Dancers' Workshop 50th Anniversary Celebration Program July 28, 2022 : Golden Gala July 29, 2022 : Community Celebration
th
Cover
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Celebrate years
Babs Case, Artistic Director
Gala Co-Chairs Carrie Kirkpatrick Alice and Rod Moorhead Veronica and Gary Silberberg Barbara and John Vogelstein Judy and Bob Yarmuth First Republic Bank
and
DW Board of Directors Jen Visosky, President Amy Bryan, Secretary Kellie Abreu Larry Berlin Babs Case Brandie Orchard Karen Reid Veronica Silberberg Judy Yarmuth
you to the 50th Anniversary Golden Gala Welcome July 28 & 29, 2022 Center for the Arts Jackson Hole, Wyoming
with performances by
SWAY Savion Glover Alonzo King LINES Ballet Contemporary Dance Wyoming New York City Ballet MOVES
COVER Photograph by RJ Muna Adji Cissoko, Alonzo King LINES Ballet
Michaela Ellingson Charlotte Landreau Contemporary Dance Wyoming
Thank you, so much for being here to share this momentous celebration of Dancers’ Workshop – all we have accomplished and all we dream of for the future. Dance, as an artform, is one of the means by which we elevate our hearts, souls and minds. It is one form of expression that can indeed make a difference in our lives and the lives of our “community” made up of people from around the world. For this reason DW has always put “art and artists” forward as the most important element of all we do and how we do it.
Throughout my lifetime I have had many incredible mentors. One of the most important being my Mother…
She was an artist and a teacher and would constantly remind me through her work and her “being” that each and every one of us has the ability to affect the lives of anyone we come in contact with…whether it be a few moments of passing on the street, a ride in an elevator to the 4th floor, or a lifetime spent together ….we can make a difference in someone’s day or life, positive or negative….our choice of a smile…a compliment…a kind word…a helping hand. For the past 50 years we have collectively poured our hearts and souls into developing and upholding the level of excellence and creativity that Dancers’ Workshop brought to this community from day one. When I first walked through the doors of DW’s office, I recognized the fertile ground - the work that had come before me and the path forward. I would like to thank my entire staff and Board of Directors for all their hard work and dedication to this organization. Thank you for this opportunity and all the love and generosity this community has shown. We are truly grateful.
Live life artfully!
Babs
Michaela Ellingson Contemporary Dance Wyoming
DW Staff
Babs Case Artistic Director
Erin Roy Executive Director
Eric Midgley School Director
Michaela Ellingson JRC Director, Pilates Practitioner, CDW Company Member, School Faculty
Rachel Blackford Registrar, DW Administration Savion Glover Tap Faculty Sarah Hemphill School Faculty, Pilates Practitioner, CDW Company Member Karen Forss Hogan School Faculty Rachel Holmes School Faculty, Adult Dance Program Engagement Coordinator,
Amy Kingwill Archivist, Pilates Practitioner, CDW Company Member
Stacy Thorkildsen School Faculty Kendyl Thorne School Faculty Erin Whitesell School Faculty
Charlotte Landreau School Faculty, DW Administration, CDW Company Member
Gina Patterson School Faculty Francesca Romo School Faculty, Wellness Practitioner, CDW Associate Artistic Director Kathy Stuck Costumes
CDW Company Member Abi Jimenez-Sanchez DW Administration
Wellness & Movement at Dancers’ Workshop Sarah Hemphill , Adult Fitness Program Engagement Coordinator, Pilates
Krista Gorrell , Zumba Jay Greaves, Swing Rachel Holmes , Dance Amy Kingwill , Pilates Juan Morales, Salsa
Esther Mulvihill , Pilates Elise Baker Mumford , Ballet Olga Needham , Dance BJ Reed , Country Western Pili Schulte , Zumba
Valeria Abad , bootybarre Marylou Berra , bootybarre Amber Chapman , Zumba Michaela Ellingson , Pilates Cassie Fuller , Yoga Development Pam Case Development Associate
Benvenuti Arts
Amelia Hufsmith Development Associate
Communications Creative Curiosity Cristine Wehner, Founder and Creative Director Finance Rick McMullen
Commissioned Artist-in-Residence David Dorfman Dance
Facilities & Special Project Coordinator Paul Duncker
Morgan May Junior Repertory Company
Photograph by Alex Lambert
Angie Cassimiro Jay Carlon
SWAY performing BLOOM! SWAY Productions Phillip Gleeson & Emily Ryan, Co-Creative Directors Jay Carlon, Associate Director
Bloom! is a colorful and spirited aerial spectacle performed atop SWAY’s bespoke 15-foot sway poles. Inspired by the beautiful flowers of the Smoky Mountains, Bloom! features the aerial antics of three, highly skilled and equally colorful performers. Drawing parallels with the world of humans, Bloom! explores themes of individuality, diversity, transformation, and community. 20 minutes in length and accompanied by Ania Reynold’s original soundtrack, Bloom! celebrates the natural world of the ephemeral. Bloom! was commissioned by Dollywood and received its premiere April 22, 2022 as part of Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival . In the 2022 summer season, Bloom! will tour to: Columbia Festival, Columbia, MD; Dancers’ Workshop, Jackson, WY; Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Presents, CO; Purdue Convocations, West Lafayette, IN; and to the Charlotte International Arts Festival, NC. Bloom! is produced by Elsie Management: Laura Colby, President & Anna Amadei, Vice President: www.elsieman.org
SWAY & Elsie Management thanks Dancers’ Workshop and its programming and production team for this engagement and to their commitment to live performance.
