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Delaney Jessica Gruber is a senior BFA Musical Theater major from Long Island, NY pursuing minors in Dance and Arts Administration at the State University of New York at Fredonia. She is ecstatic and grateful to have the opportunity to Apprentice for Sukanya Burman Dance Company. She is currently the dance captain and Frosch in Die Fledermaus for The Hillman Opera series at Fredonia, and later this year can be seen in Edges by Pasek and Paul. Delaney has studied and completed various styles of dance at Fredonia and hopes to learn more in all of her future artistic endeavors.

I strongly believe dance is an art form that should always encompass and inspire positivity, acceptance, inclusion, education, and love. Performance provides an opportunity like no other to be vulnerable and open in a world of closed-off minds. Theater and dance is crucial to a flourishing environment because we allow ourselves to express what can’t be said with words alone.

Fun fact: I have a dog named Benny! His instagram is @bennytheshihchon.

Delaney Gruber

Company Apprentice

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Hello, my name is Destiny Hernandez-Diaz; I’m a 22 year old dancer from the Bronx, NY. I started training at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance as part of their young artist program. I then attended SUNY Fredonia to study ballet, jazz and contemporary. But, I am also trained in street jazz, reggaeton, and hiphop. I’ve studied Korean traditional dance for 4 years and have a big interest in expanding my training in other cultures dance forms and techniques. This is my first season at Sukanya Burman’s dance company and I am tremendously excited to hone my technique and artistry within the company.

Destiny Hernan Diaz

Company Dancer

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Grace Gibbons began serious training at the age of 13. Though she initially trained as a ballet dancer, she later gained pre-professional experience in multiple forms. Gibbons has had summer training and performance experience through companies such as Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Magnificat!, Sovereign Ballet, as well as Jamestown's own Studio Dance Conservatory and Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet. Gibbons also has experience through the Mercyhurst University B.F.A. dance program.

Fun fact: Gibbons was a recreational Swedish-folk dancer before beginning her ballet training.

"Dance is not the art of movement. It is the art of moment - dance finds the beauty in the pause between the movements. It is the transient connection between audience and dancer that makes dance so remarkable"

Grace Gibbons

Company Apprentice

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Grace Larson started dancing at nine years old at Tiffany Wakeley Academy of Dance in Jamestown, New York. They studied at Slippery Rock University where they earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration of Studio Ownership and Dance Entrepreneurship. Through SRU, they also earned their Yoga Alliance 200-hr certification. Grace has trained in many dance styles throughout their life including modern, contemporary, ballet, tap, jazz, Bharatanatyam, house, and more. They believe that dance has evolved their character and shaped them into the person they are. Without dance, they wouldn’t have found their love for movement, their enthusiasm for music, or even their gratitude for themself. Dance to them is a raw and vulnerable art form that allows you to give all of yourself to it, exposing the inner workings of your psyche. Grace’s movement style is influenced by the release technique used by José Limón, and they are continually exploring new ways to move. One day, Grace hopes to own and operate a studio where they can advocate for inclusion and spread their love of movement, wellness, and creative expression through dance, yoga, or any other things they may dive into.

Grace Larson

Company Dancer

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Laura Becker is a storyteller in every capacity. She trained for ten years at Martell School of Dance in Akron, Ohio in a wide variety of styles and holds a bachelor's degree in Theatre with a focus in Non-profit Arts Administration from Baldwin Wallace University. By day, she is the Office Coordinator at Infinity Visual and Performing Arts. She is also a writer of songs and fiction and teaches songwriting at Infinity as well. Her other interests include roller skating and historic Viking reenactment. She believes that creativity is innate within all people and has the power to transform both the creator and the audience. Original art is vital to communities and audiences of every size, especially small ones, and she can't wait to share what she has to offer with hers.

Laura Becker

Company Dancer

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Sukanya Burman is a dancer and choreographer born and raised in Kolkata, India.

Sukanya Burman

Artistic Director & Choreographer

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Tabitha Shevlin is a performer who currently resides in Western New York. She is actively pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at the State University of New York at Fredonia with a minor in theater arts. Her early dance training began at Danza! Performing Arts Academy under the direction of Krista Taylor. Her theatrical experience has been with Ted Sharon, affiliated with Main Street Studios. Tabitha has obtained her Society of American Fight Directors professional certificate of completion in single sword, broadsword, and quarterstaff. She has also obtained training and performance experience in acting, musical theater, and singing.

She has overtaken the positions of stage manager of SUNY Fredonia’s 2022 Merrins Fall Chamber Concert, a student position on SUNY Fredonia’s School Advisory Council, and head of social public relations for the Dance department at SUNY Fredonia, while performing in numerous performances on and off campus. Tabitha is very thankful for the opportunity to be an apprentice this semester at Sukanya Burman Dance, and hopes to join as a company member in the near future!

