A Midsummer Night's Dream and other works

The Mercyhurst University Department of Dance presents

a midsummer night’s dream with other works

Friday, November 10, 2023 | 7 pm Saturday, November 11, 2023 | 2 pm + 7 pm Sunday, November 12, 2023 | 2 pm Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

MERCYHURST INSTITUTE FOR ARTS AND CULTURE PRESENTS Mercyhurst University School of the Arts Department of Dance C. Noelle Partusch, Executive Director

a midsummer night‘s dream and other works

With The Mercyhurst Dancers

Directed by Jennifer McNamara, assistant professor Lighting Design by Bob Steineck Production design by Andrew Ferguson

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 7 P.M. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2 & 7 P.M. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2 P.M.

MARY D’ANGELO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

The Sleeping Beauty “Precious Stones” pas de quatre Choreography after Marius Petipa, staged by Jennifer McNamara Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66 Act III pas de quatre Costume design by Claire Millspaw Gold Fairy Mia Semieraro (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Anna Menarchek (11/11 eve, 11/12) Silver Fairy Isabella Johnson (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Caitlin Settle (11/11 eve., 11/12) Sapphire Fairy Grace Mullins (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Nicole Walters (11/11 eve., 11/12) Diamond Fairy Madeleine Plourde

Le Corsaire grand pas de deux Choreography after Marius Petipa, staged by Matthew Christensen Music by Adolphe Adam and Ricardo Drigo, Le Corsaire (a ballet in three acts), Act II Grand Pas de Deux Medora, the ardent heroine Katherine Kilbourn (11/10, 11/11 mat. and eve.); Jakquelyn Gauker (11/12) Conrad, the swashbuckling pirate Sergio Alvarez

Le Corsaire Odalisques, pas de trois Choreography after Marius Petipa, staged by Matthew Christensen Music by Adolphe Adam and Ricardo Drigo, Le Corsaire (a ballet in three acts), Act I Pas de Trois Costume design by Claire Millspaw 1st variation Annabel Vetock (11/10, 11/11 mat.); Olivia Turner-Leftwich (11/11 eve., 11/12) 2nd variation Gabrielle Harris (11/10, 11/11 mat.); Katelyn Turner-Leftwich (11/11 eve., 11/12) 3rd variation Sophie Satoh (11/10, 11/11 mat., 11/12); Jakquelyn Gauker (11/11 eve.)

~ INTERMISSION ~

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Choreography by Jennifer McNamara Music by Felix Mendelssohn, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61 Costume design and fabrication by Annie Markel and Jennifer McNamara Bottom’s head designed and fabricated by Claire Millspaw

The Faerie Court Puck, a púca Ainsley Dunning (u. Madeleine Plourde)

Titania, the faerie queen Tori St. John-Gilbert (u. Katherine Kilbourn and Anna Menarchek)

Oberon, the faerie king Sergio Alvarez The Changeling Child Emma Long (11/10, 11/11 eve.); Charlotte Long (11/11 mat., 11/12)

The Entourage Cobweb Anna Menarchek (11/10, 11/11 mat.); Grace Mullins (11/11 eve., 11/12) Peaseblossom Joanna Clifford (11/10, 11/11 mat.); Isabella Johnson (11/11 eve., 11/12) Mustardseed Montana Pastore (11/10, 11/11 mat.); Isabelle Garvey (11/11 eve., 11/12) Moth Caitlin Settle (11/10, 11/11 mat.); Alyson Szewczyk (11/11 eve., 11/12)

The Lovers Aimreh Katelyn Turner-Leftwich (u. Anna Menarchek)

Ardnasyl Olivia Turner-Leftwich (u. Morgan Masters)

Aneleh Gabrielle Harris (u. Madeleine Sipos)

Airtemed Jakquelyn Gauker (u. Ainsley Dunning)

The Mechanicals Bottom, a weaver/Pyramus Madeleine Plourde (u. Mara Isaacson)

Starveling, a tailor/the moon Sophie Satoh (11/10, 11/11 mat.); Katherine Kilbourn (11/11 eve., 11/12) (u. Montana Pastore)

Snout, a tinker/the wall Nicole Walters (u. Madison Wanamaker)

