Company
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dancEnlight is a Hartford-based modern dance company that was founded by artistic director Lorelei Chang. Raised in Beijing, Ms. Chang was awarded a full scholarship to train to be a professional dancer at the early age of three. She was later chosen out of thousands to be a leading dancer and choreographer for China's first professional modern dance company, Guang Dong Modern Dance Company. Ms. Chang also studied under the tutelages of such international artists as Luo Bin Yu, Sarah Stackhouse, Willy Cao, Lucas Hoving, Ruby Shang, and Douglas Neilson. She taught and performed extensively in China before moving to the United States, where she continued her performance career with Center Dance Company (VA), Moving Forward Dance Company (Wash, D.C.), Center Dance Ensemble (AZ), and Full Force Dance Theatre under the direction of Katie Stevinson-Nollet(CT). She has performed at Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. with Moving Forward Dance Company, Joyce SoHo & Jacob's Pillow with Full Force Dance Theatre. Ms. Chang is currently an adjunct dance faculty member at The University of Hartford, The Hartt School Community Division, Trinity College and Connecticut Concert Ballet.
Ms. Chang and her newest performance endeavor, dancEnlight, strive to infuse dance with other art forms and cultures by discovering and building relationships with fellow artists, both locally and globally. The multi-cultural dance ensemble has presented work throughout the state of Connecticut at such venues as Trinity College, Marlborough Arts Center, Charter Oak Cultural Center, The Hartt School, the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, 5x5 Dance Festival, will be performing Rebound Dance Festival in April, 2010.
In March 2009, dancEnlight made its debut at Charter Oak Cultural Center with the world premiere of Ink Passion, a full-length work exploring the relationship between movement and Chinese calligraphy. Inspired by her lifelong study and work as a calligrapher, Ms. Chang created fervent choreography to compliment and redefine many of the various mediums-from script to clothing-of an ancient art form. Ink Passion's culturally infused dancing thoroughly investigates the act of creating calligraphy as a live performance art. Through full-bodied musicality, intense emotion and the subtle juxtaposition of the body's dance with dance of the inked brush, Ink Passion sheds light on contemporary movement and antique art.
Please contact dancEnlight via email at lorelei@dancenlight.org For photos, company bios and information about performances, workshops and master classes please visit http://dancenlight.org
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Lorelei Chang--Artistic Director
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Lorelei started her dance life with her twin sister, Mai Nakanishi, at age three. They trained vigorously under full scholarship in Beijing, China. In 1989, when Yang Mei Qi, the principle of GuangDong Dance Academy negotiated with American Dance Festival chairman, Charles Rienhart, about introducing modern dance to China after her first trip to ADF in 1988, and soon after that, they established the first modern dance training program at GuangDong Dance Academy. Ms. Yang auditioned thousands of dancers throughout China, and Lorelei and Mai were two of the twenty dancers chosen, and eventually became leading dancers and choreographers of the GuangDong Modern Dance Company, the first modern dance company ever in China. During her years of training Lorelei was fortunate to have worked and studied under the tutelages of Luo BinYu, Sarah Stackhouse, Willy Cao, Lucas Hoving, Ruby Shang, Douglas Neilson and many other renowned international artists. Besides her rigorous dance training at an early age, she also studied Chinese calligraphy beginning at age five. Her talents in both dance and the Chinese calligraphy led her to many awards. She performed and taught extensively while she was in China, and continued her career as a performer, teacher and choreographer after moving to the United States. Her choreography was presented at the Beijing International Dance Festival in China (1990), American Dance Festival (1991), international Dance Festival in HongKong and in India.
Lorelei Chang is the Artistic Director of "dancEnlight ," a modern dance company based in Hartford, CT. dancEnlight is a multi-cultural modern dance ensemble. The company has interest in infusing dance with other art forms, and exploring and working with various national and international artists. Lorelei is currently an adjunct faculty member at The University of Hartford and The Hartt Community Division, Theater and Dance at the Trinity College, and Connecticut Concert Ballet. She is also a veteran of Full Force Dance Theatre under the direction of Katie Stevison-Nollet. In addition, she teaches Pilates and Yoga South Windsor senior Center and private Chinese Calligraphy classes at her home. In her spare time, she continues her passion with Chinese calligraphy and Chinese ancient arts such as I Ching, Qigong, and many other interests. |
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Guest Choreographer and performers
Mai Nakanishi
Mai is Lorelei's twin sister, who is also a performer, a choreographer, a ballroom dance instructor, and Chinese calligrapher. Mai received numerous Certificates of Excellence at many dance competitions. She moved to Tokyo, Japan in 1993 and continued her profession as dancer and instructor. She became interested in ballroom dancing and studied under top European ballroom instructors such as Katarina Venturini and Andrej Skufca, Christopher Hawkins. Mai placed top ten in the Japanese National Championship. She has over ten years of teaching experience at all levels of ballroom dancing and is an "A" grade professional ballroom dance instructor in Japan. Like her sister, she studied Chinese calligraphy for over 30 years and has won many awards. Both Mai and Lorelei are the Chinese calligraphy award winners for the Tokyo Museum for Jan, 2009. Mai is providing one-hundred percent of support to her sister's dancEnlight premiere performance and is absolutely thrilled to be a part of the show.
