KinesTHESIS features diverse choreography by four School of Dance graduate students presenting their thesis works, including Christopher Bornet, Ashley Dobrogosz, Jason Hortin, and Madelyn Lever, at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, May 6-7.
>> School of Dance
>> How a masterwork teaches dancers more than just steps
Christopher Bornet
Christopher Bornet received his BA in communications from University of New Mexico in 2017, and began his graduate tenure in2020 at The University of Arizona. He has danced professionally with New Mexico Ballet Company, Ballet Repertory Theatre of New Mexico, and has performed guest roles across the country. Christopher has beenteaching and choreographing since 2015, and is proud to share his thesis work as a culmination of his time as a graduate student at The University of Arizona.
Bornet’s short story ballet explores a woman’s descent into madness through the perspective of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper.
Ashley Dobrogosz
Ashley Dobrogosz (she/her/hers) is pursuing her MFA at the University of Arizona School of Dance. She received her BFA in Dance Performance from Radford University. Upon graduation, Ashley danced professionally with Dancin’ Unlimited Jazz Dance Company, DanceArtTheater, and Exhale Dance Tribe. She has worked with choreographers such as Jon Lehrer, Tiffanie Carson, and Missy and Andrew Hubbard. In addition to her concert dance roots, Ashley is passionate about musical theater dance and has choreographed musicals such as Chicago, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and James and the Giant Peach. This fall, Ashley is stepping into the role as Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse as faculty in the Department of Theatre Arts.
Untitled (Little Boxes) is a satirical celebration of ridiculousness, disguised as a dance, inspired by the isolation of living through the pandemic in our 21st century, digital boxes.
Jason Hortin
Jason Hortin is a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Arizona, finishing his MFA Degree in Dance. He has been a guest teacher at Point Park University, UNLV, and will be teaching at the University of Wyoming’s Snowy Range Dance Festival this Summer. Jason has restaged works for Penny Saunders at the University of Utah, Point Park University, Diablo Ballet, and Dayton Ballet. Additionally, with Hayley Meier, Jason has restaged Frank Chaves’ Habaneras: The Music of Cuba at the University of Arizona for Spring Collection, 2022. He graduated with a BFA in Dance from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), under the direction of Louis Kavouras. In his career he has performed in over 60 masterworks including choreographies by Jiri Kylian, Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Kyle Abraham, Mats Ek, Sharon Eyal, Ohad Naharin, Twyla Tharp, Lou Conte, and many others.
All That Glitters Is Not Gold explores the idea of perfectionism and its effects on dancers’ mental health.
Maddy Lever
Madelyn Lever is a second-year MFA Candidate at The University of Arizona School of Dance. Seeing as she attained her BFA from the School of Dance as well, Lever is well versed in ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary dance. In the summer of 2021 she obtained her 200-hour yoga teacher certification at YogMantra Bali Ubud, and is passionate about blending together the principles of dance and yoga within her teaching.
Between Silence and Sound takes the audience on a journey through the history of Deaf culture, the beauty of American SignLanguage, and sheds light on a culture and community that is revered by both her and her family.
TICKETS: Adult, $19 / Senior, Military, Employee, $17 / Student $9
- Friday, May 6, 7:30p
- Saturday, May 7, 1:30p, 7:30p
Header Photo: UA Dance Ensemble members Lauren Velasco, Giulia Ghidoli, Matthew Mendez, Nathan Mariano, and Alexandra O’Neal. Photos by Ed Flores. Graphic Design by Deborah Ruiz.
Buy Tickets!
