ARTS FACULTY
Sana Bangoura, Dance Teacher
Alhassane “Sana” Bangoura comes from a family of traditional drummers and dancers from Guinea, West Africa. As current and former members of the world-renowned Les Ballets Africains and Ballet Merveilles, the Bangoura brothers’ talents have brought them all over the world and led them to make their homes in Italy, France, the U.S. and Iceland. Inspired by his brothers, Sana began his drum and dance training in 1999 as a member of the company Wasasso, based in the capital city Conakry. In this company, under the direction of Ballet Africains dancer, Sorel Conte, Sana rose to the position of Principal Dancer, and in 2001 became Assistant Director.
During his sixteen years with Wasasso, Sana’s duties were manifold. He managed rehearsals for longtime company members as well as for youthwho aspired to join the group. He provided lessons for students from a myriad of countries to include Chile, Argentina, France, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden and Portugal. He performed in the national competition Stas Vacance when the company took 1st place. Sana also choreographed Wasasso’s performances that appears on Guinea National Television and won his group a 1st place finish in the nation in 2011.
After moving to Minnesota in 2015, Sana now performs with his brother, master drummer Fode Seydou Bangoura, in their group Duniya Drum and Dance, and teaches community class for adults. Performance highlights include Duniya’s many Fakoly shows and appearances at The Cowles Center, The Cedar Cultural Center and Orchestra Hall, and the Minnesota State Fair.
Brandon Chambers, Visual Art Teacher Brandon Chambers is a visual artist committed to a multidisciplinary practice. He uses art as a vessel to document and preserve his grappling with the human condition and its effects on lived experience. He does this abstractly by engaging in the creative act in varying contexts and observing himself, the process and results to draw conclusions and insights about existing. Brandon’s most recent interest is in the idea of virtual reality, not just as an emerging technology, but as a philosophical concept tracing back to Plato’s Cave and the question of how information and our perceptions shape our reality and how we live with uncertainty about the nature of reality. Brandon received his BA in Studio Art from the University of Maryland and an MFA from the University of Minnesota.
Zamara M. Cuyún Grimm, Visual Arts Teacher Zamara received a BA Anthropology U of MN, and has completed 2 years of Graduate Studies in Anthropology at U of Penn. A self-trained muralist, Zamara uses elements of Guatemalan and Maya history, ideology and iconography while focusing on the strength of women in community building. Recent public art projects include St. Paul City Council Chambers, La Mexicana Supermarket (funded through an Early Career Artist Project grant from Forecast Public Arts). Zamara also serves on the leadership committee for Serpentina Arts, a Latinx Visual Artists Organization.
William “Billy” Gustavo Franklin Torres, Visual Art Teacher Billy received a BA in Mass Communications and Rhetoric as well as a Master of Liberal Studies with a minor in Art History from the University of Minnesota. He is a Pro Tools Certified Operator, Music Level. Billy has curated more than a dozen exhibits locally and served as panelist reviewing applications for grants and artist-in-residence programs. He co-curated the exhibit Latina and Latinx MN: Re/claiming Space in Times of Change last fall at St. Catherine University. He works as a bilingual Educator for the Public Engagement, Learning and Impact Division of the Walker Art Center, and is a contributing writer for the local newspaper La Voz Latina. Billy also teaches at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and online for Dunwoody College of Technology.
Murah Hsiung, Instrumental Music Teacher Murah Hsiung is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Music degree in Viola Performance. She is currently the associate principal violist of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and plays with several orchestras including the Quad City Symphony and Mississippi Valley Orchestra. Murah is the current Head Music Librarian at Minnesota Youth Symphonies where she enjoys music preparation, coaching sectionals and interacting with students. She has a passion for cooking and enjoys traveling.
Alice Paige, Creative Writing Teacher Alice Paige is an author, teaching artist and performer from Chicago. She received her B.Sci in Biology from Iowa State University and her MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University. She is a Loft Mentor series Fellow and a Digital Pedigogical Lab Fellow. Her work can be found in American Precariat, Freezeray Poetry, Coffin Bell and other strange journals.
Aaron Preusse, Theatre Teacher Aaron is the Founder of the Fake Fighting Company, a stunt and stage combat company based in Minnesota. He is a Certified Teacher and Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors. In addition, Aaron received honors of Advanced Gold with Recommendation from the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. He has served as Fight Director for over 25 productions at the Guthrie Theater. He has been the Fight Director for Children’s Theatre Company and their Theatre Arts Training Senior and Junior Intensives, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Minnesota Opera, Commonweal Theatre Company, Park Square Theatre , as well as many other theatres, universities and film projects in the region. Aaron has taught for the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, the University of Minnesota, Concordia University of St. Paul, the Minnesota Thespian Festival, along with many other institutions. Aaron is a graduate of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. More info can be found at www.fakefighting.com.
