Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company

The Board of Directors
Anne-Marie Mulgrew (collaborator, choreographer, performer, and educator) is the Founder/Artistic Director of ANNE-MARIE MULGREW AND DANCERS CO., (AMM & DCO), an experimental modern dance company founded in 1986. For the company, she has created more than 80 major works that have appeared on traditional concert stages, festivals, alternative venues, unusual places, museums and film in the United States and Canada. In the spring 2001, under her direction, AMM & DCO was selected for a prestigious month-long artist-in-the schools residency at The Yard, Chilmark, MA. Anne-Marie is the recipient of the Temple University Fellow Award, Stella Moore Dance Award, two Woo and an Art for Change award from The Leeway Foundation, a PA Council Fellowship and a Philadelphia Fringe Rocky. Under her direction, AMM & DCO has received numerous grants and commissions, notably from WHYY, Channel 12 TV, funded by PEW, to create a video that aired nationally, a commission from the Friends of the Rodin Museum, a commission for a new work instigated by Mahler's music and a commission to create the Opening Dance for the 10th Enterprise Awards ceremony. Anne-Marie holds a BS in Ed and an MFA in Dance from Temple University where she was adjunct faculty for five years. Anne-Marie has also served as dance faculty for Penn State University, The College of NJ, and University City Arts League. She has performed in special projects with internationally known artists - Kei Takei, Wendy Perron, Stephan Koplowitz, Bridgman/Packer and London's Royal Ballet. She was a featured actress for Jonas dos Santos' Lila Wallace Digest documentary, appeared in Robert Palumbo's feature film Fallout and Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender and was the subject of a thirty-minute documentary Creativity produced by and aired on Comcast Cable TV. In June 2017, Anne-Marie and the company were featured in the Friday Arts Program produced by WHYY TV. Anne-Marie was selected from a national pool to attend the first Choreography for the Screen program at The School of Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Beckett MA in 2003. Under her direction, AMM & DCO has conducted 65 residency programs for inner city and rural youth. In addition, Anne-Marie served as a panelist for Philadelphia Cultural Fund, PA Council's Project Stream and NJ Arts Council as well as for the National High School Dance Festival.

Sharon Kornelly (Vice President, Director)
Sharon Kornelly fell in love with dancing at the age of 5 and has practiced ballet, modern and improvisational dance ever since. She earned a doctoral degree in cultural anthropology from Temple University, and conducted research in New Zealand and Bali that demonstrates the importance of performing arts in building local communities in a multicultural world. Ms. Kornelly has taught courses in anthropology and media studies at Moore College of Art & Design and Rowan University. She also served in the Education program with Enchantment Theatre Company. Recently, Ms. Kornelly worked with the Free Library of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in developing their online collections.

Elizabeth Luff (Treasurer, Director)
Elizabeth Luff has been a professional dancer, choreographer, teacher, and administrator. She earned a BA economics University of Delaware. As managing director of ZeroMoving Dance Company, she produced the company's first New York season. Working with Carunchio & Associates, Ms. Luff researched arts education programs in the 5-county area and helped raise over a $1 million dollars for college access programs for Philadelphia Schools Collaborative. Currently, Ms. Luff operates Moving Studios (movingstudios.blogspot.com), which teaches creative dance on-site at preschools, after-school programs and in the community. In addition to teaching she designs curriculum and marketing materials for the company. She is a certified trainer for the Department of Public Welfare early childhood programs and has led professional development events through the Philadelphia Region as well as at the state and national level.

Jeanene Johnson (Secretary, Director)
Jeanene Johnson brings her wealth of experience in day-to-day operations in non-profit administration. For ten years, she served as Education Program Manager for University City Arts League, a multi- disciplinary community arts center in West Philadelphia, administrating, developing and overseeing programs. She has a background in liberal arts and psychology, is an active advocate for the arts, and has taken professional development workshop in non-profit management. Presently, she is the Program Assistant for Karabots Junior Fellows Program at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the Mutter Museum and Co-Facilitator of the Girls One Diaspora program.

