Current Collaborators

Chloë Z Brown (lighting designer) has collaborated with Juliana May on 5 projects since 2008! She recently relocated to be the Production Manager at The Lewis Center for the Arts, Programs in Theater and Dance at Princeton University. She was the Director of Production at New York Live Arts and Dance Theater Workshop from 2002 - 2013. In 2005, she was honored with a New York Dance and Performance “Bessie” Award for her lighting of Amanda Loulaki’s La la la la, Resistance (The Island of Breezes) at DTW. She loves her work.

Leslie Cuyjet (performer) has been performing and dancing in New York since 2004, working with a range of artists from David Gordon and Meredith Monk, to Niall Jones and Kim Brandt, to Anohni and Solange. She has a long-standing performing and touring history with Jane Comfort and Cynthia Oliver. Her work has been presented in New York by La MaMa (La MaMa Moves! Festival), Gibney Dance (DoublePlus), CPR (Fall Movement), Movement Research (Movement Research Festival Fall 2016: unthreading the filter; Movement Research at the Judson Church), AUNTS (American Realness; Populous), and Danspace Draftworks. Leslie was a Cycle 4/2016 Chez Bushwick Artist-in-Residence. She has enjoyed curatorial experience as a member of the Movement Research at the Judson Church Spring 2016 and New York Live Arts 2016-17 Fresh Tracks Performance & Residency Program panels.

Tess Dworman (performer) is a Brooklyn-based choreographer and performer originally from Oak Park, IL. She studied at the Laban Centre in London and graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BFA in Dance.  In New York, her work has been presented by AUNTS, Center for Performance Research, Catch, Dixon Place, Danspace Project, Movement Research at theJudson Church, New York Live Arts, and PS122. She has been an artist in residence at Links Hall, Center for Performance Research, Gibney, PS122 and LMCC. Dworman has an ongoing teaching practice and collaboration with Laurel Atwell that operates under the moniker WellMan. Within this practice, Atwell and Dworman offer classes in qi gong and meditation as a means of integrating wellness with artistry. As a performer, Dworman has had the pleasure of performing in the work of niv Acosta, Laurel Atwell, Strauss Bourque-LaFrance, Kim Brandt, Yanira Castro, Moriah Evans, Julie Mayo, Sam Kim, Tere O’Connor, Marissa Perel, Mariana Valencia, and Juliana May.

Lucy Kaminsky (performer) is an actor born and raised in Brooklyn. She has performed at Abrons Art Center, The Bushwick Starr, Dixon Place, The Flea, Fusebox Festival, Incubator Arts, Pace Gallery, The Park Avenue Armory, The Public, The Signature, and Sundance Theater Lab. Collaborators include 600 Highwaymen, Eliza Bent, William Burke, Lilleth Glimcher, McFeeley Sam Goodman, Sarah Hughes, Meghan Finn, Richard Maxwell, Nellie Tinder, New Saloon, Ariel Stess, and Mac Wellman among others. She recently co-created The Asclepion, a collaborative performance with a group of 10 artists, presented at Wasteland Campsite in Joshua Tree. Video credits include MGMT music video "When you Die", New untitled work by Tatiana Kronberg. Film: The Law of AveragesHeads or TailsMe and you and her and themPlease be Normal (2014 Cannes selection), Go Down Death (Indiewire top undistributed films of 2013). Upcoming film: Chained for LifeThe Plagiarists (Dir. James N. Kienitz Wilkins). Lucy graduated from Bard College with a BA in Environmental Studies.

Molly Poerstel (performer) - is a dance artist whose career spans eighteen years.  As a performer she was collaborated with: David Dorfman Dance Company (05-09) Susan Rethorst, Larissa Valez-Jackson, Ivy Baldwin, Roseanne Spradlin, Jeanine Durning and Juliana May (currently), among others. Poerstel has taught at SUNY Purchase Dance Conservatory, the Dalton School and the Nanyang Fine Arts Academy in Singapore and The Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, The New School, and was a 2015 Movement Research Artist-in-Residence and a 2018 BAX Parent Space Grant Recipient.  Her choreographic works include:  Are we a Fossil, and of facings (2016), Stolen Grounds (2014), The Highlands (2014), Hungry Ghost (2013) and Do Beast (2012).  

