EDUCATION
Academic:
The Ohio State University
Degree Received: M.F.A. Dance, December 2007
GPA: 4.0
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
B.A. Comparative Literary Studies and Dance, June 1997.
Phi Beta Kappa. Magna Cum Laude.
GPA: 3.82
Professional Training:
American Dance Festival, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, 1992 and 1994.
Studied with Donald McKayle, Mark Dendy, Mark Taylor, and Donald Byrd. Performed in repertory of Donald McKayle and Donald Byrd.
Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, NY, NY
Summer Program, 1995.
Joe Goode Performance Workshop, San Francisco, CA,
Summer Workshop, 2003.
Certifications:
Chicago School of Massage Therapy, 1998
Certified Massage Therapist
Cecchetti Council of America, 2004, 2005
Cecchetti Teacher Certifications, Grade I and II
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
Academic:
2006- PresentGraduate Teaching Associate, The Department of Dance,
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
(Full-time GA Appointment)
2005-2006University Fellow, The Department of Dance,
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
2004-2005Adjunct Faculty, Department of Dance,
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
(Ballet Instructor)
2001-2002Adjunct Faculty, Department of Dance,
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
(Jazz Instructor: Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique)
Professional:
1997-2005Faculty Member, Dance Center Evanston, Evanston, IL
(Modern, Ballet, and Jazz Instructor)
2000-2002Resident Choreographer, Evanston Dance Ensemble, Béa Rashid, Artistic Director, Evanston, IL
1998-2001Artist-Teacher, Vittum Theatre, NU Settlement House,
Chicago, IL (Creative Movement, Ballet, Drama)
1997-2000Company Member and Teaching Artist, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project, Billy Siegenfeld, Artistic Director.
1997-1998Corps Member, AmeriCorps: Integrated Arts, Integrating Education
Directorships:
2005-2007Associate Artistic Director, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, Chicago, IL.
2001-2005Founding Artistic Director, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, NFP. Chicago, IL.
2002-2005Program Director, Dance Center Evanston, Evanston, IL
2002-2005Associate Artistic Director, Evanston Dance Ensemble,
Béa Rashid, Artistic Director, Evanston, IL
RESEARCH/CREATIVE ACTIVITY
Presentations/Conference Papers
“‘Just As It Comes to You’: Choreographing Alternatives to the Lacanian Self,” paper presentation. Conference 2007: Re-thinking Practice and Theory. Society of Dance History Scholars and Congress on Research in Dance, Le Centre National de la Danse, Paris, France, June 21-24, 2007.
Guest Artist Residencies and Festivals
Guest Artist, Alaska Dance Theater, Anchorage, AK, Alice Sullivan, Artistic Director. 2007. Master Classes, Modern. New Repertory for Alaska Dance Theater.
Guest Artist, Albany Park Theater Project, Laura Wiley and David Feiner, Directors, Chicago, IL, 2005. Modern technique, improvisation, and composition workshops.
Guest Artist, Department of Theatre and Dance, University of Alaska, Anchorage, 2004. Master Classes in Modern, Jazz, Movement for Actors, and Improvisation. New Repertory for the UAA Dance Ensemble.
Guest Artist, Alaska Dance Theater, Anchorage, AK. Alice Sullivan, Artistic Director. 2004. Master Classes, Modern. New Repertory for Alaska Dance Theater.
Faculty, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 2001. Jazz and Repertory.
Guest Artist, Alaska Dance Theater, Anchorage, AK. Alice Sullivan, Artistic Director. 2001. Jazz.
Guest Artist, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project (JRJP), Louisiana Dance Theater, Lafayette, LA. Carol Anglin, Artistic Director. 2001. Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique and Repertory.
Guest Artist (JRJP), Department of Dance, UC Irvine, Irvine, CA, 2000.Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique and Repertory.
Faculty, National High School Institute, Northwestern University, 2000. Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique, Choreographing Text, Repertory.
Guest Artist (JRJP), Department of Dance, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 1999. Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique and Repertory.
Guest Artist (JRJP), Department of Dance, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 1999. Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique and Repertory.
Guest Artist (JRJP) Department of Dance, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 1998. Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique and Repertory.
Faculty, National High School Institute, Northwestern University, 1997. Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique, Music and Choreography.
Arts-in-Education Residencies
Artist-Teacher, Dance and Interdisciplinary Performance, Chicago-Area School
The Illinois Arts Council’s Arts-In-Education Roster, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, Urban Gateways, The Vittum Theater Circle Series Workshops, Kraft Art Discovery Program, and Jump Rhythm Jazz Project Residencies, 1997-Present.
