Eisenhower Dance Ensemble

Selected Quotes and Reviews

"Danced with panache...succeeds from beginning to end." - Dance Magazine

"No-nonsense moves from the Midwest... would be a pleasure to see them again.." - New York Times

"Dance that touches the soul" - Detroit Free Press

"Excellent...dramatic...structural suavity" - Los Angeles Times

"....dance that beckons with a blend of virtuosity and sly humor." - Dance Magazine

"...an altogether satisfying evening." - Ann Arbor News

"funny and touching," - New York Times

"Stunning." - Holland Sentinel

"the dancers...had the back row eating out of their hands." - Detroit Free Press

"Charismatic and artistic emotional execution and an extraordinarily high degree of technical precision..." - Dance Magazine

"The choreography was imaginative and interesting" - Oceana's Herald-Journal

"Intelligently crafted repertoire" - Dance Magazine

"A finely interwoven company" - Beverly Hills (CA) Outlook

"The dancers showed off their considerable technique and Eisenhower her fine command of choreography..." -Detroit News

"The athletic skill and synchronized execution of the seven young dancers mesmerized the audience." - Oceana's Herald-Journal

"The performance was exhilarating and fun" - Muskegon Chronicle

"Michigan's premier modern dance company..." Hour Magazine

"Metro Detroit has been the home of dozens of dance companies in the last 40 years. But none of them was able to achieve the sort of balance that Eisenhower has..." - Detroit Free Press

"Also inventive was Eisenhower's 'Hey'....This is a personality piece, and it works well, with endings that leave you surprised." - Buffalo News

"The variety was balanced and kept the attention of the audience." - Oceana's Herald-Journal

"Eisenhower provided the framework for what turned out to be an electrifying dance experience. The dancing was filled with charismatic and artistic emotional execution and an extraordinarily high degree of technical precision. The music was diverse, inspiring and tastefully selected. The combination of excellent music, choreography and dance held my undivided attention from curtain to curtain......Pushing the envelope of modern dance creativity and innovation to new limits, Ms. Eisenhower and Co. are clearly on the cutting edge. The genuine article. Highly recommended. - Dancer Magazine

Eisenhower Dance Ensemble Programs Include: Repertory Evening: Selections from EDE's varied contemporary dance repertory. Acclaimed programs have included works by choreographers Laurie Eisenhower, David Parsons, Stephen Koester, Mel Wong, Pascal Rioult, Mark Dendy, Douglas Nielsen, Bill Evans, Lila York, Demetrius Klein, Colin Connor and Billy Siegenfeld, among others. "A Soldier's Tale": Multi-media work choreographed by Bill DeYoung to Stravinsky's "A Soldier's Tale", with live musical accompaniment by Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings. "Laugh Tracks": Ingenious blending of comedy and contemporary dance, featuring inventive and humorous choreography from Laurie Eisenhower. "Motown in Motion": A visual salute to the tunes that made Motown Records famous. Includes live music from the legendary Motown group, The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts, and dance vignettes performed by EDE, with The Contours and to recordings from other top Motown artists. "Kids 'n Motion": Inspires students of all ages about learning, creating and enjoying dance. Includes narration, audience participation and repertory excerpts in many styles of dance.

Bios

Laurie Eisenhower, founder and artistic director of Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, was born in Merced, California and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona. She received her BA and MFA degrees in Dance from Arizona State University. In the early years of her career, she performed with various dance companies and choreographers, most notably, Chen and Dancers, Pilobolus Dance Theatre, David Parsons, Harry Streep III, and Mel Wong.

Ms. Eisenhower began setting her work on professional dancers in 1981 and has had her choreography performed by the companies of Desert Dance Theatre and Semaphor Dance Works of Phoenix, Harbinger Dance Company and More Dance Company of Detroit, Baker's Half Dozen in New York, Two Rivers Dance Company of Illinois, Local Motion in Oklahoma, and numerous college and university dance companies.

In 1991, Ms. Eisenhower formed the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, which, with the help of committed and talented dancers, has become one of the finest professional contemporary dance companies in the Midwest. Since the founding of EDE, the company has grown from a small ensemble of four dancers on a pay-per-performance basis to the current company with an extensive schedule of rehearsals, performances and national touring. In 1997, Ms. Eisenhower was invited to teach, perform, and choreograph for the Pushkin Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia and, in 1999, made a very successful New York City debut with EDE at Dance Theatre Workshop. She has created over 100 dances and has received frequent grants and awards for her choreography, including three

Creative Artist grants from Michigan arts foundations, the Michigan Dance Association Choreographers Festival Award, and the Women in Art Award for Choreography. In 2003, Ms. Eisenhower received the prestigious ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Award for Arts and Culture in a ceremony with Governor Granholm at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall.

Ms. Eisenhower is also well known for her teaching and is a Full Professor of Dance at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. In 1997 and 2004, she received the Faculty Recognition Award for her outstanding contributions in the field of dance.

Stephanie Pizzo, Associate Artistic Director, is a native of Clinton Township, Michigan where she began her training with Orchid Diane and Denise Boucke and continued with Evelyn Kreason. She danced with the Michigan Ballet Theatre as a corps and principal dancer, Oakland Dance Theater and Harbinger Dance Company. She graduated with a BA with an emphasis in Dance from Oakland University. As a student, she received the Jacob S. Decker Award for outstanding dancer and a scholarship from the American College Dance Festival to study with the Ririe Woodbury Dance Company in Utah. Ms. Pizzo teaches EDE company class, rehearses the company, and choreographs. She has staged works by Laurie Eisenhower on numerous companies including Desert Dance Theatre, Scottsdale Community College, Collin County Community College and Alma College. Ms. Pizzo teaches ballet the EDE Center for Dance. She is a founding member of Eisenhower Dance Ensemble.

Dancers

Carissa Wong, born in Stockton, California, began dancing with Dance Connection and Hot Shoe Dance Company. She continued her training as a scholarship student at the University of Arizona, receiving a BFA in dance and a business minor in 2002. Besides graduating summa cum laude, she was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi honor society and received the Outstanding Senior Award from the dance department. During her time in Arizona, Ms. Wong performed works by Amy Ernst, Sam Watson, Michael Williams, Susan Quinn, Nina Janik and Paul Taylor. She has also received dance scholarships to study with Retter Dance Academy, Summer Dance Labs, Gus Giordano, John Malashock and Jean Isaacs. She has taught and choreographed in California, Australia, and throughout Michigan. In 2004, Ms. Wong performed Pearl Fishers with Michigan Opera Theatre. She currently teaches classes in tap, jazz, ballet, modern, hip hop, and yoga.

Mary Bischoff began training with the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble as a high school student where she received her first opportunity to perform alongside the Company. Since then, she has obtained her Bachelor's degree in dance from Oakland University where she was the recipient of the Jacob S. Decker award for outstanding achievement in dance. Ms. Bischoff has danced with Oakland Dance Theatre and the OU Repertory Dance

Company. She has also appeared as a guest dancer and apprentice with the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. She has performed works by Jan Erkert, Giselle Mason and Li Chao Ping among others. Ms. Bischoff has trained figure skaters and gymnasts and begins her fourth year on staff at the EDE Center for Dance.

Ann Chiaverini, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received her BFA in Dance from the Joffrey Ballet School/New School University in New York City in 2002. Remaining in New York following her graduation, she had the pleasure of working with Edisa Weeks/Delirious Dance Company, Nancy Meehan Dance Company, and

choreographer Stephan Koplowitz. Ms. Chiaverini also served for three years as a teaching artist and administrative coordinator for American Ballet Theatre's education programs. She is currently her second year teaching at the EDE Center for Dance.

Patty Foster from Atlanta, Georgia began her performing career with The Georgia Ballet while attending the University of Georgia on full academic scholarship. She also performed with the Atlanta-based jazz and modern companies, Kris Cangelosi Dance Project and Ondine. Ms. Foster continued her education at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia on scholarship where she graduated with honors with a BFA in modern dance performance and received the “Best Performance in All Dance Forms” award. While at U of A, she was honored to work with choreographers such as Milton Myers and Roni Koresh. After graduation, Ms. Foster performed with the Philadelphia-based aerial, prop, and stunt-rooted company JUNK under the direction of Brian Sanders. She has also taught ballet and jazz at the University of Pennsylvania and Koresh Dance Center.

Chivas Merchant-Buckman graduated with a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College where he performed works by Robert Battle, Jose Limon, Jiri Kylian, Chris D’Amboise, and Charlotte Griffin. He was a member of the Marymount Manhattan College Dance Company for four years.

Aaron Perlstein, born and raised in San Francisco, began his dance training at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California with Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) alumna, Heather Sorter, and Jose Limon alumna, Jandy Bergman. His training as a professional division student includes Alonzo King’s LINES Contemporary Ballet (San Francisco), Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (New York), Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (Salt Lake City) and most recently the school of Jacobs Pillow (Beckett, MA) under the direction of world-renowned Horton teacher, Milton Myers. Mr. Perlstein has performed works by such noted choreographers as Alonzo King, Judith Jamison, Janice Garrett, Robert Moses, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Andrea Flores. Professional credits include two seasons as a principal with

Astrum Dance Theater (Arcata, CA), and guest soloist with the Redwood Concert Ballet (Eureka, CA) and the Humboldt Light Opera Company (Eureka, CA).

EDE Technical Directors and Costume Designers

George Hommowun, Lighting Designer and Technical Director, begins his fifth season designing for EDE. Mr. Hommowun currently serves as the Performing Arts Director for Lowell Area Schools near Grand Rapids, Michigan. His most recent credits there include lighting and set designs for local productions of “Pirates of Penzance, “Grease” and “The Skin of Your Teeth.” Before moving to Lowell, Mr. Hommowun was the Technical Director for the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts where he worked for 14 years as the Assistant Technical Director and Lighting Designer. His design credits at the Macomb Center include creating the lighting for touring acts such as John Tesh, Roy Clark, and other solo performers, the annual Macomb Community College Show Choir Workshop, and over 40 Drama Department productions including "Gorey Stories", "Death of a Salesman", and "King John.” Further lighting design credit includes work for the Macomb Ballet Company’s productions of "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty", "Peter and the Wolf", and "Coppelia." He has coordinated all technical aspects of over 30 children’s productions for two other local groups, the Macomb Junior Players and All The World’s A Stage including productions of "James and the Giant Peach", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", and "Rapunzel". Mr. Hommowun’s first design project occurred during graduate school while lighting the annual production for the American University’s Modern Dance Program.

Kerro Knox 3, Lighting Designer and Technical Director, is head of theatre design for OU’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance where he has designed sets, costumes and/or lights for many theatre productions over the past eight years as well as the Oakland Dance Theatre. Designs for EDE include The Land of Nod. He is the resident designer for Patterson Rhythm Pace and Nadanta, and has designed the lighting for several shows at Meadow Brook Theatre. His work has also appeared at Syracuse Stage, the Hartford Stage, the Cleveland Playhouse and the Yale Repertory Theatre, and Greece, among other places. Both his BA and MFA are from Yale.

Leslie Littell, Costumer and Designer, begins her 7th season with Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. She holds a BS in Design from the University of Cincinnati and a MA in History from Rutgers University and teaches part-time at Oakland University for the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance as a Costume Specialist. Her work is seen locally on the Plowshares, Meadowbrook Theatre, and OU stages. Originally from New Jersey, she has also designed for Garden State Ballet and Montclair State University, among others. Ms. Littell runs Ashbridge Studio, a full service costume studio that creates for reenactment, skating competition, and theme weddings. She looks forward to another sparkling season!

M.E. Cameron-Scott, Motown in Motion designer, has been designing and fabricating clothing and costumes for over 40 years. She attended Acadamy Nvart, a small school of couture in Detroit in the early 1970's. Since then, she has designed custom bridal, sportswear lines, and dance costumes. Since she is not a dancer, Ms. Scott expresses her passion for contemporary dance through costuming.

Contact: S.C. Entertainment (212) 929-0630

Motown in Motion

WITH EISENHOWER DANCE ENSEMBLE

AND THE CONTOURS FEATURING SYLVESTE

The Show…

“Motown in Motion” is an evening length performance featuring Michigan's premier contemporary dance company, Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, with the legendary Motown group, The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts. This visual

salute to the tunes that rocked the Motor City and made Motown Records famous includes a mix of live music from The Contours and dance vignettes performed by Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, both with Therecordings from other top Motown artists. “is a multi-dimensional production uniting muevening of Motown hits. The show appeals tof all ages, Motown fans and dance aficioproduction gives audiences an entertaining alook at Motown, a distinctly American artistic

“Motown in Motion” utilizes eight of Eisenhower Dance Ensemble's profThe Contours featuring Sylvester Potts (four singers with a six performance features works by the following choreographers: EDE artEisenhower, Joel Hall, Stephen Koester, Gesel Mason, Bill DeYoung and Lighting and set design created by George Hommowun and Kerro Knox 3. Costumes by Leslie Little, Ashbridge Studio; and M.E. Cameron-Scott. The production can also be booked with the all-female Motown sensations, The Velvelettes.

Contact: S.C. Entertainment (212) 929-0630 or info@scentertainmentonline.com Further inf

R POTTS

Contours, and to Motown in Motion” sic and dance in an o diverse audiences nados alike. The s well as historical and cultural legacy.

essional dancers and piece band). The istic director Laurie Gregory Patterson.

o: www.ede-dance.org

The Artists…

Eisenhower Dance Ensemble Artistic director Laurie Eisenhower founded Eisenhower Dance Ensemble in the summer of 1991, in metropolitan Detroit. Since its inception, the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, hailed as one of the finest professional contemporary dance companies in the Midwest, has been dedicated to the performance of a diverse range of contemporary dance works. In addition to Ms. Eisenhower’s highly acclaimed choreography, EDE showcases the works of young talented artists, as well as choreographers with established reputations. The company’s repertory has included works by internationally known choreographers such as David Parsons, Stephen Koester, Mel Wong, Pascal Rioult, Mark Dendy, Douglas Nielsen, Bill Evans, Lila York, Demetrius Klein, Colin Connor, and Billy Siegenfeld, among others. The company has toured theatres across the United States, and internationally as far as St. Petersburg, Russia. In 2003, Ms. Eisenhower received an Artserve Michigan Governor’s Award for Arts and Culture.

The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts In the summer of 1962, The Contours hit the jackpot when Berry Gordy penned the classic ”Do You Love Me” for them. The song became the group’s biggest hit, as well as Motown’s fastest climbing hit of all time. Within two weeks of release, “Do You Love Me” became the #2 record in the nation, as well as the group’s first gold record. The ensuing years brought forth such Contours hits as “Shake Sherrie”, ”Can You Do It”, “Can You Jerk Like Me”, “Just A Little Misunderstanding”, and “First I look At The Purse.” The Contours have proudly worn the label “Motown’s #1 Party Group” for more than 40 years. Today, under the leadership of original member Sylvester Potts, The Contours are center stage once again. Much of the resurgence in The Contour’s popularity is a result of the Academy Award-winning film, “Dirty Dancing,” which featured their hit “Do You Love Me“ and led to a wildly successful international tour. In 1998, “Do You Love Me” climbed to #11 on the national charts, making it one of the few recordings in history to hit the top 20 in two different decades. Much to the delight of their legion of fans, The Contours were featured on the PBS special “Rock, Rhythm & Doo-Wop.” The Contours are in their 4th decade in show business, and are not content to rest on past laurels. Their performances are jam-packed with dazzling choreography, impeccable harmonies and those timeless Motown grooves that audiences of all ages know and love.

Contact: S.C. Entertainment (212) 929-0630 or info@scente

rtainmentonline.com Further info: www.ede-dance.org