Erika Schonemann Surma, Artistic Director of Next Reflex Dance Collective, formed NRDC with Roxann Morgan Rowley in 2006. Since 2006, NRDC has been presented throughout the region by multiple venues and festivals including The DC Dance Festival, The Charlotte Dance Festival, The DUMBO Dance Festival, The Goose Route Dance Festival , The DC Improvisation Festival, Jane Franklin's Dance Sampler, Mason/Rhynes Productions "Late Night Series", The American Dance Institute, Dance Place, The Harman Center and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. NRDC has received support from the Puffin Foundation, the Arts Council of the Valley, the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities and the Virginia Commission for the Arts. NRDC was the proud recipient of the 2009 Dance Metro DC Dance Awards' "Founders Award" for innovation in dance. Additionally, Erika's choreography has been commissioned by The Morton Street Dance Center in Baltimore, DC based CrossCurrents Dance Company, Jeslyn Dance Gallery, and James Madison University's resident company, The Virginia Repertory Dance Company. Erika's early training consisted of The Nikolais/Louis Technique, studying with Marilyn Byers and Murray Louis. She also trained in New York City at the Merce Cunningham Studio as part of the Professional Training Program, as well as the Jose Limon Institute, Steps on Broadway and Dance Space Center. Erika has performed professionally with Washington, DC based companies Jeslyn Dance Gallery, Tommy Parlon Dance Projects, and Jane Franklin Dance, and toured nationally and internationally with NY based circus-act company Cirque Le Masque. Her performing has taken her all over the U.S. and abroad to Cergy-Pontoise, France and Athens and Volos, Greece. In addition to directing Next Reflex Dance Collective, Erika is also an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Marymount University, Northern Virginia Community College and teaches Pilates in Fairfax, VA. Erika received an MFA in dance from George Mason University and a BA in Dance from the University of Maryland, College Park as a Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) full scholarship recipient.

Roxann Morgan Rowley completed her MFA at George Mason University and her BA in dance at George Washington University. An artist and performer in the DC Metro area, she has worked with local artists and companies including Sharon Mansur (MansurDance), Adrienne Clancy (Clancy Works), Steven Mazolla (American Century Theater), Daniel Burkholder and the Playground, Daniel Pheonix Singh/Dakshina Dance Company, Anomosmotion, Peter DiMuro, Jane Jerardi and Jane Franklin Dance Company. She has choreographed for The American Century Theater, contributing to productions such as The Picnic, A Flag is Born and In the Summer House. Her choreography has also been performed at George Mason University in The George Mason University Dance Concerts and The Vagina Monologues. She has also presented work at James Madison University in their Virginia Repertory Dance Company concert, JMU Student Dance Concerts and New Dance Festival (2006.) Her work has been showcased in productions at Dance Place and Joy of Motion in Washington, DC, Dancing Across the Virginias at the Court Square Theatre in Harrisonburg, VA, the Charlotte Dance Festival in NC, Arts for Change, Mount Rainer, MD, Dance Sampler, presented by Jane Franklin in Arlington, VA and The Goose Route Dance Festival in Sheperdstown, WV. She also served as part-time faculty for James Madison University teaching a variety of classes to majors and minors in the dance program. She has also taught for Fairfax County Public Schools Institute for the Arts, George Mason University dance department and helped contribute movement workshops to INOVA Hospital's Life with Cancer program. Currently Ms. Rowley acts as Programs Associate for Constituents Services at Dance/MetroDC a dance service organization in Washington DC and teaches at Joy of Motion Dance Center.

Sandra C. Atkinson holds a B.A. in Dance from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a M.A. in Dance (Education) from American University. Sandra is an Adjunct Professor at Montgomery College in Rockville, MD and at Northern Virginia Community College- Alexandria Campus, Alexandria, VA. At both institutions she instructs Ballet, Modern, and Jazz technique. This semester she is the Artistic Director of the Montgomery College Spring Dance Company. In addition to being a company member on Next Reflex Dance Collective; she is also a company member with Jane Franklin Dance, Carla & Company at Dance Place, and is an Adjunct company member with Liz Lerman Dance Exchange.

