Bedford and is dedicated to Michelle N. Gibson—We are honoring our ancestors as you taught us, on our backs pushing through and towards our collective freedom, Ashé.
Kairos
CHOREOGRAPHER: Lauren Payne in collaboration with the Performers
PERFORMERS: Sophie Daker, Shannon Lane, Sawyer Latimore, Gabriela Marks, Ella Narance, Sophia Peck, Amari Smith, Nelson Stevenson, Diamond Turner, Ash Williams, Emma Wilson
MUSIC: Riffittelyä III by Cucina Povera & Haron, Mount Hood by Hauschka, Infinite Love by Emile Mosseri
COSTUMES: featuring a Lizzy Fowlkes design and assistance from Esme Thibodeau
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Destiny Garner
FACULTY MENTOR: Lisa Gonzales
INTERMISSION
this place is precarious
CHOREOGRAPHER: Dardi McGinley Gallivan with the Performers
PERFORMERS: Nia Durlacher, Kayla Hansen, Konnie Kakridas, Shannon Lane, Lauren Payne, Emma Wilson
REHEARSAL ASSISTANTS: Jamirelys Maldonado Albarran & Seret McCarty
MUSIC: Dinosaur, Black Flag, Light Bath, Five Golden Sections by David Byrne
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Anna Schultz- Breef
MATADORA V1
DIRECTOR: INSÉKTA
PERFORMERS: Sophie Daker, Lola Jett-Beachley, CJ Triche
STORYTELLING: INSÉKTA
CHOREOGRAPHY: Director in collaboration with Performers
SOUND TRACKS: In The Face by Arca, Músculos by Arca, Anger by Arca, Calentao by DNGDNGDNG, Dengue Dengue Dengue and, Lésbica Futurista by GA31
SOUND EDITOR: Alberto Mendoza
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Anna Schultz- Breef
LIGHTING CONCEPT: INSÉKTA
Thank you Berto for taking me to rehearsals, Damon for assisting/guiding me, CJ + Sophie + Lola for their willingness to go beyond fear and my mom. Love you all. x
I’m Andy Anisco and I’ve been doing solo performances for school talent shows ever since I was a little kid, and dance has always been my passion. Dance has helped me gain confidence, make connections, and to be myself. Before I had a hard time making friends because I was shy and couldn’t fit in that well with other students. Ever since I became a student at College of Lake County (CLC) and joined the dance department, it changed me a lot because I met a lot of good teachers and choreographers that inspired and helped me be open and able to share my talent. I was able to choreograph for the Fear No Arts show at CLC and make connections with other dancers. I even put together a dance crew called Illusion Fusion and we’ve been performing at showcases. I’m a dance teacher at Jack Benny Center and I teach 6-11 years old. After I graduated from College of Lake County, I transferred to Columbia College Chicago to keep studying dance and follow my passion. I did my first dance battle event at the B-Series, and I was Top 32 to battle. Ever since that, I have made connections with students and other dancers in Chicago. I was excited to do my first solo performance at Student Performance Night and just do what I love. My goal as a dancer is to gain more teaching and performance experience and find a path in dance wherever it will be.
My name is Yadira Ávila and I am a freshman at Columbia. I’m a Dance major and ASL minor. I’ve been self-taught until I began college.
Daniela Aranda attended Columbia College Chicago majoring in Dance along with a minor in Vocal Performance. Her passion as an interdisciplinary artist continued at Columbia, where her exploration is inspired by her Mexican culture. She continues her artistic development through multiple creative lenses even after graduation, currently teaching Hip Hop and Vocal at Teatro Tariakuri.
Violet Czerwinski (she/her) is a third-year student receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at Columbia College Chicago. She has been dancing for 16 years, 10 of those competitively, training in styles such as Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Hip Hop and Musical Theater. Throughout her college experience she has been interested in furthering her research in Modern, improvisation and composition techniques. Violet plans to be a professional choreographer, dancer, performer on Broadway stages and touring with artists as a back up dancer.
Sophie Daker is a sophomore at Columbia College Chicago. She has been dancing for 17 years, training in various styles growing up. Sophie has a passion for challenging work and performance with the influence of Contemporary, Jazz and Modern forms.
Nia Durlacher is a senior transfer student from Bloomington, Indiana, with a background in gymnastics and circus arts. She aims to combine her dance education with her unique movement experience to pursue a career in Contemporary Circus.
Kayla Hansen, a senior BFA Dance major and Education minor at Columbia College Chicago, is a dancer and choreographer born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Her early training comes from Rhoads Academy of Dance, Senn Arts Dance Company, and Southport Performing Arts Conservatory. She has also worked with various companies including, Gus Giordano, Joel Hall Dance Center, Still Inspired, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She has choreographed multiple works that combine her contemporary and improvisational training with her humanistic and emotional approach to movement. These works have been showcased at venues such as, The Athenaeum Theatre, the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, and The Edge Theater.