Dr. Kathryn Kearns (Director)
Dr. Kearns is Professor Emerita at Penn State University, the Abington College, where she was associate professor of Integrative Arts and Director of Dance for 39 years until her retirement in 2016. Here, she received the 1986 and 2007 Outstanding Teacher Award and the 2004 Outstanding Service Award. Dr. Kearns also served for 7 years as a member of the adjunct dance faculty at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (pedagogy and dance history); and also at Bryn Athyn College, Bryn Athyn, PA, for 20 years. She was also Director of Dance for the New Jersey Governor's School of the Arts from 1997-2008. She holds an undergraduate degree from Wollongong University in Australia, a BA from the University of Montana, an MS from Pennsylvania State University, and a Doctorate from Temple University in Philadelphia. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the prestigious National High School Dance Festival, USA (now in its 27th year), which showcases and services the high school dance programs from across the nation and abroad. She has served on numerous Boards locally and nationally and has presented workshops, master cases and panels both nationally and internationally.

Andrew F. Erba Esquire (Counsel, Director Emeritus)
Andrew Erba brings his legal experience to the organization. Mr. Erba moved to Philadelphia and has served for more than ten years as an attorney for Community Legal Services. In this capacity, he has defended hundreds of cases for low income clients, many of which were artists. An avid music lover, Mr. Erba joined William and Cuker in 1997 and shifted his focus to entertainment law.



