ENSEMBLE

2026 SEASON

ISABELE ROSSO

Isabele Rosso (Dancer) is a versatile freelance dance artist and an interdisciplinary movement coach born and raised in Brazil. Rosso has worked as a dancer, company teacher, and choreographer for Nimbus Dance Company, as a backup dancer and choreographer for Sandflower Power, and she is currently a dance member with Kizuna Dance, Rovaco Dance, and Culpdid. She has performed works by Sofia Nappi, Cameron McKinney, Yoshito Sakuraba, Dawn Marie Bazemore, Lajamartin, Julia Ehrstrand, Jennifer Archibald, and others. Directed and performed by Rosso, her dance film “Immensity” was the opening piece at the LA Dance Film Festival 2022. Rosso is always looking for more opportunities to create, research, and explore new ways of communication and expression, which led her to found Humma – Fluid Movement, an outlet to bring the art of movement to people from all backgrounds.

LESAR STEPPUTAT

Lesar Stepputat aka Lesar Junior is a force rooted in the soul of house dance — a culture he has dedicated his life to preserving, evolving, and sharing. His influences from capoeira, hip hop, and contemporary dance have shaped a versatile artistic voice that moves fluidly across styles and disciplines. Deeply embedded in the NYC club scene, he believes house culture has the power to unite people of all walks of life. Beginning his training in Paris in 2009, his journey led him through California and into New York City in 2021, where he currently works with Kizuna Dance Company while developing his own work as a choreographer and teacher. He has collaborated with Embodiment Project, Botega (Italy), and artists like DJ Tony Touch and Two Lee from Nervous Records, teaching workshops internationally in Berlin, Budapest, Amsterdam, Beijing, Melbourne, Strasbourg and more. A dedicated community builder, he has hosted weekly house sessions for over 8 years and won top positions at battles including Summer Dance Forever, Step Ya Game Up, La Mera Mera Conexión Housera, Osaka Get Down, and more.

JUAN J. OSPINA

Throughout my trajectory with Kizuna Dance, I have participated as a dancer-performer in works that fluidly combine contemporary, urban, and other South American and Asian cultural influences. By leveraging my versatility in freestyle, I infuse each performance with spontaneity and energy. Recently, my dedication to developing control and strength through calisthenics has enhanced my stage presence, providing increased stamina, precision, and physical power. My commitment to innovation, discipline, and teamwork has enriched the artistic experience, driving the company’s creative vision and forging a deeper connection with the audience.

EMILY ASLIN

Emily Aslin (she/her) is a New York-based dance artist and choreographer. Emily is the founder of Aslin Projects and a current company member with Kizuna Dance, LaneCoArts, and artistic associate with Synchronous. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA program and has worked with the likes of Donald Byrd, Jamar Roberts, Felix Landerer, Marion Sparber, Lane Gifford, and Alexander Anderson. Her work was chosen for the 2025 92Y Future Dance Festival and she has also presented work at 14St. Y, The Craft NY, Arts on Site, and the Spark Festival. Emily was an artist in residence at The Visionary in 2025 and Carroll Hall in 2024. She premiered her first evening-length work, Dint, at Theaterlab in November 2025 and presented her work at APAP at Peridance Center in January 2026.

RACHEL CALABRESE

Rachel Calabrese is a New York based dance artist with a love for storytelling and physical dance theatre. Along with being a company member with Kizuna Dance, she also dances with Yaroque Dance Theatre and choreographs and performs her own work. Her work has been performed at theatres across New York and New Jersey, as well as in Wisconsin and Utah. Rachel graduated from Mason Gross School of the Arts where she received her BFA in Dance Performance. Whilst there, she had the opportunity to train with and perform works by; Shannon Gillen of VimVigor, Alexandra Beller, & Kimberly Bartosilk amongst others. Rachel is so excited to continue dancing with Kizuna, diving deeper into her floorwork practice & artistry.

