By Leah Gerstenlauer.

Josh Beamish is on the move — again. The industrious young choreographer, who recently completed a triple-stop teaching tour in South Africa and India, has traveled the world with his work, and will likely circle the globe more than once again before he reaches the age of 30. But this spring, Beamish will stay stateside as he prepares for the premiere of two new pieces created in collaboration with some of North America’s most revered ballet dancers. The road from small-town Canada to a Manhattan rehearsal studio with New York City Ballet principal Wendy Whelan was certainly less than straight. But Beamish seems to embrace the unpredictability of a career that has been surprising much of the dance community — and the choreographer himself — since he was in his teens.

“I started off making almost urban hip-hop influenced contemporary dance pieces,” he relates. “I was young, and I figured this was just a temporary thing — I was going to go dance for Janet Jackson in Los Angeles. But I got my first commission on a ballet company when I was 19, and that work was, at the time, my most well-received piece. It peaked my interest in making more of a focus on ballet.”

Beamish formed MOVE: the company in Vancouver at the age of 17, establishing the perfect forum in which to experiment with different ideas and styles of movement. Though he developed most of his balletic work through external commissions from groups such as Canada’s Ballet Kelowna, the School of American Ballet (in conjunction with the New York Choreographic Institute), and the University of Missouri, Beamish has enjoyed recent opportunities to bring his creations back to MOVE: the company — and to bring the restructured company to its new home base, New York City.

“Originally, I wanted to have a full-time company in Vancouver, to have all the resources to train my dancers every day, and to give them health care and benefits… But I wasn’t given enough grants and support to build that there,” he laments. “So when two projects with Wendy [Whelan] came up, and I got my three-year 0-1 Visa, I elected to put having a full-time company on hold.”

Josh Beamish and Wendy Whelan work together in the studio. Photo courtesy of Josh Beamish.

Today, his group of dancers operates as a rotating collection of guest artists from other companies around the continent. This format allows Beamish to focus more on the creative process and less on the logistics of sustaining a year-round business. Difficult as it was for him to leave behind the city of his professional beginnings and his initial vision for MOVE: the company, he knew that he could not continue to challenge himself and grow as an artist while attempting to provide a consistent sense of stability for his dancers.

Beamish’s latest project, a new full-length ballet called Pierced, brought him into rehearsal studios throughout North America to work with top-tier artists such as Whelan, her fellow NYCB principal Robert Fairchild, Pacific Northwest Ballet principal Carla Korbes, and Royal Winnipeg Ballet principal Jo-Ann Sundermeier. “I’ve been developing this piece since August, 2011, and it’s turning out to be very interesting,” he says of Pierced, which is scheduled to debut at the American Dance Institute in Rockville, Maryland on May 18^th and 19^th. “It’s a full-length ballet with no narrative, and with a movement vocabulary that is juxtaposed against the classical technique of the dancers. In the past couple of years, I’ve figured out how to retain an aesthetic of classical technique while incorporating intricate limb coordination and rhythmic challenges that are usually only seen in contemporary dance.”

The pioneering dance-maker’s creative instincts have proven quite powerful so far, drawing the notice and praise of critics and other artists alike. Whelan showed her appreciation for Beamish’s ingenuity when she invited him to choreograph a pas de deux for her first self-produced show, Restless Creature, set to open at Jacob’s Pillow this August.  This yet to be named piece, which will preview at the Guggenheim on April 14^th and 15^th, will join the creations of three other male choreographers — each enlisted to craft a duet specifically for himself and Whelan — on an international tour to take place over the course of the next two years.

“It’s really exciting to be using her in two very different contexts — classical and contemporary — in my work. It’s quite fun,” he glows. “Of course, when you’re hiring dancers who are under contract with another company, you have to be their second priority. Sometimes, I don’t know if we’re going to rehearse until the day before, but it’s worth it to work with artists of such high caliber.”

For Beamish, it is this “work” — time spent in the studio imagining, experimenting, refining — rather than the presentation of a finished product that propels him through scheduling hurdles and the many other obstacles a freelance career in the arts world inevitably poses. A choreographer to the core, he declares that he “never wanted to be a dancer. It didn’t interest me at all. I like choreographing way more than I like dancing, and I like dancing in the studio a lot more than performing. Many dancers live for being on the stage, but for me, that’s a necessary byproduct of the process in order for people to see what I do.”

With his ever-growing all-star roster of dancers and his endless drive to create, Beamish will undoubtedly have plenty of eyes on his work for years to come.

Photo (top): Josh Beamish. Photo by David Cooper.

By Laura Di Orio.

Everything that director-choreographer Mark Stuart embodies seems to have a commonality: extremeness. The now Executive/Artistic Director of his own New York City-based company, Mark Stuart Dance Theatre (MSDT), he went from never having studied dance to learning, from social dance to choreographing a production of the Broadway musical Swing!, even to forming his own dance company, which recently had the most successfully funded dance project on Kickstarter at 258% funded.

“I am a choreographer with no official dance training,” Stuart said. “It seems crazy, but it’s true. Everyone thought I was crazy to pursue this career and especially to have my own company. Thankfully, I’ve never been good at listening to people.”

His company, known for its extreme, athletic and almost dangerous partnering, is now working on its latest show, Standard Time. The company is also putting together a five-year anniversary gala for 2013 and is working on getting a season at the Joyce for next year.

Mark Stuart Dance Theatre in Interference. Photo by Richard Termine

Perhaps most remarkable about Stuart’s success as a choreographer and dance company director is his lack of dance training. Stuart never studied dance formally and only learned to swing dance by going out and social dancing every night. The first time he had any exposure to any kind of technique was on tour with the Broadway show, Swing!.

“Our first day of rehearsal, they taught a ballet barre for warm-up, and that was the first time I ever tried to do a plié or tendu,” Stuart recalled. “Thankfully, the girl behind me at the barre, who would later become a founding member of MSDT, was really friendly and kept whispering in my ear what each term meant so I wouldn’t be completely lost. It was hysterical!”

