Amy DANIELSON, Founder & Instructor In 2006, Amy Danielson founded GENESIS: SARAJEVO, a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading dance and artistic opportunities throughout Bosnia and beyond. Amy conducts dance intensives twice a year at Foundation, Land of Friendship and Peace based in Kakrinje, just outside of Sarajevo, BIH. Originally from San Antonio, TX, Amy graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree from Oklahoma City University. She is an actress, dancer, and choreographer, and has taught dance to children of all ages, including master classes to Ballet Philippines. She has appeared in The American Spirit Dance Company, In the Mix (NYC), RileyDance (NYC), The Tempest (NYC), Beirut! (L.A.). Her original dance piece, Conception, premiered at Triskelion Arts Theatre in Brooklyn, NY, and Inertia premiered at Peak Performance in Ridgefield, NJ. She currently teaches at Sheila Kelley’s S Factor in Los Angeles, CA. Jean-Claude CARREAU, Partner The summer and winter dance intensives are held in the beautiful 15-acre mountain retreat, Foundation, “Land of Friendship and Peace,” which has been created and developed, over the past 10 years, through the efforts of Jean-Claude Carreau and his wife, Christa. Mr. Jean-Claude Carreau's son was killed by a mortar shell shot at the humanitarian convoy he was leading in July 1995, while serving as a UN peacekeeping officer in Sarajevo. In memory and tribute to his son, Mr. Carreau has dedicated his energies and resources to developing a mountain retreat that specializes in recreational and therapeutic horseback riding for children who have suffered from the many post-war traumas and losses. Mr. Carreau's objectives have been 1) to support the children affected by the regional conflicts in the Balkans and 2) to promote a new understanding between the peoples in the region. The Foundation will also now be the home base for GENESIS: SARAJEVO, as well as a music therapy program. Helen PATTON-PLUSCZYK, Sponsor In 2005 Helen Patton Plusczyk, MFA founded (P+P)²: THE PATTON PLUSCZYK STIFTUNG for International Cultural Exchange: A non-political, non-profit foundation centered in the Saar-Lor-Lux region and registered with the German Minister of Culture, dedicated to providing contexts for creative interaction between individuals of different cultural heritages. Helen Patton-Plusczyk is a theatre professional- writer, singer, actress, producer and director, with experience in stage, screen and television—in the United States and Europe to her credit. Born into a distinguished career Army family, she is the daughter of the late Major General George S. Patton, Joanne Stanley Holbrook Patton. She is the granddaughter of the late General George S. Patton, Jr. Third Army Commander, and also of General Willard Ames Holbrook, Jr., a combat commander of the 11th Armored division in World War II. Helen’s professional career has included film and stage work, both in the US and abroad. She co-founded The No-Neck Monsters Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., which was awarded a substantial grant from Comic Relief Program for its work with teenagers at risk. The company earned 5 Helen Hayes Nominations opposite Arena Stage, Fords Theatre, and the Kennedy Center for Sactuary DC, America’s first Rap Musical/Docudrama. Ashley FARGNOLI, Grant Writer & Instructor Ashley Fargnoli is a dance activist and advocate of promoting dance in post-conflict countries. Originally from Philadelphia, Ashley has a M.A in Cultural Project Management from The Institute of Political Science, France ( Sciences Po) and a B.A from Barnard College, Columbia University. While pursuing her undergraduate degree at Barnard, she learned how dance was used to foster rehabilitation and reconciliation in Rwanda after the genocide. She therefore shifted her efforts towards using her 18 years of classical and modern dance training with the Pennsylvania Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Barnard College as a tool for working with sensitive and marginalized populations. Ashley has conducted dance workshops for Roma children living on the outskirts of Mostar, BIH and directed a performance entitled "Children sing and dance for peace" with UNICEF, France. She recently spent eight months in Kolkata (Calcutta), India teaching dance to victims of trafficking and violence and learning about how dance therapy can be used for psychosocial rehabilitation. Joelle MARTINEC, Instructor Joelle’s unique style, challenging classes, and ability to inspire dancers has put her in demand as a master teacher and choreographer throughout the world. She has been a favorite instructor of dancers and teachers on the dance convention circuit for many years. Joelle is the founder of the new Los Angeles based company Unbound Dance Ensemble and is in the process of creating their premier show. She has worked with the likes of The Cohen Brothers (Fargo) in “The Big Lebowski”, Marguerite Derricks (Austin Powers) in “A Time For Dancing”, Jerry Evans (The Mask) in “Romy and Michelle: In The Beginning”, and Michael Rooney in the MTV music award winning video “It’s Ohh So Quiet”. Joelle has done many stage shows for Buena Vista Special Events and The Platinum Guild. She has also been a guest artist for The Wes Veldink Movement and a soloist for Liz Imperio’s Instincts Live Media Dance Company where Lewis Segal of the Los Angeles Times called her performance "feisty". In 2008 Joelle assisted Denise Leitner on the LA production of "The Who's Tommy" featuring Tony Award Nominee Alice Ripley, Nona Hendryx and "Wicked's" Jenna Leigh Green and is getting ready to start work on J.T. Horenstein's Dance The Question. Joelle is also a faculty member at the Edge Performing Arts Center and a master teacher for the cast of Cirque du Soleil Le Reve in Las Vegas. Joelle choreographs for numerous organizations, dance companies, and commercial projects. Her award winning choreography can be seen on stages throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Her passion and enthusiasm is contagious to not only the dancers, but to everyone around her. Maja HADZIOMEROVIC, Marketing Manager Maja Hadziomerovic was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and has lived in four different countries and on three different continents. Maja brought together our first group of girls in Bosnia, and she coordinated our very first dance intensive in the summer of 2006. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Neurobiology and is currently working for the Corporate Executive Board in Washington D.C. Besides her curiosity for the human brain, she is a human rights activist and has done volunteer work ranging from relief missions in Haiti to public health reform in Bosnia. She enjoys traveling, reading, painting, horse-back riding, and believes that "Biology gives us a brain, Life turns it into a mind." Mona MURATOVIC, Associate Communication throughout our dance intensives would not be so clear without Mona. She assists within the dance classes and translates whenever necessary. Born in Sarajevo, 1982, Mona is a senior at the Academy of Drama, department of acting. Simultaneously, she is a freshman at the University of Philosophy. Since 1996 she is an active member of the Association "Orphelines de Bosnie." One of the co-founders of the Foundation "Land of Friendship and Peace," where she volunteers as an animator and riding instructor. The most famous projects that she is currently working on are: "Hamlet" JDP Belgrade production, the musical "All that Jazz," "Velika Bijela Zavjera" KT55, the comedy series "Sex i Selo", as well as other various movies and theatre shows. cre-ate (kree-eyt) -verb 1. to cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary process. 2. to evolve from one’s own thought or imagination, as a work of art or an invention. 3. to cause to happen; bring about; arrange, as by intention or design. 4. bring into existence.