collaborators
Christian Allen grew up in Cambridge, MA where he began dancing at the age of five with JAM’NASTICS INC., a local hip-hop company. His formal dance training began in high school where he studied ballet, modern and improvisational dance. In the course of receiving his BFA from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, SUNY, and since graduation, he has performed repertory from NØA Dance, GREYZONE NYC, Gregory Dolbashian, Adam Barruch, Gabrielle Lamb, Shannon Gillen, Roy Assaf, Aszure Barton, Kyle Abraham, Brian Brooks, Emily Molnar, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown and Bill T. Jones.
River Bartosik-Murray (Performer) lives in Brooklyn and attends High School for Art & Design in Manhattan. She has performed in Kimberly Bartosik’s I hunger for you , through the mirror of their eyes, and Fanta!; Jerome Bel’s Gala; and Thierry Thieû Niang’s To the Heart.
Gelsey Bell is a singer, songwriter, and scholar. She has released multiple albums and her work has been presented internationally. Her song cycle Our Defensive Measurements (2013) with commissioned by the Jerome Foundation and Roulette. She is a core member of thingNY and Varispeed, and has worked with numerous artists in the creation of new work, including Robert Ashley, Matthew Barney, Jonathan Bepler, Yasuko Yokoshi, Dave Malloy, John King, and Kate Soper, among others. She is also an ABD doctoral candidate in Performance Studies at NYU and the Critical Acts co-editor for TDR/The Drama Review. www.gelseybell.com.
Dylan Crossman (Performer) grew up in France, graduated from the Trinity/Laban School of Music and Dance, in London, and trained in the U.S. at Burklyn Ballet Theatre (VT). An understudy for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company 2007-2009, Dylan joined the main company in 2009.A two-time Bessie recipient, he has taught at Barnard, Purchase, Rutgers, Sarah Lawrence and is a stager for the Cunningham Trust. Dylan also works with Ryan McNamara, Pam Tanowitz, Sally Silvers, Amber Sloan, Megan Williams and recently made his curatorial debut with a Works & Process at the Guggenheim Museum. Learn about his company at www.dylancrossman.org
Quinn Czejkowski (Costume Designer) is a costume artist, mover, and floral arranger based in NYC. She is interested in exploring the intersection of natural and man-made materials and organic and inorganic styles. Recent design credits include Darling with Helen Simoneau, Stand In with Jen Rosenblit, Chimera with Burr Johnson, rib bone / backbone with Heather Robles, (T)HERE TO (T)HERE with Liz Gerring, as well as pieces for Gwen Welliver, Renay Aumiller, Dylan Crossman, and others. In addition to her own design work, Quinn is the costume shop manager for Company XIV and has worked with designers Reid Bartelme & Harriet Jung.
Melanie George is the founder of Jazz Is… Dance Project, and the Audience Educator and Dramaturg for Lumberyard. As a dramaturg, Melanie has contributed to projects by David Neumann & Marcella Murray, Raja Feather Kelly, Susan Marshall & Company, Machine Dazzle, and Urban Bush Women among others. Current projects include new works by Helen Simoneau, Ephrat Asherie Dance, and Caleb Teicher & Company. Melanie has presented her choreography and research on jazz dance improvisation and pedagogy throughout the U.S., in Canada and Scotland, and founded the global jazz dance advocacy website jazzdancedirect.com.
Lance Gries was a member of the Trisha Brown Dance Company from 1985-1992. His work with that company has been honored with a New York Dance and Performance “Bessie” Award and a Princess Grace Foundation Award. Since 1990, he has created and presented solo and group choreography in various venues in New York City such as The Kitchen, Danspace, La MaMa Experimental Theater and The State Theater; as well as cities throughout Europe. His solo evening, “Etudes for an Astronaut” was nominated for a 2011 New York and Performance “Bessie” award for best dance production. He is the recipient of a 2014 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Fellowship in support of, “IF Immanent Field” and was a 2017 resident of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Mr. Gries is a renowned teacher, having taught workshops and master classes throughout the world. In 1994 he was a “founding teacher” of PARTS in Brussels, Belgium and continues there as a visiting teacher. Lance’s pedagogical approach is featured in a book on methodology published by Tanzplan Deutschland under the title of “Aspects of Release and Alignment Oriented Techniques.”
