Dance Auditions
Please send your audition notices for Five College Dance projects to fc-dance-program@ fivecolleges.edu.
Five College Dance Auditions at UMass Amherst with Jenna Riegel. Photo © nikki lee.
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Saturday, December 6, 4:00-6:00pm, Scott Dance Studio, Smith College
Smith Senior Dance Concert Auditions
with 6 new works to be debuted in spring by Addie Bowen, Dahlia Riddington, Cailey Scholts, Isa Skare, Audrey Garfinkel, and Sadie Arundale
Tech + Performances April 4-11.
Friday, February 6, Scott Studio, Smith College; apply by Jan. 4.
Smith College MFA in Dance
Apply for the Smith College Dance MFA by January 4. Audition Friday February 6. See the Smith College MFA in dance webpage for details and to apply.
UMass BFA Audition Dates
The next audition dates for the UMass BFA in dance program will be Friday Feb 20 at noon. For more info, keep your eye on the UMass Dance Admissions webpage.
CAST LISTS FALL 25 Faculty Projects
THANK YOU DANCERS for your fabulous full-out participation in Saturday's auditions! For those who were not cast, please check the upcoming auditions! There are always opportunities for performing. And Spring auditions are around the corner!
STUDENTS WHO ARE CAST, PLEASE EMAIL your confirmation to the project faculty as soon as possible. Some rehearsals may start tomorrow. Check the faculty info pages below for faculty emails.
ANGELICA MONTEIRO
NOTE: First rehearsal on Tuesday is the final audition
Nelia Casseus
Avery Mooney
Nicki Tsouknakis
Fae Galatis
Ivan Jimenez
Sawa Machida
Anna Copeland
Michael Figueroa
Charlétte Sostre Garcia
Eli Goldfinger
Kylie Gregory
Marina Jacobs
Elizabeth Chin
CHLOE LONDON
Robyn Pilecki
Charlie Penna
Evelyn Adkins
Scarlet Labbe-Watson
Sara Spangler
Molly Smith
Maxine Kamen Van Westen
Arianna Zirbel
Emily Han
Talia Withnall-May
Kiera Chan
Ryann Burns
Audrey Garfinkle
ELLIE GOUDIE-AVERILL
Erin Machung
Julia Grabow
Lindsay Kowal
Charlotte Hursty
Juliet O'Connor
Felonica Kirkham
Aida Fiala
Ellery Gleason-Kaiser
Naijaya Mackay
Lilly Wright
Jessica Minas
Tristan Thompson
Sophia Rubin
Ariel Barniv (super study)
Avital Reshit
Wilsie Ferris
Papatya Krody
Kate Michel
Emma Marchi
Astrid Viollet
Vicky Hsu (super study)
MICHELE BYRD-MCPHEE
Nelia Casseus
Philippa Kargbo
Avery Mooney
Riley Solomon
Zoey Carter
Autumn Frias-Martin
Lauren Hanafin
Kylie Gregory
Naia Owens
MUSTAPHA BRAIMAH
Trinity Hartridge
Bea Airhart
Robin Pilecki
Natashha Nagarajan
Mia Frias
Ashley Quijano
Adebola Adenle
Stefi Sweitzer
Emma Belfer
Lilly Wright Super study
Quinn Suomala Super study
Lily Callahan Super study
NERI TORRES
Charlotte Bowe
Lizzy Tucker
Ma’ayan Rider Shacham
Whitney Byington
Kelly Aja Super study
Quinn Suomalu Super study
Adah Bell Super study
SHAKIA BARRON
NOTE: 1st rehearsal on Friday is the final audition
Justi Ortiz
Phillippa Kargbo
Warren Wang
KC Johnson Erikson
Jess Sabourin
Sakura Wilson
Ahtiana Charles
Nyla Clark
Trista Auclair
Collin Niska
Cailey Scholtz
Kylie Gregory
Naia Owens
Ivy Yin
Gloria Yang
Natasha Nagarajan
Ballet Placement AY26
Congratulations to these dancers who moved up to 300 level Ballet courses at Five College Dance!
