Dance

Winter Dance Gala 2025 Program

The taking of photographs or use of recording devices is strictly prohibited due to copyright.

Please silence cell phones and refrain from use during the performance.

Rewilding

Original Premiere, 2024 Point Park International Summer Dance

"Rewilding" unveils the body's innate intelligence, aligning human systems and processes with nature's rhythms. Dancers embody biological cycles and primal instincts, their movements reflecting the ebb and flow of internal ecosystems. This piece explores the synchronicity between bodily functions and natural phenomena, revealing the wild, adaptive potential within our physical forms.

Choreography: Kesley Paschich

Music: "Song for Ainola" by Bryce Dressner played by Anastasia Kobekina, "Tidal" by Jordan Hamilton, and "Arpeggio in D Minor" by Carl Friedrich Abel

Lighting Design: Evan P. Carlson

Costume Designer: Julia Kosanovich

Dancers:

(Performing 2/7 at 7:30 pm & 2/8 at 2 pm)

Hailie Rane Adamczak, Morgan Bodie, Maria Cervi, Laneé Dickens, Holly Hoeksema, McKenna Larsen, Keira McDonald, Camila De La Mora, Gabriella Orr, Natalie Parker, Emily Poirier, Shaniya Tate, Kayla Wiese

(Performing 2/8 at 7:30 pm & 2/9 at 2 pm)

Hailie Rane Adamczak, Morgan Bodie, Maria Cervi, Laneé Dickens, Holly Hoeksema, McKenna Larsen, Camila De La Mora, Gabriella Orr, Natalie Parker, Emily Poirier, Shaniya Tate, Kayla Wiese, Alayah Wilson

Coconut

Original Premiere, 2024 WMU Student Dance Concert

Loosely based on the movie "The Truman Show", this piece explores the idea of one person living in a reality which has been specifically curated for them. A lighthearted, funny twist on what it's like to live a lie.

Choreography: Olivia Gray

Music: "Coconut" by Harry Nilsson

Lighting Design: Hannah Cowgill

Costume Design: Olivia Gray and Dancers

Dancers:

Morgan Bodie, Alaina D'Orazio, Katie Hatfield, Baylee Hertel, Aubrey Horn, Alyse Kazimierczuk, McKenna Larsen, Erica Magaru, Adrian Martinez, Avery Miller, Natalie Parker, Emily Poirier

Understudies: Megan Andersen, Lauren Matz

Emancipate

Choreography: Kaitlyn Pacini

Rehearsal Directors: Lexis Lund and Adrian Martinez

Music: "Shrine Tooth" by Forest Swords, and "Sand" by Nathan Lanier and Karen Whipple

Lighting Design: Evan P. Carlson

Costume Coordination: Julia Kosanovich

Dancers:

(Performing 2/7 at 7:30 pm & 2/8 2 pm)

Nia Daniels, Avery Fradette, Abigail Gibeau, Gabrielle Gonzales, Holly Hoeksema, Becca Klunder, Kayla Lewis, Maddie Linton, Addison Lock, Kamryn McCoy, Jayla Meredith, Laney Miller, Kendra Mohnke, Maeve Mulvany, Margaret Nelson, Gabriella Orr, Dani Prosch, Alayah Wilson

(Performing 2/8 at 7:30 pm & 2/9 at 2 pm)

Kenison Bosma, Alaina Brant, Nia Daniels, Ivy Davis, Camila De La Mora, Samyia Franklin, Holly Hoeksema, Aubrey Horn, Keira McDonald, Libby Morante, Maria O’Connor, Karina Perry, Abby Pnacek, Veda Simmons, Halle Sisson, Bella Stys, Ella Valerio, Lauren Vegter, Malena Witte

The City Of Ladies

Original Premiere, 2024 WMU Student Dance Concert

Inspired by Christine de Pizan's "The Book of the City of Ladies," an early 1400s literary work in which de Pizan presents a feminist perspective to challenge the misogynist male writing of that time. The piece explores the journey of women's literacy throughout history, highlighting the struggle for access to transformative ideas such as those articulated by de Pizan and the sense of liberation that accompanies this journey.