Stuart danced in films, commercials and in lots of theater productions, but he never envisioned himself as a choreographer. During his time working as an assistant and associate choreographer for various productions of Swing!, however, he was asked to choreograph his own production of the show. After Swing!‘s success, Stuart was asked to choreograph another show. And another.

“The success of each production slowly gave me the confidence that I could one day have my own company,” Stuart said.

After continuing on this musical theater path for a few years, Stuart began to want more. He began to grow increasingly frustrated that not enough of the dancers could do the extreme partnering he envisioned. So, Stuart decided he wanted to seek out a group of classically trained dancers whom he could shape into a company of his own, one that would be unlike any other in the dance scene. Several months later, Stuart was dancing in a movie with 70 other dancers from ballet companies, music videos and Broadway.

Mark Stuart Dance Theatre in rehearsal for their newest work, ‘Standard Time’. Photo by Royce Becker.

“All of a sudden,” Stuart said, “I could see those people in my company and envision the final product. I started talking to a few of them about the company, and before we had even started rehearsing we had been invited to perform at a festival. Crazy!”

Now, the dancers from MSDT come from a variety of dance backgrounds and specialties. Since most of them are doing Broadway shows, television and movies, there is often a different cast for every show, and often those dancers aren’t even in the same room until show day. MSDT rarely holds auditions. Instead, Stuart tends to hire someone he either knows personally or knows of through the grapevine.

“We do extremely athletic and sometimes dangerous work, often with very little rehearsal, so it’s really important to have people who I can trust to take care of each other in any situation, no matter how crazy it gets,” Stuart said. “One of my mottos is, ‘No matter what happens, you catch the girl.’”

MSDT fuses his thrilling partnering with all different styles of dance, but beyond just movement, Stuart strives to use this fusion to tell “visceral” stories, to make people really think.

“I’ve never believed in dancing just to dance,” Stuart said. “I’ve always believed that dance should be about something, and that it has the power to portray those situations in life that words just don’t seem to do justice to. I think that dance can spark something in people and make them take a look at things a bit more objectively.”

MSDT’s latest work, Standard Time, is a prime example of Stuart using dance to depict a greater picture. For Stuart, the piece arose from a lifetime of not understanding why people can’t just get along.

“No matter what is happening in the world, we are constantly fighting,” he said, “Standard Time is my way of asking people to think twice about the way we treat each other.”

The 90-minute dance theater piece features 14 dancers, four singers and a live orchestra. It centers around three pairs of lovers in three different time periods, with each era providing the “standards” and dance styles that were popular at that time. The couples are observed by mystical Timekeepers who control time and ensure that they learn to withstand their love beyond any conflict and to live in peace.

Without any prior experience to the various online fundraising programs, Stuart decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the production. He set out to raise $12,000 in 30 days but ended up raising $31,000!

“The response was really incredible,” Stuart said. “None of us saw it coming, but everyone really got behind the idea of Standard Time and what we were doing.”

Standard Time remains to be MSDT’s immediate focus. The project is a large one, and most of Stuart’s previous work was actually built to be placed in a bigger show like Standard Time, although he says he didn’t know it at the time. All of his work seems to have a similar premise: to make people think differently about the way they treat each other. Most of the work that MSDT does is fairly serious, but Stuart admits that rehearsals with his company are anything but.

“If you ever walk into an MSDT rehearsal, you’d have a hard time believing that anything ever gets done or that these people could ever be serious,” Stuart said. “We have a bunch of clowns in our company, and there’s probably more laughter than actual dancing.”

Stuart admits there are struggles. So much time and energy is spent on the business aspects of the company and less on the actual work, and with today’s economy, keeping a company resilient and relevant can be a daunting task. But Stuart loves the challenge and remains to be passionate about his group and all they have to say.

“There are too many people who don’t pursue their dreams because they don’t think they have the skills, strength or knowledge to achieve them,” Stuart said. “Anything is possible if you just believe in it and never give up.”

For more information on MSDT and the company’s upcoming projects, including Standard Time, head to www.markstuartdancetheatre.org

Photo (top): Mark Stuart and dancer Jaime Verazin. Photo by Leon Le.

By Leah Gerstenlauer.

New York is often billed as a city full of possibilities, a culture-rich artists’ playground teeming with creative potential. Yet, as many a professional and aspiring performer will attest, behind every marquee boasting opportunity lie countless closed doors, endless red tape and any number of other seemingly insurmountable obstacles that could discourage even the most tenacious dreamer. For every tale of smashing success, we see a hundred broken hearts and an ever-growing pool of untapped talent.

But what is a determined artist to do with unfulfilled aspirations and an excess of creative energy? “If opportunity doesn’t present itself, you just have to make your own,” says freelance dancer, choreographer and entrepreneur Morgan McEwen. Last fall, she experienced something of an epiphany while participating in a pick-up project for a choreographer with whom she frequently works. “I was involved in the CounterPointe Festival as a dancer, and I saw all these other women presenting their work… I started to wonder why I hadn’t choreographed something and submitted it.”

Thus emerged MorDance, McEwen’s budding ballet company, which will stage its first production on May 3 at Manhattan Movement and Arts Center. The group is comprised of seven dancers — their backgrounds ranging from college programs and city-based freelance work, to contracts with the Polish National Ballet and Orlando Ballet — whom McEwen has met over the course of her five years in the city. As is the case for many dancers in New York, she says, “They’re all beautiful artists, and they’re always looking for work.”

Having made a graceful transition from a steady company contract to a freelance career in 2008, the young choreographer knows just how formidable, and occasionally terrifying, the task of piecing together employment in her fiercely competitive and fickle industry can be. “At the time [I left BalletMet], I was 21 and wide-eyed, and had a dream of living the artistic life in New York. To some extent, I think I’ve succeeded. I’ve been working with the Metropolitan Opera for four and a half years now, I guest with small companies around the country, and I work with other choreographers in the city. If someone needs a dancer, I’m there.”

