KineoLab’s guiding ideas
KineoLab is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization, dedicated to dance, kinetic exploration, and community. We strive to foster inclusive, collaborative communities where individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can engage in dance and movement. Through our work, we seek to address conflict within communities by providing sustainable, movement-based solutions that promote healing and growth. We also offer community-based workshops, performances, and spaces that encourage critical dialogue and self-expression. By creating opportunities for artistic exploration, we amplify the voices of those who are often unheard, making dance a powerful tool for social change.
Our mission
KineoLab is a center for dance, kinetic exploration, and community, seeking to preserve and advance a rich heritage of American and Global dance. We promote integrated wellness, address conflict, and cultivate collaborative communities for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
Our vision
We envision a world full of diverse, interconnected, peaceful communities dancing together.
Our core values
- Mind-Body Integration is key to a healthy life.
- Life cannot exist without movement.
- The individual cannot exist without the whole.
- Body as basis.
- Respect for all, above all.
- Everything is Everything
Our team
Curtis Stedge
Co-founder
Executive artistic director
Curtis is a dancer, choreographer, educator, researcher, and an arts manager. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Dance and Business Administration from SUNY Potsdam (Potsdam, NY), a Master of Arts in Arts Management from the University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY), an MFA in Dance from the University of Maryland (College Park, MD), and a CMA in Laban Movement Analysis from the Laban Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies (New York, NY).
As a professional dancer Curtis has toured regionally as a principal with Geomantics Dance Theater (Rochester, NY). From 2005 to 2011, he studied contemporary dance and Laban Movement Analysis intensively with CMA Richard Haisma. He has also studied with Christopher K Morgan, Adriane Fang, PEARSONWIDRIG DanceTheater, Elizabeth Streb, Catherine Burge, Troika Ranch, Ruth Solomon, and Wally Cardona.
As an educator Curtis has taught both arts management and dance at the undergraduate level in higher education, and has taught dance extensively to people of all ages and backgrounds. Curtis’ areas of research interest include the choreographic process, dance and community, dance and peacebuilding, as well as dance and placemaking. He is also a certified K-12 dance teacher in New York and New Jersey, having taught at PS/MS 007 Samuel Stern School, in East Harlem, NYC and Bard High School Early College in Newark, NJ.
As an arts manager he has worked for various national and international not-for-profit arts organizations including The National Centre for Early Music (York, England) as Marketing Associate, Geva Theatre Center (Rochester, NY) as Associate Director of Box Office Operations, Capital Fringe Festival (Washington, DC) as Box Office Manager, Projective Kinetics (Rochester, NY) as Executive Director, and Neglia Ballet Artists (Buffalo, NY) as Managing Director. He is currently Executive Director of the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in addition to being the Co-founder, Executive Artistic Director of KineoLab.
Whitney Denesha
Co-founder
director of community
Whitney is a dancer, choreographer, educator, and social worker. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from SUNY Potsdam (Potsdam, NY), and a Masters of Social Work from the University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY).
As a dancer she began her movement training in the Cecchetti Method of classical ballet at age eight, under the artistic direction of Jean Spear. She had performed as a company member with the Thousand Islands Festival Ballet for four years, touring throughout the Northeast US and Canada. She has worked extensively with internationally known teacher, choreographer and performer, Richard Haisma, and was a principal dancer in Mr. Haisma’s company Geomantics Dance Theater from 2005 to 2013.
As a social worker, Whitney has worked extensively throughout the greater Rochester area with Mary Cariola Center (Rochester, NY), and House of Mercy (Rochester, NY) serving diverse populations, including individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families, underserved youth, and unhoused populations. She is currently a full-time school social worker and counselor at Mary Cariola Center, and part-time psychotherapist with Brooklyn Counseling Services, in addition to being the Associate Artistic Director and Director of Community Collaboration for KineoLab.
Nanako Horikawa Mandrino
Associate artistic director
Originally from Sapporo, Japan, Nanako is a Rochester-based freelance dance artist, who graduated from The College at Brockport, SUNY with a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Theater. She was the recipient of the Santo Giglio Choreography Award and was recognized as the Departmental Scholar in Dance.
Since graduating from Brockport, Nanako had danced for Mariah Maloney Dance and Geomantic Dance Theater, and currently works with KineoLab, BIODANCE, Heather Roffe Dance, Hanlon Dance & Company (HaDCo), and Another River Interdisciplinary Ensemble. She also dances with individual artists including Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp, Natalia Lisina, and Mariko Yamada. Additionally, Nanako had the privilege to perform in productions such as “Les Enfants Terribles” and “Orfeo ed Euridice” with Eastman Opera Theatre, “Life is a Dream” directed by Frank Kuhn, and “Rosa Luxemburg” with Theatre Sennen Oukoku.
As a choreographer, Nanako co-produced ”WA” and performed with Yuko Hashimoto and Kanako Horikawa, touring Europe and Japan. Her recent works have been presented during the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival, Vision of Sound, and Dances at MuCCC. Nanako is also a certified Projective Kineticist (CPK) in Projective Kinetics Analysis and Training (PKAT), directed by Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) Richard Haisma.
Our board
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A
Board Chair
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B
board member
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