BODYTRAFFIC

Thursday, May 15, 2025 AT 8PM

Performance Sponsor
The City of Irvine

This performance will include a 15-minute intermission.

FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Tina Finkelman Berkett
THE COMPANY: Chandler Davidson, Donnie Duncan Jr., Katie García, Pedro Garcia, Anaya Gonzalez, Alana Jones, Joan Rodriguez, Jordyn Santiago

PRESIDENT: Gillian Wynn
CREATIVE PARTNER: Trey McIntyre
DIRECTOR of CREATIVE OPERATIONS: Dora Quintanilla
DIRECTOR of EDUCATION and COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Julie Opiel
DIRECTOR of DEVELOPMENT: Megan Lane
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Michael Jarett
REHEARSAL DIRECTORS: Katie García,  Joan Rodriguez

COMPANY REPRESENTATION:
Margaret Selby, Selby/Artists Mgmt
212.382.3260 mselby@selbyartistsmgmt.com

PRESS AGENT: Mariclare Hulbert Consulting
585.278.2302 mariclare.hulbert@gmail.com

BODYTRAFFIC wants to thank its incredible Season Sponsors: Perenchio Foundation and Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation 

BODYTRAFFIC presents:

This Reminds Me Of You

Mayday

CHOREOGRAPHY: Trey McIntyre

MUSIC: Buddy Holly, written by Charles Hardin Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, Ellas McDaniel, Joe B. Mauldin, Norman Petty,   Norman Petty. 

LIGHTING DESIGN: James F. Ingalls

COSTUME DESIGN: Karen Young

COSTUME CONSTRUCTION: Victoria Bek

PROP DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Cody Richardson and Rob Byerly

PERFORMERS: Chandler Davidson, Katie García, Pedro Garcia, Anaya Gonzalez, Alana Jones, Ty Morrison, Joan Rodriguez, Jordyn Santiago

PREMIERE: The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills, CA, 2024

Using the timeless music of Buddy Holly, Mayday explores the looming specter that life can be cut short at any moment. We are seemingly dancing on a tightrope that could render any of our plans useless. Yet we still dance, we still move toward love, and we still plan, create, and live as if infinity lies before us. 

Mayday was generously underwritten by Virginia McGehee Friend.
This work was made possible in part by a creative residency at Argyros Performing Arts Center in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Mayday’s costumes were underwritten by Mark and Judi Aronchick.

 - INTERMISSION - 

I Forgot The Start 

CHOREOGRAPHY: Matthew Neenan

MUSIC: In this Heart by Sinéad O’Connor, Machu Picchu by Heather Christian & The Arbonauts, Paka Ua by Ozzie Kotani & Daniel Ho, Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl by Broken Social Scene, and Flint by Sufjan Stevens.

LIGHTING, SET, and VIDEO DESIGN: Christopher Ash

COSTUME DESIGN: Márion Talán de la Rosa

COSTUME CONSTRUCTION: Victoria Bek

PERFORMERS: Chandler Davidson, Katie Garcia, Pedro Garcia, Alana Jones, Ty Morrison, Joan Rodriguez, Jordyn Santiago

PREMIERE: Annenberg Center at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2024

It's the same outside,
Driving to the riverside.
I pretend to cry,
Even if I cried alone.
I forgot the start.
Use my hands to use my heart.
Even if I died alone.
     -FLINT by Sufjan Stevens

 I Forgot The Start walks the line between joy and grief to illuminate the sheer relentlessness of hope. The work is an honest exploration of resilience in the pursuit of connection, despite life’s uncertainties. We are reminded that there is no light without dark.

I Forgot The Start was generously supported by Ali Long.
This work was co-commissioned by Penn Live Arts, with support provided by the Penn Live Arts Accelerator Program.
This work was made possible in part by a creative residency at Argyros Performing Arts Center in Sun Valley, Idado.

-PAUSE - 

 Bloquea’o

CHOREOGRAPHY: Joan Rodriguez

ORIGINAL MUSIC: Pedro Osuna

FEATURING: SUUVI (cello), Ricky Matute (percussion)

ADDITIONAL RECORDINGS: Luis Conte (percussion)

ENGINEERING: Noah Hubbell

VIDEOGRAPHER: Erick Wayne

LIGHTING DESIGN: Michael Jarett

COSTUME DESIGN: Márion Talán de la Rosa

PERFORMERS: Chandler Davidson, Katie Garcia, Pedro Garcia, Alana Jones, Chelen Middlebrook, Ty Morrison, Joan Rodriguez, Jordyn Santiago

PREMIERE: The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills, CA, 2023

Using the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis as its backdrop, Bloquea’o calls on and admires the persistence of the human spirit to create a home when it is taken away. Rodriguez’s synthesis of Folklorico and contemporary influences epitomizes what it means to carry home with you wherever you go. Osuna’s original music is a dichotomic composition of both disruption and harmony, blending traditional Cuban rhythms, Yoruba chants, historical phone calls and broadcasts, and sounds of La Habana streets. Throughout the piece, sweeping connections encourage us to lead with love in our continuous quest for humanity. 

The musical composition was made possible in part by a co-commission from Festival Napa Valley.  Thank you to Sheila del Bosque and Luis Conte for their invaluable musical guidance. 

