Director and Dancer Biographies

Carley Conder is an Arizona native. She received a B.F.A. in Ballet and an M.F.A. in Modern Dance from the University of Utah . Carley has been a performing member with Arizona companies Semaphor Danceworks, Scorpius Dance Theater, Garner-Gutierrez Dance, Mary Fitzgerald Dance, and Los Angeles based company Keith Johnson/Dancers. Her choreographic work has been commissioned by many academic institutions and companies including University of California - Santa Barbara , Arizona State University, Brigham Young University , University of Utah , University of Texas – Pan American, Snow College , and Ballet Yuma. She is the Grand Prize Winner of the 2000 Palm Desert Choreography Competition, 2006 Professional Winner of the Arizona Choreography Competition, and a 2006 Project Tier Awardee through Regional Dance America . Carley has taught at Arizona State University and currently teaches at Scottsdale Community College . She and her husband Mike are the parents of Emma and Garrison. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of CONDER/dance.

Erica Downes was born and raised in Phoenix , Arizona . She began her training at the Nina Marlow School of Ballet and was then accepted into Arizona School for the Arts where she trained with Ballet Arizona . Upon graduation, she attended the Modern Dance Department at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City . Erica moved back to Phoenix in 2005 and began taking classes at Scottsdale Community College where she met Carley Conder. After dancing with Instinct Dancecorps, Erica joined CONDER/dance in August of 2007 and has enjoyed every minute of working with such talented and creative dancers.

Amanda Franco began her dance training at the age of seven in N.Y.C. There she attended the Broadway Dance Center where she had the opportunity to study and perform for the next ten years. After relocating to Arizona, she attended Scottsdale Community College and became a member of the Moving Co. along with Semaphor Danceworks, Inc. Amanda received a professional degree in dance from the Maricopa Institute for Arts and Entertainment Technology. During her time with the Institute, she was also a founding member of Instinct Dancecorps. In 2000 Amanda became certified in Pilates matwork through the Core Dynamics program. She currently owns and operates Studio 3 in Fountain Hills and is very excited to be working with CONDER/dance.

Beverly Kerr has enjoyed performing in many theatrical productions and dance companies that have allowed her to tour abroad and perform locally. She also has loved being able to teach privately as well at several different studios. She has conducted master classes, choreographed several performances including fashion shows, organized workshops and dance camps, and most recently she has taught classes at BYU, ASU, PVCC and ACDFA. Beverly graduated from Arizona State University with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance. She and her husband Paul reside in Mesa and are the proud parents of four wonderful children.

Jessica Mumford, a native of Kalamazoo, MI. She completed her BA in dance and psychology at Hope College and recently completed her MFA in Dance and Interdisciplinary Digital Media at Arizona State University. Upon completing her masters, Jessica was recognized as the Outstanding Graduate of the year for the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Her work with movement and media includes dance for camera, audio/visual installations with movement sensing, electronic wearables, and dance/music performance with movement-based control of media. While Jessica is currently a company member in both CONDER/dance and Aaron McGloin Dance. During her dance career, Jessica has had the opportunity to work with artists such as Nora Chipaumire, John Mitchell, Todd Ingalls, Mary Fitzgerald, Karen Schupp, David Therrien and Steven Iannacone. In efforts to bring her work to the greater Phoenix community, Jessica is also a board member urbanSTEW, a not-for-profit organization that promotes and facilitates the use of technology in the arts.
	Alisa Poston, born in Arizona, received her BA in modern dance from Brigham Young University. While there she received the Outstanding Female Performer award and had the opportunity to perform and teach internationally with the Dancers’ Company in Thailand, Taiwan, Cambodia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Alisa also just completed her MFA in dance teaching and choreography from the University of California, Irvine. While there she had the opportunity to work with Donald McKayle, Loretta Livingston and Jodie Gates. Also at UCI, Alisa received the Medici Scholarship giving her the opportunity to teach a two-day dance and creativity workshop in Guatemala. With an incurable passion for movement, Alisa is currently working on her Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis certification. Alisa loves performing, teaching, and choreographing. As long as she is moving… life is good!
Erin Lovrein is a native of Richmond, VA. She began her formal dance training with Richmond Ballet during grade school. After finishing a rigorous high school academic program, Erin decided to pursue her passion for dance at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She loves all forms of dance and enjoyed ballet, modern, and jazz classes as well as a hip hop club, swing dancing, and some tap dancing at UA. Erin has worked with artists such as Jessica Lang, Patricia Barker, Alonzo King, and Stephen Mills through summer programs with ABT New York, Boston Ballet, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, and Ballet Austin. Graduating with a BFA in Dance and a BA in Linguistics, Erin now joins CONDER/dance for her first season in August as an apprentice.
	Michelle Taylor has been teaching dance in the valley for over 10 years at various studios and local high schools. Her movement/choreography is highly energetic and intense. Michelle teaches jazz technique and modern lyrical. Michelle started dancing in high school with Margie Romero-Wolf at Dobson High School in Mesa. She then studied dance with Melvin R. Claridge at Ricks College and toured with the Contemporary Dance Theatre to England and Wales in 1996. She was a member and Educational Director of the Desert Dance Theatre throughout the 2003-2005 seasons. Michelle is owner of Taylor'd Dancewear. Michelle is married and has 2 little dancers, Emily and Macy. "I feel blessed to have the ability to share dance as a teacher and performer." Live. Love. Dance!