Collaborators

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Artist

Trixi Anne Balinggan Agiao’s first experience dancing was with traditional Igorot dance she learned from the Northern California chapter of BIBAK. Her first ties to dance were about heritage, community and joy. Trixi is a socially conscious performer, choreographer and filmmaker using the digital guise of The Thoughtful Beast. Trixi creates work centered on fighting the stigma against mental illness. Utilizing her visual storytelling experience, Trixi sets out to make work that kinesthetically connects with her audience. She is currently a company dancer for Mounarath Powell Dance.

Trixi is also an active volunteer. She is a lead volunteer for the San Diego, Filipino Cinema, United AAPI Artists and Mental Wellness for Artistists. Agiao co-founded The Filam Film Collective which focuses on Filipino American representation in the media. TFFC also provides affinity spaces for the AAPI community.

Website thethoughtfulbeast.com

Instagram @thethoughtfulbeast

Artist

Forest Lee (they/them) is a queer dance artist and political organizer, residing on Kumeyaay land. They began their dance education at the age of 3, and danced competitively up to the age of 18, when they signed with Bloc LA Talent Agency. Forest has been fortunate enough to work with music artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii. Alongside their commercial dance career, Forest strives to use movement art and dance as tools for collective healing, liberation, and investigation of topics such as identity, connection, and the human experience as a whole. They are deeply informed by their work as an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and are dedicated to fighting for a world in which all people have the right to live dignified, happy, and healthy lives. Forest views art, especially dance, as an integral component for achieving the world we all deserve. 

PC: LIndsey Rose Photography

Instagram @_forestlee

Artist

Born and raised in Singapore, Lauren Lee (李爱玲) is a movement artist and dance maker currently based in San Diego. She recently graduated from UC San Diego, where she was a recipient of the Theatre & Dance Department’s Colleen Kendall Scholarship Endowment. Lauren’s work is largely informed by somatic movement and improvisational practices. Drawing from her background in public health, she is interested in using movement as a mode of healing, and a tool for exploring human resilience and relationships. Lauren has been fortunate to work with the San Diego Opera, San Diego Dance Theater, Malashock Dance, LITVAKdance, and as a visiting artist-in-residence for the 2025 Keshet Makers Space Experience in Albuquerque. She is currently an intern with DISCO RIOT’s (R)Evolution Artist Program. Lauren is passionate about using movement as a form of advocacy and community building; she strives to create and engage with work that explores authentic narratives and celebrates our common humanity. 

PC: Doug McMinimy

Instagram @laurenn.lee

Artist

Nicole Oga (she/her) is a radical thinking  dance artist, educator, and pedagogue who approaches her work through an  intersectional lens that is influenced by abolition, collective  liberation, anti-racist, black feminist praxis. In June 2024 she  graduated from the University of the Arts Helsinki with a Master’s in  Dance Pedagogy. Nicole works and resides on unceded Kumeyaay land, where  she currently does dance education and outreach work with DISCO RIOT  and teaches at Grossmont College. In her work she regularly questions  and evaluates her practices and methodologies to ensure she is inclusive  and in true solidarity with her community – listening to, collaborating  with, and following the lead of those who are most impacted. She  cultivates genuine empathy, compassion, and kindness, which she knows  will transform the world into an equitable society where all are truly  free.

PC: Antti Rintala

Instagram @dancingoga

Artist

Micah is a multi-facted dance and movement artist and current company member of Malashock Dance. She was born and raised in Vancouver, WA where  she danced with Virtuosity Performing Arts and Groove Nation. She has  since continued her training in intensive programs with NW Dance Project, The TL Collective, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Micah was the recipient of Disco Riot’s 2022 Space Residency Program. She has  performed works created by Alysia Johnson, Adam McGaw, James Gregg,  Kameron Saunders and Ashley Green. Micah’s other passions include but  are not limited to aerial pole, duo trapeze and visual/tactile arts.

Instagram @micahparra

Artist/Teacher     

Combining partner acrobatics with movement research, Jade centers safety and celebrates creativity. Passionate about deconstructing the dance binary, Jade uses movement exploration to build confidence and encourage curiosity in movers of all ages and backgrounds. She has toured internationally with MOMIX, performed as guest artist with Pilobolus, and guided hundreds of students through their shared love of dance. New to San Diego, Jade is thrilled to join such a thriving dance ecosystem and is honored to be here. 

Instagram @jadeprime

Photos & Links for Past Collaborators

Hannah Cavallaro*

Lydia Clinton

Airha Dominguez

Marty Dorado

Sasha Filistovich

Carlos Guerrero

Devine Hardy*

Liv Isaacs-Nollet

Elise Johnson

Gemiah Kurzfeld

Victoria Manoli

Gustavo Morales

Chelsea Mulholland

Noreen Ostrea

Elizabeth Racely

Zaquia Mahler Salinas

Mariia Sotnikova*

Esther Steele

Gino Alexander Kibby Thomas*

Sharlene Tsui

Karina Wilson

Geraldine Wong

*Founding member