Flute, a bellows mender/Thisbe Mia Semieraro (u. Olivia Showers)

Quince, a carpenter/the narrator Moira Sullivan (u. Jillian Pohl)

Snug, a joiner/the lion Abigail Lipa (11/10, 11/11 mat.); Nadia Stronkowsky (11/11 eve., 11/12) (u. Nicole Hirsch and Natalie Cecil)

The Faeries Amelia Bachman (11/10, 11/11, 11/12) Drew Bauerle (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Emma Berkheiser (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Elena Bobby (11/11 eve., 11/12) Natalie Cecil (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Shyla Clifford (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Nancy Fisher (11/11 eve., 11/12) Nadine Fox (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Kathryn Gianforcaro (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Nicole Hirsch (11/10, 11/11, 11/12) Mara Isaacson (11/11 eve., 11/12) Abigail Lipa (11/11 eve., 11/12) Erin McKenna (11/11 eve., 11/12) Jillian Pohl (11/11 eve., 11/12) MiKayla Sharp (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Olivia Showers (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Madeleine Sipos (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Nadia Stronkowsky (11/10, 11/11 mat.)

Moira Sullivan (11/11 eve., 11/12) Annabel Vetock (11/11 eve., 11/12) Megan Wade (11/11 eve., 11/12) Madison Wanamaker (11/11 eve., 11/12) Lauren Zwirecki (11/11 eve., 11/12)

A note from Jennifer...

William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream offers fertile ground for reimagining—or maybe renewing our relationship with—the world. I’ve chosen to situate this version in a post-apocalyptic cityscape populated by mechanical beings, human beings, and some who are caught in the middle, trying to simultaneously create themselves and understand what it means to be and have an autonomous presence. The Faeries create the scene: they are both the world and the city, ongoing. The Lovers, biological mechanical beings, represent the arc of making and being in right relationship with one another, of fitting together.

Titania and Oberon exist in the space where making mistakes is only human, and allowable, while the Mechanicals, another iteration of not fully human beings, are those who do not have a choice in the making of history or how that history is then recounted, repeated, or redirected—the Plantationocene. Puck, on the cusp of change and transformation, sets in motion a grand experiment as she brings the Changeling Child to Titania—the glitch in the machine that returns the power of transformation to the Earth itself.

The inspiration for this came in part from the iconic 1980s sci fi film, Blade Runner.

My colleague Will Meyer noted that A Midsummer Night's Dream, with its already othered inhabitants, is Shakespeare's queerest play, perhaps. Themes of classism and gender representation, and storylines told from multiple perspectives are already woven into the work, and when I consider those ideas through the lens of the replicant Roy Batty's final monologue in the film, this feverish midsummer night takes on a whole different meaning. Traditional celebrations of Midsummer's Eve, including in my own Irish culture, centered the magical healing properties that plants embodied on this longest day of the year; they also believed that the liminal space between human and not human became even more porous. Thus, in the dying world that I've imagined for this production, the magic is in the regeneration of the natural and the non-human, resetting the switch for life to begin again.

I am so very grateful for the dancers, the entire production team, and my colleagues for their willingness to suspend disbelief as we created this world-and I am especially grateful for the countless hours each has volunteered to sew, bedazzle, decorate, and stitch the costumes and other elements of this production It wouldn’t have gotten done without you...

guest artist sergio alvarez Principal dancer, NBT, was born in Manizales, Colombia and trained at the Miluzka Ballet School, Ballet Anna Pavlova, and the National Ballet of Colombia.

He furthered his training and received scholarships to attend prestigious summer programs including Jacob’s Pillow and Ballet Hispánico, and received a full year scholarship to The Rock School for Dance in Philadelphia.

Before joining Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) in 2015, Sergio danced lead roles in many ballets including The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty.

He has also performed as a guest artist in Christopher Fleming’s Myth and Madness of Edgar Allan Poe and Leonard Ajkun’s Les Misérables, among others.