Mariana Valencia (costume designer) is a dance artist, her choreography has been presented across the US and she has traveled to Belize and Mexico City for her ethnographic research in dance. In New York, she has received residencies from AUNTS, New York Live Arts, Chez Bushwick and ISSUE Project Room. In Los Angeles, Valencia has held residencies at Show Box LA and Pieter Pasd. Projects in costume direction include works by Geo Wyeth, Vanessa Anspaugh, Jen Rosenblit and Lauren Bakst. As a performer, Valencia has collaborated with musician Jules Gimbrone, video artists Elizabeth Orr, Kate Brandt and AK Burns and dance artists robbinschilds and Kim Brandt. Valencia is a member of the reading group, No Total that functions as a sister of Artists Space Books and Talks, and she is the newest co-editor of Movement Research’s Critical Correspondence. Valencia is a 2014-15 Jerome Travel and Study Grant recipient, an FCA Emergency Grant recipient, and has been funded by generous grants from the Yellow House Fund of the Tides Foundation from 2010-13. She holds a BA from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts and is a native of Chicago.

Rebecca Wender (performer) is a dancer/performer based in Brooklyn. Her recent work includes many projects with RoseAnne Spradlin, luciana achugar, Antonio Ramos, and Sarah White-Ayon. She has also worked with Rebecca Brooks, Martha Clarke, Juliette Mapp, Jennifer Monson, and many others and was a featured dancer in John Turturro's film Romance and Cigarettes. She is the former Managing Director of Movement Research and former Managing Editor of the Movement Research Performance Journal. Rebecca is also a massage therapist (www.parkplacemassage.com) and is currently obsessed with her most amazing co-creation, Violet, and thrilled to be working with Juliana and crew.

Recent Collaborators

Ben Asriel (performer) grew up in Glasgow, Kentucky where he cultivated his love of art in his mother’s dance classes, on the soccer field, and playing trumpet in the GHS band. He studied music theory at Brown University (AB Music ’03) and dance at NYU Tisch (MFA ’06). In addition to MAYDANCE, Ben dances with Walter Dundervill, and Liz Gerring Dance Company. Ben has also performed with Gerald Casel, Daria Faïn, Jack Ferver, Gabriel Forestieri, John Jasperse, Antonio Ramos, Edisa Weeks, and Pavel Zustiak, among others. In 2010/2011 Ben was a Choreographic Fellow of NYCB’s New York Choreographic Institute, supported by Oregon Ballet Theater. His dances have been presented by CPR - Center for Performance Research, the Chocolate Factory Theater, Dance New Amsterdam, Movement Research at the Judson Church, The Tank, and DanSpace Project. He is currently enrolled in Columbia University’s postbac premed program. Tell him what you think: basriel@gmail.com

Reid Bartelme (costume designer) began his professional life as a dancer. He worked for Ballet companies throughout North America and Canada, and later in his career worked for modern dance companies in New York including Shen Wei Dance Arts and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. He went on to graduate from the fashion design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology and began working as a freelance costume designer. Reid has designed costumes most notably for Christopher Wheeldon, Lar Lubovitch, Zvi Gotheiner, John Jasperse, Jilian Peña, Liz Santoro, Burr Johnson, and Gwen Welliver among others. Reid is also a frequent collaborator of New York dance theater maker, Jack Ferver. In Fall of 2011 Reid began sharing design responsibilities with Harriet Jung and they launched Reid & Harriet Designs. They have since designed and produced costumes for a duet choreographed by Marcelo Gomes on dancers from American Ballet Theater, an Andrea Miller creation on Drew Jacoby, and a Mauro Bigonzetti creation for Michelle Wiles and Drew Jacoby. Their most recent project was a set of costumes for a Justin Peck creation at the New York City Ballet. 

Lindsay Clark (performer) grew up in California and North Carolina. She has had the pleasure of working with Shen Wei Dance Arts, Faye Driscoll, Jennie Mary Tai Liu, Yve Laris Cohen, Miguel Gutierrez and the Powerful People, Michelle Boule, Vanessa Anspaugh, Jack Ferver, John Jasperse, Yasuko Yokishi, Pontus Lidberg, and Xavier Le Roy.  Lindsay attended High School at the North Carolina School of the Arts as a ballet major, holds a BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase and an MFA in dance from Hollins University. She is currently enrolled in the teacher training program at the Riverside Initiative for the Alexander Technique and is a new faculty member of the Bard College Dance Program.

Talya Epstein (performer) Right now Talya is into swaying, sleeping, intersectional feminism, Octavia Butler, and writing with her non-dominant hand.

Brad Kisicki (set designer) is a Designer, Technical Director and Production Manager who has been fortunate to work with many wonderful organizations, companies and individuals. Currently he works as an Architectural Designer specializing in performing arts centers at Auerbach Pollock Friedlander.  Brad was the Production Manager for the Aspen Music Festival for 10 seasons and the Technical Director at Dance Theater Workshop for 5 seasons among many other great jobs. He holds a BFA from the North Carolina School of the Arts, an M.Arch from the Rhode Island School of Design and a monthly Metro Card. Brad truly loves the work he is able to be part of and is deeply grateful for everyone he is lucky enough to work with. Keep making.