Choreography: Katie Hatfield

Music: “Entretanto” by Aukai, and “Recomposed" by Max Richter, "Vivaldi: The Four Seasons: Spring 1 (2012)” by Max Richter, Daniel Hope, Konzerthaus Kammerorchester Berlin and André de Ridder

Lighting Design: Hannah Cowgill

Costume Design: Katie Hatfield and Dancers

Dancers:

Tessa Anderson, Camila De La Mora, Maci Goodrich, Olivia Gray, Baylee Hertel, Aubrey Horn, Alyse Kazimierczuk, Erica Magaru, Adrian Martinez, Lauren Matz, Avery Miller, Cheyenne Niemann, Emily Poirier, Halle Sisson, Kaleigh Smock, Katelyn Yeskie

The March to Madness

Choreography: Christa Smutek, National Choreography Competition Winner

Rehearsal Director: Whitney Moncrief

Music: "Carbon Cycles" by Ecker & Meulyzer

Lighting Design: Evan P. Carlson

Costume Design: Kathryn Wagner

Dancers:

Megan Andersen, Ali Cavey, Laneé Dickens, Alaina D'Orazio, Olivia Erlandson, Katie Hatfield, Alyse Kazimierczuk, Erica Magaru, Avery Miller, Maddie Nemeth, Natalie Parker, Emily Poirier, Peyton Travis, Jess Welch, Brandon Wolfington, Katelyn Yeskie

Understudies: Tessa Anderson, Olivia Gray, Josie Hull, Eliana Jahjah

INTERMISSION

There will be a 10 minute intermission.

SOCIALPOCALYPSE

Choreography: Mike Esperanza in collaboration with dancers

Music: Mike Esperanza

Lighting Design: Evan P. Carlson

Costume Design: Kathryn Wagner

Set Design: Patrick Niemi

Dancers:

Hailie Rane Adamczak, Jordan Anderson, Megan Andersen, Montgomery Bell, Ariana Bereolos, Morgan Bodie, Ashley Boyd, Laneé Dickens, Alaina D'Orazio, Lexie Frontjes, Jake Matthew Gamit, Kersten Gray, Aubrey Horn, Katie Hatfield, Josie Hull, Alyse Kazimierczuk, Kayla Lewis, Addison Lock, Erica Magaru, Grace Minard, Lauren Matz, Lee May, Keira McDonald, Maddie Nemeth, Gabriella Orr, Natalie Parker, Jordan Ramber-Jach, Susana Torrence, Peyton Travis, Shaniya Tate, Jess Welch, Alayah Wilson, Brandon Wolfington, Katelyn Yeskie

Content Warning: This dance includes the use of explicit language.

Patrons who choose to not watch this dance may return to their original seats in the pause between this dance and the next.

Lily of the Nile

Original Premiere, 1896 New York City and 1900 Folies Bergère, Paris

Original Choreography: Loïe Fuller

Historical Reconstruction: Jessica Lindberg Coxe and Megan Slayter

Rehearsal Director: Megan Slayter

Rehearsal Assistant: Lloyd Rock

Music: "Prélude du Déluge" by Camille Saint-Saëns

Original Lighting Design: Loïe Fuller

Lighting Design Reconstruction: Megan Slayter

Lighting Design Staged for WMU: Evan P. Carlson

Original Costume Design: Loïe Fuller

Costume Design Reconstruction: Jessica Lindberg Coxe

Costume Construction: Kathryn Wagner

Dancers:

(Performing 2/7 at 7:30 pm & 2/8 2 pm)

Lexis Lund

(Performing 2/8 at 7:30 pm & 2/9 at 2 pm)

Adrian Martinez

This performance is made possible in part through the support of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo Artistic Development Initiative Grant.

Black Army

"Black Army," is a powerful exploration of movement and formation. The music, drawing from sub-cultural influences and African diaspora traditions, acts as commander-in-chief, directing the dancers through militant yet fluid choreography. The work's title reflects both the large ensemble's commanding presence and the complex symbolism of blackness in Western society, as performers move through intricate systems of formation that emphasize collective strength and camaraderie.

