Program a: July 22-24
(Rain Date July 25)
Meghan McCoy
Tzu Ying Lee
Tracie Stanfield
Mercedes Searer
Theodora Boguszewski
Mary Ann Wall
Meghan McCoy (Effects of the Increased Use & Disuse of Parts, As Controlled by Natural Selection, 10 mins) is a New York City based artist. She grew up in Wisconsin, where she received her BFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and then packed up and moved to NYC. She currently performs with Becky Radway Dane Projects and has had the pleasure of performing with IN.D.dance/Nicole Dufree and Dancers, Nora Stephens/noranewdance, Jin-Wen Yu Dance, Eva Dean Dance. Essie Aficionado and Katherine Keifer Stark. She is a founding member of Collective Dance NYC, which has produced 3 full length shows, performing to sold-out audiences in both NY and DC. Her works have been presented at the Dumbo Dance Festival, Dance Conversations @ the Flea, Take Root at Greenspace, Depot Dances, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and WAXworks. Meghan graduated in May 2009 with an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and is currently a guest artist for the Young Movers Ensemble at Dancewave in Brooklyn.
Tzu Ying Lee (The Land Between Us, 10 mins) is originally from Taipei, Taiwan. After she graduated from National Taiwan University of the Arts in B.F.A, she has been danced professionally for Taipei Ballet Dance Company and Century Contemporary Dance Company in Taiwan until she moved to New York in 2007. In New York, she has had the pleasure of performing for such artists as Deborah Jowitt, Susan Marshall, James Martin, Laura Peterson, Joshua Monten, Rachael Lincoln, DaNaKa Dance Co., Patricia Noworol Co., and Yin Yue Dance Co.. and keeps continuing to work with Dana Salisbury. In 2009, Tzu-Ying received an M.F.A in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and also has been honor to become a part of 2009 Bessie Schonberg Choreographers’ and Dancers’ Residency as a dancer right after school. As a choreographer, Tzu-Ying has presented her works in NYU Tisch’s Second Avenue Dance Company from 2008 to 2009, and she has been invited to present her choreography at Los Angeles Movement Art’s Momentum 2009 at Nete Holden Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles.
Tracie Stanfield’s work (For Liars, For Sages and For Those Who Are New, 8 mins) is as diverse as it is entertaining. In addition to choreographing and directing Synthesis Dance Project, Tracie has been commissioned by Tapestry Dance Company, Verismo Opera Company, K-Broadway in Tokyo, TRIP Dance Company, Mesa State College and Dancers Inc. Tracie Stanfield recently choreographed the independent film, “The Fairy Queen” for Director Erin Levendorf and created an online video campaign for EOS/Caseology. Under the direction of Tracie Stanfield, Synthesis Dance Project’s performance highlights include The International Dance Festival, NUDance Now Festival, Los Angeles Dance Invitational, Towson University, The Grier School Gala, Garden State Dance Festival, The Next Stage Project, SoNo Arts Festival, The Provincetown Elan Festival, Promenade Relief Jubiliee, Hollywood Performing Arts Center and as featured guests of The Kennedy Dancers. Tracie is the recipient of the 2005 Spirit of Elan Choreography Award for her work with Synthesis Dance Project. Promoting the power of dance through residencies, lecture/demos and choreography workshops, Tracie has worked across the country with salon series style performance workshops and “bootcamp” (few open, short rehearsals culminating in performances) performances. Tracie Stanfield has served as Artist in Residence at St. Stephens in Austin, Texas. Her choreography has been seen at Youth American Grand Prix, The University of Michigan, The Elan Awards, Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Joffrey Ballet Center, The Rock School and numerous venues across the country.
Mercedes Searer (Untitled, 7 mins) is currently pursuing her MFA in Dance at Sarah Lawrence College under the direction of Sara Rudner. She received her BA in Modern Dance from the conservatory at Point Park University. Her early company experience began while performing Doris Humphrey repertoire with Windhover Dance Company. After graduation she performed with Pillow Project, Attack Theatre, Tracie Yorke Dance, and Zany Umbrella Circus.In 2007 she started and co-directed an aerial dance performance company, Knot Dance. She has recently had the pleasure of working with noted choreographers Sara Rudner, Lucinda Childs and Deganit Shemy. Her work has been performed at the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh’s Children’s Museum, Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital, Pittsburgh Playhouse, Construction Junction and Bellefield Hall in Pittsburgh, PA.More recently she has been shown at the Bessie Schoenberg Dance Theater at Sarah Lawrence College. She is excited to be performing her work in the Solar One Dance Series this summer in New York City. Mercedes has taught as guest faculty for McAllen City Ballet’s Summer Intensive (McAllen,TX), Dance Alloy (Pittsburgh, PA) and founded and ran the modern dance module in Propel Charter Schools (Pittsburgh, PA). She has taught outreach creative arts programs for Attack Theatre, Dance Alloy Theater and Civic Light Opera in Pittsburgh, PA.
Theodora Boguszewski (Communion, 8 mins) is a native of Berkeley, California. She began dancing at age 10. She has been attending the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase since 2006, and will graduate this spring. After developing a love for choreographing in Kazuko Hirabayashi’s composition class her sophomore year, Theo applied and was accepted into a composition concentration within the dance conservatory at Purchase. Since then, she has choreographed a variety of distinct pieces, which have been performed in the Downtown Cabaret Festival, Purchase Wide Open, and in various locations around the Purchase campus. Theo just finished her senior project, which involved choreographing three new works, all unique and independent from one another. She is currently working on choreographing and organizing an interdisciplinary show, which will be performed on campus and at Station 171 in Brooklyn. Theo plans to move to New York City after graduation, and hopes to continue to make and show work in years to come.
Mary Ann Wall (The Literal Housewife, 5 mins), originally from Florida, formed RedWall Dance Theatre in August 2002. Her work has been shown at PS122, DanceNow at Joe’s Pub & Joyce SoHo, The Ohio Theater, Dance New Amsterdam, Dixon Place, WAX, BRIC, BAX, Chashama and worked with theater groups Dreamscape and Spring Theater Works. She has danced with Monica Bill Barnes, Cid Pearlman, Cynthia Anne Stanley/Bardos Ballet and as a redhead with Johannes Wieland. Ms. Wall has had her work set on Tuzer Ballet (Dallas, TX), LIU-Brooklyn Campus Dance Department, and Spoke-the-Hub (Brooklyn, NY). She is an adjunct professor, production coordinator and administrator at the Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus Dance Department.. Mary Ann Attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX and received a BBA in Finance and a BFA in Dance Performance. Currently, she is pursuing a Masters degree in Media Arts. RedWall Dance Theatre,founded in 2002 by choreographer Mary Ann Wall, pushes the familiar boundaries of modern dance by creating accessible and entertaining work that integrates dance with the communicative power of theatre. RedWall’s signature style combines quirky, gesture-rich movement with precise articulations of the body to illustrate the humor of everyday life. The tone of the work marries lightheartedness with cynicism, inviting audiences to explore a dynamic range of emotions and contextual twists. RedWall has performed its growing repertory at over fifty events and venues throughout New York City and surrounding areas, such as New Jersey and Massachusetts.
