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Who's Who for CDDC
CAROLYN DORFMAN
“Dance has the extraordinary power to speak. As we listen,
we discover the commonalties of the human experience and thus our relationship
to one another. Dance and the ensemble become a powerful visual metaphor
for life and community. The trust, commitment, and connectedness of the
ensemble teach us about our potential to not merely co-exist, but how
we can support and thrive with those around us. The on-stage balance of
the individual and the ensemble, the individual movement or spectacular
moment to the whole, tells us of the delicate balance that we must strike
in our own lives. When we achieve this, the results are astoundingly beautiful.”
(click on headshot to view the full image)
Known as a creator of provocative dances that reflect her concerns about the human condition, Dorfman is interested in creating "worlds" into which the audience can enter.
CDDC's high-energy and technically demanding repertory uses movement as metaphor to take audiences on what one reviewer described as "intellectual and emotional journeys." She has created stunning pieces that are a tribute to family and legacy as well as humanity in its entirety. They are about a spirit and passion for life, people and truth, survival and renewal. Carolyn Dorfman is that rare artist, acclaimed not only for artistry, craft, and vision but also her leadership. Since founding her Company in 1982, she has created more than 50 works for CDDC and achieved a highly respected position among artists and arts institutions regionally, nationally and internationally.
A Michigan native, she received her BFA in Dance with certification to teach K-12 from the University of Michigan and her MFA from New York University Tisch School for the Arts. She has been designated a Distinguished Artist and granted five Choreography Fellowships, including a 2004 Fellowship, by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), in additional to other choreography honors. She was the first artist to receive the prestigious, and nationally selected, Prudential Prize for Non-Profit Leadership in 1994. In 2004 she received the Jewish Women in the Arts Award for Dance from the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit and the Janice Charach Epstein Gallery.
A former Assistant Professor of Dance at Centenary College she uses her collective experiences as a master artist/teacher, leading residencies and master classes for both the professional dancer and those new to the art form. She is a guest artist/choreographer at major universities in the U.S. and is on the guest faculty at the Limón Institute in New York. She is a consultant to the Education Program at City Center and a Principal Affiliate in Arts Education for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. She is sought after for professional development training for educators and artists and is designated a Master Artist and Mentor by Young Audiences of New Jersey. Carolyn is a member of the All Stars Artist Committee of the All Stars Project (NY/NJ).
ENSEMBLE
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(click on above headshots to view the full images of the dancers)
Kyla Barkin, raised in Tempe, Az., studied with "La Mariquilla" at the Academia de Ballet Flamenco in Granada, Spain. She attended Arizona State University, then received her BA in dance from UCLA. Kyla has been working with Janis Brenner & Dancers since 1993, with whom she has toured to countries such as Indonesia, Russia, and Taiwan as well as teaching and setting works at various places including the Julliard School. Ms. Barkin has danced with Isabel Gotzkowsky and Friends (since 2003), The Doug Elkins Dance Company, Tamar Rogoff Performance Projects, Kun-Yang Lin, and others. Her choreography has been shown at The Merce Cunningham theatre, Dance space, Dixon Place, Center Stage, the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center, regularly at The Moveable Feast, and other venues across the U.S.. She has been on faculty at USDAN Center for Performing Arts and teaches classes, private lessons and workshops internationally. Kyla is also a Fitness Professional, a Medical Exercise Specialist, a yoga teacher/therapist, has published both poetry and prose, a singer/songwriter, and one of the original producers of The Moveable Feast, a "pARTy on the move w/ an ever-changing menu". Kyla is thrilled to have recently joined CDDC in September of 2006.
Mica Bernas, born and raised in Manila, Philippines, started her ballet training at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Dance School in 1992. She later on became company member of Ballet Philippines (BP) in August of 2002. That same year, she joined the company in performances in Hong Kong and represented the Philippines in the ASEAN Arts Festival in Cambodia. From then on, Mica has been soloist of BP and a regular faculty member of the CCP Dance School. She again represented the Philippines in the ASEAN production of REALIZING RAMA in 2003 and May of 2006. Since coming to New York, Mica has performed for Max Luna III, Connecticut Ballet, Zig Zag Ballet, H.T. Chen & Dancers, Leonides Arpon, and Gallim Dance Group . Mica also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Communication from De La Salle University Manila, Philippines.
Joan Chiang is originally from Hong Kong. Before coming to the United States, she has performed with the Hong Kong Ballet and the Hong Kong Dance Company. She received her BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase where she has performed in the works of Pascal Rioult, Bill T Jones, Paul Taylor, among many other choreographers. Upon graduation, she became a member of Cortez and Company and danced with Mr. Hernando Cortez for 3 years. In New York, she has also had the privilege to work with other choreographers, including Abby Man Yee Chan, Patrick Corbin, Christopher Morgan and Rosalind Newman Joan is thrilled to return to CDDC for her fifth season and she would like to thank her husband, Dominique, for his love and support.
Jacqueline Dumas is from Melbourne, Florida. She attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh on scholarship. In three years time, she was awarded the Sophomore of the Year scholarship and the Senior of the Year award and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Dance. She then spent the summer at the American Dance Festival as a scholarship student studying with Nathan Trice, Donald McKayle, Mark Haim, and Geri Houlihan. While at ADF, she performed in the International Choreographers Concert for Li Han Zhong and Ma Bo of the Beijing Modern Dance Company. Before coming to New York, Jacquie danced at Tokyo Disneyland for seven months and appeared on NHK as a featured Disney dancer. Since arriving in New York in 2001, she has worked consistently with nathantrice/RITUALS and Sidra Bell Dance New York and has done projects with Noel Macduffie, Lea Fulton, Arron Wendall, and Angella Huddleston. Many thanks to Carolyn, CDDC staff, and my fellow dancers for another great year - you are all amazing. And much love to my family, my friends, and my Lord for constant support, strength, and peace - there are no words good enough to praise and thank you.
Kate Hirstein is originally from Dubuque, Iowa. She began her dance training with Marina O’Rourke and Tatiana Bechenova at the Dubuque Academy of Ballet. Kate entered college at the University of Iowa, later transferring to Juilliard where she received her B.F.A. in May 2006. While at Juilliard, Kate danced the works of Jose Limon, Paul Taylor, Mark Morris, Eliot Feld, Susan Marshall, and Takehiro Ueyama. She is very excited to be in her second season with the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company. Kate thanks her family, friends, and artistic mentors for their energies of support and constant encouragement.
Jenna Riegel, born in California and raised in Iowa, holds an M.F.A. in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa where she studied with George de la Peña, Jennifer Kayle, Alan Sener, Eloy Barragan, and Armando Duarte, among others. Jenna has performed in works by David Dorfman, Bill Young, Donald McKayle, Tatiana Baganova, Jennifer Nugent and Paul Matteson and Michel Kouakou and has previously danced for Kayle + Company, Deanna Carter Dances, Charlotte Adams and Dancers and Inaside Chicago Dance. Jenna is currently dancing for Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company and David Dorfman Dance (no relation) and is tickled by this coincidence. This is Jenna's first season with Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company and she is ecstatic to dance with such a wonderful group of people! Jenna would like to thank her best friend Lucia, for being her artistic comrade-in-arms, and her family, for their love, laughter and encouragement.
Wendee Rogerson, a native of Northern Ontario, Canada, began her formal training with The Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She went on to train and dance with The Toronto Dance Theatre. In 1991, she moved to New York and studied at the Limon Institute under Risa Steinberg. She has performed with Sue Bernhard Dancers, Carl Fink (Black Label Movement), Ze’eva Cohen and The Yard’s environmental project and most recently in Alison Chase's Quarryography project. Over the years with the company, Wendee has enjoyed staging Carolyn's work around the country. This is her tenth season with CDDC. She would like to thank her family, friends and her husband Todd for all their support.
Aaron Selissen is originally from Green Bay, WI. In 2002, he received his BFA from Butler University. From 2002 to 2005, he danced with David Hochoy's Dance Kaleidoscope of Indianapolis and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He has also danced with Ballet Internationale, Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre, and The Martha Graham Dance Ensemble. Aaron moved to New York in May of 2005. He is excited to be in his second season with the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company.
