Boston Conservatory's 2020–2021 Guest Choreographer Lineup Brings Acclaimed Artists to Campus
Choreographer Juel D. Lane works with Boston Conservatory dance student Dylan Contreras (B.F.A. '20) during rehearsal for the world premiere of Lane's work “con・ver・sa・tion・s,” which was presented at the Conservatory’s annual fall dance concert From the Ground Up in November 2019. Image by Michelle Parkos.
Each year, Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s Dance Division invites a group of extraordinary dance professionals to choreograph world-premieres, reconstruct masterworks, and share their knowledge and experience with students beginning their careers. The 2020–2021 lineup includes Camille A. Brown, Jarek Cemerek, William Issac, Gabrielle Lamb, Martha Nichols, Victor Quijada, and Gustavo Sansano.
“This is an extraordinary roster of highly accomplished and sought-after artists,” says Boston Conservatory at Berklee Dean of Dance Tommy Neblett. "I am honored that they are eager to share their artistry and expertise with our students.”
The acclaimed artists will be in residence at Boston Conservatory during either the fall 2020 or spring 2021 semester to collaborate with students. The new works and reconstructions prepared during their residencies will be presented at the Conservatory’s annual fall dance concert and spring dance concert, respectively. Tickets for these performances will be available in the fall, when the Conservatory's full performance season is announced.
About the Artists
Camille A. Brown is a prolific choreographer whose passion is reclaiming the cultural narrative of African American identity through movement. In addition to acting as artistic director of her company, Camille A. Brown and Dancers, she regularly choreographs Broadway productions, including the Emmy Award–winning special Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert and the Tony Award–winning revival of Once on This Island. Her accolades include the Princess Grace Award (four-time winner), a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, and both Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominations for choreography for her work on Choir Boy.
Jarek Cemerek is a Prague-based contemporary dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He has danced professionally with organizations such as the Royal Opera House in London and the Stadttheater Bern, and has choreographed and taught at leading dance schools worldwide, including the Juilliard School, Conservatoire National Supérieur in Paris, New Zealand School of Dance, and Shanghai Theatre Academy, among others. In 2011, he was awarded Czech Dance Platform’s Dance Piece of the Year and Dancer of the Year.
William Isaac is the founder and artistic director of project-based company Kymera Dance. He has danced professionally with the companies Armitage Gone! Dance, Ballet de Lorraine, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and he has taught for Ailey II, American Ballet Theater’s Make a Ballet program, Harlem School of the Arts, and New York City Center, among others. His choreographic accolades include residencies with the New Festival of Emerging Artists and UNCSA Choreographic Institute, and two “Bessie” awards.
Gabrielle Lamb is a New York City-based dancer and choreographer. As a performer, she was promoted to soloist with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and was invited to join Christopher Wheeldon’s company Morphoses. She is the recipient of a New York City Center Choreography Fellowship, a Prince Grace Award, and S&R Foundation’s Washington Award Grand Prize. She was also selected to create work for American Ballet Theater’s inaugural Choreographic Incubator. In addition to her work on the stage, Lamb is a video editor and animator, and her choreography and dance films have been presented worldwide.
Martha Nichols is a contemporary dancer and choreographer who reached the top ten of So You Think You Can Dance’s second season at 18 years old. Since then, she has performed as a principal dancer with Unity LA, and has danced on MTV’s Video Music Awards, the Academy Awards, and Dancing with the Stars, in addition to touring with artists such as Rihanna and Madonna and appearing in the films La La Land (2016) and Dirty Dancing (2016). She has also assistant choreographed tours for Madonna, Demi Lovato, and Mariah Carey. Nichols is currently on faculty with New York City Dance Alliance.
Victor Quijada is the artistic director and choreographer for RUBBERBAND, a Quebec-based breakdance company. He has danced with THARP! and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, and now teaches his RUBBERBAND method, combining aspects of hip-hop, classical ballet, and contemporary dance worldwide. He has created works for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Scottish Dance Theatre, and has directed and choreographed numerous music videos and dance films. Quijada is the winner of Britain’s National Dance Award for Outstanding Modern Repertory, the Princess Grace Award Choreography Fellowship, and the Prix de la danse de Montréal’s award for cultural diversity.
Gustavo Sansano is a Spanish dancer and choreographer. He was previously artistic director of Chicago’s Luna Negra Dance Theater, and his choreography has appeared at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, BalletMet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Compañia Nacional de Danza,, among others. He is the winner of numerous choreographic awards, including competitions in Barcelona, Hamburg, and Valencia.
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