Faculty Choreographers: Marc Macaranas, Michel Rodriguez Cintra, Sarita Smith Childs
Guest Choreographer: Vershawn Sanders-Ward
Scenic Designers: Dave Doherty, Alicia Margerum, David Mortenson
Costume Designers: Jeremy W. Floyd, Kylee Galarneau, Lori Hartenhoff, Ski Sciaraffa
Lighting Designers: Bridget Kearbey, Kev Kollman, Brandon Wardell, Ross Wheeler
Technical Director: Tracy Nunnally
Stage Manager: Hardy Louihis
Assistant Stage Manager: Gabby Koite

The show runs about 1-hour 15 minutes. There will be 1-3 minute pauses between pieces.

Love Letters to CHI-IL

Choreography: Vershawn Sanders Ward
Rehearsal Director: Chaniece Holmes
Music: Love Letter written by Dedrick Gray,  read by Avery R. Young
Yours by SG Lewis
My House (Acapella) by Fingers Inc.
N’fa Kafo (Boddhi Satva Ancestrumental Mix) by Hanna Haïs and Aminata Kouyaté
Lighting Design: Brandon Wardell, after original design by Jacob Snodgrass
Costume Design: Lori Hartenhoff, after original design by Fernando Hernandez
Performers: Taneya Ball, Millicent Collins, Teresa Dingman, Alice Duncan-Abushalback, Antonio Houston, Ava Martin, Thomas Readling, Kai White, Understudy: Athei Chagai

Love Letters to CHI-IL was created for Red Clay Dance Company and premiered on August 26, 2017 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion — Millennium Park, Chicago

Gut Feeling

Choreography: Michel Rodriguez Cintra
Rehearsal Director: Michel Rodriguez Cintra
Music: Dengue Dengue Dengue, Julius Eastman, Miki Gonzalez
Lighting Design: Ross Wheeler
Costume Design: Jeremy W. Floyd
Performers: Clara Coran, Catherine Cummings, Teresa Dingman, Monet’ Johnson, Talia Sigismondi, Lorelei Wesselowski, Kendall Woodberry

Choreographer Note:  Gut Feeling puts the performers in a world where something is “off”, they feel “watched”. They navigate feelings of pain, fear, and confusion, only to realize they have power in coming together.
— Michel Rodriguez Cintra

Humanity Interrupted (Part I)

Choreography: Sarita Smith Childs
Rehearsal Director: Shariah Wright
Music: Jordan Rakei; Subheim; The Cinematic Orchestra
Lighting Design: Kev Kollman
Costume Design: Kylee Galarneau
Performers: Clara Coran, Catherine Cummings, Ivan Flores Velasquez, Irismichelle Martinez-Garcia, Darius Murray, Aja Sanders, Kalin Schaefer, Naija Sherwood, Talia Sigismondi, Thomas Readling, Francesca Ryan, Kai White, Kendall Woodberry

Choreographer Note:  The 2025 creation of Humanity Interrupted was itself interrupted by the unexpected illness of choreographer Sarita Smith Childs. As such, Part 1 will be presented as an excerpt of the yet to be completed work.

Based upon the continued exploration of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (December 10, 1948), Humanity Interrupted examines the current deconstruction of Article 1 seen in today’s world.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

GLiTCH III: Cozy Ghost II: Receiver I

Choreography: Marc Macaranas
Rehearsal Director: Marc Macaranas
Music: Sondre Lerche and The Faces Down Quartet; Modeselektor; Chilly Gonzales; Mark Foster & Sven Faulconer
Lighting Design: Bridget Kearbey
Costume Design: Ski Sciaraffa
Set Design: Dave Doherty, Alicia Margerum, David Mortenson
Performers: Alyssa Altadonna, Taneya Ball, Millicent Collins, Alice Duncan-Abushalback, Antonio Houston, Ava Martin

Choreographer Note:

Receiver is the third work of the GLiTCH triptych and imagines a world in which consciousness is a community resource. Each iteration of this triptych is a meditation on community, uniformity, and the generosity of mutual support.
— Marc Macaranas

Alyssa Altadonna

Alyssa Altadonna is a senior B.F.A dance performance major. Her performance credits include NIU SOTD’s Fall Dance Concert 2021, Spring Dance Concert 2022, Carmina Burana (2022), Spring Dance Concert 2023, Fall Dance Concert 2023, Spring Dance Concert 2024, Paquita (2024), and Spring Dance Concert 2025. Other performances (but not limited to) include La Bayadere, Nutcracker, Cinderella, and others. Alyssa is excited to graduate this may and see where the world will take her. She is currently looking to accept a position with Avant Chamber Ballet in Dallas, Texas to further her career.

