FIVE COLLEGE DANCE DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER 2013–2014

JIM COLEMAN

Editor: Jim Coleman (FCDD Chair) Contributor: Joanna Faraby Walker (FCDD) Wonderland: The GALLIM Project Design: New Ground Creative

xcerpts from Andrea Miller’s wild, ferocious Won- derland were restaged with a cast of twelve Five College dancers in January. The piece was Epresented on the FCDD Faculty Concert in March. At the beginning of each long day of rehearsal, College PAID Hampshire U.S. Postage U.S.

Nonprofit Org Nonprofit Caroline Fermin (lead dancer with Gallim and stager for Wonderland) coaxed the dancers to begin moving slowly, from “sensation,” savoring the “pleasure” in their moving. Later, amidst the technically grueling demands of the rehearsal, she would again coax them to JIM COLEMAN JIM find the pleasure, even in their most intense exhaustion. All phases of this project, from the imagistic, Gaga-like beyond the studio—many wrote about it as being warm-ups, to the dramatic intensities and physical life-changing. Artistic Director and Gallim founder extremes of the final performances, demanded an Andrea Miller visited at the end of the performance run engagement unlike anything the dancers had previously to teach a final master class. She told the dancers, “ I work at experienced. As Tommy Seibold remarked, ”Wonderland maintaining a very innovative approach to movement, was challenging mentally, physically, and spiritually all a value set on human expression. You see the whole at the same time. ” The impact of this process went far person—spirit, humor and vulnerability.” n

“I’m trying to make people think and feel strongly . . . I have to find something that frightens me, some process that terrifies me a little and motivates me to feel like I’m trying something new.” —Andrea Miller

(413) 559-6622 893 West 893 West Street Amherst, MA 01002 MA Amherst, www.fivecolleges.edu/dance Five College Dance Department Dance College Five Dance Building, Hampshire College Hampshire Building, Dance YI YI WU CHUN COLEMAN JIM Top: FCDD dancers in Wonderland. Center: Wonderland rehearsal. Bottom Left: Caroline Fermin of Gallim Dance. Bottom Right: FCDD dancers in Wonderland. 1 a canary torsi. Court/Garden FCDD features installation/lighting SIDRA BELL CREATES at the bazaar PERFORMING AUTHENTICITY AND THE LABOR OF DANCE design by Kathy Couch (AC STUDENT ’95). The company returns to AND ALUM MANCC in June to continue Award-winning NYC choreographer Sidra Bell created a new ensemble work, at the Susan Leigh Foster, choreographer and renowned dance scholar, presented this year’s FCDD Fall Lecture/Performance, “Performing Authenticity and the developing the piece. NEWS bazaar, on FCDD student dancers during multiple residencies this past fall. Sidra’s Labor of Dance” to a packed house of Five College students. She interrogated the body presented in performances of competition dance on television shows Laura (Simeral) Chevalier rehearsal process was remarkable for its transformation of the studio environment such as So You Think You Can Dance, looking specifically at how dance serves in these spectacles as guarantor of authenticity and of a rigid set of gendered Christiana Axelsen (UM ’03) is the fitness direc- (MHC ’03) is a freelance into a charged laboratory for experimentation. Seated at the edge of the space, identities. Invoking neo-Marxist theories of affective labor, she showed how dancers on these programs enact a cycle of alienation and hyper-devotion tor at Canyon Ranch in the performer/choreographer oracle-like, she verbally guided the dancers through long improvisational jour- to the practice of dance, one that replicates the endless drive to consume that marks our contemporary moment. By looking closely at the expressions of Berkshires, and works with Kristen Duffy Young (UM living in Brooklyn. Last sum- neys—stream-of-consciousness style—exploring philosophical conundrums, poetic surprise, gratitude, and praise for others that the dancers must perform, she also considered how the competition’s protocols re-produce the lack of distinc- mer, she began dancing ‘99) in Accumulation Dance. images, specific dance phrases repeated again and again, personal movement rituals, tion between motivated and unmotivated relationships that is pervasive in our culture. Susan Leigh Foster is Distinguished Professor in the Department with Molissa Fenley and Olivia Chin (MHC ’13) performed in her recon- unexpected disruptions (“Catch this” while throwing a shoe into the action), and of World Arts and Cultures/Dance at UCLA, and author of numerous books, including Reading Dancing: Bodies and Subjects in Contemporary American works as a teacher at the struction of Energizer (1980) throughout this, lots of exhausting, viscerally-charged dancing. From all of this, Dance and Choreographing Empathy: Kinesthesia in Performance. n Encore Performing Arts at New York Live Arts. This she carefully assembled a final choreography, challenging the dancers to be pres- Center where she teaches spring, she performed with hip hop, contemporary, Beth Gill and Michou Szabo, ent and perform as one living entity, enlivened by a keen sense of collective jazz, cheer, and baby ballet. and was recently hired attention. The process was at once exhausting, confounding and enlightening. n She also co-directs the to be the Development FOOD FOR THOUGHT Encore Dance Company. Associate for John Jasperse projects. “Men and women confronting change are Ariel Cohen (SC MFA ‘07) never fully prepared for the demands of the is a contemporary dancer Rachel Aylward (UM ’13) moment, but they are strengthened to meet in Europe. This summer lives in NYC and appears on uncertainty if they can claim a history of she’s taking a rest to enjoy Veria Living TV. She answers improvisation.” true love while explor- health and wellness ques- ing British Columbia and — Mary Catherine Bateson, tions from viewers on air. learning how to rock climb. cultural anthropologist Erica Berman (MHC ‘05) In January 2015 she starts moved to Wisconsin where an 18-month job dancing she is the Director of Educa- in a circus piece based on

