Dear friends, followers, fans, and colleagues. Just to clarify: the Dance Resource Center of Los Angeles did not fund our NYC Empowered Woman Show. That was all us: Our Executive Board members, Ms. Andressen, the Kale Estate, the Andressen Estate, and family and no other entities. The Dance Resource Center of LA has never given us anything and has never helped with our shows. We’ve had a lot of interesting questions lately and we felt we needed to clarify to straighten out the record. Please do call our Studio City Office 818-388-4256 OR LA Office 310-890-8285 if you have any further questions, we like to stop rumors or misunderstandings as soon as possible. Thank you. This also means that the relationship Ms. Andressen has with Lois Greenfield is the real deal and gained authentically on her own.
Awakenings & Beginnings - NYC Special Edition: "The Empowered Woman"
Under the auspices of Fractured Atlas - This is a non-profit event.
September 15, 2018 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater
VIP Red Carpet Reception (Formerly the Gala) 7:30 pm
Main Stage Performance 8:00 pm
Awakening Award Presentation (follows in the same theater after the performance) 9:30 pm
Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3501448 - Full House - 82% Capacity
Promo video URL: https://youtu.be/zMgJ3zhCl-g
ATTENTION PRESS: This press page will be ready for release on July 31, 2018
CONTACT: Kristopher Kale 310.890.8285 to schedule interviews, more information, press passes (if available we only have a certain amount).
ATTIRE: Upscale, Cocktail, Semi-Formal (Gowns & Bow Ties Optional)
This year we are honoring "The Empowered Woman". We are pleased to present you with the following programming and Special Guest Speakers who join us in this evening's festivities and celebrations. Many thanks to all concerned and all who have helped support this mission in bringing you quality performances for the audience and opportunities for artists. Thank you also to our Sponsors and additional Supporters who continuously allow us the privilege to produce these programs. Please take the time to read the BIOS and be sure to get your tickets before they sell out.
To clarify: Yes, we were planning to do a separate pre-show Gala, some already had this information including producers, publicists, etc. This Gala would have contained the presentation of our annual "Awakening Award" honoring female artists in their given field; the presentation of the "Fore-Mothers & Fathers of Modern Dance Awakening Award"; women who've stood up and spoken up; and the women in the Cosby trial. All these elements that was to be held in a separate Gala has now been merged into the Main Stage Performance. We apologize for any confusion and/or inconvenience this may have caused.
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS/PRESENTERS
Noelle Rose™ Andressen; Kristopher Kale (Emmy Nominated Composer)
AWAKENING AWARD HONOREES:
Lori Belilove, Founder & Artistic Director of the Isadora Duncan Dance Company
Lois Greenfield, Photographer
PERFORMANCES BY
Isadora Duncan Dance Company (Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company
Rubans Rouges Dance™
Noelle Rose Andressen Dance™ (N-RAD™)
LA FUSION Dance Theater
Harper Continuum Dance Theater
Dolly Sfier & Dancers
DanceWarrior™
and more!
Please read more detailed information below:
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS/PRESENTERS
Noelle Rose™ Andressen, a critically acclaimed Dancer/Performer; Choreographer, Activist (for women & children especially); Emmy nominated writer, producer, music arranger; and passionate actress, author and artist. Guiding with strength and vision for the 10th season as Artistic Director for Rubans Rouges Dance™, Principal Choreographer & Dancer, Ms. Andressen reached a pinnacle highlight in her career having been photographed by legendary dance photographer Lois Greenfield who calls Noelle Rose™ "a true DanceWarrior®" .
