Monica Newsam
Choreographer, Dancer, and Cofounder of Newsam Aerial Dance
Monica was discovered at age five for her passion for movement and dance, marking the beginning of a life-long journey to define her singular artistic vision.
She received her BFA at the National School of Dance and Folklore in Havana. Monica continued her exploration of international movement styles in India. She received a Post-Graduate Diploma in Indian Classical Dance at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra and Yoga at the Sivananda Yoga Center of Kerala. With her 2003 Master’s in Education from Lindenwood University, Monica began exploring aerial circus techniques, lending new perspectives to her artistic work.
Currently, Monica teaches aerial dance at Webster University and choreographs for its dance ensembles
Mysteria
Executive Board
and Dancer
Mysteria Mantese, a native of St. Louis, was raised in the arts. She saw her first dance concert at age two. While watching the performance, her mother whispered to her, asking if she would like to dance like that. In a trance, she rose from her seat and headed for the stage. That passion opened her exploration of various movements of grace and physicality, from training in classical dances at COCA, to social dances at conferences, circus arts at Circus Harmony and Circus Flora, gymnastics at Team Central and St. Louis Gymnastics Center’s team, and performing all over the St. Louis metropolitan area in dance and circus arts. After receiving a Bachelor’s in dance at Webster University, her passion continues to develop her physically, mentally, and spiritually. She continues to travel around the world, attending the Irish Aerial Dance Festival, and working and performing with Newsam Aerial Dance Company.
Graciela Newsam
CoFounder
Graciela was born in Panama and started dancing at an early age. While studying journalism at the University of Panama, Graciela began teaching dance under the guidance of renowned instructors Ginela Vasquez, Leslie Reyes, and Barbara Berger. Graciela’s enthusiasm for dance has inspired her to study different styles of movement such as classical ballet, contemporary dance, gymnastics, Indian classical dance, yoga, and aerial circus.
While studying in India, Graciela received a Post Graduate Diploma in Indian Classical Dance at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra and Yoga at the Sivananda Yoga Center of Kerala; she also taught ballet and contemporary dance at the American Embassy School and the Lycée Français de Delhi. Successful performances in New Delhi generated invitations for Graciela to perform in both France and Italy. Her interest in dance analysis brought her to Paris to study Benesh Movement Notation at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Paris, where she received her bachelor’s degree in 1997.
Morgan Rabe
Content Creator
Morgan Rabe graduated from Webster University in St. Louis with a degree in Sociology, a minor in Spanish, and a certificate in leadership. While attending Webster, a friend whimsically invited her to enroll in Monica Newsam's aerial dance class. Unbeknownst to her, this decision would change the trajectory of her future. She worked in customer service for 3 years before deciding to find her way back to aerial dance. Eager to learn more, Morgan returned to Newsam Aerial Dance in 2022 and offered to create social media content in exchange for classes. She now serves as a Teacher assistant for the company and continues to create content for their various social media platforms.