SWAY Productions
Photograph by Alex Lambert
Andre Darnell Myers Angie Cassimiro
SWAY is a Melbourne-based performing arts company that designs, produces, and performs large-scale performances and site-specific installations fusing theater, dance, and circus using a unique combination of sway- pole apparatus and bespoke performance equipment. The company engages and collaborates with a diverse range of creatives, multi-disciplinary performers, and specialist production teams to create and perform accessible, highly visible performances in broad contexts across the world. SWAY formed as a business partnership between Phillip Gleeson, (Creative Director of Strange Fruit for 12 years and independent maker) and Emily Ryan (Associate Director and performer at Strange Fruit for 16 years, independent circus maker and artist) in January 2021. While SWAY’s operative history is young, it brings with it a wealth of accumulated expertise and design knowledge to underpin its creative and production capacity. To- date, SWAY has created new performance work for: The Victorian Opera’s The Ring Cycle (AUS); Rainbow Family Cabaret, produced by Circus Oz and the Arts Centre Australia; Bloom! for Dollywood’s 2022 Flower & Food Festival (US); and Kabloom in Monbulk, Victoria (AUS).
You can stay in touch with SWAY via its website, https://sway.art/; on Instagram @the__sway; Facebook: @swaypoleaustralia; and via email: swaypoleguy@gmail.com
Company Bios
JAY CARLON, Associate Director & Performer is a Filipinx American movement artist and community organizer based between Los Angeles, NYC, and the Philippines. Their work is inspired by growing up a competitive wrestler and the youngest of 12 in a Filipino, Catholic, and agricultural migrant-working family. Carlon is committed to connecting his art practice to sustainability and decolonization. Named Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch in 2020, Carlon’s site-specific and theatre work has been presented in Los Angeles at REDCAT, The Broad Museum, LA Dance Project, Annenberg Community Beach House, Union Station, and homeLA; in New York at 92ndY and The CURRENT SESSIONS; in Phoenix at Breaking Ground Festival; in Monterrey, Mexico at Espacio Expectante; and in Bangkok, Thailand at Creative Migration. Carlon has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Bill T. Jones, jumatatu m. poe, The Industry Opera, Palissimo, Oguri, Solange Knowles, and Rodrigo y Gabriela. They have choreographed works for Kanye West and Mndsgn. Carlson has been performing with SWAY since 2013. Tour highlights include the 2014 Olympics and the 2018 Super Bowl. ANGIE CASSIMIRO, Performer , is a freelance dance artist, performer, choreographer and teacher. As a company member of SWAY, she has toured internationally and throughout North America. Performance highlights include engagements at: New Jersey Performing Arts Center (where she was awarded the Star Ledger Scholarship), Alvin Ailey CitiGroup Theater (NYC), The Academy of Music, Merriam Theater (Philadelphia), and L’Espace Louis Jouvet de Rethel (France). Angelica has also served as shipwide dance captain and mainstage performer on Disney Cruiselines. She has a BFA in Dance Education from the University of the Arts (PA), a Masters in Physical Education from Brooklyn College, and is Member of Actor’s Equity Association. When not on tour, Cassimiro teaches both adult and children’s dance classes. Philosophy: “We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.”
@jaycarlon; @carlondance; jaycarlon.com
@angiecassimiro
PHILLIP GLEESON , Co Creative Director, is an internationally acclaimed director and maker of large-scale, spectacle based, repertoire pieces and site-specific performances. His artistic background has been informed by a combination of practices including dance, physical theatre, circus, and music. From 2009-2020, Gleeson served as Creative Director for one of Australia’s most successful touring companies, Australia’s Strange Fruit . He delivered performances for the company in more than 50 countries, at more than 600 international festivals and to an audience of over 5 million people. During his tenure, the company received the following awards: The National Myer Performing Arts Award, The Silver Trophy at the Daidogei World Cup, Japan, The Premio Del Publico, Valladolid, Spain, and The Governor of Victoria Export Award in Arts & Entertainment. In 2019, Gleeson was the recipient of the Marcel Bezençon Award for creative excellence for Australia’s entry into Eurovision 2019. Gleeson formed SWAY Productions in January, 2021 with Emily Ryan. DANIEL LUPO , Production Officer & Performer , is a former competitive gymnast turned performance artist based in NYC. He is a senior company member of SWAY and has worked as both a performer and Safety Officer since 2013. Notable engagements include: 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi; Madonna’s 2015 Rebel Heart Tour; Antalya Expo 2016; and NFL Super Bowl Tailgate Party 2018. Lupo would like to acknowledge how grateful he is to not only continue traveling, working, and performing, but to share this experience with company members who have become like a second family to him throughout the years. “You’ll learn much more from failure than success, so don’t let failure stop you from building your character.” ANDRE DARNELL MYERS, Performer , was born in Washington, DC, where he honed his skills of acting, singing, and dancing at the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Myers attended Philadelphia’s University of the Arts before moving to New York City. He toured nationally and internationally in such Broadway musicals as Dreamgirls, Seussical, and Peter Pan. Now living and working in Los Angeles, Myers can be seen in projects ranging from television and film to print and commercials. Some notable credits include: Blackish, Snowfall, Dear White People, Space Force (television); McDonalds, Smirnoff, KFC, Toyota, and Jockey (commercials); in The Toy Soldiers, As I Am, Ready Player One, Leave It On the Floor, Vigilante Diaries, and The Break Out (film). Myers looks forward to stepping into many more roles and continuing to share his talents with the world. Myers has performed with SWAY since 2013. Tour highlights include: Bogota Columbia, Antalya Turkey, Mumbai India, Hong Kong, and Dubai.
