Five College Dance department newsletter 2005–2006

FCDD wins a National College Choreography Initiative Grant to Dance Trisha Brown’s Set and Reset

he FCDD has been awarded a National College Choreography Initiative grant to have Trisha Brown’s pivotal work, Set and Reset, taught to an auditioned group of FCDD dancers for performance in three concerts in the spring of 2006. Our cosponsor for this project is the Weissman Center for Leadership at Mount Holyoke College, which will host Brown in a public lecture on Febru- ary 10 as part of a series on Leading Women in the Arts. T a r i e r e P t n e c n i V

Since her early years with the Judson Dance Theater, Brown has been captivated by the infinite ways movements can be manipulated and the possibilities for developing structure and form. Her process of creating structure is evident in her description of Set and Reset as based on a rectangular dance circumventing the peripheral edge of the stage space. Brown Trisha Brown says, “I think of it as a delivery system for other smaller units of dance—duets and trios that are issued up into the center of the stage. In the building process I gave the dancers a set of instructions that include: keep it simple, act on instinct, work with visibility and invisibility, and Re work with lining up.” For Brown, the structure Dance Building, Hampshire College www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/dance Five College Dance Department and choices the dancers make in how to de- turn Amherst, MA 01002 Se 893 West Street liver themselves to the center is as provocative (413) 549-3600 r

as the steps performed. The dancers are an in- v ic

tegral part of her process through the choices Req e they make. u e st e

The foundation of this project is the experi- d

ence of stepping inside Trisha Brown’s cho- reographic process. This is a comprehensive dance experience, challenging the students as dancers, improvisers, and choreographers. This choreographic project will engage students in the process that sets Brown apart from her contemporaries. Abigail Yager (MH), a former member of the Trisha Brown Dance Company and a graduate of our department, will set the work. The special insight provided by a dancer who has gone through the process of learning and helping to develop the work will be inspir-

chris callis ing for our students. The FCDD is particularly Set and Reset/Reset by Trisha Brown. pleased that one of our alumni will be involved, as she knows both the work and the depart- ment. Abby will teach Brown’s trademark silky and sequential core movement sequences, and then use the original instructions given by Brown to her company in 1982 to direct the students in improvisations that will lead to the Thank you to the FCDD creation of Set and Reset/Reset, a variation on students who wrote the original choreography. sections of this newslet- ter: Shannon Heneghan, Set and Reset/Reset will be performed at Ashley Hensel-Browning, Kara Johnson, Samantha Hampshire College on February 9–11; at Am- Siegal, Fania Marie Tsaka- herst College on March 9–11; and at Smith lakos. Thanks, too, to Betty College on April 6–8. In addition to Brown’s Amherst, MA 01002 Thurston for all her help. Nonprofit Org public lecture the afternoon of February 10, Permit No. 21 U.S. Postage she will offer a master class on choreogra- D I A P Editor: Daphne Lowell, Chair of the FCDD phy that morning at UMass. n

Designer: Robyn Cutler

 FCDD Student Serenade/Balanchine and Alum News

Emily Alpren (AC) has been invited to become a member of the American Mime Theater.

Rebecca Anderson (UM ’08) was accepted into the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow summer dance workshop in Becket, MA.

Pele Bauch (HC) is pres- ently working at The Field, an artist service organiza- tion in NYC. Last June she performed two new works, Pedestal and She, on a Danspace Project program at St. Mark’s Church. Two of the works were “inspired by the dynamics of self-pre- sentation and femininity. The first uses an abstract perspective, the second the emotions of character.”

Noah Beit-Aharon (HC) taught a January-term class at Hampshire in Israeli folk dance.

Tovah Bodner (UM) is artistic director of the modern dance company

The Robin’s Egg, which had r i o r i g s a m o h t its debut performance in June at The Carriage House Theater in Providence, RI. They performed Bodner’s The Magdalenes, with an original score composed By Kara Johnson (MH) by UM alumnus Jim Muro. In September, Tovah began all 2004 marked the FCDD’s 25th anniversary as well a new position as dance as the 100th anniversary of George Balanchine’s teacher for the first (public) birth. We honored both occasions with artistic and RI arts high school, the Jac- F queline M. Walsh School for academic collaborations. Dance historian Constance Valis the Performing and Visual Hill (FCDD/HC) and ballet professor Rodger Blum (SC) co- Arts. In addition to tech- taught Balanchine 100. This course included the study of nique classes, she teaches 12 ballets spanning Balanchine’s choreographic career. Hill anatomy/injury prevention remarks, “Videotapes and books are not enough” to study and dance criticism. Balanchine. Therefore, operating alongside this course was Amanda Boggs (AC), after the rehearsal and performance of the first movement of a three-year run in the Balanchine’s Serenade, with permission from the Balanchine off-Broadway showDeLa - Trust. This was the first time in FCDD history that students Guarda, entered graduate school in cinematography from the Five Colleges performed Balanchine repertory. To at the University of South- Hill, the “collaboration of theory, history, and practice” was ern California. ideal for an academic setting. Professor Rose Flachs (MH),

Melissa Briggs (SC) who has performed Balanchine ballets in her professional received a wonderful career, oversaw the project. Students learned the choreog- i n

review in the New York p raphy from Victoria Simon, a former Balanchine dancer and Times (November 1, 2005) a member of the Balanchine Trust. The dancers participat- for her Book Dances, which

J o n c r i s ed in nine performances on three different campuses (MH, creates scenes from novels FCCD students in Balanchine’s Serenade. SC, and UM). Flachs says that this movement from Serenade by Tolstoy, Steinbeck, Rand, and Salinger. was appropriate for the FCDD’s 25th anniversary because “historically, Mr. Balanchine first choreographed the ballet Willie Brown (UM) danced for students.” Katie Bailey (MH), a student in the course and with the Garth Fagan Dance performer in Serenade, believes that this collaboration pro- Company in 2003–04, and with the Brazz Dance vided a context for her dancing; it made her feel “more in Theater in Northampton, tune with the style” of Balanchine and “helped me find a lit- Boston, and at the Florida tle more about what I was portraying,” she said. The project Dance Festival. He has been was so successful that Victoria Simon has given the FCDD invited to teach with the permission to perform more Balanchine ballets. n Dance Collective of Miami. Currently he is teaching dance at Florida Interna- tional University. He also performed at this year’s ASWAD conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Bernard Bygott (AC), actor/dancer, received a Continued on page 

