rachel miller:
rad fest curator
Rachel Miller just retired from performing with Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, a professional modern/contemporary company in Kalamazoo, MI, after a 17-year performance career in the company. She curates the internationally recognized Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival (RAD Fest), is on faculty at Grand Valley State University, is the Dance MFA Thesis Coordinator for Hollins University, and is the Co-Chair of the Dance Department at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Miller attended The Ohio State University as a Dance Major, holds a BA in Creative Writing through Western Michigan University, and an MFA in Dance through Hollins University in partnership with the former Forsythe Company of Frankfurt, Germany. She has performed all over the country, and her choreographic and screendance works have been presented in the Midwest RAD Fest in Kalamazoo, Detroit Dance City Festival in Detroit, Big River Dance Festival in Huntington, South Bend, Las Vegas, New Orleans, New York, Fringe Festival Praha (Prague), Indianapolis, and she has had a piece of choreography commissioned as a work of study for the Lincoln Center Institute for Aesthetic Education Kalamazoo Chapter. Miller is a 2005 recipient of the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation Emerging Artist Grant and a 2010 recipient of the Kalamazoo Artist Development Initiative Grant. She has also sat on the adjudication panels for the Motor City Dance on Film Festival, Screen. Dance. Now., Screendance International, and the Maggie Allesee New Choreography Award.
Kate yancho:
executive director
Kate is a proud member of the Wellspring family and is both an administrator and an artist. Originally from northeast Ohio, Kate is the oldest of four girls, all of whom danced. Her parents are artists at heart and made sure that artistic endeavors were always available to their children. She received a BFA in Dance Performance from Kent State University in 2005 then took a turn in a new direction and embarked on a career as a higher education administrator for over 10 years. In addition to her roles with Wellspring, Kate also teaches group fitness classes, makes delicious, healthy meals in her kitchen with her husband, and chases around her young sons. In 2021, Kate was appointed to the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) and is thrilled to serve the arts and culture community of Michigan.
Amaya mCkENZIE:
OPERATIONS CORDINATOR
Based in Kalamazoo, MI, Amaya Mckenzie (she/her) works to uplift the arts in the nonprofit sector. She obtained her BBA in Digital Marketing from Western Michigan University in 2021 with a minor in Dance. She is currently on the administrative team at Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, dances with Movement Reservoir Dance Company, leads yoga as a RYT at Kalamazoo Backyard Yogis, and serves on KYD Network’s Community Relations Committee. Amaya is passionate about creating inclusive and transparent spaces for self-exploration and community connection.
Claire Berndt: RAD aRTISTIC aSSISTANT
Claire Berndt (she/her) is a dance artist from central Wisconsin and recently graduated with honors in 2023 from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. During her time at GVSU, Claire had the privilege of being cast in works choreographed by various guest artists such as Paul Singh, Wallie Wolfgruber, Deborah Lohse, Zelma Badu-Younge, and Marlayna Locklear. She attended Detroit Dance City Festival where she performed work by Paul Singh, which was chosen as the Festival Exchange Program Recipient in Linz, Austria. Claire had the opportunity to perform her self-choreographed solo “Dare” at American College Dance Association east-central region, as well as performing work by Wallie Wolfgruber which was adjudicated and selected to be in the Gala Concert. Claire has also performed work at Oakland Dance Festival in the college showcase. She also has worked as a co-choreographer and dancer with NUCLASSICA, an electro-pop violin group performing at exclusive events across Michigan.
Claire continues to expand her knowledge as she recently attended “Moving Queries” at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. There she studied contact improvisation and ensemble thinking with respective companies Lower Left and Set Go, members including Paul Singh, Shura Baryshnikov, Aaron Brando, and Sarah Konner. Claire has had the opportunity to assist choreographer Glen Meynardie at youth dance intensives, as well as teach classes of her own in contemporary, modern, tap, and jazz to continue sharing her love of dance with others.
Claire is thrilled to be broadening her dance career by stepping into the intern position at RADfest!
Grace Kitching:
RAD Curatorial Assistant
Grace Kitching (she/her) is an artist from Oxford, Michigan who began dancing at the age of three. In high school, she was a part of the Oxford Dance Conservatory, allowing for opportunities to perform, train, and choreograph. Additionally, Grace has been a co-choreographer and performer alongside a professional electro-pop violin group, NUCLASSICA, since 2017. She recently graduated from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. During her studies at GVSU, Grace had the honor to work with guest artists such as Stacy Reischman Fletcher, Wallie Wolfgruber, Zelma Badu-Younge, and Deborah Lohse. She has also attended and performed at Oakland Dance Festival for several years. Grace has had the opportunity to attend and perform at American College Dance Association east-central region in 2020 and 2022; and at the 2023 conference she presented an original work for the adjudication concert. This summer, Grace attended the American Dance Festival Summer Dance Intensive and had the opportunity to premiere a dance film in the Student Choreography Concert. Currently, Grace is beginning her first year as a professional company member for Detroit Dance Collective, and is a proud intern for the 2024 season of RAD Fest!