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Founder
Marisa Hamamoto
Founder, CEO, Artistic Director
SHE/HER
The first professional dancer to be named People Magazine “Women Changing the World”, and also recognized as LinkedIn Top Voice, InStyle Magazine “Badass 50,” adidas "women reimagining sport," CBS News “People Making a Difference”, and featured on Good Morning America and NBC Today, Marisa is an award-winning Transformational Movement Artist, Speaker, and Changemaker dedicated to creating a more inclusive just world where we can each feel alive, not just survive. Marisa’s lived experiences of her body repeatedly not being accepted as a dancer, her Japanese American identity not fitting the box in many spaces, and surviving a spinal stroke that initially paralyzed her from the neck down eventually led her to create Infinite Flow Dance in 2015. A few years into devoting her life to disability advocacy, Marisa was diagnosed with two nonapparent disabilities: PTSD (2021) and Autism (2022). The diagnoses brought much clarity to the challenges she’s coped with throughout her life. Marisa is bilingual and bicultural. She completed her BA & MA from Keio University, Tokyo. She is an Honorary Member (Distinguished Artist) of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. She is a speaker, thought leader, performing artist, and multi-dimensional creator on the rise, seeking to creatively inspire inclusion, innovation, and transformation through movement, dance, and storytelling.
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Core Company Dancers
Adelfo Cerame Jr.
HE / HIM
Adelfo is a competitive bodybuilder and personal trainer / nutritional consultant, passionate about fitness, nutrition, and physical culture, aspiring to be a successful entrepreneur. On November 10, 2005, Adelfo was involved in a deadly car accident which left him paralyzed from the waist down as a T-12 paraplegic. Adelfo was initially torn down spiritually, mentally, and physically following the accident, but after one year, he embraced his physical condition with open arms and used it as a driving tool to challenge and motivate himself. Adelfo started bodybuilding in 2007 after being inspired by a youtube video of guys in wheelchairs posing and flexing at a bodybuilding competition. His life has been transformed ever since. Marisa called Adelfo early November 2014 asking if he'd be interested in being her wheelchair dance partner. Adelfo chose to take on the challenge and is having a blast learning a new form of self-expression. Adelfo is a founding member of Infinite Flow.
Mia Schaikewitz
SHE / HER
At 15 years old, an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) ruptured in Mia’s spinal cord, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. With resilient determination and a positive attitude, Mia finished high school, then attended the University of Florida where she excelled socially and academically, becoming the first woman in a wheelchair at the school to rush and pledge a sorority and graduated with top honors in Media Production. After college, Mia moved to Los Angeles where she worked in the recording industry and later developed an award-winning career in graphic design and branding. In 2012, Mia became one of the stars of the hit TV show Push Girls on the Sundance Channel which inspires audiences internationally and won the Critic's Choice Award for “Best Reality Series” in 2013. In addition to her dynamic career pursuits, Mia is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workforce and media. She maximizes her time public speaking, giving back to the community, and participating in multiple adaptive sports. Mia is a founding member of Infinite Flow. She is proud to be part of an organization that pushes for change and influences humanity.
Shaheem Sanchez
HE/HIM
Shaheem Sanchez is a talented self-taught dancer who went deaf at the age of 4. Shaheem always loved to dance and wouldn't let his inability to hear the music change that. So, he taught himself how to detect the music's vibrations instead, letting the feeling drive his rhythm. He comes from a family of dancers, who call themselves “Family First Crew”. They competed in Family Dance Off in 2013 and placed second. Sanchez now lives in LA and is pursuing many opportunities in the dance industry. In addition to getting his personal story out to various mediums, he is working on a TV show and a movie. He is out to make a difference in the deaf community through his love of dance. Sanchez wants to demonstrate that regardless of their inability to hear, deaf people can do anything they desire. Most recently, Shaheem made his actor debut on the Oscar-winning film "Sound of Metal" and made a solo appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremonies. Shaheem has been dancing regularly with Infinite Flow since 2016 and has been the lead instructor for Infinite Flow Kids since 2018.
