OPEN COMPANY CLASS
OPEN COMPANY CLASS
ADVANCED CONTEMPORARY
Every Saturday, September through November
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Wellspring Theatre at the Epic Center | 359 S Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
The Space | 3731 Covington Rd, Kalamazoo, MI 49001
MATT FARMER
Matthew Farmer is currently the Chair of the Dance Department at Hope College and the Dorothy Wiley DeLong Endowed Professor of Dance. He is the Co-Artistic Director of R.G. Dance Productions, Co-Artistic Director of H2 Dance Co., Co-Author of the book Introductory Modern Dance: A Teaching Manual, and author of the book Teaching Dance Improvisation: A Beginner’s Guide (available in October 2024). Matthew received his MFA from the University of Michigan in Dance Performance and Choreography, and his BA in Theatre and Dance from Hope College. Matthew was a company member of The Peter Sparling Dance Co., and company member and Associate Director of LehrerDance. He has had the pleasure of working with Avi Kaiser, Sergio Antonino, and Matthew Thornton, as well as performing works by Merce Cunningham, Laura Dean, Doug Varone and many others. He has performed in the United States, Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. His teaching credits include directorships, professorships, and residencies at multiple colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad, as well as a faculty member and judge for multiple regional and national dance conventions and competitions. Farmer’s choreography spans the field of dance, and can be seen on college campuses, professional dance companies, international festivals, theaters companies, competitive dance teams, and musical theater venues throughout the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, France, and Ecuador.
9.21.24 at The Space
KAITLYN POLLOCK
Kaitlyn Pollock attended Western Michigan University and graduated with a BFA in Dance in 2013. Throughout her university experience, she had many opportunities to work with professional artists and perform professional works such as Gerald Arpino's "Viva Vivaldi", KT Nelson "Light and Landless" (2013), Lauren Edson "Foreground" (2012), David Parsons "The Envelope" (2011), Gerald Arpino's "Birthday Variations", Harrison McEldowney "Dance Sport" (2010), Autumn Eckman Premiere of "Yes, and..” (2010), Ron DeJesus (2009) Premiere of "Khamsin". Following graduation she moved to New York City and performed professionally with Shawn Bible Dance Company, artistic director Shawn T Bible, BOM DIGGS, artistic director Bonnie O’Rourke, Smashworks Dance Collective and DoubleTakeDance Co. She also performed in various freelance dance projects throughout NYC. KP recently moved back to Kalamazoo, MI and is excited to lead Young Dancers Initiative!
9.28.24 at Wellspring
LACHAN NIEDBALA
Lachan Niedbala (formerly known as Lachan Jaarda) is a dancer located in Kalamazoo, MI. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Movement Reservoir Dance Company which was founded in 2022. Additionally, she is the Youth Performing Ensemble Coordinator and an instructor with Wellspring Dance Academy. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Hope College in 2019. While at Hope, she worked with choreographers such as Steven Iannacone, Sharon Wong, Matthew Farmer, and many more. Since graduating, she has worked with companies such as Wellspring/Cori Terry and Dancers, CPR Dance: Inhale Movement, Chamberlain Dance Co., Tapestry Dance Co., and Atelier Dance Co. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to take her choreography to Detroit (MI), Novi (MI), Ypsilanti (MI), Holland (MI), Chicago (IL), and Paris (France.) Lachan is passionate about showcasing her choreographic voice in and around the Kalamazoo community, bringing to life other choreographers’ creative voices through performance, and providing more opportunities for other dancers to pursue their goals in dance. Additionally, Lachan aspires to find more opportunities to collaborate with dance and other art forms in the Kalamazoo community.
10.5.24 at The Space
HANNAH SEIDEL
Hannah Seidel grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and is now an Associate Professor of Dance at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). She is a dancer, educator, maker, researcher, mom, and gardener whose research interests lie at the intersections of play, improvisation, and the therapeutic aspects of movement. Hannah received her BA from Pomona College, MFA from SUNY Brockport, completed the 92NY’s Alternate Route Dance/Movement Therapy training program, and is the recipient of two National Dance Education Organization President’s Awards and GVSU’s Pew Teaching Excellence Award.
New York City performance credits include David Appel, Erica Essner Performance Co-op, Mariah Maloney, Tiffany Mills, and Gibney Dance with whom she also offered movement workshops to survivors of domestic violence for six years. Hannah’s choreography has been presented at Meijer Gardens, RAD Fest, Going Dutch, Grand Rapids Ballet Summer Festivals, the Block Theatre, commissioned Society for New Music concerts, and Dance Studies Association and Society for Freshwater Science conferences. Hannah has previously been a Lecturer at Purchase College, Education Programs Coordinator for Dance New Amsterdam, and summer intensive teacher at New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts and Interlochen Center for the Arts. She is published in the journal Research in Dance Education.
