Nancy Paradis

NANCY PARADIS is Director of LA Dance Moves and introduces to the world a new genre of performance art. This is for the visionaries; dancers and musical artists alike, who can intimately share their stories of love, life, pain, and triumph through both sight and sound. The mission is to Inspire by touching the heart and illuminating the soul. We invite you to watch our latest film so you can enjoy this unique and visceral experience. Nancy began her career on the east coast performing with the Washington Ballet, Richmond Ballet and Louisville Ballet. In Los Angeles, Nancy trained and performed in the film, television and commercial dance world including MTV Movie Awards, Disney Special Events, NBC, Fox and Netflix. She has been teaching, choreographing and inspiring artists for 35 years. She’s an adjunct professor for 23 years working at UC Irvine, UCLA, Loyola Marymount University and Moorpark College. She is a guest choreographer around the country and recently set a world premiere on Richmond Ballet. Nancy began producing her own works 10 years ago with the vision of merging composers, dancers, music, and art into a new and exciting genre. She created the feature film "Back to the Heart," which brought all these elements together, including a live filming for a sold-out audience. She is excited to return to production with the remarkable and dynamic principal dancer, Rachel Hutsell. Inspired by an earlier collaboration, Nancy developed the Ghost Chair concept and moved forward with the project in the summer of 2024. Work of this artistic nature cannot be done without excellent artists who share the vision. Please meet the cast of "GHOST CHAIR" RACHEL HUTSELL is a Principal Dancer and Actress. Rachel was born in Houston, TX, and joined New York City Ballet in 2015. In 2018 while she was at NYCB, she was featured in Ballet Now, a documentary directed by Steven Cantor, and in 2019 she was the dance double for "Anita" in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story. Rachel has also been highlighted in articles by Women's Wear Daily and Dance Spirit, as well as the cover feature of Pointe Magazine's June/July 2018 issue. In 2021 she began performing in Southern California as a featured guest artist with numerous companies and continues to welcome creative and fulfilling roles. She recently performed the audacious and technical role of Don Quixote's Kitri at a So Cal Ballet Festival. Rachel is thrilled to explore athletic contemporary ballet and is thrilled to have this current work “Ghost Chair” created on her by Nancy Paradis, Artistic Director of LA Dance Moves.DAVID KARAGIANIS is an award winning composer, sound designer and educator who has served as Music Director for the Loyola Marymount University Department of Theater Arts and Dance, and as Senior Musician, Adjunct Faculty, and Music Director of the UCLA Dance Company for the UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance. David’s eclectic range spans film, dance, concert recital, theater and multimedia performance genres as well as classical, experimental, electronic, jazz, world, rock, pop, sound art and ambient stylistic boundaries. David has worked as a composer, sound designer, music director and/or dance musician with numerous choreographers, dance companies, theater companies, performance artists and filmmakers. Awarded the Lester Horton Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound: Music/Sound/Text, a winner in the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur Competition for Music Composition for Dance and a recipient of Meet The Composer grants, David’s scores for dance, concert, theater, video and multi-media have been performed, screened or broadcast throughout the United States, and internationally. David’s most recent album Dog Dreams, Threshold, PULSE (Laptop Dances 2.0), and Multiplex, are available on the iTunes Store, Amazon, Spotify and numerous other locations. Information about David's recordings, scores, video links, and master classes can be found at davidkaragianis.com. JOMO LEE - Cinematographer This concept dance work was beautifully filmed and edited by Jomo Lee, a talented dancer, cinematographer, and editor. LA Dance Moves is thrilled to showcase his innovative approach to capturing movement and bringing the dancer’s artistry to life. SCOTT EDWARDS - Photographer The stunning photography in this film was captured by Scott Edwards Photography. Scott possesses a remarkable talent for not only showcasing the artist but also conveying the essence of the moment's story. He works throughout Southern California, expertly capturing the beauty of dance and art. Special Thanks to: Production Assistant: Chasen Greenwood Consultant: The Ballet Agency Location: Stage35