Throughout her 25 + year dance career, Ms. Andressen has appeared in various Stage, Film & TV dance roles including: "Modern Family", GLAAD Awards, Hollywood Reporter's Key Art Awards, "ENTROPY, "Without Him". The very first professional stage she was on while still a teen, was at the Bob Hope McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert where she met her future husband and began their careers in musical theater. For concert dance, she has performed in various venues & renown festivals internationally. She has toured internationally and presented work for Center Stage Theatre, Nevada Ballet Theatre's Performing Arts Center in Vegas, Ailey Citigroup Theater, CBS Studio Center, Moorpark Performing Arts Center, Pierce Performing Arts Center and various venues in NYC & Brooklyn. The BaliNale Film Festival & Idyllwild CineFest officially presented her choreographic work and performance on the big screen. She is best known for her work in #RedRibbons ™ in which she fearlessly and bravely portrays the character Noelle Rose™ named after herself as this is a auto-biographical "Dance Drama™" of how she overcame the trauma of sexual child abuse. Noelle Rose™ and her magic Red Ribbons™ have been seen nationally for a decade entertaining and helping others break free and "triumph over tragedy." Part of this triumph is seen in the Associated Press News Story from December 2017 that went internationally viral and appeared additionally in The New York Times, The Washington Post, ABC News, LA Times, and over 250 world renown periodicals and online news sources. Additional news stories that she was featured in such as HuffingtonPost, Celebrate Women, Forbes, Thrive Global, Medium and more in can be found on our Press Page
Additionally, Ms. Andressen works as a model and appeared in several national magazines such as PARENTS, yoga and photo books as a dancer including Maybelline Model and TV & Film Actress Tomiko Fraser-Hines's "UNbound" who additionally commissioned her work for Goddess Gathering 6 Year Anniversary Gala which featured Vanessa Williams. Her education consists of an AA in dance and a BFA in Fine Arts (UNLV), and working towards completing her MFA. She and her former partner trained at Alvin Ailey in NYC, studied under Premier Danseur/Choreographer from the Paris Opera Ballet Patrick Frantz and with his resident choreographer at La Danserie Conservatory. Ms. Andressen's blend of modern & contemporary ballet is derived from various techniques such as Horton and Graham; additionally, her athletic style comes from her martial arts background of Karate and Aikido. She currently teaches dance at various academies across the country as a special guest instructor. She was nominated Performance Artist of the Year (2012) and her choreography has been considered for Emmy nominations in various TV projects. "Coeur de Verre" (a section of Red Ribbons™) was nominated for a RAW Award for her dynamic choreographic merit and qualified as a finalist competing, and has won 2 competitions professionally. Salli Saffioti, Actress (NYPD Blue & ER) and Voice Over Artist said this about "Coeur de Verre", "Having seen Noelle Rose's™ story told through dance, she is the full expression of hope and life and strength. Her artistic vision is uniquely her own and is a force. I was honored to see her perform."
Ms. Andressen is also the established author of the DanceWarrior® book series in which she shares more in depth about her true life struggles in which a great deal of the Rubans Rouges Dance repertoire is based on. She has also used the DanceWarrior® Brand to re-tell the same stories that are adapted to be kid appropriate by using analogous tales, animated characters and inspirational for all ages. The DanceWarrior® Brand also has films, animation films & shorts and download-able videos and workbooks that assist wellness and healthy dance habits coupled with brief insights extracted from her journals. "I want to teach and reach people all ages, especially the youth to have a unique voice, if you're an artist you want to stand out and have your own expression of your voice that's yours alone...you don't want to be copied or copy someone else's imprint."
Noelle Rose™ is delighted and proud to be presenting with her Board, Staff, and Dancers "Awakenings & Beginnings - NYC Special Edition: "The Empowered Woman". Thank you Honored Guests for also being an integral part of this important event. For a more detailed BIO and other information about Miss Noelle Rose™ Andressen, please visit her Artistic Director's Page.
AWAKENING AWARD HONOREES
Lois Greenfield, World-renowned photographer Lois Greenfield has been photographing dance for over 40 years. Starting her career as a photojournalist, Lois worked for the Village Voice capturing the experimental dance scene from 1973 to the mid 90’s. She developed a unique photographic style not based in capturing choreographed movements. Instead, Lois inspired the dancers to improvise expressly for the camera. With her split second timing Lois revealed moments beneath the threshold of perception. Radically redefining the dance photography genre, Lois has influenced a generation of young photographers.
