FEBRUARY 25 - march 17

DLNY NextGen is designed to help young choreographers unleash their creative potential by providing them with robust guidance from professionals in the field. We are thrilled to announce Annia and Jade Chloe as choreographers for the Spring 2024 NextGen Apprenticeship.

Under the guidance of our Resident Mentor, William Carlos Angulo, our NextGen choreographers are in #TheLab cultivating their craft as artists and honing their skills as leaders. Dance Lab New York is proud to provide a company of professional teen dancers to support these rising choreographers.

VISIT THE NEXTGEN ARCHIVES

Featured

ANNIA

Based in Manhattan NY, Annia is a student and a freelancer. She is an experienced performer, having done vocal, acting, and dance performances. She is currently working on developing her career as a music producer, choreographer, and model.

She has a love for the stage and a community of artists. She believes music is the foundation of all her work, which drives her to create her own. You’ll always find her songwriting, or directing and choreographing her next big performance.

JADE CHLOE

Jade found her love for dance at the age of two and began the pursuit of choreography at the age six after watching a show based on the lives of two sensational dancers in Disney’s “Shake It Up”. It was from those moments on that she decided to make the beauty that is movement a permanent fixture in her life. As a high school student at the Professional Performing Arts School she now studies at the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater as well as at Steps On Broadway Academy. With the support of these facilities along with the unconditional love and encouragement of her number one supporter, her mom (Caula), Jade recently performed in Earl Mosley’s piece for Dance Against Cancer at Lincoln Center.

“Out of limitations comes creativity”

~Debbie Allen

DANCERS

Featured

CHRISTOPHER CALDERON

I am Christopher Calderon, 17 year old senior dance major at LaGuardia Highschool. Growing up in the Bronx, I was exposed to Hip Hop at my local Boys and Girls Club, dancing there for about 5 years. In the fourth grade I was invited to be a part of National Dance Institute's SWAT and Celebration Team, where I learned multiple styles of dance and performed until the 8th grade. While at LaGuardia I have trained in conservatory style ballet and modern for the past 3 years.

JADA FINKELSTEIN

A native New Yorker, Jada Finkelstein began her dance training at the age of 11 at Urzúa Dance Academy. She competed in many styles including contemporary, jazz, musical theater, and hip-hop, in both group and solo numbers. For the past 2 years, she has been a dedicated member of the Brooklyn Technical High School open style dance team TechUnique. She currently dances in a variety of styles at open classes throughout NYC

SKYE ESTEVEZ

Skye Estevez is a Filipino, Dominican, and Peruvian commercial dancer based in NJ / NY. She is 15 years old, a sophomore dance major at High Tech High School in Secaucus, NJ. A former NBA Knicks City Kid, Skye actively trains with @kozmicedge. She has been represented by @cleartalentgroup since the age of 7, and blessed to have worked on several projects including @target @nickelodeon @unicef. Skye has also earned success in the convention circuit, most recently a @kaos cast member. When not dancing, Skye enjoys digital design & editing, broadcasting, fashion, organization, technology, and travel. She is currently the Social Media intern for the @knickscitykids.

Skye is so grateful for the opportunity to dance & train with DLNY’s Next Gen 2023 Lab this cycle. She’s extremely appreciative of her family and friends for their constant support and especially thankful for her dance mentors for pushing her outside of her comfort zone.

CARLOS CARRERAS

Carlos has been dancing since the age of 6. He started with the Kips Bay Boys/Girls Club in the Bronx. He has experience in Ballet, Modern, Hip Hop, Salsa, Horton, Dunham, and west African dance. He currently attends PPAS HS, NYC-Sophmore- with his major in Dance- training in the Alvin Ailey School. He currently is also a member of La Acadmia Pre-Professional Dance Program at Ballet Hispanico. Carlos is also currently a student at Elite Stars Dance Academy in the Bronx. Carlos is super excited to begin his journey with the Dance Lab NY!

TYSON HILL

Tyson is 17 years old and from Orlando FL, he is excited to be joining his second cycle of Dance Lab New York. Tyson can be seen in the 2020 Netflix film Christmas On The Square directed/choreographed by Debbie Allen and featuring Dolly Parton.

DREAM HUNTER

Dream Dereon Hunter Williams, I'm 16 years old. I've been dancing since the age of 3 years old. I study ballet, tap, jazz, modern, HipHop and lyrical dance. I really enjoy doing Musical Theater, it just makes my heart smile! I have done a lot of dance competitions getting to travel for my dance, building great memories with other dancers and getting to learn from other teachers.

GAVIN MIELE

I have been dancing since the age of 2 and have not stopped since. I just recently moved from a competition based studio to a much smaller performance based studio. My favorite styles of dance are hip hop and contemperary.

ALEXA TSOUKALAS

I'm Alexa Tsoukalas, I'm 17 and from NJ! I have been training pre-professionally in NYC since I was 9 years old, and since then I have performed in various shows, such as Sybarite Love is Love, Young Choreographers Festival, the Jazz Choreography Enterprise, and more. I am very excited to be a dancer in the Spring NextGen Lab and to bring the visions of the choreographers to life!

RESIDENT MENTOR

Featured

WILLIAM CARLOS ANGULO, DLNY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

William Carlos Angulo is a choreographer, director, playwright, and arts educator based in New York. As an industry professional, he creates new musicals both regionally and commercially. Upcoming projects include MAY WE ALL national tour premiering in Nashville, HOMBRES at Portland Center Stage, and SHOUT SISTER SHOUT on Broadway. William co-founded the musical theater training program at Goodman Theater and was an original instructor for Broadway Across Borders. With a focus on social dance, his work and research centers community building through the process of creating art and live performance. He has taught dance and community devising at institutions such as Northwestern University, Indiana University - Bloomington, The Juilliard School, The Chicago Academy for The Arts, and The Arts Academy of Banja Luka through the US Department of Stateʼs Fulbright Program. William is a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, the Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists, and Actorsʼ Equity Association.

REHEARSAL DIRECTOR

Featured

OLIVIER MEDUS

Olivier Medus is a member of the ongoing season at the Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Park Avenue Armory. Notable productions include "Fire Shut up in my Bones," "Champion," "Porgy & Bess," and "Doppelgänger."

His journey began with Ailey II, the junior company of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. As a dedicated enthusiast of the concert dance world, he had the honor of performing with esteemed companies such as Camille A. Brown and Dancers, and Forces of Nature Dance Theater.

In the realm of musical theater, he served as a dance captain for Norwegian Cruise Line's production of the Broadway show "After Midnight" and in "Havana," directed by Warren Carlyle.

Olivier's profound passion for dance continues to inspire the dance world as an emerging choreographer and dedicated dance educator. He currently serves on the faculty at The Ailey School and has taught at American Ballet Theater, Manhattan Youth Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet School.

As a former dancer with DLNY, he is delighted to return as a rehearsal director for NextGen Youth Company.