DANCE REPERTORY THEATRE PRESENTS
KINESTHETIC IMPERATIVE THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND DANCE
MARCH 6-9, 2014 B. IDEN PAYNE THEATRE
CAST DANCE REPERTORY THEATRE PRESENTS
KINESTHETIC IMPERATIVE
Stephen Anthony
Rebecca Bagley
Reema Bounajem
Johnny Chatman II
Peter Gonzalez
Jessica Gray
Audrey Halm
Angela Hurt
Shen Jen
Lizeth Katz
Kassie Kelly
Zachary Khoo
Britney Lee
Danielle LoPresti
Ladonna Matchett
Morganne Mazeika
Kathryn McCarn
Allyson Morales
Kelsey Oliver
Katie Perdue
Rachel Perry
Hillary Richerson
McKenzie Robinson
Kelsey Rondeau
Erica Saucedo
Billie Secular
Stacy Skolnik
ARTISTIC DIRECTORS DAVID JUSTIN AND YACOV SHARIR
MARCH 6-8, 2014 AT 8PM MARCH 8-9, 2014 AT 2PM
UTEXAS.EDU/FINEARTS/TAD B. IDEN PAYNE THEATRE
DANCE
CHOREOGRAPHER
Beach Birds
Merce Cunningham
The Great Green Greazy Limpopo River
Kelsey Oliver
INTERMISSION Quiver
David Justin
White Noise (RGB)
Erica Saucedo
Clear the Air
Millicent Johnnie
STAGE MANAGER: TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Dave Vieira
Erica Wend
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.
A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
PROGRAM NOTE FROM 1945
Welcome to Dance Repertory Theatre and Kinesthetic Imperative, our production named
Dear Audience,
at The University of Texas at Austin. Dodge came to UT Austin in 1943 as the sole teacher
Creative Dance, like any art, is a matter of personal experience. This experience can be the
dance moved to the Department of Drama (now Department of Theatre and Dance) in 1945. Kinesthetic Imperative was the title of one of Dodge’s critically acclaimed successes;
between the dancer and his audience. Dance, as a means of communication, is as deeply ancestral as the human individual.
a particularly unique way. From Merce Cunningham’s Beach Birds – which challenges our notions of time and order; to Millicent Johnnies’ Clear the Air – which is the artist’s artistic investigation into the Trayvon Martin verdict that challenges our perceptions of identity and
Dance is the human being moving through, with or against space.
tradition – is the dance program’s pursuit to engage our students in highly intellectual, spiritual, physical and deeply meaningful educational experiences. From the social impact
It is impossible to describe dance with words. Dance is a language which must be met in terms of its nature. As sound is to music, as words are to literature. . . so is movement to dance.
Dance compositions are those creations in dance language where mind, emotion and
these experiences change lives, open doors, create opportunities, and inspire us all. We want to thank our colleagues for their impact on the lives of our students. In particular, I wish to say a special thank you to my friend and mentor, Dr. Yacov Sharir. Yacov’s presence has a profound impact on the department and on our students. He is a treasure,
Dance movement of the human body, through, with or against space, is the tangible medium for expressing those intangible ecstasies and pains common to all mankind. . . regardless of country color or creed. The dances on this program were composed here in Texas during the season 1945-1946.
Merce Cunningham’s Beach Birds in the 1990’s – when over a span of 10 years, the Merce Cunningham Company came to the UT Austin campus and created three of his works here. UT Austin’s Dance Repertory
(the latter accompanied by uprootings, tragedies, and new beginnings; balanced by the security of the familiar found in age old folk melodies). These dances have sought to clarify and expose to the surface these interacting realities.