Kaya Gross is a Danish and American dancer, aerialist and performer. They are a Senior at Columbia College Chicago working towards a BA in Dance with a minor in Film and Television Studies. During high school Kaya spent a year studying dance at Efterskolen for Scenekunst, a performing arts boarding school in Denmark. They have also trained and performed with A-WOL Dance Collective in Portland, Oregon for many years as part of both their youth performance group, Aeros, and their pre-professional training company, Flyco.
Harlah Hosley is currently a first year student at Columbia who majors in Dance and was born and raised in Chicago. She is a very passionate dancer and creator, whose love for it all grows daily as she moves forward in her dance journey. She glorifies God for just being able to have a foot in this dance world and is grateful to work toward what her heart is in.
INSÉKTA is a Venezuelan/Peruvian creator, director, and performer based in Chicago, IL. Their work challenges expectations of Latinx performance, blending movement, physical storytelling, and Latin American futurism to explore power, identity, and communal connection. They are the co-founder and host of FLÁ Podcast, an audiovisual project that explores Latin American futurism. INSÉKTA has performed for Erin Kilmurray (Search Party, Fly Honey Show X, Nightshade), Alex Grelle (Lady Di, The Grelley Duvall Show 4), and Body Watani (TERRANEA), and directed for Teatro La Plaza (Lima, Peru). Their multidisciplinary work transcends traditional choreography, blurring boundaries between performance and immersive experiences. Their projects have been recognized internationally, with exhibitions at SPACES Gallery (Cleveland, OH) and screenings at Blow Up Film Festival (Chicago, 2020).
Currently, they work part-time as Co-Director of Professional Presentations & Marketing at Synapse Arts, expanding access to innovative performance work. INSÉKTA creates poetic narratives that immerse audiences in unexpected landscapes of movement and meaning.
Elizabeth Moran, a first generation Mexican and Peruvian-American, was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She has been dancing from the age of 3 and most of her work reflects her Latin heritage as she has discovered her cultural Identity through dance. Her passions fall into primarily Hip Hop and Salsa. Discovering her passion through movement and performance, she is in pursuit of her Bachelor of Arts of Dance at Columbia College Chicago.
Ella Narance is freshman at Columbia College Chicago pursuing her degree in Dance and Arts Management. She has been dancing for 14 years, training in Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, West African, and Improv. In 2019, she was picked by Jessica Starr to train with various professionals in the industry around the US. Since then she has devoted her life to doing what she loves and teaching others to love dance as well.
Jermaine “Orion” Napper, a BFA Dance major at Columbia, discovered his passion for dance through Majorette and later explored various styles of dance, including Contemporary, Modern, Ballet, and Hip Hip. With a background in choreographing diverse styles, Orion envisions a career as a professional choreographer. He seeks to refine his craft and artistic voice through Columbia’s program.
Aly Owens, originally from Warsaw, Indiana, began her dance journey at Debra Collier’s School of Dance. Now based in Chicago, Aly is a student at Columbia College Chicago, where she has had the opportunity to both present her own work and perform in a wide variety of styles. Her training includes everything from Second Line and Hip Hop to Umfundalai and Modern dance, allowing her to develop a versatile movement vocabulary and a passion for artistic expression.
Hey I’m Tiffany Parkerson I’m a 20 year old Dance BA. I’m pursing a career in teaching and plan to open my own studio. I’ve been dancing for as long as I can remember and even taught in high school. Dance to me is expressing something you cannot verbally say. It’s my get away from reality and a healthy coping mechanism for me. I’m happy to have everyone with me on this journey!
Anyce Paul-Émile was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. She is a senior at CCC majoring in Dance with a minor in Film Acting. She’s excited to graduate and start traveling with her husband, finding work along the way.
Lauren Payne is a soon to be graduate at Columbia, majoring in Dance and minoring in Arts Management. Before moving to Chicago, she danced under Kathi Nallia and trained and performed for eleven years around the greater Kansas City area.
Sophia Peck is a Junior working towards her Dance Bachelor of Fine Arts at Columbia College Chicago. After 12 years of training in Columbus, Ohio under Jeri Pinnell and working with several notable choreographers, Sophia is excited to be furthering her dance education.
Areli Ramirez is a junior who is majoring in Dance with a Fine Arts minor at Columbia College Chicago. Ramirez has danced primarily Latin dance such as Bachata and Salsa. Ramirez has a love for exploring different dance styles and how they can bring stories and emotions to life.
Autumn Risbrook is a 19-year-old college student attending Columbia College Chicago as a Performing Arts major and a Film Production minor. She trains in all forms of dance, but especially enjoys Modern, Contemporary and West African Technique. In the fall of 2022 Autumn was a performing artist in the “Freshman Piece” choreographed by appointed staff at her university. The following year in fall of 2023 Autumn was a performing artist for Kummba Lynx where she primarily focused on Hip Hop technique and performances. Three months later and now currently she is a performing artist for Dome Productions B-Team where the focus is primarily Hip Hop and Chicago Foot Work. Autumn is also currently an apprentice study at Ayodele Drum and Dance company focusing on West African technique from all regions of the African continent.
