our team
Greg Miller
Founder, Executive Director and Board Member
Having worked 18 years in management for Fortune 500 companies, Greg Miller has been serving the public sector since creating Dance Parade Inc in 2006. Drawing from 9 years of living abroad, Greg seeks to anchor the Dance Parade vision by encouraging as many colorful and vibrant forms of movement as possible - nourishing a network of those who will cross generations and cultures to unite and celebrate under a single form of art. Motivated by the healing qualities of dance, he practices Salsa, Swing, Roller and the 5 Rhythms. He runs a monthly Sexy Salseros facebook group and is currently the Executive Director at OurMed.Org, an online Healthcare Information Site.
Shireen Dickson
Admin, Production Committee
Shireen has an eclectic range of dance experiences -- from being a teen member of the National Tap Ensemble and a professional NBA cheerleader, to performances as an actress and dancer at major US festivals. In addition to developing and conducting professional development workshops for a variety of youth-serving organizations in the city, she is currently the Education and Access Director at STREB Lab for Action Mechanics (S.L.A.M.) in Williamsburg. Shireen also makes stuff.
Yana Landowne
Chair, Board of Directors
Ms. Landowne is an accomplished Performing Arts Director for many years, including directing at the Harold Clurman, the Linhart, the Judith Anderson,and the Greenwich Street Theater,also the Public Theater, HERE, 45 Bleeker, NADA, Ohio, P.S. 122, Roundtable Ensemble, Metropolitan Playhouse, and the Tenement Museum. She is currently the Resident Director for the Billionaires for Bush Follies. She holds an MFA in directing from the Yale School of Drama and a BFA in acting from NYU. For more info check out yana.landowne.org
Sarah Haley
Chair, Development Committee
A Northern California native, Sarah's love of dance and performing arts was evident at a young age. She began studying Ballet under Lynn Johnson and Barbara Crockett in 1986. After later exploring Jazz and Modern dance genres, she began stage acting. From 1989 to 1994 she performed in over 20 productions with the Davis Musical Theater Company, Best of Broadway, and Sacramento's Music Circus. In 1995 Sarah returned her focus to dance when joining the Phares Ballet Theater Company, and danced briefly with the Sacramento Ballet before entering university in 1997. Sarah entered the business world while still in college and today works for Bank of America as Regional Business Development Manager. She joined the Dance Parade family in Fall 2009 serving as our Outreach Co-Chair, and currently leads our Sponsorship Development, and Events committee.
Michael Israely
Chair, Finance Committee
Michael grew up in Connecticut but having lived in the East Village since 2001 now considers himself a native New Yorker. This is his first year with Dance Parade, though he has appreciated the dance community in New York since his clubbing days in the late 1990's. He holds a BA in Genetics and Developmental Biology from Cornell University and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance and International Management from New York University's Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Between his time at Cornell and Business school at NYU, Michael spent 7 years working in online media operations. He has held multiple management positions at a major online advertising network and has had multiple success building new business divisions from the ground up. Michael is currently the Director of The Keiretsu Forum New York Tri-State Chapters, part of the worlds largest network of Angel Investors. Before joining the Forum Michael was worked as an independent consultant specializing in online media operations and strategy.
Illya Kushnirsky
Chair, Legal Committee
Ilya Kushnirsky is the chair of Dance Parade's legal committee and a litigator at Proskauer Rose LLP. He has experience advising clients on a range of matters, with a particular focus on intellectual property and contractual disputes. Ilya is also a co-director of Wonderland Collective and a volunteer at the Museum of the Moving Image
DJ McDonald
Chair, Staff & Volunteer Committee
Dancer/performer in Dean Moss' "Nameless forest'" http://bit.ly/cjW03P, independent writer, and contributing blogger for Culturebot http://bit.ly/ibxqnt. As playwright, director and choreographer, DJ has been the creator of 3 full-length music theater works. He has directed and/or choreographed more than a dozen book musicals, served as co-producer, co-director and choreographer for 15 original dinner theater reviews, 4 seasons of professional cabaret, and 2 of stand-up comedy; headed his own professional modern dance/theater company for 15 years and was one of seven American choreographers chosen by the American Dance Festival to tour France, as part of the first Franco-American young choreographers exchange. Having contributed as a writer for the Village Voice and other publications, he now hosts and creates arts and cultural commentary on the blog "City Of Glass" http://www.cogartsculture.blogspot.com.
