A Harlem Based Modern Dance Company
3.22.24 Collective Thread Program
Collective Thread provides a voice and a platform for artistic self-impression to those women identifying artists of underrepresented ethnic groups within the medium of dance. ***PLEASE NOTE: MADC uses the term “women” to encompass all those that self-identify as women including cisgender, transgender, nonbinary, or gender non-conforming. We honor and respect all identities.*** The goal of Collective Thread is to instill artists with the necessary tools to take on leadership roles in an effort to increase diversity, inclusion, and gender equality in the dance field.
MADC’s Collective Thread Dance Festival is made possible in part with funding from the West Harlem Development Corporation (WHDC) Community Benefits Grant; Lower Manhattan Cultural Center (LMCC) Creative Engagement Grant; Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) Arts Engagement Grant; and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
is it...now?
Choreographed by: io Ermoli
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Collaborators: Emma Edy Morris, Rachel Fontenot, Callee Egan, & Sky Barnes
Performed by: Emma Edy Morris, Rachel Fontenot, Callee Egan, Sky Barnes, & io Ermoli
Music by: Movement 6 by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, London Symphony Orchestra
Instagram: @io.erm
https://ioermoli.wixsite.com/artistwebsite
io Ermoli is an artist in the BFA Dance Program at Florida State University and could not be more excited to conclude her studies in NYC through the Arts in NYC Program. Her passion for dance has grown throughout the years and expanded to include dance film, conditioning, projection work, and music composition. She lives for the little moments that come up unexpectedly, like stumbling upon a perfect pinecone. She is in the beginning stages of a lifelong project researching her Japanese/Italian heritage and the cultural dances that already live within her. io hopes to boogie into the future.
Me? Me?
Choreographed & Performed by: Nyah Malone
Pronouns: they/she
Music by: particle / spectra by Ambrose Akinmusire
Nyah Malone (they/she), is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Brooklyn, NY. They graduated from Dominican University of California in 2023, with a BFA in dance from LINES Ballet, and a BA in English. They were honored to be a recipient of the 2023 Merce Cunningham Trust Barbara Ensley Award. They have performed as a guest artist with tinypistol, FACT/SF, the Merce Cunningham Trust, Vashti Dance Theatre, and Kaleid Dance Collective. Their own work has been shown at Dixon Place, and in the inaugural Forza Dance Emerging Artist Festival 2023. They are currently a Limon Dance Company trainee.
Rhythm Play
Choreographed by: Shachi Phene
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Performed by: Proma Khosla, Radhika Menawat, Shachi Phene, Arshia Rasiwala, & Maya Shah
Music performed live
Instagram: @shachiphene
Shachi Phene is a dancer, educator, and curator currently based in New York City. She is the director of Noor Dance Academy and co-founder of Aangan: South Asian Center for Art & Thought. She trained in Bharatanatyam under Gurus Ranjani Saigal, Kausalya Srinivasan, and Sunanda Narayanan, and currently studies kathak under Barkha Patel. She has presented and danced in works at the United Nations, Ellis Island, 8 in Show, Rubin Museum, Collective Thread, KoDaFe, Little Island Percussive Dance Festival, and more. She enjoys creating works for stage and film and is passionate about sharing art with new generations.
Sansma
Choreographed & Performed by: Taylor West
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Music by: "I Still See You In My Dreams" by Japari Park
Instagram: @taylorw_made
I give my gratitude to my family for their continued support, and to Kim Savarino whose guidance was instrumental in the creation of this piece.
Taylor West, originally from New Orleans, LA, is a dance artist and choreographer currently based in the Twin Cities. She has trained in many dance styles and in 2023 she graduated with a BFA in dance from Florida State University. Taylor has performed works by Tim Glenn, Tyrone Brooks, Millicent Johnnie, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. She is currently a company dancer with Ananya Dance Theatre. Taylor’s own work utilizes research across multiple disciplines and is reflective of her identity as a young Black woman.
