Agua Dulce Dance Theater
Agua Dulce Dance Theater (ADDT) was co-founded by Alicia Diaz and Matthew Thornton in New York City in 2006. Díaz and Thornton began to collaborate in 2001, incorporating a wide range of influences to develop a base for authentic and organic expression. Their work draws from contemporary modern dance, movement theater, martial arts, chi-gung and improvisation. Agua Dulce has performed at Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Series, Blue Curtain Music and Dance Summer Festival in Princeton, N.J., The New York Dance Parade, The Vissi Dance Theater Dance in America Series, Sneak Reviews in the Cleveland Public Theater, and in El Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro, Mexico. Díaz and Thornton have taught and choreographed for Kent State University, Hope College, Kansas State University, The International Dance Festival Danza’quí in Puerto Rico, Hathaway Brown School and Shaker Heights High School in Ohio. Current ADDT collaborators include filmmaker Alison Dobbins, choreographer Steven Iannacone, percussionists Sebastián Guerrero and Bill Sallak, videographer Alexis Raskin, and composer/visual artist Oliver Lyons. The company’s repertory includes: grain of sand (2008), Prairie Dance (2007), Spirits Crossing Over Water (2007), Mar Adentro/The Sea Within (2006), Begging Bowl (2006), House of Dreams(2005), La Orilla/The Shore (2002), and Yucuninu (2001). Sarah Breese, movement artist
Naomi Dees, movement artist
Naomi Dees grew up dancing in the living room with her family of 9. She began her dance training at Anderson University where she performed in their first ever annual Dance Concert. She also performed at Candles and Carols, a nationally televised Christmas Concert presented by the Anderson University School of Music. She is currently a senior at Hope College, but is completing her degree in Dance Performance and Choreography in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the past two years she has had the pleasure of dancing as a member of the touring company dANCEpROjECt with Artistic Director Steven Iannacone. Most recently, she performed at Temple University as a guest student in their Senior Student Concert. Alicia Díaz, movement artist
Alicia Díaz, originally from Puerto Rico, is co-founder of Agua Dulce Dance Theater, with her husband, Matthew Thornton. Her choreography has been presented in the United States, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Argentina, Spain, and Mexico. She has danced nationally and internationally with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Donald Byrd/The Group, Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater, Andanza Compañía Puertorriqueña de Danza Contmeporánea, Alice Farley Dance Theater, and Contemporary Motions, as well as numerous independent choreographers. In 1997, Díaz co-founded en la brega dance company with Puerto Rican dancer and choreographer Ñequi González, and she co-directed Rubí Theater Company from 2000-2004. Díaz holds an M.A. in Dance and Choreography from NYU and a B.A. in Art, Culture and Society from the New School for Social Research. She was Visiting Lecturer/Artist at Hope College from 2005-2008 and Assistant Professor/Artist-in-Residence at Kent State University from 2008-2009. Díaz and Thornton will join the Hope College dance faculty as Assistant Professors of Dance beginning Fall 2009. Alison Dobbins, filmmaker
Alison Dobbins is an assistant professor of Integrated Media Performance Art at Michigan State University. For the past five years she has been head of the video production program at Stark State College, teaching a variety of courses on digital image and video manipulation. Her most recent artistic work was a collaboration with Alicia Díaz on the documentary Yucuninu: The Development of a Dance. She has also worked as a film artist with the Cleveland based dance company, Verlezza Dance. Excerpts of previous works can be seen at her online portfolio.