Morgan McEwen’s MorDance. Photos by Kelsey Campbell.

When not striving to maintain this intricate web of regular performance gigs, McEwen teaches ballet; a skill that she began to hone while still in high school and the gateway to her choreographic career. Since 2001, she has crafted works for the Connecticut Conservatory, Maria Calegari School of Ballet and the apprentices at Ballet Theatre of Maryland. Though she admits to no small degree of trepidation at baring her work to the world in the new context of a self-produced show, she affirms that she is more than ready to branch out on her own.

“As nervous as I am, I’m also extremely excited. I can’t wait to show people what I have in my head and in my body — I’m excited to share that. There’s anxiety about whether or not people are going to like it, and what’s going to be said… But you can’t really worry about that. You have to accept that people will take it or leave it, love it or hate it.”

Still quite young in spite of her nearly ten-year professional career, McEwen exudes laudable confidence, resourcefulness and drive. She attributes these traits in large part to a highly supportive circle of family, friends, and peers willing to provide everything from monetary gifts, to discounted rehearsal space and costuming skills to help bring MorDance to life. McEwen also absorbs ample encouragement by example from the creative community surrounding her.

“Working with the Met Opera, I share the stage not only with great dancers, but with people who are talented in other artistic ways. Walking onto that stage every night with an audience of thousands in front of you, and Renée Fleming singing next to you — it’s so inspiring.”

On a more personal level, McEwen counts Julia Gleich, founder and director of Gleich Dances, as a primary role model. “A lot of the time, choreographers don’t really seem to have a vision or are uncertain of it, but Julia is one hundred percent behind every idea she’s ever had. She’s completely fearless. She puts herself out there for everyone to see.”

Gleich particularly impresses McEwen, who regularly appears with Gleich Dances, as a significant female figure in a male-dominated arena. In the ballet world, creative and administrative roles still belong predominantly to men. McEwen hopes to follow Gleich’s lead in challenging that standard. “Artistic Directors are mainly male, most of the choreographers I look up to are men. I hope to become a small part of the female contingent in the field,” she says.

With a premiere performance date set, funding efforts picking up speed, and a collection of high-caliber dancers working in the wings, the founder of MorDance is well on her way to achieving that goal.

To learn more about Morgan McEwen and MorDance, visit http://morganclairemcewen.com/MorDance.html.
To support MorDance, visit www.indiegogo.com/MorDance?c=home.

By Leigh Schanfein.

It’s rare when we meet someone who impresses us completely, not just with technical skill, musicality, humor, smarts or the ever-impressive ability to successfully juggle an intense schedule, but also with everything that they are as a dancer. A recent discovery of mine, who ranks ever so high on the impressiveness scale, is dancer, choreographer, teacher, photographer and former chef Breton Tyner-Bryan.

Breton is taking the notion of the ballet dancer and bending it to expand what she can achieve within the genre. She is traveling the world to dance and inform her own creativity, and bringing that world of knowledge to her students. As a dance instructor, Breton feels she may have found her calling.

Yet, she didn’t dream about becoming an instructor. The route took many turns and her drive to discover and push herself in new directions led her to become a skilled dance photographer and even to delve into culinary school. I asked Breton to share a little bit about what drove her to these various pursuits and what continues to propel her to discover new aspects of dance and art every day.

You have danced and performed in much of the English-speaking world (USA, UK, Australia). How did you come to perform for companies in these various countries?
I’ve always been an adventurous person and I can’t seem to say no to a challenge.  Some of my very close friends invited, inspired or encouraged me to make the leap across the pond. I spent many years seeking and searching for something that was outside of myself, and now I just laugh at my incessant appetite for the unknown. I was yearning for something to believe in, and in my heart I found that what I must invest in is myself. At times I crave solitude and traveling allows me a brief moment, or the illusion of anonymity! I’m a huge fan of culture, and my desire has always been to travel the world through dance.

Beautiful Breton Tyner-Bryan. Photos by Afshin Odabaee.

Do you find that the art form, under its various genre classifications, differs greatly between countries? Does culture affect the approach?
Culture absolutely shapes whatever essence is being generated from a particular location in the world, be it music, design, food, etc. Dance is no different. I find that origin also greatly affects how dance is defined. My friends in the UK have a very distinctive understanding of what “modern dance” is for example, and it’s directly associated with their perception of New York. I feel the type of movement being generated in the world will always be specific to its originators. However, as the world becomes smaller the opportunity for more cultural influences increases.

What do you think of the aesthetic of ballet today? It’s changing with contemporary styles and sensibilities. Are we going in the right direction?
Direction is really based on perception, and there is no map. I don’t have an attachment as to what ballet should become. However, I find training in America to be very speedy where ballet is concerned. We are a young, impatient country, and it is reflected in the training available here. Ballet cannot be rushed.

Moving out to New York City you are now much closer to family and where you grew up. How has your family shaped your creative choices?
My family is a bunch of crazy artists, musicians, singers, dancers, writers, woodworkers and painters. We are a very dramatic/physical bunch, and art was always supported and facilitated. Growing up was like living in a play with all of us leaping around the house and someone having a dramatic meltdown at any given moment. My brothers are highly skilled musicians who grew up playing rock and roll and then turned their focus to jazz. The house became a virtual conservatory, always filled with sweaty jam sessions. I thought it was madness, and in retrospect it was amazing. I am extremely blessed to come from a family that has always supported my artistic endeavors, and encouraged me to fly. Whenever I’m home I always leave a note on the fridge for my Dad, thanking him for letting me live my crazy life.

When you were younger you stubbornly thought you would never become a teacher but now you’ve taught as a regular instructor at some major dance institutions! Why do you think your plans changed?
I believe the universe enjoys proving me wrong, and revealing who I am to myself. I never intended to teach, so excelling at it became easy for me because my ego was never wrapped up it in. I just saw it as an opportunity to share what I love with others, and to facilitate them beyond their own perceptions of themselves. I always wanted to be a surgeon as a child but never had the stomach for it, so teaching became an avenue for me to help people, minus the blood and guts. Teaching gave me the gift of confidence, removed much of my shyness and became a great compliment to my income as a performing artist. For whatever reason I have a really good eye and can easily see what a particular dancer needs to hear or feel in order to make a positive change. My Dad has worked with Autistic children his entire teaching career, and his father was a professor at Harvard. I think it’s just in my blood.

I love dance. Ballet specifically is the most complete language and science for me, but its accompanying culture can be less than desirable for some. I have been very fortunate to work with many amazing artists and I love being able to offer that to my students. The world needs art, and dance enthusiasts keep it alive. Dance is for everyone!

Progressing from student to dancer to choreographer and teacher is a fairly standard route. Even venturing into photography isn’t unusual for someone who already works with aesthetic and form.  But what led you to study culinary arts?
To me the “arts,” that expression of passion, opinion and motivation, are all connected. It’s simply about the medium that appeals; it’s how someone chooses to “paint.” I’ve baked all my life, and grew up surrounded by the most immaculately beautiful Italian pastry shops. I went to culinary school because I wanted to eventually become a food photographer for the magazine Gourmet. I was interested in developing another skill to compliment my dancing. I also had a dream the night before I applied to CCA (California Culinary Academy) with a voice telling me I “couldn’t do this,” so I stubbornly did!  I worked in the very fast-paced kitchen of Traci De Jardins’ restaurant Jardinier in San Francisco.

You studied at University of Utah. Do you think it’s important for today’s young dancers to go to college?
I feel there is no set path for anyone. Life is going to unfold as it will, and each individual knows what’s best for him or her. College was really important for me because it afforded me four more years of training and strength building. I was a bit of a late bloomer, and sometimes think I still am since I finished growing at 21. I secured my first dancing job outside of being a student at 22, but I’d been offered an apprenticeship with a ballet company at 19. I wouldn’t have excelled in that environment at the time, so college became a necessary bridge to having a professional career.

With all that you do, what is your most important focus right now?
Performing, and finding joy in all of my shared and dancing moments.

Just for fun, who is currently your favorite dancer?
I’m a huge fan of Yujin Kim, Xavier Furla, Josephine Baker, Tony Jaa and Sylvie Guillem.  However, my favorite dancer currently is Greg Lau, an undergraduate student at Juilliard. I have never seen anyone move the way he does, utilizing an amazing facility to express a humanity that far exceeds anyone’s definition of “fierce”.

Coming up, Breton will be teaching and choreographing for Columbia Ballet Collaborative. Take ballet class with Breton on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30a at Peridance Capezio Center in New York City.

By Leah Gerstenlauer.

By habit, dancers crave approval. A parent’s proud applause, an instructor’s silent nod of appreciation, a critic’s sparkling write-up — such external approbation is food for a dancer’s soul. But for choreographer Kate Ladenheim, a discouraging remark or a skeptical review is just as desirable as the highest of praise.

“I love getting people to talk about my work, even if they hate it,” she said. “It’s like when you go to a museum and see a beautiful landscape right next to a canvas painted yellow… Everybody talks about the canvas painted yellow because they think it’s really weird. But that yellow canvas made them think. I want to be that yellow canvas.”

At the age of 23, Ladenheim has yet to face any terribly scathing reviews. Though she has met with her fair share of rejection, she speaks about her work with remarkably easy self-assurance and conviction, characteristics that other artists spend their entire careers cultivating. And indeed, she has no need to doubt her creative capabilities. Within a year of her graduation from Boston Conservatory’s undergraduate dance program in 2011, Ladenheim had formed her own project-based company, The People Movers, with which she began to present her work at festivals and venues throughout the Northeast. Her desire to “be that yellow canvas” — to attract notice, engage minds and elicit strong responses — has her in perpetual motion, and she shows no sign of slowing down.

The People Movers perform ‘Bee Stings in My Bedroom’. Photo by Megan Cignoli

As Ladenheim’s dancers can attest, her energetic career path is a direct reflection of her choreographic philosophy. “Dance is physical,” the young dance-maker asserted. “I feel very strongly about that. I’m not good at stillness… I’m interested in the physical act of dancing. I’m interested in athleticism. I’m interested in exhaustion and how the body deals with that.”

Dancer Andrew Trego, also a Boston Conservatory alum and Ladenheim’s frequent dance partner, copes with this intense creative atmosphere by taking to the studio, the gym, the yoga mat — anything that will help him to keep pace with his energetic friend. “Kate is a magnificent machine,” Trego reported. “Her choreography demands endless energy, both physical and emotional, but I love the challenge.”

Equally valuable to Trego is the work environment that Ladenheim generates: “She trusts us and asks for our input. If something isn’t working, I let her know and we fix it together. Dancing for Kate is not just business, it’s personal.”

The pair’s sturdy creative partnership will prove useful in the coming months as Ladenheim continues to construct Pillars of Salt, a powerful duet that will premiere at the experimental New York performance space Dixon Place on April 2. Inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, the project began as a physical exploration of love, loss and regret.

Kate Ladenheim and Andrew Trego in ‘Pillars of Salt’. Photo by Nir Arieli

“I was thinking about what it means to miss someone so much that you would brave the perils of the land of the dead to bring that person back,” she explained. “We’ve all missed someone like that. We’ve all lost something that we desperately wish we could get back.”

Not content merely to imagine the lovers’ plight, Ladenheim asked a friend with expertise in Greek mythology to write a script for her characters, to tease out what words the ill-fated pair would exchange had they had a chance to speak in the aftermath of Orpheus’ tragic mistake. But rather than clarify her artistic vision, this collaboration infused Pillars with a new depth. By the time the piece previewed in Boston and New York last year, Eurydice had become the biblical figure of Lot’s wife, and the focus of the work had shifted from a mere reflection on lost love to a statement on the gender politics of guilt — the variety of provocative, potentially controversial, subject matter Ladenheim loves to address. “If I feel that an idea generates movement, then I’ll work on it,” she said, even if that idea is not exactly easily digestible fare for her audience.

