Photo by Lynn Lane Photography
VON USSAR danceworks is a contemporary-modern dance company based in New York City. Founded in 2002 by choreographer Astrid von Ussar, VON USSAR danceworks has met with critical acclaim and quickly catapulted to become one of the most promising dance companies in New York City. The company is comprised of seven powerful and athletic dancers representing different cultures, ethnicities, and technical training. Astrid von Ussar's visceral and vivid choreography uses bold and intensely energetic movement to create an edgy and unique movement style. With a strong female voice, von Ussar creates repertory that explores daily life and the inner workings of the human condition. Her work not only empowers women, but calls upon the individuality and creativity of her dancers to best express their own character, fortitude, and artistry.
Each season von Ussar includes former dancers of notable companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company and Fred Benjamin Dance Company in a premiere work. Past guests include Nasha Thomas-Schmitt, Troy Powell, Duane Cyrus, Derrick Minter and Gregory Hinton. These collaborations have become a vital part of the VON USSAR danceworks character and each collaborator lends their history and experience to the company.
The VUDW company has sold-out every New York City season, three times at Joyce Soho, once at the Cunningham Studio, and twice at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. They have also performed at: Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Monteray Dance Fest in CA, Collage Festival in Texas, Dancenow/NYC Fall Festival, Rivertown Arts Council Dance Series at Dobbs Ferry, The Remember Project / Dancers Responding to AIDS, d.u.m.b.o. Dance Festival, Cool Dance Festival, WestFest and The Dance Gallery Festival.
Astrid von Ussar has received commissions from Lula Washington Dance Theater, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program and several universities around the US. Ms. Ussar holds a Masters of Arts in Dance and Dance Education from Teachers College/ Columbia University in NYC and is on the faculty at The Ailey School. Part of the company's mission is to develop an outreach program to bring high-quality dance workshops to elementary through high school audiences through artist-in-residence programs. For six years, VON USSAR danceworks has worked with students in public schools to bring new experiences in movement and performance to young dancers.
Five years ago Astrid von Ussar founded The Dance Gallery Festival in New York City, hoping to offer a platform for up and coming choreographers and dance companies from around the globe. Providing a state of the art theater and an all included production package, Ms. Ussar quickly created a very popular venue with over 200 submissions annually. Currently the festival is now held in two states, Texas and New York , and presents around 22 artist yearly. Celebrating it's fifth year in 2011, the festival is looking to expand to the West Coast in 2012.
www.dancegalleryfestival.com
Colleen Cintron is a NYC based dancer, teacher and choreographer. After graduating cum laude from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, she has danced for Rotem Tashach, Esse Aficionado, John Zullo, Jessica Morgan, Julie Johnson and is presently a company member of VON USSAR danceworks and Rebudal Dance as well as a founding member of danscores by Ofelia Loret de Mola. Most recently Ms. Cintron completed a two-week tour of Kosovo with the US Dept. of Culture teaching modern dance to both newly emerging modern dance companies as well as traditional folk dancers. She followed this exchange by participating in a 1month dance exchange in Accra, Ghana. She has presented and performed her choreography at the Rebound festival and most recently at the Work Gallery in Redhook, Brooklyn. She currently teaches for the Y Dance Program in Tarrytown, NY and is a new board member of Evolve Dance Inc.
Mindy Lai began training in her country of origin, Taiwan. Since then she has attended Chon-Wen Performing Arts School in Taiwan. Upon her arrival to the United States she joined Victoria Ballet Theatre in Victoria, Texas and received an apprenticeship with Sierra Nevada Ballet in Reno, Nevada. In all her years of study, Mindy has had the chance to experience and study multiple styles of dance including: Ballet, Chinese Modern, Graham, Horton, Jazz, Limon, Pointe, Tap, Taylor, and West African. In addition, to her wide range of study in the dance form, she has also performed works by: Alvin Ailey, Camille Brown, Sean Curran, Darrell Moltrie, Jennifer Muller, Scott Rink, Paul Taylor, and Joyce Trisler. Mindy is a senior at Fordham University Lincoln Center, pursuing her B.F.A. in the Fordham/Ailey program. Mindy is currently an apprentice with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and has been a member of VON USSAR danceworks since 2010.
A native of Spain, Madrid, Elena Valls, from a young age took class at Conservatorio de Danza in Madrid where her passion for grew. Graduated with B.F.A Cum Laude from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College. She had the privilege to study dance in Taipei, Taiwan. She has performed works by Gregory Dolbashian, Peter Pucci, Patrick Corbin, Mettin Movement Collective, Astrid von Ussar, and Nicholas Andre. She is happy to be working with such talented artist that inspire her everyday and looks forward to performing with VON USSAR danceworks.
Tina Louise Vasquez is a Certified Movement Analyst and a graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She received her primary dance training from Coupe Dance Studio in Nanuet, New York, and at the age of 15, she attended the Contemporary Traditions Program at Jacob’s Pillow. She has also studied in dance programs in Cuba and Italy. Tina has showcased her own work, as well as taught, in Brazil, Turkey and Guam. Currently, Tina is the Rehearsal Director and Costume Designer for VON USSAR danceworks, as well as an Arts Educator for the Leadership Program, Areytos Performance Works, Contra Tiempo, and the Laban/Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies.
