Elements Ballet - Spring Engagement

Elements Contemporary Ballet

Spring Engagement Friday-Saturday, April 5-6, 2013 8:00pm Mike Gosney.......................................................................................Artistic Director Joseph Caruana..........................................................................Managing Director Victoria Vargas............................................................................... Artistic Associate

Bread & Roses Productions Joshua Paul Weckesser.............. Production Manager and Lighting Design Lauren Girard Forster......................................................................Stage Manager Mike Goebel.......................................................Lighting Design and Stage Crew Brian Sauer and Andy McCord............................................................Stage Crew

Cover photo by Matt Glavin

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c o m pa n y Nebi Berhane Joseph Caruana Callie Croom Aaron Dalla Villa Gabrielle Del Re Nicole Erickson Tiffany Guy

Luke Joiner Lyz Krieger Noelle Paige Katie Steffenhagen Yu Suzuki Megan Walsh

apprentices Taylor Arseneau* Olivia Beckman** Emma Cohen** Isabelle Glavin** Sophie Gray-Gaillard**

Kristen Hammer Cara Hansvick** Rachel Premo Teagan Robinson** Sasha Weiss**

* appears courtesy of Dance in the Light **appear courtesy of Evanston Dance Ensemble This performance is made possible by a CityArts grant from The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The Illinois Arts Council (a state agency), The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, a Chase Community Giving Grant, Allegro Dance Boutique, Dance Center Evanston, Visceral Dance Center, and many generous businesses and individuals. progr a m On the Prairie: Elemental Original premiere February 16, 2013 at the Chicago Cultural Center Sidney R. Yates Gallery with Shawn Decker’s sound and motion installation, Prairie Choreography by Joseph Caruana, Callie Croom, Brian Enos, Mike Gosney, Stephanie Martinez, Filipa Peraltinha, Nick Pupillo, Victoria Vargas, Benjamin Wardell, and Eduardo Zuniga Music by SourceCodeX Lighting design by Mike Goebel I. Eduardo Zuniga: Joseph Caruana, Callie Croom, Gabrielle Del Re, Tiffany Guy, Rachel Premo*, and Yu Suzuki II. Stephanie Martinez: Luke Joiner and Megan Walsh with Callie Croom, Tiffany Guy, Kristen Hammer*, Lyz Krieger, Noelle Paige, and Rachel Premo* III. Brian Enos: Joseph Caruana and Katie Steffenhagen with Luke Joiner, Lyz Krieger, Noelle Paige, Rachel Premo*, Yu Suzuki, and Megan Walsh IV. Victoria Vargas: Joseph Caruana and Katie Steffenhagen, Gabrielle Del Re and Luke Joiner, Megan Walsh, and Yu Suzuki with Callie Croom, Tiffany Guy, Kristen Hammer*, Noelle Paige, and Rachel Premo* 2

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V. Benjamin Wardell: Callie Croom, Tiffany Guy, Luke Joiner, Lyz Krieger, Noelle Paige, Rachel Premo*, Katie Steffenhagen, and Megan Walsh VI: Callie Croom: Noelle Paige and Tiffany Guy with Kristen Hammer*, Rachel Premo*, and Megan Walsh VII: Nick Pupillo: Joseph Caruana and Gabrielle Del Re, with Callie Croom, Tiffany Guy, Kristen Hammer*, Luke Joiner, Lyz Krieger, Noelle Paige, Rachel Premo*, Katie Steffenhagen, Yu Suzuki, and Megan Walsh VIII: Filipa Peraltinha: Joseph Caruana, Callie Croom, Tiffany Guy, Lyz Krieger, Noelle Paige, and Megan Walsh IX: Mike Gosney: Luke Joiner and Lyz Krieger, Joseph Caruana and Megan Walsh X: Joseph Caruana: Joseph Caruana, Callie Croom, Gabrielle Del Re, Tiffany Guy, Luke Joiner, and Yu Suzuki Program note: On the Prairie: Elemental was developed as a commission by the Chicago Cultural Center as part of the On the Prairie performance series, diverse dance works offering an alternative point of entry into artist Shawn Decker’s large immersive sound and motion installation, Prairie. A collection of 10 short segments by 10 uniquely different choreographers, On the Prairie: Elemental is intended to be an experimental, consistently unexpected work in which the intersection of the drastically individual voices of the choreographers parallels the random connections and systems of likeness perceived in Prairie. For more information on Shawn Decker’s Prairie, or the On the Prairie performance series, visit www.cityofchicago.org.