Sergio’s professional experience includes performing for the National Ballet of Colombia and the National Theatre of Colombia with the musical CABARET. During his time at NBT, he has performed principal and soloist roles in both classical and contemporary ballets, including Tybalt in James Canfield’s Romeo & Juliet and the Prince in Cinderella, choreographed by James Canfield and Tara Foy, as well as Snow and Arabian in NBT’s annual production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by James Canfield.

He has danced in ballets by George Balanchine including Serenade, Who Cares? and Western Symphony (Rondo), and he recently performed in Paul Taylor’s Company B and Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel (A Dance). During the company’s 2017-2018 season, Sergio danced the title role of the Beast in Lew Christensen’s Beauty and the Beast and was also featured in Matthew Neenan’s world premiere Until December, which premiered that same year. In 2017, Sergio debuted his choreography at the Mystère Theatre for the 10th annual “A Choreographers’ Showcase,” the acclaimed partnership between NBT and Cirque du Soleil.

Full-Time Faculty JENNIFER McNAMARA Assistant Professor, is delighted to be a part of the Mercyhurst University dance faculty.

Raised in upstate New York, she spent two seasons with Richmond Ballet, most notable for the chance to perform in Kurt Joos’s The Green Table and Balanchine’s Serenade on the same program. She spent the next 11 years with Eugene Ballet, where she toured the U.S., Canada, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria, Jordan, and Tunisia. She was grateful to grow as an artist in narrative ballets, including performing the role of Lucy in Charles Bennett’s Dracula. She also created leading roles in many of artistic director Toni Pimble’s contemporary works, and was sought by guest choreographers for her artistic contributions.

After performing in Paul Vasterling’s Seasons, Jennifer was invited to become a principal dancer with Nashville Ballet. In her six years there, she was especially noted for dramatic portrayals such as the Chosen One in Salvatore Aiello’s The Rite of Spring and the title roles in Dennis Spaight’s Scheherazade and Paul Vasterling’s Romeo and Juliet and Lizzie. She also performed roles including Myrtha in Giselle, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, among others in the classical canon.

After retiring, Jennifer worked to combine her love for teaching, words, and making things; she was an adjunct professor at Middle Tennessee State University and the ballet mistress for the Centennial Youth Ballet, she taught contemporary ballet for New Dialect’s daily company class, and she was on the faculty of the School of Nashville Ballet. Jennifer has designed and built costumes for her own choreographic works as well as on commission for others; these creations have been the subject of gallery exhibitions on the intersection of dance and fashion, and as a part of an Isadora Duncan celebration.

As a Pilates Master Instructor and an intuitive dancer-teacher, Jennifer offers insightful inquiry into the science and art of movement as they intertwine in each individual’s body; she is also passionate about the intersections of equity and dance pedagogy, and coaching dancers in the tradition passed to her by the late Elaine Thomas of the Royal Ballet. She is a past recipient of the Individual Artist Fellowship (Dance) from the Tennessee Arts Commission and is pursuing a teaching certification through the National Dance Education Organization. Recently, she was invited to serve as the internal copy editor for the forthcoming text, Masculinity, Intersectionality & Identity: Why Boys (Don’t) Dance. Jennifer earned her MFA in Dance from Hollins University in 2018.