Choreography: Roderick George

Western Dance Project Director: Kelsey Paschich

Western Dance Project Assistant: Olivia Gray

Music: "Black Army" Original Composition by Tigga Lacole

Lighting Design: Evan P. Carlson

Costume Design: Julia Kosanovich

Dancers: Members of Western Dance Project

Megan Andersen, Charlotte Anderson, Ashley Boyd, Alaina D’Orazio, Olivia Erlandson, Baylee Hertel, Makenna Hightower, Lauren Matz, Maddie Nemeth, Jess Welch, Brandon Wolfington

Understudy: Emeili Bengry

Western Dance Project (WDP) is a touring dance company that provides a professional dance experience for students who are passionate about performing and further developing their craft as a dancer. The company is comprised of a select group of auditioned dancers. Throughout the year, there are touring performance opportunities locally and nationally, guest artist residencies and masterclasses, as well as community outreach in schools throughout Michigan. The WDP ensemble cultivates artistry, builds resilience and prepares dancers for the professional field.

PRODUCTION STAFF

PRODUCTION PERSONNEL

Producing Director: Joan Herrington

Artistic Director: Megan Slayter

Production Manager: Megan Slayter

Production Stage Manager: Cheryl Bruey

Lighting Designer: Evan P. Carlson

Assistant Lighting Designer: Hannah Cowgill

Lighting & Sound Supervisor: Sydney Becker

Master Electrician: CJ Nixon

Technical Director: Patrick Niemi

Faculty Sound: Joshua Reid

Sound Engineer: Landen Yocum

Costume Design: Kathryn Wagner & Julia Kosanovich

Costume Coordinator: Julia Kosanovich

RUNNING CREW

Stage Manager: Lily Bashara

Assistant Stage Managers: Maeve Krzysiak, Zoe Carlo

Light Board Operator: Marco Gonzalez

Sound Board Operator: Mackenzie Volz

Run Crew: Annabel Bernicky, Jake Gamit, Maci Goodrich, Chole Kibler, Atlas Zager

Setup Crew: DANC3890 Students & TSAs

Wardrobe Supervisor: Eni Buckhanan

Wardrobe Crew: Ashley Boyd, Eliana Jahjah

House Manager: Catherine Broms

Assistant House Manager: Abby Ruppert

Artists Bios

Mike Esperanza ("SOCIALPOCALYPSE")

Mike Esperanza is a multifaceted creative force, celebrated for his transformative contributions to the world of dance and choreography. With an innate ability to merge contemporary aesthetics with authentic storytelling, Mike has captivated audiences worldwide. His journey began in Los Angeles and currently in New York City, where he honed his craft, drawing inspiration from urban culture and the human experience. As an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and artistic director, Mike has choreographed for renowned educational programs and companies such as WhimW’him, Noble Motion, LACDC, Urbanity, Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, leaving an indelible mark on the dance landscape. Mike has presented on prestigious stages including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Sergerstrom Center for the Arts, McCalllum Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Salvatore Capezio Theater at Peridance, The Royal Conservatory in Cordoba, Spain, and the Australian Circus Festival. Mike’s work has been described as “bold, athletic movement and theatricality – the latter clearly the coming together of Esperanza’s many talents – the company epitomizes the dance of the new millennium: shape-shifting, vernacular-blending with a prescient focus on the brave new world in which we live.” ~ Jessica Abrams, Explore Dance. Mike recently danced for Ariana Grande at the 2024 Met Gala as well as her music video “Yes, and?”

Loïe Fuller is considered one of the most influential dance artists of the 20^th Century. A native of Chicago, she began her artistic life as an actress in the United States and in her late twenties experimented with skirt dancing. In 1891 she toured her dancing throughout Europe finding the most supportive audience in Paris, at the Folies Bergère. There she experimented with new electric lighting instruments to merge colored light, silk fabric, and a moving body to create a unique artistic expression. These theatrical elements allowed her to create transformative, natural images on stage which made her the embodiment of the Art Nouveau movement in France. These three solos, "Fire Dance", "Night" and "Lily of the Nile" are Fuller’s signature works. First performed in 1896 at Koster and Bail’s Music Hall in New York City, they feature her innovative use of theatrical lighting and staging techniques. Through performances at the Folies Bergère in Paris, these dances made Fuller the toast of Paris and were represented in lithographs, paintings, sculptures, and jewelry by such artists as Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Roché, August Rodin, and Jules Cheret, while Stéphen Mallarmé and others waxed poetic of her dances and artistry. Unlike her contemporaries, such as Isadora Duncan or Ruth St. Denis, who created schools to ensure the legacy of their art for generations, Fuller went to great lengths to keep her innovations secret from the many imitators seeking to replicate her fame. When Fuller died in 1928, her works became lost to history until reconstructed from historical source documents by Jessica Lindberg Cox and Megan Slayter.

