Dancers Making Moves

Randi Reinert, originally from Halstead, KS, moved to St. Louis after receiving her BFA in Dance Performance from Wichita State University. While in St. Louis, Randi spent 4 years as a company dancer with St. Louis Dance Theatre (formally known as The Big Muddy Dance Company). From her time in St. Louis Dance Theatre, Randi has had the opportunity to perform works by world renowned choreographers such as Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Norbert de la Cruz, Omar Raman de Jesus, Brian Enos, Thang Dao, Bradley Shelver, Sidra Bell, and many more. Randi is now a freelance dancer and dance instructor throughout the St. Louis metro area, as well as a NAIA Conference Dance Judge. As an American Ballet Theatre certified ballet instructor and choreographer for companies such as Weissman’s Dance, Randi has helped multiple students reach their goals of becoming professional dancers.

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

Born in Redmond, Washington, Mark-David Bloodgood trained on scholarship for twelve years at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School under the direction of Francia Russell and Peter Boal. Mr. Bloodgood has performed with Huntsville Ballet, South Carolina Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet II, BalletMet II, ARC Dance, Saint Louis Ballet, Indianapolis Ballet and as a guest artist with the Columbus Opera and the Seattle Opera.
Mr. Bloodgood has had the privilege to perform principal roles throughout his career, including Siegfried in "Swan Lake," Count Albrecht in "Giselle," Romeo in "Romeo & Juliet," Prince Charming in "Cinderella," Cavalier and Snow King in "The Nutcracker," as well as principal roles in works by Peter Martins, Christopher Wheeldon, Twyla Tharp, Gerald Arpino, Septime Webre and many others.
Mr. Bloodgood is also a producer for the worlds highest grossing crowdfunded ballet "Raffaella, A New Fairytale Ballet".

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

Erin Morris has been teaching, performing, and competing in jazz and swing dancing for over 25 years. She has enjoyed international artist residencies in Vienna, Berlin, and Krakow but above all loves contributing regularly to her local communities and students. Erin received her MFA in Dance in 2023 from Washington University in St. Louis and is now adjunct faculty. Her art-making focus has been on blending her background in Black social jazz dance with personal explorations in postmodernism, and she finds that all paths return her to the importance of improvisation and collaboration with musicians. In 2024, she debuted the project "Jazz Shift" with her husband, drummer Steve Davis. Together they reimagine what is possible in spontaneous movement and sound, defining new coastlines with the language of jazz. Whether performing or teaching, Erin is committed to laying bare cultural roots and discovering a present that is individual, informed, aesthetic, and connective.

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

Llord Brown, known as LlordThaCreator or LlordThaDancer, is a dynamic performer, choreographer, and battler with over 500 shows to his name. From performing with B2K to starring in Kellogg’s Cheez-It Snap’d campaign, his versatility, raw energy, and storytelling captivate audiences, making him a powerhouse in dance and battle culture. Take a peek inside the Krump and street style dance scene in St. Louis in this in depth conversation with Llord Brown Jr. with Dancers Making Moves host Carly Vanderheyden.

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

Dancers Making Moves host Carly Vanderheyden chats with Delainey Bailey about her transition from studying dance at Lindenwood University to now being in her first season with MADCO as a professional dancer and teacher in St. Louis, MO.

Delainey Bailey is an apprentice dancer with the Modern American Dance Company (MADCO) in St. Louis. In her first year with the company, Delainey has performed three world premieres by choreographers Noelle Kayser, Lily Sheppard, and Annie Mitchell in HOPE ALIVE: Moving Stories. Delainey was honored to play the role of “Clara” in MADCO’s Madcracker Gala in December 2024. Beyond MADCO, Delainey is a teacher and choreographer for the competitive team at On Your Toes Dance Studio in Mehlville, MO. She has taught and choreographed for many studios in Illinois and Missouri during college and high school. In May 2024, Delainey graduated from Lindenwood University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree with a specialization in Contemporary and a minor in Dance Studio Management. Some of Delainey’s notable achievements from Lindenwood include earning “Top Creative Project” for her original choreography at the Student Academic Showcase, being awarded “The Dance Award” from her professors at Honors Convocation, being selected to perform in the Gala showcase at the American College Dance Association in Ann Arbor, MI for two pieces, and most recently receiving the “Best Dance for Camera” award from Hellbender Student Film Festival for her dance film, “Red Robin.” Delainey’s professional development includes programs with GUS Giordano Dance School, Water Street Dance Milwaukee, and Saint Louis Dance Theatre. Additional performance experiences include Lindenwood’s fall, winter, and spring dance concerts, Detroit Dance City Festival, Water Street Dance Festival, American College Dance Association, Seen: STL by Resilience Dance Company, and Busch Stadium with Lindenwood Lion Line Dance Team. Delainey is excited to collaborate with St. Louis dancers in Dancers Making Moves!

