Artistry Dance Convention

ARTistry Dance Convention Lisa Biagini is a New Orleans born and raised dancer, teacher and choreographer with decades of experience in theaters and studios across the U.S. She began her career in 1972 with Chita Rivera in “Bye Bye Birdie” at Pittsburgh CLO. Her credits in other major regional theaters include “Take Me Along” with Gene Kelly, “Fiddler On The Roof” with Leonard Nimoy, “Seesaw” with Tommy Tune and Lucie Arnaz, “Sugar” with Donald O’Con- nor, Robert Morse and Ken Berry, and “Damn Yankees” with Dick Van Dyke.Other favorite credits include “Hello, Dolly!” as Minnie Fay, “The Music Man” as Zaneeta Shinn, “Fiddler on the Roof” as Chava, “Gone With The Wind” as Suellen, as well as “My Fair Lady,” “Can-Can, “Applause,” “Funny Girl,” “How To Succeed...,”Ma- me” and “Kismet.”Recent NYC performance credits include “Marathon ‘33” at Webster Hall and a performance of “Something’s Gotta Give”, an original work by Luigi for the NY Jazz Choreography Project in the spring of 2010. Film/TV: “Summer Rental,” Glen Campbell’s “Southern Nights” (CBS), “Rumpelstiltskin” (PBS).“Why Don’t You Do Right?”A piece choreographed by Lisa was chosen to be included in The New York Jazz Chore- ography Project’s performance at The Ailey Citigroup Theater on October 17th and 18th.A student of the Luigi Jazz Technique since childhood, Lisa has been a sub/guest teacher at Luigi’s Jazz Centre in NYC since 2010. Daniel Gwirtzman, producer, director, educator, filmmaker and dancer--celebrates twenty years as a New York City choreographer and company director. He has received praise for a diverse repertory known for its humor, stylistic versatility, and musicality. “A flair for the entertaining,” says critic Elizabeth Zimmer. “Mr. Gwirtz- man does know that in dance less can be more. And that’s a good thing for any choreographer to know” writes The New York Times. The New Yorker describes him as a choreographer of “high spirits and skill.” Daniel has created more than one hundred repertory works. The critically acclaimed NY-based Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company (DGDC) is known for its charismatic, playful and virtuosic work, blending robust physicality with uni- versal themes. His choreography has been performed at venues throughout the country and abroad. He has been awarded commissions, residencies and fellowships from institutions including New York’s Bryant Park, La Mama, CUNY’s Dance Initiative and Kingsborough Community College, Inception to Exhibition (NY), Joyce Theater Foundation (NY), The Yard (MA), Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival (MA), Djerassi Resident Artists Pro- gram (CA), Sfakiotes (Greece), Raumars (Finland) and the Sacatar Foundation (Brazil). In 2014 he celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of DGDC with the evening-length premiere ofThe Oracle at New York’s prestigious BAM Fisher. A former member of Garth Fagan Dance and guest artist with the Mark Morris Dance Group, he is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Dance at Kennesaw State University. Caitlin Haywood, from Columbus, IN, received her early training from Diane Gudat. She continued her dance education at Point Park University where she graduated with her BFA. She was also the primary tap teacher for the University’s Community Class program. In Pittsburgh, Caitlin was a dancer for the Pillow Project, a multi-media based dance company who was on the cutting edge of both site specific performance and dance for film. Caitlin danced in Chicago for five years performing and choreographing for such companies as Chi- cago Tap Theatre, Chicago Freelance Dance, and On Tap Chicago. Her choreography has been selected for many festivals including Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival and the Lake Eden Arts Festival. Her most recent work is currently performed by jorsTAP Chicago. Caitlin is a dedicated teacher and choreographer, working with her own students locally and traveling around the country to guest teach at conventions and private studios. She has been a judge both regionally and nationally for many years, and she recently traveled to Pretoria, South Africa to teach and adjudicate. Caitlin loves being a formative part of young dancers’ training. Jason Kalish When he was just sixteen, he performed with the original Broadway cast of 42nd Street as both Mack and the Thief. Then, Jason traveled from Atlanta to New York to take his best shot at becoming a Tap Dog. Jason toured with Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs for three consecutive years to virtually every major and minor city in the nation. Jason also had the privilege of opening up for Harry Connick Jr. and Leigh Anne Rhymes during his tour with Tap Dogs. In 2002, Jason went to Honolulu, Hawaii to teach and performed all over the city in celebration of National Tap Dance Day. In March, 2003, Jason did his own show in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. He also had the pleasure of dancing along side Jack Black in the comedic film Run Ronnie Run. Ja- son has performed for a plethora of industrials and trade shows and has since filmed a screensaver for Micro- soft. Most recently, he had the honor of opening up for the legendary Eagles alongside Canadian Sensation, Stephanie Cadman! Jason has been teaching and judging on the convention circuit over the past eight years for Florida Dance Masters, Manhattan Dance Project, StarQuest International, and Hollywood Connection ! Jason has had the great honor of tap dancing with and for the late Great Gregory Hines and got to jam with the late legendary Dr. Jimmy Slyde as well! He was the Co Choreographer for “Beat it Down” which made its debut in San Francisco. He recently returned from Buenos Aires, Argentina where he taught and performed in the Award winning cabaret show Master Tap! Jason is currently enjoying his experience as a Professor of Tap Dance at Kennesaw State University. Jason would like to thank Donna Kalish, Susan Hebach, Bunny Briggs, and his good friend and mentor, Jeremy Kiesman; protégé to both the late legendary Henry LeTang and the late Great Buster Brown..

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