ABOUT BODYTRAFFIC

BODYTRAFFIC, an internationally-renowned dance company from Los Angeles, has been a dynamic force in contemporary dance since its founding in 2007 by Artistic Director Tina Finkelman Berkett. Known for their technical prowess and versatility, BODYTRAFFIC expertly masters a repertoire that spans ballet, contemporary, modern, Afro-Cuban, and hip hop. The company thrives on a collective of diverse perspectives and styles, bringing to life the innovative visions of accomplished choreographers like Kyle Abraham, Trey McIntyre, Ohad Naharin, and Micaela Taylor. By seamlessly blending local and global perspectives, BODYTRAFFIC reflects the rich diversity of their home city while pushing the boundaries of dance.

Bringing the spirit of Los Angeles to audiences worldwide, BODYTRAFFIC has performed across 30 states and 20 countries. The company proudly represented the U.S. on tours to Algeria, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, and South Korea. During its 10th anniversary season (2017–2018), BODYTRAFFIC embarked on an extensive tour, including performances at the CONTEXT Diana Vishneva Festival and The Holland Dance Festival in The Hague. These experiences have deepened the company’s commitment to cross-cultural exchange, while elevating dance beyond mere performance, transforming it into an exploration and celebration of ideas and spirit. 

This dedication is further demonstrated through a passion for education, as BODYTRAFFIC mentors and uplifts over 700 students annually through various programs, ranging from youth-focused movement workshops to professional development for established artists. This holistic approach underscores the company’s belief in the transformative power of dance as a vehicle for personal and collective growth.

At the heart of everything BODYTRAFFIC does are the values of challenge, passion, empathy, inclusion, and growth. It aims to champion both established and emerging voices, serving as a home for a diverse range of styles and perspectives that tell vital stories. The goal is simple: get the world moving. After all, without movement, nothing changes.

Please visit www.BODYTRAFFIC.com to learn about upcoming performances and programs, and to join the company’s mailing list.

BIOGRAPHIES

Artistic Leadership

TINA FINKELMAN BERKETT (Artistic Director) is a visionary leader in contemporary dance, known for curating original, compelling repertoire and redefining the art form across the U.S. and internationally. Tina grew up in New York City, attending Stuyvesant High School of Math and Science and graduating summa cum laude from Barnard College, Columbia University, with a double major in Mathematics and Economics. Her love of dance was ignited by her teacher and mentor, Michele Cuccaro Cain. Tina’s professional dance career began at Aszure Barton & Artists, a distinguished contemporary dance company, where she quickly became a featured dancer and then Barton’s assistant, teaching both in the U.S. and abroad. A true highlight of Tina's career was being a founding member of Mikhail Baryshnikov's Hell's Kitchen Dance and touring internationally alongside Mr. Baryshnikov himself.  Tina began her interest in arts administration when she served as the company's dancer liaison. In 2007, Tina relocated to Los Angeles and launched BODYTRAFFIC with Lillian Barbeito. In 2020 she became the company's sole Artistic Director. Under Tina’s leadership, BODYTRAFFIC has become a beacon in the global dance community, known for its innovative choreography, world-class dancers, and powerful performances. Through her curation and vision, Tina continues to foster a vibrant artistic community that captivates and inspires audiences around the world. Tina would like to acknowledge her family for serving as her greatest sources of love and inspiration: her parents, Guzmán, Jack, and Sofia.

Choreographers

TREY McINTYRE was born in Wichita, Kansas, and studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Houston Ballet Academy.  In 1989, he was appointed Choreographic Apprentice to Houston Ballet, a position created especially for him, and in 1995, he became the company’s Choreographic Associate. He has worked for more than 30 years as a freelance choreographer, producing more than 100 pieces during the span of his career so far. He also did a bunch of other cool things, including working with a lot of amazing companies such as The Stuttgart Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Queensland Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, New York City Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, BalletX, The Washington Ballet, Ballet Memphis, and San Francisco Ballet. He has won numerous awards and honors, such as the Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, a Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Society of Arts and Letters, two personal grants for choreography from The National Endowment for the Arts, and is a United States Artists Fellow. In 2019, he won the Isadora Duncan Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography for his work Your Flesh Shall be a Great Poem, which he created for San Francisco Ballet for their Unbound Festival. He was named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" in 2001, one of People Magazine's "25 Hottest Bachelors" in 2003, and one of Out Magazine's 2008 "Tastemakers." In 2005, he founded his dance company, Trey McIntyre Project, achieving great audience and critical success. McIntyre created over 23 original works for the company, as well as numerous film projects, interactive site-specific works, and photography collections.

MATTHEW NEENAN, described as “one of America’s best dance poets” by The New York Times, began his dance training at the Boston Ballet School and with noted teachers Nan C. Keating and Jacqueline Cronsberg. He later attended the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts and the School of American Ballet in New York. From 1994-2007, Matthew danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet (now the Philadelphia Ballet), where he danced numerous principal roles in the classical, contemporary and Balanchine repertoire.  From 2007 – 2020, Matthew was the Choreographer in Residence at the Pennsylvania Ballet, where he created 20 original ballets. Matthew’s choreography has been premiered and performed by The New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Ballet West, Ballet Met, Colorado Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Milwaukee Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Tulsa Ballet, OKC Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Parsons Dance, BODYTRAFFIC, Juilliard Dance, and USC Kaufman School of Dance, among many others. He has received numerous awards and grants for his choreography from the National Endowment of the Arts, Dance Advance funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Choo San Goh Foundation, the Independence Foundation and four fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.   In 2006, Matthew received the New York City Ballet’s Choreographic Institute’s Fellowship Initiative Award. In October 2009, Matthew was the grand-prize winner of Sacramento Ballet’s Capital Choreography Competition and was also the first recipient of the Jerome Robbins NEW Program Fellowship for his work At the border for Pennsylvania Ballet. In 2005, Matthew co-founded BalletX with fellow dancer Christine Cox.  BalletX has toured and performed Neenan’s choreography in New York City at The Joyce Theater, NY City Center, The Skirball Center, Symphony Space and Central Park Summerstage, The Kennedy Center, Vail International Dance Festival (where he has created 5 world premieres), Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Segerstrom Center, Laguna Dance Festival, Spring to Dance Festival in St. Louis, as well as several venues internationally.  His ballet The Last Glass was listed in The New York Times Top 10 in 2013.

JOAN RODRIGUEZ (Choreographer & Performer) was born in La Habana, Cuba, where he graduated from the Escuela Nacional de Arte with the “Best Graduate of the Year” award. His professional career began with DanzAbierta, and he went on to join Malpaso Dance Company. He became a political refugee in 2017 and relocated to Arizona, where he focused on creating, teaching, and producing multimedia projects. He has also served as a Guest Artist in Residency for universities and arts centers throughout the U.S. and has received awards in several dance competitions. In 2019, he joined Parsons Dance and choreographed an original work for the company as part of the 2019 GenerationNow fellowship program. Throughout 2020 and 2021, Joan has focused on freelancing in dance, teaching, and videography. Joan is currently on his second season with BODYTRAFFIC in Los Angeles. He continues pursuing his creative ambitions in community spaces and with students and developing his craft, choreographing in a variety of environments for professional dance companies, live theater productions, and television and film.

Performers

CHANDLER DAVIDSON is from Greensboro, North Carolina, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Contemporary Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), with the privilege of learning from an esteemed faculty, including Brenda Daniels, Dayna Fox, Laura Martin, Angelina Sansone, Sean Sullivan, Abigail Yager, Ming-Lung Yang, and Jennet Zerbe. Their mentorship has played a pivotal role in refining his technical proficiency and nurturing his artistry. As he approaches the end of his studies at UNCSA, Chandler stands poised to make his mark on the dance world. His journey thus far is a testament to his dedication, boundless creativity, and insatiable thirst for artistic exploration. This is Chandler’s first season with BODYTRAFFIC. 

DONNIE DUNCAN JR began his dance training in Southern Illinois until he moved on to Webster University in St. Louis, MO where he studied dance and received a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree. After which he went on to join the acclaimed Netherlands Dans Theatre and would continue to perform works by the most sought-after contemporary choreographers of the century. Upon leaving NDT1, Duncan joined Madonna on her “Celebration Tour,” where he continued his work as a dancer and eventually settle in Paris to pursue his freelance career as an interdisciplinary performing artist. 

KATIE GARCÍA (Rehearsal Director / Dancer) is a dynamic force in the dance world, known for her expertise as both a performer and educator. A graduate of The Juilliard School, she has trained at premier institutions such as New World School of the Arts, Dance Town Studios Miami, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and Springboard Danse Montréal. Following her graduation, she became a key member of Parsons Dance, where she performed for two and a half years while also expanding her portfolio with freelance and collaborative projects. After joining BODYTRAFFIC, she served as assistant choreographer to Joan Rodriguez's commissioned work Bloquea'o. Katie’s influence extends into academia, where she has led master classes at elite colleges and universities. Her passion for community engagement is evident in her work with outreach programs like GLUCK, TAP for Life, and Dance for Parkinson’s Disease, through which she has brought movement and healing to hospitals, wellness centers, and communities in both New York City and Miami. Internationally, Katie has made her mark by co-leading a project in Botswana, providing dance education and movement therapy to children with physical, cognitive and developmental disabilities. Her creative endeavors reach beyond live performance; she has co-produced dance films with Joan Rodriguez, featured at festivals such as the Blacktinx Dance Festival, Solo Duo Dance Festival, and Dumbo Dance Festival. Additionally, her work has been showcased in collaboration with mixed media artist Anna Khachatryan at a prominent NYC SOHO art gallery. Katie’s career exemplifies her dedication to the transformative power of dance, both as an art form and as a tool for education and healing. This is Katie’s fourth season dancing with BODYTRAFFIC, and her first season as Rehearsal Director. 

PEDRO GARCIA began his studies at the National Conservatory of Lisbon, working with teachers including Mikahall Zavialova, Irina Zavialova, Catarina Moreira, and José Luís Vieira, among others.  In 2014, he won the 3° prize at Tanzolymp Competition in Berlin.  He received his diploma in 2015  and continued on to earn a degree from School Superieure de Danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower.  Pedro joined the junior ballet Rosella Hightower DNSP3 for one year and then went on to join the Ballet Nacional de Marseille, where he worked with Emio Greco and Pieter C. Scholten until 2018. In  2019, he joined Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contemporaneo, under the direction of Vasco Wellenkamp. Pedro has worked with choreographers Nelia Pinheiro and André Mesquita, and joined Quórum Ballet for one season, where he worked with Daniel Cardoso and Lior Tavori. This is Pedro’s fourth season with BODYTRAFFIC. 

ANAYA GONZALEZ is originally from Ohio and is currently a Contemporary Dance Major at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) to receive her BFA. During her time at UNCSA, they have worked and performed pieces by notable choreographers such as Darrell Moultrie, Rena Butler, Trey McIntyre, film work with Ashley Lindsay, and more. She has also been studying some of the core techniques of modern dance, such as Cunningham, Alexander, Limón, and Horton, along with classical and contemporary ballet. 

ALANA JONES is a Houston native. She is a founding member of Vitacca Dance Project under the direction of Kelly Ann Vitacca and trained under Ballet Master Phillip Broomhead while attending the High School of Performing and Visual Arts. In 2014, Alana was accepted on scholarship and trained with American Ballet Theatre and Dance Theatre of Harlem. After that, Alana was accepted on scholarship to SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, where she received her BFA. While at Purchase, she was invited into the ballet concentration, where she performed and studied works by George Balanchine, Norbert De la Cruz, Michelle Ulerich, and Colby Damon. She has also trained with Ballet X, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, and Arts Umbrella.  Alana earned her BFA and began her professional career with Visceral Dance Chicago. This is Alana’s fourth season with BODYTRAFFIC. 

JOAN RODRIGUEZ (Rehearsal Director / Dancer) is a Cuban-born dancer, choreographer, and educator known for his dynamic versatility, seamlessly blending Afro-Latin, contemporary, and multimedia styles. He graduated from the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Arte, earning the “Best Graduate of the Year” award, and began his career with DanzAbierta and Malpaso Dance Company. In 2016, after relocating to the United States as a political refugee, Joan moved to Arizona, where he focused on creating, teaching, and producing multimedia projects in collaboration with museums and as Guest Faculty for Arizona State University. His journey continued in New York with Parsons Dance, where he choreographed an original work for the 2018 GenerationNow fellowship. He later created an original work for Connecticut Ballet, while serving as Guest Artist in Residence at various universities and arts centers across the U.S. Joan plays a pivotal role at BODYTRAFFIC as the master teacher in education and outreach, Social Media Manager, and lead content creator. His acclaimed commissioned work, Bloquea’o, has toured the U.S., and he is now preparing for a second commission. Joan’s passion lies in building community through dance, sharing movement across diverse settings, and pioneering innovative intersections between performance and media. This is Joan’s fourth season dancing with BODYTRAFFIC, and his first season as Rehearsal Director. 

JORDYN SANTIAGO  is originally from North Carolina and is a dancer, teacher and choreographer currently based in Los Angeles, CA. Jordyn grew up training at The Dance Theatre of Jacksonville, under the direction of Debra Baile. She has traveled and trained across the United States as well as abroad in Israel and Europe. Jordyn has studied with artists such as Danielle Agami, Jiri Pokorny, Medhi Walerski, Adi Salant, Bryan Arias, Diana Matos and Melissa Jackson. Jordyn has toured as a backup dancer with Los Angeles based band Half Alive. She had the opportunity of dancing for the motion picture production of In The Heights with Warner Brothers Entertainment. Jordyn has performed at the Lincoln Center in Washington D.C in an Opera titled Prism under the direction of Beth Morrison Projects. Jordyn has danced in music videos for Griffin Matthews, Zolita and Buzz’s newest single “Soul”. She has also taught at several well-regarded institutions and collectives, including Peridance Capezio Center, Broadway Dance Center, Brick House NYC, Marymount Manhattan, The University of the Arts and University of North Carolina Greensboro. Jordyn had the opportunity of presenting her first solo work  All There Is in Los Angeles for an all Queer Artist showcase. This year she also has the opportunity of setting a work on her fellow company members of BODYTRAFFIC. This is Jordyn’s fourth season with BODYTRAFFIC. She is incredibly grateful to get to travel the world alongside such a dynamic group of artists and is looking forward to sharing more of her personal work with audiences of all kinds

Creative Collaborators  

CHRISTOPHER ASH (Lighting, Video & Set Design, I Forgot The Start)’s work has been seen in 13 countries and been recognized for 15 awards. Equally at home designing projections, scenery or lighting for theatre, opera, and dance as well as direction and cinematography for film. Christopher is currently involved in a multi-phase Guggenheim Works and Process commission with artist John Jarboe that is exploring gender resulting from an act of cannibalism. He is also co-creator of an ongoing multi-sensory performance piece “Body Language” with Dublin based dance artist David Bolger and CoisCéim Dance Theatre that has been experienced at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This piece combines choreography with real-time live interviews, photography, video projection, and music. His opera designs have been seen at The Met, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Canadian Opera, and Houston Grand Opera, and broadway credits include, Sunday in the Park with George (starring Jake Gyllenhaal), Saint Joan, Network, The Prince of Broadway, the Crucible, and On The Town. Christopher holds an MFA in design from the Yale School of Drama. 

RICKY MATUTE (Percussionist Bloquea’o) is a Latin GRAMMY-Award-winning percussionist and composer from Barranquilla, Colombia. He graduated from Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor's degree in Film Scoring and Contemporary Writing and Production with a minor in Video Game Scoring after receiving a full tuition scholarship from the college and being the recipient of the Gifted Scholarship given by the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation. Ricky has extensive experience as a percussionist in different genres and has played in venues and events around Latin America and the United States, such as the Latin Grammys’ Person of the Year Gala 2019, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Barranquijazz Festival. In addition to this, he was invited as an artist to the Cordoba Drum Camp in Argentina to teach a master class about Colombian percussion instruments and rhythms.