Full-Time Faculty C. NOELLE PARTUSCH Professor, Dance Department Chair, and Artistic Director of the Mercyhurst Liturgical Dance Ensemble, specializes in Labanotation and Liturgical Dance. She earned her BFA from the State University of New York College at Purchase in 1988, a Labanotation Teacher’s Certificate from the Dance Notation Bureau in New York City in 1989, and her MFA from The Ohio State University in 1992. Ms. Partusch teaches ballet, pointe, dance conditioning, dance appreciation, kinesiology, Labanotation, and has taught a special interdisciplinary course called “The Sacred and the Beautiful.” In 2015, she developed a new academic course called “Liturgical Dance: Concepts and Perceptions” that is offered as a selection of courses within the Catholic Studies Minor at Mercyhurst University. She choreographs for concert dance, opera, and dance in worship. Noelle served as the associate artistic director of Alaska Dance Theatre for 11 years and danced professionally with Atlanta Ballet II, Buffalo Ballet Theatre, Buffalo Inner-City Ballet, Empire State Ballet, Alaska Dance Theatre, and the Anchorage Opera. In addition, she was adjunct faculty for the University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Theatre and Dance and Alaska Regional Director of the Sacred Dance Guild. She is currently the Co-Vice President and Coordinator of Sacred Dance in Higher Education for the Sacred Dance Guild. She is also a member of the International Council of Kinetography Laban, and CORPs de Ballet, International. Ms. Partusch was invited to give presentations on Liturgical Dance at the conference “Performing Arts Training Today” in Bovec, Slovenia and at the National Church Musician’s Conference at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. In addition, she was invited to be one of three keynote speakers at the 2016 Northwest PA Synod Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. For over 20 years Ms. Partusch has danced in many churches and worship settings and acts as artistic director to the Mercyhurst University Liturgical Dance Ensemble where she mentors the next generation of leaders in Liturgical Dance. With this ensemble, she has traveled to New York City, NY; Atlanta, GA; Sydney, Australia; and Jerusalem, Israel to attend “Project Dance” and present her choreography. Most recently Ms. Partusch traveled with 14 members of the Liturgical Dance Ensemble to Norwich, United Kingdom, where they led a sacred dance workshop and performed an entire concert of Liturgical Dance at Westacre Theatre.

Noelle Partusch is married to Tony Partusch, a licensed journeyman plumber who is currently the purchasing agent for V.P. Plumbing Supply in Erie, PA. Tony is an avid fisherman and a fantastic cook! Tony and Noelle are the very proud parents of twins Krista & Anton and their younger sister, Kara. Noelle attributes her success to a lot of hard work, a great amount of faith enabling her to take many leaps, and the ongoing and amazing support of her family.

Full-Time Faculty MARK SANTILLANO Assistant Professor, has had a multifaceted career in the arts. His work as a dancer, choreographer, educator, photographer, videographer, editor, musician, composer, writer, and actor, culminates in dance works that are pan-genre, multi-media, and interdisciplinary that range from the poignant to the preposterous. Mark earned a BFA in Dance and B.S. in Communications from Southwest Missouri State University, and his master’s from Wesleyan University. Mark toured the world with Pilobolus Dance Theatre and was a company member of Indianapolis’ Dance Kaleidoscope.

As a member of Actor Equity Association his credits include international tours of The King and I, West Side Story, and A Chorus Line. Mark has had his choreography presented in Sweden, Korea, Austria, Regional Dance America; Beef & Boards Dinner Theater, Firehouse Dinner Theater, the San Diego Civic Dance Company, and numerous colleges across the country.

Along with Solveig Santillano, Mark is co-founder/co-director of SoMar Dance Works.

Established in 1999, SoMar is in-residence at Mercyhurst and has received numerous grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Mark served as an Artist-inResidence at his alma mater, SMSU prior to coming to Mercyhurst in 2000. He teaches Modern, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre Dance, Contemporary Partnering, Choreography, and is resident photographer, videographer, and media archivist for the Dance Department. Mark is also recipient of an Erie Arts & Culture Artist Fellowship and has served on the board of directors for the Erie Dance Consortium and the American College Dance Association.

Full-Time Faculty SOLVEIG SANTILLANO Associate Professor, teaches choreography, modern, dance appreciation, dance conditioning, dance history, senior seminar, and yoga studies. Holding an MFA (Hollins), MALS (Wesleyan), and BFA (Julliard), Santillano is a CLMA (Integrated Movement Studies) and ISMETA registered Dance Therapist and specializes in somatic disciplines. A recipient of Wesleyan’s Rulewater prize for her research on yoga and dance, Santillano is aregistered yoga teacher (RYT @ 500 hours) with Essential, Advanced (Open Sky Yoga), and Restorative Yoga (Judith Hanson Lasater) certifications. Currently studying with Douglas Brooks, Judith Hanson Lasater, Francois Raoult, Ernesta Corvino, and Bill Evans, she is a certified Bill Evans teacher, is trained/taught Stott Pilates.