-Intermission- (10min) Dark and Lovely, Mmm Original premiere for the Houston Ballet 2005, Elements Contemporary Ballet company premiere 2012 Choreography by Brian Enos Music by Johann Sebastien Bach (arrangement by Robert Bridges) Lighting design by Joshua Paul Weckesser I. Joseph Caruana, Aaron Dalla Villa, Luke Joiner, Lyz Krieger, Katie Steffenhagen, and Megan Walsh II. Yu Suzuki III. Nebi Berhane, Joseph Caruana, Aaron Dalla Villa, Gabrielle Del Re, Luke Joiner, Lyz Krieger, Katie Steffenhagen, Yu Suzuki, and Megan Walsh -Intermission- (10min)

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The River Original premiere 2012 Choreography by Joseph Caruana Music by Geoffrey Oryema Lighting design by Matthew Miller I. Luke Joiner, Megan Walsh, and Sasha Weiss* II. Gabrielle Del Re with Tricia Arseneau*, Olivia Beckman*, Callie Croom, Nicole Erickson, Tiffany Guy, Luke Joiner, Lyz Krieger, and Sasha Weiss* III. Noelle Paige with Tricia Arseneau*, Olivia Beckman*, Callie Croom, Gabrielle Del Re, Nicole Erickson, Tiffany Guy, Luke Joiner, Lyz Krieger, Megan Walsh, and Sasha Weiss* -Pause- (5min) Pathos Original premiere 2012 Choreography by Mike Gosney Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Lighting and production design by Joshua Paul Weckesser Joseph Caruana, Gabrielle Del Re Katie Steffenhagen, Yu Suzuki, Megan Walsh Taylor Arseneau*, Olivia Beckman*, Emma Cohen, Callie Croom, Isabelle Glavin* (Saturday 4-6), Sophie Gray-Gaillard* (Friday 4-5), Tiffany Guy, Kristen Hammer*, Cara Hansvick*, Lyz Krieger, Noelle Paige, Rachel Premo*, Teagan Robinson* Pathos was developed in part with Evanston Dance Ensemble as part of the 2012 EDE production Count Me In. *denotes company apprentice T h e c o m pa n y Nebi Berhane (Dancer) originally hails from Concord, Mass. He began his training in Atlanta, Ga. and continued on to Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX) and University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA). Nebi has worked with Dance Theater 4

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of Harlem (guest artist), The Lyric Opera of Chicago (principal dancer), and Chicago Opera Theater (principal dancer). Most recently he was seen in Houston Grand Opera’s Showboat. Currently he is on staff at the Gus Giordano Dance School in Andersonville. Nebi is excited to be working with Elements Contemporary Ballet again.

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Joseph Caruana (Managing Director, Dancer, and Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental and The River) is a co-founder of Elements Contemporary Ballet. In addition to studying with Elements’ Artistic Director Mike Gosney he trained at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School Professional Division on full scholarship and with The Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles’ apprenticeship program. He has also attended workshops with the Boston Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, and the Lou Conte Dance Center. Prior to co-founding Elements, he was a member of River North Chicago Dance Company for three years. He has performed with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theatre, SD Prism Dance Theatre, Civic Ballet of Chicago, Evanston Dance Ensemble, and in numerous trade shows, as well as worked in TV and film. As a choreographer, his work has been accepted as a finalist into the McCallum Theatre’s Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival and presented as part of the

Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events DanceBridge program.

Caruana was also recently awarded an Illinois Arts Council Artist Fellowship to develop his new ballet, The Sun King.

Callie Croom (Dancer, Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental) began her training under Barbara Pontecorvo in Dayton, Ohio. In 2001, she joined the pre-professional company, Gem City Ballet, performing noted ballets such as George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Who Cares?, and Serenade. Upon graduating from high school, she was accepted to Butler University on an academic scholarship.

After receiving her BFA from Butler University, Callie relocated to Chicago to begin a professional dance career. She was admitted to the Visceral Dance Center Scholarship Program in June 2011, and is now thrilled to be working with Elements Contemporary Ballet.

