CO/LAB COLLECTIVE
A Vibrant Dance Showcase
Choreographed and Performed by NMU Dance Students & Faculty
This year, the CO/LAB COLLECTIVE will present a collaborative experience in every sense of the word. Spanning various dance genres, students and faculty will showcase the collaborative process between dancers and choreographers, with the inclusivity of how music, art, and poetry can influence movement.
Thursday, September 30th at 8:00pm - Opening Night Party
Saturday, October 2nd at 8:00pm
Location: Forest Roberts Theatre
Tickets are $17 for General Public, $12 for NMU Faculty/Staff, Seniors, and Military, $10 for Students, and $5 for NMU Students.
Cast List
Thunderstruck
Music: "Thunderstuck" by AC/DC
Covered by Tease
Drums: Kent Brock
Guitar: Jake Tyler
Bass: Oskar Martinez
Backing track composed by Dan Zini
Backing track vocals by Gracie Fries
Vocals: Gracie Fries
Choreographed by Gracie Fries
Dancers: Aj'a Miller, Breanna Ladiski, Gianna Daprai, Kyra Skinner, Mariel Morton, Skylar Taavola, Sylvia Gravel
To Have a Body
Performed to "To Have a Body," an original poem by Jessica Hudson
Poem voiced by Megan Hibbard
Choreographed by Logan Stoner
Dancers: Ariana Rodriguez, Brigitte Bartesch, Eden Langlois, Maisie Zahn, Megan Hibbard
Sound Engineer: William Squires IV
Heavy Clouds
Music: "Heavy Clouds" by Luke Arquette and Gretchen McKenzie-Trost
Vocals by Gretchen McKenzie-Trost
Music produced by Luke Arquette
Choreographed by Maisie Zahn
Dancers: Brigitte Bartesch, Eden Langlois, Logan Stoner, Maisie Zahn
Breathe
Music: "Breathe" by Fleurie
Choreographed by Skylar Taavola
Dancers: Josie Taylor, Thailey Leak, Christina Ferrera, Rose Goltz, Paige Myers, Eden Langlois, Madison Tasson, Kendalyn Persons, Kylie L'Huillier, Ciara Witkowski, Isabella Bekkala, Skylar Taavola, Emma Sweet, Sylvia Gravel
Je suis un cactus
Music: "Allez allez allez," "Tout dit," and "Jolie bruine" by Camille
Videographer: Dan Zini
Choreographed by Karina Johnson
Dancers: Aj'a Miller, Devon Michael Dickerson, Gianna Daprai, Kyra Skinner, Megan Hibbard, Sylvia Gravel
Creative Team
| Director | Jill Grundstrom |
| Assistant Director | Karina Johnson |
| Choreographers | Gracie Fries, Karina Johnson, Logan Stoner, Skylar Taavola, Maisie Zahn |
| Scenic Coordinator | Seth Bowen |
| Costume Designer | Joel Shinavier |
| Lighting Designer | Avery Zahlmann |
| Sound Designers | Ryan Harvey, Dan Zini |
| Properties Artisan | Keli Crawford-Truckey |
| Production Stage Manager | Toni Danz |
Additional Artistic Staff
| Assistant Stage Managers | Samantha Wardisiani, Eliot Morse |
| Master Electrician | Megan Hibbard |
Forest Roberts Theatre Professional Staff
| Producer | Bill Digneit |
| Directors of Theatre and Dance | Jill Grundstrom and Bill Digneit |
| Production Manager | David Pierce |
| Technical Director and Scene Shop Supervisor | Braeden Ingersoll |
| Properties Artisan | Keli Crawford-Truckey |
| Scenic/Paint Supervisor | Lex van Blommestein |
| Master Carpenter | Emily Kendall |
| Costume Shop Supervisor | Ann Juidici |
| Lighting Supervisor | David Pierce |
| Sound and Media Supervisor | Dan Zini |
| Marketing/Box Office Manager | Lilith Kontos |
Forest Roberts Theatre Staff
| Scene Shop Technicians | Sylvia Bednarczyk†, Emma Block, Seth Bowen†, Noah Proctor, Samantha Wardisiani |
| Costume Shop Student Supervisor | Joel Shinavier |
| Costume Shop Staff | Ella Bartlett Filipowicz, Suzanne Shahbazi |
| Sound/Media Student Supervisor | William Squires IV |
| Electrics Student Supervisors | Marla Alden, Megan Hibbard |
| Electrics/Sound Technicians | Ryan Harvey, Erin Hope, DaShawn Mitchell, Ethan Rickert, Amarae' Robinson |
| Assistant Marketing/Box Office Manager | Aubrey Wolck† |
| Marketing/Box Office Staff | Toni Danz, Erin Hope, Clair Kaminski, Logan Stoner |
† Indicates membership in Alpha Psi Omega, the National Theatre Honor Society.
