Born over dinner and driven by purpose, a new dance company is challenging the boundaries of performance and leadership in the arts.

By USC Kaufman Staff

Alyssa Myers and Aurora Vaughan were having dinner one night when they decided it was time for a change.

The two USC Kaufman graduates, from the classes of 2020 and 2021 respectively, and former roommates had already established themselves in New York’s competitive dance scene as both performers and choreographers. They had created and danced in new works, formed partnerships, built networks, and developed relationships with fellow artists, including Kaufman alum Aidan Tyssee (Class of 2023). On paper, they had everything needed for a successful artistic career. Yet something still felt missing.

As they shared a meal and reflected on the dance field more broadly, Vaughan finally voiced what they had both been thinking.

“Aurora turned to me and just said, ‘It’s now or never,'” Myers recalls. “There were always going to be a million reasons why we shouldn’t start a dance company.”

In the fall of 2024, Myers, Vaughan, and Tyssee launched (All)Ways Dance Company, a project-based company built on familiar nonprofit structures but with a distinct mission. Myers, an experienced curator and performer, serves as artistic and executive director. Vaughan, who continues to work as a freelance artist, is the rehearsal and associate director. Tyssee, recently off tour with ensembles such as L.A. Dance Project, joined as producer and third co-founder.

But what sets (All)Ways apart is its core philosophy: to support dancers through opportunities that strengthen both their physical skills and their leadership capabilities.

“Leadership is the operative word,” says Myers, who also works as a senior associate at 3 Summits Leadership, a consulting firm that helps businesses improve client relations. “The corporate world, while not perfect, typically provides those opportunities. Why can’t dance companies do the same?”

This gap was something all three founders had experienced firsthand. Although performance jobs were widely available, very few organizations provided support in areas such as executive administration, budgeting, or contract negotiation. These were skills they believed were essential for today’s working artist.

“I was ready for this,” says Tyssee, reflecting on the moment Myers and Vaughan approached him with the idea. At the time, he was navigating a contract negotiation and saw the project as a chance to be part of something bigger, “something that encouraged dancers to see beyond the stage.”

The trio originally imagined a company that would host low-cost workshops, collaborative projects, leadership programs, and an annual performance season. Not all of it needed to be strictly tied to dance. But mentorship soon emerged as a priority, and it quickly became central to the company’s mission.

Their vision attracted early support. Myers, Vaughan, and Tyssee tapped into a network of Trojan collaborators, including Nicolette Harutunian, an alumnus from the USC Marshall School of Business, who joined the advisory board and was one of many that helped shape the company’s long-term strategy. Additional backing came from Slingshot, a startup incubator founded by USC Iovine and Young Academy graduates, and from various informal mentors such as USC Kaufman Board of Councilors member Renae Williams Niles and Kaufman’s Assistant Dean and Chief Development Officer, Patrick Leder-Morrow.

“It all felt kind of destined,” Vaughan says, noting that the three had already been producing shows informally for years. “People kept coming up to us and saying, ‘You should just make it official.’”

Still, announcing the company felt like a leap. “It was nerve-wracking when we said the name out loud for the first time, because it suddenly felt real,” Vaughan says. “But once things started happening, we leaned into the process and found a space that felt right. The idea of bringing a dance company into the world that wasn’t only about itself, but about the success of others, meant everything. That’s what (All)Ways is about.”

Now, nearly a year since its founding, (All)Ways Dance Company is beginning to fulfill that mission. The company offers multiple entry points for artists to grow, not only as performers but as active contributors to the dance field. From performances to workshops incorporating leadership development and interdisciplinary salons, (All)Ways is creating a space where dancers are seen not just as talent, but as future leaders.

For Myers, Vaughan, and Tyssee, the (All)Ways approach is closely tied to what they experienced at USC Kaufman. “We want to change the way dancers see themselves,” says Tyssee. “Not just as artists in the room, but as innovators of the future.”