Spring 2019 Dance Concert Program Details

Performing Arts at CCBC
presents

SPRING 2019 Dance Concert

CCBC Dance Company Artistic Director
Melinda Blomquist

CCBC Dance Coordinator
Tommy Parlon

CCBC Dance Company Associate Director
Kristi Schaffner

Technical Director
Jason Randolph

Lighting Designer
Terri Raulie

Stage Manager
Chris Jacobs

Seamstress
Charisse Secrest

Choreographers:

Melinda Blomquist | Alice Howes | Adrienne Kraus Latanishen
Jon Lehrer | Tommy Parlon | Kristi Schaffner

April 4 at 11:10 am
April 5 at 7pm
April 6 at 7pm

PROGRAM

Home (2019)
Choreography: Tommy Parlon
Pianist: Patti Crossman
Music: At Home Patti Crossman, b. 1954
in memory of Doug Lawler
Costumes: Tommy Parlon
Dancers: Tommy Parlon and Kristi Schaffner
Composer’s Note: In the spring of 2018 Professor Tommy Parlon and I decided to collaborate on a piece for the Spring 2019 Dance Concert. I have always enjoyed composing, and I knew that this would be a good challenge for me. Around the time I began to work on the piece, our beloved staff accompanist, Doug Lawler, passed away, and I decided to compose my piece in memory of him. I chose to include melodic snippets from the arietta, “Caro mio ben,” which Doug played countless times over the years for our voice students, and the song, “What I Did for Love,” from A Chorus Line, because of its beautiful message and because Doug was a celebrated musical theatre director throughout the Baltimore-Washington area. I am humbled to be able to honor Doug, our dear friend and colleague, in this way.

Extricate (2019)
Choreography: London Smith
Music: Sarajevo by Max Richter
Costumes: London Smith
Dancers: Hanna Bold, Dorien Carroll, Anastasia McKenzie, Hannah Popowski, Kharyah Todman

unplugged (2019)
Choreography and Performance: Paij Hardy
Music: Paige and June by Hauschka
Text: Paij Hardy
Costumes: Paij Hardy
This work is in partial fulfillment of the AFA Degree in Dance

I’ll Be Whatever I Wanna Do (2019)
Choreography: Adrienne Kraus Latanishen
Music: Land of Lola performed by Billy Porter, composed by Cyndi Lauper
Costumes: Adrienne Kraus Latanishen
Dancers: Adria Applebee, Armeara Blackwell, Alexa Breakiron, Dorien Carroll, Ava Correlli, Anastasia McKenzie, Emily Minter, London Smith, Shardai Smith, Kharyah Todman

Mixed Bag (2019)
Choreography: Kristi Schaffner and Dancers
Music: Instrumental by Blanket Barricade
Costumes: Kristi Schaffner
Dancers: Hanna Bold, London Smith, Anastasia McKenzie

Clear Facts, Mucky Waters (2019)
Choreography: Emily Minter
Text: Water Facts and Research from Blue Water Baltimore
Costumes: Emily Minter
Dancers: Hanna Bold, Ava Correlli, Anastasia McKenzie, Emily Minter, Hannah Popowski

Intermission – 10 minutes

Ragtime Nocturne (2010)
Choreography: Alice Howes
Pianist: Patti Crossman
Music: Gladiolus Rag by Scott Joplin; Chopin’s Knocked Urn (after Chopin’s Nocturne in E Flat, Opus 9, No. 2) by Ethan Uslan
Costumes: Alice Howes
Dancers: Melinda Blomquist, Dorien Carroll, Anastasia McKenzie, Emily Minter, Nicholas Peacock, Hannah Popowski, London Smith, Kharyah Todman

Welcome to the Art (2018)
Choreography: Kristi Schaffner
Music: The Dream by Deep Blue Orchestra; Tape rewind Sound Effect
Text: Kristi Schaffner and Izak Michael
Costumes: Kristi Schaffner
Dancers: Dorien Carroll, Emily Minter, London Smith
This work was selected for the Gala Concert at the East-Central American College Dance Festival

