Biography

Actor.  Dancer.  Producer. 

Born in Alberta, Canada.  Moving frequently with her mother and sister, she attended schools all over Canada.  This included several years in Quebec, where she became fluently bi-lingual.  At the age of 8, she began training as a dancer to compliment her competitive gymnastics studies. In 1997, Apolla's second sister, Delphine, was born.  In 1999, she moved to Vancouver to work as a dancer. While there, she began studying acting with Warren Robertson.  Taking a sabbatical from her performance career, Apolla traveled around the world. From swimming off the coasts of Hawaii with wild dolphins to working in Cuba as a diver in the Bay of Pigs, Apolla’s taste for worldly exploration grew. After these experiences she returned to Vancouver to instruct yoga, a platform that opened the door to one of the great adventures in her life: 2 years living in India and Nepal. Traveling the continent, Apolla also spent several months in the Mount Everest region. 

The move to New York City was a natural progression in 2007. She commenced her acting studies with Larry Moss in New York, Shakespeare with Patsy Rodenburg, and voice with Dr. Lucille Rubin. Dance is still a daily part of her life in NYC, where she gets to dance with some of the greatest movers in the business.  She has been mentored as a dancer by Diane Laurenson (former assistant to Bob Fosse), and Dana Foglia (who recently worked with Beyonce for her "I AM...2009 Tour" as assistant choreographer, personally training and preparing Beyonce for this tour).  With this blooming career in both dance and acting, she has had the thrilling opportunity to have performed on Broadway for Broadway Cares/Equity fights AIDS, in the 22nd annual “Easter Bonnet” at the Minskoff Theatre, as well as in “Broadway Bares 18: Winter Wonderland” at the Roseland Ballroom.  Working with Ms. Foglia, Apolla has performed on many stages in NYC, including MMAC, BLVD for "Sirens After Dark" and the Peridance Theatre.  She dances frequently in commercials and live commercial events (such as Agent Provocateur's Fashion Week Opening in NY, Target’s Kaleidoscope Fashion Spectacular, at the Standard Hotel, and Capitol One Bank commercial ).  In December 2010, Apolla danced in “cy.clo.thy.mi.a”, a full length dance show at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center.  Following the sold out success of this show, she went on to perform in “Vatic” in March 2011, which was produced by Apollonia Productions LLC and choreographed by Dana Folia.

Her acting credits range from motion capture work in Rockstar's video game, LA NOIRE, to plays and films.  She works between Los Angeles and NY, while continuing to study frequently with Larry Moss.  Her arsenal of training includes Jean-Louis Rodrigue and Kristof Konrad for Alexander Technique, Carla Meyer for dialect work, Eden Bernardy for audition work, and Dr. Lucille Rubin for voice work.  

As a producer, Apolla expresses her wide interest in the arts.  In June, 2009, Ms. Echino produced and acted in John Patrick Shanley's "Savage in Limbo".  In addition to plays, she has produced a short film, written and directed by the very talented up-and-coming English director, Lorna Love.  That film, titled "Lost Love", also starring Justin Reinsilber, is expected to be released in the winter of 2011.  Following that film, she produced and directed a commercial teaser, starring two prominent NYC dancers, Tweetie and Soraya.   A true patron of the arts and artists, her passion is to collaborate with other artists and give them a platform for their extraordinary talents.  In December 2010 and March 2011, her production company, Apollonia Productions LLC created, along with Dana Foglia, two full length original dance shows, “cy.clo.thy.mi.a” and “Vatic”.  In October 2011, Apolla created a short silent film, called A Silent Love Story.  

She has written her first feature film screenplay, "A New York Love Story", which combines her love of New York and her love of dance.  She is currently in pre-production, and is expected to shoot October 2012.

APOLLONIA PRODUCTIONS

Apollonia Productions has been involved in producing plays, short films, commercials, and dance in New York City since 2009. Its productions include John Patrick Shanley's play, "Savage in Limbo", which ran at the Bowery Electric, "Ruins", a short film written and directed by Ian Astbury, and "Lost Love", written and directed by up-and-coming British director, Lorna Love (her first feature film, “The Man From UNKLE” will be released in 2011).  In December, 2010, Apollonia Productions is presenting “cy.clo.thy.mi.a”, a full length dance show.  It is a thrilling new dance show, choreographed by three of the top commercial choreographers, Dana Foglia, La Jon Dantzler, and Joanna Numata, and will feature over 25 dancers.  “cy.clo.thy.mi.a” will be performed at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, in NYC.  Following the sold out success of this show, Apollonia Productions went to work on a new and original show, "Vatic".  Wowing New York audiences in March 2011, "Vatic" was a foreseeing of the future of dance, as choreographed by Dana Foglia.  In October 2011, the company co-produced “Currency”, a music video for SanguinDrake, in Los Angeles.  It was co-produced by Alexandra Fulton, Executive Producer Sarah Carter, and Directed by Scott Stewart (Legion, The Priest).  In that same month, Apollonia Productions created a short silent film (www.asilentlovestory.com), directed by Heiko Obermoeller.  This was followed up by "if".  Both "if" and "A Silent Love Story" are currently being submitted to select film festivals.  2012 is already becoming a prolific year, with the feature film, "A New York Love Story", set to shoot October 2012.