FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On Saturday, June 2, 2012 at 8pm, MM2 Modern Dance Company will present a preview of their new season work, Conversations, a dialog in movement, at Chi Movement Arts Center, 1316 S 9th St., Philadelphia. Tickets are $10 general admission and $8 for students and seniors with advance sales online at DanceBoxOffice.com

Interactive, at times spontaneous, much of it personal and intimate: conversation comes between two or more people that affects something, someone, at some level. Dance allows us to express who we are within the context of the movement, and thus is the simplest form of communication. It is primal. It is a conversation in itself between body, breath and beat that can also be shared with others. Such conversations are indispensable; they are at our very core. These conversations take on a life of their own, a dynamic momentum, with the ebb and flow of our daily lives. With this new work by MM2, each of the company members, dancers and choreographers, has created their own dialog through movement, their own conversation.

This sneak preview of Conversations is being offered before the company goes on tour in Canada later this month under a grant from the WHW Foundation. The final production of Conversations will premiere at the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe in September.

MM2 Modern Dance Company, under the direction of Steven Weisz, has established itself as an incubator, providing support, space and opportunities for new emerging dance artists, who wish to explore the choreographic process, in order to cultivate and introduce new work to new audiences.

MM2 recognizes the inherent value in nurturing developing artists as well as the collaborative spirit to foster creativity, while pushing boundaries and forward-thinking.  While MM2 is artist-driven, it is also community-centered, recognizing the need to educate, advocate, support and promote artistic vitality in the region.  MM2 dancers are committed to creating and performing a new body of work each year. As a presenter, MM2 serves and fosters Philadelphia’s growing modern and contemporary dance audience.

This season’s dancers/choreographers are: Jessica Bryan, Katelyn Capato, Jenna Faye Eugenides, Heather Fleischman, Angela Frezzo, Kaylee Goodwin, Jennifer Laucella, Brianne Scott. And Matthew Varvar.

QUICK FACTS
Show:  CONVERSATIONS, a dialog in movement
Company: MM2 Modern Dance Company
Date: Saturday, June 2, 2012
Times: 8:00 pm – one show only
Venue:  Chi Movement Arts Center, 1316 S 9th St., Philadelphia
Tickets:  $10 general admission; $8 students and seniors. Available on www.DanceBoxOffice.com
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS

Available for download at: http://mm-2.org/presskit.html

2012 company members are:  Jessica Bryan, Katelyn Capato, Jenna Faye Eugenides, Heather Fleischman, Angela Frezzo, Kaylee Goodwin, Jennifer Laucella, Brianne Scott. And Matthew Varvar.

Artistic Direction: Steven Weisz
Collaborative Partner: Jon Mulhearn, Author

More about MM2 Modern Dance can be found on the web at http://www.mm-2.org
Available for appearances and interviews upon request. mm2dance@gmail.com

On Saturday, May 6, 2012, the company had the opportunity to take a modern dance workshop with Megan Mazarick.  The entire company was drawn in to the mix of technique, along with Megan’s own blend of creative movement. The class helped to open open an entirely new perspective and approach to viewing and creating modern dance movement.

Megan Mazarick received her BFA in dance from University of North Carolina at Greensboro, her MFA in dance from Temple University, and is currently pursuing a 250 hour yoga certification through Dhyana Yoga in Philadelphia.  Her research and choreography have been supported by an Independence Fellowship (2011), Live Arts Brewery Fellowship (2010-2011), Susan Hess Choreography Residency (2009-2010), CEC New Edge Residency (2009), Ellen Forman Memorial Award (2008), and by the hard work of many students/collaborative artists.  Megan’s work has been presented throughout Philadelphia (Live Arts Festival, nEW Festival, Philadelphia Dance Projects, PARD, etc), Pennsylvania (Silkworks Theater, West Chester University), San Francisco (Oberlin Dance Center), Minneapolis (Southern Theater), New York City (Movement Research at Judson Church, Triskelion Arts, Dance New Amsterdam), New Jersey (Rowan University), West Virginia (Goose Route Dance Festival), and North Carolina (North Carolina Dance Alliance, University of North Carolina, and Bickett Gallery). Through artist collaborations, she self-produced work in Philadelphia Fringe Festivals 2005-2007 and co-produced Post-Op, a dance series at The Painted Bride Arts Center in January 2011.  Megan  believes in nurturing other artists, which is why she co-directed the nEW Festival from 2010-2012 and is an enthusiastic teacher.  She has taught at various universities (she is currently adjunct faculty at Rowan University) and enjoys teaching dance for many ages and levels.