the masterpiece Beach Birds Shirlee Dodge Next week, we will host the American College Dance Festival Southwest Conference, where we will teach excerpts of the three UT Austin dances to over 500 dancers in what is call a Cunningham MinEvent. We thank the Merce Cunningham Trust for continuing to let Finally, we thank the families that have shared their daughters and sons with us. We truly to create the foundations for success for each one of our students. And we thank you for helping us do that. Enjoy the show, David Justin and Yacov Sharir
BEACH BIRDS (1991)
THE GREAT GREEN GREAZY LIMPOPO RIVER (PREMIERE)
Choreography: Merce Cunningham Music: John Cage, Four3
Choreography: Kelsey Oliver Music: Max Richter Costume Design: Kelsey Oliver Rehearsal Assistant: Jessica Gray
Beach Birds on June 20, 1991 in Zurich Switzerland. Nicholas Reynolds, pianist
Cast:
Kelsey Oliver Katie Perdue Billie Secular Stephen Anthony Johnny Chatman II Zachary Khoo
Cast: Stephen Anthony Johnny Chatman II Audrey Halm Shen Jen Kassie Kelly Zachary Khoo Hillary Richerson Kelsey Rondeau Erica Saucedo Billie Secular Erica Wend
QUIVER (2013)
Understudies: Peter Gonzalez, Angela Hurt, Morganne Mazeika
Choreography: David Justin
INTERMISSION
Music: J.S. Bach – Partita No.2 in D Minor
Rehearsal Assistant: Shen Jen Hye Jin Chang, violin Cast: Kelsey Oliver Erica Saucedo Billie Secular Erica Wend Stephen Anthony Johnny Chatman II Understudy: Katheryn McCarn
WHITE NOISE (RGB) (PREMIERE)
Dancers’ Circle
Choreography: Erica Saucedo Music: Walter Nichols
Rehearsal Assistant: Tawny Garcia
As a Dancers’ Circle member, your investment in UT’s talented young dancers will help them change the world of dance locally, nationally and globally.
Cast: Jessica Gray Angela Hurt Kassie Kelly Hillary Richerson Billie Secular Stacy Skolnik Zachary Khoo Kelsey Rondeau
Make your gift online at: givetotheatreanddance.org
CLEAR THE AIR (2013)
For more information
Choreography: Millicent Johnnie
Audio Engineer: David Justin
Casey McCool and dancers Rehearsal Assistant: David Justin
DIRECTOR'S COUNCIL The Department of Theatre and Dance Director’s Council is a premier volunteer group designed
Cast: Reema Bounajem
serving thousands of talented Texans for generations.
Morganne Mazeika Kathryn McCarn Allyson Morales Kelsey Oliver Katie Perdue Rachel Perry Stephen Anthony Johnny Chatman II Peter Gonzalez
2013–2014 DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL MEMBERS: Carol Smith Adams Francesca Brockett and Jim Pedicano Barrett Bruce Jean Cheever
Pam and Edmund McIlhenny Annie McKinnon Miriam Relyea Russ Sartain Nancy Scanlan
Dee Dawson Gary Farmer
Karen Skolnik
Missy Grimes
Sharon Watkins
CREATIVE TEAM JOHN CAGE (Composer, Beach Birds
1992) was a singularly inventive and highly pher, and visual artist. Throughout his career, he departed from the pragmatism of precise
CREATIVE TEAM
cal innovations, chief among them that dance and music may occur in the same time and
lar dance forms, including the Brazilian marital
one another. They also made extensive use of
Dance Company of Israel for ten years.
narrative, and other conventional elements of
forms of dance will allow for continued creation
ject of his dances was always dance itself.
itself uniquely as a part of Hip Hop culture.
Cage’s aesthetic of chance, produced a unique
An active choreographer and mentor to the arts world throughout his life, Cunningham
DAVID JUSTIN (Choreographer, Quiver, Artis
tion, he developed methods of selecting the
in the arts, including the National Medal of Arts (1990), the MacArthur Fellowship (1985), Japan’s Praemium Imperiale (2005), and the British
dhist practices to composition and performance.
through the tossing of coins or dice and later through the use of computerized random num IC to simulate the coin oracle of the I Ching. Cage’s use of the computer resulted in a system of total serialism, in which all elements pertaining to pitch, noise, duration, relative correlated charts. Thus, Cage's mature works did not originate in psychology, motive, drama,
paintings, is the radically tacet 4'33" (1952), dur ing which no sounds are intentionally produced.
MERCE CUNNINGHAM (Choreographer,
Beach Birds) (1919 – 2009) was a leader of the year career and is considered one of the most important choreographers of our time. With an ing artists from every discipline, Cunningham expanded the frontiers of dance and contempo rary visual and performing arts. Cunningham’s lifelong passion for innovation also made him a pioneer in applying new technologies to the arts. Born in Centralia, Washington on April 16, 1919, the Martha Graham Dance Company. In 1944 formed the Merce Cunningham Dance Company Together with John Cage, his partner in life and
Cunningham Trust in 2000 and developed the
tic Director) is the head of the B.F.A. in Dance and artistic director of Dance Repertory Theatre and of American Repertory Theatre (Austin). Formerly a principal dancer with Birmingham Royal Ballet (UK), a soloist with San Francisco Ballet and Boston Ballet, Justin has enjoyed a choreographic and performance career over thirty years. Touring the world, his dancing has
to ensure the preservation of his artistic legacy.
MILLICENT JOHNNIE (Choreographer, Clear
the Air
State University. Johnnie currently teaches on the dance faculty at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She toured as resident chore Women in NYC, and has earned the Prague
Wrath. She has served as a choreographer for Parable of the Sower Amerville, The Krannert The Hip Hop Project, Rhodessa Jones and Chey Yew among others.
Cultural Tour Uprooted: The Katrina Project, ESPN, the Prince William Network, Sunshine Network Danspace project Food for Thought (NYC), Dance Dance Harlem and Joyce Soho Series (NYC), Kennedy Center Millennium Stage (Wash ington D.C.), The Yard at Lincoln Center (NYC), International Association for Blacks in Dance Conference 2000, 2001, 2002 (TX, CA, D.C.), The Houston Black Dance Festival (TX), The New Her current area of interest is in the dance origins of Hip Hop and other African American vernacu
Sharir graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Art in sculpture and ceramics and continued his
As a choreographer, Justin works with dancers from New York City Ballet, Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet and oth works have appeared at the Kennedy Center, the most recent success, Quiver, performed at the Ailey Theatre in the Dance Gallery Festival NYC. At UT Austin, he focuses on developing oppor tunities that feed students’ artistic and technical sion for post graduation success. As a master Theatre National Curriculum and travels regularly nies and schools around the world. He holds a master of arts degree from the University of Birmingham, UK; is an associate professor at UT, and is a Grace Hill Milam Centennial Fellow. Find out more at jointhedrama.org and davidjustin.net
YACOV SHARIR (Artistic Director) is a dancer, choreographer, and multimedia artists who pio neered the inclusion of new and interactive tech nologies in education and performance practice. Sharir currently researches and speaks of issues logically charged interactive systems, virtual real In addition to teaching dance, improvisation, and choreography at The University of Texas, he technology graduate courses.
Sharir was the founder of the American Deaf Dance Company, which pioneered the inclusion quently founded Sharir Dance Company. He has choreographed and created technologically me diated works for companies around the world, along with over 30 original creations for Sharir Dance Company. Under his direction, Sharir Dance Company has produced, presented, and Cunningham Dance Foundation, and the Trisha Brown Dance Company among many others. In 2005, Sharir was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame. His other achievements include the National Endowment for the Arts Choreographic Fellowship Awards, a Meet Award, The University of Texas College of Fine Arts Student Council Teaching Excellence Award and many others. In 2012, he completed his thesis and was granted a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
RACHEL ATKINSON she designed the lighting for Conspirare’s Path of Miracles tour, Restless Natives dance theatre X at Texas Performing Arts, and Seminar Rachel graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with her M.F.A. in Theatre Design.
HOPE MACROBERTS BENNETT (Costume Designer, White Noise candidate in costume design. Her UT Austin credits include Bacha Bazi (Boy Play), The Edge of Peace, The Fault, and the Butler School of Music’s New York Stories. In Austin, she works with the Rude Mechanicals, Paper Chairs, and Spotlight on Opera. She is currently designing Requisite Gestures Butler’s La bohème Un Ballo in Maschera. ANDREW CARSON
Quiver) recently moved to Austin from Atlanta, Georgia to join UT Austin's M.F.A. Theatrical Design program. Andrew graduated magna cum laude with a B.F.A. in Production Design
CREATIVE TEAM include The Full Monty, , and A Chorus Line. Professional awards include the design in a regional theatre and the 2012 The Shipwrecked! An Entertainment.
PATRICK LORD (Media Designer, Quiver) is a focus on Integrated Media. Previously at UT Austin, he has designed media for Ears, Eyes + Feet, War Games (workshop production), and
The Balloon Project
Dead Man’s Cell Phone this spring. These and his scenic
LUCIAO WANG (Costume Designer, Quiver) received a B.A. from the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts in Beijing. During his undergraduate studies, Wang studied traditional M.F.A Costume Design student.
CAST STEPHEN ANTHONY (Beach Birds, The Great Green…, Quiver, Clear the Air), a second Dancin Jazzi Dance Studio in Austin at age 12. His love for performing and tap dance led him to Allen Dance Intensive. He studied at Ballet Austin The Wizard of Oz. He looks forward to continuing to
Dance major at UT Austin. After graduation, Jessica would like to move to New York to pursue her dance dreams.
AUDREY HALM (Beach Birds Arts at age three. She will graduate this May She would like to thank the faculty, guest artists,
REBECCA BAGLEY (The Great Green…, White Noise, Beach Birds dancing during middle school in the Houston
work with over the years for their support and strength, along with her family and friends.
tion, she plans to attend physical therapy school.
second year dancing with DRT. She received her training at Academie de la Danse in Wiscon sin Rapids, WI and Dallas Metropolitan Ballet in Dallas. She attended summer programs with
REEMA BOUNAJEM (Clear the Air) is a junior in Wichita, Kansas in 1999. She later moved to Texas and trained at Metropolitan Classical Ballet and Art Ballet Academy, performing in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, La Bayadare, and Don Quixote
JOHNNY CHATMAN II (Beach Birds, The Great Green…, Quiver, Clear the Air dancing at the age of four with More Than A Memory Dance Productions in Houston area.
ANGELA HURT (Beach Birds, White Noise) is
is excited to continue performing after college.
SHEN JEN (Beach Birds
Quiver China (1995). After graduating from Capital Nor Company as a dancer and a choreographer. He This year he received a scholarship to enroll in UT Austin’s M.F.A. in Dance program.
LIZETH KATZ (Clear the Air Mexico at a young age. She is currently in the his high school drill team. Upon graduation, he plans to have a career in the commercial
TAWNY GARCIA
White Noise) is originally from Southern California and rently completing her junior year on scholarship recently performed in Ears, Eyes + Feet.
PETER GONZALEZ (Beach Birds, Clear the
Air
dancing outside of school. After she graduates, she plans to work in a contemporary dance
KASSIE KELLY (Beach Birds, White Noise) started dancing with Nancy Sulik at Ballet Acad emy, eventually joining Corpus Christi Concert jor. Most recently she performed in Mark Morris' Grand Duo and Holly Williams' Orchid in Fall for Dance. After graduation she plans to work as a dancer and in arts outreach.
ZACHARY KHOO (Beach Birds, The Great Green…, White Noise
a B.A. in Theater and Dance. He has recently
engineering studies, he joined the Singapore
Anderson and Paul Taylor. Upon graduation, he hopes to explore choreography processes and
where he had the opportunity to perform in the
JESSICA GRAY (White Noise, Rehearsal
spring, he performed in Mark Morris' Grand Duo and Holly William's Orchid in Fall for Dance
The Great Green… at the age of two at Rowlett Dance Academy
company after graduating from UT Austin.
CAST BRITNEY LEE (Clear the Air at the age of four in the Round Rock area. After graduating in May 2014 with her B.F.A. in Dance she plans to go to graduate school to get her doctorate in physical therapy. DANIELLE LOPRESTI (Clear the Air dancing at The Walnut Hill Ballet Academy in Massachusetts at a young age. She is currently a marketing and dance major at UT Austin, as Company. She spent her fall 2012 semester working in entertainment at Walt Disney World. She hopes to pursue a career with the com pany upon graduation.
LADONNA MATCHETT (The Great Green…,
Clear the Air) has danced from a young age and program in her third year at the university. She is currently on scholarship. After graduation, dance techniques.
ELEAH MAXFIELD (Clear the Air
Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Bridging Disciplines Program. She hopes to continue dancing throughout her life.
KELSEY OLIVER The Great Green…, Quiver, Clear the Air), an Austin na recently a contestant for So You Think You Can Dance and event coordinator for Dance Action and a Project. Recent performances: Slip River and Fall for Dance.
KATIE PERDUE (The Great Green…, Clear the Air
After graduation she plans to work in Texas choreographer for a dance studio.
RACHEL PERRY (Clear the Air
ing at the age of four in Dallas. She performed in the The Cohen New Works Festival pre The First Steps and Synthesis sophomore and is also earning a Business
MCKENZIE ROBINSON (Clear the Air) is from
ALLYSON MORALES (Clear the Air
Dance, she plans to audition for contemporary dance companies in the United States. In the far future, she hopes to get an M.A. in Psycho therapy through movement.
BILLIE SECULAR (Beach Birds, The Great
Green…, Quiver, White Noise) studied with Moving People Dance Company in Santa Fe Ballet, Kansas City Ballet and the American and Dancers, David Justin, Yacov Sharir, Andy Arcos. She re cently traveled to South Korea with UT Austin to
STACY SKOLNIK (White Noise
ing at three at Margo Marshall’s Ballet Studio in Houston and continued at the High School
scholarship, she is working toward her Dance
EMILY SNOUFFER (White Noise
dancing in Austin for 18 years. She is currently Promenade, David Justin’s Solemn Opus, Mark Morris’ Grand Duo, and Holly Williams’ Orchid in her time at UT Austin. Emily looks forward to what the future holds; she plans to audition and one day open
ERICA WEND (Beach Birds, Quiver in her home state of Washington. She is cur scholarship who is also pursuing a Business plans to work as a dancer.
Noise Center of Oklahoma City Ballet and continued at the school until joining Oklahoma City Ballet
Synthesis She plans to join a contemporary company and
graduating, she plans on working as a dancer and getting a masters in history.
Ohad Naharin, Paul Taylor, and Cheryl Chad
for the Performing and Visual Arts. She has performed with Tanzsommer in Austria and with Dance Repertory Theatre in Minus 16, Carpe Diem, Four Candles, Promenade and (Re)singing from the Underspace. She is vice president
HILLARY RICHERSON (Beach Birds, White
major and recently performed in Mark Morris' Grand Duo, Holly William's Orchid, and Stacy Skolnik's Unspeakable Truths. She currently serves as the assistant production coordinator for Dance Action.
Virginia. Throughout high school she was a part of a competitive dance team. She is a
ERICA SAUCEDO ( White Noise, Beach Birds, Quiver in middle school in the Austin area. In Austin,
a dance company in New York or Europe after she graduates.
MORGANNE MAZEIKA (Beach Birds, Clear the Air as. She choreographed for S.E.E.D. in fall 2012, performed and choreographed The First Steps
KATHRYN MCCARN (Clear the Air, Quiver)
CAST
three. She was a Kilgore College Rangerette for two years and is now a senior at UT Austin graduation, McKenzie hopes to teach dance in
KELSEY RONDEAU (Beach Birds, White
Noise his time at UT Austin, he has danced in works
San Antonio, her hometown. She is currently a
Charles Anderson, Holly Williams, Mark Morris and Merce Cunningham. He also took part in the 2012 Young Tanzsommer tour of Austria,
Human Relations.
Academy. Following graduation, he plans on moving to Berlin to continue dancing.
FOR UPDATES AND BEHIND THE SCENE ACCESS, FOLLOW US ON
CREW ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER JANE HAYES
PROPS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
WIG AND MAKEUP ASSISTANT
ASSISTANT AUDIO SUPERVISOR JON EVERETT
SCENE SHOP SUPERVISOR J.E. JOHNSON
PROPS CONSTRUCTION CREW JADA CADENA
WARDROBE CREW SUPERVISOR
AUDIO BOARD OPERATOR
CHARGE SCENIC ARTIST KAREN MANESS
WARDROBE CREW
ASSISTANT CHARGE SCENIC ARTIST MASTER CARPENTER HANK SCHWEMMER LEAD CARPENTERS DWIGHT MONTEITH KATE VAUGHN GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS
PROJECTION ENGINEER STEPHANIE BUSING
PROP INTERN SCENERY/PROPS CREW CHRISTIAN BERGIN KANAMI NAKABAYASHI
JAMES OGDEN
COSTUME SHOP SUPERVISOR PATRICIA M. RISSER
PRODUCTION LEADS
DRAPERS
KARA KONOP BEN MATKIN ANTHONY MCCOY
1ST HANDS
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS KAT ANDERSON
POITEVENT CONNOR TIMPE COSTUME CRAFTS SUPERVISOR COSTUME CRAFT ASSISTANT COSTUME SHOP OFFICE ASSISTANT MATTHEW HERNANDEZ COSTUME STOCK SUPERVISOR PATRICIA M. RISSER
SWETA VAKANI
COSTUME STOCK MANAGER HOPE BENNETT
STITCHERS ANDIE DAY
COSTUME STOCK ASSISTANTS
CHIN–HUA YEH MATT HODGES SARAH HORNBERGER KAT HYDE
COSTUME SHOP PROJECT MANAGER DARCY WEBERG
IAN MOSER
COSTUME PRODUCTION CREW CHIEFS
MADISON RUSS ADAM SIMMONS CHRISTOPHER TACDERAS ANNE URBAN PROPERTIES SUPERVISOR REBECCA SWITZER PROPERTIES ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR RIKKI PEREZ PROP SHOP GRADUATE ASSISTANT PROP ARTISAN KIARA MCGEE PROP STOCK MANAGER
PROJECTION ADVISOR
COSTUME CONSTRUCTION CREW DAVID BARRERA ANDREA HADDAD SNEHA MEHTA
SUPERVISING ELECTRICIAN PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN LIGHTING DESIGN TEACHING ASSISTANTS ANDREW CARSON DAWN WITTKE TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS ELECTRICS CREW MORGAN BOND
BRITNEY NYE ROXANNE ROHMANN AMANDA SARABIA MACKENZIE SHOPPA
LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR
WIG AND MAKEUP SPECIALIST
AUDIO SUPERVISOR
COSTUME DESIGN ADVISOR SUSAN MICKEY COSTUME TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR LIGHTING DESIGN ADVISOR STAGE MANAGEMENT ADVISOR PHOTOGRAPHER ACADEMIC PRODUCTION MANAGER DAVID STEWART GRAPHIC DESIGNER MORGAN BATHE MONICA GRIFFIN