@PrinceADM
@philltheglee
@iykyk.lupo
EMILY RYAN, Co Creative Director , is a circus artist who has captivated audiences around the world for over 18 years with her powerful and striking acts on the German wheel and sway pole. Ryan was a principal performer with Australia’s Strange Fruit . In January, 2021, she established SWAY Productions with Phillip Gleeson. Ryan has performed with such international performance companies as Cirque Du Soleil, Strut & Fret, Universal Studios, and This Side Up. She has performed at countless international events including: Doha Asian Games, Rio Carnival, Milano World Expo, USA Superbowl, and Eurovision. ANIA REYNOLDS , Composer, is a multi award-winning composer, artist, and musician who has performed her original music across five continents. She was the Musical Director for Circus Oz and Yothu Yindi and the Treaty Project. She has shared a saxophone solo duet with Femi Kuti and played baritone sax hanging upside down at the National Theatre in London. Her live performance has been described as a ‘stunning display of musicality’ (Nicole Precel, Sydney Morning Herald 2019). Reynold’s rich and diverse career as a composer and musician has seen her score over 50 theatre works with Australian companies including: Polyglot Theatre, SWAY, and Force Majeure; attend international artist residencies (Despina, Rio de Janeiro and Ambronay, France); perform and tour extensively with Australian and international artists; and develop her own award-winning audiovisual practice exploring the relationship between music and image, and uncovering the extraordinary within the ordinary.
@synthotronica
@bendyemmy
Photograph by Alex Lambert
Andre Darnell Myers Jay Carlon
50TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE For much of the past year our staff and volunteers have been pouring through box after box of archival materials: photos, press clippings, board meeting minutes, mementos, recordings and more.We are grateful to DW Alumna Amy Kingwill for leading this effort and for reaching out to invite all alumni to attend and contribute to this momentous occasion. It has been heartwarming to hear the stories and watch as past lives are rediscovered through images - still and moving.Time is a precious and indescribable gift and we’ve had the pleasure of traveling through it back, back, back…
We hope you enjoy this brief archival film.We wish we had a lifetime to replay them all.
A SPECTACULAR JOURNEY
As Dancers’ Workshop embarks on our fiftieth year of bringing dance and movement to Jackson Hole, a great many things have changed. From these humble beginnings, the steadfast vision and creative drive of all those involved have created a flourishing world-class organization. Dancers’ Workshop is proud to now offer classes for all ages of students, from toddlers to seniors, featuring a diversity of styles, levels, and instructors. Additionally, as the home of the professional Contemporary Dance Wyoming company and the Junior Repertory Company, Dancers’ Workshop provides exceptional dance education on par with some of the world’s most revered institutions. “Our inspiration over the years has come from many places: countless individuals, leaders, ideas, students, instructors, and visiting artists,” says Babs Case, Artistic Director. “We’re celebrating the incredible diversity of influences and the many lives that have come together over the course of our history to form what Dancers’ Workshop has become, and all that it can be in the years ahead.” The past half-century has been marked by resilience, growth, passion, bold experimentation, collaboration, determination, and creativity. We’re delighted and honored that you’ve joined us to celebrate this remarkable milestone.
Michaela Ellingson Contemporary Dance Wyoming
1970’s EARLY DAYS
With a desire to provide the local community dance opportunities, Patty Noel (lovingly known as “the Johnny Appleseed of Dance”) began offering modern and contemporary dance classes for both adults and children in Jackson Hole in 1971. She applied for a grant to create a collaborative production of The Little Prince, in which she explained her vision: a dance center where everyone could learn, teach, experiment, perform, and collaborate with other artists. From this concept, and with the help of co-founders Nancy Lee and Jinny Chick, Dancers’ Workshop was born in 1972. Over the course of a few years — and a constellation of creatively- utilized spaces for classrooms including the basement of KeyBank, St. John’s Parish Hall, the Wilson School cafeteria, and among the washing machines of the Soap Opera Laundromat — over 150 dancers were associated with the young organization. Among other classes, the Country Western Swing Program was developed, inviting locals to learn new moves and look great on the dance floor. In 1978, the Denver Ballet came to Jackson Hole and performed The Nutcracker at Walk Festival Hall; Dancers’ Workshop dancers played the roles of mice and toy soldiers, and tickets cost $4.50.
Sue Meyers Lundy DW Teacher and Choreographer
DW Student
1980’s BURGEONING MOMENTUM
After years of teaching classes in an array of locations around the valley — including the American Legion Hall, Slim Chance Athletic Club, the Yoga Room, and the cabin that has become Nora’s Fish Creek Inn — Dancers’ Workshop opened its doors on its first official studio at 545 N. Cache in 1981. The organization’s enrollment was already so large that the other spaces continued to be utilized for classes as well. Karen Kristin, after being a guest artist for years, was named Dancers’ Workshop’s first Artistic Director, and the first board was assembled. Two years later, in 1983, Kristin founded Dancers’ Workshop’s first repertory company, The Workshop Company. In 1984, Dancers’ Workshop began to strengthen and expand the ballet program, giving local students access to well-rounded dance education. Around 85 students were enrolled in the program. In 1985, the organization moved into the basement of the Pink Garter Plaza and, with the help of a great many volunteers, constructed a dance studio, director’s office, and dressing room. The following year, Lisa Morgan took over as Artistic Director and took to expanding the studio spaces and establishing Three Rivers Dance Company which toured widely and performed at the Wyoming Centennial Celebration in 1990 with the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. Daria from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet joined the ballet teaching staff and New York City Broadway performer BJ Hanford joined DW as School Director in 1989 and would hold many leadership roles during her 9-years with the organization. She and Children’s School Director Cindy (Myers) Williams expanded DW’s reach to more than 250 students. A work exchange program and numerous scholarships supported the vision to make dance classes accessible to all.
