Welcome to the 21st anniversary of the National Choreographers Initiative! We are excited to be here sharing the joy and creative process of dance with you. Thank you for joining us and supporting the artists and their collaborations.

Over these 21 years, NCI has hosted 84 choreographers (37women), 185 dancers from 60 different companies, and showcased new works – 36 of which have been produced by companies throughout the United States. We have raised $2.6m in support of the creative process.

When I first began the initiative, I wanted to create a laboratory that would foster the development of new works without the strict deadlines and expectations of a premiere.

This project is made possible through the vision and commitment of the NCI Advisory Committee. The partnership with Irvine Barclay Theatre has been central to the success of NCI, as they act as our fiscal agent and present the Discovery showing. We are also grateful to UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts - Dance Department, which provides the studio space for our rehearsals. And thanks to the Claire Trevor School of the Arts - Props Department and South Coast Repertory.

NCI Discovery showing features new work from four innovative choreographers – Natasha Adorlee, Glenn Edgerton, Makino Hayashi and Morgan Sicklick – created during a three-week intensive process with 16 professional dancers from 13 different companies. I hope you will engage in the creative process and join our discussion at the conclusion of the showing.

I extend my sincerest thanks to all of the individual donors who contribute to this project! We could not do NCI without your continued support and involvement! 

Thank you for joining us and for supporting dance!

NCI DISCOVERY '25
21st Anniversary

Molly Lynch: Artistic Director
Monique L’Heureux: Production Director/Lighting Designer
Kaity Kistler: Costume Coordinator
Brooke Lester: Assistant & Social Media
Skye Schmidt Varga: Photographer
Terry Gordon: Videographer

Choreographers

Natasha Adorlee, Glenn Edgerton, Makino Hayashi, Morgan Sicklick

Dancers

Brooke Gilliam, Amelia Grubb, Elizabeth Kanning, Alyssa Manguiat, Darcy McLoughlin, Gabrielle Mengden, Rachele Perla, Emily Speed

Nicolas Bierwagen, Julian Goodwin-Ferris, Logan Hillman, Isaac Jones, Sean Sessions, Hunter Solomon, Spencer Wetherington, Nathan Young

PROGRAM

You Never Know

Choreographer: Glenn Edgerton

Music

Max Richter: “Beginnings and Endings,” “Wershe & Son,” “I Will Not Forget You”; Vicente Avella: “Infrared”; Message To Bears: “Closed Doors”

Dancers

Brooke Gilliam, Elizabeth Kanning, Alyssa Manguiat, Darcy McLoughlin, Rachele Perla, Emily Speed, Nicolas Bierwagen, Julian Goodwin-Ferris, Isaac Jones, Sean Sessions, Hunter Solomon, Spencer Wetherington

‘past’ unfinished love letter

Choreographer: Makino Hayashi

Music

Robert Bush: “Between Worlds”

Dancers

Amelia Grubb, Logan Hillman, Gabrielle Mengden, Nathan Young

-INTERMISSION-

Armor Off

Choreographer: Morgan Sicklick

Music

human gazpacho: “Dusty Cartridge”; Sergey Cheremisinov: “Crystal Echoes,” “Lavender”; Kirk Osamayo: “Autumn Leaves,” “Polaroids,” “Melancholy Fear,” “Shooting star”

Dancers

Spencer Wetherington

Amelia Grubb, Logan Hillman, Elizabeth Kanning, Rachele Perla, Sean Sessions, Emily Speed

The Word Was Made Flesh

Choreographer: Natasha Adorlee

Music

Ben Frost: “All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated”; Rival Consoles “Unfold”; Souad Massi: “Raoui”; Ran Bagno: “Masculine”; Samuel Barber: “Agnus Dei”

Dancers

Brooke Gilliam, Alyssa Manguiat, Darcy McLoughlin, Gabrielle Mengden, Nicolas Bierwagen, Julian Goodwin-Ferris, Isaac Jones, Hunter Solomon, Nathan Young

We carry grief in our bones.
Ancestral, unspoken, alive.
It speaks in breath, in touch, in the way the body yields or resists.
Still, we move. Not to resolve, but to listen.
To trace where it lives and maybe, for a moment offer it back to the earth.
Love is made flesh. Grief is made flesh. Resistance is made flesh.

Q & A with Molly Lynch, Natasha Adorlee, Glenn Edgerton, Makino Hayashi, Morgan Sicklick

Sophie Cripe, chair
Ellen Breitman
Bobbi Cox
Diane Diefenderfer
Gale Edelberg
Joanne Keith
Diane Silber
Jenny Szabo
Lynn Weiser

National Choreographers Initiative 2025
Molly Lynch, Artistic Director

The National Choreographers Initiative would like to thank the following individuals for their support of the 2025 project:

Honorary Producer 

Bobbi Cox

Michelle Rohé

Richard and Elizabeth Steele

Endowment Fund

Choreographer Sponsor

Terry Causey

Sophie and Larry Cripe

Judi Gorski

Joanne and Dennis Keith

Barbara Roberts

Diane Silber

Dancer Sponsor

James Carter

Janet and Henry Eggers

Artistic Sponsor

Alan Andrews and Molly Lynch

Betsy Andrews and Alex Moad

Ellen Breitman and Brien Amspoker

Laurie and Bart Brown

Diane Diefenderfer and David Hanlon

Gale Edelberg and Bob Butnik

Mary and Andrew Franklin

Janice Hobbs

Nancy and Ned Kriz

Kathryn Lynch and Robert McDonnell

Rachelle Menaker and Eddie Schuller

Marica Pendjer and John Miller

Andrew Rose

Sally Anne and Don Sheridan

Jenny Szabo

Paula Tomei and David Emmes

Lynn Weiser and Mike Tompkins

Patron Sponsor

Dr. Michael Bear

Stacie Brandt

Beverly and David Carmichael

Gillian Finley and Robert Labaree

Chuck Johnston

Dr. Burton Karson

Rosalyn Laudati and James Pick

Sharon McNalley

Margi and John Murray

Diana Putz

Kim Smith

Karen and Gary Thorne

Dance Shoe Sponsor

Diane and Dennis Baker

Victoria Barrett

Darci Bodin

Bronny Daniels

Ivar Roth, Concierge Podiatry & Spa

Katy and Jack Schoellerman

Joseph Sheridan

Ann and Richard Sim

Linda and Steve Weitz

Dance Partner

William Bardens

Joy Dittberner

Roberta L. Fox

Mrs. Denis Gray

Carol Hamilton

Mike Kerr and Jenny Backhaus

Maurice and Alexandra Mandel

Edward McPherson

Rita Mitchell

Mitsuhiko and Reiko Nakano

Dr. Janice Gudde Plastino

Robbie Prepas

Paula Reiter

Robert Strang

Barbara Tingley

Mary Vensel White

Update as of 7/14/25

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

2024 Choreographers
Charles Askegard
Cherice Barton
DaYoung Jung
Donna Salgado

2023 Choreographers
Kristopher Estes-Brown
Ye Li
Ian Schwaner
Carrie Ruth Trumbo

2022 Choreographers
Emily Adams
Leiland Charles
Jennifer Hart
Gina Patterson

2021 Choreographers
Sean Aaron Carmon
Mari Meade
Katarzyna Skarpetowska
Eva Stone

2019 Choreographers
Julia Feldman
Alan Hineline
Alex Ketley
Tom Mattingly

2018 Choreographers
Kevin Jenkins
David Justine
Ilya Kozadayev
Mariana Oliveira

2017 Choreographers
Suzanne Haag
Robert Mills
Penny Saunders
Christopher Stuart

2016 Choreographers
Tom Gold
Nicole Haskins
Stepanie Martinez
Ben Needham-Wood

2015 Choreographers
Nicolas Blanc
Norberto De La Cruz
Jimmy Orrante
Sarah Tallman

2014 Choreographers
Barry Kerollis
Gabrielle Lamb
Philip Neal
Garrett Smith

2013 Choreographers
David Fernandez
Susan McCullough
Kitty McNamee
Petr Zahradnicek

2012 Choreographers
Melissa Barak
Thang Dao
Darrell Grand Moultrie
Wendy Seyb

2011 Choreographers
Brian Enos
Heather Maloy
Peter Pucci
Paula Weber

2010 Choreographers
Anne Marie DeAngelo
Helen Heineman
Peter Quanz

2009 Choreographers
Sidra Bell
Deanna Carter
Rick McCullough
Olivier Wevers

2008 Choreographers
Amy Seiwert
Edmund Stripe
Emery LeCrone
Ma Cong

2007 Choreographers
Melissa Barak
Frank Chaves
Edwaard Liang
Jerry Opdenaker

2006 Choreographers
Ron De Jesus
Graham Lustig
Charles Moulton
Gina Patterson

2005 Choreographers
Val Caniparoli
Christopher d'Amboise
William Soleau
Luca Veggetti

2004 Choreographers
Ann Marie DeAngelo
Peter Pucci
James Sewell
Lynne Taylor-Corbett

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