GroundWorks Dancetheater Artists 2003-2004

GUSTAVO AGUILAR (Composer in Residence) is a percussionist, improviser, and composer dedicated to contemporary creative music. As a solo performer and group collaborator, Gustavo has appeared in Australia, Austria, Croatia, Macedonia, South Korea, Yugoslavia, and throughout the United States, performing improvisational compositions and works written exclusively for him. He has performed and/or recorded with such creative artists as John Bergamo, Roy Campbell, Nels Cline, Vinnie Golia, Charlie Haden, Kang Tae Hwan, Park Jae Chun, Robert Reigle, and Wadada Leo Smith among others. Gustavo is currently Music Director with GroundWorks Dancetheater. Gustavo has been on faculty at Del Mar College/Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Korea National University of Arts, The University of Akron, and has given master classes at universities across the country and abroad.

GAELYN AGUILAR (Vocalist) has performed in the award-winning Korean Musical Myung Sung Hwan Whu, and has recorded on the Samsun/Ak and LG Music labels. Gaelyn has contributed vocals to the dance scores for a number of choreographers including David Shimotakahara, Kim Young Sook, and Tina Yuan. Currently Gaelyn is working toward a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology at the University of Southern California. She spent the 2000-2001 academic year as a Fulbright Fellow in the Republic of Macedonia.

STEPHEN ARON (classical guitarist) described by the New York Times as "cultivated and musical," Stephen Aron performs regularly throughout the US and Canada. His recent release of a 3-CD set of the complete Chopin Mazurkas in new original arrangements on solo guitar and the companion volume of the scores by Mel Bay is followed by the publication by Tuscany Editions of a collection of American song arrangements entitled, On a Sunday Afternoon. His other recordings include two for voice and guitar (one of vaudeville songs called Shine On Harvest Moon, and one of sacred songs entitled In My Heart), and a solo recital disc entitled Sketches. His publications include arrangements of works by Rossini and Schumann. In addition to his post as Professor of Music and Chairman of Guitar Studies at the University of Akron, Stephen Aron is Teacher of Guitar and founder of the classical guitar studies program at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

FELISE BAGLEY (Dancer) a native New Yorker, debuted with Groundworks in 2001, in the ballet "Major to Minor." Previously, she danced professionally with Ohio Ballet, Elisa Monte Dance Company, Philadanco, Joyce Trisler Dansecompany and Joffrey II. Felise was a guest artist with The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago in their production of "The Joffrey Nutcracker" at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Felise also appears as a guest artist with The Ashland Regional Ballet in their production of The Nutcracker. Felise began her dance training as a merit scholarship recipient to The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She then continued her training at The Joffrey Ballet School, where she was featured in the 1998 book "The Joffrey Ballet School's-Ballet Fit."

SUE BERRY (Wardrobe) came to Cleveland to study weaving and textiles at The Cleveland Institute of Art. Her love of fabrics lead her to The Western Reserve Historical Society where she served an ongoing apprenticeship with the Chisom Halle Costume Wing as textile conservator, working with the collection there as well as with private clients and institutions. After serving as curator and mounting several major exhibits she has recently returned to freelance work for the excitement and diversity that go with it.

RUSS BORSKI (Costumes and Sets) has worked extensively in dance, theater and opera for the last 25 years. Locally his work has been seen at Mather Dance, Great Lakes Theater Festival, the Cleveland Play House, Karamu Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Ohio Ballet, Lyric Opera, Cain Park, the Hanna, Playhouse Square, Porthouse Theatre and Baldwin Wallace Conservatory. He directed last seasons critically acclaimed “The Late Henry Moss” at Dobama, and is looking forward to directing “Raised in Captivity” this April. Mr. Borski has worked regionally from Anchorage Opera to North Carolina Shakes to Dallas Theater Center to L.A.’s Oddyssey Theater, and many points between. He is an associate professor at CWRU and runs Heartsong Studio east of downtown.