tion & Community Engage- BELL SIDRA OF COURTESY Fellini’s La Strada, which ment for the Children’s will tour throughout Theater of Madison. Erica Switzerland and Germany. has choreographed many “Sidra Bell is more than a choreographer; Ariel was featured in the musical theater produc- December 2013 issue of tions for youth. she is a philosopher who thinks deeply Dance Magazine.

Rebeccah Bogue (SC ‘08) about life and art.” —Coal Hill Review Marylloyd Claytor (MHC has choreographed, ’74) produces a series called directed, publicized, raised Claytor Studio and Gallery, funds for, and presented “Bell has a lot working in her favor: which airs weekly on pctv21.org. She produces nine shows in NYC since powerful, daredevil and an almost 2010, and is working on her fitness and interdisciplinary tenth production. garish imagination capable of dreaming art programming, including her original modern dance Nicole Bindler (HC ’99) up surreal scenarios . . .” —New York Times choreography and costum- received certifications in FACULTY AWARDS ing, fiber art and vintage

Embodied Anatomy Yoga FOWLES DEREK fashion. and Embodied Develop- Above: Olivia Fauver (SC ‘14) and cast in at the bazaar. Top Right: Sidra Bell Sherrerd Award for Outstanding Teaching mental Movement and Kathy Couch (AC ‘95) has Yoga from the School for Dance Professor and Department Chair Rodger Blum received the prestigious Sherrerd Award been busy working on Body-Mind Centering. She for Outstanding Teaching at Smith College. Each year, Smith students, faculty and alumnae lighting designs for several productions. One of these, also taught anatomy for submit nominations for the Sherrerd teaching prize, which recognizes the distinguished a yoga teacher training KATHLEEN HERMESDORF IN RESIDENCE The People To Come, choreo- program for Palestinians teaching records and demonstrated enthusiasm and excellence of Smith faculty members. graphed by Yanira Castro and Israelis in Palestine. It has become a symbol of the value, commitment and dedication Smith places on superior (AC ‘94) was nominated for a 2013 Bessie Award for Kim Brandt (HC ’01) San Francisco-based choreographer Kathleen Hermesdorf was in residence at Smith pedagogy. Outstanding Production. presented new work as College in the fall, teaching and creating a new piece, Ouroboros10, with a cast of Bridget Cronin (UM ’13) part of CPR’s 2013 Spring FCDD dancers. Kathleen is a prominent and influential member of dance communities Lifetime Achievement Award from NDEO Season, and performed lives in NYC and dances her work Today at JACK in the United States and Europe. She is known for her masterful and inspiring teaching, Peggy Schwartz, Professor and Director Emerita of the University Dance Program, “in with Reject Dance Theater. in Brooklyn in November. which FCDD students experienced in several master classes during her residency. Ou- recognition of Outstanding Leadership, Advocacy, and Achievement in Dance and Dance Lauren Curry (MHC ’07) She also showed new work roboros10 was set to music by Kathleen’s long-time collaborator, Albert Mathais. Smith Education” was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the National is a ballet/contemporary at Movement Research at College faculty member Angie Hauser has collaborated with Hermesdorf on many Dance Education Organization last September. instructor and production Judson Church in February manager at Midland Fes- with artists including projects, including two with the Bebe Miller Company. Angie worked with Hermesdorf tival Ballet. She continues Addys Gonzalez (HC ’05). and the group as rehearsal director for the piece. Ouroboros10 was performed at the Grant from National Endowment for the Humanities to choreograph and has Becky (Engler-Hicks) Brit- Smith College Faculty Concert in November. n CERVANTES JULIETA Lester Tomé, Assistant Professor of Dance At Smith College received a $50,400 grant from the twice presented work at the