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Aaron Dalla Villa (Dancer) is a native of Norfolk, VA, where he attended the prestigious Governor’s School for the Arts, graduating with a diploma in Dance.

Aaron turned down a full scholarship to the Tisch School of the Arts to dance with Nashville Ballet, where he performed as a soloist with the company, under the direction of Artistic Director/CEO Paul Vasterling. Since his departure from Nashville, he has traveled to Florida, Oregon, and Illinois where he workshopped and studied with Orlando Ballet, BodyVox, Northwest Dance Project, Luna Negra Dance Theater, and River North Dance Chicago. He now resides in Chicago, where he served as Director/Choreographer for Wes Fowler’s The Magic Factory, and currently performs as the principle character, Louie, for The Family Shoe Players’ Dinner with the Family. Aaron was a finalist for Oxygen Network’s The Glee Project: Season 2, and has worked background for Chicago’s The Mob Doctor, Chicago Fire, Shameless, and Google Me Love. Aaron has guested in TeenAge Wastleland, a dance production by Jeremy Plummer, as well as Madison Ballet’s ground breaking steam-punk themed Dracula, by W. Earle Smith. Aaron just signed with Lily’s Talent Agency (LTA), Ambassador Talent Agents, Inc., Royal Model and Talent Management, Baker & Rowley, and is curious to see where his passions and talent take him.

Gabrielle Del Re (Dancer) is a founding member of Elements Contemporary Ballet.

Gabrielle had the privilege to study ballet with world renowned teachers such as Gelsey Kirkland and David Howard. She trained at the prestigious Faubourg Academy of Ballet under the direction of Watmora

Casey and Avnun Yakubov, and because of her artistic versatility as a dancer she has been invited to train under multiple companies such as Houston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Boston Ballet and The Joffrey Ballet. Gabrielle is also a Radio City Rockette and has performed in the documentary movie titled, A Diamond In The Rock: 75 years at Radio City Music Hall and featured in the book, Radio City Spectacular, A Photographic History of the Rockettes and Christmas Spectacular. Some of her national appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Ellen De Generes Show, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and she has been a guest artist on the hit television show Dancing With The Stars.

Gabrielle would like to thank her sister and parents for their continued love and support and is grateful to Mr. Gosney for his allowance of artistic freedom.

Nicole Erickson (Dancer) is a mountain girl from Colorado. She joined the Colorado Jazz Dance Company at age twelve and moved to Chicago six years later to share two seasons with River North Dance Company before becoming a founding member of Elements Contemporary Ballet. Following a five-year tenure with Elements, Nicole began dancing with Tania Perez-Salas Compania De Danza (TPS) in Mexico City; after premieres in Mexico City, the company completed a US tour including The Kennedy Center in Washington DC. In 2011, she traveled Europe to teach and perform with Tagatide Dance, before returning for a second season with Tania Peres-Salas in Mexico City. Over the years, she has received awards and scholarships from Jazz Dance World Congress, Joffrey Dance Competitions, and The University of Arizona. Nicole is excited to be dancing once again with one of her first loves, Elements Contemporary Ballet.

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Tiffany Guy (Dancer) is in her first season with Elements Contemporary Ballet. She received her BA in dance from Western Kentucky University. With the WKU dance company, she performed and studied at the American College Dance Festival and on tour to Civitavecchia and Tolfa, Italy. Tiffany also has studied at the Atlanta Ballet Summer Intensive, and attended Belhaven University for a BA in dance. Tiffany would also like to add a thank you to her family and professors for always supporting her.

Kristen Hammer (Apprentice) is in her first season apprenticing with Elements Contemporary Ballet.

She spent the previous

year dancing with Nevada Ballet Theater, where she had the incredible opportunity to perform Balanchine’s Serenade at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts during its inaugural season. She also performed in Peter Anastos’ rendition of The Nutcracker as the Toy Doll, and was also featured in Waltz of the Flowers and Chinese scenes. In A Choreographers’ Showcase, Kristen had the pleasure of performing in conjunction with Cirque du Soliel. While with NBT, Kristen had the exciting opportunity to choreograph and perform a duet at the Couture for Causes fundraising event for Las Vegas executives such as Steve and Elaine Wynn. Kristen graduated from Butler University with a B.S. in Dance Arts Administration. During her time at Butler, she performed in several classics, including Swan Lake, Cinderella, Giselle, The Nutcracker, and many other original choreographic pieces. Prior to her collegiate years, Kristen danced at Geiger Classic Ballet Academy and its affiliate

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company, Michigan Classic Ballet Company, under the direction of Mary Geiger. While with MCBC, Kristen performed lead roles in Les Sylphides, Cinderella, and Michael Uttof’s Dust Devils.