Olivia Gray ("Coconut")

Olivia Gray originally from Howell MI, has been dancing since she was two, training at a local studio. After high school she continued her dance education at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo MI. At her time at Western she performed in works by Seyong Kim, Marisa Bianan, Kelsey Paschich, Jae Man Joo, Kia Smith, and Terk Lewis. She also served as a company member of Western Dance Project under the direction of Kelsey Paschich from 2023-2024 and since 2024, has been assistant rehearsal director of the company. She also performed in dance festivals across the country in Seyong Kim’s work titled A Poem Written at the Cross. In 2024 she created Coconut as part of WMU Dance’s Fall Student Showcase where it was then selected to be performed at Art Hop in Kalamazoo and WMU Dance’s Winter Gala 2025.

Roderick George ("Black Army")

Roderick George, a Houston native, trained at Houston Ballet Academy, The Alvin Ailey School, and HSPVA. His accolades include the 2005 Youth American Grand Prix bronze medal and recognition as a 2003 YoungArts Winner and Presidential Scholar of the Arts. His performance career spans prestigious companies including Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Basel Ballet/Theater Basel, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, and The Forsythe Company, where he performed works by renowned choreographers like Marie Chouinard, William Forsythe, and Ohad Naharin.

In 2015, George founded kNoname Artist, blending classical ballet, breakdance, and acrobatics while exploring social commentary and cultural intersections. The company has performed internationally at venues including Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, Zurich Tanzhaus, and New York Live Arts. George's choreographic commissions include works for Bodytraffic, Ballett Basel, USC Kaufman School of Dance, and Boston Conservatory at Berklee. His recent honors include the 2021-2022 YoungArts Fellowship, 2023 Mertz Gilmore Foundation Dancer Award, and 2024 Jacob's Pillow Inaugural Fitzpatrick Award.

Katie Hatfield ("The City Of Ladies")

Katie Hatfield, originally from the suburbs of New York, is a senior at Western Michigan University pursuing a BFA in dance. Throughout her time at Western, Katie has had the privilege of performing in works by guest artists such as Tsai Hsi Hung, Jae Man Joo, Christa Smutek, and Kiki Lucas, as well as faculty works by Kelsey Paschich, Carolyn Pavlik, Mike Esperanza, and Monique Haley. She was a member of Western Dance Project during the 2022-2023 school year and is actively involved in student dance organizations, including Orchesis Dance Society and 269 Crew. This past fall, Katie had the opportunity to present her solo work “Lorelei” at the Detroit Dance City Festival. She also showcased her choreography in the 2023 student fall showcase with “Tanzende Pest” and “The City of Ladies” in 2024, which was later selected for the 2025 Winter Gala.

Jessica Lindberg Coxe and Megan Slayter have been collaborating to reconstruct the lost works of modern dance pioneer, Loie Fuller, for more than twenty years. Together they have reconstructed four of Fuller’s most famous works: "Fire Dance", "Night" and "Lily of the Nile" and “La Mer”. No longer lost to history, modern audiences now have the opportunity to experience these seminal and influential dances for themselves. The dances have been commissioned for performance by universities, dance companies, and art museums across the country including the Art Institute of Chicago, Maryhill Museum in Washington, the University of Washington, Gonzaga University, Texas State University, and MOMENTA Dance Company in Chicago among others. Slayter and Lindberg are founding members of Dancestry, a coalition of artists who seek to put the work of Loïe Fuller, Isadora Duncan, and Erik Hawkins in conversation through live performance and community engagement. The inaugural Dancestry concert at the Long Center in Austin, TX in 2015 received critical acclaim from the Austin Critics’ Table including nominations for Best Dance Concert, Best Dancer: Jessica Lindberg Coxe, and Best Lighting Design: Megan Slayter. Jessica Lindberg Coxe currently lives in Round Rock, TX and is an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Austin Community College (ACC). Megan Slayter is a Professor of Dance at WMU where she also serves as Acting Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Associate Director of the School of Theatre and Dance.

