Richard Jessup

FOUNDing Producer | producing president
 

Richard H Jessup has been Producing, Directing, Choreographing and Teaching Dance since 1982. He has focused his work in the genres of Musical Theatre (Richard was the Artistic Director of Rogue Music Theatre in Southern Oregon for 11 years, and has directed and/or choreographed over 110 productions); Dance Instruction (he co-directed the Jessup/Jenkins Dance Studio in Seattle); and Concert Dance (Richard was the founding member of Seattle’s Against the Grain/MEN IN DANCE, and is the Producing President for the organizations MEN IN DANCE Festival, now in its 26th year). Some of Richard’s other favorite things to do include massage, hiking, travel, and eating coffee-flavored ice cream.

Raymond Houle

Producer | vice president
 

Ray’s fascination with movement was the catalyst for his falling in love with dance. Finding his niche in the 1970’s led to performing, teaching, and choreographing. A high point was going to New York and dancing on Broadway in 1989.

Ray has a double major in Psychology and Theater. Using his wide knowledge of movement and his work in research at the UW helped create and implement exercise formats for populations with disabilities. He has been a certified Pilates instructor in the Classical style for over 20 years and currently works at the world-renown Atlas Pilates of Seattle.

Deborah Wolf

Producer | Artistic director

Deborah Wolf was Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer and dancer for Concert Dance Company of Boston, New England’s premiere modern repertory company, performing works by over 50 choreographers including Merce Cunningham, Laura Dean,Bebe Miller, and Mark Morris. A recipient of a Massachusetts Artist Foundation Fellowship and seven Finalist Awards in choreography, she has also received grants from National Endowment for the Arts, Boston and Somerville Arts Councils, and in Seattle by 4Culture, Artist Trust, and the Bossak-Heilbron Charitable Foundation. She has created work for Boston Ballet’s International Choreographers Showcase, Boston Symphony Youth Concerts, and numerous other New England companies. Producer and performer of her own choreography through WolfWorks, she has also been produced by Boston Dance Umbrella, Jacob’s Pillow’s Inside/Out Series, Seattle International Dance Festival, Rockhopper Dance, MEN IN DANCE, Velocity’s Under Construction and Strictly Seattle, Full Tilt, Composer/Choreographer, Bellingham Repertory, and On the Board’s 12 MinMax Mainstage and Northwest NewWorks. Teaching credits include Harvard University, Rhode Island College, Boston Ballet, and the State University of New York at Brockport. Deborah was Professor of Dance at Cornish College of the Arts from 1992-2022, and recently granted Emeritus Faculty status. She has also served as President ofthe Board of Directors of d9 Dance Collective, and as a member of Velocity’s Board of Directors.

Jennifer Haywood

Producer | Tresurer
 

Jennifer has a BA in dance from WWU and a MA in counseling/psychology from Lesley University. She has taught creative dance, yoga, modern, jazz and ballet to students from 3 years of age to 17 years old for 18 years. She enjoys the process of introducing students to new ways of moving. Jennifer was a presenter at Dance Educators Association of WA in 2017, 2013 and 2009. Her piece, “Mindful Mess” was performed at DEAW’s 2019 concert. Jennifer keeps her performing chops up to speed with MoDanCo, a modern dance choreographic collective. She currently teaches dance camps in the summer and yoga to adults year round, and works at the local high school as a behavior technician. This is her 7th year on the board.

Gérard Théorêt

Producer
 

Gérard Théorêt is a founding member of MID. He is a former soloist with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet and has worked with such dance and theater luminaries as Agnes DeMille, Gillian Lynne, Hal Prince, and Anne Reinking. Trained in Britain as an actor, he has performed roles from Shakespeare to Lloyd Webber and from the Stratford Festival to Stage West dinner theatre (Canada).

From 1991-1997 he toured internationally as Associate Director with Phantom of the Opera. He was a professor of Drama at the University of Alberta and Full Professor in Dance at Cornish College of the Arts. From 2007 to 2010 he was Artistic Director for Cirque du Soleil’s production of Corteo. Since joining Saltimbanco in December of 2010, (Cirque’s original Big Top show, now touring in arenas) he has played the role of The Baron in over 30 countries. He works internationally as a master teacher, choreographer, and director.

Kince de Vera

PRODUCER | Production assistant
 

Kince de Vera (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist and community catalyst living and working in Seattle, Washington. A Filipino immigrant, Kince’s US training includes instruction at Mencia-Pikieris School of Dance and New World School of the Arts in Miami, Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, and multiple dance intensives under the Velocity Dance Center umbrella.

In his pursuit of truth in his various art forms, he uses his dance background to create work centered around the intersection of identities. These works have been featured as part of Dimsum Dialogues at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, the Self-Esteem Salon at 601Artspace in Manhattan, Seattle Pridefest, and multiple years of Pride ASIA Fest, amongst others.

Kince’s art is currently focused around mental health and helping others through his work.

SUPPORT BOARD MEMBERS:

Judi Fisher, Joanna Lau, Don McCormick, Lynn Miranda, and Susan Picatti.

on hiatus:

Gary Reed