Megan is currently teaching modern dance on Monday’s at 5:30pm at the Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130.  If you have a chance to take a class it is well worth the time!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Steve Tobin – Roots, 2005, cast bronze, 120″ x 180″ x 180″
Dancers: Heather Fleischman & Brianne Scott

On Saturday, June 2, 2012 from 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm, MM2 Modern Dance will be performing at Grounds For Sculpture as part of their Anniversary Arts Party. The annual celebration of the founding of Grounds For Sculpture, offers a host of activities and events for all ages. As part of the Meet the Artists Tours, MM2 Modern Dance will create improvisational dance at select sculptures based on the individual artist’s interpretations, along with visitor’s input and interaction.

Dance with Sculpture is a program that directly resulted from collaboration between Grounds For Sculpture and MM2 Modern Dance Company over the past nine years, after an experimental and most successful performance, that occurred to a small audience of fifty. Since 2003, the collaboration between GFS and MM2 has offered over 50 cross-disciplinary dance and sculpture programs, serving thousands of persons of all ages.

Dance with Sculpture has provided new and innovative interpretations and appreciation of the sculptures on the site and which led to a deeper appreciation of both art forms. Feedback provided by audience members and participants has indicated that the interaction of the dancers with the sculptures, in the natural environment,  creates an aesthetic experience that is life-enriching for all.

MM2 dancers are able to work with artists and art in the park, create new choreography and gain exposure and feedback for their works. Grounds For Sculpture attendees have also had an opportunity to observe the creation of site-specific pieces and works in progress, as MM2 rehearsed and worked at Grounds For Sculpture with specific artists/sculptors.

Anniversary Arts Party at Grounds For Sculpture featuring MM2 Modern Dance
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Event:  11am – 4pm
MM2 Performances:  12 Noon – 3:00pm
18 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619 (609) 586-0616
Performance free with park admission.
http://www.groundsforsculpture.org
http://www.mm-2.org

Grounds For Sculpture, located in Hamilton, New Jersey (midway between Philadelphia and New York), is a forty-two acre sculpture garden and arboretum on the former site of the New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Founded by Seward Johnson to promote an understanding and appreciation of contemporary sculpture, the park has been enchanting visitors since 1992. Grounds For Sculpture features more than 270 contemporary sculptures, and two 10,000 square foot museum galleries with rotating exhibits. In addition, the park offers workshops for children and adults, concerts, performances, fairs, shopping and fine dining at the Zagat’s-rated Rat’s Restaurant. Visit www.groundsforsculpture.org for more information. Park hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for students; children 5 and under are free.

MM2 Choreographer, Heather Fleischman will present Cookie Cutter, danced by Katelyn Capato, Brianne Scott and Matthew Varvar.  In describing her new work, Heather notes, “We are not perfect images of one another, even if we come from the same cloth.  We are not stuck in the humdrum of life.  We are full of originality; nothing about us is mass produced.  There will always be something different, even if it is the smallest alteration.  There may be subtle similarity, but we will all have our unique differences and takes on situations.  Appearances can be deceiving.  Those around us will help mold and create parts of us, but we are there to take charge of those learned habits and make them our own.  We are not cookie cutter images.”
Choreographer, Jenna Faye Eugenides offers up The Continuing Effects, a piece which examines abandonment and how it can happen in an instant and have lasting, lifetime effects on an individual. This will be danced by Jessica Bryan, Katelyn Capato, Angela Frezzo and Kaylee Goodwin.

