South Chicago Dance Theatre Casting
May 3, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Programs and casting subject to change.
PROGRAM
Cultural Hero Award presentation honoring Frank Chaves
The Cultural Hero Award was established in 2018 and celebrates voices that have had a significant impact on the City of Chicago through the art of dance education, production, or administration.The award is committed to archiving the legacies of individuals who embody SCDT’s core values of innovation, inclusion, empowerment, and collaboration. We are thrilled to present this year’s award to Frank Chaves.
Temporal Trance (1998) (COMPANY PREMIERE)
Choreographer: Frank Chaves
Artists: Trey Alexander, Mya Bryant, Chloe Chandler, Valerie Chen, Jack Halbert, Elijah Richardson, *Faith von Atzigen, Brodie Wolf
Music: Peter Gabriel, Vangelis, and Gabrielle Roth and The Mirrors
Original Lighting Design: Shelley Strasser Holland
Lighting Design: Julie E. Ballard
Costume Designer: Jordan Ross
Stager: Jessica Wolfrum
Rehearsal Director: Jessica Miller Tomlinson
*= Denotes Associate or Emerging Artist
FOLK (WORLD PREMIERE)
Choreographer: Kate Weare
Artists: Trey Alexander, Mya Bryant, Chloe Chandler, Valerie Chen, *Ben Moleta, Elijah Richardson, *Faith von Atzigen, Brodie Wolf
Music: Tzama Lecha Nafshi (Chabad) by Rena Branson, Povero Cuoro Mio by I Cantori Di Carpino, Nigun Bet by Mark E. Deutsch, El Gringo by Alessandro Alessandroni, Spaghetti Time by Alessandro Alessandroni, Cicerenella from Italian Folk Songs and Dances, Lullaby from Songs of Malta, Nakhes Fun Kinder (reprise) by London Klezmer Quartet
Lighting Design: Julie E. Ballard
Costume Designer: Trey Alexander
Rehearsal Director: Jessica Miller Tomlinson
About FOLK:
“Using a mix of Jewish and Italian music, I set out to explore the concept of “village” as an alternative to tribe; a community where individualities and differences can find their own form. Turns out that SCDT is already a vivacious village of sorts, so my sincere gratitude to Kia S. Smith for cultivating this special community, and to the dancers and designers of SCDT for their generous and soulful engagement during the artistic process. It’s been a pleasure, ya’ll!” -Choreographer Kate Weare
*= Denotes Associate or Emerging Artist
Under the Skin (2024)
Choreographer: Tsai Hsi Hung
Artists: Kelly Anderson, *Keeley Clark, *Lauryn Crowell, Jack Halbert, *Reid Kostroun, *Maddie LaNasky, Hayley Midea, *Ben Moleta, Elijah Richardson, Marissa Thomas
Music: Yi Chun Hung
Lighting Design: Julie E. Ballard
Costume Designer: Trey Alexander
Rehearsal Director: Jessica Miller Tomlinson
*= Denotes Associate or Emerging Artist
--INTERMISSION--
IN/WITHIN (WORLD PREMIERE)
Director/Choreographer: Kia S. Smith
Artists: SCDT Main Company, Associate Artists, and Emerging Artists
Music: Tweet, Max Richter, Audrey Hepburn, The Avalanches, Josephine Baker, Lucienne Boyer, Ernst Reijseger, Mola Sylla & Tenore e Cuncordu de Orosei, Wim Mertens, Purcell, Bach, Guiseppe Tartini, Arthur Grumiaux, Riccardo Castagone, Rob Hauser, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Murcof, Sokolov, Ceeys, Laurent Dury
Lighting Design: Julie E. Ballard
Costume Designer: Trey Alexander
Rehearsal Director: Jessica Miller Tomlinson
IN/WITHIN delves into the imaginary landscape of the lead performer as she ventures through the characters, objects and ephemera of her subconscious mind. Irrationally juxtaposed scenes spark joy and delight, absurdity, melancholy, empathy and actualization. IN/WITHIN jostles between authenticity and spuriousness through the language of contemporary dance theater.