THE COMPANY
Lynn Lane Photography
Born in England and raised in Switzerland, Mrs. von Arx recently graduated from the Ailey School's Certificate program. She performed works by Hofesh Shechter, Didy Veldman, Andrea Miller, Alex Ketley, Ron K.Brown and Darrell Moultrie. She also danced for Nathan Trice/RITUALS dance theatre and Cirque du Soleil.
is the co-artistic director of THE DANCE GALLERY FESTIVAL. Von Ussar is on faculty at the Ailey School and has also taught at Ballet Hispanico, Peridance, Dance New Amsterdam and Long Island University. She has taught workshops around the US and Europe. Her choreography is part of the repertory of Lula Washington Dance Theater, GenesisDance Company, Plesna Izba among others. Her company VON USSAR danceworks premiered in 2002 and has per- formed at numerous festivals in New York, Texas and California, most notably at the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival. Her work was also commissioned for ACDFA for the Long Island University, the Ailey/Fordham program and Sam Houston University, TX in 2009. She was just commissioned to set a new work at Utah Valley University in the Fall of 2011. Von Ussar also instructs the curriculum based residency pro- gram, Revelations: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Dance, for the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation. She has a MA in Dance from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Emily Diers is a native of Chicago, IL, where she trained at Denise Sabala Dance Studios and the Giordano Dance Center. She attended Point Park University and received her B.A. in Dance in 2009. Emily has danced for NoMi LaMad Dance, Inc. in Chicago and she is thrilled to be working with VON USSAR danceworks.
is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, earning a BFA in Modern Dance. Performance credits include works by Gus Giordano, Martha Graham, Ronen Koresh, Amanda Selwyn Dance Theater, Tze Chun Dance, Twyla Tharp, and Doug Varone. Other credits include the 80th Anniversary Tour of the Martha Graham Company (guest ensemble work), and MOMIX Industrial at the Smashbox Studios in LA during Fashion Week. Katherine is the Artistic Director & Founder of kerPlunk dance, which has presented work at places such as the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Jacob's Pillow Inside/ Out, and Cool NY Festival. Katherine has taught master classes and workshops all over the East Coast in composition and contemporary dance.
began her dance training at the Fort Worth School of Ballet at the age of 10 under the direction of Victoria Fedine. She continue her training at the Hartford School of Ballet and received her Certificate of Dance from The Ailey School. Ms. Wright has toured with The Radio City Christmas Spectacular show and with the Broadway National tour of Disney's "THE LION KING" as a principal dancer. Nichelle began dancing with VUDW in 2000 and is currently serving on the company board as the Executive Director of Operations.
Ms. Wright would like to thank her family for their undying love and support and God for giving her the great gift of dance!
ASTRID VON USSAR
COLLEEN CINTRON
EMILY DIERS
MINDY LAI
KATHERINE RICHARDSON
ELENA VALLS
TINA VASQUEZ
NICOLE VON ARX
NICHELLE WRIGHT
"I cannot tell you how much the students love having you come to Spring Valley High School. They enjoy the Artist-in-Residence program so much that every year, on the first day of school, they ask me when you are coming! "
"Your dancers are not only incredibly gifted performers, but fantastic teachers as well. My students receive such a gift when you and your company come to visit – witnessing top-notch performances and then dancing alongside dance professionals provides such a thrill for them."
- Mrs. Stacey Tirro
Spring Valley High School
Department of PE and Dance
Educational Programming
VON USSAR danceworks is available for classes, workshops and residencies for grades K-12 and college/pre-professional level .
The VON USSAR danceworks Artist-In-Residence program offers a multitude of high quality arts-in-education programming to schools in the tri-state area. Our dancers, representing a variety of cultures from around the globe, perform excerpts from our repertoire and facilitate master dance classes pointed to Von Ussar's powerful choreographic style for students of all
ages.
Contact us to custom-build your program today!
March 8, 2012
Spring Valley High Residency
April 2, 2012
Dancin' Downtown at The Joyce
New York, NY
October 4-7, 2012
Dance Galley Festival
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX
October 11-14, 2012
Dance Gallery Festival
Ailey Citigroup Theater
Novermber 10 & 11, 2012
10th Anniversary Season
For Booking Inquiries regaurding performances, residencies, master classes, and workshops please contact us using the information below:
CONTACT
Artistic Director Astrid von Ussar 917.363.4229
Web: www.vonussardanceworks.org
Email: info_vonussardanceworks.org
ADDRESS
VON USSAR danceworks
442 Henry Street, #3
Brooklyn, NY 11231
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MAKE A DONATION
VON USSAR danceworks is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization serving the performing arts community. Contributions made to VON USSAR danceworks are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. To make an online donation through our registration on nycharities.org please click the link below to be redirected to our page.
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webdesign by Katherine Richardson
