DTSBDC’s Emerging Choreographers’ Showcase March 16th, 2025 6:00 pm
by Lauren Victor
Photo
From the Director,
Welcome to ORIGINS our Young Choreographers’ Showcase. Dance is a field of mentorship; one can’t learn to dance from a video, TikTok, or Facebook. Rather dance is an artform that is handed down from teacher to student, generation after generation. As DTSBDC considers the future of the field, we feel that it is our responsibility to offer a platform that allows the next generation of choreographers to have their work publicly presented. It is truly a joy to celebrate the future of these youthful dance makers.
Sincerely, Dana Tai Soon Burgess
Program
1- Unveil
Choreography: Natasha Ames
Dancer: Tomas Fischer
Music: On The Nature of Daylight by Max Richter
Videographer: Hamza Bakkach
"Unveil traces the silent struggle of those searching for their origins, navigating the spaces between identity and secrecy. Through movement and light, the film echoes the weight of sealed records and withheld truths, unraveling the quiet fight for the right to one’s own beginning."
2- Doble Kara (Double-faced)
Choreography: Joan Ayap
Dancer: Felipe Oyarzun Moltedo
Music: Lawiswis Kawayan by Mabuhay Singers
3- , who watches the watch factory I. washers
Choreography: Justin Rustle
Dancer: Natasha Ames, Tomas Fischer, William Robinson, and Baylee Wong
Music: Numen by Andrew York
“Washers go in between. They are spacers that have no innate mechanical intrigue, they only serve their function as part of a larger assembly. , who watches the watch factory I. washers is the first movement of a larger, four section work that explores the material experience of concert dance. What is choreography made of? Can you touch it? Is it something that can only be experienced from inside the movement, or is the real artifact what you see from the audience? What happens when one of those perspectives eclipses the other? Does the choreography do anything by itself, or is it just what takes up space so everything moves the way it should?”
4- Plastic Refuge
Choreography: Baylee Wong
Dancer: Baylee Wong
Music: Black Water by Flo Sabeva, Vox Balaenae: Sea Nocturne (...Fo the End of Time) by George Crumb
5- Sutra
Choreography: Felipe Oyarzun Moltedo
Dancer: Joan Ayap, Trevor Frantz, Felipe Oyarzun Moltedo, and Aleny Serna
Music: Heart Sutra by Yogetsu Akasaka
"Form is emptiness (śūnyatā), emptiness is form." Heart Sutra Excerpt Translation
Join us for a post-performance audience Q & A with the choreographers immediately following tonight’s performance
About the Choreographers
Natasha Ames is in her first season with the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. Trained in classical ballet and modern dance at The Washington Ballet and the Kirov Academy of Ballet, she holds a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Towson University. Beyond performance, she is dedicated to expanding dance education and inclusivity. As part of the JUNTOS Collective in 2023, she helped bring cultural dance programs to children in Guatemala, fostering artistic exchange and enhancing education in underserved communities. Natasha advocates for dance accessibility and works to address inequalities and promote diversity within the art form.
Joan Ayap is in her eighth season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. She was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Manila Philippines. Ms. Ayap began her dance training at the Hilil-Cruz School of Ballet and the Philippine Ballet Theatre and Conservatoire. She received her B.S. in interior design from Assumption College, San Lorenzo, while pursuing a dance career. Her professional experience began with the Philippine Ballet Theatre, where she worked with acclaimed teachers and choreographers. In Washington, D.C. she has performed with Bowen McCauley Dance and DC Contemporary Dance Theatre. She is also a former American Rhythm Pro Multi-Divisions competitor. Ms. Ayap is on the dance faculty at Georgetown Day School and City Dance.
Felipe Oyarzun Moltedo is in his thirteenth season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. Mr. Moltedo is from Santiago, Chile. He began dancing at the age of 12 and has since received several awards and distinctions, among others, Chile’s Best Dancer Inter-American Circle of Dance Professionals Award. In Santiago, Mr. Moltedo ran his own company, which led to multiple national and international tours. He holds a B.F.A in dance, an M.A. in dance education with honors from the University of Chile, and an M.F.A. in dance from The George Washington University Department of Theatre and Dance. Currently, Mr. Moltedo is the Assistant Artistic Director, multimedia designer/creator, and webmaster for Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company; and
the producer and editor of SLANTpodcast.com as well as adjunt faculty at Towson University.
Justin Rustle is in his third season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. Originally from Maryland, Mr. Rustle began dancing at the Liz Lerman Movement Exchange, and went on to receive his formative training at Maryland Youth Ballet. Justin holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Butler University, and an MA in Performance Studies from the TISCH School of the Arts at New York University. He has previously danced with companies including Ballet Arkansas and Bowen-McCauley Dance Company. Mr. Rustle has performed work by choreographers including Nacho Duato, Paul Taylor, George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Harrison McEldowney, Darelle Grand Moultrie, Kiyon Gaines Ross, and Ilana Goldman. He is also a contributing writer covering dance for Maryland Theatre Guide.
Baylee Wong is in her second season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. Born and raised in Carmel, New York, Ms. Wong began her dance journey at age three. Baylee received training at Pinewood School of Dance, Fred Astaire, Joffrey Summer Intensive, AAB Summer Intensive, and Towson University. She learned various dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and ballroom. In 2019, she took 1st at the Tri-State Dancesport Championship in youth rhythm open gold. Baylee received a BFA Dance Performance and Choreography degree at Towson University. Ms. Wong is currently on the dance faculty at Georgetown Day School.
About the Artists
Tomas Fischer (Dancer) is in his first season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. Tomas was born in Lithuania and grew up in Washington, DC. He began his career in ballet in 2008, at the age of 10, with the Maryland Youth Ballet and trained with Olivier Munoz. In 2010, he furthered his ballet training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC. In 2017 he completed the 2 year Men’s Scholarship Program at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Tomas started his professional dance career with First State Ballet Theatre in 2019. He most recently finished his fourth season with The Florida Ballet as a Company Member.
