BC Beat to Showcase New Work by Broadway's Justin Prescott, Sean McKnight, Michael Mindlin, Karla Garcia and More, 11/10

BC Beat, the bi-annual choreography showcase established to support, explore and experience innovative theatrical dance, announces a line up for Monday November 10th featuring eight choreographers with work performed by a company of 40 artists from Broadway's biggest hits. The evening kicks off with 7pm at Cielo (18 Little W. 12th Street).

They include choreographers: Justin Prescott (MOTOWN, AFTER MIDNIGHT), Sean McKnight(CURTAINS, ANYTHING GOES), Laurie Kanyok (MOVIN OUT, FOSSE), Michael Mindlin (ALADDIN, BRING IT ON), Geoffrey Goldberg (MARY POPPINS), Karla Garcia (WEST SIDE STORY, WICKED), Derek Mitchell, and BC Beat creative director, Jennifer Jancuska, with performances by Lindsay Janisse, Samantha Farrow, Alex Michael Stoll, Jane Bunting, Giovanni Bonaventura, Holly Heiser, Katie Hagen Huddleston, Matthew Oaks, Fredric Odgaard, Avery Sobczak, Eddy Lee, Monette McKay, Gina Lanni, Kamille Upshaw, Penelope Armstead-Williams, Darius Barnes, Whitney Brown, Shonica Gooden, Bravita Threatt, Sean Mejia, Leah Read, Colin Cunliffe, Donald Jones JR, Mark Cruz, Hector Feimuz, Hector Lopez, Alexis Vasquez, CJ Greene, Sandy Shelton, and many more.

"As a platform for innovative theatrical expression, BC Beat gives producers, composers, and directors the opportunity to meet choreographers in an intimate setting and get to know their work, style, and energy throughout the evening" said Jennifer Jancuska, creative producer of BC Beat and co-Founder of Broadway Connection. "The event mixes top Broadway professionals and virtuoso performances with fun music and dancing."

The November 10th program was announced at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn and captured by dance photographer, Travis Magee. This month the artists prepare for BC Beat, the showcase and dance party with it's own rules for sharing work and connecting artists. With a line winding down Little West 12th Street, doors open at 7pm and guests are welcomed by the evening's choreographers and performers as Broadway veteran Justin Johnston curates music. As conversations between choreographers, directors, writers and composers develop in harmony with the room's graceful support, it's easy to hope the night lasts forever.

BC Beat returns to Cielo (18 Little West 12th Street) on Monday November 10, 2014. Doors open at 7pm. Online tickets ($8) are now available through Brown Paper Tickets. Tickets can also be purchased at the door ($12 cash only).

BC Beat has been conceived and created by Jennifer Jancuaka and is sponsored by Broadway Connection and Don Matteson of At Home in Brooklyn. The BC Beat Team includes Emily Hayes as stage manager, Travis Magee as photographer, Jose Flores as video director, Whitney Addams as stylist and Jordan Janota (scenic design), Steve Gonzalez (lighting), Justin Johnson (sound) and assistants Kathryn Allison, Megan Beard, and Mary Ryan.

Videos of all BC Beat performances are available for viewing on the BC Beat website and YouTube Channel.

The community of BC Beat choreographers, including Steven Hoggett, Sonya Tayeh, John Carrafa, Cherice Barton, Brooke Wendle, John Selya, Cindy Salgado, Daniel Watts and many more, are curious and innovative creatives who dare to explore and push boundaries in American Musical Theatre. The program for Monday November 10th stays true to the BC Beat mission by introducing new work by theatrical choreographers Sean McKnight, Laurie Kanyok, Michael Mindlin,Geoffrey Goldberg, Karla Garcia, Derek Mitchell, Justin Prescott, and Jennifer Jancuska.

BIOS:

Sean McKnight - Sean McKnight recently directed and choreographed the sold-out, one night concert Broadway Classics at Carnegie Hall starring Cheyenne Jackson and Carolee Carmello. He began his choreographic career with the Los Angeles Area premiere of Hot Mikado. The production earned him nominations for the LA Drama Critics Circle Award and the LA Stage Alliance Ovation! Award. Other choreographic credits include: Dance Austria! - The Big Waltz at Lincoln Center, A Chocolate Avenue Christmas at the Hershey Lodge, Broadway Bares, Gypsy of the Year, Easter Bonnet, and Dance from the Heart. As an Associate Choreographer he has worked at Ford's Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Westchester Broadway Theatre, White Plains Performing Arts Center, Red Mountain Theatre Company and Seattle 5th Avenue Theatre. Sean had the privilege to remount Kathleen Marshall's direction and choreography for the current NETworks Theatricals National Tour of Anything Goes.

