DDT's Fall Forward Playbill 10.19.2024

October 19th, 2024

TIME: 8PM

Atlas Performing Arts Center 1333 H St NE, Washington, DC 20002

Dissonance Dance Theatre is a Resident Arts Partner of the Atlas Performing Arts Center since 2024 - celebrating it 17th season.

Dancer: Maurissa Powell Company Artist

1. Push/Punch

Choreography by Shawn Short

Lighting by Chris Holland

Music by Karlsson

Soloists: Joel Kiko, Maurissa Powell, Kassi Tiedjens

*Pause - 2 Mins*

2. When October Goes

Choreography by Shawn Short

Lighting by Chris Holland

Music by Nancy Wilson

Soloist: Kassi Tiedjens

*Pause - 2 Mins*

3. Life Is Two Fold

Choreography by Shawn Short

Lighting by Chris Holland

Movement I: Seek Music: Black Violin

Joel Kioko, Maurissa Powell, Kassi Tiedjens

Sarah Phillips

Soloists: Joel Kioko, Maurissa Powell

Movement II: Understanding Music: John Legend

Soloists: Joel Kioko, Maurissa Powell

Movement III: Anticipate

Music: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Joel Kioko, Maurissa Powell, Kassi Tiedjens

Sarah Phillips

Soloists: Joel Kioko, Kassi Tiedjens

INTERMISSION - 15 Mins

4. Groove Downbeat Twig

Choreography by Shawn Short

Lighting by Chris Holland

Music by Christian Prommer

Joel Kioko, Maurissa Powell, Kassi Tiedjens

Sarah Phillips, Catherine Casey

Skyy Twyman

Soloists: Joel Kioko, Kassi Tiedjens

Special Feature: Skyy Twyman

Ngoma School Alumnae/DDT Trainee

*Pause - 2 Mins*

5. The Road

Choreography by Shawn Short

Lighting by Chris Holland

Music by Einaudi

Soloists: Joel Kioko, Maurissa Powell

*Pause - 2 Mins*

6. Home

Choreography by Shawn Short

Lighting by Chris Holland

Soloists: Joel Kioko, Maurissa Powell, Kassi Tiedjens

Sarah Phillips, Catherine Casey

Skyy Twyman

Run Time: 75 Mins

About Dissonance Dance Theatre

DDT is the Resident Ballet of Ngoma Center for Dance. Named “One of the 11 small-but-mighty dance companies outside of LA and NYC” by Dance Spirit Magazine, Dissonance Dance Theatre is a Washington, DC-based professional dance company founded in 2007 by Shawn Short. Since its inception, Dissonance Dance Theatre has performed for local and national audiences and have worked with Netflix, and the Super Bowl Halftime production team.

Starting as a project of dear friends, Dissonance has grown to house artists from across the US and beyond. A contemporary ballet that blends “classic” modern styles such as Horton, Graham, Limon with nuances of classical ballet, Dissonance is becoming known for its theatrical presence and exceptional artistry.

Evoking emotional experiences in the audiences we touch, Dissonance’s cutting-edge repertoire features works that are socially and visually appealing to audiences while remaining true to its mission; challenging audience’s assumptions about the human experience through dance. For more information, visit www.ngcfddt.org.

Thank you Atlas PAC, and to our funders, donors, and patrons for their continued support.

Joel Kioko

Nairobi, Kenya

Former Member, Milwaukee

Ballet II, Joffrey Ballet Studio

Company, English National

Ballet School Alumnus

Maurissa Powell

Madison, Wisconsin

Alumnae, Ballet Chicago, Lines

Ballet, The School of Madison

Ballet, The Jilana School

Kassi Tiedjens

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Former Member, Confluence

Ballet Company

Alumnae, Butler Univ BFA

Hello, Fellow Dance Lovers,

Catherine Casey

Panama City, Panama

Alumnae, Rock School, Texas

Ballet Theatre Studio Training

Company, Ballet de Barcelona

Sarah Phillips

Norfolk, Virginia

Alumnae, Ballet Virginia Academy, UNCSA, Joffrey Academy of Dance Chicago

Contemporary Ballet Trainee

Skyy Twyman

Hyattsville, MD

Alumnae, The Ngoma School

Northwestern High School of the Performing Arts

Thank you for supporting a local dance company as we embark on our 17th season.

Fall back in love with dance that excites the eyes and touches the heart with DDT’s annual Fall Forward. A mixed bill of contemporary ballet choreographed by myself. This year’s program features the music of Mikael Karlsson, Black Violin, John Legend, Rapsody Macklemore, Nancy Wilson, and more. Learn more about the dance works within our program notes.

This year, we bring Kenya sensation Joel Kioko to Washington, DC, in his first company artist debut. Joel is our first dancer hire hailing from the continent of Africa – part of my vision of bringing more access to underrepresented artists. We are excited about all the talented dancers we have on our roster this season. Additionally, DDT provides Skyy Twyman – a graduate of The Ngoma School, DDT’s official school – the opportunity to perform as DDT’s newest Trainee.

Dissonance Dance Theatre is DC’s only black-led contemporary ballet and actively seeks to tell the stories of underrepresented artists who need an opportunity to start their careers. Many of our dance talent hail from national and international-recognized dance institutions yet need further artist development. We are proud to provide a platform to share our love of dance and elevate the DC cultural sector. Always, big thanks to Atlas PAC for their continued support since 2007.

Enjoy the show,

Shawn Short, MFA

Founding

Producing Director

Program Notes

World Premieres

Push/Punch (2024)

A work interested in the duality of opposites, Short’s Push/Punch is a contemporary pointe work ballet that is partially inspired by William Foresythe’s dynamic work In the Middle Somewhat Elevated and Newton’s laws of motion. Danced to the musical score of Mikael Karlsson, Push/Punch briskly moves through an ambient and sharp score that sends the dancer through space while merging neo-classic balletic style with modern dance fluidity.

Life Is Two Fold (2024)

A percussive and syncopated pointe work inspired by our human desire to breathe in and share our excitement for life, Life is Two Fold is inspired by its musical score created by Black Violin, John Legend, and Rapsody Macklemore, and Ryan Lewis, segmented into three sections (Seek, Understanding, Anticipate).

Seek. Movement One. Relates to our ability to become vulnerable in the pursuit of wanting to belong. Dancers athletically mold movement with emotional depth collecting as if drawn to each other’s existence (and growing from it). Thinking on the notion of, “We have different layers, but the heart seeks the same” the movement congruently fuses demonstrating dancer lines and popular dance steps. Layered with a hip-hop undertone, Seek blends partnering, classical center, allegro, and staccato pointe work with “the down” of an urban musical score.

Understanding. Movement Two. Brings a state of nostalgia reflecting on the ease and joy within life. Thoughts of friends playing, first love, and countless times of happier moments become the base of this pas de deux and trois, moderato-to-groove tempo choreographic section. Dancers show us, that it’s when we are together - with care - that we find happiness.

Anticipate. Movement Three. Shines the light of acceptance and joy. Building on the human connectivity of previous movements, dancers interchange from body articulation to virtuosic feelings of joy – demonstrating their excitement of making new relationships and memories. Large ensemble and symmetric couple dances, raise the energy on the stage; bringing the heat, with percussive rhythms and a “butt shaking” cathartic release.

“Tonight is the night, we’ll fight till it’s over. So we put our hands up, like the ceiling can’t hold us” – Dalton, Haggerty, and Lewis

Groove Downbeat Twig (2024)

Fluid bodies move to the drum rhythm in Short’s soft-shoe ballet Groove Downbeat Twig. House music adorns your ears, as the dancers fill the stage with “get down” while “feeling it”. Africanistic movement, club dance, and classical ballet emulsify, bringing sweat to the hot bodies on stage. Performed to the music of German multi-instrumentalist, producer, and DJ Christian Prommer, Groove Downbeat Twig makes slender bodies feel it deep inside.

Dissonance Dance Theatre Classics

When October Goes (2020)

As the years go by, so does summer. In Short’s When October Goes a solo female dancer reflects on her life through memories of childhood, love affairs, and the coming future. Danced to the music of Nancy Wilson and filled with moments of excitement, sass, beauty, and vulnerability, When October Goes is a timeless performance demonstrating the joy of experiencing life.

The Road (2013)

A man treads the journey of life and finds challenges and strife in Short’s The Road. Danced as a soft-shoe male ballet solo married to a wonderful duet, The Road is dance theatre with expressive moments lost, longing and stillness. During the male dancer’s solo, he finds solace in a companion, and together they tread the journey of interaction together. The Road is performed to the emotional score of Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi.

Home (2018)

Lights the stage fantastic, as dancers take the stage with zest and joy. Home, a contemporary ballet choreographed by Short, is filled with friendship and community spirit. Danced to the spirit-filled score composed by Italian composer Ezio Bosso, Home is a “feel good”, large ensemble work that reminds us that positive energy is infectious.

About Us

Ngoma Center for Dance

Since 2012, Ngoma Center for Dance has been a cornerstone of the DC arts community, where music and dance unite to inspire creativity and foster community change. Ngoma believes that creativity is a powerful catalyst for community development and social justice.

Ngoma’s journey began in a modest midtown DC dance studio, teaching aspiring dancers and students. Today, Ngoma manages DC’s only Black-led, nationally recognized Dissonance Dance Theatre, now a Resident Arts Partner at DC’s H Street Atlas Performing Arts Center. Our programs impact over 600 residents annually, focusing on investing in developing equitable outcomes for Black and Brown communities and its allies.

Dancer: Skyy Twyman

Consider Giving A Helping Hand

Every donation aids us in providing equity and access to many artists and families of varying backgrounds. Ngoma Center for Dance provides many programs and opportunities through the support of our generous funders, whom -without them – many artists (especially of color) would not have reached their dance dreams. DDT alumni have traveled forward to companies such as Momix, Virginia Ballet Theatre, Philadanco, Garth Fagan, Carolyn Dorfman Dance, UniverSoul Circus, Phoenix Dance Theatre (U.K.), and more…

The Ngoma School alumni roster has matriculated into Dissonance Dance Theatre trainees and apprentices. Many students have utilized Ngoma’s disciplined structure to excel in their secondary education toward acceptance into higher education.

Consider donating or joining a committee or Board today. A smiling dancing face, will thank you “ in step”.

DDT’s Fall Forward Wants to Thank:

American Psychological Association

John Rose

International Arts & Artists Org

Our Board & Committee Members

Our Individual Donors & You