Dmitriy “Kima” Kim
HE/HIM
Kima was born and raised in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He trained in Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Jazz Funk, and built a professional dance career in Russia, which included working with Anita Tsoy, Vintage, and Egor Kreed. In 2016, he was granted asylum from the US and left Russia to avoid persecution for his sexual orientation. A few months later in January 2017, Kima lost his lower left leg as a result of an accident but that did not stop him from dancing. He trained hard to stand, walk, and eventually dance with his prosthetic leg. His journey with Infinite Flow began when he was introduced to Marisa via Facebook while recovering from the trauma. It took some time ‘til he was ready to jump back into dancing, but Marisa continued to check in, and in Sept 2017, he finally said yes. Since then, he has been involved in flash mobs, dance videos, and even choreographing for performances. Kima loves collaborating with new friends and posting videos on social media. He is an avid Instagrammer and he hopes to use it as a platform to motivate and spread positivity. Infinite Flow stands out to Kima as unique because of the support and love everyone has for each other. The organization has brought more smiles and laughter to his life.
Natalie Trevonne
SHE/HER
At the age of one, Natalie was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which caused her to lose her vision at the age of 18. As a cheerleader, co-captain of her dance team, and member of the show choir, she never thought she would perform again. But after an almost decade-long hiatus, Natalie put her dancing shoes back on. Natalie was connected with Marisa through her agent and although Ballroom dance is new to her, Natalie has a blast training and collaborating with other Infinite Flow artists. Natalie is a triple threat who hopes to bring the blind community together through the arts. She recently launched a Podcast called “Fashionably Tardy” with fellow blind friend Lissa Loe, where they “bridge the gap between the disability community and the fashion industry one story at a time”. Although she has been faced with numerous obstacles throughout her life, Natalie refuses to let her blindness define her and wants to encourage others to take the risk and go after their dreams. Infinite Flow holds a special place in Natalie’s heart because she feels that there is no other dance company or even entertainment organization that brings together people from different cultures, genders, beliefs, and abilities all together to express themselves through dance as one. Natalie’s time at Infinite Flow has taught her how to be more confident in her dancing because the organization showed her that she can still do the same types of dance as everyone else. She just has a different approach to learning.
Ryann Mason
SHE/THEY
Ryann "Ry" Mason was born and raised in Bedford, Virginia, at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She identifies as a queer force of nature (she/they) and has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder that necessitates the use of a wheelchair. Ry’s dance journey began 21 years ago when she was recruited for a Nutcracker performance, leading her to train extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, acrobatics, modern, hip-hop, and more. Ry’s advocacy journey began with her Instagram page “Chronically Ry” in 2017, sharing her story and connecting with a broader community. In 2019, Ry won the title of Ms. Wheelchair Virginia, serving through 2021 due to COVID-19, and became a prominent disability advocate. She has spoken at events like the National Institute of Health’s celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month and has been featured in publications like Women’s Day, Forbes, and Teen Vogue. With over 16 years of healthcare experience, Ry has worked as an EMT, registered nurse, school nurse, postpartum bedside nurse, and acute care case manager. Ry first heard about Infinite Flow during a challenging time and joined in 2023, rediscovering her confidence as a dancer and a disabled woman. Since then, she has been involved in performances and advocacy work with Infinite Flow, combining her love of dance and disability advocacy. Ry’s favorite quote, “Fear is temporary, regret is forever,” epitomizes her journey of embracing new challenges and continuing her advocacy work.
Danny Gomez
HE/HIM
Danny J. Gomez is from New Orleans, Louisiana, and identifies as a paraplegic male with a T-11 T-12 spinal cord injury from a 2016 mountain biking accident. A professional actor, Danny is best known for his roles in NCIS: Hawai’i, New Amsterdam, All Rise, and Martinez, Margaritas, and Murder. He is a two-time Easterseals Disability Film Challenge winner (I/0 and Check Mate) and received the Christopher Reeve Acting Scholarship in 2020. Most recently, he completed a successful Off-Broadway run in All of Me, which earned rave reviews. Before his accident, Danny danced mostly for fun, learning moves from his teen idols Justin Timberlake and Usher. Known for taking over the dance floor, he always wanted to learn choreography. Working with Infinite Flow has been exciting and challenging, helping him rebuild his confidence in dance by learning to incorporate his wheelchair into his unique style. Danny is also an ambassador for the Triumph Foundation, visiting newly injured individuals in hospitals and providing resources to help them lead productive lives. He actively advocates for greater representation of disabled actors in entertainment. Danny joined Infinite Flow Dance in 2024 as an Apprentice dancer and then promoted to a company member the same year. Through Infinite Flow, Danny has embraced dance as a way to grow, connect, and express himself in new and creative ways.