Her rich performance career includes Anna Sokolow’s Players Project, Ruby Shang and Dancers, Prometheus Dance Theatre, Boston Arts Group, Spencer/Colton, Nancy Compton, Neta Pulvermacher, and six years of international touring with MOMIX Dance Company as a soloist, choreographic collaborator, with whom she appeared in Italian television specials and an IMAX film for the Korean Film Festival. Her work as a choreographer/director/performer/collaborator has culminated in the co-founding and co-directing (with partner Mark Santillano) SoMar Dance Works, the contemporary in-residence dance company at Mercyhurst University. Their work has been presented internationally (Sweden, Austria), nationally and regionally (AZ, CA, CT, ME, MI, NY, NC, PA, SD) and locally. Long time Pennsylvania Partners of the Arts grant recipients (2007-present), the duo was awarded Erie Arts and Culture’s first Established Artist Fellowship (2016), and celebrated their company’s 20th anniversary in 2019.

Santillano dedicates her life to teaching, coaching and direction inspired by ongoing somatic, dance, and yoga research, the intersection of arts, advocacy, and community service. Her teaching credits include overseeing/directing the dance department and student company at Salem State College (MA), teaching national and international master classes, and serving on the faculty at Erie Dance Conservatory, Lake Erie Ballet, Springfield Ballet, Lexington School of Ballet, H.T. Chen & Dancers (NYC), the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, health/wellness facilities including Manhattan Body (NYC), YMCA, Manchester Health Club, Success Naturally Yoga Center, and Inner Balance Pilates. She serves as faculty advisor for the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) and the Yoga Club, attends, teaches, and presents at regional to international workshops and conferences, and is dedicated to building/serving community as an artist and educator, supporting young artists in their holistic pursuit of excellence, optimal human movement potential, meaning making, and cultivation of their personal “voice”.

Dance Staff Matthew Christensen, Adjunct Professor, is from Salt Lake City, UT. He began training at age 17 and continued at the Ballet West Conservatory and the University of Utah, where he received the prestigious Willam F. Christensen scholarship. He attended summer programs on full scholarship at Ballet West, LA Classical Ballet, and Boston Ballet. Two of his most influential teachers were NYCB principal dancer Conrad Ludlow and the late Willam F. Christensen. While at the University of Utah, he performed the lead in Paquita; Michael Smuin’s Romeo and Juliet, balcony pas de deux and Eternal Idol, pas de deux; and Violette Verdy’s Divermento.

Matthew’s first professional contract was with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, where he toured Alberto Alonso’s Carmen throughout the United States and Taiwan, and performed in the world premiere of artistic director Eldar Aliev’s 1001 Nights.

After joining Eugene Ballet/Ballet Idaho, Matthew was promoted to principal dancer in his second season. He danced principal roles in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty, as well as originated roles in contemporary repertoire by artistic director Toni Pimble, among others.

Matthew and his wife, Jennifer McNamara, joined Nashville Ballet in 2001, where they often danced together. He has been noted for his exquisite partnering skills and effortless male technique in performances of Prince Désire in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, the Sugar Plum Cavalier in The Nutcracker, The Golden Slave in Dennis Spaight’s Scheherazade, the Warrior in Salvatore Aiello’s The Rite of Spring, and the title role in Paul Vasterling’s Romeo and Juliet.

In 2005, he received the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Fellowship in Dance. Prior to joining Mercyhurst University’s Department of Dance, Matthew was the ballet master for Centennial Youth Ballet and the primary upper division teacher for Metro Nashville Parks’ Dance Division, where he staged The Nutcracker, Giselle, Swan Lake, Paquita, Act III; and the dream scene from Don Quixote, and choreographed original works. He is passionate about providing a high-quality classical ballet education to all students. Matthew graduated summa cum laude from Mercyhurst with a BFA in Dance in 2023..

RICHARD DIFIORE Music Director and Principal Pianist, holds a master's degree from the University of Florida in piano performance. Richard has been in high demand as a dance accompanist for many years and taught at Florida State University as a visiting professor in the School of Dance before coming to Mercyhurst. In addition to his duties here, he has played for many summer dance programs and intensives including American Dance Festival, American College Dance Association, Chautauqua Institute, and PerryMansfield Summer Dance Intensive. Richard is also an accomplished collaborative pianist and has accompanied many recitals, both instrumental and vocal, and is active as a vocal coach for singers. In addition to playing for both ballet and modern classes, Richard teaches music for dancers at Mercyhurst University.

Dance Staff ANDREW FERGUSON University Technical Director, is from Ocala, Florida, and began working in technical theatre eight years ago. Andrew graduated from Mercyhurst University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Education.

Technical theatre continues to be a passion of his that has led him to work with artists from all around the world on productions varying from ballet to vaudeville, and everything in between. He has worked as a technical director for ballet and opera, as well as the Mercyhurst Institute of Arts and Culture (MIAC).

During his career, he has worked with Moscow Ballet, Dorrance Dance, Pilobolus, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Martha Graham Dance Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Chita Rivera, Bernadette Petters, Judy Collins, Darlene Love, Dave Brubeck, Jane Lynch, and many more. Andrew has led technical artistry for ballet productions such as Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Little Match Girl, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and more. Operas include Madame Butterfly, The Magic Flute, Amahl and the Night Visitors, L’elisir d’amore, La Boheme, and more than can be listed. When rarely not in a theatre, Andrew can be found battling with par on a golf course. He loves spending time with his wife Emily and their three dogs, and enjoying the simple things in life

OWEN HITT Theater Technician, has worked in tech for three years and has been with Mercyhurst for the past seven months assisting in lighting design, sound design, set construction, and any other technical projects that may arise. He also helps with productions at the Warner Theater and Erie Insurance Arena as a stagehand. Owen is a graduate of Mercyhurst University and spent the past two and a half years working as a Systems Engineer in Media Security for the Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles. He has always considered theater and dance to be a part of his life, having minored in theater at Mercyhurst and acting in 20 productions over 15 years at Fairview High School, Mercyhurst University, and the Erie Playhouse. When Owen is not working in the theater he can be found at home, spending time with his beautiful wife and their two sleepy cats, or in front of the computer, working on some crazy tech project and playing video games.

HAROLD HOTCHKISS Assistant Technical Director, has been working in technical theater for 22 years. Harold is a native of Buffalo, New York, and a graduate of the University of Buffalo. He completed his MFA in theatre design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During Harold’s time in theater he has worked with many educational institutions such as Mercyhurst University, Penn State Behrend, Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California, University of Buffalo, and more. Currently he divides his time working as an assistant technical director in Erie, Pennsylvania, and production manager/technical director in Hayward, California. Outside of the theater Harold enjoys working in the garden with his wife, Gillian.

Dance Staff DANIELLE KAISER Administrative Assistant, Adjunct Faculty, Dance Club Advisor, Dance Team Coach, is a native of both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She holds her B.A. in Dance and B.A. in Secondary Education Mathematics from Mercyhurst University as well as her MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University. Danielle has been the recipient of the Mercyhurst Egan Scholarship from 2006 to 2010 as well as the Etoile Leadership award in 2010. She was also honored with the Howard Gilman Fellowship Award through Jacksonville University’s MFA program, acting as the cohort and faculty liaison from 2017 to 2019. Having trained with Tauna Hunter, Michael Gleason, Christina Hay, C. Noelle Partusch, Mark and Solveig Santillano, Nathaniel Johnson, Christina Teague-Mann, Ana SanchezColberg, and Cari Frieberger, she has had opportunities to work closely with artists such as Lily Baldwin, Marianela Boán, Alonzo King, Elena Estanol, Bill Evans, Erin Tisdale, Momix Dance Company, Pilobulus, and Valerie Valentine. She has previously appeared as company member with SoMar Danceworks, the Mercyhurst University Dance Team (captain), and the Erie Bayhawks AAA NBA dance team (captain).

