Council on the Arts

The pandemic over the past few years has reminded us of the need to reflect on the past and to invite the future with intention. This semester, the Iona University Dance Ensemble members used dance and creative processes as tools for reflection, both personal and on important matters that lead to growth and connection through embodiment. As a director, it was an honor to witness the dancers reflecting on the hopes and visions that are needed for a new beginning, through creative processes, as we see the pandemic improving.

Throughout the process, the dancers sought to explore the meaning of self, others, and matters that are important to them, whether those might be personal, spiritual, or philosophical. Besides a contemporary ensemble piece that explores the idea of individual and collective vision and hope observed in our lives, and the ensemble’s dance film-based piece that highlights each dancer’s physical ideas of reflections in a chosen space, the program also includes a dance on screen that shows the collective voices of dance faculty members/artists involved in the program, and a work by our continuing guest jazz dance artist, Ms. Lisa Harvie. Ms. Harvie’s ensemble musical theatre piece, “Mein Herr” and “Cabaret” from the musical Cabaret highlights dance as a way to experiment freely, to show off, and to reflect on our deepest dreams and desires. Additionally, we have advanced student choreographers’ solo projects that explore physical and internal reflections on self or other matters.

We congratulate all the performers for their work as creative artists, thinkers, and collaborators. We also want to recognize our current senior dancers who are graduating this year after having committed themselves to the ensemble for the past four years and wish them the very best for the future. We thank the Council on the Arts and the Arts and Languages department for making this program possible.

Finally, I invite you to witness the embodiment of various meaningful reflections from the perspectives of our performers and choreographers. It is my hope that the program will provide appreciation of dance as an art form and a form of reflection to remind us of the beauty of life even in the midst of these present times.

As always, the Iona University Dance Ensemble expresses its deep gratitude for your continued generous support.

Sincerely Yours,

Hannah Park, Ph.D.
Director of Iona University Dance Ensemble

Reflection in Action

Director: Dr. Hannah Park in collaboration with the dancers

Videographer: Dr. Gilliean Lee

Choreographers/Performers:

Madison Anderson, Laura Arroyo, Leslie Aguirre, Haley Aversa, Breanna Bass, Brittney Castro, Samantha D’Agostino, Elizabeth DeLeo, Chiara Fabiano, Daniela Gregarek, Lara Lyn Jackson, Lillian Johnson, Khris-Annecia Lewis, Isabella Lopane, Laila Ojeda, Jennifer Romain, Victoria Shinnick, Melanie Vazque-Ponce

Music: "Drug" by Nu

Note: This dance uses a co-created dance film that incorporated the movement train structure (inspired by Mitchell Rose’s Exquisite Corps) to explore the physical presentation of reflections through experimentation with limbs and gestures and actions that one can relate to. The process involved reflecting on self, connecting with images and/or thoughts coming from one’s own experience, and careful observations to attune to various matters that are present in our lives. The performance is used as an introduction to each dancer as well as each dancer’s explorations on dialoguing with themselves on the screen. Some compositional ideas incorporated are articulations of Elements of Dance related to the content of reflection, body manipulation, mirroring, exploration of pathways, explorations of entrance and exits and varied shape and motion possibilities.

A Cleanse
(Dance on Screen)

Choreographers/Performers: Dr. Hannah Park, Prof. Lisa Harvie

Videographer: Dr. Gilliean Lee

Music: "JennyLauren2" by Michael Wall

Note: This screen dance aims to express collective voices and identity of the faculty/artists involved with the program through individual site-specific explorations on a given space with a focus on the embodiment of cleansing.

Intent

Choreographers: Dr. Hannah Park in collaboration with the dancers

Performers: Madison Anderson, Laura Arroyo, Leslie Aguirre, Haley Aversa, Breanna Bass, Brittney Castro, Samantha D’Agostino, Elizabeth DeLeo, Chiara Fabiano, Daniela Gregarek, Lara Lyn Jackson, Lillian Johnson, Khris-Annecia Lewis, Isabella Lopane, Laila Ojeda, Jennifer Romain, Victoria Shinnick, Melanie Vazque-Ponce

Music: "Escape Artist" by Zoe Keating

Note: This dance explores individual and collective physical and internal expressions and ideas on intention through the exploration of relationships, pathways, and visuals.

Overcoming

Choreographer/Performer: Victoria Shinnick

Music: "Reflection" (Mulan 2020) Originally Performed by Christina Aguilera, edited by Victoria Shinnick

Note: This dance piece highlights the ebb and flow within the process of overcoming obstacles through integrating ballet movement vocabularies and articulating possible movement qualities that represent the idea of exploring physical representations of beauty within the experience.

La Cultura

Choreographer/Performer: Laura Arroyo

Music: A Mi Manera by Gipsy Kings

Dance Film: Laura Arroyo

Note: The piece focusing on Latinx movement styles and experimentation explores the integration of three different styles of Latinx dance forms- Tango, Salsa, and Bomba. The dance reflects the dancer’s journey of dance and its possible role in shaping one’s cultural identity.

Bring Back the Love

Choreographer/Performer: Khris Annecia Lewis

Music: "Higher Love" by Kygo, Whitney Houston

Note: This dance explores lightheartedness and playfulness as it highlights various inspirations for meanings of love.

Power of Mind

Choreographer/Performer: Jennifer W. Romain

Music: "Eights 120" by London Dance Collective and "Enemy" (From the series Arcane) by Imagine Dragons, Arcane and League of Legends, edited by Jennifer W. Romain

Note: This piece examines the relationship between inner-outer through explorations of the interplay between actions and reactions through experimentations with gestures, movement dynamics and call and response.

Girl throughout the Seasons

Choreographer/Performer: Elizabeth DeLeo

Music: "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer

Note: The dance highlights the meaning of change and learning from the past and its necessity in life as one reflects on the past and invites the future.

Reflection on “Hate”

Choreographer/Performer: Isabella Lopane

Music: "God Must Hate Me" by Catie Turner

Note: This piece explores one’s internal struggle and its possible influence on self-esteem through exploration of mirroring, shapes, and gestural studies.

An Excerpt from “Immersion”: A Work in Progress (Dance On Screen)

Choreographer/Performer: Dr. Hannah Park

Music: The Introspecting by Pete Kuzma

Note: The piece somatically examines various visuals and sensations that may symbolize hope through immersion of bodily reflection on integrity, imagination, and faith and its possible complexity.

“Mein Herr” and “Cabaret” from the musical Cabaret

Choreographer: Prof. Lisa Harvie

Performers: Madison Anderson, Khris Annecia Lewis, Laura Arroyo, Haley Aversa, Samantha D’Agostino, Elizabeth DeLeo, Isabella Lopane, Jennifer Romain, Victoria Shinnick

Music: Version from Fosse/Verdon FX Miniseries, John Kander (music), Fred Ebb (lyrics), Alex Lacamoire (music director) Steve Gizicki (music supervisor)

Note: Life on stage is often an escape from reality. Within that escape, though, is a world wherein there is freedom to explore, to experiment, to show off, and to reflect on our deepest dreams and desires. “Life is a cabaret old chum, come to the cabaret!”

Choreographers: Dr. Hannah Park in collaboration with the dancers

Videographer: Nicholas Carter

Performers: Madison Anderson, Laura Arroyo, Haley Aversa, Olivia Conte, Elizabeth DeLeo, Sierra Emener,Eileen Exama, Megan Fisher, Isabella Lopane, Sarai Perez,Jennifer Romain Melanie Sena, Victoria Shinnick

Music: Rhythm Talks by Groove Junkie by Kyle Preston

This dance uses the movement train structure (inspired by Mitchell Rose’s Exquisite Corps) as it examines specific issues related to social justice that are important to each of the dancers. These include various types of mental illnesses, the Black Lives Matter movement, domestic abuse, sexual violence, and LGBTQ, among others, for a continued choreographic exploration of individual expression within a chosen space, capturing personal perceptions of the details of the space and the environment in relation to the issue through embodiment. The process involved integrating and connecting with dance, visual art and/or images, research, and storytelling coming from one’s own experience and perspectives to highlight the need for bringing awareness of inclusiveness and social justice.

Choreographers: Dr. Hannah Park in collaboration with the dancers

Videographer: Nicholas Carter

Performers: Madison Anderson, Laura Arroyo, Haley Aversa, Olivia Conte, Elizabeth DeLeo, Sierra Emener, Eileen Exama, Megan Fisher, Isabella Lopane Sarai Perez, Jennifer Romain, Melanie Sena, Victoria Shinnick

Music: One Earth, One People, One Love by Terry Riley, Kronos Quartet

The piece highlights the need for people to be heard, understood, and embraced as it explores each individual dancer’s perceptions and embodied expressions of different social justice issues that have been revealed and experienced in the past year.

Choreographer/Performer: Dr. Hannah Park

Music: Skirmish by Kyle Preston

Using selected action words related to pulling and reaching as metaphors, the dance examines the need to speak, and reach out in order to validate, understand, and reflect on justice, injustice, and equity.

Choreographer: Ms. Lisa Harvie

Videographer: Nicholas Carter

Performers: Madison Anderson, Olivia Conte, Megan Fisher, Victoria Shinnick

Music & Lyrics: Shine on Your Shoes by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz performed by Liza Minnelli

Originally from the Broadway musical The Band Wagon, this piece focuses on the idea of stepping forward with a purpose and eagerness to maintain a positive attitude and to better ourselves and the people around us. “With a shine on your shoes, there’s a melody in your heart…” Thus, simple acts start with one step at a time.

Choreographer/Performer: Laura Arroyo

Music: My Future by Billie Eilish

This piece experiments with the idea of women’s empowerment by examining different colors and aspects of female power and its relationship with one’s background, history, thoughts, and body.

Choreographers/Performers: Madison Anderson, Haley Aversa

Music: Lost in Thought by Jon Hopkins

This piece highlights awareness of suicide and examines ideas related to suicide through various physical and emotional expressions.

Choreographer/Performer: Megan Fisher

Music: Driver’s License x Praying by Olivia Rodrigo and Kesha

This piece examines the challenges and reality surrounding mental illness, specifically anxiety, and its possibly uncontrollable varied emotions and states.

Choreographer/Performer: Jennifer Romain

Music: Natural by Imagine Dragon, Woman by Kesha

This piece explores the general norms in society and one’s struggle to blend in because of one’s unique preferences and identity.

Choreographers/Performers: Olivia Conte, Elizabeth DeLeo

Music: You Don’t Own Me by SAYGRACe and G-Eazy

This piece highlights domestic abuse and its psychological impact.

Choreographer: Ms. Lisa Harvie

Videographer: Nicholas Carter

Performers: Madison Anderson, Laura Arroyo, Haley Aversa, Olivia Conte, Elizabeth DeLeo, Megan Fisher, Isabella Lopane Sarai Perez, Jennifer Romain, Victoria Shinnick

Music: “In the Heights” Original Broadway Cast Recording Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Originally from Broadway’s In the Heights, this piece focuses on the importance of community and social connection. In both joyful and challenging times, we depend on the people within our own circles to continue moving forward.