Performance Playbill
Beacon Dance
Presents
Saltarello Reimagined
November 1-3, 2024
8:00 PM
The B Complex Gallery
1272 Murphy Avenue SW
Atlanta, GA
Saltarello Reimagined
Choreographic Direction: D. Patton White
Music: Dead Can Dance
Lighting Design: Andre Lumpkin with D. Patton White
Set Design and Construction: Andre Lumpkin and PhaeMonae
Costume Design: D. Patton White and PhaeMonae
Performers: AK Bayer, Leah Behm, Susan Keller, Merryn McKeough, Ashlee Ramsey-Borunov, Matthew Smith, Alex Spitzer, Onur Topal-Sumer and Carly Wynans
Music: Dead Can Dance
Lighting Design: Andre Lumpkin with D. Patton White
Set Design and Construction: Andre Lumpkin and PhaeMonae
Costume Design: D. Patton White and PhaeMonae
Performers: AK Bayer, Leah Behm, Susan Keller, Merryn McKeough, Ashlee Ramsey-Borunov, Matthew Smith, Alex Spitzer, Onur Topal-Sumer and Carly Wynans
From the Director:
I was originally introduced to the music of Dead Can Dance in the early 1990’s by a friend from college. I fell in love with the music and created my first evening-length work, Saltarello, set to numerous songs from their albums in 1996, just prior to Atlanta hosting the Centennial Olympic Games. We then performed the work during the games in July and August, our way of welcoming the world to Atlanta.
I was inspired, in part, to go back and tap into our archives for our performing season this year to celebrate my 35th season as Artistic/Administrative Director, as well as recognizing that this was another year of the Summer Olympic Games. And I was also inspired in the complete ‘reimagining’ of this work through a residency that Beacon undertook at Paradise Garden, Howard Finster’s creation in Summerville, Georgia, in the north Georgia mountains, in August. Finster has been described as a ‘visionary’ artist, and in my research, I was particularly struck by one rhetorical question that he posed in talking about his work: ‘What is worth Saving?’
Finster ‘saved’ a lot. He ‘saved’ materials from the dump. He ‘saved’ items manufactured by human beings, attempting to create a ‘museum’ of everything even invented. And he also was hoping to ‘save’ humanity, by focusing on the positive aspects of humanity and the potential good in all of us.
We offer this work in that same spirit: What is worth Saving? We currently find ourselves at a crossroads, where this question is particularly relevant. What is worth saving in ourselves, in our communities, in our country, in the world?
I was originally introduced to the music of Dead Can Dance in the early 1990’s by a friend from college. I fell in love with the music and created my first evening-length work, Saltarello, set to numerous songs from their albums in 1996, just prior to Atlanta hosting the Centennial Olympic Games. We then performed the work during the games in July and August, our way of welcoming the world to Atlanta.
I was inspired, in part, to go back and tap into our archives for our performing season this year to celebrate my 35th season as Artistic/Administrative Director, as well as recognizing that this was another year of the Summer Olympic Games. And I was also inspired in the complete ‘reimagining’ of this work through a residency that Beacon undertook at Paradise Garden, Howard Finster’s creation in Summerville, Georgia, in the north Georgia mountains, in August. Finster has been described as a ‘visionary’ artist, and in my research, I was particularly struck by one rhetorical question that he posed in talking about his work: ‘What is worth Saving?’
Finster ‘saved’ a lot. He ‘saved’ materials from the dump. He ‘saved’ items manufactured by human beings, attempting to create a ‘museum’ of everything even invented. And he also was hoping to ‘save’ humanity, by focusing on the positive aspects of humanity and the potential good in all of us.
We offer this work in that same spirit: What is worth Saving? We currently find ourselves at a crossroads, where this question is particularly relevant. What is worth saving in ourselves, in our communities, in our country, in the world?
