About the Company
Under the leadership of founder Katya Danko, KGDDance gives a platform to female-centric artistic narratives, told through movement and dance. As either a new work or movement adaptation, these stories deal with the complex strengths and vulnerabilities of women, and the truthful relationships they endure with others as well as themselves.
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We are dedicated to exploring movement and collaborating with other artists to create a space in which these beautifully flawed characters can flourish and breathe. Our mission is to represent the real, unapologetic stories of women within the world of dance, and break traditional stereotypes.
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The KGDDance Company choreographs works for both stage and film. Movement and dance provide the heartbeat of our stories within the theatrical, cinematic and immersive worlds.
About Katya Danko (Founder and Artistic Director)
Katya fell in love with performance at a young age studying acting at the McCarter 1st Stage program as well as dance at Princeton Dance Theater. She continued her training throughout her high school years at The Lawrenceville School's theater and dance departments, and internships at ARB's Princeton Ballet. Graduating from Drew University with a B.A in Theater Arts and Dance, and upon receiving the Rumi Award for excellence in choreography she moved to NYC.
Katya got her start in the variety world working with Director/Choreographer Tricia Brouk and at The Box NYC, while also gaining production experience working wardrobe management at GayFest NYC and NYMF. She has been performing around NYC from 2013-2018. Performance Credits include "Handlebars" (Music Video by Shira E), "A Pier Drawn in Chalk" (the Secret Theater) "Hammurabi" (A Short Film), "The Resistance Cabaret" (The Tank NYC), among others. In 2017 she produced her own dance short film "Entrapment" and was hired as a guest artist at Drew University, choreographing her new work "Enough".
Growing up in a family of strong, intelligent and complex women, Katya has always been intrigued and inspired by the stories of her female ancestors. She strives to go against stereotyped roles and to create pieces that portray female characters in their own truth, allowing them to flow freely between the female “types” we have created.
Colliding her two worlds of production and performance Katya created KGDDance to put together her own worlds focused on female-centric narratives in the fall of 2018.
Meet the Dancers
Madeline Charles
Madeline Charles, born in Missouri and raised in Massachusetts and Maryland has danced and acted in NYC since 2013. Studying English Literature and Sociology at Principia College she has worked in day programs and care facilities for adults with developmental disabilities in NYC and California. Charles is currently focusing on her acting career after graduating from The William Esper Studio in 2019 and works at The Hudson Theater and Ballet Tech. Charles received her dance training from Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen, Meg Eginton, and The Paul Taylor Dance Intensives. Charles has also been a featured dancer in music videos for Sprayground, Vardaan Arora, Alex Feder, and Katya Danko. Charles has performed original choreography by Meg Eginton, Awaken Dance Theater, Brianna Anderson, Sheennah Augustina and is currently a proud original member of Born Dancing and the KGD Dance Company.
Bonnie Bushnell
Originally from Northern California, Bonnie Bushnell graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a B.A. in Dance and Creative Writing and a minor in Writing & Rhetoric. In college, she was able to continue her training in Aix-en-Provence, France as the recipient of the HWS Student International Initiative Fund grant. After graduation, Bonnie moved to New York City and completed the Broadway Dance Center training program and was awarded a Certificate of Excellence. Since living in NYC, Bonnie has danced for Lauren Beirne Dance Works for the past four years where she also serves as Assistant Rehearsal Director and Administrative Assistant. She has also freelanced for several NYC artists including Katya Danko, Georgina Bates, and Courtney Murray. Her highlight performances include the DUMBO Dance Festival at Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center, Westfest Top Floor at Martha Graham Theater, Sublet Co-op Series at HERE Arts, Take Root at Green Space, Under Exposed at Dixon Place, and Difficult Women at The Playroom Theatre. She is thrilled to continue working with Katya Danko as one of KGD Dance's founding company members!
Song Ravinan
SONG RAVINAN is originally from Bangkok, Thailand. Ravinan moved to New York in 2015 to attend The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (graduated 2017) Ravinan is currently continuing her education at The New School.Ravinan has been apart of many New York based dance company and stage production such as: Kentucky (by Leah Nanako Wrinkler, dir. by Jonathan Bolt), Feel It Here, Feel It There (premiered at MMDG, Kelsey Head), Fly by Kerry Blu (dance video, Kelsey Head) original cast of The Eleventh Hour (Annie Lutz, Hudson Guild) Borne Dance Company, Vanessa Long2, Proximity Nerves (Joe Monteleone, Tank Theatre), and many more.
