An evening of dancing duets will take place at Barking Legs Theater on Dodds Avenue on Tuesday, May 9 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Chattanooga’s Collaborative Roots dancers will be paired with New York’s Carolyn Dorfman Dance dancers.
The duets will explore “What would happen if two dancers from two different communities, states, dance environments meet for the first time to share experiences, have meaningful conversations around issues and current events that are concerning then, and create a dance that reflects their conversation?”
This performance is part of the Legacy Project which is sponsored in parts by ArtsBuild, the Weldon F. Osborne Foundation, the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, Barking Legs Theater and the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga.
The suggested donation is $20 per person.
Carolyn Dorfman Dancers include:
- Jarred Bosch received his BFA from Marymount Manhattan College. While at Marymount, he performed the works of Dwight Rhoden, Aszure Barton, Paul Taylor, and Emory LeCrone to name a few. Since graduation, he has performed throughout Europe, Canada, China and the United States, most notably with the Nikolais-Louis Foundation at the Yang Li Ping International Dance Festival in Beijing, China. As an educator and choreographer, Bosch currently teaches at Peridance Capezio Center, Physique 57, and has taught for company class for Broadway Donations, Ballet Inc., and other studios and companies classes in the United States.
- Dominique Dobransky, from Leominster, Massachusetts, is an American-Belgian dancer currently based in New York City. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from The Ailey School/Fordham University with a BFA in Dance and Creative Writing. Her choreography has been presented at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, where she received the Suzanna Cohen Legacy Foundation award for The Compass (You Are Here). Her writing has appeared in The Dance Enthusiast, (un)common sense, and CURA: A Literary Magazine of Art and Action. Dominique is certified to teach the Horton Technique and is a guest teacher/choreographer at several dance studios in New England. Dominique is a bilingual, dual citizen of the USA and Belgium, and is passionate about cultural exchange, writing, travel, interdisciplinary collaborations, teaching, and storytelling.
- Khalid Dunton was born and raised in Washington, DC/MD. He began his training at Ngoma Dance theatre at 18 before receiving a BFA in Dance and a minor in Business from Montclair State University. He has had the privilege of performing works by Martha Graham, Bill T. Jones, and Maxine Steinman, among others. He was a backup dancer for gospel artists such as Tye Tribbett, Mary Mary, and more. Khalid has performed in venues like the Joyce Theater, Alexander Kasser Theater, Bryant Park, and New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). Khalid joined Carolyn Dorfman Dance in 2021.
- Hannah Gross grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she trained at Nolte Academy of Dance. She graduated with a BFA in Dance and BA in Health and Human Physiology – Exercise Science from the University of Iowa, where she performed works by Martha Graham, Dr. Rennie Harris, Autumn Eckman, Mindy Myers, and many other acclaimed choreographers. Her professional experience includes performing with EMERGE125, formerly Elisa Monte Dance, New Territory Dance Company, the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, the Working Group Theatre, and the Classical Theatre of Harlem. Hannah has had the privilege of performing at NYC’s Fashion Week for designer Paola Hernandez, Martha Graham’s Helios at the Joyce Theatre, Victory Dance at the New Victory Theater, and at The Amph, Little Island for National Dance Day.
Collaborative Roots dancers include:
- Ann Law received her MA in Dance Education from UNC Greensboro and her BA in Dance from Mills College. She is also certified in Pilates and Kinetic Awareness, a form of somatic education. She has received many awards including Chattanooga’s Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award, UNC Greensboro’s Distinguished Alumni Award in Dance Education, Tennessee Association of Dance Outstanding Dance Educator and Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship award. An improvisational dancer, dance educator and arts activist, she is Executive Director of Contemporary Performing Arts of Chattanooga (CoPAC) and Founder of Barking Legs Theater. During her time in Chattanooga, Ann has taught creative movement at Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences, movement for actors at Chattanooga State Community College, and dance at Barking Legs Theater. In 2015, after years of teaching dance, Ann developed and designed Full Circle TAP (Teaching Artists Program) to support artists in their desire and quest to become teaching artists.
- Monica Ellison was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. She earned a BFA in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University. Highlights of her professional performance credits include ensemble work with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 2 (Dayton, OH), principal work with Balance Dance Theatre (Brooklyn, NY), and guest work with Sudden Enlightenment Theatre (Queens, NY) including a performance in Seoul, Korea. Her last work before heading south was at the North Shore Music Theatre Company (Beverly, MA) as an ensemble dancer in the off-broadway production of Susan Stroman's CONTACT directed by Tome´Cousin.
- Kyle Dagnan began his journey as a child with shows at school and local community theaters. He then joined the Chattanooga Boys Choir where he got to tour the country, as well as getting to participate in the national touring cast of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" as part of the Children's Choir as a singer and featured dancer. He has trained in New York City as well as at the famous Stagedoor Manor in Loch Sheldrake, New York. He was a company member with Chattanooga Ballet where he performed new works as well as parts in "Giselle", "Don Quixote", and "The Nutcracker". He has directed, choreographed, stage managed, and costumed many local shows. He is also the head of the wardrobe team for IATSE Local 140 Stagehand Union
- Novek Ii, Kevon aka Novek Newi aka Image has been dancing since the age of 10 in hopes to map out healing through motion and words. At the age of 17 he took dance to new levels while also participating in various community events. The last few years and experience lead to Novek becoming the Founder of Feels Doetry Production. A collaborative production that helps artists express themselves beyond the means of mere words. This Production has become a family and will eventually grow to all corners of the world.