Taneya Ball

Taneya Ball is a senior dance performance major at Northern Illinois University. She is performing in works choreographed by Vershawn Sanders-Ward of Red Clay Dance Company and Marc Macaranas this semester. Taneya began dancing at the age of three and trained at Panda Dance Studio in Oak Park. She continued her journey through praise dance with Progressive Life-Giving Word Cathedral and Yielded Vessels Dance Ministry. Her formal training includes Ailey Camp Chicago, the Chicago High School for the Arts, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, and Debbie Allen Dance Academy. She also participated in After School Matters programs like Forward Momentum, The Movement Within, and Rhythm Works. At NIU, Taneya continues to grow as a dancer, choreographer, and future entrepreneur. She is grateful to her professors, family, friends, and God for their unwavering support.

Millicent Collins

Millicent Collins (she/her) is a senior BFA dance performance major and nonprofit and non-governmental studies minor at Northern Illinois University. She previously trained in the St. Louis metro area with Turning Pointe Academy of Dance, as a member of TourDance pre-professional company. Also during that time, she was a member of The Big Muddy Dance Company Student Elevate Project. Millicent has participated in summer intensives with COCA Saint Louis, The Big Muddy Dance Company, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Nashville Ballet, and DanceWorks Chicago. In 2024, she was co-director of Northern Dance Theater’s student-produced dance showcases.

Clara Coran

Clara Coran (she/her) is excited to be a part of this year’s Spring Dance Concert. Clara is a B.F.A. dance performance major and before attending NIU she trained with Elise Flagg Academy of Dance, Ballet 5:8 Conservatory, and Beth Fowler School of Dance. She has also performed as a member of the Embody Dance Company in Geneva. She thanks you for coming and hopes that you enjoy the show!

Catherine Cummings

Catherine Cummings is a freshman dance and political science major from Mankato, Minnesota. She began dance at the age of three and has trained with Ballet Blake and Mankato Ballet Company. Catherine is very excited for her second show at NIU and would like to thank her parents and family for their unwavering support! 

Teresa Dingman

Teresa Dingman (she/her) is a first-year student at Northern Illinois University pursuing a B.F.A. dance performance major with a minor in mathematics. Before coming to NIU, Teresa danced at Chicago Ballet Arts’ pre-professional ballet program under the instruction of Maliwan Diemer, Patti Eylar, Leslie Saunders, Sarah Schafer, and Maan Almodovar. She has performed lead roles in Chicago Ballet Arts’ annual concerts as well as in collaboration with the Joffrey Ballet, Northwest Ballet Academy, See Chicago Dance, Evanston Symphony Orchestra, and the City of Evanston. This is Teresa’s second dance concert at NIU, and she is extremely grateful to be dancing alongside such talented peers and learning from the program’s esteemed instructors. Additionally, she would like to thank her parents and family for their enduring love and support throughout her entire dance journey.

Alice Duncan-Abushalback

Alice Duncan-Abushalback (she/her) is a junior B.F.A. dance major at NIU, having trained at Plainfield Dance Academy, Ballet 5:8, and Marymount Manhattan College. She’s attended ballet intensives including A&A Ballet, Master Ballet Academy, The Bolshoi Ballet, and The Rock Center for Dance. Notable roles include Cinderella (2022) and Emma/Clara in Beyond the Nutcracker (2020). She was named Top 24 at YAGP 2021 for her Giselle variation. Alice thanks her lifelong mentors, Altin Naska and Olena Nalyvaiko, her family for their support, and her fellow dancers for continued inspiration.  Follow her on Instagram at @aliceful_dance.

Ivan Flores

Ivan Flores is a junior B.F.A. dance major at NIU, freelance dancer/choreographer of Hispanic descent. In childhood, he started exploring art by participating in several school festivals and performances in Mexico City. At the age of 13, he moved to Illinois where he discovered his passion in self-taught choreography by creating dances for high school and quinceañera events. After attending his first dance-technique classes at College of Lake County, he decided to pursue dance as a full-time career. In 2013, he established LatinoXpressions (LTX), the first Latin dance studio in the Round Lake area. LTX’s focus is on Latin-inspired dance choreography for quinceañeras, weddings and community events. Ivan continues his dance passion by teaching Latin dance classes and workshops as well as choreographing for various events and dance concerts. He plans use his studies at NIU to expand on his artistic and pedagogic portfolio.