Taylor Marie
Taylor Marie is a movement storyteller. Born and raised in Los Angeles, they studied dance at the Colburn School and under Stefan Wenta. They hold a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.F.A. in dance from Hollins University. marie has recently worked with choreographers and creators Aleta Hayes, Robert Moses, Amara Tabor Smith, A-lan Holt, Chalvar Monteiro, Keith Hennessy, Mindy Rawlinson, Tara Masimer, Mark Morris, Urban Bush Women and with Batsheva Dancers. marie currently dances with KGDDance under the direction of Katya Danko, Head and Company under the direction of Kelsey Head, and as a dancer in their own solo performance projects. In addition to their dance practice, they are a 200hr certified yoga instructor, dj, and teacher.
Brittany Posas
Brittany Posas has been dancing professionally for a decade, both nationally and abroad, most notably with Kinetic Architecture Dance Theatre, under the direction of Arrie Davidson, and with Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company. She has had the opportunity to perform choreography by Mary John Frank, Holly Bynum, Natalia Roberts, Matthew Rushing, Jonathan Alsberry, Holly Heidt and Joyce King and is currently co-creating work with Beau Dobson. Brittany is a proud Costa-Rican/Honduran American with a degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Exercise and Sports Science and a certificate of completion from the Ailey School Independent Study Program. She is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified Personal Trainer with specializations in Fitness Nutrition, Group Personal Training and Performance Enhancement. Brittany is also a 200hr certified Yoga Instructor and a Lagree method instructor at SLT. She is trained in aerial hoop (Lyra), advanced yoga asana, martial arts and some acrobatic partnering/acroyoga/hand balancing. Brittany is a movement specialist, and invites you to check out more about her at www.brittanyposas.com or on her Instagram- @posas.moves. She excited to begin work with KGD Dance!
Gabriela Vazquez
Gabriela Vazquez (Mexico, Pue.) Began her training with the
Royal Academy of Dance program and moved to New York in
2015 as a scholarship student at The Ailey School where she
recently graduated. She has received scholarships at Ballet
Hispanico ChoreoLab, The Ailey School, Spectrum Dance
Theater, and attended the Performing Arts School of London and
Advance Foundation Ballet summer through RAD in Italy.
Gabriela has participated in workshops with Buglisi Dance
Theater, Troy Powell, Carrie Ellmore- Tallitsch, Rambert
(LDN), Meredith Webster (Hubbard Street), Jawole Willa Jo
Zollar (Urban Bush Women), Springboard Montreal and Carolyn
Adams (Paul Taylor repertory). Gabriela has performed work by Silas Reiner (Merce Cunningham). Ray Mercer, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Debby Mausner Dance Collective, and Heraclitus Dance Project. Camera and film credits include The Golden Hour Dance by Allison Armfield, “I Auditioned For AAADT” New York Magazine, "You're so vain" Vogue magazine choreographed by Danielle Pollanco, featured dance model for Lois Greenfield and Dance as Art NYC. Gabriela joined of Amirov Dance Theater, Nuo Dance spiritual and KGDDance Company and is thrilled for this season ahead on 2019. Gabriela has presented her choreographic works at The Hispanic Heritage Festival of New York and The Craft NYC.
Molly Gray
Molly Gray is a California native where she began her dance training at the Los Olivos Dance Gallery. Molly attended the University of California, Irvine, where she received BFAs in dance performance and dance choreography. While in school she had the opportunity to perform for the late Donald McKayle and was one of the last members of his Etude Ensemble. Upon graduation, she received the Donald McKayle Scholarship and was awarded for excellence in dance choreography. Molly received additional dance training from Alonzo King Lines Ballet, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and The Cambrians under the direction of Benjamin Holliday Wardell. In addition to dancing for KGD Dance, Molly is a freelance dancer and performs regularly for Elisabetta Minutoli and Rannvá Niclasen.
Megan Bowen
Originally from Southern California, Megan grew up as a competitive dancer and competed regionally for 10 years. While competing, she soon discovered her love for singing, acting, choreographing, and theater. Her first self recored digital album was released at the age of 8, a single cover of "God Help the Outcasts" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, (no it cannot be found on iTunes/Spotify/Youtube), and this is when she knew she was destined for something greater...something more spectacular...something like...BROADWAY.
Megan attended the University of California, Irvine where she received a BFA in Dance Performance and a BFA in Dance Choreography. Halfway through school, she discovered the incredible drama department and quickly became involved! She was accepted into the school's New York Satellite Program in which she left CA and studied singing, dancing, and acting in NYC. She then returned to California, graduated, and 3 months later moved to NYC to follower her dreams.
Megan is now living in the hustle and bustle of NYC life and making her dreams a reality! You can catch her taking class, auditioning, singing, teaching dance at Broadway Bodies, or teaching Kickboxing at ILoveKickboxing.com!
