HELENA BIRECKI has been creating movement to music (and silence) since her third Christmas when her parents put on a record of the Nutcracker and she lost all interest in the presents. Fortunately, she has been able to pursue movement as a career, intertwining teaching with performance and choreography. She earned a BFA in Dance from the University of Michigan in 1998. Helena now teaches both dance and Pilates in addition to performing with High Release, kemp&company, and DanceVisions, and has presented her choreography at events such as Summerfest/West Wave Dance Festival and Collaboration! Music and Dance. Helena has enjoyed being a member of High Release since 1999.
Works choreographed for High Release: Sonora (2000), Crosswinds (2002), Corners (2003), Evening at Rosie's (2005), Ground Effects (2006), Up and Tumble (2006)

VIRGINIA BOCK grew up in New Zealand where she studied ballet from an early age and taught dance in various schools and communities. She attended the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington, performing and choreographing with the third-year student company and receiving her diploma in dance teaching. New Zealand is great and all, but Virginia has no plans to move back... she lives happily in Santa Clara with her husband and young son. Virginia joined High Release in the fall of 2006.
Works choreographed for High Release: Arioso (2007)

JENNIFER EATON started dancing at the age of four. After years of studio recitals with Pam East Dance, Nutcrackers, and various spring ballets with local ballet companies, she set off for Connecticut College where she was officially introduced to Modern dance. She earned her B.A. in dance in 2000 and returned home to California after graduation. Here she is a Pilates instructor and myofascial therapist. Jenn was very excited to join High Release in the fall of 2003 and has enjoyed performing with the company.
Works choreographed for High Release: In Between (2004), Shades of Gray (2006), Ting-a-Bing (2006)

CHRISTIE HICKS: As is the case with most little girls, Christie tried her hand at ballet at age 4. It didn't stick. At age 10 she tried modern and found her passion. She danced professionally with the Elizabeth Waters Dance Workshop for 11 years, as well as with Surgite Liturgical Dance Co. and at the University of New Mexico. She also taught dance to elementary school children with Kids Love to Dance (Kids Ltd.) in Albuquerque, NM. Christie joined High Release in the fall of 2003.

I-HENG MCCOMB started school when she was 4 years old and never left. In kindergarten, she wrote in her Me Book that she wanted to be a "mommy and a teacher" when she grew up, so three children and some 2000 students later, here she is. What she didn't foresee then was that somewhere around the turn of the millennium, she would start dancing regularly (Zohar Dance, and later Dance Visions) and never stop. I-Heng joined High Release in the fall of 2006.
Works choreographed for High Release: Pieces of Grace (2008)

JENNIFER MELLOR can't imagine a life without dance. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, she has performed with civic ballet company Tulsa Dance Theater, modern dance troupe Dance On Tulsa, rhythm tap duo FootSong, and A Call to Feet Tap Dance Ensemble. Jen came to the Bay Area to get her B.S. in Mathematical and Computational Science at Stanford University, where she continued to study and perform modern dance, and other than a 2-year stint in Philadelphia, she has been in the San Francisco area ever since, working as a software engineer and performing as opportunities arise. Most recently, Jen has started dancing with intermedia company Double Vision. Jen was happy to join High Release in early 2006.
Works choreographed for High Release: Uneven (2007), Hanami (2008)

GAIL PALMER is a full-time dance instructor and choreographer at the Harker School in San Jose. She is Co-Director of the yearly middle school show Dance Jams and the Director of the lower school dance concert that showcases over two hundred first through fifth grade dancers. Through the City of San Jose, she teaches creative movement and dance classes to children and teens with disabilities. Gail has been with High Release since its inception.
Works choreographed for High Release: Pathways (1997), Between Earth & Sky (1999), Rare Birds in Groove (1999), Veiled Images (2001), Goodnight (2001), Shaken, Not Stirred (2003), Jump Back... Let Me Kiss Myself (2004), Ohh Ahh! (2007)

SHARON SAM is a founding member of High Release Dance and very proud of the momentum High Release has gained since its inception. Although not currently an active dancer, Sharon stays involved with the company by helping High Release with its finances. Nowadays, you'll most likely find Sharon spending her time cycling, river rafting, and trying to stay on top of eleven year old Jonathan's activities.
Works choreographed for High Release: Industry (1995), Crinkled Cotton Pajama Club (1998), Tales of Albion (1999), Dark Castle (2000), Drifting (2002), Dandelions (2004)

ERIKA TINGEY started studying dance at age 6 with Grace Butler, and continued through college where she studied with Libby Nye and Risa Steinberg, former members of the Limon dance company. In 1994 she graduated from Mills College with an MFA in Choreography, and went on to dance with Jennifer Brightbill and the Pneuma Dance Company. For a year she was a performing member of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo. Her work has been seen in High Release, DanceVisions, and Choreographers' Collective performances, as well as the Marin 21st Century Dance & Music Collaboration and "Assemble Emotion," an AIDS fundraiser in San Francisco. Erika joined High Release in 1999.
Works choreographed for High Release: Helix (2001), Intent (2003), Ebb Tide (2003), Scratched (2005), Passing Through (2005), Infrequent (2007), Whispers (2007)