Technical Staff:
Lighting Board Operator: Andre Lumpkin
Stage Manager and Sound Board Operator: D. Patton White
Tech Crew: Anderson England, Katherine Martinez, Thales Lathrop, Gamble Everett, Andre Lumpkin
Front of House:
Welcome Table: Nancy White, Eleanor Brownfield
Concessions: Kimberly Merritt, Chris McCord, Madison Lee
Lighting Board Operator: Andre Lumpkin
Stage Manager and Sound Board Operator: D. Patton White
Tech Crew: Anderson England, Katherine Martinez, Thales Lathrop, Gamble Everett, Andre Lumpkin
Front of House:
Welcome Table: Nancy White, Eleanor Brownfield
Concessions: Kimberly Merritt, Chris McCord, Madison Lee
Artist Biographies
AK Bayer (Performer)
AK Bayer is a professional dancer, interdisciplinary artist, and emerging choreographer from Atlanta, GA. After falling in love with creative expression and performance at a young age, AK began training at Atlanta Dance before continuing with Decatur School of Ballet and Decatur City Dance. Living with dysautonomia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a systemic genetic disorder, AK navigates the intricacies of dancing with a dynamic disability. A visual artist as well, AK focuses on mixed media work and illustration. They have been creating art their entire life and love exploring identity through new mediums. AK is passionate about each of their creative pursuits but credits dance as their first love and the driving force behind their other crafts. AK is in their second season as company member with Full Radius Dance. In the last year, they have had the honor of performing freelance work from choreographers such as Patton White of Beacon Dance, Meaghan Novoa and Dani Tirrell through Velocity Dance’s Seattle Festival of Dance and Improvisation.
Leah Behm (performer)
Leah Behm (she/her) is a dance artist who is inspired by the connections and relationship between people and how that can shape the self. Working in the event and marketing industry during the day, her continued involvement in dance with local artists as a company member with EXCAVATE BODY and Beacon Dance is very meaningful to her. As a 2021 graduate from Emory, Leah cherishes being a part of the ever flourishing dance community in ATL and all of the amazing artists and humans she has the pleasure of knowing because of it.
Susan Keller (performer)
Susan took her first ballet class at age 4. She discovered modern dance in college and Contact Improvisation in her late twenties. She still loves to move about. And she is grateful to Beacon Dance and other choreographers open to working with nonstandard dancers.
Andre Lumpkin (Set design/construction; Lighting design)
Andre Lumpkin is an artist, educator and entrepreneur from Athens GA. Although immersed in different cultural dance forms from a young age, he started his formal training at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Under the guidance of the dance program, he worked with artists and companies such as Blake Beckham, Kyle Abraham, Jennifer Archibald, StaibDance and Catellier Dance projects. Majoring in Sociology and minoring in Dance and Theater Studies, Lumpkin’s focus and passion centers the integral nature of arts and creativity in community and everyday life. As an alumnus of Emory, Lumpkin continued on to earn his M.F.A in Choreography and Performance from The Florida State University School of Dance in 2017. During his graduate studies, He had the chance to work with renowned artists such as Jawole Zollar, Rodger Belman (R.I.P.), Jaamil Kosoko and Joya Powell, and hone his unique artistic voice. Post Graduate School Lumpkin continues to create, educate and perform nationally and internationally. As a professional, Lumpkin has dedicated himself to a holistic approach to choreography, teaching, performing, production design and community empowerment.
Merryn McKeough (performer)
Merryn McKeough is an Atlanta-based choreographer and movement artist. An Emory University graduate, Merryn danced with the Emory Dance Company for four years and presented work at ACDA, receiving highest honors in dance and movement studies. As a choreographer and/or performer, Merryn has worked with the Center for Puppetry Arts, Bautanzt Here, Dance Canvas, Beacon Dance, Fall for Fall Dance Festival, Chattanooga Dance Theatre, and Leo Briggs. Merryn’s choreographic interests lie at the intersection of movement, people, and play.
PhaeMonae (Costume and set Design)
PhaeMonae she/her/they/them is a movement engineer, creative HMUA, and Designer. Originating from the chocolate city, Washington D.C. and P.G. County Maryland. The voyages to Atl in 2015 began to propel forward in following the creative itch to make and shake. PhaeMonae loves to explore multiple mediums that feel transcendent of their personal joys and creative layering. A human who shape shifts as a form of expression and protection with deep connections to her ancestral realms and future selves. Collaging and turning trash to treasure can be key describing words to PhaeMonae’s style and approach to art-making. Landscape research and jovial sparks of inspiration to encourage folks to be their most authentic selves. If I don't know anything about myself, one thing I know is “I will DIE FLY
Ashlee Ramsey-Borunov (performer)
Grounded in the perspective that dance-making lives in the primal, physical, emotional and spiritual consciousness of all humans, Ms. Ramsey-Borunov’s artistic focus centers on collaboration, activism, community participation and making dance available as a creative practice for all people. Ms. Ramsey-Borunov has shown work, performed or taught in North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Arizona, Austria, the U.K. and India. Her experience as an educator includes teaching dance and yoga courses at Elon University, Wake Forest University, Winthrop University, and Salem College, and she holds a teacher certification with DanceAbility International. Ms. Ramsey-Borunov has been published in the international academic periodical, Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices (2011) and has presented work or research at the NDEO National Conference, The Fifth Annual Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, and Elon University’s Intersect Diversity and Leadership Conference. Currently working in Atlanta, GA, Ms. Ramsey-Borunov performs with Full Radius Dance, a physically integrated professional dance company; Beacon Dance, a performing arts collective focusing on issues of social justice, equality and activism; and as a teacher with CORE Dance’s Dynamic X-Change and Morning Class programs.
