Artistic Director

 

Allen Xing is a dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist. He holds a BFA in Dance from Shanxi Academy of Arts, a M.Ed. from Salisbury University, and a MFA in Dance from University of Maryland. He currently is the Artistic Director of Xing Dance Theater. Before he came to the United States, he was a member of Huajin Dance Drama Ensemble (2007-2011). While in the company, he performed in the production Forbidden Fruit Under the Great Wall which internationally toured through venues including China Greater National Theatre, Shanghai National Grand Theater, and the Kennedy Center. In DMV area, he has performed in many projects including Un Castell built for two by Orange Grove Dance, Rapture by PEARSONWIDRIG DANCETHEATER, and Casita at Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival by PrioreDance. His work has been invited and selected to perform at the NextNow Festival, Maryland Campaign, Peabody Spring Dance Showcase, Global Perspectives Festival, Maryland State Dance Festival, Beijing International Dance Festival, and Japan SAI Dance Festival. Read more

Abraham Texidor Aguilera

Abraham Texidor Aguilera is a performance curator, dancer, choreographer, videographer, videoeditor, dance teacher, and mentor. He is intrigued by the sense of reality, the self, culture, and nature. At age 14 he received a scholarship from Ballet Señorial where he trained in classical ballet based on Cuban methodology, modern, contemporary, afro-caribbean, folk, jazz, hip-hop, and latin dance. Texidor worked there as a dancer, instructor, and choreographer. He collaborated with Hincapié both as a dancer and choreographer. He has been part of the cast of Andanza, training in contact improvisation, fighting monkey, flying low, and passing through. He was also a resident artist of the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in 2016. Texidor has offered workshops in multiple communities in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and New York City. He has both performed and staged his work in international venues. Texidor was a co-director for Conocidos Pasajeros with whom he also co-produced dance events in Puerto Rico. Texidor completed a Dance MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and a BA with concentrations in Psychology, Sociology, and Criminology from the University of Puerto Rico. Texidor is the co-directs NA2  Dance Theater, an independent company that has been creating work since Fall 2014.

Currently, he is a full-time dancer and teacher with Xing Dance Theater. 

James Thomas Esquilin

His interest in dance awoke at an early age, entering the Pablo Casals Specialized School of Fine Arts. He specialized and trained in jazz dance, although he also took classes in different styles such as ballet, hip hop, salsa, folklore, and acrobatics. James received a full scholarship to continue his studies in ballet, at Ballets San Juan school. During his time at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, he was selected as a member of the Dance Team, in which he held the position of captain and now is currently the coach. As a coach, the dance team of the UPR – Río Piedras campus, holds the National Championship in the Jazz Division for two consecutive years and the top 5 (Hip Hop) in the UDA College Nationals 2019-2020.

In 2012 he began his professional career as a dancer with Hincapié dance company. During the course he was in companies such as Ballet Brío, CoDa21 and Andanza. Along with these companies, he had the opportunity to participate in different ballets such as The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, Romeo and Juliet, among other repertoires. He was also part of the Walt Disney World company and The Festival of Lion King show. He is currently an active dancer with the contemporary dance company Xing Dance Theater. James has had the opportunity to perform in countries such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Japan, USA, among others. James has a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems and is continuing his college studies to complete a Master of Fine Arts Education with a specialty in Dance.

Currently, he is a full-time dancer and teacher with Xing Dance Theater.

Jovannie Aranzamendi Nieves

 

Originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico began his formal training in ballet and jazz in 2010 at Ballet Senorial. In 2014, he became a student at Ponce School of the Arts, playing roles such as; Albretch in Giselle, Lucien in Paquita, Solor in La Bayadere, Basilio in Don Quixote, Cavalier in Nutcracker, and much more. During that period, he was accepted with a full scholarship to The Joffrey Ballet and became an apprentice at Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico in San Juan, where his performance credits in the company include The Nutcracker and “Goat” soloist in Sylvia.

He graduated with an advanced certificate in Ballet from Ponce School of the Arts in 2017. In 2019, he became a trainee in Centro Danza, directed by Laura Valentin, prima ballerina of Puerto Rico, and Osmay Molina, former first principal dancer of The National Cuban Ballet. Training in ballet, jazz, and contemporary there, he has performed in many showcases through out Puerto Rico.

In 2021, he received a full scholarship at Feijoo Ballet School in Houston, Texas, directed by Lorna Feijoo, former principal dancer at Boston Ballet and National Ballet of Cuba. He trained there with Nelson Madrigal, Lorena Feijoo, Lorna Feijoo, Taras Domitro, Sara Lane, Connor Walsh, Goyo Montero, Alejandro Parente and others. In August of that year, he started performing with Xing Dance Theather in festivals like City Dance Festival in Washington D.C., Choreographers Showcase in Carmel, California; Festival del Movimiento in San Juan, Contemporary Dance Choreography Festival in Orlando, Battery Dance Festival in New York.