JUDITH ROBERGE/SMITH COLLEGE ROBERGE/SMITH JUDITH Regional Dance America/ tain (MHC ’70) has worked National Endowment for the Humanities to support work on his new book on the history as a dance-movement Rodger Blum Southwest Region Festival. therapist in St. Louis for and globalization of post-revolution Cuban ballet. He spent the year conducting research as a She recently completed a over 30 years, and credits resident scholar at Harvard’s David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. pointe piece to Bobby Darin her experience as a student songs. advisor to the formation of Choreography Fellowship from MCC Milena Dabova (AC ’05) the FCDD with setting her continues to work and on her life path. She also Paul Matteson, Assistant Professor of Dance at Amherst and Mount Holyoke Colleges, perform with Double Edge has a private practice as a received a $10,000 Choreography Fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. n Theatre touring throughout mothering coach. the US and in Europe. She’ll Mora Cantlin (MHC ‘05) be featured in the 2014 works in Audience Engage- Indoor/Outdoor Summer ment and Marketing at the Spectacle Shahrazad. Hopkins Center for the Arts Eva Dean (HC ‘82) Eva Dean at Dartmouth College, and Dance made a special guest is pursuing a M.Ed. in Health appearance at the Tord Promotion. Gustavsen Quartet’s Nichole Canuso (HC ’95) performance at St. Peter’s toured around the country Church in February. Eva performing her solo work Dean Dance company Midway Avenue, including member Jessy Smith performing at FringeArts performed Poise set to Tord in May. Gustavsen’s Token of Tango. Peggy Schwartz Yanira Castro (AC ‘94) Brendan Drake (UM ‘09) returned to the Maggie showed Mapping at The Allesee National Center for “You can’t suppress yourself . . . you have Current Sessions Volume IV, Issue I at the Wild Project Choreography (MANCC) for to reveal yourself” the first of two residencies Theater in the East Village. to develop Court/Garden, a dance for her company, —Kathleen Hermesdorf

Continued on page 3 FOWLES DEREK Continued on page 4 Above: Ouroboros10 by Kathleen Hermesdorf. Top Right: Kathleen Hermesdorf

Paul Matteson Lester Tomé OSHUA SUGIYAMA OSHUA RADIN JOSHI 2 • FIVE COLLEGE DANCE DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER 3 Brittany Dunn (UM ‘07) Emily Jawadekar (MHC dances in Jubilee at Bally’s ’10) lives in Northampton Las Vegas. COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY CROSSOVERS LUCY GUERIN IN RESIDENCE AT where she teaches dance and piano lessons to chil- Martha Eddy (HC ’79) THE FCDD dren and yoga to seniors. co-founded and directs She does salsa, belly dance, Moving for Life, a dance- and contra dance for fun. based exercise program “Generally I always go in with an idea, but I find that the real content She also writes music, and for cancer recovery. recently choreographed a comes out of the day to day process of working with the performers.” Jess Edkins (MHC ’07) music video for her latest recently completed her —Lucy Guerin song, which you can catch Master’s degree in Perform- on local TV. ing Arts Administration Jane Jerardi (HC ’93) at NYU and works as the Internationally-renowned Austra- presented a piece in the Creative Producer at SUPERNOVA Performance Performance Space 122 lian choreographer Lucy Guerin Art Festival in Rosslyn, VA. in the East Village. was in residence at Amherst College The work leads listeners Emma Elizalde (MHC ’11) and the FCDD for the last week of through a meditation on distance and memory via has moved back to MA and October. Lucy screened and dis- has a new Ed.M. degree a short audio walk that from the Harvard Graduate cussed excerpts from her recent viewers can access via School of Education, where dance, Structure and Sadness, and their cellphones. she was in the Mind, Brain, also spoke about her music and Julie Klein (MHC ’02) is in and Education Program. visual arts collaborations. Company her eighth year of teaching at Middle School 51 in Olana Flynn (HC ’13) and LOHR HEIDRUN members taught master classes on Katie Aylward (UM ’13) Weather by Lucy Guerin Park Slope, Brooklyn. She received a grant from the several campuses and the residency directs two student dance Northampton Arts Council culminated with an intimate, physically charged studio performance of the company’s companies that regularly perform, including at NYU to create Workbench, a newest work Weather. monthly series designed and in area schools. She TOBY BURROWS TOBY to provide local choreogra- continues to perform, and Lucy Guerin phers a venue to perform danced in the NYU Masters and discuss their works in Concert this spring. She JIM COLEMAN JIM also keeps busy raising her progress. Students