About the Choreographers + Special Guests

Franco Nieto 

Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Open Space

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 internationally. Nieto was a principal dancer with NW Dance Project in Portland, Oregon, where he toured the world and worked with leading minds to create countless original works. His early training came from the Vancouver School of Arts & Academics, Columbia Dance, and mentor, Tracey Durbin. He graduated from Point Park University, with his BFA in Jazz. Nieto is now Artistic Director and founder of Open Space Dance.

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Lauren Edson

Artistic Director/Choreographer, LED Boise 
Originally from Boise, Edson is a choreographer, director, and filmmaker. Described as “a choreographer of the first rank,” by the Seattle Times, her
original creations have been performed across the country at such venues as Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Kennedy Center, and San Francisco Dance Film Festival. She received her training at UNCSA and The Juilliard School and is a recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts (2022), ICA Performing Arts Fellowship (2022, 2016), Alexa Rose Fellowship (2022), and The Washington Award for Excellence (2019). In 2015, she founded LED with her husband and longtime collaborator, Andrew Stensaas. She’s delighted to live and create in Boise with her husband and their two boys, Finn & Liam.

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Andrew Stensaas

Musician/Composer, LED Boise 
An Iowa native that established a music career in Portland, OR., Andrew performed on MTV, working with artists in genres ranging from punk rock to classical. His first collaboration with wife, choreographer, and mother to their two children was presented in New York at the Ailey Citigroup Theatre in 2013. They have since created LED, which is nationally recognized as one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch. Over the last year, he has composed the score for LED’s film, Ruin. He also co-wrote, produced, and scored productions like Silver City and Kid Lightning.

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NØIR

Nicholas Chrisman, artist alias “NØIR”, is a dancer, choreographer, and visionary born and raised in Portland, Oregon.
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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