ARTISTIC TEAM
Kia S. Smith, Director of Vision and Strategy
Kia S. Smith is a Chicago native and she is the Founder, Resident Choreographer and Director of Vision and Strategy for South Chicago Dance Theatre. As a freelance choreographer, Kia’s recent and upcoming commissions include Scottish Ballet School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (2024), Resilience Dance (2024), New Dance Partners (2024), James Madison University (2024), Columbia College Chicago (2024), Opera Laguna (2024), Houston Contemporary Dance Company (2023), Chicago Opera Theater (2023), Giordano Dance Chicago (2023) and others. Kia’s first evening length work Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley for South Chicago Dance Theatre premiered at the Auditorium Theatre of Chicago in 2023 and See Chicago Dance affirmed “Smith’s first evening length piece ‘Memoirs’ is a tour de force and a sensory immersion into this artists creative well springs”. Kia is a member of the International Association of Blacks in Dance where she received the Joan Myers Brown Artist Development Fund scholarship in 2018. In 2021, she was a 3Arts Make A Wave awardee and an Ann & Weston Hicks Choreographic Fellow at the renowned Jacobs Pillow. In 2022, Kia received the prestigious Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist award. Kia was named a Rising Star in 2023 by Chicago Magazine, Player of the Moment in the category of Dance for New City Magazine's annual 50 Players List in 2023 and one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch for 2024. WBEZ recently recognized Kia as a “breakout artist” for 2024!
Julie E. Ballard, USA 829, Production Manager + Lighting Designer
Julie E. Ballard is a professional lighting designer and theatrical technician. Ms. Ballard is an Assistant Professor of Theater Arts, specializing in lighting and sound, at Illinois Wesleyan University. She is affiliated with IATSE Local 2 and the Actors’ Equity Association and was previously the Stage Manager and Properties Master for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Additionally, Ms. Ballard is the owner/operator of OverlapLighting, a freelance production company specializing in production/ stage management, lighting design and photography, and is the Technical Director, Resident Lighting Designer and Stage Manager for The Seldoms. Ms. Ballard was the Lighting Director at the Dance Center of Columbia College for nearly 8 years. She has freelanced for two decades in and around the Midwest, touring regionally, nationally and internationally with Hubbard Street, Pilobolus, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and David Dorfman Dance, among others. Ms. Ballard holds degrees in Theater (BA, 1999) and Lighting Design (MFA, 2004) from Kent State University and the University of Florida, respectively. Visit her portfolio at overlaplighting.com
Jessica Miller Tomlinson, Rehearsal Director
Jessica is currently in her fourth season as Rehearsal Director and Company Instructor for South Chicago Dance Theatre, under the Direction of Kia S. Smith. Tomlinson graduated from the University of NC School of the Arts with a BFA in Contemporary Dance. Upon moving to Chicago, she collaborated with Lauri Stallings (formerly of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and current Artistic Director of gloATL) and performed with her company NANDANSE. Jessica was a dancer, choreographer, assistant rehearsal director, Director of the Thodos Youth Ensemble, and teacher for Thodos Dance Chicago from 2005–2017, where she performed and toured nationally and internationally. Jessica continued developing her choreography through the Thodos New Dances Performance Series, with several works eventually becoming part of the company’s repertoire. She produced her first evening-length performance, JMT / JLS Choreography, following a Grand Prize Win and Grant from the Joyce Theater Foundation’s A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2009.
Jessica Miller Tomlinson’s award-winning choreography has been commissioned or produced by the Chautauqua Ballet Company, NC School of the Arts, Aerial Dance Chicago, Take Up Space Dance Fest, Moonwater Dance Project, Alluvion Dance Chicago, Hot Crowd, Dancing To Dream Fundraiser, DanceWorks Chicago, Chicago Repertory Ballet, The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Idaho Dance Theatre, Regional Dance America, Columbia College of Chicago, Spring To Dance Festival St. Louis, Washington and Lee University, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Dance For Life, Common Conservatory, Dance in the Parks, The Dance Gallery Festival, The MidWest RADFest, YAGP, The Universal Ballet Competition, Visceral Dance Chicago, Nebraska Contemporary Dance Theatre, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, The Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival, Pure Vibe Dance Center, Northern Illinois University, SHIFT DANCE | FESTIVAL Albuquerque, and Thodos Dance Chicago. She has collaborated with Dance For Life's Our Voices Dance, Jacqueline Stewart/JAXON Movement Arts, Joshua Manculich, local Chicago band District 97, and the Andy Warhol Silver Clouds Exhibit at the MCA.
