Shifting Gears 2023

Acknowledgements

The Isthmus Dance Collective would like to thank Working Draft Beer Co., Dane Arts, SASY Neighborhood Association, Ian's Pizza Garver, Jendusa Design & Engineering, and Madison Freewheel Bicycle Co. for making this event possible. IDC would also like to thank our generous private donors and all of the volunteers who worked to bring this performance to you.

If you are interested in making a financial contribution or if you are looking for volunteering opportunities, please visit our website

www.isthmusdancecollective.org/contribute

Land Acknowledgement

As members of the Isthmus Dance Collective, we recognize that we live, work, and dance on stolen Native land. We recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. We acknowledge the original inhabitants and caretakers of this land: Primarily the HoChunk, as well as the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Myaamia, Sauk, Meskwaki, Peoria, and Kiikaapoi people who were forcibly removed from the region.

“To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.”

–http://www.lspirg.org/knowtheland

You can read more about land acknowledgement and find out what land you occupy on https://native-land.ca

About the Isthmus Dance Collective

Isthmus Dance Collective (IDC) aims to provide greater access to dance opportunities on the individual, inter-organizational, and community levels in ways that are sustainable for the artists and high impact for the arts community in the Madison area and beyond. Members of IDC work cooperatively in a non-hierarchical manner to provide accessible and inclusive dance education and outreach, performances, and to promote dance dialogue in the community.

The IDC Model

The Isthmus Dance Collective is a cooperatively organized nonprofit organization. Our collective is modeled on a hybrid of several types of cooperative or collective organizational structures, primarily a consumer and a worker cooperative. IDC members contribute to the operations of the organization, monetarily and through service work.The pooling of our resources allows us to provide our member artists with better access to rehearsal space, physical training, continued education, music, insurance, and more. It also creates a space for dance artists in our community to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and push the art of dance to develop in ways that serve the betterment of ourselves, the community, and the world.

As a democratically-run collective, all of our members have an equal say and an equal vote. We are dedicated to listening and to a mindset for continually re-evaluating whether all of our members are being seen and heard. This micro-culture is an important part of our decision-making, our commitment to diversity, and our desire to collaborate.

Mondays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM

A survey of Dance Forms for kids 8+ and now also for teens (15+) and adults

Dance at a Glance

Dance at a Glance

Enroll in IDC's “Dance at a Glance” at the Madison Youth Center for the Arts and take part in a new rotating form of dance every 4 weeks: from Indigenous Mexican dance to ballet, from Flamenco to American Modern Dance to tap. The end of fourth class includes an informal showing. Get your kids moving with curiosity and self expression with the dynamic dance artists of the Isthmus Dance Collective.

More info & Free/Donation-based

Registration at isthmusdancecollective.org/outreach

DELVE

Dance Experience Laboratory for Vibrant Exchange

Open Call for Dancers and Choreographers in the Madison Area

Isthmus Dance Collective's DELVE incubator provides opportunities for dancers and choreographers to create and explore while making connections and performing.

DELVE Intensive

October 7, 10:00AM5:00PM

Location: Primerose Retreat, Verona, WI

Performances

November 3-4, 7:00PM

MYArts - Starlight Theater

November performances sponsored by The Wisconsin Arts Board and the Madison Arts Commission.

A one-day intensive where dancers and choreographers will meet and collaborate. Paired dancers and choreographers will work together to explore and develop new works that will be premiered in a November 2023 performance produced by the Isthmus Dance Collective at the Madison Youth Arts Center’s Starlight theater.

SHIFTING GEARS 2023 PROGRAM

Participating Groups

Amy Slater has lived in the Madison area since 2011. She earned her undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and her Master of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Between her degrees, she spent 8 years in Minneapolis performing, choreographing, and teaching dance. She performed with the Christopher Watson Dance Company for seven seasons as well as with several independent choreographers in the Twin Cities. Her work has been shown at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a part of the American College Dance Association’s national conference. Amy has been a guest artist at the University of Texas at El Paso, New Mexico State University, and St. Olaf College. She has also presented work in the Minnesota Fringe Festival and the Dances at the Lakes Festival in Minneapolis, MN, and with DanceWorks and Dane Arts Dance Arts in Wisconsin. Amy has been a dance educator since 2006 and currently teaches dance technique and composition at UW-Whitewater in the Theatre/Dance department.

