MAY 29 & MAY 31, 2024
7:30PM
Mandell Theater
33rd & Chestnut Street
$15 General Admission
$5 Drexel Students
Department of Performing Arts presents DREXEL DANCE ENSEMBLE in
RISING AS ONE
STUDENT DANCE WORKS
Photo Credit: Johanna AustinDREXELDANCEENSEMBLE COREVALUES
We strive to provide a safe environment where students can be imaginative, explorative, challenged, surrounded by pluralistic ideas, and guided to achieve artistic and technical goals. We value hard work, working as a team, and the communal spirit it takes to achieve a fully produced dance performance. This home – and place of artistry – will serve the students. This is a place for dancers to learn, expand, unite, and be.
LETTERFROMTHEDIRECTOR
Dearfriends,
Welcome to the beautiful Mandell Theater! FreshDance, our company of freshman dancers,hasjoinedtheupperclassmenranksofDrexelDanceEnsemblethisspringforour finalperformancesoftheyear!Forthepastfourmonths,sixteenprofessionalandstudent choreographers and their casts have rehearsed for hours to bring a broad array of artistic visions to life. Producing sixteen works is ambitious, but we strongly believe that experienceswithprofessionalchoreographerswilldeveloptheperformanceandtechnical abilities of our dancers and offer them a post-graduation network. As part of our value system/philosophy, we equally believe in the importance of amplifying our dancers’ unique voices through choreographic mentorship. We are excited to present the culminationoftheseexperiences!
Talented student choreographers have crafted premieres for two performances of Rising as One, our Student Dance Works concert Senior Emily Cratin opens the show with The Answers,apiecethattacklesthenatureofgutfeelingsandourresponsestothem.Senior IndiaScott’sIStationedCandlesInTheWindowToCallYouHomelooksatgriefandhow energy ebbs and flows within individuals and a group. In to fall in love with living., junior Catherine Citsay reveals that self-acceptance opens the way to the healing aspects of community,whilejuniorImaniGegner’sICONisapowerfultributetoself-empowerment. ThesecondactopenswithseniorEmilyUhler’sOuroboroswhichblendsideasfromPablo Coellio’s “The Alchemist” and reflections on the nature of intuition. Sophomore Madison Simoes explores suppression, isolation, and eventual healing in Social Creatures. The whimsical Doing the Dishes, by senior Grace Fisher, plays with dualities: Apollonian vs. Dionysian, the individual vs. the group, and order vs. chaos to entertaining effect. The show closes with sophomore Marissa Powell’s They’ve Taken Too Much From Me, a powerfulreflectiononfindinginnerpeaceattheheightofexhaustion.
Thankyousomuchforcomingandenjoytheshow!
Warmly,
BeckyMalcolm-Naib,DirectorofDrexelDanceEnsembleandFreshDance
A LETTER FROM THE PROGRAM AND DEPARTMENT
Welcome to this presentation by the Dance Program in the Department of Performing Arts. Dance is a way to express oneself that can only be expressed through embodiment. It is also a platform for understanding other cultures and people; it is about human connection. We hope that the students involved in this performance feel themselves represented, and at the same time learn about others. We also hope the same for our audience. We want all who come to feel comfortable and enjoy the concert, finding ideas and vocabularies that are familiar to them, as well as new concepts and ways of moving.
Both the Dance Program and the Department of Performing Arts are dedicated to providing rich and meaningful artistic opportunities while at Drexel. We offer them the opportunity to perform in large, organized, and professionally directed ensembles. Our goal is to give them the best experience we can offer while they are here and prepare them for an artistic life after graduation. We prepare and encourage our students to continue with dance whether it be a vocation or an avocation.
We want to take this opportunity to thank the dedicated and talented dance faculty in our Department. These accomplished professionals not only create opportunities to learn and develop, but also share their passion for dance, which is contagious to the students. We are so grateful to them for all they do.
We appreciate your support by being here. On behalf of the students and faculty, we sincerely thank you for attending this performance.
Miriam Giguere, PhD Performing Arts Department HeadRISING AS ONE
TheAnswers
Choreographed by Emily Cratin
Dancers: Mayrav Bader, Catherine Citsay, Erin Ford, Ellie Matus, Brigid O’Neill, Sara Patterson
Music: “Behind Barz” by Drake, “Never Know” & “Free” by 6LACK
Costumes: Mae Merkle
Lighting: Dom Chacon
Set/Props: Chris Tatora
IStationedCandlesInTheWindow
ToCallYouHome
Choreographed by India Scott
Dancers: Piper Filiault, Aria Iuso, Josie Mangano, Callie Pierpoint, Molly Reilly, Emme Serafino
Music: “Haul (Max Cooper Remix)” by Christan Löffler and Max Cooper,“I’ll Be Seeing You”by Billie Holiday, “Eros” by Nicholas Britell
Costumes: Avery Boudreaux
Lighting: Dom Chacon
Set/Props: Chris Tatora
DREXEL DANCE ENSEMBLE
tofallinlovewithliving.
Choreographed by Catherine Citsay
Dancers: Emilia Daguanno, Mary Grace Dempsey, Molly Fernandez, Audrey Kingree, Chloe Mazza, Georgia Parsons, Aliyah Primich, Molly Reilly, Sasha Sapon, Emily Uhler, Sage Warmund, Rebecca Wolin
Music: “Intro”,“A Moment Apart”, ”Say My Name” by ODESZA, “Orange Juice” by Rozie Ramati & Alé Araya, “Midnight Gospel” by Alé Araya and Joseph Chilliams
Costumes:GraceWeachter
Lighting:DomChacon
ICON
Choreographed by Imani Gegner
Dancers: Maya Bryan, Ellie Engleka, Alexa Gorman, Quincy Hines, Mareina Mitchell, Lismari Rosario, Nardos Soloman, Tori Strausbaugh, Anastasiya Tarasevich, Preslie Winn
Music: “Jaden Smith” & “COBRAH” by ODESZA and Icon
Costumes: Asaki Kuruma
Lighting: Dom Chacon
INTERMISSION
Ouroboros
Choreographed by Emily Uhler
Dancers: Catherine Conway, Erin Ford, Ella Karow, Josie Mangano, Katelyn Miller, Mareina Mitchell, Georgia
Parsons, Nova Schreiner, India Scott, Anastasiya Tarasevich
Music:“Boring Angel” & “Stress Waves” by Oneohtrix
Point, “It’s Gonna Be A Long Walk” by Never Apparent
Costumes: Asaki Kuruma
Lighting: Dom Chacon
Set: Mia Zlupko
SocialCreatures
Choreographed by Madison Simoes
Dancers: Isabella Dattilo, Imani Gegner, Paige Gibson, Quincy Hines, Marissa Powell, Aliyah Primich, Emma Riddell, Sasha Sapon, Lily Fanwick, Emme Serafino, Rebecca Wolin
Music: “Think Of Me Once In A While, Take Care” by Take Care,“The Mad Queen” by Rok Nardin,“Movement 5 - Pt. 2 “
Instrumental by Erland Cooper, Scottish Ensemble
Costumes: Mae Merkle
Lighting: Dom Chacon
DoingtheDishes
Choreographed by Grace Fisher
Dancers: Ella Bishop, Sienna Cushing, Lily Fanwick, Anna Gordover, Ella Herman, Sara Kocinsky, Kara Moran, India Scott, Madeleine Yurchuk
Music: “Low Speed” by Otto Luening, “The End of the World” by Skeeter Davis, Requiem - Dies Irae” by Michel Chion, “Dazed and Confused” by Led Zeppelin
Costumes: Mae Merkle
Lighting: Dom Chacon
They’veTakenTooMuchFrom Me
Choreographed by Marissa Powell
Dancers: Ella Bishop, Anna Cham, Emily Cratin, Morgan Cruise, Summer Dilworth, Molly Fernandez, Grace Fisher, Paige Gibson, TJ Kroger, Emma Polyak, Lismari Rosario, Sami Sienkiewicz, Tori Strausbaugh, Understudy: Dakota Langlitz
Music: “Tired” by Kelly Price, “I’m Tired” by Labrinth and Zendaya ,“I Don’t Know if I’m a Good Person” by Labrinth
Costumes: Avery Boudreaux
Lighting: Dom Chacon
Alexa
ABOUTOUR ARTISTS
RebeccaMalcolm-Naib(Director)dancedprofessionallywithZeroMovingDance Company,KarenBamonteDanceWorks,ChamberDanceCompany,Freedman/Coleman DanceCompany,ClaudiaMurpheyDanceCompany,BatteryDanceCompany,andwith severalindependentchoreographersinprestigiousvenuesincludingtheJoyceTheater(NYC), MeanyCenterforthePerformingArts(WA),WalkerArtCenter(MN),Jacob’sPillow(MS), AnnenbergCenter(PA),SaltzburgTanzFestival(Austria),andTheKennedyCenter(DC).She wasCo-FounderandCo-DirectorofTravestyDanceGroupfrom1997-2010.Rebecca’s choreographyhasbeenperformedinCleveland,Seattle,Philadelphia,Maine,Toronto, Houston,andNewYorkCity.Sheisthe2022recipientoftheEllenFormanMemorialDance Awardforherchoreography.Rebeccahastaughtfull-timeattheUniversityofWashingtonand KentStateUniversity,masterclassesatseveralU.S.collegesanduniversities,atBatesDance Festival’sYoungDancersWorkshop,andasadjunctfacultyatBrynMawrCollegeand SwarthmoreCollege.SheistheDirectoroftheDrexelUniversityDanceEnsemble.Herresearch hasbeenpublishedinImpulse:TheInternationalJournalofDanceandScience,Medicine,and Education.RebeccagraduatedsummacumlaudeandPhiBetaKappawithaBachelorofArts fromMountHolyokeCollegeandreceivedherMasterofFineArtsfromtheUniversityof Washington ShewasamemberoftheBoardofDirectorsforBalletXfrom2012-2021and rejoinedtheboardin2022.
Mary Elizabeth Stickney (Assistant Director) is a graduate of Drexel UniversitywithaBachelorsofScienceinDanceandaMastersofScienceinElementary EducationwithaSpecialEducationcertificate.Asateacherof6years,thisisherthirdyearasa casemanagerandspecialeducationteacheratPastorius-RichardsonMasteryCharterSchoolin Philadelphia.MaryisanalumnusofArtistYear,anAmeriCorpsteachingartistfellowshipprogram; shecompletedherserviceyearin2017-2018teachingmovementfundamentalsandchoreography forSouthPhiladelphiaelementarystudents.Maryenjoysfreelanceperformingandchoreographing; shechoreographedforthePhiladelphiaYouthBallet’s2015SpringConcert.Maryhasstudied andworkedwithglobalandlocalartistsincludingDavidParsons,BorisCharmatz,TaniaIsaac, LeahStein,AntoinetteCoward-Gilmore,BeauHancock,andCarolineO’Brien.
Britt Whitmoyer Fishel (Assistant Director) is an award-winning choreographer,screendancemaker,educator,scholar,andauthor.Herworkexamines relationshipsbetweentheephemeralnatureofliveperformanceandthepermanenceofdance inthedigitalsphere,witharesearchfocusontherhizomesoffeminism,gendergap,the environment,andtheirrelationshipstoeachother.SheholdsaBFAinDancefromEastCarolina UniversityandaMFAinDancefromtheUniversityofMichigan.Fishelhasledcompanytours throughoutNewYorkCity,Philadelphia,D.C.,Richmond,Asheville,Charlotte,Raleigh, Wilmington,Atlanta,Chicago,London,andItaly.HerscreenworkhasbeenseeninGreensboro DanceFilmFestival,Y’allywoodFilmFestival,DetroitDanceCityFestival,EnCoreDanceonFilm Festival,Dance-BARN,DanceforReel,FilmFestbyRogueDancer,WomeninDanceLeadership Conference,FringeArts,MashUpDance’sIWDFestival,aswellasseveralgalleryexhibitions acrossthecountry.OutsideofDrexelDance,sheisthedirectorBrittFishelandArtistsand OpineDanceFilmFestival.In2021,FishelreceivedthePrimo“LorenzoilMagnifico” InternationalAwardforPerformancefromtheFlorenceBiennale.Mostrecently,Fishel authored“TheScreendancePractitioner’sWorkbook:APre-ProductionGuideforCreativityand Organization”in2022.
AbbyToll(Producer&StageManager)isagraduateofDrexelUniversitywitha BachelorofScienceinEntertainmentandArtsManagement.Sincegraduatingin2018,shehas workedasafreelanceStageManagerandArtsAdministratorinPhiladelphiaandthe surroundingareas.ShehasworkedforDelawareShakespeare,InusNua,Azuka,andmany more.Whennotworkinginthearts,Abbyisapreschoolteacher,workingwithkidsages3-5. Shelovesintroducingthemagicoftheartstoyoungminds.
Dom Chacon (Lighting Designer) is a Lighting Designer and Production Manager based in Philadelphia. He has been working in Philadelphia since he arrived here in 2002 from the University of Iowa. Taking a small break to get his MFA from Temple University he has been involved in many projects around the East Coast. He is an Adjunct Professor at Drexel University and the Lighting Coordinator for the Lang Performing Arts Center at Swarthmore College. In Philly he has designed for Walnut Street Theatre, Azuka, People’s Light and many more. Outside of Philly his work has been seen at Capital Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, Bowery Street Theatre and Long Wharf Theatre. He is dedicated to making theatre a collaboration as well as a learning experience. In addition to his theatre work he is very passionate about his civic duties volunteering for Planned Parenthood, The Trevor Project, and the ACLU. Some of his favorite collaborations have been Peter and the Starcatcher (Walnut Street Theatre), Nes Quitez Pas (Opera Company Philadelphia as an ALD), Blood Wedding (PAC), Dido+ (Curtis Opera). To find out more check out his website domchacon.com
Asaki Kuruma (Costume Designer and Costume Shop Manager) isoriginallyfromJapan,amulti-disciplinaryartistwhohasbeenworkingprofessionallywith manytheatercompaniesandartistsinthePhiladelphiaarea.Designcredit:Tick,Tick..Boom! (TheatreHorizon),TheLehmanTrilogy,BackingTrack(ArdenTheatre),PercyJacksonthe LighteningThief,SongsfortheNewWorld(DrexelTheatre),Cymbeline(DelawareShakspeare), DeathofaDriver,72MilestoGo...,ManofGod(InterActTheatre),TheTaming!,Pericles (ShakespeareinClarkPark),theSpanishTragedy,HouseofDesire,AMidsummerNightsDream (VillanovaTheatre),BoycottEsther(AzukaTheater),LasMujeres(PowerStreetTheatre Company),TigerStyle!(PhiladelphiaAsianPerformingArtists),Romeo&Juliet,CompleteHistory ofAmerica,Abridged,MeasureforMeasure(CommonwealthClassicTheatreCo).Asakiisalsothe CostumeShopManageratDrexelUniversity.MA-VillanovaUniversity.Nextup:world premiereofSiluetastheNewMusicalwithPowerStreetTheatreCo.
Chris Totora (Production Manager and Scenic and Prop Designer) istheTechnicalDirector/ProductionManagerfortheMandellTheater.OutsideofDrexel,Chris servesastheVicePresidentoftheBoardofDirectorsfortheVinelandRegionalDanceCompany. HeholdsaBAinTheatreandaMAinArtsAdministrationfromRowanUniversity.
MaeMerkle(CostumeDesigner)issogratefulfortheopportunitytodesignfor theDrexelDanceEnsemble!Workingwiththedancershasbeenanincrediblecollaborative learningexperience.Inadditiontoworkingwiththedancedepartment,Maehasbeeninvolved innumerousproductionsatDrexelUniversityasapartoftheCostumeDesignTeam,includingThe LightningThief,TheMantuaTheaterProject,SongsforaNewWorld,Anonymous,andmore.
AveryBoudreaux(CostumeDesigner)isajuniorfashiondesignmajorwhohas beeninvolvedwithDrexelTheatresincetheirfreshmanyear.Shewasapartofthecostume teamatDrexelforILoveYouYou’rePerfectNowChange,Director’sLab,SongsForaNew World,TheLightningThief,andmostrecentlydesignedcostumesforthe2024MantuaTheatre Project.Theyareveryexcitedtobedesigningcostumesforthisyear’sSpringDanceConcertand workwithstudentchoreographerstomaketheirvisionscometolife.
CatherineCitsay(Choreographer)isa3rdyearDrexelproductdesignmajorand danceminorwhoaspirestocreateworksofartinallforms.Herprocessplacesemphasison trustineachotherandfindingpowerinbeingvulnerable.Thispiecefocusesonthemesof isolation,revelation,self-discovery,healingthroughcommunity,acceptance,andself-love.
EmilyCratin(Choreographer)isaseniorcommunicationsmajorwithaminor inDance.BornandraisedinDelawareCounty,PA,Emilyhastrainedinvariousdancestyles andhasanextensivebackgroundintheatreandfitness.SheperformedinWaltDisneyWorld, receivedseveraldancerelatedscholarships,andwasaformermemberofUpperDarby’s Summerstage.Herbackgroundinfitnessinfluencestheincorporationofathleticandintense physicalmovementintochoreography.AlthoughEmilygraduatesinJune,shewillcontinueto beapartofthePhillydancecommunity.Shehopestocontinuetocreate,choreograph,and developherartistrythroughvariousstylesofcontemporary,hiphop,andculturaldances. Whileonensemble,shehadthepleasuretoworkwithartistssuchasDaraMeredith,Miles Yeung,DinitaClark,andHassanSyed.ThisisjustthebeginningasEmilycontinuestoexplore anddrawinspirationfromtheseinfluencestogrowasachoreographer.
ImaniGegner(Choreographer)isathirdyeardancemajorandfirsttimechoreographerfor DrexelDanceEnsemble.SheisexcitedtoshareherpieceIcon.Thispieceshowcasesthe fierceinnerbattledancersstrugglewithinthedanceworld.Navigatingthecompetitive natureintheworldofdancewhileremainingconfident.Showcasingtherelentlesspursuitof becominganicon.
GraceFisher(Choreographer)willgraduateinJunewithaBachelorofSienceindance,a BachelorofArtsinEnglish,andaminorinlinguistics.SheoriginallytrainedwithTheWashington SchoolofBalletinWashington,D.C.beforecomingtoDrexelanddiscoveringalovefor postmoderndanceaswellaschoreographingforthefirsttime.Shecurrentlyworksasa women’ssportsreporterforIrishnewssiteHerSport,andalsoplayspiano,writespoetry,and knits,thoughnotsimultaneously.“DoingtheDishes,”apartofherdanceseniorproject,came outofherloveofphilosophy;itsoriginalinspirationwasNietzsche’sconceptofthe Apollonian/Dionysiandivide.Muchlovetohercast,apologiestoherroommatesandfamilyfor nevercleaningupthekitchen,andallthankstoGod.Insta:@gracedance2021
MarissaPowell(Choreographer)isacurrentsophomoredancemajoronthecustomdesign trackwithaconcentrationinchoreographyhereatDrexelUniversity.Shehasbeendancing sinceshewasthreeyearsold,andovertheyearshasbeentrainedinballet,hip-hop,jazz,tap, andcontemporary.Marissahashadexperienceincompetitivedancingsinceshewasseven yearsold,andisnowaheadchoreographerforthecompetitionteamshegrewupdancingon. MarissawasalsoapartoftheOilRegionBalletCompanyforsixyears,joiningthemwhenshe wasjusttwelveyearsold.AsMarissaenterstheadultyearsofhercareer,sheisexcitedand gratefultopresentherworktomanycommunities.Sheaspirestobecomeaprofessional choreographer,andhopesthatherworkwillreachtheheartsofmany.Thisisherfirsttime choreographingfortheDrexelDanceEnsemble,andshecouldnotbemoreproudtopresent anddedicatethispiecetohermother,ChristinaPowell.
IndiaScott(Choreographer)isaPhiladelphia-baseddancerandchoreographer.Inherwork sheexploresthespectrumofself,identity,andsexualitythroughafeministlenswhilealso exploringhowtheseareasinteractwiththemediaandliterature.Sheisinterestedintakingher workfromthegeneraltothepersonal,andworkingcollaborativelyandintimatelywithother dancersandartists.Herworkdealswiththeideasofenergyandgrief,andhowthiscanmove thecollective.
MadisonSimoes(Choreographer),asecond-yearstudentsettograduatein2027,embodiesa lifelongdedicationtodancethattracesbacktoherearliestmemories.Madison’sacademic pursuitslieintherealmofarchitecturalengineering,withaminorinarchitecture,butherheart hasadeeplovefortheartformofdance.Drawinginspirationfromhergrandmotherandmother, bothinfluentialchoreographersinherlife,Madison’spassionformovementextendsbeyond meresteps it’salanguagethroughwhichshecommunicatesherinnermostthoughtsand emotions.Startingfromtheageofthree,Madisonhasbeentrainedinballet,tap,jazz,lyrical, modern,andmusicaltheater.Afterbeginningtocompeteattheageof6,Madisonfellinlove withthestageandtakesaninterestinboththeperformanceandchoreographicstandpoints. Madisoneagerlyembracestheopportunitytosharehercreativevisionwithfellowdancersand audiencemembersalike,weavingtogetherthethreadsofherbackgroundandartisticvisionto createaperformancethatisbothdeeplypersonalanduniversallyresonant.Witheach movementandchoreographicchoice,Madisoninvitesaudiencestopeekintoherworld,where theboundariesbetweenartandlifeblur,andthepowerofdancetranscendsmereexpressionto becomeatransformativeexperience.
EmilyUhler(Choreographer)isagraduatingsenioratDrexelUniversitywithamajorindance, aconcentrationindance/movementtherapyandminorsinpsychologyandsomatics.Though sheispursuingacareerinDance/MovementTherapy,herinterestsalsolieinperformance, choreography,screendance,andteaching.Sheusesherskillsintheseareaswhileactively involvedinDrexelDance’scommunity-basedlearningprograms
STAFF AND PROFESSIONAL CREDITS
ENSEMBLE STAFF
Ensemble Director: Rebecca Malcolm-Naib
Producer: Abby Toll
Assistant Directors: Mary Elizabeth Stickney & Britt Whitmoyer Fishel
THEATER STAFF
Mandell Theater Managing Director: Caroline Leipf
Mandell Theater Technical Director: Chris Totora
Audience Services Coordinator: Liv Shoup
Assistant Techincal Director: Russell Chissoe
Stage Manager: Abby Toll
Deck: Sophia Hannah & Kenneth Wang
Master Electrician: Dana Taylor
Assistant Master Electrician/Swing: Layan Mouhamad
Sound Technician: Beckett Chase
Costume Shop Manager: Asaki Kuruma
Asst. Costume Shop Manager: Avery Boudreaux, Mae Merkle & Grace Weachter
PRODUCTION STAFF
Lighting Designer: Dom Chacon
Scenic/Prop Design: Chris Totora
Costume Designers: Asaki Kuruma, Avery Boudreaux, Mae Merkle & Grace Weachter
Graphic Design: Bridget McLaughlin
Program Design: Erin Ford
DEPARTMENT OF PERFORMING ARTS
Interim Department Head: Brent White
Department Administrator: LaShanetta Harris
Ensemble Production Assistant: Lauren Tracy
Interim Dance Program Director: Jennifer Morley
Music Program Director: Luke Abruzzo
Theatre Program Director: Nick Anselmo
Graduate Assistant: Esteban Reina Soto
OnJune7thweculminateayearlongcelebrationofthe flagshipvenueforPerformingArtsatDrexelUniversity!
JoinusforDrexelUniversityConcertBand’sspring performance,andcomplimentarypre-performance receptiontocelebratetheMandellat50.
DrexelMusicProgrampresentstheConcert Band’sSpringConcert: Perspectives—WhatWeHoldMostDear FriJun7|6:30PMReception|7:30PMConcert
Advanceregistrationrequired:Tapheretogetfreetickets