Jessica was the winner of Idaho Dance Theater’s Inaugural New Visions Choreography Competition and the winner of DanceWorks Chicago’s Inaugural NewMoves Choreography Competition. She also won the College of DuPage Choreography Competition and was a finalist for both the Avant Chamber Ballet Women’s Choreography Competition and the METdance Emerging Choreographer Competition.
She was recently a faculty member for the Hubbard Street Youth Dance Program and the Joffrey Academy of Dance, where she taught contemporary for the Joffrey Studio Company and Trainees. She served as adjunct faculty at Northern Illinois University for two years and has been guest faculty for the Water Street Dance Milwaukee Festival for four years. She has also been a guest alumni choreographer/teacher for UNCSA and a guest artist in residence for Eisenhower Dance Detroit, Columbia College of Chicago, and Washington and Lee University. Jessica is in her eighth season as a ballet instructor for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre. She is also a guest ballet instructor for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and serves as a faculty member for Pure Vibe Dance Center and The Rooted Space.
Kelly Anderson
Kelly Anderson, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She now resides in Chicago, Illinois as a Main Company Member of South Chicago Dance Theatre and serves as the company's Assistant Rehearsal Director. During her time with SCDT, she has had the privilege of working with choreographers such as Tsai Hsi Hung, Stephanie Martinez, Monique Haley, Ron de Jesus, and Kia S. Smith. Other notable works performed include that of Kyle Abraham, Aszure Barton, and Brian Enos. In addition to her own dancing, Kelly finds joy in teaching at local dance studios as well as summer intensives including Chicago National Association of Dance Masters (CNADM), Hubbard Street's EXPLORE intensive, and Chicago Dance Connection.
Trey Alexander, Resident Costume Designer
Trey Alexander (they/them), from St. Louis, MO, began their dance training at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) under the direction of Kirven and Antonio Douthit-Boyd. Trey received a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the UMKC Conservatory of Dance in 2019. While studying at the conservatory, they were mentored by Deeanna Hiett, Gary Abbott, and Paula Weber. They have performed works by choreographers George Balanchine, Frank Chavez, Gregory Dawson, Kevin Iega Jeff, Christopher Wheeldon and more. Trey has danced professionally with Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, and DanceWorks Chicago. Trey has performed works by Chicago-based choreographers Katlin Bourgeois, Shannon Alvis, and Stephanie Martinez. Trey is currently dancing with South Chicago Dance Theatre under the direction of Kia S. Smith.
CHOREOGRAPHERS
Frank Chaves
After 23 years as Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer of River North Dance Chicago, Frank officially retired in December 2015. Having produced more than 20 original works for the company, he now looks forward to concentrating solely on his choreography, creating new works and finding new homes for his existing body of work. As a performer, he has danced with Ballet Concerto of Miami, New York's Ballet Hispanico, Giordano Dance Chicago, and for six years with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago In 2000, he received a Ruth Page Dance Achievement Award for Mission, co-created with Sherry Zunker, Co-Artistic Director Emerita of River North, in honor of the Company's 10th anniversary. He was also recognized with a 2008 Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography from the Choo-San Goh & H. Robert Magee Foundation for Tuscan Rift and had the great honor and privilege of being named “Chicagoan of Year in Dance” by The Chicago Tribune in 2014.
