Spring: New Dances Spring 2022

George Mason University Dance Company Spring: New Dances 2022 Susan Shields

Adrianna Smith

Artistic Director

Lighting Designer Exhale

Choreography: Cecilia Milbrandt Music: “Light Ascending” by Luke Howard, “Someday” by Ólafur Arnalds, and an excerpt from “The Alchemist” written by Paulo Coelho Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Lauren Lamontagne, Margaret Pugh, Elizabeth Wiehe, Abbey Winiger Stages Choreography: Starla Edwards Music: “Vedurathaugan” by Steinbrüchel, “One Earth, One People, One Love” by Terry Riley – Kronos Quartet, “O, My Daughter, O, My Sorrow” by William Basinski, “Let Us Dance (Area Remix)” by Beverly Glenn-Copeland, “Overthinking” by Allan Watts, “This Cursed Life” by Flying Lotus (edited by Starla Edwards) Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Dareon Blowe, Natalia Collado, Ella Kim, Carlos Martinez, Fabio Tello Munoz (u) Here, Noticed or Unnoticed Choreography: Michala Conroy Music: “Petricor” by Ludovico Einaudi and Daniel Hope Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Josephine Brunner, Caleb Mansor, Will Pettigrew, Taylor Gati (u) Muhibbi Choreography: Selin Su Boybeyi Music: adaptation of “Silence of the Trails” by Redi Hase and Ludovico Einaudi, performed by Selin Su Boybeyi (piano) and Odin Brock (cello), “Sir” by Sezan Aksu and Aytekin Ataş Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Kaylan Bradford, Isaiah Cavallero, Alphonso Johnson III, Micah McKee, Aiden Moriarty

INTERMISSION

Se Vale Todo Choreography: Carlos Martinez Music: “Intel-lú-Ayala”, “Se Vale To-To”, and “La Hormiga Brava” by Calle 13 Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Rachel Bozalis, Isaiah Cavallero, Natalia Collado, Anna Lopez

Revival Choreography: Lauryn Crowell Music: “The Last Foundry” by Raime, “Geräusch” by Wim Mertens, “See, Know” by Julianna Barwick Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Dareon Blowe, Kaylan Bradford, Emma Gordon, Kylie Grossmann, Ella Kim, Caleb Mansor, Victoria Ortiz

Three Parts of Her Choreography: Sophie Amundson Music: “The Mystical Union” by Alexandre Desplat, “Lux Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre, “Awayland” by Villagers Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Starla Edwards, Brooke Katsafados, Cecilia Milbrandt

The Descent is Only the Beginning Choreography: Dareon Blowe Music: “Movement 1 Live” by Mika Vainio, Ryoji Ikeda, and Alva Noto, “The Rules”

by Jeremy Zuckerman, “The Beginning” by Dareon Blowe (spoken by Starla Edwards) Costumes: Cat Buchanan Dancers: Selin Boybeyi, Lauryn Crowell, Sloan Daley, Nia Davis, Brianna Dawkins, Johnny Del Jesus, Nolan Eisenhaur, Nicholas Elizondo

The Choreographers Sophie Amundson was born in Los Angeles and graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in 2018. She is a senior dance major. Sophie has wanted to be a choreographer since she was three years old and is grateful for this experience. She would like to thank her cast for their hard work and patience as they navigated this semester to create a piece to be proud of.

Dareon Blowe is a Dancer/Choreographer who is interested in investigative movement research and body awareness. Born and raised in Virginia, he began his training at the Academy of Dance & Gymnastics at the age of 14. Although he started later than most, He was quick to realize his growing passion for movement. He currently attends the George Mason School of Dance on a full scholarship, where he has worked with the likes of Micaela Taylor, Kyle Abraham, Rafael Bonachela, Susan Shields, and Shaun Boyle-Darcy. He also is currently a member of MOTUS the Company under the artistic direction of Diana Matos.

Selin Su Boybeyi is a Turkish/American student who is currently a dual-degree candidate for her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations at George Mason University. She began her dance training at the age of 14 with Ms. Janet Hall at the Ravel Dance Company in Reston Virginia before joining the George Mason School of Dance in 2019. “Muhibbi” is Selin’s very first choreographed piece that explores the lines between loss and discovery of one's devotion. “Muhibbi” means “the one in love” – the love we feel towards people, life, our past and future, and even the passions that guide or defeat us.

Selin could not be more thrilled to present this work as it has changed and grown with her throughout these last few months. Additionally, she would like to express her deep gratitude towards her six lovely cast members and her dear mentor Roger C. Jeffrey for their immense support, passion, and dedication throughout this whole process.

Michala Conroy is a Senior in the Mason Dance Company from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Michala is pursuing her BFA in Dance along with a Pre-Medicine track.

She first started out as a competitive gymnast before starting high school as a dance major at Pittsburgh CAPA and joining the pre-professional company, Reed Dance II. She would like to thank her entire cast for their energy and hard work. She would also like to thank Cat for working tirelessly to beautifully costume the show.

Lauryn Crowell is a junior in the School of Dance at George Mason University. She graduated high school from the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Alabama.

She has had the opportunity to work alongside Susan Shields, as her choreographer's assistant, in the resetting of “Sunlit Song”. Lauryn has always had a passion for choreographing and is ecstatic to premiere her second work performed by the company.

The Choreographers (continued) Starla Edwards was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. She attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts for Dance and graduated in 2018. Starla is currently a senior at Mason pursuing a BFA in Dance with an Arts Management minor. During her time in the School of Dance, she has worked with multiple guest artists and performed choreography by Andonis Foniadikis, Lucinda Childs, Kyle Abraham, Hope Boykin, and Camille A Brown. Starla will graduate in this spring and will continue pursuing dance as a professional career post-graduation. She is looking forward to enjoying the rest of her time at Mason and is incredibly grateful for her experience here.

Carlos Martinez is from Guadalajara, Mexico. At the age of 10, he began his dance studies at "Escuela de Artes" in Guadalajara, Mexico with Javier Zavala, Michelle Monreal, Diana Garcia, and Nazira Yakuboba. At the age of 13, he was awarded a major scholarship at the "National Ballet Competition of Mexico" to attend Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California. Carlos joined Idyllwild Arts Academy in the fall of 2014, where he trained with Patrick Frantz, Jonathan Sharp, Ellen Rosa-Taylor, Hai Cohen, Stephanie Gilliland and Lauren Smith. Upon graduation, he joined the freshman class at George Mason University School of Dance beginning fall 2018.

Some of the choreographers and companies he has had the pleasure of studying with prior to attending George Mason are Alexandre Munz, John Pennington, Ballet de Jalisco, BodyTraffic, California Dance Theater, Inland Pacific Ballet, and Parsons Dance. While at George Mason University, Carlos has had the opportunity to work with Alexander Hille and Pier Loup in Kosmos by Andonis Foniadakis, Jean Emile in Na Floresta by Nacho Duato, Fiona Jopp in Variation 10 by Rafael Bonachela, Susan Shields in Sunlit Song, Micaela Taylor 90s Sugar, Christopher d’Amboise, Mora-Amina Parker in City of Rain by Camille A. Brown. Outside of George Mason University understudy for Alejandro Cerrudo in his most recent work It Starts Now. Cecilia Milbrandt is a senior from Granby, Connecticut graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a minor in Arts Management. Growing up, she studied at New England Dance Centers and Connecticut Concert Ballet (in which she performed one of her favorite roles… the Rat King in the Nutcracker). CC then graduated high school at University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2018. Over the last four years, she has enjoyed her time performing and choreographing with her peers as well as stage managing multiple productions. CC is the co-president of the School of Dance alongside her best friends Angela Shipley and VP Liz Fields and is extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with the amazing faculty and students of this program every day. She wants to thank her family, especially her mom, for their support as well as the cast for being vulnerable and allowing our lives to influence the work.

The Company Rachel Bozalis is a junior from Dallas, Texas.

Kaylan Bradford is a junior from Chesapeake, Virginia.

Odin Brock is a sophomore from Woodbridge, Virginia.

Josephine Brunner is a junior from Baltimore, Maryland.

Isaiah Cavallero is a senior from San Antonio, Texas.

Natalia Collado is a sophomore from St. Cloud, Florida.

Sloan Daley is a freshman from Flower Mound, Texas.

Nia Davis is a senior from Laurelton, New York.

Brianna Dawkins is a sophomore from Clinton, Maryland.

Johnny Del Jesus is a senior from Boston, Massachusetts.

Nolan Eisenhaur is a junior from Saco, Maine.

Nicholas Elizondo is a sophomore from Celina, Texas.

Emma Gordon is a junior from Bronx, New York.

Kylie Grossmann is a senior from East Boston, Massachusetts.

Alphonso Johnson III is a sophomore from Hampton, Virginia.

Brooke Katsafados is a freshman from Brick, New Jersey.

Ella Kim is a sophomore from Sammamish, Washington.

Lauren Lamontagne is a junior from Wellington, Florida.

Anna Lopez is a sophomore from Staten Island, New York.

Caleb Mansor is a senior from Hatboro, Pennsylvania.

Micah McKee is a junior from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Aiden Moriarty is a freshman from Springfield, Massachusetts.

Victoria Ortiz is a junior from Bronx, New York.

Will Pettigrew is a senior from South Orange, New Jersey.

Margaret Pugh is a junior from Franklin, Tennessee.

Elizabeht Wiehe is a sophomore from Sewickley, Pennsylvania.

Abbey Winiger is a junior from Lewisville, Texas.

The Production Staff

Gabriella Pate, Stage Manager Kenidee Wedlaw-Farmer, Assistant Stage Manager Jessica Brown, Lighting Board Operator Sidney Durand, Sound Operator Cat Buchanan, Costumer Elisa Dey, Courtney Green, Aiden Moriarty, Wardrobe Michala Conroy, Lauryn Crowell, Nolan Eisenhaur, Morgan Lamarre, Costume Shop Interns Addison David, Deck Crew Jordan Antoine, Videographer

THE COMPANY’S NEXT PERFORMANCES: Studio Series Tuesday, May 10, 2022 6 pm and 8 pm Virtual Event Email dance@gmu.edu for link

Ticket Information: 703-993-2787 or cfa.gmu.edu/tickets