Presents

Dance Visions 2025

February 20-22, 2025
Irvine Barclay Theatre

Choreographers
Tong Wang
Charlotte Griffin
Molly Lynch
S. Ama Wray
Cyrian Reed
Lar Lubovitch

Costume Designer
Kaylynn Sutton

Lighting Designers
Rin Mizumoto
Kassia Curl

Stage Manager
DJ Maloney

Diane Diefenderfer and Tong Wang, artistic directors

Generous support for Dance Visions 2025 is provided by
Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance.

University of California, Irvine
Dr. Tiffany López, Claire Trevor Dean of the Arts
UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts

ARTISTIC DIRECTORS’ MESSAGE

The Department of Dance at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts welcomes you to Dance Visions 2025. We are delighted to present an outstanding variety of choreographic works from our esteemed faculty members, from Distinguished Professor Lar Lubovitch’s seminal work Marimba, revealing intricate, musically inspired movement patterns, to High Windows by Charlotte Griffin, sensitively high-lighting the interplay of opposite and double meanings, to the arresting Archaea by S. Ama Wray and Cyrian Reed, exploring the earth’s biosphere, taking us on an intense and imaginative journey intertwining multiple languages of dance, amplified by captivating visual imagery.

Showcasing the versatility and talents of our UCI dancers in the genre of classical ballet, Tong Wang presents segments of the iconic, romantic ballet Giselle while Molly Lynch’s Moonlight, imparts a star-like, dreamy atmosphere of classical dance with live accompaniment by Alan Terricciano.

We extend our gratitude to our esteemed colleagues in the Department of Drama – Design and Stage Management programs. Their extraordinary talents and commitments are essential in bringing this concert to fruition. The entire Dance Visions artistic team has continued its demonstration of excellence in education, performance and creativity, maintaining the Dance Department’s reputation nationally and internationally.

We also take this opportunity to thank all of our Department of Dance donors for their generous support of our students and dance productions. We are especially grateful to those who have ensured the Department’s standard of excellence by establishing an endowed fund. Student scholarships and essential support for this production are made possible by the William J. Gillespie Endowed Fund for Ballet Studies, the Sylvia Reines Endowed Scholarship in Dance, the R. and Walter A. Koehler, Beth L. Koehler Dance Scholarship Fund, the Gregory Brown Osborne Memorial Endowed Student Award in Ballet, the Fred Astaire Endowed Scholarship Fund, The Donald McKayle Endowment for Dance, the Elaine Koshimizu Scholarship for Inclusive Excellence in Dance, and the Susan & Goran Endowed Graduate Student Award in Dance.

Thank you for attending the performance and supporting dance at UCI!

– Diane Diefenderfer and Tong Wang,
artistic directors

PROGRAM

Giselle Act II (excerpt)

By Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot
Reconstructed by: Tong Wang
Dancers: Georgia Bilodeau, Katie Choi,
Lilia Costantino, Jaynica Dacuycuy,
Emily Mai Hongsermeier, Catherine Gibson,
Joy Hsiao, Adrina Hsieh, Anjoulie Kempton,
Madison (Maddie) Lee, Phoebe Lin, Alec Mercado,
Aviva Gelfer-Mundl*, Katie O’Gara, Brayden Page,
Ruby Rachman
Music: Adolphe Adam
Lighting Design: Kassia Curl
Costume Design: Jenn Dugan, Kaylynn Sutton

* guest artist

High Windows

Choreographer: Charlotte Griffin
Dancers: Addison Burvall, Justin Cerda, João Ducci,
Sabrina Huang, Natalie Shirota, Alyssa Zavala

(Thursday and Saturday at 2 p.m.)
Emily Mai Hongsermeier, Olivia Johnson,
Lily Kurimoto

(Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.)
Taya Ovsiannikov, Rosabella Salera, Alicia Young

Understudies: Katie Lam, Kayla Nielsen,
Sydney Shigemoto
Music: Recording of “High Windows” by
Christopher Cerrone performed by
the String Orchestra of Brooklyn
Christopher Cerrone HIGH WINDOWS
Used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, sole U.S. and Canadian agent for Schott Music Corporation, New York, NY, publisher and copyright owner.
Lighting Design: Rin Mizumoto
Costume Design: Kaylynn Sutton