from Amherst Regional HS and UMass at Starburst daughter Sanai. Mollie Fredricksen (MHC he FCDD dance MASTER CLASSES WITH MAJOR ARTISTS ‘13) is starting a physical Terri Kruzan (MHC ’75) therapy program at the education and Fresh from their brilliant performances at the UMass Fine Arts Center, Arturo Fernandez and moved to Minneapolis after MGH Institute of Health community Caroline Rocher, leading dancers with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, taught two advanced graduation and co-founded the improvisational dance Professions in Boston, a top- outreach initia- ballet technique master classes for the FCDD community. Alonzo King LINES Ballet is a cel- ranked graduate school for company Contactworks. nursing and rehabilitation Ttives this year included a ebrated contemporary ballet company that has been guided since 1982 by the unique ar- They toured the Midwest sciences. very successful January tistic vision of Alonzo King. Collaborating with noted composers, musicians, and visual art- and were successful enough to provide a salary Kyla Ferguson (HC ’09) tour by University Dancers ists from around the world, Alonzo King creates works that draw on a diverse set of deeply for the four company mem- has enrolled in the Smith to area K-12 schools, a rooted cultural traditions, imbuing classical ballet with new expressive potential. bers. Terri also started a College graduate program series of touring lecture dance therapy program for in Social Work. drug rehab centers, which demonstrations developed Internationally-renowned Parsons Dance, under the artistic direction of served as another source of Lily Gold (HC ’04) revenue. She learned to be by Marilyn Sylla’s spring ZHOU SUK-LIN David Parsons—“one of the great movers of modern dance” (Jennifer Dunning/ presented new work at course, Dance in the Rebecca M. Johnson School students at Starburst NYTimes)—was in residence in the FCDD in November. The company offered classes entrepreneurial to support Arts@Renaissance in what she wanted to do, Brooklyn, NY in June. Community (see video highlights at the FCDD website), and a number of new courses in contemporary technique and a workshop on nutritional balance and wellness for and this entrepreneurial SUK-LIN ZHOU SUK-LIN drive has served her well Stacey Goodrich (MHC Students from Rebecca M. Johnson School and MHC at Starburst and outreach projects developed by Jodi Falk, the FCDD’s Coordinator of Community dancers led by company member, Christina Ilisije. ’80) is a licensed mental Outreach and Dance in Education. throughout her career. Terri earned an MBA from Emory health counselor who uses In October, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.in.Motion taught two master classes as part dance therapy and other University in 1985, and has body-based modalities in Jodi’s fall Community Crossovers class at HC worked with seniors at The Arbors in of the company’s performance residence: an advanced modern technique class, and worked as an organization- her practice. Amherst and with youth from the First Generation artistic ensemble in Springfield. They Dance as Identity, taught by Kyle Abraham himself. This unique workshop allowed al culture change expert for the last twenty years. To Jillian Grunnah (SC MFA also completed a four-week residency with the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps, students to explore issues of gender and sexuality through dialogue and guided movement keep her body whole, she ‘09) directs the dance GREENFIELD LOIS practices Feldenkrais. whose residential treatment program helps at-risk young women ages 13–18. Jodi’s UMass experiments. Kyle Abraham was honored this year with a prestigious MacArthur Fellow- Parsons Dance’s Remember Me program at the Noble class, Teach to Your Passion, focused on addressing social issues through performance ship; the award citation describes Abraham as, “a choreographer and dancer probing the and Greenough School Brittni Laquidara (UM ’13) in Dedham, MA. She is and teaching, and included developing a lecture-demonstration on bullying for Dean relationship between identity and personal history through a unique hybrid of traditional dances with Fusionworks also the artistic director of Technical High School in Holyoke, and creating a step dance in partnership with a Holyoke and vernacular dance styles that speaks to a new generation of dancers and audiences.” n Dance Company in Rhode Island. SPUNKandCOmpany Dance dance studio about diversity, respect and coming together through movement. where she works closely Audrey LaVallee (UM with Andria LaRocco (UM ‘04) recently received her ‘10) and Audrey LaVallee One major project of Jodi’s course at Mount Holyoke College, The Power of Dance:

