North Coast Dance Festival 2021
An Inaugural Dance Event
Director of Dance Jill Grundstrom and our dance majors and minors are proud to present a vibrant dance showcase. Featuring three anchor pieces and several solos, duets, and trios, this collection of pieces will be choreographed and performed primarily by NMU students. This production will be live streamed.
Thursday, April 22 at 7:30pm
Friday, April 23 at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 24 at 7:30pm
Tickets are $17 General Public, $12 NMU Employee/Senior/Military, and $5 NMU Students.
A link to the live stream of the performance will be emailed to ticket holders before their chosen date.
Download the digital program here!
Festival Lineup
Un Sospiro
Composed by Franz Liszt
Performed by Dr. Nancy Zimmerman
Choreographed by Jill Grundstrom
Dancers: Brigitte Bartesch, Emily Burbey, Breanna Ladiski, Ariana Rodriguez, Skylar Taavola, Maisie Zahn
Tides and Dreams
Composed by Elliot Middleton
Choreographed and Performed by Rose Goltz and Paige Myers
Fusion
Performed to "Looking Through a Scratchy Record"
Composed by Dan Zini and Gracie Fries
Produced, Mixed, and Mastered by Dan Zini
Drums by Ryan Wilson
Programming and Other Instruments by Dan Zini
Choreographed by Gracie Fries
Dancers: Emily Burbey, Gracie Fries, Sylvia Gravel, Megan Hibbard, Arin Miller, Makenzie Rea, Skylar Taavola, Zoe Zimmer
Drifting
Performed to "Never Far Away" by Taizo Audio
Choreographed by Maisie Zahn
Dancers: Brigitte Bartesch, Emily Burbey, Ariana Rodriguez, Kyra Skinner, Logan Stoner, Maisie Zahn
Shadows
Performed to "Kingdom of Shadows" by Viljami Mehto
Choreographed and Performed by Skylar Taavola
Slowly Burning
Composed by Evan MacDonald
Choreographed by Skylar Taavola, Thailey Leak, Christina Ferrera, and Sylvia Gravel
Performed by the NMU Dance Team
Dancers: Skylar Taavola, Christina Ferrera, Thailey Leak, Rose Goltz, Paige Myers, Ciara Witkowski, Isabella Bekkala, Kylie L'Huillier, Sylvia Gravel
Creative Team
| Director | Jill Grundstrom |
| Lighting Designer | Megan Hibbard |
| Sound Designer | Dan Zini |
| Technical Director of Broadcasting | Dan Zini |
| Production Stage Manager | Clair Kaminski |
Additional Artistic Staff
| Assistant Stage Managers | Emma Block, Aubrey Wolck |
| Master Electrician | William Squires IV |
| Sound Engineer | Dan Zini |
| Camera Operators | Adam Diaz, Sarah Nelson, Joseph Sigourney |
Forest Roberts Theatre Staff
| Director of Theatre | Bill Digneit |
| Production Manager | David Pierce |
| Costume Shop Supervisor | Ann Juidici |
| Scene Shop Foreman | Ross Johnson |
| Properties Artisan | Keli Crawford-Truckey |
| Lighting and Sound Supervisor | Dan Zini |
| Marketing Manager | Lilith Kontos |
Dancer Bios
Christina Ferrera is a sophomore majoring in biology with a physiology concentration. Christina is also a captain and second year member of the NMU Dance Team. She has been trained in many styles of dance and has danced competitively for most of her life. Christina is excited to be a part of her first production here at Northern Michigan University.
Gracie Fries is a senior here at NMU from Kingsford, MI pursuing a bachelor's degree in dance with a business concentration. Her passion lies in the musical arts with twenty years of dance instruction and vocal lessons. She spent four years teaching and choreographing at Julie’s Top Hat Dance Studio and is currently choreographing at 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, Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, the 2018 Fringe Festival, What We Leave Behind and hopefully more to come! 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!
Rose Goltz is a freshman majoring in biology with a concentration in physiology. She has been dancing for thirteen years, and is currently on the NMU Dance Team and a captain for next season. She’s also currently a dance teacher at New Attitudes Dance Studio. She would like to thank her mom and dad for always supporting her dreams, and everyone at DuHadway Dance Dimensions for pushing her to be the dancer she is today.
Sylvia Gravel is a second year student studying dance with a minor in biology. This will be her second production at NMU, with her first being the 2021 Spotlight Variety Show. She is thrilled to be dancing on the stage again after a long year without! Dance has been a major part of her life since the age of 3, and she is a second year member of the NMU Dance Team. Sylvia would like to thank Jill Grundstrom and her classmates for being an incredible source of positivity and support during a challenging time.
Megan Hibbard is a junior pursuing her BA in theatre with a focus in lighting design and a minor in art and design. She loves to be on and behind the FRT stage! In the past she has been Lisa in Mamma Mia!, a dancer, choreographer, and assistant lighting designer for What We Leave Behind, Bombalurina and assistant lighting designer for Cats, and the head lighting designer for North x North Coast. She is so excited to be creating with everyone again, and wants to thank the entire team, her family, and her friends for encouraging her throughout this process!
Breanna Ladiski is currently a junior at NMU pursuing a major in clinical laboratory science and a minor in dance. She has accomplished 17 years of dance, and she started dancing when she was four years old. Breanna is very excited to be in her first North Coast Dance Festival, performing in Un Sospiro.