David CH Shen graduated from the Chinese Cultural University with a major in Martial Arts of Tai-Chi Chuan. In 1997, Mr. Shen won the gold medal at the National Tai-Chi Competition in Taiwan. He has danced professionally with the Taipei Folk Dance Troupe from 1991-1997, the Peggy Wu Jazz Dance Company 1996-1999, and the Nai Ni Chen Dance Company 1999-2003. He has performed in Canada, Japan, Korea, Mainland China and the United States.
Mark Taylor, born in Tuscan, Az and raised in Houston, Texas studied gymnastics starting at age 7 and qualified for the junior Olympics at age 14. He began his formal dance training at Ballet, Austin while studying acting at the University of Texas. He furthered his training on scholarship at Houston Ballet, and in 2002, finished his BFA in dance at the University of Hartford while dancing with Dance Connecticut (formerly the Hartford Ballet). Upon graduating Mark became a scholarship student and summer intensive coordinator of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Mark has been recently seen dancing with the Thomas/Ortiz Dance Company, Full Force Dance Theater, Maxine Stienman, Christopher Caines Dance Company, Dance Anonymous, and Nadine Yavel. This is Mark's third season with Carolyn Dorfman and is thankful for the opportunity.
Sarah Wagner, a native of Scranton, PA, graduated magna cum laude from Bucknell University in May 2001 with a major in management and a minor in dance. While at Bucknell, she received a summer research grant to study Chinese dance and aesthetics in China, and co-choreographed a piece with Danna Frangione for the dance major students at Tsoying High School in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Since moving to New York, Sarah has had the pleasure of performing with Randy James Dance Works, Dodge Dance Company and Alan Danielson Dance and is a teacher at the Limon Institute. Sarah is excited for her third season with CDDC.
Jon Zimmerman studied acting for two years at Virginia Tech, and then transferred to James Madison University where he obtained a BS in Dance in 1994. Since moving to New York City in August of 1997 Jon has performed with Aviva Geismar, Randy James, Sasha Soreff and Guido Tuveri. Currently in his seventh season with The Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Jon also performs with Isabel Gotzkowsky and Friends, and Fiona Marcotty. He participated in The Yard's Bessie Schonberg Choreographers and Dancers Residency on Martha's Vineyard in 1999 where he worked with B.J. Sullivan and Chung-Fu Chang. Jon's choreography has been presented by Dance Theater Workshop's 'Fresh Tracks', Dance Now Downtown, New Dance Group Arts Center, The Evolving Arts Theatre, Dixon Place, Saint Michael's Church and at the Williamsburg Arts neXus. He teaches Pilates on Manhattan’s upper west side. One day Jon hopes to be able to hurl himself at the ground… and miss…
TECHNICAL TEAM
Jennifer Mesce (Company Manager/Stage Manager) is a graduate of Rider University with a BA in Theatre and Communications. Over the years, she has worked in many facets of the theatre, onstage and off. In addition to her work with CDDC, Jennifer teaches musical theatre and improvisation classes with the Morris County Arts Workshop in Chester, NJ. She is also a cast member of H&R Productions’ touring company of Godspell. She has worked as a stage manager and assistant stage manager at several theatres in New Jersey, including the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, George Street Playhouse, and Surflight Theatre. This is Jennifer’s fourth season with CDDC.
Sean Perry (Production Manager/Lighting Designer) has
designed lighting for
theatre, dance, and music in Minneapolis, Boston, Eugene (OR), and Washington
DC, as well as New York City, where his work was last seen in the CAP/NY
performance production of REVISIONS at the John Jay Theatre in the Upper
West Side. Mr. Perry also currently designs for the nationally recognized
City At Peace theatrical program that serves underprivileged youths in
NYC and Washington, DC area. He has also served as the designer in residence
at Lisner Auditorium in Washington DC, where he has designed for acts
from all over the world, including Mickey Hart's Planet Drum and The Dave
Matthews Band. As a member of IATSE Local # 487 in Baltimore, Mr. Perry
has worked in the movie industry as a Grip/Electrician. His film credits
include Hannibal, Cecil B. Demented, Blair Witch, Part II, Enemy of the
State, and the television program The West Wing. While a member of Local
# 487, Sean studied rigging with Jay O. Glerum, the author of the Stage
Rigging Handbook. Now in his fifth year with Carolyn Dorfman, Sean continues
to enjoy the view from the inside of the work of this vibrant company.