Moonlight

Choreographer: Molly Lynch
Pianist: Alan Terricciano
Dancers: Alana Barasorda, Vanessa Bouranis,
Dora Kao Cheng, Lauren Clarke, Brenna Farrell,
Emilie Morgan Kaiser, Gabriella Padilla,
Katelyn Potyondy, Ruby Rachman, Sarah Sun,
Sterling Tu, Antoinette Wood

And Katie Choi, Alessandra Kelly, Katie O’Gara,
Alec Mercado, Ryan Robinson
Music: Piano Sonata No. 2, Allegro Agitato by
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Lighting Design: Rin Mizumoto
Costume Design: Kaylynn Sutton

INTERMISSION

MARIMBA (A Trance Dance)

Choreographer: Choreography (1976) Lar Lubovitch
Dancers: Vanessa Bouranis, Justin Cerda, João Ducci,
Anisa Johnson, Alessandra Kelly, Gabriella Padilla,
Braydon Page, Francine Mae Peji, Ashley Cook,
Maya Malaby
Understudies: Mia Gabby, Lindsay Scarpatti,
Emilie Morgan Kaiser
Music: “Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ” (1973) by Steve Reich
Lighting Design: Rin Mizumoto
Costume Design: Jenn Dugan, Kaylynn Sutton
Projection Design: John Crawford
Video source footage courtesy of Christina Frain

Artist Biographies

Diane Diefenderfer

Diane Diefenderfer, Co-Artistic Director, was a soloist with the Frankfurt Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet NY and the Los Angeles Ballet companies. She performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia in classical repertoire – Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Coppelia, Giselle, as well as numerous Balanchine ballets – Serenade, Four Temperaments, Apollo, La Valse, Allegro Brilliante, Scotch Symphony, to name a few. She is an Associate Professor of Teaching – ballet and Repertoire, and serves as the undergraduate advisor for the UCI Dance Department. Diane, a certified Master Teacher of the Pilates Method, created the Pilates program for the department, educating dance majors in increased kinesthetic awareness and injury prevention. She continues as a distinguished teacher for the online site PilatesAnytime, presents lectures and workshops worldwide and conducts Pilates teacher training programs, proudly guiding the next generation of Pilates teachers. Diane is a contributing author to 2 books on wellness, Dance Injuries, Reducing Risk and Maximizing Performance and Women’s Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan.

Tong Wang

Tong Wang, after graduating with honors from the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy Ballet department in 1986, Tong Wang performed as a principal artist with companies such as Shanghai Ballet, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Dayton Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and, most recently, Ballet West. Tong performed internationally and was featured in 2002 Winter Olympic Concert, Edinburgh Festival, and China International Dance Festival. While dancing professionally, Tong completed his B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in Ballet Teaching and Choreography with the University of Utah Ballet Department and also worked as a guest faculty member from 2000-2005. From 2005-2007, Tong served as Assistant Professor of Dance at Wright State University. He held the position of Dance professor at Butler University from 2007-2011. In fall 2011, Tong joined the distinguished Dance Department of University of California, Irvine. Currently serving as an associate professor, Tong was one of the creators and artistic directors for East Meets West International Dance and Music Festival. He is a regular judge, coach, and master teacher for Star of Canaan Dance International Competition Malaysia and Singapore, the Miami International Competition and Taoli Cup. Tong also serves on the board of Pan American Chinese Dance Alliance, and the selection committee of the “My Heritage, My Dance”, a project to support and promote Chinese dance in higher education in the U.S. and abroad. As a master teacher, Tong has taught internationally and nationally at National Ballet of China, Hong Kong Ballet, Ballet West, Beijing Dance Academy, Colorado Ballet and National Choreography Initiative.