Thailey Leak is a sophomore majoring in neuroscience with minors in Spanish and pre-professional science. Thailey has been dancing competitively for 13 years and is the current captain and upcoming Vice President for 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. Finally, she would like to thank her SLFP mentor, Jill Grundstrom, for all her support this semester.
Kyra Skinner is a sophomore at NMU from Pickford, MI. She is a double major in dance and psychology with a concentration in development. She has been dancing for 17 years, and is very excited to be performing again after taking a very long break along with everyone else due to COVID. She is very grateful to be performing with the amazingly talented cast from the Theatre and Dance Department. She cannot wait for everyone to see the talent NMU has to offer and for her whole family to be cheering her on back home every night via livestream!
Skylar Taavola is a junior 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, and the North x North Coast fringe festival. Skylar is also a choreographer and the vice president of the NMU Dance Team. She currently teaches various styles of dance and gymnastics at New Attitudes Dance Studio and works as a choreographer for Marquette’s Nutcracker Ballet and Superior Arts Youth Theatre. Skylar is so grateful and excited to be back on stage for the North Coast Dance Festival!
Creative Team Bios
Jill Grundstrom (Director/Choreographer, Un Sospiro) has a B.S. from NMU in Secondary Education with majors in English and French, and a M.A. in Dance Education from New York University. She is also certified in the Luigi Jazz Technique, American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum, and is a Certified FLX Conditioning Specialist. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, as well as writing new Character Dance and Partnering curricula for American Ballet Theatre (America’s National Ballet Company®) in New York City. Jill has choreographed over 30 full-length musical and dance productions in New York City, Los Angeles, Italy, and here in the Upper Peninsula, including a full-length, original ballet, East of the Sun, West of the Moon (NMU), and recently choreographed an independent feature-length film, Our State Fair. She has also previously worked with Superior Arts Youth Theatre, the National Dance Education Organization, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance.
Clair Kaminski (Production Stage Manager) is a junior at NMU working towards a BFA degree in Theatre Technology and Design for Stage Management. Clair has worked on several shows at NMU including What We Leave Behind (ASM), Significant Other (PSM), and Romeo and Juliet (Costume Design). Being busy with theatre has actually been a relief to Clair. She has really enjoyed being able to work on a dance show, especially since dance is relatively new to her, and she hopes to work on more show like this in the future.
Megan Hibbard (Lighting Designer) is a junior pursuing her BA in theatre with a focus in lighting design and a minor in art and design. She loves to be on and behind the FRT stage! In the past she has been Lisa in Mamma Mia!, a dancer, choreographer, and assistant lighting designer for What We Leave Behind, Bombalurina and assistant lighting designer for Cats, and the head lighting designer for North x North Coast. She is so excited to be creating with everyone again, and wants to thank the entire team, her family, and her friends for encouraging her throughout this process!
Gracie Fries (Choreographer, Fusion) is a senior here at NMU from Kingsford, MI pursuing a bachelor's degree in dance with a business concentration. Her passion lies in the musical arts with twenty years of dance instruction and vocal lessons. She spent four years teaching and choreographing at Julie’s Top Hat Dance Studio and is currently choreographing at 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, Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, the 2018 Fringe Festival, What We Leave Behind and hopefully more to come! 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!
Rose Goltz (Choreographer, Tides and Dreams) is a freshman majoring in biology with a concentration in physiology. She has been dancing for thirteen years, and is currently on the NMU Dance Team and a captain for next season. She’s also currently a dance teacher at New Attitudes Dance Studio. She would like to thank her mom and dad for always supporting her dreams, and everyone at DuHadway Dance Dimensions for pushing her to be the dancer she is today.
Skylar Taavola (Choreographer, Shadows and Slowly Burning) is a junior 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, and the North x North Coast fringe festival. Skylar is also a choreographer and the vice president of the NMU Dance Team. She currently teaches various styles of dance and gymnastics at New Attitudes Dance Studio and works as a choreographer for Marquette’s Nutcracker Ballet and Superior Arts Youth Theatre. Skylar is so grateful and excited to be back on stage for the North Coast Dance Festival!
Thailey Leak (Choreographer, Slowly Burning) is a sophomore majoring in neuroscience with minors in Spanish and pre-professional science. Thailey has been dancing competitively for 13 years and is the current captain and upcoming Vice President for 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. Finally, she would like to thank her SLFP mentor, Jill Grundstrom, for all her support this semester.
Sylvia Gravel (Choreographer, Slowly Burning) is a second year student studying dance with a minor in biology. This will be her second production at NMU, with her first being the 2021 Spotlight Variety Show. She is thrilled to be dancing on the stage again after a long year without! Dance has been a major part of her life since the age of 3, and she is a second year member of the NMU Dance Team. Sylvia would like to thank Jill Grundstrom and her classmates for being an incredible source of positivity and support during a challenging time.
Christina Ferrera (Choreographer, Slowly Burning) is a sophomore majoring in biology with a physiology concentration. Christina is also a captain and second year member of the NMU Dance Team. She has been trained in many styles of dance and has danced competitively for most of her life. Christina is excited to be a part of her first production here at Northern Michigan University.