Presented by Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange & Cedar Crest College
SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2024 | 7pm | SAMUELS THEATER, CEDAR CREST COLLEGE

SpringUP LIVE! Guest Artist Concert
PROGRAM ORDER

EMBRACE

Artistic Direction: Sarah Carlson
Choreography: Sarah Carlson in conjunction with the dancers
Music: Vernon J. Mobley
Performance: Rachel Halkias, Venrick James, Thalia Mendez, Jessica Minor, and William Tucker
Videography: Benjiman Carlson & Sarah Carlson
Editing: Sarah Carlson

This screen dance was inspired by the writings of Valarie Kaur in
See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love

FREEDOM

Choreography: Giselle Mercedes
Music: Stand Up by Cynthia Erivo and Ultralightbeam by Kanye West
Performance: Thalia Mendez, Giselle Mercedes, Jessica Minor

Bollywood Medley

Movie "Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya"
Music: Raghav, and Tanishk Bagchi
Lyrics: Tanishk Bagchi 
Singers: Tanishk Bagchi, Asees Kaur,  and Raghav
Performance: Devanshi Joshi, Firuzi Desai, Reshma kadhiwala, Dhara Sheth Modi
Madhulika Ghag, Swati Bhatnagar , Pooja Birru, Pooja Vyas, Ashwini Kamadh, Khushboo Patel, Falguni Patel, Lynne Delores, Usha Shree, Mouli Patel

RENDER

Choreography: Angela Sigley Grossman
Music: “Half Life” by ori lichtik
Costumes: Leonardo AI, Kiriana Lingle, Angela Sigley Grossman
Performance: Kiriana Lingle and Rylee Sandrowicz

dreamstate

Choreography & Performance: Jessica Marino Mitcham
Composition & Live Music Performance: Adam Price

A CHANGE IN THE RHYTHM

Choreography: Jennifer Weaver
Music: If Only I by Bebe Rexha, Loud Luxury and Two Friends and OnlyL by TSHA featuring Nimmo
Performance: Moravian University Dance Company - Ella Bonser, Grace Canterbury, Morgan Del Moral, Ashley Halady, Morgen Johnson, Amanda Koehler, Abby Mai, Emily Massache, Caitlin McCormick

AT NIGHT WE BREATHE | LVDE Choreography Commission

Choreography: Malcolm Shute (in homage to Simone Forti)
Performance: Gianna Carnevalino, Danielle Curtin, Sarah Kraemer, Maggie Larrabee, Cady Rae Monasmith, Julia Ramirez, Arielle Ridley
Music: “Gnossiennes 1-3” by Erik Satie, performed by Klára Körmendi.

Femmeography in Heels

Choreography: Latosha Mitchell, creator of Femmeography in Heels
Music: Access Denied by Luck Daye ft. Ari Lennox
Performance: Latosha Mitchell, Holly Googe, Amber P. Williams

ABOUT SPRINGUP

SPECIAL THANKS TO
LVDE assistants Magdalene Larrabee & Becky Joy
SpringUP Assistant Graham Redman
Lighting Designer Chris Connnelly
Cedar Crest College Technical Director Kevin Gallagher
Backstage Assistants
….and supporters like YOU.

Now in its 12th year, the SpringUP Dance Festival in an annual event that offers Lehigh Valley dancers access to some of the most in-demand regional artists for 2 days of master workshops & shows. SpringUP is the only dance festival of its kind in the area and fulfills LVDE's goal to nurture the physical and artistic potential of the Lehigh Valleys established and emerging professional dancers through a supportive, inspiring festival environment. Brainstormed and developed by seasoned dance professionals, SpringUP fosters the creative potential of its participants in a more accessible and affordable format than similar experiences offered in the dance hubs of major metro areas.

This concert was made possible with generous support from the Cultural Programming Fund and the Dance Program at Cedar Crest College.

