A New Jersey native, Alexis Branagan trained at New Jersey School of Ballet and spent summers at The Juilliard School, American Ballet Theatre, Kaatsbaan, and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. She received her degree in English with an emphasis on theater studies and dance from Princeton University, where she also founded Princeton University Ballet. She danced with New York Theatre Ballet from 2012-2022. She has also performed with Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance, Armitage GONE! Dance, and New Jersey Ballet and in Battery Dance and Westfest Dance Festivals to perform work by choreographer Amanda Treiber. She has performed works by Sir Richard Alston, Merce Cunningham, Susan Marshall, Agnes de Mille, Clove Galilee, Liza Genaro, Robert LaFosse, José Límon, Donald Mahler, Keith Michael, Jerome Robbins, Pam Tanowitz, Antony Tudor, and William Whitener. She has also danced in opera productions, in productions of Shakespeare in the Park by the Public Theater, at Carnegie Hall with the NY Pops for Holiday and Broadway hits concerts, and for television. Alongside her freelance dancing, Alexis works in communications for Princeton University Concerts and manages the Ballet Connoisseurship seminar program for School of American Ballet.

Arianna Tsivkin is a performing artist from New York City. She received her early dance training at the School of American Ballet where she performed with New York City Ballet in productions of "The Nutcracker" and "Firebird". She then studied at the JKO School of American Ballet Theatre where she performed in Alexei Ratmansky’s "The Nutcracker". Arianna has also trained at French Académie of Ballet, received scholarships to dance at Belvoir Terrace Performing Arts Camp, and has studied under Mignon Furman, Merle Sepel, and her mother Rebecca Tsivkin. She graduated from Laguardia High School of Performing Arts as a dance major, and has studied Fosse technique and theatre jazz with the Verdon Fosse Legacy. Arianna was honored to be part of the inaugural class of Pa’lante Scholars in the Professional Studies Program at Ballet Hispánico (BH) under the direction of Rodney Hamilton. While there she helped originate roles in works by Norbert De La Cruz III, Tsai Hsi Hung, and Juan Rodriguez, performed in works by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Michelle Manzanales, Pedro Ruiz, Gerald Arpino, Gustavo Ramirez, Alberto Alonzo, and more, and was a representative student for BH in Canada's National Ballet School's Assemblée Internationale '23. Arianna is delighted and grateful for the opportunity to perform with Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance.

Claire Westby is originally from Minnesota and now resides in Philadelphia, PA. She holds a BFA in Dance from Tisch School of the Arts NYU and also studied at Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD). Mrs. Westby has been a part of the Liz Gerring Dance Company for 13 years where she is also the Executive Director. She played the role of Red Queen in Third Rail’s production of Then She Fell. Additionally, Claire has performed in, and helped create original roles in works by John Jasperse, Brandon Collwes, Gwen Welliver, Benjamin Kimitch, Gerald Casel, Cherylyn Lavagnino, Helen Simoneau, and RoseAnne Spradlin. Claire Westby has also had the pleasure of teaching at New York University, Columbia College Chicago, Gibney Dance, Mark Morris Dance Center, St. Paul Ballet, Steps on Broadway, Western Washington University and Jacob's Pillow.

Based between Denver & New York City, Gwendolyn Gussman is dancer, choreographer, teacher, and director. She is the Founder & Artistic Director of interdisciplinary performance company, HOLDTIGHT (HT). Most notably, Gussman’s work has been presented nationally at The Newman Center for the Performing Arts (CO), The Arts Complex with Denver Arts & Venues (CO), The Cell Theatre (NYC), National Sawdust (NYC), The Gallery Players (NYC), The Olympic Auditorium Complex (CO), Carroll Hall (NYC), and others. Gussman’s performance career has spanned contracts and collaborations with artists/companies including Shen Wei Dance Arts, Sean Curran, Cherylyn Lavagnino, dir. Daniel Fish, comedian Amy Sedaris, Vanessa Walters, Heidi Latsky, Control Group Productions, Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble, and others. She is currently choreographing a 90-min Eco-Dance/Chamber-Jazz Orchestra piece, From the Ashes, in collaboration with composer Daniel Weidlein, to be premiered in 2025. Gussman graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with her BFA in Dance. Gussman has danced with CLD since 2016 and is honored to be part of the 25th Anniversary Season!   

Michael Miles was born and raised in St. Mary’s County, MD. He started dancing at the age of 9 at Bunny Bailey Studio of Dance where he studied tap, jazz, and show dance. Michael continued his dance training at Abigail Francisco School of Classical Ballet where he studied ballet, character, jazz, and tap and went on to receive a BFA in Dance from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Since graduating, Michael has had the pleasure of dancing with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre and Lydia Johnson Dance. He is grateful for the opportunity to perform with Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance.