 • Five College Dance Department newsletter rave review for his work FCDD Musicians as one of the Dromios in Celebrating Our FCDD Musicians for 2005–06: the American Shakespeare Center’s production of Comedy of Errors in NYC. By Kara Johnson (MH) Paul Arslanian ive musical accompaniment is a refreshing privilege cal phrase. Many are multitalented instrumentalists, switch- John Coster Mora Cantlin (MH) had a summer merchandising for the FCDD faculty and students. Once dancers ing to various instruments throughout class to achieve an Jesse Feinberg internship at American Lexperience live music, more often than not they exciting repertoire with which to dance. Others show their Elizabeth Haymaker Dance Festival in North are unable to turn back to the old days of compact discs. expertise for music history and theory by teaching insight- Lada Isupova Carolina and a fall intern- It is time to celebrate and thank the department’s diverse ful courses. Furthermore, these fine musicians have vibrant Peter Jones ship in the Performance group of musicians. The diversity in the accompanists’ in- performing careers in the Pioneer Valley and beyond, Jua Malik Plus department at the strumentations and musical styles ranges from classical pleasing the ears of others outside campus walls. Their Makaya Mcraven Kennedy Center. piano to African drum, from Bach to vocal jazz. Live ac- passion for music is contagious; it makes dancers want to William Middleton Nichole Canuso (HC) After companiment helps generate positive group energy in the reach farther, balance longer, and jump higher. And, most Julius Robinson working with such lead- studio; the room is full of people, with either their bodies or important, live musicians make dance even more fun! After Tony Silva ing Philadelphia-based companies as Moxie Dance their instruments ready to work. Our musicians are willing a long morning of sitting at a desk, a piano rendition of the John Sprague Collective, Headlong mentors, guiding students in finding and recording music Harry Potter theme during grand pliés is sure to put a smile Sekou Sylla Dance Theater, and Pig for choreography, or taking time to count out a tricky musi- on anyone’s face. n Mike Vargas Iron Theater Company, Nichole is striking out on her own, premiering Nichole Canuso Dance FCDD Celebrates Jean Baxter’s Company in We Spar Down the Lan, at this year’s Live 30th year with the Department Arts Festival at the Painted Bride Arts Center. The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: hat do a major in physics, a major in art history, “Nichole Canuso’s dances and a certificate from the Harvard Business have a presence, a right- School for arts administration have in com- thereness in the moment . W . . like a great slowed-down mon? Where do Wigman aesthetics, Graham technique, slapstick routine.” and silver medal skating meet? Why does the Five College Dance Department’s production schedule run like a well- Jaclyn Capozzi (UM) served as artistic director oiled machine? Who can teach you to manage the most for the Melrose (MA) elaborately complex performing arts events, not the least Youth Ballet production of of which being your own wedding, PTO carnival, or Girl The Nutcracker in Decem- Scout troop? Easy: Jean Baxter, Jean Baxter, Jean Baxter, ber 2005.

Jean Baxter! Sue Caruolo (MH) teaches elementary school children Come one Jean Baby, come all Jean Babies, to celebrate in Providence, RI. Jean’s 30th anniversary. Jean, our FCDD production Yanira Castro (AC), profes- manager par excellence (aka Most Honorable Drill- sional NYC choreographer, Sergeant-Mother of Multitasking), began working with us received with her company even before we were a department, and she has kept us a prestigious Rockefeller going strong ever since. We will host in her honor a “Careers MAP grant. In addition, she in Dance” panel discussion with alums who, with the help Jean Baxter behind the scenes. was awarded a month’s residency this past July at of Jean’s training, have gone on to technical theater, design, the Rockefeller’s Bellagio and administrative careers, Friday, April 7, 2006, at 4 p.m. in Toast directly following. RSVP to Cathy Nicoli by March 1 to Center in Italy. the Weinstein Auditorium in Wright Hall at Smith College. reserve your spot (space is limited) at (413) 559-5499. (No Faculty and alums are invited to the Jean Bean Roast and dress code, but do you remember? “RRCCFF”) n Caroline Cohn (UM ’08) was accepted into the highly competitive Mark Morris Summer Intensive Ralph Lemon Gives dance program. Kim Coralian (SC) After the FCDD’s Annual graduation, Kim danced with independent Fall Lecture choreographers in NYC and CT, including Maura By Samantha Siegal (AC) Donohue (SC). She has performed with New Dance Collective Company alph Lemon (left), renowned dancer, choreographer, and Off-Center Dance and media artist, drew an audience of 200 with his Theater and has been Rmultimedia presentation of Geography Trilogy. Us- teaching at Dance Cavise ing a rich mixture of text, video, and dialogue, Lemon dis- in Mamaroneck, NY. cussed the process of creating this, his crowning work. Nicole Dagesse (UM ’06) and Lauren Sprance (UM The Trilogy, a set of three separate pieces that took 10 years ’06) received the Silverman to complete, explores Lemon’s personal responses to his Merit Scholarship Award expeditions to Africa, Asia, and the American Deep South. for records of academic excellence and a record of These journeys raised questions for him about his personal personal achievement. and artistic identity, racism, cultural history, and memory. In his lecture Lemon exposed his creative process by read- Irada Djelassi (UM), co-artistic director with ing from his prepared text while showing a series of filmed Katherine Hooper (UM) images—a man walking on a rainy day in Africa, his quiet of the Mass Motion Dance installations marking former lynching sites, and his explo- Company (renamed ration of two stereotypical “black norms”: boxing and jazz BoSoma Dance com- music. These images were thick sensory extensions of his pany), presented Velocity journeys. Most notably, Lemon touched on his time visit- at Boston University’s Tsai Performance Center in Sep- ing with black jazz musician legends and their families, for tember 2004. UM alumnae whom he performed what he called living room dances in Kristen Duffy, Melissa

tara faleaux their homes. Lemon’s presentation provoked his viewers to Continued on page 4 Ralph Lemon. seek connections among performance, art, race, and iden- tity in a global culture. n