Yet as much as Ladenheim relishes challenging her viewers’ minds and her dancers’ bodies, she seems to savor opportunities to push her own limits much more. Near the end of 2012, she braved her greatest feat to date: sharing the creative reigns with artists outside of her tight-knit group. When commissioned to craft a piece for composer Peter Lane and the Juventas Music Ensemble last fall, Ladenheim found herself choreographing on a theme and to music not of her choosing for the first time. Anxious about the logistics of the project, but truly honored by the request, she dove into the making of Hackpolitik with an open mind. She said she ended up enjoying the process immensely.

“I knew that if I didn’t connect with the music for this piece, it would’ve been impossible,” she said, especially given the rather unusual topic — the true stories of Anonymous, an enterprising group of young computer hackers. “There’s a lot of movement written into the music Peter Lane created, a lot of nuance, and I actually think my choreography complements his score very well. It was never a struggle to come up with the next thing.” Ladenheim will expand Hackpolitik into an hour-long piece for its official world premiere in the latter half of 2013.

Busy as she is with her two current choreographic endeavors and a part-time job that helps to keep her and her company financially afloat, Ladenheim rarely rests in her search for more festivals, projects and possibilities to pursue.

“I work really hard — it’s not easy or cheap to do this. But I’m just not someone who gives up,” she said. “I moved to New York City so that I can have all of this dance and all of this art around me; so that I can be constantly inspired and shown something better than me and be pushed to improve in that way.”

If we’re lucky, maybe she’ll bring us along for the ride.

To learn more about Kate Ladenheim, visit kateladenheim.com. For more about The People Movers, visit peoplemoversdance.com.

Top photo: Kate Ladenheim by Jesse Weiner

By Kristy Johnson.

It’s no wonder why Paul’s CV is extensive, when he’s willing to work with all different styles and environments. Having been mentored by the one and only Kenny Ortega, Paul’s choreographic career has taken off in leaps and bounds. At a young age, he has already secured gigs with the Twilight franchise, American comedy-drama series Hellcats, and Canada’s Got Talent.

Dance Informa caught up with Kenny Ortega’s protégée, to discuss the opportunities that have come his way.

Can you tell us how you managed to land the role of choreographing for Twilight?

Well, they were looking for a choreographer and my name got mentioned. The director called me and I met them on set while they were filming. They had very high security. It was all very quick! They said, when can you start? And I said tomorrow (laughs). So it was a very quick decision.

Which do you enjoy the most? Choreographing for film or TV?

Well, I love doing film because I can really take my time. I find film to be amazing, but I also love doing stage. It’s pretty special.

When working on a film, how much time do you have to put it all together?

It’s always different. There are always different factors that determine how long it will take. It’s a lot of work when working on a film.

How difficult is it to work with actors who don’t have a dance background?

Oh yeah, it’s a lot more difficult! But sometimes the best movement comes from that factor. We’ll get something traditional that could also work.

Paul Becker works with cheerleaders for Hellcats

You work with a diverse range of dance styles. Which style do you feel most comfortable in?

I’m kind of into everything! I don’t really have a signature style. I enjoy doing every style, which I can evolve into. I started off as a break-dancer and hip hop dancer but I like jazz and ballet, so I can’t really tell you. Probably one of the reasons why I get to do what I do is because I do all styles. It helps me out a lot.

What you have accomplished in your career to date is amazing. You must feel blessed with all the opportunities?

Definitely, I feel very blessed! Having been mentored by Kenny Ortega has influenced my work ethic. He definitely inspires me.

Where do you look to for inspiration when choreographing?

Well, I look at photographs a lot. I look at photographs for shapes and I see choreography in everything. I could walk down the street and take choreography from cars. You know, patterns in which cars drive. Choreography is movement so I kind of just look at life and everything around me as inspiration. As far as people? There are plenty that I look up to.

Tell us about your work with Canada’s Got Talent.

I just finished producing Canada’s Got Talent. It’s been an awesome experience, producing and being the creative director for the show.

With Hellcats, the American cheerleading comedy-drama TV series, did you find any difficulty in incorporating dance styles with acrobatic cheer movements?

No, because my background is in gymnastics and Capoeira. I thought, ‘finally I get to do this’ (laughs). I really wanted to break down cheerleading and do movements that were illegal [in competitive cheer]. It was actually a joy to do. I didn’t find it a challenge at all. It was great!

What’s next for you?

I have a Disney Channel movie coming out for Halloween. I’m also working on a musical called Stage Fright, and I’m just finishing a documentary up too. I’m too busy! I’m getting more into directing now so there’s another transition in my life.

To find out more about Paul Becker visit Facebook.com/paulbeckerchoreographer or follow him: @paulbecker79

Photo: Paul Becker by Leecherry Photography

By Kristy Johnson.

As an Emmy nominated choreographer on America’s smash hit So You Think You Can Dance, Travis Wall has come a long way since competing on the show. Along with the exposure has come plenty of job opportunities. Not only will we see his choreographic talents in the next Step Up instalment – Step Up 4, but Travis has a reality show already in the works.

Dance Informa caught up with Travis to talk about So You Think You Can Dance, and life after the show.

How grateful are you to So You Think You Can Dance for all the opportunities you’ve had since competing on the show?

I thank them as much as I can (laughs). They are pretty much responsible for my big break as a choreographer. I was doing the odd job here and there, but because of the exposure I got with the show as a choreographer, it really opened up all the doors and all the jobs I’ve actually had since then. I always call the executive producers and tell them all the time, ‘thank you so much.’ This entire experience has changed my life, and I’m very grateful.

When you were learning Mia Michaels’ Emmy winning ‘The Bench’ piece, did you already know or have a feeling it would garner so much attention?

