Christina Castro-Tauser

Christina Castro-Tauser  She is the artistic director of Expansions Contemporary Dance Ensemble and has produced several evening-length shows including Momentum 2014, A Dance Macabre 2014, Ripple Effect 2015.  Connecting the Distance for the 2020 Fringe Festival, Bridging the Distance for the 2021 Fringe Festival and for fringe 2023 This Complicated Place. Christina was the Director of the Along the 23  a project she did with husband Scott Tauser and many local artists. She earned her MFA at Temple University, she is an Adjunct faculty at Temple, Boyer college of music and Dance. Most recently started as the Education Coordinator for Penn Live Arts. She has choreographed “Que Pasa Ahora?” an evening-length work reflecting on the changing dynamics of the modern family Highlights of,” Que Pasa Ahora? Were presented at the Barnes foundation Free Peco family fun Sunday, the Barnes foundation Artist Bash and represented Temple University at the Mid-Atlantic North, American College Dance Association conference in 2018 . Her works “Displaced and Disconnected,” “Peace by the water” and “Among Us” are site-specific works presented in Philadelphia. Christina is published in issue 4 and issue 6 of the Dancer - Citizen online Journal.   She has taught classes at Brenau University, Temple University, Atlanta Festival Ballet, Gainesville Ballet, Wissahickon Dance Academy, American College Dance Festival and 6 years with Taller Puertorriqueno. She was Aroha Philanthropies spotlight teaching artist in November 2019. She was a Teaching Artist for Taller Puertorriqueno’s “Visítenos” . Christina was the Project Director for “Moving Stories' ' sponsored by a Pennsylvania Humanities Art Grant, a community art project online for older adults to create, share and connect during COVID 2019. Christina is the Executive Director of International Ballet Exchange. Prior to her years in Philadelphia she was the Director of the Gainesville Ballet Junior Company and an Instructor for the Gainesville School of Ballet for eight years at Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia where she choreographed “Into Grimms Wood” a full-length ballet. Along with several ballets for the company including: That Which Connects Us, Ray of Light, Grand Tarantella and The Merry Go Round of life among others. Her choreography “Not it” represented Brenau University at the Southern Region American College Dance festival. Christina received her BA in Dance from Point Park University. She was an apprentice at the Colorado Ballet where she choreographed Cafe con Leche for the Colorado ballet studio Company. She has trained at Centro Pro Danza Cuba , Milwaukee Ballet, Zenon Dance School, Miami Ballet and Minnesota Dance Theater.

Rosy Nunez

Rosy Nunez is a Dominican performing artist based in Philadelphia. She began her dance training in Franklin Learning Center High School in 2014 studying Horton, Graham, and Ballet techniques. Rosy then took Dunham technique classes during the Spring of 2019 with Deborah St. Charles at the Performance Garage. Later that fall, Rosy was admitted to Temple University’s Dance program, where she had the opportunity to work with Rachel DeForrest Repinz, Temple Dance Ensemble led by Xiang Xu, and master classes with Emmanuel Cudjoe and Maria Bauman. Early in 2023, Rosy joined Philadanco!’s Apprentice Company directed by Donald T. Lunsford, giving her the opportunity to learn from Dr. L’Antoinette Stines and Milton Myers. She began working with Christina Castro-Tauser in the fall of 2023 for Temple’s Adjunct Concert, leading to the casting of “Mariposas”. Upon Graduating this Spring, Rosy looks forward to expanding her dance knowledge and performance skills with the hope of one day mentoring future dance artists.

Kenya Gegner

Kenya is a senior at New Hope Christian Academy and is a shining star in musical theater. She is a dedicated “triple threat” performer, excelling in singing, dancing, and acting. Kenya has starred in productions ranging from The Wiz to Prince of Egypt, The Musical, and recently portrayed Cinderella in a ballet with choreographer Christina Castro Tauser and the Wissahickon Dance Academy. Kenya plans to study musical theater at Messiah University in the fall.