BALLET PLACEMENT AY26 and forward (pending good academic standing)
Catherine Abilla
Paulina Cubie
Tayten DeGarmo
Lucia Del Rio
Lia Gish
Persephone Giusti
Julia Grabow
Mary Haight
Charlotte Hursty
Addison Husband
Felonica Kirkham
Angelina Kwan
Norah Lynn
Naijaya Mackay
Amelia McDade
Ben Nir
Juliet O'Connor
Isabelle Perez
Finley Roessler
Lilian Sanford
Ines Sison
Kerala Smith
Fall 25 Faculty Projects Information
1. Shakia Barron, Mount Holyoke College
Rehearsals: Friday's 1:30-4:20pm and 3 Sundays Oct 19 & 26, 1-5pm
2. Mustapha Braimah, Mount Holyoke College
Type of work: Traditional and Contemporary African and Popular Dance Movement Aesthetics.
This work: Students should expect to explore a mix of Traditional African movements and rhythms, Contemporary styles, Afrobeats, and the process of deconstructing these forms as an aesthetic category to clarify the intent of the piece.
Cast size: Up to eight (8) performers
Rehearsal times: Mon/Wed 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm at the Studio Theater in Kendall.
3. Michele Byrd-McPhee, UMass Amherst
This work: This work that digs into how we see ourselves and each other, using Hip-Hop and street dance as the language. My goal is to guide students in connecting personal stories to movement, blending structured choreography with freestyle. I am seeking 15 performers who are open, curious, and committed to a process that will be explorative.
Cast size: 15
Rehearsal times: MW 4:00-5:15. Umass Amherst Totman Gym
Links to work:
www.ladiesofhiphop.com
4. Ellie Goudie-Averill, Smith College
This work: I am working on a new contemporary ballet piece tentatively titled "a body lives in both," and I'm looking for 10-12 dancers to work on balletic phrase work, both contemporary and classical partnering, and use of momentum within classical forms. The piece explores how the specific complicates the general, and how beauty can exist even in times of turmoil. To quote Rebecca Solnit, the body exists as both: "a political actor... a seat for a mind with opinions and beliefs, but also as a biological entity... ephemeral like the flowers that have so often been used as emblems of mortality."
Cast size: 10-12 dancers, none precast.
Rehearsal times: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8:30pm in Scott Studio
5. Chloe London, Smith College
Type of work: My work is abstract, virtuosic, spacious, and driven by lines and momentum. In each of my dances, I use my background in contemporary dance, Cunningham Technique, and improvisation to discover and build a world of liner and sweeping movement.
This work: For this work, I am looking for 8-12 dancers who are interested in exploring set material and improvisation to create a bold, powerful, and vibrant contemporary dance. We will discover the identity of our dance through researching, sketching, deepening, refining, and interrupting our process. This dance will be abstract, linear, and move fiercely through space. I am looking for dancers who are willing to quickly dive into material, are excited to move, and are up for the challenge of researching while performing.
Cast size: 8-12. 2 precast..
Rehearsal times: T/Th 5:00-6:30pm in Crew House, Smith College. Additional/extended rehearsals will be discussed with the cast if this feels necessary.
Links to prior work: https://vimeo.com/chloelondon/impossiblepalace https://vimeo.com/1101735679/3ca41f39cd
6. Angelica Monteiro, Amherst College
This work: I am creating a dynamic, rhythm-driven piece that blends Brazilian music, complex rhythmic patterns, floorwork, and street dance influences. I’m looking for 4–6 powerful dancers with strong backgrounds in Jazz or street styles—knowledge of Waacking or Punking is a big plus. Dancers should be comfortable using their voices and body percussion as integrated elements of the choreography. The process will be collaborative for the most part, but I will be hands-on in shaping the final work. Come ready to contribute and commit with confidence!
