Company. Since moving to LA in 1996, Ms. Gillespie’s choreography has been presented at Disney Hall’sREDCAT Theater, UCLA, The Fowler Museum, Highways Performance Space, The Electric Lodge, Cal State Long Beach, The Brand Library & Arts Center, The Fountain Theater, The Met Theater, Scripps College, Pomona College, LA Dance Invitational, SOLA Dance Festival, and the Dance Moving Forward Festival, and in Colorado and Tokyo, Japan. Locally, she has worked and performed with Joe Goode, Victoria Marks, David Rousseve, John Pennington, and String Theory Ensemble. Noted as a“charismatic, mighty performer…with a distinct vision” (Victoria Looseleaf, LA Times) she is a three time Lester Horton Award winner, (2002 & 2003) for best solo and small ensemble performance for her work with Victoria Marks and Helios Dance Theater as well as a Horton nominee (2005) for best choreography & performance. She is the honored recipient of grants from The Durfee Foundation (2002) and The James Irvine Foundation Grant, Dance: Creation to Performance (2004). A review in the LA Times of her concert at Highways states that her dances… “ricochet between vulnerability and strength with razor-sharp shifts in intensity and intent” (Sara Wolf, LA Times). She has been selected as one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to watch” (Jan. 05). This spring she was commissioned by Pomona College to create a new work for their spring dance concert. This summer, Oni Dance will present a new, evening-length work at REDCAT and then travel to NYC to participate in the International Dance Festival. Oni Dance will be presented by The Getty Center in September 2005. Ms. Gillespie is also a principle dancer of Helios Dance Theater (1996-present). She is on faculty at UCLA’s department of World Arts & Cultures where she teaches contemporary modern dance as well as offering weekly modern classes in Venice, CA.


photo: Carol Petersen

Patrick Damon Rago

Patrick Damon Rago is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Loyola Marymount University . Damon began his formal dance training at California State University , Fullerton . In 1996, he received his MFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah. Damon is the artistic director of Palindrome Performance Group. He received two Lester Horton Awards; in 2002 for his performance of “Native Son,” choreographed by Joe Goode and in 2003 in choreography for his own “Four Inches to the Left”.


photo: Carol Petersen

Carlos Rodriguez

Carlos Rodriguez, a native of El Salvador, was raised in California from the age of ten, and started his dance training at age 17. He studied at Santa Ana College and the ADF School in North Carolina. While there he performed works by David Dorfman, Donald McKayle, Gail Gilbert, and Andrea Woods. Carlos has also performed works by Heather Gillette as an American College Dance Festival Gala Finalist. Other credits include performances with Dance Touring Ensemble (Orange County), Notoriety Inc., Pasadena City Ballet, Collage Dance Theatre, Ptero Dance Theater, APAP and Dancers Responding to Aids in NYC, and Fusion Dance Theatre. Currently he is a member of Oni Dance, Regina Klenjoski Dance Co., where he is a teacher for RKDC’s residency and is a guest choreographer for SAC.

Noelli Bordelet

Noelli Bordelet, a native of Paris, France, moved to Los Angeles in 2004. She began her dance training at Studio Harmonic, where she studied dance history, anatomy, kinesiology, and pedagogy. She completed her technical training with and performed in the companies of Corinne Lanselle, Bruno Collinet, Dominique Lesdema, and Bea Buffin. She has collaborated with these choreographers to make work that focuses on the weight of the body, contact with the floor, joint articulation, and musicality. She has danced in many festivals including “Olympia”, “le Theatre de Paris”, and “L Opera Comique”. In 2002 she was chosen by the French Ministry of Culture to aid in the technical evaluations for dance teachers receiving diplomas. www.noelliebordelet.com


photo: David Lena

Holly Johnston

Holly Johnston graduated with a BA in Dance from Loyola Marymount University in 1996. She was invited to become a founding member of TONGUE Artistic Director, Stephanie Gilliland in 1997. Since then she has worked extensively with Gilliland as a principle dancer, rehearsal director and master-level teacher. Johnston is credited with codifying the organic physical language of Ms. Gilliland into a systematic approach now being taught as the Gilliland Technique. She is also in the process of establishing her own dance company, The Ledges and Bones dance project. Her work has been described as high-speed, kinetically complex work “…with a loose-limbed authority all it’s own.”-( Lewis Segal, LA Times) She has taught for UCLA World Arts and Cultures, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Loyola Marymount University, UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, Moorpark College, UC San Diego, Orange Coast College and numerous Master Classes throughout Southern California. She has toured nationally and internationally with TONGUE. Her work has been performed in Los Angeles, The Bay Area, Arizona, in the American College Dance Festivals. She has received three nominations for Lester Horton Awards in Outstanding Performance- Company (Tongue) and two nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design. She and the members of Tongue were awarded the 2004 Lester Horton Award for Outstanding Performance- Company. She is also recognized for excellence in the field of dance education as published in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.” Ms. Johnston is currently a part of the dance faculty at Loyola Marymount University and is committed to the rigor that transforms passion into art.


photo: Carol Petersen

Holly Rothschild

Holly Rothschild came from Chicago where she danced and performed with XSIGHT! Performance Group, Chicago Moving Company and many others. She started Lucky Plush Productions Dance/Theater Company with her friend Julia while still in Chicago. She has performed as a guest artist with Bob Eisen, Hedwig Dances, Mordine & Company, the Itinerant Theater Guild, Trinity Irish Dancers and others. Holly was artist-in-residence at Columbia College in the Theater Department. Her work has been referred to as “excruciatingly funny… showing plenty of theatrical savvy” by Laura Molzahn of the Chicago Reader. She moved to LA about 2 years ago to continue her work with her husband Luke and cellist Joseph Harvey. The 3 of them formed String Theory together. She has performed Maria’s work in the past and is excited to be doing it again!


photo: Andre Andreev

Nguyen Nguyen

Nguyen Nguyen received a Regents Scholarship to attend UCLA and graduated with a B.S. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Upon graduating, Nguyen received his teaching certification as a District Intern and taught for Los Angeles Unified School District. He holds a cleared credential for secondary Biological/Chemical Science. While at UCLA, Nguyen discovered his love for dance. He began his training in West African, Korean, Javanese dance, and his junior year, began is exploration of modern and contemporary dance. Nguyen is currently a member of Maria Gillespie’s Oni Dance as well as Holly Johnston’s Ledges and Bones dance project, and has also worked with Collage Dance Theater. He recently returned from dancing at New York’s Dance Space and Movement Research. He is on dance faculty at Santa Monica College where he teaches contemporary dance.

String Theory

String Theory is a performance ensemble is dedicated to creating innovative and collaborative work. Their performances are a hybrid of movement, music and sonic sculpture. Their signature sound is based on long string Harp installations, which provide the landscape and sonic bed for their performances. Each performance installation is site specific. They performed for the opening festivities of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the 25th Anniversary for MOCA, Barnsdall Art Park and at many other events and venues. They also compose for film, dance & theater. You can find out more about String Theory at www.stringtheoryproductions.com. String Theory’s members include: Holly Rothschild, Luke Rothschild, Joseph Harvey, Carey laMothe, Stuart Johnson, & Greg Russell.

David Karagianis

David Karagianis, composer, sound designer and musician performs all these roles as Senior Musician for the UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures. His work spans many genres. A recipient of several awards and grants for musical collaborations with choreographers, including a Lester Horton Award, David has composed over seventy scores for dance. Information about recordings, workshops, and projects by David, including his latest CD “Brave New Age,” is available at www.sounddance.net.