Tabitha Shevlin

Company Apprentice

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Item List

Delaney Jessica Gruber is a senior BFA Musical Theater major from Long Island, NY pursuing minors in Dance and Arts Administration at the State University of New York at Fredonia. She is ecstatic and grateful to have the opportunity to Apprentice for Sukanya Burman Dance Company. She is currently the dance captain and Frosch in Die Fledermaus for The Hillman Opera series at Fredonia, and later this year can be seen in Edges by Pasek and Paul. Delaney has studied and completed various styles of dance at Fredonia and hopes to learn more in all of her future artistic endeavors.

I strongly believe dance is an art form that should always encompass and inspire positivity, acceptance, inclusion, education, and love. Performance provides an opportunity like no other to be vulnerable and open in a world of closed-off minds. Theater and dance is crucial to a flourishing environment because we allow ourselves to express what can’t be said with words alone.

Fun fact: I have a dog named Benny! His instagram is @bennytheshihchon.

Delaney Gruber

Company Apprentice

Read More

Hello, my name is Destiny Hernandez-Diaz; I’m a 22 year old dancer from the Bronx, NY. I started training at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance as part of their young artist program. I then attended SUNY Fredonia to study ballet, jazz and contemporary. But, I am also trained in street jazz, reggaeton, and hiphop. I’ve studied Korean traditional dance for 4 years and have a big interest in expanding my training in other cultures dance forms and techniques. This is my first season at Sukanya Burman’s dance company and I am tremendously excited to hone my technique and artistry within the company.

Destiny Hernan Diaz

Company Dancer

Read More

Grace Gibbons began serious training at the age of 13. Though she initially trained as a ballet dancer, she later gained pre-professional experience in multiple forms. Gibbons has had summer training and performance experience through companies such as Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Magnificat!, Sovereign Ballet, as well as Jamestown's own Studio Dance Conservatory and Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet. Gibbons also has experience through the Mercyhurst University B.F.A. dance program.

Fun fact: Gibbons was a recreational Swedish-folk dancer before beginning her ballet training.

"Dance is not the art of movement. It is the art of moment - dance finds the beauty in the pause between the movements. It is the transient connection between audience and dancer that makes dance so remarkable"

Grace Gibbons

Company Apprentice

Read More

Grace Larson started dancing at nine years old at Tiffany Wakeley Academy of Dance in Jamestown, New York. They studied at Slippery Rock University where they earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration of Studio Ownership and Dance Entrepreneurship. Through SRU, they also earned their Yoga Alliance 200-hr certification. Grace has trained in many dance styles throughout their life including modern, contemporary, ballet, tap, jazz, Bharatanatyam, house, and more. They believe that dance has evolved their character and shaped them into the person they are. Without dance, they wouldn’t have found their love for movement, their enthusiasm for music, or even their gratitude for themself. Dance to them is a raw and vulnerable art form that allows you to give all of yourself to it, exposing the inner workings of your psyche. Grace’s movement style is influenced by the release technique used by José Limón, and they are continually exploring new ways to move. One day, Grace hopes to own and operate a studio where they can advocate for inclusion and spread their love of movement, wellness, and creative expression through dance, yoga, or any other things they may dive into.

Grace Larson

Company Dancer

Read More

Laura Becker is a storyteller in every capacity. She trained for ten years at Martell School of Dance in Akron, Ohio in a wide variety of styles and holds a bachelor's degree in Theatre with a focus in Non-profit Arts Administration from Baldwin Wallace University. By day, she is the Office Coordinator at Infinity Visual and Performing Arts. She is also a writer of songs and fiction and teaches songwriting at Infinity as well. Her other interests include roller skating and historic Viking reenactment. She believes that creativity is innate within all people and has the power to transform both the creator and the audience. Original art is vital to communities and audiences of every size, especially small ones, and she can't wait to share what she has to offer with hers.

Laura Becker

Company Dancer

Read More

Sukanya Burman is a dancer and choreographer born and raised in Kolkata, India.

Sukanya Burman

Artistic Director & Choreographer

Read More

Tabitha Shevlin is a performer who currently resides in Western New York. She is actively pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at the State University of New York at Fredonia with a minor in theater arts. Her early dance training began at Danza! Performing Arts Academy under the direction of Krista Taylor. Her theatrical experience has been with Ted Sharon, affiliated with Main Street Studios. Tabitha has obtained her Society of American Fight Directors professional certificate of completion in single sword, broadsword, and quarterstaff. She has also obtained training and performance experience in acting, musical theater, and singing.

She has overtaken the positions of stage manager of SUNY Fredonia’s 2022 Merrins Fall Chamber Concert, a student position on SUNY Fredonia’s School Advisory Council, and head of social public relations for the Dance department at SUNY Fredonia, while performing in numerous performances on and off campus. Tabitha is very thankful for the opportunity to be an apprentice this semester at Sukanya Burman Dance, and hopes to join as a company member in the near future!

Tabitha Shevlin

Company Apprentice

Read More

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