Dushaun Thompson
HE/HIM
Dushaun Thompson was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. A dynamic performer and advocate, he has trained extensively in multiple dance styles on scholarship at West Virginia Wesleyan College and Norfolk State University. With over eight years of experience as part of a dance crew, Dushaun brings a powerful and expressive movement style to his performances. Growing up with ADHD, Dushaun had boundless energy and often struggled to sit still in school. Teachers saw it as a problem, but he later realized it was a strength. Without a mentor to guide him, he took it upon himself to become that person for others. Now, as a behavioral therapist, he helps young people with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent traits recognize that their differences are superpowers, not limitations. Beyond his advocacy, Dushaun’s talent has led him to exciting opportunities, including sharing his gift on the big screen in an upcoming Lionsgate movie. He joined Infinite Flow in early 2025 and found that the company’s mission perfectly aligned with his dreams and goals, providing a space where he can merge dance, storytelling, and advocacy. Grateful for life and family, Dushaun lives by the belief that “if you believe it, you can receive it.” Through his journey, he hopes to inspire others to persevere, embrace their uniqueness, and never give up on their dreams.
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BTS Creatives
Kenzo Le
Director of Cinematography
HE/HIM
Kenzo is a Los Angeles based cinematographer, University of Southern California alumni from USC’s Film & Television Production program, and founder/lead cinematographer at Origin Zero Media, a full-service production company. He is an expert Director of Photography, with dozens of narratives, music videos, commercials, and two recent feature films under his belt. Kenzo acquired his photographic style from his parents’ signature in surrealism painting and impressionism. He approached Infinite Flow founder Marisa for a collaboration in 2016, while a Sophomore at USC, and has since created an extensive portfolio with Infinite Flow, working towards building a better world by bringing inclusion on the lens.
Claire Raymond
Social Media Intern
SHE/THEY
Claire Raymond was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California. She identifies as a queer disabled person living with major depressive disorder, tethered cord syndrome, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and spina bifida. Claire’s creative journey began in the fifth grade when she discovered musical theatre and show choir as powerful tools for storytelling and self-expression. Though health challenges limited her ability to perform in high school, rediscovering dance as a wheelchair user reignited her passion for the arts. Sharing her journey on social media allowed her to build a community and empower others through storytelling. Claire is the founder of Wheelie Queer, a space dedicated to uplifting disabled LGBTQ+ voices. Claire’s believes that disabled people deserve respect, with education as the foundation for breaking harmful stereotypes. She is currently pursuing a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Claire has been part of the Disney Creator's Lab, appeared on Good Morning America, and was featured on "Dance with Nia." Claire first discovered Infinite Flow Dance while seeking a dance space truly welcoming to all and has since found a dynamic community where she feels valued and creatively fulfilled. Claire joined Infinite Flow Dance as their first Social Media Intern Jan 2025. Her message: “I hope to encourage others to love themselves for who they are today.”
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Board
Board of Directors
Joel Hernandez
HE/THEY
Joel is an educator, social justice champion, talent developer, leadership coach, and advocates for the LGBTQ+ and disability communities (among others). Joel earned a Masters degree from NYU - School of Professional Studies, with a concentration in Human Resources Management and Development. With over 10 years in the Talent Acquisition/Recruitment space, he's held multiple roles across different sectors including the philanthropic, non-profit, private and entertainment sectors. Most currently, Joel is an Adjunct Lecturer at Monroe College and is also a Director, Talent Acquisition at Jobs for the Future. He is also a performer at heart. He's a lover of music, the arts, and is a dancer. He holds a minor in dance from Hunter College at the City University of New York and was also part of the Hunter College Dance Company from 2011-2013. His favorite dance styles are hip-hop, salsa, street jazz and step. He's currently obsessed with playing Pickleball. He and his partner, along with their dog Hope, currently live in the Northeastern region of the Pocono Mountains and frequently visit New York City to spend time with family and friends.
