November 14 at Ailey Citigroup Theater

Meet the artists of Shindig.

CHOREOGRAPHY

Michaella Barron (Founder and Artistic Director)

Detroit Native, Michaella Barron moved away from home at 14 to attend Interlochen Arts Academy. As a dance major she was appointed the Student Artistic Director and head of the Student Choreography Showcase. She moved to New York City to attend the Ailey/Fordham BFA in dance program and graduated summa cum laude with honors with a double major in International Political Economy and a concentration in Italian Language. In addition she has trained with Gibney Company, SpringboardX, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Gallim Dance, Complexions Contemporary Dance, and Martha Graham Dance School. Since being in NYC she has been in choreographic processes with Connie Shiau, Manuelle Vignoulle, The Sokolow Dance Theatre, Earl Mosley, and more! Michaella has choreographed numerous staged works as well as music videos, a musical film, and personal film projects. She has been selected as part of T2 Dance Company's CHOREOfest, her dance films have been selected to premiere in Booking Dance Festival and DUMBO Dance Festival, and her staged choreographic works have been selected to be performed in shows and festivals internationally. As an emerging dance artist Michaella is excited to delve into the industry and share her work and passions as a way to create a more empathetic world.

DANCERS

Gabrielle DiNizo, an Ohio native, 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, and Adam Barruch. Her performance credits in

Gabrielle DiNizo, an Ohio native, 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, and Adam Barruch. Her performance credits include Parsons Dance, Forza Dance, LaneCoArts, Jon Lehrer Dance Company, and XY Motion, an evening-length duet directed by Xiang Xu. Her passion for sustaining the arts extends beyond the stage through marketing and development roles with Parsons Dance and Forza Dance.

Araya Morris Originally from Denver, Araya Morris began her dance training at Gayton Dance Studio. After graduating high school, Morris attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where she received her BFA in dance. Since relocating to New York,

Araya Morris Originally from Denver, Araya Morris began her dance training at Gayton Dance Studio. After graduating high school, Morris attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where she received her BFA in dance. Since relocating to New York, Morris has performed with Cindy Brandle Dance Company, Vashti Dance Theatre, TORCH Dance Theatre, Kaos Dance Collective, Dishman Co, worked on a dance for film project with Laura Perdrizet, and of course Forza Dance! Morris has also gotten to present her own solo work in various stages at the Unkempt dance festival, Borne Dance company’s annual showcase, the Spark Theater Festival, Open Performance by Movement Research, Green Lung Studios 4:15 performance series, Green Space’s Fertile Ground Series and Forza’s BLOOM: Emerging Artist Festival. On top of movement Araya likes to engage in various forms of arts and crafts, ranging from crochet to print making. This is Araya’s fourth season with Forza and has enjoyed to be apart of the company’s evolution.

Maddy Hall is a New York City-based contemporary dancer, choreographer, educator, and fitness instructor originally from Northern Virginia. She began dancing at the age of two and earned her BFA in Dance from George Mason University in 2020, developi

Maddy Hall is a New York City-based contemporary dancer, choreographer, educator, and fitness instructor originally from Northern Virginia. She began dancing at the age of two and earned her BFA in Dance from George Mason University in 2020, developing a love for highly physical and theatrical movement. This is Maddy’s fourth season with Forza Dance, where she’s had the opportunity to perform and grow alongside a vibrant community of artists. She also performs with DGDC and as a freelance artist in many capacities. As a choreographer, Maddy has presented work at WestFest, The Tank Theatre, and other NYC venues. In addition to performing and choreographing, she teaches dance and fitness, helping students of all levels develop deeper understandings of their bodies through movement. Outside of dance, Maddy loves baking, reading, and spending time with her people. She is deeply grateful for the artists and communities that make her life in New York so special.

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 Schola

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 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.

Gabriel Sharp is a NYC based dancer, choreographer, and photographer. Gabriel earned his BFA in dance from the AIley/Fordham program and has performed alongside the Ailey company in Memoria at New York City Center. He has danced works by Hope Boykin,

Gabriel Sharp is a NYC based dancer, choreographer, and photographer. Gabriel earned his BFA in dance from the AIley/Fordham program and has performed alongside the Ailey company in Memoria at New York City Center. He has danced works by Hope Boykin, Paul Taylor, Ronald K Brown, and Tamisha Guy. He has performed with Lydia Johnson Dance, Alison Cook Beatty Dance, and Jiemin Yang. This is his first season with Forza, and he’s so grateful to be dancing with such powerful artists! He loves capturing movement and stories on film and in photographs. Originally from Seattle, he relishes any chance he gets to be immersed in nature!