The Mission The mission of ANNE-MARIE MULGREW AND DANCERS CO (AMM & DCO) founded in 1986, incorporated in 1993, 501 c 3 exempted in July, 1995, is to educate and involve the public in the performance and creation of new interdisciplinary dance works and other art form works through performances, workshops, residencies, classes and special projects. The company's mission is to create new works by Philadelphia born director, Anne-Marie Mulgrew. Interdisciplinary, mixed media and experimental work will continue to be the focus, providing rich and diverse programming with a cross cultural influence. In addition, AMM & DCO builds community by working with community base dancers/performers in special projects and by partnering with organizations in outreach and performance-based projects. To deepen this vision of engaging the public in the creation and performance of the work, the company would like to tour the materials creating an opportunity for artistic and cultural exchange by bringing a taste of Philadelphia to other places.
History and Background
Known in the city since 1986 for its "visually arresting," "highly imaginative," dance theater works, and unusual collaborative projects AMM & DCO has performed over 80 major works choreographed by Anne-Marie Mulgrew in 325 performances in the United States and Canada. AMM & DCO has conducted 66 residency programs primarily for underserved populations and more than 3,575 classes/workshops. The company's works have appeared in theaters, alternative spaces, site specific locations, schools, festivals, collaborative projects and for film and TV such as The Barnes Museum, Christ Church Neighborhood House, The Porch-30 St. Station, the University of the Arts Theater/Drake Theater, The Painted Bride, The Institute of Contemporary Art, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, University of PA Museum of Anthropology & Archaeology, The Philadelphia Cathedral, Mandell Theater, Penn's Landing, Fairmount Park, The Horticultural Center, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philly Fringe Festival/Live Arts, Parallax Pictures Studios, Conwell Dance Theater, The Sanctuary at The Rotunda, and The Kimmel Center to name a few. Ms. Mulgrew's acclaimed choreography for the TALES OF THE BUFFOON which was commissioned by and has appeared on Channel 12 TV nationally, continues to charm thousands of home viewers. Fusing modern dance, theater, music, technology and art, the company charms, provokes and informs audiences of all ages with its insightful and wacky views of the world. The company consists of 5-7 professional dancers and esteemed peer collaborators. Additional performers are used on a project basis to flesh out materials and involve new communities.
Performance Highlights
The company has appeared in NYC at University Settlement House, Context Studios, DanceSpace, the DIA Center, the Dumbo Festival, Evolving Arts Studio, Free Range Studio, UBU Repertory Theatre and Movement Research. In July 2011, the company made its debut at Dance Place, Washington DC. In 2015, AMM & DCO's film work was selected for the RAD Festival in Kalamazoo, MI. AMM & DCO firsts include the first Philadelphia based company to appear twice at the prestigious fFIDA Festival in Toronto, Canada the only dance company to perform at the Rodin Museum alongside of the masterpieces (Phila. PA) the first company to perform a site-specific work Zone One Gallery and Parallax Film Studios (Phila. PA) the first company to perform a public work for Dilworth Plaza, City Hall and the Schuylkill River Banks (Phila. PA) and the only company to perform at The Philadelphia Cathedral for four consecutive seasons 06-03, Phila. PA the first company to perform a site-specific work *Le Dada va Gaga dans 2011* set in the sanctuary space in a joint celebration of the company's 25th Anniversary and 100 Birthday of the Rotunda building as part of the citywide PIFA Festival AMM & DCO's commissions include Friends of the Rodin Museum, The Borowsky Gallery, WHYY-Channel 12 TV, Chester Springs Studio, The Mahler Project and The 10th Annual Enterprise Awards.
Education Highlights
AMM & DCO believes in bringing dance to people-of-all-ages and backgrounds through its free public performances and affordable educational outreach programs. AMM & DCO conducts residency programs tailored to the needs of the community and offers ongoing classes at University City Arts League, its community partner, and classes for The Free Library of Philadelphia. AMM & DCO is on the roster for Pennsylvania Council's Arts in Education programs. Past programs include a 10 day residence at Watson Comly Elementary School, Phila. PA; a month long residency at the Reiffton School, (Reading PA), a 40-day residency through Owen J. Roberts School District, (Chester County, PA); an month long residency at The Yard, Martha Vineyard's Chilmark Elementary School, a 20 day residency at Stafford Intermediate School, Manahawkin, NJ, and 10 day residencies at Elmer Elementary School, Elmer NJ and Spring Garden Elementary, Phila. PA. AMM & DCO has participated in three SLAM summer programs sponsored by the School District of Philadelphia and administered by PAEP. Funded by The Leeway Foundation Arts & Change Grant Program, AMM & DCO created a new program for seniors (The Keepers Project) inspired by the Creative Arts & Aging Movement.
Recent Projects
Recent projects include Anywhere/The Big 30 which premiered at AMM & DCO's 30th Anniversary Concert June 9-11, 2016. It featured choreography by Ms. Mulgrew for five dancers; live music composed by Adam Vidiksis for three musicians; and video art by Carmella Vassor-Johnson. 2017 projects featured One Minute Dances, a collection of 16 one-minute dances that premiered at AMM & DCO's 2017 Home Season Concert Celebrating 31 and were reimagined for A View from Within, a site-specific traveling dance work for 14 performers that traveled from the outside grounds to the inside of the Ryerss Museum. In June 2018, AMM & DCO premiered Strange Dreams: 30 Years Later a 50-minute multi-media work featuring 10 performers, constructed costumes, colorful props, a swing set installation, video projection and assorted music. Strange Dreams was selected for Temple University's Dance Department Alumni Concert, October 2019. In June 2019, AMM & DCO produced its 33rd Home Season Concert, From the Feminine Gaze inspired by the 100th Anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment featuring a suite of dances and films. During the pandemic, AMM & DCO performed, rehearsed, and taught outside in public spaces and was featured three times on Arts Access TV. AMM & DCO's newest project, Beautiful Chaos will premiere in June 2022.

Company Bios

The Performers Dancers List 2019 - 1986

ANNE-MARIE MULGREW see artistic director/founder bio.