PERFORMANCE (Selected)
The Jenkins Farm Project, Duet, Chor. Annie Arnoult Beserra, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, National Pastime Theater, August 2007
The “NO/ON” Project, Created and written by Candace Feck, Chor. Bala Sarasvati, Re-Thinking Practice and Theory: International Symposium on Dance Research. Centre National de la Danse, Paris, France, June 2007
Set and Reset/Reset, Staged by Abby Yager based on choreography by Trisha Brown, Dance Downtown, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, May 2007
Lotto, Chor. Ming-Lung Yang, Faculty and Guest Artist Concert, The Ohio State University, 2006
Billy the Mountain and Other American Card Tricks, Chor. Annie Arnoult Beserra, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop at the New York International Fringe Festival, Harry Du Jour Playhouse, Henry Street Theater, New York City, NY, 2006
New Ground, Solo Choreography and Improvisation by Annie Arnoult Beserra with media installation by Peter Richards and Video Dance by Ashley Thorndike, Experimental Movement and Media Arts Lab, The Ohio State University, 2006
All Fours (2003), Chor. Mark Morris, Directed from score by Valarie Mockabee with coaching by Mark Morris and Matthew Rose, Dance Downtown, The Ohio State University, 2006
Tableaux Rococo, Chor. Melanie Bales, Dance Downtown, The Ohio State University, 2006
Oblique, Chor. Ashley Thorndike with original music score by Peter V. Swendsen, Prospect Dance Company, Charlottesville, VA, 2006
Billy the Mountain and Other Wartime Stories, Chor. Annie Arnoult Beserra, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, The Elbo Room, Chicago, IL, 2005 and 2006.
Love and Prayers III, Solo Choreography and sound score by Annie Arnoult Beserra, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, 4tth Annual InterArts Festival, Holy Covenant UMC, Chicago, IL, 2005
Ill Met by Moonlight, Chor. Annie Arnoult Beserra, Dir. Amanda Berg Wilson with original music by Colby Beserra, Matt Reed, and Ben Wilson, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, The Viaduct Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2004
Entangled, Chor. Annie Arnoult Beserra and Erin Harper, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, Holy Covenant United Methodist Church, Chicago, IL, 2003
Unbreakable, Chor. Christina Ernst, Evanston Dance Ensemble, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie, IL, 2003
Once Upon a Summertime, Chor. Annie Arnoult Beserra and Erin Harper, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, WNEP Theater, Chicago, IL, 2002
Neptune, Chor. Christina Ernst, Evanston Dance Ensemble, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie, IL, 2001
Daughter of Jacob, Chor. Annie Arnoult Beserra with an original score by Ben Wilson, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, The Vittum Theater, Chicago, IL, 2001; Urban Gateways Touring Production, 2002-2003
Solo in Red Boots, solo choreography and performance with original music by Stone Damon for Lucky Plush Productions, Julia Rhoads, Artistic Director, Hamlin Park Theater, 2001
Uh, Oh! Trio choreographed and performed with Julia Rhoads and Kirstin Showalter, Dreaming the Divine Festival, Links Hall, Chicago, IL, 1999; originally performed for Xtended XSight!, Marjorie Ward Marshall Theatre, Evanston, IL, 1999
Beserra has also danced as a guest artist with Chicago’s XSight! Performance Group, Peter Carpenter, Robin Lakes Rough Dance, TJ & Company Dance Theatre, and Lucky Plush Productions.
CHOREOGRAPHY (Selected)
The Jenkins Farm Project, dance-theater installation for 5 dancers with original music by Colby Beserra and Matt Reed, Experimental Movement and Media Arts Lab, The Ohio State University, October 2007
The Jenkins Farm Project, Duet, dance-theater duet for 1 actor-mover and one dancer-actor, Striding Lion InterArts Festival, National Pastime Theater, August 2007
New York Counterpoint (It’s All There in Washington Square), 7 dancers, Drums Downtown, The Ohio State University, Departments of Music and Dance, The Capital Theatre at the Riffe Center, Columbus, OH, 2007
Invitation, Solo, Spring Concert, The Ohio State University, Sullivant Theater, Columbus, OH, 2006
Billy the Mountain and Other American Card Tricks, Evening length performance with cast of 10 and an integrated rock band inspired by and featuring Frank Zappa’s Billy the Mountain, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop and NYC International Fringe Festival, Harry De Jour Playhouse, New York City, 2006; Originally produced at the Elbo Room, Chicago, IL, 2005
Fleeting, Group piece for Alaska Dance Theater, Mobius, Anchorage Center for the Performing Arts, Anchorage, Alaska, 2005
Wolves, 5 dancers with original music by Steve Rashid, Evanston Dance Ensemble, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie, IL, 2005
Love and Prayers II, Group piece with original text and sound score by David Rogers Nelson, Jr. and Annie Beserra, Evanston Dance Ensemble, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie, IL, 2005
Love and Prayers I, Group piece with original text by David Rogers Nelson and Annie Beserra, UA Dance Ensemble, University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK, 2004
A Detective Story, Group piece for Evanston Dance Ensemble, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie, IL, 2003
Entangled, Duet choreographed and performed with Erin Harper, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, 2nd Annual InterArts Festival, Holy Covenant United Methodist Church, Chicago, IL, 2003
