Performers

Beth Graczyk is a movement-based artist who works as a contemporary dancer, choreographer, teacher and producer based in Seattle, WA. She has performed both nationally and internationally working extensively with Locate Performance Group (Pablo Cornejo, Paige Barnes) (2002-2006), Sheri Cohen & Co. (2000-2004), Corrie Befort (2003-present) and Scott/Powell Performance (2004-present). Beth co-produced and performed in 12 Hour Play and several dance/music improvisations in Seattle and Portland. She is a GAP grant recipient for Salt Horse through Artist Trust. Beth earned a double degree from the University of Washington in Dance and Molecular Biology, and was recently published in Nature Cell Biology for her work on mitosis.

Jim Kent started dancing in 2000 and has worked with a number of local choreographers since moving to Seattle in 2002. He graduated in 2005 with a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts. Recent projects include the re-working of Mark Haim's The Goldberg Variations at OtB, Wade Madsen's The Elements at Broadway Performance Hall, and most recently, he revisited his musical theater roots at Arkansas Repertory Theater by appearing in their main stage production of The King and I. Jim plays piano accompaniment for preparatory and R.A.D. ballet classes at Cornish. This is his first season with Scott/Powell Performance.

Jess Klein is a performer, teacher and choreographer who studied at Reed College and the London Contemporary Dance School before graduating from Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Dance. She has been active in the Seattle dance community since 2001, performing with groups such as LeGendre Performance, Crispin Spaeth Dance Group, The Seattle Opera, Pat Graney Company, SOM Performance, Deborah Wolf, Karn Junkinsmith, and her own 80's dance duo Fankick!. Most recently Jess collaborated with Reggie Watts and Tommy Smith in Transition. Jess teaches Dance and Yoga to students at University Preparatory Academy. This is her sixth season dancing with Scott Powell Performance.

Michael Rioux has been moving his body for many years. He is originally from Chicago but moved his body to Seattle in 2006 after becoming incredibly bored. While in Chicago Michael worked with lots o' people including Mordine & Co., Lucky Plush Productions, Luna Negra Dance Theater, and River North Dance Chicago among others, who are all lovely people and not the reason for said boredom. Michael is currently studying printmaking and video art at Cornish College of the Arts and sometimes wonders what life would have been like if he ever was good at math, but then he remembers how happy he is. This is Michael's first season with Scott/Powell Performance and yes and yes and yes. And last but not least Barack Obama.

Sean Ryan’s performances include Ghostdance with Paula Josa-Jones/Performanceworks at Lincoln Center Out-Of-Doors and Pauline Oliveros’ retrospective at Lincoln Center. Other dance credits include work by/with VIA/Tonya Lockyer (touring internationally), Sheri Cohen, ROOM ensemble, Laura Curry, John Dixon, Stuart Dempster, Graphicality, Peter Schmitz, Stephanie Skura and, recently, Mark Haim’s Goldberg Variations at On the Boards in Seattle. Sean is a core member of The Gravity Project, a resident experimental theater company at Juniata College in PA, which recently premiered Nine Gates in January 2006. He recently directed Allen Johnson’s Another You, awarded a N.P.N. Co-Commissioning Grant, premiering to much acclaim at PICA’s T:BA Festival & On the Boards. The work will tour Europe in the fall and open in NYC with Under The Radar in January ‘07. Sean is the Regional Programs Coordinator at On the Boards, & a board member of Rain City Projects, a non-profit dedicated to supporting Northwest Playwrights. This is his second season with Scott/Powell Performance.

Ellie Sandstrom is originally from Minneapolis, where she began her movement training with Minnesota Dance Theater and later BalletArts Minnesota. She has studied various forms of dance technique, body conditioning, composition, improvisation and performance techniques throughout her life at many celebrated dance festivals and schools across the country, including Cornish College of the Arts, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. She has been working in Seattle, consistently with locust and Scott/Powell Performance since 2000, and touring with both groups since 2004. She is known to bring many other projects into the mix. In 2006, she had the pleasure of working with celebrated choreographer, Mark Haim on the remounting of his "Goldberg Variations" at On the Boards in Seattle. Some of her recent choreographic commissions include new work for: Northwest Dance Syndrome, Perpich Center for Arts Education and Velocity Dance Center. (Check out her website sandstrommovement.com for upcoming events). She has taught @ the University of Washington, Seattle Central Community College, Perpich Center for Arts Education, the Firehouse Performing Arts Center, Cornish College of the Arts & in the Cornish Prep Department. She is currently teaching Ballet & Modern technique to young adults and beyond @ Velocity Dance Center and Hip Hop to high school students @ the Northwest School. She is entering her 8th season with Scott/Powell Performance.

Belle Wolf graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance, in 2008, from Cornish College of the Arts where she performed works by Martha Graham, Bebe Miller, Bill Evans, Mary Sheldon Scott, Deborah Wolf, Wade Madsen, Daniel Cruz, Melissa Rolnick and Michael Rioux. She has also performed professionally in Seattle with various artists including Savion Glover, Sonia Dawkins, Amy O'Neal, Maureen Whiting Company, Northwest Dance Syndrome, Dance Contemporary, Tilla Kuenzli and Kimberly Almquist. This is her first season with Scott/Powell Performance.