Sarah Carlson is the Founder & Artistic Director of DanceLink, a project-based company which seeks to bridge people, ideas & understanding through the power of movement. Sarah danced professionally for 10 years in NYC with numerous companies including Alexandra Beller/Dances, Brian Brooks Moving Company, Clare Byrne Dance, Paul Mosley Dance and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet.   As an independent choreographer, her own work has been presented throughout the US at venues such as ArtsQuest SteelStacks, Gibney Dance in NYC, On the Boards in Seattle, and The Yard on Martha’s Vineyard as well as in Benin, Africa. Sarah is a co-director of the Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange & a licensed massage therapist. Sarah is currently an Associate Professor of Dance at Cedar Crest College and has been on the dance faculty at Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College, DeSales University, and the University of Southern Mississippi. In 2007, she completed a Fulbright Grant studying Vodou ritual dance in Benin, Africa furthering an on-going inquiry into sacred dance forms. Sarah is the proud recipient of the 2023 LVAIC Dance Consortium’s Dance Service Award. In 2008, Sarah founded DanceLink to promote community and to use the wisdom of the body to unpack the big questions, often spiritual in nature.  DanceLink’s projects have received funding from the Pennsylvania Partners for the Arts, the Cultural Coalition of Allentown, the Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange, the Lehigh Valley Engaged Humanities Consortium and the King County Arts Commission. Sarah received a BA in French and European Studies from Connecticut College and an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington.

Melding tradition and modern storytelling through dance, Firuzi Desai stands as the visionary behind Vedanta Dance Academy (VDA) since its inception in 2002, transforming it into one of the Valley's most sought-after dance institutions. After earning both a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Indian classical dance, Desai doesn’t merely stick to the classical form of Bharatanatyam in Tanjore style; she draws inspiration from Indian folk dances, fusion rhythms, and the ever-enchanting Bollywood. Besides her active role at VDA, Cedar Crest College has benefited from her expertise as an adjunct professor. She has also been a guest lecturer at Muhlenberg College. Desai has been instrumental in enhancing the Valley's performing arts spectrum, collaborating with numerous educational institutions and participating in events such as India Heritage Day, Rising Together (in celebration of Women History Month), International Cultural Festival, Ten Tiny Dances Bethlehem Steel Stacks, Allentown Diversity Celebration Program, and Yoga Fest, to name a few. She is a proud recipient of the Gatherer's Award, presented by the City of Allentown. Dance, in Desai’s eyes, is more than just movement— it’s a dialogue. Her initiative, #PositiveSteps, is testament to this belief, as she channels the power of dance to shed light on pressing issues like mental health, prejudices, and social inequality. As she often proclaims, the diverse beliefs and identities people hold are akin to the spectrum of colors in a rainbow—distinct yet harmoniously coexisting. This year sees her deepening her impact in the community, emphasizing unity and societal harmony through her artistry.

Angela Sigley Grossman is a dance artist based in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. She holds an MFA degree in Dance Performance and Choreography from Temple University and earned a BA degree in Dance from DeSales University. She has presented choreographic work at various universities and conferences, and has shared her research at National Dance Education Organization’s national conferences. Angela joined the faculty at DeSales University in 2011 where she is an Associate Professor of Dance. In 2021 she was granted sabbatical leave to conduct embodied research using Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies as a choreographic process. She is currently investigating the intersection of generative Artificial Intelligence and dance-making.n is a dance artist based in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. She holds an MFA degree in Dance Performance and Choreography from Temple University and earned a BA degree in Dance from DeSales University. She has presented choreographic work at various universities and conferences, and has shared her research at National Dance Education Organization’s national conferences. Angela joined the faculty at DeSales University in 2011 where she is an Associate Professor of Dance. In 2021 she was granted sabbatical leave to conduct embodied research using Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies as a choreographic process. She is currently investigating the intersection of generative Artificial Intelligence and dance-making.

Giselle Mercedes was born in New York and raised here in the Lehigh valley. She has been dancing for 12 years. She’s performed in musicals, plays, and dance shows at Cedar Crest College while being a student there for three and a half years. Theatre credits include: Once on this Island, Charlotte’s Web, Sister Act, and many more. Giselle is currently a Zumba instructor at Cedar Crest College. 