Set to debut in late Spring of 2012, Conversations is literally a dialog through movement. With this new work, the company of ten dancers and choreographers explores our most fundamental means of communicating and interacting.

Alchemy Dance Annual Fundraiser Performance
One night only!  Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 7:30pm
Featuring: Alchemy Dance, InMotion Dance Company, MM2 Modern Dance Company,
Kristin Narcowich, Putty Dance Project and Jessica C. Warchal-King
The Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine Street, Philadelphia
Tickets:  $10 in advance on Dance Box Office or $15 cash at the door.

Angela has studied dance since the age of three. She began her instruction at Karen Myers Dance Company, focusing on ballet, tap, jazz and musical theater. Angela recently graduated from West Chester University with a bachelors degree in Education. During her studies at West Chester, she also minored in dance and was President of the University Dance Company. Her responsibilities as part of the company included not only performing, but development of choreography for many of the productions. Angela’s focus has been primarily modern dance, in which she completed an internship, working with a variety of guest artists. During her senior year at West Chester, she was given the opportunity to showcase her work “Obstructed” in the adjudicated performance at the American College Dance Festival. Angela has continued at Karen Myers Dance Company, but now as an instructor and choreographer.

Jennifer Laucella began her dance training in the Philadelphia area at the age of four. She continued her training at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford where she graduated with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance in 2011. While at the Hartt School, Jennifer was fortunate enough to study under world-class faculty including Hilda Morales, Nina Watt, Stephen Pier, Katie Stevinson-Nollet and many more. She has also had the opportunity to study at the Julidans festival in Amsterdam, and received her Pilates certification from the Pilates Center of Western Massachusetts. Jennifer has performed with the Rebecca Davis Dance Company, DancEnlight, and Music and Motion Dance. Currently, Jennifer also performs with Tikvah Company of Artists and teaches dance at Delaware Valley Dance Academy.

Matthew has studied dance for the past nine years at Showbiz Kidz in Lopatcong, NJ. He also teaches tap, jazz, acro and hip hop at that studio. He currently attends Warren County Technical School, we he majors in theater arts. Matthew has placed and won numerous competitions and in 2010 was the recipient of a Freddie Award. He currently has leading roles in Seussical The Musical.

MM2 Modern Dance will be offering up two pieces for the upcoming ETC Performance Series, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, December 3 & 4, 2011 at 8pm at the Community Education Center, 3500 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia.

ETC. Performance Series, curated by Charles Tyson, Jr. is  an opportunity for performance artists of any and all genres to show their work to a new and diverse audience in an intimate venue.  Dance, music, theater, performance art, stand-up comedy, spoken-word and poetry can all comprise these bi-monthly events.

For this series, MM2 will be presenting TRUST, choreographed by Heather Fleischman and performed by Jessica Bryan , Katelyn Capato,  Jenna Faye Eugenides, Anhthi “Maria” Nguyen, Kaylee Goodwin,  and Brianne Scott.

In addition, SPACE,  choreographed by Brianne Scott will also be featured as danced by Jessica Bryan, Katelyn Capato, Jenna Faye Eugenides,  Heather Fleischman, Kaylee Goodwin and Brianne Scott.

Both of these pieces were premiered in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival and the Wilmington Fringe Festival this year as part of MM2′s ONE WORD series.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 from students, seniors and dance professionals.
Advanced purchase may be made on line at DanceBoxOffice.com or cash may be presented at the door.

***Photo Credit: Bill Hebert

This past weekend in lieu of regular rehearsal, the dancers of MM2 took a master class with Kun-Yang Lin at Philadelphia’s Chi Movement Arts Center in South Philadelphia. Specifically, the group worked on transitions in movement or the “the space in between”.

