NEW WORKS BY COMPANY DANCERS
SOLI DEO GLORIA
CHOREOGRAPHY BY SETH YORK
“What would it look like to give gifts unhindered by comparison, insecurity, and expectation? Soli Deo Gloria is a mediation on this question highlighting various outlets of human creativity and exploring the liberty and range of emotion that comes with knowing our gift has been accepted.”
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
hic et nunc
CHOREOGRAPHY BY ALEX BROWN
“All our actions are performed here and now, in the immediacy of the present; the past and the future, however important, are memories, time flows inexorably and life is here and now. A straight line, an abandoned place in which past lives echo, a sequence plan to say that the present is the only dimension in which one really lives.”—Emma Cianchi
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
FUNKY D
CHOREOGRAPHY BY MEGAN STOREY
“Funky D is a piece inspired by the playfulness, unpredictability and groove of the jazz funk music era. Considered the progenitor of funk, James Brown is a heavy influence on the music’s composer, Victor Wooten. Using distinct key modes, unique rhythms and use of improv, Wooten created a piece of music that inspired me to research and call upon ‘the good ol’ days.’ I wanted to create something fun and reminiscent, something overflowing with athleticism and speckled with humor using intricate musicality and charming flare. Funky D is inspired by that groove we all have inside, the groove that makes it impossible to sit still when the music is playing.”
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
SMART SWEET
BEAUTIFUL GIRL
CHOREOGRAPHY BY JAIME BORKAN
“The piece is inspired by my life and career as a dancer. It is a reflection of a career riddled with great success and devastating rejection. I want this piece to be an homage to my commitment to stay true to myself as an artist, despite every hardship I have encountered along the way. The four women represent the strong, confident woman I strive to be as well as the people in my life who helped encourage, guide, and support me throughout my journey to become truly me.”
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
FIRST TOUCH
CHOREOGRAPHY BY ELLIOTT TRAHAN
“I was inspired by queer youth who realize their sexuality for the first time and that it’s not provocative or risqué; it’s precious, sweet, and maybe confusing at times. We all remember having a childhood crush on a classmate, and the flush of emotions that came with being infatuated with that person. Rather than focus on the struggles of acceptance in coming out, I want to show the purity of a first touch from a crush—something we all remember feeling and still feel.”
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
I’M JUST TIRED
CHOREOGRAPHY BY COLE VERNON
“I’m Just Tired is a collection of memories from bedtime at the Vernon household in the early 2000s. I shared a bedroom with my younger brother who suffered night terrors, a fear of the dark, and every possible creature of the night he could imagine. I, in turn, learned to exist without sleep. If I did make it to dreamland, my body would continue on—sleepwalking, sleep talking, and sleep dancing. To this day, the only way I can enjoy a REM cycle is with a white noise machine, layers of pillows, earplugs, and a sleep mask.”
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
FLEETING CONVERGENCE
CHOREOGRAPHY BY JILLYN BRYANT
“Do we care more about our opinions or human relationships?”
In her new work, Fleeting Convergence, Jillyn Bryant explores the journey of learning how to listen and understand those whose beliefs may diverge from our own.
Bryant says, “The last couple years have made me contemplate how we navigate people with differing viewpoints. It seemed like every disagreement, whether it was over a social, religious, or political issue, was dismantling human connection. In exploring this duet, I wanted to highlight the beauty of intersecting paths with someone who brings you to see something from a new, enlightening perspective.”
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
recess
CHOREOGRAPHY BY SOFIA DOWNING ORTEGA
Downing’s inspiration for recess comes from, “the joy and freedom found in the act of play. I drew from children’s games, playground activities, and the natural process of play that comes with creating a piece of choreography with your peers. It is a reminder to not always take life so seriously, even as we face the trials and pressures of growing up.”
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
BESVERGELSE
CHOREOGRAPHY BY WEAVER RHODES
“The inspiration for this piece is a story of Valkyries and Odin taking a wounded warrior to the halls of Valhalla. It explores how we can heal those who are terminally ill simply by being with them and holding them.”
“Besvergelse” is a Norwegian word that means “magical incantation” or “conjuring.”
PHOTOS BY SHAREN BRADFORD AND BRIAN GUILLIAUX
