Season 2021

Lizzy Dyer is a 25 year old dancer and performer living in the Sacramento region. She started off dancing at the age of 10 at KM dance studios. While at KM dance studios she was also attending ballroom classes at Arthur Murray. She then left both studios to train at Northern California Dance Conservatory (NCDC). While attending NCDC I joined the ambassador team and the PHresh Crew hip hop team. Elizabeth has trained in various styles including ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, and hip hop while also taking workshops and intensive from many professional dancers through out her time at NCDC. She also took private training from Leah Bueno, Alexey Kulpin, Lindsey Renee Derry, and Michael Levine through out her dancing career. Elizabeth has also performed solo work by Nhan Ho. While her training in ballroom dancing Elizabeth has competed in multiple ballroom competitions including International grand ball (IGB),San Francisco Open ballroom competition (SFOpen), and City lights Open. Currently she is apart of the Nhan Ho project dance company and also trains with her coach Genya Malko for ballroom dancing. Elizabeth believes dance is the only thing that can bring everyone together, no matter what race you are, no matter who you love, no matter from where you are, dance is unity

Laura Fisher began dancing at age three at Krei Matthews dance studio in Fair Oaks, where she trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and musical theater. She later trained at Cast and Company Dance in Roseville, where she developed further as a dancer and competed in many events throughout California as well as performances at Disneyland and several Sacramento Kings games. Laura continued studying dance at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) and graduated in the spring of 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in dance. She has also had the opportunity to take part in many of the CSUS Department of Theatre and Dance concerts where she performed pieces choreographed by faculty members as well as prominent guest artists. This will be Laura’s second year performing with Nhan Ho Project and she is excited to perform live on stage again.

Jasen Fong is a dancer, actor, and choreographer currently working in the Sacramento area. He is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with a minor in Dance and Deaf Studies. Jasen is currently dancing as a company member for Nhan Ho Project and as an apprentice for Borne Dance Company. He has previously danced as a company member for Elevate Dance Project and as an apprentice for twopointfour. When creating movement Jasen choreographs for his side project Mochi Powder. Jasen’s theatre career has allowed him to perform in various productions including Gold Hill Samurai, Stories to be Told, and The Producers. His notable accomplishments comprise of earning a scholarship for PUSH Dance Companies, PUSHLAB workshop, placing in the semi-finals for the UC Davis Picnic Day 3v3 bboy competition alongside Whatever Man Crew, and being the lead male dancer in A Foreign Affair’s music video “Patience”

Alanna Griffin is a graduate of California State University(CSU), Sacramento, with a BA in Dance. She started performing for CSU, Sacramento in 2014, studying under Nhan Ho, Philip Flickinger, Lisa Ross, Nolan T’Sani, Lorelei Bayne, Dr. Linda Goodrich, Nicole Manker, Melissa Cervantes, Aubri Siebert, Ed Brazo and Dr. Roberto Pomo. Alanna, Student Directed her senior classes spring capstone project “Senior Dance Concert 2016: Infinite Expansion”, stage managed CSU, Sacramento’s Fall concert “Choreographers Collective 2016: Boundless Existence”. Outside of CSU, Sacramento, Alanna attended the American Dance Festival (ADF) summer 2017 as a stage craft apprentice and San Juan Delta College’s Japanese Pop Culture Course (JPCC) in Okazaki, Aichi, Japan, summer 2016. Performing and stage managing at both events. After college Alanna worked with local companies and fellow graduates in the Sacramento area and is currently performing with Nhan Ho Project and very happy to be back after a small hiatus.

Rhia Guadalupe is a dancer, and choreographer originally from Sacramento. Rhia started dancing at the age of 7 at Step 1 Dance & Fitness. She has spent the last 8 years on a competitive dance team at Step One. She has trained in various styles such as contemporary, ballet, hip-hop, and jazz, while also taking various master and convention classes to expand her knowledge. After graduating High school, Rhia became a dance instructor, teaching hip hop. She is currently a student at Sacramento State. Rhia is also a part of Nhan Ho Project dance company. Rhia is very thankful for this opportunity and could not have asked for better people to share this experience with.

Haley Martinez has been dancing for about six years now. He began dancing as a sophomore at Woodcreek High School in their Dance Department under the direction of Lauren Feldmann. He has gotten the opportunity to become a teacher assistant and choreograph various pieces for each class in the department. After he graduated high school, he started dancing at Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre under the direction of Jacob Gutierrez Montoya and found a love for giving back to the community through storytelling and movement. He is currently a teacher at Hawkins Performing Arts and a student at Folsom Lake Community College studying under Nicole Manker and Katie Worth, receiving his AA in dance studies and interdisciplinary certificate in social behavior. It is his first season dancing with Nhan Ho Dance Company and he is very excited to be exploring new movements and sharing art with the community.