 Ham-Ellis, Meghan Hood, and Geniene Maybruch danced in the show, and Hello and Welcome Brenda Cortina (UM) was to the new full-time the lighting designer. faculty who have joined Jillian Ducharme (UM ’06) received the Gerald our FCDD family! Scanlan Student Employee of the Year Award. Matisse Madden is a Guest Artist this year at Mount Holyoke College teaching Ballet Technique, Ballet Rep- Adrienne Celeste Fadjo ertory, and Ballet Conditioning. Matisse double-ma- (UM) is artistic director, dancer, and choreog- jored in dance and zoology at the University of Hawaii rapher for her own and received an MFA in ballet from the University of modern dance company, Utah. She has danced professionally with Royal Ballet AdrienneCelesteFadjo- Kauai, Ballet Hawaii, and Utah Regional Ballet and has DANCE. The company was performed lead roles in Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes incorporated in December and Serenade. She specializes in teaching Pilates as a and performs at numerous venues around NYC, such supplemental regimen to enhance and prolong dancers’ as White Wave Dance, careers, and is very interested in the preservation and Merce Cunningham Stu- documentation of the traditional dances of the South dio, 92nd Street Y, Joyce Pacific Islands, specifically the dances of Samoa. SoHo, the Puffin Room, and Alvin Ailey Studios Cathy Nicoli (right) has joined the faculty of Hamp- (www.acfdance.com). shire College as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance for Erica Forrence (MH) con- the next three years. She earned her BA in dance and per- tinues to work as assistant formance studies from Roger Williams University and her to the executive director of MFA from Smith College. Cathy is a prolific choreographer The Joyce.

and dance educator who has worked with students in pri- S t t o c Lynn Fredrikson (SC) pre- vate and public schools, inner-city arts programs, and col-

sented her paper Creativity L a

lege and university settings including Brown University, p in Between: Inspirations m a h from Pearl Primus’s Fanga Keene State College, Providence College, Rhode Island at the NDEO conference School of Design, Roger Williams University, and Smith in Buffalo this October, and Amherst Colleges. She dances and choreographs for and Conversations with various dance companies, most recently Heidi Hender- African Dance at the fall ‘05 son’s Elephant Jane Dance Company. Society of Ethnomusicality conference in Atlanta. Spotlight on New FCDD Courses Robin Prichard (below) is our new Visiting Assistant Claire Gilbert (MH) re- Professor and Graduate Adviser at Smith College for two By Fania Maria Tsakalakos (SC MFA) cently curated a concert of years. Robin holds a BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase new choreography at APE and an MFA from UCLA. She has danced with Victoria he FCDD faculty continue to create courses every year that enrich the curricu- in Northampton, and she also performed in a piece Marks, David Rousseve, Donna Uchizono, and Doug Va- lum and reach out to new populations of students. For example, several fac- entitled Hidden Costs. rone, and her choreography has been seen at the Joyce/ Tulty members have developed new freshmen seminars. Wendy Woodson (AC) SoHo, Dance Space, Highways, California Choreographer’s created Partner Dancing, in which students examined gender, history, politics, and Richard J. Guimond (UM) launched Kidrich Corpora- Festival, and Dance Kaleidoscope. She won a Fulbright to culture by investigating how two bodies negotiate time and space in various cross- tion (www.kidrich.com), study and teach in Australia, where she completed sev- cultural duet forms. Others include Rebecca Nordstrom’s (HC) Dance Repertory class, specializing in interactive, eral cross-cultural choreography projects and taught at exploring identity, and Daphne Lowell’s (HC) Centering. fun-filled dance/move- the University of Western Sydney and the National School ment products for of Dance for Aboriginals and Islanders. She is interested Other new courses include Video & Performance. Wendy teamed up with Rodger Blum children, such as videos, in cross-cultural choreography between indigenous and (SC) to offer this two-campus collaboration. It grew out of Rodger’s Dance & Technology games, and books. He also performs in folk dance concert dance, the relationship between language and course, which embodies his interest in the ways computer technology can be used in and theater productions and movement in performance, and the potential of dance to for dance, and Wendy’s Choreography and the Camera, where she explores video used teaches at an elementary negotiate binary oppositions. n both in live performance and in the genre of dance video. Their collaboration offered a rich school in NYC. foundation for students interested in multimedia work. We also welcome our new and returning Martha Hart Eddy (HC) Guest Faculty: was invited to lead move- Terese Freedman (MH) created a challenging new Advanced Modern Technique class by ment activities at Family Amie Dowling Christina Tsoules bringing in seven distinguished alumni from New York, LA, Paris, Amsterdam, Taiwan, and and Youth Day at Teachers Pam Raff Sharon Wyrrick elsewhere to teach for two weeks each. Cynthia McLaughlin (SC), Abby Yager (MH), Chris- College in NYC. Her ac- Lesley Farlow Maryanne Delisle topher Johnson (AC), Yanira Castro (AC), Liz Young (MH), Martha Mason (MH), and Jelena tivities involved the entire Tom Vacanti Kodzis Petrovic (MH) brought their own artistic and pedagogical voices to the class, challenging group as well as members of a new center she directs Felice Wolfzahn Griff Goehring students to quickly grasp the gestalt of each instructor’s movement style. Terese has also called the Center for Joanne Gervais Paul Dennis created a new incarnation of Scientific Foundations II. Kinesthetic Education. Her Jen Webber Candace Salyers work involves principles of Melissa Bruce Cynthia McLaughlin This spring Mark Allan Davis (SC) and Nia Love (SC) will offer new courses that emphasize the Embody Peace, Kines- African/African-American influence on American dance and culture. In addition to dancing thetic Learning, Peaceful and singing, students in Mark’s Performing Musical Theater will study the history of Broad- Play, Somatic Movement Therapy, and Laban Move- way dance, focusing on the work of prominent African-American Broadway choreographers. ment Analysis that she has Nia’s new African Explorations class, like her West African Dance and Modern/Afro-fusion been developing since her III classes, will impress upon her students awareness of the African-American influence on studies and teaching at modern dance, and the importance of requiring African dance in college dance programs. Teachers College Somatic Education. Daphne Lowell’s new course Contemplative Dance/Authentic Movement brings together Kaitlin Hines (HC) began students from diverse fields to learn CD/AM, study its theory, and help add to it by articulat- an internship last summer ing connections they discover in it to their own fields. She also offered this course, co-taught with Dance NewAmster- with Alton Wasson, as a January intensive where adults from all over the country worked dam (formerly Dance Space Center) in NYC, side by side with Hampshire students. The FCDD is one of the few dance programs in the which has now turned into country in which this form is taught. a regular position as de- velopment associate. She’s Other new FCDD courses include Dance Education (Billbob Brown, UM), Yoga for Dancers been able to combine her (Peggy Schwartz, UM), Ballet Pedagogy (Rose Flachs, MH), and Jazz Modernism and Three interests and experience Millennium Choreographers (Constance Valis Hill, FCDD/HC). We hope our students enjoy Continued on page 

larry loeher these exciting additions to our curriculum! n

 • Five College Dance Department newsletter in both dance and writing in this exciting job! Kaitlin also continues to perform Middle Eastern dance with the Casbah Dance Experi- ence, which performed at the New York Public Library in November.