Mariana Bekerman
Director, Festival Curation
Mariana Bekerman was born in the Ukraine and emigrated with her family to NYC in 1979. After graduating from LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts, she received her BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in 1996. After receiving her degree, Bekerman danced and choreographed for various companies, resorts, choreographers, off-off Broadway plays, and music artists. In 2000, she founded the Mariana Bekerman Dance Company and has since choreographed more than twenty original dances for her company that have been presented at more than 35 venues and festivals. In addition to her work for and with the14-member MBDC, she continues to free-lance as a dancer and choreographer for other artists and productions, and assists with the production of other dance concerts and events in and around New York City.
Melchor Alvarez
Director, Festival Production
Mel's parents entered him in a dance competition at the age of five in his native country of the Philippines and he won. So began his love of dance and performing. His family left for the United State 1981 and settled in Oakland, California. After high school, Mel enlisted in the United States Navy where he served 4 years stationed in Norfolk, VA. Not to be hindered, he actually got his first professional dancing gig while still in the military and then moved to New York City to continue his passion. Mel has worn many hats; he's been a singing/dancing waiter, an actor, director, choreographer, producer - even a crowned pageant winner as a female impersonator. Before joining Dance Parade, Mel produced a variety of fundraising events for many New York City based charities. Currently, Mel manages corporate and event in-kind donations for the largest community-based AIDS service organization in the United States. As with Dance Parade, he is equally honored to work at Housing Works which combats the twin crises of HIV/AIDS and homelessness. In his fourth year with the Dance Parade, Mel is pleased to contribute his leadership and developmental skills to continue the growth of "one parade, many cultures."
Brian K. Austin
Director, Marketing Committee / Creative Team
Brian Keith Austin's need to express his love of dance and making people groove has been with him from the very beginning. Going by Aero mc he's represented at events such as the New york Tokyo Music Festival, Cut & Paste Design tournament SayWord Entertainment & Electronic Dance music parties with notable names such as TZ Islam, Talib Kweli Moving Fusion, Bad Company, Hired Gunn, Kenny Ken, Ill-isha, Dj Prayin Mantis & many more!. An energetic, creative web & art coordinator by day and musical beast by nigh, Brian K. Austin reaches out to touch souls who love the art of dance. Through his voice he releases great energy that gets the masses moving in rhythm. Music is a way of life, so let's dance to keep it alive.
Hal Lamster
Director, Marketing Committee / Web Team
I have been a resident of Manhattan for the past 45 years. I am married to the amazing Jane, and have an accomplished son Mark, married to wonderful Anna, and my fantastic 5 year old granddaughter Eliza. I have been an IT Professional since 1963 having worked with mainframe, timesharing, mini computers and of course personal computers since the first IBM PC in 1981. I have also been involved with the Internet since its pioneering days in the 1970's as ARPAnet. My primary outside interest has revolved around dance. I have been interested in dance since I was 8 years old when I spent 2 years studying tap dancing at the Charlie Lowes studio. I have been an avid dance enthusiast since I got introduced to the NYCBallet in 1967. My wife and I go to NYCB over 20 times a year and have been attending for the past 42 years. Our subscriptions to NYCB were originally my in-laws and date to the first season of NYCB in 1948. We also attend many other dance performances at City Center, the Joyce, DTW, PS122, and other venues. I am a volunteer at the NYCBallet and at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House as an assistant in their computer lab.
Tze Chun
Director, Parade Production
Tze Chun is the lead choreographer and Artistic Director of the Tze Chun Dance Company (TCDC). Her work has been presented in some of New York City's most prominent modern dance venues, including Dance New Amsterdam, Dance Theater Workshop, Riverside Theatre, Trisekelion Arts, Minor Latham Theatre and Merce Cunningham Studios. In 2006 Ms. Chun was an artist-in-residence at the Brentwood School in Los Angeles, California and is the JP Morgan SOAR Grant Recipient for 2008. In addition to her impressive credits in the arts, Ms. Chun has extensive experience in event planning and service staff management. She has worked with Chinese American Planning (CAP) for six years, and while pursuing her Bachelor of Arts degree at Columbia University Ms. Chun also managed the Columbia School of Mixology and CBA, its attached employment agency.
