ABOUT US

Founder and Creative Director

Third Space Dance Project’s Founder and Creative Director, Angelica DeLashmette began directing and producing in Seattle in 2013. She wanted to produce her own work and noticed there were many other new dance artists in the city who were hungry for opportunities. She sensed the creative energy of her peers and successfully produced her first dance festival, enROOT, A Cooperative of Seattle Artists Presenting an Evening of New Dance Works. enROOT supported the work of 13 local artists, sold out every performance, and received overwhelmingly positive reviews. This first production was a catalyst for Angelica’s vision to help grow the careers of emerging dance artists in Seattle.

From 2016 to 2018, DeLashmette Hurst managed Converge Dance Festival, which served emerging to mid-career artists in the Pacific Northwest. Under her leadership, Converge curated intergenerational artists and built community through showings and peer feedback. She was committed to fulfilling the need for rehearsal space and successfully built partnerships with local businesses to support this need.

During her time in Seattle, DeLashmette Hurst also directed her own project-based company, DeLashmette Dance Projects. She found joy and fulfillment in producing live performances and realized that her entrepreneurial chops were a gift to be used in service to the dance community.

DeLashmette Hurst completed her graduate studies between 2018 and 2020. She was appointed an Iowa Arts Fellow and received her Masters of Fine Arts degree in Dance (choreographic emphasis) from the University of Iowa. After receiving her MFA degree, she moved to Arizona where she currently lives. She enjoys teaching in Higher Education, at Arizona School for the Arts, and working with local programs alongside her community-based work with Third Space Dance Project.

Resident Choreographer/ Teaching Artist

Shauna Meredith is a performer, choreographer, and movement educator based in the Phoenix area. She received her Master of Science degree in Dance Science from Trinity Laban in London, UK. This sparked her interest in dance psychology and has allowed her to work with dancers in performance enhancement and injury prevention. 

Her technique classes typically focus on efficiency and ease of movement. She also uses strength and conditioning exercises to prepare the body for the ever-increasing physical demands of contemporary choreography. 

Shauna currently serves as an adjunct faculty member and resident choreographer at Glendale, Scottsdale, and Chandler-Gilbert Community Colleges and as a faculty associate at Arizona State University. She has performed professionally for film and in live performances with MAC & Company Dance,  Rosenkrans Dans, Mary Fitzgerald, Jordan Daniels Dance, and her own company, Vital Motion.

Resident Choreographer/ Production and Technical Liaison

Angela Rosenkrans is the Dance Program Director at Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, Arizona.  She is also a founding member and Artistic Director for Rosenkrans Dans, which premiered in the summer of 2012. 

Angela holds a bachelor's degree in Dance from Centenary College of Louisiana and a master's degree in Fine Arts from Sam Houston State University. She has been teaching and choreographing for 25 years at colleges and dance studios in Colorado, Texas, Arizona, and Louisiana. 

Angela has also performed professionally with Rosenkrans Dans, Ormao Dance Company, Scorpius Dance Theatre, Conder Dance, 32 Flavors, and Liz Casebolt Dance.

Board Member/ Teaching Artist

Wendy received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of California, Irvine, and a Masters in Dance and Theatre from the University or Arizona School of Dance where she studied with renown dance masters and instructors in ballet, modern, jazz and theatre. She has presented her scholarly research at the National Dance Education Organization, The Application of Pilates in the Dance Technique Class. Wendy has danced with the Jazz Spectrum Dance Company and Synthesis Dance Company, with several regional dance companies and civic light operas as well as on network TV, Industrials and much more. 

Wendy was The Artist Foundation of San Antonio Grant Recipient for a piece she produced and choreographed called Envision: An Evening of Arts, which included collaborations with local community musicians and artists. She was a University of Arizona Foundation Award Recipient for Quote of the Day based on Ralph Romero’s young life and she received a People’s Choice Award from the Alamo Theater Arts Council for Cabaret. 

Some of Wendy’s choreography credits include: Los Angeles Mix Match Dance Festival - Le Image Du Temps, Third Space Dance Project - Reflections, Phoenix Art Museum - Something Old is New Again, Arizona Dance Festival - Generations & Reflections & Les Image Du Temps, Cactus Shadows High School Dance Company - No Roots & Feel the Rhythm & Feeling Good & Subtle Thing & Another Day (a sign language piece), Phoenix College Productions - Pippin & Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, San Antonio Luminaria - Seven Passages, as well as productions at The Playhouse, Allegro Stage Theatre, San Jacinto College, Northwest Vista College Palmetto Center of the Arts, Classic Theatre, Stevie Eller Theatre and Herberger Theatre. 

