We dedicate the 2024 Spring Dance Celebration performances to our hero, Brock Cilley.
Brock has unwaveringly served as Orange Coast College’s beloved Technical Director for 40 years. We know that dance holds a special place in his heart, and we literally could not do what we do on stage without his masterful lighting design and technical expertise. He has given so much to OCC and to this department. We wish him the best as he retires in June! We will miss you, Brock.
This is Us - the whole OCC Dance Department thanking you.
2024 Spring Dance Celebration Program
This is Us
Tonight’s program will run approximately 90 minutes, including intermission.
Hanohano 'O Maui
Choreographer: Marru MikaelianMusic: Keali'i Reichel
Dancers: Caitlin Bates, Gaelle Bouteloup, Laura Brizuela, Felicity Devitt, Maritza Hasty, Tashia
Hughes, Carolina Peinberg, Trisha Nguyen, Basak Scott, Alyson Sutton, Ondria Vicencio
Hanohano ‘O Maui celebrates the valley isle of Maui and mentions some of the iconic places and landmarks on the island – ‘Iao Valley, Puamana, Haleakala, Ka’anapali and Lahaina. Maui’s historic town of Lahaina experienced a devastating fire in the summer of 2023, and Marru felt compelled to choreograph something in its honor. She has many fond memories of spending summers on Maui with her family and friends, experiencing these places first-hand. Maui holds such a special place in her heart and has greatly influenced her love of Polynesian dance and culture. Marru is an OCC Dance instructor.
This is us - honoring the Island of Maui.
Marru Mikaelian has been studying the art of Polynesian dance since age 6. Born and raised in Huntington Beach, California, she fell in love with Hawaiian culture during family trips to Maui and embraced many different forms of Polynesian dance. She has studied dances from the islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Samoa and the Cook Islands. Ms. Mikaelian has been performing for over 30 years and is currently a lead dancer, choreographer, and instructor for Tupua Productions under the direction of Melody and Stephen Seanoa. As an individual performer, she has won several awards in various Tahitian dance competitions and was invited to dance in the Heiva i Tahiti in 2012 with Tahitian group Ahutoru Nui. She has participated in televised events such as the Rose Parade and the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. It brings her great joy to perform, teach and share her passion of Polynesian dance with others. She holds a B.S. Degree in Biology from UCLA.
Blooms of Love
Choreographer: Antoinette (Nettie) Nguyen
Music: Liang Xiao (Beautiful Evening) by Dacan Chen, The Planets - Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity by Gustav Holst
Dancers: Arctic Daggett, Amelia Gonzalez, Alexia Hernandez, Eleanor Nguyen, Sayani Moreno,
Ashley Oei
This is us - a celebration of the seasons.
Antoinette (Nettie) Nguyen was trained at the Pacific Ballet Conservatory and is working toward her AA in Dance and Dance Instructor Certificate (2025). She is also working toward certifications in Classical Pilates and Vinyasa Yoga. She plans to transfer to a four-year college program to earn her BFA. Her intention is to train and mentor the next generation of young dancers. This is her first work for the OCC dance dept.
don't miss it
Choreographer: Niko BlackMusic: Color Me by Active Child (Julia Holter), Choice Kingdom by Alt-J
Dancers: Darby Bauer, Emma Manzanares, Kaylee Shirk, Ella Tracy, Ash Williams
This is us - there is loss, there is hope.
Niko Black is from Orange County, has been dancing for 12 years, and trained at Academy for Performing Arts at Huntington Beach HS and danced with the APA Dance Company. They are working toward their AA in Dance and Dance Instructor Certificate (2025). Niko is currently a company member of Akomi Dance. This is their first work for the OCC Dance Dept.
Zakarpatskyi
Traditional Ukranian danceChoreographer: Svitlana Selska
Music: Transcarpathian Suite by Ron Cahute
Costumes: Traditional Hutsulskyi. The Hutsuls are a Ukrainian ethnographic group; Costumes are courtesy of the LA based Chervona Kalyna Dance Ensemble
Dancers: Soraya Farhadmotamed, Stella Giardina, Billy Nguyen, Robbie Preston, Laura Scarlot,
Svitlana Selska
This is us - the Transcarpathian people of Ukraine.
Svitlana Selska is from a small village in the region of Ternopil (Western Ukraine). She started dancing at 13 and has 18 years of experience in Ukrainian Folk dance, 4 years of Salsa, and has trained in international Folk dance, Ballroom, Commercial Dance, Ballet, Heels, and other styles. In addition to having a master’s degree in Ecology, Svitlana is working towards her AA in Dance (2024) This is her first time choreographing for an OCC Dance concert.
Hestia
Choreographers and dancers: Carolina Peinberg and Gaelle BouteloupMusic: Lion’s Heart by Paul Dinletir
This original dance portrays mystical warriors blending Middle Eastern grace with warrior strength. They balance swords, manipulate flowing wings and fan veils, symbolizing readiness, fire and chaos while powerful movements depict their preparation and engagement in battle. Both Carolina Peinberg and Gaelle Bouteloup are OCC dance students.
This is us - we are fire goddesses.
On Your Own Hands
Choreographer: Ella TracyMusic: Let it Happen by Tame Impala
Dancers: Darby Bauer, Niko Black, Emma Manzanares, Ella Tracy, Ash Williams
This is us - even the darkest parts.
Ella Tracy started dancing at two years old in Minnesota. She trained at Summit Dance Shoppe in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap and Hip Hop and then at The Dance Complex. During high school, she competed with both the varsity Kick and Jazz Dance teams. She went on to become captain of those teams and was chosen to represent her high school in the Minnesota Association of Dance Teams her senior year. Ella will graduate with a Dance Instructor and Commercial Dance Certificates of Achievement (2024). This is her third time choreographing for an OCC dance concert.
Traveling Through the Dark
based on a poem by William StaffordChoreographer and dancer: Sarah Stanley
Music: Passage by Colin Stetson
This is me - I roll, swerve, stumble, drag, listen.
Sarah Elizabeth Stanley is a performer and teacher based in Long Beach, CA. She has danced for Esperanza Dance Project, x2 Dance Collective, and DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion. She holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College where she studied dance under the direction of John Jasperse and Sara Rudner, and an MFA in Dance from California State University, Long Beach. She is currently researching dance and modalities of healing in pursuit of a PhD in Anthropology from University of California, Irvine. This is her first work for OCC.
Cuba Cubana
Choreographer: Laura ScarlotMusic: La Malanga by Mercadonegro
Dancers: Danielle Adams, Felicity Devitt, Alyssa Graves, Laura Scarlot, Svitlana Selska
This is us - we are united.
Laura Scarlot comes to OCC from Monaco. She has trained in Ballroom and Latin style dances, travelled extensively as a competitive Ballroom dancer, and won the World Cup Latin Dance Championship twice. She is working toward her AA in Dance and Dance Instructor and Commercial Dance Certificates (2024). She is also a certified personal trainer. This is her first work for the OCC dance dept.
La Sangre de mi Tierra
Choreographer: Santiago Rivera (OCC alum)Music: We’ll Meet Again by Vera Lynn, Cielito Lindo by Pedro Infante
Dancers: Arctic Daggett, Amelia Gonazales, Bruno Hernandez, Yun Yu Naing, Anthony Najera, Billy Nguyen, Antoinette (Nettie) Nguyen, Miyabi Matsushita, Ashley Oei, Robbie Preston, Emmy Tang
This is us - a journey through challenges, rejection, and crisis.
Santiago Rivera is a dance artist, educator and choreographer who started dancing in the competitive world when they were in eighth grade. They received a B.A. in Drama and minor in Educational Studies from the UC Irvine (2016), an AA in Dance and Dance Instructor Certificate of Achievement from OCC (2021), and an MFA in Dance at CSU Long Beach (2023). Santi also completed the José Limón Technique Certification Training Program. Their work focuses on the amplification of closeted queer LatinX and BIPOC voices in “safe” dance spaces. Currently adjunct faculty at Cypress College, this is Santi’s 6th work for the OCC Dance Dept.
Aires de Cadiz
Choreographer and Dancer: YaelisaMusic and Musician: Traditional/Arrangement by Jason McGuire “El Rubio”
Yaelisa demonstrates the power and joy of Flamenco with a song and dance in the style of Alegrias, from the province of Cadiz, Spain. Flamenco is improvised and must have that element to sustain its power. Yaelisa is utilizing the traditional Spanish shawl (manton). Viva Cadiz!
This is us - the people of Cádiz.
Yaelisa is one of the most gifted Flamenco artists of her generation. She has presented her choreography in Spain and in the U.S and has worked in film and television. She has been commissioned by Malashock Dance, Rose Polsky, Collage Dance Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theater, Shotgun Players Theater group, San Francisco Opera, Pacific Symphony, and the California Symphony orchestra. Yaelisa received an Emmy Award for Choreography in 1993, an NEA Choreography Fellowship, and two Isadora Duncan Dance Awards. She was one of ABC-7’s Hispanic leadership awardees.
Yaelisa co-founded the New World Flamenco Festival in 2001 at the Irvine Barclay Theater and has produced and created performances at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco. Internationally recognized as a master teacher, she has developed a teaching style that emphasizes cultural understanding and knowledge.
~~~~~~INTERMISSION~~~~~~
Sorsoné & Ja Dó
Master Percussionist: Monti Ellison, accompanied by Malik SowChoreographer and Dancer: Megashia Jackson
The Sorsoné is a traditional harvest dance that depicts the planting of rice seeds, collecting of the matured rice plant, and the final process of sifting and cleaning to remove all dirt and impurities. Monti and Malik play the Djembé & Dun Dun drums.
This is us - harvesting.
Monti Ellison has been playing drums professionally for 52 years and is especially known for his ability to play with an appeal for the dancing body. For 15 years (1976-1991) he was Head Staff Musician at the renowned Alvin Ailey School in New York when it was the "Mecca" for the dance world. He wrote Judith Jamison's first choreography "Divining" and has toured the world as a featured soloist with the great Harry Belafonte. He has been teaching African dance and drumming at Loyola Marymount University for the past 26 years and is an instructor at Orange Coast College.
RE-birth
Choreographer: Aryana DahaMusic: Black Gold by Sarah Nemtanu & Armand Amara, Conjuring Storm by Ekaterina Shelehova
Dancers: Aryana Daha, Alexia Hernandez, Miyabi Matsushita
This is us - rising above, becoming one.
Aryana Daha comes to OCC from Iran where she was forbidden from studying dance. She still found ways to study Hip Hop, Classical Persian Dance, Modern, Ballet, and Jazz “underground.” She is working towards her AA in Dance (2025) and hopes to transfer to a 4-year BFA program in Dance. This is her first work for the OCC dance dept.
Dandelion
Choreographer: Ash WilliamsMusic: Adrianne Lenker, Mice Parade, Mostly Chimes, Waterslide
Dancers: Niko Black, Emma Manzanares, Yun Yu Naing, Ella Tracy, Yone
This is us - and all our emotions.
Ash Williams is a dancer with 16 years of experience in Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Jazz. Ash has been a part of a Hip Hop group, Montero, which won a national championship award. He will earn his Commercial Dance Certificate of Achievement (2024) and Dance Instructor Certificate (2025). This is his second work for an OCC dance concert.
Raqs al-Sharqi
Choreographer: Angelika NemethMusic: Nawe’em by Ahmed Ramadan
Dancers: Nahreen Aref, Caitlin Bates, Gaelle Bouteloup, Aryana Daha, Taline Hagopian, Maritza Hasty, Tashia Hughes, Trisha Nguyen, Carolina Peinberg, Iris Z. Spector, Ondria Vicencio
In the 1920s and 30s in Egypt, the term raqs sharqi (dance of the East) gradually became associated with a specific style that was developing in Cairo entertainment venues. This style combines improvised torso articulation with Western elements like elevated posture, intricate arm movements, expansive travelling, and often dramatic veil entrances. It was a departure from Egyptian baladi, a more grounded form with less traveling, and no trained arm or footwork.
This is us - lovers of Middle Eastern dance!
Angelika Nemeth is an internationally renowned performer and teacher of Middle Eastern dance based in Southern California. She has directed numerous critically acclaimed world dance concerts, co-produced the historic 1st and 2nd International Conferences on Middle Eastern Dance and was influential in the expansion of Orange Coast College’s ethnic dance curriculum and World Dance Certificate program. Her work has had a major impact on Mid-Eastern dance in Southern California. She has organized and led dance and culture tours to the Near and Middle East, been invited to teach, judge, and perform at major festivals and competitions worldwide, and was the artistic director and choreographer of the award-winning Angelika Nemeth Dance Ensemble (ANDE). She has certificates in Dance, Theatre Arts and Related Technologies, a 500-hr Yoga Teaching Credential, and holds a B.S. degree in Education, an M.A. in Psychology, specializing in the Transformational Arts, and is an Orange Coast College Instructor.
Native American Men's Fancy Dance
Choreographer and Dancer: Ba’ac Garcia, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation.Music: Traditional
This is me - from the Tohono O’odham Nation.
Ba’ac, part of RedBoy Productions, is performing the “men's fancy dance” a wildly exuberant powwow style. Clad in colorful regalia, often in shades of bright neon and embroidered with elaborate applique patterns, his dance is fast and aerobic.
RedBoy Productions is a Native American Family Dance Group based out of Orange County, California. The Dance Group is led by Ba’ac Garcia, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation. He and his siblings learned the importance of education and cultural sharing through their mother, Lupe Lopez, an educator for the past 15 years as a Long Beach Unified School District teacher. They offer an appreciation of Native American History and Culture from their historical past to the present. They provide cultural enrichment and Native American Law Consultation through workshops that enlighten and educate the public about Native American Culture and Traditions. www.redboyproductions.com
Rhythm and Melody
a celebration of communityChoreographer: Darby Bauer in collaboration with Danielle Adams, Amelia Gonzalez and Laura Scarlot
Music: Rush Big by Audio Dynamite, You Keep me Swingin’ by Peter Sellers, Baba O’Riley by The Who
Music Editor: Chris Bauer
Dancers: Danielle Adams, Darby Bauer, Aryana Daha, Felicity Devitt, Alyssa Graves, Yun yu Naing, Antoinette (Nettie) Nguyen, Alice Ramirez, Laura Scarlot, Svitlana Selska, Kaylee Shirk, Emma Yagi, Yone
This is ALL of us
Darby Bauer began training at age two at the Classical Dance Center in Tustin and has 16 years of dance training and performance experience under her belt. Trained in classical Ballet, she has shifted her focus to pursue her dream of becoming a contemporary choreographer. She has been dancing at OCC for four years and is pursuing her AA in Dance while simultaneously completing her high school diploma (2024). Darby is transferring to Oklahoma University to pursue her BFA in dance. This is her third time choreographing for an OCC dance concert.
~ fin ~