SUK-LIN ZHOU SUK-LIN certification as a Dance (UM) to create theatrical Rebecca M. Johnson School student with Jodi Falk at Starburst Education and Beyond, was organizing and executing Starburst, an intergenerational Movement Therapist, contemporary dance in campus and community dance event. Area schools were invited to dance courses at AC, and has been dancing Cambridge. with other FCDD alums HC, MHC and UM. Schools included: the Rebecca M. Johnson Visual and Performing Arts Jeff Gugliotti(UM ’13) in SPUNKandCOmpany dances with ELSCO Dance, Elementary School from Springfield; the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School from in the Boston area. led by artistic director Holyoke; the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School from South Hadley; K. Louise Layman (MHC Ellenore Scott, and teaches Amherst Regional High School; and Stoneleigh-Burnham School from Greenfield. Each ’09) lives in NYC, and is at Broadway Dance Center. school brought 10–14 students to one of the four campuses to join a college class and working on an excerpt of the new duet by fellow Zoe Henrot (MHC ‘12) is collectively create short dances that were performed and shared via Skype. This event was interim artistic director and alum Alexis Zaccarello company dancer with Saint a big success, and plans are underway to host another Starburst next year. n (MHC) which will be pre- Paul City Ballet. sented at Center for Perfor- mance Research next fall. CJ Holm (HC ’04) premiered Rare Birds, an evening-length Lona Lee (SC MFA ’09) duet with Krista Jansen in resides in Phoenix, and February at FLICfest, a unique works as the Associate festival for long-form work, Director of Admission at All now in its fourth year at the Saints’ Episcopal Day School where she leads efforts in gorgeous Irondale Center in COLEMAN JIM multicultural education and Brooklyn. Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School students at Starburst inclusion. She is trained in Jeff Janisheski(AC ‘90) Bikram Yoga, and performs is the Head of Acting at FOUNDATION MACARTHUR THE OF COURTESY solo dance work in collab- Kyle Abraham Australia’s National Institute FOOD FOR THOUGHT orative community festivals of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). with a focus on narratives He returned to Amherst “Artists are people who are subject to irrational and spoken word. She is College in November to lead convictions of the sacred. Baudelaire said that an artist is FOOD FOR THOUGHT married to Erin Kearney workshops for students. a child who has acquired adult capacities and discipline. and together they care for a Art education should help build those capacities and that “The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” grumpy old dog. discipline without messing over the child.” Continued on page 5 — Francis Bacon, artist Continued on page 6 JIM COLEMAN JIM

— Peter Schjeldahl, art critic MUNA RJ Billbob Brown and FCDD dancers leading kids during the UD Tour Michael Montgomery in Alonzo King’s Resin

4 • FIVE COLLEGE DANCE DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER 5 Justine Lemos (HC ‘99), Michelle Maroquin (HC ‘93) and Akshaya Tucker FCDD DANCERS PERFORM AT THE KENNEDY CENTER performed in Guru Ranja- naa Devi’s Nataraj Dancers in a concert of classical Indian dance highlighting Odissi and Mohini Attam dance at MHC in February.