The Experience
Choreographed by: Karina Mehta (KZ)
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Performed by: Tyler Brunson, Angelica Barbosa, Maya Yahav, Dianne Cano, Eleonore Dumas, Danielle Pinney, Yang Sun, Maïlys Dumas-Lattaque, & Courtney Holbrooks
Music by: White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
Instagram: @kzmchoreo
Karina Mehta (KZ) is an emerging choreographer currently studying at the Harvey School in Katonah, NY. KZ is also studying at NYU Tisch School as part of the Future DanceMakers program, & has trained under many choreographers in the NYC area, specifically at Broadway Dance Center. KZ premiered her first professional work in 2022, & was the Assistant Choreographer for Beauty & the Beast at the Harvey School this past fall. KZ feels drawn to contemporary movement with groovy texture & emotionality. KZ is inspired by Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson, Alex Mitchell, Akira Uchida, & Paris Cav. Most recently, KZ was awarded honorable mention in a national choreography competition.
When is enough?
Choreographed & Performed by: Aika Takeshima & Sara Pizzi
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Collaborators: SarAika Movement Collective
Music by: When - MANOID
Instagram: @saraikamovementcollective
Founded by Aika Takeshima and Sara Pizzi, immigrants and queer women in New York. sarAika movement collective advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the dance ecosystem. By creating multidisciplinary collaborative performances, we spread awareness on topical aspects or personal insight. Through community programming, we provide accessible opportunities, local empowerment, and performing arts to the general public. We pursue these values of authenticity to bond our community to be inclusive and welcoming to all, trusting in the multidisciplinary aspects of collaborations to expand the potential of art delivery, creativity, and application. sarAika makes dance for and about people.
Cognitions
Choreographed & Performed by: Monica Shah
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Collaborator: Emily Candaux
Music by: “C Major Sarabande”, J.S. Bach
Vocals by: Personal writings, Monica Shah
Instagram: @monshahdance
Facebook: Monica Shah
X: @monshah
Monica Shah is an independent dance artist, performing in both classical and contemporary Indian styles. She has trained in Bharatanatyam for over 30 years with complimentary work in diverse movement forms, and she toured nationally and internationally as a senior member of the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company for a decade. Since then, Monica has performed as a soloist and guest artist in dance productions and festivals across Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, and New York. Monica is also a licensed psychologist, providing therapeutic services to individuals across the age range and serving her mission to increase access to mental health.
IzWe
Choreographed by: Kiara Paige
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Performed by: Darren Eveillard, Nerissa McCollin, Nadine Calixte, Brittany Jeffrey, Abigail Laura, Fatou Diouf, Jaleesa Jones, Naya Houchen, Kyaisha Darden, & Kenya Walker
Music by: Mix- IzWe by Kes The Band, Bundelele by Awilo Longomba and Document We by Kerwin Dubois
Instagram: @carnyvaldancers @born2performki
Artistic Director, Kiara Paige founded CarNYval Dancers in May of 2014 as she longed to create a company that reflected the love, passion, and connection of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora through dance and music. Over the course of nine-going on ten years, CarNYval has been able to produce and share works throughout the tri-state area, perform and showcase work in Trinidad and Tobago, in addition to leading dance workshops as such as Soca, Afrobeat(s) and Traditional West African dance. They have performed on some of the world's largest stages such as Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, The NYC Labor Day Parade, and Times Square to name a few. The mission and purpose remains to bring the carnival and endless vibrations to their viewers and participants on any platform. Additionally, CarNYval aims to share, educate, and uplift their culture while telling stories through dance.
