BREAKING GROUND 2025
Friday, January 24
Special Thanks to our sponsors:
Arizona Commission on the Arts
City of Tempe

Labeled Package
Choreographer:
Frankie Henderson
Sound:
"Graufe" by Austin Missner
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Lighting Design:
Frankie Henderson
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Costume Design:
Frankie Henderson
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Performers:
Frankie Henderson, Mia Moraru
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Frankie Henderson is a multifaceted artist, choreographer, performer, educator, and, above all, a passionate advocate of movement in all its forms. She holds an MFA in Dance from the prestigious Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine. Over her career, Frankie has collaborated with esteemed artists including Laja Field, Victor Rottier, Leandro Damasco, Carley Conder, Kathryn Alter, Monica Bill Barnes, and Fabian Wixe.
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Celestial Divides
Choreographer:
Nicole Hennington
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Sound:
Tim Hecker - "No Drums"; "The Piano Drop"; "Music for Tundra Pt. 2"
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Performers:
Madison Bender, DeQuan Lewis
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Sometimes we feel as if we shatter into a million pieces, scattering ourselves among ideas, people, and experiences. Occasionally, we find a way to reassemble, but at other times, we feel a profound divide within. Celestial Divides tells the story of how the molecules within us strive for harmony, even amidst great tension. This piece explores the delicate moments of unity and fragmentation, illustrating how we navigate our relationships with ourselves, others, and the world around us.
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Nicole Hennington spent her first two decades in Arizona where she graduated from the University of Arizona with a BFA in dance and a minor in finance. As a choreographer, Nicole was commissioned by GroundWorks DanceTheater in 2022. In 2023, she was a choreographer for the Inaugural Carmel Dance Festival's Dance & Choreography Fellowship Program and she was chosen to be a part of the Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship at Jacob's Pillow in 2024. Nicole has also choreographed on NW Dance Project and during their Summer Dance Platform program. In 2020, Nicole collaborated with videographer Cory Sheldon to create “Between Presence," which was selected to be played at Midwest RAD Fest and Highland Film Festival in 2022.
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DASEIN
Choreographer:
Ignacio Jara
Sound:
Paradigm Shift - Gavin Luke / White Horse - Jessica 6 / Jazz Suite No.2: VI Waltz - André Rieu / Edition music: Ignacio Jara
Lighting Design:
Ignacio Jara
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Costume Design: Alicia Nascimiento
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Performers:
Alicia Nascimiento, Esteban Rosales, Lizbeth Ortiz, Sam Arrow
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The basis of all our problems: ourselves. Our intellect full of definitions and concepts define our conflicts, antipathies and psychological cages. We are all playing the same collective game. Be aware of your participation in it.
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Originally from Chile, Ignacio began his formal studies at the Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano with a mention in Modern Dance in 2012. Since 2013, he has specialized in the study of various forms of dance and performance. He has performed for various choreographers related to modern, contemporary and performance dance in Chile. As a performer, he has performed for many stages, theaters, schools, universities and television. As a teacher, Ignacio has taught athletes and dancers in Chile, Mexico and the U.S. His choreography has been presented in Chile, Peru, Argentina and the U.S.
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Fourteen
Choreographer:
Steven Redondo
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Sound:
Daniel Thorne
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Lighting Design:
Jordan Daniels
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Costume Design:
Phil Steverson
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Performers:
Daniela Prieto, Steven Redondo
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"Fourteen" focuses on personal anxieties of being brown, being a woman, and being queer. Specifically, anxieties around political policies and rhetoric that target identities, state and nationwide.
Steven, a resident of Phoenix, Arizona, has built a distinguished professional artistic career through collaborations with many local organizations. His journey in the world of dance began in high school, igniting a passion that led him to pursue education at Arizona State University for a couple of years. Steven’s professional career took off when he started showcasing his solo work at Experimental Art Nights with [nueBox]. His initial pieces, titled “One,” “Two,” and “Three,” were innovative explorations of audience engagement and improvisational skills.
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Oh F&*% its 11:59
Choreographer:
Ashley Koclanis
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Sound:
Shrine East by Forest Swords, mad by CoH, Like wolves on the fold by Colin Stetson, The Mind Electric by Miracle Musical
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Lighting Design:
Ashley Koclanis
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Costume Design:
Ashley Koclanis
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Media Design:
Ashley Koclanis
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Performers:
Brandon Alvarado, Janessa Cazarez, PJ Chapman, Giana Garcia, Hannah Gardner, Mia Huff, Ashley Koclanis, Chase Morgan, Sophia Muscroft, Hayley Nguyen, Olivia Orlandini, Darby Rikhoff, Alex Urbancic, Mya Walters
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“Oh F&*% its 11:59” takes place in the depths of the night when homework is due but cannot he done. It showcases my own personal experience with ADHD and the symptoms that come with it such as hyper-fixation, loss of interest, and of course distraction. I hope as an audience member you feel confused and maybe a little scared!
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Ashley is a third-year ASU Dance BFA Major. She has performed in multiple ASU shows and Breaking Ground 2024. She has choreographed three works in a contemporary fusion style. Outside of dance, she also enjoys working as a dance and theater technician with a specialty in lighting design.
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INTERMISSION

