
Danceworks Co-artistic Directors: Gina Laurenzi & Christal Wagner
Lighting Design: Colin Gawronski
THE PROGRAM
ART OF DISTRACTION
Choreography: Christal Wagner
Performance: Zoe Mei Glise
Music: John Hopkins “A Drifting Up”
Sound Score: Christal Wagner, Zoe Glise
Set and Props: Christal Wagner and Zoe Glise
Notes: This is a piece for anyone who feels like they can not quiet their mind. You are not alone and it does get better.
A DANCE OF LOVE AND MISCHIEF
Choreography: Guru Durga Arya
Performance: Varsha Sivaprasad
Music: Pandit Birju Maharaj
Notes: Set in ancient India, this piece captures the timeless love story of Radha and Krishna. Krishna, known for the enchanting melodies of his flute, playfully teases Radha as she goes to fetch water from the river. He mischievously breaks her pot and tugs at her scarf, provoking both irritation and hidden delight.
While Radha appears annoyed, her heart secretly cherishes the attention and affection Krishna showers upon her.This piece portrays the delicate balance of love, mischief, and longing that defines their divine bond.
BAD NEWS GROOVE
Choreography: Rich Ashworth
Hip Hop Performance Workshop
Performance:
Rachel Alford, Maris Elise, Melissa Henningsen, Dominic Jackson, Gretchen Jacobson, Casey Joan Kollman, Rachel Schram, Leah Sherry, Melissa Tharaniyil
Music: Leon Bridges
THE NERD
Choreography: Christal Wagner
Performance: Christal Wagner, Frankie Manning
Music: “Java” New Orleans Jazz Orchestra
BIG APPLE
Choreography: Frankie Manning
Performance: Paté Patrice Nassalang performing excerpts from Keep Punching (1937)
Music: Lil Hardin Armstrong, “Lindy Hop”
LET’S GET STARTED
Choreography: Gina Laurenzi
Jazz Performance Workshop
Performance: Rachel Alford, Julieane Cook, Melissa Henningsen, Casey Joan Kollman, Patti Meadors
Music: “Syeeda’s Song Flute” John Coltrane
A CELEBRATION OF FEMININE ENERGY
Choreography: Cyenthia Vijayakumar
Performance: Cyenthia Vijayakumar
Music: Pandit Jasraj and Smt Tripti Mishra
Notes: Mata Kalika is a powerful piece that celebrates the multifaceted nature of feminine energy. The performance pays homage to Goddess Kalika, a fierce embodiment of grace, inner strength, and fearlessness.
In this piece, she is depicted vanquishing evil and destroying demons, reminding us of the unstoppable force of the divine feminine in the face of darkness.
K-POP DANCE WORKSHOP
Choreography: Taught by Alex Vanissaveth – “The Chase” Choreography by La Chica @la.chica_official, Mood Dok @ mood_dok, and Kiel Tutin @kieltutin / “LIKE Jennie” Choreography by We Dem Boyz @team_wedemboyz / “CRAZY” Choreography by Park So Yeon @soyeon__amy, Lee Yejin, and Todd Williamson @todd_williamson
K-Pop Performance Workshop
Performance: Jessica Mann, Laila Scott, Kenna Miller, Avery Fischer, Franceszka Lesniak, Lilly Wegner, Savannah Johnson, Melissa Henningsen, Takarah Meyer, Urara Kono, Sowmya Subramanian, Matilda Van Hecke, Fiona Chaney, Charlotte Barnett, Chloe Hoze, Emily Jennaro, Rachel Orsan, Zora Plevin, Ariana Taylor, Sayuri Tenhove
Music: The Chase by heart2heart / LIKE Jennie by JENNIE (from BlackPink) / CRAZY by LE SSERAFIM
Notes: K-Pop music, originating in South Korea, has taken the world by storm and has gained popularity on various music charts. K-Pop Dance Covers emerged around 2011 as part of the cultural storm of Korean pop culture. Participants will be performing a mix of K-Pop songs showcasing different styles.
