Dance Innovations Fall 2021 Program

Mason Dance Company 2021-22 Season

dance.gmu.edu

George Mason University Dance Company Winter: Dance Innovations 2021

Shaun D’Arcy and Dan Joyce

Adrianna Smith

Artistic Directors

Lighting Designer

{discothéque} Choreography: Isaiah Cavallero Music: “Adieux au Dancefloor” by Marie Davidson and “Trip Tide Thud” by Richie Hawtin a.k.a. Plastikman Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Natalia Collado, Lauryn Crowell, Nolan Eisenhaur, Macie Harris, Lauren Lamontagne, Eirwen Moshier, Anna Pettigrew, Carmella Taitt, Kenidee Wedlaw-Farmer Humanimalistic Choreography: Michala Conroy Music: “Reflective Surfaces” and segments of “Unclear Channel” by Rachel’s and “Shrine Tooth” by Forest Swords Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Sophie Amundson, Rachel Bozalis, Jessica Brown, Sloan Daley, Nolan Eisenhaur, Morgan Lamarre, Carlos Martinez, Kameron Swann It’s Coming Choreography: Dareon Blowe Music: “fullmoon”; “ZURE” by Ryuichi Sakamoto, and “Amber Decay” by Kangding Ray Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Sophie Amundson, Rachel Bozalis, Nick Elizondo, Audrey Leonard, Anna Pettigrew

the person you are trying to reach Choreography: Kylie Grossmann Music: “180 Degree Pole Shift Hypothesis (see page 87)” by Slauson Malone, “ID1 (from Charlotte de Witte ‘New Form’ IV: Formula” [Mixed] by Charlotte de Witte, and “Mind Awake” (Mixed) by Wehbba Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Selin Boybeyi, Brooke Katsafados, Ella Kim, Hadiya Matthews, Abbey Winiger INTERMISSION In My Own Words Choreography: Carlos Martinez Music: “Weather Storm” and “Leaving Paris” by Craig Armstrong Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Johnny Del Jesus (Friday), Addison David (Saturday) Note to Self Choreography: Carmella Taitt Music: “Intro”; “Note to Self” by J. Cole and “Ghost Town” by Kanye West Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Kaylan Bradford, Odin Brock, Michael Cherry, Natalia Collado, Brianna Dawkins, Emma Gordon, Fabio Tello Munoz The Comedown Choreography: Macie Harris Music: “Brainfreeze” by F*ckbuttons; “Jeunesse Talking Blues” by Fauve; and “Sleep Deprivation 1” by The Black Dog Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Lauren Ciccolini, Lauryn Crowell, Sloan Daley, Sidney Durand, Micah McKee The Road Home Choreography: Elizabeth Fields Music: “…And the God’s Made Love” by Jimi Hendrix, “The Road Home” by Stephen Paulus, Westminster Williamson Voices, Emily Rosoff, James Jordan Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Michael Cherry, Macie Harris, Carlos Martinez, Will Pettigrew, Victoria Ortiz

The Choreographers Dareon Blowe is a dancer/choreographer who is interested in investigative movement research and body awareness. Born and raised in Virginia, he began his training at the Academy of Dance & Gymnastics at the age of 14. Although he started later than most, He was quick to realize his growing passion for movement. He currently attends the George Mason School of Dance on a full scholarship, where he has worked with the likes of Micaela Taylor, Kyle Abraham, Rafael Bonachela, Susan Shields, and Shaun Boyle-Darcy. He also is currently a member of MOTUS the Company under the artistic direction of Diana Matos.

Isaiah Cavallero is from San Antonio, Texas. He attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts and is currently a senior at George Mason School of Dance. He has attended summer programs at Nashville Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Washington School of Ballet, and BodyTraffic. Isaiah has had the opportunity to work with guest artists and faculty such as Nacho Duato, Andonis Foniadakis, Kyle Abraham, Rafael Bonachela, Susan Shields, and Shaun Boyle D’Arcy. In addition, he has been cast by many of his peers.