Breakthrough Dance Company is an open-style dance company located in Madison, Wisconsin. Established in January 2015, we welcome adults of all experience levels and backgrounds, and we do not hold auditions. The company's goal is to help its members develop as dancers, grow as choreographers, and connect with the community.

Craig Rypstat and Catherine Young offer all-levels social Argentine tango classes, host milongas, mentor new DJs, organize events with visiting instructors and musicians, as well as teach at regional tango festivals. They have been teaching together for 9 years.

Raka Bandyo began study of the Classical Indian Arts as a firstgeneration child born in the USA to Indian parents. She has been dancing and performing Odissi dance since age 4. Her first teacher, Guru Sangeeta Mohapatra Kar was a student of the great Padma Vibushan Guru Kelucharun Mohapatra. Odissi dance for Raka is an extension of her heritage and practice a spiritual ritual.

While finishing her MS in Mechanical Engineering, she began teaching Odissi dance. In 2005, she moved to Madison, Wi to work full time in Healthcare IT. She started training in Aerial and Modern dance and performing with the Cycropia Aerial Dance Company. During this time, she also continued teaching Odissi in local yoga studios and performing Odissi as a soloist and choreographer, producing several works for her ensemble the Karmic Flower Dance Company.

In the last several years, she cut back her IT work hours to part-time in order to further pursue a more focused study of the Indian Sciences and Arts. In 2017, she became a Certificated Ayurvedic Practitioner and took a very special journey to India where she re-entered dance study with the Kelucharun Parampara. She continues learning and performing in that lineage today with and from a network of international dancers and artists.

She is also a student of Jyotish Vedic Astrology, Bansuri Hindustani

Flute, Sanskrit, Vedanta and other Indian Philosophies. She is currently available for consultation, teaching, choreography, and performance.

www.Karmicflower.com

Katherine Kramer is a decades long jazz tap dancer. She has received many grants and awards, including the prestigious 2018 Hoofer Award from the American Tap Dance Foundation for her lifetime commitment to the art of tap dance.

Her original work is multi-form, including tap, text, song, and live music. She is the Artistic Director of Katherine Kramer Projects and Primrose Retreat, outside of Madison, WI. She is joined for Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival by dancers, Sean Frenzel, Bridgit Bowden and Ally Figel, as well as cellist Daniel Plane and bassist Sam Olson.

“She tiptoes, skids and brushes, gently paring away at the floor, coaxing out the sounds through terrifically seasoned technique...We happily remember, thanks to Katherine Kramer, that jazz dance (which today lies in the realm of the body) and tap dance (in the feet) all used to be one, big happy family”. Albany Times Union – Constance Valis Hill www.KatherineKramerProjects.com

Lily Edgar, originally from Beaver Dam, WI, began her training at the School of Madison Ballet in 2010, after taking ballet classes at the Beaver Dam Dance Academy during her childhood. In 2017, Ms. Edgar was offered a traineeship with Madison Ballet, and joined the company the following year.

Ms. Edgar performed in Madison Ballet productions for over 10 years. As a company dancer, her favorite role has been debuting as Clara in Sara Stewart Schumann’s re-choreographed The Nutcracker in 2021. She has also enjoyed dancing as a soloist in Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations set by the Arpino foundations Kim Sagami, as well as Peter Anastos’ A Midsummers Nights Dream, W. Earle Smith's Expressions, and Mariana Olivera’s Stabat Mater. Ms. Edgar now is lead ballet instructor at Brio Studios in Pewaukee, WI, where she will be choreographing and dancing in their Nutcracker production this fall.