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

Marcela Gómez Lugo shares her story of relocating to the US from Puerto Rico to pursue her professional career in dance. Now, she's dancing with Ballet 314 in St. Louis while supporting the company as an administrative assistant and choreographer. Listen now to learn more about the ways Marcela is working to share her ancestors' stories through her art.

Marcela Gómez Lugo was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and began her pre-professional training at the age of fourteen at Andanza School of Dance, where she studied under the Cuban Ballet Methodology. She is a 2019 graduate of Mercyhurst University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and minors in Dance Pedagogy and Psychology. Marcela began her professional career as a trainee with The Big Muddy Dance Company (St. Louis Dance Theatre) before joining Ballet 314, where she is now the Executive Assistant and in her fourth season as a resident artist. As an educator, she specializes in making classical ballet accessible to the community and has designed dance curricula for studios across St. Louis. As a choreographer, Marcela’s work merges her Caribbean and Latin American heritage with her classical ballet and contemporary dance training. She is proud to have co-created Chocolat, an original children’s ballet that brought together a coalition of Puerto Rican artists. In March 2025, Chocolat will tour in Chicago as part of an invitation from the Puerto Rican Chicago Cultural Center. In addition to her work as a dancer, educator, and choreographer, Marcela has extensive experience in non-profit administration and social media.

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

Up next, Dancers Making Moves Podcast host Carly Vanderheyden talks with Hayley Barker about her work as an educator, choreographer, teacher, personal trainer and performer. Exploring themes of ancestral inspiration, dancers as business people, and ways of communicating with students and collaborators. Listen now to learn more about Hayley's journey through different dance communities in Australia, Chicago, and most recently, St. Louis!

Hayley Barker is a St. Louis-based freelance artist specializing in release-based contemporary dance and floorwork. Her performance credits span St. Louis, Chicago, and Melbourne, and she has danced as a guest artist with MADCO and Resilience Dance Company. She has performed work by Sidra Bell, Andrea Weber on behalf of Merce Cunningham, Anouk van Dijk, Rosanna Tavarez, Carl Fink, Dawn Karlovsky, Kelly Anderson Dance Theater, Gilbert Douglas, Emilee Lord, Emily Duggins-Ehling, Amanda Ramirez, and Marlee Doniff.

Her movement journey began in color guard, touring the U.S. three times with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps Color Guard. The rigor, artistry, and athleticism of this experience laid the foundation for her dynamic and expressive approach to dance. She is an alum of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), where she deepened her understanding of movement and performance.

A dedicated student of Countertechnique since 2017, Hayley has attended three One Body One Career intensives and will travel to Amsterdam this summer to continue her studies. She has also been a student of energy work with Pilar Lesko since 2020.

As a choreographer, she was a guest artist for SIUE’s Dance in Concert, where she created sun is fire, we are burning. She has also set three solos on herself in her professional career: play, on being young, and tell me how to live without doubt.

Beyond performance, Hayley is a personal trainer and Dynamic Stretch Lead at Life Time Frontenac, a COCA Teaching Artist, and guest teacher for MADCO and Resilience Dance Company. She integrates biomechanics and somatic practices into her teaching, guiding students toward greater efficiency, awareness, and artistry.

Hayley believes in movement as a force for connection and transformation. She acknowledges her family, friends, ancestors, and teachers for shaping her artistic voice and journey. With every performance and creation, she asks: Could this be the way we heal humanity?