Jessica Marino Mitcham grew up studying at Deanna Schubert School of Dance and was part of the first graduating class of Lehigh Valley Charter Arts High School for the Performing Arts in 2004. After freelancing and training in Philadelphia and New York as a young dancer, She continued on to earn a B.A. in Dance from Point Park University and spent most of her artistic career in Pittsburgh as an arts administrator, educator, and performing artist. She is now a restaurateur with her family as the General Manager of Sumneytown Hotel in Green Lane, PA. Before returning to Lehigh Valley in 2021, Mitcham was a tenured company member and soloist with STAYCEE PEARL dance project & Soy Sos | PearlArts Studios. Jessica was adjunct faculty and choreographer for University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Center for Theater Arts and also faculty for Point Park University. When working outside the studio, Jessica founded JAMpress Management in 2017 after 7 years working along Linda Reznik and River City Artists Management and has been Co-Director of Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange and Co-Producer of the SpringUP Dance Festival since 2010. Past professional performances includes work with; Shana Simmons Dance, EVOLVE Productions /Continuum Dance Theater, Jamie Erin Murphy, Jasmine Hearn, Maree ReMalia, Attack Theatre, Kathleen Bibalo-Nasti, Michael Walsh, Michele Van Doeren, Riva Strauss, Alyce Finwall, Beth Jucovy, Sarah Carlson, Gina Mento, Dance Visions, and Monarch Dance Company. Jessica's projects this year included presenting a solo in Changing the Race Dance presented by DanceLink and Soyinka Rahim | BIBOLOVE.US and choreographer for Lehigh University's musical production of, "Rags Parkland'' Directed by Lyam Gabel (fall 2023). “Special thanks to my husband, son family, and friends for encouraging dance into my life again."


Adam Price (Clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist) is from rural Pennsylvania, and if there is a root to his music, it lies there. But his newest album, the critically-acclaimed House Ghosts, often feels more like a river cruise down the Amazon than a screened-in porch in the mountains. It’s no surprise, as Price has performed across six continents. With sweeping melodies and haunting clarinet solos, Price evokes the very soul of jazz, never intending to reinvent the genre, but give it new life. Brazilian and African influences, collected on his many travels, fuse seamlessly in his compositions. The underlying headiness, however, was forged in New York, where he lived and performed for years. If Price’s music was whiskey, it would surely be infused, with base notes to ground you, while the heart and top notes send you somewhere else entirely. In addition to performing his own music, Adam is an active freelancer, is on faculty at Ferrwood Music Camp, has a private teaching studio, and is a co-founder of Relative Rhythms.

Latosha Mitchell is the creator/owner of Femmeography in Heels LLC. She is a Brooklyn, NY native, currently residing in Easton, PA. Her dance training includes jazz, African, modern, hip hop, and Street Stilettos. After training extensively and becoming obsessed with dancing in heels, she created a brand of her own - Femmeography in Heels - sensual, sexy, seductive & mature movements choreographed and performed in heels, for dancers and non-dancers alike. Her goal is to bring forth positivity and inspiration to others through Femmeography in Heels. She currently teaches Femmeography in Heels classes in NYC and PA, and is a dancer with Guilty Pleasures Cabaret, performing in various venues across the country, and Mika Romantic & Company.

Malcolm Shute, MFA, CMA, has led partnering workshops in Washington DC, Prague, Bogota, Toronto, and Kyoto. He has practiced contact improvisation for 35 years, and studied tai chi and aikido, which influenced the form. Shute teaches in the Dance Department at Towson University. He founded Human Landscape Dance (hldance.org) in 2006, and has since brought contact choreography around the world. Specializing in artist partnerships, Human Landscape Dance has given performances, held workshops, and shot video footage in Europe, Asia, and South America, as well as cities across the US and Canada. Noted for “…ingenious choreography and staging...” by the Washington Post, Shute’s dances are characterized by intimate portraits of people using touch to communicate, bodies molding to create a collage of images. 

Jennifer Dite Weaver holds an MFA in Dance from Temple University and a BA in Theater and Dance from Muhlenberg College. She has performed with Sesame Street Live, Eidolon Arts, NYC Broadway Cheerleaders, The Princeton Opera, The Pennington Players, Co-Art Dance Company and the Muhlenberg Theatre Association.  Her TV/film credits include “He Said, She Said” with Talk TV International, Marci X with Paramount Pictures, and commercials with Adidas, Bell Atlantic, and Time Warner.  She has choreographed Singin’ In The Rain for Shawnee Playhouse & Charter Arts, Bye Bye Birdie and The Wizard of Oz for Ohev Shalom, Candide for The Muhlenberg Summer Music Theater, and Jack and The Beanstalk for Playful Productions. Her teaching experience includes adjunct dance faculty at Morovian University, Muhlenberg College, Temple University, Mercer County Community College as well as tap and jazz classes at The Summer Dance Intensive at DeSales University.  She is a member of the Actor’s Equity Association and is presently Artistic Director of Dance at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts where she has taught dance for the past 17 years.