SOULSKIN Dance to Present SATIN & SWING in San Francisco

SOULSKIN Dance will present a brand new work SATIN & SWING as part of their 4th Season in San Francisco.

Artistic Director and Choreographer Adrianna Thompson seeks to engage audiences in a study of two eras, the 1920s and the present. Dance Mission Theatre transforms into a time machine, transporting us back to the 1920s. Glitz and glam sparkle from the dingy corners of a speakeasy. Raucous jazz blares, bringing bejeweled and sequined dancing flapper girls to life. An evening of indulgence has begun. The entry notes of Prince's "Erotic City" ring in your ears, an echo from another time. Suddenly you notice the writing on the wall. The crash of overindulgence is imminent.

Adrianna Thompson's choreography for SATIN & SWING is a mix of contemporary ballet and modern dance, incorporating stylistic cues from 1920s swing and erstwhile social dances. The music is a mix of newly commissioned work by Noh Salomon which links the iconic 1920s classics of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Helen Kane (voice of Betty Boop), with the music of 1980s rock legend Prince. Thompson aims to draw parallels between the '80s musical icon and the artists who thrived in the 1920s; calling to attention his racial background, gender non-conformity, and rejection of the status quo. DJ CAMCON (Camille Conrotto) will design and live mix music on stage as part of the performance. The evening will open with two works created by guest choreographers: Robert Sund and Dylan Elmore.

Performances are March 10, 11 12, 2017 (Fri., Sat. 8:00 pm / Sun. 7:00 pm) at Dance Mission Theater - 3316 24th St. (at Mission) in SF 94110 (24th St BART). Tickets $20 - 25 (Gen. Admission). Advance $20 tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com
or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006. Tix at door $25. Further information at soulskindance.org.

Once again SOULSKIN Dance has teamed up with Andy Mogg Productions to offer a one-night-only live-streaming of the performance on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 8:00 pm. Renowned dance photographer Andy Mogg will direct a three-camera shoot using the latest robotic Pan Tilt Zoom cameras. Live Chat Room participation will be available during the Live Stream. To sign up for the live stream CLICK HERE. Cost $10.00. Credit Cards accepted. (Pre-orders available ASAP.) Watch the multi-camera live stream from the comfort of your own home!

SATIN & SWING welcomes guest choreographers Robert Sund and Dylan Elmore.

Robert Sund was a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet and in 1979 joined SF Ballet, where he performed solo and principal roles. In 1996 he choreographed his first full-length ballet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, for the Norwegian National Ballet. Mr. Sund has also created two award-winning ballets for TV: Womensong in 1990, received three Emmys including "Outstanding Entertainment Special;" and Blue Lair in 1992, which won another Emmy for choreography. Mr. Sund's guest teaching credits include: Frankfort Ballet, Netherlands Dance Theater, Stuttgart Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Ballet du Nord, Zurich Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and as company teacher for Smuin Ballets/SF.

Dylan Elmore, returning for his second season with SOULSKIN, is a former member of Batsheva Dance Company and an international dance artist who has performed works by Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian and Angelin Preljocaj, among others. Currently London-based, in 2016 Dylan joined SOULSKIN's dancers in SF for a two-week choreographic residency, creating a new work to complement Thompson's eclectic Queen and Cash suites.

Additional returning collaborators include fashion designer Jamielyn Duggan of Eimaj Design, and SOULSKIN's favorite musicologist, DJ CAMCON. Duggan brings her "fashion that moves" esthetic to the stage, outfitting the dancers in a "classic 1920s flapper look" with her signature avant-garde undertones. DJ CAMCON (Camille Conrotto) spins live - laying her own beats over the popular music soundscore, making the familiar become new.

Three virtuosic Cuban male dancers also perform in Satin & Swing with SOULSKIN Dance.

Delvis Savigne Frinon, Edisnel Rodriguez Gonzalez, and Adonis Martin came to the USA together from Cuba for the first time in 2013 to perform in the Cuba Caribe Festival. Seeing the unique opportunity to perform and work with a variety of artists in San Francisco, Delvis and Adonis immediately decided to stay. Edisnel would visit many more times before settling long-term in 2015. The Cuban expats found guidance through friends at Dance Mission Theater as they made their adjustment to the new country. The technical, acrobatic and virtuosic skill exhibited by the Cuban male dancers, as well as their hard work ethic, put them in high demand within San Francisco's dance community; while their congenial attitude and steadfast friendship make them a joy to work with. Collectively, they have performed with over 12 different Bay Area dance companies, and 7 international companies. They may occasionally look back wistfully at their native home, but they are fully vested in their dance careers here in the USA. When asked whether he might one day return to Cuba, Delvis replied with a hearty chuckle, "I'll go back for vacation!"