Gina Leung (MHC ’12) completed the Laban program in London in July and is now freelancing in the city. She performed in several public dance events in Trafalgar Square last fall, and is working with Dam Van Huynh for Dance United. She is also training to become a Pilates teacher.

Karin Linden (UM ’12) is

earning a Masters degree FOWLES DEREK in Expressive Therapies: Chris Aiken and Angie Hauser Dance/Movement Therapy with a Specialization in Mental Health Counseling at Lesley University. author David Rottenberg for Tom Vacanti seven-week tour of teaching,

Bethany Louisos (UM ’09) COLEMAN JIM choreography for Gwendolyn (Assistant Professor, UMass) performances, and confer- has worked with Maine- Top: Before/After by Jennifer Hart. Bottom Left: Ailey Picasso. Bottom Right: How Did I Get Here? by Chris Aiken. Goes to Hollywood. had a busy year creating and ences in June and July. He based modern dance presenting his choreography also performed in an eve- companies Women’s Works, Paul Matteson nationally and internation- ning-length work with Chris Collective Motion, and Bell

JOHN SOLEM JOHN (Assistant Professor, Am- and Buoy Physical Theater, FCDD campuses represented two of in the spring. Jennifer Hart came back in late May to rehearse ally. Festival Ballet Providence Aiken and Angie Hauser at Tom Vacanti herst and Mount Holyoke and was a recent guest commissioned Tom to cho- Smith College in February, in three colleges invited from the New with the dancers for a few days to make sure the piece was at Colleges) collaborated on artist with the Portland reograph his ballet Enroule- collaboration with landscape new dances this year with Symphony Orchestra. England Conference to perform at the its best for the Kennedy Center performance. ment for the company’s designer Anne Whiston Spirn. colleague Wendy Woodson, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. this contemporary ballet, set to Accademia Teatro alla award winning contempo- mikevargas.net Meredith Lyons (SC MFA Amherst College Music June as part of the American College Hampshire College’s contribution to the Kennedy Center music by François Couperin. Scala Dance Department. The rary dance series “Up Close ’08) is a dual-city artist, Professor Eric Sawyer, and Wendy Woodson performing and creating FCDD In May, Rodger was honored young dancers, headed by on Hope” in March. Addition- Dance Festival (ACDFA) National Festi- performance was undigested logic, a solo choreographed and longtime dancing partner (Professor, Amherst College) in both Philadelphia and to be awarded the Sherrerd Frédéric Olivieri, performed ally, he presented Enroule- val. Hampshire College and UMass Am- performed by senior Ailey Picasso. This dance explores the FACULTY, Jennifer Nugent. He helped completed a new dance film, Portland, ME. She serves Prize for Distinguished Teach- the work at the prestigious ment at the CORPS de Ballet herst both had dances that were chosen development of Picasso’s personal movement vocabulary create new dances with Wayfarer, a collaboration as Admissions Director of STAFF & ing at Smith College. La Scala Theatre alongside International Conference in Bates Dance Festival and students Joshua Wren, with Israeli choreographer for the National Festival. Smith College within themes of introspection and conversation between fellow dancers of the ballet Paris, France in June. In July, guest teaches at Colby MUSICIANS Billbob Brown Molly McBride, and Madison Idan Cohen and dancer Noa was invited to bring faculty member self and environment. The work premiered at ACDFA’s New schools of the Paris Opera Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Bates Colleges. Since (Department Director, Palffy. This summer, he will Shiloh, which premiered at Chris Aiken’s dance How Did I Get Here?, England Regional Conference in Boston in February, and NEWS and Bolshoi Theatre. invited Tom and his company, graduating, she has taught UMass) was elected chair rehearse intensively with the Wisteriahurst Museum in and presented her own Vacanti Ballets, to perform but had to turn down the honor. was also performed in Picasso’s thesis concert in April. of the Massachusetts Rose and Charles Flachs Sara Hook on an evening April. She also created several choreography both nation- Chris Aiken and Angie Hauser in their Inside/Out dance undigested logic deftly weaves structured improvisation with Dance Festival this year. He (Professors, Mount Holyoke length duet, Bored House new dance works, most re- ally and internationally. (Assistant Professors, series; the program included: In total, nine FCDD dancers performed set phrase work, adding to the challenge and uniqueness continues to serve as a board College) attended the 2013 Guests, with live music by cently Companion Piece with Smith College) performed Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal Korinna MacNeill (MHC member of the American CORPS de Ballet International at the Kennedy Center. UMass Am- of each performance. Ailey said, “I’m looking forward to the in Mazatlan, Mexico with Nice Didkovsky (Doc- Paul Matteson and Jennifer ’13) moved to Florida where and two of his earlier works, College Dance Association. Conference in Paris last sum- tor Nerve). The duet will Nugent. Wendy spent the she teaches beginning bal- herst’s contribution to the concert, with experience of performing it again and seeing what it becomes Delfos Dance Company, and Proverb and Ruhe. This year he performed in mer, touring the Paris Opera, premiere at The West End spring semester helping let, creative movement, and n at Movement Research’s support from the FCDD, was the new at the Kennedy Center.” Coyote Tales with the Sorvino meeting Artistic Director Bri- tap at the Legacy School of Judson Memorial Church Theater in New York City in Mike Vargas to produce the first Arts at ballet Before/After choreographed by Dance Project, and with his gitte Lefèvre, and participat- Performing Arts in Quincy. Series in New York City. Chris October of 2014. Also this (Lecturer, Smith College) Amherst Fringe Festival. In own company, Chaos Theory ing in Alexandre Münz de la guest artist Jennifer Hart, featuring an taught and performed solos summer, he will guest teach taught and performed