Your Mother Dances

Artists

Elizabeth Johnson - Artistic Director

Luc Vanier -Associate Artitstic Director

Choreographers

Special Guest Artists

Ed Burgess (The Very Extravagant...)

is one of the founding members of the Department of Dance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he is Professor of Dance in the Peck School of the Arts. He has lived and worked in Milwaukee since 1989, following years of touring with Jennifer Muller and the Works (NYC) and teaching internationally in Ireland, Norway and Taiwan. He has choreographed, directed or performed with Milwaukee Shakespeare Company, Wild Space Dance Company, Milwaukee Dance Theater, Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Danceworks Performance Group, Renaissance Theaterworks, Cleveland Playhouse, the Monomoy Theater on Cape Cod and The Hartt School in Hartford, CT. His interests range from original work in contemporary dance and performance art to theatre, cabaret, and musical theatre. Ed is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. 2007-2008 projects include “Seascape”, “A Christmas Carol”, and “Armadale” for Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and “Antigone” for Milwaukee Dance Theater.  

Simone Ferro (in From the Chill...)

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Simone Ferro joined the faculty at UWM in the fall of 2001. She most recently choreographed original works for Foothold Dance Performance in Milwaukee, Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA, Ballet Quad Cities, IL and Bucknell Dance Company in Lewisburg, PA and collaborated with local companies such as Wild Space Dance Company and Danceworks Performance Company in Milwaukee. She was awarded an MFA in choreography from theUniversity of Iowa Department of Dance, for which she received a graduate fellowship. She is a certified Pilates instructor by Stott Conditioning from Canada. She obtained a Solo Seal degree from the Royal Academy of Dancing of London and has had an extensive professional career with numerous internationally known dance companies in Brazil and Switzerland. She performed with and managed the Alias Dance Company based in Geneva, and for six years, she was soloist with the prestigious company of Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève. In Brazil, her work was recognized through performances as principal dancer with Ballet of Rio de Janeiro, Bale da Cidade de São Paulo, and Grupo de Dança Cisne Negro. In 2003, she was recipient of a Graduate School Research Grant for her work called “What’s Her Name? Never Mind...” which she produced in February ‘04 in collaboration with pianist Lois Svard and guest dancer Michele Kriner. Since then, she has been collaborating with not only UWM dance faculty and students but also with music alumni, such as composer Josh Schmidt. In December 2004, Simone was awarded a Choreographic Fellowship from the Wisconsin Arts Board and in the summer ’05 she produced a new work in collaboration with the poet and UW-Whitewater Professor DeWitt Clinton, performed by several UWM dance alumni and with UWM Music Professors Bernard Zinck, Elena Abend and Ana Bermudez.

Erika Randall (Friends, Lovers and Mothers)

Erika Randall is an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado in Boulder. From 2004-2007, Ms. Randall was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University Illinois. Erika received her MFA in choreography from The Ohio State University in 2003; she served as a guest lecturer there from 2003-2004. Working with partner in crime Anna Sapozhnikov on their collaborative duet company, Sweetie Pie Productions, Erika has found her perfect match for presenting theatrical and physical dance works. In 2004, Erika formed the nationally acclaimed Columbus Movement Movement (cm2) to support development and visibility of contemporary dance artists in Columbus, OH. Ms. Randall has most recently worked with Gabriel Masson, Sara Hook Dances, David Parker and the Bang Group, the Mark Morris Dance Group and Buglisi/Foreman Dance

Anna Sapozhnikov (Friends, Lovers and Mothers)

Anna is the founder and artistic director of MOYAMO DANCE. She is currently on adjunct dance faculty at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago as well as a Teaching Artist through Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's MAP Program. Anna has served on dance faculty at the Youth Performing Arts High School in Louisville, Kentucky from 2002-2005, as well as the Louisville Ballet School. Anna received her MFA in dance from the University of Illinois in Champaign, where she was also a Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance for the 2005-2006 school year.

Her choreography has been produced in various venues throughout Chicago, including Links Hall, Hamlin Park, the Athenaum Theatre, and in Thodos Dance Chicago's “New Dances” at Ruth Page. Her work has also been produced at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Champaign, at the American College Dance Festival at the University of Michigan and University of Iowa, and various venues throughout Louisville, Ohio, and Colorado. Anna is the recipient of numerous grants from the Illinois Arts Council, the Kentucky Foundation for Women and the Kentucky Arts Council, which have led to various productions with MOYAMO DANCE. Currently, Anna dances with -Sara Hook Dances-, -Thread Meddle Outfit-, and was a guest performer with New York City based -David Parker & the Bang Group- during their 2007 season.

Dancers

Kelly Anderson

Kelly Anderson is a BFA grad of UW-Milwaukee, where she has performed in the works of Janet Lilly, Ed Burgess, Andre Tyson, and Simone Ferro. In addition to dancing with Elizabeth Johnson's Your Mother Dances, she is a resident choreographer and company member of Danceworks Performance Company. She has also performed with local companies Wild Space Dance Company and Foothold Dance/Performance, and Gerald Casel Dance Company, based in NYC. Through UWM and local companies, she has worked with Sean Curran, Heidi Latsky, and Lisa Race. Kelly has recently returned from Portland, OR, where she was a guest performer in Suniti Dernovsek and David Stein's "Avian Fable". She is an active choreographer and has produced two independent concerts "Bad Meat" (with Jacob Neuman) and "Vacant" (with Kelly Zwiers). Kelly has participated in several of the choreographic DanceLab Summer Series concerts in the Danceworks studio theater. These include Mixed Six (2004), Art to Art (2005 and 2006) and the Danceworks Cabaret (2007). As an undergraduate, Kelly 's work was selected to be presented at three ACDFA festivals and two National Conferences of Undergraduate Research. Kelly has also organized and performed five variety show events in Milwaukee with Kelly Zwiers and John Bielecki and two in Portland, OR with John Bielecki and Suniti Dernovsek. She has been recently commissioned to choreograph on an independent dance production in NYC, and in July, her work will be presented at the Minneapolis Fringe Festival. Kelly will also be choreographing her first solo show "The Bra Project", which will be premiering in January 2009 at the Danceworks Studio Theatre..

Paula Biasi

Paula Biasi holds an MFA in dance from UW-Milwaukee and a BA in dance from Arizona's Prescott College. Paula’s been a mover and shaker her whole life and channels some of this energy through dancing. Past company experience includes performing with the Carpetbag Brigade Physical Theatre Group from 1999-2002, Wildspace Dance Company 2003-2006, Brooklyn, NY based Atlas Dance Company 2005, and most currently performs with Your Mother Dances and for local choreographer, Sofi Askenazi. Paula is pursuing her yoga teacher certification and shares her love of this practice as an instructor at various Milwaukee locations. She is also a certified Pilates instructor. Paula is trying her darndest, through all of these outlets, to make this world a more beautiful and peaceful place to be.

Susie Carlson
Susie Carlson was born near Minneapolis and likes to dance and paint. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from UW-Milwaukee. She has performed with numerous local choreographers and for guest artist Ron Brown along with members of Ko-Thi Dance Co. Susie likes to choreograph herself and has been chosen to present choreography at the American College Dance Festival for the last two years. She also spins fire with Arson Etiquette in Milwaukee. She is confused about life but happy, waking up to yoga every morning. Susie is very grateful to be surrounded by loving humans and very happy to be a part of this show.

Michelle DiMeo

"Bio Coming soon!"

Jaimi Patterson

Jaimi is graduating with a B.F.A in Dance from UW Milwaukee.  She is also in her fourth year teaching at the Nancy Dianne’s Studio of Dance in Menomenee Falls.  Her Senior thesis project, "Sky Through a Straw" was presented in March 2008 at the North Central American College Dance Festival. Jaimi danced made her YMD debut in David Parker's Nut/Cracked in December and she is very excited to continue her work with YMD.   

Katie Sopoci
A recent transplant from Minneapolis, Katie Sopoci had been dancing with Rosy Simas Dance Projects since 2001 and Wild Space Dance Company since 2005. Katie is an outreach teacher for Wild Space at the High School of the Arts, Malaika Early Learning Center and Lawrence University teaching Social Dance, Modern Dance, and Movement Fundamentals. Other appearances have been made with Vox Medusa Dance Company, Soft Eyed Collaborations, The Minnesota Opera, Green T Productions, and Applause Community Theater. Katie recently produced her own show “I wish I was a cat” at Danceworks Studio Theatre which was re-produced by Wild Space in December of 2006. Ms. Sopoci holds a BA in Theater/Dance with a minor in Vocal Performance from Luther College and holds an MFA in Dance from UW Milwaukee.

Christal Wagner
Christal Wagner is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the spring of 2007 with a BFA in Dance. Upon graduation she was offered a job as a company member in Danceworks Performing Company and was featured prominently in the recent Dance Magazine article highlighting Milwaukee Dance. During her studies at UWM, she has been selected to perform in guest artist pieces, Truth Don’ Die by Ron K. Brown and Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That by Clare Byrne. Christal has also danced in works by UWM faculty members Andre Tyson, Luc Vanier and Darci Wutz. She has also spent three years dancing with the UWM Panther Dance Team at basketball, soccer, volleyball, football games, and other community events throughout the Milwaukee area. She has been performing with Your Mother Dances since the beginning.

Maryhelen Wesner
Ms. Wesner trained at the Harid Conservatory of Boca Raton, Florida and has performed with the Marion Performing Ballet and Dance Alive of Florida, the Milwaukee Ballet, the Richmond Ballet of Virginia and Pulse Dance Collective where she also contributed choreography. In addition to her love of the art of movement, Maryhelen is also dedicated to the science of movement. She is a Physical Therapist at Froedtert Hospital after earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology from Concordia University of Wisconsin and a Master of Physical Therapy degree from Carroll College. Maryhelen is pleased to join YMD and would like to thank all the artists for this wonderful experience. She also thanks Mark and Cosette for their love and support. (Plus now she's having a baby! Another mother in YMD!)