Insert #3 by Lied Center of Kansas

CONTENTS DATE

EVENT

PAGE

NOV 10

The Munin Trio

NOV 20

SHE, a Choreoplay

NOV 22

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

NOV 23

Hiplet Ballerinas

DEC 2 & 3

Romero Lubambo, guitar

These events are sponsored, in part, by the Lied Performance Fund.

Please be mindful of the following in the Auditorium and the Pavilion:

• Please silence cellular phones and electronic devices. • No cameras or recording devices. • Refreshments purchased from KU Memorial Unions at concessions are permitted. No outside food or drinks.

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Sunday

NOV 10 2:00 pm

Pavilion

The Munin Trio

This event is made possible through the generous support of the Lena M. Stranathan Chamber Music Fund. Sponsored by

Dave and Gunda Hiebert are pleased to sponsor this afternoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance.

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NOV 10 | The Munin Trio

The Munin Trio Rebecca Benjamin, violin Frankie Carr, cello Anna Han, piano

PROGRAM

Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major, Op. 80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Schumann (1810–1856) I. Sehr lebhaft II. Mit innigem Ausdruck III. In mässiger Bewegnung IV. Nicht zu rasch Epigrams for piano, violin, and cello. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elliott Carter (1908–2012) I. VII. II. VIII. III. IX. IV. X. V. XI. VI. XII.

20-Minute Intermission Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op.97 (“Archduke”). . . . . Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) I. Allegro moderato II. Scherzo. Allegro III. Andante cantabile, ma però con moto IV. Allegro moderato - Presto Program is subject to change. Program notes will be announced from the stage.

NOV 10 | The Munin Trio

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The Munin Trio Violinist REBECCA BENJAMIN, a native of Warsaw, IN, is an engaging and versatile performer and avid chamber musician. She has participated in the Perlman Music Program, the Finckel-Wu Han Chamber Music Studio at the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, the St. Lawrence String Quartet Seminar, the Caroga Lake Music Festival and has been coached by members of the Juilliard, Brentano, Cleveland, Orion, Pacifica and Cavani String Quartets. Rebecca has performed in many venues throughout the U.S., including Carnegie Hall as concertmaster of the 2016 New York String Orchestra Seminar. As winner of the Fort Wayne Young Artist Competition junior and senior levels, Rebecca soloed with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic at their Young People’s Concerts as well as in various outreach concerts. She has also soloed with the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, the MasterWorks Festival Orchestra, the Fort Wayne Youth Symphony, the Symphony of the Lakes and the MIC Academy Chamber Orchestra. Rebecca has performed in the Dominican Republic with the Conciertos de la Villa de Santo Domingo and has participated in the Prussia Cove master classes in Cornwall, England. Additional highlights of her career include a recital in the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series at the Cultural Center in Chicago as well as performances at the Harris Theater in Chicago, IL and the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. Currently, Rebecca is pursuing a post-graduate degree at the Yale School of Music under the guidance of Hyo Kang. Previous teachers include William Preucil, Joel Smirnoff, and Almita and Roland Vamos. Born in 1998 into a family of string players, FRANKIE CARR started playing cello at the age of four. In 2014, he joined The Yehudi Menuhin School in London. Performances during his time there included chamber and solo appearances in Munich, Warsaw, Montpellier, New York, London’s Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw, Berlin’s Konzerthaus and throughout the U.K. Frankie has also appeared at festivals in the U.S. and Europe, including Four Seasons Chamber Music, Stichting Kamermusiek Amsterdam, Young Pianists Festival Amsterdam, The Menuhin Festival Gstaad and Kneisel Hall. Frankie’s principal teachers have been Colin Carr, Melissa Phelps, Thomas Carroll and Darrett Adkins, but he has also worked with Johannes Goritsky, Joel Krosnick, and members of the Chiara, Emerson and Juilliard String Quartets. He currently studies at the Curtis Institute of Music with Carter Brey and Peter Wiley.