Em Godfrey is a Korean nonbinary performing artist, educator, and choreographer in the Mid-Atlantic region. Their dance training began in Maryland, where they hold a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Professionally, Em performed and showcased their choreography at multiple locations in the Baltimore/D.C area such as: Baltimore Theatre Project, Baltimore Light City/Brilliant Baltimore, Dance Place, the annual American College Dance Association Conference, and the John F. Kennedy Center. Em has also performed works by Igal Perry, Rena Butler, Zach Tang, Paul Taylor, and Alejandro Cerrudo. This is their first season with Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company.

Leslie Ann Pike started her dance training at age 2. In 2005, she graduated with a BA in Dance from DeSales University in Allentown, PA. While at DeSales she studied under Trinnette Singleton, Vincent Brousseau and Lynne Mariani and was a member of the DeSales University Touring Company. Before graduating she joined BosmaDance of Washington, DC. Leslie Ann has performed with Mary LaBianca, Serendipity Dance Ensemble, Re-Cored Dance Co., Eng & Friends Dance Co., SHARP Dance Company, and Alchemy Dance. She has been a member of Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Co. since 2009 and serves as Rehearsal Director.

Ava Pizzi studies Dance at Drexel University with a concentration in Dance/Movement Therapy. She is also working to be fully certified with the Drexel Pilates Training Program to instruct Pilates. Ava started dancing at Harrison Dance Studios in West Chester, Pennsylvania at the age of two training in ballet, jazz, advanced tap, and advanced pointe/partner work. She continued her training at Drexel and is interested in the human body and how dance affects us, using dance as a healing tool for people of all ages. She is extremely grateful to be getting back into rehearsals, performing, and learning with Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Co.

Arielle Ridley found her passion for dance at the age of thirteen in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. At the age of seventeen, Arielle began exploring her own choreographic skills and found a passion for teaching and performing. She joined her local dance studio and was featured in shows such as Jasmine and the Lamp. She earned her BFA with honors in Dance Theatre from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, attending both the NY and LA campuses. She was featured in several different dance shows under the direction and choreography of Genevieve Carson, Michelle Elkin, and Monika Felice Smith. Alongside of joining Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company this season, she also dances with Dance Kerr & Dancers in NYC, Phoenix Dance Company, and JCWK Dance Lab in Reading, PA.

Tori Vincent is a native of Lafayette, Louisiana currently residing in Philadelphia. She received her BFA in Dance from the University of Louisiana in 2018, working professionally with various artists throughout Lafayette since 2017. Her work with the Atlanta, Georgia dance community includes projects and performances with Zoetic Dance Ensemble and Fly on a Wall, as well as traveling to Italy in 2018 to attend the Staibdance Summer Intensive and directing NACHMO (National Choreography Month) Atlanta 2020. She is currently dancing with Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Co. and Melissa Rector of Koresh Dance Company, instructing Pilates, completing a RYT-200 yoga teacher training, attending dance classes throughout Philadelphia, and exploring new personal compositions and choreography. Influences on her personal work involve the roles we play in our individual and societal health, alongside behaviors created by our milieu.

The Alumni

Sean Thomas Boyt (Guest Artist) is a dancer and choreographer based in Philadelphia. Along with dancing their sixth season with Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company (AMM & DCO), he currently dances with The Naked Stark, Nora Gibson Contemporary Ballet, and several independent choreographers. Sean holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Iowa where they are pursuing an MFA in Dance Studies. Sean has danced for Ballet Minnesota, Ballet 180, Vervet Dance, Moving Arts Ensemble, and Dancers in Company. Sean's choreographic work has been shown in concerts and festivals throughout Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, and Iowa City. More information can be found on STBDancing.com.