Matthew Smith (performer)
Having started his dance career with Full Radius Dance in 2018 as an apprentice and joining as a company member in 2019 Matthew Smith is happy to continue his work with Beacon Dance.
Alex Spitzer (performer)
Alex Spitzer is a professional choreographer and dancer in Atlanta. Currently he dances with Beacon Dance since 2014 and is Secretary on their Board of Directors. He is on the Board of Directors and co-chair for the Performing Arts Council for the National Dance Society. He was Artistic Director of the Spitzer Dance Company from 1992-2014. Alex has danced with Infinity Dance Theater in New York City and Duende Dance Theater in Atlanta. In 1999 he received his B.A. in Dance from Texas Woman's University. He studied dance at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and while there his work was presented in the American College Dance Festival Gala Concert in San Marcos, Texas. Alex has studied in modern, ballet, jazz, and integrated dance techniques.
Onur Topal-Sumer (performer)
Onur has a B.F.A. in dance from Istanbul and an M.F.A. in dance & digital technology from UC, Irvine where she worked with pioneering dance artist such as Donald McKayle, Ismael Ivo, Douglas Dunn, Milton Myers, Yvonne Rainer, Pina Bausch Company members David Zambrano, Paul Clayden-DV8, Janet Panetta, Susanne Linke and many more.She has professionally created and performed for over two decades as a dance artist, freelance dance & multimedia artist, designer, producer, educator, and dance film curator (2D&VR). Onur is Dance Camera Istanbul Festival Curator and also builds national and international collaborations on creating immersive dance works.She has staged her original dance, film, and video installations at many acclaimed festivals, universities and events across Europe, USA & Asia. As a teaching artist, Onur taught dance, performance, and dance & multimedia throughout Turkiye, USA, Germany, Holland, Austria, Italy, and Romania. Onur has extensive experience and passion for working with dance and digital technology, organizing and producing events, festivals, panels, and leading cultural administrative work. Onur explores the interdisciplinary world of extended reality (XR) technologies focusing on performing arts and human computer interaction.
D. Patton White (Choreographic Direction)
D. Patton White has worked as a dancer and choreographer since 1982, for the stage, site-specific work, and dance for the camera. As Artistic/Administrative Director of Beacon Dance since 1990, he has sought innovative ways to bring art to the public, including site works throughout DeKalb County parks and nature centers, the High Museum of Art, in the former Sears building in Atlanta, in Freedom Park, at the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, the B Complex in southwest Atlanta, the Emory University Campus, and on the Atlanta Beltline. White was the Company Manager of Core Dance from 2008-2019, and currently teaches part time at Emory University. He has been an artist in residence at UNLV, Rice University, and Emory University, and has conducted numerous community residencies and his work has been funded by the NEA, South Arts, GCA, Florida Council on Arts & Culture, among others. He has been a member of Alternate ROOTS since 1997.
Carly Wynans (Performer)
Carly Wynans is an Atlanta-based performer who had her choreographic debut in Beacon Dance's Moving Bodies/Moving Hearts/Moving Minds this past April. A graduate of Emory University with degrees in Dance and Movement Studies and Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Carly has performed in works by Leo Briggs, Gregory Catellier, Sammy Spriggs, Jacque Pritz, and George Staib. Carly was honored to be Bates Dance Festival's 2023 Box Office Fellow, working alongside Kristin O'Neal and Betsy Miller. Currently a member of ALA Dance, Carly is looking forward to performing Saltarello Reimagined.
AK Bayer (Performer)
AK Bayer is a professional dancer, interdisciplinary artist, and emerging choreographer from Atlanta, GA. After falling in love with creative expression and performance at a young age, AK began training at Atlanta Dance before continuing with Decatur School of Ballet and Decatur City Dance. Living with dysautonomia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a systemic genetic disorder, AK navigates the intricacies of dancing with a dynamic disability. A visual artist as well, AK focuses on mixed media work and illustration. They have been creating art their entire life and love exploring identity through new mediums. AK is passionate about each of their creative pursuits but credits dance as their first love and the driving force behind their other crafts. AK is in their second season as company member with Full Radius Dance. In the last year, they have had the honor of performing freelance work from choreographers such as Patton White of Beacon Dance, Meaghan Novoa and Dani Tirrell through Velocity Dance’s Seattle Festival of Dance and Improvisation.