Rennie McDougall (performer) is a choreographer, performer, writer and teacher, originally from Melbourne, Australia. Rennie has performed extensively in Australia with Phillip Adams BalletLab, Chunky Move, Lucy Guerin Inc, Belvoir Theatre, Luke George and Collaborators, Stephanie Lake, Lee Serle and Brooke Stamp, as well as in New York with Juliana May, Wally Cardona, Jennifer Lacey and Antonio Ramos. Rennie's own choreographic work has been presented by Next Wave festival (Aus), Phillip Adams BalletLab & Dance Massive festival, Lucy Guerin Inc, Melbourne Fringe and Sydney Fringe. Rennie currently writes for Culturebot performance blog.

Kayvon Pourazar (performer) is of Persian origin, and has lived in Iran, Turkey & England. He has performed in the works of Juliette Mapp, Yasuko Yokoshi, Donna Uchizono, Gwen Welliver, Beth Gill, K.J. Holmes, RoseAnne Spradlin, John Jasperse, Levi Gonzalez, Doug Varone, Wil Swanson, Jennifer Monson and Jodi Melnick. Kayvon's work has been shown in mixed-bill programs at The Kitchen, PS122, Roulette, Cunningham Studios, CPR, Catch, AUNTS and Dixon Place. In 2010 he received a Bessie Award for Performance. He is a SUNY Purchase alum and has served as Adjunct Faculty at The New School and Bennington College and as guest artist teacher for Movement Research, Tsekh Russia and at the Universities of Nebraska, Vermont, Maryland and Sacramento State. He has worked with Juliana May since 2012. He is also currently dancing in the work of Heather Kravas.

Maggie Thom (performer) was born and raised in NYC. She received her B.A. from Wesleyan University. She has previously danced in five projects with Juliana F. May/MAYDANCE at NYLA, the Chocolate Factory and in the good old days at the Merce Cunningham Studio. She has worked with Sara Rudner since 2007 and appeared in Dancing On View at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston and more recently with Ms. Rudner at the National Academy Museum and at Danspace at St. Marks Church. She has also danced with Vicky Shick at the Kitchen, mute/ Megan Boyd and Luka Kito, Laurel Jenkins Tentindo, Stacy Grossfield and in Sarah Maxfield's improvisational relays at the the Museum of Art and Design. She wrote a "Why I Dance" column for the May 2012 issue of Dance Magazine. She is grateful to her family, teachers and to Juliana equally for her chutzpah and her love. 

Chris Seeds (composer) is a New York based composer. Adult Documentary is his third collaboration with Juliana F. May (Commentary=Not Thing (2013), Gutter Gate (2011)). Other recent scores for dance include Michelle Boulé’sWhite (2015) and Lindsay Gilmour’s Tiny Rebellions (2015). Chris played in indie and experimental bands in NYC throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and brings a sense of that style of improvisation and live performance to his compositional work. For Adult Documentary, much credit goes to the other members of the band—Åke Strömer,Hampus Öhman-Frölund, Kyle Forester, Gary Olson—the jams are as much their work as mine. Thanks to Michael Tritter for the Prophet.

Connor Voss (performer) is a musician, organizer, and therapist. They are currently in process with Morgan Wallace, RoseAnne Spradlin, Heather Kravas, and AORTA films’ F*CKLAB. They performed recently in the works of Juliana May, Mina Nishimura, Neil Greenberg, Anna Azrieli, Miguel Gutierrez, and PearsonWidrig DanceTheater. They created costumes for RoseAnne Spradlin, Anna Azrieli, Miguel Gutierrez, and PWDT.  Their work has been commissioned by the St. Petersburg Open Look Festival, CPR, LaMaMa's Squirts Festival, BKSD (collaboration with Rachel Berman) and Gibney Dance (collaboration with Morgan Wallace). They were a 2014 AIR at Chez Bushwick. They are the Social Media Coordinator for the Uhuru Solidarity Movement.  They are currently working towards a certification in the Feldenkrais Method and the release of their new EP Strap-On Tempo 5.

Sara Walsh (set designer) is a Brooklyn based artist, designer and teacher.  At the Chocolate Factory she has designed Pele Bausch's H to Oh, and Get Mad at Sin with Andrew Dinwiddie directed by Jeff Larson.  Other recent collaborators include Milka Djordevich, Faye Driscoll ( including 837 Venice Blvd (HERE Arts Center- Bessie Award), Paul Lazar, Brian Rogers, Geoff Sobelle, Lee Sunday Evans, Katie Rose McLaughlin, Mia Rovegno, Alaina Ferris, Jess Chayes, Michael Rau, and Julia Jonas.  Upcoming: The Pipeline Festival at Women's Project.  More at her website, www.saracwalsh.com