RISE, 2021.
“A choreographic voice like no one else’s”
—The New York Times
Founded in 2014, Kyle Marshall Choreography (KMC) is a company that sees the dancing body as a container of history, an igniter of social reform, and a site of celebration. KMC believes in the creation, sharing, and teaching of dance as a way to deepen our knowledge of who we are as individuals, how we develop relationships, and ultimately societies.
KMC has performed at venues throughout the NYC area including: Chelsea Factory, BAM Next Wave Festival, Joe’s Pub, The Shed, Roulette, Abrons Arts Center, Bickford Theater/Morris Museum and the Entertainment Community Fund Arts Center. National touring has included: Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out (Beckett, MA), FringeArts (Philadelphia), and New World Center (Miami). Choreographic Commissions have included: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Baryshnikov Arts Center, “Dance on the Lawn” Montclair Dance Festival, NJPAC and Harlem Stage. KMC has been in residence at Bethany Arts Community, Monira Foundation, 92Y, American Dance Festival, The Center for Ballet and The Arts at NYU and with The Joyce Theater at 280 Gibney Dance Center. The company regularly engages in educational and repertory workshops in high school and colleges throughout the region including; Bloomfield College, Trenton Central High School, Sarah Lawerence College, Rutgers University, County Prep High School and Virginia Commonwealth University. Director Kyle Marshall was a 2021-22 Caroline Hearst Choreographer-in-Residence at the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Dance at Princeton University. Additionally, Kyle has received a 2018 NY Dance and Performance Juried Bessie Award, a 2020 Dance Magazine Harkness Promise Award and was a 2020 Bessie Honoree for the revival of Colored. Kyle is a graduate of Rutgers University, a NJ State Arts Fellow and an adjunct professor at NYU’s Open Arts Program.
Kyle Marshall Choreography is fiscally sponsored through The Foundation for Independent Artists.
Kyle Marshall
Kyle Marshall (Artistic Director) is a choreographer, performer, teacher and artistic director of Kyle Marshall Choreography (KMC), a dance company that sees the dancing body as a container of history, an igniter of social reform and a site of celebration. Since inception in 2014, KMC has performed at venues including: Chelsea Factory, BAM Next Wave Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out, Actors Fund Arts Center, NJPAC, Little Island, and Roulette. Kyle has received choreographic and dance film commissions from the Baryshnikov Arts Center, "Dance on the Lawn", Montclair's Dance Festival, Harlem Stage and THE SHED.
Kyle has received a 2018 NY Dance and Performance Juried Bessie Award, a 2020 Dance Magazine Harkness Promise Award and a 2020 Bessie Honoree for his revival of Colored (2017). He has also received choreographic fellowships from Princeton University, Center for Ballet and the Arts, and residencies from Monira Foundation, 92nd st Y, CPR, and Bethany Arts Community. As an educator, Kyle has conducted masterclasses, creative workshops, set choreography at schools including; ADF, Rutgers University, Ailey/Fordham University, Sarah Lawrence College, County Prep High School, and Eugene Lang/New School. He is currently an adjunct professor at NYU’s Open Arts Program. Kyle is a former member of the Trisha Brown Dance Company, doug elkins choreography etc., and Tiffany Mills Company. He is a graduate of Rutgers University with a BFA in Dance and a NJ Arts Fellow.
Edo Tastic
Edo Tastic (Creative Director) is a visual artist based in New York City. His artistic path began with poetics works. After collaborating to add layers of sound, pairing them with film and photography to paint visual storytelling. To date, he has produced poetic videos, films, and a short documentary: “The Poetic Catharsis Of Edo Tastic”. In October 2021, he self-produced a fashion-forward poetic short film; "Abducted: A Living Poet", not yet released. He has produced fully conceptualized poetry readings in apartments, rooftops, and art galleries both in New York City and Jersey City. He has published two books “Effects” and “He Was Here”, part of a 12-book poetic memoir, BURPS.
His work in hair and makeup began as a model, in front of the camera. This passion led to other areas, first assisting stylist Andre Austin, having a makeup mentor, and friendship with David Frank Ray and Donyale McRae, who inspire his desire to develop a timeless style. Hair came next, drawn to colors and style for overall polish.
In 2017 and 2018, Bloomingdales commissioned poems for their stores in Soho and The Flagship 59th Street. In March 2021, Edo produced his first visual art show in Ma’s House Residency titled Nothing Is Something combining sound, poetry, lecture, lighting, and visual art in a span of a week. In August 2022, he participated in a group showing at La Mama Galleries. He is currently working on a show titled Land Here! consisting of over 150 visual art pieces.