Michala Conroy is a Senior in the Mason Dance Company from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Michala is pursuing her BFA in Dance along with a Pre-Medicine track. She first started out as a competitive gymnast before starting high school as a dance major at Pittsburgh CAPA and joining the pre-professional company, Reed Dance II. She would like to thank her entire cast for their energy and hard work. She would also like to thank Cat for working tirelessly to beautifully costume the show.

Elizabeth Fields is a senior from Brooklyn, NY. She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School where she studied dance. While at LaGuardia, she was able to work with choreographers Early Mosley and Joey Smith. In her senior year of high school, she was able to attend Teens@Graham where she was given the opportunity to perform as a soloist for Martha Graham’s ballet, Panorama at City Center. She was fortunate enough to perform Qui Tollis choreographed by Tadej Brdnik at the 2018 Battery Dance Festival in New York City.

During her time at Mason, Elizabeth has had the fortune of working with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company in the premiere work What Problem? at the Center for the Arts Artist-inResidency program. Recently, Elizabeth has been selected for a new work by Larry Keigwin that will be performed this coming March at the Center for the Arts. Elizabeth is beyond excited to be premiering her work The Road Home and is incredibly grateful for the support of mentor, Roger Jeffrey, throughout the process of creating the piece. She is also extremely grateful to her cast for their enthusiasm, vulnerability, willingness to take risks, and friendship. The experience of working with these seven dancers is one that Elizabeth will always treasure as there was not one rehearsal in which they were not able to bring a smile to her face.

Kylie Grossmann is originally from Boston Massachusetts. She graduated from Boston Arts Academy in 2018. Kylie is currently a senior dance major at George Mason University and will be graduating this year with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and a minor in Arts Management. She has had the pleasure of being in choreography by Camille A Brown, Maleek Washington, Roger Jeffrey, Shaun Boyle Darcy, Earl Mosley, Christopher Ralph, Patrick O’Brien, etc. She recently had the pleasure of restaging her work from last semester, right now, later, never.. maybe sometime, on the dancers at Colgan High School.

Kylie is excited to share the person you are trying to reach.. with you tonight. Kylie is eager to keep exploring her voice as a choreographer.

The Choreographers (continued) Macie Harris is a junior from Carmel, Indiana. In Indiana, she attended Expressenz Dance Center where she was given the opportunity to work with various well-known individuals in the dance community. Throughout high school and college, she has been fortunate enough to attend intensives with Doug Varone and Dancers, Visceral Dance Chicago, NYU Tisch, and more. Recently, Macie was selected to learn Camille A. Brown’s City of Rain as well as a new work by Larry Keigwin that will be performed this coming March. Macie could not be more thrilled to present her work, “The Comedown” and is immensely grateful for the support various George Mason University School of Dance faculty members have provided her during this process. Moreover, Macie would like to express her gratitude to her five lovely cast members for their dedication, commitment, and excitement throughout this choreographic process. The laughter and light they brought to the room every day is something Macie will forever cherish.