Luke Joiner (Dancer) previously danced with Alabama Ballet for six seasons. With the Alabama Ballet, Luke has been seen in An American in Paris as Jerry along with other featured roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Don Quixote, George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, Serenade, and The Nutcracker, Teri Weksler’s Quixotic, Leslie Browne’s Brahm’s Trio, Marius Petipa’s Carnival In Venice, and Concert Fantasy, unRAVELed, Shostakovich Opus 102, Swan Lake, Flames of Paris pas de deux, Le Corsaire pas de deux, Romeo & Juliet, Giselle, Firebird, Dracula, Graduation Ball, Septime Webre’s Where the Wild Things Are, Coppelia, Le Corsaire as Conrad, George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes, and Jordan Morris’ Verdi.

Lyz Krieger (Dancer) began her training in the Chicago Ballet Arts school and the Ruth Page School of Dance, where she was a member of The Civic Ballet of Chicago. She has attended many summer ballet programs and workshops such as North Carolina School of the Arts, The School of American Ballet, Ellison Ballet, Port Angeles Ballet, and The San Francisco Ballet School where she also attended a full year. Lyz has performed with The Joffrey Ballet as part of their children’s cast of The Nutcracker and in Taming of the Shrew, and has danced in American Ballet Theater’s Le Corsaire. Lyz is currently a psychology major with a dance minor at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU). With NEIU she has performed in the American College Dance Festival and the opera The Secret Garden. She has danced

with Concert Dance Inc., and is currently also a member of Reveries in Motion, a dance company that donates proceeds of their performances to various charities.

Lyz’s favorite type of dance is contemporary movement en pointe, and she hopes to choreograph more pieces that incorporate this style.

Noelle Paige (Dancer) is a native of Pensacola, FL and danced with Ballet Pensacola for 10 years. She has also studied at multiple programs across the nation, including the Rock School in Pennsylvania, Princeton’s American Repertory Ballet in New Jersey, and LINES Ballet’s Student and Professional Intensives in San Francisco, on scholarships. Noelle has also studied with Mobile Ballet, Montgomery Ballet and the Northwest Florida Ballet through the course of her training. She has performed in Christine Duhon’s Upwardly Mobile and In The Upper Room as well as Richard Steinert’s Thunderstruck and The Nutcracker. Noelle is also the winner of the 2006 “Women in The Arts” award and “Pensacola’s Rising Star” award for 2010, and starred in 10,000 Bombs, a music video by Kelsey from ForceOne Seven Records. Noelle also will be appearing in the upcoming feature film, Man of Steel.

Rachel Premo (Apprentice) holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Northern Illinois University, under the direction of Randy Newsom. Her extensive training includes a summer at the Milwaukee Ballet School, where she performed under Denis Malinkine. Rachel’s previous performances include numerous Art for Life Benefits, Giselle, as well as featured roles in Le Corsaire, The Nutcracker, Pas de Quatre Ballet, Raymonda, and as an aerial silk Spring Engagement

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dancer in L’Histoire du Soldat. Most recently Rachel danced with the Madison Ballet, and has been a guest artist with several local Chicago companies. Rachel has also presented her choreography in Chicago at Dance Chance, and again at Dance in the Parks, when her choreography was selected to be performed.

Katie Steffenhagen (Dancer) began her dance training with Jean Wolfmeyer School of Dance at the age of 5. In 2003 she graduated from Virginia School of the Arts in Lynchburg, Virginia under the direction of Petrus Bosman. She then when on to dance with Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah and attended the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City, New York. In 2007-2009 she danced for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines performing choreography of Sherry Zunker, Jeremy Plummer, Frank Chaves, Laura Dunlop, and Harrison McEldowney.

In 2009 she began working with C5 under the direction of Jeremy Plummer. Katie also had the privilege of dancing for Harrison McEldowney’s finale at Dance for Life 2010, and is now excited to be in her third season with Elements Contemporary Ballet. Katie would like to thank her family for all of their continued love and support.