SATIN & SWING features SOULSKIN's company dancers: Courtney Armani, Emily Hansel, Erika Hassan, Adonis Martin, Amy McMurchie, Edisnel Rodriguez, Delvis Savigne Frinon, Leyna Swoboda.

Guest dancers: Marlowe Bassett, Jennifer Jaffe.

Apprentice dancers: Shanise Dews, Margot Lena.

Tech Credits: DJ CAMCON (Camille Conrotto - DJ in Residence). Katherine Disenhof (graphics), Jamielyn Duggan (costumes), Andy Mogg (photos), Darl Andrew Packard (digital media design), Noh Salomon (composer / musician), Collier Woods (Lighting Designer).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

ADRIANNA THOMPSON - Artistic Director SOULSKIN Dance

A California native, Thompson attended SF School of the Arts and received her BFA in Dance from CA State University, Long Beach. She was a professional dancer in NYC for over 15 years with Battery Dance Company, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Mark DeGarmo and Dancers, and has worked with Bella Lewitzky, Milton Myers, Jonathan Wolken, Brenda Daniels, Risa Steinberg and Mary Jane Eisenberg, among otherS. Thompson was the founder and choreographer of MEFTAS Dance Theatre in NYC for 10 years. Her choreography has been presented at Joyce SoHo, the Cunningham Studio, The Riverside Theatre, Mulberry Street Theater, the Downtown Arts Festival, Trisha Brown Studios, Movement Research, Theater for the New City, Dance Space, the Boston Conservatory and the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, CO.

She has received numerous awards including Best Performance of the Year by the Boston Globe, the Komaroff Award for Performance Excellence and was awarded a full dance scholarship by the American College Dance Festival. She has performed and taught master classes around the world including Poland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Slovenia, Finland, Bulgaria, Sri Lanka, India, Peru, Texas, and Harvard Summer Dance Project -Cambridge, MA.

She has been a guest artist in the NY Public Schools and for the Missouri River Dance Company and was on faculty for 10 years with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and is a guest faculty teacher for Alonzo King LINES Ballet. BFA at Dominican University, CA. Ms Thompson is a specialized master teacher in GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS and has been practicing the method for over 24 years.

DANCERS:

COURTNEY ARMANI

Courtney started dancing at age five at LA Ballet Academy. After high school she pursued a degree in chemistry at the USF, while continuing to dance. Upon graduation Courtney put away her beakers and periodic tables to dance professionally. She has performed with: Dancing People Company, PUSH Dance Company, David Herrera Performance Co. and Sarah Bush Dance Project. Courtney joined SOULSKIN Dance in 2014.

EDISNEL RODRIGUEZ GONZALEZ

Edisnel Rodriguez Gonzalez graduated from the Escuela Vocacional de Arte, EVA, (Vocational School of Arts) in 2008 in his native city, Santiago de Cuba. At 12 years old he started his artistic career, and six years later graduated with a specialty in modern dance. He began his professional career dancing in Danza del Caribe in Santiago and later shared the stage with dancers from such recognized companies as National Dance Company of Jamaica (NDTC) and National Dance Company of Belize. Here in the USA he has performed with prestigious companies and directors including Ramon Ramos Alayo of Alayo Dance Company; Krissy Keiffer, the artistic director of the Dance Brigade; and Gregory Dawson the artistic director of Dawson Dance SF. Edisnel joined SOULSKIN Dance in 2016.

DELVIS SAVIGNE FRINON

Delvis was born in Santiago, Cuba. He is a graduate of the Jose Maria Heredia Academy of Art with a degree in Contemporary and Folkloric Cuban dance. He was evaluated by the national court and gained the place of Soloist for his advance dance technique. In Cuba, he danced professionally with Danza del Caribe Dance Company. He danced in Spain at the Expo Zaragoza, which is the biggest water festival in the world. He was also invited to perform several times with National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica. Delvis came to SF in 2013 to collaborate with the company, Cuba Carribe. He since has adorned the stages of Krissy Keefer-Dance Brigade, Zaccho Dance Theatre, Kime Epifano productions, Nicole Klaymoon, Robert Moses Kin Dance Company and most recently with SOULSKIN Dance Company.

Delvis is a passionate artist who gives back to the community where he teaches both private and group modern and salsa dance classes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV_bHqnYGqo

EMILY HANSEL

Emily Hansel, from Rochester, MN, received her BFA in Dance from the U. of South Florida. She has performed in works by Ohad Naharin, Alonzo King, Robert Moses, Brenda Way, Katie Faulkner, Carl Flink, Bliss Kohlmyer, Maurice Causey, Paula Nunez, and AnDrew Carroll, among others. Her choreography has been presented at various venues in Tampa, West Palm Beach, Atlanta, Paris (Fr.), and SF. She is currently performing and creating work in SF. Emily joined SOULSKIN Dance in 2016.

