Jerylann Warner, Artistic Director, choreographer

Jerylann's credits in dance include twenty five years of teaching, choreography and early on, performing. To date, Jerylann has taught at Harvard and Emory Universities, Lesley College, University of Massachusetts Boston, and Georgia State University. She has directed two dance programs at Atlanta-based performing arts high schools and has served as a consultant, curriculum writer and project manager for dance in public school initiatives. She currently teaches at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center and the Decatur School of Ballet, where she is also a resident choreographer. Her choreography has been commissioned by numerous regional companies and foundations including Channel 11, the UNICEF Foundation, MTV Basement Videos, and Georgia Shakespeare. She received her early training in Afro-based vernacular jazz and Dunham technique from Brenda Bufalino (as well as Ms. Dunham) and went on to earn a B.A. in dance from Brockport State University. She later trained with Marcus Schulkind, Susan Rose, Peg Brightman, Lennie Williams , Danny Sloan, and Jeanette Neil. Jerylann most enjoys her current role as company director for Gathering Wild Dance.

Courtney Adams began dancing at age 7 in Stone Mountain, GA. She went on to dance at DeKalb School of the Arts at Avondale High School where she first met Jerylann. Courtney attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, where she had the opportunity to work with members of the Martha Graham Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company, David Parsons Dance Company, as well as Jillana and Ann Reinking. After graduating in 1997 with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance, she returned home to Atlanta and joined Gathering Wild. Over the past 10 years, Courtney has performed with Atlanta-based dance companies Gardenhouse Dance, Duende Dance Company, and Coriolis Dance Company. She also sits on the board of Gardenhouse Dance. For the past six years, Courtney has worked as a Pilates Instructor at Body Central in Buckhead, taking leaves of absence for such adventures as through-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with her husband and giving birth to a beautiful daughter (who has excellent rhythm!), Norah.

Emily Christianson recently moved to Atlanta from New York City where she danced and choreographed professionally for 4 years. While in New York, she had the pleasure of working with choreographers Nicole Durfee, Mark Lamb, Lisa Race, and Mary Seidman, among others. In September 2005, she performed in Agora by Noémie Lafrance, a monumental site-specific dance theater work staged in the historic McCarren Pool in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Emily’s choreography has been presented at University Settlement, Dance Space Center, and Metro Baptist Church in New York City, and recently, at Banzai Funspace Studio in Atlanta. In addition to Gathering Wild, which she joined in spring 2006, Emily also performs with Immerse Dance, directed by Jessica Sias Wilson. She has guest taught for Zoetic Dance Ensemble and is in the process of building a release-technique based modern dance class in Atlanta.

Claire Horn began dancing at Ballet Mississippi, and was introduced to modern dance as a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she performed with the student company, Modernextension. While in North Carolina, she performed with Anima Dance, Independent Dancemakers and Choreo Collective, and studied at the American Dance Festival with Betty Jones, John Jasperse, Jeremy Nelson, David Dorfman, and Lisa Race. Since moving to Atlanta, in addition to Gathering Wild, which she joined in 2004, Claire has performed with Coriolis Dance Inc. She has also created work: a duet for herself as part of a showcase of Atlanta choreographers presented by indieMOVE, and commissions for Callanwolde Dance Ensemble and Cartersville School of Ballet. She works as the Communications Manager for Several Dancers Core and is a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance at the 200 hour level.

Daphanie Scandrick began her modern dance training at Davidson Fine Arts School in Augusta, Georgia. She was also a member of the Augusta Ballet apprentice company under guidance of Ron Colton, Zanne Beaufort-Colton, and Cammy Fisher.
In 2000, Daphanie obtained a B.B.A in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State University and currently works as a Healthcare Analysis Manager for Georgia’s Department of Community Health. As a member of Gathering Wild since 1997, she has performed in several company produced shows as well as the MAD Festival, the Inman Park Dance Festival and the Mohonk Arts Festival in New Paltz, NY. Daphanie also works regularly with choreographer George Staib and performed with Atlanta based company, Zoetic Dance Ensemble, for three years.

George Staib began his dance training at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in conjunction with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. After receiving a BA in political science, he pursued his Master of Fine Arts degree at Temple University where he served on the faculty upon graduating. Some of Staib’s notable teachers include Ann Vachon, Sharon Kinney, Bela Lewitzky, Mark Heim, Irene Hultman, Geri Houlihan, Clay Talliaferro, and Betty Jones; while company credits include Ann Vachon/Dance Conduit, Coriolis Dance Company, Gathering Wild Dance Company, and Paula Kellinger and Dancers. In addition, the fall of 2006 provided Staib the opportunity to perform with the Jose Limon Dance Company as a guest artist in their recreation of “Missa Brevis”. As a choreographer, Staib has been honored with awards and citations both nationally and internationally for his work. He received top honors for choreography in the Prague Dance and Theatre Prize 2000held in the Czech Republic; was awarded the Governor’s Prize from the Philadelphia Council on the Arts in 1994 while still a student; was the recipient of the Walkley Prize and the Weiss Prize for the Arts - both for his choreography. His work has been extensively commissioned and has been produced in over 20 states and has been selected for ACDFA Gala Performances. As a teacher, he served as a Guest Artist-in-Residence at Wilson College and the University of Nevada, and for four years, was a choreographer for the Las Vegas Civic Ballet. Staib has an extensive background in music and has been recognized nationally for his choreographic and design contributions to high school band and colorguard programs, as well as the drum corps and winter guard activities, to which he still remains very devoted.

Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, Kathleen Wessel has spent her life as a student of movement. Dance has always been her number one, but her experience with athletics including cross-country, pole vaulting, swimming, tennis, and gymnastics continues to inform her dancing and her choreography. Kathleen began her dance training at the School of Performing Arts in Orlando. She went on to attend Emory University, earning BA in psychology while also choreographing and dancing for the Emory Dance Company. Kathleen is a recent graduate of Florida State University where she earned a Masters degree in Fine Arts and performed the works of Carrie Houser, Lynda Davis, Susan Marshall, and Martha Graham. Kathleen’s dance training has taken her to The Place in London, England, the American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina, and Dance New Amsterdam in New York City. In her last year of graduate school, her work Glacial Ornaments was chosen for the gala concert at the American College Dance Festival in Oxford, Mississippi. Kathleen is currently a full-time dance teacher in the Mt. Zion High School Fine Arts Magnet program. She is also a guest choreographer for the Emory Dance Company in the fall of 2007.

Toya R. Willingham is a Choreographer, Professional Dancer and Dance Instructor, currently residing with her husband in Snellville, Georgia. She has been dancing since the age of four and graduated from DeKalb Center for the Performing Arts at Avondale High School. She attended Gwinett Medical Tech with a major in Respiratory Therapy.
Her choreography has been showcased at Coker College, the University of South Carolina, National High School Dance Festival, DeKalb School of the Arts, Cartersville City Ballet, St. Pius X High School and most recently at Decatur City Dance. In addition to Gathering Wild, she is a member of the Professional Company of Decatur City Dance directed by Kathleen Everett. She is a full-time teacher at Decatur School of Ballet as well as Decatur City Dance and a part-time teacher at Cartersville School of Ballet and Woodland High School.
Toya’s future aspirations are to continue dancing as well as establish her own company with the help of Gathering Wild and Decatur School of Ballet friends and family.