Caterina

Caterina Mercante (Associate Director) started dancing at the age of 3. She began her training in ballet and jazz with Sabrina and Suzanne Childers in the San Francisco Bay Area. She continued training and performing in Italy with Gruppo Stabile Udinese, under the direction of Elisabetta Ceron and Antonella Cumin, where she was introduced to contemporary ballet and modern dance. From 1996-2000 she trained in jazz, modern, tap and ballet with Fran Atlas-Lara, David Popalisky, and Audrey King. In June 2000 she received a B.A. in Theatre Arts with emphasis in Dance and a B.A. in Italian Literature from Santa Clara University. Caterina has been teaching dance at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada since 2002, and has been dancing with Lineage Dance since 2000.

Danielle

Hilary

Hilary Thomas (Artistic Director) grew up in Pasadena and trained with The Pasadena Dance Theatre under the direction of Philip and Charles Fuller and Cynthia Young. She earned degrees in dance and psychology from Santa Clara University and continued her dance training with the Joffrey Ballet. Hilary also danced with Western Ballet in Mountain View and Benita Bike’s DanceArt Company in Los Angeles . In 1999 Hilary created Lineage Dance Company. Since that time, Lineage Dance has presented approximately 200 dance performances and raised tens of thousands of dollars for charitable, educational and nonprofit organizations. Hilary has earned awards for choreography ( Palm Desert , "Dancing Under the Stars" 2001), the Beverly Hills Outlook selected her as one of top choreographers of 2004 and 2005, and in June of 2006 she received a prestigious "Gold Crown Award" presented by the Pasadena Arts Council. Hilary is the producer of the Brand Library Dance Series and her choreography was recently selected by the University of Idaho for presentation at the 2007 American College Dance Festival.

Kristin

Kristin Brown studied with the School of American Ballet in New York City and the Houston Ballet in Houston, Texas, where she became a company member.  Kristin was a winner in the National Arts Competition in dance and a finalist for Presidential Scholar in the Arts.  Kristin continues to pursue her passion for dance in Los Angeles.  She performed with the Yorke Dance Project for five years, including engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the LA Dance Invitational.  She is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology where she received a degree in industrial engineering.  Kristin currently works as a Resort Producer with Walt Disney Imagineering.  This is Kristin's first season with Lineage Dance.

Meghann

Meghann Fowler was born and raised in Gleneden Beach, Oregon. She was a company member with Pacific Dance Ensemble in Newport, Oregon for eight years. Meghann graduated with a BFA in Dance and a BS in Communications from Stephens College in Columbia, MO. Upon graduation, Meghann moved to New York City where she worked in commercial production and performed with a variety of modern dance companies at venues such as the Joyce Soho and St. Marks Church. Meghann moved to Los Angeles in 2004 and has continued to work in TV and dance. This is Meghann's first season with Lineage Dance.

Michelle

Michelle was born in Baltimore, MD. She began studying dance at the age of 6 at the Sudbrook Arts Center. She later attended the Baltimore School for the Arts under the direction of Norma Pera. At this high school she had the opportunity to work with many guest choreographers including Hinton Battle, Mireille Briane, Ron Cunningham, and Lisa de Ribere. While in Baltimore, Michelle performed with Annapolis Ballet, Baltimore Ballet and Harbor City Ballet. She later continued her studies at the S.U.N.Y Purchase Conservatory. Her professors included Rosanna Seravalli, Bettijane Sills, and Gayle Young. The highlight of those four years for her was her Senior thesis performance in which Alan Barnes of The Frankfurt Ballet created a new work on her entitled "KiKisdu."  In 2001 after moving to Los Angeles Michelle danced with Meh-Tropolis Dance Theater for three years, under the direction of Sarah Harkness. Michelle has been a member of Lineage Dance since 2007.

Peggy

Peggy Burt (Company Manager) received a BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah and as a student, was selected to perform with Ballet West. In New York City, she received a scholarship to study and work with jazz great Frank Hatchett. In Michigan, she co-founded Jazz Dance Theatre, and was a featured guest soloist with the acclaimed modern dance troupe, J. Parker Copley & Dancers. In Seattle, she performed and choreographed for Spectrum Dance Theater, and her work was selected for the Bumbershoot Arts Festival at the Seattle Center. In Boulder, Peggy founded Solstice Dance Ensemble. In Washington DC, she was on the dance faculty of Montgomery College, taught at Joy of Motion Dance Center and performed with JazzDanz.dc. Peggy has enjoyed teaching at the summer seminars of the Washington DC School of Ballet, the International Cecchetti Conference, and Pasadena Dance Theatre.

Tara

Tara Mosier-Coker began her formal training at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts where she studied with Jean-Marie Martz. She went on to dance with Evergreen City Ballet under the direction of Wade Walthall. She received her B.F.A. at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. While there, she trained with Debrah Wolf, Pat Hon and Wade Madsen, as well as many guest artists. Since receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Seattle at Cornish College of the Arts, Tara was a member of Benita Bike's DanceArt Company for three seasons and has been dancing with Lineage since 2002.

Teya

Teya Wolvington began dancing at the age of twelve, when she moved from Portland, Oregon to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  After training in both ballet and modern at a local studio for six years, she decided to pursue her infatuation with dance further by attending the well respected Modern Dance Department at the University of Utah.  There, she was a member of the Orchesis Honor Society, Performing Dance Company, and performed works by Hope Clark, Abby Fiat, Sara Pearson, and Patrik Widrig.  Upon receiving a B.F.A. in 2005, she moved to Los Angeles and joined Benita Bike’s DanceArt Company.  At the moment she dances in four different companies, becoming an absolute pro at juggling rehearsal schedules!  This is Teya’s first season with Lineage Dance.