WHERE WE GATHER
Friday, May 12, 7:00 pm
Saturday, May 13, 7:00 pm
Centennial Performing Arts Studios
Presented by Animata Arts in partnership with the Metro Parks Dance Division
Supported by Friends of Metro Dance and the Tennessee Arts Commission
Murder of Crows
Choreographer: Asia Pyron / PYDANCE
Dancers: Becca Hoback, Lenin Fernandez, Emma Morrison, Asia Pyron
Musicians: Lenin Fernandez, Cole Winters
Music: “Go Round,” “Prélude à Go Round,” “Troupeau bleu,” “Huit octobre 1971,” “Sabbat pt.1,” “Sabbat pt.2” “Sabbat pt.3” by Cortex
It’s hard to stay mad when there’s so much beauty.
Choreography: Amanda Reichert in collaboration with the dancers.
Dancers: McKay House, Amanda Reichert, Joi Ware, Alex Winer
Music: Loscil, Thomas Newman, American Beauty, Erland Cooper, Peter Gregson,
voice recordings by the dancers.
Join us for the full-length premiere of this work at the COOP Gallery on June 3rd & 4th.
~Intermission~
I… We… Us.. in the same body.
Choreographer: Kani Wilson Co creator: Shaun Wright
Dancers: Kani Wilson, Shaun Wright, Bear, Trap Boi
Music: “Movement 6,” “For Marmish” by Floating Points; “Talk 2 Me” by Playboi Carti;
“Bus Stop” by Don Toliver
Peripheral Convergence
Choreography: Joi Ware in collective with Emma Morrison
Dancers: Joi Ware and Emma Morrison
Music: “A Nun Takes the Veil” by Samuel Barber; “Anoitece” by Alberto Nepomuceno; “Nocturne” by Samuel Barber; “The Glory of the Day” by Florence Price; “A Dream” by Rebecca Clarke
Collaborators: Singers-Sangeetha Ekambaram and Bakara Nkenge-Hinds; Piano-Jennifer McQuire
The original work of Peripheral Convergence includes Ashley Wolfe and Juniper McGerald, two additional collaborators who are not present in this iteration
TECTONIC
Choreographers: Mauve Taupe
Dancers: Spencer Grady and Phylicia Roybal
Sculpture artists/collaborators: Finley Sehorn and Carter Gordon
Special thanks to: Kristen Carrara, Lenin Fernandez
Music selections: “Summer Rain” by Healing Music Academy, “Grumbling” by White Noise Baby Sleep, “infomercials & heavy eyelids” by Jaeden Camstra, “The Open” by Lambert, “A Lo Bien-CERO39 rmx” by De Juepuchas and CERO39, “Nostalgia” by Jaeden Camstra,” Angle of List” by Locil
Friday, May 12, 7:00 pm
Saturday, May 13, 7:00 pm
Centennial Performing Arts Studios
Presented by Animata Arts in partnership with the Metro Parks Dance Division
Supported by Friends of Metro Dance and the Tennessee Arts Commission
Murder of Crows
Choreographer: Asia Pyron / PYDANCE
Dancers: Becca Hoback, Lenin Fernandez, Emma Morrison, Asia Pyron
Musicians: Lenin Fernandez, Cole Winters
Music: “Go Round,” “Prélude à Go Round,” “Troupeau bleu,” “Huit octobre 1971,” “Sabbat pt.1,” “Sabbat pt.2” “Sabbat pt.3” by Cortex
It’s hard to stay mad when there’s so much beauty.
Choreography: Amanda Reichert in collaboration with the dancers.
Dancers: McKay House, Amanda Reichert, Joi Ware, Alex Winer
Music: Loscil, Thomas Newman, American Beauty, Erland Cooper, Peter Gregson,
voice recordings by the dancers.
Join us for the full-length premiere of this work at the COOP Gallery on June 3rd & 4th.
~Intermission~
I… We… Us.. in the same body.