Teddie Yohay
Events / Development Committee
Teddie is a New Yorker with a passion for the arts. Having received her BA from Northeastern University in Boston, she's currently finishing an MBA from CW Post on Long Island. After graduation, Teddie plans to offer her skills as a music supervisor with a major film production and already has credits on many documentaries, including independent and foreign films. Her interest in dance started early when she studied ballet and has long since graced the dance floor to house music. "I could tell Dance Parade was one of those special projects because it's one of those rare things that happens without financial incentive–everyone comes together for the common passion to promote Dance!"
Tricia Olson
Marketing and Sponsorship
Tricia Olson's love of dance and New York City led her to the Dance Parade Team in 2009, and she looks forward to this year's parade and festival! She first discovered her passion for dance in front of the mirrors at a local dance studio in Minnesota. Throughout her youth and as a student at Fordham University, she competed in a variety of dance styles including jazz, tap, ballet, and hip hop. Tricia strongly supports the Dance Parade mission to promote dance throughout the community and showcase cultural diversity. She currently divides her time between Minneapolis and Los Angeles.
Barbara Anglisz
Marketing Committee
A native of Canada, Barb's love of dance started at seven when she belonged to a Polish folk dance group in Montreal. Having graduated with a degree in Business from Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Barb moved to NYC in 2000 to work for Razorfish, an interactive web agency. For the past seven years, she has been the Vice President of Operations for Adept Technologies (adepttech.com), a leading software company that specializes in corporate and government enterprise solutions. Barb came aboard to chair our marketing committee in 2009 as she looked to be more involved with her passion for the arts, travel and diverse cultures and dance. Her secret dream is to dance on her own Goth float in a future Dance Parade.
Susan Pinsky
Marketing Committee (Coordinator)
Susan Pinsky, Alternative energy developer and co-founder of Tri-State Biodiesel, New York's national pioneer in urban, recycled oil based fuel; brings over 12 years of experience in corporate relationship management that has allowed her to successfully garner Dance Parade support from several city and state government officials. Her dynamic personality and diverse skill set has enabled her to liaise between the corporate world and the Arts. She has produced several dance events, from warehouses in the South Bronx to the Roseland Ballroom, Roxy and Chelsea Piers.
Lisa Goldfarb
Marketing Committee / Creative Team
Lisa graduated with a degree in Painting from Moravian College in Bethlehem PA in 1996 and went on to receive her MFA in NYC at the School of Visual Arts in Photography and Related Media in 2000. Since then she has worked in production and design for major publishing houses and had numerous shows of her paintings and puppets in NYC and abroad.
Lesley Snyder
Marketing Committee / PR team
Lesley Snyder currently serves as the New Media and Corporate Communications Manager for CCS, a fundraising and consulting management firm catering to a myriad of non-profit organizations. Prior to joining CCS, Lesley served as a long-term volunteer with the Manhattan-based non-profit, Resources for Children with Special Needs. Prior to her work in the non-profit sector, Lesley had extensive financial communications and marketing experience as the Internal Investor Relations Counsel for a NASDAQ-listed company and the Senior Account Executive with a Manhattan-based Investor Relations firm, where she worked directly with the C-level management teams of numerous publicly-traded companies, their Boards and shareholders. Lesley also joins Dance Parade with consumer public relations, marketing and event planning experience from a previous job in a Manhattan-based Public Relations agency, representing a global consumer goods brand. Lesley is a classically trained ballerina and has enjoyed many other forms of dance since the age of 3. She graduated from Hofstra University in 2006 with a B.A. in Communications.
Josh Zelman
Marketing Committee / Promotions Team
Josh initially watched Dance Parade as a spectator and is now excited to join Dance Parade as a volunteer. Prior to joining Dance Parade, Josh worked in cable news for more than a decade. He field produced shoots with newsmakers ranging from former President Bill Clinton to singer/songwriter Peter Gabriel, covered Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women summit, and helped launch a Web series with Business 2.0 for Money.com. Josh graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and enjoys running and biking. He has traveled to more than a dozen countries, most recently returning from Lesotho, Africa.