For more than 20 years, Frank has been dealing with a degenerative spinal cord disease, Syringomyelia, which has no known cause and no known cure. “It's been quite the journey — of all things, a dancer and choreographer losing his physicality, accompanied by a multitude of symptoms that manifest into chronic pain, make it much more than losing the use of my legs. However, the one thing this disease cannot take away is my imagination. So long as I have that and there is music and motivated dancers, I have and will continue to create.” -Frank Chaves
Tsai Hsi Hung
Tsai Hsi Hung graduated from Taipei National University of the Arts 2011. In 2009, she traveled to Australia as an exchange student for the Dance at Queensland Technology University Dance Department. She has worked with the Australian Dance Theater, Tasdance, Expressions Dance Company, and Chunky Move Dance Company Dancers. Since then, her choreography has been commissioned and performed throughout the United States and Asia. Hung was recently awarded the Jaffee and Hall Emerging Choreographer Award from Indiana’s Dance Kaleidoscope Company and will create a new work for the company in 2025. Hung will also premiere a new piece with the Joffrey Concert Group in New York City as part of their Creative Movers Choreography Commission. Later this year, Hung will create a new work for the South Chicago Dance Theatre. Hung's work has been featured at companies such as Philadelphia’s BalletX, Ballet Hispanico NYC, Milwaukee Ballet, Arkansas Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. She has been in residence at Western Michigan University, Kennesaw University in Georgia and the National University of the Arts in Taiwan where she was a guest teacher from 2022-2024. In June of 2018, the MET Dance Company performed Hung’s work IO for 12 dancers at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Houston, Texas. In 2019, Hung’s piece DOUBLEND was performed at the NU VU Festival at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Martha Graham Studio Theater and NYU Skirball Center and her work Brushstroke 2X2 was performed at the 2020 APAP Peridance Showcase in New York. Hung’s choreography often features the interplay between dance and painting. In 2022, Hung created an original work inspired by the paintings of Hans Hofmann that was commissioned by the Battery Dance Company, NYC. In 2020, Hung received a Choreography Fellowship from the New Jersey Council on the Arts.
Kate Weare
Kate Weare Company charts a contemporary view of humanism by placing women at the center of the human story amidst the violence, sensuality and yearning for intimacy that mark our age. Weare’s work explores the undercurrents in relationships - both tender and stark - by drawing on our most basic urges to move and decode movement. Weare creates a communion between director and performer in order to mine the body’s instinct for truth-telling: our need for safety, our intelligence about who we are as individuals, our longing to connect, our desire to be seen. Since 2005, Kate Weare Company has toured extensively throughout the United States to a wide range of audiences, gathering experiences and insights to help shape our process and priorities. Our mission includes creating live dance and dance film from a feeling of authenticity; a desire to explore across borders and mediums; a commitment to collaborating as a means to grow; a belief that dance can be aesthetically uncompromising, communicative and inclusive all at once. Form is meaning, but emotional content is how we connect it all.
Artistic Director Kate Weare is recognized as a preeminent American choreographer known for her startling combination of formal choreographic value and visceral, emotional interpretation. She founded Kate Weare Company in New York City in 2005 as a vehicle for her choreographic research, while creating commissions for other companies such as The Jose Limon Dance Company, The Juilliard School, Cincinnati Ballet, Scottish Dance Theatre, Union Tanguera (France), Ririe-Woodbury Dance Theater, GroundWorks Dance Theater and ODC/Dance, among many others. Weare’s awards include The Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship Award, Inaugural BAM Fisher Artist-in-Residency & Commission Award, The Joyce Theater Creative Residency Award (2016, 2014, 2011), The Aninstantia Foundation Fellowship, The Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship, NC Arts Council Fellowship, White Bird’s Barney Choreographic Prize, CalArts Inaugural Evelyn Sharp Summer Residency Award, The MANCC Fellowship Award, The Jacob’s Pillow Residency Award and The Djerassi Fellowship. Teaching includes: Princeton University, The Juilliard School, NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, Marymount Manhattan, CalArts, Virginia Commonwealth Univ., among others. Raised by a painter and a printmaker in Oakland, CA, Weare draws on visual art sources in her work along with language, poetry, contemporary music, psychology, and above all, nature. Weare earned a BFA from CalArts and subsequently danced in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Belgrade and Montreal before settling in New York City in 1998. Based now between New York and Asheville, NC, Weare has been exploring dance on film with filmmaker Jack Flame Sorokin. In 2021 Weare and Sorokin completed their first two films, “Landfall,” and “Moth,” and are in production with several more.