Wendy has been a member of the Adjunct Dance Faculty at Scottsdale Community College, Phoenix College, San Jacinto College, Northwest Vista College (NVC) and Irvine Valley College where she also was on the Commercial Dance Committee. She was NVC Assistant Director of Dance Ensemble, Facilitator for the Dancer Wellness Project and a Dance Steering Committee Member for Luminaria. 

Wendy started a local pre-professional dance company called Align Dance Theatre. She continues to work on future Align Dance Theatre projects that will inspire both old and young alike and provide a creative, multi-genre experience and opportunity for pre to professional dancers and artists. Wendy shares her passion for dance, choreography, and Pilates in the community as the owner of STUDIO KINETICS. She continues to challenge herself as an artist, but also opportunities for all.

Board Member

Victoria Alesi is originally from Arlington Heights, IL, and grew up dancing at McDonald Dance Academy under direction of Linda McDonald. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a BFA in Dance, a BA in World Economics and Business, and a minor in Spanish. While studying at OSU, she focused on choreography and education working with artists such as Bebe Miller, Michael Kelly Bruce, Abby Zibikowski, Ann Sofie Clemmensen, and Susan Petry. 

Victoria was a member and Rehearsal Director with Hixon Dance from 2017 - 2023 in Columbus, OH. Victoria has trained at NDI New Mexico Teaching-Excellence and choreographed and taught in Columbus and Chicago. Currently, Victoria dances with Align Dance under the direction of Wendy Ellis and is on the board of Third Space Dance Project. Beyond dance, Victoria is a Sales Executive for NetJets. She is also a YWCA Columbus Woman on the Rise, a VP of Philanthropy for the Valley of the Sun Active 20/30 and an Advocacy Committee Member for the YWCA of Metropolitan Phoenix.

Testing Turf Moderator 

Testing Turf

Craft-based feedback from peers and mentors is an essential part of the choreographic process, but what is so compelling about the Testing Turf approach is that artists can also receive audience input before a work is finished and on stage. As facilitator/moderator, I provide guidelines for looking at work in progress to address the effectiveness of a choreographers’ stated intention. These include framing comments with a compliment before a critique, question or suggestion; the use of compositional language such as facings, dynamics, or floor patterns, and learning how to differentiate the power of a performer from the construction of the choreography. Feedback is geared to what the choreographer asks for and can be general or specific to a particular section. This is an intimate, supportive and constructive environment for a small number of artists to deepen their work so I encourage you to join us, on or off stage!

Bio

Janaea Rose Lyn is the author of Choreographing Your Dance Career, which was featured in Dance Teacher magazine in July, 2024. An award-winning artist, she believes in dance as a powerful means

of expression, collaboration, and community building. As the founding faculty member of two associate degree programs, Janaea has published articles and presented at educational conferences on her inclusive and collective approach to dance and performing arts pedagogy. As Artistic Director of Convergence Dancers & Musicians, Ltd. and Dance Matrix, her work has been presented nationally and internationally. She trained with master teachers Mary Anthony and Bessie Schoenberg on the art of giving objective feedback and is active in the dance community as a facilitator, mentor, and independent choreographer in this new phase of her career.

www.janaearoselyn.com

Community Cultivation 

Megan Neese started her dance training at Gotta Dance Company, at the age of 12, in styles that included contemporary, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, ballroom, modern, etc. She has been able to continue her dance education under scholarship at Grand Canyon University, where she has received her B.A. in Dance Education. While studying there, her choreography has received many awards, she was casted in many guest artist pieces, and she was able to perform in the American College Dance Association Gala. 

Alongside her studies, she teaches and choreographs at local dance studios and high schools. Additionally, she trains with local companies such as Automatic Response & Bodies Contemporary Dance Company. She has participated in multiple dance industrial jobs with Strong Productions, trained with Zion Dance Project on full scholarship, and was a part of IAF’s mentorship program led by Chehon Wespi-Tschopp. 

She also had the opportunity to perform under the direction of Joseph Corella for a broadway benefit show in Los Angeles’ El Portal Theatre. In addition, she was able to perform in the Halftime Show with Rihanna led by choreographer Parris Goebel. She is currently signed with Go 2 Talent Agency.