I actually did not. I was so excited to do the piece with Mia, but at the time my partner was having trouble with it. I wasn’t dancing with a contemporary dancer; I was dancing with a ballroom dancer. So for me I wasn’t thinking about how the audience or judges would respond to it. I was constantly worried about whether my partner would even get through the routine. I didn’t even know if we would finish the routine because she was crying so much. I was worried about that. I wasn’t even worried about what everyone was going to think. I was making sure that we were actually going to have a piece. Right before dress rehearsals, she felt okay about it, so the next time we did it, it was on stage in front of everybody. It really just came to life. So the response from that piece…we weren’t expecting it because we weren’t seeing that product in rehearsal. It kind of just came out of the blue. It got such a huge response.

Teddy Forance, Travis Wall, Kyle Robinson & Nick Lazzarini of All the Right Moves. Photos by Andrew Eccles/Oxygen Media

Congratulations on having your own show picked up – All The Right Moves. Can you tell us what the show will be about and your involvement in it?

The show follows my three closest friends and me. I started a dance company along with two of my best friends called Shaping Sound. The show is really about how to get a dance company up and running. I’m more of a choreographer and my friends are pretty much trying to break in as choreographers, so we’re just trying to get our name out there as much as possible. It’s following us, building this company off the ground, looking at how to get money, how to deal with dancers’ egos, how to deal with our own egos, and the whole process. And at the same time it follows our personal careers and our personal lives. Pretty much the show is what happens to us in our day (laughs). It’s very emotional and it’s definitely something to watch.

How did the concept for a show come about?

A producer approached me and asked what I would think about having my own reality show. I was like, ‘I don’t know about that’. We are all entertaining and together we have a great show. If it were just about me, I don’t know how entertaining that would be (laughs). I introduced my friends to everybody and we came up with this concept. It’s been a two-year process getting this TV show up and running.

How was the experience of choreographing for Step Up 4?

I had an amazing time on the movie. We had to do it pretty fast. We had to choreograph in two weeks! We shot the whole movie in I think two and a half months. We started at the end of August and finished right before Halloween. It was a great experience. It was my first movie choreographing and I can’t wait to do more because of it. I love choreographing in movies!

Did you have a say in casting?

I didn’t have a say in the hip hop casting and I had to actually work with the hip hop dancers. The dancers who I did cast were Miami locals, so I did have a say in some casting. I had a great group of dancers, so I was very happy with whom I found. Sometimes when you’re not working in Los Angeles or New York, you don’t necessarily get the best dancers. I definitely picked the best dancers from Miami, so I was very happy with that.

By Rain Francis.

If Parris Goebel has been making waves in the international hip hop scene for the past few years, she’s just caused a tsunami. The 20 year-old Samoan-New Zealander was recently announced as a choreographer for Jennifer Lopez’ first world tour.

It’s a dream come true for the South Auckland dancer and choreographer, but she is no overnight success. Parris formed her own, all-female crew ‘ReQuest’ in 2007, and has been working hard to push the boundaries in her field. In conjunction with her father and manager, Brett Goebel, Parris runs The Palace, a dance studio in Auckland, new Zealand which is dedicated entirely to teaching the art of hip hop.

At last year’s Hip Hop International’s World Dance Championships in Las Vegas, The Palace cleaned up. Crews choreographed by Parris took home two gold medals and one silver – out of four categories. The previous two years, ReQuest had won the gold. In 2010, they were the first group ever outside North America to be selected for Season 6 of Randy Jackson’s America’s Best Dance Crew, triumphing over 400 crews in the auditions before making it all the way to the finals. More recently, Parris was crowned Female Choreographer of the Year at the 2012 Industry World of Dance Awards.

And now, at the time of writing, she is in Los Angeles, working with three other acclaimed choreographers on a stage show that will be seen by much of the world. American Idol judge Lopez has paired up with Enrique Iglesias for the two-month tour, which begins in July and covers South America, Europe, Asia and the States. It was reportedly J-Lo’s boyfriend – ex-back up dancer and now lead choreographer Casper Smart – who suggested Parris for the role.

So what’s it like to work with one of the biggest names in pop music? According to Parris, Lopez is “a very positive and genuine person. She is passionate about her work and wants the world to feel emotion through her music.”

In the recent American Idol finals, Lopez hit the stage with ReQuest to perform Parris’ signature ‘Polyswagg’. Parris describes the style as “combining sassy woman fire with aggressive inner strength. The grooves, heavy hits and milky flow are unique and will leave you inspired!”

Her recent successes have catapulted Parris onto the international stage, and her goal to be one of the world’s leading choreographers could be well within reach. As her father says, it’s “no longer a long term goal, [it will] pretty much happen in the next year.”

That family support, coupled with pure passion and dedication, have brought the choreographer this far. Her dancing journey began at age three with jazz classes, and although she now also enjoys contemporary dance, it’s hip hop that has her heart. “I have loved it since I was young,” she says. “It calls you and has so many ways to express yourself. It’s raw and from the street. You can do it if you are short, tall, big or small, boy or girl.”

To have achieved so much at such a young age is truly an inspiration. So what’s her secret? “Believe in yourself, chase you dreams” Parris says. “Make sure you have only positive people around you. Anything is possible. Crowns up!”

By Stephanie Wolf.

Dot-com start-ups are all the rage in the business world, but what about the unsung entrepreneurs in the dance community? These dancers and dance makers are trying new tactics to find success and re-energize the dance profession. Among these individuals is Asheville native Nick Kepley, an ambitious go-getter who is applying his ballet and Broadway know-how to his own start up MOTION Dance+Theater.

Kepley received his early ballet training from Sandra Miller at Asheville’s Balance Point Studios. He danced professionally with Ballet Austin, Kansas City Ballet, on Broadway in Mary Poppins, and with the New York Philharmonic in Camelot. Throughout his performing career, Kepley demonstrated a knack for choreography and created works for many reputable showcases and regional companies. He learned a lot from each experience, but creating “a 20 minute ballet in five days” was no easy feat. He began to wonder what would happen if the stress of deadlines and scouring for resources were removed. What type of art would transpire?