Cast Bios
Eden Langlois is a senior majoring in elementary education and social studies with a minor in integrated sciences. Eden has been dancing ever since she was 2 years old and has been a dance teacher at Superior Dance Academy for over 4 years. She was on the Marquette Senior High School dance team for 4 years and is a fourth year member of the Northern Michigan University dance team. Outside of dance, Eden enjoys running, hanging out with friends, and taking care of her kitten, Luna. Eden is very grateful for this experience and cannot wait to perform in CO/LAB COLLECTIVE!
Breanna Ladiski is currently a fourth year student at NMU. She is pursuing a major in clinical laboratory science and a minor in dance. She has accomplished eighteen years of dance and started dancing when she was four years old. Breanna has performed in the North Coast Dance Festival, and she is very excited to be in the CO/LAB COLLECTIVE performing in "Thunderstruck."
Kyra Skinner is a junior at NMU from Pickford, MI. She is a working towards two degrees, one in dance and the other in psychology with a developmental concentration. She has been dancing for 17 years and is so excited to perform in her second show of the fall and fourth of her NMU career! She is also a co-captain of the Hip Hop Dance Crew, who performed at the Spotlight Variety Show at the Shoreline Theatre at the beginning of the semester. Kyra is performing in two pieces in CO/LAB COLLECTIVE and is ready for everyone to see the variety of pieces that the choreographers and performers have put together for our friends, family, and community members. She is especially excited for her parents to come see her perform for the first time at NMU... yay for performing live again!
Skylar Taavola is a senior majoring in management of health and fitness with a minor in dance. Previous NMU Theatre and Dance shows she has been a part of include East of the Sun, West of the Moon, What We Leave Behind, North x North Coast, and the North Coast Dance Festival. Skylar is currently the president and choreographer of the NMU Dance Team. She enjoys teaching various styles of dance and gymnastics at New Attitudes Dance Studios. Her favorite class to teach is Shooting Starz, an integrative dance program for children with special needs. She has also been a choreographer for Marquette’s The Nutcracker and Superior Arts Youth Theater. Skylar is very thankful and excited for this opportunity to choreograph and dance for CO/LAB COLLECTIVE!
Thailey Leak is a junior majoring in neuroscience with minors in Spanish and pre-professional science. She has been dancing competitively for 14 years and is the current Vice President of the NMU Dance Team. Outside of school and dance, she spends her time participating in various academic clubs and working as a Medication Technician at a memory care facility. Thailey is beyond grateful to be able to have a performance opportunity during the pandemic.
Sylvia Gravel is a third year student studying dance with a minor in biology. She has been dancing since the age of three, and is one of the captains of the NMU Dance Team this year. Previously, she has performed in the Spotlight Variety Show and the North Coast Dance Festival. Sylvia is incredibly excited to dance for a live audience on the FRT stage for the first time since coming to Northern! She is very grateful for the opportunity to perform in three completely different pieces for this showcase. Sylvia would like to thank all of the choreographers, crew, and performers for making this show come to life!
Maisie Zahn is currently a senior studying sports science at Northern Michigan University. She is from Chattanooga, Tennessee where she was classically trained in ballet for nine years. During her time at NMU, Maisie was given multiple opportunities to perform in various shows. With the help of the NMU Theatre and Dance Department, Maisie has choreographed Halfway To Foolish, Drifting, and Appalachian Spring Ballet within the last year. She is beyond grateful for the help from her dancers and professors in creating her last piece, Heavy Clouds, with Northern Michigan University.
Devon Michael Dickerson is a freshman currently enrolled in the indoor agriculture program. He has been dancing for about two years now and danced with The Dance Academy of Michigan back in his hometown of Iron Mountain. Devon is passionate about entomology and horticulture and has a vast collection of insects and exotic plants. He is also an NMU cheerleader.
Gianna Daprai is a first year student at NMU double majoring in environmental science and dance. She is from Lake Orion, Michigan, and loves being in the Upper Peninsula for school. She did competitive dance for fourteen years and participated in the Varsity Dance Team in high school. She is experienced with many styles, including her favorites, hip-hop and contemporary. Gianna is excited to make her performance debut at Northern with the CO/LAB COLLECTIVE.