BETH CORNING (Guest Choreographer), Artistic Director of Corning Dances & Company (originally formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 1981), has received national and international acclaim for her choreography and teaching. The company was maintained successfully in Stockholm for six years, and continued its success in the US, in NYC, and since 1993, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her work has been recognized by major national and international grants including a NY Foundation for the Arts Choreographer’s Award, Dance Magazine Foundation, The Harkness Foundation, Seiko of Tokyo, Japan and the American Scandinavian Foundation among others. In Minneapolis her work has been produced by the Walker Art Center, The Southern Theater, and No Name Exhibitions. Since 1994 she has been recognized by over 42 major local philanthropic agencies. In 1996 The SkyWay News Annual Arts Registry recognized her as one of 25 artists honored for making a difference in the arts in the Twin Cities. Corning has served on the faculty of major dance conservatories and universities here and abroad, and has been guest company teacher for Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane, the Royal Norwegian Ballet Company, and Utah Repertory Dance Theatre among others. Her work has been commissioned by national and international companies, most recently an evening-length work by Nye Carte Blanche, the premiere modern company of Norway. She is also the artistic director for the critically acclaimed annual series entitled THE GLUE FACTORY PROJECT – a production she creates on nationally and internationally recognized performing artists over the age of 45. It is in its third season.

PHIL CURTIS (Composer/Powerbook) is a composer and performer of jazz, classical, pop, and electronic music, whose work has been featured in numerous venues for new and experimental music. Phil also works collaboratively, composing music for film, TV, theater, dance, and the web. Films that he has scored have been shown on PBS and featured in numerous film festivals, including the San Diego Film Festival, the Festival Internacional Del Nuevo Cine Latinamerica in Havana, Cuba, and as a part of the traveling exhibit “Muestra de Cine Colombiano Años 90s.” Performances of his music have been given by Amsterdam’s Nieuw Ensemble, the New Century Players, The New York New Music Ensemble, and he has performed his own music with improvisers Wadada Leo Smith and Vinny Golia.

DENNIS DUGAN (Technical Coordinator/Lighting Designer) is recipient of the 1997 Ohio Dance Award for outstanding contributions to dance in Ohio, and has been working with light since the seventies. His early experiences in New York focused primarily on modern dance. David and Dennis met during this time while both were associated with The Kathryn Posin Dance Company. The New York years also included off-off Broadway theater. Since returning to the Cleveland area in 1982, Dennis has worked with dance and theater organizations throughout Ohio. He is currently associated with GroundWorks Dancetheater, Rhythm in Shoes, Cleveland Public Theater, the Akron Art Museum and The University of Akron. Dennis continues to explore the possibilities of light in his most recent collaboration with sculptor Christina DePaul.

DAVID FISHER (Pianist). Critics praise David Fisher’s sensitive accompaniment and direction, and Heinz Poll created some of his most unique and intimate dances in collaboration with Ohio Ballet’s music director. An Akron native, Mr. Fisher began his association with Ohio Ballet in 1974 when the company used live musical accompaniment for the first time. Mr. Fisher played the piano solo for Ohio Ballet’s company premiere of Robert Joffrey’s Pas Des Desses. Mr. Fisher is a graduate of The University of Akron and studied law both there and at San Diego University. He studied piano with Clarenz Lightfritz and later with noted concert artist Margaret Baxtresser. He has attended summer sessions at the Juilliard School and the American Academy in Rome. In addition to his role with Ohio Ballet, he has been a piano soloist and conductor with numerous chamber ensembles and is a founding member of The Chamber Music Society of Ohio.

GINA GIBNEY (Guest Choreographer) began her professional career after graduating with honors and receiving an MFA in dance from Case Western Reserve University. She founded Gina Gibney Dance in 1991, and re-formed the company as an all-female ensemble in 1997. Her choreography has been widely presented and commissioned in New York City and throughout the United States. Ms. Gibney has gained a reputation for her interest in combining the arts with community initiatives. Most recently, she has developed and implemented two community-based projects for the company: Artists@WORK strengthens working relationships, supports the creation of new work, and forms new lines of advocacy within dance communities; and Women@WORK, reaches into the community with the transforming power of dance and creativity. Gina Gibney Dance has recently received generous support from Philip Morris Companies Inc. for the Company’s newest initiative, the Women@WORK Domestic Violence Project. Ms. Gibney is the curator of the DraftWork series at Danspace Project (NYC), a member of the organization’s Board of Directors and the founder of Studio 5-2 at 890 Broadway, NYC.

*DAMIEN HIGHFIELD (Dancer) came to Ohio from Atlanta Ballet. Damien began dancing at age six in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, where he trained at BalletMet for ten years, then became a member of BalletMet/JazzMet. While dancing there, Damien performed with choreographers Malcom Burns, John McFall, Keith Cross, and Stella Kane. Mr. Highfield then went to Butler University in Indianapolis where he danced various modern and jazz works and received a BFA in Dance Concentration.

VERONIQUE LARCHER (Producer ELSAproductions). Veronique Larcher has been working as an engineer in IRCAM (Paris) for the past 6 years, from which she holds a PhD in Sound Spatialization. Larcher has been involved as a musical assistant in several projects, such as “K . . .,” an opera by Phillippe Manoury that was premiered at Paris Opera in March, 2001. She recently moved to Santa Cruz (CA), where she is working both as a 3D audio scientist for CREATIVE Labs, and as a producer of musical events. As President of ELSAproductions Ms. Larcher heads a non-profit organization that has emerged from the first season of the Electron SAlon concert series in Santa Cruz (CA) in 2002. The organization encourages new forms of arts by providing resources, representing artists, connecting artists to venues and new audiences, while building a community for the contemporary/experimental arts.

ALAN LECHUSZA (Performer/Composer). A Ph.D. candidate in UCSD’s Critical Studies and Experimental Practices program, Alan brings a subtle control over timbre, multiphonics, extended techniques, and a boundless melodic inventiveness to a comprehensive arsenal of wind instruments. He plays with such highly recognized ensembles as The Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, Michael Vlatkovich ensembles, Quartteto Nuevo, and the Aulos Saxophone Quartet and has performed with James Newton, Kai Akagi, Charles Owens, Dr. Art Davis, Billy Higgins, George Lewis, Anthony Davis, George Harper, William Roper, Jack Reiding, Leo Potts, and Sherman Ferguson. Lechusza’s compositions have been commissioned and performed by Charles Owens, Leo Potts, Tany Ling, Jack Reidling and many others.

*BRIAN MURPHY (Dancer) began his training at the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet in Akron. He has danced with the Nashville Ballet, performing solo and principal roles including the Prince and Jester in Cinderella, the pas de deux in Sleeping Beauty and the pas de deux in George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes. Mr. Murphy has performed contemporary dance pieces by choreographers Choo-San-Goh and Graham Lustig. He was a guest artist with the Fairfax Virginia Ballet and with Amy Grant at Nashville’s Opryland. Mr Murphy is co-founder of the dance company Epiphany in Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Murphy was a member of Ohio Ballet from 1995 to 1998. In May of 1998 he danced in the premiere performances of GroundWorks Dancetheater. Mr. Murphy was a member of The Cleveland San Jose Ballet during their 1999-2000 season, and in the summer of 2000, he produced a show at Cain Park called “Evening of Dance.” He is currently a member of Ohio Ballet.

CAROLINE O’BRIEN (Costume Designer). A native of Ireland, Caroline O’Brien has nurtured a passion for textiles from an early age. The simple elegance of her work and her intrinsic ability to enhance the lines of the dancer and the mood of the dance can be seen in her design collaborations with numerous national and international choreographers including James Kudelka, John Neumeier, John Alleyne, Dominique Dumais and Serge Bennethan. Furthermore, she has enjoyed a decade-long collaborative. In addition to designs for the stage, Caroline is also an award-winning sculptor and is frequently sought after for original creations in evening attire. Based at The National Ballet School in Toronto, her work includes a world premiere with Gina Gibney in NYC, as well as a new solo with Toronto’s Yvonne Ng.

MARK OTLOSKI (Outreach Coordinator / Dancer) is a former principal dancer of 22 years from the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet. During his tenure with the company he also served as rehearsal assistant and as Ballet Master of Ballet San Jose of Silicon Valley. Mr. Otloski teaches throughout Ohio and Michigan with extensive training in the Cecchetti (Italian) syllabus and recently completed a comprehensive teachers study course of Years 1-3 of the Vaganova (Russian) syllabus. He has taught Master Classes, has been a Guest Faculty member for the Cecchetti Council of America Annual Seminar (1998), and regularly conducts annual summer seminars for the Young Peoples Ballet Theatre of Michigan, the Flint School of Performing Arts and workshops for the Livonia Civic Ballet Company. Mr. Otloski is currently in charge of the Ballet division at the Jordan Center for the Arts, is a faculty member at the Cleveland School of Dance and guest teacher at Cleveland City Dance and GroundWorks Dancetheater.