Cast size: No pre-casted dancers. Ideal size cast 4-6
Rehearsal times: Studio 1, T/Th 5:30p-8pm
Links to prior work: instagram.com/aangelmm
7. Neri Torres, Smith College
Type of work: Neri's choreography combines traditional Afro-Cuban sacred and social dances with contemporary dance, creating a space for reflection on the fusion of mythical archetypes and contemporary social issues.
This work: The piece dives into the idea of disconnection—between people, their roots, and each other—and the search for a way back. Drawing from Afro-Cuban sacred stories about Eshu and Eggun, it blends tradition with a modern lens, exploring how the past shapes our present and future. The work moves through tension and resistance, then bursts into a joyful finale that celebrates dance as a healing force and a way to reconnect.
Cast size: 8 to 10 dancers, 3 have been pre-cast
Rehearsal times: Smith College Repertory class 2:45-4:45 TTH and possibly a couple of weekends closer to the show
Spring Audition for Fall 25 Cast Lists
Thanks to the 80 dancers who came to the Spring Auditions on Saturday!
Congrats to those who were cast. If you were not cast, please come to the Fall auditions at Mount Holyoke where there will be many more faculty projects.
- For those who are cast, be sure to check all cast lists as you may have been cast in two works.
- Please be sure to CONFIRM with the faculty in whose work you are cast. Links below.
FCD Repertory Project, please email Duane Lee Holland
Sophie Biderman
Ryann Burns
Delaney Canty
Hannah Castrataro
Natasha Crutchfield
Chloe Jean
Lindsay Kowal (Alternate)
Raquel Louis
Colin Niska
Helena Provencio
Julia Steinberg
Samara Ternoir
Warren Wang
Angie Hauser, SC Faculty
Erik Elizondo Campos
Michael Figueroa
Lauren Horn
Lindsey Jones
Dimitri Kalaitzidis
Hannah Littman
Ian Berg, MHC Faculty
Abby Frisch
Gigi/Gem Gonsalves
Charli Kellaway
Ryanne McCann
Colin Niska
Kana Oki
Jessica Sabourin
Sabina Sadiq
Cailey Scholts
Lola Stacy
Lex Toomey
Lauren Cox, UM Faculty
Sadie Arundale
Trista Auclair
Sophie Biderman
Nyla Clark
Sophia Costa
Natasha Crutchfield
Lauren Hanafin
Chloe Jean
Raquel Louis
Tadea Martin-Gonzalez
Samara Ternoir
Gloria Yong
Barbie Diewald, MHC Faculty
Molly Armbrust
Abby Chan
Anais Dallett
Ryanne McCann
Paloma Ortega
Meena Relyea-Strawn
Julia Steinberg
Jenna Riegel, AC Faculty
Students cast MUST be able to register for my section of the repertory course THDA 218H at Amherst College. If you are unable to register due to course overload, etc., please email Jenna immediately.
Sadie Arundale
Trista Auclair
Samantha Bean
Addie Bowen
Nyla Clark
Audrey Garfinkel
Lucia Jacques
Ava Jett-Beachley
Polina Kasyanova
Sawa Machida
Lauren Rainey
Cailey Scholts
Molly Smith
Mykelle Walton
Annika Xuan
Gloria Yong
Spring Audition Faculty Work Details
Tech and Performance Schedule
The techs and shows run weekends and evenings from Saturday Nov 1 to Saturday Nov 22. Please note, Thanksgiving holiday begins the weekend of Nov 22 at Amherst College.
MHC Faculty Concert: Tech Nov 1-5, Performances Nov 6-8
AC/UM Faculty Concert: Tech Nov 8-12, Performances Nov 13-15
SC Faculty Concert: Tech Nov 15-19, Performances Nov 20-22
Fall 25 Faculty Project Details
FCD Spring Auditions will be held on Saturday, April 12th at Scott Dance Studio, Smith College. All of the works will appear in Fall Faculty Concerts in November at the faculty's respective school.