Choreographer: Kani Wilson Co creator: Shaun Wright
Dancers: Kani Wilson, Shaun Wright, Bear, Trap Boi
Music: “Movement 6,” “For Marmish” by Floating Points; “Talk 2 Me” by Playboi Carti;
“Bus Stop” by Don Toliver
Peripheral Convergence
Choreography: Joi Ware in collective with Emma Morrison
Dancers: Joi Ware and Emma Morrison
Music: “A Nun Takes the Veil” by Samuel Barber; “Anoitece” by Alberto Nepomuceno; “Nocturne” by Samuel Barber; “The Glory of the Day” by Florence Price; “A Dream” by Rebecca Clarke
Collaborators: Singers-Sangeetha Ekambaram and Bakara Nkenge-Hinds; Piano-Jennifer McQuire
The original work of Peripheral Convergence includes Ashley Wolfe and Juniper McGerald, two additional collaborators who are not present in this iteration
TECTONIC
Choreographers: Mauve Taupe
Dancers: Spencer Grady and Phylicia Roybal
Sculpture artists/collaborators: Finley Sehorn and Carter Gordon
Special thanks to: Kristen Carrara, Lenin Fernandez
Music selections: “Summer Rain” by Healing Music Academy, “Grumbling” by White Noise Baby Sleep, “infomercials & heavy eyelids” by Jaeden Camstra, “The Open” by Lambert, “A Lo Bien-CERO39 rmx” by De Juepuchas and CERO39, “Nostalgia” by Jaeden Camstra,” Angle of List” by Locil
MEET THE ARTISTS
MAUVE TAUPE
SPENCER GRADY Originally from Redkey, Indiana, Spencer received his BFA in Dance from Ball State University. He then went on to attend the Alexandria School of Scientific Therapeutics for massage therapy. While in Indiana, Spencer worked with Phoenix Rising Dance Company and s | k dancers, and in 2017, he produced The Washing, a solo in residency at the North American Laboratory for the Performing Arts. (Nashville) Spencer joined New Dialect as an apprentice in 2017. During his time with New Dialect he performed works by Banning Bouldin, choreographed for ND’s Third Voice, and taught community classes. Here, he began creating a curriculum for Contact Concepts, a class incorporating contemporary floorwork and bodywork principles. As a freelance artist, Spencer has worked in live performance, music videos, short films, and teaching workshops. He has performed works by Kate Wallich and Sidra Bell, and has collaborated with artists and organizations such as, Oz Arts, iiisquared, Imagine Dragons, Maniac Fantastic, Ball State Dance Theatre, and Westlake School for the Performing Arts. In 2019, he released the dance film CAVE in collaboration with Austin Paul and Maniac Fantastic Productions, and it premiered at Kindling Arts festival. He also premiered, Oct. 11, alongside Emma Morrison at the inaugural Animata Arts Festival in Nashville. In 2020, Spencer founded Pollen, an organization that produces performances and exhibitions for artists from all disciplines. Recently, Spencer has performed with novel. dance company, starred in the short film The Widowmaker with The Haunted Ballet, and co-choreographed and acted in the upcoming short film, You Already Are by Kay Kennedy and Matt Kinney.
PHYLICIA ROYBAL, a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, began her passion for movement at age 10. She went on to receive a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts at the University of Arizona in 2011. Upon graduating, Phylicia also received the Gurtrude Shurr Memorial Award in Modern dance. In her professional career she has had the privilege of working with Novel.dance, New Dialect Dance company (Nashville), under the direction of Banning Bouldin, Ronn Stewart and Cocodāco Dance Project (Chicago), Kibbutz contemporary dance company (Israel), Catherine Cabeen - Hyphen (Seattle) and Moving People Dance (Santa Fe). Throughout her dance career she has had the opportunity to also work with artists such as Roy Assaf, Rami Be’er, Donald Mckayle, Robert Moses, Gail Gilbert, Kevin Iega Jeff, and Bobby Mc Ferrin. Phylicia has taught at renowned programs such as The Nashville Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet Academy Chicago, The Youth American Grand Prix, Northwestern University, The Hispanic Family Foundation Baila program, Foster Dance Studios, Ensworth High School, Stage Right Performing arts, American Academy of Dance, Studio Arts for Dancers, and Metro Parks Dance Division. While residing in Nashville, she performed a solo work at the Animata Arts Festival in 2019 a second solo work as part of Pollen’s artist platform in 2020, and most recently presented a work at Kindling Arts Festival summer of 2022. She currently teaches Gyrokinesis®️ and is building a freelance career in the Nashville area. She enjoys connecting to people through movement, and continues to find inspiration through experimental and somatic based movement.
ASIA PYRON / PYDANCE was founded in 2019 by Asia Pyron in Boston, MA. Asia brought her collective to Nashville, TN in 2020 to embark on a journey of establishment in a new city. Since then, PYDANCE has performed in multiple spaces across the country such as Centennial Arts Center, Mare Nostrum Elements in New York, Onstage 360 in Boston and The James Theater in Iowa City. PYDANCE is a recipient of the Metro Arts THRIVE Grant and South Arts Cross Sector Grant. PYDANCE is currently a resident company at Centennial Performing Arts Studio where Asia and her team continue to build work in the Nashville dance community.
JOI WARE is a native of Dallas, TX where she began her formal training at Dance Industry Performing Arts Center under the direction of Christy Ryzman. There she got to work with notable choreographers such as Benoit Swan-Pouffer, Jessica Hendricks, and Jon Bond. In high school, she attended the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts where she performed works by Robert Battle, Lar Lubovitch, Sidra Bell, and many more. Joi is a graduate of Point Park University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management. At Point Park, she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Garfield Lemonius, Joshua L. Peugh, Christopher Huggins, and others. Joi has attended summer dance intensives with San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M, Bates Dance Festival, and Springboard Danse Montreal. In 2019, Joi moved to Nashville to join New Dialect. She has enjoyed being part of Nashville's tight knit yet growing dance scene as a freelance artist. Joi has created and danced in independent projects with Oz Arts, Apple, CMT, and multiple musical artists. She has also had the pleasure of being part of productions with Bombshell Dance Project, David Flores Productions, and PYDANCE.
KANI WILSON is a 22 year old artist who actively pulls from her roots and knowledge of the land in Nashville, Tennessee. Kani is interested in using her movement as a way to actively engage in living inside of emotion as a way to step out of dissociating from the world. Her work plays with both color/paint and language to explore the way these ideas connect to real lived experiences. She is heavily influenced by her training in contact improvisation at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and the agency that it brings to self. As she continues her exploration of what it means to be an artist she questions the integrity of attunement with self. What does it mean to be awake? What does it mean to have full access to self? These are all things Kani continues to question as she creates and dreams of a healed self.
AMANDA REICHERT is a freelance dancer and choreographer originally from Lawrence, KS. She received her BFA in Dance Performance from Chapman University, where she was awarded the Donna Cucunato Award for outstanding contribution to dance. In 2014 she moved to New York City, where she worked with Mike Esperanza, Suku Dance Lab, Stefanie Nelson Dancegroup, and MersihaMesihovic/CircuitDebris, among additional collaborations with freelance artists throughout New York City and Nashville. She credits them with both the brief and deep influence they’ve left on her own creative process. She has had the pleasure of presenting work for the Young Choreographer’s Festival at Symphony Space and Center for Performance Research in NYC, the Kindling Arts Festival and The Barbershop Theater in Nashville, TN, at Festival Nómada in El Salvador, and b12 Dance Festival in Berlin. She moved to Nashville, TN at the beginning of 2019 to focus on developing her own ideas as a dance maker, and currently teaches contemporary dance to students at Franklin School of Performing Arts and Harpeth Hall. She is a recipient of the Metro THRIVE program funding for a new project to premiere in June 2023.
