Friday, October 24, 7:30pm
Saturday, October 25, 3:00pm
Brie Castro is the Owner and Director of The Ballet Studio in Lafayette, LA — a welcoming space known for its original productions and nurturing environment where dancers of all ages can grow in both grace and confidence. She graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts Dance. Brie has choreographed for many local events, including UL’s State of La Danse, Evening of Dance, and collaborations with the UL Symphony Orchestra, and served as Ballet Mistress for Ballet Acadiana from 2017–2019. She has also lent her talents to numerous charity events such as Dancing with the Stars Crowley, Dancing with the Stars Sacred Heart, and Studs in Stilettos for Hearts of Hope. Brie is also the proud mom of two cool kids, Marie and Henry, and happily married to her “Paper” — the steady presence who listens, supports, and gives her inspiration a place to live.
Madilyn Cashio is a performer, choreographer, and instructor based in Lafayette and Baton Rouge. A former Joffrey Ballet School trainee, she earned her BFA in Performing Arts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and has trained with Gibney, SALT, and LED. She has performed works by Gina Aswell, Paige Barnett, and Brian Stevenson. Formerly Artistic Coordinator for Of Moving Colors Productions, she produced and directed HereAfter, Conduit, and MidCity Jazz, collaborating with major Louisiana arts organizations. Cashio is also co-founder of GroCo-llective, a contemporary company dedicated to growing community and fostering innovative artistic opportunities.
Cissy Whipp is a performer, choreographer, and dance educator with over 50 years of experience. A graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (B.F.A., Choreographic Design) and American University (M.A., Dance), she co-founded Moving South Dance, Inc., Louisiana’s first professional modern dance company, and has performed across the U.S. and Europe. Her choreography blends movement with music, poetry, and theater, and she continues to create and perform collaborative works. Cissy has also taught at multiple universities, led national workshops through the Kennedy Center, and is an Artist Fellow with LA A+ Schools, contributing to innovative arts integration education statewide. In 2024, she received the Lineage Award from Basin Arts, recognizing her artistic legacy.
Courtney Doyle of Arnaudville, LA is a choreographer, performer, and current student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette majoring in Performing Arts with a concentration in Dance. As a dancer Courtney has trained at Jill Listi Dance studio where she continues now as a dance educator, training dancers for 13 years. Her choreography ranges from the competitive stages at many conventions and competitions to the concert stage of An Evening of Dance. While the bulk of her training was done locally, Courtney has traveled across the states from California to New York broadening her skills. Although in school she maintains the will to choreograph and continues to travel, educating the next generation of dancers.
Michael Crotty is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Dance Program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Originally from Ohio, he holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Utah and a Diploma from CODARTS Conservatory (Netherlands). His works have been commissioned by the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, and LACMA. A certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst, Pilates instructor, and ABT® ballet teacher, Crotty is an advocate for accessible and inclusive dance education, presenting nationally and developing arts-integrated curricula for diverse learning communities. He is also co-founder of the statewide FDEO professional development conference.
Leigha T. Porter is a Louisiana-born dancer, choreographer, educator, and cultural curator whose work blends classical and contemporary forms with Creole and jazz heritage. She is the founder and artistic director of Fire Expressions Performing Arts Conservatory, named Acadiana’s Best Dance Studio in 2024, and co-creator of The Creole Nutcracker, a beloved Louisiana holiday production. With over 15 years of professional experience, her choreography has been featured nationally and internationally. A candidate with the Institute of Dunham Technique Certification, Porter uses dance to preserve culture, spark dialogue, and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit.
Lily Marcus is an alum of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette dance department. She works in and around the Acadiana area to bring movement and creativity to as many people as she can reach. Her recent work includes her performance in Theresa Wasiloski’s “Four Courners Suite” which performed at the Bottle Arts Lofts 2024 grand opening celebration, and her performance in Nicole Curtis’s “Send on the Clowns” which premiered at the Acadiana Center for the Arts in August of 2025. Lily currently teaches dance at The Dance Place in Carencro, creative movement for the P.A.C.E. program at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, and pilates at Club Pilates in River Ranch and Align Pilates in Broussard.
Rachel Adams is an aerial artist, teacher, and co-founder of Sky Craft – Lafayette’s first and only aerial arts studio. With no prior dance or gymnastics background, but a curiosity for physical fitness and creative movement, she took her first aerial silks class on her 27th birthday and was instantly hooked. This experience changed the course of her life. Over the past decade she has trained extensively and built Sky Craft to share that life-changing experience with others, helping students develop strength, confidence, and body awareness. Rachel’s aerial style combines strength, flexibility, creativity, and focus with a deep respect for process. She is committed to her own ongoing training and exploration, approaching aerial arts as a lifelong practice of learning and discovery. Her path from absolute beginner to professional embodies her belief that it’s never too late to try something, and she hopes this performance invites others to explore what’s possible for them.
Shelby Moore is a dancer, choreographer, and instructor based in Lafayette, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in Performing Arts with a concentration in dance from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she received the Dean’s Scholar Award and performed works by guest artists including Eric Rivera, Taylor Mitchell, Clare Cook, and Alex McBride. Her choreography, Nephros, was selected for performance at the American College Dance Association conference, establishing her as an emerging creative voice. Shelby has performed with Space and appeared in productions such as Window Wonderland and Nicole Curtis’ Send on the Clowns at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Currently, as co-director of the Company at Core Dance Center + Yoga, she is committed to fostering artistry, mentorship, and community growth.
Lydia Young-Green is a Louisiana-based choreographer, dance educator, and performer from the Acadiana region. She holds a BFA in Performing Arts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and an MFA in Choreography from Wilson College. Lydia teaches modern technique at F.I.R.E. Expressions Dance Conservatory and dance electives at Lafayette Renaissance Charter Middle School. A former Adjunct Professor at UL Lafayette, she has choreographed for State of La Danse and An Evening of Dance and will premiere new work this fall. Her experience includes teaching with the PACE program, managing The Creole Nutcracker, and choreographing for Christian Youth Theater. Lydia’s choreography centers storytelling, spirituality, and identity—exploring Blackness, motherhood, faith, and mental health through movement and shared human experience.