Katherine Hooper (UM), one of the artistic directors of the Boston-based Mass Motion Dance Com- pany (recently renamed BoSoma Dance Com- pany), taught a weeklong workshop at Peridance Center in Manhattan. She is also the group fitness coordinator at Wellbridge Athletic Club in Boston.

Lisa Ivins (MH) recently married, and teaches elementary school in Connecticut.

Jane Jerardi (HC) received her first commission to create a new, major perfor- mance project, Efficiency, which premiered in Octo- ber 2005. Commissioned by Washington Performing Arts Society in honor of its J n o 40th anniversary season,

s i r c it received support from P

n i The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, with additional assistance from the DC Commission on New Dimensions in Dance Studies the Arts and Humanities. The piece was performed at the new Tivoli Theater in Washington, DC (www. janjerardi.com). s dancers we know that dance and movement studies connect with many other disciplines—certainly with other art forms, but also with studies of Jennifer Kayle (SC MFA) culture and history, anatomy and education, psychology and, yes, even poli- presented work at the A Fringe Festival in Minneap- tics. We also know that dance training and study involve many different modes of olis in August 2005. learning, developing intellect, imagination, body, values, and more—discipline, self- awareness, confidence, collaboration, organization, time management. As faculty we Zoe Klein (HC) has been designing lights, dancing, are proud to see our dance alums go on from the FCDD to establish successful careers and performing acrobatics in a wide range of fields, often careers in performance and choreography, but also in in NYC and has trained fields like education, health care, arts management, and community development. in partner balancing So how do we help students, parents, and colleagues know more about the breadth acrobatics and trapeze for and richness that dance study offers? two years with LAVA. She was a cofounding member of the circus/theater For the past several years, the FCDD has been developing ways to describe this dy- company KIRKOS for two namic array of possibilities. We call it New Dimensions in Dance Studies. Our goal is to years and recently joined inspire new interests in dance/movement studies both for our dance majors and for forces with David Paris to students from other fields. We have identified seven areas of focus: Technique, Rep- form a company called ertory, and Performance; Choreography and Creative Studies; Dance Studies: History, Paradizo Duo, training Culture & Aesthetics; Dance Education and Community Outreach; Dance and Tech- in Montreal, Australia, and Germany. The duo nology; Dance Science, Somatics, and Arts Therapies; Design and Production. We are performed and taught developing courses and making connections to colleagues in other departments who classes for their August offer courses related to these areas. We are creating advising sheets, helping students tour in Thailand, Hong of similar interests connect with each other and with alums in the field, and reaching Kong, Japan, New Zealand, out to colleagues and sites in the community to link with internship and other learn- and Australia. Recent light- ing opportunities. We are beginning a multiyear project for which we invite input from ing collaborations include j n a m e l o c m i LAVA, Fernando Maneca, anyone with something to offer! n Gina Gibney, and Wally Cardona. Zoe is technical director at Brooklyn Arts Previous page: Cathy Nicoli (top right) and Robin Prichard Exchange and Danspace (bottom left). Project, Inc. Amae Kurre (MH) since This page: And They All Fall Down by Terese Freedman graduation has been (top); students in Marilyn Middleton’s West African dance doing all kinds of lighting class (above); and Nia Love performing Passages of the design work, including Middle: Cycles of a Circle (left). design work at MHC and other colleges in the area.

Mariah Lilly Azarovitz (UM) is teaching creative movement at the Pioneer Valley Montessori School.

i n Joyce Lim (SC MFA) shared P a performance at Danspace c r i s Continued on page 6 o n J

 Project in October ‘05 with Paz Tanjuaquio. The work was a culmination of Movin’ and Groovin’ Joyce’s past five years of travel and living in South- By Shannon Heneghan (UM) east and East Asia.

Jamey Long (MH), after dancing in the Philadanco second company, has returned to Columbia for her master’s degree in social work.

Sarah Manya Hertzberg (SC) presented her new work, Bruised Fruit, at de Warande in Tarnhout, Belgium, in September ‘05. Bruised Fruit looks at the physicality of food, the fundamental struggle between being dirty and clean, and the need for order while fighting chaos. a r n h a r t