Leah Behm (performer)
Leah Behm (she/her) is a dance artist who is inspired by the connections and relationship between people and how that can shape the self. Working in the event and marketing industry during the day, her continued involvement in dance with local artists as a company member with EXCAVATE BODY and Beacon Dance is very meaningful to her. As a 2021 graduate from Emory, Leah cherishes being a part of the ever flourishing dance community in ATL and all of the amazing artists and humans she has the pleasure of knowing because of it.
Susan Keller (performer)
Susan took her first ballet class at age 4. She discovered modern dance in college and Contact Improvisation in her late twenties. She still loves to move about. And she is grateful to Beacon Dance and other choreographers open to working with nonstandard dancers.
Andre Lumpkin (Set design/construction; Lighting design)
Andre Lumpkin is an artist, educator and entrepreneur from Athens GA. Although immersed in different cultural dance forms from a young age, he started his formal training at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Under the guidance of the dance program, he worked with artists and companies such as Blake Beckham, Kyle Abraham, Jennifer Archibald, StaibDance and Catellier Dance projects. Majoring in Sociology and minoring in Dance and Theater Studies, Lumpkin’s focus and passion centers the integral nature of arts and creativity in community and everyday life. As an alumnus of Emory, Lumpkin continued on to earn his M.F.A in Choreography and Performance from The Florida State University School of Dance in 2017. During his graduate studies, He had the chance to work with renowned artists such as Jawole Zollar, Rodger Belman (R.I.P.), Jaamil Kosoko and Joya Powell, and hone his unique artistic voice. Post Graduate School Lumpkin continues to create, educate and perform nationally and internationally. As a professional, Lumpkin has dedicated himself to a holistic approach to choreography, teaching, performing, production design and community empowerment.
Merryn McKeough (performer)
Merryn McKeough is an Atlanta-based choreographer and movement artist. An Emory University graduate, Merryn danced with the Emory Dance Company for four years and presented work at ACDA, receiving highest honors in dance and movement studies. As a choreographer and/or performer, Merryn has worked with the Center for Puppetry Arts, Bautanzt Here, Dance Canvas, Beacon Dance, Fall for Fall Dance Festival, Chattanooga Dance Theatre, and Leo Briggs. Merryn’s choreographic interests lie at the intersection of movement, people, and play.
PhaeMonae (Costume and set Design)
PhaeMonae she/her/they/them is a movement engineer, creative HMUA, and Designer. Originating from the chocolate city, Washington D.C. and P.G. County Maryland. The voyages to Atl in 2015 began to propel forward in following the creative itch to make and shake. PhaeMonae loves to explore multiple mediums that feel transcendent of their personal joys and creative layering. A human who shape shifts as a form of expression and protection with deep connections to her ancestral realms and future selves. Collaging and turning trash to treasure can be key describing words to PhaeMonae’s style and approach to art-making. Landscape research and jovial sparks of inspiration to encourage folks to be their most authentic selves. If I don't know anything about myself, one thing I know is “I will DIE FLY
Ashlee Ramsey-Borunov (performer)
Grounded in the perspective that dance-making lives in the primal, physical, emotional and spiritual consciousness of all humans, Ms. Ramsey-Borunov’s artistic focus centers on collaboration, activism, community participation and making dance available as a creative practice for all people. Ms. Ramsey-Borunov has shown work, performed or taught in North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Arizona, Austria, the U.K. and India. Her experience as an educator includes teaching dance and yoga courses at Elon University, Wake Forest University, Winthrop University, and Salem College, and she holds a teacher certification with DanceAbility International. Ms. Ramsey-Borunov has been published in the international academic periodical, Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices (2011) and has presented work or research at the NDEO National Conference, The Fifth Annual Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, and Elon University’s Intersect Diversity and Leadership Conference. Currently working in Atlanta, GA, Ms. Ramsey-Borunov performs with Full Radius Dance, a physically integrated professional dance company; Beacon Dance, a performing arts collective focusing on issues of social justice, equality and activism; and as a teacher with CORE Dance’s Dynamic X-Change and Morning Class programs.
