SOPAC presents
carolyn dorfman dance A Virtual Performance Saturday, April 24, 2021
Presented by South Orange Performing Art Center Artistic Director: Carolyn Dorfman Executive Director: Anita Thomas Associate Artistic Director: Jacqueline Dumas Albert The Company: Jacqueline Dumas Albert, Samantha Altenau, Katlyn Baskin (formerly Waldo), Jarred Bosch, Nina Chong-Jimenez, Caroline Dietz, Lara Friedman-Kats, Quinton Guthier, Brandon Jones, Kaila Moses with performances by former Company members Mica Bernas, Justin Dominic, Jenny Gillan-Powell, Louie Marin, Elise Pacicco, Eric Parra, and Marie Lloyd Paspe Production Director/Stage Manager: Stephanie Byrnes Harrell Assistant Stage Manager: Josh Leslierandal Special Guest: Robert Johnson This event has been generously supported by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
SEASON SPONSOR
Program — part one Choreographer Carolyn Dorfman in conversation with dance critic Robert Johnson
FACETS REDUX (A Collage) All Choreography by Carolyn Dorfman unless otherwise noted. All video production by PCK Media unless otherwise noted.
Keystone (Movement 1) Music* by Rufus Wainwright Lighting Design by Simon Cleveland Costume Design by Anna-Alisa Belous Creation and Premiere Cast: Jacqueline Dumas Albert and Louie Marin Video by Nel Shelby Productions
Cercle d’Amour (The Two Skyscrapers Who Decided to Have a Child) Music by Andy Teirstein, from the album Mannahatta Costume and Prop Design by Anna-Alisa Belous Original Lighting Design by Paul Hudson, recreated by Stephanie Byrnes Harrell Custom Hula Hoop Construction and Workshops by Kayti Bunny Roberts Performance by Quinton Guthier and Nina Chong-Jimenez with Brandon Jones
Love Suite Love (I Fall to Pieces) Music by Patsy Cline** Costume Design by Russell Aubrey Reimagined Lighting Design by Thom Weaver, recreated by Stephanie Byrnes Harrell Performance by Caroline Dietz, Lara Friedman-Kats, Kaila Moses
PRIMA! (I Want You to Be My Baby) Music by Louis Prima featuring Gia Maione Prima*** Costume Design by Anna-Alisa Belous Lighting Design by Stephanie Byrnes Harrell Creation and Premiere Cast: Katlyn Baskin, Jarred Bosch, Nina Chong-Jimenez, Caroline Dietz, Quinton Guthier, Brandon Jones and Kaila Moses
Narcoleptic Lovers (Finale) Choreography by Doug Elkins; restaged by Fritha Pengelly Music by Sinead O’Connor Costume Design by Anna-Alisa Belous Lighting Design by Simon Cleveland; recreated by Stephanie Byrnes Harrell Performance by Katlyn Baskin with Video Performance by Mica Bernas and Louie Marin Video by PCK Media and Nel Shelby Productions
* ”Hallelujah” performed by Rufus Wainwright; Copyright 1985 Sony/ ATV Music Publishing LLC. Music and lyrics by Leonard Cohen. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
** Used with permission of Ranwood Records, a Welk music group and company *** “I Want You to Be My Baby” by Louis Prima & Sam Butera & The Witnesses & Gia Maione (1962) from “Lake Tahoe Prima Style”. Used with permission. The creation of KEYSTONE was supported in part by a 2011 Choreography Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts; LOVE SUITE LOVE was created with major sponsorship from the AT&T, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundations and a Choreography Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State. PRIMA! was commissioned by the Gia Maione Prima Foundation and Ocean County College. It is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.
PROGRAM — PART TWO Choreographer Carolyn Dorfman in conversation with dance critic Robert Johnson
WAVES (Excerpts) All video production by PCK Media unless otherwise noted. Choreography by Carolyn Dorfman Commissioned Music Composition and Recording by Pete List (Beatboxing, Shahi Baaja, Vocals), Jessie Reagen Mann (Cello, Vocals) and Daphna Mor (Recorders, Vocals) Original Lighting Design by Marika Kent; recreated by Stephanie Byrnes Harrell Costume Design by Anna-Alisa Belous Performance by Katlyn Baskin, Jarred Bosch, Nina Chong-Jimenez, Caroline Dietz, Lara Friedman-Kats, Quinton Guthier, Brandon Jones and Kaila Moses with former Company members Justin Dominic, Jenny Gillan-Powell and Elise Pacicco Final Video section by Francesco Cordaro WAVES was made possible, in part, by grants from New Music USA, The O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation with generous support from the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.
Choreographer Carolyn Dorfman in conversation with dance critic Robert Johnson
Snap Crackle Pop Choreography by Carolyn Dorfman, Renée Jaworski Co-Artistic Director of PILOBOLUS and the dancers of Carolyn Dorfman Dance Music and Sound Design by David Van Tieghem Costume Design by Anna-Alisa Belous Lighting Design by Thom Weaver Creation and Premiere Cast: Katlyn Baskin, Caroline Dietz, Justin Dominic, Lara Friedman-Kats, Jenny Gillan-Powell, Quinton Guthier, Brandon Jones, Elise Pacicco, Eric Parra and Marie Lloyd Paspe Video by Nel Shelby Productions Snap Crackle Pop was co-commissioned by NJPAC with generous support from The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, New Music USA and PILOBOLUS.
Carolyn Dorfman Dance is supported in part by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State; New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund; Henry S. and Mala Dorfman Foundation; the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation; Gregory S. Gallick M.D. and Staff; Jeff and Leah Kronthal/ Kronthal Family Foundation; Dr. Ann Stock and Arshad Zakaria/Zakaria Family Foundation; The Hyde and Watson Foundation; and E.J. Grassmann Trust; among other generous foundations, corporations and individual donors committed to Carolyn Dorfman Dance’s artistry and programming.
Artistic/Executive Leadership Carolyn Dorfman Choreographer and Founding Artistic Director Carolyn Dorfman Dance (CDD) is known as a creator of evocative dances that reflect her concerns about the human condition. She is interested in creating “worlds” into which the audience can enter. Hailed as the consummate storyteller, Dorfman, a child of Holocaust survivors, has also created a celebrated body of work that honors her Jewish legacy, its trials and triumphs, its treasured uniqueness and, most importantly, its universal connections. Her interdisciplinary and inter cultural approach on the stage and in the community explores the rich tapestry of human experience, tradition and stories. Touring nationally and internationally, her 10-member, multi-ethnic company, appears at major theaters, festivals, universities and non-traditional performance venues. CDD presents immersive perfor mance and teaching residencies that take the company into diverse communities to share art and process that can build connection and understanding. A former Assistant Professor of Dance at Centenary College in NJ, Dorfman is a master teacher, mentor and a guest artist/choreographer/ lecturer at major universities, pre-professional and professional training programs across the US and abroad. Dorfman and Company have continued to rehearse, perform, teach and create since the onset of Covid-19 in March 2020. Her collaboration with ballet choreographer, Belma Ceco and National Theater’s Sarajevo Ballet, ALONE/TOGETHER, chronicled the artists response to life and art during Covid-19. In August 2021, she will begin work on a new work for the Störling Dance Theater commissioned by New Dance Partners and the Carlsen Center at Johnson Community College in Kansas, to premiere in September 2021.
