Artists Bios

(premiered 2022)

i. Twins In Utero / Zosime Solo ii. Startle Reflex iii. Sibling Romp

Music: Andrew Bird (with edits by Erica Pinigis):: Down Under the Hyperion Bridge, The Green Heron, Lazuli Buntin

Program Note:Hope Suspended is a piece I made in early 2019 after the birth of my first child. I was flooded with a mix of love, wonder in the complete trust and fearlessness she displayed, and anxiety that was worse than I had the ability to comprehend. This piece is an expression of the battle I felt inside over the extreme emotional juxtapositions I was experiencing. Bask I made earlier this year after the birth of my twins. Originally the skateboards were used as a potential vehicle for creating a grassy landscape that could change throughout the piece, but as things developed and our use of the skateboards expanded, our ability to use the grass set pieces I created became increasingly difficult and my attachment to that visual component faded. Bask takes inspiration from the movement and imagery of my three children - the way the twins snuggled as wombmates, Zosime meeting them and kissing them goodnight, Zosime’s improvised dances, the startle reflex, learning to crawl, and seeing the three of them delight in playing together.

Born in Mexico City, Carlos began dancing at the age of six at the Ballet Folklorico Vicente Guerrero school run by Marcial Cortez under the tutelage of Professor Jose Ramon Mendoza. Aler several years, he began to specialize in Mexican dances and tradimons. He took courses of different choreographers like Lino Ortega, Antonio Baeza, Aaron Nolasco, Ana Maria Garza, Rafael Zamarripa, among others. At the age of 16, Mr. Ramirez-Araujo began to dance professionally with the "Ballet Folklorico Nacional de Mexico". At the same mme, Carlos began his training in classical ballet and modern dance at the school of "Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez" as well as the "Ballet Teatro del Espacio" directed by Gladiola Orozco and "Ballet Independiente" under the direcmon of Magnolia Flores. In Mexico Carlos has worked professionally in different producmons and dance companies as dancer, choreographer, costume designer, set design and technical assistance. In the United States, Mr. Ramirez-Araujo has had the privilege of dancing in dance companies such as Dance Wisconsin (Nutcracker Producmon) Call for Peace Dance & Drums Company as dancer, Madison Children's Theater as Choreographer and Kanopy Dance Company as Dancer and Choreographer. Carlos also parmcipated as a guest armst in other companies such as Tania Tandias Flamenco Dance company and Madison Opera. Carlos also had the honor of working with renowned choreographers and directors such as Marmn Løfsnes Director of 360 Dance Company (Martha Graham Dance Company former principal dancer) and Amit Lahav Director of Gecko Theater company (physical theater in England)

Jose Luis had been involve in Mexican folkloric dance since elementary school. He enjoy dance and all outdoor acmvimes. Jose enjoys dancing Mexican tradimonal dances to connect with his roots and show people about my culture. “I hope I can educate, transmit & impulse to the new generamons and help them connect with their roots, through my art”

Yuriza is a junior in high school. She started dancing at the age of 3 ballet, tap jazz & She started learning Mexican tradimonal dance since 6 years old with Carlos Ramirez at DanzTrad. “My Father is from Mexico & a my Mother from Peru, so I feel proud and more connected with the Mexican culture and with my roots trough dance” 19

A Chicago namve, Ashley began his dance training at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. He studied at Columbia College Chicago's modern dance program, later becoming a second company member for Gus Giordano Dance and an apprenmce with Luna Negra Dance Theater. Ashley also auended Ballet Chicago under the tutelage of Daniel Duel and Patricia Blair. Ashley has danced with such companies as the West Indian Folk Dance Company, Momenta, Ballet Chicago, Chicago Fesmval Ballet, Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Les Ballet Grandiva, Madison Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, and San Diego Opera. Ashley is now School Director of Madison Ballet.

A California native, Shannon began her training with Orange County Regional Ballet and continued her studies at UC, Irvine earning a BFA in Dance Performance. Ms. Quirk has performed lead roles in George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Donizetti Variations, Elegié, Four Temperaments, Serenade, Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux, Who Cares?, Diana and Acteon Pas De Deux, Christopher Wheeldon’s The American, This Bitter Earth, and W. Earle Smith’s Cinderella, Dracula, and The Nutcracker.

She has had the pleasure to be a performer with Avant Chamber Ballet, Ballet Tucson, Detroit Dance City Festival, UW Madison’s Dance Department 90th Anniversary Celebration and Summer Solstice Invitational, and ICMOVEMENT Project based in Washington D.C. Shannon is a dancer as well as Ballet Master and Repetiteur for Madison Ballet.

Growing up in Washington State, Janel Meindersee began her professional dance career at Oregon Ballet Theatre, where she danced as an apprentice for one season before joining Nevada Ballet Theatre as a company artist in 2009. After dancing in Nevada for two seasons, Meindersee went on to join the Milwaukee Ballet in 2011. Under the direction of Michael Pink, Meindersee had the honor of performing classical, contemporary, and world premier works by both local and international choreographers. After 7 seasons in Milwaukee, Meindersee moved to Madison in 2018 to pursue her bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Meindersee graduated with her Bachelor of Science in 2021 and now continues her UW–Madison education as a master’s student in the School of Human Ecology. Meindersee continues to perform ballet locally, as well as explore her artistic voice through collaborations with local artists and choreographers.

Originally from Hamilton, MT, Malachi Squires trained at the Houston Ballet Academy and Marin Dance Theater. Mr. Squires’ professional credits include performing with Les Grandiva Ballets in New York City, Seoul, and a 70 city tour of Japan. This engagement also included an appearance on namonal television in the leading male roles in Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and Sleeping Beauty. Addimonally, Mr. Squires has danced for Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, Paul Sanasardo, EZ Credit Dance Theater, Lawrence Pech Dance Company, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. His guest engagements include the Chicago Civic Ballet, Hilton Head Dance Theater, Rochester Dance Company, and Marin Dance Theater. He joined Madison Ballet in 2018.

Mr. Squires’ performance experience includes Four Last Songs and West Side Stories, and An American Portrait, Day of the Gypsy by Gordon Pierce Schmidt, Brigadoon with the Goodman Theater in Chicago, RPM Producmon's La Journees de Tsiganees and An American Portrait, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago producmons of Carmen and La Clemenza di Tito. Mr. Squires choreographic career includes commissions for Mesopotamia Night Chicago, Dance in the Parks Chicago, Biueroot Dance Academy, Dance Drama Collaboramve, 12 Min. Max Dance Fesmval, and the Houston Armst of the Year Awards. As a teacher, he has been associated with Joel Hall Dance Center, Minnesota Youth Ballet, numerous Chicagoland ballet schools, and the Houston Arts in Educamon Program.