Our Cast of 22 Dancers
We have the best of the best dancing for you on stage for our production of Vigil. Learn more about who they are, where they came from, and why they are here:
Xinia Anderson
Pronouns: Sher/Her
Bio: Xinia started dancing when she was 4 years old at KMC Dance in Robbinsdale she trained there for 2 years until moving back home to Miami, FL. After graduating High School, she returned to Minnesota to attend Concordia St. Paul University where she rediscovered her love for dance. Throughout her time, Xinia took part in their annual production of Spring Into Dance, participating in over 28 pieces as either dancer or choreographer, and continues to contribute as an Alumna. She is so excited for another performance with 8:20 and to work with such talented individuals.
Why 820: One of my favorite things about this company is how truly happy everyone is to be part of it. Happy to dance and preform together. After my first show, I learned just how welcoming and kind everyone at 8:20 was. That feeling of community and shared joy really just keeps me coming back for more performances with them!
Pronouns: Sher/Her
Isabella TenPas is thrilled to be making her professional performance debut. Dance has long been a source of joy, growth, and expression in her life, and she is grateful for the opportunity to share that passion on stage. She would like to thank her dance family, every dance teacher, mentor, family, and friend who has supported her along the way! She hopes this performance inspires each member of the audience.
Why I joined 8:20 Dance Company this summer: I joined 8:20 Dance Company this summer to dip my toes into the professional dance world and to dance with other artists who love dance as much as I do.
Isabella TenPas
Pronouns: Sher/Her
Adrienne Guenther (She/Her) is a movement artist, teacher, and choreographer based in Minnesota. Adrienne approaches art making through exciting and generous movement that values the longevity of the artists embodying it. Through her work, she questions how people are interconnected to each other and the environment in which they inhabit.
Adrienne Guenther
Pronouns: Sher/Her
Emily Saba began her dance training at River Valley Dance Academy, where she studied a variety of dance styles for 12 years. She continued her pre-professional training at the University of Missouri–Kansas City as a student in the Conservatory of Dance before returning to Minnesota to dance as a trainee with Crash Dance Productions. In the summer of 2025, Emily joined 8:20 Dance Company and has been performing in their works ever since. Emily currently shares her passion for dance as a teacher and choreographer, inspiring the next generation of dancers through both technical training and creative expression. Emily is excited to step into the role of choreographer with 8:20 Dance Company for Vigil!
Emily Saba
Pronouns: Sher/Her
Allison Wheeler is a choreographer, performer, and dance educator based in Minneapolis, MN. Allison graduated with a BFA in dance from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities where she trained in a wide variety of dance genres and worked with artists such as HIJACK, Dr. Ananya Chatterjea, Souleymane Badalo, BRKFST Dance, Shapiro & Smith Dance, Erin Thompson, Carl Flink, Taja Will, and Limón Dance. Emerging into her professional career, Allison worked with artists such as Mathew Janczewski’s ARENA Dances, Novel Dance Company, Flyover Contemporary Dance, Heidee Lynn Alsdorf, Arcelia Rivera, and 8:20 Dance Company. Allison is also a member of Cider Dance Team, a K-pop dance based performance group. Allison’s choreographic works have been presented at The Momentary and The Medium in Northwest Arkansas and Red Eye Theater and Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to choreographing and performing, Allison is currently on the teaching staff of Chaska Dance Center and Inspire Dance Studio.
Allison Wheeler
Pronouns: Sher/Her
Clara Douglas is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, with degrees in Dance and Arts Management. Originally from Northern Wisconsin, she grew up dancing for multiple studios in the Northland. Clara has since relocated to the Twin Cities. She has completed two summer shows with 8:20 and is super excited to be on the choreography team for this one! Clara is using this post-grad time to get more involved with the dancing scene in the Twin Cities as well as getting into the art event promotion and marketing world.
Clara Douglas
Pronouns: Sher/Her
Hannah Litzinger is a dancer, choreographer and teacher based in the Twin Cities. She graduated from Concordia University - St. Paul with her degree in Exercise Science, a minor in dance, and honors in the theater department. She has various jobs including StretchLab, dance coach, freelances in theatre, and is an apprentice for Collide Theatrical Dance Company. This is her second summer dancing with 820 Dance Company and is very excited to also be choreographing!