Solstice (2018)
Choreography: Jon Lehrer
Music: Electric Prelude by Will Close and Late Summer by Volker Bertelmann
Costumes: Charisse Secrest
Dancers: Hanna Bold, Alexa Breakiron, Dorien Carroll, Paij Hardy, Anastasia McKenzie, Emily Minter, Nicholas Peacock, Hannah Popowski, London Smith, Kharyah Todman

Verdant Terrian (2019)
Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe
Music: Symphony No. 4 by David Diamond
Art Work by the ART 225 Painting II class under the mentorship of Sharon Trumball: Mitchel Allen, Nechama Backer, Eden Baker, Heidi Baptiste, Abigail Coffman, Zachary Greek, Deja Johnson, Joie Johnson, Destiny Lewis, Diane Rathel, Dana Siperko, Honillette Verzosa
Costumes: Melinda Blomquist and Tommy Parlon

Section I — Patapsco Dance Company
Choreography: Melinda Blomquist
Dancers: Ifetayo Carey-Blackman, Adalina DeArmand, Nyda Di Iorio, Samantha Gerke, Michaela Higginbotham, Sara Lawson, Destinie Mayo, Naomi Muthama, Kimberly Peary, April Ulrich, Rachel Wittman, Isis Wright

Section II — CCBC Dance Company
Choreography: Tommy Parlon
Dancers: Adria Applebee, Armeara Blackwell, Hanna Bold, Alexa Breakiron, Dorien Carroll, AvaCorrelli, Emily Minter, Anastasia McKenzie, Nicholas Peacock, Hannah Popowski, London Smith, Shardai Smith, Kharyah Todman

Section III — CCBC Dance Company and Patapsco Dance Company
Choreography: Melinda Blomquist and Tommy Parlon

The Dancers

ADRIA APPLEBEE
is currently in her second semester taking dance classes at CCBC, this is her first semester dancing with the CCBC Dance Company. She is a parallel enrolled homeschooler taking full-time college classes at CCBC. Adria is also a gymnast and has been training in aerial silks for 5 years. She is preparing for her 6th Aerial Showcase with Bossbabes Aerial Company in June. Her previous aerial productions include Circus, The Flight of Icarus, Under the Sea, The Odyssey, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and her upcoming show is The Great Gatsby.

ARMEARA BLACKWELL
began her dance training at Morton Street Dance Studio under the direction of Ms. Donna L. Jacobs. Since then she has also trained at A Step Ahead Dance Company and B.Funk Dance Company. She attended Perry Hall High School where she graduated in 2018. Not only is she trained in ballet and modern, but she is also a trained hip-hop dancer. This is Armeara’s second semester dancing with CCBC Dance Company.

HANNA BOLD
started dancing around the age of 3 with Rosedale Dance. She continued dance with Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts through all 4 years and graduated in the Dance Company. She’s danced with many different styles such as Flamenco and Tap. This is her first year with CCBC and the dance company and she hopes to keep dancing for the next 2 years at CCBC.

ALEX BREAKIRON
began her dance training at Dancemoves Studio of Dance at the age of 5. She continued with regular classes there until the age of 11 when she started dancing with her studio’s competitive group. She competed regionally and nationally and studied many forms of dance, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, musical theatre, and hip hop, until she graduated from high school. She then went to CCBC majoring in dance and received her AFA last June. She also studied dance at La Roche University in Pittsburgh for a year in between.

DORIEN CARROLL
was introduced to dance at age 11 when he joined the Ava Fields Dance Company/Ministry. It wasn’t until he was in the eighth grade when he realized that he wanted to take dancing to a more serious level. He was accepted into The Baltimore School for the Arts and trained in classical ballet and modern for four years. He had the honor to work with numerous choreographers and perform well known work such as Martha Graham’s “Appalachian Spring”, George Balanchine’s “Who Cares”, and many more. Dorien thanks each choreographer and cast member he’s work with for this production and his family for always supporting his craft.

AVA CORRELLI
is currently in her second semester dancing with the CCBC Dance Company, while dual-rolled as a homeschooler and CCBC student. In addition to the dance instructors at CCBC, she has studied under instructor/choreographers Amanda Dickson and Julie Foley and enjoys performing in various local theatre productions.