Antonio Houston

Antonio Houston (he/him) is a senior B.F.A. dance major at Northern Illinois University. Originally from Aurora, Illinois, he has received dance training from Von Heidecke, Ballet Chicago, Next Generation Ballet, Madd Rhythms, Chicago Tap Theatre and many local dance studios. His passion is for tap, but he also enjoys doing many different styles of conventional and nonconventional dance. Antonio is also a photographer and videographer, and uses his own understanding of movement to produce captivating images and videos, mainly in the dance environment. Since 2021, Antonio has shot spring and fall dance concerts. He has also done work for the Fox Valley Nutcracker and Precision Arts Dance Competition.

Monet’ Johnson

Monet’ Johnson is a passionate dancer, and is a first-year B.F.A. dance major at Northern Illinois University. Her performance credits include Spring Dance Concert 2024 at NIU, and she is grateful to have been chosen as cast. Monet’ will also perform in two outstanding pieces for the NIU Student Choreography Showcase. Their creative focus blends exceptional technique with emotional and human connection. Monet’ is passionate about performing arts and hopes to join a program or more in the future. She is more than thankful for the chance to dance among such fabulous dancers performers, as well as a dedicated creative team to guide her. She thanks the faculty, her family, her friends, and moat importantly, her cohort for their unwavering support.

Ava Martin

Ava Martin is an incoming fourth year illustration major and dance minor attending Northern Illinois University. She began her dance journey in Springfield, Illinois, training for the competition stage while also becoming certified to teach ballet, tap, jazz, and acro through the Southern Association of Dance Masters. At university, she has continued to refine her ballet, modern, and acro technique, as well as her choreography skills. After school she plans to continue her training with CLI Conservatory in South Hampton, Massachusetts and dreams of dancing for companies like Hubbard Street and the Nederlands Dans Theater along with her additional artistic endeavors.

Irismichelle Martinez-Garcia

Irismichelle Martinez-Garcia (she/her) is a first year B.F.A. dance performance major at NIU with plans to expand her journey as an artist with dance. Her performance credits include Vamos: A Latino Heritage Month Concert, Concert Culture Sharing, Art for Life (fall 2024), and the Fall Dance Concert 2024 at NIU. Not only is she a dancer but a proud actor and performer. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Darius Murray

Darius Murray is from Chicago and is a 22-year-old dance major that currently attends Northern Illinois University. Darius began his journey on to dance at the age of three, performing at various functions as well as church with praise and worship dance. Darius began his professional dance career at ETA Creative Arts, located in Chicago, where he studied hip hop, modern, West African, and majorette dance. He graduated from the Chicago High School For the Arts where he studied various dance styles such as ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, African, Spanish, and hip hop dance. He received many awards, such as honor roll student in 2018 as well as the scholar artist of the year from 2019 to 2020. Darius’ dream in life is to open up his own dance studio and be a choreographer as well. He is also part of Delta Phi Delta Dance Fraternity, Inc.

Thomas Readling

Thomas Readling is a sophomore dance major and business innovation and entrepreneurship minor here at Northern Illinois University. He is dancing in Sarita Smith Child’s work and is also excited to be a part of this semester’s guest piece done by Vershawn from Red Clay. Before dancing at NIU, Thomas was involved at the Academy of Movement and Music where he got his ballet, Graham, and modern training. Thomas also danced for his high school company Orchesis and has had the opportunity to dance for Salt Creek Ballet and Dimensions Dance Academy. This past summer he did a weeklong summer dance intensive with Chicago Dance Works that showed him life as a professional dancer and he will continue to train for summers to come. He is excited to put his experience to use at the NIU School of Dance and see where it takes him next! This will his fourth faculty concert and he hopes everyone enjoys the show!

Francesca Ryan

Francesca Ryan is a sophomore B.F.A. dance major here at NIU. She began dancing when she was three years old. She has a background training in various styles of dance, her favorite style being commercial jazz. Prior to dancing at NIU she trained at Studio 83 Dance Academy. She spent many years in the competition circle, earning awards for her dancing and performing abilities. In addition to competitions, she has performed in a variety of different shows. A few of her favorites include The Nutcracker, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. Along with having a huge passion for dance, Francesca is also a screen actor. She is very thankful for the continual support of her family and friends throughout her journey.

Aja Sanders

Aja Sanders (she/her) is a second-year biological sciences major and a first-year dance performance minor at Northern Illinois University. This is her first dance concert with the program She will be performing in Sarita Smith Childs’ piece, Humanity Interrupted (Part I). Aja began dancing at Generation Dance Company in Joliet, Illinois where she explored the freedom of movement. Aja is very appreciative of the opportunity to work with such a talented cast, and crew, and thanks all of her mentors, past and present, family, and friends for their support.