Sivan Jacobovitz is a producer/musician living in NYC. Dance collaborations include: Kimberly Bartosik's I Hunger For You (BAM Next Wave), through the mirror of their eyes (New York Live Arts - Bessie Outstanding Production Honoree) and Works & Process at the Guggenheim (2020); Shamel Pitts' Black Hole (touring internationally), MENAGERIE (with Gibney Company) and Touch of RED (upcoming - Jacobs Pillow Lab); ASSEMBLY with GREYZONE (upcoming). thfc. @sivan_daniel
Aaron Burr Johnson has danced for John Jasperse Projects, Helen Simoneau Danse, Kimberly Bartosik/daela, and Shen Wei Dance Arts. He has also worked for Marina Abramović/Givenchy, Walter Dundervill, Ryan McNamara, Yozmit, Mark Fell, Boris Charmatz, Brittany Bailey, Isabel Lewis, Nick Mauss, Peter Sellars, Jack Ferver, Bill Young and the Merce Cunningham Trust for “Night of 100 solos: LA”. His choreography has been presented through Movement Research, Abrons Art Center, Danspace Project, GIBNEY, and W+P at the Guggenheim with Reid and Harriet Design. He received a 2020 Bessie Nomination for Outstanding Performers in Kimberly’s through the mirror of their eyes.
Lindsey Jones is a Brooklyn-based freelance dance artist. She is originally from St. Louis, MO and studied dance at COCA. She received her BFA from SUNY Purchase and studied abroad at London Contemporary Dance School. Lindsey has performed with GREYZONE, Jonathan Allen, Ian Spencer Bell, June Finch, Adriane Lee, and Jordana Toback. She was featured in Isaac Mizrahi’s ‘Peter & the Wolf’ at The Guggenheim Museum and ‘The Magic Flute’ at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Lindsey has collaborated and performed with the musical artists; Blood Orange, kuxxan SUUM, Loving You, and Stone Cold Fox. She is currently performing with Dance Heginbotham, Pam Tanowitz Dance, Bill Young, Caleb Teicher & Company, Kimberly Bartosik/daela, and Sally Silvers & Dancers and The Merce Cunningham Trust.
Harriet Jung is a New York based artist working in costume and fashion design. She was born in South Korea, and immigrated to California when she was three months old. After completing degrees in Molecular Cell Biology and Fashion Design, she worked as a womenswear designer for Jill Stuart. She then went on to found Reid & Harriet in the Fall of 2011. Through this collaboration, she has designed productions for New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and San Francisco Ballet amongst many other companies around the world.
Joanna Kotze is a Bessie-award winning dancer and choreographer. Her work has received funding from the Jerome, Mertz-Gilmore, and Harkness Foundations, New Music USA, NYFA BUILD, Brooklyn Arts Council, Yellowhouse, and FCA Emergency Grant. Her choreography has been presented at the Wexner, Velocity, NAC Ottawa, The Yard, Bates, Opera House Arts, New York Live Arts, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Danspace Project, ADI, Bard, Jacob’s Pillow, DNA, Movement Research, 92nd Street Y, and others. She has been supported through residencies throughout the US and Europe. Joanna danced with Wally Cardona from 2000-2010&2018. She has also danced for Kota Yamazaki, Stacy Spence, Sam Kim, Netta Yerushalmy and others. This is her 11th year dancing with Kimberly. She is originally from South Africa and has a BA in Architecture. www.joannakotze.com
Hunter Liss is 11 years old and in 6th grade. He loves skateboarding, drumming, basketball and, of course, dance!