He began working with Kyle Marshall Choreography in 2021, lending his makeup skills to “Stellar” at Baryshnikov Theatre. Today, he hones all his skills to provide visual directing to Kyle Marshall Choreography with the premiere of “Onyx”.
Performers
Alexandria Francois (performer) (she/they) is a dance artist from Queens, New York, currently based in New York City. Alexandria is a recent graduate of Rutgers University receiving their Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts. During their time in college they’ve been under the instruction of and performed works by artists and educators, Kyle Marshall, Gerald Casel, John Evans, Jordan D. Lloyd, Ani Javian, Blair Ritchie, Julia Ritter, and Evelyn Wang. In addition to collaborating with their peers to create various works, Alexandria hopes to continue their career as a performing artist and creator.
José Lapaz-Rodriguez (performer) (he/him) is a freelance dance artist and model from the Dominican Republic currently living in New Jersey. José is a Hanya Holm award recipient and he graduated from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University with a BFA in Dance performance. José researches the interconnection of contemporary dance and voguing in concert dance in queer bodies as he is part of the ballroom scene. He has performed works by Matthew Rushing, Pam Tanowitz, Jordan Lloyd, Stefanie Batten-Bland, Roderick George, and Darrell Grand Moultrie. Aside from concert dance, he has performed as a cameo artist in the Off-Broadway ‘Hercules’ by Chase Brock, he collaborated with Mandy Moore for the Facebook Messenger commercial, Jermaine Browne for Rowan Papier’s Telfar “The Same Beat”, and danced in Chad Lawson’s ‘Prelude in D Major’ VEVO music video.
Atlanta native, Justin Daniels (performer) (he/him), began his artistic journey at Tri-Cities High School's Visual & Performing Arts Program in East Point, GA. He holds a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance Performance with a minor in Psychology from The Boston Conservatory and abroad at The Central Academy of Drama in Beijing. Now a New York based dance artist, choreographer, and photographer represented by BLOC NY. Justin has worked with Grammy award winning artist Jon Batiste and recently with global sensation Serpentwithfeet on “Heart of Brick”, a groundbreaking production intertwining music, theater, and dance. Justin has also been a collaborator in choreographic incubators with Dance Lab New York and residences at Kampnagel Summer Festival, Kaatsban, and Turnpark Summer festival. Featured in DanceItalia! (Spring,2021’) and VoyageATL(Spring, 22’) Magazine. Justin is committed to exploring and expanding the collectiveness of concert, commercial, and digital dance spaces.
Kellye Smith (performer) (she/her) is a performer, choreographer, and teacher originally from Richmond, Virginia. In 2023, she graduated cum laude from James Madison University with a BA in Dance, and later received her PreK-12 dance teaching license. While at JMU, Smith had the pleasure of performing original works by Ruben Graciani, Tiffanie Carson, Floyd McLean Jr, Ricky Ruiz, Xiang Xu, Monique Haley and various JMU faculty. Her choreography was chosen to perform in JMU’s Mainstage Theatre and was also the recipient of the School of Theatre and Dance Outstanding Choreography Award. In her senior year, Smith was the head artistic director of Mozaic Dance Team, an award winning hip hop team on JMU's campus. Since graduating, she has apprenticed with Lucinda Childs Dance Company and Jon Lehrer Dance Company, performed original work by Brian Brooks at American Dance Festival, and trained at Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s New Dance Fest. She is very excited to be join Kyle Marshall Choreography.
Khalid Dunton (performer) (he/him/his) was born and raised in Washington DC/Maryland. In 2020, Dunton completed his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance as well as a Minor in Business from Montclair State University. Dunton has performed with dance companies such as: Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater(2021), McKoy Dance Project(2022), Carolyn Dorfman Dance(2021-2023) and Gaspard & Dancers(2023-2024). During 2021, Dunton worked as a professional dancer in the iconic Black Iris Project which received a New York Emmy Award for WILD: Bird of Paradise. Along his dance journey, Dunton had the privilege of performing works by Martha Graham, Stacey Tookey, Juel D. Lane, Bill T. Jones, Carolyn Dorfman, Danial Shapiro and Joanie Smith, Maxine Steinman, Christian Von Howard, Earl Mosley, and many more. Dunton has performed in numerous spaces such as the Joyce Theater, Alexander Kasser Theater, Bryant Park, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), UTC Fine Arts Center and stages around the world.. Showcasing his diversity, Dunton had the opportunity to work with celebrity artist, Todrick Hall, featured as a dancer in his music video WIG. Within the midst of his career, Dunton has trained and worked in the commercial dance industry alongside Dana Foglia, James Alonzo, and Yanis Marshall. Dunton strives to improve his artistry as a performer and is grateful to be succeeding in his career.
