Directors’ Note
Dear HBC Patrons,
We are thrilled to welcome you to our Spring 2025 production of Ephemera. This production will explore the joy, vulnerability, and profound humanity found in impermanence. Ephemera blends the two definitions of its title: the transient, impermanent nature of beauty and its unexpected power to evoke nostalgia. Through classical and contemporary choreography, Ephemera offers Harvard glimpses into the behind-the-scenes lives of dancers and celebrates ballet as an art form that, while transient, leaves an indelible mark.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Harvard Ballet Company Board, our Ephemera tech team, the staff at the Harvard Dance Center, and our generous supporters and donors. This show would not have been possible without them and without your support.
We are excited to embark upon our first show together as co-directors, and are beyond honored to be sharing this production with you all. We are extremely grateful for your support and hope you enjoy the performance!
Board
Directors: Emma Nagler '26 & Olivia Callander ‘26
Technical Producer: Ava Winer ‘26
Finance Producer: Melinda Wang ‘27
Publicity Chairs: Clara Thiele ‘28 & Jackie Lane ‘28
Secretary: Sarah Moreno ‘26
DEI Chair: Katherine Byunn-Rieder ‘27
Rehearsal Director: Ariana Barillas ‘28
Costumer: Anastasia Poliakova ‘28
Off-Campus Liaisons: Jena Thorne ‘26 & Bettina Cuddy ‘26
Lighting Designer: Onovughakpor Otitgbe
Assistant Lighting Designer: Anneliese Mattox
Sound Board Operator: Manuel Fernandez Mollinedo
Stage Manager: Neeraja Kumar
Assistant Stage Manager: Lillian Rousey
Technical Advisor: Selorna Ackuayi
Photographer: Crystal Manyloun
Videographer: Madelyn McKenzie
TechTeam SpecialThanks
Thank you to Elizabeth Epsen, Matthew Cost, and Dara Badon for your invaluable support, guidance, and behind-the-scenes help. This performance would not have been possible without you.
Love Me Or Leave Me
Choreography: Mia Steis
Music: Love Me or Leave Me by Nina Simone
Dancers: Isabel Amador, Olivia Callander, Adrienne Chan, Emma Nagler, Katy Nairn, Anastasia Poliakova, Mia Steis, Caterina Terrizzi, Allison Wan, Cole Yellin
Sixties musicals are shaped by their grandiose, yet transient nature. From their elaborate sets to their technicolor cinematography to their happy-go-lucky story lines, everything feels like an unreal fantasy. A fantasy that disappears at the blink of an eye, with the touch of a button. I invite you, the audience, to escape with me from our world into the world of Love Me Or Leave Me: one filled with dazzling lights, aromatic wine, and stars. Let it linger before it becomes nothing: TV static, noise.
Note from the choreographer: Don't be fooled by my " mean director" character. I have so much love for this piece and everyone who helped make it happen. Thank you to my dancers for breathing so much life into this piece, to the Dream Lighting Team for bringing my ideas to fruition, and most importantly to Lina, my muse, my best friend, and the reason Love Me or Leave Me came to be.
Genesis
Choreography: Nikoletta Kennedy
Music: Toes Down by Louke Man, 22 (OVER S∞∞N) by Bon Iver
Dancers: Erin Aslami, Sophia Barakett, Lili Biglari, Elizabeth Chadbourne, Kathryn Chen, Katie Granner, Anna Governale, Josephine Meriot, Sarah Moreno, Emily Regan, Sadie Strong, Salema Trabelsi
Genesis explores the fleeting yet lasting impressions left by women whose voices reshaped cultural soundscapes. The spiritual grounding of Mahalia Jackson, the bluesy resilience of Bonnie Raitt, and the raw, queer storytelling of the Indigo Girls ripple through the work, not as direct citations, but as atmospheric echoes. Their presence informs a physical language of resistance and release, asking what it means to carry forward what was never meant to last. Through shifting musical landscapes and ephemeral gestures, the piece becomes a meditation on memory, womanhood, and the beauty of what slips away.