Chauncey
Marketing Committee / Promotions Team / Editor
DJ, blogger (houseofdandridge.com), poet, activist, photographer, actor, singer, event producer -- you name it, Chauncey has an extensive performing arts background in both production and marketing that enables him to be close to the pulse of the NYC theater and nightlife scene as well as links to many of the more politically progressive non-profit organizations throughout the Metropolitan area. Chauncey has done lighting and sound design for a multitude of events, handling all aspects of production, helping raise funds and awareness for groups like the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), Marriage Equality New York, The Municipal Arts Society and The Trevor Project. He has also developed a growing roster of local artists and musicians whose careers he helps nurture and promote. His boundless creativity and appetite for knowledge has fashioned himself many a hat to wear. In his free time, you'll find him dancing at House and Techno parties, attending Off-Broadway shows, losing his voice at rallies, surveying art at galleries and taking photographs of the various eccentricities of NYC. "What I like the most about Dance Parade is that it involves so many different walks of life who maintain their uniqueness and yet connect on a greater whole." Now that Chauncey is an ordained minister, you might just find him on board a Dance Parade float officiating weddings!
Laura A. Evantz
Marketing Committee / Publicity
Having graduated from Penn State University in May 2009 with a degree in Media Communications, Laura joined the Dance Parade team hoping to use her profound love of dance in new and exciting ways. As a member of Tapestry Dance Company and the UDC, a choreographer in the London World Aids Awareness Ball, and a dance teacher during her college years, Laura has explored the idea of incorporating her passion for dance with her interest in media communications but could never really fuse the two. Upon her graduation from college she began working with Gotta Dance in central New Jersey, where she took on the role of Operations and Communications Manager. In addition she is competition choreographer at Center Stage Dance in Pittsburgh, PA, and Company Manager for TranscenDanceGroup, a new contemporary ballet company in NYC under Direction of Gabriel Chajnik and Hector Zaraspe. When Gotta Dance decided to participate in the 2010 parade, Laura realized that it was the perfect outlet to combine both her passion for dance and her media communications degree. --
Verun Karim
Marketing Committee / Web Team
Verun hails from West Chester near Los Angles and is originally of Indian descent. He's a big House dancer and enjoys dancing at Pacha and other the big clubs. Verun is a software developer and works for Credit Suisse. "I love the people who work on the project. The concept to have all dance cultures unite in single parade is wild!"
Max Resnick
Marketing Committee / Web Team
Max is a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management from Missiouri Univ. of Science and Technology. Max moved to New York to work for a Aerospace corporation on Long Island, where he works as a product development specialist. Working as the main technical customer interface, working to build solid relationships and solving customer problems. In this role, Max has been the key technical lead on several rapid development projects, and has led several large proposal efforts. In his free time he enjoys Photography, Crossfit, Cooking and exploring New York City.
Carmen Casado
Member Legal Committee
Carmen Casado is an immigration lawyer that supports Dance Parade because "it brings dance to the masses, showing people various forms of dance, that dance is healthy and positive, and offers them the opportunity to participate." Carmen is an avid Latin dancer and also enjoys vinyasa yoga, ecstatic dance, contact improv, the 5 rhythms as well as Zen Buddhist practice. Having grown up in Northern Arizona, she went on to study international relations at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon and obtained her law degree from California Western in San Diego. Carmen is currently based in San Francisco but
Deborah Pizza
Member of Development Committee
Deborah is new to Dance Parade this year and is applying her administrative expertise at ensuring our partners receive excellent sponsorship support. She has worked for Merrill Lynch for 16 years and brings a good corporate perspective to supplement Dance Parade's objectives. A native of Brooklyn, Deborah tasted the provincial life in New Jersey for ten years, raised two kids and came back to her beloved city life in Staten Island where she runs an online clothing website.** Deborah loves all types of dance as a great form of exercise and is always telling people "dancing's the answer to world peace!" http://www.envymywardrobe.com
Elyce Turner
Parade and Event Production Committee
While so many members of the Dance Parade team have their background in professional dance, performance and competition, Elyce Turner comes to Dance Parade from a completely different angle. Her current involvement in dance is with Gabrielle Roth's 5Rhythms movement practice. She has been a passionate 5Rhythms dancer since 2002, and in the past 5 years has been closely involved in production of classes and workshops in NYC and on the road. Her passion for dance was born, not of the studio or the stage, but on Grateful Dead tour. It was here she discovered the bliss that could be found by simply moving the body to its edge. Elyce is involved in festival production and is excited to include the Dance Parade and Festival as part of her work.