Joe Cicala (Guest Artist, Founding Member) received a BFA in dance at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He has danced professionally with Ann Vachon/Dance Conduit, Group Motion, Paradigm Dance, Body Language Dance Co, Convergence, P3, Trapezius Aerial, Dancefusion, SHARP Dance Company, and Anna Sokolow's Players Project NYC and Sokolow NOW, the archival repertory company performing the works of legendary choreographer Anna Sokolow. He has been a guest artist with Unexpected Co. of Seattle, Buffalo Contemporary Dance, and Mid Atlantic Ballet. He has taught for Young Audience Residency Programs for Group Motion, Dancefusion, and Body Language as well as school residencies for Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company. Throughout his career he has also choreographed over 115 musicals for high schools, middle schools, community, and professional theatres. AMM & DCO is grateful for Joe's 30+ years of working with the Company.

Anya Kress is a dancer based in Philadelphia, PA. She received a BFA in Dance from the University of Iowa and has performed in projects with choreographers such as Eloy Barragan, Jennifer Kayle, Monica Bill Barnes, and Tony Orrico. Her work behind the camera began with an internship at Hollins University, where she began learning archival photography and videography with Orfeas Skutelis. Anya then expanded her skill set through courses in photography and screendance.

Kate Lombardi received her BFA from The University of the Arts. Kate is a member of Dancefusion. SHARP, and Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company in Philadelphia (since 2012). Kate is a long-time company member of SHARP Dance Company, with whom she tours nationally, and she also performs with Anne-Marie Mulgrew & Dancers Company. She enjoys both reconstructing historical works and exploring new choreography by local artists. Kate has performed across the United States and internationally in Scotland, England, and Guatemala. Kate previously danced with Between Movement Contemporary Dance Company and Underground Dance Works. She was a guest artist with Esse Eficionado and joined Jeanne Ruddy Dance for its farewell season. Along with performing, Kate helps provide access to music and dance education to students throughout the Philadelphia region as Director of Philanthropy and Community for Musicopia and Dancing Classrooms Philly. Kate also serves as AMM & DCO Rehearsal Associate.

Hannah Murphy began her dance training in New Freedom, Pennsylvania where she received her early dance education at various studios including EMC Performing Arts and Dance Conservatory of Maryland. She furthered her technique by attending summer intensives at the Peabody Preparatory, Dance Conservatory of Maryland, Susquehanna Youth Ballet, Ballet Chesapeake, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Hannah is in her last term at Drexel University where she will receive a B.S. in Health Sciences and Dance with a minor in Exercise Science. Hannah is currently finishing her 450-hour Pilates Certification under the direction of Jennifer Morley, based off the Romana lineage. While at Drexel, she has performed works by Miriam Giguere, Lindsay Browning, Kalila Kingsford Smith, Dara Meredith, and Jim Bunting.

Olivia Wood performs for Grounded Aerial Dance Company in Philadelphia, PA and is a writer for The Philadelphia Dance Journal. Some of her performance accolades include dancing in venues such as the Ryerss Museum, the Guggenheim Museum NYC, the Suzanne Roberts Theater. Olivia has danced in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival and Koresh's Come Together Dance Festival. In May 2017, she graduated with honors from Muhlenberg College with a BA in Dance and Spanish and was inducted into Phi Sigma Iota and Phi Beta Kappa. Since 2018 she has danced with Matter Movement Group directed by Teddy Fatscher. This is her fourth season with Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company.

The Collaborators

Peter Price	- Composer Project 2012
Chiel Meijering	- Featured Composer Dig

Carmella Vassor-Johnson (videographer-collaborator) is recognized for her documentaries on Philadelphia dance artists such as Philadanco's Joan Myers Brown ("Standing at the Edge: We Dance") and PureMovement's Rennie Harris ("Endangered Species"). In 1999, she was awarded a Dance Media Fellowship at UCLA, as part of the PEW funded National Initiative to Preserve America's Dance (NIPAD). Her local production company Wild Child Productions produced, "Creating across Cultures" a documentary on the Asia Pacific Performance Exchange and documents dance concerts for local and national artists. In 2001, Carmella collaborated with Jawole Zoller and Urban Bush Women on "Hair Stories" through special residencies at Jacob's Pillow and Atlanta Arts Center. She was the resident videographer for Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival where she produced Video Journals, half-hour documentary/performance videos distributed to the educational community. During her professional dance career, she performed with Philadanco, Philadelphia Civic Ballet and AMM & DCO. Since 1998, Carmella and Anne-Marie have collaborated on dance-video projects for film, specific sites and concert stages.

