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Kristy Beauvais, Flounder & Executive Director/Teacher Training Specialist
Kristy Beauvais, Founder of FOCUSfish, leads all creative and instructional aspects of program development. She has created the FOCUSfish philosophy and techniques over the course of her lifetime. Kristy comes from a family of health and fitness entrepreneurs. Her mother was one of the original New Orleans Saints dancers who operated her own successful dance studio. Kristy's father was a professional bodybuilder who opened and ran his own gym in New Orleans. Choreographing competitive posing routines for large, pumped up men was a normal childhood activity for Kristy. Kristy has tapped all of her previous influences and experiences, including musical theatre, Bunraku "rod" puppetry, live hosting and improvisation, Butoh dance, aerobics instruction, personal training, aerial training, comedy and on-camera acting, to create FOCUSfish. The FOCUSfish name and philosophies were born through the broad variety of movement, dance and fitness classes Kristy has taught at gyms such as Crunch Gym in New York and Los Angeles, and performance studios such as the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Los Angeles. Now residing in Los Angeles, Kristy has carved a niche for herself with her efforts to provide intelligent, creative physical fitness instruction for children in the area's public & private schools. The FOCUSfish performance fitness center (2003-2006) received increasing coverage in local and national print, and on-camera media. As a result, Kristy was asked to serve as Fitness Expert on the Food Network's show "Weighing In" She has shot additional pilots at FOCUSfish, and has been featured in Spa Magazine, Fit Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and several regional papers in Los Angeles. Kristy is happy to lead FOCUSfish as a mobile program, reaching more of the community, with her talented troupe of teachers and professional performers. Kristy, along with her husband Paul Beauvais, are proud to be producers of The FOCUSfish Flying Circus. Mrs. Beauvais holds a BFA in Dance from the Tisch School of Arts at New York University. She also holds ACE accredited certifications in Stretch, Pre/Post-Natal Exercise, and Core Training. She is currently working toward certification that expands FOCUSfish's support of the LGBTQIA+ community. Kristy is proud to be a graduate of the Annenberg Alchemy + class of 2012, and grateful to receive the $10,000 grant for capacity building from the Annenberg Foundation. |
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Ebonee Arielle - Director, Instructor & Choreographer
Ebonee Arielle Le'Triece ("Coach Ebonee") - professional dancer, choreographer, director and instructor - was born in Cleveland, Ohio and got her start as a competitive gymnast and figure skater, and then a recording artist and singer/songwriter - before she transitioned into dance in high school. The combination of her athletic and artistic backgrounds gave Ebonee a strong foundation in technique and musical inclination, which she has used to build an impressive and versatile 15-year+ career in dance and performance art. Ebonee took her first hip hop class at Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles at 16-years-old, and continued to pursue dance training as a principle dancer and choreographer at Beverly Hills High School, and as a dance major and student choreographer at Santa Monica College & Loyola Marymount University. During her senior year of high school and following graduation, Ebonee was brought in as a special guest PE instructor, and guest choreographer for the cheer squad and the hip hop dance companies, as teachers recognized her natural gift for teaching, creating and sharing her talents. Throughout her education, Ebonee won numerous awards and scholarships for dance, choreography and coaching, including the American Dance Festival scholarship where she trained and performed at Duke University, and the "Coach of the Year" award for her service to the community. |
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Tia Didden, Static Trapeze Specialist
Tia Matza-Didden is a professional actor/dramatist and Native Angeleno. She was born and raised in Malibu California by her parents Joe Matza and Mary Matza. She began performing at a young age on stage and started acting professionally at age 18. She has worked on countless commercials , in TV and in films. Tia loves to push the boundaries of her body and spirit in the name of storytelling. She started performing when she was very young and her continued passion to create in many mediums has opened her mind and heart to many new endeavors. Tia has always been athletic and the aerial arts combine her psychical passions with her love for acting. She has performed on stage and in film and television for over 20 years. Most recently she performed at a TEDX Women's event at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. She graced the stage for the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival 2012 and 2014 Annual Awards Ceremony. Tia continues to work on stage, and in film and television while raising her family in Los Angeles. |
