Choreographers

Ty Graynor

Ty Graynor is a performing artist, choreographer, educator, and photographer whose career spans concert dance, contemporary movement, and visual arts. Originally from Huntington, New York, Ty received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. He trained under distinguished artists such as Nina Watt, Miki Orihara, Stephen Pier, and Doug Varone. During his time at The Hartt School, he performed in seminal works by Martha Graham, José Limón, and Doris Humphrey, solidifying his foundation in modern dance.

Ty continued his studies at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, where he became a company dancer with Graham 2, performing lead roles in pieces such as Appalachian Spring, Acts of Light, Secular Games, and Diversion of Angels. A year later, he joined the Limón Dance Company as a performing and teaching artist. During his tenure with the company, Ty performed several of José Limón's classic works, including The Unsung, The Winged, A Choreographic Offering, Mazurkas, Orfeo, Psalm, There is A Time, and The Traitor. He was also involved in the creation of three new works for the company, including a Bessie Award Winning creation by Raúl Tamez.

Over his career, Ty has had the privilege of working with a range of notable choreographers, including Manuel Vignoulle, Bryan Arias, Adam Barruch, Doug Varone, Olivier Tarpaga, Peter Stathas, Chafin Seymour, Raúl Tamez, Robin Becker, Christina Lynch Markham, and Brice Mousset. These collaborations have greatly influenced his artistic development and broadened his approach to dance and choreography.

Now based in Austin, Texas, Ty serves as the Artistic Director of TY&CO, a band of artists dedicated to exploring the human experience through the intersection of concert dance, immersive experiences, and film. The company bridges the principles of classical modern dance with contemporary narratives, connecting past influences with present-day contexts. In addition to his directorial role, Ty is actively involved as a performer and collaborator with projects like Peter Stathas Dance, Ventana Ballet, and Red Nightfall Dance Theatre. Ty was recognized with the 2023 - 2024 B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Drama for his portrayal of the Sun in MoonFall, a collaboration between Red Nightfall Dance Theatre, Density512, and Kenzie Slottow. He also serves as Marketing Director and Development Lead at First Street Studio, soon to be rebranded as East Side Performing Arts, a hub for the creative arts in East Austin. He is very excited to continue his work in providing opportunities for Austin’s professional and pre-professional artists to perform, connect, further their careers in dance. Deeply committed to education, Ty offers regular classes in the Limón technique and contemporary dance, inviting artists from around the world to share their perspectives and develop together within the Austin community.

Peter Stathas

Peter Stathas began his dance career at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point and transferred to SUNY Purchase to finish his dance training. He moved to New York City to study with such dance luminaries as Gerri Houlihan, Lar Lubovitch, Mel Wong, Mark Morris and his mentor Maggie Black. He performed with the Jose Limon Dance Company and worked extensively with Bessie winning choreographer and filmmaker Marta Renzi. In 2016, at the age of 60, Peter found himself with a yearning to re-event the dance career he left behind. After conversations with trusted colleagues, Peter had the idea to form Peter Stathas Dance (PSD). 

Peter’s choreographic inspiration comes from many places. He is an incredibly observant person and chooses to live life in the moment. His observation of life lies in the nuances of the background instead of what is obviously right there in front of him. His view of the world comes to him from all of his senses which keeps him grounded in the present. These are the traits that drive Peter’s creative process.

Guest Artist

Lauren Twomley

Lauren Twomley, born in Brooklyn, New York, graduated from SUNY Purchase with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Arts Management. She has worked with renowned choreographers: Doug Varone, Sidra Bell, Dylan Crossman, Kevin Wynn, Ana Maria Lucaciu, Chafin Seymour, Francesca Harper, Jiri Kylian, Joost Vrouenraets, Kate Weare, Raul Tamez, Olivier Tarpoga, Azure Barton and Kayla Farrish, and has performed masterworks by Martha Graham, José Limón and Merce Cunningham. Lauren currently is a dancer, rehearsal coordinator and social media manager for Peter Stathas Dance, as well as a performing and teaching artist for the José Limón Dance Foundation. She has her own teaching practice that explores the deconstruction of Limón Movement Principles with the goal of making the technique accessible and approachable to all movers and values connection, diversity, and play in her artistic endeavors. 

Company

Through TY&CO, our mission is to nurture creativity and technical mastery while evolving into a part-time company model that provides daily training for our artists during residency periods, performances, and tours. Our work honors the foundational elements of technical training, illuminating stories deeply rooted in the human experience. We create art with the intention of liberating individuals, empowering them to transcend personal barriers, and embracing their innate sovereignty.

Join us as a supporter of TY&CO’s 2025 Season. Your contribution will help us develop new projects, produce groundbreaking performances, create compelling dance films, and share our message with the Austin community and beyond.

Your support helps us to:

Pay Our Artists: Ensuring fair compensation for the incredible local dancers and collaborators who bring our work to life.

Bring Productions to the Stage: Covering costs for costumes, lighting, sound, and other essential production elements.

Secure Creative Spaces: Renting studios and performance venues critical to our rehearsal and performance process.

Support Training and Development: Offering free training for dancers, building teaching programs for pre-professional and professional levels, and laying the foundation for a stronger dance community.

Sustain Our Operations: Supporting the behind-the-scenes work that keeps our organization running smoothly and growing.

TY&CO is fiscally sponsored by Pentacle’s Unique Projects, making your donation tax-deductible. To support the company, please donate below. If you’re interested in partnering with us as a sponsor or collaborator, email tygraynor@gmail.com to explore ways we can work together to elevate the arts.