Adam Still from Colorado Ballet. Photo by Peak Definition

This inspired Kepley to launch his own creative endeavor – MOTION Dance+Theater. He wanted to provide dancers and choreographers employment during the typically slow summer months, as well as give them an outlet to take artistic risks. Kepley describes MOTION as a “laboratory rather than a performing company”, where more importance is placed on the process rather than a finished product.

In July 2010, MOTION had its inaugural season with sold out performances at NYC’s Dance Theater Workshop. Leading up to the shows, Kepley and NYC choreographer Valerie Salgado had three uninterrupted weeks to choreograph on a group of professional dancers. He gave no rules or guidelines, but allowed the art to develop naturally.

Kepley didn’t create MOTION just for his own artistic indulgences. He wanted to provide a new type of dance experience for the audience. “I really try hard for the audience to think about dance as a modern art form”, he explained. At each showing, there was a moderated discussion to talk about “how dance is made” and, afterwards, he invited the audience to participate in a Q & A with the dancers and choreographers.

Choreographer Brian Carey Chung

Unfortunately, the arts were hit hard economically and MOTION felt the blow; it looked as if there would not be another season. Then donations came forth from North Carolina and Kepley decided to move the company to his hometown. Last summer, MOTION enjoyed three weeks in the fresh mountain air of Asheville. “I like having it down there”, he said. “[In New York] it’s so hectic,  having it in North Carolina feels freer and more artistically inspiring.”

What to expect from MOTION Dance+Theater in 2012

Six dancers from Colorado Ballet, Ballet Austin, Kansas City Ballet, and Nashville Ballet will join MOTION in Asheville for three weeks of artistic discovery. Kepley will create a new ballet with original composition by North Carolina School of the Arts graduate Bruce Tippette and has invited two other choreographers to participate in the project: Gabrielle Lamb and Brian Carey Chung.

Chung has his own NYC company called Collective Body Dance Lab and has created works for Cedar Lake II, Connecticut Ballet, and Santa Barbara Ballet. He was drawn to MOTION and its mission immediately. “[Kepley] is so earnest about the process of creating work and a safe place to do that”, Chung said. Both guest choreographers agreed that the concept of having resources provided would allow for more artistic possibilities. Lamb, who has choreographed for Ballet X, Morphoses, and Dance Theatre of Harlem, expressed, “when you are a freelancer … and based in New York, everything becomes that much more difficult. You have to do everything yourself: rent the studios, employ the dancers, find venues. It’s a wonderful chance to have that all taken care of, to go someplace and to concentrate on the work.”

Choreographer Gabrielle Lamb by Ken Kramer

Kepley believes it’s important to present a diverse program and felt that could be accomplished by bringing Chung and Lamb onboard. Chung likes to “play with different ways of creating work”, and Kepley loves his integration of multi-media. The two have already discussed building on this cross-disciplinary display. Lamb, who is also a dance filmmaker, sees her work as “cinematic”, saying “the work I have done in film has changed the way I think about choreography.” All three choreographers pull from their ballet backgrounds, but look for deeper meaning in the movement.

The future of MOTION Dance+Theater

Currently, Kepley is working towards a transition out of the limelight and into more choreography, so MOTION comes at a perfect time in his life. But it’s a lot of work. “Funding is a non-stop job”, he says. “As soon as the season ends, I’m already working on the next.” Kepley strives to cover 100% of his dancers and choreographers expenses, including travel, accommodation, production fees, and operational costs.

MOTION is on the right track. Kepley fundraises proactively with special events and invitations to rehearsals. Additionally, he is forming a board of directors with Camp Wayfarer director Nancy Wilson, one of MOTION’s main sponsors, at the helm. There’s no doubt these are difficult economic times, but Kepley’s MOTION Dance+Theater has the potential and artistic integrity to prevail.

Want to catch MOTION Dance+Theater in action?

2012 Season Performance Dates:
June 21, 2012, Tryon, NC at the Tryon Fine Arts Center
June, 23, 2012, Asheville, NC at the Diane Wortham Theater

If you want to learn more or contribute to MOTION Dance+Theater be sure to visit them online at www.motiondt.com or on Facebook.

Watch a montage video of the 2011 summer creation residency. June 28-July 17th in Asheville, NC:

Top photo: Nick Kepley by ArtX Photography.
Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

By Stephanie Wolf.

Divided by so much distance, it’s easy for American dance communities to disconnect with one another and forget that there is stimulating dance happening all over the nation. My professional dance career took me from the East Coast, to the West Coast, and in between, where I encountered a spectrum of incredible dance. Here are 5 American choreographers making artistic waves across the US.

Emery LeCrone's "With Thoughtful Lightness" by dancers Gabrielle Lamb & Thomas Forster. Photo Matt Murphy

Emery LeCrone
New York City, NY

At only 24, Emery LeCrone already has several major choreographic commissions. She grew up taking dance with her two older sisters and joined North Carolina Dance Theater after graduating from North Carolina School of the Arts in 2005. NCDT exposed Emery to the dynamic work of William Forsythe, Alonzo King, and Dwight Rhoden, which would eventually influence her own choreography.

For Emery, choreographing is “an ever-evolving process.” She attributes her movement vocabulary to her classical roots, improvisation, and contemporary notions, incorporating “lots of spirals and interesting use of space”. Every ballet has its own process, affected by a number of variables such as music or allotted time.

What’s on the horizon for Emery? In 2012, Emery joins Andrea Miller and Shen Wei, as fellows for the New York City Center’s inaugural choreographic residency. City Center gives each talent 200 hours of free rehearsal space and the chance to show work in the 2012 Fall for Dance Festival. She will also continue to serve as the resident choreographer for NYC based New Chamber Ballet and Columbia Ballet Collaborative. In March, Colorado Ballet premieres her new ballet Archetypes.