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the project www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

From growing up in Denver, to pursuing a BFA in Dance at University of the Arts in Philadelphia, to now dancing with Saint Louis Dance Theatre. In our conversation with Nyna, we discuss life as a professional dancer in a repertory company, and an exciting new choreographic process for the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) original production "Kaleidoscope Crown"

Nyna Moore (She/Her, Denver, CO) received her formal education at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Academy as a part of the youth ensemble under the direction of Bashir Page-Sanders. In 2022, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with her BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. She has worked with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble in their production of Porgy and Bess and as a member of Contemporary Modern Company, Nu-World Contemporary Danse Theater (2016-2022). While at Uarts, Nyna worked with many notable artists, including Tommie-Waheed Evans, Kim Bears-Bailey, Michael Sheridan, Symone Holliday, Sidra Bell, Alfred Dove, Andrea Weber, and Mark Caserta. Nyna is currently in her second season with Saint Louis Dance Theater. She is excited to continue discovering new ways to instill hope in audiences. She believes the Dancers Making Moves project will assist in her pursuit of finding and deepening her artistic voice thus far in her dance career.

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

Dive into the world of classical Indian dance, and hear how Samanvita is working to create more opportunities for fusion between her classical Indian dance training with contemporary, hip hop, and other styles.

Samanvita Kasthuri is an emerging choreographer experimenting with the fusion of Indian classical dance styles with Hip-Hop, Contemporary, and many other genres of dance. Samanvita has been trained in Bharatanatyam and Kathak under Guru Prasanna Kasthuri, completing both her arangetrams when she was 15 and 14, respectively. She has also learnt Carnatic music under Guru Seema Kasthuri. Furthermore, she has experience in Contemporary through her dance minor program at Saint Louis University. Her work has been featured in many venues–in 2019 Samanvita won second place and the “I” Award at the Teen Talent Competition for a self-composed and choreographed piece called “Equal”, which focused on women’s rights. Additionally, as a sophomore in college, she was commissioned by Saint Louis University to choreograph and compose another piece, “Krtghna”, for the Saint Louis Literary Arts Award Ceremony in 2023. She premiered her choreographic work “What Do You Feel?” as her Senior Capstone project at Saint Louis University. This project sought to integrate “abhinaya” in fusion with other dance styles such as Contemporary and Hip-Hop, working collaboratively with student dance groups on Saint Louis University’s campus. She has had the privilege of presenting her work at the Battery Dance Festival and WaxWorks Showcase in New York, the St. Louis Contemporary Dance Festival, Festival of Nations, St. Louis Literary Arts Award Ceremony, and many more. She has also had the opportunity to perform internationally through Soorya Performing Arts, participating in dance dramas such as “Samarpan” a Saga of Indian Independence; Ayyappa; Ekalavya, and many more. She has performed at the Delhi International Arts Festival, Rasika Ranjini Sabha and Kartik Fine Arts in Chennai, Kalasankula Center for Indian Arts and Shantala Arts Academy in Bangalore.

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.

From growing up in Canada, to moving to the United States to pursue his BFA in Dance at the Fordham/Ailey School, Spencer has lived an art-filled life through both dance and other artistic endeavors.

Spencer Everett joined Saint Louis Dance Theatre in 2024 after two seasons with Ailey II. Originally from Stratford, Ontario, he began dance training at age four and studied circus arts under former Cirque du Soleil artist Meaghan Wegg. After training at Elite Dance Center in Woodstock and Dance Arts Institute in Toronto, he attended The Ailey School and Fordham University, graduating summa cum laude in 2022 with a BFA in Dance and a BA in Visual Arts.

During university, Spencer performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Memoria (2019, 2021, 2022), at New York Fashion Week, and the Guggenheim Museum. He appeared in Cielo Elena, a film commissioned by the Baryshnikov Arts Center, and apprenticed with Ailey II his senior year.

As a dancer with Ailey II, Spencer toured internationally, performing at the Holland Dance Festival, The Joyce Theater, and New York City Center. He worked with choreographers William Forsythe, Robert Battle, Andrea Miller, Baye & Asa, and Francesca Harper, and performed Alvin Ailey’s Revelations. His guest artist credits include Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet, Pony Box Dance Theater, and FHP Collective’s The Reckoning, commissioned by Ava Duvernay.

Spencer has performed at Art Basel Miami, directed movement for Lincoln Center’s Search for Spring, and appeared in Nona Hendryx’s The Dream Machine. His choreography has been presented at Battery Dance Festival, Ailey Citigroup Theater, and Barnard College.

Follow @dancers.making.moves on Instagram and Facebook and learn more about the artists involved in this project at www.dancersmakingmoves.com.