Marc Mann received his training from S.U.N.Y. Purchase, graduating Magna Cum Lauda and with the Presidential Award for Exceptional Achievement in Dance. During his final year, Marc joined the Martha Graham Dance Company, where he performed many Principle and soloist roles, notably,“The Preacher” in “Appalachain Spring”. Other professional credits include; Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Co., Toronto Dance Theater, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Lar Lubavitch Dance and others. He also made his debut joining both casts of Twyla Tharp’s “Movin’Out” on Broadway and 1st National Tour. Marc thanks Kimberly for the opportunity to work so closely in their deep and explorative process. This marks their 5th collaborative creation since 2006.
Roderick Murray (Lighting Design) is a Bessie-Award winning artist who has been designing lighting and installations for dance, music, and opera internationally since 1989. He is thrilled with through the mirror of their eyes and grateful to continue his life-long collaboration with Kimberly. Murray designed projects for Ralph Lemon, Benjamin Millepied, LADP, Wally Cardona, Dusan Tynek, Kathy Westwater, Yanira Castro, Luca Veggetti, and others. His work as also been seen on performances by Karen Sherman, Sekou Sundiata, Yasuko Yokoshi, Ethel, Bill Young, Roseanne Spradlin, NYCBallet, Ballet di Roma, ABT, Lyon Opèra Ballet, Ballet Collective, Dortmund Ballett, Tim Fain, Melinda Ring, Donna Uchizono, Cori Olinghouse, Paul Simon and others. Upcoming projects include a premiere by Raphael Xavier and a new Romeo and Juliet for LADP. www.roderickmurraylighting.com/
Dave Ruder is a Brooklyn-based vocalist, clarinetist, guitarist, composer, songwriter, writer/librettist, interdisciplinary collaborator, etc. Dave’s work can be heard in the band Why Lie?, the storytelling project Dave & Woody’s Chicken Slaughtering LLC, the ensembles Varispeed, Sweat Lodge, and thingNY. He has regularly worked with Robert Ashley, Anthony Braxton, Aaron Siegel, Abigail Levine, Joanna Kotze, Dušan Týnek, and Panoply Performance Laboratory. Since 2013, Dave has been the driving force behind Gold Bolus Recordings. As a composer, his work has been featured in Experiments in Opera and his WHY LIE? project, 100+ open scores, is available online at www.daveruder.com
Jamie Scott is from Great Falls, Virginia and began her professional training at the Washington School of Ballet. She attended Barnard College and graduated Cum laude in 2005. Jamie worked with Merce Cunningham as a member of the Repertory Understudy Group beginning in 2007 and joined the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in 2009. In 2012, Jamie began dancing with the Trisha Brown Dance Company. She has also worked with Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, Ana Isabel Keilson, the Merce Cunningham Trust and Silas Riener. Jamie teaches technique and master classes for both the Trisha Brown Dance Company and Merce Cunningham Trust. She was the recipient of a 2014-2015 Princess Grace award and a 2014 Merce Cunningham Fellow.
Melissa Toogood is a native of Sydney, Australia. She was a member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company; her tenure included the highly acclaimed Legacy Tour. She has performed with Rashaun Mitchell & Silas Reiner, Kimberly Bartosik, Stephen Petronio Company, Rosie Herrera Dance Theater, Michael Uthoff Dance Theater, Robert Wood Dance, Miro Dance Theater and Pam Tanowitz Dance for which she also serves as Rehearsal Director. She is currently working with Sally Silvers, The Bang Group, Bartosik, Mitchell and Tanowitz. A faculty member at the Merce Cunningham Studio since 2007, she teaches master classes and workshops internationally. Melissa is a 2013 Merce Cunningham Fellow and was a 2013 New York Dance and Performance Award nominee for her performance in Mitchell’s Interface and Tanowitz’s The Spectators. Toogood earned a BFA in Dance Performance from New World School of the Arts, Miami, FL under Dean Daniel Lewis.
10-year old, Winter Willis, is a founding member of Young Them, cullen+them’s collaborative dance group for young people which uses movement and spoken word to create work that is important and meaningful to them. She attends the Alexander Robertson School and loves crafting, spending time with family, eating red snapper and traveling. Winter is excited to join Kimberly Bartosik/daela for the presentation of this new project!
Cover photo: The Encounter premiere at FIAF Crossing the Line, October 2022 by Maria Baranova