UNLEASHED 2023 Performance Program
Winchester Theatre May 13 – 15
Director Derek Sangster
Artistic Administrator Kia Kotsanis
Lighting Design Madhu Seran
Stage Management Kayla Ado
Wardrobe Glenna Foerster
Technical Director Jacob Gagnon
Thank you to the technicians of the Winchester Theatre and to all our volunteers!
about george brown dance
The George Brown College Dance programs offer exceptional professional technical training in the heart of downtown Toronto. With hundreds of theatre, dance and production companies, Toronto offers extraordinary opportunities to aspiring performers. The unique leadership of Ballet Jörgen’s expert instructors graduates students with the skills, confidence and connections necessary for employment in a wide range of dance performance settings. Students and faculty have built a strong community that offers continuous support and encouragement at school and beyond. At George Brown Dance, expect to be empowered and challenged to fulfill your dance potential.
Message from the associate Director
Welcome to George Brown Dance Unleashed 2023! We are excited to welcome you in joining us for the first live performance of UNLEASHED since 2019. Tonight, you will be introduced to our next generation of performers and see a diverse showcase with works created by both Distinguished Guest Artists and our highly regarded faculty. This evening’s performance features students of the Dance Performance Preparation and Dance Performance programs. The George Brown Dance faculty is comprised of an outstanding team of instructors, working artists, choreographers and directors, who instill discipline and teach skills necessary to interpret the vision of others.
Each of the choreographers has generously committed themselves to the idea of a “company” setting, which enables the performers to experience the creative work process and environment of the professional world. The students benefit tremendously from the unique approach and mentorship of the respective team.
On behalf of George Brown Dance, I would like to acknowledge and thank this years’ Distinguished Guest Artists, Susie Burpee and Ryan Lee. Both of these highly regarded Canadian dance makers have shared their invaluable creative gifts and created new and challenging commissions.
Special thanks to Kathy Le and Clea Iveson, as well as Kia Kotsanis.
I would like to thank each faculty member for their time, energy and inspiring work as they help the students to realize their potential and prepare for the future.
Finally, I extend my deepest gratitude to our hardworking, courageous dancers. Their passion, creative spark and generous spirits light up the stage each night and offer much hope for the future of our art form.
We hope you enjoy tonight’s performance!
Derek Sangster
Associate Director, George Brown Dance
unleashed 2023
Dancers Danaca Bell, Taliah Bellman, Heidi Boileau, Sofia Castillo Ardines, Mariha Celis Solarte, Elizabeth Diamond, Victoria Emmons, Holly Gill, Jane-Leigh Jamieson, Samantha Johnston, Ayisha Mohammed, Elena Nechaeva, Lily Villeneuve, Veronica Villeneuve, Sophie Willett
Description The human experience creates a tremendous amount of emotional duality. The idea that we can hold both joy and sadness in our hearts at the same time is extraordinary to me.They do not cancel each other out, but rather coexist in many areas of our life. It can be extreme, subtle, but ever present. I have been battling with this concept for a long time. How is it possible that humans hold these big feelings all at once? How do we cope? How do we face our feelings? And yet we do. The chaos of emotions colliding together somehow creates space for hope and eventually acceptance. I am in awe of our resilience and strength. This piece explores these concepts and invites the audience to dive into the complexity of our emotions.
Choreography Bengt Jörgen C.M.
Adapted by Clea Iveson
Music Piano Concerto No.1 in D Minor, BMV 1052 by Johann Sebastian Bach Piano Concerto No.1 in D Minor, BMV 1052 by Johann Sebastian Bach
Dancers Chabi Arauz, Adrianna Cote, Karessann Juteau Mercier, Sarah Milligan, Madelyn Wiedrick, Sophie Willett, Mao Yokosaka, Jackson Young, Rose Zambrano Quiroz
Swing Aria Lara WIlton
Understudies Ella Hoogewerf, Yuzuha Tsubokawa
Choreography Kathy Le in collaboration with dancers
Rehearsal Director Miah Lewis
Music “Mr. Rager” by Kid Cudi + “Salt Womb” by Ori Lichtik
Dancers Heidi-Leigh Boileau, Andrea Canjura, Sofia Castillo, Samantha Johnston, Kali Kellington, Catherine Lau, Alaia R Lopes, Ryleigh Poelman
This work was created out of our HBE Contemporary Mentorship Program. Hanna Kiel and Human Body Expression partnered with GBD to offer a distinctive one-year Contemporary Mentorship Program for Dance Performance graduates. Mentorship includes classes in technique and composition, along with the opportunity to choreograph for the GBD Ensemble which you are seeing this evening. Huge co gratulations to our mentee Kathy Le on the showcasing of her new work. We are very proud of you!
AND…SCENE!
Choreography & Text Susie Burpee, in collaboration with the dancers
Rehearsal Assistant Deanna Selgado
Music Frédéric Chopin: 12 Études, Op. 10: No. 1 in C Major, performed by Maurizio Pollini
Rachel’s: Handwriting and Saccharin, from Handwriting (1995)
Richard Reed Parry: Excerpt from For Heart, Breath, and Orchestra (2014)
Francesco Tristano: The Melody (2008)
Dancers Heidi Boileau, Ivy Rose Dunlop, Ella Hoogewerf, Karessann Juteau Mercier, Sarah Milligan, Alaia R Lopes, Lily Villeneuve, Veronica Villeneuve, Madelyn Wiedrick, Mao Yokosaka, Jackson Young
Choreography Ryan Lee in collaboration with the dancers
Rehearsal Director Mari Budgey
Sound Design Kaitlyn Seibold
Music Travis Lake, Luke Howard, CoH, Abdul Mogard
Lighting Design Madhu Seran
Costume Design Glenna Foerster
George Brown Dance
Artistic Director Bengt Jörgen C.M
Associate Director Derek Sangster
Education Manager Clea Iveson
Assistant Education Manager Nina Milanovski
Program Coordinator Kia Kotsanis
Education Coordinator Valentina Polanco
School of Media and Performing Arts
Chair, School of Media and Performing Arts Trent Scherer
Manager, Operations Centre for Arts, Design & Information Technology Anne Sardo
Student Services Coordinator Lise Maher
George Brown College
President Dr. Gervan Fearon
Dean, Centre for Arts, Design and Information Technology Luigi Ferrara
George Brown Dance Faculty
Lindsay Aquin – Hip Hop, Jazz
Allison Bradley – Jazz, Performance Preparation
Laetitia Clement – Ballet, Pointe
Amanda Davis – Modern
Anna Elena – Ballet
Clea Iveson – Repertoire
Ryan Kelly – Acting
Hanna Kiel – Composition, Repertoire
Heidi Lange – Vocal, Music Theory
Cynthia Macedo – Ballet, Pointe
Nicola Pantin – Chorus Repertoire, Modern
Kathleen Rea – Modern
Jennifer Robichaud – Jazz, Business of Dance
Derick Robinson – Hip Hop
Derek Sangster – Jazz
Accompanists
Andrew Ball – Vocal, Chorus Repertoire
Geza Szenasi – Ballet
Robin Easton – Modern
Jörgen Dance
Artistic Director & CEO Bengt Jörgen C.M.
General Manager Stephen Word
Education Manager Clea Iveson
Business Operations Manager Aleksandra Maslennikova
Marketing Manager Dana Ginsberg
Assistant Education Manager Nina Milanovski
Community Programs Lead Elise Tigges
Communications & Content Developer Casey Spector
Education Coordinator Valentina Polanco
Technical Director Jacob Gagnon
Resident Lighting Designer & Assistant Production Manager Madhu Seran