As a performer, Sean has served as Dance Captain for Roundabout Theatre Company's National Tour of Anything Goes. Last seen on Broadway in Curtains, his other New York and/or National Tour credits include: Merrily We Roll Along (new cast recording), Girl Crazy, Stairway to Paradise, Shrek the Musical, The Producers, 42nd Street, Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Annie Get Your Gun (Tommy Keeler) and A Christmas Story the Musical. At the Kennedy Center he has had the privilege to perform in Ragtime, Carnival! and Mame. Other Regional credits include productions at Ford's Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Casa Mañana, Theatre Under the Stars, and over 20 shows for Pittsburgh CLO. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan and is currently on faculty at Pace University.

Laurie Kanyok - Laurie Kanyok is thrilled to be creating and choreographing after a 10 year run dancing for Twyla Tharp. She was in the original Broadway cast of Movin Out as well as heading the 1st national tour. She also worked on Come Fly Away with Ms. Tharp, taking the show from Broadway to Las Vegas and then the 1st National Tour. Additional performing credits include Broadway's Fosse and Saturday Night Fever along with a plethora of tv and film credits. Laurie's choreography can be seen in Cirque Du Soleil's La Nouba, which is the resident show at Downtown Disney in Orlando, FL, and most recently in Christopher Gattelli's In Your Arms, which is Broadway bound. She has done choreography for numerous TV, film projects and specialty solo performances from Miss NY to Brian Boitano.

Geoffrey Goldberg - Geoffrey Goldberg is a NYC-based director, choreographer, writer, and performer, having worked on Broadway, off-Broadway, regionally, and around the globe. Geoffrey has worked as an Associate with MARY POPPINS (Associate Kids Director - on Broadway & the 1st National Tour), internationally (MARY POPPINS in Spanish - Asst Director) and recently directed two new productions of MARY POPPINS around the country (Alluvion Stage, VA; Playhouse on the Square, TN). In NYC he has directed and choreographed numerous shows including BRADLEY COLE, NYFringe; EVERYDAY, West Village Musical Theater Festival - Awards for Best Director, Best Musical; GREASE, Manhattan JCC, and in Washington DC (A YEAR ON THE ROAD, Writer/Director). Geoffrey has also performed on Broadway (MARY POPPINS), on National Tours across the country and internationally (MARY POPPINS 1st Nat'l Tour; CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG 1st Nat'l Tour; 42ND STREET), and regionally around the nation. As a composer/lyricist, Geoffrey has had his music and shows performed in cabarets and performances across the country including: West Village Musical Theater Festival (EVERYDAY; Winner, Best Original Lyrics, Best Musical); Kennedy Center Millenium Stage (A YEAR ON THE ROAD) and on the Broadway New Amsterdam Stage (GYPSY OF THE YEAR). He is a current member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater writing workshop in NYC. Proud SDC and AEA member.

Michael Mindlin - Michael is excited to return as a choreographer for BC BEAT. His choreography has been featured around the country in productions of Evita, Xanadu and Beauty and the Beast along with several BC/EFA benefit concerts. He is also on faculty at Broadway Dance Center. As a performer he has appeared on Broadway in Bring It On, Mamma Mia, 9 to 5, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and is currently the Dance Captain of Disney's Aladdin.

Karla Garcia - Originally from Oxon Hill, MD, Karla graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Credits include Broadway shows West Side Story and Hot Feet; National Tours Wicked and The Addams Family ; FOX's SYTYCD Season 5 (top 14); Rasta Thomas' Bad Boys of Dance Company (female lead); and NBC's SMASH Season 2 (series regular).

As a choreographer, her live stage work has been shown at Broadway Underground, Capitol Movement showcase, Culture Shock International Showcase, Arts for the PI, BC Beat, and Dancin' Downtown at the Joyce, where her piece 'Ai Du' was selected as a finalist. Karla was a featured choreographer for the recent Blake Whyte Music Festival at Alvin Ailey, where she set a piece to Whyte's track 'Summer Love Soul.' This fall, she was brought to London as head choreographer and principal dancer of indie UK artist Kindness' latest music video. Karla is currently on guest faculty at Broadway Dance Center.

Justin Prescott - Justin is excited to be joining the BC Beat family this fall! The Houston, TX native received his BFA in Dance (Cum Laude) from SUNY Purchase College. Shortly thereafter he made his Broadway debut in the energetic and revolutionary Broadway hit Fela! As a choreographer, rehearsal director and teacher, his work has been featured by the Annual Gypsy of the Year, Exclamation Dance Company, and Broadway Across America. Additional performing credits include Broadway's After Midnight (dance captain), Motown, the City Center Encores! production of Lost in the Stars, the National Tour of Memphis and Scottsboro Boysat the Ahmanson Theater, directed/choreographed by Susan Stroman. TV: NBC's Smash!, New York Theatre Workshop: Bacha Bazi. This spring he will be appearing in the Broadway bound production of Gigi at the Kennedy Center starring Vanessa Hudgens.

Derek Mitchell - For the last 3 years he has choreographed for Jerry Mitchell's "Broadway Bares" Benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids at Roseland and Hammerstein Ballroom. Derek has choreographed music videos and world tours for Taiwanese Superstar "Jolin Tsai", "Sylvia Tosun" -Billboard Magazine's #1 Dance recording artist (National Tour including the House of Blues in Atlantic City with Freedom Williams, music videos for "Push 'n' Pull", "5 Reasons" and "World Keeps Turning"), and for Billboard Top 40 Dance Artist "Bex" ("What You Are" and "Life of the Party") both music videos and live performances. Derek has choreographed over 100 Flash Mobs including- 2 time Latin Grammy Award winning artist "Fonseca" in Times Square, the Sears Industrial starring Emmy Winner Derek Hough, NY Color make-up, YouTube viral sensations "Wedding Proposal in Bryant Park-Flash Mob" (featured on The Piers Morgan Show-CNN, The Today Show) and the "Bollywood Wedding Proposal" Flash Mob (featured in the NY Post, Nightline and Good Morning America). He is a resident choreographer for "The Brooklynettes" (Brooklyn Nets dance team) and the NY Knicks City Dancers 2009/10 season halftime shows as well as choreographer for the Aldo shoes 2010 worldwide print campaign, Industrials for Clarins Cosmetics, Calvin Klein and Pepsi and choreographed/directed the Step-Up 3-D promo for Disney.

Jennifer Jancuska - Jennifer Jancuska is an American choreographer noted for her narrative and physical approach to theater. Dance Magazine, Dance Informa and Dance Exec are among the many publications to feature Jennifer's work and leadership within the theater and dance communities; "most memorable element is the superb original choreography by Jennifer Jancuska" - Citizen Times.

Throughout the 2014 season Jennifer has worked with The Public Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Camille A. Brown and Daniel Aukin on the world premier production of FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE (Associate Choreographer), with Janine Tesori, Oliver Butler, and Lin-Manuel Miranda on TICK TICK...BOOM for Encores! Off-Center at City Center (Associate Choreographer), with Lawrence Arancio on a daring, re-imagined CAP21 production of RENT (Choreographer), with Lillian King to create a visually striking production of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (Choreographer) at New London Barn Playhouse, with Vincent Marini for Flat Rock Playhouse's MISS SAIGON (Choreographer), and with producer, Justin Nichols on new works in collaboration with Adam Gwon and Sarah Hammond, Ty Defoe, Tidtaya Sinutoke, and Matte O'Brien and Matt Vinson.

In 2013 Jennifer collaborated with Andy Blankenbuehler (ONLY GOLD), Michael Heiztman, Nick Blaemire and the Lucille Lortel Foundation as Choreographer for the annual live awards show, and with Vincent Marini, Richard Hinds and Flat Rock Playhouse on COTTON PATCH GOSPEL (Choreographer), EVITA (Associate Director/Choreographer), LES MISERABLES (Choreographer), the re-imagined, sold-out production of CATS (Choreographer, Associate Director), and LOST HIGHWAY (Choreographer, Associate Director). Recent work also includes choreography for ZELDA: AN AMERICAN LOVE STORY with Andy Blankenbuehler, Frank Wildhorn, Jack Murphy and Vincent Marini, associate director/choreographer at The Royal George Theatre, Trinity Repertory Theatre and the Merrimack Theatre, lead flyer and assistant choreographer for Phish at Madison Square Garden, as well as choreographer and master teacher for studios and universities including Shanghai Theatre Academy, University of the Arts, PACE University, College of Charleston and Broadway Dance Center. A graduate of Cornell University, Jennifer is the co-founder of Broadway Connection, a national and international arts education organization and the creative director and producer of BC Beat.

Pictured: Jennifer Jancuska, Karla Garcia, Derek Mitchell and Justin Prescott. Photo by Travis Magee.