Lori Samuels
SHE/HER
Lori Samuels is the Senior Director of Accessibility at NBCUniversal. She leads NBCU’s strategic enterprise accessibility program – instituting best practices in inclusive design, providing training for digital product organizations, and driving operational and cultural maturity in accessibility. She is one of the Global Advisors for NBCUniversal’s MyAbilities Employee Resource Group to support disability inclusion in the workplace and authentic disability representation in media. Lori has her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science, and has had career roles in Software Engineering, Engineering Leadership, Technical Program Management and Accessibility Consulting. Her passion for making technology work for people of all abilities started in 1993 when she was Director of Engineering at Broderbund Software. She went on to start Intuit's enterprise accessibility program and deliver the first-ever accessible version of QuickBooks. Prior to joining NBCUniversal, Lori led accessibility programs and initiatives at Microsoft. Lori grew up in Boston and moved to San Francisco just in time for the big earthquake in 1989. She and her family now live in northern Utah, where they enjoy skiing, camping, hiking, and boating in the beautiful Wasatch mountains.
Vanessa Ramos
SHE/HER
Vanessa Ramos is a disability rights advocate and criminal justice reform activist in California. As an advisor in the Investigations Unit at Disability Rights California (DRC), she leverages her experience as a Los Angeles drug war survivor to address systemic issues affecting disabled individuals. Ramos focuses on community-defined actions, tackling land theft, banishment of disabled people, and government violence. She actively pushes for legislative changes, including reforms to solitary confinement practices and drug legalization. Drawing from her personal recovery journey, Ramos incorporates mindfulness and accessible yoga practices learned through organizations like the Prison Yoga Project into her advocacy work. She shares these techniques across California, contributing to rehabilitation efforts in institutions. Based in Hollywood, Ramos finds her greatest fulfillment as a mother and values inclusive art and green spaces as platforms to showcase the creativity and power of disabled individuals. Her multifaceted background makes her a unique voice in disability rights and justice reform.
Jenna Rose Hunter
SHE/HER
Jenna Rose Hunter has been working with not-for-profit entities for decades. JR founded and led a 501(c)3 for thirteen years, has served on dozens of Boards and committees, has advised hundreds of entities worldwide, has taught at numerous universities, has been involved with regulation and policy setting, and has volunteered for countless wonderful community causes. JR is hard of hearing with profound hearing loss in both ears. She has had myriad ear surgeries since she was born, including multiple, complete reconstructions of both eardrums. JR completed degrees at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign; BS – accounting, psychology), University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill; PhD – accounting; MSW – social work), and Emory University (Atlanta; JD - law). She currently works as an auditor for the United States Trustee Program in the Central District of California.
Bridgette Vann
SHE/HER
(bio coming soon)
Marisa Hamamoto
Founder, infinite Flow dance
SHE/HER
The first professional dancer to be named People Magazine “Women Changing the World”, and also recognized as LinkedIn Top Voice, InStyle Magazine “Badass 50,” adidas "women reimagining sport," CBS News “People Making a Difference”, and featured on Good Morning America and NBC Today, Marisa is an award-winning Transformational Movement Artist, Speaker, and Changemaker dedicated to creating a more inclusive just world where we can each feel alive, not just survive. Marisa’s lived experiences of her body repeatedly not being accepted as a dancer, her Japanese American identity not fitting the box in many spaces, and surviving a spinal stroke that initially paralyzed her from the neck down eventually led her to create Infinite Flow Dance in 2015. A few years into devoting her life to disability advocacy, Marisa was diagnosed with two nonapparent disabilities: PTSD (2021) and Autism (2022). The diagnoses brought much clarity to the challenges she’s coped with throughout her life. Marisa is bilingual and bicultural. She completed her BA & MA from Keio University, Tokyo. She is an Honorary Member (Distinguished Artist) of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. She is a speaker, thought leader, performing artist, and multi-dimensional creator on the rise, seeking to creatively inspire inclusion, innovation, and transformation through movement, dance, and storytelling.