Liz Sexe is a dance educator, choreographer, performer, and director of Liz Sexe Dance. Sexe’s work is grounded in the belief that performance is a mode of sharing perspective through embodied experience. In 2016 Sexe self produced and performed in TWO: exploring duos where seven choreographers created works exploring the idea of duo. “Self-producing such an ambitious show might be a risky proposition, but the community-building spirit propelling this project means that Madison (WI) gets an excellent glimpse into the modern dance scene.” (Isthmus) Her choreographic work has also been featured at the World Dance Alliance Festival in Hawaii, UWMadison, Danceworks in Milwaukee, WI, and UW-Eau Claire. She has toured both regionally and nationally with Marlene Skog and Dancers and Li Chiao-Ping Dance Company.

Morris Dancing is a traditional English folk tradition that dates back at least as far as Henry VII (first written records) and probably a lot further. It is considered ritual dancing, as opposed to social dancing, as dancers do not dance as couples. Instead, we wear bells on our legs, ribbons on our arms, and wave sticks and hankies about. Although it is an ancient dance tradition, it is also a living tradition with new tunes and dances being written all the time. Morris dancing can be enjoyed by people of all ages and we sometimes have dancers from different generations of the same family.

Sadira has been performing and teaching Middle Eastern dance for over 30 years. Sadira has performed in Cairo, Egypt and throughout the U.S. She has presented work at the International World Alliance Americas General Assembly (’09), Intercontinental Dance Congress (‘08), International Dance Sampler for the U.W. Dance Program (’09), and collaborated with Kanopy Dance Company in ”Bright Nights” ( ‘07) and “Planet Dance” (’10). She has studied in Egypt with choreographer and Undersecretary of Culture Mahmoud Reda and dancer Nadia Hamdi and in Amman, Jordan with the Jafra Folkloric Company. Sadira has trained in traditional and contemporary Middle Eastern women’s dance with Magda Ibrahim and Atef Farag of the Reda Troupe and American University of Cairo Folkloric Troupe, premier Egyptian dancer Dina, Ibrahim Farah, Suhaila Salimpour, has traveled to the Middle East to study the folkloric dance styles of Morocco and Palestine and has studied the traditional dances of the Gulf States and Tunisia. Her training in Middle Eastern music includes study in Arab music theory and rhythm plus ensemble performances with UCLA ethnomusicologist Ali Jihad Racy and international performing artist, Simon Shaheen. She teaches in Madison, WI and is an ACE(American Council on Exercise) personal trainer.

Tania Tandias has studied flamenco and Spanish classical dance with top dancers in the United States and Spain, including Pablo Rodarte, Eva Enciñias-Sandoval, Rosa Montoya, Juana Amaya and numerous other Spanish artists. Ms. Tandias has performed with Alma Flamenca in Albuquerque and with Maria Benitez’s Nuevo Flamenco in Santa Fe. She has also recently choreographed and performed in pieces for the Madison Opera, Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, Milwaukee Ballet, Kanopy Dance Company, Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. In 2016, Ms. Tandias was honored to receive the “Performance/Choreography Award” from the Wisconsin Dance Council. Tania Tandias now lives in her hometown of Madison, WI where she teaches, performs and directs her company Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance.

Sarah Barnard has been making dances her whole life. She has danced professionally in Charlotte, NC since 2011 with various grassroots companies in the area and a few larger companies as well.

She has been the Artistic Director of Wingspan Dance since 2012. Wingspan Dance is made up of adult dancers in Charlotte, NC & has a sister company in Madison, WI.

Sarah has also taught dance at the studio level since 2006. Sarah moved from Charlotte in 2018. Wingspan strives to bring authentic dancing to an audience, give space for the adult dancer to thrive and a safe space to collaborate between the arts.

Swing State Aerial is a collaborative project between Mackenzie, Stephanie, Luella, and Isis, with contributions from our co-founder Karen and other aerial friends. Between us, we have 31 years of aerial experience, a dance degree, a fine arts degree, a masters in public health, massage therapy certification, dance and aerial teacher training, and a focus on creating community through aerial arts.

