ASHLEY SELMER (Creative Director) Ashley is the Founder and Creative Director of SHAPESHIFT. She is trained in Jazz, contemporary, ballet, hip-hop and African. Ashley’s credits include SHAPESHIFT productions: Grey Skies Blue, XI:XI, XI:XI: The Awakening; Associate Choreographer for hip-hop musical Last Stop On Market Street (Children’s Theatre Company); Associate Choreographer In The Heights, Jesus Christ Superstar (Ordway Center for Performing Arts); Ensemble West Side Story, 2nd Assistant Director Irving Berlin’s White Christmas(Ordway Center for Performing Arts); Ensemble The Amen Corner (Guthrie/Penumbra Theater). In the studio, Selmer draws from life’s real and imaginary experiences to craft stories that emote feelings and reflect diversity & inclusion. She emphasizes technique but prefers utilizing each dancer’s unique and beautiful movements as tools for telling, moving, and interwoven narratives. She encourages SHAPESHIFT dancers to openly share their personal experiences, and together they design choreography that captures common elements that make us the same, in so many ways, despite our socioeconomic or racial differences. Beyond dance, Ashley is a Rom-com collector, lover of overpriced latte's and vintage furniture. She is annoyingly organized (according to family and friends). Selmer earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (emphasis in choreography and performance) from The University of Wisconsin–Madison.

COREY BOZEMAN A Minneapolis native, started dancing at age 15. His dance training includes many styles and he has studied with top industry choreographers. Corey is on the creative team to SHAPESHIFT (a hip-hop storytelling dance company) as well as an assistant choreographer at Children’s Theater in Minneapolis.As a dance instructor Corey has received many choreography awards, top placements, and national grand championships.

ALAN MURE As a dancer and choreographer, Alan is a two- time Sage Award Nominee in the State of Minnesota. Born and raised in the Twin Cities, Alan has been performing 10+ years and has been sculpting his craft as an all-around performer. He is a member of SHAPESHIFT's Creative Team, Immortal Dance Team leader, Head Choreographer for LegacyLiveEnt, Co-Founder of Rebirth Of Quality Art, and Creative Director for Global recording artists RajiTheOne and Anjanie Da Artist.

GABRIEL BLACKBURN Gabriel started his movement training at the tender age of five at Out on a Limb Dance School, and he fell in love with the art form in high school, while attending the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists in St. Paul Minnesota. Gabriel is continuing to perfect his craft and just graduated with his BFA at the University of Minnesota School of Dance. Performing is his passion, but he also enjoys working as a dance instructor and choreographer. Gabriel loves music, fashion, longboarding, and always tries to be the best friend, son, and brother that he can be.

JESSIKA AKPAKA Jessika is originally from Memphis, TN, and moved to Minneapolis at a very young age. She is currently based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She began her first formal dance training 7 years ago at Lundstrum Center for the Performing Artist where she was introduced to jazz, ballet, and musical theatre. She has studied horton and other dance styles at TU Dance Center. Continuing her gratitude for the arts, Jessika is a 2015 graduate from Perpich Center for Arts Education where she studied dance. She communicates predominately through elements of modern dance, hip hop, and improvisation. She has performed at The Guthrie, The Ordway, Northrop, The Kennedy Center, The Lincoln Center, and The XCel Energy Center. In short, she defines her style as self truth, self experience mixed with modern, hip hop, and improvisation. She hopes to bring about healing, change, and conversation to the world through her artistry. She currently dances with the dance company SHAPESHIFT and with different artist in the Twin Cities.

LUIS NUFIO Luis hails from the 612 area code (Minneapolis). He started training at SPCPA, where he excelled in numerous styles (Modern, Ballet, Jazz) and world dances (African, Hip-Hop, Character). He has studied intensively with Uri and Toni at TU Dance. Among many other acting and dancing projects, his credits include performer and co-creator with LegacyLivEntertainment and New Black City dance crew.

RACHEL MILLER Rachel has been dancing since the age of 5 at dance studios throughout Minnesota such as Studio 4 Dance. She is trained in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, modern, hip-hop, jazz, musical theatre, pointe, and tap. Recently graduating from the University of Minnesota with a BFA in Dance, she has had the opportunity to have worked with artists from New York, Los Angeles, and the Twin Cities area including Gregory Dolbashian, Wynn Fricke, and Gerald Casel. She also has trained in intensives in Italy and LA, performed backup for Tori Kelly at the Official Prince Tribute Concert in 2016, etc. Rachel pays it forward as she also is in contemporary dance company Black Label Movement, and teaches/choreographs movement/technique in contemporary, hip hop, lyrical and ballet at Studio 4 Dance in Burnsville.

NATE CRASH Nate Maliscke started Breaking in 2012, and since then ahs taken his passion around the globe. Nate has competed on some of the largest breaking events such as Outbreak Europe, Silverback Open Championships, and Freestyle Session. He has travel and performed in 6 different countries with companies such as SHAPESHIFT, Break Free Ministries, and IMPACT Spain doing anything from large-scale stadium events, to small charity events. Nate has performed at The Lincoln Center, Cowles Center for Performing Arts, the Barbara Barker Center For Dance and many others. Today Nate is actively pursuing his passion of competing around the country with his crew Squad 7 and continuing to spread light to others through his gift of dance.

NATE KAY Nate is a 20 year old dancer, born and raised in South Minneapolis. Nate is a humble student of dance and hip hop. He would describe his style as unorthodox like Prince, not wanting to be closed into a limited box in anything. Nate enjoys cooking and working out at the gym with his friends. He is looking forward to continuing his training and exploration throughout his journey with SHAPESHIFT!

JAMES GAVINS James is an all-around artist who was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where here attained a B.A. in Theater & Drama. In 2008, James was granted the First Wave Hip Hop & Urban Arts Scholarship. He started off a bboy (breakdancing) in his early teens, which led into popping (funkstyles). He then took a two-year break from college to dance professionally with GForce Entertainment on various Carnival CruiseLine ships. Theareafter, he returned to University of Wisconsin and completed his degree. James also is a Professional Teaching Artist with the Wallace Foundation/Youth Arts Initiatives/Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee. James' goal is for youth to turn their ideas into life changing opportunities