Joel Valentin-Martinez was born in Mexíco and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He initiated his theater and dance training at American Conservatory Theater, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Rosa Montoya’s Bailes Flamencos, Oakland’s Dimensions Dance Theater, and San Francisco Sate University. From 1990-2003, he was a member of Garth Fagan Dance (Tony Award Winner) and toured with the troupe throughout the United Sates, Canada, the Middle East, Europe, Australia, South America, and the Caribbean. He has taught at Arizona State University, University of Rochester, and is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Theatre Department at Northwestern University. He holds a B.A. in Dance Studies from The Sate University of New York, and an M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His choreography for Fulcrum Point-New Music Project, Misplaced Flowers (2010), and Tlatelolco Revisited (2008) were both commissioned by Luna Negra Dance Theater and premiered at the Harris Theater in Chicago. He choreographed for the musical adaptation of Sandra Cisneros‘ The House on Mango Street (2009) at Steppenwolf Theatre. He has also developed choreography for the multi-media performance Imperial Silence: Una Ópera Muerta  (2008), which has been performed throughout California, El Museo del Barrio in New York City, and will be featured at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in 2012. Mr. Valentin-Martinez has been a guest artist at San Fransisco State University and has presented Valentin Projects at the University of Michigan, and the University of Minnesota, among others.
 
Javier Marchan Ramos’s curiosity for dancing began when he was a teenager, attending raves every chance he could. Years later, he witnessed his very first dance concert in Madison, WI. He traveled to Melbourne Australia in 2008 to study at Victoria College of Art. Upon returning to Milwaukee, he participated in dances by Laura Dean, Danny Gwirtzman, Alwin Nikolais, Suniti Dernovsek, Garth Fagan, and his esteemed UWMilwaukee faculty. Fulfilling his Dance BFA in 2010, he was awarded Dean’s Honors for exemplary achievements in performance including the North Central American College Dance Festival with Eric Jackson Bradley, Danceworks, and as company member of Wild Space Dance from 2009-10. Immediately following his studies Mr. Marchan Ramos began his dance career in Chicago with Valentin Projects as well as full company member of The Seldoms. He was favorably mentioned in both Time Out Chicago and See Chicago Dance for his debut performances in 2011. Javier is a Licensed Massage Therapist and runs March On This. video link bookings
 
Artistic Director & Choreographer
 
Dancer & Assistant
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photo gallery Valentin Projects Artistic Director Joel Valentin-Martinez