Video Gallery

Divergence, created for the Oregon Ballet Theater, premiered on April 22, 2010

Penelope Freeh presents "Pilgrim". Photo Sean Smuda

Penelope Freeh
Minneapolis, MN

After performing in NYC, Penelope Freeh moved to Minneapolis in 1994 to join the James Sewell Ballet. She had a gut feeling she would connect with James’s work, but had no idea Minneapolis would become ‘home’ and lead her to a new passion … creating movement.

Her first choreographic opportunity came in 1999. A friend was presenting work in the Minnesota Fringe Festival and had extra time on her program; she offered the space to Penelope. Despite no prior choreographic experience or inclination, Penelope accepted. “It was such a no brainer … to say ‘no’ would have been stupid.” The moment was a revelation. “I [felt] like I unlocked some big life secret … It was really exciting!”

She describes her movement as “theatrical and poetic,” yet “athletic”. With no set choreographic process, Penelope strives to let movement evolve organically, avoiding the “predictable” and allowing it to “unlock and open”.

Already, 2012 looks to be a big year. In January, she’ll present two pieces at Minneapolis’s Red Eye Theater and a piece commissioned for the St. Paul Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Next fall, she’ll collaborate with a local composer and NYC choreographer Patrick Corbin for a production at the Southern Theater. Additionally, Penelope will choreograph Wonderful Town for the Skylark Opera.

With each ballet, Penelope finds new depth. “I could [choreograph] for the rest of my life and it would make me really happy”, she says.

Video Gallery

Simple Folk , premiered on the James Sewell Ballet in February 2009 at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis
Dancers Featured: Nicolas Lincoln, Sally Rousse, Chris Hannon, and Stephanie Wolf

Brian Enos working with dancers in the studio. Photo courtesy of Mystic Ballet, Photo by Glenn Goettler

Brian Enos
Chicago, IL

The transition from dancer to choreographer wasn’t difficult for Brian Enos. After performing with the Houston Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, he was ready for the next phase in his life. “I’ve never been the kind of person who has to be onstage … I enjoy working in the studio”,  he explains.

Brian discovered a knack for choreographing while attending the Houston Ballet Academy. The academy’s summer intensive gave him a chance to create and exposed his raw talent to artistic director Ben Stevenson. Impressed by what he saw, Ben asked Brian to choreograph on the professional company – at the time, Brian was only 18 and still a student in the academy.

It’s impossible for Brian to describe his work and process in a few select words. “I haven’t thought of my pieces as a body of work [because] each is so individual”. He says the music and his dancers inform his choreography. “Usually, I spend the first [rehearsal] playing around with material, getting to know the dancers … to see how they work and move”.

His next project takes him South, to work with the Nashville Ballet. Now that he is no longer performing, Brian looks forward to exploring choreographic opportunities and further developing his artistic voice.

Video Gallery

Three, created for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Featured Dancers: Shannon Alvis, Jamy Meek, and Ana Lopez

Catherine Cabeen and Karena Birk. Photo Tim Summers

Catherine Cabeen
Seattle, WA

As a child, Catherine Cabeen made dances in her backyard, but her true choreographic voice emerged while she was performing in NYC with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Along with several other BTJ/AZ dancers, she showed work at small festivals, allowing choreography to be an outlet for emotions she could not express openly as a dancer.

Catherine describes her style as “aggressive, classically informed and therefore iconoclastic …” She likes dance to inhibit space and assimilates the sensation of choreographing or dancing as “trying to feel the wind in my hair …” Her work is a collaboration with not only her dancers, but with “interdisciplinary artists” as well.

Currently, CCC’s roster has six diverse dancers. In 2013, CCC will premiere a “large-scale work” in Seattle. Simultaneously, Catherine will create a new repertory show to be performed locally and nationally.

Video Gallery

A montage of Catherine Cabeen and Company repertoire
Dancers Featured: Catherine Cabeen, Michael Cepress, Bo Choi, Echo Gustafson, Sarah Lustbader, Kane Mathis, Julian Martlew, Jay McAleer, and Connie Yun

Amy Siewert choreography. Dancers Katherine Wells & Brandon Freeman. Photo David DeSilva

Amy Siewert
San Francisco, CA

San Francisco choreographer Amy Siewert has been creating dances since high school. “I made my first piece when I was 16 [as part of Cincinnati’s School of Creative and Performing Arts curriculum]… it’s something I grew up doing,” she explains.

From Ohio, Amy ventured west to dance with the Sacramento Ballet and San Francisco’s Smuin Ballet. She received her first big commission in 1999 for the Carolina Ballet. From there, her choreographic resume developed in conjunction with her performing career.

Amy credits her classical upbringing for the backbone of her movement and harbors no intentions to ever detach herself from it. “I am fascinated with classical technique … I like to take [the basics] and split them open … I follow the physics [of movement], the way ballet follows physics, but try to use it in a way traditional ballet doesn’t.”

Now, Amy is the resident choreographer for Smuin Ballet and has several exciting premieres to look forward to. This spring, she’ll choreograph for the Colorado Ballet. She’ll also create a collaborative work for BalletMet, featuring software artist Frieder Weiss. Her busy spring concludes with a premiere on Oakland Ballet. Amy also choreographs on her own contemporary ballet troupe Imagery.

Video Gallery

Dear Miss Cline, premiered on the Smuin Ballet in May 2011 at the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco
Dancers Featured: Terez Dean, Jonathan Dumar, Jared Hunt, Shannon Hurlbert, Jane Rehm, Susan Roemer, John Speed Orr, Christian Squires, Erin Yarbrough-Stewart

Requiem, premiered on the Smuin Ballet in May 2011 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco – the ballet was created in memory of the late Michael Smuin
Dancers Featured: Travis Walker, Susan Roemer, Erin Yarbrough-Stewart, and Jonathan Powell

Top photo: Choreography by Amy Siewert. Dancers Katherine Wells and Ben Needham Wood. Photo by David DeSilva