All Swing State Aerial instructors have trained with Nimble Arts and/ or Born to Fly Teacher Training programs, maintain first aid/CPR certification and concussion training, and our classes take place in a facility and program that participates in the American Circus Educators Safety Program

Erica Pinigis started dancing as a teen then went on to receive her BFA in Dance from the University of Minnesota. After graduating, she produced and choreographed “Ooh La Lounge: An Evening of Dance and Jazz” at the Suburban World Theater and the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. She was curated by the Red Eye Theater for her collaboration with Erinn Liebhard: Lulladreams and Insomnimares, and was an Artist in Residence at the Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Arts. Erica has performed in Madison and Minneapolis with the Kanopy Dance Company, Peel and Core Dance Company, University Dance Theater, Zenon Block E performance group, the Eclectic Edge Ensemble, and Marylee Hardenbergh’s Global Site Performance. Erica migrated to the Bay Area where she was a company member of Facing East Dance & Music, Paco Gomes & Dancers, the Natasha Carlitz Dance Ensemble, Slick Babble Dance Project, H2O Dance, and Bianca Cabrera’s Blind Tiger Society. Erica completed her MFA in performance and choreography at Mills College and was honored with the E.L Wiegand award for excellence in performance and choreography. Since returning to Madison, Erica and several colleagues founded the Isthmus Dance Collective, a non-profit cooperatively run organization that supports dance artists.

The Breckenridge School of Highland Dance teaches traditional Scottish Highland dancing to students of all ages, from four years old onwards! Under the direction of Sarah Breckenridge, we offer opportunities to perform, compete and take exams internationally (online!) Highland dancing is a solo dance form characterized by graceful extensions and powerful leaps, where males and females perform and compete together and equally. You can learn more at https://www.facebook.com/tartandance

M.A.T.H. stands for Medrano, Armacanqui, Tristan, Hildner - our family names representing the Black, Indigenous, and mixed musical, dance, and poetic legacies in our shared cultural histories which our generation has been carrying forward with care, dignity, dedication, & pride. The performing arts in Afro-Peruvian, Andean, and other global traditions are often understood and practiced as vessels of wisdom and metaphysical power encapsulated in our diverse art forms’ mathematical rhythm patterns, folklore storytelling, kinesthetic and echoic memories, and more. The roots and rhythms, movements and melodies in the Armacanqui and Medrano families reach very deep from our great-grandfather Teófilo Armacanqui, who was the music composer for the village of Laramarca in the Andes to our uncle, the famous Cotito Medrano, an internationally-acclaimed Maestro of the cajón. We hope to continue practicing and sharing our art as a source of joy and wisdom for communities around the world for many generations to come.

Our motivation for sharing our family legacy with the audience in Madison is to emphasize that in our cultures and histories of Latin America, the genius and work of the artist has been valued as an essential part of society as a recognition of artists as the guardians, protectors, and propagators of what we call "culture". Our mission is to keep our culture and traditions alive and create a healthy cultural space for the young generation of Latin@x and BIPOC growing up in the USA.

Name of the members of the group:

-Natalia Hildner Armacanqui

-Richard Hildner Armacanqui

-Francis Medrano Tristan

-Guisella Y Medrano Tristan

DanzTrad "Traditional Mexican Dance" is a young group created in September of 2013 with the idea of creating a workshop so that all type of people interested in the Mexican folkloric dance could have access. DanzTrad also intends to show and promote culture and art to younger generations. The group began as a workshop, but little by little DanzTrad began to work more thoroughly on different techniques and forms of zapateado and in the history behind the Mexican dance. DanzTrad has had the honor of being invited to major events in the city of Madison as the international festival at the Overture Center for the Arts. DanzTrad has participated in a variety of Madison community events including "Hispanic Fair" "Art Fair on the square" among others. DanzTrad has also been working in collaboration with the Madison School District, UW Art Department and other educational events such as "Day of the Dead" at Edgewood College. The members of the group are a great mix of ages and occupations. Each member takes pains and demonstrates their passion and dedication towards the learning of the culture and the Mexican history through the dance.