Matthew Farmer, movement artist
Formerly the Associate Director and company member of LehrerDance (Directed by Jon Lehrer), Matthew Farmer has appeared in Dance Magazine, Dance Teacher Magazine, and Dance Magazine Online. Prior to LehrerDance, Farmer performed as a company member of the Peter Sparling Dance Company, and received his MFA from the University of Michigan during this same time period. Farmer received his BA in Theatre and Dance from Hope College. Farmer’s performance credits include both national and international credits, and he continues to guest perform for various companies in the U.S. As an instructor his teaching credits include both national and international engagements. His choreography has been produced by various dance companies, theatres, schools, and universities. He is currently the Co-Artistic Director of Jackson Dance Alliance, and RusticGrooveDance. Aidan Feldman, movement artist
Aidan Feldman is currently a senior at University of Michigan, pursuing dual degrees in Dance and Computer Science. At college, he has had the privilege to work with talented choreographers like Peter Sparling, Rennie Harris and Doug Varone. He is currently performing throughout Southeast Michigan in Wild Swan Theater's Hawk, You Are My Brother, working on an original "science musical" called Molecules with NYC-based producer/director Alec Friedman, and performing with Chicago's Leopold Group dance company. He is excited to be working with Agua Dulce Dance for the first time. www.aidanfeldman.com Molly Gawler, movement artist
Molly Gawler grew up in the small town of Belgrade, Maine playing fiddle and traditional folk music with her family of five from her time of birth until the end of her days. She found a deep respect for dance during her Vagonova ballet training under the instruction of Andrei Bossov of the Kirov, performing classical ballet works throughout high school. She continued broadening her dance horizons at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase in New York, studying and dancing works of choreographers such as Merce Cunningham, Jaqueline Buglissi, Martha Graham, Mark Morris, Lauri Stallings, Stephanie Tooman, Kazuko Hirabayashi and Neil Greenberg. Molly sprung forth into the professional world, dancing with companies NOA Dance with choreographer Nelly Van Bommel, Corbin Dances with choreographer Patrick Corbin, and currently employed by Pilobolus Dance Theater. Molly has toured with Pilobolus around the world, to places such as Japan, South Africa and Dubai, and has appeared on television at the 79th Oscars Academy Awards, on Oprah, and the Late Show with Conan O’Brian. Her further exploration of movement and healing has brought her to study Thai Massage, Qi Gong, Yoga, Kung Fu and ParKour. Molly is honored to be dancing with Agua Dulce Dance.
Katey Gula, assistant director Katey Gula, a native of Ohio began her interactive media career in the vocational broadcasting program at alliance high school. Katey then furthered her education by obtaining an Applied Science of Interactive Media degree from Stark State College of Technology in the fall of 2007. After graduating, she expanded her knowledge and personal experience by working with various organizations and companies as an assistant director, live production assistant, and video editor. Some of Katey’s past involvements in productions have been production assistant in the making of the Distribution 4 U DVD starring Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees and former Kid Rock lead guitarist Kenny Olson. She also directed a live feed church sermon for the Chapel in green as well as edited a creative piece called Allemenstratten which premiered at the Kent stage theatre. In regards to personal projects, Katey has produced a fundraising video for children with autism including the Bullet Boys and Kip Winger which also included a fashion show, and is currently working with independent artists on structuring epk’s web and myspace pages along with graphics photos and music videos. Katey recently established her own business “Up Against the Wall Entertainment” which will focus primarily on creating corporate commercials and music videos. Expected upcoming events will include a creative dance piece called “Grain of Sand” and will partake in the filming of the Jr. World League Olympics. Damon Honeycutt, movement artist
Damon Honeycutt is a transdisciplinary artist whose work involves the cohesion of many traditions. He holds an MA in Conscious Evolution and Integral Studies from The Graduate Institute and a BFA from California Institute of the Arts in Music Composition. Starting his training in martial arts at the age of 11, he sought out and learned under teachers, masters and institutions that would help him understand how to bring together the nature of tradition and mesh it with contemporary modalities. His journey has a freelance cultivation of the scholar warrior arts and has afforded Damon to work with many diverse artists and educators from all around our Earth. Damon worked with Pilobolus Creative Services, Pickle Shoes Dance, Scapegoat Garden, The NY Jedi, Nai Ni Chen dance company, Mei Yin Ng, Beijing Opera company Yuan, Burat Wangi Gamelan, Oddfellows Playhouse, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Spectral Voices, and Crescent Street Films. Thayer Paul Jonutz, movement artist
Thayer started dance at a private studio in Sacramento, California at age 14. His early training included Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, and Polynesian dance. It was at this studio where he experienced his first international touring in Tonga, Japan, and Mexico. He was awarded a Dance Talent Award scholarship to Brigham Young University in Utah. In 2003, he graduated from BYU with a BA in modern dance. There, he garnered more international touring experiences to the Philippines, South Korea, and India. As a senior, he joined Repertory Dance Theatre, and he continued as a full-time company member for five years, immersing himself in both historical works as well as contemporary. Some of the choreographers that he worked with were Douglass Dunn, Zvi Gotheiner, Daniel Nagrin, Bill Evans, Scott Rink, and Susan Hadley. He is now completing his MFA dance program at the University of Michigan. Performing, choreographing, and teaching dance are very much his passion and he is actively participating in all three areas. While studying at the U of M, he has furthered his professional career, by performing as part of the Peter Sparling Dance Company. His newest choreographic works, From Northwood and My Disappeared were both performed at ACDFA in March of 08 and 09. He teaches modern dance and ballet for the University of Michigan and is teaching modern for Wayne State University. Thayer has joined the dance faculty at Oakland University and will begin that new phase of his career in August this year. Oliver Lyons, sound designer