Kia S. Smith (see above)
ARTISTS
Trey Alexander (see above)
Kelly Anderson (see above)
Mya Bryant
Originally from Fort Worth Texas, Mya Bryant is an artist who values inclusivity and community. Bryant attended Margo Dean School of Ballet led by Margo and Webster Dean where she had the privilege of being a company member in Ballet Concerto, their summer company. In May of 2022, Bryant graduated from Sam Houston State University with her B.F.A in dance and minor in kinesiology.
Chloe Chandler
Chloe Chandler is a Chicago-based dancer and choreographer with a B.F.A. in Dance from the University of Michigan. She is in her second season as a main company member with South Chicago Dance Theatre. Chloe has recently trained with artists such as Shannon Gillen, Sidra Bell, Maciej Kuźmiński, and Lucija Romanova, and has assisted artists such as Elizabeth Parkinson, Suzi Taylor, and Will Johnston. Chloe has special interests in improvisation, choreography, and contemporary floorwork. She also teaches at the pre-professional and collegiate level around the midwest.
Valerie Chen
Valerie Chen is a Taiwanese American artist whose love for dance and movement creation began in Irvine, California. In high school she attended the Orange County School for the Arts in the Commercial Dance Conservatory, developing herself as a multifaceted dancer in both the commercial and classical spheres. Valerie simultaneously trained at Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy and Jessie Riley’s Westside Dance Project. Continuing her dance education, Valerie received a BFA in Dance at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. While at Kaufman she witnessed new movement styles, a culture of care, and ingenious innovation which nourished her passion for performance and experimentation. She has performed works by Kyle Abraham, Hope Boykin, Jiří Kylián, Micaela Taylor, Justin Peck, Christopher Wheeldon, and Paul Taylor, among others. Valerie aspires to bring dance to new spaces, break boundaries of expectation, and share movement histories with each community she meets.
Keeley Clark
Keeley Clark started dancing at the age of two in Jefferson City, Missouri where she grew up doing various styles but with a main focus in ballet, contemporary, and jazz. She trained at a small studio named Dancers’ Alley under the direction of Katy Howland, where she got to perform in The Nutcracker as the Sugar Plum Fairy. After graduating high school in 2022, they moved to Chicago to train at the Ruth Page Civic Training Program. There she worked with many different teachers and choreographers such as Victor Alexander, Dolores Long, Adrian Marcelo Sáenz, and Tsai Hsi Hung. They have also gotten to perform at many different events such as Center Stage, Ravinia, Harvest Festival, and See Chicago Dance. Keeley is very grateful for this being her second season with South Chicago Dance Theatre.
Lauren Crowell
Lauryn Crowell, originally from Birmingham, Alabama is an explorative driven artist. She started at Robinson’s School of Dance, whilst exploring visual and performing arts at Dunbar Magnet School of The Creative and Performing Arts. In high school, she continued training at Alabama School of Fine Arts. Lauryn graduated from George Mason University receiving a BFA in Dance and an Excellence in Choreography Academic Award. She has performed and been a part of works by Doug Varone, Jennifer Archibald, Robert Battle, Rafael Bonachela, Shaun Boyle-Darcy, Mark Morris, was Susan Shields choreographer’s assistant, and more. Lauryn aspires to cultivate her craft by expanding beyond limitations, immersing with communities of all diversity, and redefining purpose through movement exploration.
Kelsi L Fears
Kelsi L. Fears is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and a graduate of the Point Park University Conservatory of the Performing Arts receiving a BFA in Dance. While at Point Park University Kelsi performed works by Martha Graham, Candance Brown, LaTasha Barnes, Crystal Frazier, Kiesha Lalama and more. Kelsi is a 2023 participant of the Camille A. Brown Mentorship Program and a 2023 Tomayko Foundation Award recipient. Kelsi has spent summer’s training at the Sidra Bell Summer Module, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, ChuThis Movement Intensive and the Gibney Summer Study Program.