Becca Newton, originally from Sacramento, CA, is a graduate from CSU Long Beach where she obtained her BFA in dance. Growing up, she trained with a pre-professional dance company under the direction of Jen Bradford where she had the opportunity to perform at venues such as Royan Festival of France, and The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. She has also received training from educators such as Lillian Barbeito, Sidra Bell, Troy Ogilvie, Drew Jacoby, Theodore Constant, Nhan Ho, Jennifer Backhaus, and more. Becca recently spent a season as a full time Company member with Backhausdance Company, and in 2015, she performed as a guest artist with the LA Contemporary Dance Company. Her choreographic works have been presented in a collaborative show with Backhausdance Company, at the CSULB’s Contemporary Dance Concert, and took first at the Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival, Palm Desert. She has performed the works of choreographers such as Sidra Bell, LeeWei Chow, Jenny Backhaus, Ben Levy, Jen Bradford, Alex Ketley, Rebecca Lemme, Keith Johnson, Nhan Ho, and more. This is her third season as a company member with the Nhan Ho Project.

Emily Hubler Ramey, a native of Pennsylvania, had her early training in classical ballet, including four years at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet under the direction of John White and Margarita de Saa. She is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, where she studied ballet, modern and jazz, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (Modern Dance major), studying under Ruth Andrien, Pat Thomas, Milton Myers and Roni Koresh. At UArts, Emily received the President’s Award, and was Valedictorian. Emily was also a student at Jacob’s Pillow and guest artist at New York State Summer School of the Arts at Skidmore College. In Philadelphia, Ms.Ramey performed professionally with Ausdruckstanz Dance Theatre (Brigitta Herrmann), SCRAP Performance Group (Myra Bazell) and Group Motion Dance Company (Manfred Fischbeck), among others. Emily has toured internationally to China, Japan, France, England, Cyprus, Germany, Lithuania and Poland. She is the recipient of a ROCKY Award for dance performance and a Window of Opportunity grant for travel to Poland. She has taught ballet and modern dance in Philadelphia and Sacramento area dance schools including Encore! Studio of Performing Arts, BlyueRose and Balance Dance Project.

Marco Ruivivar is a dancer and choreographer in the Sacramento area. He started dancing at the age of 9 at Step 1 Dance & Fitness. He started his training in hip hop and a few years later, expanded to include training in multiple styles including contemporary and jazz. Growing up, he was a part of the hip hop company team at Step 1 and Franklin High School’s Fusion Dance Company. After graduating high school, Marco became a dance instructor at two local dance studios at the age of 17, Step 1 Dance & Fitness and Galaxy Dance Arts. He has also guest choreographed for Northern California Dance Conservatory’s Hip Hop Teams and Franklin’s Fusion Dance Company for multiple occasions including, master classes, competition sets, and routine for Fusion’s performance at the Sacramento Kings Halftime Show. Marco is still currently teaching at the two local dance studios and is also training with Nhan Ho to continue to dance and to expand his knowledge and improve as a dancer/choreographer.

Kristy Ntxawm Vang began her training at the age of 14 in Universal Rhythm Dance Company under the direction of Rebecca Hobgood and Debra Roberts where she had the opportunity to direct and learn numerous styles including hip hop, cultural, jazz, lyrical, and contemporary dance. She was awarded the VAPA Dance at Sheldon High School as well as Director Award for her leadership and guidance of the success in the company’s production show. Kristy has also received training from educators such as Nhan Ho, Adam Peterson, Ayro Palpal-latoc, Venetia James, Kim Altamero, Derek Javar, Richard Pasalo, Emily Tsunekawa, Derek Troy, Ryan McKee, and Royce Nitchel Legaspi. Kristy recently achieved her Bachelor of Arts in Dance at University of California San Diego with the highest honors, Summa Cum Laude. She was also awarded in the UCSD department of Theatre and Dance, The Jean Isaacs Performance for her outstanding departmental achievement during her undergraduate career. Kristy is currently a guest choreographer for the Elk Grove Unified School District dance companies. She is also an instructor at Step 1 Dance and Fitness, and is the Assistant Director of the hip hop department at Northern California Dance Conservatory. Kristy continues on the teachings and methodology of her instructors from her first years of dance, “Do what you love and love what you do.”

Abby Clark started dancing at the age of 4 and began taking classes at Step 1 Dance and Fitness when she was 10. She competed on both their Protégé and Jazz Company competition teams for a total of 6 years. She trained in ballet, tap, musical theater, and lyrical, but her favorite style is contemporary. Abby has received instruction from Nhan Ho, Kenna Wright, Melissa Bentz, Alexandra Cunnigham, and Pepper Von. She is a recent high school graduate and is beginning her college studies at Sac City. She is majoring in Biology, with dreams of becoming a sports medicine physician. Abby recently started teaching a toddler ballet/tap class at Step 1 and she is so excited to be starting this next phase of her dance journey as an apprentice for Nhan Ho Dance Project.

Kyle Her is a dance performer, choreographer, and artist originally from Sacramento, CA. He spent many years training in various styles under the hip-hop umbrella, with crews and individuals within the Sacramento area. He graduated from Sonoma State University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts: Dance Concentration and Human Development. After his education and training in modern and contemporary dance at Sonoma State he went on to dance for artists in the San Francisco Bay Area such as Christine Cali (Cali&CO Dance), Scott Wells (Scott Wells & Dancers), Liz Boubion, and Kristen Daley. Kyle is currently in Sacramento teaching dance and performing with Nhan Ho Project.

Grace Matayoshi