Stephanie di Bona (Lighting Designer) is a freelance lighting designer and master electrician working in and around Philadelphia. Recent projects include White [ME, Theatre Horizon], the Young Voices Monologue Festival [LD, PYP], Adapt! [ME, Wilma], and The Miss Firecracker Contest [LD, South Camden Theatre Co.]. She also occasionally lights the stage for events at Longwood Gardens, FringeArts, Christ Church Neighborhood House, and Underground Arts.

Amanda Jensen (Lighting Designer, Production Manager) is a Philadelphia based lighting designer and production manager for Theatre Exile. She has designed for Inis Nua, Unstuck Theatre, Azuka, The Lantern, and Swarthmore College and assisted at The Wilma, Syracuse Stage, The Curtis Opera, PTC, Theatre Horizon, and New Paradise Laboratories.

Ashley Searles (Guest Artist) had a 15-year performing career in New York City dancing for a wide variety of dance companies including Parsons Dance Company, Carolyn Dorfman and Moving Theater. Ashley was featured in performances at The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center New York, The Guggenheim and Whitney Museums, New York, and The LA Theater Center. She also worked as a Rehearsal Director assisting in the touring productions of Murray Spalding Movement Arts that included performances at the Spoleto Festival. She currently choreographs, teaches and performs in Philadelphia.

Adam Vidiksis (Red Riding Hood Project 2015 and Anywhere/The Big 30 2016) is a composer, conductor, percussionist, and technologist based in Philadelphia. Equally comfortable with both electronic and acoustic composition, his music has been heard in concert halls and venues around the world. Critics have called his music "mesmerizing", "dramatic", "striking" (Philadelphia Weekly), "notable", "catchy" (WQHS), "interesting", and "special" (Percussive Notes), and have noted that Vidiksis provides "an electronically produced frame giving each sound such a deep-colored radiance you could miss the piece's shape for being caught up in each moment" (David Patrick Stearns of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Dr. Vidiksis currently serves on the faculty at Temple University.

Robert Solomon (Red Riding Hood Project concept/direction) The seeds for ensemble performance happened early in my development as an artist. First drawn to the unconventional and subversive in the immersive theater and cinema of late sixties, I carried my revelations as a young spectator into experiments with movement, sound and image as a graduate student in the early eighties. These experiments culminated in what I called "automatic theater." After years of studio work in painting, sculpture and design, I feel the draw of connecting to an audience through a mix of personal narrative, dance, acting and music. I live and work in Philadelphia PA, my visual art can be viewed online at inliquid, saatchionline, and artslant.

Gullermo Ortega Tanus (Lighting Designer - Dance Artist) has designed lights for dance since 2010. He has collaborated with local choreographers and companies such as Merian Soto, Group Motion, Jennifer Morley, Liz Reynolds, Olive Prince Dance, Kariamu and Company, and Corinne Karon. This is Guillermo's first time working with Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company! Guillermo works as an adjunct professor at Rowan University and soon Temple University. He co-directs Da-Da-Dance Project, a dance-theater duet repertory company based in Philadelphia with Eun Jung Choi since 2008. Guillermo has a BFA and MFA in dance, the last one from Temple University. Past awards include the Rose Vernick's Choreographic Achievement Award, as well as multiple fellowships from Mexico's National Foundation for the Culture and the Arts.

Stan Sadowski photographer/video artist, graduated from Temple University's School of Communication and Film. His work has appeared at the Wilma Theater, Walnut Theater and Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival. Currently, he is working on the Robinson Freedenthal documentation project. He has worked on special projects with AMM & DCO since 1994.