Belicia is a graduate of the University of Missouri – St. Louis with a degree in Dance. In 2012, she served as an apprentice with MADCO and in 2013 became a company member. Working in the studio setting from a young age, Belicia enjoys teaching modern, jazz, ballet, tap and gymnastics to students in the St. Louis area. She has also been on faculty as a dance instructor for UMSL.

MADCO has recently lost both its Artistic Director and Managing Director.  “While the loss of the Artistic Director and the Managing Director both have a big impact on the company, the Board of Directors has been very impressed with the way Belicia has stepped up and is the logical person to assume this role. The Board has the utmost confidence in her, and is excited about the future of the Modern American Dance Company,” says Board President Ken Tucker.

Belicia has graciously accepted her new role, saying, “I am honored to be given this opportunity. After being with this company for ten seasons my passion and love for MADCO have only grown. I look forward to what the future brings me and this amazing company!”

Along with Belicia, MADO continues to have Darrell Hyche II serving as the Education Director, a position he has served in since last year.

Darrell is from Kansas City, MO, received his BFA in Dance Performance and his BS in Psychology from Missouri State University in Springfield. While there, he was a member of the university’s touring performance group, The Inertia Dance Company. He was also a two-year scholarship student at the American Dance Festival. Since then, he has performed with the Springfield Ballet and the Ashleyliane Dance Company. He joined MADCO in 2014

MADCO Mission Continues

The mission of the Modern American Dance Company has not changed.  It continues to be: MADCO (Modern American Dance Company) entertains, educates and collaborates through innovative dance experiences. Their next performance is PNC ARTS ALIVE PRESENTS: RESILIENCE at Lindenwood’s J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts –  Emerson Black Box Theater. 

• Preview Performance: March 26th – 7:30 PM
• Sensory Friendly Performance: March  28th – 2 PM
• Evening Performances: March 27th & 28th – 8 PM

RESILIENCE aims to create trauma-informed arts programming to battle adversity through movement in St. Louis city and surrounding counties with education, community outreach, and mainstage performances. In collaboration with St. Louis nonprofit Hope Creates, the Salvation Army, and the Center for Trauma Recovery at UMSL, RESILIENCE will take the people of St. Louis on a restorative path from trauma to healing through stories of survivors.

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In collaboration with St. Louis nonprofit Hope Creates, the Salvation Army, and the Center for Trauma Recovery at UMSL, RESILIENCE will take the people of St. Louis on a restorative path from trauma to healing through stories of survivors.

PNC Arts Alive is a multi-year initiative of the PNC Foundation that challenges visual and performing arts organizations to put forth their best, most original thinking to expand audience participation and engagement.

“Through PNC Arts Alive we have a long history of providing grants to organizations that strengthen and enrich the lives of our residents,” said Michael Scully, PNC regional president for St. Louis. “We understand that a rich arts community is a significant driver of our economic success, providing employment, boosting tourism and making the region attractive for businesses, residents, and visitors.”

Contributing Choreographers

This performance will showcase four new works by choreographers Carl Flink, Lindsay Hawkins, Natalie Williams, and RAWdance.

In his piece, Riding the Maelstrom, choreographer Carl Flink draws upon personal experience as a caregiver of a parent going through chemo and radiation therapies and has collaborated on other cancer research. This rich background has led him to create a dance work that seeks to capture the essence of individuals experiencing the rollercoaster ride of cancer treatments.

Lindsay Hawkins created the piece, titled CORA, which draws on her experience with incredibly resilient women and families dealing with pregnancy loss. She uses the inspiration she receives from these individuals in sharing their stories of grief and moving forward after suffering through the heartbreaking loss. CORA is named in honor of the daughter of two of Hawkins’ friends who died at birth.

Natalie Williams’ piece, A Magnificent Grey, captures the various ways humans experience grief. The movement is a physical interpretation of an emotional response that one endures when an unexpected life change occurs. This work is heavily based on the capacity to accept supportive relationships, develop trust, and find the strength to recover quickly from difficulties.