Matthew Smith (performer)
Having started his dance career with Full Radius Dance in 2018 as an apprentice and joining as a company member in 2019 Matthew Smith is happy to continue his work with Beacon Dance.
Alex Spitzer (performer)
Alex Spitzer is a professional choreographer and dancer in Atlanta. Currently he dances with Beacon Dance since 2014 and is Secretary on their Board of Directors. He is on the Board of Directors and co-chair for the Performing Arts Council for the National Dance Society. He was Artistic Director of the Spitzer Dance Company from 1992-2014. Alex has danced with Infinity Dance Theater in New York City and Duende Dance Theater in Atlanta. In 1999 he received his B.A. in Dance from Texas Woman's University. He studied dance at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and while there his work was presented in the American College Dance Festival Gala Concert in San Marcos, Texas. Alex has studied in modern, ballet, jazz, and integrated dance techniques.
Onur Topal-Sumer (performer)
Onur has a B.F.A. in dance from Istanbul and an M.F.A. in dance & digital technology from UC, Irvine where she worked with pioneering dance artist such as Donald McKayle, Ismael Ivo, Douglas Dunn, Milton Myers, Yvonne Rainer, Pina Bausch Company members David Zambrano, Paul Clayden-DV8, Janet Panetta, Susanne Linke and many more.She has professionally created and performed for over two decades as a dance artist, freelance dance & multimedia artist, designer, producer, educator, and dance film curator (2D&VR). Onur is Dance Camera Istanbul Festival Curator and also builds national and international collaborations on creating immersive dance works.She has staged her original dance, film, and video installations at many acclaimed festivals, universities and events across Europe, USA & Asia. As a teaching artist, Onur taught dance, performance, and dance & multimedia throughout Turkiye, USA, Germany, Holland, Austria, Italy, and Romania. Onur has extensive experience and passion for working with dance and digital technology, organizing and producing events, festivals, panels, and leading cultural administrative work. Onur explores the interdisciplinary world of extended reality (XR) technologies focusing on performing arts and human computer interaction.
D. Patton White (Choreographic Direction)
D. Patton White has worked as a dancer and choreographer since 1982, for the stage, site-specific work, and dance for the camera. As Artistic/Administrative Director of Beacon Dance since 1990, he has sought innovative ways to bring art to the public, including site works throughout DeKalb County parks and nature centers, the High Museum of Art, in the former Sears building in Atlanta, in Freedom Park, at the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, the B Complex in southwest Atlanta, the Emory University Campus, and on the Atlanta Beltline. White was the Company Manager of Core Dance from 2008-2019, and currently teaches part time at Emory University. He has been an artist in residence at UNLV, Rice University, and Emory University, and has conducted numerous community residencies and his work has been funded by the NEA, South Arts, GCA, Florida Council on Arts & Culture, among others. He has been a member of Alternate ROOTS since 1997.
Carly Wynans (Performer)
Carly Wynans is an Atlanta-based performer who had her choreographic debut in Beacon Dance's Moving Bodies/Moving Hearts/Moving Minds this past April. A graduate of Emory University with degrees in Dance and Movement Studies and Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Carly has performed in works by Leo Briggs, Gregory Catellier, Sammy Spriggs, Jacque Pritz, and George Staib. Carly was honored to be Bates Dance Festival's 2023 Box Office Fellow, working alongside Kristin O'Neal and Betsy Miller. Currently a member of ALA Dance, Carly is looking forward to performing Saltarello Reimagined.
With Deepest Gratitude!
Our performances this weekend have been made possible by the generosity of our individual donors as well as several public funding agencies. Listing represents gifts made between July 1, 2024 and November 1, 2024. We sincerely regret any omissions.
Russell Berry, Pauline Rose Clance, Mary Locke Crofts, John and Martha England , Susan Rawlston, Anderson England, Rebecca England, Lisa Cottrell, Bonnie Macdonald , Marsha Mitchiner, Cyndy Vaughan, D. Patton White
This program is supported in part by The City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, Fulton County Arts and Culture and the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts
Our performances this weekend have been made possible by the generosity of our individual donors as well as several public funding agencies. Listing represents gifts made between July 1, 2024 and November 1, 2024. We sincerely regret any omissions.
Russell Berry, Pauline Rose Clance, Mary Locke Crofts, John and Martha England , Susan Rawlston, Anderson England, Rebecca England, Lisa Cottrell, Bonnie Macdonald , Marsha Mitchiner, Cyndy Vaughan, D. Patton White
This program is supported in part by The City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, Fulton County Arts and Culture and the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts
