Katrina Atkin (she/her) is a dance and textile artist/educator dedicated to exploring art's capacity as a powerful tool for healing, perspective, and future building. 

Originally from Evanston, IL, Katrina earned her BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, before relocating to Madison in 2020. She continues to dance along an artistic path that weaves together choreography, live performance, teaching, dance for film, and multimedia textile work.

Her dance work has been shown at the Center for Performance Research, Koresh Dance’s Come Together Festival, Philadelphia’s Rocky Awards, and in several evening-length, self-produced shows via the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. She has performed pieces by Curt Haworth, Jungeun Kim, and Jesse Zarritt, and assisted Netta Yerushalmy and Mariana Arteaga. She has taught at UArts, Temple University, and Washington & Lee University. Her choreography and dancing appear in various short films, including her own collection entitled The Moonbelly Healing Project. She also creates wearable and visual fiber art, including clothing and set pieces for her dance work.

Whether the mode is physicality or fabric, she is guided by sacred ritual, unanswerable questions, and the complexity of Nature, all informed by an ongoing desire to honor the full depth of human lived experience. Her work embraces creativity and the act of making as pathways to deeper connection with self, others, and Planet.

Born and raised in Madison, WI, Alyssa Ayen (she/her) became involved in the local performing arts scene at a young age. At age 3, she began training in a variety of dance styles, including jazz, tap, and ballet, and eventually became a member of Studio One Dance School’s competition team. Through attending competitions and conventions, Alyssa was introduced to musical theater and hip hop, styles she quickly fell in love with. She went on to join her school’s dance team while studying environmental science at Lawrence University and found a home at Barrio Dance upon moving back to Madison. After some time, Alyssa joined Barrio Dance Factory and went on to compete at World of Dance (WOD) Chicago, winning 1st place in 2023 and 2nd place in 2024, as well as WOD World Summit, where the team won 1st place in the US division and 22nd place worldwide. She has also had the fortune of working in the area’s musical theater space, teaching several beginner/intermediate adult musical theater classes at Verona Area Community Theater (VACT) and choreographing the Wizard of Oz for Belleville High School (March 2025). Alyssa is excited to collaborate with other dancers and bring her choreography to life on the D.E.L.V.E stage.

Anupama is a multidisciplinary explorer with a deep love of the expressive arts as well as analytical philosophy. As a dancer, she completed her Bharathnatyam Arangetram under the tutelage of Guru Kripa Baskaran, and also studied West African, Bhangra, Latin, Swing, Bellydance, Hip-Hop, Kathak, and more! She is excited to venture into group choreography with the generous support of the Isthmus Dance Collective. 

In addition to being a dancer, Anupama is a painter, poet, engineer, sculptor, seamstress, mermaid, jeweler, warrioress, chef, philosopher, and educator. Learning new ways to create and express is an everlasting calling that pulls her deeper into the vastness the universe has to offer. From teaching children to build and code robots and hosting expansive art shows to swimming across the lakes and MMA boxing, she loves to indulge in many fields. At the core joy, curiosity, love, and the divine lead her way. 

Finally, Anupama would like to dedicate her DELVE piece to her muses, her family. Rooted and rhythmic Baba, Abhik, inspires her to keep a steady pace and be aware of her feet on the ground. Willful and expressive Ma, Saswati, inspires her to keep the fire in her heart lit with heat of the blazing sun. Effervescent and celestial daughter, Jhulan, inspires her to dream big and remember infinite possibility.

Pa Ying Gia Thao (Pa Ying -Bgirl Ujin) is a dancer, choreographer, and breaker. She was born in Wausau, Wisconsin, and started out as a self-taught dancer/breaker for 6 years before coming to UW-Madison to study dance. In 2023, Thao was placed top four at the Shoreham Jam for the Toprock Battle. Her work has been featured in the Bike Path Festival 2025 and the UW-Madison Klopper Concert 2024. Her determination to learn other styles besides being a breaker has allowed her to discover new ways to move the body. Thao is also working with the UW Dance Exchange, teaching breaking, Hip Hop, and creative movement to elementary schools and middle schools. Within works, she has worked with choreographers Karen McShane-Hellenbrand, Omari Carter, Li-Chiao Ping, Kate Corby, and Clyde Mayberry. Thao's passion and determination aim to help her achieve her goal of becoming a professional competitive dancer, inspiring others along the way!

Molly Johnson is a Madison dancer that rediscovered dance as an adult. Her primary dance forms are heels and contemporary. When she’s not dancing her favorite activities are reading and trying new restaurants with her husband.

Guy Thorne is a dancer, choreographer, and arts administrator whose work blends Caribbean folklore, jazz, modern and contemporary dance, with multimedia performance. A co-founder of FuturPointe Dance and an interdisciplinary artist, he creates projects that connect movement, storytelling, and community engagement in academic and public spaces.