New Dances 2020 Choreographers & Artistic Partners
Introducing our New Dances 2020 Choreographers
Sydney Jones (Villa Park, IL) Sydney Jones, a Chicagoland area native, is thrilled to be presenting her work in New Dances. She will receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts in jazz dance from Point Park University in April. Sydney attended the Chicago Academy for the Arts, where she trained with Randy Duncan, Natalie Rast, and Deb Goodman. She has choreographed five concert dance pieces, two of which were presented at the Inaside Choreographic Sponsorship. She is so thankful for her family and for the incredible teachers and mentors she has had along the way.
Drew Lewis (Chicago, IL) Drew Lewis is originally from Chicago, where he grew up training in jazz piano, acting, and street dance. In 2016, he graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA, where he was the Merce Cunningham Endowed Scholar. He has studied dance at myriad institutions internationally including Nederlands Dans Theater, Springboard Danse Montreal, and the American Dance Festival, and has performed works by Kyle Abraham, Fernando Melo and Zoe Scofield among many others. Drew toured extensively with Sidra Bell Dance New York from 2016-2019, and taught as part of the company teaching cohort at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Other dance credits include Project 44, C-LS, and Attack Theater, and teaching credits include Loyola University Chicago, Skidmore College, and The School at Mark Morris. Drew is also a DJ and composer and his work can be found on streaming platforms as DOV and on instagram @lildov__.
Brian Martinez (Chicago, IL) After receiving his BFA in Contemporary Dance, Brian moved to Chicago to further his training with Hubbard Street’s Professional Program (HSPro) under the direction of Alexandra Wells. In the program, he has performed and workshopped works by Ryan Mason, William Forsythe, Rena Butler, Robyn Minekos Williams, and Peter Chu; all of whom provided transformative information for Brian’s developing choreographic preferences. Providing a space for dancers to discover movement and take ownership of it has been a staple of his process. Allowing for this positively impacts the resulting product, whatever it may be.
Joanna Meccia (Morton Grove, IL) Joanna Meccia received degrees in Dance and Kinesiology from Indiana University. After graduating she relocated to Chicago, where she has performed and choreographed for Trifecta Dance Collective, Esoteric Dance Project, and Project606 Dance. Joanna has also co-produced projects such as benefit performance Where Beauty Rises at Links Hall, donating all proceeds to clean water organization Wine to Water. Additionally, she co-produced and choreographed Dance Across Chicago, a project supported by funding from DCASE, which used live music, dance, and technology to bring free performances to public spaces and public schools in Chicago.
Joe Musiel (Chicago, IL) After graduating from Indiana University in 2013, Joe joined Giordano Dance Chicago’s second company, allowing him to learn from artists such as Brock Clawson and Autumn Eckman. He was a company member with Cerqua Rivera for two seasons and was a member of South Chicago Dance Theater. Performing credits also include West Side Story at the Paramount Theater and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. His work has been seen throughout the Chicago area at such events as Carnival: A Choreographers Ball, Inaside Dance, Noumenon Dance, College of DuPage Choreography Competition, Alluvion’s Emergence, and Deeply Rooted Emerging Choreographer Showcase.
Peyton Winker (Chicago, IL) Peyton is a choreographer and dance teacher from Chicago, Illinois. She is currently completing her higher-level education at Columbia College Chicago where she is a double major in Dance and Marketing. During her time at CCC, she has had the opportunity to present her own choreography on stage, performed in faculty pieces, completed communications internships under the direction of Margi Cole, and work with professors Dardi McGinley-Gallivan, Darrell Jones, Paige Cunningham, and Lisa Gonzales. Peyton has worked at multiple dance studios choreographing and teaching dance while doing marketing projects and website design consultation. She recently choreographed for RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8 Top 3 drag queen, Shea Coulee’s newest music video “Rewind.”
New Dances 2020 Artistic Collaborator Bios
Ashley Rockwood (Chicago, IL) Ashley discovered a love for dance at the age of 2 in her hometown of Toledo, OH. She then went on to study dance at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. She is a member of Actor’s Equity Association, AGMA, and AFTRA. Her theatrical productions include the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s productions of “42nd Street”, “Music Man”, “Hello Dolly”, and “Me and My Girl”. Her Chicago credits include principal dancer in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s productions of “Tannhauser” and “Showboat”, featured dancer in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s “Welcome Yule” and guest artist with C5. Ashley danced with Giordano Dance Chicago for 7 years of which she toured, performed, and taught all over the world. Ashley had the honor of dancing with Beyoncé on Oprah’s Farewell Episode and the Billboard Music Awards. One of her proudest moments was being on the cover of Dance Magazine. Currently she serves on the Ambassador committee of Dance for Life, on the associate board for Urban Gateways, and is a member of the Chicago Ideas Co-Op. She is the founder and artistic director of Dancers Awareness Project, which is on a mission to create opportunities for dancers to connect and make meaningful content for our community; the world. Ashley’s most recent endeavor is a physical space, Free Mvmt Shop – a movement and creative studio.
Jacob Snodgrass (Chicago, IL) Jacob has been designing lights and working within the performing arts community since 2000. His works have been seen with Giordano Dance Chicago, Aerial Dance Chicago, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, BONEdanse, The Dance COLEctive, Khecari Dance Theater, Breakbone Dance Company, Peter Carpenter Performance Project, Same Planet Different World, instruments of movement, Chamber Opera Chicago, Cuba’s Escuela Nacional de Ballet, REIDance, Havana Cuba’s DanzAbierta, Soham Dance, Concert Dance Inc. with whom he traveled to China in 2009, Joel Hall Dancers, Hedwig Dances, the Other Dance Festival, the Ruth Page Foundation, the Space Movement Project, Canada’s lbs/sq”, NEIU Repertory Dance, and New Dances. Jacob is the Lighting Director at the Dance Center of Columbia College and has been technical director at the Ruth Page Theater, Links Hall, and Hamlin Park Dance Theater.