Performance Programs
Creative Team
Artistic Director
Amy Chavasse
Choreographers (in performance order)
Rosanna Tavarez+, Charli Brissey,
Kyunghwa Hong+, Ananya Chatterjea+
Rehearsal Directors
Jen Peters, Marly Spieser-Schneider, Elisandra Rosario
Lighting Designers
Mary Cole, Abi Farnsworth‡
Costume Designer
Lauren Gaston+
Scenic Designers
Jungah Han, Kevin Judge
Hair and Makeup Designer
Brittney Crinson
Resident Intimacy Choreographer and Cultural Consultant
Raja Benz
Production Stage Manager
Michelle Elias
+SMTD Guest
‡SMTD Student
Production Crew
1st ASM Alena Serrano
Videographer Sly Pup Productions
Sound Engineer Al Hurschman
Head Electrician Miles Zoellick
Deck Carpenter Heather Udowitz
Shop Crews
Costumes Sammer Ali, Katy Dawson, Maya Liu, Aspen Kinomoto, Esmay Pricejones, Kayti Sanchez, Ellie Van Engen, Maddie Vassalo, Summer Wasung, Emily Weddle & Theatre 250/252/262 students
Theatrical Lighting Shira Baker, Abi Farnsworth, Sydney Geysbeek, Ethan Hoffman, Elianna Kruskal, Brandon Malin, Megan Mondek, Christian Mulville, Gabriela Ribeiro Znamensky, Kathleen Stanton-Sharpless, William Webster, Andrew Wilson, Miles Zoellick & Theatre 250/252/262 students
Painting Ellie Vice (Lead), Seri Stewart (Lead), Bella Rowlinson, Martha Sprout, Angela Wu, Amber Walters, Gilayah McIntosh, Lauren Streng, Ceri Roberts & Theatre 250/252/262 students
Props Eliza Anker, Danielle Bekas, Andy Blatt, Madysen Casey, Aquila Ewald, Dallas Fadul, Audrey Hollenbaugh, Lucy Knas, Teresa Morales, Charlotte Stallings, Audrey Tieman, Banks Krause & Theatre 250/252/262 students
Scenery Marium Asghar, Anna Forberg, Miles Hionis, Hannah Kryzhan, Michael Russell, Sophia Severance, Lauren Streng, Eliza Vassalo, Nathaniel Steever, Robert Beckemeyer,& Theatre 250/252/262 students
Production Office Justin Comini, Shelby Holloway, Esther Hwang
Running Crew
Deck Crew Abigail Aziz, Brooke Galsky, Katherine Kiessling
Light Board Operator Yue (Brenda) Cai
Sound Operator Martha Sprout
Wardrobe Crew Maya Liu^, Rachel Pfeil, Abby Widlak
^Crew Head
Design & Production Faculty Advisors
Head of Design & Production Christianne Myers
Stage Management Nancy Uffner
Scenic Design Jungah Han, Kevin Judge
Costume Design Christianne Myers, Sarah M. Oliver
Lighting Design Jess Fialko
Sound Design Henry Reynolds
Staff Mentors
Laura Brinker, Brittany Crinson, Heather Hunter, Chad Hain, Richard W. Lindsay Jr., Beth Sandemaier
Department of Dance
SMTD LEADERSHIP
David Gier, Dean
Paul Boylan Collegiate Professor of Music
Department of Dance
Chair
Christian Matijas-Mecca
Administrative Specialist
Katie Gunning
Media Consultant
Sean Hoskins
Faculty
Marwan Amen-Ra, Missy Beck, Charli Brissey, Amy Chavasse, Mary Cole, Fabio DaCunha, Krisilyn “Tony” Frazier, Shannon Gillen, Jillian Hopper, Slavka Jelinkova, Angela Kane, Fangfei Miao, GingerAnn Neslund, Judy Rice, Stephen J. Rush, Kristen Schuyten, Biza Sompa, Amy West, Khita Whyatt, Robin Wilson
University Productions Administrative Staff
Executive Director
Jeffrey Kuras
Sr Administrative Specialist
Christine Eccleston
Sr Administrative Assistant
Nathan Carrillo
Information Systems Manager
Henry Reynolds
Facilities Manager
Shannon Rice
Performance Halls
House Manager
Kelley Krahn
Lead Backstage Operations Manager
Dane Racicot
Senior Backstage Operations Manager
David Pickell
Backstage Operations Managers
Tiff Crutchfield, Alex Gay, Yvette Kashmer, Robbie Kozub
University Productions Production Staff
Production Manager
Paul Hunter
Assistant Production Manager
Michelle Williams-Elias
Lead Technical Director (Walgreen)
Richard W. Lindsay Jr.
