91快活林最新版

Featured Guests - MAD 2026

Introducing the incredible guest artists for MAD Weekend 2026! Meet the amazing talent 91快活林最新版鈥檚 Dance Program is partnering with to bring you the ultimate dance festival.

*Read more听bios at the end of the page

Boston Dance Theatre Dancers all posed in a circular clump exploding outwards with a dancer centered

Boston Dance Theater (BDT)

Under the co-artistic direction of Jessie Jeanne Stinnett and award winning, Dutch-Israeli, choreographer Itzik Galili, Boston Dance Theater (BDT) is Boston鈥檚 first contemporary dance repertory company with international ties at the leadership level. With a commitment to presenting works of socio-political relevance, BDT matches the talents of Boston-based dancers with those of acclaimed global choreographers, broadening the scope of contemporary dance practice and performance in our city. BDT is a registered 501(c)3 tax-exempt charity as of 2019.

Classes:

TBD

Beatriz Garcia Diaz Headshot

Beatriz Garcia Diaz

BEATRIZ GARC脥A D脥AZ (she/her) was born in Havana, Cuba, and trained National Ballet School and the University of the Arts of Cuba. She has danced with Danza Teatro Retazos, Malpaso Dance Company, and NW Dance Project, performing in works by Osnel Delgado, Ohad Naharin, Trey McIntyre, Aszure Barton, Sonya Tayeh, Robyn Mineko Williams, Florian Lochner and Alice Klock (Flock), Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich (Metamorphosis), Mike Tyus & Luca Renzi, Pepe Hevia, Ihsan Rustem, Sarah Slipper, Nicole von Arx, and Gustavo Ram铆rez Sansano among others. Beatriz has also begun choreographing her own works for Acosta Danza, Malpaso Dance Company, PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, NW Dance Project (NWDP), Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami, Santa Fe College and the听XXVII Miami International Ballet Festival.听Beatriz joined Boston Dance Theater as a Sr Core Member in 2025.鈥嬧�嬧�嬧��

  • Ballet - Thursday, January 22, 6:15 - 7:45 PM, Location: George 154听

Photo Credit:听Melissa Blackall

Jon Lehrer Headshot

Jon Lehrer

Jon Lehrer Dance Company began in 2007 in Buffalo, NY.听 Jon moved the company to his hometown of NYC in 2019, where they have become a vibrant addition to the city鈥檚 dance community. Under Jon鈥檚 artistic direction, the company showcases his unique choreography and definitive style - an organic, athletic, artistic, entertaining, and often humorous blend of modern and jazz dance.听

JLDC tours extensively both nationally and internationally. They have toured to Russia four times and will embark on their 5th tour to Europe in March 2025.听 As Dance Magazine said, 鈥淭he company took the house not so much by storm as by quantum physics.鈥�

Classes

  • JLDC Technique -听Saturday, January 24, 10:30 AM - 11:45 AM, Location: George 154
  • JLDC Repertory -听Saturday, January 24, 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM, Location: George 154
  • JLDC Technique -听Sunday, January 25, 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM, Location: George 154
  • JLDC Repertory -听Sunday, January 25, 11:25 AM - 12:40 PM, Location: George 154

- Photo by听Kiesha Stephens

Sarah Zehnder Headshot

Sarah Zehnder

SARAH ZEHNDER听is a MA-and-NY-based dance artist whose research is rooted in feminism. Zehnder鈥檚 choreographic work has been produced internationally, including听Jacob鈥檚 Pillow Inside/Out,听the American Dance Guild Festival, Reverb International Dance Festival, DUMBO Dance Festival, the Solo/Duo Festival, and the Women in Dance Project. Her work has been presented at Dixon Place, MMAC, Gowanus Arts, Triskelion Arts, 92nd Y, Greenspace, and CPR. She has also shared her passion as a Guest Artist at Gibney Dance, Steps on Broadway, GCU, and UNCO among others. Zehnder currently serves as director of dance at Springfield College.