Amari Smith is a dedicated dancer studying and training in dance programs in Chicago IL, focusing on various styles such as Ballet, Modern, Jazz, West African, and Hip Hop. She has been a part of many programs within her community, while also training with The Joffrey Ballet. Amari is currently a Senior at Columbia College Chicago acquiring her BA in Dance, while also taking many dance classes in the Chicago community. Amari is extremely excited to continue her passion and journey in dance auditioning for companies, becoming a commercial dancer, performer, and choreographer.
Imani Smith is a dynamic and versatile dancer, choreographer, and movement artist whose work seamlessly blends creativity, self-expression, and a deep love for the art of dance. From an early age, Imani was drawn to the rhythms of the world around her, finding joy in the freedom of movement and the way it connected her to others. Born and raised in Chicago Illinois, she is currently a Senior at Columbia College Chicago
majoring in Dance with a minor in Education. Training in Ballet, Modern, West African, Contemporary, and many more styles, she focused on building and strengthening her technique with every style she comes across. Through their journey, Imani continues to explore the power of movement as a tool for healing, and connection, striving to share her passion for dance and movement.
Nelson Stevenson is a sophomore at Columbia College Chicago, and he’s grateful for the opportunity to perform on the main stage at the Dance Center for the second time. He hopes you enjoy the show.
Charlotte-bred and Chicago-based, SJ Swilley is a Black Trans Non-Binary movement and text artist, storyteller, & educator. Centering their notions of liberation and self-empowerment, Swilley invites audiences to bear witness to their active reckonings with mental health and navigations via social stratospheres. Attentive and attuned to their elements, SJ is both an earth and water spirit, processing the feisty truths of wet soil. Swilley is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Johnson C. Smith University and holds an MFA from Temple University. Swilley is deeply grateful for the opportunity to present work at the Dance Center of Columbia, as it creates a springboard in their departure from the college into their artistic channeling as an independent artist.
Hello, my name is Danetra Thomas. I am from Mississippi and I have been dancing since the age of 8. I am freshman at Columbia College Chicago pursuing a BA in Dance. This school year I am looking forward to learning more about the city and expanding my experience in dance.
Performed by her dance company Ayo & Company her works have been commissioned by PUSHfest, Sacramento/Black Art of Dance (S/BAD), the Rhythmically Speaking Dance Company and the Modern American Dance Company (MADCO). Ayo & Company premiered and toured their most notable work, “Jadine’s Son” for the 2022 We Create Festival: BIPOC Legacy in the Arts and the BIG MUDDY Dance Festival. This work was then commissioned by the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) 33rd annual Conference and Festival. Ayo’s latest work “P-I-E-C-E-S” premiered and was adjudicated at the 2023 Southeast American College Dance Association Conference (ACDA) 50th Anniversary Festival and subsequently invited to perform at both the GALA and National concerts. Adjudicators Maura Keefe, Daniel Gwirtzman and Juel Lane described the strength of this work as an “unexpected crisscrossing of movement cultures-in conversation with a powerful rhythmic score that keeps revealing new dimensions of movement possibilities.”
Dr. Walker’s research also focuses on decolonization of the body in dance, which is the undoing of domination by ethnocentric ideology to free the body (the nature of the practice) from being dependent on a singular movement practice presenting as the foundation of all dance techniques. This method informs and is informed by her work as both the Hip Hop Pedagogy and Afro-Hip Hop instructor for Rennie Harris University. Harris said in a New York Times article, “what’s special about our curriculum is the pedagogy piece because no one is teaching how to teach Hip Hop, everyone is just teaching people how to do it.” Recently featured in the latest issue of DANCE magazine “Certified to Teach” by Jennifer Heimlich, Dr. Walker’s work is realized most notably with the Rennie Harris University program, which “emphasizes codifying the way street dance is taught…sending a message to the world: it matters that we get it right”.
Breslin Webb, also known as Bre5lin (pronounced B-5), is an upcoming dancer, rapper, and DJ who was born and raised in San Francisco, California. He grew up in the city learning about the culture of Hip Hop, but soon started studying an array of dance styles like West African and Afro Brazilian. He currently lives in Chicago and is studying Dance at Columbia College Chicago.
Ash Williams is a dancer and performer from Oregon. They have studied with various organizations such as Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, DanceWorks Chicago, Common Conservatory/Commemoration, The Umfundalai Community and Open Space. They are currently working towards achieving their BA in Dance at Columbia College Chicago and on track to graduate in December 2025. After graduating, Ash plans to pursue a career with a touring dance company continuing to study
Mikaylah Williams is a transfer student currently in her senior year here at Columbia. She’s a self taught dancer but has been technique trained for 3 years now. Each class she’s taken has improved not only her dancing skills but personality as well.
Emma Wilson is currently in her junior year of a BA in Dance at Columbia College Chicago. She was born in Houston, Texas and grew up training in Ballet and Modern.
Ava Winfrey is a second year Dance Major at Columbia College Chicago born and raised here in Chicago. She has been dancing since she was three years old, and has trained various forms of dance (Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop to name a few). Ava is forever and always grateful to do work in and outside of the Dance Center in hopes to grow, create and share her love of dance with the world!