Yu Suzuki (Dancer), a native of Japan, received her B.F.A. in theatre arts from Northern Illinois University where she studied under Randy Newsom. Her early training began at Faubourg School of Ballet under Watmora Casey and Avnun Yakubov and continued at several studios in Japan. She has danced with the Radio City Rockettes for four seasons as an original cast of the first national arena tour.

Yu has also performed with Madison Ballet in several productions including A 10

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Midsummer Night’s Dream as Helena and in Dracula as one of the Brides of Dracula. She has competed in many competitions and won prizes, including the prestigious USA International Ballet Competition in 2010.

This is her fourth season with Elements Contemporary Ballet.

Megan Walsh (Dancer) is in her fourth season as a company member with Elements. She was previously a member of the Evanston Dance Ensemble and has performed in such works as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2007 Dance Odyssey, FAB!, and Alice in Wonderland. She was also a member of Loyola Academy Dance Company. She has passed grade six in the Cecchetti Council of America program under the direction of Bea Rashid at Dance Center Evanston, and has been accepted into prestigious summer programs such as The Joffrey Academy Summer Intensive.

Megan would like to thank all of her dance teachers she has had at Dance Center Evanston over the years, especially Bea Rashid, Christina Ernst, and Mike Gosney.

Mike Gosney (Artistic Director, Ballet Master, and Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental and Pathos), co-founder of Elements Contemporary Ballet, has been teaching and privately coaching ballet for 20 years. In addition to training many of the dancers in Elements Contemporary Ballet, his students have been accepted into prestigious programs and schools such as American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet School, The Juilliard School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, North Carolina School of the Arts, Milwaukee Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Academy, LINES Ballet, Tisch School of the Arts, and many others.

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As a choreographer, Mr. Gosney’s work has appeared in The A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2010, The Best of Dance Chicago, Looptopia, Around the Coyote Arts Festival, The Atlas Agenda, Joel Hall’s Dances from the Halls, Evanston Arts Week, productions with the Evanston Dance Ensemble and Evanston Symphony, and in many other Chicago area festivals and dance performances. In addition to his work with Elements, Mike is on faculty at Dance Center Evanston and Visceral Dance Center, and has previously taught at Joel Hall Dance Center, Lou Conte Dance Center, Gus Giordano Dance Center, DancenterNorth, Eastern Illinois University, and College of Lake County. Mr. Gosney has orchestrated events for Evanston Arts Week and DanceArt Outreach Program, and formerly served as Artistic Director of Koslynn Dance Academy and SASS Productions.

Victoria Vargas (Artistic Associate, Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental) has over 20 years of experience as a professional dancer, performing in Venezuela with El Ballet Nacional de Venezuela and El Ballet Contemporaneo de Caracas, and in the USA with The San Francisco Opera House, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, and as a founding member of Luna Negra Dance Theater. As a chorographer she has set work on the National Ballet of Panama, Piel Morena Dance, and Deeply Rooted II. She is currently on faculty at the Joffrey Academy of Dance.

Brian Enos (Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental and Dark and Lovely, Mmm) has been choreographing since age 14. He has created works for companies such as Houston Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ballet Met, Nashville Ballet, DanceWorks Chicago, Thodos Dance Chicago, and Ballet Austin II, among others.

A former dancer with Houston Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Mr. Enos 12

Elements Contemporary Ballet

is currently serving as Resident Choreographer and Assistant Artistic Director for Mystic Ballet in Connecticut.

Stephanie Martinez Bennit (Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental) has performed with numerous Chicago-based ensembles, including River North Chicago Dance Company, Same Planet Different World, Luna Negra Dance Theater, James Kelly Choreography Project, and Concert Dance Inc. She is a former Ruth Page Award winner and has also been a principle dancer with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in productions of Manon and The Merry Widow. Currently, Stephanie choreographs works for dance companies locally and around the country.

Filipa Peraltinha (Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental) recently joined the ensemble of Luna Negra Dance Theater. Her career includes renowned institutions such as Cullberg Ballet, Oslo Dance Ensemble, Portuguese National Ballet, Bounce Street Dance Company, and Company Rui Lopes Graça, among others.