10.19.24 at Wellspring
SARA KAUSCH
Sara Kausch graduated as Presidential Scholar from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a BFA in Dance, Nonprofit Leadership Minor, and Dance Studio Management Certificate. Throughout her studies, Sara quickly found her passion in arts administration and leadership. She is a former administrative intern for Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers in Kalamazoo, MI, and previously an administrative intern for Young Dancers Initiative in Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo, MI. As a leader, Sara served as Secretary of Orchesis Dance Society (2019/20), and as Treasurer (2021/22), Fundraising Coordinator (2019/20), and President (2020/21) of Movement Exchange at Western Michigan University. Her involvement in community outreach and education took her to Panama City, Panama (2019, 2022) as a way to provide dance accessibility to underserved communities and broaden her horizons of cross-cultural understanding.
Sara’s artistic background includes exploring performance and choreography in many capacities, such as through proscenium performance, immersive performance, site-specific performance, and screen dance presentation. Sara was a member of Western Dance Project (2019/20), a student touring ensemble, under the direction of Whitney Moncrief. She has also worked with other notable mentors such as Seyong Kim and Jackie Nowicki, performing in WMU’s Winter Gala Dance Concert (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022). Sara was invited as a performer to Detroit Dance City Festival (2021) and Cleveland Dance Festival (2021). Additionally, Sara has choreographed many notable works, receiving the 2021 Maggie Allessee Choreography Award for a solo piece titled Ten/10. This piece was also selected to represent WMU in the Adjudication Concert at the American College Dance Association East-Central Conference (2022).
Sara is currently a Teaching Artist with Education for the Arts, Lead Instructor at Academy of Dance Arts, and Assistant Director of CPR Dance: Inhale Movement. Sara is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
11.2.24 at Wellspring
PAIGE MULICK
Paige Mulick (she/her) is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a BFA in Dance and a BA in Arts Administration, currently based in southwest Michigan. Paige is passionate about performing, choreographing, teaching, and administration in dance. In her time at WMU, Paige worked with choreographers such as Kiki Lucas, Carolyn Pavlik, Seyong Kim, Kelsey Paschich, Jeremy Blair, and Katy Copeland. Paige has also performed in and created works for student shows at WMU. Paige is an alumna of The Citadel Dance & Music Center, where she currently serves as a faculty member and director of the Junior Citadel Dance Company. Paige is also a second-year company member of CPR Dance: Inhale Movement under the direction of Carolyn Pampalone Rabbers. In addition to concert dance, Paige is passionate about choreography and performance in musical theatre. You may have seen Paige’s choreography in productions such as Cabaret (The GhostLight Theatre), Bright Star, The Rocky Horror Show, The Sound of Music (SMSO), White Christmas (Berrien Springs High School), and The Lightning Thief (Lake Michigan College). Since graduating, Paige has performed notable roles such as Janet Weiss (The Rocky Horror Show), Texas (Cabaret), and The Leading Player (Pippin). Continuous growth and creative exploration are the pillars of Paige’s artistic endeavors. In addition to her artistic ventures, Paige also works as the Front of House Manager for The GhostLight Theatre in Benton Harbor, MI.
11.16.24 at Wellspring
MIKE ESPERANZA
Mike is a multifaceted creative force, celebrated for his transformative contributions to the world of dance and choreography. With an innate ability to merge contemporary aesthetics with authentic storytelling, Mike has captivated audiences worldwide. From his collaborations with Ariana Grande to his choreography for renowned educational programs and companies, he is leaving an indelible mark on the dance landscape. He has taught extensively in New York at Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, and Peridance as well as at Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. He is also the Creative Director and Producer for BARE Dance Company in New York.
11.23.24 at The Space
CAROLYN RABBERS
Carolyn Pampalone Rabbers is the Executive Artistic Director and founder of CPR Dance: Inhale Movement. She received her MFA at the University of the Arts and graduated as the Presidential Scholar with a BFA from Western Michigan University. Carolyn has danced in NYC, Miami, LA and Michigan dancing and acting both on stage and on camera. Her dance-based works have been featured nationally and internationally, have been a finalist for Michigan’s Maggie Allessee’s Choreography Competition, and has been awarded support in a KADI grant of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. She can be seen as ‘Abby’ in Moondance (2020) and has performed for Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, Coldplay, Omi, Starbucks, Jockey Bra, Kaplan University, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Diavolo EdCo, Mariana Olivera, Clairobscur, LACDC, Nickerson-Rossi Dance, and Vox Lumiere. She has performed in works choreographed by Cori Terry, Erik Hawkins, Yvonne Rainer, Loïe Fuller, Gerald Arpino, Randy Duncan, and John Leher.
Carolyn is an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University, on faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and has taught at Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University. She also judges for CRU National Dance Competition, has taught for Fusion Center for Dance in Benton Harbor, MI, and The Gabriella Foundation in Los Angeles, honored by Michelle Obama in 2015. She is certified as an ABT Affiliate Teacher in Pre-Primary through Level VII & Partnering. She also holds certifications in PBT, PCT, ISTD Contemporary, Reiki and Yoga.
11.30.24 at Wellspring