Classes:

  • Jazz Dance Explorations听- Saturday, January 24, 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM, Location: George 154
  • Technique and Partnering -听Saturday, January 24 - 1:30 PM - 2:45 PM, Location: George 102
  • Contemporary Explorations -听Sunday, January 25 - 12:50 PM - 2:05 PM, Location: George 154听

- Photograph by听Chris Evans

Marisa Ballaro Headshot

Marisa Ballaro

A proud Buffalonian, Marisa F. Ballaro is Artistic Director of NYC-based Ballaro Dance;听she centers community-based, collaborative projects prioritizing sensory-rich,听multidisciplinary work. Marisa received her MFA from Montclair State University while听selected as Convocation Speaker for the College of the Arts. This fall, Marisa was听awarded an Outstanding Service Award from the Brockport Alumni Association, and her听collaborative film Descent was screened in Detroit, MI at the prestigious Dance City听Festival. Her 47-minute multidisciplinary work The Distance was presented by Green听Space at Take Root; she premiered a collaborative work, Goddess, with new music by听John Carroll at Dixon Place.

Classes:

  • Modern MOVES -听Friday, January 23, 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM, Location: George 154
  • Community Imprints -听Friday, January 23, 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM, Location: George 154

-Headshot by听Michelle Hudson

Aldo Katton Headshot

Aldo Katton

Originally from Merida, Mexico, Aldo Katt贸n is a choreographer, artistic director and听educator with over a decade of comprehensive experience in professional dance. His听expertise extends beyond artistic direction and choreography to include collaboration in听logistics, production management, and marketing for both small and large-scale听theatrical productions. His choreography fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion, to听preserve the art of ballet by allowing to evolve. A member of the International Dance听Council CID, he also holds two Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees, in Classical Ballet and听Performing Arts. He currently serves as a Professor of Dance for Syracuse University.听

颁濒补蝉蝉别蝉:听

  • Pre-Professional Ballet -听Sunday, January 25, 12:50 PM - 2:05 PM, Location: George 102
  • Neo-classical Ballet -听Sunday, January 25, 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM, Location: George 102

-Headshot by Marc Safran

Felipe Panama Headshot

Felipe Panama

From Guadalajara, Mexico, he teaches Ballet, Jazz, and Contemporary dance in the听Department of Drama of Syracuse University, as a full-time faculty member and Assistant听Program Coordinator for the Musical Theater BFA. He creates work for Syracuse University鈥檚听productions such as Shaina Taub鈥檚 adaptation of 鈥淎s You Like It,鈥漝irected by Rodney Hudson听and Clare Barron鈥檚 鈥淒ance Nation鈥� directed by Katherine McGerr.

Panam谩 has choreographed 鈥淏ig Fish鈥� and 鈥淭uck 鈥淓verlasting鈥� for the RedHouse co-productions with ARC of Onondaga. This Fall, he will choreograph 鈥淕uys & Dolls鈥� for the RedHouse mainstage, and is the associate director for 鈥淏ernarda Alba,鈥� directed and听choreographed by William Carlos Angulo at Syracuse University. Panam谩 was in 鈥淲est Side听Story鈥� in Cagliari, Italy as 鈥楴ibbles鈥� and served as Dance Captain for Francesca Zambello鈥檚听production, directed by Eric Sean Fogel, featuring original Jerome Robbins choreography.

听颁濒补蝉蝉别蝉:听

  • Ballet For Musical Theater Performers -听Sunday, January 25, 11:25 AM - 12:40 PM, Location: George 102
  • Musical Theater Repertoire: "Be Italian" from NINE -听Sunday, January 25, 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM, Location: George 154

- Photograph by听Brian Offidani

听

Stevie Oakes headshot

Stevie Oakes

Stevie Oakes became enamored with dance at her first ballet performance while living in Amsterdam. Her serious study of classical ballet began soon after under the tutelage of Sandra Balestracci. Oakes received her MFA in Dance from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts. She has performed works by a diverse collection of artists including Tere O'Connor, Gina Gibney, and Kendra Portier.听

As a member of the team at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries, Stevie combined her passions for dance and science as both educator and researcher. In 2018, she received the Dance Educator Award from the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science. Stevie feels lucky to continue this work with dance faculty positions and national guest teaching while she currently pursues a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree through Tufts School of Medicine. Ultimately the combination of art and science continues to promote health and wellness of all movers and performing artists!

Classes:

  • Contemporary Ballet -听Saturday, January 24, 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM, Location: George 102
  • Who Has Time For Cross-Training: Getting the Most Out of Class Time for Dance Fitness -听Sunday, January 25, 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM, Location: Sands Studio

- Photograph by Truman Gray

听

Headshot of Jessie Stinnett

Jessie Jeanne Stinnett

JESSIE JEANNE STINNETT (she/her) is a dance teacher, choreographer, and co-artistic director of Boston Dance Theater with veteran Israeli choreographer Itzik Galili. She received a BFA in Dance Performance from The Boston Conservatory and an MFA in Creative Practice: Dance Professional Pathway from Trinity Laban Conservatoire, in conjunction with Independent Dance/Siobhan Davies Dance. Jessie has performed for the Metropolitan Opera, Tate Britain (UK), Prometheus Dance, Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (Vienna), The Boston Baroque Opera, and Bard College鈥檚 SummerScape Festival.