Wildcard
Choreography: Francisco Gella
Music: Opus 23 by Lambert and Hexia, Armature by Emptyset
Dancers: Sedina Ackuayi, Selorna Ackuayi, Adrienne Chan, Carter Hayes, Emma Odom, Sophie O’Melia, Payton Thompson, Jena Thorne, Cole Yellin
Inspired by the classic ballet Giselle, Wildcard incorporates themes of power, passion, and the strength of the collective. The male dancer, or the wildcard, attempts to infiltrate a powerful group of women but is eventually shunned by their leader. This contemporary ballet piece was created by HBC’s guest choreographer, Francisco Gella, and marks his second piece for Harvard Ballet. We are so grateful to be continuing this collaboration and to have had the opportunity to learn from Mr. Gella over the course of an intensive choreographic weekend!
Rêve
Choreography: Sedina Ackuayi
Music: Images, 1ere série, L. 110: I. Reflets dans l'eau by Claude Debussy
Pianist: Christian Chiu
Dancers: Talia DeLeo, Jackie Lane, Clara Thiele
Rêve (Dream) is inspired by the simple, or incredibly complex, act of dreaming. The dream state is a catalyst for unraveling the intricacies of the ever-running waking mind. Often in dreams, we’ll realize that things can come to mean more or mean less to us than we could comprehend in our waking states. Other times, dreams will offer us clarity, or the perfect inspiration or solution. Dreams reveal our deepest desires - even the ones most hidden from our hearts. The performers (the dancers and indeed our musician as well) connect with each other, carrying one another – metaphorically and at times physically – from states of waking to dreaming and from one dream state to the next. The objective of the performers is not to wake up, but to become one with the dream world. For these dreamers, dreams have become and will remain reality. (Special thanks to Christian Chiu '25 for performing piano for this piece and helping my vision come to life!)
Skyline Dance
Choreography: Thom McNeilly
Music: Skyline Pigeon by Bernie Taupin and Elton John
Dancers: Bettina Cuddy, Peyton Darby, Melissa Harvey, Nikoletta Kennedy, Jena Thorne, Josephine Willman, Katie Granner
A moment for wings to fly; Elton John’s skyline pigeon lyrics encompass the idea of an ephemeral moment. This can be taking flight in new directions, or perhaps even just “spreading your wings” and taking a chance. It was a fantastic experience working with the dancers. Thank you for watching our work in the piece!
Haunted
Choreography: Kathryn Chen
Music: Haunted by Taylor Swift
Dancers: Olivia Callander, Nana Shigematsu, Vanessa Guan, Eliza Pritchard, Emily Regan, Laura Vejar, Ava Winer, Catalina Wong
While experiences can be ephemeral, they often leave a lasting effect on our memories. Taylor Swift’s song explores the haunting emotions following a relationship that may have been short lived, but has left despair and heartbreak in its wake. The lyrics encapsulate love lost, the shock of abandonment, and the lingering ghosts of what once was. In this piece, dancers were able to step into the narrator's desperate and intense emotions, brought to life through the music's dramatic and theatrical qualities.
An Excerpt from Coppelia: Swanhilda and her Friends
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Staging: Jena Thorne
Dancers: Selorna Ackuayi, Ariana Barillas, Lili Biglari, Elizabeth Chadbourne, Peyton Darby, Anastasia Poliakova, Marina Ricker, Jena Thorne, Sadie Strong
The ballet "Coppélia" is a story of love, friendship, and mischief following Swanhilda and her friends' wild journey into the toyshop of Dr. Coppelius, where Swanhilda impersonates one of his dolls. This is piece is an expert from the "Friends" dance from Act 1, where Swanhilda and her friends dance together in the town, celebrating young love and play.
Violet
Choreography: Talia DeLeo
Music: In Dreams byAbøn and Jessica Gallo, Acceptances by Lara Somogyi and Cyrus Reynolds, and self.seed by Lara Somogyi
Dancers: Erin Aslami, Elisabeth Bullock, Katherine Byunn-Rieder, Talia DeLeo, Isabela Haskell, Caterina Terrizzi, Catalina Wong
Violet is titled after my great grandma’s oldest sister, someone who my mom has always felt a connection to and told me stories about throughout my life. This piece at its heart is a gift to my mom who has guided and inspired me endlessly, as it pays homage to someone who has guided and inspired her, commemorating this cycle of compassion and care. Creating this piece with my beautiful dancers has been my greatest honor, as we have been able to celebrate the individuals who mean so incredibly much to us and share the impact they have had on our lives with each other. Violet honors the loved ones who we have those indefinable, special connections with, and expresses deep gratitude to the many generations of love and support that have shaped us to be who we are today.