I am Carlos Martinez from Guadalajara, Mexico. At the age of 10, I began my dance studies at "Escuela de Artes" in Guadalajara, Mexico with Javier Zavala, Michelle Monreal, Diana Garcia, and Nazira Yakuboba. At the age of 13, I was awarded a major scholarship at the "National Ballet Competition of Mexico" to attend Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California. I joined Idyllwild Arts Academy in the Fall of 2014, where I trained with Patrick Frantz, Jonathan Sharp, Ellen Rosa-Taylor, Hai Cohen, Stephanie Gilliland and Lauren Smith. Upon graduation, I joined the freshman class at George Mason University School of Dance in the fall of 2018. Some of the choreographers and companies I have had the pleasure of working with previously to attending George Mason are Alexandre Munz, John Pennignton, Ballet de Jalisco, BodyTraffic, California Dance Theater, Inland Pacific Ballet, and Parsons Dance. Since being at George Mason University I have had the opportunity to work with Alexander Hille and Pier Loup in Kosmos by Andonis Foniadakis, Jean Emile in Na Floresta by Nacho Duato, Fiona Jopp in Variation 10 by Rafael Bonachela, Susan Shields in Sun Lit Song, Micaela Taylor 90s Sugar, Christopher d’Amboise, Mora-Amina Parker in City of Rain by Camille A. Brown. Outside of George Mason University understudy for Alejandro Cerrudo in his most recent work It Starts Now. Carmella Taitt is from Brooklyn, New York and is presently a Senior dance major at George Mason University. Her dance training initiated with West African and Jazz at the Restoration Youth Arts Academy. In 2014, Carmella joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem School as a scholarship student. Afterwards, her enrollment to the Professional Performing Arts High School during the years 2015-2018, was the beginning of her training at the Alvin Ailey School. In addition, from 2016-2018 Carmella joined the Jr. Division department of the Alvin Ailey School as a scholarship student. Furthermore, Carmella is grateful to have studied at a vast number of summer intensives as a scholarship student at institutions including the Earl Mosley Institute of the Arts, Alvin Ailey, New York Dance Project, and Rioult. Throughout her time studying at George Mason University, she has performed in works choreographed by Bill T Jones, Hope Boykin, and Susan Shields. Carmella is very grateful for the hard work of her amazing cast and is very thankful for the opportunity to share her choreographic work titled “Note To Self.”

The Company Sophie Amundson is a senior from Los Angeles, California.

Selin Boybeyi is a junior from Reston, Virginia.

Rachel Bozalis is a junior from Dallas, Texas.

Kaylan Bradford is a junior from Chesapeake, Virginia.

Odin Brock is a sophomore from Woodbridge, Virginia.

Jessica Brown is a freshman from Solvang, California.

Michael Cherry is a sophomore from Springfield, Virginia.

Lauren Ciccolini is a sophomore from Glenview, Illinois.

Natalia Collado is a sophomore from St. Cloud, Florida.

Lauryn Crowell is a junior from Chelsea, Alabama.

Sloan Daley is a freshman from Flower Mound, Texas.

Addison David is a freshman from Alexandria, Virginia.

Brianna Dawkins is a sophomore from Clinton, Maryland.

Johnny Del Jesus is a senior from Boston, Massachusetts.

Sidney Durand is a freshman from Fresno, Texas.

Nolan Eisenhaur is a junior from Saco, Maine.

Nicholas Elizondo is a sophomore from Celina, Texas.

Emma Gordon is a junior from Bronx, New York.

Brooke Katsafados is a freshman from Brick, New Jersey.

Ella Kim is a junior from Sammamish, Washington.

Morgan Lamarre is a senior from Saco, Maine.

Lauren Lamontagne is a junior from Wellington, Florida.

Audrey Leonard is a sophomore from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Hadiya Matthews is a senior from Houston, Texas.

Micah McKee is a junior from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Eirwen Moshier is a freshman from Traverse City, Michigan.

Victoria Ortiz is a junior from Bronx, New York.

Anna Pettigrew is a freshman from Maplewood, New Jersey.

Will Pettigrew is a senior from South Orange, New Jersey.

Kameron Swann is a junior from Hampton, Virginia.

Fabio Tello Munoz is a sophomore from Emiliano Zapata, Mexico.

Kenidee Wedlaw-Farmer is a freshman from Houston, Texas.

Abbey Winiger is a junior from Lewisville, Texas.

The Production Staff Cecilia Milbrandt, Stage Manager Eirwen Moshier, Assistant Stage Manager Kevin Smith, Technical Director of Hylton Performing Arts Center Adrianna Smith, Lighting Designer Cat Buchanan, Costumer Joseph Schuman, Sound Operator Aiden Moriarty, Videographer Gabriella Pate, Deck Crew

THE COMPANY’S NEXT PERFORMANCES: Studio Series Program A Monday, December 6, 2021 6 pm Dance Performance Studio Studio Series Program B Tuesday, December 7, 2021 6 pm Dance Performance Studio Livestream Information: email dance@gmu.edu for link