Meet Our Presenters
Mary DiSanto-Rose
Scholar of Modern Dance and Historical Reconstruction
Dr. Mary DiSanto-Rose is an Associate Professor of Dance, Emerita at Skidmore College. She earned her M.Ed. and Ed.D. in Dance at Temple University. She was former Chair of the Skidmore Dance Department, retired June 2020. She specializes in reconstructing classic modern dance works of the early 20th century and restaged works by Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, José Limón, Sophie Maslow, Pearl Primus, Donald McKayle, and Isadora Duncan. She has performed as a guest artist with IDII in NYC and toured with them in Greece, Paris and Italy. She served on NYS Council on the Arts and fervently promotes dance as an officer of the Capital/Saratoga Dance Alliance for over 35 years. She received an honorary degree “Doctor of Arts” from St. Lawrence University.
Jacqueline Fernandez
Dance Creator and Founder of Isadora Duncan Mexico
She is a California native from the Bay Area, and relocated to Mexico City, place of her cultural heritage. She has a solid background in dance and theatre. In 2016 she founded Isadora Duncan Mexico and has created and directed several multi disciplinarian pieces dedicated to the Mother of Modern Dance such as: “The Art of the Dance”, “Who Is Isadora Duncan?” (A Monologue) and “Before the Gates of Hell - A Tribute to Rodin” which was requested by the Soumaya Museum in Mexico City. For this special montage, she invited her mentor Dr. Jeanne Bresciani, Artistic Director of the IDII to perform original work and historical pieces.
Vince Gagliardi (The Nent)
Interdisciplinary Artist in Sound and Ritual Media
Vince Gagliardi is an Interior designer, 3D artist and music composer from Italy, based in Berlin.
Under the audio/video alias “The Nent”, he is specialised in VR ,Video Mapping and 360 virtual experiences, creating multimedia reconstructions of historic landmarks. Harvesting knowledge from architecture, archeology, mythology, and ritualistic practices, he embarked on the journey to unveil the mysteries related to the emblem of his birth place Kroton : the Delphic tripod. Gagliardi’s ongoing project, has been premiered for the Ecumenical Delphic union in 2022, it revives the sacred complex of Apollo in which an oracle named “Manto” has once been prophesying as the Pythia… First prize “Genius Loci Weimar 2021” video mapping onto the “Marstall” historical facade. "Neither" World Premiere - National Gallery of Prague 2019.
Tom Giles & Nicolas LeBrun / Sword and Oar Productions
Reviving Homeric Poetry for Modern Audiences
Adapting Homeric epic for the stage through oral tradition, improvisation, and ritual performance.
Sword and Oar is a Montréal-based theatre company dedicated to adapting Homeric epic for the stage. Co-founded by storyteller Tom Giles and director Nicolas LeBrun, the company foregrounds the oral-poetic origins of Homer through improvisation, formulaic composition, and live musical accompaniment. Their work balances fidelity to the surviving texts with the performative spirit of the ancient tradition, offering audiences an embodied, dynamic experience of epic. Founded in 2021 as part of Giles’ graduate research in Classics, Sword and Oar has staged performances for academic and public audiences alike, including Between Lions and Men, a live dramatization of Iliad Book 22.
Marina Gonta
Art Historian and Cultural Curator
Marina Gonta is a Greek art historian, curator, and cultural scholar whose work bridges literature, visual art, and intercultural dialogue. Born in Ioannina, she holds degrees in French and Greek Literature from the University of Athens and completed postgraduate and doctoral studies in Comparative Literature and Art History at the Sorbonne. She also holds a diploma in Translation and Interpreting from the Rectorat de Marseille. Gonta has taught French and Art History at both secondary and university levels and served in the European Parliament’s JACHERE program. She has curated landmark exhibitions across Europe, including at the Venice Biennale, the War Museum of Athens, and the Magna Grecia Festival in Sicily. A multilingual author and critic, her work has been published in national and international journals. She is widely recognized for advancing Greek cultural values through art.
Kathleen Hiley
Solo Dance Artist and Interpreter of Contemporary and Classical Repertoires
Kathleen Hiley is a Canadian solo artist known for her dramatic and expressive interpretations across contemporary and classical dance. Her performances have been presented across Canada, the U.S., and Europe, including at prestigious festivals and cultural institutions. She has performed works by Isadora Duncan, Jeanne Bresciani, Rachel Browne, Stephanie Ballard, Patricia Beatty, Margie Gillis, Gaile Petursson-Hiley and Peter Quanz. Founder of Kathleen Hiley Dance Projects, she has produced full-length solo concerts featuring world premieres and signature works. A dedicated educator, she has taught for over 20 years through institutions such as The School of Contemporary Dancers and Manitoba’s Artists in the Schools program. In 2017, she represented Canada at the Delphic Games Festival in Delphi, Greece. She holds a BA Honours in Dance and a BA in Psychology from the University of Winnipeg, where she received the Gold Medal in Theatre and Film.