  • Yoga for Dancers听-听Saturday, January 24, 10:15 - 11:30 AM, Location George 154听

Photo Credit:听Melissa Blackall

Daniel Gwirtzman Photograph

Daniel Gwirtzman

Dancer, educator, and filmmaker Daniel Gwirtzman, known for his blend of innovative and charismatic work, celebrates thirty years as a NYC choreographer and company director. Collaborations that blend genres and disciplines, take risks, involve community, promote optimism, and celebrate individuality and humanity are areas of focus. The New Yorker and The Village Voice describe him as 鈥渁 choreographer of high spirits and skill,鈥� and 鈥渁n abundantly inventive artist with a subtle defiance of gender roles.鈥� The New York Times writes 鈥淢r. Gwirtzman does know that in dance less can be more. He can evoke strong feelings with a few gestures.鈥澨�

Film Screening:

  • Framing M茅nerbes听-听 Saturday, January 24, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM, Location: Shults Forum in the Shults Center听

- Go to the official page to purchase advance tickets听

Classes:听

  • Power, Rhythm, Speed: Modern Technique in Action - Thursday, January 22, 3:15 PM - 4:30 PM, Location: George 102
  • Stepping and Stomping: The Art of Folk Dance -听Friday January 23, 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM, Location: George 102

听- Self-Portrait by听Daniel Gwirtzman

Teresa Fellion

Teresa Fellion

Teresa Fellion founded BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance in 2011, after choreographing听independently since 2004. She has performed for Lucinda Childs, Sarah Skaggs, Kimberly听Young, M鈥橞ewe Escobar, Skip Costa, and Martha Bowers, and performed works by Twyla听Tharp, Deganit Shemy, Liz Lerman, and Megan Boyd. Teresa completed a Dance MFA from听Sarah Lawrence under Scholarship, a Certificate from the Ailey School on scholarship, and a听BA in French & English Literature with a dance minor from NYU as a Merit Scholar. She听received Choreographic Fellowships from NYS Dance Force Choreographers鈥� LAB,听SummerStages Dance Festival, ICA Boston, and an American Dance Guild Fellowship for听Jacob鈥檚 Pillow鈥檚 Choreographers鈥� Lab.

颁濒补蝉蝉别蝉:听

  • Modern Dance Partnering in Motion -听Friday, January 23, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Location: George 102
  • Jazz Technique -听Friday, January 23, 5:15 PM - 6:30 PM, Location: George 102
  • Dance Lab: Emotion in Motion -听Saturday, January 24, 10:45 AM - 11:55 PM, Location: George 102
  • Modern -听Saturday, January 24, 3:00 PM - 4:15 PM, Location: George 102
  • Choreographic Explorations and Presence in Performance: Tools, Scoring, and Play -听Sunday, January 25, 12:50 PM - 2:05 PM, Location: Sands Studio听

- Headshot by Jaqlin Medlock

Catching Mangoes Dance

Catching Mangoes

Catching Mangoes Dance uplifts immigrant and hyphenated-American stories through听performance, education, and community programming. Founded by Filipino-American听choreographer Jacquelyn (Jacque) Pritz, the company weaves movement, storytelling, and听cultural exchange to spark dialogue on identity, belonging, and healing. Their work centers听intergenerational memory and the spirit of kapwa鈥攕hared humanity鈥攃reating spaces where听audiences witness, reflect, and connect. From stage works to community celebrations, Catching听Mangoes Dance fosters inclusion and imagination, reimagining how dance can build bridges听across difference and honor resilience.

颁濒补蝉蝉别蝉:听

  • Dancing With Our Ancestors -听Saturday, January 24, 1:30 PM - 2:35 PM, Location: A14
  • Contemporary Partnering -听Sunday, January 25, 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM, Location: George 102

-Photograph by听Shannel Resto (SJR Photography)听

32nd Pack Dance

32nd Pack Dance

32nd Pack is a Queens-based contemporary dance company founded in 2021 by Caroline Sherwood, Rachel Daly, and Vivian Lucas. Their work is rooted in communication, collaboration, and community, often bringing human experience into dance. The company's work explores themes such as personal transformation, resiliency, and womanhood while using theatrical elements and storytelling to support their full-bodied movement

32nd Pack has performed in venues across New York State in venues such as Ailey Citigroup Theater, Dixons Place, Callahan Theater, and the Chain Theatre. The company recently self-produced a night of works titled 鈥淏ecoming鈥� at CPR- Center for Performance Research in Brooklyn, NY.

Class:

  • Authentic Artistry: Int/Adv Contemporary -听Sunday, January 25, 3:15 PM - 4:30 PM, Location: George 154

- Photograph by听Jay Bradnova听

Nancy Hughes Headhsot

Nancy Hughes

Nancy Hughes co-founded the Buffalo Contact Improvisation (CI) Jam in 2010 and was a coordinator for the Global Underscore for eight years. For 25 years, Hughes has taught CI labs and classes including as an adjunct professor at Alfred University and Brockport College. She received grants from NYS DanceForce, Arts Services Initiative and, most recently, NYSCA鈥檚 Support for Artists in collaboration with the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Hughes produces events such as Mission Improvable: CI Intensive, featuring local and international dance makers. When not dancing in museums, homes, and silos, find her teaching Pilates at her studio Center Pilates.

颁濒补蝉蝉别蝉:听

  • Pilates With the Oov -听Sunday, January 25, 11:25 AM - 12:40 PM, Location: Sands Studio

- Photograph by Jessica Helen Brant

Michaela Neild Headshot

Michaela "M" Neild

M is an interdisciplinary artist, dance educator, movement coach, and nonprofit professional based in Buffalo, NY. Primarily a dancer, she enjoys infusing her choreography with other visual, video, and installation art mediums. Their choreographic process is experiential, collaborative, and emergent鈥攃ombining traditional composition techniques with devised theatre, improvisational games, and chance operation structures. When M isn't performing, they can be found working behind the scenes as a freelance grant writer and program manager for arts nonprofits and independent artists鈥揵uilding infrastructures that open doors for who gets to听participate in dance, who gets to watch dance, and how dance happens.

颁濒补蝉蝉别蝉:听

  • Restorative Movement for Nervous System Regulation -听Sunday, January 25, 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM, Location: Sands Studios

听

Caitlin Mahon jumping in the air

Caitlin Mahon

Caitlin E. Mahon is currently an Assistant Professor at Colorado Mesa University where she

teaches: Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Dance Appreciation, History and Philosophy of Dance as well as West African Dance Elements. She graduated from SUNY Brockport with her BS, and Honors College degree, in Dance, Environmental Science and Political Science in 2014 and earned her MFA 2017. Mahon previously taught at 91快活林最新版 2020 - 2023. She was awarded the UW Milwaukee Faculty Development Award (2019) & the Distinguished Professor Research Award (2017) for her choreographic & theoretical research on re-defining modes of peaceful embodiment, through the lens Krumping. This research was influenced by her appointment as co-artistic director 鈥� alongside Master Khalid Saleem 鈥� of the SANKOFA: African Dance & Drum Ensemble (2015). Along with teaching Caitlin is Artistic Director of MAYHEM//dance (@mayhem.dance) which premiered at NYC鈥檚 Mark Morris Dance Center in 2017.

MAD Guest Artist Showcase Choreographer听听

Featured 91快活林最新版 Faculty - Bios

Heather Roffe

Heather Roffe (MFA) is a Professor/Program Director of Dance at 91快活林最新版 and a Certified Evans Technique dance educator and pilates (BASI Pilates Mat & Reformer for Dancers) instructor. She approaches Dance and Pilates with an anatomical eye, and uses that focus to help people move more effectively, efficiently, safely, powerfully, and gracefully! She has performed nationally and internationally with the Garth Fagan Dance Company, and at Jacob鈥檚 Pillow, the international Dance Festival, the American Dance Guild, and DUMBO Dance Festival, in her own work as a member of the Bill Evans Dance Company, FuturPointe Dance, and Assemblage Dance Companies. Roffe鈥檚 choreography has been presented in venues across the country and internationally, and has been commissioned by other dance companies and college programs. In addition, to performing and creating, she serves on the advisory council of NDEO (National Dance Education Organization) and served the Northeast Regional Board of ACDA (American College Dance Association) for many years, and she was recently awarded the New York State Dance Association鈥檚 鈥淥utstanding Educator in Post-Secondary School鈥�. Outside of teaching, she loves to garden, spend time with family & friends and cuddle with her 3 rescue cats. Dance continues to be her platform for expression, and that passion spurs her to perform and create work for her company, HR Dance.

Cat Olson

Cat DeAngelis Olson, a dynamic force with over a decade shaping NYC鈥檚 arts scene as a performer and director. As a creator and performer, Cat has had the privilege to work with incredible artists such as Susan Marshall, Gallim Dance, Summation Dance, Gideon Obazanek, Spiegelworld, and Raja Feather Kelly. Notably, she performed a lead in the long-running sensation 鈥淪leep No More鈥� and various projects with immersive theater luminaries Punchdrunk (UK). Cat is proud to be 91快活林最新版 Faculty in the Theater Dance Department.

Beth Bartholomew

Beth Bartholomew is currently on the Teaching Staff at The Timothy M. Draper Center听for Dance Education in Rochester NY. Along with teaching she also coaches Classical听and Contemporary variations and solos for International Ballet Competitions as well as听stages and rehearses choreography for the Professional Trainee Program. Ms.Bartholomew is an Adjunct Professor of Dance at 91快活林最新版 and previously at听the University at Buffalo. She also served as Rehearsal Director for The Rochester City听Ballet for 19 years.听

Beth began her professional career in NYC with the Joffrey ll Dancers and later joined听the Joffrey Ballet. She has danced in works by Robert Joffrey, Gerald Arpino, John听Cranko, Paul Taylor, Frederic Ashton, and Anthony Tudor to name a few. She went on to听spend four Seasons with The Washington Ballet under the direction of Mary Day and听later Kevin McKenzie where she enjoyed performing works by Balanchine, Choo San听Goh, and Nils Christie. The next ten seasons were spent at The Scapino Ballet听Rotterdam in the Netherlands learning a different way to move and performing works by听innovative artists and choreographers such as Georg Reischl, Anthony Rizzi, Inma听Rubio Tomas, Ederson Rodrigues Xavier, Ed Wubbe. Krisztina de Chat锚l, Thom Stuart,听Rinus Sprong and LeineRoebana. During her time in Europe, Ms. Bartholomew received听her teaching diploma for The Gyrotonic Expansion System. She also participated in听several freelance Dance and Theater projects in Europe and the US. She has been听guest faculty at The Rotterdam Academy (Codarts) in The Netherlands, Neglia Ballet听Artists in Buffalo NY, The Ballet Alliance Festival in Seattle, New Albany Ballet in Ohio,听and the Otto M. Budig Academy of Cincinnati Ballet.

  • Ballet III -听Friday, January 23, 10:00 AM - 11:25 AM, Location: George 102
Fidel Ernesto Orrillo Puga

Fidel Orrillo Puga, born in Lima, Per煤, studied with his Aunt Stella Puga in听Trujillo, Per煤. At age 13 he received a scholarship to the renowned "National听School of Ballet" in Havana, Cuba, directed by Alicia Alonso where He performed听with the school and the National Ballet of Cuba until his graduation. Later he was听offered a contract and danced for 4 years in Ballet de Camag眉ey in Camag眉ey,听Cuba.

Mr. Orrillo Puga has danced in several companies in South America and the Caribbean as a guest and most recently was a Soloist in Ballet del Teatro Municipal in Trujillo, Peru and a Principal Dancer in Ballet National of Per煤 in Lima, Per煤. While in Lima, he worked with Martin Padr贸n who invited him to dance with him in Paris and later in Spain. Mr. Orrillo Puga is also on staff at the Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education, the official school of the Rochester City Ballet where he is a Principal Character Dancer and Ballet听Master Guest. Along with teaching He also coaches Classical and Contemporary variations, Pas de Deux's and solo's for International Ballet Competitions. Mr.Orrillo Puga is an Adjunct Professor of Classical Ballet Technique at 91快活林最新版.听

  • Open Ballet -听Thursday, January 22, 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM, Location: George 102
Alexandra Insinga

Alexandra was Associate Artistic Director for Gelsey Kirkland Ballet in New York City and Melbourne听Academy of the Arts in Australia. She is trained as a ballet teacher in the Russian Vaganova method,听and combines this approach with a focus on alignment, kinesthetics and coordination, in order to听develop refined, yet expressive technique. She has guest taught for ballet companies in the US and听Australia, and has experience teaching and choreographing for all ages and abilities, from age 3 to 73!听She is currently undertaking a Master of Sports Coaching to complement her technical and artistic听knowledge.

  • Contemporary Ballet- Friday, January 23, 2:30 PM - 3:50 PM, Location: George 102