FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2026

PRE-SHOW

Sycamore Tree -- Maggie Zeng, Emerging Student Choreographer

This piece, Sycamore Tree, is very special to me. The whole process of envisioning, choreographing, and refining the dance was certainly difficult, but I’m grateful that in the end, I ended up with this amazing dance. This piece is about the struggle of deciding whether to stay or walk away from a relationship that has slowly withered over time. It is also about learning to persevere through pain and finding renewal just like a sycamore tree shedding its peeling bark in order to grow again. I give thanks to my teacher Emily Edwards for leading me through the whole process, all my other teachers for supporting me along the way, and of course my friends at the studio! I am so honored to be able to perform on this stage with the amazing MADCO dancers, and I hope you enjoy the show!

Choreographer: Maggie Zeng

Music: Khamari

Dancer: Maggie Zeng

MADCO is honored to partner with St. Louis Academy of Dance to support the next generation of choreographers. Through this ongoing collaboration, one SLAD student is selected to present their original work in MADCO’s biennial Dare to Dance Festival alongside professional artists from across the country. This year MADCO is proud to introduce Maggie Zeng as our 2026 Emerging Student Choreographer.

Following the success of our 2024 Student Choreographer, Kayla Montgomery, Maggie will also receive one-on-one mentorship from a MADCO choreographer and company dancer. This year, Olivia Cesarano offered valuable feedback and coaching for Maggie as she prepared to present her work. We’re thrilled to continue celebrating young, local voices and their bold creativity. Congratulations Maggie!

ACT I

bodytalk  -- Chloe Ryherd

Choreographer: Chloe Ryherd (St. Louis, MO)

Affiliation: MADCO 

Dancers: Delainey Bailey, Cassie Callahan, Olivia Cesarano, Sidney Cowles, Logan Guerra, Annesley Haring, Gail Honeywell, Katherine Kennedy, Daryon Kent, Annie Mitchell, Gabby Ray, Ryah Truss

Chloe Ryherd is a teacher, choreographer, and professional dancer based in the greater St. Louis area. She graduated from Lindenwood University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, emphasizing contemporary, with a minor in Dance Studio Management. Chloe is currently in her second season as a company artist with MADCO, performing works by Noelle Kayser, Lily Sheppard, Arianna Russ, Janice Garrett, Jennifer Archibald, and more. Chloe is also a dedicated choreographer, presenting work at Dance City Festival in Detroit in 2024 and 2025, where she was named Rising Choreographer of the Year for her piece "a choreographed life." Chloe is eager for opportunity ahead and is ecstatic to present her newest work at this year’s Dare to Dance Festival.

A Tenderness Unfolding  -- Bo Brinton

Choreographer: Bo Brinton (Tucson, AZ)

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Dancers: Samantha Carriere, Dylan Fletcher

Bo Anolani Brinton creates contemporary dance works where gesture becomes metaphor and movement maps emotional landscapes. His choreography lives in the space between classical rigor and radical tenderness, where poetic minimalism meets narrative abstraction to reveal truths that language cannot express. As a choreographer, educator, and dance scholar, he bridges classical forms with the revolutionary potential of queer theory and somatic research. His practice is one of gentle insurgency, softening the edges of tradition and tracing intimate arcs of transformation that resonate beyond the stage.

我爱你妈妈 (I Love You, Mama)  -- Olivia Lemmenes

Choreographer: Olivia Lemmenes (Chicago, IL)

Music: Chien-An Yuan Voiceover by Olivia Lemmenes

Dancers: Olivia Lemmenes

Olivia Lemmenes is a professional choreographer, dancer, and educator located in Chicago, IL. She trained at Dance Center Evanston for 15 years, then continued her dance training at Western Michigan University – where she graduated with a BFA in Dance. After graduating, Olivia taught pre-professional and professional dance classes throughout the state of Michigan. Olivia currently teaches at The Grainger Academy of the Joffrey Ballet, Dance Center Evanston, and is the Assistant Director of Evanston Dance Ensemble 2 (ede2). As a freelance choreographer, Olivia has been commissioned to choreograph for youth, pre-professional, and professional dance companies, such as Michigan State University’s Orchesis Dance Company, Dance Uprising, and Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble. Olivia is also a dance artist with the AAPI performance collaborative, IS/LAND, and has performed their work in Ann Arbor, Chicago and San Francisco.