JENNIFER BURLAGE

JJ Burlage is a movement artist and graduate of Montclair State University, where she received her BFA in dance performance and choreography. During her time there, she had the pleasure of working with Stephanie Batten Bland, Brice Mousset, Urban Bush Women, Helen Pickett, Kathleen Kelley, and TweetBoogie. JJ made her professional debut in Kobe, Japan with Kizuna Dance during the creation of Cameron McKinney and Toru Shimazaki’s choreographic collaboration, Safe Harbor. She is currently a performing artist with Freespace Dance under the direction of Donna Scro Samori, and Ashley Daigle Dance Company under the direction of Ashley Daigle, while freelancing throughout New York City and New Jersey. Her commercial credits include appearances on NBC's TODAY Halloween morning broadcasts in 2022, 2024, and 2025. JJ is excited and grateful to be returning to the stage with Kizuna Dance this spring.

ERIC BLOVITS

Eric Blovits is a Brooklyn-dance artist and educator. Originally from Saline, Michigan, Eric developed a passion for both contemporary movement and breaking fundamentals at a young age. He continued to pursue dance while studying at Wayne State University, where he was able to train under the likes of Meg Paul, Biba Bell, Jessica Rajko, and was a consistent performer and educator with Baira MVMNTPHLOSPHY, directed by Shaina and Baira. After receiving his BFA in Dance, he invested more into the breaking community of Detroit, becoming a member of the crew B.A.D. Since moving to the city, Eric has been excited to dive into street dance and contemporary floorwork, and has been grateful to train, create, and grow with Kizuna Dance.

BELLA DONATELLI

Bella Donatelli is a New York City–based freelance artist originally from Colorado. She graduated summa cum laude from Connecticut College with a BA in Dance and Classics, where she cultivated an interest in movement as a facilitator of interdisciplinary study, storytelling, and community building. During her training, she performed repertory by choreographers Sharon Eyal, Ronald K. Brown, Bebe Miller, and Jenifer Archibald. Since graduating, Bella has performed with David Dorfman Dance, apprenticed with Tethered Residents Theater, and currently performs with WHITE WAVE Dance Company, Arch Dance Ensemble, and Alcalay Studios.

OLIVIA HOLSTON

Olivia Caldeira Holston is a New York based freelance dancer, teacher, and choreographer born in Brazil, raised in São Paulo and in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her BA Honours degree from the London Contemporary Dance School and has attended summer intensives at the Alvin Ailey Professional and Junior Divisions as well as P.A.R.T.S. and Eastman in Belgium. Olivia began her professional career dancing in the Bay Area with companies such as Margaret Jenkins Dance Company, Garrett+Moulton Productions, Paufve Dance, Kristin Damrow & Company, and David Herrera Performance Company, among others. Since recently moving to New York City, she has had the opportunity to work with several choreographers such as Andrea Salazar (aPulso Dance), Audrey Thao Berger, and Clymene Aldinger (Clymoves). In addition, Olivia received the 2025 New York Dance Festival Choreographic Fellowship where she created and performed a solo in the New York City Ballet studios. She is thrilled to be working with Kizuna Dance.

KATE PERKINS

Kate Perkins is a New York City-based freelance dance artist with a background in both performance and technology. She holds dual degrees in Dance and Computer Science from UC Santa Barbara and has performed nationally and internationally in works by choreographers including Doug Elkins and Ephrat Asherie. Her credits span film and live performance, including a project with ARRI Rentals. Kate is also a choreographer, certified yoga teacher, and full-time tech professional, bringing a unique blend of artistry and discipline to every project.

FALLON BRACKLEY

SAFE HARBOR (2024) ORIGINAL CAST

MALENA
EARLS

EMILY ASLIN

RACHEL
CALABRESE

RILEY
RIENERT

JJ
BURLAGE

SAFE HARBOR INFORMATION

PREVIOUS COLLABORATORS

Kizuna Dance sends a heartfelt thank you to the many artists who have contributed their artistry, time, and sweat to the continued success of the company....The company is nothing without dancers!

Isaac Martin Lerner	Rohan Bhargava	Emmy Wildermuth
Riley Rienert	REBECCA SANDLIN	CAYLA MAE SIMPSON
MALLORY GALARZA	JESSICA SMITH	CHELSEA ESCHER-SEYMOUR
GWENDOLYN BAUM	BRIANNA DIXON	CASSIDY SAMELIAN
EZRA GOH	REKA ECHERER	MATEO MELENDEZ
ROSIE DEANGELO	ALEXANDRA TENREIRO THEIS	ALEXANDRA VASQUEZ
MARIA GARDNER	ANDREA LANZETTI	CESAR ARAGON
SEAN NEDERLORF