Dustyn Martincich (SC B e n

MFA) chaired a panel at the B Society of Dance History Billbob Brown and students from the Crocker Farm Elementary School at the Eric Carle Museum. Scholars Conference at Northwestern University on FCDD news In the fall of 2004, Crocker Farm Elementary School in Amherst and the UMass Dance Dance in Technology and Corporealities last summer. Program began a unique collaboration involving art, music, and dance. Crocker Farm art She also participated in teacher Janet Winston teamed up with music teacher Agnes Zsigmondi to inspire their the Dance Integrated in Crocker Farm fifth-graders to create artwork based on Chris Raschka’s picture books and Humanities and Society John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. Into this mix came UMass dance professor Billbob Brown and leaps intensive/conference in his FCDD Dance Education course students, hosted by Crocker Farm’s P.E. teacher Kacey Amsterdam, and was on Schmitt, to help the children turn their creations into dance. The young students—many scholarship at Joel Hall Dance Center in Chicago. of whom had never danced before—quickly grasped the basics of composition and made interesting shapes and movements with their bodies. Next, the FCDD students helped and Meghan McGrath (UM) the fifth-graders make small group works based on their drawings and the music of jazz is dancing aboard the Royal Caribbean ship greats like Coltrane. They danced these in “Movin’ and Groovin’,” a concert performed at Majesty, cruising around the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in November to a packed house. It featured the the Bahamas performing fifth-graders dancing while their artwork was projected on the stage wall behind them. bounds in two shows called Boogie The collaboration received impressive support from the community—it was aired on the Wonderland and Viva. local television station ACTV and garnered praise from all students, young and old. Olive McKeon (HC) attended the American Dance Festival, where she presented two new Jazz Jam! An Evening of Jazz American College Dance works. She currently has an internship with Contact Improvisation and Performance Festival 2005 Quarterly in Florence, MA. This fall the music and dance programs at Hampshire College joined to host JAZZ JAM!, By Shannon Heneghan (UM) Anne Morris (SC) has featuring Grammy Award–winning jazz tap dancer Jason Samuels Smith and jazz pia- moved to Miami to continue working with nist Theo Hill in a musical tribute to jazz tap dance legends. This event, organized by At the festival last year in Orono, Maine, FCDD faculty and Brazz Dance, perform- Constance Valis Hill (FCDD/HC) and Margo Edwards as a part of their co-taught Jazz students presented a total of 14 works. Each of the five ing and teaching during Modernism course, was a resounding success. Samuels and Hill thrilled the audience colleges entered works in one of the adjudicated con- company residencies. She with their rhythmically intricate improvisation of impeccable communication, collabo- certs. Professor Sam Kenney (UM) presented Saborealo, also reports that Augusto ration, and challenge. Then Margo Edwards and Michael Dessen of the Hampshire mu- featuring 12 UMass dancers, and Guest Faculty Christina Soledade (former SC sic faculty, jazz musicians Paul Arslanian (FCDD musician) and Bob Wiener, and FCDD Tsoules (AC) showed her piece The Living Room. Mount faculty and artistic direc- tor of the company) has guest faculty, jazz tap dancer Pam Raff (MH), and others joined Samuels and Hill in a jazz Holyoke students Kara Johnson and Marlena Hubley just received a $10,000 music and dance jam that brought down the house! performed their untitled duet and Alexis Liston brought choreographer’s grant her Untitled for Six. Smith students Akane Noda and from Dade County. Amy Softic each performed solo works, (de)sensitized

Natalie Neckyfarrow and Echoes of Spirit, respectively. Hampshire College (SC) continues to pursue ABT2 Performs at MH staged two 20-person ensemble pieces: Pathétique #1, her career in dance and choreographed by Romina Rodreguez-Crosta and Ad- theater, playing Gertie in This fall Mount Holyoke’s Dance Program hosted ABT2, the American Ballet Theatre Studio dys Gonzalez, and Pathétique #2, by Jennifer Rosenblit the Heights Players’ pro- Company (John Meehan, artistic director) for the third year in a row. Mount Holyoke and Rodreguez-Crosta. Tara Madsen (SC, MFA), Meghan duction of Oklahoma! and gratefully acknowledges the Rosh Foundation Artistic Initiatives Fund and alumna Frederick (HC), and Billbob Brown (UM) presented works in an original monologue show called Men at the Robin Chemers Neustein for supporting this exciting company’s performances. in one of ACDFA’s informal concerts and Mark Davis (SC), Manhattan Repertory Billbob Brown, and Rebecca Nordstrom (HC) showed Theater. She has also been choreography at the faculty concert. All works were well doing background work received by adjudicators and audience members alike. on Descent, a feature film New Funding Source for Congratulations to all involved and best of luck to this starring Rosario Dawson. Course Offerings year’s participants. Rithy Ngy (UM ’07) received a scholarship for Hampshire College will have a new course this spring thanks to the initiative and generos- study with the Alvin Ailey ity of members of the International Association for Creative Dance. Group Improvisation: American Dance Theater, as well as an individual Exploring Creative Dance will introduce the work of dance pioneer Barbara Mettler, who study award. championed a free approach to the art of movement and who believed dance was a basic human need. Mettler’s archives—photos, films, videos, and written materials from a career Cathy Nicoli (SC MFA) has that stretched across six decades—which are housed in the Hampshire College Library, will been hired as an assistant professor at Hampshire. enrich the course. Griff Goehring, one of Mettler’s former teaching assistants, will present the course. Griff, who has a master’s degree in dance/movement therapy, works with peo- Continued on page 7 ple of all ages and abilities and performs both improvised and composed works.

 • Five College Dance Department newsletter She joins Becky Nord- strom (SC MFA) and FCDD Master Classes and Guest Lectures Sam Kenney (SC MFA) in representing Smith MFA’s Some of these master classes included: teaching in the FCDD.

• Alexander Technique: Missy Vineyard Karyn Norton Edison (UM) has been owner/di- • Argentinian Tango: Daniel Trenner, rector of the Dancing Arts and also Brendon Shaw Center in Holliston, MA, • Ballet Technique: Hubbard Street Dance Company for 26 years. The Dancing of Chicago, and Karen Brown (UM) Arts Center has employed • Butoh: Akira Kasai several UM alums as teach- • Classical Indian Dance: Justine Lemos (HC) ers over the years including Jodi Demos, Yolanda • Contact Improvisation: Mark Zemelman, Spirit Joseph, Daelemans-Greaves, and Kristin Horrigan, Felice Wolfzahn Andrea Taylor-Blenish. • eurhythmy: Caroline Lijiestrom from Sweden Seven of her 2005 gradu- • Foot Reflexology: Mary Ann Kelly ates will begin studying • Graham Technique: Tadej Brdnik, dance at Hartt, Bard, and of the Martha Graham Dance Company Marymount Colleges and Columbia University’s Alvin • Isadora Duncan Dance: Laura Pravitz Ailey certificate program. • Modern Technique: Melissa Ham-Ellis of Tandem Her student Rowan Salem i n

P Dance Company, Kyle Shukis (UM) of the Randy James was accepted into the UM

c r i s Company, Kristin Day of Snappy Dance Theater, Heidi Amherst Dance Program.

