Our Dancers
Ashley C. Mariani,
President
Ashley C. Mariani, from the Island of Puerto Rico, began dancing at the age of three and has spent over the last 20 plus years enjoying every moment of it. From classical training, to competitive training and traveling the world, Ashley has explored many aspects of the artistic world of dance. Growing up in Florida and starting off primarily as a Ballet dancer at the Royal Ballet Academy, Ashley's training consists of ballet, jazz, tap, modern, Step, contemporary, hip-hop and ballroom. Over the last several years of living in NYC, Ashley has performed at The Tank Theater, Dixon Place, Green Space Entropy, Chashama Art Space, Arts on Site, Anita’s Way on Times Square, as well as multiple online platforms. Ashley is the President and founder of Variety Pack Collective (Est. 2019) debuting their first official work in April of 2020. Ashley is an enrichment instructor by day and a collaborating artist by night. Working with companies such as DRIP Orlando, RAW Artists, Art of Stepping, Mark Morris Dance Group, Jennifer Muller/ The Works, Vanessa Long Dance Company. Ashley continues to work as a freelance artist in the tristate area as an educator, choreographer and curator.
Brandon Woods
Vice-President
Brandon Woods, from Winston Salem, NC, BFA graduate of UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA), began a professional career dancing original works created by Duane Cyrus, Helen Simoneau, Eric Oberdorff, Zane Booker, Juel Lane and more. Performed and toured with the West Virginia Dance Company that featured works choreographed by Doug Varone. Recipient of the William R. Kenan Fellowship, which commissioned an original work he co-created, entitled “Skin-Deep”, at the Lincoln Center. Recently joined the Switzerland tour of “Touch Isolations” and the José Limon Dance Foundation as a company member. Additionally, recent collaborations include dances with StubbornMVMT, Olga Rabetskaya, and Variety Pack Collective.
Angela Weigel
Marketing Manager
Angela Weigel graduated from The University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in May 2019. There, Angela received the Friends of Dance Research Award for her senior thesis research and presented her research findings in the "5 College Dance Symposium". She also won “The Chancellor’s Talent Award” her senior year there. Currently, Angela resides in Brooklyn, NY. She is an active dancer and member of Variety Pack Collective, Dance Works NYC, and Continuum Dance co. Most recently she performed for the “We Vs. C” RWJ Hospital annual Gala with LatticeWorks Dance co., performed in the Anthology33 2022 showcase, and choreographed, and directed her own jazz dance film with Continuum Dance Co.. She also choreographed with her co choreographer, Jessica Lewinson, in season 18 of DWNYC, and has performed at Fertile Ground Dance Festival with Variety Pack Collective and had her choreography selected to be featured in Artist After Hours' Emerging Artists Showcase in 2021. Angela plans to continue dancing in companies across New York and expand her love for performing, creating and teaching dance. Angela loves every second spent dancing and creating with her fellow friends in Variety Pack Collective.
Leann Gioia, Treasurer
Leann Gioia, has been pursuing her professional dance career in NYC since 2014, after receiving her BFA in Dance at the University of Iowa. She is currently a member of the Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Group and Variety Pack Collective. During her time in NYC, she has performed with a multitude of artists including Jennifer Muller/The Works, Te Perez CeCeccon, Ughetta Pratesi, Matheta Dance, American Liberty Ballet, Marie Giordano Dance, and Rachel Kosch Dance. Leann also works with many individuals through art modeling. Greatly informed by her knowledge of dance, she poses at the Art Students League of New York in classes of all mediums, and also works with the sculptor Bill Crozier. Collaborating with different artists has enabled her to utilize her various dance styles and artistic interests, including performing, teaching, and choreographing. As a choreographer, Leann is proud of the work she has created with Variety Pack Collective, namely the short dance film ElLe. As a dance educator, she is certified in teaching Beginner Simonson Technique, which she has studied extensively over the last three years with Teresa Perez Ceccon. Along with advancing her knowledge of teaching the Simonson technique, Leann intends to continue performing and choreographing widely in NYC and beyond.
