Modern Faculty

Belinda McGuire is an American-Canadian dancer, choreographer, and Artistic Director of Belinda McGuire Dance Projects, based in Brooklyn. Her choreography has been supported by the Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation, Brooklyn Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and presented across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A former student of the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, she completed her formal education at The Juilliard School.

Established in 2007, Belinda McGuire Dance Projects (BMDP) supports the research, development, production, and presentation of international and collaborative multidisciplinary dance performance as a means to stimulate the conscientious capacity of wide-ranging publics through exposure to creative experimentation and artistic excellence. Through BMDP, Belinda has commissioned and performed in world premieres by Kate Alton, Sylvain Émard, Andrea Miller, Sharon Moore, Idan Sharabi, Doug Varone, and Emio Greco | Pieter C. Scholten. In 2013, she was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance in The Heist Project. Additionally, Belinda has performed as a company member for Doug Varone and Dancers, Gallim Dance, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY and The José Limón Dance Company, appearing on stages across Brazil, China, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United States.

Formal residencies for Belinda McGuire Dance Projects include Centre de Création O Vertigo, Éspace Marie Chouinard, International Choreographic Arts Centre Amsterdam, James Sewell Ballet Company, National Ballet of Canada’s Choreographic Workshop, New Dialect, New York State & Province of Quebec Artist-in-Residence Exchange Program, ODC San Francisco, Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Springboard Danse Montréal and the Bessie Schönberg Residency at the Yard in Martha’s Vineyard. She has taught and choreographed as a guest artist for Brooklyn Ballet, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal, The Juilliard School, The Limón Institute, Marymount Manhattan College, Canada’s National Ballet School, New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble, Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and State University of New York at Purchase.

NANCY LUSHINGTON  graduated with departmental honors in dance from Adelphi University. She danced as a soloist with the May O’Donnell Concert Dance Company for over 15 years. She has performed professionally with the Joyce Trisler Danscompany, Theater Dance Collection, The Asolo Opera, and Verlezza Dance, as well as in Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” at the Kennedy Center. She has appeared on television in May O’Donnell’s Dance Energies, Mass, and was a featured dancer in a national commercial choreographed by Lynne Taylor Corbett. She is one of the few dancers who set Ms. O’Donnell’s works both in the US and abroad. She has choreographed over 30 works for colleges, universities and regional companies. Ms. Lushington teaches internationally annually in Cyprus, Graz Austria and at Bolzano Danza in Italy. She has also taught Master Classes in Ferrara, Barcelona, London and throughout the United States. She has served on the faculty at Adelphi University, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and The New York School for Film and Television, Stephens College and was the Artistic Director of the Dance In Education Fund, Inc for 19 years. She is currently Assistant Professor of Dance at Marymount Manhattan College, and Adjunct Professor  at Montclair State University. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the O’Donnell Green Foundation for Music and Dance.

Cara trained in her hometown of Falmouth, MA before earning a BFA in Dance and a BA in Comparative Literature from Fordham University and the Ailey School. Post-graduation, she danced with Graham 2 for a year before joining the Martha Graham Dance Company, where she performed in NYC Seasons and on tours for four years. She has also danced with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and with Joshua Beamish’s MOVE/THECOMPANY, as well as being featured in the film The White Wolf by director Sue de Beer. She has taught the Graham technique at Peridance and New Jersey City University, and currently dances with the Caterina Rago Dance Company and teaches at the Graham School.

Henry Steele was born and raised in Wollongong, NSW, Australia. He was an elite gymnast for 8 years, a national gold medalist 3 years in a row, and during his final years in gymnastics he began to make the transition to dance. Henry graduated with honors from Point Park University with a BFA in Modern and Jazz dance in 2016. While at Point Park he worked with choreographers: Lar Lubovitch, Mark Morris, Madboots Dance, Ronin Koresh, and Jessica Hendricks and many others. After graduating, Henry danced professionally with Owen/Cox Dance Group, Texture Contemporary Ballet, and toured internationally with The Bad Boys of Ballet. Most recently, Henry was a company member with Parsons Dance, where he notably performed the iconic solo “Caught” for several years and also acted as the company’s rehearsal director.

Alexander Haquia grew up in Morris County, New Jersey, and began his dance journey at the age of 15 under the direction of Ashley Hosbach and tutelage of choreographer Tracy Badini.  He graduated Summa Cum Laude with Honors in Dance from the Fordham/Ailey BFA program with the Class of 2022.  Haquia performed internationally at the Holland Dance Festival, as well as in Alvin Ailey’s ballet Memoria at New York City Center before joining Ballet Hispanicó in 2021 and later Complexions in 2023.  He has worked with choreographers including Francesca Harper, Twyla Tharp, Matthew Rushing, Pedro Ruiz, Ray Mercer, and Yusha Marie Sorzano.

Hailed by the Boston Globe as “absorbing, steadfast and compelling”, Frances Lorraine Samson is a New York based artist originally from Toronto, Canada. She has been featured by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), TEDx and Harper’s Bazaar, and has had the honor of working for institutions such as The Juilliard School, SUNY Purchase College and the Danish National Academy of Music. Frances was a soloist with the world-renowned Limón Dance Company (2022 Bessie Award for Outstanding Choreography) from 2017 – 2023 and currently dances for Award-winning choreographers Baye & Asa and Twyla Tharp. Additionally, Frances is a reconstructor for the José Limón Dance Foundation, teaching the Limón style of movement across Canada, Europe and the United States.