Duet 1, Duet choreographed and Performed with Erin Harper, Summer Solstice Celebration, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL 2002
Mad Tea Party, quartet for Evanston Dance Ensemble’s Alice in Wonderland, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie, IL, 2002
A Caucus Race, group piece for Evanston Dance Ensemble’s Alice in Wonderland, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie, IL, 2002
Once Upon a Summertime, Duet choreographed and performed with Erin Harper, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, 1st Annual InterArts Festival, WNEP Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2002; also performed at Dance Chicago, The Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2002
Postcards from Italy, group piece for TJ & Company Dance Theater, The Louis Theater, Evanston, IL, 2002
Nightmare in Red, quartet for Lucky Plush Productions with original music by Steve Rashid, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, Fairbanks, Alaska, 2001
Mars, 5 dancers with original music by Steve Rashid, Evanston Dance Ensemble, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Evanston, IL, 2001
More Pretty Girls, 5 dancers, TJ & Co. Dance Theater, The Louis Theater, Evanston, IL, 2001
When Kafka Was the Rage, group dance, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival Repertory, Fairbanks, AK, 2001; Also performed by Evanston Dance Ensemble, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie, IL, 2003
Daughter of Jacob, Evening length piece for 8 dancers and 9 musicians, original music by Ben Wilson, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, The Vittum Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2001
Solo in Red Boots, solo choreography and performance with original music by Stone Damon for Lucky Plush Productions, Julia Rhoads, Artistic Director, Hamlin Park Theater, Chicago, IL, 2001
Uh, Oh! Trio choreographed and performed with Julia Rhoads and Kirstin Showalter, Dreaming the Divine Festival, Links Hall, Chicago, IL, 1999; originally performed for Xtended XSight!, Marjorie Ward Marshall Theatre, Evanston, IL, 1999
Fear, Celebration, Surrender, quartet for On Your Mark Festival curated by Peter Carpenter, Links Hall, Chicago, IL, 1998
Red, 5 dancers, Danceworks, Faculty and Guest Artist Concert, Northwestern University, The Louis Theater, Evanston, IL, 1998
CHOREOGRAPHY FOR THEATER
The Giver, dir. Diana Basmajian, Apple Tree Theater, Metropolis Arts Center, Arlington Heights, IL 2005
Ill Met by Moonlight, dir. Amanda Wilson/, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, The Viaduct Theater, Chicago, IL, 2004
Madforest, dir. Jennifer Green, Piven Theater Workshop, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston, IL, 2003
The Guys, dir. Anna D. Shapiro, Piven Theater Workshop, Lakeshore Theater, Chicago, IL, 2003
Speed the Plow, dir. Joyce Piven, Piven Theater Workshop, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston, IL, 2002
The Fall, dir. Liza Steinberg, Toad Productions, WNEP Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2002
The Giver, dir. Diana Basmajian , Striding Lion InterArts Workshop , The Vittum Theater, Chicago, IL, 2002
Abingdon Square, dir. Jennifer Green, Piven Theater Workshop, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston, IL, 2002
Bluebeard and Other Less Grisly Tales of Love, dir. Liza Steinberg, Toad Productions, SoHo Rep Theater, NYC, 2001
The Heart of Spain, dir. Peter Glazer, Northwestern University, The Barber Theater, Evanston, IL, 2000
Some Explicit Polaroids, dir. Shade Murray, Roadworks Theater Co., Steppenwolf Garage Theater, Chicago, IL, 2000
The Passion of Henry David Thoreau, dir. Cindy Gold, Northwestern University, The Barber Theater, Evanston, IL, 1999
The Perjured City, dir. Derek Goldman, Street Signs, Holy Covenant Church, Chicago, IL, 1997
SERVICE
The Ohio State University
•Graduate Student Representative, Vice-Provost/Dean of the Graduate School Search Committee.
•Graduate Mentor for incoming freshman class members.
•Choreographer and adviser, Senior performance projects.
•Technical and Production crew, American College Dance Festival 2006 hosted by The Ohio State University.
•Research Assistant, “The NO/ON Project” with Dr. Candace Feck
•Edward B. Hayes Graduate Research Forum 2007, Presenter
Professional
•Board Member, Striding Lion InterArts Workshop, NFP.
•Choreographer and Performer, Evanston Arts Week: An Evening of Dance, sponsored by the Evanston Arts Council, 2002-2005.
•Guest Lecturer, “Possibilities and Pitfalls: Starting a Not-for-profit Arts Organization,” Northwestern University Dance Administration Seminar.
•Choreographer, Performer, and Panelist, Mayor Daley’s Winter Festival of Delights, sponsored by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
•Participated in discussion groups to understand and overcome the obstacles facing the Chicago dance community as part of the Chicago Community Trust’s Excellence in Dance Initiative.
•Volunteer, Northwestern University Settlement House, 1997-2005.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Ray Travel Award for Scholarship and Service, The Ohio State University, 2007
College of the Arts International Travel Award, The Ohio State University, 2007
University Fellowship, The Ohio State University, 2005-2006
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Society of Dance History Scholars, Cecchetti Council of America