Bobby Speakerwire
Parade Audio/Tech
D.J. BOBBY SPEAKERWIRE was born and raised into the N.Y.C. dance/club scene and is the DANCE PARADE'S go to guy for all the AUDIO/TECH needs.
Bjorn Roche
Parade Audio/Tech
Bjorn Roche is a consultant to the music industry. Specializing in the design of custom software and innovative tools and technologies, his software has been used by some of the top names in the audio industry, including Linkin Park, Weezer, Sterling Sound, Indaba Music and more. He is currently developing a tool called Xonami which lets musicians collaborate in real-time.
Luis Vargas
Production Committee
Luis Vargas also known as loftkidluis has been a major supporter of NYC's nightlife and its culture for 33 years. It began at the ripe old age of 5 years old at the infamous David Mancuso's The LOFT in 1978. He has been doing it ever since. He is also an active board member of the arts collective know as the MELTING POT GLOBAL as well as many other parties and events in the city. He is a firm believer that social dancing is an art form and should be protected by the first amendment. Its participants are the artists and the dance floor is the canvas.
Jessica Medina
Production Committee / DP Liaison
Known for her captivating, sultry voice and her exotic interpretation of jazz, and fluent in three languages, Jessica Medina melds culture, song and dance. Born in New York City of Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage, Jessica’s initial musical education came through her parents, whose own vocal and musical talents fostered her appreciation. With Spanish and English as her native tongues—and New York City as her home—Medina quickly developed her musical talents alongside a keen interest in culture and languages. Jessica creatively blends Spanish, French, American and Brazilian sounds in a vocal style infused with an international spice. She has participated in a highly selective dance workshop held by Twyla Tharp completed by performing in "The 100’s" with the dance company and Ms. Tharp herself. Today, she specializes in Latin Dance & Music.
Samir Bitar
Tag, Board of Directors
Samir Bitar is a dancer and arts manager based in Brooklyn, New York. Samir's affair with dance began as an undergraduate dance student of Theresa Dickinson's at New College of California in San Francisco. Since college he has studied dance and composition at the Merce Cunningham Studio, Bates College and the prestigious Royaumont Centre de Recherche et de Composition Choreographique in France. In 2003 Samir launched The Art of Consulting, an arts consultancy firm. In 2007 he graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a master's degree in in arts management. Samir was formerly Executive Director of Sens Production. and currently Marketing Director at the Smithosian Institute.
Trevor
Tag, Board of Directors
Trevor is a native New Yorker who has contributed to and enjoyed our City's dance, art, community, and nightlife events for over ten years. He is thrilled to bring his experience as an event producer, musical artist, lawyer, dancer, and lover to the annual Dance Parade and Festival.
Lois Kaminsky
Volunteer
A lover of travel and culture I have travelled the world and have enjoyed learning about and participating in many forms of dance. I spent most of my career as a manager and sales representative in the travel industry. My specialty was coordinating independent travel excursions for my clients. Prior to this I worked in the banking industry where I created a governmental banking division and maintained its continued growth. Currently I tutor primary school children to assist them in improving their reading skills. At the National Museum fo the American Indian I am a member of the visitor services staff where I also lead architectural tours of the museum's home, the former U.S. Custom House.
April Newman
Volunteer
April recently returned to New York to live after living in the Midwest for over twenty years. She is a graduate of CUNY, but is now retired from the world of “design and construction”. April spends a lot of her time doing volunteer work with political organizations, neighborhood associations and senior citizens. “I volunteered to be apart of Dance Parade because it brought together so many of the things that I love about living in New York . I love a parade; I love meeting people from different cultural backgrounds; and I love to dance and have fun”. Being retired is wonderful if you get out and help someone else and have a great time while being useful.
Andrea Gorotiza
Volunteer & Recruitment Committee
Andrea Gorotiza has a passion for dancing and event planning. Over the past 7 years, she has been involved in dance competitions such as Prelude East Coast Dance Competition and DanceSport Championships. Today she dances with her own group called Sexclectics at CUNY Baruch College, which she founded in November of 2010. At the same time, she used her networking skills to help promote a dance crew called World Class Dancers and used her event planning skills to help plan festivities at a company called New York Party Time. Recently, she has joined the events committee for two clubs called Women in Business and Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society. She hopes to continue using both her passions in the future, and possibly become a Talent Agent/Manager one day.