Axe - Capoeira Specialist
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Rebecca “Fireplug” Levis
Rebecca "Fireplug" Levis was a year-round athlete and musical artist in high school, has been training in circus arts for the past 14 years and professionally performing for the past 12 years. She specializes in flow & fire skills, circus peg stilts, costuming, make-up and (juggling) props. She has performed for television and film and has worked with several entertainment companies, venues, fairs and festivals across California, along with traveling for work in the US (including Hawaii), Korea, Mexico and South Africa. Her professional teaching experience includes Cirque du Soleil's Cirque du Monde program, FOCUSfish, Zip Zap Circus School, and a handful of after school programs in Los Angeles. She is currently also a student of Social Work at California State University, Los Angeles. |
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Jones Welsh, Physical Education Program Manager
Jones Welsh has been performing, directing, and teaching movement and theatre professionally in New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle for the last 8 years. This is his fourth year as a Diavolo Dance Theatre company member and he has also collaborated with Rosanna Gamson / World Wide, Collage Dance Theatre, Invertigo, and his partner Erin Schlabach. Having a BA in theatre and dance from the University of Washington, his training includes contemporary modern dance, gymnastics, Capoeira, and Contact Improvisation. With Making Faces Productions, Jones co-produces new work in Los Angeles, including the Company Of Strangers, The Wedding Journey with CatchMeBird, the On Dry Ground Project with Moving orah, the new IN/EX Dance Project, contra-tiempo, and LA movement festivals: the Improv Dance Festival and the Somatic Movement Arts Festival. Jones currently assists Kristy Beauvais, of FOCUSfish, with all curriculum and operations in the LA County/LAUSD school physical education program. He is also the Acrobatic Specialist inspiring the kids at LYCEE International with their annual circus shows, under the big top. |
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Lexi Pearl, Advanced Aerial & Cirque Acrobatics Specialist
FOCUSfish is thrilled to have Lexi Pearl, native Topangan, on the roster of teachers... finally. Lexi graduated University of California, Santa Barbara with a BFA in Dance, and then immediately started making the rounds as a performer, both locally and internationally. She danced with Tongue, MYOKYO and Diavolo Dance Company, to name a few. She is currently in the air, much more, on stilts, trapeze, lyra, hammock, and silks, performing with: Eye of Newt Circus, Dream World Cirque, Way 2 Much Entertainment, and as an Animator with Cirque Du Soleil. She produces Momentum Place every year at Theatricum Botanicum. And even performs for the president with AntiGravity when she's not flying high at the new FOCUSfish at Big Rock Ranch aerial pavilion. |
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Derrick Jones, Harness Specialist
C. Derrick Jones is a choreographer, dancer, actor, aerial acrobat, and producer. He started Catch Me Bird dance theater in 2003 along with his wife Nehara Kalev. Their first production was a fusion of their actual wedding and an evening length performance, coining the genre 'reality performance'. Derrick continues to create madcap dance theater with aerial spectacle in order to tell an every evolving love story as defined by his marriage. Derrick's other performance credits include The Rachel Rosenthal Company, Diavolo Dance Theater, Airealistic, De La Guarda, Epiphany Productions. He has toured nationally and internationally to such fine cities like Mexico City, Seoul, Taipei, London, and Santiago. Derrick has taught all levels of contemporary dance from professional to grade school, and, he also enjoys coaching kids in yoga. He has his BA in Psychology from the University of Vermont, and, he plans to return to UCLA to finish his MFA in Choreography once he stops being on the road. More into found at www.catchmebird.com. |
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Jen Bricker, Guest Speaker & Performer
Jen always had a passion for tumbling and gymnastics, despite being born without legs. She competed in power tumbling, volleyball, and softball... all against able-bodied athletes. Jen's athletic achievements were featured on Glee, Inside Edition, performances around the world under the direction of Heidi Latsky, and the Britney Spears World Tour. Jen moved from her small town in southern Illinois to Orlando, Florida to work for Walt Disney World. That is where her life took an unexpected twist and she started performing as an acrobat/aerialist. She is currently living in L.A. pursuing a career in tv/film, speaking, and fitness, along with her performing career. Jen hopes to inspire & motivate others to BELIEVE that anything is truly possible. FOCUSfish is thrilled to have Jen on our roster of exceptional, inspiring coaches, both in the air and on the ground. |