BOUNCE  --  Kaleigh Dent

Choreographer: Kaleigh Dent (Chicago, IL)

Affiliation: Rivet Dance Company

Music: Dance Dance Dance Dance; Please Babe; Video (feat. Ravyn Lenae) - KAYTRANADA

Dancers: Mary-Rose Campos, Kaleigh Dent, Alex McClellan, Nia Montgomery

Kaleigh Dent is a Chicago-based dance artist, choreographer, and dance educator. She has danced for companies such as Joel Hall Dancers, Still Inspired, LOUD BODIES, and Identity Performing Arts, where she was a Company Member and Rehearsal Director for five seasons. Her choreography has been featured in various Chicago dance concerts through her project-based company, Rivet Dance Company (2020). She is a second-year Master of Fine Arts in Dance candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where her research focuses on synthesizing contemporary and hip-hop dance techniques and codifying the method. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is certified in the Cecchetti ballet teaching method by the Cecchetti Council of America.

An Unbecoming  --  Lexie Hoehn

Choreographer: Lexie Hoehn (St. Louis, MO)

Affiliation: Resilience Dance Company, Webster University 

Music: “Adiós” By Benjamin Clementine

Dancers: Keshaun Brooks, Megan Burton, Sara Davis, Keenon Hamburg, Bella Shea

Lexie Hoehn (she/her) is from the small town of Farmington, Missouri, where she worked and trained with The Dance Project. She continued her training with Webster University's Dance Department where she had the opportunity to work with many talented teachers and choreographers through class and performances. Lexie has recently graduated from Webster University, where she received a BFA in Dance, with an emphasis in Modern. Lexie is excited to be working with RESILIENCE Dance Company for their 2025/25 season!

now I can go looking for them  --  Haley Barker

Choreographer: Hayley Barker (St. Louis)

Music: “The Boat” by Hanna Rani, “Light East of Sendai” by Susie Ibarra

Dancers: Hayley Barker, Zoe DeYoung, Ryah Truss

Hayley Barker is a contemporary dancer and teacher based in St. Louis. She earned degrees in Dance and Exercise Science from SIUE in 2017, receiving the Alcine Wiltz Scholarship and graduating magna cum laude. She performed in Melbourne, Australia, then Chicago, Illinois, before returning to the St. Louis community. She first guested with MADCO in 2021 and appeared in several projects thereafter, performing works by Ari Russ, Carl Fink, Christian Denice, Tricia Zweier, and CJ Burroughs, as well as local artists Melissa Miller, Michelle Parkhurst, Emily Duggins, Emily Smalls, Renée Austin, Marlee Doniff, and Carly Vanderheyden. She was a featured dancer in the 2025 event Dancers Making Moves. In Chicago, she performed with Kelly Anderson, Emilee Lord, Amanda Ramirez, and as a community artist with The Seldoms under the direction of Carrie Hanson. Hayley Has also performed in a MinEvent by Merce Cunningham set by Andrea Weber, as well as works by Sidra Bell and Gilbert Douglas. Throughout her career she has studied Countertechnique with Anouk van Dijk. A personal trainer and hands-on stretch specialist, she works at Life Time Fitness and is a teaching artist at COCA. Described as moving with “stunning honesty,” she thanks her family, friends, and ancestors for shaping her artistic path. hayleyrosebarker.com

ACT II

these flowers are for you  --  Annesley Haring

Choreographer: Annesley Haring, in collaboration with the dancers (St. Louis, MO)

Affiliation: MADCO

Music: “Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rousseau, “Chatter” by Lusine, “Untitled #9 - Smáskifa 1” by Sigur Rós

Dancers: Delainey Bailey, Sidney Cowles, Annie Mitchell, Gabby Ray, Chloe Ryherd

Annesley Haring (St. Louis, MO) is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She grew up dancing at Fusion Dance Center, where she was nurtured to develop her artistic voice and discover her unique movement quality. Annesley continues to instill these values in her students. She earned a BFA in Dance with an Emphasis in Contemporary and a BA in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Marketing from Lindenwood University. While at Lindenwood, Annesley performed works by Tricia Zweier, Janet Strzelec, Amy Gammon, and Mariko Kumanomido, Audrey Johnston, Christine Howe, Madison Hicks, and Hot Crowd Chicago. Annesley is in her third season with MADCO, performing works by Arianna Russ, Noelle Kayser, Lily Sheppard, Michael Foley, Carl Flink, and Stephen Blood. Through her work, Annesley strives to create meaningful experiences for performers and audiences and is thrilled to present her newest work at this year’s Dare to Dance Festival.

Libation Suite  --  Mikey Rioux

Choreographer: Mikey Rioux (Iowa City, IA)

Affiliation: The University of Iowa 

Dancers: Tori Lefler, Mikey Rioux

Mikey Rioux (they/them) is a transdisciplinary artist, working across many boundaries of the performative and plastic arts. They have performed for River North Dance Chicago, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Lucky Plush Productions, Mordine & Co., Kate Corby & Dancers, Scott/Powell Performance, Lingo, and Salt Horse among others. In 2001 Mikey formed Impetus Dance Theater and served as Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer until 2005. Mikey’s choreography has been presented internationally on stages and in museums. Mikey's visual art has been presented in 30 solo and group shows, and is in numerous private collections including The Mary Alice Cooley Print Collection. They received a BFA in Studio Art from Cornish College, and are currently working towards an MFA in Choreography from The University of Iowa.

wheRe do we GO, Now thAt WE’RE HERE?  --  Renée Austin

“Every iteration of this work continues to evolve and emulate the title, “wheRe do we GO, Now thAt WE’RE HERE?” My cast goes off and experiences new journeys in life to return with more wisdom and eager for the process, leaving as an evolved version of themselves and wondering what comes next. This work is an expression of how I felt about change and how we process on our own or with others at the time of its creation. Duets were made in collaboration with cast members.”

Choreographer: Renée Austin (St. Louis, MO) 

Music: “The Spot” by Nicholas Britell, “Eros” by Nicholas Britell, “A Rose in Spanish Harlem” by Nicholas Britell, “The Middle of the World” by Nicolas Britell, and “Encomium” by Nicholas Britell

Dancers: Renée Austin, Hayley Barker, Sam Beasley, Kyla Kikkawa, Nathan Krueger, Ally Lamkie, Amber Newsom, Mandi Weitz 

Renée Austin is a multi-disciplinary artist currently based in St. Louis. With over 21 years of experience in the performing arts and Bachelor of Arts in Dance from WashU, she primarily explores creativity through a fusion of dance styles and experimental movement. A seasoned performer, community leader, and educator, she champions underrepresented perspectives in the arts, hoping to set an example for other black women and women of color with similar passions. She performs and trains with Kode Redd Dance Company and Kinfigure Kollective, and is a cofounder of RSK Arts, a dance and arts organization offering community engagement, mentorship, affordable training in 10+ styles for all levels, and more.

Flow and Stagnation  -- Z Taylor

Choreographer: Z Taylor (Oklahoma City, OK)

Music: “Third Eye” by Vitamin String Quartet

Dancers: Hayley Fort and Katy Whitfield

Z Taylor is a freelance choreographer, performer, and researcher in the Oklahoma City area. They are also a dance teacher for people of all abilities. Z’s choreography is a collaborative blend of dance, physical theater, performance art, and other art disciplines. Their most recent interest has been creating structured improvised scores and utilizing practice as a form of performance. They value the process over the product, especially when collaborating. Z has performed and shared their choreography across the country, as well as recently in Berlin, Germany.

Is This Feeling Right? --  Mary Grace Wiedt

Choreographer: Mary Grace Wiedt

Dancer: Mary Grace Wiedt

Costume: Jill Stahl 

Assisted by: Brooke Fleming

Music: Sofus Forsberg and Nate Smith 

Mary Grace Wiedt is an STL native dancer, teacher, and choreographer. She attended Marymount Manhattan College where she trained in Graham, Limón, Butoh, Horton, Cunningham, and many others. While studying in New York she performed works by Adam Barruch, Sidra Bell, Jenn Freeman, Andrea Miller, and Ohad Naharin. After graduating with a BFA she relocated to STL where she began teaching and choreographing locally and around the country. She has had the opportunity to teach at institutions such as Webster University and teaches weekly for MADCO. Aside from teaching, she spends most of her time setting choreography in which her body of work aims to draw from her past, present, and future while drawing inspiration from vigor, tenacity, tenderness, and dynamic range.

Distorted Glimmers  -- Carly Vanderheyden

"Well, now that we have seen each other, if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?” - Lewis Carroll  
This work premiered in November 2025 on a cast of students at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 

Choreographer: Carly Vanderheyden

Affiliation: Carve Dance Project

Music: “A Bit of Sass” by Evan Call, “Overture Act 1” by Mikael Karlsson, “Boggler” by Antti Paalanen

Costume Designer: Chrissy Clair

Dancers: Delainey Bailey, Mady Buerck, Soraya Cohen, Sidney Cowles, Logan Guerra, Hayden Jensen, Baylee McAllister, Gabby Ray, Chloe Ryherd, Ana Velasquez, Monica Zesch

Carly Vanderheyden is a contemporary dance artist based in St. Louis, MO. Carly grew up in Green Bay, WI and graduated from the University of Iowa with a BFA in Dance-Pedagogy, BA in Health and Human Physiology, and a certificate in Arts Entrepreneurship. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Dance at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Carly was a company dancer with Saint Louis Dance Theatre, formerly The Big Muddy Dance Company, under the artistic direction of Brian Enos from 2017-2022 and Kirven Douthit-Boyd from 2022-2024. Carly has been featured in choreography by Sidra Bell, Thang Dao, Norbert De La Cruz III, Omar Román De Jesús, Bradley Shelver, among others. In 2024, Carly performed in Germany with Shannon Gillen and Jason Cianciulli of VIM VIGOR at B12 in Berlin, as well as with Alice Klock and Florian Lochner of FLOCK in Schwäbisch Hall. Carly has been featured in collaborations with the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Jazz St. Louis, among others. Carly has presented her own choreography at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the Saint Louis Dance Theatre Trainees, and COCA's Ballet Eclectica Second Company. Carly is an American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum certified ballet teacher, 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher, and Certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor. Carly works as a freelance photographer and graphic designer, as well as a teaching artist, choreographer, and rehearsal director at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA). She is the founder of St. Louis Dance HQ and creative director of Dancers Making Moves, two projects partially funded by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis Individual Artist Grants in 2024 and 2025. She’s currently working with MADCO as Artistic Consultant for the company’s 50th anniversary season. Throughout her creative pursuits, Carly has a passion for making the world a more thoughtfully connected place through the arts. www.carlyvanderheyden.com

ACT III

Texas Sun  --  Annie Mitchell

Choreographer: Annie Mitchell (St. Louis, MO)

Affiliation: MADCO 

Music: “Incantation VI” Sufjan Stevens, “Out of Silence: The Vernon Spring” by Gwilym Gold

Dancers: Delainey Bailey, Cassie Callahan

Annie Mae Mitchell was born in Lafayette, Louisiana to Gayle and David Higginbotham. She attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts with a Concentration in Dance in May of 2018. Annie is entering her 4th consecutive season as a main company member with MADCO. Since joining the company she has had the privilege to re-stage her piece She’s My Spiderweb for both Dare to Dance and a two-week intensive at the University of Iowa. Additionally, Annie debuted an original piece, A Loud Hum, at MADCO’s Hope Alive: Moving Stories in the fall of 2024.

I don't mean a lover  --  Emmi Small

Choreographer: Emmi Small (Boston, MA)

Music: Silver Mt. Zion

Costume Designer: Chrissy Clair

Dancers: Hayley Barker, Elyzah Gasmen, Nathan Krueger, Emmi Small, Carly Vanerheyden, Ashlynn Woelbling

Emmi Small is a Boston-based contemporary dance artist. She holds a BFA in Dance and BS in Public Health from University of Massachusetts Amherst (2019). Emmi has performed with Kairos Dance Theater, Resilience Dance Company, Ballet 314, St. Louis Dance Theatre, Newport Contemporary Ballet, and Emily Duggins Dance Project. Her work has been produced by Resilience Dance Company and the St. Louis Dance Theatre trainee program. Her most recent work, “I don’t mean a lover” was presented at St. Louis Contemporary Dance Festival in 2025 and she is excited to show it at Dare to Dance!

Ecchymosis --  Monica Zesch

Ec•chy•mo•sis
Noun / Modern Latin
Rupturing of the blood vessels that pool beneath the skin, forming a localized discoloration or bruise on the body

Choreographer: Monica Zesch (St. Louis, MO)

Music: “Come Out” by Steve Reich, remixed by Ken Ishii

Dancers: Monica Zesch

Monica Zesch (she/her) is a freelance dance artist from the St. Louis area. Learning the language and techniques at a young age, she’s trained extensively in classical, contemporary, and commercial genres. She holds a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance and Choreography from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she worked closely in residency with Aszure Barton, Daniel Pelzig, Kurt Douglas, and others. She has also performed repertoire by Ohad Naharin, Danielle Agami, Sharon Eyal, José Limón, and more. Inspired by community, she thrives when working with other like-minded artists, fueled by a passion for the creative process. Her multi-genre choreography is grounded in rich musicality and a dynamic, rhythmic movement quality. Drawing inspiration from the artists she collaborates with, her work celebrates each dancer's individuality while weaving a distinct, collective narrative in every piece.

He Said, She Said  --  Mady Buerck

“He Said, She Said” is a cultural commentary on the abundance of voices and creators in the arts, yet how, often, rather than actually saying something, there just seems to be a lot of noise. A discussion of creation within capitalism, of overproduction and overconsumption, of creating with meaning, of who we give platforms to, and all the other “He said, She said” mumbo jumbo.

Choreographer: Mady Buerck (St. Louis, MO)

Affiliation: Saint Louis Dance Theatre Trainee

Music: “Mantra” by Bryan Senti, “Overbellow Reel” by Stuart Duncan, “Why Don’t You Go Back to the Woods” by Edgar Meyer, “Visit Croatia” by Alabaster DePlume, “Bluh Bluh Bluh” by Alexander Grant, “One Hour Visa” by Valentina Magaletti and YPY, “Once Again” by alva noto and ANBB and Blixa Bargeld, “Lurk - Mixed” by Oklou, Casey MQ, “le merveilleux resume” by Alexander Grant, “Interlude by Andrea Zonn, “Symphony No. 5 in C Minor Part 1” by Ludwig van Beethoven

Dancers: Lillian Beeler, Olivia Wilton, Ava Partida, Ellie Barry 

Mady Buerck (She/Her) is a Dancer, Choreographer, and Creative based in St. Louis. She graduated in May of 2024 from the Conservatory of the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography. In 2022, she also received a Bachelor's in Communications with an emphasis in Professional Communication from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Upon graduating, she joined Saint Louis Dance Theatre, formally known as Big Muddy Dance Company, where she is now completing her second Trainee Season. She has worked closely with and performed works by a variety of professionals, including Geoff Alexander, Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Avree Walker, Brandon Fink, Gary Abbott, Kam Sanders, Ray Mercer, Nicole Clarke Springer, and Christopher Huggins, among others. She is the Creative Director, lead choreographer and instructor for Studio E Dance. She has choreographed on the Saint Louis Dance Theatre Trainees the past two seasons and, also, was selected to present her work at the 2025 St. Louis Contemporary Dance Festival. She completed a choreographic residency with Space Station this August, and has traveled throughout the country, teaching and choreographing for both creative and competitive projects.

Sult  --  Pierce Pennington

En undersøkelse av sult.

Choreographer: Pierce Pennington (Tucson, AZ)

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Music: Shallow Water by Yehezkel Raz, Sivan Talmor, and Isolation by Vetle Nærø

Dancer: Pierce Pennington

Pierce Pennington is dancer and choreographer currently located in Tucson AZ, pursuing her MFA in Dance from University of Arizona as a GTA. She received her BFA in Dance from Sam Houston State University in 2023, as well as a minor in Mass Communications. Pierce has set works for studios in GA, TX, and PA, winning choreographic awards across the country. Pierce has participated in works by choreographers such as Gregory Dolbashian, Addison Ector, Jeffrey Gugliotti, Allison Gupton, Cherise Wakeham, Adele Nickel, Andy and Dionne Noble, Joshua Mansulich, Travis Lake, Francisco Graciano, Arinze Okammar, Braeden Barnes, Morgan Williams, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Brandon Fink, Brian Stevens, Zack Law Ingram, Jennifer Mabus, and Trent Williams. In 2022, Pierce performed professionally with NobleMotion Dance, as well as participated in ACDA 2022 and 2023, and then went on to perform Nobels’ "Tower" at ACDA Nationals. She also danced with NobleMotion in their show "Escape Velocity." After graduating, Pierce continued her professional career in dance with Waterstreet Dance Milwaukee performing in their shows "Illuminate,” "Water on Water," "Solstice V," and going on tour in locations such as Green Bay, Michigan, and Minnesota. Pierce then went on to train with St. Louis Dance Theatre. After relocating to Dallas, Texas, Pierce was hired as a company dancer for 6’o Clock Dance, choreographing for and dancing with the company, as well as doing project-based work for Brian Stevens in his world premiere of “Fall All Over Me.” Pierce is working on her Fletcher Pilates certification and is actively teaching Pilates while completing her Masters’ degree.

The Refinement of Baduizm  --  Ryah Truss

“To experience…music, movement and spiritual connection collide and create a high. We’re rooted in making connections and discoveries while life ebbs and flows.”

Choreographer: Ryah Truss (St. Louis, MO)

Affiliation: MADCO

Music: “Didn’t Cha Know” by Erykah Badu, “On & On” by Erykah Badu, “It Gets Better (With Time)” by The Internet

Dancers: Cassie Callahan, Logan Guerra, Daryon Kent, Hayley Barker, Zoe Deyoung, Baylee Mcallister, Devontae Graham

Ryah Truss grew up in Fairview Heights, IL, where she began her dance journey at the age of 8. Her training started at Adam’s School of Dance, which later became Dynamic Fusion Dance Center in O’Fallon, IL. She attended Southeast Missouri State University, where she received her B.A. in Dance by December of 2024. Ryah worked with various guest artists and has a diverse range of styles. She’s now an apprentice with MADCO as well as a teacher and choreographer.

DARE TO CONNECT

OUR TEAM

Artistic Director - Arianna Russ
Education Director - Katherine Kennedy
Artistic Consultant + Photographer - Carly Vanderheyden
Photographer - Sidney Cowles
Videographer - Dancing Fox Pictures
Lighting Designer - Danny McLaughlin 

Thank you Zach Metalsky, Justin Foster, Sean Carroll, and COCA for your support in bringing Dare to Dance to life on the Catherine B. Berges stage.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

UP NEXT FOR MADCO