Ariane Sandford, Creative Writing Teacher Ariane Sandford received her BA in Theatre Arts from St Olaf College 2002, an MA in English from Iowa State University in 2007, an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University in 2017, and is currently pursuing her MAT for English grades 6-12 at Hamline University. She has been a Dramaturg at the Guthrie Theater, worked at Milkweed Editions, published in Painted Bride Quarterly and Booth Magazine, among others, and has been selected to be mentee in the Loft Literary Center’s mentorship program.
Brandon Chambers, Visual Art Teacher Brandon Chambers is a visual artist committed to a multidisciplinary practice. He uses art as a vessel to document and preserve his grappling with the human condition and its effects on lived experience. He does this abstractly by engaging in the creative act in varying contexts and observing himself, the process and results to draw conclusions and insights about existing. Brandon’s most recent interest is in the idea of virtual reality, not just as an emerging technology, but as a philosophical concept tracing back to Plato’s Cave and the question of how information and our perceptions shape our reality and how we live with uncertainty about the nature of reality. Brandon received his BA in Studio Art from the University of Maryland and an MFA from the University of Minnesota.
Zamara M. Cuyún Grimm, Visual Arts Teacher Zamara received a BA Anthropology U of MN, and has completed 2 years of Graduate Studies in Anthropology at U of Penn. A self-trained muralist, Zamara uses elements of Guatemalan and Maya history, ideology and iconography while focusing on the strength of women in community building. Recent public art projects include St. Paul City Council Chambers, La Mexicana Supermarket (funded through an Early Career Artist Project grant from Forecast Public Arts). Zamara also serves on the leadership committee for Serpentina Arts, a Latinx Visual Artists Organization.
William “Billy” Gustavo Franklin Torres, Visual Art Teacher Billy received a BA in Mass Communications and Rhetoric as well as a Master of Liberal Studies with a minor in Art History from the University of Minnesota. He is a Pro Tools Certified Operator, Music Level. Billy has curated more than a dozen exhibits locally and served as panelist reviewing applications for grants and artist-in-residence programs. He co-curated the exhibit Latina and Latinx MN: Re/claiming Space in Times of Change last fall at St. Catherine University. He works as a bilingual Educator for the Public Engagement, Learning and Impact Division of the Walker Art Center, and is a contributing writer for the local newspaper La Voz Latina. Billy also teaches at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and online for Dunwoody College of Technology.
Murah Hsiung, Instrumental Music Teacher Murah Hsiung is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Music degree in Viola Performance. She is currently the associate principal violist of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and plays with several orchestras including the Quad City Symphony and Mississippi Valley Orchestra. Murah is the current Head Music Librarian at Minnesota Youth Symphonies where she enjoys music preparation, coaching sectionals and interacting with students. She has a passion for cooking and enjoys traveling.
Alice Paige, Creative Writing Teacher Alice Paige is an author, teaching artist and performer from Chicago. She received her B.Sci in Biology from Iowa State University and her MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University. She is a Loft Mentor series Fellow and a Digital Pedigogical Lab Fellow. Her work can be found in American Precariat, Freezeray Poetry, Coffin Bell and other strange journals.
Aaron Preusse, Theatre Teacher Aaron is the Founder of the Fake Fighting Company, a stunt and stage combat company based in Minnesota. He is a Certified Teacher and Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors. In addition, Aaron received honors of Advanced Gold with Recommendation from the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. He has served as Fight Director for over 25 productions at the Guthrie Theater. He has been the Fight Director for Children’s Theatre Company and their Theatre Arts Training Senior and Junior Intensives, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Minnesota Opera, Commonweal Theatre Company, Park Square Theatre , as well as many other theatres, universities and film projects in the region. Aaron has taught for the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, the University of Minnesota, Concordia University of St. Paul, the Minnesota Thespian Festival, along with many other institutions. Aaron is a graduate of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. More info can be found at www.fakefighting.com.
Ariane Sandford, Creative Writing Teacher Ariane Sandford received her BA in Theatre Arts from St Olaf College 2002, an MA in English from Iowa State University in 2007, an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University in 2017, and is currently pursuing her MAT for English grades 6-12 at Hamline University. She has been a Dramaturg at the Guthrie Theater, worked at Milkweed Editions, published in Painted Bride Quarterly and Booth Magazine, among others, and has been selected to be mentee in the Loft Literary Center’s mentorship program.
