Welcome to the 19th annual National Choreographers Initiative! We are jumping for joy to be back this year and excited to be collaborating and creating new works. Thank you all for your continued support and involvement with NCI!
When I first dreamt of this 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 was 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. I extend my sincerest thanks to all of the individual donors who contribute to this project! We could not do this project without your support!
NCI’s Discovery showing features new work from four innovative choreographers – Kristopher Estes-Brown, Ye Li, Ian Schwaner, and Carrie Ruth Trumbo – created during a three-week intensive process with 16 professional dancers from 15 different companies. I hope you will engage in the creative process and join our discussion at the conclusion of the showing.
Since 2004, NCI has hosted 72 choreographers (30 women), 169 dancers from 54 different companies, and showcased new works – 35 of which have been produced by companies throughout the United States. As the national scope of NCI continues to expand, I look forward to many more artistic achievements in the years to come!
Thank you for joining us and for supporting dance!
NCI DISCOVERY '23
Molly Lynch: Artistic Director
Monique L’Heureux: Production Director/Lighting Designer
Hannah Andersen: Costume Coordinator
Jacob Nguyen: Production Associate
Brooke Lester: Assistant & Social Media
Dave Friedman: Photographer
Terry Gordon: Video & Live Streaming
PROGRAM
untitled
Choreographer
Ye Li
Music
Ezio Bosso
“Weather Elements: Air, On the First Star Of The Night”
Dancers
Anwen Brown, Sophie Savas-Carsten,
Sophie Williams, Lily Wills
Daniel Kubr, Clay Murray,
Andrew Rossi, Sean Sessions
Nuit Blanche
Choreographer
Carrie Ruth Trumbo
Music
Francois Couturier
Selections from “Nuit blanche”
Dancers
Katherine Deuitch, Elizabeth Kanning,
Michelle Katcher, Saho Kumagai
Lester Gonzalez, Joseph Hetzer,
Cameron Pelton, Hunter Solomon
-Intermission-
The Order Of Time
Choreographer
Kristopher Estes-Brown
Music
Kristopher Estes-Brown
Dancers
Elizabeth Kanning, Saho Kumagai,
Sophie Savas-Carstens, Sophie Williams
Lester Gonzalez, Clay Murray,
Andrew Rossi, Sean Sessions
Solitude In Variance
Choreographer
Ian Schwaner
Music
Ludovico Einaudi: “Experience”
RomiRomi: “Reflect Yourself”
Yiruma: “River Flows In You”
Pietro Schichilone: “Experience (Piano e Violin)”
JJ Reinhold: “Filtered Sunlight”
Dancers
Anwen Brown, Katherine Deuitch,
Michelle Katcher, Lily Wills
Joseph Hetzer, Daniel Kubr,
Cameron Pelton, Hunter Solomon
Q & A with Molly Lynch, Ye Li,
Carrie Ruth Trumbo,
Kristopher Estes-Brown, Ian Schwaner
Bobbi Cox
Sophie Cripe
Diane Diefenderfer
Gale Edelberg
Joanne Keith
Sally Anne Sheridan
Jenny Szabo
Lynn Weiser
National Choreographers Initiative 2023
Molly Lynch, Artistic Director
The National Choreographers Initiative would like to thank the following individuals for their support of the 2023 project:
Honorary Producer
Terry Causey
Bobbi Cox
Mrs. William Roberts
Choreographer Sponsor
Mrs. Alan V. Andrews
Michelle Rohé
Richard and Elizabeth Steele Endowment Fund
Dancer Sponsor
James Carter
Sophie and Larry Cripe
Croul Family Foundation
Janet and Henry Eggers
Joanne and Dennis Keith
Diana M. Navarre
Michael D. Ray
Andrew Rose
Artistic Sponsor
Alan Andrews and Molly Lynch
Laurie and Bart Brown
Hillary Caston
Diane Diefenderfer and David Hanlon
Gale Edelberg and Bob Butnik
Douglas Freeman, Orange County Music and Dance
Judi Gorski
Janice Hobbs
Marica Pendjer and John Miller
Sally Anne and Don Sheridan
Diane Silber
Jenny Szabo
Paula Tomei and David Emmes
Lynn Weiser and Mike Tompkins
Patron Sponsor
Dr. Michael Bear
Ellen Breitman and Brien Amspoker
Beverly and David Carmichael
Gillian Finley and Robert Labaree
Mary and Andrew Franklin
Chuck Johnston
Dr. Burton Karson
Rosalyn Laudati and James Pick
Kathryn Lynch and Robert McDonnell
Diana Putz
Elizabeth Stahr
Dance Shoe Sponsor
Tom Alexander, DDS
Betsy Andrews and Alex Moad
Diane and Dennis Baker
Stacie Brandt
Bronny Daniels
Deanna and Dana Huff
Laurie Lewis
Margi and John Murray
Dolly Platt
Ivar Roth
Katy and Jack Schoellerman
Joseph Sheridan
Ann and Richard Sim
Karen and Gary Thorne
Linda and Steve Weitz
Laurence and Sharyn Woodhouse
Dance Partner
William Bardens
Joy Dittberner, Laguna Dance Festival
Frances Farrer
Roberta L. Fox
Barbara Granger
Rachel Gamby
Dr. and Mrs. Denis Gray
Bette Kain
Mike Kerr and Jenny Backhaus
Karen and Lorenzo Knapp
Don Laffoon and Grace Songolo
Mitsuhiko and Reiko Nakano
Dr. Janice Plastino
Kim Smith
Barbara Tingley
Max Weismair
Mary Vensel White
Update as of 7/17/23
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
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
Public Partners
City of Irvine and UC Irvine
Official Health Care Partner
UCI Health
Corporate Sponsor
Haskell & White LLP
$100,000+
Paul and Bonnie Lubock
$50, 000+
Tom and Mayumi Adams
Thomas Rogers and Sally Anderson
Worah Family Foundation
$25, 000-$49, 999
Clifford and Jennifer Cheng
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
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
Jerry and Whitney Mandel
Goran Matijasevic
William and Janice Parker Family Fund
William and Pat Podlich
Robert E. Romney
Richard and Cheryll Ruszat – Montessori Schools of Irvine
Mary Watson-Bruce
Greg Zaret
$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
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
Natalie Miles
Tom Newmeyer
Andrei Olenicoff Memorial Foundation
James and Lynn Payne
Jill M. Prentice
Christopher and Lynne Ramsey
Salwa Rizkalla
Adreana Souleles
Craig and Kirsten Springer
Alexander and Sachiyo Stimpson
Andrew Vollero
Ms. Renee Walter
Brian and Beth West
$2,500 - $4, 999
Terri Beber and Terry McDonald
Ellen Breitman and Brien Amspoker
Terry Causey
Alice and Dennis Creighton
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
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
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
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Rachel Levin
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Arkady and Ella Serebryannik
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$500 -$999
Mark Achong
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$250 - $499
The Aber Group Inc
Fredric and Lisa Albert
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Charles Davison
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Doug Elliott
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Mr. and Mrs. Rivadeneyra
Dr. Stephen Rochford
Paul Schmidhauser and Cindy Hughes
Kris and Geraldine Shah
Richard and Ann Sim
Gary and Melanie Singer Charitable Fund
Dorothy J. Solinger
Tina Sommers-Bernhardt
Daniel and Jeanne Stokols
Sullivan Family
Kim Tang
Cindy Tyan
Alvin Umeda
Jeanne Villacorte
Beth Waterman
Carl and Deborah Weinert
Mark and Lou-Ann Weltman
Hemantha and Sophie Wickramasinghe
Jim and Sandra Williams
Dexter and Gisele Winzey
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
Sally Bender
Stephen and Susan Billard
Chris Blank and Josie Badeaux
Mr. Paul Blank
Carol Boot-Storie
Kerry and Paul Boulian
Mr. and Mrs. J. Boyer
William and Lindsay Brennan
Mr. Steven Brenneis
Dawn Burdick
Mr. & Mr. Christopher Cabrera
Peggy Campbell
Dr. Michael Cater, MD
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Patrick J. Chambers
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David Coscia and Mark Armstrong
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In Memory of Irene DeNoia
Ernest Duarte
Ron and May Duff
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Armstrong
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