DANCE FACULTY

Kelli Sharp, Chair

John Crawford
Diane Diefenderfer
Jennifer Fisher
Charlotte Griffin
Lindsay Gilmour
Chad Michael Hall
Ariyan Johnson
Lar Lubovitch
Molly Lynch
Vitor Luiz
E. Macias
Lisa Naugle
Cyrian Reed
Alan Terricciano
Tong Wang
S. Ama Wray

DANCE STAFF

Michelle Hu, Management Services Officer
Emma Andres, Department Analyst
Daniel Maniou, Principal Musician
Bruno Cilloniz, Musical Accompanist
Mario Karacic, Musical Accompanist
Yaqi (Vera) Mackay, Musical Accompanist

Thank You!

The Claire Trevor School of the Arts would like to recognize those donors who gave $1,000 or more during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Visionaries $1 million+
Mr. J.S. Kim

Ambassadors $100,000–$250,000
Beall Family Foundation
Matthew and Janet Proudfoot

Partners $50,000–$99,999
Susan Hori *+

Investors $25,000–$49,999
Matt Bailey *+
Joseph Huszti ‡
Leo Freedman Foundation
James and Sheila Peterson *+
Richard B. Siegel Foundation
Steven M. Sorenson Foundation *+

Patrons $10,000–$24,999
Anonymous Donors
Dennis and Diane Baker
The Estate of Ann and William Cullen
Farmers & Merchants Bank Foundation
Mary Gilly and John Graham +
Tyler Holcomb
Cloud Hsueh ‡ and Fang Hsu
The Estate of Bobi Keenan
James and Katie Loss
Robert Peirson +
Cheryll and Richard Ruszat *+
The Segerstrom Foundation
The Shubert Foundation

Benefactors $5,000–$9,999
Kimberly Burge
Anthony Chen, M.D. and Yali Chen
Robert Farnsworth and Lori Grayson +
Valerie Glass
Pamela and Carl Lagoni
Helen and Fritz Lin
Goran Matijasevic +
Julia Reinhard Lupton and Kenneth Reinhard +
Kenneth and Helene Rohl
Diane Silber +
Susan and Eugene Spiritus
Socorro and Ernesto Vasquez +
Mary Watson-Bruce *+

Fellows $2,500–$4,999
Edward and Janis Carpenter +
Gerald and Veronica DeVries
Albert and Anne Encinias +
Tamara Fabian
Alvin and Rosalie Glasky +
James and Gail Lopes
Tiffany López *+
Chris Mesel
Howard and Ellen Mirowitz +
The Robert and Doreen Marshall Fund for Dramatic Arts and Classical Music
Orange County Community Foundation
Pacific Art Foundation
Hemantha Wickramasinghe +

Advocates $1,000–$2,499
Elaine and Daniel Aldrich +
Brien Amspoker and Ellen Breitman +
Nancy Arnold
Joyce Averna +
Stephen and Michelle Barker +
Haroutune and Lorna Bedelian
Sonja Berggren and Patrick Seaver
Kevin Bossenmeyer and Terilea Wielenga
Gwendolyn and Ian Black
Donald and Toni Bradley
Clinton and Allison Chao
Ralph and Carol Clayman
Joseph Connor
Jaime DeJong +
Thomas and Ainin Edman +
Barbara Finlayson-Pitts
John and Michele Forsyte +
Douglas and Lynn Freeman +
Diana Ghoukassian +
Donald and Pamela Gilmour
Michael and Karol Gottfredson +
Carol Greenwald +
Loreen and Andrew Guilford
Edwin and Norma Henderson
Jamison Judd +
Mary Karyl and John Thorne
Timothy and Pamela Kashani +
Yang-Uk Kim +
Jennifer Klein +
Michael and Elaine Kleinman
Susan and Lynn Lasswell +
Jeff Lefkoff and Mary Gholson
Nancy Locke +
Heather MacDonald and Erich Eichman
Margaret and Mark Marshall
Jared and Kathryn Mathis +
Gary and Maya Matkin +
Anthony and Rachel Maus
Kathleen Mellon
William and Lane Minton
James Nelson
Michael Oppenheim
Karine Rivet +
Carolyn Scheer
Paula and Steve Schwartz
Nina Scolnik
Ronald and Sandi Simon +
Gary and Melanie Singer +
Mitchell and Maureen Spann +
Vina Spiehler
Richard and Alison Stein *+
Thomas and Marilyn Sutton +
The Tigger Fund
Jason and Desiree Valdry
Joel Veenstra and Family +
Irwin and Michele Walot
James White
Lorri and Mike Whitney
S. Ama Wray
Katy Young and Christopher Lee
Shirley Zanton and Michael Whalen