Megan Hibbard is a senior pursuing her BA in Theatre and minoring in art and design. She is passionate about both performance and lighting design and you may have seen her onstage as Lisa in Mamma Mia!, a dancer in What We Leave Behind, or in last year’s Spotlight Variety Show and North Coast Dance Festival. Megan is so excited to be performing again and is so thankful for the support of all of her friends, family, castmates, and crewmates! She hopes you enjoy the show!
Gracie Fries is a senior pursuing a bachelor's degree in dance with a business concentration. Her passion lies in the musical arts with twenty-one years of dance instruction and vocal lessons. She spent high school teaching at Julie’s Top Hat Dance Studio and is currently teaching at both Julie’s and Dawn Dott Dance Studio. She was a pro-dancer in the 2019 “Dancing With Our Stars Marquette County Style, Disney Edition” and co-choreographer for SAYT's 2019 production of Frozen Jr. Gracie has performed in several FRT productions including Rock the FRT, Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, What We Leave Behind and the Spotlight Variety Show. Her latest work was showcased in the North Coast Dance Festival, for which she choreographed, performed, and helped compose original music with Dan Zini. Her hobbies include singing, playing bass, baking, gardening, and spending time with the people she loves. Being one of the first of her family to attend college, she is proud to be a Wildcat with much support from her family, friends, and the Theatre and Dance Department faculty!
Creative Team Bios
Toni Danz (Production Stage Manager) is a senior at NMU pursuing a BFA in Theatre Technology and Design with a concentration in stage management. The CO/LAB COLLECTIVE is always great to watch since there are so many creative minds coming together. She's excited to be working on shows again at NMU and cannot wait for the rest of this exciting season!
Skylar Taavola (Choreographer, Breathe) is a senior majoring in management of health and fitness with a minor in dance. Previous NMU Theatre and Dance shows she has been a part of include East of the Sun, West of the Moon, What We Leave Behind, North x North Coast, and the North Coast Dance Festival. Skylar is currently the president and choreographer of the NMU Dance Team. She enjoys teaching various styles of dance and gymnastics at New Attitudes Dance Studios. Her favorite class to teach is Shooting Starz, an integrative dance program for children with special needs. She has also been a choreographer for Marquette’s The Nutcracker and Superior Arts Youth Theater. Skylar is very thankful and excited for this opportunity to choreograph and dance for CO/LAB COLLECTIVE!
Logan Stoner (Choreographer, To Have a Body) is a sophomore dance major at Northern Michigan University from Kalamazoo, MI. She has been dancing for five years, and is so excited to make her debut as a choreographer for CO/LAB COLLECTIVE in her piece To Have a Body. Previous experience includes dancing in North x North Coast. Outside of dance, Logan enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and traveling. Logan wants to thank her parents and the Theatre and Dance Department faculty. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Maisie Zahn (Choreographer, Heavy Clouds) is currently a senior studying sports science at Northern Michigan University. She is from Chattanooga, Tennessee where she was classically trained in ballet for nine years. During her time at NMU, Maisie was given multiple opportunities to perform in various shows. With the help of the NMU Theatre and Dance Department, Maisie has choreographed Halfway To Foolish, Drifting, and Appalachian Spring Ballet within the last year. She is beyond grateful for the help from her dancers and professors in creating her last piece, Heavy Clouds, with Northern Michigan University.
Gracie Fries (Choreographer, Thunderstruck) is a senior pursuing a bachelor's degree in dance with a business concentration. Her passion lies in the musical arts with twenty-one years of dance instruction and vocal lessons. She spent high school teaching at Julie’s Top Hat Dance Studio and is currently teaching at both Julie’s and Dawn Dott Dance Studio. She was a pro-dancer in the 2019 “Dancing With Our Stars Marquette County Style, Disney Edition” and co-choreographer for SAYT's 2019 production of Frozen Jr. Gracie has performed in several FRT productions including Rock the FRT, Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, What We Leave Behind and the Spotlight Variety Show. Her latest work was showcased in the North Coast Dance Festival, for which she choreographed, performed, and helped compose original music with Dan Zini. Her hobbies include singing, playing bass, baking, gardening, and spending time with the people she loves. Being one of the first of her family to attend college, she is proud to be a Wildcat with much support from her family, friends, and the Theatre and Dance Department faculty!