Ramona Kelley is from Berkeley, CA where she began her training at Berkeley Ballet Theater. She went on to earn a BFA in dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ramona danced the principal role of ‘Betsy’ in the touring production of Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away and went on to dance with the Tharp company creating new roles in addition to performing repertory works. She is a principal guest artist with Oakland Ballet and has also performed with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Claudia Schreier and Co, Post:Ballet, Sidra Bell, and Phantom of the Opera (25th Anniversary Tour) among others. Ramona has taught master classes in Tharp technique across the country and is a guest teacher at NYU’s Tisch Dance. She began dancing for Cherylyn in 2006 and is thrilled to be performing with CLD this season.

Kara Walsh, a native New Yorker who has a deep passion for movement, wellness, and compassion for all living beings. Kara has been dancing since she was a child and has trained extensively in  ballet, modern, and contemporary dance at the School of Performing Arts in Litchfield Ct. She spent summers at the Jillana School in Taos, NM and continued her studies at the Ailey School. Kara was a member ofDonald Byrd's Spectrum dance Theater in Seattle WA and played the role of Dream Laurey in the 5th Avenue Theater’s production of Oklahoma. In NYC she performed with The Black Iris Project and has worked with choreographers Benoit Swan Pouffer, Susan Misner, Mary Ann Lamb and Francesca Harper. Kara can be seen in Fosse/Verdon and Fued on FX. Currently Kara is dancing and working on many projects with Karole Armitage.

TaraMarie Perri is an interdisciplinary artist-performer and teacher. She earned her MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and a BA in Visual Arts History from College of the Holy Cross. Three decades ago, she began the lifelong study path of classical Yoga traditions which led to a vocation alongside a career in the arts and education. In 2006, TaraMarie joined the faculty of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and is also a long-time faculty member at Steps on Broadway. Past faculty engagements include American Dance Festival, Joffrey Ballet School, and Dance New Amsterdam. She has been guest artist/lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education in collaboration with Silkroad Project, University of Iowa, DeSales University, College of the Holy Cross, Goldsmiths UK, and Queen Mary University of London. Guided by the principles of improvisation and the dharma of contemplative art practices, TaraMarie makes dances, paints, draws and writes. She seeks out projects and experiential learning environments which foster introspection and communing with nature. Her art practice is open to the alchemy of the collaborative process with others in-studio, onstage and outdoors. As a classically trained dancer, TaraMarie has performed with ballet, contemporary and dance theater companies in NY, PA and MA. Having danced with CLD during several seasons including the very first in 2000, she is beyond thrilled to be returning to celebrate the 25th Anniversary Season with Cherylyn and company.

Joshua Palmer is a performing artist, arts educator, and HR professional residing in Brooklyn, NY. He holds a BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has performed domestically and internationally with NYC-based companies/choreographers including Doug Elkins, Douglas Dunn, Hilary Easton, Cherylyn Lavagnino, Ani Taj / The Dance Cartel, T. Lang, and Edisa Weeks. Though he still performs occasionally, he transitioned out of the full-time performer life to pursue a career in nonprofit arts administration about a decade ago.  He has since served on the senior leadership team of Ballet Hispanico (and as a faculty member in their pre-professional studies program), as a curriculum specialist for The Juilliard School’s Global K-12 Programs, and is currently the Director of People & Culture for Ballet Tech, New York City's Public School for Dance.

Christine McMillan is currently an Associate Professor, Lecturer at the University of Utah.  She danced professionally with The Metropolitan Opera for 19 years performing in over 45 productions in addition to dancing with Richmond Ballet, Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance, Ben Munisteri Dance Projects, Trebien Pollard, Poppo & the GoGo Boys, Rebecca Kelly Ballet, and White Wave Dance.  Christine was awarded a Bessie for Performance in 2004, and her performance of Lavagnino’s work was singled out by the NY critic Eva Yaa Asantewaa in her list of “most memorable arts experiences of 2014.”  Her choreography has been presented at CPR in Brooklyn, artÉmotion, Dancemakers, ACDA, The University of Utah, Sugar Space Arts Warehouse, and the Somatic Dance Conference.  Christine received a B.S. from Indiana University in Ballet & Psychology and an MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  Certified in yoga, the Ellové Technique, and in FA®ME, she continues to research somatic practices focusing on their application to dance technique and as a means to promote wellness in dance and in life. Christine first danced with CLD in 2000 and is thrilled to be part of this 25th anniversary season.