Katie Stevinson-Nollet
Katie is the Artistic Director of Full Force Dance Theatre, professional dance company in residence at University of Hartford, Hartt School, and Associate Professor in the Hartt School Dance Division. Her professional experiences as performer and choreographer have taken her across the US and abroad. Katie has danced with San Diego Dance Theatre; Isaacs McCaleb, and Dancers; Carolyn Dorfman and Dancers; Full Force Dance Theatre, and enjoyed performing the work of multiple independent choreographers including Monica Bill Barnes, Mary Cochran and Lisa Race. Ms. Stevinson-Nollet focuses her choreographic interests in collaboration and the exploration of the human condition. Her work has been presented at numerous venues and festivals. And has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, most recently the University of Hartford 2009 Bent Award for Scholarly and Creative Activities. Katie holds a B.A. in Dance from San Diego State University, an M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Michigan, and a Certificate from the London Contemporary School of Dance.
Dancers
Luke Bermingham--began his dance training when he was eight years old at a local studio in his hometown of East Granby, Connecticut. At the age of 12 he furthered his training under the direction of Brenda Barna, in Southwick, Massachusetts at the Dance Slipper. His teachers also included Alicia Monaco and Bernie Cortney. He is currently a sophomore scholarship student majoring in dance performance at the Hartt School. Luke was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to perform Lorelei Chang's work Ink Passion last year, and is very excited to continue working with Ms. Chang and her company.
Giovanna Carrain--graduated from Universita' Cattolica in Milan, 2007. She has studied with M. Smirnova, A Colombini, B.Tambone, L.Alexandrescu, F. Olivieri, G. Borni, B. Russo, M. Barasciutti, L. De Fanti. She has performed many works including Cannito, F. Monteverde, and B. Tambone. She was a member of Arena di Verona in 2002; Liric Opera Aida under the direction of F. Zeffirelli, Trovatore, Carmen and Nabucco. 2003, she joined Fabula Saltica Company in Italy. She is current adjunct faculty of The Hartt School Comminity division and University of Hartford.
Meghan Coulombe--originally from Sodus, NY moved to Hartford, CT in 2004 to attend the Hartford Conservatory, where she performed at the 5x5 Collegiate Dance Festival, Ted Hershey Dance Marathon, and the American College Dance Festivals in Bangor, ME and Boston, MA. She also danced with Sonia Plumb Dance Company, Eva Dean Dance Company, and participated in the 2004 and 2005 productions of the Hartford Conservatory's "Jazz Nutcracker", dancing in the ensemble and Mouse Queen Roles. In 2005, Meghan had the honor to work with Jacques D'Amboise for her internship with the National Dance Institute. She graduated from the Hartford Conservatory in 2006 with a double major in Dance Pedagogy and Dance Performance.
Recently, Meghan danced with selected Hartford dancers in the 2008 tribute to Ted Hershey at the Bushnell under the direction of Laura Glenn, Paul Dennis, and Michael Utoff. She also performs with DFX entertainment, dancing at Mohegan Sun.
Meghan Currently dances with SOMA Dance Company in Hartford CT, under the Direction of Darcie Froman. Meghan has danced in the 2007, 2008 & 2009 5x5 Professional Dance Showcases, and presented works in NY, NH, OK and CT. She has also instructed young dancers at the SOMA Summer Intensive in Miami, OK. She is very happy to be a part of DancEnlight and would like to thank Lorelei Chang for this wonderful opportunity.
Tehran Dixon--a Chicago native started dance at a local studio Danceology under the direction of Bertino Smith. She has enjoyed many different techniques, ballet, jazz, tap, african, horton and graham under Dereque Whiturs former Alvin Ailey member. She has also attended the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and the Alvin Ailey summer programs. She is currently a sophomore and a scholarship student at the University of Hartford Hartt School where she has performed works by Katie Stevenson-Nollet and Alla Nikita. Tehran is very excited to be starting her first with dancEnlight
Leslie Frye--Leslie Frye is a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she earned a B.F.A. in Dance. While attending, she received many honors including the "Promising Artist Award" scholarship and the "Outstanding Performance in Modern Dance" Award. She has studied under some of the most influential dance professionals and has worked alongside famous performance artists and world-renowned choreographers including Mia Michaels and George Faison. Leslie's versatile style has allowed her to continue to have a diverse career, which includes working with the Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company during their residence at The Joyce SoHo, in NYC, and Montazh Hip-Hop Company in Philadelphia. In 2002 she was a part of Sharing the Legacy Dance Masterworks of the 20th Century Hunter College, NYC; and The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage Series performing "A Choreographic Offer-ing" by Jose Limon (staged by Ann Vachon). Her own work has traveled the tri-state area with "Theatre on 34" Performing Arts Company and RTE Theatre Company. Since making a new home in CT, Leslie has performed with "Dance Connect" and is a member of Full Force Dance Theatre. In May 2008, Leslie was chosen to perform at The Bushnell Theatre in "Hartford Dances" for the 10th anniversary of The Ted Hershey Dance and Music Marathon. Leslie has recently been able to take dance to the Physical Therapy world, working with her husband, developing creative movement programs for children with special needs, as well as designing integrated functional therapy programs for children and adults. These programs are offered at their practice, Centered Health Physical Therapy, in conjunction with Heights of Wellness in Hartford, CT. Leslie takes her passion for dance to the classroom/studio at The University of Hartford, Hartt School Community Division where she is currently on faculty. She is most thankful to be working with this wonderful group of people and dancers in dancEnlight.
Rickey J. Flagg II has only been dancing three and a half years and is just skimming the surface of what it is like to be a part of the dance community. He began his training at the Artist Collective, a performing arts institute based in Hartford, Connecticut. There he studied under Lee Aca Thompson a master choreographer in African dance. Rickey
also trained with a brilliant teacher, choreographer, and founder of the Equilibrium Dance Company, Jolet Creary, who captured his interest, particularly in the styles of Hip-Hop, African and Modern dance. Ms. Creary pushed for Rickey to be a versatile mover and from there he explored the world of Classical Ballet at The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. At the Academy Rickey studied ballet with Jeanne Girior and Debra Collins Ryder, both principle dancers of the Hartford Ballet. Mr. Flagg also explored Lester Horton and Jose Limon Technique with Deborah Goffe,
founder of Scapegoat Garden Dance Company based in Hartford.In addition to that Rickey studied Martha Graham Technique under Mrs. Kim Stroud, a former dancer in the Martha Graham Dance Company. In January 2009 Rickey met Miguel Campaneria,the Chair of Dance at the Hartt School and a member on the board of the National Council of the Arts and who as sparked an interest in classical ballet. Currently Rickey is
a working towards his BFA in Ballet Pedagogy at The
University of Hartford.
Becka Lazur---Becka began her training at the Northeast Academy of Dance under Heather Michaud, where she studied classical ballet, modern, and theatre jazz. Becka has performed in the full-length productions of Coppelia, Les Sylphides, A Midsummer Nights Dream, dancing the role of Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty, as well as the lead in Cinderella. Becka has studied at several dance intensive programs including the American Academy of Ballet, where she worked with Sean Lavery, David Howard, Olga Dvorovenko, Brian Loftus, Steve Rooks, and Violette Verdy. At the American TheatreDance Workshop, Becka had the opportunity to study with Cassandra Phifer, Bill Holland, and Catherine Lawrence. In May of 2008, Becka earned her B.S. in Communication from Eastern Connecticut State University. During this time, Becka represented ECSU at the collegiate level dancing in several events including the 5X5 Dance Festival at Saint Joseph College and performances at the Welte Theatre at Central Connecticut State University. Becka also danced with the Albano Ballet Company of Hartford, CT for the past four seasons. She has performed several roles in Albano's Nutcracker at Mohegan Sun Arena in addition to original and Graham inspired modern choreography at both the Cabaret Theatre at Mohegan Sun and area elementary schools. Becka also has experience performing and teaching ballroom dance at a major franchised studio in Connecticut. Becka is beyond thrilled to continue her dancing with Lorelei Chang and dancEnlight.
John H. Montalvo--started his dancing career in 1998 at (as it was previously known) the St. Joseph's Ballet in Santa Ana, CA under the founder and artistic director, Beth Burns, until 2004. In the fall of 2004, John continued his dancing career at the New England boarding school, St. Paul's School in Concord, NH. Under the direction of Sharon Randolph, John joined the St. Paul's School Ballet Company his sophomore and junior year of high school. At the start of his freshman year at Trinity College he started dancing for Trinity's Theater and Dance Department under Lorelei Chang and joined the UHartt-based dance company Full Force Dance Theatre (FFDT). After a rewarding year with FFDT and having had the opportunity to perform at Jacob's Pillow, John took a year off to now join dancEnlight as a new member.
Tony Olivares--CHOREOGRAPHER - INSTRUCTOR - PERFORMER
www.tonyolivares.com
Tony was born in Managua, Nicaragua. His first experience as an Independent Improvisational Choreographer and Performer occurred at the age of seven at a National Dance Youth competition, where he won first place, then he was hired to dance periodically in a youth TV show. He study folk dance with Irene Lopez and contemporary with Heriberto Mercado. Surviving earthquakes, civil war and Communism, Tony moved to Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico in 1983 to study Forestry. Upon graduating in 1996, Tony spent a short time in New Mexico and San Francisco before moving to Edmonton, Alberta in 1987 to work as a Forester.
His official dance training began in Edmonton, although he had performed in Managua, Mexico and the United States before that time. In Edmonton, Tony attended the dance program at Grant McEwan College (1991-1992) where he studied with Brian Webb, Debra Shanz, Andrea Rabinovitch, Charlene Tarver and David Adams. In 1993 he formed Dirty Feet Productions, a dance collective which had thirteen choreographers including: Kathy Metzger, Kathy Ochoa, Trevor Klushin, Katrina Smy, Silvia Nuzzo, Jodi Beresozky, Dorrie Dutshendorf, Allyn Embree, Danielle Aways, Bobbie Todd and Tania Alvarado. The collective was active for three years during which produced five independent shows.
Tony had performed and trained in Solo Improvisation, Contact Improvisation Ballet and Post-Modern Dance at Montreal, New York, Bennington College, and Earth Dance in Massachusetts.
Tony moved to Hartford in 2003 to study massage therapy at the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy graduating 2005 and The Hartford Conservatory graduating with a Pedagogy Dance Diploma 2008. While Tony continues to call Canada (Edmonton) his dance home, he currently lives in Hartford where he is studying at Trinity College (Theater and Dance major) and performing with Lorelei' s company plus continue performing SOLO.
Levi Perry--has been dancing intensively since he was six years old. He was on a full time trainee and apprentice at the Joffrey
Ballet School in NYC, attended Princeton Repertory Ballet summer intensive as well as a full time student at Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts in Torrington. In his time as a dancer he has been able to perform many famous roles including Pas D'Esclave from Le Corsaire, Pas de Deux from La Fille Mal Gardee, Male Variation from the Fairy Doll and the
Spanish Dance from Swan Lake. Currently he is training under the supervision of famous dancer Alexei Tchernichov. He works as a guest artist for Woodbury Ballet. He is currently getting his certificate for Computer Network Management at Branford Career Institute in Southington, CT. He is looking towards his first year at dancEnlight.
Christine Sirois--Christine Sirois graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford with a BFA in Dance Performance in the Spring of 2009. At her time at Hartt she was able to perform a variety of works including Martha Graham's Panorama, Les Sylphides, Katie Stevenson-Nollet's Edge of Reason and Lorelei Chang's work Ink Passion. During this time she also had the privilege to train at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance on scholarship. She worked with Graham legends such as Denise Vale, Donlin Forman, Steve Rook and Peggy Lyman Hayes and performed such famous repertory including Diversion of Angels and Night Journey. Along with the Graham school she has done a variety of training at the Alvin Ailey School in NYC, with Robert Battle and with David Dorfman. She trained at Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater and Eastern Connecticut Ballet and been a frequent guest performer in Saving Grace Dance Ensemble a non-profit group in southern New Hampshire. As well as training she has been a faculty member at Eastern Connecticut Ballet for the past two years and has done extensive work both in performance and technical theater production for their annual Nutcracker at the Garde Arts Center in New London, CT for the past five years. Along with dance she is a professional stage and production manager and has done extensive technical theater work in locations including the Baryshinikov Arts Center in New York City, St. Joseph College, Charter Oak Cultural Center, Foxwoods and the Wadsworth Atheneum. She is looking forward to her first season with dancEnlight.
Alix Sklarew--began dancing at the age of 7 in her hometown of Cape Cod. She trained with Cape Cod School of Ballet under the direction of Gillian Fuller in both classical ballet and Hip-hop. She soon became an apprentice to the company and became full member of Cape Cod Ballet at the age of 15. While living on Cape Cod she also studied with Cathy Batchellor and Configurations Dance. Alix graduated from the Hartt School in May of 2009 with a BFA in Dance Pedagogy. During her training at Hartt and throughout her summers she was able to perform works choreographed Katie Stevinson-Nollet, Alla Nakitina, Lorelei Chang, and works re-staged by Peggy Lyman and Andy LeBau. She is currently living in West Hartford and performing with dancEnlight under the direction of Lorelei Chang as well as with Full force Dance Theatre under the direction of Katie Stevinson-Nollet.
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