Theatrical Scenery Manager (Power)
Chad Hain
Lead Scenic Carpenter
Devin Miller
Scenic Carpenter
Heather Udowitz
Charge Scenic Artist
Beth Sandmaier
Associate Theatrical Paint Manager
Madison Stinemetz
Theatrical Properties Manager
Patrick A. Drone
Associate Theatrical Properties Manager
Danielle Keys
Senior Properties Artisan
Dan Erickson
Properties Stock and Tech Coordinator
Kat Kreutz
Theatrical Lighting Manager
Heather Hunter
Associate Theatrical Lighting Manager
Jorrey Calvo
Sound Designer/Engineer
Henry Reynolds
Senior Costume Shop Manager
Laura Brinker
Assistant Costume Shop Manager
Leslie Ann Smith
Lead Cutter/Draper
Tj Williamson
Cutter/Drapers
Seth Gilbert, Sarah Havens
Stitchers
Rene Plante, Marcia Grace
Lead Costume Crafts Artisan
Elizabeth Gunderson
Costume Stock Manager
Theresa Hartman
Wardrobe Manager
Rossella Human
Visiting Theatrical Hair and Makeup Manager
Brittany Crinson
About the Performances
rules of interaction, Rosanna Tavarez
Concept and Direction
Rosanna Tavarez
Choreographer
Rosanna Tavarez with cast
Rehearsal Director
Jen Peters
Lighting Designer
Mary Cole
Scenic Designer
Kevin Judge
Sound Score Designer
Justin Scheid
Sound Score Elements
“Theory of Machines” composed by Ben Frost, text from “Who Controls the World” TED Talk by James B. Glattfelder
Cast
Anastasia Bredikhina, Ruby Clay, Audrey De Guia, Rachel Dunklee, Alyssa Hernandez, Chloe Kim, Kate Mitchell, Melisa Orduna, Madison Rogers, Claire Schick, Amelie Vidrio, Caitlyn Wade, Mya Waple, Olivia Weber
Time is a Thing a Body Moves Through, Charli Brissey
Choreographer
Charli Brissey
Rehearsal Director
Elisandra Rosario
Lighting Designer
Abi Farnsworth
Sound Designer
Charli Brissey w/ samples from Louise Morrisey, Missy Elliot, Ka Baird, Swamp Dogg, and Sigma
Cast
Gabriella Boutiette, Anabelle Chalmers, Zamora Tamminga, Annie Laforet, Madison Rogers, Ladina Schaller, Amelie Vidrio
Director’s Note
The title of this work is in reference to an essay by T. Fleischmann of an almost identical title, “Time Is the Thing a Body Moves Through.” I attempted to design the structure of this dance based on my non-linear, striated, and occasionally gut-wrenching experience of reading this text.
Thank you to these dancers for showing up so fully to each rehearsal, and for trusting me enough to go (and stay) on this ride together. I am in awe of each of you.
Thank you to other artists whose past collaborations and conversations have also made this work possible: Elisandra Rosario, Felix Cruz, jess pretty, Jennifer Monson, and Jess Fialko.
Home Beyond the Mountains, Kyungwha Hong
Choreographer
Kyunghwa Hong
Lighting Designer
Abi Farnsworth
Scenic Designer
Jungah Han
Composer & Sound Designer
Junyoung Park
Cast
Paige Ashley, Alexandra Baron, Anastasia Bredikhina, Mia Brooks, Robert Farr-Jones, Mary Kacsur, Irene Kim, Megan Piagentini, Caitlyn Wade, Kaitlyn Wilson
Director’s Note
I believe that everyone is living a life of challenges and overcoming in order to find the invisible home beyond the mountain (dreams, hopes, oneself). I hope that the challenges and obstacles that come to you will give you even greater strength, through the helping hands of others. I hope you will continue to search for the home beyond the mountain, which is still unseen. I am grateful for the dedication and artistry of the dancers who have inspired me. I also express my gratitude to Kwangmin Kim, Jungah Han, and Junyoung Park, who have helped me shine in my work. Additionally, thank you to the dance department for giving me an unforgettable opportunity.
Habibi Bhumi / Beloved Land (2024), Ananya Chatterjea
Concept and Choreography
Ananya Chatterjea
Music composed by
Greg Schutte
Vocals by
Aida Shaghasemi, Pooja Goswami Pavan, and Shubha Mudgal
Film by
Darren Johnson
Rehearsal Director
Marly Spieser-Schneider
Lighting Designer
Mary Cole
Cast
Gloria Sitsope Ahlijah, Ava Garland, Ginny Jiang, Sreya Muthukumar, Zeenia Shahpurwala, Najah Tucker
Director’s Note
Habibi Bhumi /Beloved Land (2024) is a tribute to Palestinian writer and educator Refaat Alareer, who shared his widely acclaimed poem “If I must die / you must live / to tell my story” via social media on November 1, 2023.
Alareer was killed by an airstrike on December 6, 2023.
Over a century ago, Jamaican-American poet Claude McKay, celebrated figure of the Harlem Renaissance, had published his poem, “If we must die” in the journal The Liberator.
May light prevail!
Resources
Welcome to the Department of Dance’s annual Power Center show, Dancing in Memory Burning. Four internationally recognized choreographers, in collaboration with the BFA and MFA students in the Department of Dance, premiere original works of choreography. Artistic Director is my title for this gig, but I think a more apt title would be Artistic Co-Conspirator. It’s been my great pleasure and honor to have witnessed these remarkable artists create these dance works with our phenomenally talented dancers.
In each of the four dances, a throughline of embodied mapping and memory is etched and revealed, even as each work offers a profoundly unique vision. With palpable force, the dancers are propelled by questions and burning desires. How memories travel through time and bodies—how they are unfixed and fallible, how they destroy and heal, and implicate uncertain futures, is a shared thread. The questions lead us backwards through time, towards recollections of home, and forward towards a glimpse of a fragile future.
The opening image reveals a vertical surface for the dancers to launch themselves into space and into a consideration of tactical interactions and entanglements. Slippery narratives come and go, caught up in currents of time. Listen as the music ricochets across the stage, and for stories of home that may sound familiar, or shake loose a forgotten image.
And finally, the stage darkens. The footfalls continue to hold us in time, and the breathing of the dancers extinguishes into silence leaving a mark of absence . We are left in the company of our burning thoughts. It is a journey that asks for accountability, while offering possibility.
Thank you for joining us for Dancing in Memory Burning.
~Amy Chavasse
The performers in this production were students in the Department of Dance. The designers for this production were students, faculty, and/or guests of SMTD. Scenery, costumes, properties, sound, and lighting were realized by the students and staff of University Productions, the producing unit of the SMTD. Thank you for supporting our educational mission.
Media
Images coming soon!