About the Choreographers + Special Guests

Franco Nieto 
Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Open Space

Franco Nieto is a Princess Grace Award-winning dancer and the cofounder and Artistic Director of Open Space.  He has choreographed over 20 original works, performed in more than 160 world premieres, and is a sought-after master teacher. He is known for fostering a culture free of judgment and creating a wave of positive change in the dance world.  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 (and his dog, Otis!) to the studio each and every day.

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Ching Ching Wong

Guest Choreographer

Ching Ching Wong is a Manila-born, Los Angeles-raised choreographer, performer, and stager. Though she is often on the road, she feels most at home in the studio.

As the former Rehearsal Director for Ballets Jazz Montréal, she toured internationally with works by Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton, Ihsan Rustem, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Andonis Foniadakis. As a stager for Swiss choreographer Ihsan Rustem, she has restaged works across Europe, Asia, and North America for companies such as Bern Ballet, Codarts, Taiwan University of the Arts, Theater Altenburg Gera, and Mecklenburg Staatstheater.

As a choreographer, Ching Ching’s work is rooted in storytelling, emotional range, and collaboration. Her recent creations include commissions for Louisville Ballet (collaborating with rapper Jack Harlow), SALT Contemporary Dance, Boulder Ballet, The Rosin Box Project, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s CREATE intensive. She continues to develop her episodic work, The Shelf Life, which will unfold across multiple companies this season.

She is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award in Dance, was named one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch, and is represented by Movement Talent Agency. Formerly, she served as Rehearsal Director for LED, Artist in Residence with Heidi Duckler Dance, and Creative Director for Brett Perry. She also founded Project Salamat a global outreach initiative that toured 17 cities across 11 countries.

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Ching Ching earned her BFA in Dance Performance from the University of California, Irvine, where she trained closely with the late Donald McKayle. Her professional career began with Northwest Dance Project, where she originated roles in creations by Sarah Slipper, Ihsan Rustem, Felix Landerer, Lucas Crandall, Alejandro Cerrudo, Jirí Pokorný, Wen Wei Wang, Didy Veldman, Danielle Agami, and many others. As a freelance artist, she has collaborated with Roderick George, ZviDance, Brendan Duggan, PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, Katie Scherman + Artists, CARLON, YYDC, OddKnock Productions, WHYTEBERG, violinist Joe Kye, and more.

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Ching Ching credits her lifelong teacher, Alia Harlan, for sparking her connection to dance—a connection that continues to shape her practice as both an artist and a leader.

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Outrun the Bear / Megan Doheny + Ilya Nikurov

Guest Choreographers

Megan Doheny (USA) and Ilya Nikurov (RUS) met working as dancers for the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (KCDC) in Israel, and began creating performance works together in 2015. From 2016-2020, they worked as choreographers for the International Dance Journey Program, in addition to creating works for KCDC's main company as a part of the Alternative Stage Platform in Israel. In 2021, they established their collaborative dance project, "Outrun The Bear," performing and screening their works in theatres and festivals in Israel, the United States, the Netherlands, Portugal, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and South Korea. In 2023, Megan was an Artist in Residence at LA Dance Project as a part of Launch:LA, and a guest artist at Chapman University.

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Megan and Ilya's works investigate the fantasies derived from the present moment's complex/ beautiful/ difficult realities. Warping the familiar and embodying the imagined, Outrun the Bear wishes to create experiences for the viewer that lead to questions and fresh perspectives. 

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NØIR

Guest Artist

NØIR began dancing at 13 after being introduced to freestyle dance on YouTube and, through friends, got introduced to the local street dance community. From there he attended local events, competitions, and freestyle cyphers, quickly becoming an avid member of the dance community. NØIR trained at Groove Nation Dance Academy for 7 years and taught there as a main choreographer for 3 years, solidifying his choreography skills to be polished as much as his freestyle.

NØIR specializes in Hip Hop Freestyle, Popping, and Animation, but trains in a variety of other street/club dances as well. He believes in the importance of foundation and respecting the culture one partakes in, but also being true to who you are as an individual. Dance to him is about fun, but also expressing your true, authentic self.

NØIR’s past accolades and affiliations include Bang Bang Boogie winner, Lyfe Dance Company, Freshvibe, and Trail Blazer’s Rip City Dance Crew.

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Lauren Flower, Oregon Ballet Theatre Company Artist

Guest Artist

Lauren Flower is from Tucson, Arizona and trained with Tucson Regional Ballet and Ballet Arts. Following her time in Tucson, Flower joined Houston Ballet II under the direction of Claudio Muñoz and Sabrina Lenzi, and later danced with Ballet Arizona from 2013-2017. After four seasons with Ballet Arizona, she joined Boston Ballet as an Artist from 2017-2020, and later moved to San Diego, California where she was a Soloist with Golden State Ballet, as well as an Artist and Resident Choreographer with The Rosin Box Project. Throughout her career, Flower has had the pleasure of performing works by choreographers William Forsythe, Justin Peck, Alejandro Cerrudo, Andi Schermoly, Stanton Welch, and George Balanchine. She has also had the opportunities to choreograph on dancers of Ballet Arizona, Boston Ballet, Boston Ballet II, The Rosin Box Project, and various students for ballet competitions.

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