He placed 1st place as a soloist in the Jazz lyrical Division at All Dance International in Orlando, Florida. In 2021 he became a member of the National Dance Team of Puerto Rico, competing at ICU Worlds Cheerleading Championship, placing 3rd in the world on Open Jazz and also 3rd in the nation in The Dance Worlds.

Currently, he is a full-time dancer and teacher with Xing Dance Theater, directed by Allen Chunhui Xing.

Laurie Dodge

Laurie Dodge is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director currently pursuing her Bachelors of Arts in Performance at the University of Maryland, College Parks School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies. She has been training in dance for 17 years, began choreographing and teaching 7 years ago, and has been a full-time teacher and director for the past 4 years.  Read more

Huiwang Zhang

Huiwang Zhang began his theater career in Beijing where he worked with the People’s Republic of China’s pioneering underground Paper Tiger Theatre and China Opera & Dance Drama Theater. His conceptual bilingual research examines mass hysteria, 60s paranoia, and the materialization of ideology through the collective body. He received an MFA from Utah University and studied Choreography at Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden under the mentorship of Katharina Christl. Since his relocation to the States, he has had the honor of working with people like Leah Cox, Jennifer Nugent, Sara Pearson, Patrik Widrig, and Stephen Koester, among others. He is currently a member of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company.

 

Shawn Stone

Born and raised in small town rural Iowa, Shawn was a self-taught gymnast until the age of 12 when he began competitive USAG gymnastics. At the age of 16 he began his own program teaching tumbling at a local dance studio in his community, as his own gym was 100 miles away. Shawn became a four-time letter winner in NCAA gymnastics for the University of Iowa while obtaining his BA in Studio Art and Communication Studies (2005). He began his professional performing career in 2006 as an acro/dancer in the world famous Folies Bergere at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. He then performed in Cirque de la Mer (’07, ’09, ’10) as well as Riptide (’07) at Sea World, San Diego where he did flying trapeze, Chinese poles, tumbling, dance and character work. At the peak of his acrobatic career, Shawn performed in Le Reve, The Dream created by Franco Dragone at Wynn Las Vegas (’10 – ’13). At Le Reve he was an aerial soloist along with disciplines in aerial harness, acrobatics, swimming, diving, hand-balancing, character work, banquine, dance, and partner work. In 2014 Shawn was the Artistic Director and Choreographer for Gladius the Show, an equestrian/acrobatic spectacular that performed in Golden, CO and Austin, TX.

Bruce Yongchul, Kim

Bruce Yongchul, KIM is a choreographer and teaching artist based in South Korea. He holds a B.A. in Dance from KeiMyung University, a M.A. in Dance and a Ph.D. from Sejong Graduate School University. He currently is the Artistic Director of SEOP Dance Company, South Korea.

AWARD EXPERIENCE
Seoul Future Dance Biennale Special Prize〈A Red, Red〉
The Korean dance award choice Best 5〈A Man’s Requiem〉
The Korean dance critic Association choice Best 6〈A Man’s Requiem〉
Performance and Review choice Choreography artist〈A Man’s Requiem〉
Choom Choom dot com choice Best work〈A Man’s Requiem〉
Korean Dance Festival/Excellent Work〈A wind with the no name〉
Korean dance award (Part of Solo&duet) choice Best 5〈Black Salpuri〉Performance&Review choice Excellent Repertory award〈A Man’s Requiem〉

Sheng Zhang

Sheng Zhang (Jason) was born in Shanxi, China. He studied Chinese classical and folk dance at Shanxi Academy of Arts, where he received rigorous training in all aspects of the technically demanding and highly structured Chinese dance. He continued his dance education at The National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts and was also exposed to the traditional Beijing opera movement. After graduation, he was a member of the Beijing Songlei Musical Theater and The National Centre for the Performing Arts of China for four years as a musical theatre artist. He was then further exposed to Jazz, Salsa, Ballroom and modern dance. Sheng went to New York in September 2016 to further his dance training.
Sheng Zhang was a dancer with Graham II and Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance as an Apprentice dancer. He is now teaching Graham Technique class at The National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts and Beijing 9TH Contemporary Dance Theater.

Gabriella Di Giuseppe

Gabriella Di Giuseppe is a yoga teacher, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and dancer/choreographer currently living and teaching in New York City. She graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Dance and Dance Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. Gabriella believes that through movement, we are able to gain a deeper understanding of what is already inside of us; mentally, emotionally, and energetically. Helping others find a mind-body connection is what fuels her. In Gabriella’s class, you can expect to utilize physical postures, breathwork, meditation, and intention-setting. Expect to sweat, and to finish your practice feeling grounded, centered and refueled.