Anita Thomas has been Executive Director of Carolyn Dorfman Dance since 2009. Ms. Thomas is one of a handful of People of Color leading a majority arts organization in NJ. Since 2016, the company has been recognized by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for its excellence in artistic quality, programming and public service in the arts. She is the former Executive Director of Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn as well as the founding Executive Director of Youth Entertainment Studios (YES), Inc. She has an extensive and eclectic background in the telecommunications and healthcare industry, embracing community activism, passion for the arts and social issues, global marketing, fundraising and organization development consulting with not-for-profit and small businesses. She has a BS degree in Community Development from Penn State University and a MA degree in Media Studies from the New School for Social Research. In December 2020, Ms. Thomas was appointed to the NJ ArtPride Board of Directors after serving as a volunteer on their Strategic Planning as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Since 2009, she has served as a founding Steering Committee member of the NJ Main Street Alliance (a coalition operating as a project under NJ Citizen Action). In 2018 she was appointed to the NJ Citizen Action Board of Directors. She is a Lead NJ Fellow from the Class of 2010. She has served on the DanceNJ Board, served as a mentor in DanceUSA’s Leadership program and is a member in the Union Township and Greater Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce.
Dancers Jacqueline Dumas Albert Associate Artistic Director joined the company in 2002 and became AAD in 2010. In her 19 years with Carolyn Dorfman Dance, she has performed, helped create and restaged over 28 works by Carolyn Dorfman and guest artists. Jacquie has performed at major theaters nationally and internationally including the Joyce Theater, NJPAC, Jacob’s Pillow, the Yard, Walt Disney Concert Hall of Los Angeles, Place des Arts of Quebec, the Wroclaw Opera House of Poland and the NHK Hall in Tokyo. She has led master classes and teaching residencies and set repertory for Ailey II, Ailey’s BFA and certificate programs, the University of Michigan, Rutgers University and the professional company of DanceNow! Miami, among others. Outside of her work with Carolyn, Jacquie has performed and set work for Sidra Bell Dance NY and nathantrice/RITUALS and danced at Tokyo Disneyland. She graduated summa cum laude from Point Park University with her BA in dance with a jazz concentration.
Katlyn baskin Rehearsal Director is from TX but trained at Dancer’s Studio in Knoxville, TN under the direction of Irena Linn. There she also became the youngest member of their company The Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble, the Goodwill Ambassadors for TN, led by Dr. Dorothy Floyd. She received her BA in Dance from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. In NYC she danced for alangoodedance, Nicholas Andre Dance, KDNY and Michael Mao Dance. Katlyn is a PMA nationally certified Pilates instructor. She joined CDD in 2011, was appointed Rehearsal Assistant in 2015 and made Rehearsal Director in 2018.
Sammy Altenau grew up in Southern CA dancing at Dance Studio 84 under the tutelage of Carla Hunt Smallwood and at Cuizon ballet center with Lisa Cuizon. She was guided by Katherine Wolanske in modern and contemporary before attending the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in NY. She has performed works by William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, etc. She danced with Graham II, Miriam Barbosa Dance, as a guest artist for Adria Ferrali and as a semi finalist on “America’s Got Talent” at Radio City Music Hall. Sammy joined Carolyn Dorfman Dance in 2019.
Jarred Bosch of Biloxi, MS received his BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College. Since graduation, he has performed throughout Europe, Canada, China and the US. Most notably with the Nikolais-Louis Foundation in Beijing, China. Previously, Bosch was the rehearsal director for LaneCoArts and worked with other companies such as Jackie Nowicki’s NOW Dance Project, Project 44 and Exit12 Dance Company. He has spent his summers training with Parsons Dance, Springboard Danse Montreal and Nederlands Dans Theater. Jarred joined Carolyn Dorfman Dance in 2018.
Nina Chong-Jimenez began her dance training in NYC and attended the Ballet Hispanico school and Joffrey Ballet School Trainee Program on scholarship. She graduated with honors with a BFA in Dance Performance from Belhaven University. Hired right from school by Rennie Harris, she went on to perform excerpts of HOME and repertory such as 100NAKEDLOCKS with RHPM. Since then, she has performed in the companies of H.T.
Chen & Dancers, Michael Mao Dance Company, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, IKADA and LaneCo Arts, as well as performed works set by members of The Royal Ballet. Nina joined Carolyn Dorfman Dance in 2019.
