DIRECTOR/PERFORMER
LAVY
Lavy is a gender queer, New York City based, choreographic dance artist. Graduating with their BFA in dance from Marymount Manhattan College, their performance credits include works by Kyle Abraham, Andrea Miller, Jenn Freeman, and Nicole Von Arx.
In 2021, Lavy founded VERBAL ANIMAL, a cohort of queer multidisciplinary collaborators. Lavy’s work has been presented at the 14th St Y, WAXworks, TADA! Theater, 3 Dollar Bill, Laguardia Performing Arts Center and Triskelion Arts.
In Fall 2023, Lavy was commissioned as an emerging choreographer by Mare Nostrum Elements to premiere a new work at LPAC. In addition, their work, with(in) limit, was presented at the 14th Street Y by the Pioneers Go East Collective, a show that features Radical LGBTQ and Feminist artists.
This past spring, VERBAL ANIMAL premiered their first curated, all queer festival, Queer Noise, providing emerging queer choreographers with full production to present experimental, multi-disciplinary, and process centered work.
Over the past year, Lavy has received space residencies from MOtiVE Brooklyn and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, as well as, being one of seven residents to be selected for the 2022 international choreographic residency at Art Omi. Most recently, Lavy received a commission from Mare Nostrum Elements as a returning choreographer to premiere a new evening length work at Laguardia Performing Arts Center in February of 2024.
Additionally, Lavy is currently a Co-Producer for the NY show, Kiss My Face, as well as, the Founder of PLAY ME TECHNO AND TELL ME IM PRETTY, an experimental performance art rave that doubles as a fundraiser for Trans individuals.
CO-DIRECTOR/PERFORMER
OCTI LEE
Octi Lee is a multidisciplinary performance artist, residing in both London and New York. Octi is currently obtaining her masters degree at Trinity Laban under the Leverhulme Trust Dance Award where she is focusing on building work around Trans Phenomenology through the scope of dance, as well as somatic healing and alchemy through authentic movement.
Octi is a collaborator to their artistic partner Lavy for she is a co-director of Verbal Animal and a co-producer to their performance art rave PLAY ME TECHNO AND TELL ME I'M PRETTY. Octi recently was in residency at the English National Ballet with Jean Abreu as she is a collaborator on their new work which will be presented at the Tate Museum in April.
Octi performed as a soloist in Antonin Riochies new work “Jesus in Berlin” shown at Doc 11 in Berlin. Furthermore she has been in residency with Moulin Belle in France where she spent the summer of 2023 researching authentic movement.
Outside of performance and choreography Octi is a DJ where she is a resident DJ for PLAY ME TECHNO AND TELL ME I'M PRETTY. Merging the world of performance art and rave culture is at the core of Octi’s interests and creating the space where two can live is where her art begins.
Rehearsal director / PERFORMER
RAGIN SMITH
Ragin Smith (she/her) is a dance artist based in Brooklyn, New York. She received her BFA in dance at Marymount Manhattan College in 2020, where she performed works by Andrea Miller, Kyle Abraham, Loni Landon, Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish and others.
Since then she has had the pleasure of performing works by Brendan Fernandes, Evan Ray Suzuki, Valeria Gonzalez, Morgan Bobrow-Williams, Ryan Bailey, Troy Ogilvie, La Intrusa Company, Michelle Thompson Ulerich, and more. Alongside these freelance projects, Ragin is a collaborator with Hivewild, Verbal Animal, Wet Hairy Women, Headlights Theater, MORISATO, and Alison Chase Performance Group.
She has presented some of her own work at The Tank, Fabled Narcissism, ESTIA Day Fest, and as an artist in residence at the Jonah Bokaer Arts Foundation and the Cell Theatre. Ragin also partners with Haley Morgan Miller to direct and produce the Fabled Narcissism arts events.
COLLABORATOR / PERFORMER
Makaila Chiplin
Makaila Chiplin (she/her) is a New York based freelance artist, originally from Austin, Texas.
She graduated from the University of the Arts, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance
Performance. She has been involved as a performer and collaborator with BigKid Dance, Kayla Farrish, Katie Swords Thurman, Sheer Spectacle, Marcella Lewis, and Emily Wexler, among others.
COLLABORATOR / PERFORMER
KENLEY
HARDWICK
Kenley Hardwick is a recent graduate from Marymount Manhattan College.
Before coming to New York for college he began his training in South Carolina where he attended the South Carolina Governor's School for Arts and Humanities.
Upon Graduation, Kenley began studies with Gibney Pro, working with choreographers such as Rena Butler, Maleek Washington, Laja Field, and Elia Mark.
Recently, Hardwick joined VERBAL ANIMAL as a company member for their 2023 season.
COLLABORATOR / PERFORMER
camille phelps
Camille Phelps (she/her) is an interdisciplinary dance and visual artist based in New York City. Originally from Atlanta, she began her training at Dancemakers of Atlanta, performing various works by Wendell Gary, Billy Bell, Jamal White, Martha Nichols, and Cindy Salgado.
She continued her training at SUNY Purchase where she graduated in 2023 with her BFA in dance. During her time at Purchase, she had the opportunity to perform works by Hannah Garner (2nd Best Dance Company), Bill T. Jones, Linda and Glenn Sims, and Kyle Abraham.
After graduating, Camille has been freelancing in New York City, performing with Akira Uchida, Babou Sanneh, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Imani Guadin and is in her second year as a member of Sidra Bell Dance New York.
COLLABORATORS
LILY SHEPPARD
CHELEN MIDDLEBROOK
TRUTH COLON
SLOAN CALDWELL
PHILP TREVINO (LIGHTING)
SARILOU VENNING (SOUND)