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WORKSHOP BIOS:

Chris Filkins is the co-founder of Peramble and a member of the ReCircle Collective.  He has studied zigrolling with both Toni Vighetto and Eros Biox.  He is an accomplished coach and performer on the zig, the roue Cyr, and the traveling rings.  He also builds roue Cyr wheels through his company Brachiator.

Sharon Jakubecy has clients on True Blood, Dancing with the Stars, BBC, and Disney, she is AmSAT certified Alexander Technique teacher since 2003, coaches her clients to be relaxed, loose, dynamic and daring on stage and on camera. She’s trained actors in physical and vocal freedom at Stella Adler Academy of Theater & Acting and American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood.  Her article "How to Relax at a Pitch Meeting" was published in the Huffington Post and she was on NPR's Morning Edition as a stress relief expert.  She has directed plays for children including “Hansel and Gretel,” “The BFG” by Roald Dahl, “The Nightingale,” and “Step on a Crack” for the Outreach program at Stella Adler.  Her award-winnering piece "Romp" was featured in Arianne MacBean's "The Next Wave of New Artists in 2008.  She received The Tommy Award for Emerging Choreographer in San Diego.  Unknown Theater, Vox Humana, The LA Opera, Colburn School of Music and others have experienced the freedom and full expression that Alexander Technique with Sharon has to offer.

Jones Welsh is a performer, administrator, and arts activist.  He received his degree in theatre and dance from the University of Washington in 2000, then founded 501(c)3 performing arts organization Making Faces Productions, which has now become Not Man Apart - Physical Theatre Ensemble (www.notmanapart.com).  As Managing Director and Associate Artistic Director of Not Man Apart, Jones contributes to the company's annual Flagship Productions (to date: Pericles Redux, Titus Redux, Hercules Furens) and co-produces the annual outreach productions of the LA Improv Dance Festival, Somatic Movement Arts Festival, and Shakespeare Santa Monica.  Completing five years touring with Diavolo Dance Theatre (www.diavolo.org), he now collaborates with the group as Associate Artistic Director, teaching and performing with the group across the globe.  Jones works closely with many other LA based companies, including Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre (formerly Collage Dance Theatre), Invertigo Dance Theatre, Intention Dance Theatre, Keith Glassman and Dancers, String Theory, Leonix Movement Theatre Ensemble, Rosanna Gamson/World Wide, and many more.  In addition to teaching athletic modern dance at Universities and studios, Jones is also the Adult Program Manager at Broadway Gymnastics School (www.broadwaygym.com) and Trampoline Program Manager at the Los Angeles locations of Trapeze School New York at the Santa Monica Pier (www.trapezeschool.com). Jones constantly teaches private Contact Improvisation and Dance workshops in Los Angeles and abroad, please email courage@joneswelsh.com for booking information.

Megan Finlay is a resident of San Francisco, and Founder and Artistic Director of Rapid Descent Physical Performance Company. She is a director/choreographer with extensive experience directing classics and comedy, and a reputation for creating engaging, energized and focused productions. Previously founding member of CUT Theatre Company in Sydney of which she was the artistic director for 9 years, she has spent many years of her life working very closely with the performance of Shakespearian texts. Megan has been a student of yoga for 9 years and has been dancing Contact for 5. She recently completed a one-year directing course at Drama Studio London and while in London had the pleasure of directing Sir Derek Jacobi and Joanna Lumley in a 60 min radio play.