COMPANY ARTISTS
FRANCO
NIETO
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR // 2020 - PRESENT
_edited_edited_edited.jpg)
Princess Grace Award winner Franco Nieto was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He made the unconventional switch from football to ballet in his teenage years and has now taught and danced in over 10 different countries and performed with the likes of Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John. He spent 10 years as a principal dancer with NW Dance Project in Portland, Oregon, where he toured the world and worked hand in hand with the leading minds in choreography to create and bring to life countless original works. His early training came from the Vancouver School of Arts & Academics and Columbia Dance, and his formative line of choreography was born from his mentorship with Tracey Durbin. He graduated with his BFA in Jazz from Point Park University. Franco brings his big heart to every class at Open Space.
Noelle Kayser is an award-winning choreographer, director, and multi-disciplinary performer based in Chicago. She is the inaugural resident choreographer for Open Space, a Whim W’him Choreographic Shindig winner, the 2025 BalletX Choreographic Fellow, and a 2026 Ballet Collective Commission for Developing Choreographers recipient. Noelle has created work for companies including Dance Aspen, DanceWorks Chicago, MADCO, Visceral Dance Chicago, and SALT II among many others. She served as a guest Ballet Mistress at the Lyric Opera, was the founding rehearsal director and administrator for PARA.MAR Dance Theatre (2022 Dance Magazine Top 25 to Watch), and named one of NewCity Magazines, “The 50 People Who Really Perform for Chicago”. Noelle’s short dance film “dust”—produced by Open Space—was awarded Best Dance Film at both the Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival and the Mannheim Arts and Film Festival, and is an Official Selection at the Swedish International Film Festival and ARTSinTANK Dance Festival in Korea. In addition to her choreographic work, Noelle has performed works by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Ihsan Rustem, Wen Wei Wang, Danielle Agami, Robyn Mineko Williams, Kevin O’Day, and Alice Klock, among others. She has had the privilege of dancing with companies such as NW Dance Project, LED Boise, Open Space, and Visceral Dance Chicago among others. She has taught for organizations such as Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Goodman Theatre,and Visceral Dance Chicago.
CHING CHING WONG
RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER // 2026 - 2027
Manila-born Chinese-Filipino-American choreographer, Ching Ching is honored to be the incoming Resident Choreographer for Open Space where she will be incubating and refining wild ideas in a creative home base. Concurrently she is Boulder Ballet’s inaugural Resident Choreographer. Named Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch and Princess Grace Award Recipient and Artist Fellow, Ching Ching is the former rehearsal director for Ballets Jazz Montréal, stager for Ihsan Rustem, and began her career at NW Dance Project.
dust: Noelle Kayser
ELISE
GONSALVES
COMPANY ARTIST // 2021 - CURRENT
Elise Gonsalves is a movement artist originally from Portland, Oregon. After graduating, she trained in Los Angeles for five years, deepening her craft. Elise is currently a company member with Open Space, under the direction of artistic director Franco Nieto. In addition to her work with Open Space, she regularly performs with her LED family, appearing in works such as Kid Lighting, Over the Moon, and Arm and a Leg, choreographed by Lauren Edson.
​
Her performance credits include collaborations with renowned choreographers such as Ching Ching Wong, Gianna Burright, Mike Tyus, Outrun the Bear, Keelan Whitmore, Elijah Labay, and Noelle Kayser. She has had the privilege of performing at the Palm Desert Choreography Festival and Union PDX Festival, including in Confetti Head, choreographed by Franco Nieto.
When she’s not in the studio or on stage, Elise is most at home in the mountains!
Annie is from Seattle, Washington, where she trained at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and went on to earn her BFA in Dance from the University of Arizona. After graduating, she moved to Portland and collaborated with talented artists, including Katie Scherman and Shaun Keylock.
At Open Space, Annie is delighted to be part of an incredible team of dancers and choreographers, including Noelle Kayser and Franco Nieto. She has had the pleasure of performing works by Lauren Edson, Ching Ching Wong, Elijah Labay, Keelan Whitmore, Megan Doheny and Ilya Nikurov.
She looks forward to this upcoming season and is excited to bring joy to Portland through dance!
