Director’s Note

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2022 Fall Dance Concert! This production consists of four original choreographic works by students and four choreographic works by faculty members or visiting faculty guest artists. The running time is approximately 75-minutes with no intermission. Each piece is exquisite and unique, but they all fit together in a cohesive way. I hope you enjoy observing the extraordinary range of our student performers as they are lit by designs created by our students and alumni lighting designer. Congratulations to all who contributed to this production on the stage, behind the scenes, around the costume shop, on Zoom meetings, inside the studios, through administrative work, in the lobby, and all the spaces in between. Many thanks to you all for attending the Fall Dance Concert. Enjoy the show!

Jen Guy Metcalf, Artistic Director

Special Thanks

Kimberly Rippy, David McGraw, Renay Aumiller, Casey Avaunt, Jasmine Powell, Susanne Shawyer, Alicia Varcoe, Gabby Cataldo, Jessica Werfel, House Management team, the Theatrical Design & Technology students/faculty/staff, and everyone involved in this production!

Dances

Crystal Roots

Choreographed by Courtney Liu

Music Credit: “Winter Wonderland” by Hans Johnson, “Winter” by ANBR, “Winter” by Jon Gegelman

Costume Designer: Heidi Jo Schiemer

Lighting Designer: Alicia Varcoe

Dancers: Lilly Beaver, Hannah Burnett, Sophie David, Hannah Giessler, Mia Johnson, Katey O’Connell, Emma Stenger

Understudies: Brooke Goldstein, Camryn Lowry

Inspired by Nordic goddesses of snow and the three Chinese “friends of winter,” Crystal Roots celebrates steadfastness, tenacity, and resilience during the autumnal transition into hibernation. What can we learn from the lore of winter? From the hearty plum, bamboo, and pine? What does it mean to survive, thrive, and transform in the cocoon of winter?

Autopilot

Choreographed by Lia Kelly

Music Credit: “Familiar” by Nils Frahm, “Freaks” by Surf Curse

Costume Designer: Heidi Jo Schiemer and Lia Kelly

Lighting Designer: Allyson Vogel

Dancers: Haley Asbury, Eileena Boyce, Phoebe Crumbine, and Caroline Irmscher

Understudy: Pheriby Bryan

Thank you to my dancers for their dedication and trust in me in creating this piece over the past year. I’m truly grateful to have worked with such an inspiring group of individuals.

Learning to Lose

Choreographed by Lilly Beaver

Music Credit: “Traveling with My Eyes Closed” by Vetle Nærø, “Morning Thunderstorm” by Rain Sounds

Set Designer: Charles Glenn Johnson

Costume Designer: Heidi Jo Schiemer

Lighting Designer: Jessica Valente

Dancers: Maggie Adams

Understudy: Gabby Cataldo

“Learning to Lose” is meant to transport you through the five stages of grief using my personal narrative of losing my father. I hope the rawness and vulnerability inspires empathy, compassion, acceptance, and peace within your own lives. My wish is this piece makes you feel seen, heard, and understood to know you are not alone in what often seems like the deafening silence. I would love to thank my incredible dancer Maggie, as well as Gabby, for allowing me to trust them with such an intentional piece and truly making the choreography their own.

Aperture

Choreographed by Alexandra Joye Warren

Music Credit: Nicholas Britell and James Blake

Costume Designers: Heidi Jo Schiemer

Lighting Designer: Hannah Brown

Dancers: Makayla Kanerviko, Daphne McGarvey, Meredith Peck, Kelsi Sheren, Kayla Spalding

Understudies/Rehearsal Assistants: Hannah Harris

Omniscience (perceptive-perspicuous-pansophical) 

Choreographed by Kayla Spalding

Music Credit: “I Only Have Eyes For You” by the Flamingos, “The Middle of the World” by Nicholas Britell, “Selah” instrumental by Kanye West, “Rush” by Duomo

Costume Designer: Heidi Jo Schiemer

Lighting Designer: Riley Gibson

Dancers: Maggie Adams, Hannah Burnett, Phoebe Crumbine, Caroline Irmscher, Lauren Jacobbe, Rachel Rightmyer, Madi Trigilio

Understudy: Olivia Lanter

This piece was inspired by a series of experiences that I had over the past two years. While working with my dancers, my piece continued to progress to explore perception and being perceived, and the disorienting experience of it all. It has been such a lovely experience working over this past year with my wonderful cast and with this story. I hope you enjoy!

con – nect

Choreographed by Maya Simmons 

Music Credit: “The Year After” by French 79, “The Path” by Zoe Keating, “Escape Artist” by Zoe Keating

Costume Designer: Heidi Jo Schiemer and Maya Simmons

Lighting Designer: Sophia Walper

Dancers: Lilly Beaver, Hannah Burnett

Understudy/Rehearsal Assistant: Jessica Werfel

I would like to thank my beautiful dancers, Lilly Beaver and Hannah Burnett, for the amazing work they’ve done this semester in helping me bring this piece back to life. I would also like to thank and commend my understudy, Jessica Werfel, for all the hard work and commitment she put into this process. Finally, I would like to thank and express my gratitude to Jen Guy Metcalf for giving me this opportunity to present this piece and highlight my dancers and their hard work!

and then…?

Choreographed by Sara Ruth Tourek

Music Credit: Composition by Consolation, Tracy Chapman, James Blackshaw and edited by Phoebe Crumbine

Costume Designer: Heidi Jo Schiemer

Lighting Designer: Sarah Adams

Dancers: Amanda Cousins, Phoebe Crumbine, Hannah Giessler, Lia Kelly, Isabella Piccirilli

Understudies: Maggie Davenport, Meredith Peck

Rehearsal Assistant: Meredith Peck

Chasing the (1)=One

Choreographed by Maurice Watson

Assistant Choreographer: Grayson Kelsh

Music Credit: Composition by Gil Scott Heron, _BY.ALEXANDER, Juls & Sango, Bonobo

Costume Designer: Heidi Jo Schiemer

Lighting Designer: Alicia Varcoe

Dancers: Haley Asbury, Eileena Boyce, Gabby Cataldo, Lindsey Goldstein, Lauren Jacobbe, Parker MacIntyre, Khairi Morrow, Gia Nguyen, Kayla Spalding

Understudy: Evelyn Ealey