Naija Sherwood

Naija Sherwood is a first-year B.F.A. dance performance major and psychology minor from Chicago. She started dancing at the age of three and has now been dancing for 15 years. She started as a competition dancer for Lorraine Greys and other studios. She also trained at Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, Hyde Park School of Dance, CMDC, and is a ChiArts alum. She thanks you for coming and hopes that you enjoy the show!

Kalin Schaefer

Kalin Schaefer (she/her) is a second-year elementary education major with a minor in dance performance at Northern Illinois University. This is Kalin’s first performance with the School of Theater and Dance, and she’s excited to share the stage with these other incredible dancers. She is passionate about dance education, having taught dance classes throughout high school and at her home studio over the summer. Kalin is extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented cast and director, and wants to thank her mentors, family, and friends for their unwavering support.

Talia Sigismondi

Talia Sigismondi is a junior B.F.A. dance major at NIU. Talia started dancing at the age of three at the Academy of Movement and Music in Oak Park, Illinois. Not long after, she joined the Momenta Dance Company, where she had the opportunity to perform ballet, contemporary, and the modern techniques of Doris Humphrey and Martha Graham. In 2019, Talia traveled to Cuba, where she trained at the Pro Danza Dance School and performed at Teatro Nacional De Cuba. This past summer, she participated in a six-week summer intensive with the Milwaukee Ballet. She also enjoys teaching ballet and sharing her love of dance with young students. Talia is thankful for all the support from friends, family, and the NIU dance faculty. She is very excited to dance in the upcoming dance concerts.

Lorelei Wesselowski

Lorelei Wesselowski (she/they) is a first-year B.F.A. actor and a dance minor and is thrilled to make her performance debut at NIU in this concert. Previously, she has trained with Danceworks MKE (in Milwaukee) and was a part of their youth performance company for five years. During her training in Milwaukee, Lorelei has also performed with Skylight Music Theater, First Stage, and Renaissance Theaterworks. She is so grateful for this opportunity to dance and thanks her instructors, family, and friends for their endless support.

Kai White

Kai White is a third-year B.F.A dance major at Northern Illinois University. He has been dancing since he was three years old. Kai has been in dance competitions and in hip-hop groups growing up. When he graduates college, he will continue dancing for himself, and for other celebrities in the future, but he will also be working on his music and acting in the future as well. He is incredibly grateful to be dancing along with very talented people, who he knows will do amazing things in the future as well.

Kendall Woodberry

Kendall Woodberry is a senior dance performance major, a Chicago native, and a graduate of Walter Payton College Prep who has been studying dance since the age of five. Matriculating at the Ruth Page Center of Performing Arts, her training included classical ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and Afro-Cuban. Kendall has performed in many productions throughout her years in dance and is looking forward to being involved in more in her time at NIU. She hopes you enjoy watching!

Kylee Galarneau, Costume Designer is a first-year graduate student at NIU studying costume design and technology. She previously received her bachelor of theatre arts at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. When Kylee is not sewing, she can be found curled up at home with her cat, Purrogi. She is thrilled to work with this talented group of dancers! Previous design and technical credits include: Mean Girls (Costume Designer/CNS High School), Betrayal (Costume Designer/CNY Playhouse), Edgar in the Red Room (Costume Designer, Le Moyne College), Macbeth (Stitcher/Wardrobe Supervisor/Northern Illinois University), Holler River (Costume Designer/Northern Illinois University), and Anon(ymous) (Assistant Costume Designer/Northern Illinois University). This summer, Kylee will be stitching costumes at the Glimmerglass Festival back home in Cooperstown, NY. Find more of Kylee’s work on Instagram: @kyleereneedesign.

Ski Sciaraffa (they/them) Costume Designer is a third-year M.F.A. costume and props design candidate. Credits include: costume designer for Anon(ymous); co-costume designer for Macbeth (NIU); props designer for Witch (NIU), A Midsummer Nights Dream (NIU), The Drowsy Chaperone (SPD); costume craftsperson for The Three Musketeers (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks) and She Kills Monsters (NIU); stitcher for Booked and Blessed…OR BUST! (NIU) and The Children’s Hour (NIU); costume designer for The Actor’s Garden’s productions of Becky Thatcher, Off to Olympus, Just So, and Pots & Pan. They are so excited for people to see the third iteration of Marc’s Glitch series and all the hard work put into it and the whole dance concert by all of their fellow costume designers as well as all the other designers, dancers, and choreographers.