Niara Hardister (performer) (she/her) is a New York based dancer and arts administrator from Riverside, California. She received a B.S. in Hotel Administration and a minor in Dance from Cornell University. Niara has performed work by Sara Erde at The Metropolitan Opera, Nicole von Arx, Jamel Gaines, Christopher Huggins, Helen Simoneau, Nicolas Fiery, Sofia Forero, PUSH Dance Company, the LV Dance Collective, Printz Dance Project, Tucker Davis, and Eryc Taylor. She is also the Programs Manager for David Herrera Performance Company.
Syd Worthy (performer) (she/her) is a freelance dancer and visual artist. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, now living in NYC, Syd is a recent graduate from Marymount Manhattan College (Spring 2023) where she received her B.F.A in dance with a concentration in choreography. Her dance training extends from primary school to a college level of professional training, studying techniques such as Ballet, Graham, Jazz, Horton, African- Umfundalai Technique, Hip Hop, and more. Syd has also had opportunities to perform works with many professional choreographers in the larger dance world. This includes individuals such as Andrea Miller-GALLIM, Sekou McMiller, Akira Uchida, Rodney Hamilton, William Isaac, Jennifer Freeman, Darshan Singh Bhuller, April Berry, Katherine Dunham. She is super excited to explore the depths of her artistry by finding the intersections of dance, art, and spirituality.
Taína Lyons (performer) (she/her) is a San Pedro, California, native who began her dance training at the San Pedro Ballet School at the age of four. Her professional dance training started at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, eventually being mentored by Debbie Allen herself. She graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts (NYU Tisch) with a B.F.A. in dance and a minor in Spanish in 2020. There she performed in guest works by Ronald K. Brown, Wayne McGregor, and Lar Lubovitch. In the Spring of 2019, she also had the pleasure of studying abroad at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic. Since graduating, she has had the honor of being a founding member of the Limón Dance Company’s Limón2 (L2) company, an apprentice with Ronald K. Brown’s Evidence, as well as performing and touring with Kyle Marshall Choreography. Most recently she was a Mark Morris Dance Group company member from 2022-2024, and is both a Dance for PD® (Parkinson’s Disease) teacher and NYU Tisch Dance Adjunct Professor. Taína is very excited to be working with Kyle Marshall Choreography again.
Production
Cal Fish (sound collaborator) is a multi-disciplinary artist from Sea Cliff, NY currently based in Brooklyn. They graduated from Bard College with a joint degree in studio art and music. Since graduation they have shared interactive works and multi-sensory performances at galleries, diy venues, festivals, community art spaces, and public parks, including; CANADA Gallery, Governor’s Island, Flux Factory, and Peace Park. Sound as a medium for communication and user-friendly kinesthetic technologies have remained at the center of Cal’s work. They have toured extensively with various music and art projects in the U.S. and have also performed in Europe and Canada. Cal currently hosts a radio show called Anthroapology, organizes interdisciplinary art events, makes clothes out of their studio at the Living Gallery, and works in collaboration with many amazingly inspiring artists and organizers.
Kwami Winfield (sound collaborator) is an artist from Jersey City, currently based in Brooklyn. A student of Jersey City Arts High School, she plays many instruments. Currently focused on cornet, percussio, and electronics. Kwami performs around the city at legit and DIY venues, weaving vast tapestries of soaring noise and screaming tone. She is an ongoing sound collaborator with Kyle Marshall Choreography and with TNMOT AZTRO Performance Art and Dance Installation LLC. She has self released music under her own name and with Brooklyn tape label Call Waitn as Soless Dialtone.
Itohan Edoloyi (lighting designer) is a Brooklyn born lighting designer whose work is deeply rooted in community and culture. Her work aims to continue storytelling in non-traditional ways, crafting meaningful experiences through the lens of light and immersion. Itohan is the lead curator for InLight Collective. She has collaborated with artists like Kaneza Schaal, Emily Johnson, Yarn/Wire, Edo Tastic and is the resident lighting designer for Kyle Marshall Choreography company in addition to the annual Open Call Series at The Shed. Her work as a curator and light artist has been published by Rosco Spectrum and presented at JACK Arts and LaMaMa Galleria. Itohan received the 2021 Lilly Award and was the recipient of the 2018 Gilbert V. Hemsley Lighting Internship.
serena wong (lighting designer) (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based freelance lighting designer for theater and dance. Her designs have been seen at Lincoln Center, City Center, the Joyce, and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, among others in the US and abroad- including, oddly enough, a Celebrity cruise ship. Most recently she has designed for choreographers LaTasha Barnes, Gemma Bond, Caleb Teicher, Leonardo Sandoval, and Bill T. Jones. She enjoys biking, baking, and pottery.