RAWdance Vibrating with tension, and filled with luscious dancing, Art is a Guarantee of Sanity was choreographed by RAWdance’s Co-Artistic Directors, Ryan T. Smith and Wendy Rein, for MADCO. The work was originally commissioned by Dance St. Louis as part of its New Dance Horizons program in 2017. Driven by the theme of that year’s programming, “women who inspire,” Rein and Smith delved into the works of two women artists, author Susannah Cahalan and visual artist Louise Bourgeois, both of whom used their art to traverse challenging, traumatic periods of their lives.

Performances

Training by dance movement therapist Elise Ringenberg will further develop the program through a trauma-informed lens. This new curriculum will be developed and brought to the Ritenour School District thanks to funding by PNC Arts Alive. PNC Arts Alive presents MADCO: RESILIENCE at Lindenwood’s J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts, Emerson Black Box Theater located at 2300 West Clay Street, St. Charles, MO. Performances are available to the public March 26 – 28, 2020.

A preview performance at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 26, highlights excerpts from the production. To better serve people with disabilities, MADCO proudly offers a sensory-friendly performance at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 28. Modifications in light and sound will create a supportive and welcoming environment. Audience members will be invited to dance alongside MADCO artists after the show, as well as move and talk during the performance.

Tickets to PNC Arts Alive presents MADCO: RESILIENCE are on sale now. Tickets are available at the Scheidegger Center Box Office on the campus of Lindenwood University or online at www.madcodance.com.

ABOUT PNC FOUNDATION

The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence.  The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.

ABOUT MADCO

MADCO provides community inspired, innovative dance experiences through collaborations that provide a pathway for self-discovery, social connections, and excellent entertainment for audience members, students, teachers, presenters, and corporate clients. More information is available at www.madcodance.com or @madcodance on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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MADCO (Modern American Dance Company) has partnered with SLAD (St. Louis Academy of Dance) to help foster the love of dance in the St. Louis community for future generations.

As MADCO transitions to a new home, SLAD is opening its doors, offering space for MADCO to rehearse. In return, MADCO offers enriching mentorship and performance experiences for SLAD’s young dancers, including performances in MADCO2’s Fall Concert October 19th & 20th.

Working together, the two entities will provide collaborative dance experiences, pathways for self-discovery, and community connections between professional dancers and the next generation. 

“Fostering love and appreciation for dance through innovative education and performance experiences comes as easily as breathing for both organizations. Whether it’s to inspire a young dancer or build a stronger community, we both want to make the world a better place through dance,” said Emilee Morton, MADCO Managing Director.

Both partners are excited about the possibilities as this new community grows and opportunities arise from this joint venture.

MADCO Has Been Providing Innovative Dance Experiences for 43 Years!

As the longest-running professional dance company in St. Louis, MADCO has been moving audiences – and serving our greater community – for more than 40 years. Through performances that are informative, inspiring and collaborative at every turn, MADCO challenges audiences to Dare! Dance! Discover! For more information, visit www.madcodance.com or follow @madcodance on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Founded over 30 Years Ago, SLAD Offers Dance Instruction in 3 Studios

St. Louis Academy of Dance provides top of the line education in the art of dance in 3 beautiful state-of-the-art studios. Personal, hands-on instruction, classic to contemporary disciplines for ages 3 to adult, with performance opportunities for ALL! For more information, visit www.stlouisdance.com or follow @stlacademyofdance on Facebook and Instagram.

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In commemoration of the 30 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Modern American Dance Company (MADCO) will perform WALLSTORIES on November 6 – 9 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  

WALLSTORIES, choreographed by German choreographer and native Berliner Nejla Yatkin, is particularly timely. With talk of walls being built in the United States, MADCO returns to this audience favorite with a new perspective. Yatkin’s intensely personal piece pulls from her own experience as a teenager in 1980s Berlin. Her story and voice recordings of others who lived in the shadow of the wall are enhanced by scores including Pink Floyd’s album “The Wall,” and music by Bach.

“This feels very different from our first presentation of WALLSTORIES five years ago,” said Nicole Whitsell, artistic director of MADCO. “Our current political climate has changed so drastically in those short years. Through this current rehearsal process, we all feel so affected by the parallels of social unrest and political upheaval that are so newly resonant.”

“Long Live Freedom” Exhibit as the Backdrop

True to MADCO form, the dance performance is but one facet of the evening, as an immersive exhibit “Long Live Freedom” helps set the backdrop and mood. The photo display, presented by UMSL’s German Culture Center, recounts courageous acts by individuals and groups opposed to the Nazi regime.

Tickets Available Now

Tickets for the event are $30 for adults and $25 for youth. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased in person at Touhill Ticket Office, by phone at 314-516-4949 and online at touhill.org. For more info, visit www.madcodance.com.

Further, the collaboration with Larry Marsh and UMSL’s German Culture Center makes it possible for 1,000 middle-school through college-level students across Missouri and southern Illinois for three free matinee performances at the Touhill for this unique blend of dance and education.

About MADCO

As the longest-running professional dance company in St. Louis, MADCO has been moving audiences – and serving the greater community – for more than 40 years. Through performances that are informative, inspiring and collaborative at every turn, MADCO challenges audiences to Dare! Dance! Discover! 

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“This is my second year as the leader of MADCO 2 and I’m really enthusiastic about the new additions to our dance family! Their energy, dedication, and athleticism in rehearsal will shine through on-stage,” said Elyse Guttmann, MADCO 2 Rehearsal Director, about new dancers Brittani McClellan (St. Charles), Kristen Ahring (Edwardsville), and Enrique Herrera (Chicago).

Guest choreographer Kevin Loveland Jr. was discovered through MADCO’s Dare to Dance choreographic showcase in January 2019. His work “Fliegenfalle” received the “Artistic Director’s Choice Award” for artistic excellence in choreography. He has been commissioned to create a new work on MADCO 2 that will premiere in their season debut. Kevin is the first guest choreographer that the MADCO 2 company has ever had.

“Dare to Dance opened opportunities for me as a choreographer, not only giving me the opportunity to set work on the second company but also opening other avenues to me that might not have presented themselves before. I’m excited to work with the company and explore new ideas and concepts. It’s easy to get stuck in the familiar and working with new dancers, in a new environment will allow me to expand my creativity as a dance maker,” said Kevin about his experience to date with MADCO.

A new partnership with St. Louis Academy of Dance provides opportunities for young dance artists to be a part of this professional production. The Pazazz Performers are an award-winning, pre-professional dance company in residence at SLAD. They can be seen dancing for local events that create positive change in the community through the arts. Their repertoire of work is as diverse as their talent. The Pazazz Performers are selected through an audition process and are dedicated to a range of dance techniques including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, lyrical, musical theater, pointe, and choreography. These talented young artists will perform the opening number at the MADCO 2 concert.

MADCO 2 will be presented in partnership with the Touhill Performing Arts Center in the Lee Theater on Saturday, October 19^th at 8 PM and Sunday, October 20^th at 2 PM. Tickets are $15 and only sold at the door the day of the performance. This concert is made possible thanks to support from the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission, Missouri Arts Council, Sports Medicine, and Training Center, and the WS and BK Ross Charitable Foundation.

ABOUT SLAD

St. Louis Academy of Dance provides top of the line education in the art of dance in 3 beautiful state-of-the-art studios. Personal, hands-on instruction, classic to contemporary discipline for ages 2 to adult, with performance opportunities for ALL! More information available at www.stlouisdance.com or @STLAcademyofDance on Facebook.

