COMPANY ARTISTS
MIA BARNETT
Company Artist
Mia Barnett (she/her) is an expressive performer, versatile teaching artist, and curious choreographer based out of Chicago, IL. She grew up dancing on competitive stages across the Midwest and furthered her dance education at The Ohio State University (OSU), graduating summa cum laude with a BFA in dance and a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Throughout her time at OSU, Mia performed abroad, in Denmark & Brazil, and had the privilege of dancing for Crystal-Michele Perkins, Daniel Roberts, Ann Sofie Clemmensen, Eddie Taketa, Momar Ndiaye, Lexi Clark-Stilianos and Gina Hoch-Stall. Post graduation, Mia performed in projects with Stilgo dance + tech. Since moving to Chicago in 2022, she has performed works by Alysia Johnson, Stefany Cotton, Steven Innacone, Seth Robinson, Carrie Hanson, and NDT’s Luca Andrea Tessarini and presented work in JELLO’s Performance Series, The Ooze. Mia is currently an inaugural company member of The Rooted Space Dance Company and DANCE COLONY Artists. Mia is also an educator and choreographer at The Colony, a faculty member at THE HIVE and a teaching artist with TRIBE Dance.
LACY SLAATS
Company Artist
Lacy Slaats (she/her) is originally from northeast Wisconsin where she began her training by dancing competitively. She graduated with BFA in Dance and a minor in Business from The Ohio State University in 2023, where she worked closely with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and BalletMet. From her time at OSU, Lacy's international performance repertoire includes works by Bebe Miller, Martha Graham, Anna Sokolow, Crystal Michelle Perkins, and Abby Zbikowski, receiving an invitation to perform at Jacob’s Pillow. With a focus in choreography, Lacy’s undergraduate thesis ‘Praxis’ was selected by faculty to be restaged and performed abroad. In 2022, she assisted Dr. Valarie Williams and Mara Frazier in the reconstruction and documentation of Balanchine’s 1957 Agon for the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center.
Now based in Chicago, Lacy is currently performing with Dance Colony + Artists and Winifred Haun & Dancers. In addition to performing, she travels throughout the United States as a choreographer and dance educator. Lacy has taught on faculty at Ballet Chicago, The Hive, and Dance Colony Studios.
TINA DIAZ
Company Artist
Tina Diaz (she/her), from New York, is a multidisciplinary movement artist based in Chicago, IL. She holds a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Psychology from The Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase and is a recipient of the school’s Outstanding Senior Award for her excellence in academics and artistry. While there, Tina performed in works by Merce Cunningham, Jose Limon, Hannah Garner, and Andrea Miller among others. Since then, she’s collaborated with
artists and companies such as Noelle Kayser, Terence Marling, Elijah Motley, Jessi Stegall, Annie Franklin, Nicole Wolcott, Skyla Schreter, Chih-Jou Cheng, Khecari, RAWdance, Purus Motus. Tina has been a company member with Chicago Dance Crash since 2024 and is interested in storytelling through the mediums of dance, theatre, and film.
CATIE ARMBRECHT
Company Artist
Catie Armbrecht (she/her) is a dancer and movement educator from Cleveland, OH. She holds a BFA in Dance from The Ohio State University and was pre-Physical Therapy. She moved to Chicago to pursue her dance career, and since has been with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Niko8 Performance, Bodies of Water, and Dance Colony +Artists; performing works by Shannon Alvis, Katlin Michael Bourgeois, Monique Haley, Jonathan Alsbery, and Sean Roschman, among others. Catie is a Polestar Pilates Comprehensive instructor, as well as an instructor of the GYROTONIC® Expansion System, offering private instruction at Chicago Center for Body Movement, as well as East Bank Club, and teaches mat Pilates at Chicago Movement Collective.
GRETCHEN PLINKE
Company Artist
Gretchen Plinke (she/her) is a dancer and dance educator originally from Columbus, Ohio. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with her BA in Dance and BA in Anthropology. Currently in her third season with Venetia Stifler & Concert Dance Inc, Gretchen has had the privilege of working with Edson Cabrera, Osnel Delgado, Amy Wilkinson, and Joanna Read, among others. In addition to performing, Gretchen teaches dance and movement classes to people of all ages through the Chicago Park district.