She has worked with choreographers and mentors such as Mats Ek, Crystal Pite, and Alexander Ekman, As a teacher she has been a guest at many universities and dance schools teaching Modern, Contemporary Ballet, Improvisation, Abstract Hip Hop, Lyrical, Coaching, and Repertoire.

Nick Pupillo (Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental) serves as founder and Artistic Director of Visceral Dance Chicago as well as Visceral Dance Center, and is former member of Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. Mr. Pupillo has set pieces for Inaside Chicago Dance, Chicago Dance Crash, and Nomi Dance Company.

He received “The Dance Chicago 2005 Outstanding Choreography Award” and “The Dance Chicago 2012 Outstanding Choreographer Award, Body of Work”.

Pupillo has taught for the Jazz Dance World Congress, Chicago Dance Connection and Chicago National Association of Dance

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Masters. Pupillo is currently a continuing artist in residence at Culver Military Academy.

Benjamin Wardell’s (Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental) professional career has included dancing with the Cincinnati Ballet, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Aszure Barton and Artists, and Lucky Plush Productions. He is now pursuing life as a freelance multimedia artist, teaching, photographing, filming and performing all over Chicago. He is currently collaborating with Michel Rodriguez Cintro to create a new production titled The Nexus Project.

Eduardo Zuniga (Choreographer for On the Prairie: Elemental) is currently a member of Luna Negra Dance Theater.

He has performed with Houston Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, Ballet de Santiago, and Hubbard Street II. For Luna Negra he also wrote, choreographed, and directed the Luna Niños production Moniquilla and the Moon Monster. Mr. Zuniga is a recent recipient of the prestigious Joyce Award, which was awarded to him to produce a multimedia dance and video piece fashioned around sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz’s Agora installation in Chicago’s Grant Park Joshua Paul Weckesser (Production Manager, Lighting Designer) is a Chicagobased lighting designer, production manager and stage manager. Working primarily in circles of dance, Josh’s designs have been seen across Chicago, the US and international borders. Josh is excited to continue his work with Elements that began in 2010. Josh has also been working closely with Molly Shanahan/ Mad Shak Dance Company as a lighting designer and core collaborator since 2003 on such project as Eye Cycle, as well as My Name is a Blackbird and critically acclaimed Sharks Before Drowning. He lit Nejia Yatkin’s Risoluta as well as Frank Chaves’ Simply Miles, Simply Us for River North Dance Chicago, for whom he also

serves as lighting director. As well as lighting Why Gershwin? for Billy Siegenfeld at Jump Rhythm Jazz Project. Josh is also Production Manager for the annual Dance Chicago Festival, Production Manager/ Lighting Designer for the Chicago Human Rhythm Project and Lighting Designer for Be the Groove and the Leopold Group. Josh has also worked closely with other Chicago based companies such as DanszLoop Chicago, Chicago Dance Crash, and Inaside Dance Chicago, among others. In 2012 TimeOut Chicago said that Josh’s “name seemed to pop up in every program.” Josh is a co-founder of Bread & Roses Productions with Lauren Girard Forster, and was excited to close last year in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center in supporting JUBA! Masters of American Tap. Elements Contemporary Ballet (Presenting Company) was co-founded by Artistic Director Mike Gosney and dancer/Managing Director Joseph Caruana in 2005. The company presented its first full length concert one year later on September 19, 2006 at the Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago. Using the four elements of nature—fire, earth, air, and water, representing expression, physicality, focus, and freedom—as a basis for creating unique and high caliber new works, Gosney and Caruana have built a repertory that includes work by in-house artists as well as up-and-coming choreographers from such prestigious companies as Houston Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, BJM Danse, Armitage Gone! Dance, and Cullberg Ballet.

With an original, distinctive style all its own, the company has now grown to present an annual season at the Athenaeum Theatre on Chicago’s north side, as well as participate in exciting programming such as Palm Desert’s McCallum Theatre Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival, the Chicago Cultural Center’s Dancebridge program, and The A.W.A.R.D. Show! at Dance Center of Columbia College. The company also partners with Urban Gateways Center for Arts Education, presenting its dancehistory school performance, The Evolution Spring Engagement

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of Ballet, throughout Chicago area schools.

Currently in the works for Elements Contemporary Ballet’s next performance season is a brand new production being created with the Baroque Band entitled The Sun King.

