ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Hannah Garner (she/her/hers)
Hannah, awarded a Princess Grace in Choreography in 2025 and Dance Magazine’s ‘25 to Watch’ in 2020, graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Purchase, earning a BFA in Performance and Composition and a minor in Arts Management. Hannah has worked with Doug Varone, Raja Feather Kelly, Sue Bernhard Danceworks, Megan Williams Dance, and Rovaco Dance Company in venues such as The Joyce Theater, New York City Center, the Park Avenue Armory, and New York Live Arts. Her work as 2nd Best Dance Company has been commissioned nationally by leading contemporary dance companies and has appeared on theater stages and on film. In addition to her performing work, Hannah finds a creative home in teaching: she is currently on the dance faculty of SUNY Purchase and Gibney Dance Center. She also sat on the Bessie Selection Committee for 2023-2024. Hannah is deeply affected by the weather and how the trains are running. @2ndbestdance

Courtney Barth (she/her/hers, they/them/theirs)
Courtney is a New York based dancer originally from Las Vegas, NV. She began her training at Inspire Dance Company and Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts. They then moved to NY and earned a BFA in dance at SUNY Purchase. While at Purchase, Courtney studied abroad at London Contemporary Dance School where she performed at Sadlers Wells as an original cast member in ‘Polaris’ by Crystal Pite. Since moving to NY they have had the pleasure of dancing with Shannon Gillen for NYC Fashion Week, Kensaku Shinohara with a residency at the Queens Museum, and Loni Landon / Amy Gardner for their film project titled ‘Fuel’. They are currently a dancer with Hannah Garner’s 2nd Best Dance Company and Doug Varone and Dancers. @cnbarth

Will Noling (they/them/theirs)
Will is a performer and educator born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. A founding collaborator with 2nd Best, they graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Purchase with a BFA in Dance, having spent a term on exchange at London Contemporary Dance School. Will is also a dancer with Doug Varone and Dancers, and previously served as Artistic Associate with Gibney Dance Company. Additional performance credits include works by Megan Williams, Raja Feather Kelly, Chuck Wilt, and Crystal Pite, in venues such as Sadler's Wells, New York City Center, and the Joyce Theater. Will is also a Community Actionist and Partnership Manager for the Hands are for Holding® program at Gibney, facilitating movement workshops for survivors of intimate partner violence and working with young people to promote healthy relationships through movement. @tallmysteriouswoman

Ryan Yamauchi (he/him/his)
Ryan was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and began his dance training at the Mid-Pacific Institute School of the Arts. He later moved to New York and received his BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase. Ryan has had the pleasure of dancing with Doug Varone and Dancers, Loni Landon Dance Projects, NVA & Guests, and Sidra Bell Dance New York. He has also performed as a guest dancer with Gibney Dance Company, Santa Fe Opera, and Santa Barbara Dance Theater. As a choreographer, Ryan collaborated with Hannah Garner to create an evening-length work titled Housewarming, and has been commissioned to create work for students at San Jose State University, SUNY Purchase, and The Juilliard School. Ryan is currently on faculty at SUNY Purchase and Peridance Center. @ryan_yamauchi

Hsiao-Jou Tang (she/her/hers)
Hsiao-Jou was born and raised in Taiwan where she studied ballet, modern, traditional Chinese dance, and Tai Chi. She moved to New York to continue her training and received her B.F.A. in Dance from SUNY Purchase in 2008. As a freelance performer, Tang has had the great pleasure of working with Trisha Brown Dance Company, Monica Bill Barnes & Company, Netta Yerushalmy, Joanna Kotze, Annie-B Parson, 2nd Best Dance Company, Stacy Spence, John Jasperse, Donna Uchizono, Tendayi Kuumba, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Shen Wei Dance Arts, Nancy Bannon, Luke Murphy- Attic Projects (Ireland) and Every Body Meeting, among others. In February of 2024, Hsiao-Jou became the inaugural recipient of the Viola Farber Award given by the Foundation for Contemporary Arts. Hsiao-Jou was also a company member of Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion (2010-2012) and Doug Varone and Dancers (2012-2019), where she also acted as the rehearsal director (2017-2019). @hsiaojou19

Céline Maillard (she/her)
(Understudy)
Céline is a first generation Swiss, Angolan, and Portuguese performing dance artist born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She recently graduated from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College with a BFA in Dance Performance. While at Purchase, she also studied abroad at Amsterdam University of the Arts in their Expanded Contemporary Dance program. She has performed works by Hannah Garner, Martha Graham, Trisha Brown, Vim Vigor, and Antonin Rioche. She has also attended additional dance training programs with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Hofesh Shechter, B12, and Orsolina28. Céline is very interested in the intersections between dance, theater, text, and film. @celinemaillard_

Matt Morris (he/him)
(Lighting Designer)
Matt Morris is a New York City based lighting designer with varied lighting design experience across theater and dance, music, comedy, and other live events. He particularly enjoys working on new work with emerging artists and has an affinity for dance and movement. Through his work at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn he has collaborated on new pieces with several artists and companies, including the SHA Creative Outlet, 2nd Best Dance Company, and the Jamal Jackson Dance Company. His recent work includes designing for MoveNYC's Sweat Lab ar Chelsea Factory and for shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Edinburgh. @matehyo