Trevor Frantz (Dancer) is in his second season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. Mr. Frantz was born in Bucks County, PA, where he pursued performing arts and dance throughout his childhood. He continued his dance education at the George Washington University, where he earned a dance minor along with a BFA in Interior Architecture. Mr. Frantz now works full-time as an interior designer.
William Robinson (Dancer) is in his first season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. He was raised in Washington, DC and went on to attend The University of the Arts on a full scholarship, earning his B.F.A. in modern dance performance, and receiving both the Outstanding Achievement in Modern Dance Award and the President’s Award. While in school he used his summers to study at the Paul Taylor School. Mr Robinson was recently the assistant to the choreographer on the film The Young Wife by Tayarisha Poe, and worked as the project manager for Cardell Dance Theater’s Disposable Bodies. Mr. Robinson is currently full-time dance faculty at Georgetown Day School.
Aleny Serna (Dancer) is in her fifth season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. She was born in New Jersey but lived in Asia for 12 years where she received most of her formal dance training in classical ballet and contemporary. Ms. Serna has a degree in Exercise Science and Dance from George Washington University and is currently full-time dance faculty at Georgetown Day School.
Find us at our upcoming performances Asian American Journeys
May 3rd, 2pm
Martin Luther King Jr Library
May 9th, 6:30pm
Arts Club of Washington
Photo by Lauren Victor
by
Photo
Jeff Watts
DTSBDC STAFF AND BOARD
Leadership
Dana Tai Soon Burgess, Founding Artistic Director
Christine Doyle, Managing Director
Felipe Oyarzun Moltedo, Assistant Artistic Director
Staff
Bianca DeLille, Development Director
Patch Canada, Public Relations Specialist
Jan Tievsky, Educational Principal
Joan Ayap, Educational Program Teacher
William Robinson, Educational Program Teacher and Production Assistant
Aleny Serna, Educational Program Teacher
Baylee Wong, Educational Program Teacher
Isel Perez, Accountant
Artists
Anne Sidney, Rehearsal Director
Sarah Halzack, Assistant Rehearsal Director
Carl Gudenius, Lighting Designer
Sigrid Johannesdottïr, Costume Designer
Millicent Scarlett, Resident Musician
Dana Nicole Scott, Resident Musician
Lauren Victor, Resident Photographer
2024 DTSBDC Dancers
Natasha Ames
Joan Ayap
Tomas Fischer
Trevor Frantz
Felipe Oyarzun Moltedo
Justin Rustle
Aleny Serna
Baylee Wong
William Robinson
Board of Directors
Susan Gigli, President
Jan Tievsky, Vice President
Mary Eccles, Secretary
Erick Hosaka, Treasurer
Jameson Freeman
Nicole Hollander
Bonnie Kogod
Ellen Boyers Kwatnoski
Marcia Lim
Leigh Adams Slaughter
Kelly Southall
Dana Tai Soon Burgess (ExOfficio)
Biance DeLille (Ex-Officio)
Advisory Board
Shahab Albahar
Kay Casstevens
Josue Castilleja
Mario Castillo
Diane Dragaud
Sara Gay Forden
Sarah Halzack
Joshua Kaufman
Mark Ohnmacht
Steve Oshana
Anatol Steck
Lauren Victor
Yang-Ro Yoon
Steven Zatarga
Organizational Mentors
Patch Canada
Michael Kaiser
DONOR LISTING
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the following corporations, foundations, government agencies, and individuals who supported Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company during our 23-24 season.
Major Supporters
$51,000 - 150,000
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
$20,000 - 50,000
Georgetown Day School*
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
Patch Canada
March Forth Foundation
The National Endowment for the Arts
Philip L. Graham Fund
$5,000 - 19,000
The Share Fund
Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts
Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
Mary Eccles
Fulbright Scholars
Cary Fuller
Elizabeth Harter
JBG Smith
Ellen Kwatnoski
Maryland Youth Ballet*
Microsoft
Morningstar Foundation
Katia Norri
Jan and Seth Tievsky
Heinz and Liselotte Nehring
Stiftung Foundation
$500 - 4,000
Anonymous (3)
John Ashford
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Ian Burgess
Michael Caplin
Alan Cariaso
Kay Casstevens
Cherry Blossom Giving Circle
Claudia de Colstoun-Werebe
Laurie Davis and Joseph Sellers
Bianca DeLille
FBB Capital Partners
David Fischer and Joy Kassett
Jameson Freeman and Dana Burgess
Susan Gigli
Sergio Herrera and Kelly Southall
Wayne Hickory
Celia Hoke
Nicole Hollander
Erick Hosaka
Jill and Bill Hudock
Rebecca Klemm
Bonnie Kogod
Richard Kwatnoski
Marcia Lim
Barbara and Robert Liotta
Elizabeth McCallum
Laura McDonald
Kelly and Joel Minton
Elvi Moore
Judith Viggers Nordin
Dr. Susan Ohnmacht
Mark Ohnmacht
Eser Ozdeger
Tom Pallas
Stacey Perelman
Young-Key Kim and Bertrand
Renaud
Sheri and Robert Rosenfeld
Joan and Barry Rosenthal
Stephanie Rosenthal and Scott
Meisler
Stuart Ross and Patricia Devine
Teresa Saavedra
Eric San Juan and Jack Davis
Ben Sanders
Marian and Neel Saxena
Scout Properties
Leigh Slaughter
Steve Slaughter
Arnold Stolberg
Peter and Judith Storandt
Aaron Tievsky and Frank Delaney
*Educational Partner
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