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NOV 10 | The Munin Trio

Hailed by The Washington Post as “prodigiously gifted…a display of imagination, taste and pianistic firepower far beyond her years,” ANNA HAN has given solo, concerto and chamber performances at venues such as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Alice Tully Hall, the Phillips Collection, Scottsdale Center for the Arts, the Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Hall in Poland and the Lied Center of Kansas (where she most recently soloed with the Kansas Sinfonietta). Highlights of the past year included solo recitals at the Bohemian National Hall, Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts, National Arts Club, Theatre Lawrence and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Central Nassau; concerto performances with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and West Valley Symphony Orchestra; winning third prize at the 2019 Hilton Head International Piano Competition; and a 2019 Salon de Virtuosi Career Grant. She was also a semi-finalist at the 2019 China International Music Competition. A native Arizonan, Anna began her musical journey at the East Valley Yamaha Music School at age four, and she started taking private piano lessons with Mr. Fei Xu at age five. She garnered a streak of international awards throughout her teenage years, including first prizes at the 2012 New York International Piano Competition, the 2011 New Orleans International Piano Competition, and 2011 and 2008 International Institute for Young Musicians Piano Competitions. Anna completed her undergraduate degree at The Juilliard School, where she developed a special interest in chamber music. She has spent the last three summers at the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School and Festival and the last four winters at Juilliard ChamberFest, and she has also participated in the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival Winter Workshop. Winner of the 2016 Juilliard Gina Bachauer Piano Competition, Anna is a proud recipient of a Kovner Fellowship at The Juilliard School, where she is currently pursuing her master’s degree under the tutelage of Robert McDonald.

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Saturday Wednesday

SEP NOV24 20 7:30 7:30 pm pm

Onstage Seating

SHE, a Choreoplay Excerpts from the choreoplay (dance + theatre) and conversation

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NOV 20 | SHE, a Choreoplay

There will be no intermission during this event. SHE, a Choreoplay, is the vision of dancer, choreographer and playwright Jinah Parker. SHE is about sexual violence against women and girls, it is about what happens to women like Sandra Bland, it is about all women and girls, and it is about empowerment and healing. SHE is the story of mothers, daughters, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, friends and acquaintances we each know. It is dance, it is music, it is film, it is dialogue, it is monologues and truth-telling in an incredibly unique and powerful theater experience. There will be a Q&A session after the performance.

ABOUT THE COMPANY The Jinah Parker Project is a non-profit arts organization created to inspire people of all backgrounds through dance, choreography, education and social media. It focuses on highlighting major social issues in America and globally through dance and performing arts. Jinah uses dance as a transformative tool to encourage cultural exchange, courageous conversations, and individual and community action. To summarize, Jinah’s art is for “the people,” and she is inspired by everyday people. Her major educational project, SHE, a Choreoplay informs audiences about sexual violence against women and girls and its emotional scars and impact. SHE is about empowerment and healing. SHE utilizes dance, drama, song and video to highlight what The New York Times Magazine has called one of the major human rights issues of the 21st century: gender violence. SHE’s success includes two workshops at New York Live Arts—a performing arts venue founded by legendary dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones. The show was completely sold out at both performances. The production continued to develop in Spring 2017 during its 15-show run at New York City’s HERE Arts Center, and SHE continues to tour nationally. As the creator of SHE, Jinah has created the template for her work going forward— which includes performance, conversation and curriculum. With SHE, “Jinah Parker triumphs over a culture that abuses women” (The Village Voice) and extends beyond the stage with interactive conversations and educational tools. Additionally, Jinah uses an aesthetic she describes as “distorted beauty,” which takes classic dance lines and breaks the rules, resulting in crisp and electrifying new movements. That is the vision and mission of The Jinah Parker Project: Dance. Choreography. Education.

NOV 20 | SHE, a Choreoplay

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Jinah Parker A native daughter of Buffalo, NY, Jinah describes herself as a multi-faceted dancer, choreographer, educator, playwright and trained natural healer. She has a master’s degree in dance education from New York University and a B.A. in dance from the University at Buffalo, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa National Honors Society. Embracing lifelong learning to enhance her work, Jinah recently received a license as a practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming under founder Richard Bandler. Jinah’s work includes teaching dance and performing internationally while receiving generous support from well-known artists such as Eve Ensler, creator of The Vagina Monologues; actress and best-selling author Gabrielle Union; as well as from NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill, Elle magazine and The National Organization of Women.

THE JINAH PARKER PROJECT DANCERS Sarah Elaz My name is Sarah Elaz, and I am proud to have been a part of SHE since its second preview at New York Live Arts in October 2016. I started dancing in Massachusetts as a member of the competition team at Dance Images Dance and Music Center. I graduated from UMass Amherst with dual degrees in dance and physics and was awarded the Chancellor’s Talent Scholarship for dance, while also publishing a biophysics paper on cell division. I began my professional dance career in Boston, MA with Danza Orgánica, a dance theater company led by Marsha Parrilla that is deeply rooted in social justice. As Marsha’s administrative assistant, I helped produce the second annual “We Create! Celebrating Women in the Arts Festival.” After a long and painful recovery from a torn ACL, I moved to a small kibbutz in Israel and trained intensively with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. Now based in NYC, I am currently a backup dancer for the gypsy jazz singer Aiesha Dukes and her band Miss Dukes Music. I am also a member of the collaborative improvisation-based movement company Heath in Progress. I have also danced with VashtiDance Theater, Mollet Contemporary Ballet and other independent projects. Yuki Fukui I am a dancer originally from Tokyo, Japan. As an aspiring dancer, I had the great opportunity to dance and study in Amsterdam, Tokyo and Paris. I moved to New York City in 2006 to attend the Eugene Lang College at The New School for Liberal Arts as a Global Scholar full-scholarship student, and I graduated in 2010 with a B.A. in dance. Since graduation, I have collaborated with and performed works by LeslieArlene Boyce, Takehiro Ueyama, Hassan Christopher, Megan Weaver, Emily Schoen and Dina Denise, to name a few. I currently perform with Mersiha Mesihovic/ CircuitDebris (NYC), Michelle Duvall Dance Collective (NYC), and as a guest collaborating artist for the Gwen Rakotovao Company (NYC/Paris). I started working for SHE in March 2017 for its run at HERE Arts, and I am honored and humbled to again be part of SHE.

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NOV 20 | SHE, a Choreoplay

Brittni Genovese Growing up in North Carolina, there was always something to do as a kid, and dance was the one thing that I was most passionate about. After receiving my BFA in dance performance from East Carolina University (GO PIRATES!!!), I made the jump and moved to NYC to pursue my professional dance career. I have lived there for over three years now, and I am so incredibly thankful to have found and become a part of the SHE family. In this past year, I have performed with many choreographers, such as Juan Michael Porter II and Michelle Thompson Ulerich as well as the contemporary dance company Spaces of Fontana. I have also entered into my third season with SHE and have danced in a few performances at different venues and colleges, including the Off-Off-Broadway debut last May and the HERE Arts Center. I have not only learned and grown so much as a dancer, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also become a stronger, more independent woman from being a part of this movement. One of the most rewarding aspects of this show is seeing how it affects and touches the lives of others, as it has permanently transformed my own. Evelyn Joy Hoelscher My name is Evelyn Joy Hoelscher, and I am a New York City based dancer and choreographer. Having had the privilege of dancing with SHE since day one, I am honored to journey to Off-Broadway as dance captain. I graduated with honors from Texas A&M in dance, kinesiology and psychology. As founder and artistic director for Spaces of Fontana, my choreography has been performed in theaters such as Alvin Ailey, Mark Morris, Producer Club and the Queens Theater across New York City, North Carolina, Texas and a Manhattan TV Station. With more than eight years of teaching, I have had residencies at schools in New York and Texas. After traveling to Ethiopia teaching dance to orphans in 2014, I now teach trauma-informed yoga at a midtown homeless shelter. With my love for all things movement, I also teach Pilates, yoga and meditation at residential and corporate buildings with hOM. As a dancer, I have performed freelance and company work with many choreographers, including Jane Weiner, Mark Dendy, Rod Rodgers, Monica Hogan Dance Works, Frame Dance, Dina Denis, Smashworks Dance Collective, Jee Uhn Ahn and Isadora Duncan. spacesoffontana.com Kerime Konur My name is Kerime Konur, and I am so unbelievably grateful and humbled to be a part of such an amazing cast and show! I am originally from Leesburg, VA and the youngest of six children. I began training at The Loudoun School of Ballet to then receive my certificate in dance from the Peridance Capezio Dance Center in NYC. I graduated in the Ballet Contemporary Track under the direction of Igal Perry and Marlena Wolfe. I have performed works of Robert Battle, Sidra Bell, Cindy Salgato, Bryan Arias, Derek Mitchell, Pascal Rekoert, Manuel Vignoulle, Marlena Wolfe and Jesse Zaritt, to name a few. I have also performed for Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Revlon, Nike, MTV, NYFW, The Co-Op: Moving Beauty Series, XAOC Contemporary Ballet and IKADA Contemporary Ballet Company. I have toured with

NOV 20 | SHE, a Choreoplay

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AATMA Performing Arts/Mystic India: The World Tour, and I was the assistant to Sidra Bell of Sidra Bell Dance New York for several seasons. I was recently the house videographer/assistant for Sanchez Kane NYFW, which is a fashion line that expresses activism through fashion, and I am currently a teaching artist at the Progressive Dance Studio. “While, yes this show is ART, it is also ACTIVISM.” —Jinah Parker

About SHE: statement from the creator Picture an opera, replace the singing with dance. That is what SHE is: a production in the form of dance, theater, video and music. Indeed, SHE is a piece of art, but doubles as a powerful movement, extending beyond the stage with educational tools such as an interactive website, an app, and free curriculum. It is an artistic mirror for our past and present political and social climate. Its power lies in its ability to say the unsaid. It attaches to that voice in your head, your heart and your soul by operating on what is most difficult for us to say out loud—the truth. It wasn’t until the exploration of this show that I realized I was holding in my own truth. During the conception of SHE, I was moved to work with survivors of sexual violence. They agreed to share their stories, to let me turn them into dance narrative, and agreed to perform alongside professional dancers. It was my intention to promote the healing of these four women while spreading awareness. While my intention was realized, I was gifted something even greater—the revelation of my own truth. I didn’t even realize that I had been sexually abused until working on this show. I asked myself, “If I didn’t know that I was holding on to a story for all these years, how many other women were also in the dark, blaming themselves?” I believe it to be no coincidence that I ended up choosing a theme that presented other women who have been oppressed. Our subconscious can speak volumes, even when our voice does not. I created SHE out of a need—a need to challenge myself, and a need for women to be heard and experience a sense of release. Wouldn’t it be amazing if more women could be liberated? This can be a global movement with your help. Please consider supporting this show so that it can impact more women, girls, men and boys— human beings. Become a SHE doula and help birth this light of healing into the world. Visit www.jinahparker.com. —Jinah N. Parker “Find your sweet spot. Your most beautiful destination, where love is restored. I’m lying on the grass, sun resting on my face. In the breeze, I can hear the future echoing justice. My beauty is gold.” —Excerpt from SHE, a Choreoplay

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Friday

NOV 22 6:00 pm

Sponsored by

Tom & Marilyn Dobski and McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Lawrence are proud to sponsor The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, featuring Brown Bear, Brown Bear. McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s joins with Lawrence in celebrating the Lied Center and the arts.

This event is made possible through the generous support of the Jerry and Jacki Hannah Family Fund.

NOV 22 | The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

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This performance runs approximately one hour with no intermission. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Created by Jonathan Rockefeller Based on Eric Carle’s books The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by author/illustrator Eric Carle, has delighted generations of readers since it was first published in 1969, selling more than 43 million copies worldwide. Eric’s well-known books captivated readers with his iconic and colorful hand-painted, tissue-paper collage illustrations and distinctively simple stories, introducing generations of children to a bigger, brighter world—and to their first experience of reading itself. The timeless classic has made its way off the page and onto the stage. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, the critically acclaimed production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show features a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets and faithfully adapts four of Eric Carle’s stories: Brown Bear, Brown Bear; 10 Little Rubber Ducks; The Very Lonely Firefly; and of course, the star of the show, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Following extended runs in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, this “colorful, engaging and charming” production (Huffington Post) returns to New York City every year, with its most recent eight-month run being its biggest yet. JONATHAN ROCKEFELLER (creator, producer) is a co-founder of Rockefeller Productions—a company that combines film, theatre, animation, puppetry and television. He also devotes time to philanthropic work furthering childhood literacy and appreciation of the arts. The critically acclaimed production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show debuted Off-Broadway in January 2016 and was nominated for both a Drama Desk Award and an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Family Show. Prior to his work with Eric Carle, Jonathan co-wrote and produced the puppetparody Thank You for Being a Friend, which has been licensed for further productions worldwide. In 2016, Jonathan was selected as one of the ‘Men of Influence’ by Men’s Style Australia for his work in children’s theater and literacy.

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Saturday

NOV 23 7:30 pm

This event is made possible through the generous support of A. Scott and Carol L. Ritchie.

NOV 23 | Hiplet Ballerinas

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PROGRAM Act 1: “The Journey, The Evolution” “Because Of Them We Can” Phenomenal Women, a short film by Nia Cooper “Be Free,” choreography by Taylor Edwards A tribute to the African American women dancers who came before Hiplet. These women performed through many obstacles, paving the way for 21st-century dancers to express themselves freely. “Rhythm the Soul Of Life” Choreography by Homer Bryant, William Gill and others, featuring music from Phil Cohran and Legacy, and Makassy. Premiering in 1994 with the original Bryant Ballet Company, it is a journey through the diaspora of African American dance, showcasing a variety of African and Afro‑Carribean dance techniques, intertwined with classical ballet and pointe. “From Ballet to Hiplet” Choreography by Homer Bryant, Maiya Redding, Trevon Lawrence and Imani Sailers; featuring music from Black Violin and Nuttin’ But Stringz. It is a play on the ballet hip-hop fusion, showcasing how two opposites can come together. Ballerinas and hip-hop dancers trade moves to classical violin music set to a hip-hop beat. Featuring Homer Bryant’s signature piece “Jammin” and the original work commissioned for the 2016 TedX San Francisco conference, “From Ballet to Hiplet” is a crowd favorite.

20-Minute Intermission Act 2: “The Arrival, The Revolution” “Welcome to Chicago” Choreography by Homer Bryant, Leandra Groth, Jayda Perry; music by Chance the Rapper, Jamila Woods, Ric Wilson and Jerome Hopkins Excerpts from Hiplet Film by Addison Woods Hiplet honors its geographical roots by featuring dances to music by local Chicago artists. Chicago’s music scene is earthy and diverse, from blues to jazz, rap to house, and everything in between. “Missing You” World premiere, 2019 Choreography by Nina Rose Wardanian, music by Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin and Angie Stone

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NOV 23 | Hiplet Ballerinas

“Missing You” is a departure from typical Hiplet, featuring contemporary choreography with a more mature approach. Chronicling the ebbs and flows of women as they navigate personal relationships, “Missing You” is an emotional journey of love, loss and sisterhood. “Finale” Choreography by Homer Bryant, Leandra Groth and others; music samples from various artists The show finale will be an electrifying medley of Hiplet’s greatest hits, including some of the popular music and moves from social media.

WHAT IS HIPLET? The only company in the world to perform this signature, trademark style, Hiplet Ballerinas of Chicago, Illinois fuse classical pointe technique with African, Latin, hip-hop and urban dance styles rooted in communities of color. Promoting inclusivity in both their cast and audience, Hiplet (pronounced “hip-lay”) features true-toned tights, modern music and dancers of all shapes, sizes and colors. Since going viral in 2016, thanks to appearances on Good Morning America and Buzzfeed, the company has amassed over a billion views on YouTube, starred in a feature documentary, made a cameo in Shawn Mendes’ “Youth” music video and performed across the world. The Hiplet Ballerinas are often found in high-fashion campaigns, from the runways of Paris Fashion Week to ads for Desigual and Swarovski Crystal. Their premiere tour will support the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center and help fund the scholarships provided to underprivileged dancers and at-risk youth in their community. Homer Bryant, artistic director Homer Hans Bryant, the creator of Hiplet, is a former principal dancer with the Dance Theater of Harlem and a former member of Prima Ballerina Maria Tallchief’s Chicago City Ballet. His professional credits include the Broadway production of Timbuktu with the Legendary Eartha Kitt, and the motion picture The Wiz with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Bryant is currently also assistant artistic director for Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. In 1990, he opened his own studio, Bryant Ballet, with a focus to offer all dancers, especially low-income students and dancers of color, an entrée into classical ballet. By 1997, the mayor of Chicago renamed his school the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center (CMDC) in honor of the studio’s work in the community. Other teaching and training experiences include working with the original casts of Cirque Du Soleil’s Mystere, Alegria, Quidam and Saltimbanco. Bryant was also a guest instructor at the Dance Open Ballet Festival in Russia, where he taught his unique body alignment/ floor-barre technique at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, the Kirov Ballet Academy and the Boris Eifman School.

NOV 23 | Hiplet Ballerinas

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Over the years, Bryant has continued to incorporate hip-hop and ballet, eventually coining the term Hiplet in 2009. CMDC has trained many dancers who now perform with Cirque Du Soleil, Alvin Ailey, Broadway productions and more. CMDC is the only contemporary ballet school in the world that teaches Hiplet. Leandra Groth, choreographer Leandra Groth began dancing at age four, studying with prominent ballet instructors Homer Bryant, Avnun Yakubov, Watmora Casey and Peff Modelski, as well as leading hip-hop and jazz choreographers Brian Freidman, JesseLee Santos, Tovaris Wilson, Marcel Wilson and Ray Leeper. She has been assistant teaching and choreographing throughout the U.S. and Canada since the age of 15. In 2009, she began assisting Homer Bryant with the Hiplet dance classes, and she was responsible for creating many of the iconic early Hiplet choreography. Nina-Rose Wardanian, choreographer Nina-Rose Wardanian began her formal training at the Chicago Academy for the Arts and CDMC, where she studied under Homer Bryant. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Nina went on to join the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater, before returning to Chicago to teach at CMDC and dance for Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. Nina has been a resident choreographer for CMDC’s Bryant Youth Professionals since 2014, and she also danced with the Hiplet Ballerinas in the Moncler fashion show at Paris Fashion Week. This is Nina’s first season as a choreographer for Hiplet. Gwenne Godwin, stage production & tour manager/lighting design Gwenne is a passionate urban farmer, who, at the drop of the hat, can morph into a stage manager, lighting designer, master electrician, tax preparer and cupcake-baker extraordinaire (so they say). She has had the great privilege of working with so many talented performers, including the Bryant Ballet, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Chicago Moving Company, Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Deeply Rooted Theatre Ensemble and the Joel Hall Dancers. Alexandria Franklin, dancer Training with Homer since the age of 11, Alexandria Franklin graduated from Howard University and began her professional career shortly after. Her credits include the NBA dance team for the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Ballet, Neglia Ballet, UniverSoul Circus and Royal Caribbean International. She joined the Hiplet Ballerinas in 2017 and has danced in Paris Fashion Week, Le Coq Sportif Korea SS18, Visa Japan “New Normal,” as well as the Fox TV show Empire.

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NOV 23 | Hiplet Ballerinas

Alexis King, dancer Alexis King began her dance training with Homer Bryant at CDMC. She received a BFA in dance from the Ailey School and Fordham University, performing in works by Francesca Harper, Kevin Iega Jeff, Troy Powell, Robert Garland and Christopher Huggins. Alexis was also a member of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre II before returning to Chicago and joining the Hiplet Ballerinas. Chantal’ Ashantè Hill, dancer Also known as the “Spiritual Ballerina,” Chantal’ has trained with Dance Theatre of Harlem and Joel Hall Dancers & Center. She has performed with Joel Hall Dancers, Judah International Dance Theatre, Dance Ministry Institute, Elements Ballet and Centre du Danse Marais of Paris. TV appearances include Praise the Lord, Bobby Jones Presents, and music videos include Damien Escobar’s “Fuse” and Jonathan McReynolds’ “I’m Not Lucky, I’m Loved.” Chantal’ joined the Hiplet Ballerinas in 2019. Nia Parker, dancer Nia Parker is a performer and model based in Chicago, who trained at CDMC since she was three years old. Primarily a classically trained dancer, she discovered her love for modeling and commercial dance through Hiplet. Nia can be seen in the McDonald’s/Viacom “In Common” campaign featured on BET. Other campaigns include Versace, Desigual Exotic Jeans, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Visa Japan “New Normal,” Le Coq Sportif Korea, and Carbon38/Jonathan Simkai. Trevon Lawrence Born and raised on the westside of Chicago, Trevon started dancing at the age of four at the Lorianne Grey Dance studio. She joined CDMC in 2000 and continued to expand her craft by attending Chicago High School of the Arts (2009–2013). Trevon began dancing Hiplet during her time at CMDC and is one of the choreographers of “Thunder.” She rejoined the Hiplet Ballerinas in 2017 and has performed for several events. She is still evolving her knowledge of dance and aspiring to become a commercial dancer. About the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center CDMC is a 501c(3) not-for-profit organization which has served Chicago’s communities for over 20 years under the leadership of founder and artistic director Homer Hans Bryant. He founded the Bryant Ballet School and Company in 1990 to create a neoclassical ballet technique, which integrates a diversity of dance styles and honors the richness of our varied multicultural heritage. The name of the school was officially changed to Chicago Multicultural Dance Center in 1997.

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Mon & Tue

DEC 2 & 3 7:30 pm

Pavilion

Romero Lubambo, guitar Just Friends Jazz Series