Welcome to our Guest Performers from Winona State University!

Ana Boucek (she/they) is a junior at Winona State University who is originally from Grayslake, IL. Her dance career started when she was three years old and was involved in her high school dance club and continued her dance journey while at college. She has been in three Dancescapes at Winona State University and has choreographed two pieces for the spring showcase. She will be attending the ACDA dance conference at St. Olaf and is hoping to continue more dance opportunities in the future.

Cameron Domnick (she/her) is from Rochester, Minnesota, and grew up dancing at Janet Lang Dance Studio and The Dance Lab. Dancing has always been a large part of her family’s life, as she grew up dancing with her younger sister and had her mom as one of her dance teachers. She is currently a student at Winona State University and will graduate at the end of 2024 with a major in Applied Communication Studies and minors in Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies and Dance. While attending WSU, she has performed in multiple student choreographed pieces, as well as two faculty pieces and one guest piece. In 2023 at WSU, Cameron choreographed a musical theater dance, Le Jazz Hot, for the spring show and co-choreographed the main stage musical production of Footloose. In March, she will be attending and performing at ACDA. Cameron recently choreographed a piece called Behind-the-Scenes, for the WSU production of Dancescape 2024, which will be performed in the informal showcase at ACDA. In the future, she hopes to build a career in social media marketing/management and wants to continue dancing/choreographing.

Abigail (Abby) Donkers (she/they) developed a passion for performing at a young age in her hometown Rochester, MN. She trained in many styles that competed around the Minnesota area. Abby currently attends Winona State University, where she is majoring in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood and minoring in Dance in her fourth year. While at Winona State University she has worked with Brianna Johnson, Erin Drummond, Robin Stiehm, and Joanna Lees to create a variety of different works. She attended the American College Dance Association (ACDA) in 2023 and 2024 performing in works by Brianna Johnson, Joanna Lees, and her solo withdrawal.

Payton Hernandez (she/her) has been involved in the dance world since she could walk. She danced with Energy Dance Company, Kincade Dance Industries, and The Dance Complex all in Minnesota. She then went on to dance two years on her high school, St. Michael/Albertville's, varsity dance team. She has since been pursuing an iDesign major with a dance minor as a sophomore at Winona State University and loves to grow and learn with her dance peers.

Catherine McBride (she/her) was raised in Saint Paul, MN and went to school at Yinghua Academy, a Chinese immersion school. Currently, Catherine is completing her third year of undergraduate studies at Winona State University and plans to graduate in December of 2024. She majors in Psychology and minors in both Chinese Studies and Dance. Catherine is an active member at Winona State as ACDA Student representative for Dance Society and as student representative for the psychology department and dance program for the College of Liberal Arts Advisory Board. Catherine has danced in three productions of Dancescape at WSU and has had the privilege of choreographing for Dancescape for two years now. Catherine aspires to continue her education in psychology in hopes to earn her master's and license to practice counseling. This year, Catherine is excited for the opportunity to perform Entropy for The Twelfth production and at this year's ACDA at St. Olaf college this March.

Sarah Nagle (she/her) is currently a junior at Winona State University, originally from Lakeville, Minnesota. She danced at Synergy Dance Center in Farmington, Minnesota from ages 5-21, training in several dance styles and competing at competitions around the Twin Cities. She earned an Associates of Liberal Arts degree from Inver Hills Community College in May of 2022, then transferred those credits over to Winona State University later that fall. She is now majoring in global studies and double minoring in dance and political science, planning to graduate with a bachelor's degree in the spring of 2025. While attending Winona State, Sarah has co-choreographed Footloose, Winona State’s 2023 mainstage musical, she choreographed and performed her own solo at Winona State’s Dancescape 2024, has danced in several faculty, guest, and student choreographed pieces, and will be attending and performing at the ACDA regional conference at St. Olaf College with WSU. In the future, she hopes to live in NYC or DC and work for an NGO, the UN, or the EU, and continue to pursue dance opportunities.

Jillian Pino (she/her) just graduated from Winona State University (WSU) this past December with a Bachelor's of Social Work (BSW) degree. Jillian grew up in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and she studied ballet and modern dance since she was three years old. Once starting school at WSU and choosing a Dance minor, Jillian explored contemporary dance, choreography, and performance. She participated in WSU's show "Dancescape" from 2020-2023 and was showcased in works created by Brianna Johnson, Leila Awadallah, Robin Stiehm, Erin Drummond, and Joanna Lees, as well as other student choreographers. Jillian also choreographed a solo for "Dancescape 2023" called My Four Corners, which explored her feelings around dance and the impact it had on her growing up. Jillian was co-director for the Spring Show, WSU's student-run showcase, called "Just Dance." She will be attending ACDA this year at St. Olaf College, performing in Joanna Lees' work Entropy and student choreographer Cameron Domnick's Behind-the-Scenes. Jillian hopes that her love for dance can radiate from stage and inspire others to get up and move.