HEINZ POLL (Guest Choreographer). Born in Oberhausen, Germany, he was a scholarship student at the distinguished Folkwang School in Essen. He began his professional career in 1947 as a soloist at the Municipal Theatre in Goettingen; in 1948 he joined the Deutsches Theatre in Konstanz and in 1949 he became a soloist at the Berlin State Opera Ballet. From 1951 to 1962 he was a principal dancer, teacher and choreographer with the Ballet Nacional Chileno. From 1962 to 1964 he was a dancer, choreographer and ballet master for the Ballet de Jeunesse Musicales de France. Mr. Poll made his North American debut in 1964 when he performed as guest artist with the Ballet Nacional Chileno at the newly constructed New York State Theatre. In 1965, Mr. Poll performed with American Dance Festival in New York, and soon became one of the most sought-after teachers on the staff of the National Academy of Ballet. An invitation to teach in Akron led to his formation of the Chamber Ballet in 1968, which in 1976 became Ohio Ballet. He has created ballets for Ohio Ballet, Ballet Nacional Chileno, Ballet de la Jeunesse Musicales de France, Paris Festival Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, Pennsylvania Ballet, the Limon Dance Company and solo dancer Ellen Kogan. Mr. Poll has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and has served on its Dance Panel numerous times. In 1983 he was presented with the Ohio Dance Award by the Association of Ohio Dance Companies, and in 1984 he received the annual BRAVO! Award for his “outstanding contribution to the cultural life of Akron and Ohio” from the Board of Trustees of Ohio Ballet. He received the Northern Ohio Live Award of Achievement for Dance in 1986,1989,1993, 1994, and 1997. In 1995 Mr. Poll was honored with the Cleveland Arts Prize in Dance.

XOCHITL TEJEDA DE CERDA (Dancer) was a member of Compania Nacional de Danza Clasica de Mexico, and studied ballet at the Escuela Nacional de Danza Clasica. Ms. De Cerda was a member of Ohio Ballet for17 years. During that time she has premiered many ballets with Ohio Ballet and performed the lead role in Elegiac Song during Ohio Ballet’s 25th Anniversary Season. Ms. De Cerda performs regularly as a guest soloist with other companies, has participated in New Steps, a collaborative choreographic project, and performed in the premiere performances of GroundWorks Dancetheater in May, 1998. She received the Akron Arts Alliance 2001 Award for most outstanding artist in dance. Her favorite pastime is trying to learn and understand the most recent research project her husband Blas is working on, and training his beasts (3 dogs). Born: Santiago, Nayarit, Mexico.

ROBIN VANLEAR—ART ACTS (Costume Designer) is the Creator and Artistic Director of the Parade the Circle Celebration, twice named Community Event of theYear by Northern Ohio Live Magazine (1996 & 1999) and winner of the 2001 Governor¹s Award for Arts Outreach by the Ohio Arts Council. She is Community Arts Coordinator for the Cleveland Museum of Art. Ms. VanLear has directed the annual Parade the Circle Celebration for the past 11 years. She also directs and designs the Art Crew production for the Cleveland Museum of Art and produces the annual Chalk Festival, the Family Festival of African Drum, and Dance and the Winter Lights Lantern Festival. She was a guest choreographer for Hathaway Brown school¹s annual Dance concert in 2000 and 1999. In 1995, 96 and 97, Robin traveled to Trinidad & Tobago (the 1995 trip was supported by an OAC Professional Development Grant) to work with Peter Minshall. She was Artistic Director for the performance section of his carnival bands, which were selected as Trinidad & Tobago Band of the Year for all three years.

ROGER ZAHAB (Musician violin) is active as a composer, violinist, conductor, educator and writer. He has created much chamber, vocal and orchestral music in addition to work in dance, theater and video. Zahab was awarded the first Louis Lane Scholarship (given by the Akron Symphony Orchestra) in 1978 and received an Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Grant in 1995. A devoted teacher, he created the Palisades Quartet project, composed of students aged 12 –16, to explore ways to foster creative and independent thinking and performance and was composer-in-residence with the Composer’s Club of Washington Elementary School in the Mt. Lebanon School District. He taught at Mount Union College from 1993-99 and founded and directed the New Music Group at the University of Akron from 1988-2001. Zahab has been Director of the Orchestra and violin instructor at the University of Pittsburgh since 1993 and in 1999 became a full-time Lecturer. As a violinist he has given more than 100 premieres of works by such composers as John Cage, David Macbride, Steven Mackey, Ursula Mamlok, Eric Moe, Dennis Riley, Tison Street, Orianna Webb and Christian Wolff and recorded for the Albany, Koch International Classics, Neuma and Truemedia labels.

RAYMOND ZANDER (Costume Design) has enjoyed 35 years of working in theater, film, television, opera and dance. He was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, but his travels have taken him from the Tyrone Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis to NYC theater scene, the Stratford Festival as well as a season with John Kenley Players in Warren, Ohio. Clevelanders have seen his work with the Cleveland Opera, Tom Evert Dance Co. as well as the Cleveland Ballet.

^{*Performing

courtesy of Ohio Ballet}