with June, Wendy was an artist Michelle Marroquin (SC Dance, at numerous dance Caffinière’s SAFE™ Workshop JIM COLEMAN JIM all-female cast of eight. and perform at The Ameri- Nancy Stark Smith at the in residence at the Siena Art MFA ‘10) continues to at the Open Look Interna- festivals, in a body of science- on pedagogical innova- can Dance Festival and The iDance Festival in Taipei in Institute in Italy working on a teach and choreograph for tional Dance Festival in St. based work entitled Kinesio- tions in teaching ballet. The Springfield College dancers. Before/After was originally performed on UMass Amherst’s University Dancers concert Petersburg, Russia and the Bates Dance Festival. December, in two projects at new full-length multi media Logic. He also toured this past Flachs recalled their ties to She also makes her own Seattle Festival of Dance and the 92nd Street Y in New York work, Dora, which will pre- in December. FCDD adjunct faculty member Jen Polins served as rehearsal director year with cellist Kristen Miller Cincinnati, returning for the Rebecca Nordstrom work, which is presented at Improvisation. Chris also in March and May (including miere in 2015 in Australia. local venues and festivals. in the fall, with the guidance of Paul Dennis. Tom Vacanti served as rehearsal director and Meg Van Dyck (SC ’95) Company’s 50th Anniversary (Professor, Hampshire Col- created and performed a dancers from the US, Canada, lege) continues as a board Next year, Michelle will be in Cello Theory Dance, and Celebration in March. David Finland and Singapore), and DEREK FOLES DEREK new evening-length work training to become a member of Motus Huma- helped reconstruct several Lyman quotes both Rose completed a five-project, Physical Therapy Assistant. entitled Poetic Instincts with dances by the late Marion and Charles in his new book, nus, a professional organiza- Joerg Hassman in Marseille Kirk Jones in Massachusetts Cincinnati Ballet Celebrates tion for Laban Movement Rene Martin (UM ’95) and Berlin. Chris, Angie and works as a rehearsal assis- and in Arizona. He is working Fifty, about their work with Analysts, and participated Mike Vargas created and per- tant in conjunction with the on a new book about teach- artistic directors David in an advanced seminar THE FCDD WELCOMES formed a new collaboration, Celebrity Series of Boston ing dance to men. McClain and Ivan Nagy. In sponsored by MH in Estes and Sylvain Émard Danse. Threshold in February 2014. addition, dance critic Janet Park, CO last summer. She is LESLIE FRYE MAIETTA Inspired by the photographs Jim Coleman Kaitlin McCarthy (MHC Light interviewed Charles looking forward to her last and writings of landscape ar- (FCDD Chair and Professor, ‘09) is performing, making Flachs for her new book, semester of teaching next A dynamic performer, educator and dance maker who will join the UMass faculty for chitect Anne Whiston Sprin, Mount Holyoke College) dances and writing in CCM (Cincinnati University fall when she will offer a a one-year appointment beginning next fall, Leslie holds a BFA from the Conserva- the piece was presented in created and screened a new Seattle. She has performed Conservatory of Music) Dance new version of her somatics with over a dozen local partnership with the Smith dance for camera work, Leav- tory of Dance at The University of the Arts, and recently completed her MFA in Dance at 50: 1964-2014. Charles course, “The Sustainable College Museum Art. artists as well as choreo- at Hollins University | The American Dance Festival. Last fall, her work was featured in ing the Cape Station, directed Self: Resources in Body graphing her own work, was one of the first master’s dance installations for the and Mind.” including her self-produced New York City in Jennifer Muller’s HATCH series and in July she performed her new Rodger Blum degree recipients in dance Lorna Bieber and El Anatsui show Hot Mess. A staff solo re- | Dream With Me in the Gala Concert of the Southern Vermont Dance Festival. (Professor and Department at the Conservatory. Closer exhibits at the MHC Art writer for the blog Seattle Chair, Smith College) spent to home, the Flachs coached Leslie has performed the work of Adele Myers, Mary Cochran, Mia Michaels, George Museum, created a new solo Dances, Kaitlin has several weeks last summer at students from their school, Faison, and many others, and was a company member with both Full Force Dance that included 4 video moni- published over 30 articles. the Arts Retreat in rural Ohio. the Massachusetts Academy Theatre and Scapegoat Garden in Hartford, CT. She has held faculty positions at The tors, talk to me, and served as Donna Mejia (SC MFA ’12) is He returned to continue his of Ballet, for the Connecticut project and rehearsal director Assistant Professor of Theatre Greater Hartford Academy of Performing Arts and The University of Hartford, Hartt collaboration with artists Classic Ballet Competition for the FCDD Gallim Project: and Dance at the University School Community Division. n from the Pilobolus Dance where one student won a Wonderland (excerpts). of Colorado, Boulder. She’ll be Theatre, creating a new bronze medal and several on leave during spring 2015 dual-track video installation Paul Dennis were offered scholarships to complete a collection of for the Smith College Faculty to attend the Joffrey and essays analyzing emerging (Assistant Professor, UMass) dance forms in the transna- Dance Concert in Novem- was in residence in Milan, Nutmeg Ballet summer tional fusion genre, and will ber. A Single Secret Word is a Italy during the month of programs. Their Academy return to assume directorship FOOD FOR THOUGHT half-hour video inspired by February 2014 re-staging also received two Massachu- of Graduate Studies in Dance. the Novalis poem. During José Limón’s seminal master- setts Cultural Council grants “All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, Donna will be in the Pioneer that same concert he also to collaborate with children’s and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.” piece, The Unsung, at Valley in October to teach an premiered Eros and Psyche, a intensive at Earthdance. Billbob Brown Paul Dennis — Martha Graham, choreographer

