Fall Dance Alumni Concert Auditions

Choreographer Notes

Farrah McAdam (she/her)
Hi! I'm Farrah, adjunct faculty here in the Dance program.

My pieces often meet at some intersection of Street/Club Styles and Contemporary/Modern dance, as well as an integration of freestyle alongside rhythmically intricate choreography. My process always seeks to be an affirming environment where process comes before product. I am interested in working with dancers/collaborators who are willing to move, groove, deeply and robustly from a place of passion, dedication, stamina, artistry, but most importantly, community. Deep witnessing, humility, bravery, vulnerability, a willingness and openness to the process and the people in the room. Street/club styles experience is a plus, the commitment to train in the style(s) throughout the process is a must.

This time around I think I am interested in a piece that is complex in rhythm and pattern... with lots of serious fun. We'll figure out what that means. Will be utilizing live voice work!
*Personal reflection, movement development and structured improvisation will be part of the process, voice work or recording may be included.

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Jasen Valdez (he/him)
I am a dance educator, freestyler, choreographer, and current Hip-Hop Director at Roco Dance and Fitness. My approach to crafting work is utilizing Hip-Hop foundational movement as a base then building it forward with movement qualities I find identity in; energy manipulations, juxtaposition, rhythm awareness and relationship with music. As a creator, my intent is not focused on a desired final product–my processes direct from a full and honest reflection of myself, my dancers' lived experiences, and how we can coincide the two with an through art. I am looking for movers who have a relationship with Hip-Hop, a comfortability in collaboration for the process, and the ability to groove, vibe, flow, and give.

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Jenna Valez (they/she)
Hey, I'm Jenna (they/she).  I am a teacher, dancer, choreographer, writer, Virgo, sister, daughter, and friend. I live in the beautiful city of San Francisco–the traditional lands of the Ohlone people.

Movement and embodiment practice continue to save me. It has pulled me out of the most challenging parts of my life and my hope is to provide space for others to explore, witness and connect.

For this new work, I want us to use movement, stillness and writing practices to uncover ourselves–regardless of who we might have been told to be by society, family, friends, strangers. I am interested in how a community can help support this goal.

Here's a little bit of my bio: I have performed and collaborated with Rhea Speights, Maligrad Dance Co, Cali&Co SoCo Dance Theater and QuickSilver Dance. I started a small dance group in SF called Pulp in 2019 which participated in choreographic mentorships including ODC Pilot and Doug Varone's Devices (NYC). I have choreographed, performed and/or taught in San Francisco, New York City, Northampton (Massachusetts), Ga'aton (Israel), Berlin, Amsterdam and Arrezo (Italy). I graduated with distinction from Sonoma State University (2015) with a BA in dance and psychology. I am a yoga teacher (RYT 500) at Folk in San Francisco.

My artistic influences are Denelle Numis, Alexandra Rossi, Doug Varone, Langston Hughes, Christine Cali, Kristen Daley, Nancy Lyons, RuPaul, Alok Vaid-Menon, Jackson Pollock, Bob Dylan, my father, Jon Valez.

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Nichele Woods (she/her)
Hello all! I am Nichelle Woods, a choreographer and dance educator based in Salt Lake City, UT.

My process is often a practice of physicalizing a quandry, emotion, or dynamic that I am experiencing in the world–It's a way of processing and better understanding complex questions, and I invite the dancers to bring their dynamic selves into the work. My movement lives in the realm of contemporary/Modern dance, and my dances are often sensational and rigorous. I have experienced a number of injuries and have had multiple orthopedic surgeries (both hips, ankle, foot...). Learning self-care and personal responsibility in my dancing have affected my approach to choreography; I have a deep interest in the individual experience and working safely. I love directing from the outside–moving people through space in intricate ways. Dancing in contact with others is a staple of my work, too. Often, I ask questions about gender roles and assumptions of gender and sexuality in regard to partnerships as a way to empower individual identities and physical experiences. An openness to exploring gender and power in dance and our lives is important as this piece may be specifically driven by our country's continued struggle with gender equality and expression. We'll experience improvisation inside of the creative process, small working groups and duets, and group problem-solving. We'll slow it down at times to allow for sensation to drive the experience; other times we'll move fast and tap into our intuition!