Self Migrant Soul Mileage
Choreographed & Performed by: Nathalie Reynoso
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Music mixed and mastered by Nathalie Reynoso and Giovanni Green; Songs include Lana Del Rey - Born To Die, Cortex - Huit Octobre 1971, Rebecca Sugar - Love Like You
Vocals by: Jim Carrey, Barack Obama, & Giovanni Green
Instagram: @biodame
7 generations past & 7 generations forward, Mom, Dad, Siblings, God, and son Carán Sahel. Christopher Rusca and the Pulse Of Passaic. SO CREW. Marginalized communities everywhere. Leah and Shaun Tubbs/MODArts
Nathalie is living the experience of a brown first-gen American wombman. This catalyzed her to create and interact in spaces that are BIPOC, AAPI, & LGBTQIA2S+ prioritized. A Credible Messenger, Circle-Keeper, Movement Artist, RYT-200, Certified Personal Trainer, and Food Educator, Nathalie is in community through her organization Ceremony Cerebellum, which intersects the arts, sciences, & activism through the lens of Eurocentric decolonization. Because of the once Mexica and Ayiti diaspora, ritual and ceremony became elusive for her from birth - that is until she connected with performance arts which invoked liberation, reclamation, and generational trauma recovery. Nathalie expresses collective grief to find purpose, joy, and love through the daily adversity and diversity she experiences in this white dominant culture of America.
Woman Loving Women
Choreographed & Performed by: Alondra Galvan
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Music by: Keisha Taryn George
Instagram: @alo_valeria
alondragalvan.com
Thank you to my parents for their continued support in my dreams and aspirations. Many thank yous to my inspiration, my love, Nadine.
Alondra Galvan (she/her) is a London-based choreographer, holding an MFA in Choreography from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance. Specializing in a contemporary fusion of rhythmic embodiment and modern dance forms, Alondra draws inspiration from Límon, Horton, Dunham, and Cunningham techniques. Rooted in her Mexican heritage, her work explores rhythm, heritage, and the human condition, advocating for feminism, queer theory, and inclusivity. A graduate with a BFA in Modern Dance from the University of South Florida, Alondra's artistic journey spans teaching and workshops globally, creating a safe space for all identities to flourish through the transformative power of dance.
Nina Remixed, Section 1
Choreographed by: Leah Tubbs
Performed by: Belleza Mitchell, Sharon Moreno, Toni Owens, Jessica Park, Ianne Fields Stewart, & Yasmin Venable
Music: Nina Simone
Instagram: @modarts_dance
Facebook: MODArts Dance Collective
Leah Tubbs, a Birmingham, Alabama native & Harlem resident, studied dance at Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) and the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. She has performed with various dance companies in Alabama, Ohio, California, Texas, and New York. MODArts Dance Collective (MADC), established in 2011 by Leah and Shaun Tubbs, holds space for BIPOC through its choreographic work, festivals, concerts, residencies, & workshops. MADC's mission is to utilize movement as the catalyst to increase IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, & access) as a form of resistance & liberation for Black & Brown people nationwide.
Gratitude and Thanks
MADC would like to thank its 2023/24 donors: Charlotte Abbott, Dr. & Mrs. Amamoo, Sharon Banks, William-Michael Cooper, Sherema Fleming, Malaika Holder, Rev. & Mrs. Lee, Karen & Brian Lowy, Tanya Patton, Adriana Ray, Nathaniel Rutledge, Harriette Smiley, Cheryl Thomas, & Brittany Wilson. We are grateful to have received funding this season from IABD COHI | MOVE Collective Cohort (2021-24), 2023 West Harlem Development Corporation (WHDC), 2023 & 2024 Lower Manhattan Cultural Center (LMCC) Creative Engagement Grant, 2024 Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) Arts Engagement, 2022/23 The Performance Project @ University Settlement Artist-in-Residence, & the Cultural Development Fund Award from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. We are thankful to be receiving subsidized studio rates as a company-in-residence at Hi-ARTS. Thank you to our cultural partner, Go Hard Dance Studio, for sharing their space and for being an agent of change in Harlem through providing accessible dance training to budding artists ages 3 to adults.
Support
MODArts Dance Collective, Inc. (MADC) is always grateful to receive contributions to continue to expand and amplify the reach of holding space for BIPOC artists & communities through its choreographic work, festivals, concerts, residencies, & workshops. MADC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible; EIN: 87-2210130. Please consider contributing to MADC here.
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