1990’s EXPANSION & INNOVATION With the addition of two studios, dressing rooms, expanded office space, restrooms, and a reception area, Dancers’ Workshop brought all dance classes under one roof in the Pink Garter Plaza for the first time in 1991. The following year, “Arts on the Hill” was the first summer dance festival held in Wyoming: an event including the participation and performances by Dancers’ Workshop. In 1994, six local students were accepted into programs at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York City — a prestigious program that accepts only 300 students annually. BJ Hanford became Performance Director and Margaret Dow was designated Education Director in 1996, the same year that the community launched the critically-important fundraiser Old Bill’s Fun Run. Under BJ’s leadership The Young Choreographers program was started to offer students the opportunity to create, produce and perform their own work, a program that has since evolved into New Dances/New Choreographers. In addition, BJ began bridging gaps between our Wyoming communities and cultures sharing the art of dance through teaching residencies that included working with students on the Wind River Indian Reservation. DW was a founding member organization to collaborate and work towards a community Center for the Arts, driven by the Community Foundation and including the many creative groups now housed in the Center. In 1999, Babs Case was originally hired to fill the position of Education Director and quickly evolved into becoming the Executive Artistic Director with Jodeen Tebay appointed as School Director. With the support of DW Board Members Dr. Tom Pockat
and August Spier, Babs envisioned a new organizational structure and a strong artistic direction that expanded the breadth of Dancers’ Workshop to include presenting world-class artists. A new large upstairs studio and an office was added as classes grew. Nationwide auditions were held to attract and hire 8 dancers and teachers to support the school and form Contemporary Dance Wyoming (CDW), a professional modern dance company. With strong community buy-in, Dancers’ Workshop began to grow into an internationally-recognized home for dance while stewarding its deep roots and continued cultivation of inspired and innovative connections.
Pam (Greninger) Woodson 1995 Nutcracker
2000’s ASCENDING INTO EXCELLENCE
In 2001, Dancers’ Workshop was awarded one of three Governor’s Arts Award, and the first Dance-A-Thon was held with the guidance of DW Board President, Kathi Holzer — empowering students to proactively support their art and education. The same year, Contemporary Dance Wyoming traveled to New York City to perform a three-week run of The Prose of the Transsiberian and of the Little Joan of France. 2003 saw the opening of a dance program in Driggs, Idaho, with the collaborative support of the Teton Arts Council. In 2005, after decades of preparation and community support, Dancers’ Workshop excitedly moved into its current beautiful new home - the Center for the Arts. A new Black Box Studio was added, carrying a price tag of around $550,000. The following year, Kate Kosharek joined Dancers’ Workshop as a teacher and member of CDW, beginning a 15-year tenure — one of the longest in the organization’s history — supporting the Junior Company and the expansion of the adult program. 2006 also marked the closure of the program in Driggs. In 2007, Dancers’ Workshop performed for the first time in the newly-completed Center Theater. By the end of the year, 21 dancers were in the Junior Repertory Company, and Dancers’ Workshop employed 12 teachers and half a dozen full-time office staff members.
Babs Case Artistic Director 1999 - present
2010’s THRIVING CREATIVITY & COLLABORATION
Amanda Flosbach joined the staff as Development Director in 2010 and became a tremendous catalyst for the exponential growth that Dancers’ Workshop experienced during this decade. DW continued to establish its name as a presenter of world-class performances, welcoming guest artists including Elisa Monte Dance, Richard Alston, New York City Ballet, Bill T. Jones, Hubbard Street, David Dorfman Dance, Malpaso, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Savion Glover, Batsheva, Momix, Pilobolus, Cedar Lake Contemporary, Ann Carlson, Diavolo, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, BJM Danse Montreal, Joe Goode, and more. Dancers’ Workshop also then began to commission new work from dance artists around the world. In 2011, Dancers Workshop launched the Pilates Program. In the following years, the Wellness & Movement Program expanded to include other classes and opportunities. In 2014, Babs Case received the Governor’s Arts Award and dancer Francesca Romo joined Contemporary Dance Wyoming, becoming an instrumental co-creator with Babs Case as well as an instructor in Gyrotonic/Gyrokinesis and Craniosacral work. Throughout the years numerous Alumni: Sarah (Konrad) Hemphill, Heidi Wilson, Megan
Stewart, Cady Cox, Meleta Buckstaff, Michaela Ellingson and Susanne Staehr forged the path for students to return to Jackson
and work at DW in their specialized field. The following year, 2017, marked the addition of Eric Midgley as Ballet Master and School Director. In 2019, Jen Visosky became the first Dancers’ Workshop alumnus to head the Board of Directors.
Kate Kosharek Contemporary Dance Wyoming
2020’s A GOLDEN MILESTONE Shaken by the Coronavirus pandemic, theaters around the world went dark for the better part of two years. Dancers’ Workshop quickly pivoted to offering youth and student classes via an online platform. Despite turbulent and uncertain times, the Dancers’ Workshop community maintained strong, resilient connections. Through the generosity of both private and public funding, the organization managed to financially navigate this extraordinarily challenging time. In 2021, Erin Roy stepped into her role as Executive Director of Dancers’ Workshop, and David Dorfman Dance became the first Commissioned Artist-in-Residence. In 2021, for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Dancers’ Workshop was able to perform If the Shoe Fits — an adaptation of the beloved Cinderella story — at Winter Production. Since the original presentation of The Nutcracker in 1978, Winter Productions have been a beloved tradition at Dancers’ Workshop. Last year, Dancers’ Workshop had 240 youth students including 18 members of the Junior Repertory Company. This year, 2022, teacher Stacy Thorkildsen is celebrating her 30th year of teaching. Dancers’ Workshop still offers Country Western Swing classes and lessons: a program currently led by BJ Reed using the teaching model established by founder Nancy Lee. Dancers’ Workshop is thrilled to celebrate our Golden Anniversary with you — 50 years of sharing the world of dance with our community and state!