Bridget Kearby (she/her) Lighting Designer is from Aurora, Illinois. Bridget is typically found backstage, but she is so excited to be working behind the design table for this production. Bridget is a first year M.F.A at NIU. She has a B.A in musical theatre from Aurora University. Bridget scenic designed Prowess earlier this year. Other credits include- 

Stage Management: Million Dollar Quartet (Paramount Theatre), Mean Girls Jr. (Paramount PSA), The Music Man in Concert, A Christmas Carol, Xanadu (Metropolis PAC), 

Backstage Crew Credits: School of Rock (Paramount Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Paramount Theatre) 9 to 5 (Metropolis PAC) Crew Swing – Frozen, Peter and the Starcatcher (Paramount Theatre), 1776 (Mariott Theatre) Ain’t Misbehavin’, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof (Drury Lane). 

IG: @bridgetnkearbey

Kev Kollmann (he/him) Lighting Designer is an M.F.A. student in lighting design at Northern Illinois University. He received his B.A. in theater from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh focusing on directing and stage management. Since his graduation he has turned his attention to the design aspects of the entertainment industry. Kev is an active advocate for folks of marginalized communities especially within the disabled community.  He uses the artistic capabilities of design and his real life experiences as a disabled person to help create a more equitable theatrical experience. Kev’s most previous works have been: Anon(ymous) as the lighting designer at NIU and also the lighting designer for the NATEAC (North American Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference) Conference in New York City. For more information and to contact Kev please visit his website at kevkollmanndesigns.com 

Scenery

Scenic Coordinator – Sahin Sahingolu
Scene Shop Supervisor – Adam Rager
Scene Shop Graduate Employees – Emery Foster and Bridget Kearbey
Scene Shop Undergraduate Employees – Jade Doherty, Mike Kozel, David Mortenson, Sasha Norman, 
Student Technicians – THEA 295 students
Run Crew – David Alvarado, Nick Ivanoff, King Johnson, Alyssa Ramirez

Costumes

Costume Design Advisor – Jeremy W. Floyd
Costume Director – Lori Hartenhoff
Costume Shop Supervisor – Elizabeth Forbes
Costume Shop Graduate Employees – Ski Sciaraffa and Kylee Galarneau
Costume Shop Employees – Alyssa Altadonna, Emily Christianson, Lexi Foelker, B. Leni,  Natalie Shank
Costume Shop 395 Students
Student Technicians – THEA 210, 235, and 295 Students
Wardrobe Crew – Rose Jimenez, Summer McDonald, Dion Morris, Tikia Yehudah

Lighting

Lighting Design Advisor – Brandon Wardell
Resident Head Electrician – Chris Kurszewski
Lighting Shop Graduate Assistant – Ross Wheeler
Lighting Shop Employees – Logan Bryant, Conall Doherty, Kateri Pfeiffer
Student Electricians – Reece Deidrick, Max Garcia, Megumi Goto, Kateri Pfeiffer, Gunner Wright, and THEA 210 students
Light Board Operator – Brianne Jankowski
Sound Board Operator – Sebastian Vega

Properties

Properties Director – Dave Doherty
Properties Graduate Assistants – Alicia Margerum, Ski Sciaraffa
Properties Shop Employees – David Mortenson, Sasha Norman, Elizabeth Nowak
Properties Shop 295/395 Students – Gemma Baines, Maggie Kanapilly, Derrick Longstreet, David Mortenson
Properties Crew – Antonio Horn

Production Management

Technical Direction Advisor – Tracy Nunnally
House Management Supervisor – Cornelia Reed

Richard Arnold (Emeritus)
S. Alan Chelser (Emeritus)
Judith Chitwood (Emerita)
Gibson Cima
Roxanna Conner
Stanton Davis
Frankie DiCiaccio
David Doherty
Lila H. Dole (Emerita)
Jasmine Eleazar
Jeremy W. Floyd
Paula Frasz (Emerita)
Elizabeth Galba
Kent Gallagher (Emeritus)
Kathryn Gately (Emerita)
Alexander Gelman
Richard Grund
Hannah Hammel
Lori Hartenhoff
Jennifer Ingle-Grund
Paul Kassel
Chris Kurszewski
Paige Larkowski
Marc Macaranas
Bethany Mangum-Oles
Kay Martinovich
Terrence McClellan (Emeritus)
Angela A. Miller
Randall Newsom (Emeritus)
Tracy Nunnally
Richard Poole (Emeritus)
Adam Rager
Patricia Ridge (Emerita)
Deborah Robertson (Emerita)
Michel Rodriguez Cintra
Sahin Sahinoglu
Stephanie Sailer
Robert Schneider (Emeritus)
Sarita Smith Childs
Brandon Wardell