Our Dancers

Cheryl Delostrinos

Cheryl Delostrinos  (Mama  bear) 

is a Filipino American born and raised in Seattle. She trained with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Cornish College of the Arts, and the University of Washington Dance program.  Delostrinos spent summers attending dance intensives with the American Ballet Theater, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, the American Dance Festival, Doug Varone and Dancers, and the Alvin Ailey School in New York. In 2013, she graduated with a B.A in Dance from the UW and was awarded the Evelyn H. Green endowed scholarship for artistic merit and promise. In September of 2014, Delostrinos presented her duet Closer at the CHIN Project at the 92 street Y under the direction of Doug Varone. In Seattle, she has been commissioned to choreograph for Relay Dance Company, The Contemporary Jazz Dance Festival, and for Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences. Delostrinos is the Artistic Director of Au Collective and is currently working with Pat Graney on her premiere of Girl Gods presented by On the Boards.

sam picart

Sam  Picart 

Picart  originally  started  dancing  in  Kansas  City  as  a teenager,  being  self-taught  in  urban  dance  styles.  Picart  continues  to  develop  his  own  unique  style by  blending Urban  Street  disciplines  and  contemporary  dance techniques,  respectively.  He  began  his  formal  dance training  at  18 years old with  his  Aunt  Jennifer  Picart-Branner (formerly  of  the  Frankfurt  Ballet).  Picart  received  a  BFA from  Cornish  College  of  the  Arts  and  studied on scholarship  at  Joffrey  Ballet  in  New  York  City.  He  has danced  featured  roles  in  the  Nutcracker,  Sleeping  Beauty, Jose  Limon’s ‘Psalm’,  and  Camille  A  Brown’s  ‘New Second Line’. Picart is also a founding member of Ashani dances directed by Iyun  Ashani  Harrison.  Recently,  Picart  was  the  chosen winner of  Ellen Degeneres’  Dance  Off  competition  and  was  a  featured guest on  the show.  Currently,  Picart  teaches,  choreographs, and performs  all  over  the  US  with  Seattle  as  his  home base. Picart  is  also  a  new  addition  to  AU  Collective  beginning  the spring  of  2016.  He  forever  considers  himself  a  student.

Our supporters

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
The American Dance Therapy Association
Good Therapy

Megan Erickson 

is a Seattle based dance artist with a B.A. in dance from the University of Washington.  Post graduating, Erickson trained with Spectrum Dance Theater’s Academy Program where she also held an internship under the direction of the Artistic Director of the School. Erickson has a strong passion for choreographing, and recently choreographed for Relay Dance Collective’s benefit performance in the spring of 2015.  In her time at the University of Washington she choreographed for the Dance Major’s Concert for two years, was president of the Dance Student Association (DSA), and participated as a dancer and choreographer in DSA’s productions of InFlux. Erickson was the stage manager/lighting designer for Seattle Contemporary Jazz Project in 2013.  She has attended the Limón Summer intensive 2012 in New York, and the Dance This 2009 in Seattle. Erickson’s other performance opportunities include Spectrum’s Holiday performance, UW’s MFA concert, Westlake Dance Center’s Sign of the Times, and the American College Dance Festival.

Austin Nguyen
Co-Founder/Dancer

Austin Nguyen

Is a Seattleite, performer, creator, and advocate for both the arts and the sciences. Nguyen graduated from the University of Washington  in 2013 with degrees in biology-physiology and dance studies. Prior to his formal dance education at the UW, he began his dance career in the comfort of his living room, learning various styles of hip-hop, particularly popping and locking and isolations. Since graduating, he has had great pleasure working with wonderful companies and people including the Chamber Dance Company, Jennifer Salk, Paul Moore, Paula J. Peters, and Rhonda Cinotto, among others. Nguyen is currently focused on fusing both his contemporary modern and hip-hop dance techniques while trying to find his own voice and identity in the dance community. Outside of the arts, Nguyen is an advocate for health and is currently applying to medical school.