Margarette Bernal Originally from British Columbia, Canada, Margarette Bernal is a graduate of the prestigious Ailey School Certificate Program whose artistry has been shaped by a remarkable range of training and performance experiences. Her professi

Margarette Bernal Originally from British Columbia, Canada, Margarette Bernal is a graduate of the prestigious Ailey School Certificate Program whose artistry has been shaped by a remarkable range of training and performance experiences. Her professional journey has included performing works by celebrated choreographers Ronald K. Brown, Darrell Moultrie, Maleek Washington, and Ray Mercer, as well as sharing the stage with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Memoria during the company’s New York City Center season. She has also refined her artistic voice as an apprentice with Parsons Dance. This season marks Margarette’s first with Forza, and she is excited to explore the variety and creativity within the company’s repertoire. As she continues to grow as an artist, Margarette hopes to pursue choreography and eventually create work that reflects her experiences, ideas, and unique artistic voice.

Connor Tapp is a dancer, choreographer, and recent graduate of Pace University in New York City. He has performed in works by Alexandra Damiani, Juliano Nuñes, David Parsons, Paul Taylor, Maleek Washington, Scott Jovovich, and Bob Fosse. He has also

Connor Tapp is a dancer, choreographer, and recent graduate of Pace University in New York City. He has performed in works by Alexandra Damiani, Juliano Nuñes, David Parsons, Paul Taylor, Maleek Washington, Scott Jovovich, and Bob Fosse. He has also presented his own works with the Young Choreographers Festival at The Joyce Theater, the Choreography Lab at Steps on Broadway, two independent feature films, and acted as a contributing choreographer along side Mandy Moore. Connor was most recently named the newest apprentice of Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, and is excited to be navigating the post-college journey with Forza!

COMPOSERS

COMPOSER & PIANO "Malmignatta" & "Work In Progress" - Quinton Nennig is a pianist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Originally from Sherwood, Wisconsin, Quinton has performed across the United States and internationally, with notable ap

COMPOSER & PIANO "Malmignatta" & "Work In Progress" - Quinton Nennig is a pianist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Originally from Sherwood, Wisconsin, Quinton has performed across the United States and internationally, with notable appearances in Italy, South Africa, and China. His performances at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, National Bohemian Hall, and Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall are among his most memorable. He has also performed with the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra, premiering a piece by Ashley Fure that was later nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. In addition to his performance career, Quinton is an accomplished composer. His opera for solo piano and dance, La Tarantella, premiered in the summer of 2024, receiving widespread acclaim. The work has been praised by Dance Enthusiast Magazine as “masterfully composed” and called a “brilliant composition” by London Young Musician. Quinton’s compositions have earned him six international awards, including a Gold Prize and Creative Innovation Award from the Lebrun International Competition. WOMCO (World Online Music Competition Organization), described him as ‘a rising star in the classical music world’.

COMPOSER, "INTUITIVA" - Luisa Mei Bressan is an audio-visual artist currently based in upstate New York. She primarily works with Supercollider to build unique coding environments for musical performances. She has released several albums of textural

COMPOSER, "INTUITIVA" - Luisa Mei Bressan is an audio-visual artist currently based in upstate New York. She primarily works with Supercollider to build unique coding environments for musical performances. She has released several albums of textural music created with these programs and regularly performs live-coded sets. Her process is mainly improvisational and explores the relationship between logic and intuition.

LIVE MUSICIANS

CELLO - Wangshu Xiang is a New York City-based cellist with an active career spanning solo, chamber, and orchestral performance. She has appeared as a soloist with the Westside Chamber Players, performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto in April 2025, and

CELLO - Wangshu Xiang is a New York City-based cellist with an active career spanning solo, chamber, and orchestral performance. She has appeared as a soloist with the Westside Chamber Players, performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto in April 2025, and has collaborated with distinguished musicians including Frank Huang, Misha Amory, and Hsin-Yun Huang. Her performance engagements have taken her to renowned festivals and concert series, including Music@Menlo, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra Chamber Series, Taipei Music Festival, Strings Music Festival, and Colorado Music Festival. In 2019, she embarked on a recital tour across seven major cities in China as part of the Sound of Laurel series, performing works by Franck, Chopin, and Saint-Saëns. She has served as a substitute cellist with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra and held principal cello positions with the Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonia Orchestra. An accomplished chamber musician, Wangshu is a founding member of the Marian String Quartet, which won the Gold Prize at the 17th Saint Paul String Quartet Competition and made its debut at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in 2022. The quartet has performed widely in New York City and developed Music & Storytelling, a community engagement concert series presented in New York City public schools. In 2023, Wangshu also won the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition, performing works by Brahms and Beethoven at Greenfield Hall. Born in Shenzhen, China, Wangshu began studying cello at the age of eight, inspired by recordings of Jian Wang and Jacqueline du Pré. She holds a Bachelor of Music from The Juilliard School and a Master of Music and Professional Studies Diploma from the Manhattan School of Music, where she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Her principal teachers include Julia Lichten, Timothy Eddy, Tommy Mesa, and Qiang Tu.