Tina Fratello is a performer, choreographer, and educator in the metro D.C. area and beyond. She had the wonderful opportunity to train at the Virginia Ballet Theatre, Ballet Magnificat, and Shenandoah Conservatory as a scholarship student. Ms. Fratello has toured nationally and abroad including Moscow and Ulyonovsk, Russia where she performed the acclaimed solo "Ophelia" choreographed by Sharon Butcher. Since receiving her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Shenandoah Conservatory, Ms. Fratello has continued to spread her passion to those she teaches and performs for. Most recently Ms. Fratello was the Assistant Choreographer on HGTV's national commercial campaign for "Sleep on It." She is currently the Artistic Director for the Allegro Performing Arts Company and Dance Academy as well as a guest choreographer for both Superne Dance Theatre and Suwanee Performing Arts Academy.

Holly Gilbert has a Master of Arts in Dance Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from East Carolina University. She has taught and danced professionally in California, Virginia, and North Carolina. In addition to teaching in the North Carolina area, Holly was a company member of the John Gamble Dance Theatre which has been on the touring program for the North Carolina Dance Festival and was on the board of the North Carolina Dance Project. Holly is new to the DC area and currently teaching and collaborating with the Next Reflex Dance Collective.

Wayles E. S. Haynes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, a Master’s of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Hawaii, and is a Certified Laban Movement Analyst. A dance educator since 1999, most notably at The University of Tennessee Knoxville, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Queen Margaret University, Vine Middle Magnet, Beaumont Honors Academy, and Studio Arts for Dancers. In the past Wayles has danced with Circle Modern Dance, Convergence Dance Theatre and Momentum Dance Lab and is currently working in the area with Jane Franklin Dance, Gesel Mason Dance Projects, and Nextreflex Dance Collective.

Shannon Quinn graduated from Winthrop University in South Carolina in 2004. She earned her BA in Dance with K-12 certification. Shannon is currently on staff at Dance Place as the Outreach Coordinator. She currently teaches though out the DC Metropolitan area in several DC public schools as well as Knock on Wood Tap Studio, Jewish Community Center, and Dance Place. Shannon is also on faculty at the Catholic University of America where she teaches beginning and intermediate Modern dance classes. Shannon has danced with Modern dance company Carla and Company for three years. She has also performed works by other choreographers such as Jessica Merchant, Helanius Wilkens, Amir Kolbin, April Betty, Sandra Atkinson, Lynn Bowman, Mary Love Ward and Nellie Rainwater.

Danielle Quirion embodies a diversity of dance experiences. Dani began as a competitive gymnast and dancer from a young age and continued to receive dance training in Ballet at the Arlington Center for Dance, Modern at Virginia Commonwealth University, and collaborated with dancers at the Dance Company of Virginia Tech. She currently dances as a member of the Contemporary Repertory Dance Theatre, performing contemporary Ballet, classical Ballet, and works on point, and is also a dancer and choreographer with DCypher Hip Hop Company. Dani interns at Joy of Motion Dance Center and substitute teaches dance classes. Dani earned a BS degree in Sociology from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Masters of Public Administration from Virginia Tech University; devoting her time to a variety of subjects, including dance, music in culture, gender, race, and social policy. Dani sets out to expand her mind and energies to continually explore new points of creativity in dance and art.

Eric Shimelonis is a composer, conductor and multi-instrumentalist. His work ranges from orchestral music to the popular and spans film, television, theatre, and dance. As a score composer, he has been involved with both feature films and television documentaries. The film "Winter Passing" was another in a long line of collaborations with writer/director Adam Rapp, and put Eric face to face with Will Ferrell, Ed Harris and Zooey Deschanel, as they worked closely to bring the onscreen music to life. In association with nature filmmaker Daniel Breton, he has scored a number of award winning documentaries for the National Audubon Society and for the Houston Zoo, and in collaboration with Discovery they earned a 2008 Daytime Emmy Award. Eric has worked on over 200 plays in New York , regionally and internationally. He has enjoyed long-term collaborations with such theatres as the Atlantic, Areana Stage, The Julliard School, Mabou Mines, Playwrights Horizons, Rattlestick, Southern Rep, Studio Theatre and Theatreworks WSA. He was the recipient of a 2002-2004 National Endowment for the Arts Grant and was nominated for a 2007 Lucille Lortel Award. In the classical music world, Eric has served as assistant-director with both the Philadelphia and Boston Symphony Orchestras for performances of Stravinsky's "L'histoire du Soldat." His compositions for string quartet and other small ensembles have been performed at Julliard and in new music venues around New York, and his completing a cycle of art songs to the poetry of Ilene Starger to be performed by F. Murray Abraham later this year. As conductor, Eric is the director of the Voice of the City Ensemble in New York City, and will be leading the orchestra in the New Orleans production of the Broadway hit "Grey Gardens" this coming May.