PEDRO OSUNA (Music Composition, Bloqua’o) is a composer, conductor, and producer whose music can be heard in films and concert halls around the world. A native of Granada, Spain, Osuna trained in Classical music before pursuing his studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he graduated with the highest honors and received the most prestigious awards in film scoring and fugue writing. He continued his studies under the guidance of Nadia Boulanger’s student Isaiah Jackson at Berklee and Leonard Bernstein’s disciple and GRAMMY-winning composer Richard Danielpour at UCLA. He has since composed commissioned works for top orchestras, ensembles, dancers, and artists worldwide, including GRAMMY-winning Hila Plitmann, Sophia Bacelar, the Firdaus Orchestra, Diotima Quartet, and GRAMMY-winning Los Angeles Children’s Chorus. Osuna has also collaborated on some of the most influential projects of our time, such as No Time To Die, the World Expo, Klaus, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Lightyear. The latter two were scored by Oscar-winning composer/director Michael Giacchino, who recommended Osuna to score Santiago Mitre’s Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated film Argentina, 1985, which earned him a Platino Award nomination for best score. He resides in Los Angeles and continues creating music, transcending genres and boundaries.

DORA QUINTANILLA (Producer) is originally from Monterrey, México. Her studies and career as a dancer informed her understanding of how to handle the production and management of dance companies. She has collaborated as a performer, stage manager, production/tour manager, and assistant to Artistic Directors with different national and international artists in multidisciplinary projects. She served as Artist & Event Services Manager at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival for five years, and in 2013, she relocated to Los Angeles, CA, where she joined BODYTRAFFIC as the first full-time staff member. In 2019, Dora was lucky to move back to her native Monterrey to be closer to her family and worked in a K-12 private school as the Performing Arts Program Director. She is elated to return to Los Angeles with her beloved BODYTRAFFIC family.  

MÁRION TALÁN DE LA ROSA (Costume Designer, I Forgot The Start & Bloquea’o) was born in Mexico City, Mexico. Márion has nurtured her work by collaborating with artists and innovators of dance, drama, music, and opera for over the last two decades. Some of her recent collaborators include Julia Wolfe, Heather Christian, Jennifer Freeman, Sonya Tayeh, Conrad Tao, Anne Kauffman, Esperanza Spalding, Chanel DaSilva, Antonio Brown, Spencer Theberge, and Jermaine Spivey. Her work has been featured with many renowned companies and venues, such as La Jolla Playhouse, The Juilliard School, Ars Nova,   Gibney Dance, Limon Dance, Parsons Dance, Fall for Dance at City Center, The New York Philharmonic, Guggenheim Works in Process, AMP Dance, BAM Next Wave Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, and The Joyce Theater. Márion was nominated for The Lucille Lortel Award in 2022 and profiled in multiple media outlets, including The New York Times, Broadway World, Broadway Blog, Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Broad Street Review. (mariontalandelarosa.com) 

SUUVI (Cellist Bloquea’o) is a Cuban-Chinese cellist and interdisciplinary artist who has performed and featured her work in venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and The Berlin Philharmonie, MoMA NY, La Fondation Louis Vuitton, and The Tel Aviv Museum of Art. She frequently collaborates across various artistic disciplines, including film, fashion, visual art, and, most prominently, dance. She has commissioned and performed works with members of San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Atlanta Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, Sacramento Ballet, Danish Dance Theatre, SF Danceworks, and BODYTRAFFIC, on whose board she serves. She has also toured across Europe, Asia, and The Middle East as the solo cellist for Hans Zimmer's live show. SUUVI's musical language builds on her classical training and ranges in genres from classical, jazz, Latin, and film to pop, R&B, hip-hop, and electronic. SUUVI was accepted to Juilliard at age ten and trained there as a cellist, pianist, and composer, as well as at Le Conservatoire de Paris, The Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler, and La Fondation Louis Vuitton. During her joint Artist Diploma at Juilliard and Columbia University, she also studied film and acting. Since 2021, she has been an artist in residence at San Francisco Conservatory's Technology and Applied Composition Department. 

CLIFTON TAYLOR (Lighting Designer, Blue Until June) has created designs for Broadway as well as opera, theater and dance companies around the world. He has worked with Trey McIntyre for more than two decades. His designs for dance have been commissioned for the repertories of the Royal Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Rambert, Mikhailovsky, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco, Boston, and Washington Ballets, among others. He has been named a Knight of Illumination in the UK for his work in dance lighting. His book, Color & Light, has become a standard text for lighting programs all over the world, and he enjoys painting when he’s not in a theater. 

SANDRA WOODALL (Costume & Set Designer, Blue Until June) is a visual artist and scenic and costume designer. Ms. Woodall has contributed scenic and costume designs to San Francisco Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, and the national ballet companies of Finland, Georgia, and Norway, the State Opera Ballet of Austria, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Project, and Singapore Dance Theatre as well as Nancy Karp + Dancers, on many occasions. She has received five Isadora Duncan awards in dance and many Critics Circle awards in theatre. In 2015-16, Ms. Woodall contributed scenic and costume designs for the premiere season of Theatre Above in Shanghai, China, working with playwright and director Stan Lai. In 2019, she again worked with Mr. Lai in Berkeley and in Shanghai on the premiere of his six-hour production AGO. She has worked with many other choreographers, including Val Caniparoli, Jorma Elo, Trey McIntyre, Yuri Possokhov, Amy Seiwert, Michael Smuin, Helgi Tomasson, Della Davidson, Victoria Mordan, Adam Hoagland, Margaret Jenkins and Brenda Way, among others.

MARGARET SELBY, President, Selby/Artists MGMT

262 West 38^th Street, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10018

mselby@selbyartistsmgmt.com | Office: 212-382-3260

Bob Romney, Chairman
Community Leader

Gary Fabian, Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer
Kind Lending

William Parker, Secretary
Professor Emeritus Physics and Astronomy
University of California, Irvine

DIRECTORS

Eugene Choi
Betty Martinez Franco
Harason Horowitz
Terry Jones
Mike Kerr
Jennifer Klein
Dr. Tiffany Ana López
Bonnie Lubock
James Mai
Sherry L. K. Main
Jerry Mandel, Ph.D.
Christopher Ramsey
Richard and Cheryll Ruszat
Kathleen Treseder, Ph.D.
Stuart Winston
Anu Worah

HONORARY

Larry Agran
Mayor, City of Irvine
 
Howard Gillman, Ph.D.
Chancellor
University of California, Irvine

Public Partners
City of Irvine and UC Irvine

Official Health Care Partner
UCI Health

Corporate Sponsor
Haskell & White LLP

$50, 000+

Tom and Mayumi Adams

Paul and Bonnie Lubock

Thomas Rogers and Sally Anderson

Worah Family Foundation

$25, 000-$49, 999

Gerrit and Amy Cole Foundation

The Hiland Foundation

Bill and Carolyn Klein

The Richard and Elizabeth Steele Fund

Judy and Wes Whitmore

$10, 000 -$24,999

Gregory Bates and Joann Leatherby

Clifford and Jennifer Cheng

Eugene and Carol Choi

Paul and Anne Devore

Farhang Foundation

David and Trudi Gartley

Mike Gordon

Haskell & White LLP

Harason Horowitz

Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation

Terry and Judy Jones

Mike Kerr and Jenny Backhaus

Liza Krassner

Jerry and Whitney Mandel

Goran Matijasevic

Dot and Rick Nelson

Mary Watson-Bruce

William and Janice Parker Family Fund

William and Pat Podlich

Robert E. Romney

Richard and Cheryll Ruszat – Montessori Schools of Irvine

Al Spector and Tatjana Soli

Greg Zaret

Charlie and Ling Zhang

$5, 000 - $9, 999

Stephen and Mary Auerbach

Robert and Lillyan Cendejas

Rohit Deshpande and Anita Watumull

Gary Fabian and Deb Solon

Chuck and Janet Henze

Eleanor Jaffy and Andrew Vollero

Jack and Joy Kayajanian

Robert Kazer and Jill Richter

Ken and Chantelle Labowe - Labowe Family Foundation

Josh Martin, Emerald Real Estate Partners, and Tom Politowski

James McGaugh

Natalie Miles

Tom Newmeyer

Andrei Olenicoff Memorial Foundation

James and Lynn Payne

Christopher and Lynne Ramsey

Salwa Rizkalla

Adreana Souleles

Craig and Kirsten Springer

Alexander and Sachiyo Stimpson

Ms. Renee Walter

Brian and Beth West

$2,500 - $4, 999

Terri Beber and Terry McDonald

Ellen Breitman and Brien Amspoker

Terry Causey

Albert and Anne Encinias

Arlene and Steven Fienberg

Douglas and Kathleen Forde

Greg and Sumie Haase

Michael and Charisse Lyseight

Patricia M. McIntyre Foundation Fund at the Chicago Community Foundation

Mark J. Nielsen

Marcia Novegrod

Arthur Ong and Ginger Sun

Bill and Joyce Perrone

Ron and Jan Redmond

Bob and Jo Anne Simon

Eric and Donna Stovner

Kurt and Ellen Youngs

Robert Zasa and Judy Amiano

$1,000 -$2,499

Beth and Michael Adler

Charlotte W. and Richard D. Alexander Charitable Foundation

Scott and Katherine Arbuckle

Diane and Dennis Baker

James Carter

Alice and Dennis Creighton

Brad Crosley

Gail Doe

Jeanne Egasse and Boyd Philpot

Francis and Ruby Foo

David and Judy Fukuda

Stanford Gertler

Gary Good and Jackie Charnley

Roger and Patt Grable

Geeta and Sanjiv Grover

Loren Hansen and Lorraine Caukin

Karen Kewell Jacoby

Dr. Elliott Kornhauser and Mr. Joe Baker

Rachel Levin

Lutz Moeckel

Janis and Dave Murray

James Pick and Rosalyn Laudati

Jill M. Prentice

Diana Putz

Joel B. Rothman

Debbie and Frank Rugani

Phil and Joy Ruggiero

Arkady and Ella Serebryannik

Sally Anne and Don Sheridan

Walter and Masami Stahr

Robert and Veronica Start

CarolAnn Tassios

$500 -$999

Dana and Angelika Aswad

John W. Ballantyne

Michelle Bentcliff and Ann Litke

Judy Bloomingdale

Wayne and Nancy Broadhag

Robert Cassidy

Esther Cervantes and Steve Rivero

Denise B. Chilcote

Michael and Melanie Cooper

Joan Donahue

Ann Donat

Nancy Eisenberg

Christine Fluor and Walter Scacchi

Margaret Gates, with gratitude for your education commitment

S. Glass Family

Gleicher / Chen Family Foundation

Marcus Hickerson

Melvin and Hazel Hoshiko

Kathleen Koch

Sally Kurnick

Holly Larsen

John LaRue

John Long and Tamara Taylor

Han Dinh and Martin Le

Patti Martinez

Dr. & Mrs. John Middlebrooks

Susan M. Mason

Kenneth Niedziela

Rey O'Day

Mike Peak

Arnold and Nancy Raymon

Bebe and Otto Reyer

Karen Rook

Kent Sentinella

Joe Simrell

Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Sutton

Dr. Anthony Vasek

Fred and Patricia Viele

Emily Crean Vogler

Chuck and Marilyn Wright

$250 - $499

The Aber Group Inc

Mark Achong

Fredric and Lisa Albert

Mike Baginski and Kim Ling

Mrs. Kaui Balderston

Pat and Kate

George and Linda Bauer

Ms. Suzanne M. Becker

Bruce Beckman

Sally Bender

William and Annette Blaney

Ms. Nancy Braden

Peter and Kari Bretschger

Mr. Jelle Brons

David and Lisa Butler

Robert and Valerie Carter

Michael Casey

Luisa Cano

Eileen and Henry Cohen

Anahid Crecelius

Mike Davis

Myrtle Deakins

Mary Susan Denley

Don and Debra Drysdale

Kent and Irene Dunlap

Doug Elliott

Kelly YuehChun Feng

Joanne Fernbach

Ilone and Darin Gibson

Aimee Gromfin

Mr. & Mrs. Mark Hollingsworth

Haylee Homs

Harason Horowitz and Mark Chapin Johnson

Korey Jorgensen

Jessica Kaltman

Judy Kaufman

Kerry Krisher

Bruce Larson

Michael Lawler

Vicki and Richard Lee

Edward Luedke

Ramon Lugo

Capt. Kevin M. Mac Donnell

Dr. Frank and Mrs. Linda Meyskens

William D. Miller and Florence E. Miller

Daniel Morrison

Mr. Ramon Munoz

Ms. Maryellen Musgrave

Susan O'Brien

Cyrus Parker-Jeannette

Jorge Perez Valdes

Mr. and Mrs. Rivadeneyra

Josh and Carolyn Roberts

Dr. Stephen Rochford

Gary and Melanie Singer Charitable Fund

Kris and Geraldine Shah

Kim Smith

Dorothy J. Solinger

Tina Sommers-Bernhardt

Michael and Marilyn Staffieri

Daniel and Jeanne Stokols

Ingrid Strayer

Sullivan Family

Kim Tang

Cindy Tyan

Alvin Umeda

Jeanne Villacorte

Beth Waterman

Nella Webster

Carl and Deborah Weinert

Mark and Lou-Ann Weltman

Hemantha and Sophie Wickramasinghe

Jim and Sandra Williams

Dexter and Gisele Winzey

Gary and Cathy Wyatt

Kelley Yasbek

Andy and Wendy Yurcho

$100-$249

Brian and Gloria Abrams

Susan Adleman

Hoku and Kalani Aichele

Lillian Aranda

Theresa Battel

Rosanne and William Beam

Melissa Beck and Daniel Pugh

Chris Blank and Josie Badeaux

Paul Blank

Carol Boot-Storie

Kerry and Paul Boulian

Mr. and Mrs. J. Boyer

William and Lindsay Brennan

Mr. Steven Brenneis

Gary and Wendy Bryan

Dawn Burdick

Mr. & Mr. Christopher Cabrera

Peggy Campbell

Patrick J. Chambers

Chara Orthodontics

Grace Chen

Jeff Corp

David Coscia and Mark Armstrong

Donna Cox

Vivian Daniel

Charles Davison

Matt and Jane Delorenzo

RJ, Rita, and Timmy De Rama

Rhea Dorn

Ernest Duarte

Ron and May Duff

Eduardo and Elise Espinosa

Jim and Diane Ewing

Aviva and Fred Forster

Ms. Ellen Fujikawa

Eileen Garbutt

Charles Gates

Mr. John Gibbs

Ian and Kari Gibson

Ben and Sandie Goelman

Michael and Kristina Golden

Kevin and Candice Gomez

Anna Gonosova

Ms. Judith Guffey

Patricia Hansen

Gayle and Phil Harp

Jennifer Hart

Fred and Cheryl Heinecke

Edwin Henderson

Richard and Jacqueline Heyendal

Julie Hill

Peter Holden and Angela Howley-Holden

Holmes Family

Rita B Hopper

Dr. Dena Hulbert

W. Itoga & Sons

Gary Jackson and Linda Globerman Jackson

Laurie Jacobs

Judy Jones

Audrey Kapelinski

John Keating

Angela Kraus

Arlene Kato and Mike Kurihara

Kyle and Cherrill Kawakami

Kenneth Keller

Lynne Koffler

Colin and Joan Koransky

Karen Kotake

Mr. Richard Krey

Jennifer and Robert Langer

Lorna Larson-Paugh

Robert and Karen Lechich

Paul E. Len

Cheryl and James Lewis

Amy Li

Anne Llewellyn

Willard and Bettina Loomis

Mr. Robert Lopez

Lorena Mague

Dr. Sari Mahon

Ms. Amira Mansour

Christine A. Marx

Robert Mashihara

Thomas and Glynett Mcteer

Erica Morikawa

Dr. and Mrs. John Mull

Elaine and Cameron Mummery

Tasha and Owen Naccarato

Richard Nakai and Cindy Wederich

Virginia Olson

Lisa Osako

Judy Oswald

Hon. Julie Owen

Lauren and Richard Packard

Tom and Diane Pardue

Gerald Parham

Thomas and Davida Parham

Ms. Julie Patterson

Karin S. Paul

Dr. Dolly Platt

Brian Paegel and Jeremy Pyle

Lois Rake

Paul Ramey

Elaine Ramsay

Brad Rawlins

Kenneth Reinhard and Julia Reinhard Lupton

Anita and Bruce Reisman

Dennis and Marie Richman

In Memory of Irene DeNoia

Paul Schmidhauser and Cindy Hughes

Paul and Kristen Schmidt

Jack and Katharine Schoellerman

Jill Sekiguchi, DDS

Michael Sheffield

George Sidorakis

Tom Slickelman

John L. Smith and Mary Anne Anthony-Smith

Karen R. Speros

Jack and Molly Spiegel

D. Stroebel

James and Nadine Turner

Joanne Vargas

Linda Venezia

Kathy Vickers and Jeremy Freimund

Elliot Vogelfanger

Michele and Irwin Walot

David and Renee Warren

Bruce and Susie White

Steven and Elizabeth White

Roxanne Wong

Henry and Yen Yang Wu

Susan Yee

$150+

Mark Achong
Nancy and Wayne Broadhag
Hoku and Mark Aichele
Mrs. Kaui Balderston
Gregory Bates and Joann Leatherby
Melissa Beck and Daniel Pugh
Paul Blank
Christopher Blank and Josie Badeaux
Laura Brandlin
David Coscia and Mark Armstrong
Charles and Maureen Davison
Susan Lindquist de la Parra
RJ, Rita, and Timmy De Rama
Mark and Kathi Denny
John Elwood
Eduardo and Elsie Espinosa
James Evans
Ian and Kari Gibson
Kevin and Candice Gomez
Roger and Patt Grable
Judith Guffey
Patricia Hansen
Gayle and Phil Harp
Arlene and Mike Kato
Kyle and Cherrill Kawakami
Kathleen Koch
Duane and Kathie Mauzey
Janis and Dave Murray
Hon. Julie A. C. Owen
Julie Patterson
Christopher and Lynne Ramsey
Brad and Susie Rawlins
Jill Sekiguchi
Tom Slickelman
T. Sommers-Bernhardt
Michael and Marilyn Staffieri
Cindy Thomas
Fred and Patricia Viele
David and Renee Warren
Roxanne Wong
Andrew and Wendy Yurcho

$10 monthly

Mr. and Mrs. J. Boyer
Vivian Daniel
Karen Kotake
Traci Shirachi and Cory Chhiap

$75 month

As a partner in the annual National Choreographers Initiative, Irvine Barclay Theatre is also pleased to acknowledge all those who support this important contribution to American dance.

National Choreographers Initiative 2026
Molly Lynch, Artistic Director

Honorary Producer 

Bobbi Cox

Joanne and Dennis Keith

Barbara Roberts

Michelle Rohé

Richard and Elizabeth Steele Endowment Fund

Choreographer Sponsor

Terry Causey

Sophie and Larry Cripe

Judi Gorski

Diane Silber

Dancer Sponsor

Ellen Breitman and Brien Amspoker

James Carter

Croul Family Foundation

Janet and Henry Eggers

Mary and Andrew Franklin

Artistic Sponsor

Alan Andrews and Molly Lynch

Betsy Andrews and Alex Moad

Diane Diefenderfer and David Hanlon

Gale Edelberg and Bob Butnik

Gillian Finley and Robert Labaree

Carol Hamilton

Nancy and Ned Kriz

Dr. Rosalyn Laudati and Dr. James Pick

Kathryn Lynch and Robert McDonnell

Rachelle Menaker and Eddie Schuller

Marica Pendjer and John Miller

Andrew Rose

Sally Anne and Don Sheridan

Paula Tomei and David Emmes

Lynn Weiser and Mike Tompkins

Patron Sponsor

Dr. Michael Bear

Stacie Brandt

Laurie and Bart Brown

Gail and Denis Kalscheur

David Carmichael

Joseph Herron and Dana Klein

Chuck Johnston

Margi and John Murray

Diana Putz

Kim Smith

Jenny Szabo

Karen and Gary Thorne

Barbara and Jack Tingley

Dance Shoe Sponsor

Diane and Dennis Baker

Darci Bodin

Bronny Daniels

Roberta Fox

Sharon McNalley

Ivar Roth, Concierge Podiatry & Spa

Katy and Jack Schoellerman

Ann and Richard Sim

Linda and Steve Weitz

Dance Partner

Ellen Fujikawa

Mike Kerr and Jenny Backhaus

Maurice and Alexandra Mandel

Edward McPherson

Rita Mitchell

Mitsuhiko and Reiko Nakano

Dr. Janice Gudde Plastino

Rosalind Russell

Joseph Sheridan

Dan & Jeanne Stokols

Robert Strang

Mary Vensel White

Update as of 7/14/26

DONATE TODAY

Please consider making a donation to support the work of the National Choreographers Initiative. We need your contributions to support the dancers and choreographers involved in the project. Be an angel to the arts-dance! Thank you!

Send your donation to: NCI 3334 E. Coast Hwy #276, Corona del Mar CA 92625