Faith Brown

Faith Brown is a 2021 graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.F.A. in dance and minor in business. She has performed in the choreography of Bill T. Jones, Endalyn Taylor, José Limón, and Tommie-Waheed Evans. Faith has trained with world-renowned dance organizations including the Governor’s School for the Arts and the Mark Morris Dance Group, both of which she was a full-scholarship recipient. She most recently danced with PHILADANCO! as a member of their apprentice company known as D/2. Faith is excited to be dancing in her first season with Expansions Contemporary Dance.

​Natalie Freeman

Natalie Freeman has been dancing ballet at Wissahickon Dance Academy since the age of 8 where she has grown by leaps and bounds. She has participated in summer intensives at WDA and The Rock School of Dance with roles in Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, La Boutique, Carmen, A Winter’s Dream, and the Nutcracker. She is most proud of her current role as Maria Theresa Maribal. Her love for dance is rivaled by her affections for her cats, her love of a good book, and stimulating conversations with friends. In the fall, Natalie will be a freshman at the Creative and Performing Arts high school where she will be a dance major

Andrick Medrano

Andrick started dancing at the age of 15 when he started going to high school at Esperanza Academy. He trained in classical ballet and modern dance, and he has danced with the Esperanza Dance Ensemble throughout those years. He has also been in local projects, such as La Guagua 47. Currently enrolled in Community College of Philadelphia, he is looking to get back into the world of dance.

Westley Young

Westley is originally from Chicago Illinois he began his dance journey at the age of 14. He began taking classes at Wilmington ballet under the direction of Jorge Lacio. While there he had a number of opportunities to perform in their annual Nutcracker as well as Philadelphia and Delaware youth dance festivals. After graduating he furthered his dance education at The University of the Arts under Donna Faye Burchfield. He has trained and danced with numerous companies as well as being an artist in Residence with International Ballet Exchange. He has danced at summer intensives such as, Philadanco, Complexions, Ballet X and Vittaca Ballet.

Micheal Wise

Michael Wise has been dancing at the Wissahickon Dance Academy for 10 years. Michael has trained in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Modern, Tap and Character. Michael has performed in many full-length Ballets including, Carmen, Alice in Wonderland, The Four Seasons and most recently in Cinderella. Michael has performed with the International Ballet Exchange winter productions of The Nutcracker and A Winters Dream. Michael currently attends Julia R. Masterman H.S. where he performed in Pippin, Legally Blonde, Beauty and the Beast and most recently Clue The Musical, where he performed and choreographed the entire show. Michael received a partial scholarship to Drexel University's Summer Youth Dance Program and a full scholarship to Moore College of Arts Summer Youth Program. Michael will be attending C.A.P.A. (H.S of Creative and Performing Arts) in the Fall of 2024.

Cvgebird

Selina ‘CVGEBIRD’(pronounced Cagebird) Carrera grew up in Philadelphia during the golden era of 90’s HipHop and Soul. A child of the diaspora by way of Puerto Rican, Cuban and Brazilian descent, Cvgebird's house was always stirring with colorful-blends of music. Influenced by her father, a music lover, DJ, dancer & Latin percussionist and her mother, also a music lover and latin dancer, Cvgebird fell in love with music and began crafting her own sonic wonderland. Starting from freestyle cyphers to late night venues and venturing into world-wide tours, Cvgebird has unearthed her artistic identity and is ready to soar. With a sound ranging from Acoustic, Trap and Soul with Carribean undertones, Cvgebird channels these musical stylings freely with soothing vocals and rhythmic flows. Cvgebird has appeared on Season 10 of The Voice, toured with Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel of The Fugees, and was featured on Sofar Sounds “Best of the Listening Room”. Cvgebird also works intentionally with young artists and families impacted by incarceration to provide a space of release, encouragement and healing. According to Cvgebird’s artistic statement, “Existing in a culture that tries to put us in cages of conformity, Cvgebird’s music empowers listeners to break free and fly with open wings.”