Devin Fulton
As the founder, producer and artistic director of Dev Dance Theater – dance has been Devin's greatest source of passion since the tender age of 3. She was a founding member of LA Contemporary Dance Company, and performed with State Street Ballet, Plexus Dance Theatre, the WB’s networks show Angel, 4 American Apparel commercials, a featured role in A Soldiers Tale with the world renowned Montreal Symphony at the Broad Theater, Edge Performing Arts Scholarship Program, Joseph Allen Decker Dance Company, and Commonality Dance Company. She choreographed and creative directed two music videos for hip-hop artist Samson (Just For Now & Walk Slow) and dance films ZINGDEED & I Fell From Heaven & You Didn't Even Care…projects she choreographed, creative directed, and co-produced. All which can be found on YouTube. Additionally, Devin was the founder and artistic director of The Pin-Down Girls from 2008-2014. The company’s performance credits include a debut at the Playboy mansion, the Rooftop Bar at The Standard Hotel, a private event for Dr. Jerry Buss, (owner of the L.A. Lakers) the Coverboys, (from the Philippines) USA Tour, countless fashion shows, and sold out productions in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara. They were also voted Best Dance Company of Ventura County two years in a row. She was the choreographer for Colbie Caillat's "Hold On" music video, (Vevo) Caught A Ghost's music video for 'Get Your life"...a companion piece to the film "Dear White People", and "King and Queens" music video for New Zealand pop star, Brooke Frazier. She founded Dev Dance Theater in 2017, and has self produced many evening length works since. Devin is represented by The Movement Talent Agency. She cannot wait for you to experience her latest work “Just As The Moon Comes”.
Natasha Emilia Heeszel
aka HEASZL is Dev Dance Theater's co-producer. She is a lifelong artist and former wildlife biologist from south Los Angeles county. Both art and nature began to speak profoundly to her at a very young age, causing her to passionately pursue and defend every topic imaginable within. By middle school she was creating paintings, collage, and comics, highlighting issues regarding the environment and humanity. Upon deciding what to study in college, she could hardly choose between the arts and natural sciences, so she decided once again, to do both. Forever intrigued by the process, she has explored just about every artistic realm. To date, she is actively involved in visual arts, film making, production design, art direction, music, writing, and acting. She would absolutely love nothing more than to continue these pursuits, and will work tirelessly and passionately to create beauty that might help the world to be a better place.
Océane McCord
Océane McCord was born in California where she began her studies at Idyllwild Arts Academy. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Cornish College of the Arts, in Seattle, WA. She joined Cornish Dance Theater where she performed works by Donald Byrd, David Dorfman, Lynn Simonson, Wade Madsen, amongst others. She moved to NYC in 2004 and joined Pucci Plus Dancers. In 2006, she joined Shen Wei Dance Arts touring internationally to Europe, Asia, Mexico, Canada and around the U.S.A. She performed at the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, American Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow and the Spoleto Festival. In 2008, Océane danced with AMDaT, under the direction of Andrea Haenggi, The Only Tribe, directed by Peter Kyle, Infinity Dance Theater, directed by Kitty Lunn and Forward Motion Theater with Eric Dunlap and Holly Daggers. She can be seen in the short film, “The Great Dance Wars” directed by Gail Conrad. Her choreography “You just me” was performed at Dance New Amsterdam and Green Space in NYC. IN 2010, she moved to Paris performing at Le Grand Palais, Le Pompidou, St. Ouen Gallery, Ethiopique Festival in Bayonne, and The Tunnels in London with the music group Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Océane moved to Ojai in 2013 after having her daughter. She sculpts and is a certified Pilates Instructor who teaches locally. Oceane joined Dev Dance Theater in 2020, and adores the loving and warm environment in which we create art together.
Sacheen Swan
Sacheen grew up performing music, theatre, and dance in her small Northern Minnesota hometown. She went on to earn a BFA in Dance at the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities), studying with dance faculty that included Shapiro & Smith, Erin Thompson, Paula Mann, and Cathy Young, as well as numerous guest artists. After graduation, Sacheen relocated to Nashville where she performed with Epiphany Dance Company and Évolution Danse, along with appearances on television and in music videos. Eventually moving west to California, Sacheen performed with Francisco Martinez Dancetheatre and Hae Kyung Lee and Dancers. Her performing career took her from go-go dancing in Prince’s former Minneapolis nightclub, to contemporary performances in San Francisco, to dancing in a crumbling former Soviet army residence in Dresden, Germany. Sacheen is honored to have spent the past 13 years dancing with Devin Fulton and performing with Dev Dance Theater. She is thrilled to join the cast for this production of Just As The Moon Comes.
Olivia Valdellon
is a founding member of Dev Dance Theater, starting in 2017. She is from Oxnard, California and grew up dancing hip-hop and jazz. Over the years, she grew an interest in different styles of dance, such as jazz funk, contemporary, burlesque, and salsa. Her spark and love for contemporary dance started when she took her first class with Devin. After that fateful day, she has been in enthralled by this style of work. Her credits include: performing and touring with world champion salsa dancer, Abel Pena, Omambo Dance Company, and the De’Lish Dames. Dev Dance Theaters “Just As The Moon Comes”, “Drift”, “An Indefinite Duration”, and “Is It Art?” …a site specific work at the Ventura Museum, Namba Performing Arts Shows “Duets” and “The Launch”, LA Salsa Congress, Delaney Gibson’s music video “La Di Da” and Samson Szakacsy’s music video “Walk Slow. Outside of dance, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones, and is finishing her studies in nursing. She is thrilled to share her heart with you tonight in “Just As The Moon Comes”!
Chereese Mackey
is an acupuncturist and mother who has spent the last 20 years creating art through dance. Her love of dance began at 3 years old, when her mom bought her her first pair of tap shoes. That love quickly evolved every time she was introduced to new dance styles. Chereese has been fortunate to travel the world while performing for Sesame Street, on cruise ships, and as a magician’s assistant. Her other credits include Daft Punk, Target, Debbie Allen, Billboard Music Awards, Colbie Caillat, and Dance Dance Revolution. Performing in Devin’s productions via The Pin-Down Girls and Dev Dance Theater for the past 14 years, has been one of her career highlights. Her shows are always innovative and thought- provoking. It’s a privilege to perform “Just as the Moon Comes” for a second time.
Brittney Nevison
grew up in Ventura, California until moving to New York to study under Broadway Dance Center’s Internship program. There she performed for B.E.T.’s the Mo’Nique Show, Madonna’s Material Girl fashion line launch at Macy’s, and Glamour magazine’s Flash Mob at Bryant Park. Brittney moved back to California to pursue her Bachelors of Arts degree from California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) in Performing Arts with an emphasis in Dance. She is featured in music videos including, Caught a Ghost’s “Get Your Life”, Colbie Caillat’s “Hold On”, and Samson Szakacsy’s “Walk Slow”. She has choreographed for local colleges and high schools including, Santa Barbara City College’s Collective Showcase and CSUCI’s spring production of Motown, Nordhoff High School and Ventura High School. Brittney is thankful for the constant support from her husband, Hector, and her boy baby, Cruz. She is a founding member of Dev Dance Theater since 2014, and is grateful for the continued experience of working with Devin and the company.
Ashley Maher
born in Littlestown, Pennsylvania and fell in love with dancing at the age of 4. She spent her early years studying and performing jazz, tap, ballet and musical theater; competing across the country in competitions. By the age of 11, her focus shifted to Ballet where she began studying at The CentralPennsylvania Youth Ballet. Her training there took her to summer programs with Boston Ballet, San Fransisco Ballet, and Pennsylvania Ballet, and the School of American Ballet. Later she was invited to study year round in NYC, at the School of American Ballet, where she finished high school. There she performed at the Metropolitan Opera House, State Theater, and the Guggenheim. At 18, she accepted a position with Miami City Ballet in the corps de ballet. She danced roles such as Balanchine’s Serenade and Jewels, Coppelia, Paul Tayor’s Company B and Arden Court and toured to Italy, Venezuela and the Kennedy Center. After a few years, she moved her career to work with The Pennsylvania Ballet Company and The Los Angeles Ballet’s Production of Casablanca in Beijing. This is Ashley’s first performance with DevDanceTheater. She is deeply thankful for this opportunity at this stage of life and for the support of her husband, Thorald, and children.
Sara Zermeno
has a love of the arts that began at 18 months old “helping” her mother prepare for a local rendition of Hello Dolly. Sara learned the songs and enjoyed accompanying her mother to rehearsals. At age 4 she performed her first duet with her mother and began taking dance classes at a local studio. Over the years to follow, Sara continued singing with the school choir, performing in church musicals, and developing in dance until she chose dance “full time” as an adolescent enjoying jazz, tap, ballet, and hip hop. She pursued every dance related opportunity attending conventions in California and Arizona, intensive summer programs at Millennium and the Edge in Los Angeles, and performing at local events such as the Ventura County Fair and Disneyland. Sara stepped away from dance at age 16 due to family hardships, but picked it back up at Ventura College. As a lover of all things movement, Sara acquired a personal and group training certificate through NASM and also completed 200 hours of yoga teacher training. She discovered Devin Fulton’s classes in 2007 and danced on and off until 2013 when Sara started a family. Now she is a full time household engineer in Fillmore raising 3 children, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 19 chickens. She is infinitely grateful to join Dev Dance Theater to pick back up her deep love of dance and performance as well as show her children it’s never too late to chase your dreams.