Gareth Hinds
Graphic Novelist and Visual Interpreter of the Classics
Gareth Hinds is the creator of critically-acclaimed graphic novels based on literary classics, including Beowulf, The Odyssey, The Iliad, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, and POE: Stories and Poems.” Gareth is a recipient of the Boston Public Library’s “Literary Lights for Children” award. His books can be found in bookstores and English classrooms across the country, and his illustrations have appeared in such diverse venues as the Society of Illustrators, the New York Historical Society, and over a dozen published video games.
Sandra Kammann
Cultural Anthropologist, Ritualist, and Director of Mythic Performance
Creating visionary theater at the intersection of ritual, embodiment, and communal transformation.
Sandra Kammann is a choreographer, playwright, and anthropologist whose mythic performance works explore the transformative power of ritual and embodiment. She is founding director of We the Temple and former director of Sisters of One Eye. Her adaptation of Aeschylus’ Eumenides, Crack Between the Worlds, earned critical acclaim and a Helen Hayes nomination. Sandra’s productions feature original music, large ensemble casts, and ceremonial storytelling. She has danced with Maida Withers’ company and taught for over 20 years at The Studio Acting Conservatory and Kennedy Center. She holds MFAs in Performance and Cultural Anthropology from George Washington University and has presented internationally, including in Brazil and Ireland.
Nick Lasky
Spiritual Teacher and Ceremonialist
Integrating astrology, divination, and Ancient Greek spirituality for personal transformation.
Nick Lasky is a spiritual teacher, astrologer, and ceremonialist specializing in divination, meditation, and sacred ritual. A graduate of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, he is founder of the Society of Awakening Souls and co-founder of the Aquarian House of Astrology and the Cacao Men’s Circle. Nick has led over 7,000 one-on-one consultations and teaches courses in astrology, tarot, and intuitive practice. Passionate about Ancient Greek spirituality, he co-leads pilgrimages to Delphi, blending Western esotericism with mythopoetic ritual and cosmic alignment. Known for his warm and grounded approach, he creates immersive spaces for clarity, healing, and connection to Spirit. Learn more at www.NickLasky.com.
Jay Leeming
Oral Mythologist and Performance Poet
Interpreting classical and folk narratives through spoken word and storytelling tradition.
Jay Leeming is a performance storyteller and poet who brings ancient myths and epics to life through the power of the spoken word. Known for his lyrical, dynamic style, he has performed in theaters, schools, and conferences across the U.S. His repertoire includes the Odyssey, Gilgamesh, Norse myths, and Sir Gawain. He is the creator of the Crane Bag podcast, author of three poetry books, and recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. Through storytelling, Leeming reawakens myth as a living force of imagination, memory, and connection.
Michiyo Sato
Choreographer and Cultural Bridge Between East and West
Blending modern and Japanese dance with mythic themes and archetypal movement.
Michiyo Sato is a choreographer, performer, and educator whose work explores archetypal language through modern and Japanese dance. She holds a Master’s degree from NYU and studied under Erick Hawkins, Jeanne Bresciani, Mary Anthony, and Sachiyo Ito. Her choreography has been presented in Japan, the U.S., and Europe—including sold-out concerts at Joyce SoHo and televised performances for NHK. A longtime collaborator of the Isadora Duncan International Institute, she has presented Duncan works and her own creations at the British Museum, Delphi, and the Aichi World Expo. Sato teaches Ideokinesis and dance at institutions in Japan and abroad, and she is Artistic Director of Temple of Calla Lily in Chiba. Her work emphasizes the integration of movement, spirit, and myth in cross-cultural performance.
Cynthia Word
Choreographer and Scholar of Isadora Duncan Technique
Integrating modern dance and theater to foster immersive, multi-sensory engagement.
Cynthia Word is a Washington, DC-based dancer, choreographer, and producer with roots in Doris Humphrey and José Limón technique. She holds an MFA from The George Washington University and has toured widely as a teaching artist for the Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap. Since discovering Isadora Duncan’s work in 2005, she has studied intensively with Dr. Jeanne Bresciani and produced nine evening-length dance/theater works. Her acclaimed production MOVE! premiered at the Kennedy Center in 2020. Through Word Dance Theater, she blends story, live music, and Duncan’s choreography to inspire deep audience engagement.
Ravenna Wilde
Multilingual Performer and Literary Artist
Exploring cross-cultural identity through theater, spoken word, and movement-based storytelling.
Ravenna Wilde is a multilingual performer, playwright, and writer whose artistic journey spans Europe and North America. Her interdisciplinary work integrates theater, dance (Isadora Duncan, belly dance), and spoken word. She has contributed to over ten theatrical productions in Los Angeles and performed in Montreal at Tangente Danse and in the North American premiere of Worlds of Interior. Recent appearances include A Harbour Station by Gaëlle Bourges, honoring Isadora Duncan in Cherbourg, and In the West, Without Borders curated by Herman Diephuis. Her solo works explore embodiment, identity, and transformation through satire, poetry, and ritual performance.