Colleen Hutchings graduated from George Mason University in 2004 with a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Women's Studies. Over the years Colleen has had the opportunity to work with Next Reflex Dance Collective, Anomos Motion, A.O. Movement Collective, and CrossCurrents Dance Company. She has performed in pieces choreographed by David Parsons, Tiffany Haughn, Debby Kanter Klaus, Darcy Mandell, Sarah Hixon, Roxann Morgan, Kate Skarpetowska, Danny Buraczeski and her own work. When she's not dancing, Colleen nurtures her other passions: politics and feminism. After time working for the Democratic Party and multiple pro-choice organizations, Colleen is proud to be a part of the Environmental Working Group.

Marissa Guerrero earned a BFA degree in dance performance and choreography from the Ohio University, Athens in 2001 and received an MFA in dance with an emphasis in choreography from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2008. She currently is an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Maryland, College Park and Towson University and was the Director of Dance at St. Ursula Academy in Toledo, Ohio for three years. This position required curriculum development in choreography, modern, jazz, and ballet, plus choreographing the SUA musicals and coaching the competitive dance team. Marissa has also taught Creative Movement at the Strathmore/City Dance Center in Bethesda and had the opportunity to work as the Membership Administrator for the National Dance Education Organization for two years and attended three national NDEO conferences throughout the US. In addition to her current duties at UMD and Towson, she also teaches at Kinetics Dance Theatre in Ellicott City, MD. Marissa has had the opportunity to work with many artists such as Mark Haim, Doug Elkins, Dianne McIntyre, Monica Bill Barnes, Gesel Mason,Lionel Popkin, and Alvin Mayes. She has performed with the Gesel Mason Performance Projects, Arts United of Washington Company, the Jeslyn Dance Gallery, NY2 Dance Company/ Nejla Yatkin, Maryland Dance Ensemble, and Next Reflex Dance Collective. Marissa is currently putting a series of solo works together and will be presenting them in the spring 2009 in Washington, D.C.

Dana Lokitis is a 2nd year Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy student at the University of Maryland Baltimore and is very excited to be performing with Next Reflex Dance Collective. Dana has a B.A. in Dance from James Madison University and has performed with Jane Franklin Dance, CrossCurrents Dance Company, Kinetics Dance Theatre and the Virginia Repertory Dance Company. Dana was the Assistant Director of the Student Choreography Dance Concert at St. Andrews Episcopal School in Potomac, MD and has taught at numerous studios in the metro DC area.

Stephen Lopez graduated from George Mason University with a BA in Theatre. He has since had the pleasure of working with such companies as Bread and Puppet Theater, 1st Stage, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Journeymen Theater, Daniel Phoenix Singh/Dakshina Dance, WIT, Theater of the First Amendment, and Century 21 Theatre. Stephen has also had the opportunity to workshop with the SITI Company, Elizabeth STREB, Gerri Houlihan, Oni Faida Lampley, Peter DiMuro, Cassie Meador, Ken Elston and Lynnie Raybuck. He is currently working as an apprentice for Deviated Theatre.

Melissa Talleda is a graduate of Goucher College and holds a B.A. in Dance and Psychology. Originally from Pennsylvania, Melissa started her dance training at Dance to the Music School of Dance. She has had the opportunity to work with fantastic guests artists both at Goucher, and abroad in Rio de Janeiro where she studied under Angel Vianna and Deborah Colker. She is currently teaching dance in a multitude of styles for the D.A.R.E. dance program, and Expressions in Motion, along with teaching here at Experimental Movement Concepts. Melissa can also be seen dancing with ClancyWorks Dance Company, The Collective, The B More Dance Project, The Effervescent Collective and Next Reflex Dance Collective. She also creates work with SHMIB Dance.