NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
Creating dance is a rigorous form of imagination. We are imagining new worlds, new relationships and new ways of communicating. We ask hard questions and grow our capacity for complex feelings. The works on this program do this by looking at the past – a tender childhood memory or the literal dark ages– and by imagining our future – hopeful and in harmony with technology and wondering whether our Renaissance is yet to come. We invite you into these worlds to question, sense and imagine with us.
Embedded in the sweat of this production is the memory of our own dancer, Haruka Weiser, who was violently taken from us in 2016. EMERGE marks the return of the Haruka Weiser Memorial Commission afer a three-year pandemic pause. We hope you sense her presence and celebrate the life dance brings to you in ways large and small.
HARUKA WEISER MEMORIAL COMMISSION
The Haruka Weiser Memorial Commission celebrates the life and art of Haruka Weiser. This commission has been made possible through the Haruka Weiser Endowed Excellence Fund in Choreography, an endowment created by students, alumni and friends to honor her in perpetuity. This annual commission brings dance artists from around the world to campus to create a new work of dance art in honor of Haruka. The first commission, choreographed by Rennie Harris, was performed as part of Transcendence in 2018.
Haruka Weiser was a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin at the time of her death in 2016.
Live as ONE
Choreography: Ido Tadmor
Costume Designer: Aaron Kubacak
Lighting Designer: Gavin Strawnato
Sound Designer: Elias Merlo
Assistant Lighting Designer: Reese Herndon
Assistant Sound Designer: Georgia Beckham
Cast: Evan Carlson, Faith Davis, Catherine Dishington, Elizabeth Garza, Jordan Gilbertson, Sheila Jackson, Gabriela Machado, Isabella Mao, Emma Ofelia Valdez
From the Choreographer
Imagine a world where we can live as one, live in peace, and love much more…
"Imagine there's no heaven
You may say I'm a dreamer It's easy if you try But I'm not the only one No hell below us I hope someday you'll join us Above us, only sky And the world will live as one”
Imagine all the people Livin' for today
why they are the way that they are (Draft 2)
–John Lennon
Choreography: Anya and Mitsuko Clarke-Verdery (MICHIYAYA) in collaboration with the dance artists
Music: Composed by Dillon James
Costume Designer: Aaron Kubacak
Lighting Designer: Sarah “Selliott” Elliott
Sound Designer: Elias Merlo
Projection Designer: Benjamin Randall
Scenic Designer: Ana Lara
Choreographic Assistant: Bree Breeden
Assistant Lighting Designer: Reese Herndon
Assistant Projection Designer: Amber Huchton
Assistant Sound Designer: Georgia Beckham
Rehearsal Assistant: Camille Wiltz
Cast: Daniela Mendes Albert, Venese Alcantar, Mia Blitz, Megan Davidson, Aída Hernandez-Reyes, Hayley Jeansonne, Ellie Newton, Andrea Orta, IvyCamille Sampson, Makenna Wallace
From the Choreographer
This work embodies Anya's childhood self. Stuck in a land of dreams and ambition. What they see isn't real. We would like to thank the dance artists for their openness and willingness in bringing Anya's imagination to life. This work would not be what it is without all of you.
Blue, Contrapposto, Blue
Choreography: Venese Alcantar
Music: Composed and performed by Dillon James, Dillon Harger and Tito Rovner
Costume Designer: Aaron Kubacak
Lighting Designer: Gavin Strawnato
Sound Designer: Elias Merlo
Projection Designer: Benjamin Randall
Scenic Designer: Ana Lara
Assistant Lighting Designer: Reese Herndon
Assistant Projection Designer: Amber Huchton
Assistant Sound Designer: Georgia Beckham
Cast: London Lack, Lorna Luciano, Victoria Angelina Montemayor, Makaila Natividad
From the Choreographer
“I make a low, guttural, animal sound, a sound so clearly biological in its design to elicit attention and sympathy from my fellow animals, and yet my fellow animals—my father, my brother—do nothing but talk over me. They talk over me because we are safe, in a small, rented house in Alabama, not stranded in a dark and dangerous rainforest… So the sound is a nonsense sound, a misplaced sound…this itself was the disaster I foresaw... I was a baby, born cute, loud, needy, wild, but the conditions of the wilderness have changed." – Yaa Gyasi
Renaissance Futura
Choreography: Gesel Mason in collaboration with the dance artists
Costume Designer: Aaron Kubacak
Lighting Designer: Sarah “Selliott” Elliott
Sound Designer: Elias Merlo
Scenic Designer: Ana Lara
Assistant Lighting Designer: Reese Herndon
Assistant Sound Designer: Georgia Beckham
Rhythmic Dramaturg: Ryan K. Johnson
Cast: Sabrina Blackwelder, Rebecca Carrillo, Emily Figueroa, Alejandro Frederickson, Noemie Gschwendtner, Sarah Matney, Lexie Nelson, Arianna Puente, RyAnne Rovelo, Moria Joy Small
From the Choreographer
Renaissance Futura asks us to consider if we are once again in the "Dark Ages" and imagines what a 21st century renaissance might look like.
INTERMISSION
Venese Alcantar (Choreographer – Blue, Contrapposto, Blue; Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is an educator, storyteller and movement practitioner. Alcantar’s work challenges fixed notions of gender and sexuality, the female archetype within the family and the body as landscape. Her work has shown at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the UCCS Galleries of Contemporary Art, The Mesa House, the Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS, Cossitt Hall at Colorado College and the Terri Goodhue Gallery.
Bree Breeden (Choreographic Assistant – why they are the way that they are) is a freelance performance and media artist. They were born in Cheraw, South Carolina, raised in New Jersey and now reside in Brooklyn, New York with their wife and son. They graduated from Montclair State University and are currently the managing director and artist with Proteo Media + Performance and are a dance artist with Kyle Marshall Choreography, Michiyaya Dance and Von Howard Project. Breeden works primarily in collaboration with project-based artists including Jessie Young, Janessa Clark, Jordan Demetrius Lloyd, Kinesis Project, Pioneers Go East Collective, Kendra Portier and Beth Graczyk.
Sarah “Selliott” Elliott (Lighting Designer – why they are the way that they are; Renaissance Futura) is a M.F.A. in Theatre (lighting design) candidate with a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Credits include Bakersfield Mist (Riverside Theatre, 2023); Fishing For Stars (The Cohen New Works Festival, 2023); Nutcracker on the Indian River (Ballet Vero Beach, 2022); The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (ZACH Theatre, 2022); Liminal Traces (chuthis, 2022) and In Sisters We Trust, or My F*cked Up American Girl Doll Play (2022), Witchcraf (Fall For Dance, 2022) and PIVOT (2022) with Texas Theatre and Dance.
Erica “EG” Gionfriddo (Producing Artistic Director) is a dance artist and educator who believes in the intelligent body each of us occupies. They are co-founder of the transdisciplinary group ARCOS, which has presented work across the country
including for the American Dance Festival, UNESCO, The Ammerman Center Symposium on Arts and Technology, Engagement Symposium of Philosophy and Dance, Currents New Media Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. EG considers their creative processes and projects as rehearsals for survival in a complex world.
Amber Huchton (Assistant Projection Designer –why they are the way that they are; Blue, Contrapposto, Blue) is a B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate with an emphasis in design and technology at The University of Texas at Austin. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Fall For Dance (2022) and Jinkies! or The Dog Play (2022). She looks forward to working on projects in the Cohen New Works festival this spring.
Jason Lee Huerta (Technical Director) is the Operations Manager, Fabrication for Texas Performing Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. He has a M.F.A. in Scenic Technology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include The Tasters (2021), Anon(ymous) (2017) and The Drowsy Chaperone (2017). Prior to coming to Austin, he worked at various theatres including Goodman Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, South Texas College and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Dillon James (Composer – why they are the way that they are; Blue, Contrapposto, Blue) is a B.S. in Arts and Entertainment Technologies major at The University of Texas at Austin. James has had an aptitude for music and sound in the digital realm since childhood. Past credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Year of the Tiger (2021) and “Kimmy” (2021). He has also worked on projects for The Department of Radio-Television-Film and the School of Design and Creative Technologies.
Ryan K. Johnson (Rhythmic Dramaturg – Renaissance Futura) is a M.F.A. in Dance candidate at The University of Texas at Austin and founding executive artistic director of SOLE Defined Percussive Dance Company. Johnson’s performance
CREATIVE
CREATIVE
raphers in New York City, where she also trained at the Atlantic Acting School. Overbey is a cofounder of Austin Community Ballet, partner in First Street Studio, director of Red Nightfall Productions and artistic advisor with Ventana Ballet.
Benjamin Randall (Projection Designer – why they are the way that they are; Blue, Contrapposto, Blue) is an interactive media designer, sofware engineer and third-year M.F.A. in Theatre (integrated media for live performance) candidate. Afer earning a B.S.A. in Computer Science, he began to explore interactive real-time media systems. His work explores generative art, multimedia storytelling and live music community. Design credits include A Million Alien Gospels (PIVOT; Texas Theatre and Dance, 2022), In Sisters We Trust, or My F*cked Up American Girl Doll Play (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2022) and Rite of Passage (Suite 650, 2023).
Gavin Strawnato (Lighting Designer – Live as ONE; Blue, Contrapposto, Blue) is a first-year M.F.A. in Theatre (lighting design) candidate. He has experience designing scenery and lighting
for plays, musicals and dance. Recent credits include The Last Five Years and Million Dollar Quartet (Theatre West Summer Repertory, 2022), as well as Fun Home and Stop Kiss (Middle Tennessee State University Theatre; 2022, 2021). Assistant design credits include Shakespeare Gala (Butler Opera Center, 2022) and Camelot and It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Studio Tenn Theatre Company; 2022, 2021).
Ido Tadmor (Choreographer – Live as ONE) is a world-renowned Israeli dancer/choreographer who danced with acclaimed international companies the Bolshoi Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, among others. He is the former artistic director of The Israel Ballet and is the Presidential Fellow in Dance at Chapman University. Tadmor was the 2011 winner of the highly respected Landau Prize in Israel for life achievement, as well as the lead judge on So You Think You Can Dance Israel and a guest choreographer on Dancing with the Stars Israel. For four decades, Tadmor has represented the State of Israel around the world as the Ambassador of Dance of Israel.
CAST
Daniela Mendes Venese Alcantar Sabrina
Mia Blitz Evan Carlson Albert Blackwelder
Rebecca Carrillo
Megan Davidson
Faith Davis
Catherine Dishington
Emily Figueroa
Alejandro Frederickson
Elizabeth Garza
Brock Gayaut
Jordan Gilbertson Noemie Gschwendtner
Aída Hernandez-Reyes
Sheila Jackson Hayley
Sarah Johnston London Lack Jeansonne
CAST
Lorna Luciano Gabriela Machado Isabella Mao
Sarah Matney Victoria Angelina Montemayor
Makaila Natividad Lexie Nelson Ellie Newton
Andrea Orta
Arianna Puente
IvyCamille Sampson
Moria Joy Small Skyler Tepedino
Emma Ofelia Valdez Makenna Wallace
Daniela Mendes Albert (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a first-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Edinburg, Texas where she studied dance at Dancentre of Edinburg. There, she trained in ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, tap, ballet folklórico, Irish dance and hip hop. Recent credits include performing with the New York-based company Ballet Nepantla (2023) and Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2022).
Sabrina Blackwelder (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin with an extensive background in dance. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include (Re)current Unrest (2020), Evolution (2022) and Fall For Dance (2021).
Mia Blitz (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a pre-health professions certificate at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Long Island, New York and attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts while also training in a variety of styles at Kanyok Arts Initiative. Recent credits include TEDxUTAustin and Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2021-2022).
Evan Carlson (Dancer – Live as ONE) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance’s Dance Repertory Theatre include Failures in Holding the Multiple (Fall For Dance, 2022) and Of Mutants and Madmen (PIVOT, 2022). Carlson was also dance captain for the B. Iden Payne awardwinning production of Disney’s Newsies The Musical (Zilker Theatre Productions, 2022).
Rebecca Carrillo (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She recently trained with New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts over the summer of 2021. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include (Re)current Unrest (2020), del corazón nace
el enjambre (2021), Contronymic Living (Fall For Dance, 2021), Enjoy. (Fall For Dance, 2021) and Quake: The Revival (Fall For Dance, 2022). She was a student choreographer for the Fall For Dance (2022) piece digital-esque.
Megan Davidson (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Her most recent credits include A Riverside Tale as part of the M.F.A. thesis Tales of WaterWomen (2022) and Quake: The Revival and digital-esque as part of Fall For Dance (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2022).
Faith Davis (Dancer – Live as ONE; Archival Team) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has spent summers dancing with Houston Ballet, Ballet West and Texas Ballet Theater. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include head in the clou… (Fall For Dance, 2021), A Million Alien Gospels (PIVOT, 2022) and Failures in Holding the Multiple (Fall For Dance, 2022).
Catherine Dishington (Dancer – Live as ONE) is a third-year B.A. in Theatre and Dance major also pursuing a B.S. in Communications Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Miami, Florida and danced with Miami Dance Collective, where she trained in a variety of styles and techniques. Recent credits include Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2022).
Emily Figueroa (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a second-year UTeach Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Fall For Dance (2022).
Alejandro Frederickson (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance major in the Department of Theatre and Dance at The University of Texas at Austin. Some of his recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include (Re)current Unrest (2020) Contronymic Living (Fall For Dance, 2021) and digital-esque (Fall For Dance, 2022).
CAST
Elizabeth Garza (Dancer – Live as ONE) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has studied ballet, contemporary and jazz extensively with dance mentors Peter O'Brien and Alex Ossadnik, among others. She has also trained with Ballet Austin and Houston Ballet. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include digital-esque (Fall For Dance, 2022) in addition to Evolution (2022).
Brock Gayaut (Archival Team) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. His most recent dance credits include performing with Dance Repertory Theatre in pieces by Charles O. Anderson as part of PIVOT (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2022) and Erica “EG” Gionfriddo as part of Fall For Dance (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2022).
Jordan Gilbertson (Dancer – Live as ONE) is a fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Dorothy O'Shea Overbey’s A Million Alien Gospels (PIVOT, 2022); Charles O. Anderson’s Of Mutants and Madmen (PIVOT, 2022) and (Re)current Unrest (2020); Jesse Zaritt’s Contronymic Living (Fall For Dance, 2021); Matthew Deshon James and Ciera Ray’s Enjoy. (Fall For Dance, 2021); Gesel Mason’s burst! (2021) and Erica “EG” Gionfriddo’s In the Ether (2020).
Noemie Gschwendtner (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a B.A. in Theatre and Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. They have an extensive background in dance. Prior to UT Austin, they trained in classical ballet at SLK Ballet School in New York.
Aída Hernandez-Reyes (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance major in the Department of Theatre and Dance at The University of Texas at Austin. Currently, they teach and dance with the local Austin dance company Paracosm Dance. HernandezReyes' recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Contronymic Living (Fall For Dance, 2021), Sawubona and Let Them See (PIVOT, 2022) and Witchcraf (Fall For Dance, 2022).
Sheila Jackson (Dancer – Live as ONE; she/ her) is a fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Her recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include A Million Alien Gospels (PIVOT, 2022) and Failures in Holding the Multiple (Fall For Dance, 2022).
Hayley Jeansonne (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a UTeach Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in numerous styles of dance. Recent credits include multiple works with Dance Action’s S.E.E.D.
Sarah Johnston (Archival Team) is a UTeach Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She is a first-year transfer student, having graduated from Kilgore College with an associate’s degree in fine arts. Johnston was a member of the 81st line of the Kilgore College Rangerettes. In her second year studying at Kilgore, she was a member of the seventh generation of the Industry Dance Company, a pre-professional modern dance company under artistic director of Angela Aulds.
London Lack (Dancer – Blue, Contrapposto, Blue) is a first-year B.F.A. in Dance major also perusing a B.A. in the Plan II Honors program at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from San Angelo, Texas, where she danced with Ballet San Angelo and trained extensively in ballet and contemporary dance. While EMERGE (Dance Repertory Theatre, 2023) is her first performance with Texas Theatre and Dance, her previous credits include the role of "Sugar Plum Fairy" in The Nutcracker (Ballet San Angelo, 2021).
Lorna Luciano (Dancer – Blue, Contrapposto, Blue) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a pre-physical therapy certificate at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in San Antonio, Texas and danced with Quenedit Ballet School and NB Dance and Company, where she trained in various styles. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Pop Refuge (Fall For Dance, 2022), in addition to Dance Action's S.E.E.D. (2021, 2022).
CAST
Gabriela Machado (Dancer – Live as ONE) is a B.S. in Exercise Science major also pursuing a B.A. in Theatre and Dance with an emphasis in dance performance and choreography at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Miami, Florida, attended the dance studio Miami Dance Collective and was captain of her high school dance team, where she trained in multiple styles. Recent credits include Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2022).
Isabella Mao (Dancer – Live as ONE) is a fourthyear B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance. She is also pursuing a B.S. in Exercise Science. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Let Them See (PIVOT, 2022) and Enjoy. (Fall For Dance, 2021).
Sarah Matney (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Originally from Dallas, she has spent the last 18 years studying a wide variety of dance styles through school, studios and intensives. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include In The Ether (2020), Cositas (Fall For Dance, 2021) and Mo’Movement/ Meant in 3 (Fall For Dance, 2022), as well as multiple projects with Dance Action’s S.E.E.D.
Victoria Angelina Montemayor (Dancer – Blue, Contrapposto, Blue) is a first-year transfer B.F.A. in Dance major with plans to pursue a B.A. in Exercise Science. She grew up in Laredo, Texas and danced with the Laredo School of Contemporary where she trained in a variety of styles in dance. This will be Montemayor’s first performance with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Makaila Natividad (Dancer – Blue, Contrapposto, Blue) is a first-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in communications at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii and danced with Prisma Dance, where she trained in a variety of styles and techniques. Her recent credits include Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2022).
Lexie Nelson (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in both dance and singing. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Contronymic Living (Fall For Dance, 2021), Club KINGDOM (PIVOT, 2022) and multiple projects as part of The Cohen New Works Festival and A Recipe for Action (Vesper).
Ellie Newton (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance and B.A. in Psychology double major at The University of Texas at Austin. She previously trained under instructors including Kristin Nicolaisen, Cheryl Copeland and Danielle Storey. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include works by Charles O. Anderson, Erica Gionfriddo, Gesel Mason, Jesse Zaritt and Leah Cox.
Andrea Orta (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in Mexican American and Latino/a Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in various dance styles. Recent performance credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Cositas (Fall For Dance, 2021), Club KINGDOM and Let Them See (PIVOT, 2022) and Quake: The Revival and Pop Refuge (Fall For Dance, 2022), in addition to Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2022).
Arianna Puente (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in kinesiology and health education at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in dance. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Dance Action's S.E.E.D. (2021-2022), Evolution (2022) and Witchcraf (Fall For Dance, 2022)
RyAnne Rovelo (Dancer – Renaissance Futura) is a B.F.A in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in various dance genres including ballet, hip-hop, acro, jazz, modern and contemporary, among others. Recently, she was a dancer in WhirlWind Dance Company’s WyND Program under
CAST
the instruction of Joshua Manculich. She has also served as assistant for Michelle Leagans Power Intensives. She recently choreographed a piece in Dance Action’s fall showcase.
IvyCamille Sampson (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a first-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include …but you could’ve held my hand (2022).
Moria Joy Small (Dancer – Renaissance Futura; Archival Team) is a third-year student with interests in dance, poetry and education. She has recently performed in the NAACP Gala, Duke Ellington’s The Nutcracker Suite (Ballet Afrique) and Fall For Dance (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2022).
Skyler Tepedino (Archival Team) is a fourthyear B.F.A. in Dance major. Tepedino graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where she was part of Repertoire Dance Company 1 and 2. Tepedino has performed with Bombshell Dance Project and competed in dance for nine years. She
studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and has worked with Jennifer Archibald, Jenny Durbin Smith, Misha Gabriel, Chloe Arnold, Mike Minery, Jessica Hendricks, Matt Luck, Justin Giles, Andrew Winghart and Ryan Lewis.
Emma Ofelia Valdez (Dancer – Live as ONE) is a B.F.A. in Dance and B.S. in Applied Movement Science double major at The University of Texas at Austin. Her recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Cositas (Fall For Dance, 2021), Contronymic Living (Fall For Dance, 2021), In the Ether (2020) and del corazón nace el enjambre (2021), as well as performances in Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. and co-choreographer for Evolution (2022).
Makenna Wallace (Dancer – why they are the way that they are) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a B.S. in Exercise Science at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from Dallas, Texas and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where she trained in various dance techniques. Recent credits include dancing and choreographing for Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2021-2022) and Fall For Dance (2022).
CAST
REHEARSAL ASSISTANT (WHY THEY ARE THE WAY THAT THEY ARE)
CAMILLE WILTZ
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, TPA* FABRICATION STUDIO
J.E. JOHNSON
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, TPA* FABRICATION STUDIO
KAREN MANESS
TPA* SENIOR TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
SCOTT BUSSEY
PROJECT MANAGER, TPA* FABRICATION STUDIO
DAVID TOLIN
OPERATIONS MANAGER, TPA* FABRICATION STUDIO
JASON LEE HUERTA
PROPERTIES MANAGER, TPA* FABRICATION STUDIO
CAROLYN HARDIN
LEAD FABRICATOR, TPA* FABRICATION STUDIO
HANK SCHWEMMER
PROJECT SPECIALIST, TPA* FABRICATION STUDIO
ASHTON BENNETT MURPHY
GRADUATE PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
DANIEL RUIZ BUSTO
TERE GUERRRO CARDOSO
TENZING ORTEGA
ALEXANDER ROCKEY
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
KATHRYN CLARK
MORGAN RANDALL
PRODUCTION LEADS
ZOE BIHAN
SYDNY DEMEYER
ISABELLA HOLLIS
ROXOLANA KRYWONOS
JONAH MAUGHAN
FABRICATION PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
LEAH AUSTIN
NAHLA BELTRAN
BENJAMIN CERVANTES
BRIDGETTE CLIFFORD
MARI DALTON
LAUREN HEAD
ESTELLE N ISAAC
VICTORIA JEFFERSON
AUSTIN C LIVINGSTON
AUSTIN LUCHAK
MELODY LUNA
FAITH C MITCHELL
DEZMON B MYERS
HANNAH NELSON
BEN NUNN
NATHAN JOSHUA RAMOS
GABRIEL GOMEZ REYES
NATALIA RODENZO
HANNAH SHEPARD
PETER VANBENTHUYSEN
VICTORIA V. VARGAS
CASSIDY MADALYN WEN
JULIA YELVINGTON
PROP STOCK MANAGERS
EZRA-ROSE BOLENDER
LEILA RABAH
SCENERY/PROPS CREW
EMILIO MEJIA
DREW PHILLIPS
COSTUME PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR
NANETTE ACOSTA
COSTUME PRODUCTION AND FABRICATION STUDIO
PRODUCTION ASSOCIATES
SAMANTHA GASHETTE DESIREÉ HUMPHRIES
DRAPERS
JENNIFER BALL
SARAH BARBOUR POUA YANG
FIRST HANDS LUCIA CALLENDER KATIE CONCANNON MARISA LAWRENCE
STITCHERS
JACOB BENIAM SOPHIE DIETERLEN
RACHEL GREEN
SAVANNAH HOLLOWAY RAYCE RISCH
COSTUME CRAFTS ARTISAN
TANYA OLALDE
COSTUME CRAFTS ASSISTANTS
ARIES LIMON
JULIE WEBB
COSTUME PRODUCTION AND FABRICATION STUDIO ASSISTANTS
MEAGAN BEATTIE AMANI TURNER
COSTUME PRODUCTION AND FABRICATION STUDIO
CREW SUPERVISOR
CALIFORNIA THORSON
COSTUME PRODUCTION AND FABRICATION STUDIO
CREW
LILY FALCONER ANGEL HERNANDEZ MEGGIE HUNT
KATYA LOPEZ
DYLAN MARINEZ FIGUERO MOLLY MASSON ERICKA PUGLIESE OLIVIA SALDANA
WARDROBE SUPERVISOR DESIREE TOWNES
WARDROBE CREW CHIEFS PARIS FULKS KATIE MILLER
WARDROBE CREW CLAIRE ANSTEY BRIDGETTE CLIFFORD GRACE FALCONER LIZZEY UFOMADU
COSTUME STOCK SUPERVISOR DESIREÉ HUMPHRIES
COSTUME STOCK ASSISTANTS MEGGIE HUNT LAYLA ISAAC
TPA* LIGHTING SUPERVISOR SARAH CANTU
CREW
TPA* ASSOCIATE LIGHTING SUPERVISOR
MICHAEL SHANKS
ASSISTANT SUPERVISING ELECTRICIANS
EMILY TORRANCE
OREN EDERI
SENIOR LIGHTING TECHNICIANS
ARI JAMIESON
GAVIN STRAWN
ZACH YOUNG
324P LIGHTING FACULTY SUPERVISOR
SEB BOONE
324P THEATRE AND DANCE
LIGHTING CREW
EDUARDO BENAVIDES
MACY BUTLER
SOPHIA CAMPBELL
ADAM CORONADO
REBECA FERGUSON
ANDREW KUSMAN
EDWARD LOPEZ-JIMENEZ
MADDIE LOY
KENNEDY MCLAGGAN
STEPHANIE SHAW
ABDOLHAY TALEBI
AUSTIN TAYLOR
TPA* LIGHTING CREW
CARLA GARCIA
GILBERT MARTINEZ
ZACKARY READ
MATTHEW E. SMITH
SHELLY UPHAM
JACOB ZAMARRIPA
LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR
SIDDANTH MENON
TPA* AUDIO/VIDEO
SUPERVISOR
ANDREW MILLAY
TPA* ASSISTANT AUDIO/ VIDEO SUPERVISOR
CHRIS BRAUDT
TPA* AUDIO CREW
DEMIAN CHAVEZ
LUCY KULZICK
ELIAS MERLO
BRYCE RIGGLE
AUDIO BOARD OPERATOR
ANNIE CLEPPER
INTEGRATED MEDIA SHOP SUPERVISOR
EARNEST MAZIQUE
MEDIA GRADUATE
ASSISTANTS
JACKSON COBB
AJ HURTADO
HEEKYUNG KIM
SYDNEY SOUSA
MEDIA SHOP INTERN
AMBER HUCHTON
MEDIA SHOP CREW
FAITH BOUCHELLE
ANA AYALA GASCA
STEPHANIE KELLER
CAMILLA LLORENTE
ZACK MARTIN
CIELO ORTIZ
ALEXANDRIA RODRIGUEZ
JULIA SALAZAR
MONSE SANDOVALMALHERBE
KARINA TREJO
MEDIA OPERATOR
KEYA ZINGADE
CREW SUPERVISOR
AUSTIN SHIRLEY
STAGE MANAGEMENT ADVISOR
RUSTY CLOYES
DIRECTING ADVISORS
KJ SANCHEZ
ALEXANDRA BASSIAKOU SHAW
COSTUME DESIGN ADVISOR
RAQUEL BARRETO
COSTUME TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR
DAVID AREVALO
LIGHTING DESIGN ADVISOR
MICHELLE HABECK
INTEGRATED MEDIA DESIGN ADVISOR
KATE FREER
SCENIC DESIGN ADVISOR
JOSAFATH REYNOSO
SOUND DESIGN ADVISOR
PHILLIP OWEN
DRAMATURGY ADVISOR
MADGE DARLINGTON
TPA* DIRECTOR OF FABRICATION AND ACADEMIC PRODUCTION
JEFF GRAPKO
PHOTOGRAPHER
THOMAS ALLISON
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
JEFF GRAY
*TPA = Texas Performing Arts
WHAT’S LOCATION, SEASON SUBSCRIBER ON STAGE DIRECTIONS, PARKING
BECOME A
CREW
