The Team
Who We Are
Audrey Parks
Assistant Director
Audrey’s journey in dance began in Bend, Oregon, where she immersed herself in styles ranging from jazz to contemporary. She earned her BA in Dance Pedagogy and Performance from Gonzaga University, where her passion for dance expanded beyond the studio and into the world of arts administration.
Audrey has contributed to the production side of dance through roles in stage management, program design, and event coordination. She supported the American College Dance Association (ACDA) regional conference at Gonzaga, stage-managed numerous studio and university performances across the Northwest, and helped bring the inaugural Kindling Dance Productions’ Ghostlight experience to life.
Her deep roots as a choreographer and educator—working with dancers aged 3 to 80—inform her administrative work. She understands how to craft events that feel effortless for performers and audiences alike, while honoring the creative complexity behind the scenes.
Audrey is passionate about building dance experiences that are thoughtful, organized, and creatively rich, supporting dancers, educators, and communities with care and clarity. Now based in Spokane, she’s excited to continue shaping spaces where art and logistics meet with purpose.
CarliAnn Forthun Bruner
Co-Founder & Director
CarliAnn Forthun Bruner is a director, dancer, choreographer, educator, and multi-disciplinary storyteller of Syilx (Okanogan) band of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Secwepemc (Shuswap), and of mixed-European descent. She received a BFA in dance from Simon Fraser University in 2012 and a MFA in dance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2021. She founded and directed Forthun+Rome Dance Theater with Ethan Rome from 2016 - 2019 in Seattle, Washington.
After moving to Spokane, CarliAnn became a professor of dance Gonzaga University from 2018 - 2026.
Bruner has had residencies through James Ray Residency from Seattle International Dance Festival, Inlay Dance, and Gonzaga University. She is a recipient of the 2023 Artist Trust GAP grant. As a professional contemporary dance artist, CarliAnn danced with 127th Street Dance Company, Intrepidus Dance, and Khambatta Dance Company has enjoyed touring internationally in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Lithuania, and India.
CarliAnn sits on the board of Khambatta Dance Company and Seattle International Dance Festival.
Her passion lies in building community through the arts.
Sarah Glesk
Resident Choreographer
Sarah Glesk is a dance educator, choreographer, and dancer based in Spokane, WA. She has
been a faculty member at Gonzaga University since 2013, teaching ballet, pointe, contemporary,
modern, and jazz, and has directed over 10 companies.
Sarah also serves as a dance instructor at various local studios and is the Resident Choreographer for Kindling Productions. In 2024, she completed training with the Mark Morris Dance Group Outreach Program and began teaching Dance for Parkinson’s classes.
Sarah earned a BFA in Dance (Cum Laude) from Cornish College of the Arts in 2006, where she
performed in works such as Martha Graham’s Diversion of Angels. Her professional performance credits include work with Zoe Scofield and Juniper Shuey, Alloy Dance Project, Serendip, Vytal Movement, and Kindling Productions. Additionally, she co-founded the Seattle-based cabaret dinner theater, the Can Can Castaways, contributing as both a performer and choreographer.
Recently, Sarah’s choreography has been featured in Kindling Productions' Rising Tide, and Ghostlight, Gonzaga’s production of Urinetown: The Musical, and Spokane Civic Theater’s Carousel. Her work has also appeared in Gonzaga’s annual Spring Dance Concert, the Spokane Film Project, 50-Hour Slam, and various music videos.
When she is not in the studio, Sarah enjoys gardening, cleaning (truly!), and spending time with
the people she loves.