...everything that has breath
Choreographer:
Hannah Victoria Thomas
Sound:
Sound bite from "What is a Praise House?" by South Carolina Education TV, "This Old Soul of Mine" with spoken text by Hannah Victoria Thomas and "Old Songs Medley" by Bishop Carlton Pearson. Edited by Hannah Victoria Thomas
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Lighting Design:
Hannah Victoria Thomas and Cari Koch
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Costume Design:
Hannah Victoria Thomas
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Performers:
Hannah Victoria Thomas
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This work is an ode to the dances and songs born from praise houses built by enslaved
African Americans; a place to gather, sometimes in secret, for prayer. It explores the concept of "praise as resistance," challenging the oppressive version of Christianity imposed on them. Through this resistance, praise became a means of survival, transformation, and resilience, inspiring the creation of hymns sung in the Black church.
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This work is particularly special to me because I don’t often explore praise as an artistic choice outside of church. However, historically, praise has been a source of strength for my people, helping them “get by” and “get over” day by day. I hope this piece, in its fullness, feels like a warm hug, smells like a Sunday afternoon meal, looks like a moving prayer, and sounds like the deep sigh and loud “Hallelujah” of a Black mother or grandmother.
I deeply believe there is both historic and spiritual value in uncovering the nuances of the songs, dances, and social justice pillars rooted in Black faith, specifically Christianity, that have carried and sustained my people. Regardless of one’s faith, I hope this work educates and emphasizes what praise has looked like across generations in my own family and within the broader Black community.
Hannah Victoria is a curator, educator, artist from Atlanta, GA. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography from Arizona State University, and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Oregon. Driven by a passion for curating spaces where creativity and vulnerability flourishes, Hannah's choreography is a fusion of contemporary and traditional styles, with deep roots in the dances of the African diaspora. Hannah Victoria unveiled her latest creation, "(Precept)itation," an evening length dance work exploring rain, restoration, and faith that premiered at the University of Oregon. This “residency to performance” model reflects her commitment to cultural representation, storytelling, and community building. Beyond dance, Hannah finds inspiration in her faith and pursues interests ranging from fashion to sound engineering.

CITADEL
Choreographer:
Camarin Tenorio
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Sound:
Fruitcake and Cookies by Sweet Trip
Lighting Design:
Camarin Tenorio
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Costume Design:
Camarin Tenorio
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Performers:
Alexandra Urbancic, Darby Rikhoff, Kayleigh Berman, Megan Keen, Reegan Wurm, Shayla Bergene
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It’s a dream. The CITADEL is a liminal space where reality is distorted and time is illusive. This “in-between” void, and the beings that reside there, work in balanced function until, at some point, they just wake up.
Camarin Tenorio is a current third-year BFA Dance Performance major at Arizona State University. She is a dancer, choreographer, and performer who has trained in multiple dance genres for over 15 years on her home island of Guam. As an islander, she aims to find her artistic presence that contributes to her community back home. As she attends ASU, she works to enhance her passion and innovation in dance. She strives to break her own boundaries, define her own language, and tell stories with them. As she continues to explore endless possibilities, Camarin aims to truly stand as herself, full of passion, memories, and dreams.
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Seeing You
Choreographers:
Kevan Sullivan
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Sound:
I'll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday
Lighting Design:
Pearl Rea
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Costume Design:
Kristen Wheeler
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Performers:
Ellie Barry, Tessa Cosper, Aubrie Trapnell
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"Seeing You" is an exploration of the facades we put up on the outside and how we truly feel on the inside. Are we always feeling the same emotions that we are portraying outwards and how are others affected when our true emotions are expressed?
Kevan Sullivan is a dance performer, choreographer and educator from Philadelphia, PA. He received a full scholarship from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where he received his BFA in Modern Dance Performance. Immediately following graduation, Kevan joined the Koresh Dance Company under the direction of Roni Koresh where he was a principal dancer, master class teacher, and outreach lead lecturer for 10 years. Kevan has also performed works with Alchemy Dance Company, Tommie-Waheed Evans, and Melissa Rector. Kevan has been teaching master classes and choreographing for companies in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Connecticut since 2012. Currently, Kevan is pursuing his Master’s in Fine Arts at the University of Arizona as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.
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CAKE
Choreographers:
Carley Conder in collaboration with dancers
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Sound:
"Lujon" by Henry Mancini, "Need Your Love" by Curtis Harding, "Moogwalzer" by Der Rauber Und Der Prinz
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Lighting Design:
Jordan Daniels
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Costume Design:
Carley Conder
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Performers:
Juan Carlos García Gutiérrez, Hailey David, Leah M. Friedman, Kina Connor-Ortiz, Amy Symonds
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CAKE celebrates the resilience of those who navigate survival in secrecy. Presented in acts—training, mission, escape, and rendezvous—CAKE explores coded languages, crafted disguises, and intricate missions. Through this lens, it reveals the delicate dance between strength and vulnerability, inviting audiences to reflect on survival as an enduring art.
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Carley Conder is the Artistic Director of CONDER/dance, established in Arizona in 2003. Based in Tempe, she has dedicated her career to fostering opportunities for contemporary dance artists in the region through initiatives such as the Breaking Ground Festival and Tiny Dances. Her company, CONDER/dance, holds artist-in-residence status at the Tempe Center for the Arts, where it continues to push the boundaries of dance innovation. Recent projects include the AQUA Project with Opus Ballet in Santa Barbara and a choreographic collaboration with Keith Thompson (danceTactics, Trisha Brown Dance Company). Carley is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dance in the School of Music, Dance, and Theater at Arizona State University.
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