About

Company Statement

The mission of Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion is to create an evocative interdisciplinary body of work. Born into Hip hop culture in the late 70s and grounded in Abraham’s artistic upbringing in classical cello, piano and the visual arts, the goal of the movement is to delve into identity in relation to a personal history. The work intertwines a sensual and provocative vocabulary with a strong emphasis on sound, human behavior and all things visual in an effort to create an avenue for personal investigation and exposing that on stage.

Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion premiered its first ever season entitled Fading into Something Tangible in Pittsburgh, PA in 2006 to rave reviews. A.I.M is a representation of dancers from various dance disciplines and diverse personal backgrounds. Combined together, these individualities create movement that is manipulated and molded into something fresh and unique.

Abraham.In.Motion is a proud supporter of Dancers Responding to AIDS. For more information on DRA, please visit www.dradance.org.

Choreographer

Kyle Abraham, professional dancer and choreographer, began his training at the Civic Light Opera Academy and the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He continued his dance studies in New York, receiving a BFA from SUNY Purchase and an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Over the past few years, Abraham has received tremendous accolades and awards for his dancing and choreography including Dance Magazine’s coveted 25 to Watch in 2009, a Jerome Foundation Travel and Study Grant 2008, Pennsylvania Council for the Arts Fellowship in 2002. This year, Abraham was heralded by OUT Magazine as one of the “best and brightest creative talent to emerge in New York City in the age of Obama.” His choreography has been presented throughout the United States and abroad, most recently at Dance Theater Workshop, Bates Dance Festival, Jacobs Pillow, The Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum located in Okinawa Japan, Springboard Danse Montreal, Fall for Dance Festival at New York’s City Center, Harlem Stage/Aaron Davis Hall in Harlem, New York and the Internationales Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany.

As a performer, Abraham has worked with several acclaimed modern dance companies including David Dorfman Dance, Dance Conduction Continuum, Nathan Trice/Rituals, Mimi Garrard Dance Theater, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Dance Alloy, The Kevin Wynn Collection and Attack Theatre. In addition to performing and developing new works for his company, abraham.in.motion, Abraham also teaches his unique approach to post-modern dance in various schools and studios throughout the United States.

Dancers

After an idyllic and well-rounded—if somewhat secluded—upbringing in Glasgow, Kentucky, Benjamin Asriel found his way to Brown University and graduated in 2003 with his Bachelors in Music. While attempting to maintain his status as a generalist, Ben has focused his post-graduate studies on the dance arts; in 2006, he received his Dance MFA from NYU Tisch. Nothing pleases him more than to be able to work with his dear friend and classmate, Kyle Abraham. Additionally, Benjamin presents his own work in the city, teaches at Peridance, and dances with projectLIMB, Pallisimo, and Milka Djordjevich and the Team. Wish him luck: basriel@yahoo.com

Cecily Campbell is from Santa Fe, New Mexico and moved to New York to attend NYU Tisch where she studied under a fantastic faculty, performed in works by Dwight Rhoden and Merce Cunningham, and studied abroad in Austria at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance. After receiving her BFA in 2006, Cecily has performed at various venues throughout the city with Abraham in Motion and Aimee Riles. She is a guest artist with Moving People Dance Theater in Santa Fe and recently performed at the Santa Fe Opera. She is grateful everyday for art and for opportunity and for good friends and family everywhere.

Evan Copeland is a native of Central PA. He received his BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where he performed works by Merce Cunningham, Kay Cummings, Dwight Rhoden, and Bill Young. He has also studied at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD) working with Bruno Carverna, David Hernendez, Andrew Harwood, Douglas Becker and more. Evan is currently working with Kyle Abraham / Abraham.in.Motion, Stephen Pier, Nicholas Andre Dance Theater (NADT) and is in the Sean Curran Company. Thanks for coming out.... indulge!

Stephesha David received her B.F.A in dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where she performed works by Bill T. Jones and Johannes Wieland. Outside of Tisch Ms. David has worked with and performed choreography by Niles Ford, Max Luna III, and Nathan Trice. This is Ms. David’s first year performing with Kyle Abraham/abraham.in.motion.

Samantha E Farrow is a recent graduate of NYU’s Tisch school of the Arts with a BFA in dance. She has performed works by Kevin Wynn, Dwight Rhoden, Merce Cunningham, Bridget Moore and Tracy Lang. She is thrilled to play a part in the vision of Abraham.in.motion and thanks Kyle for having her on board.

Nicole Falloon is originally from Kingston, Jamaica. She received her first formal dance training at The New World School of the Arts, in Miami, Florida. She is also a graduate of SUNY Purchase College (with a B.F.A). Nicole has been blessed to have worked with The Kevin Wynn Collection, Oliver Steele, Karen Love, Hattie Mae Williams, Reggie Wilson, and Sudden Enlightenment Theater.