She has created signature images for most of the contemporary dance companies, from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to American Ballet Theatre. Many of these photos have appeared in her two bestselling books- Breaking Bounds, (1992), and Airborne (1998), both published by Thames and Hudson LTD, UK and Chronicle Books US. Her latest book, Lois Greenfield: Moving Still, from the same publishers, was released in 2015, and the accompanying exhibit has been on tour within the US and to Russia, China, and Colombia.
Commercial clients have picked up on the metaphorical potential of her vision. She has created ads and campaigns for clients including Disney, Orangina, Proctor & Gamble, Pepsi, AT&T, Sony, Hanes, Raymond Weil, and Rolex. Since her first show at New York City’s International Center of Photography in 1992, her work has been exhibited in many museums and galleries, such as the Tel Aviv Art Museum, Israel; the Venice Biennale, Italy; the Musée de l’Elysée, Switzerland; the Erarta Contemporary Art Museum, Russia; and the Southeast Museum of Photography, Florida.
Lois has been fascinated by non-traditional forms of photographic presentation. Invited to participate in “Le Printemps de Cahors” in France, she projected her images onto a 30-foot high water screen in the Lot River. Set against the night sky, the water turned her crystal sharp photographs back into ephemeral moments, making the live experience seem like a product of the imagination.
Lois pioneered the use of live photography as an integral part of a dance performance. She collaborated from 2003 to 2007 with the Australian Dance Theatre on HELD, a dance inspired by her photography. Lois was onstage shooting the live action and her images were projected real-time as part of the performance. This award-winning dance was performed to sold-out audiences around the world, from the Sydney Opera House to Sadler’s Wells in London, the Joyce Theater in NYC to Theatre de la Ville, Paris.
In 2014/2015 Lois was an Artist in Residence at NYU/Tisch Department of Dance and New Media. In 2015, she was honored with the Dance in Focus award given by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Dance Films Association, and in 2016 she received a lifetime achievement award from The McCallum Theatre Institute in recognition of her ground-breaking contributions to the field.
Lori Belilove, Founder & Artistic Director of Isadora Duncan Dance Company
ori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company, the pre-eminent Isadora Duncan dance company performing today, honors their namesake Isadora Duncan. The Company’s Salon events are rare opportunities for audiences to see original Duncan choreography coached by dancers from Duncan’s original troupes in an intimate setting. Breathing new life into Isadora’s legendary solos and group works through public performances and educational programming, The Company is dedicated to creating new choreography while keeping Isadora’s original works alive as priceless jewels of American modern dance. The Company has toured extensively both nationally across America and internationally in Europe, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, and recently Moscow, Athens, and China. In 2017 they appeared at The Joyce Theater and hold on-going residencies at The Peabody Conservatory, Franklin & Marshall, and Randolph College, The McBurney YMCA and The Ailey School. In Brazil and China they have established a affiliate Duncan schools and performing ensembles.
Artistic Director Lori Belilove's direct lineage and prestigious performing career have earned her an international reputation as the premier interpreter and ambassador of the dance of Isadora Duncan. As a third generation Duncan dancer, Belilove is considered the living embodiment of Duncan’s grace, power, and mastery of weight. She was coached for performance and technique by 1st generation Duncan Dancers Anna Duncan and Irma Duncan, two of the six adopted artistic daughters of Isadora, also known as the Isadorables, and then with 2nd generation Duncan Dancers Julia Levien, Hortense Kooluris, and Mignon Garland. Lori received a B.F.A. in dance, religion, and classical studies from Mills College. She trained extensively in the modern technique of Doris Humphrey as a private student of Eleanor King and Ernestine Stodelle, both original members of the Doris Humphrey-Charles Weidman Dance Company. As a solo dancer artist, Belilove choreographs new works that embrace the Duncan technique making contemporary dances with her own voice.
PERFORMANCES BY
Isadora Duncan Dance Company - Nikki Poulos grew up and studied dance in the Chicago area and graduated with a BFA in dance from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City in 2013. She joined Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company in January 2015 after a year of study with the Company as an apprentice. Nikki has performed with the Company in New York City, Iowa, Chicago, Greece, and China. She currently performs with the Company and teaches the Duncan technique.
