#womencrushwednesday

 I'm thrilled to be working with these women on "Domino". 

The backstory: In November of 2021, Mikaela Krall approached me about choreographing a ballet-like dance to one of the songs on her upcoming album release. The dance would ultimately be a music-video. 

Reading Theater Project graciously accepted this piece in their 5-Minute Fringe and I'm thrilled to have the additional opportunities to learn from live performance for this work. 

This process is all new to me and its been an experience of growth, patience, and cooperation. I want to highlight the three women immediately involved in this piece:

Mikaela Krall is a songwriter, mix-engineer, music educator, and leader of the band Dipped. She writes, "at the age of 5, my dad taught me how to play the saxophone. Growing up learning clarinet, flute, guitar, and piano, I began to explore different genres and styles of music. I became invested in learning about recording technology and music composing... Along with my passion for composing, recording, and playing musical instruments, I made my regional musical theater debute as an actress during the Summer of 2019." Mikaela has recorded and produced an original album at the Visconti Studio in the UK and has worked on an MIDI Sprout Plant recording project with sound artist Civyiu Kkliu and Lebanon Valley College professor Dr. Robert Machado. Click here to hear Mikaela and Dipped's album Shadow.

Cady R. Monasmith, BFA, MA, is a Certified Dancing Mindfulness Facilitator. Movement is a powerful way of speaking throughout bodies. Cady emphasizes change and choice through movement, awakening the conscious by letting the spirit dance in the flesh. Her use of interpretative movement helps individuals reflect their story of emotional pain, explore the past and bridge their experiences to their present self. Cady has helped her clients reconnect to their bodies by finding compassion, self-acceptance, and a sense of freedom and inner strength, as well as reintegrating physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual aspects into the client’s past experience with present meaning. Cady was given artistic guidance from Philadelphia artists, including Kun-Yang Lin, Jillian Harris, Ellie Goudie-Averill, and Laura Katz-Rizzo. Along with performing, Cady has presented nationally on the topic of mindfulness and dance as beneficial modalities for the older adult population, ranging from addiction disorders to physical rehabilitation. Cady has an M.A. in Clinical Counseling from Alvernia University. A Temple University alumna, Cady received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a secondary concentration in psychology. She is a Berks-County based therapist, integrating expressive arts with evidence-based therapeutic practice.

Genevieve O'Conner has danced ballet for fifteen years, and she will be graduating from DeSales University this May with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication and Theology. Over the years, she has danced a variety of roles, including a Spanish dancer and Marzipan dancer in Repertory Dance Theatre's Nutcracker and the titular role in Fredericksburg Ballet Center's Giselle. Genevieve is passionate about all things art and beauty and she is so honored and thrilled to be participating in Reading Theater Project's 5-Minute Fringe Festival!