Caroline Dietz is from Chester, NJ. She trained at Ballet Forte at Wings Conservatory under the direction of Andrea Kramer from 2001 until 2009 as well as New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble under the direction of Nancy Turano from 2003 to 2009. Caroline then went on to graduate from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU with a BFA in dance in 2012. There she performed choreography by Kate Weare and Aszure Barton. Post graduation, she joined Carolyn Dorfman Dance as an apprentice in September of 2012 and has been a full company member since 2013.
Lara M. Friedman-Kats, born and raised in Central NJ, began her dance training at Kaye-Lynn Dance Studio. Lara is a proud BFA and Dance Education graduate of Towson University’s Dance Department in MD. Lara has performed with Dissonance Dance Theatre (DC), Deep Vision Dance Company (Baltimore), Deviated Theatre (DC), Mish-Mash Productions (NYC), Nikki Manx Dance Project (NJ) and Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre/ Sean McLeod Dance Experience (NYC). Lara continues to inspire others through her teaching in both dance and fitness throughout studios, schools and gyms in NJ. Lara joined Carolyn Dorfman Dance as an apprentice in 2015 and is now in her sixth season with the company.
Quinton Guthier is originally from Madison, WI. He attended Interlochen Arts Academy Boarding High School in northern MI and graduated with honors. Mr. Guthier then attended Fordham University and the Alvin Ailey School in NYC where he received his BFA cum laude in Dance. After graduating, Mr. Guthier danced with Carolyn Dorfman Dance for four seasons before joining the Paul Taylor 2 company. He has returned to CDD and is in his fifth season. Mr. Guthier is also a certified Pilates instructor, teaches throughout NYC and has had his own choreographic work presented at the Dance Gallery Festival.
Brandon Jones has been a student of dance for 3 decades. Versatility trained, he competed for 10 years regionally, nationally and also performed in Theatre houses and arenas in NJ, NY, CA and HI by age 20. Brandon earned an artistic scholarship to the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University for a BA in Dance with a jazz concentration. There he danced works by Attack Theatre, Giordano Dance Chicago, Dances Patrelle and more. Professionally, Brandon toured the globe with recording artist Crystal Waters, collaborated with Dance artists and Theatre groups in NYC and joined Carolyn Dorfman Dance in 2011.
Kaila Moses of Garnet Valley, PA began her dance training at Kicks Academy of Dance under the direction of Kristin and John Davis. After high school, she moved to NYC and received her BFA in dance from Fordham University and The Ailey School. Following graduation, Kaila has danced with the Steps Repertory Ensemble, under the direction of Bradley Shelver and Elisa Monte Dance, under the direction of Tiffany Rea-Fisher, in NYC. She has also toured with Jessica Taylor’s DamageDance in Denver, CO. Kaila joined Carolyn Dorfman Dance in 2018.
Collaborating Artists Russell Aubrey Costume Designer has been designing and constructing costumes for Theater and Dance for 20+ years. Rusty danced with Carolyn Dorfman Dance for over 10-years and continued as a costume designer and now Board of Trustee for the Company. He also performed with several dance companies including Colin Connor’s Salvage Dance Company, The Yard, Inc., Doris Humphrey Repertory Company and Louisville Ballet amongst others. While dancing, Rusty graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. After graduation, he worked in the fashion industry before returning to theater to work in the costume shops of Barbara Matera LTD, Tricorne Studios and ByBarak, Inc. He designed and built costumes for many regional, national and international dance and theater companies, including the José Limón Dance Company, Risa Steinberg, The Yard Inc., Elizabeth Streb’s Ringside Company and continues to build costumes for Broadway and off-Broadway shows. Rusty has played an integral part in the creation of many premier works by Carolyn Dorfman both as a performer and costume designer since 1989.