ERIKA HASSAN

Erika's first performance as a professional dancer in NYC was in Adrianna Thompson's Led Sequins over a decade ago. Erika also danced for choreographers Maureen Fleming, Heidi Latsky, Javier Dzul and Jennifer Muller. She traveled to Brasil, dancing in Marcelo Pereira's Zen Companhia de Danca from 2000-2003, and to Japan to study with Butoh Master Min Tanaka. Erika performed in Tanaka's theater Plan B in Tokyo in 2001 and in 2003. In NYC she danced in and produced Ambivalent Skin at Theater for the New City in 2005. The following year she co-produced, danced and co-directed The Guest House with Adrianna Thompson also at Theater for the New City. She is a master trainer for GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS and part of the International Naam Yoga Teacher Training team. Erika joined SOULSKIN Dance in 2013.

ADONIS MARTIN

Adonis DamIan Martin Quiñones was born in Contramaestre, a province of Santiago de Cuba, on June 17, 1990. He is a graduate from Jose Maria Heredia Heredia Dance Academy entitled with a degree in Modern Dance. He was a soloist for The Danza del Caribe for 2 years. He also performed with Locomotion, an audiovisual and interactive Dance Company. In the Bay Area, he has danced with Kim Epiphano, Dance Brigade, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Joanna Haigood, Alayo Dance Company and Dance Theater of San Francisco (DTSF).

AMY McMURCHIE

Amy McMurchie began her training at Ballet Arts Minnesota and later Minnesota Dance Theater. She received her BFA at Alonzo King LINES in conjunction with Dominican University of California. There, she performed works by Amy Seiwert, Gregory Dawson, Carmen Rozestraten and Sidra Bell. Professionally, she has performed with Inside Out Contemporary Ballet, Danse Lumiere, Thodos Dance Chicago in New Dances, Kaneisee Collective and Bay Area Dance Collective. In addition to performing, she teaches dance throughout the Bay Area and is the director of JUNTOSAbroad, an organization that connects communities locally and abroad through dance. Amy joined SOULSKIN Dance in 2015.

LEYNA SWOBODA

Leyna is from Spokane, Washington where she studied dance at Ballet Arts Academy. After high school, Austin, Texas became her new home, dancing in the Ballet Austin Training Program. In 2009 the Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program called her to SF. This is where she grew the most and experienced more than she thought possible in the world of dance. After the Training Program in 2011, Leyna tried to stop dancing - she thought it was time to learn something new. But in the summer of 2013, the need for dance became like the need for friends and laughter, and she could not turn down the offer to dance with Adrianna Thompson. Leyna joined SOULSKIN Dance in 2013.

APPRENTICE DANCERS:

MARGOT LENA

Margot Lena graduated from the The University of Hartford's Hartt School in 2014, with a BFA in Dance Performance with a Pedagogy emphasis. Directly following her graduation, she moved to the Bay area where she danced with Sarah Bush Dance Project and Danse Lumiere, as well as taught at several studios in Berkeley. In addition to dancing and teaching dance, Margot has done modeling and acted in several independent short films. Prior to The Hartt School, she spent ten years with Ballet Etudes in CT, under the direction of Nanette Valas, and former American Ballet Theater soloist, Christina Fagundes. Margot has attended several summer intensives, including: American Ballet Theater (NYC); Boston Ballet; Joffrey Ballet (NYC); and Walnut Hill. In addition, she was able to study abroad, dancing in Amsterdam. This is Margot's first year as an apprentice with SOULSKIN Dance Company.

SHANISE DEWS

Shanise grew up in, San Diego. She started tap dancing at four, and jazz dance soon followed at age six, with, San Diego Civic Arts. She later began ballet at age eight with California Ballet. Shanise continued dancing through grade school and earned a B.A. in dance from the, UC Riverside. While studying dance, Shanise performed with a small company called, the Bristol Contemporary Dance Company, in LA to start her budding professional career. After graduating, She immediately moved to the Bay Area to peruse her career in dance, inspired by her professors like, Wendy Rogers and Susan Rose. Shanise has been fortunate enough to dance with a few companies like The Sarah Bush Dance Project and Sarah Berges Dance. This is her second time dancing with the SOULSKIN Dance Company as an apprentice.

GUEST DANCERS:

MARLOWE BASSETT

Classically trained and fiercely visionary, Marlowe Bassett is a multi-faceted creator. Performing artist, costume designer, and artistic director of performance group METAMORPHOSIS, Marlowe conceives stunning presentations that communicate beauty, sensuality and courage. Marlowe's performance styles include, contemporary ballet, modern dance, temple-flow fusion and fire dance. She has been featured as a soloist and principal artist with many Bay Area dance collectives and has worked with prominent Companies including Alonzo King's Lines Ballet, SF Opera, California Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet to name a few. In addition Marlowe has toured and performed throughout the USA, Europe and Central America.

A Native of CA, Marlowe began her dance training at the San Diego, CA Ballet School at the age of three. Growing up in a theatrical family she was inspired and passionate about all aspects of performance art and continued her training until 1999 when she joined the CA Ballet Company and appeared in Spike Jonze's film "Being John Malkovich". She was awarded full scholarships to some of the most renowned ballet and contemporary dance schools in the USA including Kirov Academy, School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Line's Ballet School and Jacob's Pillow.

In 2002 Marlowe made the SF Bay Area her home and first discovered the Burning Man Art community. The Burning Man culture has greatly influenced her art and inspired her to collaborate and perform along some of the music scenes most prominent producers, musicians, and visual artists such as Desert Dwellers, Shpongle, HÄANA, The Human Experience, Amae Love, David Starfire, Kaminanda, THIS, and Plantrae.

Since earning a fashion degree at the distinguished Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in 2007, Marlowe rapidly launched and built a flourishing costume design house. Elegance meets evolution in her masterfully designed performance costumes and one-of-a-kind couture. Marlowe's vision is to inspire and uplift through fashion, movement and visual arts.

In 2009 Marlowe founded "METAMORPHOSIS" as a platform to present Avant-garde ballet, aerial dance and couture fashion concurrently, while offering unique performances based on the site-specific space and atmosphere of the venue. The METAMORPHOSIS mission is to fully express artistic magnificence and inspire the collective consciousness through the art of dance, music and avant-garde costuming. METAMORPHOSIS has been featured at Burning Man's Annual Artumnal Gathering, Burning Man Festival, Fractal Planet, Star Star Road House, Edwardian Ball, Enchanted Forest Gathering, Lightning in a Bottle, Symbiosis Gathering, Envision Festival, and Ylang Ylang Beach Resort.

JENNIFER JAFFE

Jennifer Jaffe was a founding member of Smuin Ballets/SF and also danced with the SF Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Sacramento Ballet and Ohio Ballet. She has taught ballet extensively throughout the Bay Area for over fifteen years and recently earned her master's degree in history from Sonoma State University

COLLABORATORS

NOH SALOMON - COMPOSER

Noh is a classically trained pianist who studied music composition at CalState Long Beach. When composing, he draws from various genres of music such as rock and jazz. From a young age Noh was exposed to many styles of dance through his family, especially his sister Kim, who danced. Noh and Kim began creatively collaborating and he enjoys collaborating with dancers because it allows his music to be translated to movement. He has been commissioned by and performed with choreographers Kim Salomon, Tracy Fitzpatrick, Brenda Daniels and Mehmet Sander.

JAMIELYN DUGGAN, COSTUME DESIGNER

A SF native, Jamielyn established Eimaj Design in 2004 as a way to house and promote her various creative endeavors. With emphasis on 'fashion that moves', her custom work encompasses avant-garde to casual clothing made to be seen, costumes for performance, visual and graphic design, and media direction and production. Her clients include ODC/Dance, Bandaloop, Liss Fain Dance, Milissa Payne Project, LINES BFA and Training Programs, Amy Seiwert's Imagery, Project B., Hope Mohr, Alaska Dance Theater and Oakland Ballet. Achievements include work displayed at the de Young Museum, an Izzies nomination for design, and for TV - being cast as 1st alternate for Season 6 of Project Runway.

www.EimajDesign.com

DJ CAMCON - CAMILLE CONROTTO - DJ

Camille's love of music started growing up listening to Soul/Funk/RnB/- Classic Rock, Blues and the golden age of Pop in the 80's and 90's. Classical music, jazz and musical theater heightened her love and passion for her craft when she started singing and playing instruments at the age of 8. She has performed with Bay Area bands and musicians. She can be found DJing in local nightclubs, bars and parties in the Bay Area, showcasing her love and appreciation for all music while she rocks folks on the dance floor!

SOULSKIN Dance is a Bay Area-based dance collaboration founded in 2013 by Artistic Director Adrianna Thompson. Thompson curates a roster of exceptional artists including fashion designers, DJs, musicians, media designers and dancers to create immersive, electric dance environmentS. Thompson's choreographic style celebrates musicality and exudes personality, while remaining firmly rooted in modern dance technique.

SOULSKIN Dance embodies a spirit of collaboration, exploration and pure fun. Its artists work together with a goal to infuse a little lightheartedness into concert dance, creating a universal access point.

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