To mom,
Thank you for your unwavering kindness, ever-present love, and endless laughter. I love you to the moon and to saturn.
Flight of Fancy
Choreography: Katy Nairn
Music: Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 1, Op. 38a: I. Waltz by Dmitri Shostakovich
Dancers: Sophia Barakett, Katy Nairn, Scout Stevens
Flight of Fancy is a classical trio in which playful and whimsical movement captures a sense of incandescent fun. There is a hint of mischief in the jazz suite music that inspired the piece, and throughout, each of us have sprinkled in homages to our favorite classical ballets. The choreography is inspired by these challenging classical pas de trois in ballets, and the piece truly encapsulates the joy we find in ballet. We hope that joy shines through in our piece and radiates to you as audience members!
I’ll Come Too
Choreography: Emma Odom
Music: light dark light byAngie McMahon and Fred Again
Dancers: Sedina Ackuayi, Elisabeth Bullock, Elizabeth Chadbourne, Isabella Haskell, Anastasia Poliakova, Eliza Pritchard, Nana Shigematsu, Catalina Wong
Playful and melodic, this dance captures simple moments between friends. In friendship, you don’t need to ask to walk together after class. Instead, it’s ‘I’ll Come Too.’ The dancer’s movements flow together like an unspoken harmony between friends.
Where There is Smoke
Choreography: Carter Hayes
Music: Where There is Smoke by Dominique Fils-Aimé
Dancers: Carter Hayes, Sarah Moreno
This duet that investigates the complexities of relationships. At times of struggle, we often turn to those closest to us for support, but this can lead to intra-relationship problems. This piece examines a specific instance of that, namely if support is imbalanced between the parties in a relationship, and the consequences of that imbalance.
Wild Party
Choreography: Maya Shiloni
Music: Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman
Dancers: Melissa Harvey, Emma Nagler, Emma Odom, Marina Ricker, Cole Yellin, Laura Vejar
Avibrant and dynamic jazz-inspired pointe piece set in the lively ambiance of a 1920s/30s speakeasy. Featuring period-inspired music and costumes, the choreography will blend the elegance of classical ballet technique with the bold, theatrical flair of Broadway jazz. This high-energy performance captures the exciting and bold spirit of the era while showcasing the dancers' high technical skills and artistry.
Radio Silence
Choreography: Bettina Cuddy
Music: Radia Silence by James Blake
Dancers: Lili Biglari, Elisabeth Bullock, Bettina Cuddy, Peyton Darby, Kathryn Chen, Anna Governale, Jackie Lane, Josephine Meriot, Emily Regan, Clara Thiele
As artist James Blake evokes in his song, “Radio Silence” explores themes of vulnerability, communication and conflict, grief, and tension. He speaks to a lost relationship and the conflicting feelings around it, a mix of nostalgia, confusion, and frustration that come together into emotional turmoil. The piece explores the pain of not being able to reach someone, and as the title suggests, the unsettling silence that follows. In short, searching for meaning in a void, and how silence, while sometimes a form of protection, can also be a painful reminder of what’s missing.
In Situ
Choreography: Adrienne Chan, assisted byAudrey Sakiewicz
Music: Ceasefire by Zela Margossian Quintet
Dancers: Sedina Ackuayi, Selorna Ackuayi, Sophia Barakett, Katie Granner, Nikoletta Kennedy, Thom McNeilly, Sophie Naud, Mia Steis, Scout Stevens, Josephine Willman
In Reading Dance, Susan Leigh Foster wrote that dance contains “the spontaneous and the crafted; the psychological and the physical, the personal and the universal, the rational and the passionate, and the unconscious and the conscious [...] into a fragile but supreme moment.” This quote inspired In Situ. In Situ explores the idea of objectifying, capturing, and boiling down the joy and ethos of gathering together into a singular moment. What if this community concentrate could exist as an artifact, bottled up in a jar?
