Photo: Michelle Smith-Lewis
karin stevens | Artistic director
Karin Stevens is a Seattle based choreographer and dance artist who believes in the power of movement to help us connect more deeply to ourselves, each other, and the environment. Since 1999, she has created over 70 dance works, touring to Florida, Maryland, California, Montana, Washington, and most recently performed in the 73rd International Choreographer’s Showcase in Guatemala.
She has danced for VOCI Dance, Double Vision, Omega West, Push Up Something Hidden Dance, Westwick Dolder Dance Theater, Molissa Fenley and Dancers, and Penny Hutchinson, among others. Stevens was an Associate Artist at the Atlantic Center for the Arts (2009), and the Fremont Abbey’s inaugural Artist in Residence (2009-2011).
Her company, Karin Stevens Dance, has produced thirteen evening-length concerts, including Record of the Anthropocene Movement (2017), named a 'must see performance' by City Arts Magazine. Stevens studied dance at the University of Washington and received her MFA from Mills College.
More about Karin!
Taylor abbay | communications manager
Taylor Abbay is an actor and creative born in the Pacific Northwest and currently based in Los Angeles, California. Taylor believes that so much of life and art is about the becoming and unbecoming—the delicious ways risk forms ripples in our personal and creative lives, endlessly unfolding possibility.
It is no wonder Karin and Taylor connected over 5 years ago, first as student and teacher in the acting studio, then through private sessions of The Art & Practice of Movement. Now, operating as KSD’s Communications Manager, Taylor has the pleasure of creating written and visual communications on behalf of KSD. From drafting newsletters to crafting social media campaigns, it is an honor to work in support of dance that matters.
email taylor at taylorabbay@karinstevensdance.com for communication & marketing Inquiries
Michelle smith-lewis | photographer
Michelle is a performing arts photographer with more than 25 years of experience specializing in dance, theater, and music. Originally from Central New York, she honed her skills as a ballet photographer working with a local ballet school as well as traveling to Cleveland, Ohio and Quebec City, Quebec to document rehearsal and performance work of the Cleveland Ballet and Ballet Eddy Toussaint. She has spent the majority of her career capturing performances in the Pacific Northwest, shooting for Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle Pacific University, Bellevue College, and local dance and theater companies. In 2010 a number of her dance images were selected to be a part of the permanent collection of the Merce Cunningham Trust.
Michelle first photographed Karen Stevens’ work in 2014 for the “Fire & Ice” event and began working with her directly in 2017. She is currently working on a project titled IDENTITY, revealing the identity of Pacific Northwest dancers through their unique, signature movements. Karin Stevens has appeared in this project along with a host of other well-known dancers/choreographers from around the region.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, genealogy, and gardening which she incorporates into her other fine art photography adventures.
Todd Bullock | board president
Todd Bullock has been on the Karin Stevens Dance Board since 2014 serving as the Board President for most of that time. Todd came to the board with a background of working for a Non-Governmental Non-profit Affordable Housing Developer in Snohomish County, Washington.
Todd has been an avid fan of dance and live theatre since high school where he worked backstage on the local ballet company’s productions. His working in theatres and scene shops continued throughout his college career while studying Architecture and Construction Science and Management. Since graduating Todd has had to limit his dance and theatre appreciation to just being an audience member until he was fortuned to meet Karin Stevens and was asked to join her newly formed Board.
“Being on the Board of Karin Stevens Dance is one of the best things I have done in my life. I find it thrilling to work with an artist like Karin and help her create the kind of company that creatively asks big questions as well as providing a different way to look at our world, our culture, and ourselves.”