Charlotte Landreau Contemporary Dance Wyoming
LIVE MUSIC FOR TONIGHT’S PERFORMANCE DAVID DORFMAN DANCE BAND
SAM CRAWFORD completed degrees in English and Audio Engineering at Indiana University in 2003. His compositions and sound designs have included works for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company (Venice Biennale, 2010), A.I.M by Kyle Abraham (Untitled Love, 2022), Camille A. Brown and Dancers (BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play, 2016), and David Dorfman Dance (Aroundtown, 2017). La Medea, a live film collaboration with director Yara Travieso for which he composed the music and wrote the libretto, premiered at P.S.122’s Coil Festival in 2017. Crawford is a lecturer in sound design at the University of Maryland’s School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies. JEFF HUDGINS is a transplanted Texan whose music has been described as “somewhat menacing” (New York Music Daily), is a founding member of local NYC group Bombay Rickey. He has toured in the US and Europe, has premiered John Zorn, Tim Berne and John Harbison, has performed in Kamala Sankaram’s award- winning steampunk murder mystery opera, Miranda (2012), and most recently in Yara Travieso’s dance/live-video show, La Medea (2017). In addition to Bombay Rickey, he writes for the NYC groups Anti-Social Music and Opera On Tap, and performs with Matt Bauer and Lizzie & The Makers, amongst many others. Hudgins’ first home in San Antonio, with its vibrant Tejano, Country and early 80s local punk scene, would prove to be a continuing musical inspiration, but a move to Boston prompted focusing on jazz, Hindustani, Yiddish, Brazilian and classical music in his studies at Berklee and New England Conservatory. Moving to Brooklyn in 1998 led Hudgins to meet members of Anti-Social Music, in which he and Sankaram would later meet. Sankaram revealed her plans to perform the works of Yma Sumac in the inaugural form of Bombay Rickey, and found an immediate and enthusiastic band member in Hudgins, who has added Mediterranean and Balkan flair to the ensemble. Hudgins is currently working with Bombay Rickey on their followup to their debut record, 2014’s award- winning Cinefonia.
SAM CRAWFORD Musical Director of David Dorfman Dance
ELIZABETH DE LISE is a Philadelphia-based artist. Their edgy- pop band, de Lise will be touring their sophomore album in the US and Canada this summer, releasing on Sheer Luck Records. de Lise performs in Yara Travieso’s experimental film/theater works, as a company musician with David Dorfman Dance, and is a music contributor to NPR’s Invisibilia. Their sound design work with Material Feels podcast will be on display at the Smithsonian
MADEL RAFTER is a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter based out of Philadelphia. They enjoy creating soundscapes, exploring new ways of engaging with audio, and goofing off.
LILY GELFAND is a Brooklyn-based dancer, experimental cellist, composer, and teaching artist. Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, Gelfand received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College. While at Ohio University, she also began her dance musician training under the mentorship of Andre Gribou. As a dancer, Gelfand has had the pleasure of performing works by Kyle Abraham, Joanna Kotze, Kendra Portier, David Dorfman, Jasmine Hearn, Thryn Saxon, Serena Chang, and Ani Javian. As a cellist, Gelfand is currently on staff as a dance musician at The Juilliard School, and has composed and performed original collaborative works for Christina Robson, Jasmine Hearn, Dance Lab NY, Toscana Dance Hub, Venza Dance, The Wooden Floor, Douglas Gillespie, and Nik Owens. Additionally, Gelfand is a 200 Hour RYT through the Yoga Alliance, and uses cello as a source of sound healing for a variety of meditations and restorative practices throughout the city. Her favorite color is green.
Film produced by Nel Shelby Productions NEL SHELBY, Executive Producer HEIDI GUNTER, General Manager LOREN ROBERTSON, Producer / Project Manager ASHLI BICKFORD, Producer / Editor BENJAMIN RICHARDS, Graphic Designer
SAVION GLOVER SAVION GLOVER is once again honored to celebrate and share space with Babs and the entire Dancers’ Workshop body of creators. “It is with proud privilege that I am able to join you. To better understand my contribution this evening, please allow for the sound of my dance to be interpreted as only sound can prepare the brain to honestly respond in the responsibility of its receivings. Enjoy. Peace.”
Grace Pie Jesu , Excerpt World Premiere February 7, 2020
FOUR HEART TESTAMENTS Choreography Alonzo King Lighting Design Jim French
Music Dancers
Gabriel Fauré, Pie Jesu Adji Cissoko Ilaria Guerra Shuaib Elhassan Michael Montgomery
Writing Ground Over My Head, Excerpt World Premiere July 12, 2010
Music
Traditional, Over My Head Performed by Kathleen Battle
Dancer
Madeline DeVries
The Radius of Convergence , Excerpt World Premiere February 7, 2020
Music
Edgar Meyer with Pharoah Sanders
Dancers
James Gowan Lorris Eichinger Shuaib Elhassan Alvaro Montelongo Michael Montgomery
RASA , Excerpt World Premiere November 7, 2007
Music
Zakir Hussain and Kala Ramnath
Dancer
Madeline DeVries Lorris Eichinger Shuaib Elhassan Maya Harr Adji Cissoko Alvaro Montelongo Michael Montgomery James Gowan
Photograph by RJ Muna
Adji Cissoko Shuaib Elhassan
Executive Bios
ALONZO KING
Alonzo King has been called a visionary choreographer, who is altering the way we look at ballet. King calls his works “thought structures” created by the manipulation of energies that exist in matter through laws, which govern the shapes and movement directions of everything that exists. Named as a choreographer with “astonishing originality” by The New York Times, Alonzo King LINES Ballet has been guided by his unique artistic vision since 1982. King has works in the repertories of the world’s leading ballet and modern companies and has collaborated with distinguished visual artists, musicians, and composers across the globe. His work has been recognized for its impact on the cultural fabric of the company’s home in San Francisco, as well as internationally by the dance world’s most prestigious institutions. King was honored with a Dance Magazine Award in 2020. He received Honorary Doctorates from The Juilliard School, Dominican University of California, and California Institute of the Arts in recognition of his significant contribution to the field of dance. Renowned for his skill as a teacher, King was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Corps de Ballet International Teacher Conference in 2012. Joining historic icons in the field, King was named one of America’s “Irreplaceable Dance Treasures” by the Dance Heritage Coalition. An internationally acclaimed guest ballet master, his training philosophy undergirds the educational programming at LINES Dance Center in San Francisco, which includes the pre-professional Training Program, Summer Program, and the BFA Program at Dominican University of California. Robert Rosenwasser shapes the aesthetic and artistic direction of each project at the Company, including conceptual design and production. In addition to his work with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, he has designed for American Ballet Theater, Ballet de Monte Carlo, Ballet Bejart, the Royal Swedish Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Alvin Ailey American, Dance Theater of Harlem, Ballet Rambert, Joffrey Ballet, and Frankfurt Ballet. Working with Kelsey St. Press, Mr. Rosenwasser has collaborated with artists and poets Richard Tuttle, Kiki Smith, Cecilia Vicuna, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, and Barbara Guest. This work can be found at the New York Museum of Modern Art in the Department of Books and Illustrated Prints, at the Whitney Museum, and at the Spencer Collection of the New York Public Library. He has been Executive Director of LINES since 2019. Mr. Rosenwasser grew up in New York and attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Cooper Union, and California Institute of the Arts.