Bread & Roses Productions (Production Support) was started in 2010 by Josh Weckesser and Lauren Girard Forster to provide the theatre and dance community of Chicago a one-stop shop for all their technical and design needs. Knowing that finding reliable and professional freelancers for the off-loop community can be difficult Josh and Lauren, through their contacts in the community, have the ability to locate and contract stage managers, lighting, set, costume and sound designers, any crew that may be needed for the show and even photographers and videographers. The name Bread & Roses is inspired

by James Oppenheim’s poem “Bread and

Roses,” which makes strong statements about the needs of a person not just for their daily bread (substance), but for roses (beauty) also. It is the business (bread) of art (roses) that the company concerns itself with. In a perfect state of nature, the professional life of the free-lance technician working in the off-loop community tends to be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short (with apologies to Hobbes). By building strong and long-lasting bonds Bread & Roses hopes to fight that trend. Josh and Lauren have a wide range of experience in the field. They take pride in knowing that every show has its individual needs and specifications that need to be tailored to.

Whether it’s a large gala event or a small one-night-only engagement they are able to help you figure out what your needs are, develop a plan and budget (then stick to it) and help you have the best experience possible. Learn more at www.breadandroseschicago.com

DANCE CENTER EVANSTON supports

Elements Contemporary Ballet This Summer, Dance Center Evanston offers:

•Partnering with Mike Gosney, as well as Mini Camps, Summer Dance Theater, Academy Prep Intensive, and a new Rhythm Workshop.

• A flexible schedule of classes for ages 3 to adult. Styles include Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, and Hip Hop, available at several levels.

Béa Rashid, Director 1934 Dempster Street Evanston, IL 60202 (847) 328-6683

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Photo by Matt Glavin

D ONORS Elements Contemporary Ballet wishes to acknowledge the following supporters for their generous contributions (this list reflects donations made from March 1, 2012 to March 1, 2013) Individuals Carol and Kevin Biolsi Angelo Caruana Emma Cohen Mary and Ethan Cohen Karen DeStefano Jackie Doorhy John and Christina Ernst Estela Flores Kathy Galvin Matt and Kristin Glavin Linda and Larry Graf Dan and Virginia Hansvick Geoffrey and Virginia Harlow Mike Gosney and Joseph Caruana Joshua and Faye Jacobs Celeste Kaliski Paul and Florence Krieger Margaret Krulee Peter and Jacualine Langas Gina Laurenzi Victoria Lyman and Topher Alexander Andy McCord Donald and Pamela Michorczyk Krysta Michorczyk The Miller Family Brenda Moore Lori Morales Dr. Karl and Blair Peters Bill Peterson

Grace Pigozzi James and Nancy Powers Terrilee Hutter and David Przelawski Bea and Steve Rashid Alfred and Ana Rivera Dan and Christie Robinson Nico Rodriguez Peter and Gail Santucci Dr. Lisa M. Schoene Tom and Claire Steffenhagen John Taylor and Greg Fernandez Julio Tellez Cindy and James Terpenning Jimmy Terpenning Kelly Terpenning Dina Turkmany Victoria Vargas Jennifer S. Vause Paul Vosovics Daniel and Charlotte J. Walsh Laura Walsh

Law Offices of Glavin and Associates, Ltd Goodsearch Grainger JP Morgan Chase & Co Matt Glavin Photography Multi Latino Marketing Agency, Inc Staples Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois Terri George Graphic Design Topher Alexander Photography Visceral Dance Center Will Nunnally Photography

Corporate/Business Allegro Dance Boutique Andie’s Restaurant Cassona Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, Inc. Dance Center Evanston Dot Press

Government The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events The Illinois Arts Council, a state agency

Foundation The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation The John and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation

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b oa r d o f d i r e c to r s Joseph Caruana, President Laura Walsh, Treasurer Jackie Doorhy

Mike Gosney Krysta Michorczyk Nico Rodriguez

Victoria Vargas

If you enjoyed this evening’s performance and would like to support Elements’ mission to bring beautiful, high caliber, and unique new ballets to a broad audience, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the company today. To find out more speak to a representative in the lobby or visit us online at www.elementsballet.com.

We’d love to hear from you! Visit www.elementsBallet.com to fill out a survey and tell us your thoughts on tonight’s performance.

Elements Contemporary Ballet, 4920 N. Glenwood Ave #1, Chicago, IL 60640

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