Columbia College, Chicago
Research and Teaching Assistants
Amanda Baity
Amanda Baity is a third-year undergraduate student, pursuing a B.A. in Dance Studies at Columbia College Chicago. With over five years of experience in modern and classical dance, she currently serves as a Research Assistant for the dance and health study, exploring the benefits of physical practices for the elderly. Amanda has been awarded a Dean's Scholarship since Fall 2021 and has consistently made the Dean's List as an Honors student. Proficient in research methodologies and data analysis, Amanda possesses strong organizational and communication skills. That has aided her work as a volunteer with numerous organizations dedicated to arts education for Chicago youth and elderly such as Urban Gateways, Teen Arts Pass Chicago, and P.O.W.E.R., and organizing charity events through Christian Hope Missionary Programs. Known for her dependability and passion for arts education, Amanda is dedicated to improving community health and well-being through movement and arts accessibility.
Jenna Davis
Jenna Davis is a Junior studying Fine Arts and minoring in Arts in Healthcare at Columbia College Chicago. She has been an artist for as long as she can remember. Being creative came naturally to her. Art has always been her escape from the struggles of the world, especially when tragedies were too hard to put into words. Through her craft, she explores the conversation about mental health and how it should not be stigmatized. After Columbia College Chicago, she plans to pursue a Master’s in Art Therapy. With this, she hopes to help and inspire those struggling and to make them feel less alone.
Joey Goff
Joey Goff is an undergraduate student studying Art & Art History, Arts in Healthcare, and Psychology. Joey has an affinity for the fine and performing arts and has been a visual artist and musician for over a decade. Post-undergraduate, Joey plans to pursue a master’s degree in art therapy and eventually work with all ages to support individuals’ health using visual arts and psychotherapy. Joey has an extensive fascination with the arts — how each discipline affects the mind and body — which has influenced Joey’s career choice and interest in being a part of this study. With the guidance of Professor Emerita Susan Imus, Joey works as both a research assistant and performer in the co-creation course, helping guide the subject’s flow of ideas as they create a performance, while also being incorporated into the final product as a dancer.
Erica Jones
Erica Jones is from the Chicagoland area and is currently studying Dance at Columbia College Chicago. She found her love for dance at the age of nine taking lyrical and jazz-based dance classes at her neighborhood dance studio. In her third year at Columbia College, she plans to use her years of knowledge and training to be a part of choreography projects created by others and plans to create some of her own. Growing up surrounded by diverse cultures and dance spaces, Erica's passion has always been to share the versatility inside of her movement with the dance community in order to represent the unique creativity in culture. Her biggest take away from her dance training so far has been the different elements of collaboration. Collaborative work has made Erica blossom into the dancer she is today, with the help of her peers she has mentally, physically, and emotionally grown into a better artist.
Konstance Kakridas
Konstance Kakridas, a native of Chicago, Illinois, is making her mark in the dance world with her narrative and heartfelt performances. Her journey began at Forevermore Dance & Theatre Arts in Chicago, where she discovered her passion for dance at a young age. Currently pursuing a BFA in Dance at Columbia College Chicago, Konstance is studying under esteemed mentors such as Darrell Jones, Bevara Anderson, and others, enriching her understanding of dance ideologies. With practice in Ballet, Modern/Contemporary, Hip-Hop, and more, Konstance is actively involved in performances, recently appearing at the Harvest Dance Festival and the Delve Dance Festival in Chicago. Alongside performing, she has recently choreographed her own piece titled “What I Can’t Say with Words”. Beyond her artistic endeavors, Konstance teaches dance and works as a childcare provider, finding fulfillment in nurturing young talents and brightening children's lives.
Sawyer Latimore
Based out of Joshua Tree and Chicago, Sawyer Latimore’s (they/them) photographic and dance work focuses on the exploration of brutality of body and ambiguity of time. Before moving to Chicago after the pandemic, they studied archaeology with an emphasis on gender and sexuality, explored through the historical record, before unexpectedly falling ill and pausing their studies. They then found themselves backpacking alone overseas for a couple of years, where they explored what dance means to them in stillness away from health and home. Though they were trained in classical ballet growing up, their approach to movement now utilizes a more modern repertoire. After graduation, they plan to return to travel abroad in a secured company role that combines their multifaceted approach to art.
Vi McMahon
Vi McMahon grew up learning dance at a local studio, just a short walk from their home in South Minneapolis, MN. Now pursuing a BA in Dance with a minor in Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago, Vi aims to communicate and share stories with people through embodied, spoken, and written language. In the Fall 2023 semester, they conducted an independent project to research the history of Tap dance and its place in higher education, arguing for the allocation of resources and space for the Columbia Tap community. Vi’s passion for Dance Studies has led them to participate in the Dance for Health Study as a research assistant. Through projects like this, Vi envisions a future combining dance and research to create real change in people’s lives.
Autumn Risbrook
Autumn Risbrook is a 19-year-old college student attending Columbia College Chicago as a Performing Arts major and a Film Production minor. She trains in all forms of dance, but especially enjoys Modern, Contemporary, and West African Technique. In the fall of 2022, Autumn was a performing artist in the "Freshman Piece" choreographed by appointed staff at her university. The following year, in fall of 2023, Autumn was a performing artist for the dance company named "Kummba Lynx," where she primarily focused on Hip-Hop technique and performances. Three months later and now currently she is a performing artist for "Dome Productions" "B-Team" where the focus is primarily Hip-Hop and "Chicago Foot Work" technique. Autumn is also currently an apprentice with Ayodele Drum and Dance company where the main focus is traditional West African technique from all regions of the African continent.
Carla Torres
Carla Torres is an interdisciplinary artist from Chicago with a focus on dance. She is currently studying Dance with a minor in Arts and Health at Columbia College Chicago. During her time in the bachelor's program, under the guidance of mentors like Darrell Jones, Dardi McGinley-Gallivan, Malik Camara, Kelsa Rieger-Haywood, and Jessica Young, she has studied different genres of dance and movement such as Modern, Contemporary, West African, Hip-Hop, Ballet, Creative Arts Therapy, Expressive Art Therapy, Performance as Therapy.
Skyler Wells
Skyler Wells is a multifaceted artist hailing from Nashville, TN, with a current base in Chicago, IL, where she explores the intersection of music and visual art. With a profound passion for music and songwriting deeply rooted in her Nashville upbringing, Skyler's creativity blossoms through her captivating photography and visual art. She is currently a student at Columbia College Chicago, in the process of receiving a Bachelors in Photography. Beyond her artistic pursuits, Skyler brings over three years of teaching experience to her craft. She has enriched the lives of students in fitness centers, art workshops, and private sessions, imparting her skills in both music and visual arts. Her diverse background includes roles in enrollment and event coordination, where she orchestrated memorable children’s birthday parties, showcasing her organizational prowess and knack for creating joyful experiences.
