Friday May 2nd

Show 1 - 7:00 pm  

Meet the Artists

DANCING WHEELS COMPANY

Mary Verdi-Fletcher (she/her), President & Founding Artistic Director

DANCING WHEELS COMPANY - If dance is an expression of the human spirit, then it is best expressed by people of all abilities. That is the fundamental belief behind the Dancing Wheels Company. Considered one of the premier arts and disabilities organizations in the U.S., Dancing Wheels is a professional, physically integrated dance company uniting the talents of dancers both with and without disabilities. Mary Verdi-Fletcher, the first professional wheelchair dancer in the U.S., founded the Dancing Wheels Company in Cleveland in 1980. Born with spina bifida, Mary wanted to offer others with disabilities full and equal access to the world of dance. To date, the Dancing Wheels Company’s inspirational mission has touched over 6.5 million people through performances, school assemblies, residencies, and workshops. With a message of inclusion and accessibility, the Company continually expands the reach of artistic possibilities while celebrating the universal spirit of dance.

ANGELINA DIFRANCO (SHE/HER) (CHOREOGRAPHER) is a dance artist, writer, and choreographer. She graduated from Kent State University with honors in May 2023 and holds a BFA in dance and a BA in English with a concentration in professional writing. Throughout her tenure at Kent State, Angelina has received the May O’Donnell Memorial Dance Award, the Eugenia V. Erdmann Dance Award, and the dance faculty award for outstanding achievement as an emerging artist and dance scholar for three consecutive years. She is currently working as a dancer and teacher in her third season with the Dancing Wheels Company. Working with Dancing Wheels has given her the opportunity to earn the Dementia Friends Program Certificate and the Dancing Wheels Teacher Certification, providing her with the knowledge and certification to teach people with dementia/alzheimers and instruct in the Dancing Wheels’ method of physically integrated dance. As a choreographer, her dance for film has been commissioned by students and faculty at Kent State, nominated by KSU faculty for the American College Dance Association, presented at Cleveland Dance Festival’s Virtual Dance Film Gallery in 2022, and won best experimental film at the Highland Square Film Festival. Her concert choreography has been performed professionally at Cleveland Dance Festival, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and OhioDance Festival. Alongside her work as a dance artist, she has taken part in See Chicago Dance’s critical writing fellowship and has been published in See Chicago Dance, Luna Negra, Brainchild, and Arts Air.

OHIO CONTEMPORARY BALLET

Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director

OHIO CONTEMPORARY BALLET formerly Verb Ballets is an action-oriented company that commissions and makes new dance works, preserves contemporary repertory, and builds community through performances and educational programs. Verb honors the deep roots of the ballet-based companies that preceded it in the Great Lakes region, including the all-female contemporary dance collective from which it draws its origin. Today, the company maintains its history of female leadership under the direction of Dr. Margaret Carlson and has sought to promote diversity among its dancers, staff, and board in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and country of origin. The company strives to commission new works while maintaining dance virtuosity and production excellence on par with the historic leading companies of the region.

ANTONIO MORILLO (CHOREOGRAPHER) is a first-generation Cuban American born in Corral Springs, Florida. He received his Associate of Arts in Dance Performance from Valencia College and his BFA in Dance Performance from the University of South Florida. Antonio has performed as a guest artist with the Next Generation Ballet, Tampa City Ballet, and Hudson Conservatory of Ballet. In 2020 he was featured in Pointe Magazine in an article about his college experience jump-starting his dance career. He has danced with the company on two international tours to Cuba and the Gerald Arpino Centennial Celebration Chicago. In 2017 he was selected by the Martha Graham Company to choreograph and present at the Next@Graham Studio Series in NYC. Since joining the company in 2016, Antonio has been featured in works such as Four Last Songs, Light Rain, and Bolero.

