The Cast
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The men in the cast are all local dancers who have performed with Performing Dance Company, Repertory Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, SB Dance, Movement Forum, and/or Paradigm Dance.
Brent Schneider, choreographer and performer, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Dance at the University of Utah, where he has taught a wide range of classes in the past 11 years and is co-director of the Department's acclaimed Performing Dance Company, for which he also choreographs. He is delighted to once again be working with Repertory Dance Theatre on this project, as he has had a long relationship with the company, beginning as a dancer, then rehearsal director, administrator, trustee, and choreographer. Brent's recent work, Gathering, was commisioned for RDT's Postcards from Utah concert last season. In addition to modern dance works, Brent enjoys working in musical theatre and choreographs for several regional theatre companies including the Salt Lake Acting Company and the Egyptian Theatre Company in Park City, where he directed and choreographed last year's production of La Cage aux Folles and choreographed The Full Monty last spring. He continues to teach and choreograph nationally and internationally with recent residencies in Costa Rica and Taiwan.
Juan Carlos Claudio is orginially from Yauco, Puerto Rico, and received his BS in dance with a minor in Biology from Utah State University. Juan performed for 9 seasons with Rire-Woodbury Dance Company joining that company in 1996. He also lived in New York City and worked with Bill Young & Dancers, Colleen Thomas, Rhombus Dance and created two new works as a full time company member of Sean Curran Company. He has taught master classes and choreographed over twenty works for different high schools in Utah, Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and Utah State University in Logan. Juan has performed with DanceWorks, Stephen Brown's SB Dance, UCLA Dance Company and many others, and has toured throughout most of the United States, Europe, Singapore and China. Juan enjoys spending time at home with his family of two cats and two dogs. He would like thank his life partner, Kade Clark, for all the love, support, and understanding throughout his life and his friends in the Salt Lake community for their undenying love.
Tyler Dean Kunz grew up on a small farm in Victor, Idaho and began dancing at the age of nineteen under the direction of Wendy Bone. He has completed the modern dance program at the University of Utah and will graduate with his BFA in 2007. While at the University he had the pleasure of performing with Performing Dance Company in the works of Abby Fiat, Pamela Geber, and David Dorfman. He has also had the pleasure of working with Benjamin Levy, Kaye Richards, Satu Hummasti, Ashley Vilos, and Natosha Washington. He recently performed in The International Choreographer's Showcase in Madrid, Spain, and will be on stage in New York City later this fall in the premiere of a new work by Satu Hummasti. Tyler spends his time choreographing, teaching, writing music, attending concerts, and enjoying his friends.
Jeffrey Jacobs is originally from Orem, Utah, and moved to Salt Lake City two years ago to pursue a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Modern Dance from the University of Utah. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University, where he danced with Kinnect and The Dancers’ Company. While at the University of Utah Jeff has performed with Performing Dance Company in works by Abby Fiat and Eric Handman.
Aaron Wood began his formal dance training at age 18 while in his first semester of college. Since then he has received an Associate of Arts degree in Dance Performance and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre and Dance. Currently he is attending the University of Utah where this spring he will receive a Master of Fine Arts degree in Modern Dance. While attending the U of U he has focused his studies on how to utilize modern dance as a medium for gay awareness. This fall he will be presenting a show in conjunction with the University of Utah's gay pride week that deals with gender identity, gay awareness issues, and homophobia. Aaron has had the opportunity to work with many choreographers including, Patricia Tate, Marsha Fay Knight, Margaret Wilson, Pamela Geber, Kaye Richards, and Satu Hummasti. He has also had the opportunity to perform in venues such as The White Wave Dance Festival (NYC); The American Dance Guild's 50 th Anniversary (NYC); and The International Choreographer's Showcase (Madrid, Spain). Aaron would like to thank his Mom, Grandma Dell, and Daniel for their continued support.
Juan M. Aldape is from Guanajuato, Mexico. In the Spring of 2006 Juan received his BFA in Modern Dance from University of Utah. He is currently finishing out his BS Degree in Anthropology. He is a recipient of the: Elizabeth R Hayes Scholarship,'02, U of U Founders Day Scholarship,'06, and the Barbara and Norman Scholarship,'03, among others. Juan has had the opportunity of working with choreographers: Stephen Koester, Eloy Barragan, John Jaspers, Ronald K. Brown, Ming-Lung Yang, Olga Pona, Tandy Beal, Eric Handman, Danell Hathaway, Satu Hummasti, Mike O’Connor, Alysa Hass, and Andy Noble. Juan lives to participate in art that is engaging, stimulating, and inspirational. He enjoys the beauties and trivialities that life has to offer.
Josh Anderson started his dancing at Alta High School in Sandy, Utah under the direction of Paul Winkelman. He moved on to be a double major in Theatre and Dance at Colorado State University. Josh's travels since then have brought him back to Utah where he is a Modern Dance major at the University of Utah. During his time here he has had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Zeng Wan Shen of the Bejing Dance Acadamy, Stephen Koester, and Eric Handman. Josh is thrilled to have the chance to work with Brent as well as the rest of the amazing dancers in the show.
Graham Brown, originally from Annapolis, MD, received his BFA in modern dance from the University of Utah having performed in works by Eric Handman, Estelle Clareton, Sarah Pearson and Patrik Widrig, Kaye Richards, David Dorfman, Alwin Nikolais, and Doris Humphrey. He is the founder and director of Movement Forum, a SLC based dance improvisation performance company. With Movement Forum he has performed throughout Salt Lake City, Seattle, WA, and most recently in New York City at the New York International Fringe Festival. In 2005 He and his wife Lehua performed, taught, and set work at Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, AZ. As a teacher, Graham has presented lecture/demonstrations, master classes and teaching residencies at various high schools, colleges, and youth organizations throughout the Wasatch Front. He has also presented research on dance improvisation performance at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research in Lexington, VA. Graham would like to thank Lehua and their darling children: Isobella and Oliver for their constant love and support.
Chris DelPorto is currently an undergraduate student on scholarship at the University of Utah's Modern Dance Department. He has taken an interest many different movement forms including Capoeira, contact improvisation, plyometrics, release technique, and kayaking. He is also a member of Movement Forum, a movement improvisation group. Recent activities include several performances with Movement Forum in New York City, the 10th Annual Moab Jam, and the 2006 American Dance Festival.
Cole Adams, Lighting Designer, is an Assistant Professor Lecturer at the University of Utah. He received a B.F.A. from Utah State University. Cole serves as the Production Director and Lighting Designer for the Marriott Center for Dance. This is his second year working for the University of Utah's Ballet and Modern Dance programs. Cole has served in many positions at Utah State and has spent many summers designing concerts and musicals for the Sandy Amphitheater and freelancing around the Rocky Mountain region. Highlights include The Comedy of Errors at the International Fringe Festival, Tuacahn Center for the Arts, Rick Robinsons Evolutions of Dance, Billy Dean, Miranda Lambert, Petula Clark, and the Utah premier of Elton John's new musical Aida.