Through a series of directed exercises, the group re-examined concepts of core and being grounded, while at the same time developing fluidity of movement.

As a prelude to our upcoming season and new collective work “Conversations”, Kun-Yang also had the group pair off to create spoken dialogues while mirroring movement.

Kun-Yang Lin is an acknowledged master of dance and choreography, but he is also an incredible teacher and mentor of dancers. The group found him to be most inspiring. If your are ever able to take a class with him, the experience is more than recommended.

More about Kun-Yang Lin and CHI Movement Arts Center at http://kunyanglin.org

MM2 company members DaQuinn Lloyd and Michael Nguyen had the opportunity to work this past weekend with renowned photographer, Jordan Matter, who was shooting in Philadelphia as part of his “Dancers Among Us” tour.  In a recent deal with Workman Publishing, a national book release of Dancers Among Us, is tentatively scheduled for the spring of 2013.

In 2009, photographer Jordan Matter began a series of shots capturing dancers in motion throughout New York. The initial project, featured members of the Paul Taylor and Martha Graham Dance Companies, as well as settings like Yankee Stadium and the New York Public Library.  “In the photographs they (the dancers) are away from the stage, yet they cannot leave dance behind. As they go about their daily routines, they do so as dancers,” according to Matter in a NBC New York interview. “It’s a stylized way of saying, they’re always dancing, even if they’re just picking up the groceries or crossing the street.”

For his upcoming book release, Jordan hopes to photograph dancers in every region of the United States, and to create a book truly representative of America. Were glad that Philadelphia was on his list of stops!

Jordan spent over 15 hours shooting in Philadelphia starting at the art museum steps as the crack of dawn and finishing at what he called “the most crowded cheese steak joint on the planet”, namely Geno’s in South Philadelphia. Along the way, he got a bit tired, so our two dancers helped him out by giving him a lift!

Learn more about Jordan Matter, Dancers Among Us and view simply inspiring photography on his web site, www.jordanmatter.com

***Photo by Jennifer Jones, NYC Dancer/Choreographer/Teacher

The WHW Foundation is a private corporate fund that  support arts organizations as they develop and test innovative ideas to reach new audiences, so that many more people might enjoy the benefits of the arts. Their grants are awarded on a limited basis, once every three years. MM2 Modern Dance Company was one of five recipients chosen nationally to receive this  years award.

Recognizing that building arts audiences is important even in tough economic times, the foundation noted MM2′s efforts “in building new frameworks for engaging audiences, seeking diversity in cultural participation, using technologies to enhance brand awareness, formation of collaborative partnerships with other arts institutions and beginning work on new educational strategies to cultivate new and under-served audiences.”

The company is  sad to see Shara Harad leave us, but she has accepted a full time job position in New York City. We wish her the very best and much success as she pursues her career.

After exhaustive auditions, MM2 is pleased to announce the addition of new company member DaQuinn Lloyd.

DaQuinn Lloyd entered the wonderful world of dance his freshman year of high school. For the last nine years, he has studied ballet, hip hop, jazz, modern, lyrical, african, and contemporary, and has been loving every minute of it. He began dancing in his hometown, Clarks Summit, PA, at The Devine School of Dance. DaQuinn has danced for various studios and companies including Diane Matthews School of Dance under Diane Matthews, Dance Action of Newtown under Carol McFarlane, and Underground Dance Works under Charles Tyson. This is his second year as dance instructor and choreographer for Dance Action of Newtown in Newtown, PA. DaQuinn is currently in his 5th year of college where he attends West Chester University as a Spanish major and a dance minor. Here, he is part of the West Chester University Dance Company, has been involved with their fall and spring dance productions and representing West Chester at the American College Dance Festival. This year will be his first showcase of his own choreography with the University Dance Company as well as MM2.