meet the team
Founder and Artistic Director, Brian Josiah Martinez
Brian Josiah Martinez began his dance journey at Davidson High School in Mobile, AL, guided by the esteemed Angie Brocato Dussouy. At The University of Southern Mississippi, he excelled as the Teaching Assistant for Advanced Choreography and assumed the role of President of the Student Dance Organization, showcasing his leadership acumen in overseeing student engagement. Graduating summa cum laude with honors in Dance Performance and Choreography, Brian guest-performed with Hub Dance Collective, contributing to the vibrancy of Hattiesburg, MS's dance scene.
Venturing to Chicago, Brian trained in Hubbard Street's Professional Program under the mentorship of Alexandra Wells. During his tenure, he graced the stage in works by choreographic luminaries such as William Forsythe, Rena Butler, Jonathan Alsberry, and Ryan Mason. Brian later joined PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, making a notable debut during the challenging times of COVID-19, collaborating with renowned choreographers Stephanie Martinez, Robyn Minekos Williams, and Helene Simoneau.
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In his choreographic pursuits, Brian has created captivating films for Chicago's New Dances and New York's Future Dance Festival, namely "Next to the Portrait of a Red Haired Lady" and "Breaking Mundane." Stepping onto the grand stage of the Lyric Opera in Carmen marked a pinnacle in his performance career before redirecting his focus to Boykin Dance Project, which he founded in 2022.
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Administrative Intern, Sidney Valdez
Sidney Valdez is a multidisciplinary dancer from Elmhurst, IL. After growing up dancing at DuPage Dance Academy in Elmhurst, Sidney furthered her interest in both dance and the
mind-body connection at Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Dance. Currently, Sidney is a Company Dancer with Darvin
Dances and Claire Bataille Legacy Program Student at Chicago Movement Collective. She’s also a Staff Writer for See Chicago Dance and teaches dance to students of all ages in the western Chicago suburbs. Sidney is thrilled to be joining the Boykin Dance Project team as Administrative Intern.
Creative Assistant, Kara Hunsinger
​Kara Hunsinger is from Modesto, CA, and started dancing at Juline’s School of Dance. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from the University of Arizona. At the University of Arizona, she performed works by George Balanchine, Nacho Duato, Tamara Dyke-Compton, Autumn Eckman, Alexei Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon. Kara has danced with Hawkinsdance, Visceral Dance Chicago, DanceWorks Chicago and Boykin Dance Project. Kara’s additional training includes Alonzo King LINES Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet West, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ate9, Share Dance Intensive, and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. Kara currently acts as a choreography assistant under Artistic Director Brian Josiah Martinez in tandem with performing.
Creative Assistant, Hanna Dilorenzo
Hanna DiLorenzo is a multi-disciplinary freelance dance artist from Rochester, NY. She received her training at the Draper Center for Dance Education and performed with the Rochester City Ballet. Later, DiLorenzo earned her BFA in contemporary dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, graduating early and moving to Chicago to join the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Professional Training program (HS Pro) where she completed her degree. While at HS Pro, she had the opportunity to work with choreographers including Peter Chu, Rena Butler, Alice Klock, Florian Lochner, and Robyn Mineko Williams, and to perform alongside the main company. In 2019, she received the HS Pro Emerging Choreographer award. She has supplemented her training at summer intensives including Springboard Danse Montreal, Hofesh Shechter, and Northwest Dance Project’s Launch. Today, DiLorenzo is a collaborative dance artist with Little Fire Artist Collective, and a company member with Niko 8. As a freelance artist, she has performed works by Braeden Barnes, Alicia Johnson, Ibrahim Sabi, and Flockworks. She was also a cover for Robyn Mineko Williams’ Echo Mine. DiLorenzo is excited to be joining Boykin Dance Project for the company’s inaugural season!