Co-Founder, Artistic Director & Choreographer
ROBERT ROSENWASSER
Co-Founder, Executive Director & Creative Director
Dancer Bios
MADELINE DEVRIES grew up in Southern California studying at the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy. She continued her training at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and PNBS Professional Division program on full scholarship, spending summers with the Houston Ballet, The Rock School, PNB, and National Ballet of Canada. DeVries apprenticed with the Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, Germany in 2012, and in 2013 she danced with the Seattle based contemporary companies Whim W’Him and Coriolis. DeVries joined LINES Ballet in 2014. LORRIS EICHINGER started training in Grenoble at the National Conservatory and continued at the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Danse de Marseille. After training at The School of American Ballet in New York from 2010 to 2013, Eichinger joined the Professional Division program of the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. He then moved back to France to dance with the Jeune Ballet de Lyon. Eichinger danced with De Dutch Don’t Dance in the Netherlands in 2015 and then moved to Israel to join Kamea Dance Company in 2016. He joined LINES Ballet in 2019. SHUAIB ELHASSAN , from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, began his formal dance training at The Ailey School under the co-direction of Tracy Inman and Melanie Person on a full scholarship. Elhassan has also trained at intensives such as Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, Jacob’s Pillow, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Elhassan was a member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet during their 2012- 2013 season. Additionally, Elhassan has performed with Life Dance Company, Zest Collective, Dance Iquail, and the Von Howard Project. Elhassan joined LINES Ballet in 2014. ADJI CISSOKO was born and grew up in Munich, Germany where she trained at the Ballet Academy Munich and graduated with a diploma in dance. Cissoko attended the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York City on full scholarship, before joining the National Ballet of Canada in 2010. In 2012, she was awarded the Patron Award of Merit by the Patrons’ Council Committee of The National Ballet of Canada. Cissoko joined LINES Ballet in 2014. Since then she’s originated many central roles and guested for galas worldwide. Cissoko has given multiple masterclasses and taught classes around the world as part of the company’s outreach program. In 2020, she became certified in health/life coaching and ABT’s National Training Curriculum. Cissoko choreographed her first piece “AZIZ “ for Ballet X in 2021. She is also a 2022 recipient of the Toulmin fellowship.
JOSHUA FRANCIQUE was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He began his dance training with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater back in 2015. Joshua continued his training at the Northern Illinois University BFA dance program and, soon after at The Ailey School on a full scholarship. Francique has performed works by Nicole Clark-Springer, Gary Abbott, and Kevin Iega Jeff, to name a few. In 2020, Francique attended the LINES Ballet | Training Program for a year. Joshua joined LINES Ballet in 2022.
JAMES GOWAN , from Phoenix, AZ, began dancing at the age of 16 at Tempe Dance Academy. He graduated with a BFA in Dance from Point Park University in 2015. James has danced as a company member with Texture Contemporary Ballet, River North Dance Chicago, and DanceWorks Chicago. James joined LINES Ballet in 2016.
ILARIA GUERRA was born in Torino, Italy. At the age of five, she moved to Palos Verdes Estates, California where she trained in classical ballet at Lauridsen Ballet Center, performing with their pre-professional company, South Bay Ballet. Ilaria graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet | BFA Program at Dominican University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a minor in Arts Management in 2013. She joined dawsondancesf under the direction of Gregory Dawson in 2013. In 2016, Ilaria received an Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Ensemble Performance. Ilaria joined LINES Ballet in 2018 and has had the chance to tour all over the US, Canada, and Europe with the company. In 2022, Ilaria earned her Master’s degree in Arts Administration from Drexel University. MAYA HARR grew up in Alexandria, Virginia where she studied ballet at The Washington School of Ballet under the tutelage of former LINES Ballet company dancer, Kristina Windom and award-winning choreographer Mimmo Miccolis. As a student, Maya was the recipient of the Mary Day Scholarship and was selected to participate in the Kennedy Center Master Class Series. Maya spent her summers with San Francisco Ballet, PNB, Ballet West, ABT and the Kirov Academy. After graduating from high school, Maya moved to the Bay Area to attend the LINES Ballet | Summer Program and began her training in the LINES Ballet | Training Program. Maya joined LINES Ballet in 2016.