Danielle has appeared onstage both nationally and internationally with PGT Entertainment and Princess Cruises, Ltd. on board the Dawn, Emerald, and Grand Princess vessels, performing as an aerialist, ballet soloist, and assistant company performance manager. Her choreography has been presented aboard the Dawn Princess with Princess Cruises Ltd. as well as with the Mercyhurst University Department of Dance, Cleveland Ballet Conservatory, Erie Contemporary Ballet Theatre, Jacksonville University’s MFA program, Erie Dance Theatre, NYCDA, and RDA Northeast. Danielle’s choreography presented at the Northeast Regional Dance America was nominated for the prestigious Monticello Choreography Award in 2015 and the National Choreographic Award in 2019. Danielle currently serves as adjunct faculty and administrative assistant to the chair of the Dance Department at Mercyhurst, where she is also the advisor to the Dance Club and head coach of the Dance Team. She is a freelance teacher and choreographer in the northeast region. Danielle is the Artistic Director and Founding Board Member for Seiche Dance Collective; Erie’s newest not-for-profit professional dance company. Her passion resides in preserving the integrity of dance education by using her knowledge in both the education and dance fields to facilitate the future generation of dancers, choreographers, and dance educators. She cherishes her time with her 2.5. year old son Caden and her husband Nick as they anticipate the arrival of their daughter in November 2023.

JOHN PRIOR Assistant University Technical Director is a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, having graduated from Central High School. John has extensive experience working on the technical elements of production. He continues his 13-year run working as a stagehand for Erie’s Warner Theatre and the Erie Insurance Arena. John has also worked for Grisé Audio Visual for the last 6 years. This is John’s second year working for the Mercyhurst University Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center, where he continues to contribute his help and expertise to the Dance Department.

When John is not offering his technical expertise here and around the Erie area, he enjoys his passions of golf and music.

Dance Staff BOB STEINECK Lighting designer, is currently resident lighting designer for Texture Contemporary Ballet, Pittsburgh Playwright’s Theatre, Mercyhurst University Dance Department, Rennie Harris’ PureMovement and RHAW, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and Raphael Xavier Company. Mr. Steineck has toured throughout the U.S. and abroad with both Rennie Harris Companies, PureMovement and RHAW, Reed Dance, Squonk Opera, the Lyon Opera Ballet, Sankai Juku, Phoenix Dance Company, Kirov Ballet Academy, and the "America Tour" for Stars on Ice. Television/Video/DVD credits include A Gathering of Sons for Pittsburgh Festival Opera, the DIZZY GILLESPIE Allstar Big Band for A&E Cable, the SPYRO GYRA concert for PBS, and JOHNNY A TRIO by Warner Bros. Publications. He has designed for several corporate events including Mon Valley Sizzles at the Historic Carrie Furnace. His most recent lighting designs include the world premiere of A Gathering of Sons commissioned by Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and two nationally touring productions: Point of Interest for Raphael Xavier and Lifted for Rennie Harris PureMovment. Other designs include Boundless for Texture Contemporary Ballet, In the Company of Ghosts for Adrienne Wehr and Frank Ferraro, Xerxes, and Sweeny Todd for Pittsburgh Festival Opera.

costumers annie markel Costume designer and stitcher, is a native of Tyrone, Pennsylvania. She is an alumna of Mercyhurst with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and is spending her senior year at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, studying advertising, marketing, and communications. She has participated in the costuming of Swan Lake, Raw Edges, Grace and Gravity, The Nutcracker, and SoMar over the past three years. The costumes of Midsummer hold a very special place in her heart because of the collaboration and vision in the fabric and composition. Although Annie cannot be here for the performances, she sends all the dancers and faculty her love. Mercyhurst Dance is her family and her heart.

CLAIRE MILLSPAW Costume designer and mask artist, is a junior Graphic Design major at Mercyhurst from Erie, Pennsylvania, with specific interests in mixed media and three-dimensional artwork. She has been involved in dance and theater her entire life as a performer, and is excited to be working with the production team on costuming for A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

MERCYHURST UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS Mercyhurst University Department of Dance Faculty and Staff

Dance Chair and Professor C. Noelle Partusch Professor Emeritus Tauna Hunter Associate Professor Solveig Santillano Assistant Professor Mark Santillano Jennifer McNamara Photographers Rick Klein Mark Santillano

Technical Director Andrew Ferguson Assistant Technical Director John Prior Harold Hotchkiss