KLJ Movement is a dance company that provides professional development through performance opportunities and technique classes. Aspiring dancers and movement artists will be empowered by the contributions of black and brown dancers throughout history.

Founder & Executive Director Kyra Johnson has 16 years of dance experience. Ms. Johnson has earned a BA in Dance and a BS in Psychology from University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (UWSP). She has a foundation in styles of modern, jazz, and ballet. Ms. Johnson has 6 years of organizational leadership experience, as well as, 6 years of dance instructing experience. Outside of dance, Ms. Johnson is a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater in pursue of her Masters of Education Degree. Ms. Johnson founded KLJ Movement December 7th, of 2020 in hopes to generate a company with representation, history, and a greater sense of belonging offered to the community.

Studio Dansu is dedicated to educating and encouraging students to become knowledgeable, passionate, thinking artists.

With the goal of inspiring, nurturing, and sustaining a love of dance and theatre arts in all our students, Studio Dansu provides a comprehensive performing arts education to train the next generation of performers.

Students will develop their technique, artistry, and creativity...learn the skills of self-discipline, teamwork, and confidence...and aspire to local performance opportunities, college performing arts programs, and professional careers.

Owner & Artistic Director Jayme has been sharing her love for the performing arts with students for over 20 years. She has a Bachelor of the Arts Degree from UW-Eau Claire in Theatre Arts, Dance, and Music. During this time, she focused on arts management and continuing her dance studies. She also has a Bachelor of Science Degree from UW-Madison in Dance Theory where she concentrated on dance history and theory while continuing her technical discipline. Jayme founded Studio Dansu to bring a performing arts studio with singing, dancing and acting to the Madison area where she grew up.

MCCA, or the Madison Chinese Culture Association, dedicated itself to find enjoyable ways for the Madison community to learn more about Chinese Culture. The members of the MCCA are proud to share Chinese folklore through a variety of activities involving the ancient art of dance, music, and costumes.

Since September of 2018, The Capitol Social has functioned as Madison’s first monthly Latin dance studio social. What’s a “studio social”? In the Latin dance context, a social is quite simply a dance party where the focus is entirely on great music, making new friends, exploring the joy that dance brings, and doing so in an environment that is welcoming to all backgrounds and skill levels. While we provide these elements at all our events, socials stand out because they almost exclusively happen at dance studios, banquet halls, ballrooms, and other venues that aren’t restaurants, nightclubs, or bars.

Essentially, socials are safe and enjoyable spaces “for dancers, by dancers.” Considerations such as having enough room and optimal floor surfaces to dance, danceable music (manageable tempos and very little to no mixing between songs), and dance partners that legitimately participate for the love of dance are the foundations of a good social. The Capitol Social has this, with added attractions like complimentary pre-dance lessons; guest DJs and professional dancers (local and international talent); dance showcases; affordability and access for all; quality event photography, and much more!

To this day, we still strive to keep diversity in the rotation of DJs, guest instructors, themes, showcases, and other special attractions.

Staff and Volunteers

Erica Pinigis Wirth Court member rep / announcements

Alyssa Jendusa Wirth Court member rep / setup

Mackenzie Dunn Wirth Court

Bonnie Saari Wirth Court info table / set up

Aubry Dalley Wirth Court member rep / announcements

Caitlyn Lamdin Wirth Court member rep / announcements

Emily Shelton Wirth Court info table / set up

Rachel Imsland Wirth Court community volunteer - set up Bike decorating sound

Jess Kent-Johnson Wirth Court community volunteer - set up Bike decorating sound

Amy Slater Brittingham member rep / announcements

Rachelle Fochs Brittingham member rep / announcements

Juan Carlos set up/ member rep / announcements

Carlos Ramirez McPike set up, member rep, announcements

Tania Tandias McPike set up, member rep, announcements

Raka Bandyo McPike set up, member rep, announcements

Natalia Armacanqui McPike set up, member rep, announcements

Liz Sexe McPike

Maribel McPike

Shannon Quirk Timekeeper Timekeeper Rep

Paolo Desiati Runner Timekeeper Shuttle

Jim Vannes All Videography