Our Company
our directors
Elysia C. Banks,
Artistic Director
Elysia Christine Banks began her dance training at the Mayfair Academy of the Performing Arts. After seven wonderful years at Mayfair Academy, she trained at the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center before going on to graduate from Northern Illinois University in the spring of 2012 receiving a BFA in Dance Performance. Elysia trained on scholarship while at NIU under the direction of Autumn Eckman, Judith Chitwood, and Paula Frasz. After graduating, Elysia danced with Winifred Haun and Dancers from 2012-2014. She took a hiatus to devote herself to motherhood, and after the birth of her son in August of 2015, she made her return to teaching in January 2016 and to choreography in June of the same year. Since 2016, Elysia has presented work at The Center on Halsted, Daley Plaza, Joffrey Tower, and at the Logan Center for the Arts as one of Deeply Rooted’s Emerging Choreographers in 2017. She has been working in collaboration with Collaboraction Studios since August 2017 and presented works at The Goodman, Hamilton Park, and the Theatre on the Lake. Most recently, Elysia choreographed for Collaboractions’s play, A Blue Island in the Red Sea. She is also a 2018 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Greenhouse Artist, receiving a grant to fund her continued growth as a dancemaker. Elysia C. Banks is thrilled to continue her artistic journey as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and mother.
Photo: Benjamin Wardell
our members
Michelle Reid,
Resident Photographer
Michelle Reid is an Ohio native currently residing in Chicago after receiving her BFA in dance from The Ohio State University. Michelle is an artist with focus in dance, photography and circus arts. Her photography work has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Time Out Chicago and LA Splash. When she isn’t photographing, she continues working on her first passion, dance. Michelle has been performing as a freelance artist for numerous dance collectives and corporate events in Chicago. She has also performed with companies including Joel Hall, Emerald City Theatre, Aerial Dance Chicago, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Ariel Dorsey,
Associate Member
Ariel M. Dorsey is a Chicago native, she began her formal training at Chicago Academy for the Arts under the direction of Ana Peskevska and Randy Duncan. Ariel went on to further her studies at SUNY Purchase College in New York where she graduated with a BFA in dance. Throughout her four years of study she has work with choreographers such as Nelly Van Bommel, Pam Tanowitz Jonathan Alsberry, and Ori Flormen. Ms. Dorsey is currently dancing with Winifred Haun and Dancers and Moonwater dance project as well. She has also appeared in the dance ensemble in Porchlight music theatre production of Memphis.
Elijah Guardiola,
Associate Member
Elijah Guardiola is from Chicago, Illinois where he started dancing in high school at the Chicago High School for the Performing Arts as a Musical Theatre Major. During his time in high school Elijah concentrated in jazz, ballet, and tap. Elijah also participated in a summer dance program with Forward Momentum Dance Chicago where he studied more modern, african, hip-hop, and latin dances. Elijah then went on to further study dance at Ohio University for one year, in which he gained more training in many genres of dance. Elijah is now back in his hometown of Chicago as a new company member of Banks Performance Project.