May 7, 8, 9 / 8:00 p.m.
Space Place Theater
This performance will feature works choreographed by graduate students from the University of Iowa Department of Dance.
Please be advised this performance contains strobe lights, haze, possible odor from a heated lighting rover, loud sounds of balloons popping, and dancers that will enter the house.
Program
Hearken choreographed by Bea Beaman in collaboration with the cast
Life's Souvenirs choreographed by Hutch Hagendorf with inspirations from the dancers
She is Placed, Then Continues choreographed by Yoshito Sakuraba
– Intermission –
Still, again choreographed by Olivia Farmerie
ShadowWerk choreographed by Rachel Carpenter in collaboration with the dancers
Mea Culpa choreographed by Rosie DeAngelo in collaboration with the dancers
Act I:
Hearken
Both the music and dance in this work are entirely improvised without prompt. By engaging in deep listening towards one another, the dancers create worlds.
Choreographed by Bea Beaman in collaboration with the cast
Music: Live improvisation by the cast of Hearken
Lighting Design: Bea Beaman
Costume Design: Lindsey Wildman and Juliana Waechter
Scenic/Prop Designer: Bea Beaman
Dancers: Bea Beaman, Leila Bipes, Chase Dieleman, Allie Fairman, Elise Haveman, Katie Martin, Leyla Roosa, Declan Ryan, Juliet Saydah, Anna Werning, Lindsey Wildman
Special thanks to Jennifer Kayle and Kristin Marrs for insight on developing this process.
Life's Souvenirs
Please be advised there are moments where dancers will enter the house.
Choreographed by Hutch Hagendorf with inspirations from the dancers
Music composed and edited by Hutch Hagendorf
Lighting Design: Haven Haywood
Costume Design: Hutch Hagendorf and Julianna Waechter
Mask designed by the dancers and painted by Hutch Hagendorf
Dancers: Emily Ballin, Jaidyn Davis, Amelia Fisher, Ethan Hooten, Ella Kempen, Sara Love
Special thanks to my fantastic cast for going on this creative journey with me. You all made this work possible. Thank you to Cathy Parrott for being an amazing advisor and for putting all the right questions in front of me to answer while creating this dance. Thank you, Kristin Marrs, for answering all of my emails questioning this work.
She is Placed, Then Continues
Please be advised this performance contains strobe lights, haze, loud sound, and possible odor from the heated lighting rover. The light rover may briefly obstruct audience view.
Choreographed by Yoshito Sakuraba
Music by Yoshito Sakuraba, with remixed tracks by Mickey Rioux
Lighting Design: Haven Haywood
Costume Design: Julianna Waechter
Dancers: Lizzie Matthes, Megan Van Ostrand, Alexis Metzger, Noah Fox, Tyler Phi, Allyson Meinders, Ethan Hooten
Special thanks to Leslie Nolte and Beth Brown for their generous support and studio access; JK and Kristin for their thoughtful guidance this semester; Dan and Mindy for their insightful feedback; Hilary and KatyBeth for their steady assistance; Emily and Nazanin for their guidance with projection; Bryon, Gina, Julia for their help with props; all faculty for their guidance; my dancers for their dedication and commitment; and my students at ICON for being who they are.
Act II:
Still, again
Choreographed by Olivia Farmerie
Lighting Design: Haven Haywood
Costume Design: Julianna Waechter
Dancer: Olivia Farmerie
ShadowWerk
ShadowWerk explores embracing the darkness within ourselves, particularly in relation to pleasure and desire. Not in a strictly sexual sense, but in a broader, more human way, why do we feel shame around what brings us joy? Why do we label them as “guilty pleasures,” and who taught us that guilt belongs there?
The title references the practice of shadow work: turning toward the hidden parts of ourselves with curiosity rather than judgment. Through a neo-burlesque movement style, the piece frames this process as unapologetic, reclaiming desire, pleasure, and presence without the need for permission or validation.
Throughout the creative process, I invited my dancers into a series of questions surrounding pleasure, desire, and the concept of inner darkness. I guided them to approach the work from a sensual rather than sexual perspective, not to diminish sexuality, but to differentiate it. In this context, sensuality becomes a pathway to healing, ritual, spirituality, medicine, and liberation.
ShadowWerk challenges the idea that darkness is inherently negative, instead positioning it as a space of creation, transformation, and self-love. What might shift if we embraced the dark as a site of creation, restoration, and self-love? What would it look like to use that space to love ourselves, fully and unapologetically?
Choreographed by Rachel Carpenter in collaboration with the dancers
Music: "Swangin' on Westheimer" by Maeta, "On My Mama" by Victoria Monet, "BIRTHDAY DANCE (BONUS)" by Josh Levi, "ANTIDOTE" by RJ Pasin & SAHXL. Music edits made by Bea Beaman.
Costume Design: Julianna Waechter
Dancers: Evelyn Becker, Rachel Carpenter, Noah Fox, Jojo Goodlett, MJ Van Ostrand, Tyler Phi
Thank you to Bea Beaman for helping with music edits. Thank you to everyone who I spoke to about this work this semester, your input is so valued. Lastly, I want to thank my dancers for being so open, for being vulnerable and trusting me to facilitate them through this process. This work could not exist without them, and I am so incredibly proud of these dancers.
Mea Culpa
"Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds."
Please be advised this performance includes haze, the sound of balloons popping, and dancers that will enter the house.
Choreographed by Rosie DeAngelo in collaboration with the dancers
Music: Sound sampled and arranged by Rosie DeAngelo, featuring Fadt Fanfare, Alt-J and Maxime Denuc
Costume Design: Carol DeAngelo
Calling Stage Manager: Bea Beaman
Assistants: Kyle Marshall, Jenn Pray, Leah Urzendowski, Brennen Malone, Dale Leonheart, Alyssa Benitez
Contributing Dancer: Katie Martin
Dancers: Andi Bartlein, Gianna Cardamone, Alexis Metzger, Samantha Patterson, Natalie Prill, Juliet Saydah, Sadie Vannieuwenhoven, Christina Yu
Special thanks to my helium connect, Veronica, at the Sycamore St. Dollar Tree. Without you, this work would have been wildly unaffordable.
Meet the Team
Bea Beaman | Choreographer Bea Beaman (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist from Shanghai, China. Their dance training is primarily in K-Pop and Contemporary Modern Dance, informed by experience in Martial Arts and Parkour. With a strong background in music and theater production, Beaman incorporates all design elements into their choreographic process. Their research has now found its way into partnering and improvisation with a focus in creting systems that use error as a generative process. |
Hutch Hagendorf | Choreographer Hutch Hagendorf, from Houston, Texas, began dancing at age nine at West University Dance Center. After receiving his BFA in dance at the University of Arizona, he danced for Royal Caribbean International Cruises, iKADA Contemporary Dance Company (NYC), De Funes Dance (NYC), and Spectrum Dance Theater (Seattle, WA) (director Donald Byrd). His choreography has been featured on/in Social Movement Contemporary Dance Theater, Exclamation Dance Company, Austin Dance Festival, Brazos Contemporary Dance Festival, and Exeter Academy. He is a first-year MFA student in dance at the University of Iowa and is thrilled to be sharing his voice and choreography in the Graduate Concert. |
Yoshito Sakuraba | Choreographer Yoshito Sakuraba presented work across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, including The Joyce Theater, BAM Fisher, Jacob’s Pillow, and Kaatsbaan. He has received the Best Choreography Award at the FINI Dance Festival (Italy) and the Audience Award at Masdanza (Spain). His commissions include Bayerisches Staatsballett, NW Dance Project, Whim W’Him, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, Nimbus, Louisville Ballet, Houston Contemporary Dance. As an educator, he has taught at the Martha Graham School, Joffrey Ballet School, Steps on Broadway, Gibney, Alvin Ailey/Fordham, Peabody at Johns Hopkins, Barnard College, Vassar College, and UNCSA. |
Olivia Farmerie | Choreographer Olivia Farmerie is a choreographer, performer, and educator interested in the cross sections between trauma and movement. Focusing on how movement can stimulate neural plasticity processing, Liv's work bridges subconscious impulses and emotions through improvisational scores and poetic writing. Her art aims to reach audiences on a deep level of understanding, creating a vulnerable space to explore intrinsic human experiences. |
Rachel Carpenter | Choreographer Rachel Carpenter (she/her) is a Cleveland, OH native and a second-year Master of Fine Arts candidate in Dance at the University of Iowa, where she focuses on performance. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Akron. After graduating, Rachel performed with Cleveland Dance Project for the 2023–2024 season and became a member of BurlesCLE, a neo-burlesque troupe that allowed her to explore the importance of expressing her femininity, sensuality, and self-love. Rachel’s current research challenges hierarchical structures in the field of dance that often overlook neo-burlesque and its artistic contributions. Her work advocates for a more inclusive understanding of dance as a tool for empowerment and self-expression, aiming to disrupt traditional institutional frameworks and push for systemic change. |
Rosie DeAngelo | Choreographer Rosie DeAngelo received her BFA in Dance Performance from the University of South Florida. Her choreography has been commissioned for the Youth American Grand Prix in NYC, and presented internationally at Micadanses (Paris), The Dance Gallery Festival, Hofstra University, and the Boston Contemporary Dance Festival. While living in New York City, Rosie also performed with Chris Masters Dance, Cameron McKinney/Kizuna Dance, Stefanie Nelson Dancegroup, Yin Mei Dance, and KEIGWIN + COMPANY. She was a 2021 City Artist Corps artist, and a 2022 recipient of LMCC’s SU CASA grant. |
Matt Tepfer | Stage Manager Matthew Tepfer (he/him) is a first-year MFA candidate in the Department of Theatre Arts' Stage Management program. Matthew recently earned his BA in Theater Design and Technology from Rutgers University–Camden. He looks forward to this next chapter and continuing his development as a dedicated and collaborative storyteller. Have fun and be well. |