o n The Dancing Arts Center J Henderson (SC MFA) Asparas, by Ranjanaa Devi. • Music and Dance Collaboration: received the Outstanding School Award presented by Nancy Stark Smith and Mike Vargas FCDD news Youth America Grand Prix. By Ashley Hensel-Browning (HC) • Partnering: AXIS Dance Company, with Katie Faulkner (HC) The Wendy Osserman Every year the FCDD is fortunate to host a multitude of master classes and guest • Performance and Social Issues: Lisa Biggs (AC) Dance Company (SC) was presented at Dance Theater • Performance Techniques: Laurie Carlos lectures that offer students a chance to learn from a diverse array of professional art- Workshop in September ’05. leaps ists and scholars. During 2004–06, these included dance technique classes from tour- • Sound Editing and Composing: Tony Silva (UM) ing dance companies and independent artists in a wide range of idioms—classical • Stage Management: Malcom Ewen MiRi Park (UM) is the U.S. air guitar champion! A and contemporary ballet and modern dance, Butoh, Tango, Indian, and other world marketing associate for dance forms—as well as classes in dance in connection with other arts—music, the- the Dance Space Center and ater, somatic practices. Several of these were made possible through our collabora- in lower Manhattan, she tion with the UMass Fine Arts Center and the Asian Arts and Culture Programs. Along helped curate Wave of with these, students had the opportunity to attend lectures given by such prominent Humanity, an eight-hour experts as Korean dance scholar Dr. Eun S. Kim; Dean of the American Dance Festival dance event to aid in the tsunami relief effort. bounds Martha Myers; Balanchine dancer Robert Moreano; and preeminent dance anthro- pologist Joann Keali’inohomoku. Stephen Petronio (HC). At the Joyce Theater in NYC in March 2005, Stephen Pet- ronio Company celebrated its 20th anniversary season, looking back and ahead, FCDD Faculty, Staff, Musicians News spanning a pivotal decade of hallmark vintage works and heralding the future. Wendy Woodson (AC), in ad- Faculty concert choreographed her golf season with a tie for fore returning to teaching in the faculty dance concert. From the provocative dition to creating several new a piece to the first movement of first place in the mixed-four- fall. During the summer of 2005, Rebecca Nordstrom (HC) MiddleSex Gorge (1990), to dance pieces this year for Dance Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, some division of the Friends of Peggy was invited to represent continues to do teaching the clarion Lareigne (1995), to Generators and University which Julius Robinson (SC) the Mount Holyoke Golf Tour- Pearl Primus at a conference at and performing residencies the seductive Prelude (2000), Dancers, premiered her new played live. Fifteen local Smith nament held at The Orchards in the National Museum of Dance with UM colleague Billbob these dances resonate with video entitled NERVE, a 30-min- alums were invited to dance September. honoring the New Dance Group. Brown, and is a member of his Petronio’s signature whiplash ute experimental documentary in the work and the number John Sprague (musician) has She also traveled to Senegal and company Chaos Theory Dance. movement, fierce structure, about the work and injury of varied from 12 to 15 for each been active as a musician in the The Gambia for three weeks with Last year their travels took and sensual force. Complet- Dr. Lenore Manderson, the performance. Last summer she dance world. Last summer he Baba Chuck Davis, to dance and them to Colby Sawyer College ing the program was Bud, a Australian anthropologist. She performed her solo Catherine’s offered his Moving-from-Within drum and chant and plant a tree in NH, The Putney School in preview of a new work in col- also created and performed a Wedding Dress, at the Got Family workshop with colleague Susan in honor of Pearl Primus and Joe VT, Concord Academy, and laboration with singer/song- new text/movement solo for concert in Holyoke and at the Bauer at the Northern California Nash in a memorial garden. Harvard University. They also writer Rufus Wainright. the conference Getting Our Act town hall in Ashfield, MA. Dance Collective Summer, and Tony Silva (musician) performed with the Cambridge Jesse Philips-Fein (SC) Together: Performance Studies in Mike Vargas (musician) he also taught and played for composed music for Billbob (MA) based Sarasa Chamber presented her first evening- Uncertain Times, and was a fea- continues to spend most of his several classes in the Bay Area, as Brown’s (UM) Hypercube, which Music Ensemble. tured solo performer in the XI length work, Wilderness, time improvising and compos- well as back east at Earthdance premiered at the University Cathy Nicoli (HC) will premier D.C. International Improvisation in NYC in November. The ing music, especially for dance. and the Dance New England Dancers concert in December, In Our Walls Grow Little Gardens Festival in Washington, DC. She dance looked at the defini- He has been touring, teaching, Summer Camp. He also played and he has been working at the Hampshire College is currently working on a new tions of wild and tame, with and performing extensively for the Contemplative Dance with Wendy Woodson on her Winter Concert and Love Apple full-length performance instal- a stark look at what we have worldwide with dancer Nancy workshops at Hampshire Col- new Web-based piece, the at the FCDD faculty concert lation piece entitled VERONICA’S gained and lost in a human- Stark Smith, last summer in lege. This fall he played for im- looking glass (www.amherst. in March. She is excited to FOLD, to be premiered at the Ko dominated world. Spain, Estonia, and Germany. prov sessions at Earthdance and edu/~wwoodson/PresentCom- offer her new course,Merging Festival this summer, and she This year he’ll be working in in Northampton. He also plays pany/lookingglass/storyboard1. Minds and Motion: Approach- Ryan Platt (AC), who is has been working on a series Italy, Spain, Toronto, Iowa, and percussion and flute for kirtan html). He also teaches Pro Tools ing Academics through getting his PhD at Cornell, of Web/video “poems” that can Rochester, and possibly Paris ((Hindu chanting) throughout at Amherst College in the audio Creative Dance, this spring. will be teaching a contem- be viewed at www.amherst. and Italy. This fall, he worked the New England area, and has suite (www.TonySilva.com). She plans to round out her porary dance survey course edu/%7Ewwoodson/Present- on a commission for a dance begun work on a new album. Julius Robinson (SC), lecturer first year at Hampshire with next semester. Company/lookingglass/story- on video, and an evening- Peggy Schwartz (UM) has been and principal pianist in the some soul food: a composition board1.html. Rochelle Rice (UM) ap- length solo concert of electro- granted a year’s research as- Smith dance department, workshop with Susan Rethorst peared on the CBS Morning Susan Waltner (SC) completed acoustic music for a concert in signment to organize a massive is researching 19th-century and a dance therapy workshop Show in January ’05. her most recent term as chair of November at Thornes Market amount of primary materials Turkish music for a book he at Antioch. Cathy will be The show took a light- the FCDD last spring. During the A.P.E. (http://www.cdemusic. on Pearl Primus, having been is writing with senior lecturer spending her summer teach- hearted look at New Year’s year she happily oversaw the org/artists/vargas.html). Next steeped in the research process Salem Ecevit on 19th-century ing dance and interdisciplinary resolutions and featured many celebratory activities we August he will be making mu- for many years. Last spring dance and music. arts to special-needs children undertook as part of our 25th sic at the Bates Dance Festival. members of her program, Peggy worked with Joe Nash Pam Raff (MH), a Boston-based at Bearnstow Arts and Nature anniversary. As part of those In Fitness and in Health. Betty Thurston (FCDD staff) shortly before his death to help tap performer, is teaching inter- Retreat in Mt. Vernon, Maine, celebrations, she co-choreo- is happy to work with Daphne him organize his collection of mediate tap and working with and working on an evening- Deborah Robertson (SC graphed a ballet(!) with Ken Lowell, the new chair of the slides on Primus. Peggy hopes her students in an arrangement length solo dedicated to her MFA) came to Smith for her Lipitz (UM), and for the FCDD FCDD. She is also happy to end to have a first draft complete be- of a Leon Collins piece for the grandmother. Excavation will Continued on page 8 Continued on page 8