Anna-Alisa Belous Costume Designer holds an MFA in Textile and Interior Design from the Art and Design Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia and an MFA in Costume Design from Brandeis University, Boston. Belous has worked as a costume designer for Rebecca Kelly Ballet, The Juilliard School, Actor’s Shakespeare Project (MA), Philadanco (PA), Portland Stage Company (ME), Manhattan School of Music Opera Department, Immigrant Theater, The New School for Drama, LAB Theater, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Boston Playwrights Theater (MA), Modus Opera and Blessed Unrest Company both as set and costume designer. Since 2002, she is a resident costume designer for Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre. She worked on the Feature Film “Kerosene Cowboys” and for the Washington Ballet, Boston Ballet, the Santa Fe Opera, the American Repertory Theater, the Gotham Chamber Opera, Columbia University, the Milwaukee Ballet and “Law and Order.” See more of her work at www.aabelous.com.
Stephanie Byrnes Harrell Production Stage Manager was a Production Intern at Dance Theater Workshop from 2009-2010 and is currently working with Treehouse Shakers, Alice Sheppard’s Kinetic Light and stage managing the upcoming Princeton Dance Festival. She was the Production Stage Manager for A Little Potato and Hard to Peel and The Boy Who Would Be Captain Hook, both by David Harrell; Gallim Dance; Words on Dance; and Young Jean Lee’s Theater Company’s Straight White Men. Other artists Stephanie has stage managed for include the Limón Dance Company, Young Arts at BAC, the Live Ideas Festival at New York Live Arts, Uptown Nights at Harlem Stage, Ivy Baldwin and Juliana May. All her love to ADH III and IV.
Doug Elkins Choreographer/Artistic Director is a two-time New York Dance and Performance (BESSIE) Award-winning choreographer and 2012 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Creative Arts Fellow. He began his dance career as a B-Boy, touring the world with break dance groups New York Dance Express and Magnificent Force, among others. Doug is a recipient of a myriad of significant choreographic commissions and awards. Doug has taught and choreographed extensively in the US and Europe and has created original work for Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company, Flying Karamazov Brothers, MaggioDanza, Pennsylvania Ballet, Union Dance and CanDoCo of London, among others. A graduate of SUNY/Purchase, Elkins received his MFA in Dance from Hollins University/ADF in 2007. His tenure at The Beacon School on the upper west side of Manhattan is the subject of “Where the Dance Is,” a short film by Marta Renzi. In fall 2013, he became a full-time faculty member at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, the State University of NJ.
Pete List Composer/Musician is well-known in the world of tribal bellydance as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and human beatboxer. Pete has performed for years as an integral part of the bands Djinn & Beatbox Guitar. Recently as a soloist, Pete mixes the exotic sounds of the Indian instrument the shahi baaja, with the urban sounds of human beatbox, creating layers of live loops to build textures and create songs with the sound and power of a full band. Pete has produced multiple DVD soundtracks and seven albums and his music has been featured in film and primetime television.
Daphna Mor Composer/Musician has performed throughout Europe and the US as a soloist and as an ensemble player. Her appearances include solo recitals in Croatia, Germany and Switzerland; Recitals at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Trinity Church, NY; Duo recital with Nina Stern for Music Before 1800; Soloist with The New York Collegium (Andrew Parrot, conductor); Soloist with New York Early Music Ensemble (Fred Renz conductor); Soloist at Carnegie Hall with Little Orchestra Society. Orchestra member with the New York Philharmonic (Allen Gilbert, conductor); City Opera, Mostly Mozart. Lincoln Center; Trinity Church Baroque Orchestra. Ensemble player with Piffaro- The Renaissance Band and Repast. She is a musician in residence at B’nai Jeshurun Synagogue in NYC. Daphna is co-director along with Nina Stern of ‘East of the River’-a band dedicated to performance of Medieval European, Armenian, Balkan and Middle Eastern repertoire.
