Celebrating local dance, theatre and art in the
Dallas Arts District.
The Great 30
Presented By Bombshell Dance Project
AUGUST 12 - 15, 2021
Bombshell Dance Project Presents
The Great 30
Choreographed by: Emliy Bernet & Taylor Rodman in collaboration with the dancers
Dancers: Emily Bernet, Lena Oren, Taylor Rodman, Haley Tripp, Joi Ware
Writer & Narrator: Sasha Davis
Music by: Various Artists, Mixed by Emily Bernet & Taylor Rodman
Lighting Design: Will Elphingstone
Sound: Jerry Haripin
Bombshell Dance Project is a project-based contemporary dance company creating new and innovative work under a mission to investigate and empower the female choreographic voice. Led by artistic directors Emily Bernet and Taylor Rodman, Bombshell presents work by female choreographers that speaks to human experience and seeks to inspire the creative voice in everyone. The company has been presented by Jacob’s Pillow, The Elevator Project, and at festivals throughout Texas and beyond.
Emily Bernet is a native of Dallas, Texas, and the Co-Artistic Director of Bombshell Dance Project. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and was a founding member of Joshua Peugh’s Dark Circles Contemporary Dance USA. Her work for Bombshell Dance Project has been presented at festivals including the Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Festival, The Dance Gallery Festival, Austin Dance Festival, and Dallas Dances and commissioned by Ballet Dallas, The Boston Conservatory, and Booker T. Washington HSPVA. Emily also creates movement for musicals and theater including recent works for Cry Havoc Theater Company, Southern Methodist University’s Spring Awakening, and Ruben Carrazana’s The Cube.
Lena Oren grew up outside of Los Angeles, where she began dancing at the age of three. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a BFA in Dance and BA in Art His-
tory, she moved to Dallas, TX to join Dark Circles Contemporary Dance (DCCD). During her three seasons with the company she performed in works by Sidra Bell, Jonathan Campell & Austin Diaz of MADBOOTS, Gregory Dolbashian, Gabrielle Lamb, Mark Caserta & Mikey Morado,among others. Besides working for DCCD, Lena has danced with Bombshell Dance Project, StashiTanz, Gushue Moving Arts, as well as premiered her own work and collaborative work in Tel Aviv, Dallas, Ypsilanti, and Ann Arbor. Since moving back to LA, Lena has been devoting more of her time to teaching dance and working with youth. She will be attending UCLA’s Teacher Education Program this Fall in pursuit of a Masters of Education and teaching credentials in English and Dance. Lena is super excited to be performing with Bombshell Dance Project once again!
Taylor Rodman is a Dallas, TX native, and the co-artistic director of Bombshell Dance Project. Rodman graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and later from The Boston Conservatory with an emphasis in improvisation and choreography. Upon graduation she joined Dark Circles Contemporary Dance for one season. Her work has been performed at The John F Kennedy Center, The Boston Symphony, and the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, China. Her work for Bombshell Dance Project has been presented at festivals including the Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Festival, The Dance Gallery Festival, Austin Dance Festival, and Dallas Dances and commissioned by Ballet Dallas, The Boston Conservatory, and Booker T. Washington HSPVA. Rodman is a 2012 Youn-
garts Finalist and Presidential Scholar in the Arts in choreography. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Haley Tripp is a native of Dallas, TX and began her training at KJ Dance in Plano. She attended Southern Methodist University as a Meadows Scholar where she received a BFA in Dance Performance as well as a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Haley has performed works by Take Ueyama, Adam Hougland, Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Paul Taylor, and others. She has been performing with Bombshell Dance Project since 2018 in Dallas and at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in 2019.
Joi Ware is a native of Dallas, TX where she began her dance training at Dance Industry Performing Arts Center under the direction of Christy Ryzman. She attended the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts where she performed works by Robert Battle, Lar Lubovitch, Sidra Bell, and many more. Joi is a graduate of Point Park University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management. At Point Park, she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Garfield Lemonius, Joshua L. Peugh, Christopher Huggins, and others. Joi has attended summer dance intensives at San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M, and Springboard Danse Montreal. In 2019, Joi moved to Nashville to join New Dialect. She has enjoyed
being part of Nashville’s tight knit yet growing dance scene. Joi is excited to be returning back home to Dallas to guest with Bombshell Dance Project for The Great 30.
Sasha Maya Ada is an actor, director, educator, and collaborator based in Dallas, TX. She is also a graduate of SMU’s B.F.A Theater program. Her select DFW acting credits include the world premiere of Enemies/ People (Second Thought Theater); Fool for Love; All the Way and A Christmas Carol (Dallas Theater Center); Brutus in Julius Caesar (House Party Theater). Sasha is proud to have worked with the August Wilson Monologue Competition as lead teaching artist and coordinator for the Texas region. She is excited to be working with the incredible hearts, minds, and talents that make up Bombshell Dance Project.
Special thanks to our 2021 Creation Lab Attendees: Laila Aranha, Jenna Davis, Ally DesJardins, Charli Dressen, Shadden Hashem, Olivia Jones, Lily Jowers, Grace Major, Erin Mcelhone, Hannah Mucha, Violeta Neuman, Sierra Pitchford, Alexa Vasquez, and Emma Weiss
The Great 30 is sponsored by The Dallas Arts District
GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM