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GUEST PERFORMERS & CHOREOGRAPHERS
This is a partial list of the many performers and artists who have appeared with, or worked with, Kittiwake Dance Theatre over the years.
ALICE STORY (Composer) Alice has made many musical contributions to the repertoire of Kittiwake Dance Theatre. These include original scores for Techiques with No Barres Held , The Hag and Extra, Extra . A native of Ontario, Alice moved to Newfoundland in 1967 where she has become known for her ability as a writer as well as a musician. Sadly, Alice passed away in 2006.
BARBARA DICK (Costume Designer) Barbara is one of the most sought after costume designers for dance in Newfoundland. Her first creations were seen in Newfoundland's Dance Theatre's 1979 production of Alice in Wonderland. Since that time her designs have enhanced a number of works in the repertoire.
BOB INNES ( Musician ) Bob, though classically trained , converted to jazz playing after taking some lessons from Bob McLeod , the well known St. John's musician, band leader and church organist , whose style of playing he continues . While in the army , he periodically played piano with the RCAF Band in the Big Band Era and has since performed in piano bar lounges in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. Bob has played for political dinners and conventions and also at the famous Fontainbleu Hotel in Miami Beach. He says the highlight of his musical career was playing on Bourbon Street in New Orleans with the Albert (Papa) French Dixieland Band. He was the pianist for the original production of Flickers in 1980.
CHARLOTTE MACNEE (Set Designer) Charlotte has designed sets for numerous plays while she lived in St. John's, including Juno and the Paycock, Waiting for Godot, Midsummer Night's Dream and Educating Rita. Her first set for Kittiwake Dance Theatre was for Sillycon Game in 1984, which was followed by Seven on a Set in 1987. Though most of her experience has been in drama, she says she enjoys the design and challenge of dance ... Aa very different theatrical experience from drama!@ Charlotte currently resides in Scotland.
CHRISTOPHER BODY (Guest Perfromer) Born in Lusaka, Zambia, Christopher Body trained at the National Ballet School and joined the company in 1994. A strong, sensual dancer, Body is known for bringing his own individual flair to each new role. His many roles include Rothbart in James Kudelka's Swan Lake, Lescaut in Manon, Hilarion in Giselle, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, the male lead in Paquita, the Emerald Variation in Jewels and the Winter Variation in The Four Seasons. He also performs William Forsythe's Herman Schmerman Pas de Deux, the lead pas de deux in Kudelka's Désir and featured roles in Dominique Dumais' one hundred words for snow and the weight of absence.
CLARK ROSS (Composer) Clark joined the faculty of Memorial University's School of Music in 1992, where he teaches composition, theory, electronic music, orchestration, and classical guitar. Prior to that, he taught at the Royal Conservatory of Music (1987-92) and McMaster University (Assistant Professor, 1990-91). In 1993, the Venezuelan-born Canadian won Young Composer's Awards for different works in national competitions by The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. His compositions have had numerous radio broadcasts, and have been performed in England, the United States, and across Canada. He holds B.A.(Humanities), M. Mus., and Mus. Doc.(Composition) degrees from the University of Toronto. He also studied for eight years at the Royal Conservatory of Music, obtaining an A.R.C.T. (Composition) He studied briefly at Stanford University's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), and has held a composer's residency at the Banff Centre.. He also leads the evening band at St. Thomas's Anglican Church in St. John's, and performs regularly as a guitarist in a wide variety of styles, including classical, jazz, folk, blues, gospel, and rock.
GAIL INNES (Choreographer) Gail is a graduate of the York University dance program. She was founder and director of Newfoundland Dance Theatre. Though known primarily as a dancer and choreographer, Gail also had considerable experience as an actress, with Rising Tide Theatre. Her skills as both a performer and teacher have taken her throughout the Atlantic Provinces and she is an affiliate with Spoke the Hub in New York. One of her greatest contributions to dance in Newfoundland has been her ability to preserve and record a part of the local heritage. Gail is presently programme director of the Aquarena in St. John's.
JANINE (BURKE) FRASER (Choreographer) Janine began her teaching career in 1983 at the Sharon Walsh Studio. In 1988 she became co-artistic director of The Dance Centre. Janine's training has taken her to such renowned institutions as: The National Ballet School, Studio Dance Theatre, and Actus Dance Institute. Janine has been invited to choreograph works for The St. John's Players, the Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games and Mount Pearl Central High where she prepared students for international show choir competition in the United States.
JENNIFER DICK (Choreographer) Jennifer was born and raised in St. John's, where her dancing was developed under a variety of teachers. Jennifer was an original member of Newfoundland Dance Theatre and has been both a guest artist and teacher with Kittiwake Dance Theatre. Jennifer is a graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre and also studied at the School of Dance in Ottawa. She has had considerable experience in film work, including work with Ann Ditchburn and Jergen Lutz on A Fairy Tale.. Jennifer has worked with the Revolver Film Company on projects with Canadian recording artists 54:40, Sara Craig, and Leonard Cohen. For several years she was a member of Desrosiers Dance Theatre.
JOHN COOMBS (Set Designer) John was for many years the Technical Director of the St. John's Arts and Culture Centre. He has designed sets for many theatrical productions including: Finian's Rainbow, Fiddler On The Roof, A Gift to Last, Children of a Lesser God, The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, The King and I, and My Fair Lady In 1990, John was commissioned to design the first Aproper@ set for Kittiwake Dance Theatre's annual production of The Nutcracker.
KEVIN LAW (Guest Performer) Kevin was a senior member of the corps de ballet of the National Ballet of Canada. He made his first trip to St. John's as a student of The National Ballet School as part of their anniversary performance tour. While a member of the company, Kevin made his mark in such notable ballets as Onegin, Giselle, and The Nutcracker, as well as dancing roles in Elite Syncopations, Sleeping Beauty, The Four Seasons, Terra Firma and having a featured role in James Kudelka's Cruel World.
MARA NOFTALL (Choreographer) Mara began her teaching career at the Sharon Walsh Dance Studio. In 1988 she became Co-Artistic Director of The Dance Centre. Mara studied at several dance training facilities across Canada including: The National Ballet School, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, York University and the Edmonton School of Ballet. Her choreographic endeavors include works such as: Jesus Christ Superstar, The Wiz, and Guys and Dolls. Mara has set two works for Kittiwake Dance Theatre - Enigmatic and Canon.
NICHOLAS KHAN (Guest Performer/Choreographer) Nicholas was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and began his dance training in St. Catharines, Ontario before attending The National Ballet School where he graduated in 1987. He has danced as guest artists with such companies as Netherland's Dance Theatre, Ballet British Columbia, and Riverside Ballet Theatre in California, The National Ballet of Canada and the Royal Winnipeg. He performed the role of the Prince in Kittiwake Dance Theatre's production of The Nutcracker.
PAUL BENDZSA (Composer) Paul has developed a unique musical career in Canada as clarinetist, saxophonist, improviser/performance artist, and teacher. After early training in London, Ontario, in the London Police Boys Band, he went on to study at the University of Michigan and Ohio University. Besides performing his own multi-media works, which often combine improvised acting and playing with electronic tape and visual art, Paul has collaborated in the commissioning and performance of over thirty new works by Canadian composers in a broad range of styles and genres. As a clarinetist and saxophonist, he has been a founding member of several diverse groups in addition to The Atlantic Arts Trio, such as The Blue Rider, Canadian Saxophone Quintet, Fusion, The Webern Trio, and the Avalon Trio. He has toured in Asia, Australia, Spain, England, and most of Canada and has been broadcast on Spanish Radio, CBC, Arts National, Two New Hours, Music Craft, Radio Canada, and CBC Television. Paul is currently on the faculty at the School of Music, Memorial University, St. John's, Nfld.
PAUL WINSTON (Guest Performer/Choreographer) Paul is a graduate of the National Ballet School and danced with The National Ballet of Canada; he is also a familiar face around Kittiwake Dance Theatre. For three years he made guest appearances as the Prince in The Nutcracker and he has returned to Kittiwake as choreographer and teacher. Mr. Winston's career includes roles in Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, The Song of the Earth, The Rite of Spring, Taming of the Shrew, La Fille Mal Gardee, La Sylphide, Merry Widow, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and Onegin. Mr. Winston left the National Ballet studying medicine, and has since qualified as a physician.
PAUL STEFFLER (Composer) Paul was born in Markham, Ontario and started his musical career as a youngster devoted to playing flute and piano . Since his completion of a degree in Composition from McGill University, he has become well known in the dance and theatre world with his music success in such hits as : Some Slick , Makin' Time with the Yanks , Barely Dead and Hardly Missed, and Joey . In 1982 he was commissioned to compose music for Encounters
REBEKAH RIMSAY (Guest Performer) Rebekah was born in Fort Collins, Colorado and raised in St. John's. She trained at The National Ballet School, and then joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1990; she was promoted to First Soloist in 1998. A versatile, elegant dancer, she Abrings radiant personality to all role@ from the flirtatious Olga in Onegin and the buoyant pas de quatre in Giselle to the delicate, other-worldly beauty of Les Sylphides. Her strong technique and athleticism shine in James Kudelka's Musings and The Four Seasons, and Paul Taylor's Company B. For the past ten years she has appeared as The Sugar Plum Fairy in Kittiwake Dance Theatre's production of The Nutcracker.
SARAH JOY STOKER (Guest Performer) Sarah's early training was with Gail Innes and Sandra Blackmore and she spent a number of years as a Kittiwake dancer, before going to the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. She graduated in 1996, and has since worked with David Pressault, Michael Menegon, Randy Glynn Dance Project, Pigeons International, Lynda Gaudreau's Compagnie de Brune, with whom she toured in Brazil, France, Germany, Austria and Belgium, in 2000. In January of 2001 she premiered her first major piece in Montreal, and continues to produce original work. She created her own company, Gutsink Productions a number of years ago, and is presently Artist Liaison with Neighborhood Dance Works in St. John's, producers of the annual Festival of New Dance.
TRISTAN REHNER (Dancer/Choreographer) Tristan started out with Newfoundland Dance Theatre and has since studied at the National Academy for the Arts in the United States, graduated from Intercochen Centre for the Arts and has completed a degree in dance. Six of her works reside in Kittiwake Dance Theatre's repertoire and she has appeared as a guest performer on several occasions.
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