MARUSYA MADUBUKO originally from New York, NY, she began her pre- professional training at age 15 with Premiere Division Ballet under the tutelage of Nadege Hottier. In 2019, Madubuko competed at the Royal Grand Prix in Italy, winning second place for her contemporary and classical solo. She has trained with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, the Royal Ballet School, and at San Francisco Ballet School where she had the opportunity to dance repertoire including Helgi Tomasson’s Nutcracker and Cinderella, as well as George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2021, she participated in BalletUnleashed’s first creative project “Switchback”, working with choreographer Cathy Marston to create a solo. Madubuko joined LINES Ballet in 2021.
ALVARO MONTELONGO was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico. He began his dance training there and went on to train in institutions such as Fomento Artístico Cordobés, The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, The Ailey School, and later graduated from The Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Now he strives to stay in the TRUTH and share it through his work.
MICHAEL MONTGOMERY of Long Beach, CA, trained at the Orange County High School of the Arts and studied at the Alvin Ailey School in the Certificate program. In 2011, he graduated from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet | BFA Program at Dominican University of California. Montgomery was awarded the American College Dance Festival Association’s best student performer award for the Southwest Region in 2008. In 2010, he joined LINES Ballet and was named a Shenson Performing Arts Fellow that same year. Montgomery was named to the list of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine in 2013. TATUM QUIÑÓNEZ began her training at Master Ballet Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. She then continued her training at Ballet West Academy and the BWA trainee program. She spent her summers at Ballet Arizona, Ballet Austin, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet West, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Quiñónez then joined Oregon Ballet Theatre’s second company, OBT2, in 2019. She has performed works by George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Willam Christensen, Gerald Arpino, Christopher Stowell, James Canfield, and LeeWei Chao. Quiñónez joined LINES Ballet in 2021.
Alonzo King LINES Ballet would like to thank the following funders for their invaluable support:
Artistic Director and Co-Founder
Alonzo King
Executive Director Creative Director and Co-Founder
Robert Rosenwasser
Choreography
Alonzo King
Original Music
Jason Moran Lisa Fischer
Music
Pharoah Sanders Maurice Ravel James Weldon Johnson
Additional support provided by:
Vocals
Lisa Fischer
Lighting Design
Jim French
Costume and Set Design
Robert Rosenwasser
Sound Design
Philip Perkins
Ballet Master
Laura O’Malley
United States representation by: Selby Artists Management, Margaret Selby, Director mselby@selbyartistsmgmt.com 262 West 38th Street, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10018 European representation by: Delta Danse, Thierry DuClos, Director td@deltadanse.com 102 Rue Pasteur, 16600 Magnac sur Touvre, FR
THE COMPANY Babatunji Johnson • Adji Cissoko • Madeline DeVries Lorris Eichinger • Shuaib Elhassan • Joshua Francique
James Gowan • Ilaria Guerra • Maya Harr Marusya Madubuko • Alvaro Montelongo Michael Montgomery • Tatum Quiñónez
Seah Johnson Lighting Supervisor/Production Stage Manager
ALONZO KING LINES Ballet 26 Seventh Street San Francisco, California Tel. 415.863.3040 linesballet.org facebook instagram twitter
Brandi Williams Company Manager Joan Raymond Costume Construction
About the Company Alonzo King Lines Ballet Celebrates 40 Years of creativity, innovation, and collaboration. Alonzo King LINES Ballet is a celebrated contemporary ballet company that has been guided since 1982 by the artistic vision of acclaimed choreographer Alonzo King. Collaborating with extraordinary composers, musicians, writers, and visual artists from around the world, King draws on a diverse set of deeply rooted cultural traditions, imbuing classical ballet with new expressive potential. He has been heralded as a visionary and thought leader on topics that reach far beyond dance, receiving numerous accolades such as a 2020 Dance Magazine Award . The company brings new works of illuminating beauty to Bay Area audiences in bi-annual home seasons. LINES Ballet’s national and international tours allow the company to share its vision of transformative, revelatory dance through performances worldwide. LINES Ballet is dedicated to training the next generation of artists through its pre-professional Summer Program, Training Program, and Bachelor of Fine Arts Program with Dominican University of California. LINES also makes dance accessible to Bay Area adults and youth through world-class, affordable classes open to the community and free in-school education programs. After San Francisco’s stay-at-home order began in March 2020, all of LINES Ballet’s programs transitioned into the online space. The company also produced a new film series, There Is No Standing Still, which The New York Times and The Guardian included in their respective “Best Dance of 2020” lists. “The term LINES alludes to all that is visible in the phenomenal world.There is nothing that is made or formed without a line. Straight and Circle encompass all that we see. Whatever can be seen is formed by a line. In mathematics it is a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth. Lines are in our fingerprints, the shapes of our bodies, constellations, geometry. It implies genealogical connection, progeny and spoken word. It marks the starting point and finish. It addresses direction, communication, and design. A line of thought. A boundary or eternity. A melodic line.The equator. From vibration or dot to dot it is the visible organization of what we see.” — Alonzo King
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Harry Schoening, Chairman Kaamna Bhojwani-Dhawan, Vice Chair Gwyneth Borden Carolyn Press Chatham Augustin de Kerversau Benno Dorer Christopher Dydyk Georgina Enthoven Shannon Houston Kimberly Hughes Alonzo King , Artistic Director & Co-Founder Micki Klearman Robert Rosenwasser, Executive Director, Creative Director & Co-Founder
Jeff Schlarb Martin Skea Diana Smith Pasha Thornton Carolyn Tyler Aaron Walton Benjy Weinberger , Treasurer Al Wong
Teddy Zmrhal Breanna Zwart
LAURA O’MALLEY (Ballet Master) was born in Phoenix, Arizona and trained on full scholarship at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. She has danced as a soloist with Stuttgart Ballet and Dutch National Ballet. Among the leading dramatic roles performed by Laura were Giselle in Giselle , the Sylph in La Sylphide , Olga in John Cranko’s Onegin , Lulu in Christian Spuck’s Lulu , and Olympia in John Neumier’s Lady of the Camelias . Falling in love with self-expression and contemporary dance, Laura later danced for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and SFDanceworks. She created works with many contemporary choreographers and performed leading roles in notable pieces from William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Wayne McGregor, Jorma Elo, Marco Goecke, Alonzo King, Hans Van Manen, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, Sharon Eyal, Azure Barton, Nacho Duato, Alejandro Cerrudo, and Danielle Rowe. Laura co-directed SFDanceworks from 2019-2021 and has choreographed for various dance films, LINES Ballet’s education programs, Berkeley Ballet Theater, American Ballet Theater’s choreographic incubator, and SFDanceworks. She rejoined LINES Ballet as Ballet Master in 2021.