 ABOUT MADCO

MADCO provides community inspired, innovative dance experiences through collaborations that provide a pathway for self-discovery, social connections, and excellent entertainment for audience members, students, teachers, presenters, and corporate clients. More information is available at www.madcodance.com or @madcodance on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Rehearsal is a critical component for any professional dance company – immersing dancers in the nuances of choreography is key to a successful performance. MADCO, St. Louis-based Modern American Dance Company, is also engrossed in another practice well before hitting the stage on opening night. For MADCO, a concert is also the culmination of community outreach. The company’s 2019-2020 season consists of provocative, engaging and entertaining dance designed to encourage audiences to discover something new. 

This November, MADCO renews its collaboration with German choreographer Nejla Yatkin to stage Wallstories, a vibrant performance that rouses the human stories beneath Cold War politics and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Wallstories is Yatkin’s highly personal illustration of what happens to society when walls are built, and when they are dismantled. Selected as one of the Top 10 dances of 2009 in the Washington Post and awarded the Overall Excellence in Dance at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2011, MADCO initially performed Wallstories in 2014 at the 25th anniversary of the fall of the wall. In 2019, MADCO feels strongly that its lessons are newly relevant. “The current political climate and conversations around building walls add a fresh perspective worth exploring,” said Emilee Morton, MADCO’s managing director. “We hope to get people really thinking about how it relates to what direction we are going.” 

To that end, MADCO is coordinating with the German Culture Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) to bring more than a thousand students of various ages from the St. Louis Public Schools to experience matinee performances. These students and other patrons will also have the opportunity to view “Long Live Freedom,” an exhibition of photos and documents marking the German resistance to Hitler’s National Socialism. “The combination of the immersive exhibition and performance means audiences leave with plenty to talk about,” said Morton. Wallstories is slated for November 8 and 9 in the Lee Theater at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at UMSL.

The community engagement aspect of MADCO’S professional concert season takes on a yearlong timeline in PNC Arts Alive Presents: RESILIENCE. RESILIENCE aims to create trauma-informed arts programming to battle adversity through movement in St. Louis city and surrounding counties with education, community outreach, and mainstage performances. In collaboration with St. Louis nonprofit Hope Creates, the Salvation Army, and the Center for Trauma Recovery at UMSL, RESILIENCE will take the people of St. Louis on a restorative path from trauma to healing through stories of survivors. This performance will showcase four new works by choreographers Carl Flink, Lindsay Hawkins, Micaela Taylor, and RAWdance. 

Training by dance movement therapist Elise Ringenberg will further develop the program through a trauma-informed lens. This new curriculum will be developed and brought to the Ritenour School District thanks to funding by PNC Arts Alive. PNC Arts Alive presents MADCO: RESILIENCE on the mainstage at the Touhill Performing Arts Center March 26 – 28, 2020. 

A preview performance Thursday, March 26, at 8 pm, highlights excerpts from the production. To better serve people with disabilities, MADCO proudly offers a sensory-friendly performance on Saturday, March 28 at 2 pm. Modifications in light and sound will create a supportive and welcoming environment. Audience members will be invited to dance alongside MADCO artists after the show, as well as move and talk during the performance. 

Tickets to Wallstories and PNC Arts Alive presents MADCO: RESILIENCE go on sale Friday, August 2 at 10 a.m. Tickets are available at www.touhill.org, by phone at 314-516-4949 and in person at the Touhill Ticket Office on the UMSL campus. 

ABOUT PNC ARTS ALIVE

PNC Arts Alive programming demonstrates that there is an artistic outlet for everyone, regardless of age, economic background, skill level and taste. Pop – up performances, mobile arts vans and the use of unusual venues are among the many initiatives supported through PNC Arts Alive and the company is excited to continue helping to invigorate local arts organizations in the Greater St. Louis region, while bringing new and exciting programs to our communities. More information is available at www.pnc.com. 

ABOUT MADCO

MADCO provides community inspired, innovative dance experiences through collaborations that provide a pathway for self-discovery, social connections, and excellent entertainment for audience members, students, teachers, presenters, and corporate clients. More information is available at www.madcodance.com or @madcodance on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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