PAIJ HARDY
Born in Washington, DC, Paij began her training at the New Hope Academy under the instruction of Concha Egea Marchitelli. She continued her training at the Marcellus Dance Studio and under the tutelage of Michelle “Ms. Mimi” McDonald , Adrian V. James, and Maya Yamada in PG County Schools. After high school Paij attended Temple University as a dance major. Some of her memorable performances include B.E.T. television, the White House, The Kennedy Center, The Fringe Festival and the Department of Army and Navy. Paij is also the founder of aPART: Inclusive Arts Initiative, a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to promote various avenues of the arts through accessibility, training, and performance opportunities to reach the artistic voice in everyone.

MELISSA LLOYD
declared herself a Dance Major in 2008 at CCBC. Since then, she has studied and performed at the Performing Arts Center of San Diego, El Camino College in Torrance, CA under Liz Hoefner-Adamis with El Camino Dance Company, The Gibney Dance Center for Performing Arts in New York, under John Zullo with Raw Movement Dance, CCBC in Peter Pucci’s: Migration, Baltimore Theater Project under Alice Howes with Trajectory Dance Project.

ANASTASIA MCKENZIE
was born in Kirov, Russia, and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Anastasia graduated in 2015 from CCBC where she was a dance major. She recently graduated with her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography at Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina. Anastasia was a part of the pre-professional Coker Repertory Dance Company at Coker College. In 2012, Anastasia was nominated to travel to London, England to represent Maryland in dance. During the summer of 2016 she was 1 of 25 lucky dancer chosen to travel to Italy for a two-week summer dance intensive. Anastasia is currently back in school perusing another degree while continuing performing and creating choreography.

EMILY MINTER
lives in Baltimore City. She is a company member of Dance & Bmore where she performs, teaches, and provides community outreach regarding violence prevention and conflict resolution to city residents. Emily has been dancing for 10 years. During that time, she has performed with the goal of education on sensitive issues and community building. In 2014 she performed in the National Water Dance, educating the public about environmental issues affecting water.

NICHOLAS PEACOCK
began dance at the age 2 years old. Dance in the BCPS Men’s Ensemble for Vincent Thomas. Became a member of the Dance Company for Parkville High school. Then enter in the BCPS Student Choreography. In his last year dancing for Parkville High school in 2018, Nick had an Award named after him called “The Nicholas Peacock Performer of the Year Award”. This is Nick first year with the CCBC Dance Company.

HANNAH POPOWSKI
has been dancing ever since she was three years old. She began at The Moving Company and I danced there until I was fifteen, then I transferred to EMC, I danced there up until my senior year. Throughout my four years of high school I was party of the dance company in the dance program. We were trained just like we would be in a dance studio not part of school. We had the option to create student choreography and have the chance to take it to festivals.

LONDON SMITH
started her training at CCBC under Thomas Parlon. She attend New Town High School where she graduated in 2018. She has also performed with All County Honors Dance Ensemble and Deviated Theatre. This is London’s first year working with CCBC Dance Company. London plans to transferring to University of the Arts after completing her AFA degree at CCBC.

SHARDAI SMITH
began her dance training at a family friend studio and in her church dance ministry. She attended Franklin High School where she graduated in 2015. She also has danced for Rayn Fall dance studio. This is Shardai first year dancing with CCBC Dance Company. Shardai plans on transferring to Temple University upon achieving her AFA degree in Dance.

KHARYAH TODMAN
began her dance training at DeerPark Middle Magnet School. She had never been strictly trained before her 6th grade year, she liked to dance but had never taken it seriously. After being trained for 3 years in middle school Kharyah then realized she loved dance and it was what she wanted to potentially spend her life doing so. Therefore, she applied for high schools with dance and was not accepted where she wanted to attend. So 9th grade year Kharyah attended an all-girls catholic school but prepared to transfer for her 10th grade year. So, she decided to audition for BSA and was accepted. From there on Kharyah danced at BSA the remainder of her high school career. Kharyah has taken parts in Nutcracker at BSA and also at an outside studio called “Studio A”. Also, she has performed in other students’ choreography and many school performances. This is Kharyah’s first year dancing with CCBC Dance Company. She plans to transfer to Towson, Goucher, USC, or VCU.

Production Staff

The Choreographers

MELINDA BLOMQUIST
(Artistic Director)
received a Master of Fine Arts in Dance Choreography and Performance from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee; and a Master of Arts in Dance Pedagogy from Brigham Young University. Melinda has presented her choreographic work in numerous venues nationally and internationally including: the South Central and Mid-Atlantic American College Dance Festivals; the Southern District AAHPERD conferences; Northwest Vista College; the National Dance Association Pedagogy Conferences; the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee; and at the Attakkalari Festival in Bangalore India. She has also performed her own work and the work of other artists in various venues. Melinda is currently working with Trajectory Dance Project.
Melinda is an Associate Professor of Dance at the Community College of Baltimore County and is the Artistic Director of the CCBC Dance Company. Melinda is involved in community outreach, focusing on promoting the importance of dance as art form in public education. Previously Melinda was a member of the dance faculty at the University of Texas Pan American where she was the Co-Artistic Director of the Dance Ensemble. Melinda has also worked with the Theatre and Music departments as a choreographer for Musical Theatre productions both at the University of Texas Pan American and at the Community College of Baltimore County.

ALICE HOWES
(Choreographer)
is a dance artist and educator who is director of Trajectory Dance Project, a Baltimore-based modern dance ensemble. She has held full-time faculty positions at universities including Coppin State University, UNC Charlotte, and Lamar University. In addition, she served from 1995 to 2004 as artistic director and resident choreographer of Washington, D.C.’s Sister’s Trousers Dance Company, a modern dance ensemble based in the D.C. area. Sarah Kaufman of The Washington Post described Howes’ performance as “riveting, thrilling and deeply mysterious”. Howes’ choreography has appeared in selective showcases at venues such as D.C.’s Dance Place, The Booth Theater in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater and Millennium Stage. She holds an MA in dance from American University and an MFA in dance from Sam Houston State University. Howes also has earned a Certificate of Movement Analysis (CMA) from the Laban Institute of Movement Studies in New York City.

ADRIENNE KRAUS LATANISHEN
(Choreographer)
is not only an adjunct dance professor at The Community College of Baltimore County, but a proud alum too. After transferring to The University of Maryland, College Park she graduated with honors with her B.A. in Dance. Adrienne is currently the dance teacher at St. Timothy’s School, a private/boarding school for girls. At the moment she dances professionally and independently for Trajectory Dance Project, Molly Jean Kirkup Heer, and herself. She has also danced for BlueShift Dance (principal dancer), The Collective (choreographer, teacher, and dancer), B3W of New York City, Andary Dance, andwithhart.dance.projects, of which she was also founding member and assistant director. Her choreography has been commissioned for local theatre groups, high schools, and colleges including Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts where she was made Artist in Residence.

TOMMY PARLON
(Dance Coordinator)
a native of Washington, D.C., received his M.F.A. in Dance (Choreography and Technology) from Arizona State University and his B.F.A. in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. From 1998-2002 he was an Assistant Professor of Dance at Kent State University. While in New York City he danced with J. Fregalette Janson Dance, Centaur Dance Theatre, Beyondance Inc! and the Paris based multi-media performance art company FIASCO. Mr. Parlon has danced in pieces by Doug Varone, Stephen Petronio, Alvin Mayes, Laura Dean and Elizabeth Streb. In 1996-1998 he collaborated on Falling to Earth, an interactive multi-media performance piece created with the Institute for Studies in the Arts at Arizona State University. His choreography has been commissioned by Incidents Physical Theater of New York City, NEW ARTiculations in Tucson, Arizona, Lansing Chamber Dance in Michigan, and numerous colleges throughout the United States. He was awarded an Individual Artist Award in Solo Dance Performance from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2004 and an Artist Award in Choreography in 2007. Mr. Parlon is currently the Artistic Director of Tommy Parlon Dance Projects in Washington, D.C., the Artistic Associate of Ground Zero Dance in Richmond and the Dance Coordinator at CCBC.