A native of the Bronx, New York, Michelle Fleet began dancing at the age of four under the tutelage of Lee Aca Thompson, she continued her training at Ballet Hispánico, while attending Talent Unlimited H.S. Michelle Fleet earned her B.F.A from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College. Ms. Fleet joined Taylor 2 in 1999 and made her debut with the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 2002. During her 18 year tenure with the Paul Taylor Dance Company Ms. Fleet performed in 72 works in over 90 various roles choreographed by Mr. Taylor. Recognized for her versatility, musicality, strength and sensitivity to movement, Michelle Fleet is described in the New York Times by Gia Kourlas as “Strong and musically sensitive, dances as if movement is melting off her body.” Ms. Fleet has been featured in commissioned works by Larry Keigwin, Doug Elkins, Doug Varone, Brian Arias, Margie Gillis, Pam Tanowitz and Kyle Abraham. She has also performed in works by Bill T. Jones, Merce Cunningham, Kevin Wynn and Corbin Dances. In 2019 Ms. Fleet was honored as a Bronx Dance Icon, she has been highlighted in Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit, Self, Elle, TimeOut and other notable publications. In 2006 Ms. Fleet earned her M.B.A in Business administration from NYIT. As an entrepreneur Ms. Fleet is founder and CEO of Suri & Caya Fiber Art Designs. Ms. Fleet is also a co-founder of the Asbury Park Dance Festival.

Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the world’s most luminous dancers,” Michael Trusnovec grew up dancing on Long Island, graduated from the Long Island High School for the Performing Arts, and earned a BFA in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University.

For over two decades, Michael was a Principal Dancer with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, creating over 25 roles with, and appearing in more than 70 dances choreographed by Mr. Taylor. He premiered new works by Larry Keigwin, Doug Elkins, Doug Varone, Lila York, Margie Gillis and Pam Tanowitz, and was featured in the company’s presentation of Martha Graham’s Diversion of Angels. Additionally, Mr. Trusnovec was Associate Rehearsal Director, was featured in the 2004 PBS Great Performances: Acts of Ardor and the 2013 Paul Taylor in Paris, and continues to serve as the Director of Worldwide Licensing and as a repetiteur of Mr. Taylor’s dances.

Among his honors are a 2018 Dance Magazine Award, the “Positano Premia La Danza” Dancer of the Year 2016, a 2006 Bessie Award, and in 1992 he was a YoungArts awardee and Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Michael serves on the Board of Directors of Dance Films Association, is a cocurator for the 2020 Dance on Camera at Lincoln Center. He is a National Reviewer and Dance Mentor for YoungArts, and is a co-founder of the Asbury Park Dance Festival. Mr. Trusnovec recently appeared as a Guest Artist with New York City Ballet’s presentation of George Balanchine’s Episodes during their Winter 2020 Season at Lincoln Center.

Maddie Parrish is a dancer, educator, and fitness instructor based in NYC. Favorite credits: Parsons Dance US and International Tours, Crystal Pite’s Polaris (US Premiere) at NY City Center Finding Neverland Broadway National Tour (Peter Pan/Ensemble. Additionally, Maddie has performed works by Sonya Tayeh, Trey McIntyre, and Paul Taylor. She received her BFA in Dance Performance from New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Jessica Sgambelluri is a BFA graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, where she was selected to perform Alwin Nikolais’ works in China’s Yang Liping International Dance Festival. Upon graduating, she joined Graham 2, where she was the recipient of the Pearl Lang Award. Since then, she has danced for Caterina Rago Dance Company, ARIM Dance, TED Talks Live, and Odyssey Dance Theatre. She currently dances with The Metropolitan Opera, Limón Dance Company, and Buglisi Dance Theatre. Jessica has been a part of Jacqulyn Buglisi’s “Moss” anthology since it’s creation in 2016 and has assisted in the development process during residencies with UCSB and Marymount. She is a part-time faculty member at Peridance Capezio Center and the Martha Graham School.

Patrick Coker (Chester, VA) was awarded the American Ballet Theatre’s National Trainee Scholarship from 2008 to 2010. In May 2014 Coker graduated from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, where he apprenticed with Ailey II in his final year. After graduation, he danced for Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and went on to join Jessica Lang Dance. He has also performed with The Mark Morris Dance Group in The Hard Nut and L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Hope Boykin Dance, and LA-based BODYTRAFFIC. He was one of Jessica Lang’s rehearsal associates in the creation of her ballet EN for the Ailey company in 2018. Mr. Coker joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2019. Follow him on instagram: @pcoke.

Justin Dominic , a native of Newark, NJ, began his formal dance training at Newark Arts High School. In addition, he was a fellowship student at the Ailey School and attended summers at the American Ballet Theater and Joffrey Ballet School. On a full scholarship, Justin received his B.F.A from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where he performed with the Limon Company and works by Mark Morris, Lar Lubovitch, Merce Cunningham, George Balanchine, Donald McKayle, and Larry Keigwin.

After graduating, Justin joined Lustig Dance Theater as a founding member and, later, went on to dance with LaneCoArts, Dance Iquail, Keigwin + Co, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, and Carolyn Dorfman Dance. He also performed with the Mark Morris Group in Hard Nut and the Met Opera Ballet in Aida, Les Troyens, and Orfeo ed Euridice. Justin has worked closely with choreographers and teachers Doug Varone, Alexei Ratmansky, Francesca Harper, Ronald K. Brown, Carolyn Adams, Didy Veldman, Sean Sullivan, and Francesca Harper. Highly devoted to educating the next generation of artists, he teaches contemporary dance, ballet, and the Dancing Classrooms ballroom curriculum in various locations around the United States and abroad.

As a recipient of the Advanced Opportunity Fellowship, Justin received his M.F.A in dance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. While finishing graduate school, he directed, choreographed, and produced his first screendance and short-film “unapologetic me: BLACK | GAY | MAN.” Justin is glad to return to the Met Opera Ballet for the 2018/19 production of Marnie.