DOMINIC MOORE-DUNSON/THERON BROWN & ARTISTS

Dominic Moore-Dunson & Theron Brown

DOMINIC MOORE-DUNSON/THERON BROWN & ARTISTS is a dynamic pop-up collective led by director/choreographer Dominic Moore-Dunson and composer/music director Theron Brown. Founded to create powerful, immersive experiences, the collective emerged from Moore-Dunson and Brown’s shared vision for pushing the boundaries of live performance. Their newest creation, inspired by Theron Brown’s solo piano album, Spirit Fruit, draws on soulful, jazz-infused sounds as the heartbeat of a live dance and music piece that explores connection, expression, and resilience. Spirit Fruit is a "spiritual expiation of love, joy, peace and kindness through a solo piano performance. Produced by Grammy award-winning artist Kamal Kenyatta”

This unique gathering of dancers, musicians, and artists aims to blend sound and movement in a seamless marriage of live music and dance, curating an experience that is as visually evocative as it is sonically rich. Spirit Fruit serves as the guiding force of the work, where improvisation meets structured performance and each performer’s unique artistry adds to the work’s depth.

Driven by a belief in the transformative power of live music and movement, Dominic Moore-Dunson/Theron Brown & Artists seeks to bring audiences into a world where every sound and gesture resonates deeply. Through this production, the collective aims to envelop audiences in an atmosphere that’s at once contemplative and joyous, presenting a truly immersive auditory and visual journey that bridges personal storytelling with universal themes.

DOMINIC MOORE-DUNSON, one of Dance Magazine’s 2023 “25 to Watch,” is an award-winning choreographer, professional dancer, producer, and teaching artist. Dominic is the co-owner of MooreDunson Co., a performing arts production company housing national touring arts + entertainment products and local arts community impact initiatives. MooreDunson Co. is committed to Urban Midwest Storytelling, a style of presentation capturing the juxtaposition between the beauty and hopelessness of humanity. Known for his community-centric approach, Dominic is a champion of community engagement in dance and entrepreneurship. Dominic's work has earned him acclaim, including as an Associate Artist at Atlantic Center for the Arts, the 2019 Cleveland Arts Prize's Emerging Artist Award for Theatre & Dance, and as a 2019 Fellow of The Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Program at Jacob’s Pillow. He's also deeply involved with the National Center for Choreography–Akron as a Creative ResearchResidency Artist and Creative Administration Research Fellow.

THERON BROWN - A glimpse of gospel, jazz, and soul from the great legends is what inspires the sound of pianist Theron Brown’s music. But the reason he plays is to encourage and influence people through his talents. Originally from Zanesville, OH, Theron resides in Akron, OH, where he is a Professor of Practice at The University of Akron, teaching jazz piano, and is the Program Coordinator for Curated Storefront’s Artist Residency Program at the city’s I Promise School. Theron also serves as an educator for the interactive piano learning app, Playground Sessions. Theron is heavily involved in the music community as the founder and artistic director of the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival, which takes place annually in Akron. Theron performs and tours regularly with his trio that includes Zaire Darden on drums and Jordan McBride on bass. Theron received an amazing opportunity when he was cast as young Herbie Hancock in the 2016 film, Miles Ahead, directed by and starring Don Cheadle. In 2018, Theron released his debut album, No Concepts. His most recent release is entitled Spirit Fruit (2024).

Christine howe

2025 Choreographic Fellow

CHRISTINE HOWE (CHOREOGRAPHER) (she/her) is a dance educator, performer, and maker serving as an Associate Lecturer at The University of Akron. She holds a BFA from The University of Akron and an MFA with performance emphasis from The University of Iowa. She received the Iowa Arts Fellowship and served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant under the direction of Rebekah Kowal. As an educator, she strives to create community environments in the classroom to support spaces of exploration and experimentation to leave students with a sense of creative individuality, an investigative curiosity, and a deep passion to move. As a maker, her choreographic works have been presented by Columbus Contemporary Dance Company, The University of Akron Dance Company, The Cleveland Dance Festival, Take Up Space in Chicago, and Lindenwood University in St. Louis. She is excited to have been selected as The Movement Project's 2025 Choreographic Fellow and Suttle Dance Company (Detroit) Emerging Artist. Her choreographic research works deeply with performance techniques to dance beyond just spectacle, creating empathetic and humanistic connections.