CHATURANG (SATURDAY 4:30PM)
Choreography: Guru Durga Arya
Performance: Cyenthia Vijayakumar and Varsha Prasad
Music: Pandit Birju Maharaj
GHAZAL (SUNDAY 2PM)
Choreography: Guru Kiran Chauhan
Performance: Cyenthia Vijayakumar and Varsha Prasad
Music: Singer – Mehdi Hassan, Lyrics – Farhat Shahzad
TARANA (SUNDAY 6PM)
Choreography: Cyenthia Vijayakumar and Varsha Prasad
Performance: Cyenthia Vijayakumar and Varsha Prasad
Music: Pandit Birju Maharaj
Notes: Tarana
THE PAIR
Choreography: Paté Patrice Nassalang, Christal Wagner
Performance: Paté Patrice Nassalang, Christal Wagner
Music: Johnny Dodds, “Melancholy”
US
Choreography: Gina Laurenzi
Teen Performance Workshop
Performance: Ruby Adams, Praise Ayadabo, Anna Freshwater, Zharick Manrique, Liam Rinderle, Ariela Rivera
Music: “Us Against the World” Jungle
STUNNER
Choreography: ‘Stunner’ Choreography by Junhui Yeon @babyzoo_dancer, Yehwan Kim @yehwankimm, and Redy @redy_shin
Performance: MkeMe Crew – Alex Vanissaveth, Ashlyn Erpenbach, Yayuko Thao, Angela Voravong, Tori Montinola, Tia Budyak, Dani Bissen, Inpatida Douangvilay
Music: Stunner by TEN (member of Kpop acts – NCT U, SuperM, and the Chinese sub-unit WayV)
Notes: ‘STUNNER’ is the second mini album by Ten. It was released on March 24, 2025, with “Stunner” serving as the album’s title track. “Stunner” is an R&B pop song with groovy rhythm instruments and synth sounds mixed with Ten’s vocals. The lyrics and choreography express the growing feelings toward a charming person.
GREASE
Choreography: Christal Wagner
Musical Theatre Performance Workshop
Performance: Rachel Alford, Layne Eklund, Maris Elise, Cally Henersky, Casey Joan Kollman, Belle Marks, Patti Meadors, Lily Nielsen, Kate Olson, Brooke Wallo, Lorelei Wesselowski, Bella Zeimet
Music: “The Grease Megamix” John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John
MORE!
Make a donation to our summer campaign
Dear Friend of Danceworks,
When I stepped into my role at Danceworks last year, we were facing what I can only describe as a perfect storm: a $300,000 deficit brought on by decreased arts funding, financial instability with one of our key service partners, soaring rent, and— unbelievably— continued flooding in our rented studio space.
But from that storm emerged something powerful: resilience, unity, and a renewed commitment to our mission.
This year, we’ve made some incredibly tough— but necessary— decisions. We reduced expenses, restructured partnerships, adjusted pricing and made bold moves to right-size our organization for long-term sustainability. And it’s working.
What once seemed overwhelming is now within reach — and with your help, we can finish strong. We have just $35,000 left to raise to fully stabilize our foundation and enter the next season with renewed hope, joy, and determination.
With the support of our board, our dedicated team, and our incredible community, Danceworks is stronger than ever. Almost 60% of our revenue now comes directly from our programs— a powerful model of sustainability in the arts. But philanthropy still plays a vital role in bridging the gap between what we earn and what we aim to achieve.
This summer, we’re inviting you to be part of the movement. Your gift today will help us:
• Close the final $35,000 gap in funding
• Strengthen our programs and partnerships
• Continue leading Milwaukee forward with joy, health, and creativity
Together, we can keep Danceworks moving—and Milwaukee dancing. Will you make a gift? Make a donation to our summer campaign today.
Take a Danceworks Performance Survey
As Danceworks, Inc looks toward its 33rd year of operation, we are introducing an annual audience survey. The purpose of this survey is to ensure that the organization’s mission is actively responding to the needs of its current and desired audiences. This survey is being offered to program participants in the areas of Studio, Performance, Community, and Administration. Click here if you’d like to help us serve our mission by completing this brief survey (less than 5 minutes). Thank you!
Purchase Danceworks & Danceworks Performance Company Apparel!
Visit our Bonfire store to check out our one stop shop for Danceworks and Danceworks Performance MKE swag! Show your support for our small but mighty nonprofit all over town! Orders may be shipped directly to your home or the home of a loved ones…Danceworks swag makes a great gift!

