The 2016 Young Choreographers for Norte Maar's Dance at Socrates

This year young choreographers ages 11-19 will present dances alongside the professional choreographers at Socrates Sculpture Park.

Aug 6, 2016 at 4pm

Lucy Sydel

Lucy Sydel, sixteen, created her first dance as a toddler, listening to the “click-clack” sound of her brother’s toy cars. At age six, she began studying modern dance and choreography with Ellen Robbins, and has performed her solo choreography in the Dances by Very Young Choreographers series at New York Live Arts. In 2014, Lucy danced the role of Annabel Lee in Homage to Edgar Allan Poe with the Sokolow Theater/Dance Ensemble. She is currently enrolled in the drama studio at LaGuardia Arts High School, where she has discovered an interest in physical theater. Her most recent piece, Gesture, translates music into different characters, conveyed by movement and facial expression. Performed to two different pieces of music, Gesture is an exploration of how people subconsciously change themselves in various situations. In February 2017, she will be performing this piece for Ellen Robbins’ Family Matters, which features young choreographers age 8-18. 

Aug 13, 2016 at 4pm

Amelia Sanders

Amelia Sanders has created her own choreography since she was 5 years old. She has studied modern choreography and improvisation with Ellen Robbins since 2010. Amelia’s choreography has been performed at New York Live Arts, 92Y, and Mary Anthony’s loft. She also studies at the Taylor School and is a founding member of the Paul Taylor Teen Ensemble. She assists with children’s classes both with Ellen Robbins and at the Taylor School. Amelia has studied Isadora Duncan technique with Lori Belilove and was a member of the Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation’s Junior Company. She has since continued her study of Duncan with Loretta Thomas and Catherine Gallant and has performed with Ms. Gallant’s Dances by Isadora. She has also studied with Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and received Beth Young Scholarships to their Summer Dance Workshops. She has performed The Unanswered Question by Anna Sokolow with the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble. Amelia plans to pursue a life in dance. 

Aug 20, 2016 at 4pm

Oscar Estep

Eleven-year-old Oscar Estep studies modern dance, improvisation and choreography with Ellen Robbins. Oscar took his first dance class in 2010 at Ballet Hispanico and then enrolled at the School of American Ballet in the fall of 2011, where he is entering his sixth year. He has performed Children’s roles in Swan Lake, La Sylphide and The Nutcracker with New York City Ballet. In July 2016, Oscar attended the Chautauqua Institution School of Dance Ballet Workshop I, and he has attended the American Ballet Theatre Young Dancer Summer Workshop (2015) and Manhattan Youth Ballet Summer Intensives (2014-2016). “Out of Time” is Oscar’s first solo choreography piece, and he uses dance and gesture to find humor in frustration. He will continue to develop this piece for Dances By Very Young Choreographers on February 4th and 5th at New York Live Arts.

Gia Taylor

Giabella Taylor loves dancing, singing, acting, and the process of creating art in all its forms. Gia Taylor (12) began dancing at the Lucy Moses School when she was 2.  She currently studies modern dance and composition with Ellen Robbins and ballet and character dance at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School (Affiliated with ABT).  Gia is a student at PPAS (the Professional Performing Arts School) in midtown Manhattan and balances her dance skills with painting, songwriting, singing, acting, and piano studies.  In August 2016, Gia was part of the Broadway For All Showcase at the Sheen Center, where she performed the solo song, 'Mama knows best'.  Gia has repeatedly been featured as a soloist in the Family Matters Showcases at NYLA (since she was 6) and in December 2015 danced the lead child role in Dances Patrelle's, The Yorkville Nutcracker, at the Danny Kaye Playhouse.  www.giabellataylor.com

Kyara Valdez

(bio coming soon)

Dance at Socrates is made possible in part by the Mertz Gilmore Foundation. Dance at Socrates is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.