(Please read additional BIOS above Thank You)
Rubans Rouges Dance, Artistic Director Noelle Rose Andressen - Company BIO
Rubans Rouges Dance (French for Red Ribbons), was formerly known as Noelle Andressen Dance 10 years prior and performed in “Beauty from Ashes” (2007) on TLNetwork by the CAM Group and the Emmy Nominated “Baby Doe’s Heartbeat” (2004) and winner of the EMA Media Award and Women In Film. Rubans Rouges Dance, celebrates year ten under its current expression; beckoning the audience to "Feel the Experience"™. The company is named after its flagship repertoire piece: Red Ribbons. This dance was originally made as a gift for Ms. Andressen's instructor who helped her rehabilitate her body after cancer. "In the darkness of a theater you're more free to feel and express yourself. It's safe to "feel the experience". I made this dance to let this person know that I understood what they may have been going through." Since that momentous evening of dance, Rubans Rouges Dance and its Director have been sharing the good news of hope and healing through the arts. For the past ten + years Rubans Rouges Dance & Noelle Andressen Dance, has presented controversial dance pieces that have not only reflected the times in which we live but also the foresight by its director to see issues that needed to be discussed such as cancer, child abuse and molestation as well as other heady subject matter. It also produces the "Awakenings & Beginnings International Dance Festival" that has grown every year and hosted over 100 dance companies throughout its productions over the years. For this year's presentation, the Board of Rubans Rouges Dance has branched out literally international for this Special NYC Edition. Other cities, venues and countries in which the company has performed includes: Mexico, Canada, Nevada Ballet Theater, Las Vegas, San Francisco, NYC, St. Barbara, SoCal Invitational, TV & Films and many more. It's "Awakening Award" will be presented to Ms. Lori Belilove, Isadora Duncan Dance Company and Ms. Lois Greenfield, photographer.
LA FUSION Performing Dance Academy/Albertossy Espinoza: Albertossy Espinoza - Born in Ecuador and raised in Chicago, Albertossy is an internationally known actor, dancer and choreographer. He is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and AGMA. His dance career began as a Theater Dance major at Northern Illinois University (NIU). After three semesters at NIU, he was scouted by Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater and offered a company scholarship. Albertossy soon became an apprentice and started touring with the company, nationally and internationally. He also toured nationally and internationally with Soul y Duende Spanish American Dance Theater, Walt Disney Productions, Regina Klenjoski Dance Company, Djanbazian Dance Compnany, Jazz Antiqua Dance & Music Ensemble and Los Angeles FUSION Dance Theater. His other credits include teaching abroad, guest choreographing for various dance companies and performances in West Side Story, Annie Get Your Gun, Babes in Toy Land, The Pajama Game, and El Barbero de Sevilla. In Chicago he was also a proud member of Joel Hall Dancers, Teresa y Los Preferidos Spanish Dance Company and Winifred Haun & Dancers. Albertossy’s works as a choreographer have been presented nationally from Chicago to California and internationally in Spain, France, Guatemala, Mexico, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands.
In Los Angeles, Albertossy has choreographed for the Canadian TV series "Boystown,“ a feature “HEELS” and three music videos, "Life is for Living," featuring Julissa Aguirre, “Una Vez Mas,” featuring Elena Andujar and “Fuego Malagueña” featuring internationally renown artist Esteban. Albertossy has worked with Lula Washington Dance Theater, Rosanegra Flamenco Company, Celina Zambon Flamenco Dance Company, Company of Strangers, Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre, Zina Bethune Theatre Danse and Djanbazian Dance Company. Currently he works with Jazz Antiqua Dance and Music Ensemble, Rubans Rouges Dance Company and Mojácar Flamenco. In 2004 he founded Los Angeles FUSION Dance Theater (LAFDT) and made his company debut at SOLA Contemporary Dance Festival. The company has performed in various Los Angeles based dance festivals and were invited to Guatemala to perform the piece “TRAPPED.” LAFDT was also nominated for a prestigious Lester Horton Award. In 2010, Albertossy was invited by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre dancer, Vernard Gilmore to perform in New York City for Summer Stage. His experience of sharing the stage with Alvin Ailey dancers was a dream come true. In January 2011, by the request of the Board of Directors of Dance Resource Center of Greater Los Angeles, Albertossy stepped in the role of President for the organization after serving on the board for three and a half years. He served another three years as President. 2011 also brought Albertossy to the Malibu Stage Company as a principal dancer and choreographer for the incredible “Victor Victoria” musical. His highlight was when the Legendary Dick Van Dyke expressed how impressed he was with the choreography. In 2012, Mr. Van Dyke asked Albertossy to choreograph the production of “Cabaret” which he was producing. 2013 brought Albertossy the opportunity to teach Master Modern, Latin Rhythm Cardio and Flamenco Fusion classes throughout Los Angeles, and he was invited by the LA Opera to perform in their production of Carmen with Maestro, Placido Domingo. Albertossy joined the LA Opera again in February of 2015 for “The Barber of Seville.” He was asked to play a principal character of the opera, Ambrogio. He recently reprised his role in Carmen for LA Opera this year. As a versatile dancer, Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Flamenco, Musical Theater and Folklore, Albertossy has been able to share the stage with some incredible and prestigious dancers and choreographers. In his pursuit of acting, Albertossy made his debut in one of the lead roles in an independent film, “The Price of the American Dream.” Since then he has had a lead role on five more features, three short films and a Canadian TV series. Albertossy credits his mother for giving him the strength, will and drive to push onward in all aspects of life. He is tremendously grateful to his family, friends and teachers for their love and support and especially recognizes his good friend and foremost supporter, Carolyn James.
HEATHER HARPER - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, HARPER CONTINUUM DANCE THEATRE (B.A. Dance Production and Management, University of Nevada, Las Vegas) “Playing The Wild Card” celebrated Harper Continuum Dance Theatre’s (HCDT) fourth year in New York City. Harper enjoys adding unique variables to each performance creating excitement for the audience as well as her dancers. She strives to allow her dancers the opportunity to also create within her work producing a dynamic and more interactive experience. Her recent collaborative performances, "Coalesce" and "Striking Figures...A Collection of Dances About Women", have placed HCDT in a more traditional theatrical setting. Harper also loves creating site-specific works and incorporating elements of production into her choreography. This has been showcased in “The High Project”, “Intrinsic Amusement,” and “Bound & Determined” which were most recently performed in Virginia during the winter season. Harper is honored to present "GO!" at Awakenings & Beginnings The Empowered Woman. Although her pieces often exhibit a variety of issues of the past and present, issues involving women have always been at the forefront of her work.
DOLLY SFEIR (Winner of Emerging Artist "Awakening Award" January, 2018) was born and raised in Lebanon. At 3 years of age, she started attending Studio Arabesque in her hometown to take ballet classes. She then continued on to taking jazz as well at the age of 10. Since she had turned 4, She participated in several musicals of the Rahbani Brothers such as “Akher Yom” (Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by Debbie Allen) and “Don Quixote”. Through her collegitate education, she studied with prominent artists such as Lorin Johnson, Rebecca Lemme, Sophie Monat, Jose Costas, Linda Sohl Ellison, Rebecca Bryant and Laurel Jenkins. She got offered scholarships to attend the 2014 and 2015 American College Dance Association and had the opportunity to perform the piece “A Will to Control” (2014) choreographed by Jose Costas. Her piece “Clique Drag” got nominated for best choreography in 2014, for which she received two scholarships (James Nicholas Plumb Memorial and Student Dance Awards) and participated in the McAllum Theatre’s Choreography Festival in 2015. She has attended Parsons Dance workshop summer of 2015. She has worked with renowned choreographers such as Robert Moses, Kate Hutter (2015) and Rebecca Lemme (2015, 2016). She received a College of the Arts Scholarship, (Martin Figoten Performing Arrts) from Long Beach State University.