MAUVE TAUPE
SPENCER GRADY Originally from Redkey, Indiana, Spencer received his BFA in Dance from Ball State University. He then went on to attend the Alexandria School of Scientific Therapeutics for massage therapy. While in Indiana, Spencer worked with Phoenix Rising Dance Company and s | k dancers, and in 2017, he produced The Washing, a solo in residency at the North American Laboratory for the Performing Arts. (Nashville) Spencer joined New Dialect as an apprentice in 2017. During his time with New Dialect he performed works by Banning Bouldin, choreographed for ND’s Third Voice, and taught community classes. Here, he began creating a curriculum for Contact Concepts, a class incorporating contemporary floorwork and bodywork principles. As a freelance artist, Spencer has worked in live performance, music videos, short films, and teaching workshops. He has performed works by Kate Wallich and Sidra Bell, and has collaborated with artists and organizations such as, Oz Arts, iiisquared, Imagine Dragons, Maniac Fantastic, Ball State Dance Theatre, and Westlake School for the Performing Arts. In 2019, he released the dance film CAVE in collaboration with Austin Paul and Maniac Fantastic Productions, and it premiered at Kindling Arts festival. He also premiered, Oct. 11, alongside Emma Morrison at the inaugural Animata Arts Festival in Nashville. In 2020, Spencer founded Pollen, an organization that produces performances and exhibitions for artists from all disciplines. Recently, Spencer has performed with novel. dance company, starred in the short film The Widowmaker with The Haunted Ballet, and co-choreographed and acted in the upcoming short film, You Already Are by Kay Kennedy and Matt Kinney.
PHYLICIA ROYBAL, a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, began her passion for movement at age 10. She went on to receive a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts at the University of Arizona in 2011. Upon graduating, Phylicia also received the Gurtrude Shurr Memorial Award in Modern dance. In her professional career she has had the privilege of working with Novel.dance, New Dialect Dance company (Nashville), under the direction of Banning Bouldin, Ronn Stewart and Cocodāco Dance Project (Chicago), Kibbutz contemporary dance company (Israel), Catherine Cabeen - Hyphen (Seattle) and Moving People Dance (Santa Fe). Throughout her dance career she has had the opportunity to also work with artists such as Roy Assaf, Rami Be’er, Donald Mckayle, Robert Moses, Gail Gilbert, Kevin Iega Jeff, and Bobby Mc Ferrin. Phylicia has taught at renowned programs such as The Nashville Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet Academy Chicago, The Youth American Grand Prix, Northwestern University, The Hispanic Family Foundation Baila program, Foster Dance Studios, Ensworth High School, Stage Right Performing arts, American Academy of Dance, Studio Arts for Dancers, and Metro Parks Dance Division. While residing in Nashville, she performed a solo work at the Animata Arts Festival in 2019 a second solo work as part of Pollen’s artist platform in 2020, and most recently presented a work at Kindling Arts Festival summer of 2022. She currently teaches Gyrokinesis®️ and is building a freelance career in the Nashville area. She enjoys connecting to people through movement, and continues to find inspiration through experimental and somatic based movement.
ASIA PYRON / PYDANCE was founded in 2019 by Asia Pyron in Boston, MA. Asia brought her collective to Nashville, TN in 2020 to embark on a journey of establishment in a new city. Since then, PYDANCE has performed in multiple spaces across the country such as Centennial Arts Center, Mare Nostrum Elements in New York, Onstage 360 in Boston and The James Theater in Iowa City. PYDANCE is a recipient of the Metro Arts THRIVE Grant and South Arts Cross Sector Grant. PYDANCE is currently a resident company at Centennial Performing Arts Studio where Asia and her team continue to build work in the Nashville dance community.
JOI WARE is a native of Dallas, TX where she began her formal training at Dance Industry Performing Arts Center under the direction of Christy Ryzman. There she got to work with notable choreographers such as Benoit Swan-Pouffer, Jessica Hendricks, and Jon Bond. In high school, she attended the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts where she performed works by Robert Battle, Lar Lubovitch, Sidra Bell, and many more. Joi is a graduate of Point Park University where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management. At Point Park, she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Garfield Lemonius, Joshua L. Peugh, Christopher Huggins, and others. Joi has attended summer dance intensives with San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M, Bates Dance Festival, and Springboard Danse Montreal. In 2019, Joi moved to Nashville to join New Dialect. She has enjoyed being part of Nashville's tight knit yet growing dance scene as a freelance artist. Joi has created and danced in independent projects with Oz Arts, Apple, CMT, and multiple musical artists. She has also had the pleasure of being part of productions with Bombshell Dance Project, David Flores Productions, and PYDANCE.
KANI WILSON is a 22 year old artist who actively pulls from her roots and knowledge of the land in Nashville, Tennessee. Kani is interested in using her movement as a way to actively engage in living inside of emotion as a way to step out of dissociating from the world. Her work plays with both color/paint and language to explore the way these ideas connect to real lived experiences. She is heavily influenced by her training in contact improvisation at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and the agency that it brings to self. As she continues her exploration of what it means to be an artist she questions the integrity of attunement with self. What does it mean to be awake? What does it mean to have full access to self? These are all things Kani continues to question as she creates and dreams of a healed self.
AMANDA REICHERT is a freelance dancer and choreographer originally from Lawrence, KS. She received her BFA in Dance Performance from Chapman University, where she was awarded the Donna Cucunato Award for outstanding contribution to dance. In 2014 she moved to New York City, where she worked with Mike Esperanza, Suku Dance Lab, Stefanie Nelson Dancegroup, and MersihaMesihovic/CircuitDebris, among additional collaborations with freelance artists throughout New York City and Nashville. She credits them with both the brief and deep influence they’ve left on her own creative process. She has had the pleasure of presenting work for the Young Choreographer’s Festival at Symphony Space and Center for Performance Research in NYC, the Kindling Arts Festival and The Barbershop Theater in Nashville, TN, at Festival Nómada in El Salvador, and b12 Dance Festival in Berlin. She moved to Nashville, TN at the beginning of 2019 to focus on developing her own ideas as a dance maker, and currently teaches contemporary dance to students at Franklin School of Performing Arts and Harpeth Hall. She is a recipient of the Metro THRIVE program funding for a new project to premiere in June 2023.
ABOUT ANIMATA ARTS
Animata Arts is a Nashville based platform for freelance artists to create, connect, and share their work. Founded by Sarah Salim and Amanda Reichert in 2019, Animata’s mission is to help foster and sustain community among artists while providing more opportunities to amplify their work.
ABOUT THE METRO PARKS DANCE DIVISION
The Metro Parks Dance Division was established in 1965 and is rooted in the city of Nashville’s proud tradition of investing in arts education to enrich and positively impact the lives of its citizens. The program provides high-quality, affordable dance training to children and adults in a supportive environment, provides resources to local dance artists for work development, and develops educated dance audience members. Through a wide variety of classes, a Mini-Nutcracker and Spring Concert performed by Centennial Youth Ballet annually, partnerships with Nashville-based dance companies, and events that foster critical discussion about the art form, we are able to serve toddlers to seniors, novices to professionals, and everyone in between.
ABOUT FRIENDS OF METRO DANCE
Friends of Metro Dance is a non-profit organization established in 1995 to enhance the art of dance in the Metro community; enrich the programming of Metro Parks Dance Division; and encourage the growth of dancers of all ages and abilities through funding and volunteerism. Friends of Metro Dance is proud to support high-quality dance education in the public sector to students and families from diverse backgrounds and regardless of race, gender identity, body type, socio-economic status, disability, political or religious beliefs.
Animata Arts is a Nashville based platform for freelance artists to create, connect, and share their work. Founded by Sarah Salim and Amanda Reichert in 2019, Animata’s mission is to help foster and sustain community among artists while providing more opportunities to amplify their work.
ABOUT THE METRO PARKS DANCE DIVISION
The Metro Parks Dance Division was established in 1965 and is rooted in the city of Nashville’s proud tradition of investing in arts education to enrich and positively impact the lives of its citizens. The program provides high-quality, affordable dance training to children and adults in a supportive environment, provides resources to local dance artists for work development, and develops educated dance audience members. Through a wide variety of classes, a Mini-Nutcracker and Spring Concert performed by Centennial Youth Ballet annually, partnerships with Nashville-based dance companies, and events that foster critical discussion about the art form, we are able to serve toddlers to seniors, novices to professionals, and everyone in between.
ABOUT FRIENDS OF METRO DANCE
Friends of Metro Dance is a non-profit organization established in 1995 to enhance the art of dance in the Metro community; enrich the programming of Metro Parks Dance Division; and encourage the growth of dancers of all ages and abilities through funding and volunteerism. Friends of Metro Dance is proud to support high-quality dance education in the public sector to students and families from diverse backgrounds and regardless of race, gender identity, body type, socio-economic status, disability, political or religious beliefs.