The creative process began with a written survey of the dancers on the memories they wish they could relive, and they were asked to describe the feeling it gives them as if it were an object: its texture, color, and where the feeling rests in the body. For a fragile six minutes, the dancers will embody the textures of their most joyful memories from a windy ski mountain and a fishing village on the coast of France to a friend’s wordless, compassionate support at a hospital.
Thank you to the dancers and my assistant choreographer, Audrey, who made choreographing happiness and love so easy. My last work for HBC is yours to keep, and I’m so grateful for the HBC community I will forever cherish!
Choreographers&Musicians
Adrienne Chan
Adrienne is a contemporary ballet choreographer, dancer, and current senior at Harvard College studying sociology and theater, dance, and media. In her work as a choreographer, she explores dance as a narrative medium in theater, concert dance, and site-specific works. Recently, she directed and co-choreographed an evening-length dance-theater production, Romeo & Juliet, which premiered in November 2024. She is so grateful for the Harvard Ballet community and for the opportunity to make art with such wonderful people! Check out her work on Instagram @byadriennechan and on her website, adrienne-chan.com.
Bettina Cuddy
Bettina is a junior at Northeastern University studying Health Science and Business Administration with a focus in Healthcare Management & Consulting. Originally from New York City, she trained at American Youth Dance Theater for over a decade and performed lead roles in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Le Corsaire. She has trained at intensives including Joffrey Ballet, ABT, the Nutmeg Conservatory and Steps on Broadway. Bettina is passionate about healthcare innovation and currently works as a healthcare consulting associate at Clarivate. She is thrilled to be choreographing for the first time with HBC!
Carter Hayes
Carter is a senior at Harvard studying Math. Originally from Vancouver, he began dancing at age 10, starting with musical theatre before transitioning to ballet and contemporary. He trained at Poirier Productions under Rachael Poirier and competed throughout Canada and the U.S., participating in both competition and convention circuits. Through this, he worked with choreographers like Matt Cady, Kirsten Wicklund, and Sarah Dolan. A scholarship recipient at Bolshoi, Joffrey, PNB, Colorado Ballet, and Juilliard, Carter continues to explore his artistry through choreography and is excited to be part of HBC this semester!
ChristianChiu
ChristianisasenioratHarvardCollegestudying Mathematics.Hehasstudiedpianofor17yearsandhas performedbothasasoloistandinrecitalat internationalfestivalsandcompetitions.AtHarvard,his passionforchambermusichasledtoperformancesat ArtsFirstandinseveralcollaborativerecitals.This markshisfirstcollaborationwiththeHarvardBallet Company.
EmmaOdom
EmmaisaPhDstudentintheBrainandCognitive SciencesatMIT.Havingdancedforover20years,she considersherselfequalpartsballerinaand neuroscientist.InhertimewithHarvardBalletEmma hasdancedinnumerousshows,choreographed ‘SynapticConnection’and‘I’llComeToo’,and performedinJoseMateoBalletTheatre’sNutcracker!
FranciscoGella
FranciscoGellaisarenownedchoreographer,educator, andformerprofessionaldancerwhosecareerbeganat agenineteen.Heperformedwithcompaniesincluding PHILADANCO,RepertoryDanceTheater,andBallet Pacifica,andappearedasaprincipalsoloistatthe1998 NaganoWinterOlympics.AUniversityofWashington graduate,hehasdancedworksbymajor choreographerssuchasWilliamForsytheandDwight Rhoden.Francisco’schoreographyhasbeen commissionedbyBalletIdaho,BalletWestTrainee Company,andtheHarvardBalletCompany,with recognitionfromYouthAmericaGrandPrixand RegionalDanceAmerica.Heisthefoundingdirectorof NUEVOSchoolandco-directorofZeitgeistDance Theatre,andheleadsnationallyacclaimedtraining programsthroughFranciscoGellaDanceWorks.He wasborninthePhilippinesandnowlivesinSantaFe, NewMexico.