 Continued from page 7 25th reunion in May ‘05. Studios, Cambridge, MA, of start with family research, field She is an associate profes- completed and in-progress study in Nova Scotia, and site- sor and head of the BFA works by Ham-Ellis, Steiner, specific improvisations based FCDD Plans for the Future acting program at North- and UM faculty member on landscape design and the ern Illinois University. Billbob Brown. context a place inherits from Jennifer Rockwell Ed- the actions that occur within. Layard Thompson (UM) wards (UM) married Ross Matisse Madden (MH) cho- received the following Edwards and moved to reographed a large-cast pointe glowing review in the New Minneapolis MN. piece for the Mount Holyoke York Times: “The highlight Faculty Concert in November, was Layard Thompson Rain Ross (MH) is the artistic and restaged and performed in performing Deborah Hay’s director of Lehua Dance The- a trio from Le Corsaire. The Ridge. He learned the atre in Washington state. rigorous piece last year Marilyn Middleton and Sekou in Scotland through Ms. Rowan Salem (UM) Sylla (MH) report that Sekou Hay’s Solo Performance teaches at the Dancing continues to heal well after a Commissioning Project, in Arts Center and Dancing tragic car accident last spring. which participants agree Arts Academy day school This fall they appeared with their to practice the piece daily in Holliston, MA, where she children in a piece Marilyn set on for at least three months. substitute taught for the students for the Mount Holyoke

director in January. i n The Ridge is full of eccentric Families Dancing concert. P twists and turns that ren- c r i s

Daphne Lowell (HC), the new Cristina Septien, Marina dered Mr. Thompson—with o n

chair of the FCDD, has two ar- J Libel, Andrew Sloat, An- his malleable body and ticles in Authentic Movement vol. nie Lok, and Emily Alpren This year and next the FCDD is undertaking a comprehensive sparkling red shoes—part- 2, edited by Patrizia Pallaro, due (all AC) are working creature, part-human.” together in NYC as a move- out January 2006 from Jessica 10-year self-study to look for ways to continue to improve ment/theater performing Kingsley Publishers: “Introduc- Rachel Tischler’s (AC) company, South Pleasant tion to Authentic Movement” what we offer and to celebrate what we have achieved. most recent performance Street. In the fall they and “Authentic Movement as installation was cited as premiered a piece at the a Form of Dance Ritual. “ This Alums and Students: the best of the show in a Cunningham Studio and introduction, first published in recent curated program received a favorable review Contact Quarterly (vol. 27, no. 2), We want your input! at the Contemporary Arts in the New York Times. was recently selected for entry Museum in North Adams, in the Renaissance electronic Stay tuned for further announcements. MA. Rachel is now assistant Kyle Shukis (UM) per- database. She is also working on Photo above: Performance of Ten 2 Talking by Terese Freedman. general manager at the formed with Randy James a book about Authentic Move- Trinity Repertory Company. Dance Works at the Joyce ment as a rite of passage. She vate piano lessons in her home Academy of Music in Northamp- Center for the Arts, and Space Alie Wickham (HC ‘09) cho- SoHo in NYC. performed Authentic Movement studio. She is musical director ton. Their summer included Cowboy at a Daniel Nagrin reographed two of UMass solos twice this past year: Silence, Laura Simeral (UM) is for the Lisa Leizman Dance attending the CORPS de Ballet conference, both in Arizona. His Theatre Guild’s productions: with music by John Sprague, working full time as a Company, the resident dance International Conference at the Emmy award–winning video, The Who’s Tommy fall ’05 in the FCDD faculty concert, group exercise instructor company of the Northampton San Francisco Ballet School and Opening Doors, was aired on the and Time of Your Life. and Enough (bread), which she and personal trainer at Center for the Arts. In December, teaching for the Pennsylvania Arizona PBS station in October. offered as a fund-raiser for South Debbie Williams (SC) will Wave Health & Fitness Club Elizabeth and the company did a Academy of Ballet. Although on Last summer he created This Asian earthquake relief. She con- be pursuing a master’s at the Seaport Hotel in Bos- fund-raiser for the center featur- sabbatical this year, they made Wednesday, a dance-video stage tinues to teach Contemplative degree at the University of ton. She also danced with ing works set to the music of a guest appearance as a family work about the war in Iraq on Dance/AM with Alton Wasson at Roehampton in England. BoSoma Dance Company. Bartok, Hindemith, and Randall of cats in the Families Dancing Tandem Dance Company in Bos- Hampshire in the summer. Thompson. The company also concert at MH in October. ton, taught a workshop with Bal- Elaine Winslow-Redmond Sara Smith (HC) received Sam Kenney (UM) presented performed at the Academy of Lesley Farlow (MH), a fac- let Plymouth in New Hampshire, (UM), who has been a her MFA in dance from her first evening-length concert Music as part of Northampton’s ulty member at Trinity, is guest- and performed with Rebecca Radio City Rockette for 11 Sarah Lawrence College. with her new company, the First Night celebrations. teaching 20th-Century History. Nordstrom (HC) in numerous years, received a master of Her choreography and Samantics Dance Ensemble, at Peter Jones (MH), musical She performed in the Families places including at Colby-Saw- science degreee in applied sound designs have been Hampshire College in Septem- director of the Mount Holyoke Dancing concert with her six- yer College in New Hampshire. physiology and nutrition seen and heard in NYC ber. The company is also a cur- College dance program, keeps year-old daughter, Jing Jing. He also created a major dance- from Columbia University at Joyce SoHo, Danspace rent recipient of a Northampton busy composing and scoring video event for Northampton’s and is a certified athletic Project’s Food for Thought Arts Council grant in support of Ranjanaa Devi (Asian Arts & for a wide variety of chore- 350th anniversary celebration trainer and member of the at St. Mark’s Church, P.S. its second concert, to take place Culture Program, UM) is working ographers near and far. He with his Chaos Theory Dance National Athletic Trainers 122, HERE Arts Center, in Northampton in the spring on a new course for the FCDD, has released six CDs of music Company as a fund-raiser for Association. She created a the Brooklyn Museum, of 2006. Sacred to the Secular: Perform- United Way. Brooklyn Arts Exchange on his own recording label, ing Arts of Asia, to be offered at wellness program for the Constance Valis Hill (FCDD/HC) (BAX), Galapagos Art Joneschord Music, including his Hampshire next fall. She is also Rodger Blum (SC), on sabbatical Rockettes and is their head joined the board of directors Space, and Ur, where she two latest CDs: Skeletons for solo preparing lectures and choreo- this year, recently completed athletic trainer and athletic of The American Tap Dance was a resident Ur Cousin piano and Gradual Motion 2. graphy, some of which will take a video performance work training program director. Foundation, and helped found in 2003–2004. She also Lada Isupova (musician), a place this spring at the Asian with his company, Surviving She also works as athletic The Gregory Hines Collection performed last year with native of Moscow (Russia), came Studies and Dance Program of Jesse Productions (www.smith. trainer for other NYC per- of American Tap Dance, a major choreographer Chris Yon to the U.S. in 2000 and now lives Colorado College and at Mount edu/survivingjesse). Embrace forming companies such as collection documenting the his- and frequent collabora- in Amherst. This summer she Holyoke College. premiered in the Northampton Blue Man Group, the New tory of tap dance in the Dance tor and choreographer recorded a CD for a ballet class Film Festival in November. This York Knicks City Dancers, Division of the New York Public Paul Dennis (MH), former Limon Karinne Keithley (HC). taught by Charles Flachs (MH). spring he will undertake several Tap Kids, and NYC Dance Library (www.atdfhinescollec- company member for nine years, For the last three years Lada has weeks of course work in media Alliance, and has been tion.org ). As a member of the has been hired to teach Modern William Soleau (AC) is a arts and expand Psyche’s Loss, inducted into her high organized and led music classes 4 during the spring semester. prolific choreographer who editorial board of the Society of for Russian children in the a work he created for the 2004 school’s hall of fame. has created over 70 ballets Dance History Scholars’ Studies Jim Coleman and Terese Amherst community. She also Smith Faculty Concert. This on companies around the in Dance History, she was the Freedman (MH) are working Yasuko Yokoshi (HC) lived was invited by the editor of Rus- December, he performed the world (www.balletdances. volume coeditor of Kaiso! Writing on a concert of new works to in Japan in 2003–04, study- sian Life Magazine to organize role of Herr Drosselmeyer in the com). He is also executive by and about Katherine Dunham, be presented in early February ing traditional Japanese a Russian folk performance for Pioneer Valley Ballet’s Nutcracker, director for the John Butler ed. Veve Clark and Sarah John- that will include a collaborative kabuki dance with master children and adults to be per- which was co-artistic-directed by Foundation Inc., dedicated son-Lao, published by Wisconsin piece with visual artist Neal teacher Masumi Seyama. formed in Amherst in the “Taste Smith MFA’s Tomas Vacanti and to preserving and protect- University Press. Constance’s Parks and video projection, live She is now back in NYC of Russia” Folk Festival in August. Maryanne Delise Kodzis. ing the master works of most recent essay, “Cabin in cam with their daughter Zoe. ,where she recently showed She is currently staging a Russian Paul Arslanian (UM), musical this influential American the Sky: Katherine Dunham’s Terese will be teaching a new a work in progress at the children’s opera, The Little Turnip, director of the UMass dance choreographer. and George Balanchine’s (Afro) course in advanced kinesiology Guggenheim Museum. to premier at Amherst’s Munson program, continues to study Americana,” has just been spring semester ’06. Jim contin- Library in February 2006. tap dancing and hopes to soon Arlene Steiner (UM) and published in Discourses in Dance, ues to promote collaborative have only one left foot. He will Melissa Ham-Ellis (UM) a journal of the Laban Center in Rose and Charles Flachs (MH) arts projects as arts coordinator be honored on National Tap Alums! are co-artistic directors of London, edited by Susan Foster opened a new studio, the Mas- at MHC. the Boston-based Tandem sachusetts Academy of Ballet, in Day, May 19, at the Museum of Stay in Touch and Ramsay Burt (spring 2005). Billbob Brown (UM) set Dance, Inc. The company Holyoke’s Open Square. Charles Our National Heritage in Lexing- with Us! She hopes to spend her upcom- new works this past year at performed in the Divine is performing with MAB students ton, MA, for his contributions ing sabbatical on a new writing Springfield College and Western Dear Alums: Project at the University of in an excerpt from Coppelia, to the art form. Past honorees project: Tap Dancing America: A Wyoming Community College. Please send us your New Hampshire, a fund- directed by Rose, for the Winter include Buster Brown, Brenda e-mail and other Twentieth-Century Cultural His- He also performed in Marion Kirk raiser for a dancer with leu- Performance at the Northamp- Buffalino, Jimmy Slyde, and Sara contact information! tory and Chronology, 1900–2005. Jones’ s Skydancers with Desert kemia, and in an informal ton Center for the Arts and for Petrnio. Paul’s piano playing can E-mail us at Elizabeth Haymaker (musician) Dance Theater’s artistic director showing at Green Street the First Night celebration at the be heard on the latest Pottery [email protected] continues to enjoy teaching pri- Lisa Chow at the Scottsdale Barn Christmas Kids music CD.

 • Five College Dance Department newsletter