Legacy and Endowment Donors
We are grateful for the trust and foresight of those who have ensured the Claire Trevor School of the Arts’ brilliant future by establishing an endowed fund or have included us in their estate plans.
Anonymous Donors
Diane and Dennis Baker
Edna Beach ‡
The Donald Bren Foundation
Ann Cullen ‡
Robert ‡ and Lorna Cohen
Frank D’Accone ‡
William Daughaday
Kris and Linda Elftmann
Leo Freedman Foundation
William J. Gillespie ‡
Henry W. Bull Foundation
Gunther Holland ‡
Bobi Keenan ‡
Victor Klein ‡
Beth Koehler ‡
Walter Koehler ‡
Michael and Stacy Koehn
Elaine Koshimizu ‡
Lucille Kuehn ‡
Betty C. Leidal ‡
Alice S. Lowell ‡
Fariborz and Azam Maseeh
Meyer Sound
Thomas Nielsen
Virginia and Norman Nixon ‡
Ronald C. Offen ‡
Michael R. Oppenheim
Lois J. Osborne ‡
Matthew and Janet Proudfoot
Marjorie and Robert Rawlins ‡
Sylvia and Frederick Reines ‡
Ryna H. Rothberg
Nancy Ruyter
Helene Santley ‡
Audrey M. Schneiderman ‡
H. Colin Slim ‡
Winifred Smith ‡
Thomas and Elizabeth Tierney
Claire Trevor ‡
Andrew Vacca
Bette Warner ‡
Hal B. Yolen ‡

* Dean’s Arts Board Members
+ Claire Trevor Society Members
‡ In Memoriam

This list represents generous gifts, pledges and pledge payments made between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. Multi-year pledges are recognized for their full amount in the fiscal year they are made, and subsequent payments are recognized for their cash value. Please accept our apologies for any errors or omissions in this list. For questions, please contact ctsadevelopment@uci.edu.

Land Acknowledgement

The University of California, Irvine, campus is located on the homelands of the Kizh (Gabrieleño), Acjachemen (Juaneño) and Payómkawichum (Luiseño) peoples, who are the original stewards of the land colonially known as Irvine, California. This region extends from the Santa Ana River to Aliso Creek and beyond. As a land grant institution member, we acknowledge these Indigenous Peoples as traditional land caretakers who, in the face of settler colonialism, continue to claim their place and act as stewards to protect their ancestral lands as they have for the past 8,000 years. Additionally, these lands have been shaped by Latino, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino and Chinese laborers who have built roads and railroads and worked California crop fields, as well as the African Americans in the Civilian Conservation Corps that helped make (southern) California National Parks what they are today.

We pause to acknowledge the colonial devastation of stolen land, genocide, and forced labor that founded much of the social and economic infrastructure upon which we currently live, work and prosper. We also consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration and settlement that bring us here today.

UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples and the enduring relationship between them and their traditional territories. It is essential for the UCI community to acknowledge this history as the first step towards honoring the native people and beginning the healing process.

Today this meeting place is home to many Indigenous Peoples from all over the world, including UCI faculty, students and staff. We respectfully honor and recognize the original and current caretakers of this land, water, and air: The Kizh, Acjachemen and Payómkawichum peoples and all their ancestors and descendants, past, present and future. We are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work on these homelands.

Information for our acknowledgement is informed and inspired by efforts made throughout UCI and other related cultural institutions, including the Kizh Nation – Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians public information, UCI Libraries, Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing, UCI Sustainability Resource Center, and UC Riverside Native American Student Programs and UCR Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion land acknowledgement. Learn more by visiting the websites Native Land and UCI Community Resilience.