Fall Faculty Dance Concert

Artistic Director: Jennifer Black 

Student Artistic Directors: Hannah McDonald, Macie Baughman

Choreographers: Jennifer Black, Niarra Gooden-Clarke, Elizabeth Pollert, Stephanie Ruth Roston, DeAnn Sandel, Emma Stablewski

Lighting Designers: David McKain, Colleen Harney, Andrew Hall

Sound Designer: Megan Rentfrow

Technical Director: Alex Sweat

Costume Designers: Makaya Rachelle Arellano, Emily Bolton, Sheriyona Lockhart

Production Stage Manager: Tom Humes

School Director and Producer: Tony Hardin

Please note this production makes use of haze, fog, strobe and loud noises. Photography, videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

This Fall Faculty Dance Concert focuses on the concept of “evolve”—the ways we adapt, persist, transform and respond to the forces and experiences that shape us. Faculty members Jennifer Black, DeAnn Sandel and Elizabeth Pollert are joined by student choreographer Emma Stablewski and guest choreographers Stephanie Ruth Roston and Niarra Gooden-Clarke to present seven unique works.

Throughout the concert, EVOLVE takes many forms. The works explore our relationship with gravity and nature, shifting family dynamics, the transformation of imagination, the perseverance required to pursue our dreams and the struggle to sustain artistic expression. Together, they reveal evolution not simply as growth, but as our continual response to change, struggle, loss and renewal.

We are honored that you have chosen to share in and thus become part of this concert. As with all live performances, each show is unique and can only fully come to life through your experience as the audience.

On behalf of the cast, crew, artistic, production and house faculty, staff, and students who have contributed to bringing this concert to the stage, thank you for joining us for EVOLVE!

“Phantasmagoria”

Choreographer: Elizabeth Pollert

Costume Designer: Makaya Rachelle Arellano

Lighting Designer: Colleen Harney

Music: “Solitude,” Still Waters (c), Ancient Path

Dancers: Sofi Barbins, Josilin Gibbs, Ava Izzo, Aubrey Manion, Hannah McDonald, Macey Przybylski, Noam Siegel, Eva Wolfe

Understudy: Megan Allen, Emili Ramires Rodriguez

Program Note

A gathering and re-orienting of people and movement. A shifting series of phantasms, and illusions, as in a dream or as created by the imagination or spiraled light, in which figures shift, pass into each other, merge and dissolve.

“From the Underground”

Choreographer: DeAnn Sandel

Costume Designer: Emily Bolton

Lighting Designer: David McKain

Sound Designer: Megan Rentfrow

Music: “Give & Take,” Love Has Gone, Squad Up Instrumental, Puppy; Music by Netsky Used with permission from Hospital Records Limited

Worms: Abigail Estridge, Alison Knauf, Emma Stablewski, Macie Baughman, Megan Brodnick, Marlena Volz, Rachel Theis

Bird: Carter Painter (10/2, 10/4), Ethan Baker (10/3)

Frogs: Ethan Baker (10/2, 10/4), Robert Curington, Carter Painter (10/3), Bailey Wilson

“Someone In the Crowd”

Choreographer: Jennifer Black

Costume Designer: Makaya Rachelle Arellano

Lighting Designer: Andrew Hall

Sound Designer: Megan Rentfrow

Music: “Someone in the Crowd” from La La Land Music by Justin Hurwitz, Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Performed by Emma Stone, Callie Hernandez, Sonoya Mizuno and Jessica Rothe. Used with permission from UMG

Dancers: Ava Izzo, Aubrey Manion, Hannah McDonald

Understudy: Marianna Young

“The Dining Room Table”

Choreographer: Emma Stablewski

Costume Designer: Emma Stablewski

Lighting Designer: Andrew Hall

Scenic Designer: Emma Stablewski

Music: “Chronos” by Kirill Richter. Used with permission from UMG

Soloist: Alexia Stalowski

Dancers: Kaylee Abel, Brian Boland, Macey Przybylski, Bailey Wilson

“Again...Once More”

Choreographer: Niarra Gooden-Clarke

Costume Designer: Sheriyona Lockhart

Lighting Designer: David McKain

Sound Designer: Megan Rentfrow

Music: “Together” by Matthew Halsall. Used with permission from Gondwana Records

Dancer: Sheriyona Lockhart

Program Note

A reflection on the lived experience of a Black woman pursuing her dreams through perseverance, independence and sacrifice. Inspired by the relentless cycle of work, rest and beginning again, this piece explores the exhaustion and determination woven into the pursuit of a better future.

“Felix Casus”

Choreographer: Stephanie Ruth Roston

Costume Designer: Emily Bolton

Lighting Designer: Colleen Harney

Sound Designer: Megan Rentfrow

Music: “Lux Aeterna” for Saxophone Quartet by Rihards Dubra and performed by The Riga Saxophone Quartet. Used with permission from Musica Baltica. 

Dancers: Macie Baughman, Ava Izzo, Aubrey Manion, Macey Przybylski, Rachel Theis, Eva Wolfe

Program Note

“You’ve been swimming in gravity since the day you were born. Every cell knows where down is. Easily forgotten. Your mass and the earth’s mass calling to each other” 
(Steve Paxton, “Gravity”).

“There is an art to flying... or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss” (Douglas Adams, “Life, the Universe and Everything”).

Falling may be fortunate if we know gravity as a friend who keeps the universe in motion.

“The Cost of Art”

Choreographer: Jennifer Black
Includes moments of individual artistic expression by the dancers.   

Costume Designer: Makaya Rachelle Arellano

Lighting Designer: David McKain

Sound Designer: Megan Rentfrow

Music: “Michigan 7,” “Mechanisms,” “In Memoriam.” Composed by Kirill Richter. Used with permission from UMG.   

Artists: Ashlyn Alberts, Megan Brodnick, Sofi Barbins, Sheriyona Lockhart, Emma Stablewski, Alexia Stalowski, Marlena Volz

Artist Understudy: Claire Pocse

Suits: Kaylee Abel, Josilin Gibbs, Hannah McDonald 

Suit Understudy: Ashlyn Alberts

Section III Trio: Emma Stablewski, Alexia Stalowski, Marlena Volz 

Section III Trio Understudy: Sheriyona Lockhart

Program Note

The Cost of Art explores the relationship between artistic expression and the resources needed to sustain it. The work begins with the Artists united by the beauty and joy of dance, but as outside pressures grow, creativity gives way to frustration and conflict with the Suits. Brief moments of movement reflect the dancers’ personal connection to their art, as well as the sadness of watching artistic opportunities decline. As resistance gives way to loss, the work asks us to consider not only the financial cost of supporting the arts, but the far greater cost of allowing them to disappear.

Artistic Director: Jennifer Black

Student Artistic Directors: Macie Baughman, Hannah McDonald

Choreographers: Jennifer Black, Niarra Gooden-Clarke, Elizabeth Pollert, Stephanie Ruth Roston, DeAnn Sandel, Emma Stablewski

Costume Designers: Makaya Rachelle Arellano, Emily Bolton, Sheriyona Lockhart

Lighting Designers: David McKain, Colleen Harney, Andrew Hall

Scenic Designer: Emma Stablewski   

Technical Director: Alex Sweat

Assistant Technical Director: Shane Gallo

Technical Director Faculty Advisor: Steve Pauna

Production Stage Manager/Stage Management Faculty Advisor: Tom Humes

Assistant Stage Manager: Molly Markowitz

Wardrobe Supervisor: Emily Bolton

Wardrobe Crew: Jocelynn Benson, Maddy DeMuzio, Carter Evans, Rae Porach, Riley Sipe

Costume Design Faculty Advisor: Michelle Hunt Souza

Costume Production Faculty Advisor: Grace Cochran Keenan

Costume Shop Supervisor: Aimee Johnson

Sound Board Operator/ Lightboard Operator: Ash Accettura

Sound Design Faculty Advisor: Jeff Polunas

Head Electrician: Colleen Harney

Programmer: Andrew Hall 

Follow Spot Operator: Lailah Culp

Lighting Design Faculty Advisor/Associate School Director: Jakyung C. Seo

Lighting and Sound Supervisor: Bethy Winters

Scene Shop Supervisor: Jason Gates

Props and Special Effects: Jason Gates, Alex Sweat, Frankie Teuber

Paint and Properties Supervisor: Frankie Teuber

Run Crew: Elai Houpt, Karissa Mangano, Will Solarz, Ayden Townes

School of Theatre and Dance Director/Producer: Tony Hardin

Performing Arts Box Office Manager: Aimee Miller

Marketing, Communications and PR Director: Jen Crabtree

Marketing and Communication Specialist: Madi Getz