Performers bios

Mac Black (Guest Performer | Company Alumna) is a dancer and choreographer whose artistic journey began at a pre-professional ballet academy and continued at the Denver School of the Arts. After earning her BA in Dance from the University of Montana, she spent four seasons performing as a full company member with Bare Bait Dance Company. Over the past two years, she has appeared on stage as a guest artist with both Bare Bait and Kinetic Convergence Dance. When she isn’t in the studio, you can find Mac snowboarding as often as possible and continuing her education in UM’s Paralegal Studies program.

Hannah Dusek (Company Member) is a dancer, choreographer, and performer. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Hannah trained in the pre-professional company, Beyond Words Dance Company, for 8 years, under the direction of Kate Jablonski. Graduating out of the company, she moved to Missoula, Montana to pursue dance at the University of Montana, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Choreography and Performance, along with her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology, in May of 2023. While studying in the dance program, Hannah had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Noel Price-Bracey and Ishmael Houston-Jones.

Once out of college, along with joining Bare Bait Dance Company in 2023, she and two other colleagues co-founded Kinetic Convergence Dance Collective, also based in Missoula, where she has been able to give more dancers opportunities to do what she loves. This being her third year on BBD, she is beyond excited to continue on another year with this incredible company, while also having the support from the BBD team to continue her choreographic and producing dreams with KCD.

Maeve Fahey (Company Member) was raised in Missoula, and in her youth trained in Ballet, Modern, and Jazz techniques at Ballet Arts Academy. While still in high school, she had the privilege of apprenticing with Bare Bait Dance for two of their seasons. After graduating, Maeve moved to San Francisco to train with the world-renowned contemporary ballet company, Alonzo King LINES Ballet. After spending two years there and receiving her certificate of completion, she moved back to Missoula in 2020 and graduated with a BA in dance and anthropology from the University of Montana in 2022. Maeve also worked with the local nonprofit Arts&Above as a freelance dancer and facilitator, taught at dance studios in town (Ballet Arts Academy and Show Tyme Academy), and was a company member for four consecutive seasons with BBD.

Maeve spent this past year in Ireland pursuing a master's degree in Contemporary Dance Performance from the University of Limerick. There she had the privilege of performing a work by Amir Sabra as well as working with notable choreographers like Mufutau Yusuf, Liz Roche Dance Company, and Jack Philip. Maeve additionally taught some of the BA contemporary dancers at the University's Irish World Academy, and worked for the non-profit Dance Limerick as a facilitator and educator.

Neave Fleming (Guest Performer) grew up in Colorado where she trained at Dance Conservatory of Denver under Jennifer Micek and Cori Lucero. She was an ensemble member and instructor at Movment House with Mary Lynn Lewark, a studio grounded in Gaga Technique, and spent a semester in Argentina exploring Tango and Hip Hop styles. At Whitman College she studied under Renée Archibald and Peter de Grasse and performed with guest artists including Dez'Mon Omega Fair, Christopher Williams, Sadiqua Iman, LROD, and jess pretty. Her thesis project explored the intersections of movement, the human body and the biological world. Neave is ecstatic to join Bare Bait Dance as a guest performer for her first season!

Mia Johns (Guest Performer) began her dance journey in Las Vegas as a dance major at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. She recently earned her Master's in Neuroscience from the University of Montana, where she actively participated in the dance program and performed with the university dance team. Last year, she served as Bare Bait's university intern for their winter production and taught a local high school dance team.

Alison Laundrie (Guest Performer) returned to dance in 2022 after an 18-year break to raise her two children, Isaac and Olivia. During that time, she continued to live and breathe movement through owning and operating a Pilates studio and teaching creative movement to children ages 2–5. Today, Alison focuses on using the Pilates method to help young student-athletes realize their potential and heal from injury. She is grateful and humbled to be a guest dancer with the amazing Bare Bait community here in Missoula.

Grace Nolan (Guest Performer | Company Alumna) grew up dancing here in Missoula, MT. At Ballet Arts Academy, she found her love for ballet, participating in Garden City Ballet’s The Nutcracker for many years. Grace also traveled and danced competitively with Show Tyme Academy, which gave her a new view of the dance community outside of MT. In 2019, she joined BBD as an apprentice, further fostering her love for contemporary modern dance. After graduating high school in 2021, she joined BBD as a full company member. Currently, she studies nursing at Montana State University. After taking a couple years away, Grace is excited to be back as a guest artist this season, dancing with her BBD family once again!

