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An Evening of Mixed Repertory Curator/Artistic Director Brandon Whited

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Community Celebration: An Evening Of Mixed Repertory Curator/Artistic Director Brandon Whited June 18, 2021 Center Stage Theater Director’s Note t is with great joy and pleasure that we welcome you back to the theater. It goes without saying that this has been an incredibly challenging year. While many industries have been effected by the pandemic in significant ways, the performing arts—and dance in particular—have endured devas- tating economic and structural ramifications. COVID’s impact on the arts has been widely un-addressed at the governmental level and it is due to the unshakeable support of arts advocates, donors, and community organizers that we are here today. For so many of us, the restrictions and limitations of the pandemic have also ushered in a lengthy period of separation, division and isolation. Through screens we worked to forge new connections, and reconnect with those who had drifted away from us. We created times to meet and “zoomed” all over the globe in an attempt to recreate the vital, human need for social interaction and community support. There is great power in community—holding the power of connection, cooperation, and under- standing. After so much time apart, it is that much more meaningful to join together tonight in order to celebrate the art form that kept so many of us going this past year. Tonight’s offerings represent many of the different aesthetics, genres and performance styles that illuminate the range and diversity with- in the field of dance. Representing many generations, cultural histories, creative points-of-view through both live and digital performances, the works featured tonight are an important step toward what will be a long process of the reemergence and rebuilding of our field. I invite you to open your mind and your heart, let the visceral impact of live performance invigorate you, and allow yourself to be moved. Thank you so much for spending the evening with us, and for your ongoing support of the performing arts. We hope to see you again soon! —Brandon Whited, Curator/Artistic Director Community Celebration: An Evening Of Mixed Repertory Only Hope Vasily Golovin & Jatila van der Veen Choreography: Vasily Golovin & Jatila van der Veen Lighting: Antonio Cruz Ventura Music: Mandy Moore Only Hope Performers: Vasily Golovin & Jatila van der Veen Rescue Avila Joy Edwards Choreography: Avila Joy Edwards & Katie Cleek Lighting: Sophie Lynd Music: Lauren Daigle Rescue Performers: Avila Joy Edwards, Katie Cleek & Maile Kai Merrick Bollywood Nartan School of Dance Choreography: Khushbu Dalsania Lighting Design: Antonio Cruz Ventura & Sophie Lynd Video Production: Kaede Kogo, Antonio Cruz Ventura & Brandon Whited Performers: Aadhya Bavkar, Aditi Shanbhag, Jayna Patel, Saanvi Joshi, Sahara Bajwa Ganesh Pooja Nartan Mommy Dancers Choreography: Khushbu Dalsania Lighting Design: Antonio Cruz Ventura & Sophie Lynd Video Production: Kaede Kogo, Antonio Cruz Ventura & Brandon Whited Performers: Bahvna Rahane, Deepikha Punniamoorthy, Ranjana Girish, Bhavna Rahane Harvest Moon Daisy Mohrman Choreography: Daisy Mohrman Videography/Cinematography/Photography: Cory Cullington Music: Harvest Moon Performer: Daisy Mohrman Lizard's Mouth HR Moves/Hannah Ruth Brothers Movement, Video & Editing: Hannah Ruth Brothers Sound & Editing: Simon Blondell Performer: Hannah Ruth Brothers A Dance Celebration of Rhythmic Unity in Diversity Isha Ferraz Choreography: Pauline Carey, Isha Ferraz & Cassidy Linder Music: Lindsey Sterling Mirage Performers: Pauline Carey, Isha Ferraz & Cassidy Linder Pharonic Odyssey Alexandra King Ensemble Choreography: Alexandra King Lighting: Antonio Cruz Ventura Music: Pharonic Odyssey Performers: Blanca Blanco, Faith J. Daniels, Alexandra King, Selena Evilsizor Whitney & Trudy Verbais, Intermission The Spanish Prince Vasily Golovin & Jatila van der Veen Choreography: Vasily Golovin & Jatila van der Veen Lighting: Antonio Cruz Ventura Music: The Spanish Prince arranged by Jatila van der Veen Performers: Vasily Golovin & Jatila van der Veen Out There Victoria Finlayson Choreography & Video Editing: Victoria Finlayson Videographers: Hannah Ruth Brothers, Victoria Finlayson, Lydia Lamberth, Susan Shaberman, Mark Srednicki Original Score: Simon Blondell Performers: Hannah Ruth Brothers, Kara Le, Susan Shaberman, Eloise Uranga Nadamurali Gaana Vilola Yamini Kalluri Choreography & Performance: Yamini Kalluri Culminate Choreography Emily Stratton Videography: Nick Deraney Music: Philip Glass Etude No. 16 Performer: Emily Stratton Time to Start The Dance Network/Coverage Tap Choreography: Karyn Laver Lighting Design: Karyn Laver Music: Blue Man Group Time To Start Performers: Shae Cogswell, Caitlin Davis, Lauren Hovey, Lindsay Huddle, Karyn