Continued on page 8 Leslie Frye Maietta

6 • FIVE COLLEGE DANCE DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER 7 Continued from page 6 Jennifer Passios (MHC ’13) MFA ’12) with their com- Chelsea White (MHC ’13) lives Desiree Monet-Anderson spent last summer on scholar- pany Reject Dance Theatre. in Chicago where she works at (MHC ‘74) studied jazz dance ship at the Gus Giordano Stephanie is also the dance Arabesque dance store, takes with Luigi in New York City for Dance School in Chicago. coach for My College Audition class at Visceral Dance Center, many years, and later taught Since returning to Boston, and directs and choreographs is on the substitute teacher list jazz dance and performed in she has been rehearsing and musicals throughout the city. at a few studios. She is in the performing with Tribe and process of applying to gradu- Indianapolis. Married, with a Amy Softic (SC MFA ’06) is Hyperbole Dance. In October, ate school. family and full-time job, she no working towards an MA in longer dances, but writes that she was in Boston Fashion Week’s dance-inspired runway Dance/Movement Therapy Teana White (AC ’10) works she has “such wonderful and and Counseling at Antioch satisfying memories.” show at the Institute of Con- at the non-profit Phipps Com- temporary Art. She also teaches University New England, and munity Development Corpora- Canace Morgan (MHC ’13) jazz at the Northeast School of is interning as a counselor at tion as a College Awareness takes dance classes at the Edna Ballet and substitute teaches at the Massachusetts College Advisor for two Bronx schools, Manley College of Visual and an elementary school. DRESSEL PETER of Liberal Arts. Prior to this, and dances with West African Deborah Goffe she served as an instructor Fine Arts in Kingston, Jamaica, dance company Harambee. and performs whenever she Roberta Roll (MHC ’76) in the Theatre and Dance gets the chance. stopped dancing profession- Department at Franklin Pierce Christa Whitney (SC ‘09) ally a few years before the University. works at the Yiddish Book Leah Moriarty (UM ’10) birth of her child in 1990, and Center in Amherst where she The FCDD welcomes Rebecca Steinberg (UM has been dancing with the dedicated herself full-time serves as the founding director ’12) has been dancing with Harambee Dance Com- to her private practice in of the Wexler Oral History Proj- pany, a Harlem-based African Bodywork and Movement DEBORAH GOFFE Vertigo Dance Company’s The FCDD welcomes incoming Hampshire International Training Program ect, a growing archive of over Dance ensemble. She’s also Therapy in NYC. In 2011, she 600 hours of video interviews working with choreographer performed in the Global College Assistant Professor of Dance, Deborah in Israel for the past year. She has performed on Batsheva’s about Yiddish language and Souleymane Badolo and will Water Dances project. Goffe. Deborah is a performer, dance maker, culture. be joining him in Burkina Faso home stage at the Suzanne Jen Rosenblit (HC ‘05) Dellal Center for Dance and summer. dance educator, video artist and performance Dyana Winkler (MHC ’03) is was one of the inaugural Theater, and in the Tower curator. Since founding Scapegoat Garden in directing a feature-length doc- Cathy Nicoli (SC MFA ’04) recipients of The Award, a of David Museum for Israel’s In- umentary, United Skates, about is in her second year as As- new mentorship prize for 2002, the Hartford-based collaborative dance dependence Day celebration. an underground dance scene sistant Professor of Dance young choreographers in theater company has served as a primary vehicle that fuses hip-hop, breaking and Performance Studies at NYC’s experimental dance Jennifer Trowbridge (MHC and creative community through which Deborah and animating—all while Roger Williams University in community. She continues ‘72) was in the first MHC on roller skates. The project Bristol, RI. Her most recent to teach, curate concerts and has explored the intersection of dance with other class with a dance major, and choreographic work, The Red present work in NYC. media. In 2012, Deborah was honored by the she’s still dancing, teaching, raised nearly $60,000 through performing and learning! a Kickstarter campaign and Thread, is an interdisciplinary Connecticut Dance Alliance for Distinguished approach to Barry Com- Laura Ann Samuelson (HC Pilobolus was an early inspira- starts filming soon. moner’s Four Laws of Ecology ‘11) performed her new work Achievement in Dance, and participated as New tion and she continues to work Lauren Wolter (MHC ’13) in which she collaborates with EVERYTHING IS IN at the Com- with Alison Chase. She runs a England Emerging Artist in Residence at the Bates relocated to NYC and spent fall Heidi Henderson (SC MFA ’87) munity Dance Collective in private studio in Sedgwick, ME Dance Festival in 2010. She has received Artist 2013 as a student in Broadway and other movement, visual, Boulder, and was featured as and teaches and choreo- Dance Center’s Professional and sound artists. part of Susan Froyd’s 100 Colo- Fellowship Grants from the Connecticut Office of graphs in the region. Semester program. Living in rado Creatives blog series. the Arts (2013, 2005), the Greater Hartford Arts Leslie Palmieri (MHC ’74) Mariana Valencia (HC ‘06) NYC has afforded her lots of op- graduated from the Juilliard Noelle Serafino (HC ’09) is Council (2007), and the Surdna Foundation (2008). presented on the bed on the portunities, notably performing School and worked for the the Administrative Assistant A graduate of the University of the Arts (BFA, floor in March at New York Live on the Dr. Oz Show with Richard & Educational Outreach Arts with fellow HC alum Lydia Simmons and dancing in a Dance in Education Fund for Modern Dance) and California Institute of the Arts 17 years as teacher, choreogra- Coordinator at Pioneer Valley Okrent (HC ‘06). They did a Neon Trees music video. pher, staff leader and mentor, Ballet in Northampton, Mas- (MFA, Dance Performance and Choreography), residency at HC in May to keep directing their concert groups sachusetts. Deborah recently earned a Professional Certificate developing this work. Jessica Treubig (UM ‘08) is in the national tour of 50 Shades and working as an artist in the Meagan Seufert (MHC ’11) Chrissy Vanyur (UM ’12) is in schools. For the past 22 years, from Wesleyan University’s Institute for Curatorial of Grey. has been busy with volunteer Practice in Performance where she explored her second year dancing with she has been a kindergarten work at a local theatre, both the Boston Celtics, traveling teacher. She has a master’s de- performing and running curatorial practice as a way to nurture the health around the world. gree in teaching and National tech. She also does freelance and vitality of local dance eco-systems. n Board Certification. photography, with a focus Cat Wagner (SC MFA ‘13) has settled in Brooklyn. In ALUMS! Sandra Parks (SC MFA ‘07) on capturing live stage Sara Smith (HC ’90) and Luke Joshua Shane (HC ’13) is an April, she presented Oh, a taught at Boston University, performance. She is Cantarella, with whom she entertainment writer at the Cup. Again. at Triskelion Arts STAY IN Bridgewater State University, employed as an Account presented Another Tree Dance Guardian Liberty Voice in New Comedy in Dance 2014. She is College of Fenway, and Regis Executive at Ocala Style TOUCH at the Chocolate Factory The- Hampshire. collaborating with Kelly College as adjunct faculty Magazine, with opportunities to perform radio spots and ater in Long Island City, NY. Silliman (SC MFA ‘13) on after graduation. She then Stephanie Simpson (SC MFA WITH US! to develop a video series for dance theatre duet Hear/See. moved to Atlanta to serve as Tony Silva (UM ’94) is in his ‘12) resides in NYC where Dear Alums: the publication. an assistant professor at Ken- tenth year of accompanying she is developing the dance Autumn Welt (SC MFA ‘12) Please send us your nesaw State University. While dance classes for the FCDD. He lives in Florida. She performs Karinne Keithley Seyers (HC program at Riverdale Country e-mail and other in Atlanta, Sandra co-directed ‘96) will be presenting work recently finished the musical School. She continues to and choreographs in the and edited a documentary on in the River to River Festival score for his seventh docu- create and produce work with Orlando area with companies contact information! Chinese dance and culture. and has returned to Mount mentary and continues to play fellow Smith alums, Rebecca such as Universal Studios, Nick- E-mail us at She now works as an Assistant Tremper Arts to continue to for dance jams at Earthdance, Hite Teicheira (SC MFA ’12) elodeon, and DreamWorks. Professor and Head of Dance [email protected] collaborate on new work with VIDAM and elsewhere. and Stephen Ursprung (SC at Louisiana State University.

8 • FIVE COLLEGE DANCE DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER