Digital Program

Welcome to Choreographic Works 2024! We are proud to present the work of these emerging choreographers. 

In a world that seems increasingly polarized, I believe the performing arts — with their ability to enlighten, inspire, and cultivate empathy — are more indispensable than ever. I feel so proud of our students, who choose to dedicate their time and energy to dance, an ancient yet often misunderstood art form. Dance brings forward the language of the body, a poetic language made of breathing flesh, fluid bones, and pounding heartbeats. This language transcends cerebral understanding and, therefore, inevitably speaks profound truth. It remains a relevant language worth listening to and fighting for. 

This performance consists of twenty-six dance pieces, all under five minutes. These creations reflect the training the dancers receive in the Performance Dance Program, which includes a range of disciplines such as ballet, modern, jazz, West African, Street Styles, Afro-Cuban, Improvisation, Partnering, and various contemporary dance techniques. They also reveal the choreographers' unique creative voices and artistic interests. 

The students choreograph and rehearse on their own time. They are asked to costume their dancers, find and edit their music, and collaborate with lighting designers (student volunteers from the Performance Production Program) to help determine the mood and aesthetic of their works. This process is an invaluable opportunity for these young artists to expand and deepen their artistry in a deeply collaborative environment. 

To flourish into articulate dance artists, students must not only train, create, and rehearse, but they must also present and perform their work to an audience. I thank you for choosing to share these moments with us. Know that your interest and support are essential to the development of these inspiring young artists. 

I thank Dance faculty members Vicki St. Denys and Tanya Evidente as well as Performance Chair Caroline O’Brien for their support, input and guidance. On behalf of the dancers, choreographers, and faculty, I extend my gratitude to the Production students and faculty and the School of Performance staff for their invaluable contributions and commitment to making Choreographic Works 2024 a success. I also send my heartfelt congratulations to the dancers and choreographers for sharing their ideas, passion, and spirit with us each night. 

We hope you enjoy the show! 

Choreography: Gabi Trudel

Cast: Taryn Baird, Maya Collie, Nadia Dardano, Micheline Desaulniers, Averil Dubois, Amélie Giusta, Emily Gratton, Madison Guarino, Alycia Hebert, Lydia Hon, Norey Lau, Lia Loewen, Tianna Lyall, Amélie Mah, Marisa Sherk

Music: A Day in the Life by Justin Kauflin

Lighting Design: Erwin Lau (劉立言)

Choreography: Isabella Gerosa

Cast:  Sage Bernstein-Cord, Estella Haensel

Music: Peace Piece by Green-House, Limerence by Yves Tumor

Lighting Design: Visaree Bradshaw-Coore, Yllana Williams (Assistant)

Choreography: Taryn Baird

Cast: Meaghan Desmond, Averil Dubois, Emily Gratton, Lydia Hon, Norey Lau, Tianna Lyall, Amélie Mah, Alexandra Sabourin, Gabi Trudel

Music: Kyoto by Angara

Lighting Design: Jonathan Cestnick

Choreography: Katelyn Elia

Cast: Aerin Cho, Severyn Dahlke, Sarah Dewdney, Katelyn Elia, Alexis Goossens, Estella Haensel, Denise Igama

Music: Spring 1 recomposed by Max Richter, Vivaldi (the four seasons),
Spring 1 by Vince Remix

Lighting Design: Brenda Quỳnh Diep

Choreography: Amélie Giusta

Cast: Averil Dubois, Isabella Gerosa, Shelby Nilsen, Liyah Thomas-Simbulan

Music: Is This Love by Bob Marley and the Wailers

Lighting Design: Elijah Macleod

Choreography: Nadia Dardano 

Cast: Nadia Dardano, Madison Guarino, Thandi Strybos

Music: Skyline by Shash'U

Lighting Design: Alex Grozdanis

Choreography: Thandi Strybos

Cast: Sage Bernstein-Cord, Sarah Dewdney, Isabella Gerosa, Alexis Goossens, Estella Haensel, Denise Igama, Emily Kho, Lia Loewen, Liyah Thomas-Simbulan, Gracie Smith (rehearsal) 

Music: My Life by Mary J Blige

Lighting Design: Mikaila Strickland

Choreography: Averil Dubois

Cast: Lydia Hon, Norey Lau, Amélie Mah, Shelby Nilsen, Gabi Trudel

Music: Simulation Swarm and Mythological Beauty by Big Thief

Lighting Design: Maya Prashad

Choreography: Andrew Clifton + Alexandra Sabourin 

Cast: Andrew Clifton, Alexandra Sabourin 

Music: slow sun stops by Mason Lindahl

Lighting Design: Daniel Koehler

Choreography: Sevreyn Dahlke

Cast: Severyn Dahlke, Katelyn Elia, Estella Haensel, Emily Kho, Lia Loewen, Thandi Strybos

Music: Cyclopes from Persephone’s Lunch by Phil Strong

Lighting Design: Bella Szpala

Choreography: Shelby Nilsen

Cast: Maya Collie, Averil Dubois, Emily Gratton, Alycia Hebert, Norey Lau, Tianna Lyall, Alexandra McChesney, Alexandra Sabourin, Marisa Sherk, Gabi Trudel, Kathleen Wishart

Music: Memory Sea by Angus MacRae, Interlude I by Ophelia's Dream, Fair Passage by Angus MacRae

Lighting Design: Mikaila Strickland

Choreography: Lia Loewen

Cast: Sage Bernstein-Cord, Severyn Dahlke, Micheline Desaulniers, Sarah Dewdney, Katelyn Elia, Isabella Gerosa, Alexis Goossens, Estella Haensel, Thandi Strybos, Liyah Thomas-Simbulan, Gracie Smith (rehearsal)

Music: Canción para un Niño en la calle by Mercedes Sosa with René Pérez, Cerca De Ti by Hermanos Gutiérrez

Lighting Design: Kate Chubbs

Choreography: Amélie Mah

Cast: Taryn Baird, Amélie Giusta, Emily Gratton, Alexandra McChesney, Gabi Trudel

Music: Valse Seine by Christian Marsac, Penne for your Thoughts by Goodkill Music

Lighting Design: Kiera Doerksen Smith

Choreography: Sarah Dewdney + Denise Igama

Cast: Sarah Dewdney, Katelyn Elia, Denise Igama, Thandi Strybos, Liyah Thomas-Simbulan

Music: No Scrubs by TLC

Lighting Design: Skye Anderson

Choreography: Andrew Clifton

Cast: Taryn Baird, Maya Collie, Averil Dubois, Isabella Gerosa, Amélie Giusta, Alexis Goossens, Emily Gratton, Estella Haensel, Alycia Hebert, Lydia Hon, Norey Lau, Tianna Lyall, Shelby Nilsen, Alexandra Sabourin, Marisa Sherk, Thandi Strybos, Liyah Thomas-Simbulan

Music: 5AM by Amber Run 

Lighting Design: Evelyn Rensing

Choreography: Aerin Cho

Cast: Aerin Cho, Bennett Richardson

Music: Borderland Sorrows by Slow Meadow

Lighting Design: Heidi Ning

Choreography: Maya Collie

Cast: Andrew Clifton, Maya Collie, Norey Lau Marisa Sherk

Music: Loading by James Blake

Lighting Design: Jensen Pollard

Choreography: Gracie Smith

Cast: Alex Goossens, Estella Haensel

Music: Her & the Sea by CLANN

Lighting Design: Jensen Pollard

Choreography: Lydia Hon 

Cast: Sage Bernstein-Cord, Lydia Hon, Denise Igama

Music: Still Rolling Stones by Lauren Daigle

Lighting Design: Johnson Wang

Choreography: Meaghan Desmond

Cast: Nadia Dardano, Meaghan Desmond, Emily Gratton, Gabi Trudel

Music: Salt Photographs by Brambles

Lighting Design: Carson McCormick, Winnifred Blair

Choreography: Liyah Thomas-Simbulan

Cast: Isabella Gerosa, Thandi Strybos, Liyah Thomas-Simbulan

Music: Numbers by FKA twigs

Lighting Design: Emily Taylor

Choreography: Madison Guarino

Cast: Nadia Dardano, Norey Lau, Tianna Lyall, Marisa Sherk, Gabi Trudel, Kathleen Wishart

Music: In Two by Will Paquin

Lighting Design: Jonathan Cestnick

Choreography: Bennett Richardson

Cast: Sage Bernstein-Cord, Aerin Cho, Severyn Dahlke, Micheline Desaulniers, Sarah Dewdney, Katelyn Elia, Isabella Gerosa, Alexis Goossens, Estella Haensel, Ainsley Inkpen, Emily Kho, Lia Loewen, Bennett Richardson, Gracie Smith (Rehearsal)

Music: On the Run - Ivory Session by AMYRA

Lighting Design: Erwin Lau (劉立言)

Choreography: Nadia Dardano

Cast: Maya Collie, Emily Gratton, Madison Guarino, Norey Lau, Tianna Lyall, Alexandra McChesney, Marisa Sherk, Gabi Trudel, Kathleen Wishart

Music: COMEBACK - INSTRUMENTAL by Lazerpunk and Waveshaper

Lighting Design: Luis Zaldivar

Choreography: Alycia Hebert

Cast: Alycia Hebert

Music: Garden of Earthly Delights by Ian Cusson and Duo Concertante

Lighting Design: Tina Chu 

Choreography: Kathleen Wishart

Cast: Aerin Cho, Nadia Dardano, Madison Guarino, Norey Lau, Tianna Lyall, Alexandra McChesney, Shelby Nilsen

Music: Volare (Nel Blue Dipinto Di Blu) by Domenico Modugno

Lighting Design: Winnifred Blair