Laver & Marley Moody Directors-Choreographers-Filmakers Hannah Ruth Brothers seeks to discover what can be created with the materials at hand. Creating dance films with nothing more than her iPhone, she has danced on beaches, trails, and subway platforms, and in parking lots, grocery stores, and Am- trak bathrooms, as well as on many stages. She graduated with High Honors from Marlboro College, VT, with a BA in Dance, and has trained extensively in ballet, modern dance, contact improvisation, dance improvisation, West African dance, and yoga. Her work has been presented in New England; Orlando, FL; Berkeley, CA; and her hometown of Santa Barbara, CA, where she current- ly resides. Since 2016, Hannah Ruth has managed her private practice, Hannah Ruth Massage for Wellness, serving clients in the Santa Barbara area. View her live performance work and dance films, includingLizard’s Mouth extras, at vim- eo.com/hannahruthbrothers, or find her on Instagram @hannahruthiedancequeen- machine. Paulina Carey: This International Academy Of Middle Eastern Dance Superstar will take you on a journey embracing the cre- ative and theatrical elements of dance. Paulina began her belly dance career with the UCSB Middle East Ensemble in 1995. Her artistry and talent shine through with every performance and her skill and enthusiasm as a teacher are widely recog- nized. Paulina has taught and performed workshops nationally and internationally. Katie Cleek started dancing at Curtis Studio of Dance when she was six years old and has since participated in Santa Barba- ra’s Teen Dance Star, trained with the Industry Dance Acad- emy in LA, dances with Geometry Dance Academy, studied at several summer intensives including State Street Ballet and Entity Contemporary Dance Company, and is now a Junior dance major and musical theater minor at Chapman University. She enjoys teaching dance and Pilates classes, crafting creative choreographic videos, and performing. She hopes to pursue a professional career in dance in the LA movie/commercial industry, company work in NYC or LA, musical theater on Broadway, or whatever else comes her way! Katie is excited and expectant for what the future holds. She is very grateful for her Santa Bar- bara community because she would not be where she is without the support and love of the arts from her hometown. Katie plans to continue living her life boldly from her heart and make a positive impact on the world. Cory Cullington is a photographer, cinematographer, editor, and animator from Auburn, CA. From a young age, his fascination with filmmaking led him to pursue a degree in Film & Media Studies at the University of California, San- ta Barbara, where he contributed to over a dozen productions. He now travels internationally for Procore Technologies, capturing video and stills that craft the company’s image. Cory is endlessly driven to learn, create, and collaborate. Cory and Daisy Mohrman live together in Santa Barbara and this is their most recent collaboration. has enhanced her inherent talent and transformed her into an accomplished danc- er by sheer grace, rhythm and fluidity. The artist in her blossomed into a dedicat- ed teacher after she attained Shiksha Visharad and Upandhya Vishaarad in dance from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharv Mahavidyalaya, Miraj-India. She is the pioneer of the branch for Arya Dance Academy in Cherryhill, NJ. She taught Classical and Bollywood dance to over 200 students at the Cherryhill location from 2003- 2008 including 15 Aarangetrams and numerous trophies under her. After a 5 year maternity break, Khushbu is all set to teach Indian classical Dance in California. Avila Joy Edwards, 12, has been dancing since the age of two. She has performed in a number of ballets throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura County; her favorites being Thumbelina, Appalachian Spring (w/State Street Ballet) and the Nutcracker. She has been accepted and participated in summer intensives with Master Ballet Academy and American Ballet Theater. This summer she will be attending State Street Ballet’s summer intensive along with Ballet Magnificat. In the future, Avila plans to continue studying dance and hopes to have more opportuni- ties to choreograph pieces like this to share with others. Isha Ferraz is a passionate dancer and choreographer, 15-yr movement instructor and the founder of Hamsa Studio in Ojai, California. From a young age she discovered her love for the performing arts and has trained and performed in various dance companies from grade school through college. At the age of 20 she discovered her love of teaching and began her career as a dance instructor teaching in Nashville, Tennessee. A deep res- onance with Indian culture and arts led her to study Kuchipudi (Indian Classical Dance) under various accomplished gurus and mentors.
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