Oliver Lyons is based in Beijing and New York City. He has worked on sound design for video installations, dance, film and theater. His own sound and video works have been exhibited in Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, Finland, Holland, Norway, and the United States. He would like to thank Alicia Diaz and Matthew Thornton for inviting him to collaborate on this exciting production. Megan Pitcher, costume designer Megan Pitcher is a multi disciplined artist with experience in choreography, costume design and theatrical production. She grew up in West Michigan studying with Ballet Arts and Muskegon Civic Theater. She continued her dance training at the Dance Factory in Athens, OH and gained production experience at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Pitcher earned a BFA in modern dance choreography with honors from Ohio University and supplemented her training in modern dance, choreography, improvisation, somatic practices and world dance forms at Bates Dance Festival, Summer Stages and Dance New Amsterdam Studios in New York. She has been delighted to perform works by mentors Gabriel Masson, Tere O'Connor and Susan VanPelt Peltry. Pitcher is the founder and artistic director of MegLouise Dance, a Cleveland based company that produces original modern dance works and offers ongoing support for dance professionals. Her choreography has been presented at the Junction Arts Festival in Toronto, DUMBO Dance Festival in New York, Cincinnati Fringe Festival, Ingenuity Festival and the Cleveland Public Theatre DanceWorks Series. Pitcher developed her costume construction and design experience through various positions - as the costume shop assistant at OU School of Theater, costume shop head for the OU School of Dance, stitcher with Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, costume intern at Bates Dance Festival, and costume shop assistant for Gateway Playhouse. Pitcher is on faculty at Cuyahoga Community College and works as a guest artist for various schools and community organizations in Northeast Ohio. Alexis Raskin, film artist Alexis Raskin is a New York and Beijing based artist utilizing video, film and photography. Her work explores a variety of subject matter and styles. Most recently she collaborated with her partner, Oliver Lyons on a 6 channel video installation for MASSMoCA with imagery from China called "Electric Shadows". She has had work screened and exhibited throughout the US, Europe, and Asia at venues such as The Rotterdam International film festival, Anthology Film Archives, and Platform China. She is very honored to be working with Mathew Thornton and Alicia Diaz on this piece. Bill Sallak, instrumentalist
Bill Sallak is Assistant Professor NTT/Dance Music Director at the Kent State University School of Theatre and Dance, and a member of the Akros Percussion Collective. While maintaining his desire to foster relationships with artists throughout northeastern Ohio, his music has also reached audiences in Detroit, New York City, Phoenix, Mexico, Greece, South Korea, and Bangladesh. He is a member of the International Guild of Musicians in Dance and the Percussive Arts Society, where he sits on the Technology Committee. A dedicated performer of music from the American experimental tradition, Bill can be heard on releases from Experimedia, 11 West, and New World Records as well as several independent recordings. He holds degrees from SUNY-Fredonia and The University of Akron, and is completing his DMA at Arizona State University.
KimSu Theiler, film artist
KimSu Theiler lives and works in Jersey City, New Jersey. She graduated from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. She has exhibited film, video and media installation work internationally including the Rotterdam Film Festival (Netherlands), Gwangju Biennial (Korea), Museum of Modern Art (United States), and the Toronto Film Festival (Canada). She has received grants from the National Museum of Contemporary Art (Korea), the John Cage Foundation for Contemporary Performance Art, the Jack Smith Artist Award and the F/VA Artist Mentor Project Grant. Matthew Thornton, movement artist
Matthew Thornton grew up in Northeast Ohio and began his training studying movement theater with James Thornton’s Acting Ensemble Program. He studied dance at Hamilton College, and transferred to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he earned a B.A. in English. There he was introduced to contact improvisation, and began training capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art hidden in dance. Thornton co-founded Agua Dulce Dance Theater with dancer and choreographer Alicia Díaz. Agua Dulce has performed and given workshops in colleges, high schools and festivals, traveling to Mexico, Puerto Rico and across the U.S., including the 2006 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inside/Out Series. Currently Agua Dulce is in collaboration with Steven Iannacone and dANCE pROjECt, and creating a site-specific dance on video with Alison Dobbins. Thornton performed internationally with Pilobolus Dance Theater in concert dance, commercial work, talk shows, and at the 79th Academy Awards. He has worked as a performer and teacher for Pilobolus since 2003, and continues to work as a freelance artist teaching the Pilobolus Method, in addition to performing and creating for Pilobolus Creative Services. Previous dance companies include Jody Oberfelder, Freespace Dance, Alice Farley Dance Theater, and Contemporary Motions. Thornton has been a Visiting Lecturer/Artist at Hope College since 2005, where he will be an Assistant Professor of Dance as of Fall 2009. Lauren Yalango, movement artist
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