Jenn Freeman (dancer) began her training in Boise, Idaho. She joined Idaho Dance Theatre, a professional modern dance company, in 2000 where she danced for four years. She is currently a student in her final year at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where she is pursuing her BFA in dance.

Na-Ye Kim was born in Seoul, Korea. Trained at The Royal Ballet School in London, UK, and received a Dance M.F.A from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, 2006. This summer she toured with Hell’s Kitchen Dance with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Aszure Barton.

Jonathan McGill, originally from Los Angeles, California, recently graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts as a Dance Major. Jonathan began dancing when he was 13, taking Hip Hop and Jazz classes. Since then, he’s broadened his training to ballet, modern, tap, and African. While in New York, he joined Rhapsody: The Company in Dec. of 2003 with whom he got to perform at many venues in the city, including the Duke on 42nd St. and BET’S 106th and Park. Over the years he has had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Debbie Allen, Dwight Rhoden, Rhapsody James, Mia Michaels, and Brian Friedman. He has also performed for artists such as Janet Jackson and Beyonce.

Meghan Merrill hails from California’s Bay Area. She came to New York in 2000 to pursue a liberal arts education, but ended up at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts instead. She graduated in May 2006 with a BFA in dance. Since then she has been working with fellow friends and Tisch alumni, Aimee Rials and dancers, Lauren Hale and dancers, and Last but not least, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.in.motion. She is also looking forward to performing inthe Met Opera’s production of Orfeo ed Eurydice choreographed by Mark Morris in May 2007.

Dorothy Mindur has recently graduated NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for Danceand has previously performed with Kyle Abraham at DTW, DUMBO, and NYU. She has also worked with and performed pieces by Dwight Rhoden, Desmond Richardson, Paul Taylor and Igal Perry. Dorothy graduated LaGuardia HS of the Arts in 2003 for Dance and wants to thank Kyle for his immense dedication to his dancers.

Lauren Muraski is originally from New Jersey. She is currently a student at New York University working towards her BFA degree in dance from the Tisch School of the Arts. Ms. Muraski was an original member of the Baryshnikov Arts Foundation’s Hells Kitchen Dance Tour with Mikhail Baryshnikov, where she worked with choreographer Aszure Barton. Ms. Muraski has also had the opportunity to work with Masazumi Chaya, Larry Keigwin, Kyle Abraham, and Gerald Casel.

Katelyn Skelley is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota. She began her training at Minnesota Dance Theater and school and most recently received her BFA in dance from Tisch School of the arts at New York University. Currently she dances with Cherylyn Lavagnino dance and Dredance in New York along with Abraham In Motion.

Stefanie Takei was born in Pasadena, California. She trained at Pasadena Dance Theatre, American Ballet Theatre, Austin Ballet, and received a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Stefanie has worked with choreographers Laurence Blake, Niles Ford, Cherylyn Lavagnino, Doug Nielsen, Stephen Petronio, Cassandra Phifer, and Johannes Wieland. She is currently dancing with T. Lang and Notorio Dance Company as well as Kyle Abraham. Stefanie is honored to be working with Abraham in Motion.

Meagan Vincent was born and raised in California. Before moving to New York, Meagan was trained at the Fresno Ballet, where she performed both classical works and contemporary choreography. She received her B.F.A from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she worked with Dwight Rhoden, Karole Armitage, Kyle Abraham, Ben Asriel and more. Meagan is so happy to be living and dancing in New York and is especially grateful of her friends who have given her so much support.

Technical Director/Lighting Designer

Dan Scully, a freelance lighting designer and moving light programmer living in the New York City, has worked at venues across the city and the nation, including the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Utah Festival Opera, Symphony Space, the Kitchen, Ars Nova, Cunningham Studios, and PS122. Dan was the production supervisor and resident designer for the Harvard University Dance Program. Other work in the Boston area includes designs for “The Winter’s Tale”, “The Tempest”, “Fefu and Her Friends”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “The Beckett Project”, “Measure for Measure”, “All in the Timing”, “Slavs!”, “Pericles”, “Jumpers”, “Lend Me a Tenor”, “Real Inspector Hound”, “The Mikado”, “Utopia, ltd.”, “Richard III”, and “Twelfth Night”. In addition to light designing, Dan also worked as a Systems Designer for theatrical consultant Alan Symonds. He will be completing his MFA degree this spring at the Department of Design for Stage and Film at NYU/Tisch School for the Arts.

Artistic Advisor

Branislav Henselmann came to New York City as a German Academic Exchange Fellow, following an invitation by the Merce Cunningham Foundation. In addition to working as Artistic Curator for the New York Choreographic Institute, Mr. Henselmann is on the advisory board of johannes wieland dance company, New York, and is an active member of the dance community worldwide. He has danced in a wide body of work by choreographers ranging from Sir Frederic Ashton to Merce Cunningham. His professional dance experience includes artists Johannes Wieland, Heather Harrington, Incidents Physical Theatre, TanzForum, and Abraxas Dance Company, among others. He holds an HND from the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, London, and an MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.