Akron School for the Arts at Firestone CLC

Kira Ruffin, Dance Teacher | Firestone CLC

Lauren Mathis, Teaching Artist | The Movement Project

Akron School for the Arts is a four-year collegiate model visual and performing arts program which combines rigorous academics with sequential arts courses destined to develop advanced skills in a specific arts discipline. Coursework enables students to position themselves for successful entrance into college arts majors and/or conservatory programs. This program provides enrichment experiences through required showings and performances beyond the traditional school day.

THE MOVEMENT PROJECT

Megan L. Gargano, Artistic Director

Associate Director, Elyse Morckel

THE MOVEMENT PROJECT was founded in 2009 by Megan Gargano (she/her) and Rebecca Leuszler (she/her) with goals to support professional dance in Cleveland. Through the years, TMP has grown their efforts to support artists throughout NE Ohio, specifically the communities of Cleveland and Akron. In 2013 TMP launched its first full season of performances and has since then produced over 35 evening-length concerts, has created over 60 new works, produced 6 original dance films, and has performed at various venues such as Cleveland Public Theatre, The Breen Center, Dumbo Dance Fest in NYC, Baldwin Wallace University, Ohio University and Transformer Station. In 2019, TMP collaborated, performed and produced a sold-out concert with Pam Tanowitz and her NYC company Pam Tanowitz Dance. In 2013 and 2016, TMP was awarded The Fedora Award, a grant for individuals and organizations that focus on positively helping communities of Northeast Ohio. And in 2017 TMP was awarded funds by Puffin West Foundation to further support TMP's annual summer intensive, a 1-week summer intensive focused on providing affordable and accessible dance education to youth dancers. In 2015, TMP launched the Cleveland Artist Initiative, a program designed to support and fund the creation of new work by Cleveland artists. Over 51% of TMP's operating budget was dedicated to paying artists and in 2022 TMP collaborated with over 150 artists and organizations throughout the year. In 2016, TMP launched Cleveland Dance Fest, an annual dance festival featuring Cleveland choreographers and is hosted each year in Cleveland. TMP Co-artistic director Rebecca Leuszler was awarded the 2016 Creative Workforce Fellowship funded by Community Partnership for Arts & Culture and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) to produce the first festival. In 2019, 2021 & 2022, TMP was awarded funds by CAC to continue growing the festival, as well as in 2020 by Ohio Arts Council. Since its inaugural year, over $43,500 has gone towards paying artists. In addition to our programming in Cleveland, TMP has worked to provide resources to artists, families, and youth throughout the communities of Akron. TMP's outreach programs have included The Akron Art Museum, Miller South School for Visual & Performing Arts, The University of Akron, and our annual year long residency at Firestone CLC. In 2023, TMP officially became a proud Pathway Partner with the College & Career Academies of Akron through Akron Public Schools. Fall of 2017 TMP launched The Movement Project School of Dance for youth 2.5-18 years old, serving the neighborhoods of Cleveland. In 2022, company member Elyse Morckel was promoted to Associate Director, expanding upon her already strong commitment to community building throughout the Akron and Cleveland communities. January 2022, TMP moved its operations to Cleveland’s westside community of Fairview Park where we offer year-round weekly professional classes, summer intensives, company rehearsals, festivals and performances.

MEGAN L. GARGANO (CHOREOGRAPHER) (she/her) is a native of Cleveland, Ohio where she began her training in 2003 at the Royal School of Ballet under the direction of Joanne Hughes Morscher. In addition, Megan studied at The Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, BalletMet, performed with The Pennsylvania Ballet and participated in several dance festivals throughout Ohio. In 2012, Megan received her BFA in Performance and Choreography from Ohio University School of Dance where she developed her own artistic voice under the mentorship and direction of Madeleine Scott, Marina Walchli, Mickie Geller, Travis Gatling, Tresa Randall, John Bohuslawsky and Gladys Bailin. While studying at OU, Megan performed the reconstruction of Alwin Nikolais piece Noumenon Mobilus, under the direction of Alberto del Saz. She has performed in faculty works by Mickie Geller and guest work by Adriana Durant, Stefanie Batten Bland and Sean Curran. July 2010 Megan studied at the Laban Centre in Greenwich, London where she furthered her studies in Limon and Release Techniques, choreography and contact improvisation. In 2010 Megan set original work at the Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights and in 2011 her work “Formally Phrased, with the exception of a few” was selected for adjudication at the American College Dance festival held at Grand Valley State University, Michigan. In 2009, Megan co-founded The Movement Project, a professional dance company located in Cleveland serving the communities of Cleveland and Akron.

ELYSE MORCKEL (CHOREOGRAPHER) (she/her) is a dancer, choreographer & movement educator. After training under the direction of Kelly Berick at Firestone High School’s Dance Program, she went on to earn her BFA in Dance from The Ohio State University in 2014 with concentrations in choreography and dance technology. While at OSU she had the opportunity to work with individuals such as Vicki Blaine, Noa Zuk, Bebe Miller, Esther Baker-Tarpaga, Melanie Bales, Susan Hadley, and Cleveland native Dianne McIntyre. In 2017, she became a company dancer and choreographer with The Movement Project (Cleveland, OH), and was promoted to Associate Director in 2022. Since joining TMP she has performed the choreographic works of NYC based choreographer Pam Tanowitz, Rebecca Leuszler, Megan Gargano, Irene Honora, Grace Nicklos & Liz Conway. Her choreographic projects include, the time has come, (2015), WWTD (2017), untitled: an exercise (2020), series of rituals, remembered (2013, restaged in 2017 & 2018), in the end, this is a victory dance (2018, restaged in 2022), (6) Vignettes of Drama (2019), Sixes & 7’s (2021, restaged in 2023), Sunder (2021), coddiwomple (2021), it’s a game we play (2022) & void (2023). Her works have been performed at venues such as The Barnett Theatre, BalletMet Performance Space, Transformer Station, Mentor Amphitheater, Sandefur Theatre, Daum Theatre, Current Gallery, and through performance platforms The Ohio Dance Festival (Columbus, OH), Cleveland Dance Fest, CDF | Akron Concert Series, Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival (Akron, Ohio) & SummerWorks Concert Series. Most recently Morckel performed in the world premiere of The Encounter: Akron by NYC based choreographer Kimberly Bartosik through NCCAkron & Rubber City Theatre, and co-choreographed The Little Amal Akron Experience with Dominic Moore-Dunson in partnership with Gum-Dip Theatre. Morckel was also named one of the 2024 Artists in Residence through Akron Soul Train to reimagine her latest work: void into a dance film with collaborator Denzel Washington (projected premiere January 2025). In 2024 Morckel received the Outstanding Artist in Dance Award and Best Collaborative Project through Arts Alive. She has facilitated residency programming at Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts, Akron School for the Arts at Firestone High School, The Ohio Thespian Conference, Ohio Dance Festival, Cleveland Dance Fest, as well as instructing at dance studios and schools across Ohio. Elyse recently relocated to Brattleboro, VT where she is eager to engage with the New England dance community while staying connected to northeast Ohio.

LIZ CONWAY (CHOREOGRAPHER) (she/her) is a Cleveland-based professional dancer, actor, choreographer and teacher. Her professional theatre credits include: A Chorus Line (Bebe) and Can-Can (Featured Ensemble) at Porchlight Music Theatre, Beauty and the Beast (Ensemble) at Drury Lane Oakbrook, Chicago (Featured Dancer) at Big Noise Theatre and Joseph..Dreamcoat (Wife) at Music Theater Works. Her professional concert dance credits include: The Dance COLEctive, Kristina Isabelle Dance Company, Kelly Anderson Dance Theater and The Movement Project. She was a featured dancer and actor in the short film, Limerence, directed by Dan Pedersen. Conway’s choreographic work has been presented at the Going Dutch Festival and the Inaside Choreographic Sponsorship Event in Chicago, IL. Her work was also featured as a part of Dog Night, by Rabid Bat Theatricals. A Cleveland, OH native her early training led her to study dance at Ohio University where she graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography in 2014. Conway was a dance instructor at various studios around the Chicagoland area and has taught modern technique and improvisation for The Movement Project Summer Intensives. She continues to train in all dance styles including modern, ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop as well as training in voice and acting. Currently Liz is the Operations Coordinator and Company Member with The Movement Project.

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