ANNIE
BORDEN
COMPANY ARTIST // 2022 - CURRENT
Ariel Clarke is a dancer, educator, model, and a member of Open Space, Ballare Carmel, and Gianna Burright & Artists. Through an unconventional path, she has accumulated a wide range of educational and performative experiences through national and international programs, including Springboard Danse Montreal, GAGA Labs, and more. She has spent much of her journey within her own research and creative endeavors, both in live performances and films. She finds great joy in sharing her passions for dance and has taught for many years to a variety of different ages and levels at numerous institutions, with many students attending top universities and dancing for internationally renowned companies.
Drawing inspiration from all aspects of her life, her hunger and curiosity for new information and understanding propel her to constantly question and step beyond her own boundaries within her pursuits and explorations. Ariel Clarke is a dancer, educator, model, and a member of Open Space, Ballare Carmel,and Gianna Burright & Artists. Through an unconventional path, she has accumulated a wide range of educational and performative experiences through national and international programs, including Springboard Danse Montreal, GAGA Labs, and more.
Kelsey graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, SUNY, under the direction of Nelly van Bommel. She currently works with Megan Doheny and Ilya Nikurov (Outrun the Bear) and is a company artist with Open Space. She received additional training through Springboard Danse, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, BIGKID Dance, b12, Orsolina28, and Nuova Officina della Danza. Kelsey has performed works by Sidra Bell, Anya Saugstad, Sharon Eyal (set by Olivia Ancona), Loni Landon, Hannah Garner, Amy Miller, Peter Chu, Micaela Taylor, Antonin Rioche, Chelsea Thedinga, and Amanda Colangelo, among others.
KELSEY
DONAVAN
COMPANY ARTIST // 2026 - CURRENT
ELLIE
THOMAS
COMPANY ARTIST // 2025 - CURRENT
Ellie Thomas (she/they) grew up in Portland, Oregon. They trained at Sultanov Ballet Academy and as a Jefferson Dancer before completing their BFA in dance performance and composition with a minor in arts management from SUNY Purchase. At Purchase, Ellie performed works by Eve Chan, George Balanchine, Jenelle Figgins, Lauren Edson, and many others. Additionally, they have furthered their artistic training at organizations such as London Contemporary Dance School, Open Space, Big Kids, Whim W’Him, Vim Vigor, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet.
In 2024, they joined Open Space as an apprentice and was promoted to company artist in 2025. Ellie has performed works at Open Space in collaboration with choreographers such as Ching Ching Wong, Keelan Whitmore, Noelle Kayser, and Outrun the Bear.
Ellie teaches and choreographs across the Portland area and is thrilled to share their passion for dance at Open Space!
CJ Hankins is a contemporary artist based in Portland, OR. CJ began his early training as a competition dancer before attending Vancouver School of Arts and Academics where he was introduced to modern and contemporary dance in the school's Extended Day Dance Ensemble program, with which his solo work “It rained with a powerful slowness” was nominated to be performed at the National Highschool Dance Festival in Pittsburgh, PA. CJ danced with Open Space Too for two years where he has performed works by Franco Nieto, Lauren Edson, Outrun the Bear, Noelle Kayser, Keelan Whitmore, and more.
CJ
HANKINS
COMPANY ARTIST // 2026 - CURRENT
ELLIE
TOOP
APPRENTICE // 2026 - CURRENT
Ellie Toop is a movement artist and dance instructor originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho where she got her love for dance at the ripe age of two. Following her secondary education, she joined the Sacramento Ballet Second Company as a trainee where she performed Waltz of the Flowers and other contemporary & ballet works. Ellie has furthered her dance training at many other places such as SALT, Dance Novella, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and University of Utah. Ellie graduated Open Space Too in 2026 and has now been promoted to an apprentice with Open Space company for the 26/27 season. Ellie has gotten the privilege to perform works by many renowned choreographers such as Franco Nieto, Ching Ching Wong, Noelle Kayser, Meredith Webster, Brandon Alley & Rachael Prince, and Audrey Wells.
Omar Vargas-Nino is a Portland native and began dancing in high school and Bodyvox’s JAG program. In 2024, he joined Open Space Too under the direction of Franco Nieto and has had the pleasure of performing works by Ching Ching Wong, Noelle Kayser, Keelan Whitmore, Meredith Webster, Tracy Durbin, Megan Doherty, and Ilya Nikurov. He has also trained at YYDC summer intensive and recently Springboard Danse, where he got to be in processes with Sidra Bell and Welcome To Campfire (Tony Bordonaro & Ingrid Kapteyn). This is Omar’s first season as a company apprentice and he’s excited for the opportunity!
OMAR
VARGAS-NINO
APPRENTICE // 2026 - CURRENT