Music Director & Principal Pianist Richard DiFiore

Theater Technician Owen Hitt

Accompanists Rhonda Berlin Christian Goulione Nicholas Nasibyan

Technical Assistant Adam Schlereth

Admissions Coordinator Julie Benson

Lighting Designer Bob Steineck

Administrative Assistant Danielle Kaiser

Adjunct Faculty Matthew Christensen Angela DiFiore Michael Gleason Danielle Kaiser

Archivist Mark Santillano

Production Assistants Sophie Satoh (Production Practicum Supervisor) Katherine Kilbourn Technical Crew Sophia Du Jat, Emily Rini, Elodie Devos, Ava Khoury, Kenzie Krommes

Additional Administrative Support Drew Bauerle, Joanna Clifford, Carlos de la Incera, Ainsley Dunning, Nadine Fox, Kara Hallstrom, Mara Isaacson, Erin McKenna, Anna Menarchek, Madeleine Plourde, Jillian Pohl, Nadia Stronkowsky, Katelyn Turner-Leftwich, Olivia Turner-Leftwich

The Mercyhurst Dancers Amelia Bachman

Mollee Neblett

Drew Bauerle

Montana Pastore

Emma Berkheiser Elena Bobby

Madeleine Plourde Jillian Pohl

Kaitlyn Brooks Natalie Cecil Abigail Chrin

Sophie Satoh Mia Semieraro

Joanna Clifford

Caitlin Settle

Shyla Clifford

Makayla Sharp

Ainsley Dunning Nancy Fisher

Olivia Showers Madeleine Sipos

Nadine Fox Jakquelyn Gauker Kathryn Gianforcaro

Tori St. John-Gilbert Nadia Stronkowsky

Gabrielle Harris

Moira Sullivan

Nicole Hirsch

Alyson Szewczyk

Mara Isaacson

Katelyn Turner-Leftwich

Isabella Johnson Katherine Kilbourn

Olivia Turner-Leftwich Annabel Vetock

Abigail Lipa Morgan Masters Erin McKenna

Megan Wade Nicole Walters

Anna Menarchek

Madison Wanamaker

Grace Mullins

Lauren Zwirecki

Mercyhurst Department of dance would like to thank the following for their support: Alyssa C. Alger Samuel P. Black Marie Blum ‘08 Danielle Bogan Rachel Brown ‘12 Kathy Burns Dara Carman ‘08 Molly Boswell Caruso ‘05 Liz Clain-Stefanelli ‘09 Dr. Diane Cochran ‘78 Patrick Conroy Mary Ellen Dahlkemper Paul Davie Amy Deer ‘12 Sondra Depalma ‘97 Lorraine Dolan Brooke Driver ‘03 Michael Duffy Amanda Edge Jeffrey W. Evans Jeanne Fornarola ‘79 Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Mary Gamble Christine Geren ‘98 Claire Giardina Girl Scouts Western PA Michael S. Gleason Hailey Glover ‘11 Kelly Haggerty Theresa Hall ‘91 Maureen Haraczy Claire Hinde ‘11 John and Julia Horan Young Artists’ Conservatory Sarah Hricko ‘11 Tauna Hunter Christine Konzel Kara Jones Louis ‘07 Sara Lawrence-Sucato ‘06 Noelle Lelakus ‘08 Faith Lifshen David Livingston

Charles McAveney Megan McHale ’00 Gerry McMurdy Martin Meislin Isabel Milkovich Mary Rose Milkovich Caroline Millikin ‘05 Amanda Mountain ‘04 Kathleen Pae C. Noelle Partusch Augustine Pescatore Jordan Pirrone Modern Dental Group Mr. & Mrs. Alan and Rosemary Rainbow SafeNet Mark and Solveig Santillano Tawny Schaffer Victoria Scott ‘12 Cora Mae Sinke Elizabeth Sinke Charles L. Sinke Victoria Smith ‘07 Jane Steineck Amy Stoddart ‘93 Patricia Sullivan Pamela Swaney ‘06 Roger Szotko Michele Tapajna Rachel Torgeson Karen Tyler Bernardine Vojtko Barbara Vredegoogd Pamela A. Vouri Gregory Warren Christine Wilbur ‘11 Peter Wilbur Barbara Story Walk ‘57 In memory of Adele de Walt Pat Yahn Lori Yusz Rachel Zak ‘97