Tiki Preston (Company Member) has been dancing for as long as she can remember. Originally from the Black Hills of South Dakota, she moved to Missoula in 2016 to pursue her BFA in Dance with an emphasis in Choreography and Performance at the University of Montana. Her training spans a wide range of movement styles, from Modern and Contemporary dance to Ballroom and Commercial forms. She was recognized with the Award of Excellence from UM's Theatre and Dance Department (2017-18) and received the Talent Scholarship in 2019.

Tiki continues to expand her artistry as both a performer and teacher. She teaches Commercial dance for adults in Missoula and is the founder of Tiki Preston Wedding Choreography, where she specializes in creating personalized first dances for couples. Additionally, Tiki is one of the few Acrobatic Arts Certified Instructors in Montana. Deeply rooted in Missoula's dance community, she is committed to sharing her passion for movement throughout Missoula and the Flathead Valley.

Sofia Sant'Anna-Skites (she/her) (Company Member) grew up in Chicago and Evanston, IL and trained in modern, ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop. Sofia fell in love with performing at a young age and got her first taste of Missoula when she attended the Missoula Children's Theater Performing Arts Camp as a teenager. Before permanently landing in Missoula, she attended the University of Utah, where she received a BFA in modern dance and a BA in English. During her four and a half years in Salt Lake City, Sofia performed in works by esteemed faculty members as well as in guest works by New York-based choreographers Darrell Grand Moultrie and Anna Azrieli. She also explored mixed media arts, creating and performing multiple solo works that incorporated dance, film, writing, and sound design. Upon graduating, Sofia finally found her way home to Missoula, where she has taught, choreographed, and freelanced locally for three years. Sofia has guest-danced with BBD in three unique performances, and she is thrilled to now be joining as a company member!

Freya Sargent (Guest Performer, Company Alumna) grew up in Massachusetts and began dancing at age 11. After high school, she moved to Canada to attend the School of Toronto Dance Theatre's professional training program, where she had the pleasure of working with many esteemed Canadian artists. Freya worked closely with dance, theater, and circus artist Sharon Moore on an evening length work titled Fantasies and Other Poisons. She has also performed in the Ottawa Fringe Festival and was a founding company member of Toronto-based Pollux Dance. Freya holds a Bachelor of Science in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana and a Master of Public Policy from Georgia State University. She currently works full time for an environmental nonprofit called The Nature Conservancy. Freya has performed with Bare Bait Dance as both a company member and guest artist in years past and is thrilled to be back at it again this season.

Toree Wilson (she/her) (Company Member) was raised in lowa where she grew up at her mothers dance studio. She then moved to Chicago, IL and completed her BFA in Dance at Columbia College Chicago in 2020. During her time there she studied performance, pedagogue, and choreography. She also got the opportunity to perform, teach, and train at Camping, a dance festival in Paris, France.

Wilson performed in many works and spaces including Hang Onto Me during WestFEST in Missoula, MT (Francesca Romo + Michaela Ellingson 2025), Is This It? Bare Bait Dance (Joy French 2025), Hansel and Gretel Helena Symphony in (Heather Adams 2024), Scores From a Friend at OK... GO! (Toree Wilson 2023). Worked in partnership with Dance Initiative Inc. in Carbondale, CO (Megan Janssen 2023). Worked with colleague Nicholas Cooper through the Marshall County Arts +
Culture Alliance to create a five part dance film series in (2020). You can also find Toree teaching across Montana from Butte to Missoula!

Lia Wong (Company Member) is a performing dance artist, choreographer, and teacher originally from Eugene, Oregon. She graduated from the University of Utah where she earned her BFA in Modern Dance and BA in Psychology. Lia's training has been supported by strong mentors, Sarah Ebert and Miranda Atkinson, as well as through programs with SALT Contemporary Dance, Bates Dance Festival, Countertechnique, and American Dance Festival.

Since relocating to Missoula in 2022, Lia joined Bare Bait Dance for their 12th season as a guest artist and is now entering her 3rd season as a company member. Locally, Lia has also guested with Kinetic Convergence Dance (KCD), choreographed for Ballet Arts Academy's Studio Company, taught at Roots Dance and Gymnastics, and often teaches BBD's community classes. She is also Bare Bait Dance and Westside Theater’s Marketing and Communications Manager.