DRUMS - Anton Kot is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer known for his work on drums, piano, and gamelan. In 2022, he premiered his commissioned piano concerto, Let's Try This, with the New Haven Symphony conducted by Alasdair Neale a

DRUMS - Anton Kot is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer known for his work on drums, piano, and gamelan. In 2022, he premiered his commissioned piano concerto, Let's Try This, with the New Haven Symphony conducted by Alasdair Neale at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. In 2023, he showcased his commissioned jazz quartet piece at the Berkshires Jazz Festival and the Berkshire 10 x 10 Upstreet Arts Jazz Composers Showcase. In 2026, he returned to the New Haven Symphony to premiere Letter to New Haven, a nonet built from recorded voices and the ambient sounds of the city, at the Arts & Ideas festival. Recognized by BMI as a Future Jazz Master (2025), Kot continues to push the boundaries of jazz by combining contemporary genres with the jazz idiom. As a bandleader, Kot has performed at festivals including Pittsfield CityJazz, Litchfield Jazz, Washington Heights Jazz, and Bronx River Sounds Streams of Black Music festivals. His global performances span renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Newport Jazz Festival, National Centre for the Performing Arts (Beijing, China), the International Gamelan Festival in Solo (Indonesia), and stages in Abu Dhabi, Paris, and Warsaw. Kot's recent honors include the YoungArts x Doris Duke Horizon Fellowship and multi-year residency (2026), the YoungArts x Anthropologie Leading with Creativity Award (2023), the inaugural Honeywell Fellowship (2024), and fellowships at Ravinia's Steans Institute and the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency (2024). An NYU (B.M.) and Juilliard School (M.M.) alumnus, he’s collaborated with Don Braden, Alan Broadbent, Bryan Carter, Zaccai Curtis, Dezron Douglas, Eric Lewis (ELEW), Kurt Elling, Wycliffe Gordon, I.M. Harjito, Sean Jones, Niño Josele, Ken Peplowski, Samora Pinderhughes, Ted Rosenthal, Avery Sharpe, Janis Siegel, Pak Sumarsam, Helen Sung, and Nicole Zuraitis.

VIOLIN - Wai Hei (Ryan) Cheung is a violinist, conductor, bass-baritone, and music educator based in New York. He began studying the violin at the age of six and has since built a dynamic career as both a performer and educator. In 2012, Ryan earned

VIOLIN - Wai Hei (Ryan) Cheung is a violinist, conductor, bass-baritone, and music educator based in New York. He began studying the violin at the age of six and has since built a dynamic career as both a performer and educator. In 2012, Ryan earned the Associate Trinity College London (ATCL) Recital Diploma in Violin with Distinction. He was an award-winning participant in the Hong Kong School Music Festival, earning both second- and third-place honors, and was the winner of the 2023 Azusa Pacific University Concerto Competition. Ryan holds an Artist Certificate and a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and Music Education from Azusa Pacific University, where he studied with Yuki Mori, Min Jung Park, and Dr. Alex Russell. During his time at APU, he performed with the Symphony Orchestra, Studio Orchestra, Chamber Ensembles, and Chamber Singers while serving as a section leader. In addition to his work as a violinist, Ryan earned a Master of Music in Choral Music from the University of Southern California. He currently serves as Assistant Conductor of The Dessoff Choirs and has taught at Azusa Pacific University and music institutions throughout Southern California.

DESIGNERS / STAGE

LIGHTING DESIGN - Nicole Blodig is a New York based lighting designer & visual artist. Nicole is a born & raised midwesterner and a proud graduate of the University of Iowa. Primarily working in theatre and dance, she seeks to use lighting as an abst

LIGHTING DESIGN - Nicole Blodig is a New York based lighting designer & visual artist. Nicole is a born & raised midwesterner and a proud graduate of the University of Iowa. Primarily working in theatre and dance, she seeks to use lighting as an abstracted storytelling device that disrupts conventional time and place. Recent credits include Rock of Ages (Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse), BROS B4 HOS (The Tank), Sound Bites 13 (Symphony Space), RISK (Peridance Center), God of Carnage (Chain Theater). nicoleblodig.com

STAGE MANAGER - Danielle De Vito has worked with dance companies and organizations such as Pilobolus, Passion Fruit Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Dorrance Dance, and The American Dance Festival since she graduated from the American Universi

STAGE MANAGER - Danielle De Vito has worked with dance companies and organizations such as Pilobolus, Passion Fruit Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Dorrance Dance, and The American Dance Festival since she graduated from the American University in 2020. Danielle currently serves on staff as a PSM at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s Peter B Lewis Theater and tours with shows domestically and internationally. She has also worked with the Broadway Education Alliance to produce the 2022 Roger Rees Awards, as well as youth ensemble performances at Carnegie Hall and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.