MADISON BURKHART
Guest Artist
Madison Burkhart (she/her) is a dance artist, choreographer, and educator from Homer Glen, IL. Throughout high school, she trained at DANCE COLONY under the direction of Seth Robinson and Jeff Wolfe. Madison is currently a student at the University of Iowa, where she will receive her BFA in dance in the Spring of 2026. During her time at Iowa, she has had the opportunity to perform original works by Melinda Jean Meyers, Jennifer Kayle, Stephanie Miracle, Danielle Russo, Aaron Samuel Davis, along with restaged works by Martha Graham, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Trisha Brown. Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, Madison was a member of Trifecta Dance Collective 2, as a company artist under the direction of Carrie Patterson and Krissie Odegard Geye. This year, she has had the privilege of taking part in Dance Colony + Artists as a company artist, and cannot wait for what’s to come!
AVERY BOOSE
Guest Artist
Avery Boose (she/her) is a New York City-based freelance dance artist. Originally from Chicago, she trained at The Dance Colony under Seth Robinson and Jeff Wolfe before earning a BFA in Dance from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. During her time at NYU, she worked with companies such as Limón and Gallim. Since graduation, Avery has collaborated with renowned choreographers and companies including Liz Gerring, Tabula Rasa Dance Theater, Saraika Dance Collective, and Natalia Nikitin Dance Works. A passionate movement artist, she also teaches yoga, continuing to explore and expand the boundaries of dance and wellness.
LEXI JORDAN
Apprentice
Lexi Jordan (she/her) graduated from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. During her time at Point Park, Lexi studied under dance educators Jae Man Joo, Kiesha Lalama, Shana Simmions, and Jason McDole. Lexi also performed in the environmental dance film Living Landscapes with Shana Simmons Dance while at school. Lexi has worked with a diverse range of choreographers and dance companies. Notable performances include collaborations with SALT2 Contemporary Dance, where she danced in productions like Radio Silence and PlayPretend, as well as performances from choreographers such as Amy Gunter Lolofie, Nicole Von Arx, and Noelle Kayser. Lexi also performed at high-profile events such as the Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Gala. In addition to performing, Lexi is an assistant at the CREATING WAVES summer intensive with Peter Chu and Jess Hendricks in her hometown of Cocoa Beach, Florida.
LAUREN PAYNE
Apprentice
Lauren Payne (she/her) is a performer, choreographer, and teacher currently based in Chicago. Originally from Shawnee, Kansas, she trained under Kathi Nallia and performed for 11 years around the greater Kansas City area. She continued her training at Columbia College Chicago receiving her Bachelors of Arts in Dance and Minoring in Arts Management, performing works by Darrell Jones, Kia Smith, Rachel Damon, Bevara Anderson, and more. Her summer studies include intensives with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, DanceWorks Chicago, and Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company. Lauren has premiered choreography throughout the city on stages such as The Edge Theatre, Ruth Page Center for the Arts, and The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago.
MADISON WAGAMAN
Apprentice
Madison Wagaman (she/her) is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer from Round Lake, IL. Her early training consisted of a main focus in ballet. In 2016, under the mentorship of Braeden Barnes, she began her contemporary dance journey. Now, Madison holds a BFA in contemporary dance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee. While studying a multitude of techniques at the conservatory she had the honor of performing works by Victor Quijada, Daniel Pelzig, Laila Franklin, Dan Wagoner, Andrea Miller, and Catherine Coury. During breaks she extended her studies with Sidra Bell, NVA + Guest, and Symbiosis Arts. She also had the privilege of working at the Blue Man Group throughout her college journey adding another level to her love of performance.
SARAH STERLING
Apprentice
Sarah Sterling (she/her) is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher from the Boston area. She graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis with a double major in Dance and Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology and a minor in Spanish. She was awarded the Annelise Mertz Memorial Prize in Modern Dance upon graduation, and soon after, was accepted into the Visceral Dance Chicago trainee program where she trained and performed under the direction of Nick Pupillo and Cait Cucchiara. During this program, she performed works by Nick Pupillo, Braeden Barnes, Mónica Cervantes, and Mike Tyus. She has danced professionally with Niko8 under the direction of Sean Roschman, 773 Dance Project under the direction of Tyler Thomspon and Pauline Mosley, and Alluvion Dance Chicago under the direction of Johnny Huntoon. She is currently on the adjudication panel for Elite Performance Challenge and has been judging competitions and instructing convention classes for them for over two years. Sarah currently resides in Chicago, IL where she continues to perform, teach, and choreograph throughout the city. Sarah is thrilled to begin her first season dancing with Dance Colony + Artists!