KRISTI SCHAFFNER
(Associate Director)
attended the University of Oklahoma as a teaching fellow where she received her MFA in modern dance (2011). She also has BFA in dance education from Kent State University (2004). Through a graduate student grant, she studied Laban Movement Analysis at the Laban Institute in NYC. Ms. Schaffner has performed with Jeslyn Dance Gallery, Clawson Dances, Junction Dance Theatre, and Tommy Parlon Dance Projects among others, and is a current dancer and Director of Education and Outreach for Dragonfly Dance Experiment. Her choreography has been presented across the country including Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City, Washington D.C., Annapolis, Baltimore, Salt Lake City and at the Howard County Dance Festival. A passion for education has inspired her to create and implement dance curricula for both preschools and charter school students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. Ms. Schaffner is a current adjunct faculty member in the dance divisions of Anne Arundel Community College and the Community College of Baltimore County and is a frequent guest instructor and performer in schools and community events.

CLAIRE SWEET
(Dance Company Director/Dance Department Chair)
Patapsco High School Center for Performing Arts
began teaching at Patapsco in 2000. Ms. Sweet produces several dance magnet concerts per year to include the Nutcracker Ballet annually during the holiday season on the high school main stage. We are proud to collaborate with the CCBC Dance Company and perform here at the college as well as on the Patapsco stage April 11th and 12th. Patapsco Dance Company collaborates with a variety of guest artists and professional companies. We appreciate this opportunity to work with and learn from our community dance partners.

JON LEHRER (Choreographer)
who was raised in Queens, New York, took his very first dance class at age 19 at the University at Buffalo. While dating a dancer, Jon teased her about how easy it must be to get an A in a dance class. The girl dared Jon to try a beginning level modern dance class and his life was changed. After only two years of training at UB, Jon was asked to join the University’s Zodiaque Dance Company. Jon ultimately received his B.F.A in Dance from the University at Buffalo.
As a professional, Jon has danced with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company,Paul Sanasardo, John Passafiume Dancers, in Merv Griffin’s “Funderful” and the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. In 1997, Jon was hired by Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, and after three years, was promoted to Rehearsal Director and then given the position of Associate Director two years later. During his ten years with Giordano, Jon also became the resident choreographer, creating seven original works on the company that received rave reviews all around the world.
Jon has choreographed for several professional dance companies and University’s all over the country. Jon teaches master classes throughout the U.S. and around the world, having been on faculty at Dance Masters of America, Jazz Dance World Congress, Dance Teacher Summer Conference, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters (CNADM), Chautauqua Institution and is a guest artist at numerous universities. In 2003, Jon had the honor of receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award from University at Buffalo Zodiaque Dance Company for his accomplishments as a dancer and choreographer. Jon was featured on the November 2007 cover of Dance Teacher Magazine, and has been reviewed and interviewed in Dance Magazine numerous times. In 2009, Jon was commissioned by CNADM to write their Modern Dance Syllabus, which is utilized by teachers all across the country to properly teach and introduce their students to modern dance. In 2010, Jon was honored with CNADM’s Artistic Achievement Award for his excellence and artistry in concert dance. In August 2011, Jon was the guest speaker for Convocation at Shenendoah University. In 2015, Jon received the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award. Most recently, he was awarded the ‘Rising Star” SPARK Award for being an integral part of Buffalo’s thriving arts and cultural community.
In July 2007, Jon began his much-anticipated professional dance company. The company showcases his unique choreography and definitive style. Jon’s extensive background in both the modern and jazz dance idioms fosters choreography that is organic, artistic, accessible and often humorous, reflecting life experience and the human condition. In it’s short history, the company has received much international recognition and critical acclaim, keeping audiences around the world, throughout the US, and in Buffalo on the edge of their seats with their trademark athletic style. As Dance Magazine said, “took the house not so much by storm as by quantum physics. Jon Lehrer’s strikingly original choreography transformed the stage into an energy field of super-charged particles.”

Special Thanks

Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis | CCBC President
Mr. Jack McLaughlin | Interim Vice President of Instruction
Dr. Rich Lilley | Vice President of Enrollment & Student Services
Dr. William Watson | Dean of Liberal Arts
Dr. Anne M.Lefter | Director, Performing Arts
Professor Patti Crossman | Chair of Performing Arts and Humanities
Dr. Rebecca Ocampo | Arts Pathways Coordinator
Doug Heinle | Graphic Designer