Kelsey Paschich ("Rewilding")

Kelsey Paschich is a dance artist who merges dance with digital technology. She holds an MFA from the University of New Mexico and a BFA from Point Park University, she is a certified Countertechnique® teacher and serves as Assistant Professor of Innovation in Dance at Western Michigan University. Her distinguished 20-year performance career includes work with The Moscow State Classical Ballet, DCDC2, Thodos Dance Chicago, River North Chicago Dance Company, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra amongst others. Paschich explores the intersection of dance with AI, motion capture, and film, presenting internationally across Asia, Canada, Europe, and the U.S. Her achievements include the WMU Presidential Innovation Professorship Award, the Creative Living for Dancers Award (Brussels), the National Dizzy Feet Foundation Gene Kelly Legacy Scholarship, and invitations to the Choreographic Coding Lab (Cologne). Her multimedia live solo "Trio of Duality" created with Eric Souther, Assistant Professor (Kinetic Imaging), recently premiered at the Seoul International Dance Festival in Tank.

Christa Smutek ("The March to Madness")

Christa Smutek is the Artistic Director of Artistic Edge Dance Centre, Director of The Collective Movement, and Founder of her project based dance company, Smutek Dance. Christa was honored to be selected for the Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship 2023 at Jacob’s Pillow, under the direction of Risa Steinberg and Dianne McIntyre. Most recently she was the winner of Western Michigan University’s National Choreography Competition 2024 and the winner of the International Dance Exchange Award at Detroit Dance City Festival 2024.

Christa studied at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and received her B.S. in Movement Science from the School of Kinesiology graduating with distinction and University Honors. Christa has been choreographing for the past 16 years and her choreography has been showcased at numerous festivals nationwide. Christa also continues to set award winning competitive dance pieces as well as teach masterclasses across the country.

2024-2025 WMU Dance Faculty & Staff

Joan Herrington - Director, School of Theatre and Dance

Megan Slayter - Professor and Associate Director, School of Theatre and Dance

Amy Avery - Part-Time Instructor

Sydney Becker - Master Electrician

Marisa Bianan - Part-Time Instructor

Jeremy Blair - Assistant Professor

Cheryl Bruey - Master Faculty Specialist, Stage Management

EunKyung Chung - Part-Time Instructor

Thom Cooper - Academic Advisor

Laura Cornish - Part-Time Instructor

Emily Duguay - Director of Arts Administration

Mike Esperanza - Visiting Guest Professor

Monique Haley - Associate Professor

Sara Kausch - Part-Time Instructor

Julia Kosanovich - Costume Shop Supervisor

Seyong Kim - Associate Professor

Whitney Moncrief - Associate Professor

Patrick Niemi - Technical Director

Kelsey Paschich - Assistant Professor of Innovation

Carolyn Pavlik - Professor

Kaitlyn Pollock - Part-Time Instructor

Andrea Salazar - Part-Time Instructor

JJ Treadway - Ballet Accompanist

Aimee Tye - Part-Time Instructor

Stacey Tyler - Budget Analyst

Dave Van Haren - Modern Accompanist Coordinator

Mikey Winslow - Part-Time Instructor

Kate Yancho - Part-Time Instructor

Student Assistants

Catherine Broms - Arts Administration Assistant

Jada Enrici & Shaniya Tate - Office Assistants

Lexis Lund & Alyse Kazimierczuk - Social Media Coordinators

Partners in Dance

WMU Dance is incredibly grateful to Partners in Dance, our community support organization. Partners in Dance supports dance students to encourage growth and excellence in their academic experience fostering a new generation of exceptional dance professionals.

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Partners in Dance Donors

Thank you

The Department of Dance gratefully acknowledges the support of the following individuals and organizations for their contributions. Our list of donors includes those whose gifts were received between January 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025

Department of Dance Donors