INTERMISSION
Photograph by RJ Muna
Adji Cissoko Robb Beresford
STARK RELIEF
Direction/Choreography Music
Gina Patterson Eric Midgley Ludovico Einaudi Jorge Gallardo Beverly Shore Kathy Stuck Manuel Da Silva Michaela Ellingson David Harvey Francesca Romo
An experience can change you, a person can change you — seep into the very essence of you — forever entwined, forever embodied. A slight shift in perspective can provide a glimmer of light, giving new shape to darkness. Light emerging out of overlapping shadows, external and self-imposed. How can we continue to shape our lives being simultaneously sculptor, clay, and muse? This work is inspired by the life of sculptor Camille Claudel, and is one of four iterations created as a result of this DW commission by Babs Case.
Costume Design Costume Construction
Lighting Design Dancers
*The research / development for Stark Relief was created with the support of a Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship.
Francesca Romo David Harvey
Babs is the artistic director of Dancers’ Workshop. She has performed, choreographed, and taught modern dance and visual art throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, and South America. She attributes her multidisciplinary approach to dance to her professional affiliations with the Harry Partch Foundation and Company, Richard Landry of the Philip Glass Ensemble, and Lincoln Center Institute and Obie award winning actor Bob Berky. She was the founding director of The Center for the Arts in Stuart, FL for 12 years. Case is a past beneficiary of National Endowment for the Arts funding and a two-time recipient of both the Florida and Wyoming Fellowship Awards for Choreography. In 1992, she was awarded an IndoAmerican Research Fulbright fellowship to study dance, theatre and visual arts in India. As an educator, Case has taught at universities throughout the U.S. and offers multidisciplinary residencies in schools and workshops for underrepresented youth. In 1999 she moved to Wyoming and formed Contemporary Dance Wyoming. In addition to performing, choreographing, and teaching, Case also consults for non- profit arts organizations, helping them develop stronger staffing, fundraising strategies, and programming. Most recently her contributions were recognized in 2009 by receiving the Cultural Council of Jackson Hole Award for Creativity.
BABS CASE Artistic Director
CDW has worked collaboratively with artists from major dance companies around the country, building repertoire that has been described as “visually stimulating, highly athletic and exhilarating”. The Company has toured throughout the Western region, as well as performing in New York City. CDW travels statewide to offer performances and residencies in schools that educate communities about modern dance. The Company continues to grow in unexpected ways and adds a meaningful dimension to our community’s cultural history. About Contemporary Dance Wyoming
GINA PATTERSON (Choreographer, Stark Relief ) a 2021 Bogliasco Fellow has won such honors as the Choo San Goh Award, a nomination for an Isadora Duncan Award, the Hubbard Street 2 National Choreographic Competition, New Choreographers on Pointe, and the National Choreographic Initiative. Her dances appear in the repertoire of companies across the US and have been presented internationally in Italy, Croatia, Germany, Slovenia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Spain. She danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Ballet Austin, Ballet Florida, and as a guest artist in North America and Europe. Ms. Patterson educates through creativity workshops and multi-disciplinary collaboration with young artists, most recently with University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Advocating for empathy and compassion, she searches to uncover the authentic and vulnerable – the voice within. She uses her art to examine our humanity and interconnection, believing in the art form’s power — to heal; and through the creative process, build unity and community. ginapatterson.com
FRANCESCA ROMO (CDW Associate Artistic Director and Dancer) was born in London and fell in love with dance early in life. After graduating from the Royal Ballet School and London Contemporary Dance School, she danced for The Richard Alston Dance Company. On tour, she fell in love with the U.S., and moved to New York to co-found the Gallim Dance Company in 2006. She has toured internationally and now resides at Dancers’ Workshop where she dances, teaches, mentors, and is an integral part of wellness programming. MICHAELA ELLINGSON (Dancer) began her training at Dancers’ Workshop. She received her BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase and then danced with EDge Postgraduate Company at London Contemporary Dance School. In London she performed work by Itamar Serussi, Robert Clark, Eleesha Drennan, Siobhan Davies as well as making a series of her own solo choreography. She has performed with Contemporary Dance Wyoming for 7 seasons performing work by Francesca Romo, Babs Case and Gina Patterson. She has had the opportunity to work with Bill T. Jones, David Dorfman and Robin Mineko Williams. DAVID HARVEY (Guest Artist) is a dance artist from Seattle. He received his training from the Kirov Academy of Ballet and the Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program. He joined Alonzo King LINES Ballet in 2008. Harvey is now a freelance artist and has worked with choreographers Bobbi Jene Smith, Tom Weinberger, Sarah Foster-Sproull, and Kate Wallich. He is currently a member of Out Innerspace Dance Theatre in Vancouver BC. Photograph by Quinn Wharton
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator