Archival Team: Merrin Foley, Hayley Jeansonne, Julia Leitner, Cassidy Perry, Eden Ryder
DJ: Earnest Mazique
MC: Aysha Upchurch
The videotaping, photography or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
The Department of Theatre and Dance is a world-class educational environment that serves as the ultimate creative incubator for the next generation of artists, thinkers and leaders in theatre and performance.
“Oh, on and on and on and on / My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone / Oh, on and on and on and on / All night 'til the break of dawn.” - Erykah Badu, from the song "On and On"
Imagine a place where you could gather, be yourself, commune and…DANCE! A space that functions as a playground, proving ground, training ground and home base. Sacred. Elemental. Transformational. Liberatory. A site of radical joy. Well, you found it! Welcome to CYPHERS!
If you haven’t noticed, CYPHERS is a different kind of dance performance. Our CYPHERS is part juke joint, part performance and part community dance event. In simple terms, a cypher is a circle. In street dance and hip-hop culture, cyphers are energetic spaces of knowledge exchange, improvisation and innovation where artists hone their practice and showcase their creativity.
Cyphers have deep roots in Africanist aesthetics and religious beliefs, and we honor those contributions in this performance. Most cyphers have no age, gender or stylistic requirements and dancers can choose to express themselves inside the circle in a way that reflects their personality and training. Our four choreographers and design team members have each embraced the theme of cyphers in their own way. We are proud to include this year’s Haruka Weiser Memorial Commission in our cypher, in our community and in our radical hearts.
For CYPHERS we come together to share the love of dance. Call-and-response is expected and interaction and participation are invited! Our humble juke joint may not look like much, but CYPHERS is a magical place. Everyone is welcome. We’re glad you’re here. Put on your dancing shoes (or take them off!). Let’s create new worlds together.
Gesel Mason Artistic Director
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.
On and On
Choreography: Le’Andre Douglas
Music: “Dope” by Christopher McBride
Costume Designer: Leah Hummel
Lighting Designer: Zach Young
Sound Designer: KP Pierce
Projection Designers: Arash Baghipour Aliaba, Desne P. Wharton
Thank you to the dancers for trusting yourself and me in this process. This process has been one of constant questioning: what are we remembering, what are we imagining as a way forward, what or who is carrying us and who are we carrying? I will leave you with these words from Prentis Hemphill: “The first step in any change is imagining that something else is possible for you and for the world. Recovering our ability to imagine what doesn't yet exist and committing ourselves to what we envision are what carry us through the hardest moments.”
Ode to Cicadas
Choreography: Meredith Rainey (Haruka Weiser Memorial Commissioned Artist)
Music: “Ode to Cicadas (Prologue, Aurum, Blue Hour, Epilogue)” by Gabriel T. Brown
Costume Designer: Leah Hummel
Lighting Designer/Sound Designer: KP Pierce
Projection Designers: Arash Baghipour Aliaba, Desne P. Wharton
Scenic Designer: Arash Baghipour Aliaba
Assistant Costume Designer: Emory Kennemore
Rehearsal Assistant: Katelyn Doyle
Cast: Madeleine Birmingham, Natalia DePaula, Saada Diggs, Katelyn Doyle, Audrey Friloux, Elizabeth Garza, London Lack, Lorna Luciano, Victoria Angelina Montemayor, Christian Ortega, Cassidy Perry, Katherine Templeton
From the Choreographer
Ode to Cicadas is a celebration of transformation, community and the cycles of growth. Through movement, the dancers explore themes of shedding old layers, seeking support and finding joy in both the individual and collective journey. Beginning and ending at the heart of the stage, the performers reach out to the audience—both literally and emotionally—inviting shared reflection and connection. The piece is set to music by Gabriel Brown, a student from UT Austin, whose score enhances the work's rhythmic pulse and sense of emergence.
CREATIVE
Arash Baghipour Aliaba (Scenic Designer; Projection Designer –On and On, where to go from here, Ode to Cicadas) is a M.F.A. in Theatre (integrated media for live performance) candidate. He explores storytelling through video, space and new technology. As a production designer, his films have screened at many festivals, including Portobello Film Festival, American Film Institute, Palm Springs International Film Festival, New Orleans Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival and Bolton Film Festival. Recent credits include Fall For Dance (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2023) and assistant projection design for Romeo y Juliet (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2024) and Sunset Baby (Signature Theatre, 2024).
Gabriel T. Brown (Composer – where to go from here, Ode to Cicadas) is an Austin native pursuing a B.S. in Arts and Entertainment Technologies with an emphasis in music and sound at The University of Texas at Austin. He focuses on music composition for theatre and dance. Recent credits include original music composition for the Texas Theatre and Dance and School of Design and Creative Technologies production of Evolution (2024). (he/him)
Megan Davidson (Choreographer – where to go from here) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has a background in contemporary, ballet and street dance styles. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Black Angel by Gesel Mason and the inevitability of work (and the joy in it) by Aysha Upchurch, both performed as part of Fall For Dance (2023).
Le’Andre Douglas (Choreographer – On and On) is an internationally renowned dancer, choreographer and creative director who has been praised for his work in music, television, film and advertising and his skillful combination of movement and emotion. He has performed at corporate events, festivals and concerts all over the world, and his creative collaborations have been featured in both traditional and digital media alike. He is currently on tour with The New York Times show to watch, The Jazz
Continuum, where he serves as a performer and rehearsal director. Most recently he has worked with Grammy award-winning artist Jon Batiste and Arturo O’Farrill. He is a consummate professional whose artistry and passion never ceases to amaze and delight audiences everywhere.
Love Muwwakkil Estes (Choreographer - Shift...) is a freelance performer, teacher and choreographer based in Austin, Texas. She received her B.F.A. from University of North Carolina Greensboro (2005) and her M.F.A. in Dance from The University of Texas at Austin (2023). Credits include serving as rehearsal director and company member for Urban Bush Women; dancer for Houston Grand Opera’ world-premiere opera Intelligence, Hairspray with Royal Caribbean and the contemporary pole dance company The Pulse Project and performer with Gesel Mason Performance Projects and Taylor Mac’s A 24-Decade History of Popular Music. Muwwakkil Estes was recently selected as a resident artist for The Big Medium + The Line residency.
Daniel Geld (Technical Director) is a recent graduate of The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance, with a specialization in technical direction. He served as technical director and assistant technical director on multiple productions with Texas Theatre and Dance, including Love and Information (2022) and In Sisters We Trust, or My F*cked Up American Girl Doll Play (2022), while also working as a student in the Fabrication studios at Texas Performing Arts.
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.
CREATIVE
Gabriela Hernandez (Stage Manager) is a second-year B.A. in Theatre and Dance major with an emphasis in design and technology (with a focus in stage management) at The University of Texas at Austin. Her favorite credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include assistant stage managing for Fall For Dance (2023) and stage managing for Points of Intersection (2024).
Leah Hummel (Costume Designer –On and On, Shift..., Ode to Cicadas) is a recent graduate of the M.F.A. in Theatre (live design and production) program. Hummel is a Chicago native, costume and props designer, drag performer, stitcher and teaching artist. She has worked with Strawdog Theatre Company, Raven Theatre, The Neo-Futurists, The Wilmette Center for the Arts and the Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. Costume design credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Romeo y Juliet (2024), elizabeth is going into the ground (Studio Series, 2023), Fall For Dance (2023) and multiple projects as part of The Cohen New Works Festival (2023).
Layla Isaac (Costume Designer – where to go from here) is a B.A. in Design in Theatre and Dance major with an emphasis in design and technology at The University of Texas at Austin. Her credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include assistant design for Fall For Dance (2023) and Pretend it's Pretend (UTNT (UT New Theatre), 2024). She also served as costume designer for Blood at the Root (Studio Series, 2024).
Emory Kennemore (Assistant Costume Designer –On and On, Shift..., Ode to Cicadas) is a third-year B.S. in Radio-Television-Film major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has been involved in theatre for almost 10 years and has experience acting, costuming and directing. Recent credits include directing The Sweet Science of Bruising and Blithe Spirit for Foot in the Door Theatre. She has also spent the past year working in the Department of Theatre and Dance’s costume stock.
Rebekah Kosta (Assistant Stage Manager) is a third-year B.A. in Government major with a minor in Latin and a certificate in Core
Texts and Ideas at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in dance and stage management. This is her first production with Texas Theatre and Dance.
Gesel Mason (Artistic Director) is artistic director for Gesel Mason Performance Projects and an associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin. A 2019 Rauschenburg Artist in Residence and inaugural Texas Performing Arts/Fusebox Festival Residency recipient, Mason’s work has been presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, American Dance Festival and Bates Dance Festival. Her work, Yes, And, was awarded a 2020 New England Foundation for the Arts National Dance Project grant and premiered at the Fusebox Festival in Austin, Texas and Dance Place in Washington, D.C. geselmason.com
Christopher McBride (Composer – On and On) is a Chicago-born, New York-based musician and multifaceted artist renowned for his work as a performer, educator, composer and arranger. Notable accolades include being the 2020 Make Jazz Fellow at 18th Street Arts Center and a Grammy certified collaborator/soloist on Steven Feifke and Bijon Watson's album "Generation Gap, Jazz Orchestra" (2022).
KP Pierce (Sound Designer; Lighting Designer – where to go from here, Shift…, Ode to Cicadas) is a second-year M.F.A. in Theatre (lighting design) candidate. Most recently, they worked with Marjorie Lyons Playhouse as the lighting designer for productions of Antigone, The Glass Menagerie and The Zoo Story.
Meredith Rainey (Choreographer – Ode to Cicadas), a pioneering dancer and choreographer, began his ballet journey in Fort Lauderdale, later becoming the first African American dancer at Milwaukee Ballet. He performed with Pennsylvania Ballet, BalletX, Dance Theatre of Harlem and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. His choreography has been commissioned by companies worldwide, including Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Philadelphia Ballet. A recipient of prestigious grants and awards, and holding
an M.F.A., Rainey is also a sought-after instructor, inspiring the next generation of artists.
Desne P. Wharton (Projection Designer – On and On, Shift..., Ode to Cicadas) is a first-year M.F.A. in Theatre (integrated media for live performance) candidate from Washington, D.C. She is a multimedia designer, having designed for live performance and television. Some credits include The Colored Museum (The Center for Performing Arts at Prince George’s Community College) and fuckin loud (The Hollywood Fringe Festival).
Zach Young (Lighting Designer – On and On) is a third-year M.F.A. in Theatre (live design and production) candidate. His recent credits include lighting design for Points of Intersection (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2024), Fall For Dance (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2022) and La Bohème (Butler Opera Center, 2023), as well as lighting and media design for The Queen of Spades (Butler Opera Center, 2024). He is currently working on scenic design for The Ghosts of Versailles (Butler Opera Center, 2025) in addition to his thesis project.
CAST
Daniela Mendes Albert
Laura Baker
Jeremy Benavides Madeleine Birmingham
Ariyana Bogan
Triana Cisneros
Natalia DePaula Saada Diggs
Lauren Dorsett Katelyn Doyle
Catalina Duong Grace Falconer
Emma Flores
Audrey Friloux
Elizabeth Garza Leili Givens
Nadia Milad Issa
Bryli Lee Jameson
Katie Jones London Lack
CAST
Lorna Luciano
Earnest Mazique Jalani Aminatta Omiora Miller
Victoria Angelina Montemayor
Kate Mooney
Christian Ortega
Makenzie Peacock
Annie Laura Irizarry Pérez
Cassidy Perry Drew Phipps Hunter Purvis Megan Ramos
Valentina Reyes Rubio
Rita Szunyogh
Katherine Templeton Aysha Upchurch
Maxima Velasquez
Giuliana Velez Wynter Winston
CAST
Daniela Mendes Albert (Dancer – On and On) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in arts management and administration at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Edinburg, Texas where she studied dance at Dancentre of Edinburg. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Points of Intersection (2024), Fall For Dance (2023) and EMERGE (2023). Additional credits include Evolution (2023, 2024) and Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2022, 2023, 2024).
Laura Baker (Dancer – where to go from here) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Her recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Points of Intersection (2024), It’s Starting Again (created by Lauren Jershin, 2023) and Evolution (2023).
Jeremy Benavides (Dancer – Shift...) is a third-year UTeach Dance major. He previously performed as part of The Cohen New Works Festival (2023) and was an assistant choreographer for Ride the Cyclone (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2023). This is his first performance with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Madeleine Birmingham (Dancer- Ode to Cicadas) is a second-year UTeach Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Birmingham began her career as a dance performer and choreographer in her hometown of Carrollton, Texas, where she competed and taught throughout her childhood. She most recently performed with Dance Repertory Theatre in Claudia Lavista’s Óxido (Rusty) (Points of Intersection, 2024).
Ariyana Bogan (Dancer – where to go from here) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She is originally from Houston, Texas and has a background in numerous dance styles, including hip-hop, jazz and contemporary. She has performed at Austin Dance Festival (2022) and Bailando International Dance Festival (2022). Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include 10 + 1, performed as part of Points of Intersection (2024), and Evolution (2024).
Triana Cisneros (Dancer- On and On) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from Laredo, Texas, where she trained at the Laredo School of Contemporary Dance. She is a member of Dance Action and has previously performed for their annual showcase, S.E.E.D. (2023). Her recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Óxido (Rusty) by Claudia Lavista (Points of Intersection, 2024) and Evolution (2024).
Natalia DePaula (Dancer – where to go from here, Ode to Cicadas; Rehearsal Assistant – where to go from here) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Dallas, Texas, where she trained in various dance styles. She has performed and choreographed for Dance Action’s S.E.E.D performance. DePaula’s credits include Narratives of the Migrant Body (created by Angelica Monteiro, 2023), Choreomaniac 1518 (UTNT(UT New Theatre), 2024) and Óxido (Rusty), performed as part of Points of Intersection (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2024).
Saada Diggs (Dancer –where to go from here, Ode to Cicadas) is pursuing a B.F.A. in Dance with a minor in business entrepreneurship. Raised in Dallas, Texas, she has over 10 years of experience in dance, with a background in ballet, contemporary and modern. Upon graduating, she plans to use her degree to perform commercially and teach dance.
Lauren Dorsett (Dancer – On and On) is a B.F.A. in Dance and B.S. in Kinesiology double major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in dance and grew up dancing competitively. This is Dorsett’s second year with the Department of Theatre and Dance. Dorsett most recently was seen in Dance Repertory Theatre’s production of Points of Intersection (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2024), in which she performed in Claudia Lavista’s Óxido (Rusty).
CAST
Katelyn Doyle (Dancer, Rehearsal Assistant –Ode to Cicadas) is a B.F.A. in Dance and English double major at The University of Texas at Austin. She attended high school in Dallas, Texas at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. This is her second performance with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Catalina Duong (Dancer - Shift...) is a secondyear B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a pre-med certificate at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from Houston, Texas, where she attended Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and trained in a variety of dance techniques. Her recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Points of Intersection (2024) and Evolution (2024).
Grace Falconer (Dancer – Shift...) is a thirdyear B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in arts management and administration. She has received extensive dance training from Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas. Falconer’s credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include The Cohen New Works Festival (2023), ETERNAL BONDS .2 by Valeria Y. Gonzalez (Fall For Dance, 2023) and Un Intento (An Attempt) by Angel Blanco (Points of Intersection, 2024), as well as Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2022).
Emma Flores (Dancer - On and On) is a secondyear B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from Austin, Texas where she grew up doing competitive dance and musical theatre. She most recently performed with Redefined Dance Company at UNITY (2024) and Barkada at GoodPhil (2024).
Audrey Friloux (Dancer – Ode to Cicadas) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She is also pursuing a prehealth professions certificate and a minor in kinesiology. She has a background as a competitive dancer and currently choreographs and teaches at Alisa’s Dance Academy.
Elizabeth Garza (Dancer – Ode to Cicadas) is a
fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in arts management and administration. She has studied ballet, contemporary and jazz extensively under Peter O’Brien and Alex Ossadnik, among others. She has trained with American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Austin and Houston Ballet. Credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include digital-esque (Fall For Dance, 2022), Live as ONE (EMERGE, 2023), Óxido (Rusty) (Points of Intersection, 2024) and Choreomaniac 1518 (UTNT (UT New Theatre), 2024), in addition to Evolution (2022, 2023) and Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2023).
Leili Givens (Dancer – On and On) is pursuing a B.F.A. in Dance at The University of Texas at Austin. She is originally from Houston, Texas, where she studied at Houston Ballet Academy and was in the second company of Houston Contemporary Dance. Recent credits include Evolution (2024) and Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2023, 2024). This is Givens’ first year performing with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Nadia Milad Issa (Dancer – Shift…) is a first-year M.F.A. in Dance candidate at The University of Texas at Austin. Issa earned their Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School. Their research is cultivating their concept of Spiritual Reparations concerning Regla de Ocha-Ifá and other Afro-Caribbean Diasporic traditions. Issa has received training from and performed in dance works by Cristal Brown, Frederick Earl Mosley, Princess Mhoon, Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane, Bebe Miller, Yeniselt Galata Calvo, Obini Batá and Camille A. Brown. (they/them)
Bryli Lee Jameson (Dancer – On and On) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. From the Dallas, Texas area, she has an extensive background in modern, contemporary and hip-hop dance styles. She most recently performed in Evolution (2024). This is her first performance with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Katie Jones (Dancer, Rehearsal Assistant –Shift...) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in social work at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from Katy,
Texas, where she trained extensively in ballet and jazz. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Un Intento (An Attempt) and Óxido (Rusty) (Points of Intersection, 2024). Other credits include Evolution (2024) and It’s Starting Again (created by Lauren Jershin, 2023).
London Lack (Dancer – Ode to Cicadas) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance and Plan II Honors double major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has a background in both classical ballet and modern dance techniques. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Points of Intersection (2024), EMERGE (2023) and Evolution (2023). She has worked as a senior opinion columnist for The Daily Texan and is both founder and artistic director of The Cauliflower Project.
Lorna Luciano (Dancer – Ode to Cicadas) is a fourth-year B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in arts management and administration at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from San Antonio, Texas, where she trained extensively in contemporary, jazz and ballet dance styles. Credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Pop Refuge (Fall For Dance, 2022); Blue, Contrapposto, Blue (EMERGE, 2023); tooth fairy (Fall For Dance, 2023) and Un Intento (An Attempt) (Points of Intersection, 2024).
Earnest Mazique (DJ) started his D.J. career in 1997 with a regular shift on the number one hip-hop and R&B show in the tri-state area. After graduating from the University of Evansville with a B.F.A. in Theatre Design and Technology, he pursued a M.A. in Visual and Media Arts at Emerson College.
Jalani Aminatta Omiora Miller (Dancer –On and On) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has a background in West African movement, as well as hip-hop. She is currently teaching at West Austin Dance Academy and is continuing to broaden her career as a professional dancer.
Victoria Angelina Montemayor (Dancer –Shift..., Ode to Cicadas) is a third-year B.F.A. in
Dance major. She grew up in Laredo, Texas and danced with the Laredo School of Contemporary Dance, where she trained in numerous dance styles. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Blue, Contrapposto, Blue (EMERGE, 2023) and Quiet Echoes by Jennifer Archibald (Points of Intersection, 2024). Other credits with the Department of Theatre and Dance include It's Starting Again (created by Lauren Jershin, 2023) and Evolution (2023).
Kate Mooney (Dancer - where to go from here) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in dance. Recent dance credits include Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. This is her first performance with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Christian Ortega (Dance – Ode to Cicadas) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. He was born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, where he trained in dance at Dance Expressions Studio. This will be his second performance with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Makenzie Peacock (Dancer – Shift...) is a secondyear UTeach Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from Austin, Texas and has studied and taught many styles of dance including ballet, modern and contemporary. Recent credits include Dance Action’s S.E.E.D. (2022-2024) and Choreomanic 1518 (UTNT (UT New Theatre) 2024). This will be her debut with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Annie Laura Irizarry Pérez (Dancer – Shift...) is a first-year M.F.A. in Dance candidate at The University of Texas at Austin. She completed her B.A. degree at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico. She worked with artists internationally with an extensive background in Caribbean rhythms and contemporary dance. Most recently, she was part of the ensemble cast of On Your Feet: Puerto Rico (2022), and she directed Relatos del Batey (2023) and performed in Camouflage (Festival de Videodanza de Puerto Rico, 2024).
Cassidy Perry (Dancer – Ode to Cicadas; Archival
CAST
Team) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major also studying psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. She is from Maryland and has an extensive background in numerous dance styles, having trained primarily in ballet. Perry grew up participating in two ballet performances every year while also attending intensives, festivals and workshops throughout Maryland. She performed in Dance Repertory Theatre’s Points of Intersection (2024) in Joel Valentín-Martínez’s piece, 10+1
Drew Phipps (Dancer – Shift...) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance and B.S. in Kinesiology and Health double major at The University of Texas at Austin. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include Óxido (Rusty) (Points of Intersection, 2024), ETERNAL BONDS .2 (Fall For Dance, 2023) and The Cohen New Works Festival (2023). She has also participated in TEDxUTAustin and Barnstorm Dance Fest in Houston, Texas.
Hunter Purvis (Dancer – Shift...) is a third-year UTeach Dance and Youth and Communities Studies double major at The University of Texas at Austin. Originally from Dripping Springs, Texas, she has an extensive background in various dance styles, including ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop and tap. This is her first performance with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Megan Ramos (Dancer – On and On) is a secondyear UTeach Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Tomball, Texas. She is a former member of the worldfamous Kilgore College Rangerettes, where she performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade two times and danced in the parade finale with Mariah Carey. This is Ramos’s first production with Texas Theatre and Dance.
Valentina Reyes Rubio (Dancer – On and On, Shift...) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has a background in Latin rhythms and performed street dance for Danceholic Project in her home country of Colombia. She worked for AAINJAA (2015-2021) as a performer on international tours. Recent
credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include performances in The Cohen New Works Festival (2023), Evolution (2023), Fall For Dance (2023), Points of Intersection (2024) and Evolution (2024).
Rita Szunyogh (Dancer – On and On, Shift...) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She grew up dancing in her hometown of College Station, Texas, where she received extensive training in various styles of dance, primarily ballet, jazz and contemporary. She recently performed in Texas Theatre and Dance and the School of Design and Creative Technologies’ annual dance production showcasing student work, Evolution (2024). This will be her first time performing with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Katherine Templeton (Dancer – Ode to Cicadas) is a second-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Her dance background includes ballet, tap and contemporary. This is her first performance with Dance Repertory Theatre.
Aysha Upchurch (MC) is the Dancing Diplomat, an artist and educator who creates, facilitates and designs for radical change. She is an embodied storyteller who leans on African diasporic movement to create works of joy, connection and liberation. She has been a John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts commissioned artist and Schonberg Dance Fellow at The Yard and has been on faculty at George Mason University, Salem University, Harvard University and The University of Texas at Austin.
Maxima Velasquez (Dancer – where to go from here) is a third-year B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Velasquez grew up living between Matamoros, Mexico and Brownsville, Texas, where she received extensive training in ballet technique, jazz, tap, contemporary and acting. She aspires to pursue a career in concert performance and choreography.
Giuliana Velez (Dancer, Rehearsal Assistant – On and On) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. Originally from Houston,
CAST
Texas, she has trained in a number of dance styles which influence her artistry. Recent credits include works as part of The Cohen New Works Festival (Texas Theatre and Dance, 2023) and her original choreographed piece Interconnection, performed at the American College Dance Association South-Central Regional Conference (2023).
Kendall Wenmohs (Dancer – Shift...) is a B.F.A. in Dance major at The University of Texas at Austin. She has an extensive background in concert dance and competition dance. Recent credits include performances with the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. In addition to this, she has performed in various summer intensive shows with the Joffrey Ballet School and The Dance Awards.
Wynter Winston (Dancer - On and On) is a thirdyear B.F.A. in Dance major also pursuing a minor in arts management and administration. She has an extensive background in various aspects of performing arts, but her main focus is dance. Recent credits with Texas Theatre and Dance include More Blackberries, Please, a project presented as part of The Cohen New Works Festival (2023) and the inevitability of work (and the joy in it) (Fall For Dance, 2023), performed at the American College Dance Association South-Central Regional Conference (2023).
CREW
TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS FABRICATION STUDIO
ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS
J.E. JOHNSON
KAREN MANESS
PROJECT MANAGER
DAVID TOLIN
OPERATIONS MANAGER
JASON LEE HUERTA
PROPERTIES MANAGER
CAROLYN HARDIN
LEAD FABRICATOR
HANK SCHWEMMER
PROJECT SPECIALIST
ASHTON BENNETT MURPHY
SENIOR TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
SCOTT BUSSEY
EMERGING ARTS
PROFESSIONALS
BRIDGETTE CLIFFORD
DANIEL GELD
GRADUATE PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
BRITTNEY BARTON
DANIEL RUIZ BUSTOS
ZACH YOUNG
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
GABI HERNANDEZ
MADISON JACKSON
PRODUCTION LEADS
JUNO ADAIR
LEAH AUSTIN
ELIZABETH BANDA
AYLIN CIBIK
DANIEL COLCOCK
VALERIA NUNEZ ESTRADA
SARAH EWING
ANA LARA
CODIE LIGHTFOOT
KRISTA MCLEOD
MONSE SANDOVALMALHERBE
KARINA TREJO
CASSIDY WEN
JULIA YELVINGTON
324P FABRICATION PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
HAYLEY JAN CARBAJAL
JORGE A GONZALES
SANDHYA IYER
YASMYNNE S KNOX
DAIJHA MAINOR
ERIC LEE RAMIREZ
ERICK VARGAS ROJAS
PROP STOCK MANAGERS
EVELYN BECERRA
KATELYN NGUYEN
SCENERY/PROPS CREW
ABELARDO AGUILAR
CELINE LOWE CHANG
ZHIVAN FLORENCE
JACKSON SWINTON
COSTUME PRODUCTION AND FABRICATION STUDIO
COSTUME PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
NANETTE ACOSTA
PRODUCTION ASSOCIATES
DESIREÉ HUMPHRIES
JONATHAN WATERS
STAFF DRAPERS
SARAH BARBOUR
POUA YANG
STAFF FIRST HANDS
JENNIFER BALL
WAYNE FOWKS
STUDENT STITCHER
MEGGIE HUNT
COSTUME CRAFTS ARTISAN
TANYA OLALDE
COSTUME CRAFTS
ASSISTANTS
RACHEL GREEN
MATTHEW SMITH
STUDIO ASSISTANTS
LAYLA CREAR
AVA SETTOON
WIG HAIR AND MAKEUP SPECIALIST
STEPHANIE MILLER
WIG HAIR AND MAKEUP ASSISTANT KAITLYN COMFORT
STUDIO CREW SUPERVISORS
KAITLYN COMFORT
MATTHEW SMITH
STUDIO CREW
JAZ BURCHELL
ALEXIS HUNT
LOGAN MARQUEZ
ANGELA MATA
JAY SMITH
COURTNEY TROWERS
WARDROBE SUPERVISOR
TANIA HERNANDEZ
WARDROBE RUNNING CREW
CHIEF
JAZ BURCHELL
WARDROBE CREW
CAROLINE BUCHHORN
ANNA BUNDY
SAMANTHA GARCIA
EIAN JOHNSON
ISABELLA RUFFINO
COSTUME STOCK
SUPERVISOR
DESIREÉ HUMPHRIES
COSTUME STOCK ASSISTANTS
KATIE CONCANNON
ALLISON JOHNSON
EMORY KENNEMORE
LIGHTING/SOUND/ MEDIA
ACADEMIC PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER
EARNEST MAZIQUE
ASSISTANT LIGHTING SUPERVISOR
MICHAEL SHANKS
SENIOR LIGHTING TECHNICIANS
ALIK CLAY
KP PIERCE
324P LIGHTING FACULTY
SUPERVISOR
SEB BOONE
324P THEATRE AND DANCE LIGHTING CREW
ELICIA HARTZELL
TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS
LIGHTING CREW
JOSE CALVILLO
ADAM CORONADO
COBY HUGHES
JOSE SALCIDO
ETHAN SEBREE
LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR
SHAYA HARRIS
ASSISTANT AUDIO VIDEO
SUPERVISOR
K. ELIOT HAYNES
TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS
AUDIO CREW
GEORGIA BECKHAM
THEARY LLOYD
AUDIO BOARD OPERATOR
GIOVANNI LEDEZMA
MEDIA GRADUATE
ASSISTANTS
A.J. HURTADO
NITSAN SCHARF
MEDIA SHOP CREW
JOE ADKINS
CHANTELL GONZALEZ
AYESHA HUGHES
MEDIA OPERATOR
KHOA ANH LE
PRODUCTION ADVISORS
STAGE MANAGEMENT
RUSTY CLOYES
DIRECTING
KJ SANCHEZ
ALEXANDRA BASSIAKOU
SHAW
COSTUME DESIGN
RAQUEL BARRETO
COSTUME TECHNOLOGY
DAVID AREVALO
LIGHTING DESIGN
MICHELLE HABECK
INTEGRATED MEDIA FOR LIVE PERFORMANCE
KATE FREER
SCENIC DESIGN
JOSAFATH REYNOSO
YVONNE BOUDREAUX
SOUND DESIGN
PHILLIP OWEN
DRAMATURGY
MADGE DARLINGTON
RESIDENT INTIMACY
DIRECTOR
ANDY GRAPKO
RUN CREW SUPERVISOR AUSTIN SHIRLEY
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
RUSTY CLOYES
TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS DIRECTOR OF FABRICATION AND ACADEMIC PRODUCTION