Renée Jaworski PILOBOLUS Co-Artistic Director/Choreographer, Choreographer received her BFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Upon graduating she worked with Carolyn Dorfman Dance and MOMIX, performing and teaching throughout the world as well as creating her own work in Philadelphia, before joining PILOBOLUS in 2000. Renée has served as choreographer and creator for exciting projects and collaborations such as the 79th Annual Academy Awards, OKGo’s Grammy-nominated video for “All is Not Lost, Radiolab Live: In the Dark” and has worked with a myriad of outside artists through the International Collaborator’s Project. In 2010, her alma mater honored her with the
University’s Silver Star Alumni Award for her work as an artist in the field of dance. For 45 years, PILOBOLUS has tested the limits of human physicality, exploring the beauty and power of connected bodies. A Chicagoland native, cellist Jessie Reagen Mann Composer/Musician is based in NYC. She is a member of the Om Shalom Trio, an ensemble that combines Indian Ragas and Jewish melodies, Musician in Residence at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun and a founding member of 2VC, a project dedicated to expanding the repertoire for two cellos. Jessie has worked with Carolyn Dorfman Dance, the Arnie Zane Dance Co, Buglisi-Foreman Dance Company and Choreographer Hillary Easton. In May 2010, she received the Outstanding Musical Achievement Award from the Max Reger Foundation of America. Comfortable with multiple genres, Jessie has performed with Jay-Z at Radio City, Beyoncé at the White House, Frank Ocean at the Met Ball and can often be seen performing in clubs or on TV with artists from Adele to tap dancer Savion Glover.
David Van Tiegham Composer/Sound Designer is the recipient of a 2007 Guggenheim Fellowship for Music Composition. He has composed dance scores for PILOBOLUS, Twyla Tharp, Elizabeth Streb, Michael Moschen, Doug Varone, Elisa Monte, Jennifer Muller, La La La Human Steps, the Boston Ballet and the Pennsylvania Ballet. His feature film scores include “Buried Prayers,” “Eye of God,” “My Father is Coming,” “Penn and Teller’s Invisible Thread,” and “Working Girls.” His released albums include “Thrown For A Loop,” “These Things Happen,” “Safety in Numbers” and “Strange Cargo.” Van Tieghem has created original
music and sound design for over 100 Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including the Pulitzer Prizewinning plays DOUBT, WIT and HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE. www.vantieghem.com
Thom Weaver Lighting Designer With PILOBOLUS: SHADOWLAND 2, ECHO IN THE VALLEY, BRANCHES. Off-Broadway credits include: THE TOTAL BENT (Public), KINGDOM COME (Roundabout), EXIT STRATEGY (Primary Stages), KING HEDLEY II, HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED, THE LIQUID PLAIN (Signature Theatre Company); Teller’s PLAY DEAD (The Players Theater). Mr. Weaver is the recipient of four Barrymore Awards, a Jeff Award and two AUDELCO Awards. He is a member of Wingspace Theatrical Design and a founding board member of Theatre Philadelphia. He received his BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and his MFA from Yale School of Drama.
Special Guest Robert Johnson is a dance critic and a journalist with more than 30 years of experience covering the American dance scene for daily newspapers, trade magazines, e-magazines, books and scholarly journals. He has taught and lectured internationally on dance history and criticism. He trained in ballet with Nina Youshkevitch; and holds an MA degree in Performance Studies from NYU. Currently he is a regular contributor to The Dance Enthusiast and NJArts.net.
South Orange Performing Arts Center
Acting Executive Director
Dee Billia
Director of Alicia Whavers Audience Services
Technical Director Rob Cruz
House Audio
Master Electrician
Associate Director Shana Baer of Development
Development Manager
Jimmy Preziosa Ben Weill
Katelyn Fatzler
Director of Linda Beard Community Engagement
Manager of Special Events Rich Spector & Rentals
Director of Marketing Kristin Svorinic Chief Financial Officer
Beth Fylstra
PCK Media Producers Director Director of Photography Cameras
Susan Wallner Eric Schultz Eric Vuolle Joe Conlon, Conlon Videoworks Mark Anderson Sam Vladimirsky
Photo credit: Steven Vandervelden/Vandy Photography