IN THE THEATER
FORZA DANCE
PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 7PM AND 7:45PM
Choreographer and Director: Michaella Barron
Company Artists: Gabrielle DiNizo, Maddy Hall, Araya Morris, Micah McKee, Jade Connor
Vita Viva (2025)
A playful ode to our shared humanity — the quirks, the joy, and the connections that keep us dancing through life’s obstacles.
Performed by: Full company
Music: “Ma Quale Idea” by Pino D’Angiò
Arachnidism (2024)
Excerpt from the evening length work, La Tarantella. Arachnidism explores the complex interplay between fear and allure inspired by the origins of the myth of tarantism.
Performed by: Gabrielle DiNizo, Micah McKee
Live accompaniment by award-winning composer Quinton Nennig
Intuitiva (2023)
Intuitiva explores our relationship with the self, with another, and with a group. It asks what we can create if we simply trust our intuition, untouched by the outside world.
Performed by: Full company
Original composition: Luisa Bressan
Breaking Bonds (2025)
Work-in-progress by Michaella Barron, in collaboration with the dancers
This new work explores the delicate interplay between humans and the planet, inviting audiences to reflect on how our daily choices ripple outward—shaping not just our environment, but the future of all living beings.
Section 1: Full company
Music arranged by Luisa Bressan, including “I am Loving Awareness” by East Forest, Ram Dass, Krishna Das
Section 2: Maddy Hall, Araya Morris
Music: “SB-04” by Unknown Mortal Orchestra
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS
MICHAELLA BARRON
Choreographer, Founder, Director
Detroit native Michaella Barron is a choreographer, dancer, educator, and the founder of Forza Dance. A graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA program, she earned degrees in Dance and International Political Economy with a concentration in Italian, bridging her cultural roots with her passion for movement. Michaella’s work fosters empathy, connection, and social awareness through dance, deeply impacting the communities she engages with.
Her choreographic career spans staged works, music videos, musicals, and personal film projects. Her work has been presented at venues such as Teatro Latea, The Rose Nagelburg Theatre, Triskelion Arts, Arts on Site, The TADA Theater, and nationally at San Antonio’s Luminaria Arts Festival. Her dance films Maria and Outside In were featured at the Booking Dance Festival and DUMBO Dance Festival, respectively.
In 2024, Michaella premiered her evening-length work La Tarantella, the culmination of over four years of cultural research exploring Italian folklore, women’s empowerment, and healing through dance. She is passionate about using movement as a tool for social connection, creating work that bridges gaps between communities while fostering deep reflection and dialogue.
As an advocate for the dance industry’s growth and accessibility, Michaella is dedicated to creating empowering opportunities for artists. She continues to build Forza Dance as a space where artistry, community, and social change meet.
QUINTON NENNIG
Composer, Arachnidism (La Tarantella)
Quinton Nennig is from the small town of Sherwood, Wisconsin and teaches a large piano studio based in New York City. He has performed throughout the United States and internationally in Italy, South Africa, and China. His most memorable performances have been in Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall, Carnegie Hall, and National Bohemian Hall. He has participated and performed in some of the leading music festivals around the globe including Montecito’s International Music Festival, Miami Music Festival, Beijing’s International Keyboard Festival, and the International Keyboard Institute in Manhattan. At the young age of fourteen, he left home to pursue piano performance at Interlochen Arts Academy, graduating in 2016. He has since earned his bachelor's degree with honors and his master's degree with a significant scholarship from Mannes School of Music. Although this is Quinton’s first full-length score, he has previously achieved notable success by placing first in WMTA composition competition and has internationally premiered his works at the prestigious Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy.
GABRIELLE DINIZO - Dancer
Gabrielle DiNizo is originally from Dayton, Ohio. She graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance and English from Fordham University/The Ailey School, where she performed works by Robert Battle, Earl Mosley, Brice Mousset, Adam Barruch, and Manuel Vignouelle. Gabby was a member of Jon Lehrer Dance Company from 2021-2023, touring both nationally and internationally with the company. Additional professional credits include Parsons Dance and her performance in XY, an evening length duet under the direction of Xiang Xu.
ARAYA MORRIS - Dancer
Originally from Denver, Colorado, Araya Morris began her dance training at age 3. After graduating high school, Morris attended the University of Colorado at Boulder from 2018-2022, where she received a BFA in dance. Since making the move to NYC in March 2023 and alongside dancing with Forza Dance Company, Morris has danced in work created by Cindy Brandle and the KoDaFe Dance Festival.
MADDY HALL - Dancer
Maddy Hall is a NYC-based contemporary dancer, originally from Northern VA, where she began her dance training at the age of two. Maddy then went on to attend George Mason University and received her BFA in dance May of 2020. While at George Mason she had the pleasure of studying under the direction of Susan Shields, allowing her to hone her technique in ballet, contemporary and modern and it was there that she truly realized her love for theatrical and incredibly athletic movement. In addition to being a performer, she is also a personal trainer, dance fitness coach and dance teacher! Maddy feels quite lucky to be working with such beautiful artists and is very excited to perform with Forza Dance!
MICAH MCKEE - Dancer
Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, Micah McKee earned her B.F.A. in Dance from George Mason University, where she trained under Roger Jeffrey, Christina Robson, Susan Shields, and more. During her studies, she was awarded the Kevin Campbell Scholarship and was selected to perform Robert Battle’s Awakening under Elisa Clark. She further enriched her training with artists including Juliano Nunes, Micaela Taylor, Joy Davis, Flock, and Thryn Saxon through programs such as Orsolina28, Rubberband Dance Group, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance
She began her professional career with Gin Dance Company in Washington, D.C., before moving to New York City, where she now dances with Caterina Rago Dance Company and Forza Dance Company, performing contemporary and Graham-based works at venues including the Martha Graham Studios, Brooklyn Art Haus, and festivals in both the U.S. and Italy.
JADE CONNOR - Dancer
Jade Connor (Alberta, Canada) is a graduate of The Ailey School’s Scholarship Program, completing her training in the summer of 2023. During her time at The Ailey School, she was invited to join the Ailey Student Performance Group (ASPG), where she performed leading roles in works choreographed by Alvin Ailey, including excerpts from Revelations, The Lark Ascending, and Night Creatures. Jade has also performed in works by notable choreographers such as Darrell Moultrie, Ronald K. Brown, Levi Marsman, Freddie Moore, and Brice Mousset.
Photos of Forza Dance by Molly Youngstrom