Jack Halbert
Jack began his dance training at the age of five in his hometown of St. Louis, MO at a small dance studio called Charmette Academy of Dance. Over the years, he trained extensively in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Modern. In 2013, he accepted a scholarship to continue his training with the University of Arizona School of Dance. He was privileged to perform incredible works by amazing professors and master artists, including José Limón and Sherry Zunker, as well as have the opportunity to tour in New York City and Europe. In May 2017 he graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in dance and a Minor in Sports Management, in addition to numerous awards and accolades. He feels incredibly lucky and humbled to have continued his training with the eclectic company Giordano Dance Chicago for four seasons, and to have performed with contemporary and street style fusion dance company, Chicago Dance Crash, for two years. In addition to dancing, he instructs group fitness classes at Equinox gyms, guests with AJA Talent Agency, and continues to build his career as an educator and choreographer at several local Chicago studios. Jack is excited to share the Auditorium stage with all of the artists of South Chicago Dance Theatre!
Reid Kostroun
At age four, Reid Kostroun began studying multiple languages of dance at Kathy Marfin’s Dance School, with a heavy emphasis on choreography exploration and personal creation in his teenage years. Soon after joining his studio’s competitive dance company, Reid joined Celebrity, HEAT, and Elevation On Tour’s assisting programs. Traveling the nation with these convention companies, Reid worked closely with the genius of Jackie Nowicki, Cat Cogliandro, Sophia Lucia, Ivan Maric, Angelica Stiskin and many more. In hot pursuit of a professional dance career in concert dance and choreography, Reid moved to Chicago, Illinois after graduating high school in his hometown, San Antonio, Texas, to join Visceral Dance’s trainee program. While in the program, Reid familiarized himself with Chicago’s expansive dance scene performing works from Nick Pupillo, Monica Cervantes, Braeden Barnes, Keli Gunn, and Tina Diaz. He actively teaches at local studios and schools, along with pop-up classes and can’t wait to see what SCDT Season 8 holds for him.
Mary Kovalcheck
Mary Kovalcheck grew up in Grayslake, IL and started training at the age of 13. She recently graduated from Grand Valley State University in Michigan, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and a Business minor. During her time in the dance program, she had the opportunity to work with several artists such as Queala Clancy, Yoshito Sakuraba, Wallie Wolfgruber, Deborah Lohse, and Renaldo Maurice. Her senior capstone solo “Forward” was selected to be in the Spring Dance Concert. Mary is also a recipient of the Upper Division Dance Scholarship and the Alexander Calder Honors Scholarship. While attending the American Dance Festival on scholarship in 2023, she had the opportunity to work with Brian Brooks and premiered in his piece “Wave Theory.” The following year, she was a guest artist at Nova Linea Contemporary Dance and premiered in Jared Baker’s work “The Grind.” Mary also had the opportunity to be a part of New Dances 2024 hosted by Thodos Dance Chicago and DanceWorks Chicago. This is now her second season with South Chicago Dance Theatre and is excited to perform at the Auditorium Theatre again!
Maddie LaNasky
Maddie LaNasky (she/her), originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a 2020 graduate of James Madison University (JMU) with a double major in Dance and Media Arts and Design. Her work was featured in three student concerts, selected for a mainstage concert, and presented at the American College Dance Association. In addition, she was a member of the JMU’s pre-professional company. While at school, Maddie had the pleasure of working with Abraham.In.Motion, DanceWorks Chicago, Rubén Graciani, and Matt Pardo. After moving to Chicago, Maddie trained at COMMON Conservatory under the direction of Terence Marling. Most recently, she has presented work at the Going Dutch Festival and Emergence Festival.
Hayley Midea
Hayley Midea is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher originally from Wixom, Michigan. In 2020, Hayley received a BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University where she performed works by Jackie Nowicki, Monique Haley, Carolyn Pavlik, Kelsey Paschich, Jeremy Blair, Joseph A. Hernandez and BAIRA MVMNT/PHLOSPHY. Hayley was also a company member of Western Dance Project, under the direction of Whitney Moncrief. The Michigan Dance Council awarded Hayley the Maggie Allesee Choreography Award for her piece “Dear Larry,” in 2019. Hayley also performed her work at the 2020 ACDA East-Central Regional Conference where she was selected to perform at the National Conference in Long Beach, California. She was also selected to perform at the SoloDuo Dance Festival, Detroit Dance City Festival, Trifecta Dance Festival, Chi Dance Fest and Simantikos Dance Chicago Choreography Kick-Off. Hayley’s work won “Best Spoken Word Used in a Film” and “2021 Viewer’s Choice Award” at the inaugural Dance Is Activism Film Festival produced by Earl Mosely’s Diversity of Dance. Hayley teaches dance in the Chicagoland area and has danced with South Chicago Dance Theatre for the last five seasons. With SCDT, Hayley has performed in works by Kia S. Smith, Crystal Michelle Perkins, Wade Schaaf, Ron De Jesus, Joseph Kim, Monique Haley, Stephanie Martinez, Tsai Hsi Hung and Joshua Blake Carter. As a professional, Hayley has toured nationally and internationally, most notably with SCDT and Choomna Dance Company in Arnhem, Netherlands. Other notable performances include the 2023 collaboration with South Chicago Dance Theatre and Giordano Dance Chicago as well as the Dance For Life Finale Choreographed by Randy Duncan and Jonathan Alsberry. Hayley is a freelance artist and recently joined Niko8 Performance under the direction of Sean Roschman.
Ben Moleta
Originally from Statesville North Carolina, Ben Moleta began his dance training at The Academy of Dance and Fine Arts when he was 14 years old. He was then accepted as a contemporary dance major at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee under the direction of Tommy Neblett. He continued to train there for two years, and for this past year has lived in New York City as a member of the GibneyPRO cohort, a certificate program under the direction of Alexandra Wells. Here Ben had the opportunity to work in process with ground-breaking choreographers such as; Peter Chu, Sidra Bell, Lea Ved, and Laja Field. Continuing on, Ben is excited for his first season with SCDT and looks forward to this new journey in Chicago.
Elijah Richardson
Elijah Richardson (San Jose, California) is a Filipino-American dance artist based in Chicago. Elijah’s early training started in figure skating, while active at his performing arts high school in musical theatre, dance team, and classical choir. He earned his BFA in Dance Performance with honors from Chapman University in 2018, performing in works by Sean Greene, Julianne O’Brien, and Ido Tadmor. Elijah has trained on scholarship at intensives including San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Hubbard Street, Zion Dance Project, and “One Body, One Career - Countertechnique” in Amsterdam. His professional credits include DanceWorks Chicago, Collage Dance Collective, and The Cambrians. In 2021, Elijah joined South Chicago Dance Theatre where he has since been part of landmark performances at Jacob’s Pillow, Spring to Dance Festival, Chicago’s Harris and Auditorium Theatres, Dance for Life, Chicago Opera Theater, and tours to Colombia, South Korea, and Vietnam. He has originated featured roles in works by Charissa Lee Barton, Donald Byrd, Tsai Hsi Hung, Ron De Jesus, Stephanie Martinez, and Kia S. Smith. Additional repertory include Ohad Naharin, Bobbi Jene Smith, Alex Ketley, Shannon Alvis, James Gregg, Monique Haley, Crystal Michelle Perkins, and George Balanchine. Elijah has been recognized as “25 to Watch” in 2023 by Dance Magazine and included in NewCity Magazine’s “Players 50: 50 People Who Really Perform for Chicago” for 2025. This is Elijah's fourth season with SCDT. elijahrichardson.com
Marissa Thomas
Marissa Thomas (she/her) is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at The Ohio State University in 2019. Marissa is currently in her third season with South Chicago Dance Theatre. She has previously danced as a Company Dancer with the Dancing Wheels Company in Cleveland, OH. Marissa has had the honor of performing and collaborating in works by choreographers Donald Byrd, Dianne McIntyre, Crystal Michelle Perkins, and André M. Zachery and performing in historic works by Merce Cunningham and Donald McKayle. Marissa is also a Teaching Artist for SCDT’s Education Programs, is SCDT's Community Programs Coordinator, and is the Tour Manager for the Dancing Wheels Company & School.
Faith von Atzigen
Faith von Atzigen is from Riverside, California where she began training at a competitive dance studio at the age of fourteen. While in high school, she had the opportunity to work with multiple commercial choreographers in the L.A. area such as Tina Landon, Michael Peña, and Jason Myhre. She went on to graduate from Oral Roberts University in 2020 with a B.A. in Dance Performance and was named the Outstanding Senior for the Theatre, Dance, and Visual Arts Department. Since graduating she has been working as a freelance dancer and has attended intensives with Doug Varone and Dancers, Parsons Dance, and Ad Deum Dance Company. This summer she was accepted as a professional artist to attend Zion Dance Project’s Summer Series where she was featured in multiple works by Vincent Hardy. She was also chosen to attend the 2023 OBOC Countertechnique intensive in Amsterdam where she worked with Anouk van Dijk, Tom Koch, and Elita Cannata. Since moving to Chicago, Faith has had the opportunity to work with Chicago-based artists Terrence Marling, Noelle Kayser, and Jackie Nowicki. Also passionately pursuing a career as a choreographer, she recently received the full DCASE Individual Artist Program grant to create and produce a dance work. Faith is overjoyed to return to South Chicago Dance Theatre for their eight season.
Brodie Wolf
Brodie Wolf is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, where his training exposed him to an array of artists and dance styles, and sparked his interest in choreography and performance. Brodie’s affinity for movement investigation led him to pursue a BFA in Dance at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and a double minor within the School of Cinematic Arts. He has performed works by Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, and Kyle Abraham, among others. Brodie recently worked as a guest artist for L.A. Dance Project under the direction of Benjamin Millepied where he performed the critically acclaimed “Romeo and Juliet Suite” at the Spoleto Dance Festival and Sydney Opera House. This is Brodie’s 2nd season dancing for South Chicago Dance Theatre as a main company artist.
ABOUT SOUTH CHICAGO DANCE THEATRE
South Chicago Dance Theatre (SCDT) is a multicultural organization seamlessly fusing classical and contemporary dance styles as well as preserving historic dance work. With Choreographic Diplomacy™ at the heart of the organization, SCDT creates, performs, and teaches dance on a local, national, and international platform. Since the 2017 launch, SCDT’s collaborative initiatives have included music ensembles, television, opera, art museums and public schools through a range of collaborations and performances. Prioritizing intergenerational learning and exchange, SCDT’s seven core programs include the Main Company, Associate Artist and Emerging Artist Programs, the Choreographic Diplomacy™ initiative, the Education and Community Programs and the annual South Chicago Dance Festival. SCDT has performed internationally in Seoul, Korea, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Bogota, Colombia, and Arnhem, Netherlands. Season 8 performances have also included Jacob’s Pillow, Navy Pier Chicago LIVE!, Opera Laguna in Laguna Beach California, Dayton Contemporary Dance’s Season Concert, and Red Rock Dance Festival.
SPECIAL THANKS
Thank you to the Hyde Park School of Dance, which continues to serve as our weekly rehearsal space. We also extend our sincere gratitude to Shelley Zucht and Elevé Dancewear, Levazadik Buckins of The Chicago High School of the Arts, Sara Bibik, Choomna Art Center, Athletico Physical Therapy, Springboard Foundation, Arts Work Fund, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Polk Bros Foundation, The Field Foundation of Illinois, The International Association of Blacks in Dance, Mellon Foundation, Alphawood Foundation, The Reva & David Logan Foundation, The Seabury Foundation, Daniel H. Lome Foundation, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, Illinois Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Innovation 80, Irving Harris Foundation, The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, Tom Ferguson & Mark Gomez, Jana French, Peter Gotsch, Jennifer Edgcomb, Marty Gorbien, Marv Hoffman & Rosellen Brown, Jill Lowe, Kevin McGirr, William Skeens, Joyce Chelberg, Phil Dowd, Marsha Dowd, Debra Siegel, David Curwen, Mary Jo Irbe, Michelle Anderson Metcalf, JD Miller & Mike Aiden, Ekua McGinnis, Automated Logic Corporation, Al & Cynthia Kruse, Kailin Liu, William Ziemann, Dick Ryan, Patti Eylar, Noelle Montgomery, Kathryn Humphreys, Maureen McGraff, Scott Silberstein, Myra Miller, Jane Baas, Ron Bauer, Nicole Gilmore, Jakita Trotter, Missy Staros, IMC Charitable Trust Foundation, The Prinz Law Firm, Gail Kalver, and Calvin Smith.
