Biography

Lani Fand Weissbach

Lani Fand Weissbach, artistic director of Shen & Bones Performance Group, has had a lifelong interest in the expressive, authentic and transformational experience of the moving body. She brings an eclectic background of western and eastern movement forms to her community, which includes BA and MFA degrees in dance performance and choreography, yoga teaching certification from the Integral Yoga Institute, and certification from the Eastwest Somatics Institute for the study of dance and movement therapy. Over the past 20 years, Lani has had the great privilege of working with esteemed teachers and artists of butoh, modern dance, somatics and yoga nationally and abroad. Since 1990, she has directed and produced numerous concerts of original choreography, creating many cross-disciplinary alliances with writers, musicians, actors and visual artists. Lani has performed with professional companies both nationally and abroad, and was a principal dancer in Hawaii's premier dance company Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre in the early 90's. Her work has been commissioned for events in Pennsylvania, Arizona, New York, Chicago and Edinburgh, Scotland. Lani has served as an adjunct and full time instructor for over 25 colleges and universities, public schools and private institutions throughout the U.S. She is currently on the faculties of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, Allegheny College and the Erie Art Museum's Educational Program.

Sara Lawrence

Sara Lawrence, a native of Columbus, OH, is currently in her senior year at Mercyhurst College. She is studying dance with a concentration in teaching and choreography as well as acquiring a minor in biology. She takes great pride in taking life in stride, one day at a time, and therefore does not know what she will be doing upon graduation. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This is Sara's second year working with Shen & Bones. She would like to thank her mother and father for their generous love and support along the way.