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Program B: July 29-31
(Rain Date August 1)
Yesid Lopez
Joseph Celej
Mariana Valencia
Makiko Tamura
Daniela Hoff
Mana Kawamura
Yesid Lopez (Thirst of Ruin, 10 mins) is originally from Colombia. He has been involved with different organizations performing in Colombia, the UK, Cuba and the US as a dancer and choreographer in Latin, Jazz and Contemporary Ballet styles, and in South Korea as a choreographer and featured dancer with Hanwha Resort in Sokcho City. In 2006, Yesid moved to New York where he co-founded L&L Dance, performing most of his repertory in different venues in the New York City Area, including Winter Follies at Spoke the Hub, Steps Lab Series, PMT Seasonal Showcase, RHYTHMS, Mojito/DanceOmopolitan at Joe’s Pub, Dance Tracks NYC, Dumbo Dance Festival, Bridge for Dance, Local Produce at Spoke the Hub, COOL New York, and the Latin Choreographers Dance Festival. He has received reviews in publications like Attitude: the Dancers’ Magazine, Ballet-Dance Magazine and Dance Magazine. In the fall of 2007, he joined Contemporary Ballet Theater as a Co-Artistic Director, staging and choreographing The Nutcracker in collaboration with the Bronx Symphony Orchestra at the Hostos Community Center in the Bronx. He has also been commissioned to produce new works for Akjun Ballet Theatre, Missouri Contemporary Ballet and Mystic Ballet. Yesid works with Ballet Hispanico as a dancer and DeMa Dance Company as a resident choreographer, and has been nominated as a guest choreographer for the WDA Americas for the 2010 International Young Choreographer Project in Taiwan.
Joseph Celej (What More?, 5 mins), originally from Buffalo, NY, holds a BFA in dance performance from SUNY at Buffalo. His concert credits include Priscilla Nathan-Murphy, Nina Buisson Contemporary Move, The Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, and currently tours internationally with Elisa Monte Dance, based in NYC. Commercial/Industrial credits include Levi Strauss and Company, Wal-mart, and the city of Houston. Joe’s choreographic experience includes the creation of six original works for the Houston Met as its Resident Choreographer, the Pink Ribbons Project, the Big Range Dance Festival, Zodiaque Dance Company (resident company of SUNY at Buffalo), and has presented his own work at the Dance Harlem festival and independently at The Tank in downtown Manhattan. Joe continues his relationship with the Houston Met as a guest choreographer/teacher and member of their advisory board. As a part of the Elisa Monte Dance Choreographic Initiative, Joe has collaborated on Monte’s recent work Zydeco Zare, and presented his own piece, Pockettangle, in the company’s recent 2010 New York season. With over ten years of teaching experience, Joe is a master teacher throughout the United States and Europe. Joe is a recent recipient of the Zodiaque 35th Distinguished Alumni Award from SUNY at Buffalo.
Mariana Valencia (Thunder Creeps, time TBA) founded Rhinoceros Event in Brooklyn in 2007, after graduating from Hampshire College with a concentration in performance. In the summer of 2009, she was the Art Mentor at the G.E.J. Foundation in Denmark. As Visiting Artist and Mentor, Mariana developed a laboratory curriculum in visual and performance arts. She is the 2010 recipient of the DSJJ Fund of the Tides Foundation. Rhinoceros Event has presented work at 709 Henry St, Dixon Place, MR Open Performance, Gowanus Arts, Greenspace, The Works, Space 1026 in Philadelphia, Thornes APE and Breath Studio in Northampton, MA, Canal Chapter Gallery, Movement Research at Judson Church, AUNTS, Triskelion Arts, p.art.ies at The Tank, Loyola Theater Chicago and The Flea Theater.
Makiko Tamura (3, 10 mins) is the founder and artistic director of small apple co. as well as an annual special guest choreographer/dancer of The Dance Satellite Lecture at Yamaguchi University Faculty of Education since 2004 in Japan. Tamura was selected to perform in Japan Contemporary Dance Network Presents We’re Gonna Go Dancing!! (vol.7) at Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media. In Japan, Tamura presented her works in many theaters such as Asahi art square, Akiyoshidai International Art Village, Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media, Hofu-shi public hall, YAMAGUCHI CIVIC HALL, and Session House. Tamura graduated from Japan Women’s Junior College of Physical Education in dance, vocal music, pantomime, and traditional art, and then graduated from Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music. Tamura was a dancer who appeared in musicals, plays, concert tours, and on TV. Tamura taught dance in TOKYU CULTURE CENTER, RISK DANCE WORKSHOP, and AMURITA SUTUDIO in Tokyo and Yamaguchi. In 2007, Tamura moved to the U.S.A. Tamura has worked with Nathan Trice/RITUALS, “STRENGE LOVE”(Central Park Summer Stage, and Von Park Amphitheater, NY 2009), ELLIS WOOD DANCE ”Falcon Project”(Tribeca Performing Arts Center, NYC, 2007-2008) (Fire Island Dance Festival 2008) (Himeji Castle Open Space, Hyogo, Japan 2008) (Hyogo Prefectural Museum Of Art, Kobe, Japan 2008) (Cowell Theater, California 2008) (Tisch School of the Arts, NYC 2008), VANESSA JUSTICE DANCE (Judson Church, NYC 2008), Digby Dance (Gowanus Arts Center, NY 2007), Jana Hicks (City Center, NYC 2004), Marijke Eliasberg (City Center, NYC 2007), Sin Ae Park’s Project (White Wave Theater, NY 2007-2008) and in the works of various New York City choreographers. Tamura presented her works in newsteps choreographer’s series 2008 at Chen Dance Center, Danspace Project Food For Thought 2009 at St.Mark’s Church, RAW Material Fall 2009 at Dance New Amsterdam as well as at Center for Performance Research, Jennifer Muller/The works, Tisch School of the Arts and other NYC venues. In 2009, Tamura was selected to be a part of Joyce Theater Presents The A.W.A.R.D.Show! 2009: New York City with Order made, receiving the first-place prize. Tamura has been selected to be a 2009-2010 Fresh Tracks artist at Dance Theater Workshop.
Daniela Hoff (Soliloquy- Solo for Two (excerpt), 7 mins), born in Germany, studied at the School for the Arts, Department for Modern Theater Dance in Amsterdam/Holland. Her choreography has been presented internationally at different festivals and venues including the Plankgas Festival, the ITS- Festival, the Phillip Morris Dance Theater, Williamsburg/ Greenpoint Dance Festival, the Cathedral Arts Festival, Hatch, Dancespace, the Cunningham Studio, WAX, Triskelion Arts, SWEAT, the d.u.m.b.o. Dance Festival, the Cool New York Dance Festival, Solar One Dance Festival, the Flea Theater, at DNA, CT meets NY Dance Fest, the Mulberry Street Theater, 92nd Street Y, the Clark Studio Theater/ Lincoln Center, at Joyce Soho, at DTW and others. In Europe and the US Daniela studied and worked with various choreographers including members of the Tanztheater Wuppertal/ Pina Bausch, Michele Ann de Mey, Katie Duck, Christina Briggs & Edward Winslow, Mary Seidman, Erica Essner, Peggy Peloquin, and others. She received a Scholarship at the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio. Daniela has been on several residencies supported by Dancenow/NYC/Silo. Daniela Hoff Dance Company has been featured on the public access TV video program on MNN.
Mana Kawamura (Cloudburst3, 3 mins) grew up studying dance at the Izumi Kawamura Dance Studio, a dance school her grand mother established in 1953. In 2001 she traveled to Germany to study under Dominique Merci and Malou Airaudo (both members of Pina Bausch Dance Company) at the Folkwang Hochschule, Germany until 2003. She then returned to Japan and started dancing as a member of the Izumi Kawamura Dance Company. In addition to this, she choreographed and performed her own solo for the All Japan Modern Dance Competition in Akita, and received 1st prize. Continuing to the national competition in Tokyo, she placed 7th. She then applied for and received a scholarship from the Agency for cultural affairs in Japan to further her studies abroad, and traveled to New York in 2006. In New York City, she has choreographed a new solo which she has performed several times in the city. Furthermore, she has been selected by the “Audition for new Steps: an emerging choreographer series” Spring of 2008 and 2009 to show a new work for five dancers. Her choreography also has been presented at Dance Theater Workshop, 92nd Street Y, Green Space ,Movement research at Judson Church, Bric Studio, Cunningham Dance Studio, the Chocolate Factory and the Flea Theater