Jena Thorne
Jena is a junior at Tufts University studying Child and Human Development and Dance. She has been a member of the Harvard Ballet Company for 3 years and currently serves on the Board as the Off-Campus Liaison. This is the first ballet choreography Jena has staged, and she is overjoyed to be sharing the hard work of her dancers!
Kathryn Chen
Kathryn is a junior at Northeastern University studying Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Data Science. She trained at New Jersey Ballet School under Carolyn Clark and Maria Kowrowski, and performed lead student roles alongside the New Jersey Ballet Company in productions including The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. She has attended summer programs at CPYB, Boston Ballet, and Philadelphia Ballet, where she was invited to join the year-round program. She loves HBC and is excited to continue dancing this season!
Katy Nairn
Katy is a junior at Harvard studying Neuroscience and English Originally from Chicago, she began dancing at age three at Salt Creek Ballet, later training at Faubourg Ballet Theater, Hinsdale Dance Academy, and the JoffreyAcademy Pre-Professional Program. She’s performed lead roles like Dew Drop and Peaseblossom Fairy and placed Second in Classical and Top 12 in Contemporary at YAGP 2020 She’s also trained at ABT, Harid Conservatory, PBT, and BalletMet. At Harvard, Katy has performed with HBC, HRMDC, Harvard College Opera, and most recently starred in The Unknowable with Lowell House Opera.
Maya Shiloni
Maya is a junior at Harvard College, concentrating in Government and Economics. She is Originally from Kiryat Ono, Israel, where she trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, and acrobatics. She is a three-time gold and three-time silver medalist in the Dance World Cup. For the past nine years, Maya has been teaching and choreographing.
Maria (Mia) Steis
Mia is a junior at Boston University studying Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Machine Learning. She received her ballet training at the Adagio Ballet School of Dance and the Virginia Dance Conservatory, and attended summer intensives with the Kirov Ballet and Bolshoi Ballet academies. In 2023 she choreographed her first piece for HBC's In Conversation, titled Unsaid. She is thrilled to be given the opportunity to choreograph again, and is excited to further explore the blend between the colorful worlds of musical theatre and ballet!
Nikoletta Kennedy
Nikoletta is a senior at Northeastern studying Health Science with a minor in Spanish and plans to pursue medical school. She trained at Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet, and Manhattan Youth Ballet, performing in works by Balanchine and Robbins. At MYB, she was named a Resident Student Choreographer. With HBC, she’s served as Off-Campus Liaison for four years. She’s danced with Boston Ballet in Swan Lake and teaches with BalletRox in Roxbury. Outside of dance, Nikoletta works in the Sabatini Lab at HMS and as a patient care associate at MGH.
SedinaAckuayi
Sedina is a senior at Harvard College, studying Molecular and Cellular Biology with a secondary in Mind, Brain, and Behavior. She’s been a member of Harvard Ballet Company since her freshman year and has served as DEI Chair and Co-Director on HBC Board. Sedina has assistant choreographed for the Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Company and choreographed two pieces for Harvard Ballet Company, including collaborations with the Harvard Ballet Orchestra. This is Sedina’s second time solo choreographing a ballet for Harvard Ballet.
Talia DeLeo
Talia is a senior at Harvard College concentrating in Psychology with a secondary in Theater, Dance, and Media. She began dancing at age three in her hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, and trained as a trainee with Ballet Co.Laboratory from its founding in 2018, performing with the company and choreographing works for its students. She has attended summer intensives at Boston Ballet and Next Generation Ballet. Talia has performed with Harvard Ballet Company since freshman year, and Violet marks the seventh ballet she has choreographed for HBC. She is incredibly honored to have worked with the beautiful dancers of HBC during her college career!
Thom McNeilly
Thom completing his BA at Emerson College. Born and raised in the lower Hudson Valley, NewYork, Thom began dance training at his mom ’ s ballet school. His training continued with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Boston Ballet Trainee Program, and the Miami City Ballet. He has attended Summer Programs at School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet on scholarships. Thom danced with Cincinnati Ballet before attending Tulane University and now Emerson.