Hannah Litzinger
Pronouns: They/She
Grace is a dancer and choreographer based in Minneapolis with a focus on contemporary and jazz movement styles. Grace has been dancing since the age of three, training in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and hip-hop. She continued her dance education at Carleton College, where she was a member of the Jazz and Contemporary Dance Company (JCO), Experimental Dance Board, and Semaphore Repertory Dance Company. Since Grace’s graduation in 2024, she has maintained a relationship with the JCO Company, guest choreographing for their Spring 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026 shows. Grace is so excited to join 8:20 for their summer production, Vigil, and is grateful for the opportunity to perform and be in community with so many amazing dancers!
Grace Gatewood
Pronouns: He/him
Nathan Barker is a Sophomore BFA Musical Theatre candidate at University of Minnesota, Mankato with a minor in Dance. In recent years he has been in MSUs productions of Oklahoma, The Cherry Orchard as Yasha, Willy Wonka as Mike Teavee, and the Spring Dance Concert. He joined 8:20 this summer to experience a contemporary dance based community.
Nathan Barker
Pronouns: she/her
Ella Potocnik is currently a BFA Dance major at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Here she trains in a variety of styles, with a focus in contemporary dance and choreography. Ellas choreography has been shown in many different settings including MSUs production of Lizzie the Musical, Student Dance Showcases, and the most notable being her contemporary solo premiering on the Spring Dance Concert stage. She joined 8:20 for the summer to broaden her experience outside of college dance!
Ella Potocnik
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Jess is from Saint Paul, Minnesota where she started dancing at age five. She graduated from Concordia University St. Paul with a Major in Theatre and a Minor in Dance, and has been a dancer and choreographer throughout the Twin Cities for the last 14 years. Her work has been seen at Able To Dance Collective, Generating Room, Theatre L'homme Dieu, Sidekick Theatre, St. Croix Festival Theatre, Metro State University, and Concordia University St. Paul, among others. She is also passionate about highlighting the experience of artists who live with chronic illness in her projects, and opening a space for them to be able to create and move. After seeing friends perform with 8:20 Dance Company over the last year, she was drawn to the strong emotional narratives shown in each piece. Jess is thrilled to be joining such inspiring and talented dancers this summer in Vigil!
Jess LaKosky
Pronouns: she/her.
Camilla David started dance at a young age to pursue her enjoyment in moving her body. During her time at Waconia Center for Dance Arts, she studied ballet, jazz, tap and modern. She joined 8:20 Dance Company in the summer of 2024 for the Fringe Festival. Ever since then, she has enjoyed being part of such a joyous and welcoming community of people where we come together to perform meaningful stories. While being a part of the company, she has been challenged to grow in her storytelling abilities and movement quality.
She is thrilled to be part of Vigil because it's a new opportunity to be part of something where everyone shares the same theme, yet each piece tells a different story.
Camilla David
Ophelia Becker
Pronouns: (they/them) is a dancer and dance maker embracing performativity and the ecstatic expression of self through movement. With a focus on honesty as a path to vulnerability, they engage dance as a modality to tell stories, hidden and unhidden, in the vibrant world within and around them. They graduated from the University of Minnesota in May of 2026 with a Bachelors of Arts in Dance with high distinction, summa cum laude. While at the University, they trained with many local and national dance artists including jess pretty, Carlo Antonio Villanueva, Jordan Demetrius Lloyd, Elayna Waxse, Cheng Xiong, and Laura Selle Virtucio. Of note, they have performed Steps in the Street alongside the Martha Graham Dance Company and have danced professionally with Randee Paufve and Morgan Thorson.
Why I Joined 8:20:
Ophelia is excited to dance with 8:20 this summer due to 8:20's commitment to foregrounding the unique artistic voices of emerging dancers and choreographers in Minnesota. They are inspired by the choreography in 8:20 that prioritizes rich storytelling and responsiveness to the communities that hold us. Dancing with their peers has been such a joy this summer and they are over the moon to be able to share this joy through performance!
Pronouns: She/Her
Bio: Phoebe has been dancing for 13 years and trained at Prairie School of Dance, where she graduated in 2025. She spent the following year as an apprentice with Concerto Dance Company, continuing to grow as a performer and artist. This fall, Phoebe will attend Palm Beach Atlantic University to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She is excited to continue her dance education and share her passion for dance with others.
Phoebe is excited to be dancing with 8:20 Dance Company this summer. She is grateful for the opportunity to continue growing as an artist, perform alongside talented dancers, and be part of such an inspiring community
Phoebe Sohn
Pronouns: she/her.
Carrigan grew up in Waconia, Minnesota, where she trained in ballet, jazz, and modern at Waconia Center of Performing Arts/ Cultivate Dance Collaborative. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2025 with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering and now lives in Minneapolis. During college, she performed in 8:20’s Dance for the Camera, and she’s thrilled to return for her fourth show with the 8:20 Dance Company.
Carrigan Dock
Pronouns: He/Him
Bio: Nate Gehrenbeck-Miller was born and raised in South Minneapolis. In 2022, he studied abroad in Costa Rica, where Salsa, Bachata, and perreo helped to inspire his passion for movement. His stylistic influences now include Hip Hop, Modern, Dance Improvisation, Latin, and Ballet. Nate graduated from Macalester College in 2023, where he studied Spanish, Psychology, and Dance. Since then, he has performed on small stages around the Twin Cities, and teaches a dance class through Minneapolis Community Ed. Nate is so excited to perform with 8:20 this season! In rare moments of non-dance, you may find him in a tree or savoring each bite of a birria taco.
Nate Gehrenbeck-Miller
Pronouns: She/Her
Bio: Anna grew up in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota and started dancing at age three. She danced competitively with Ms. Melinda’s Dance Studio and taught recreational and competitive dancers throughout high school. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in May of 2023 with a BA in psychology. Anna danced with 820 in the 2023/2024 season as well as Fringe Fest in last summer and she’s excited to be back!
Anna Satre
Jack Fischer
Pronouns: They/him
Jack Fischer was born and raised in Roseville Minnesota, where he grew up dancing at Out On A Limb dance school. Jack graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a BA in Dance and a minor in studio art. While at Gustavus, he had the privilege of performing in multiple spring and fall dance concerts, as well as at two American College Dance Association conferences. After college, Jack danced for one season with Borealis Dance Theater and danced the role of Harry Beaton in the Faith Church community theater production of Brigadoon. Having previously performed with 8:20 Dance Company during his time at Gustavus, Jack is excited to be back and create and share more beautiful and meaningful dance.
Pronouns: She/Her
Bio: Julia Jacobson is an artist, dancer, choreographer, teacher, and administrator for dance. Julia was born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and is a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota with a BA in Dance and a minor in Fashion Studies. While in Sioux Falls, Julia was a leadership member and choreographer for FA4FA (Fine Arts for Friedreich’s Ataxia) from 2021-2024. She is 2024’s Broadway World South Dakota Award Winner for Best Choreography Of A Play Or Musical – ROCK OF AGES – Fine Arts for Friedreich’s Ataxia.
Most recently, Julia was assistant choreographer for Emmy Award winning choreographer Linda Talcott Lee on the production of Guys and Dolls at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater. She also most recently performed at the Walker Art Center as a part of Eduardo Navarro’s Cloud Museum.
Reason for joining-
I was at an audition with one of the choreographers for Vigil Adrienne Guenther and she told me about this company. I
was so excited to go to the audition and work with emerging choreographers and connect more with the upcoming dance artists in this company!
Julia Jacobson
Pronouns: She/her
Cierra Dailey is a movement artist, teacher, and arts administrator located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Cierra began her dance journey at a competition studio and later at local arts high school, SPCPA. After graduating high school she attended the University of Minnesota to study dance. Cierra has performed works by local dance artists including Arena Dances, Shapiro and Smith Dance, Black Label Movement, Ananya Chatterjea, Elayna Waxse among others. This is Cierra’s first performance with 8:20, and she is excited to get to work alongside so many wonderful dancers!
Cierra Daily
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Drew Prachar is a Twin Cities–based theatre artist whose work spans performance, stage management, education, and design. He holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Concordia University, St. Paul, where he was awarded with the Pro Artibus Honors in Theatre & Dance. His recent work includes credits with the Duluth Playhouse, Park Square Theatre, Artistry, Illusion Theater, and Sweet Potato Comfort Pie.
Drew is thrilled to make his 8:20 debut in Vigil. He is especially drawn to the storytelling power of movement and is grateful for the opportunity to create alongside this community of artists.
Drew Prachar
Pronouns: She/Her
Hi my name is Danielle and I am a local Twin Cities artist. I graduated from Concordia University with a major in Theatre and a minor in Dance. Dance is something that I had an interest in at a young age but wasn't able to touch until my first year at CSP and it quickly became one of my most favorite ways to be creative and to share artistry, joy, and movement with others. I am so grateful for this opportunity and experience with 8:20 this summer, and for my extremely dedicated and talented dancers and everyone involved with the show!
