Faculty
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.