Emily Wong (stage manager) graduated with a B.A in Dance and is a freelance performer. She has worked in many venues- on Off-Broadway, Perelman Performing Art Center (PAC NYC), Danspace Project, Culture Lab LIC, Butoh Festival 2019 and at Hollins University. As a dancer, she has performed at Queensboro Dance Festival, AOS’s AAPI Festival, NACHMO, Dance/NYC Symposium, and in Brookfield Place.
Administration
Madalyn Rupprecht (company manager) (she/they) is a movement-based artist and arts administrator born in Baltimore and now based in Brooklyn. They identify as a white, nondisabled, queer, gender-nonconforming person.
As a performer, Madalyn has performed works by Abby Zbikowski, Alwin Nikolais, Fredrick Earl Mosley, Kathleen Kelley, and Martha Graham, among others. She has performed at the 92nd Street Y; Jacob’s Pillow; and The Joyce Theater, and has been selected to present their work at NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Montclair State University; Bridge for Dance’s Uptown Rising Performance Series; the Post/Future Performance Festival; and Bailar al Sol International Dance Festival in Puerto Rico. Most recently she was in residence at MOtiVE Brooklyn.
As a dance administrator & marketer, Madalyn has worked with Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Michelle Tabnick PR, Proteo Media + Performance, and Eryc Taylor Dance. Presently, they are the Communications Coordinator for dance service organization Dance/NYC and the Company Manager for Kyle Marshall Choreography. Madalyn graduated magna cum laude from Montclair State University with a BFA in Dance and a BA in Journalism.
Founding Members
Oluwadamilare (Dare) Ayorinde is a Nigerian - North American freelance creating dance artist living in New Jersey. Since Rutgers University he has worked with Colleen Thomas, Bill Young, Netta Yerushalmy, Company Stefanie Batten Bland, Kayla Farrish, Douglas Dunn, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for a broadway lab, The Trisha Brown Dance Company and his dear friends Kyle Marshall Choreography and Miriam Gabriel + Carlo Antonio Villanueva. He has presented work at Smush Gallery, Morristown Museum, Stuffed Arts and Movement Research Monday’s at Judson. This year Oluwadamilare is Dance on the Lawn's fifth Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer.
Bria Symoné Bacon is a New Jersey native and a multi-disciplinary artist currently exploring performance, poetry, and styling. She has worked with the Stephen Petronio Company, Parijat Desai, Marielis Garcia, and Netta Yerushalmy. She is a 2017 graduate of Rutgers University (Mason Gross School of the Arts), and will return to complete her masters’ degree in Dance Education. Bacon is elated to be performing with KMC in the 2019 BAM Next Wave Festival.
Miriam (mimi) Gabriel is a performer and creator. She co-creates video work with Zora Schiltz-Rouse and Sophia de Baun under Mizo Productions. She has made dance work with Carlo Antonio Villanueva. She is currently involved in dance projects with Kyle Marshall Choreography, Maya Lee-Parritz, and Stephanie Acosta. Past projects include working with the Stephen Petronio Company, Merce Cunningham Trust and performing for GREYZONE, Zultari Gomez, Lisa Fagan, Sarah Lifson and Kayla Farrish. She is in Carlos Cardona's and Sophia De Baun's Feature Film Scenes from a Breakup and Dan Rosen's short film, Squeezed.
She is a graduate of Rutgers University and works around New Jersey and New York as a domestic worker and food server. Stay updated on her projects and work at miriamgabriel.com.
Myssi Robinson is an artist from Richmond, VA. Home is currently Jersey City and the movement worlds of David Dorfman Dance, Kyle Marshall Choreography, and the ColemanCollective. Since graduating from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University with a BFA in Dance, Myssi has maintained a visual art practice of marking, design, and simple construction. Her work has been presented by Mana Contemporary, the Jersey City Theater Center, the Gallery at Nimbus Dance Works, BAAD! and the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Myssi's next interdisciplinary solo show will live at Smush Gallery in March 2020. In all the working, empathy is queen.
Past Collaborators
Kristine Maria Gonzalez
Bree Breeden
Nik Owens
Cayleen Del Rosario
Sophia Leewah
Ariana Speight
David Lee Parker
Damani Alfreida
Derek Crescenti
Molly Galbraith
Monica Gonzalez
Jonathan Johnson
Kelli McGovern
Meagan Woods
Morgan Preston
Sarah Lifson
Nicholas Sciscione
Carlo Antonio Villanueva