Wendy O'Byrne (Director) got her start in dance at the Robertson's School of Classical Ballet, where she studied under Colleen and Larry Robertson for ten years. After breaking out of the ballet scene, Wendy began performing in musical theatre. In her career, she has performed with various theatre's, such as the Ogunquit Playhouse, Seacoast Repertory Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, and the Boston Center for the Arts. When Wendy relocated to Boston, she began dancing with MAVI Dance Co. (International Folk Dance), Unyted Stylz (Hip-Hop), and the Brookline Academy Repertoire (Jazz). Wendy has also had the privilege to choreograph for the Boston Celtic's pre-game show through Brookline Academy of Dance and through COO Co. Wendy currently teaches and choreographs for B.A.D. and is the proud founder and director of Contemporarily Out of Order.
Shaina Schwartz is a choreographer and performer from the Boston area. Shaina graduated from the Boston Youth Moves program at the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio in 2008. A previous student at the Hartt School of Music where she studied musical theater, Shaina is now at UMass Lowell pursuing a degree in Social Anthropology. Shaina is a Resident Artist and dance director at the Peacock Players and teaches tap and contemporary dance at Gate City Ballet in Nashua. Shaina is now a member of the Boston Tap Company, under the direction of Sean Fielder.
Alex B FOOTLOOSE! (Choreographer) The Music Man (Tommy Djilas, Dance Captain, ensemble) Fiorello! (Dancer, ensemble) Beauty and the Beast (dance captain, various ensemble characters, stunt Beast). Danced and taught at 5-6-7-8 Dance Studio. A few seasons with the O’Halloran Irish Folk Dancers. Years of dancing with the Dracut High School Show Choir and Color/Winter Guard. A season each with the Spartans and Citations Drum and Bugle Corps Color Guards. Dancing his way through life. SO pumped to be part of CooCo! Alex would like to thank his friends and family for their continued support through the years. "Thanks for believing in me, and loving me. I don’t know what I’d do without you!" After some time off from performing, time spent teaching, with a little push, he’s finally back on the stage. Ready to show the world what he’s got!
Christina Sawyer was born and raised in Abington, Massachusetts. Christina was put into dance classes before she was three and has loved dancing ever since. Over the years she has participated in jazz, lyrical, ballet, pointe, pom, hip hop, tap, and contemporary. A highlight of Christina’s summer was dancing with the 2010 Brockton Roxie Dance Team. Currently, she studies at Quincy College majoring in exercise science. Christina works as a Fitness Specialist at Healthtrax Fitness and Wellness and as a part time dance teacher at Paula Coffey Dance Center. She is also a certified Zumba instructor. In her free time she enjoys working out at the gym, going to the beach, and cheering on the Boston Celtics.
Ester Maxman is a native of Houston, Texas, but has lived in the Boston area for the majority of her life. Prior to dance, Ester began her athletic career as a Rhythmic Gymnast in 1994, training competitively in multiple competitions from the State to National level. Her gymnastics career came to an end in 2002, but her passion to move and dance was only getting started. She began dancing in 2003 at the Brookline Academy of Dance taking hip hop classes, which later lead to adding jazz and contemporary to her interests of dancing genres. With her previous gymnastics training she is able to apply her techniques to various styles of dance.
Ester is currently a teacher at the Brookline Academy of dance as well as continuing her part in the Academy Repoitiore, also, a proud member of the new found Dance Company Contemporarily Out of Order.
Gillian Pressman grew up in Tarrytown, NY where she studied ballet,
pointe, modern, and jazz dance from Westchester and New York
City-based dancers and choreographers at the Tappan Zee Dance Group.
After making the unfortunate move to New Jersey for college, Gillian
received additional ballet training from the American Repertory ballet
and was a member of the Princeton University student dance company
Expressions Dance. Since relocating to Boston in 2008, Gillian has
continued dancing and performing extensively throughout Greater
Boston. She loves Boston, loves to perform, and is ecstatic to be
working with Contemporarily Out of Order
Ellen Brink, 13, has been dancing since she was 5. In fourth grade, she started with the Joppa Jazz Dance Company in Newburyport, Ma. Now, she is a member of the Brookline Academy of Dance Senior Company, and Contemporarily Out of Order 2 (Junior Company). Ellen’s favorite style of dance is modern, so she is thrilled to be a part of Contemporarily Out of Order 2. She also enjoys swimming, reading, photography, and hanging out with her friends.
Francis Rhodes is the newest member to Contemporarily Out of Order. Born & raised in Boston, he began dancing at the age of 12 with friends in school & around his neighborhood. With an extensive background in freestyle hip hop and krump, Francis has graciously taken on more dance styles such as ballet, contemporary, and modern. During his time attending Boston English High, Francis took part in several plays that incorporated various styles of dance allowing him to be as versatile in his art as possible. Outside of dance he has also plays drums for his church, is a sponsored skateboarder of the Keep-A-Breast campaign, bachelor of computer science & engineering, and runs his own skateboard company to also support the cure for Breast Cancer.
Maya Levine has been dancing since age 3 when she attended her first ballet class. She has tried all different kinds of dance such as hip-hop, jazz, afro-Caribbean, and others but her favorite is contemporary dance. She began dancing with Wendy O’Byrne 3 years ago and loved the incredible choreography and passion that Wendy brought to dancing from the first minute. She is in her freshman year of high school at Brookline High School and in addition to dancing with Wendy; she also takes class at school. She is ecstatic for Wendy’s first show directing her company, Contemporarily Out of Order and hopes that she gets the opportunity to dance with Wendy for years to come.
Originally from Atkinson, NH, Ryan Valente found his calling in Hip Hop dance within the last few years. Ryan became a dancer after being inspired by Wade Robson’s innovative jazz style, technique and performance aspect. After taking formal dance classes, in Jazz no less, he has been enthusiastic about dance ever since. He is trying to become better overall as a dancer by branching out in other styles and techniques, while still being a full-time student at Suffolk University, majoring in Paralegal studies. He has joined Contemporarily Out of Order in December ’10 and is excited to be a part of Wendy’s company.