Auditioning Faculty and Rehearsal Schedules
AC: Jenna Riegel MW 6:00-9:00PM
MHC: Barbie Diewald MWF 11:30-12:45PM
MHC: Ian Berg Tuesdays from 7:00-9:45 pm + Labor Day Wkend Intensive TBC
SC: Angie Hauser WF 1:10-2:35PM + pre semester intensive 5 days week of Aug 25th TBD
UM: Lauren Cox 3-4 hour weekend workshops + late August through semester TBD
UM: FCD Rep Mondays & Wednesdays: 5:30-7:00pm + Intensive weekend August 24-31, TBC
Jenna Riegel, Amherst College
The work:
My work utilizes contemporary and postmodern movement techniques, aesthetics and choreographic devices. Students may expect to experiment and perform both set and improvised material, as well as speak, sing or sound in the process or final piece. The process is highly collaborative and students will contribute both movement ideas/material, as well as their thoughts/opinions on the concepts or inquiries being explored in the work. My current professional research is investigating the celestial bodiless point known as Black Moon Lilith, an astrological location associated with the shadow side, wild, rebellious and exiled parts of ourselves. This may be the focus of our work together or it may emerge as something else...
The cast:
I will be casting 4-6 dancers from the Spring Audition, with a final cast size of 8-10.
Rehearsals:
MW 6:00-9:00PM at Studio 1, Webster Hall, Amherst College
Barbie Diewald, Mount Holyoke College
The work:
I'm looking for 6-8 dancers to continue some research I've begun this semester. This process will operate within a modern/postmodern contemporary paradigm, and will be highly collaborative. I'm looking for dancers who are interested in exploring compositional practice, partnering, full-bodied movement, and intricate brain/body teasing choreography. Rehearsals will be held immediately after my advanced modern course and the work will be featured in the Mount Holyoke Faculty Concert in November 2025.
The cast:
I am casting 6-8 dancers from this audition. I have already been working with 2 dancers in the early phase of this research. The final cast size will be 8-10 total.
Links:
Field (2022)
Apparition (2023)
Rehearsals:
MWF 11:30-12:45, MHC
Ian Berg, Mount Holyoke College
The work:
Come learn a new dance in the Tradition of Jazz Tap dancing. We'll make music with our feet and move around the stage. Rehearsals meet on tuesday evenings at 7 with a potential weekend of rehearsals on labor day weekend.
The cast:
For this piece the cast will be 8 dancers. All should have a strong technical tap dance training and musical understanding.
My work generally:
Lots of musical and movement counterpoint with fun inventive uses of space
Rehearsals:
Mt Holyoke Tuesday nights, 7:00-9:45
Angie Hauser, Smith College
The work:
I am making a new group work for 6-8 dancer who have strong performance skills and bold physicality. I am looking for dancers with skill and interest in generating and learning new movement material, working with improvisation, and challenging themselves as performers. The work begins from my interest in plants as constructors of form. I am inspired by composer and poet JJJJJerome Ellis and the Aster flower. Both Ellis' work and the Aster are expressions of the construction and deconstruction of form -- particularly repetition. The process focuses on a shared curiosity and appetite for -- specificity in the body -- movement that strives to go beyond the perceivable possibilities -- generative collaboration.
The cast:
6-8 dancers
Links:
prior work
Rehearsals:
Smith College W + F 1:00-2:35 with pre semester intensive 5 days TBD week of Aug 25th.
Lauren Cox, UMass Amherst
The work:
The piece will be performed with a live vocalist and percussionist. I am looking for a trio. Dancers who can tell a story with movement, who are well versed in African Diasporic styles and who bring their own voice into the room.
The cast:
3-6
My work generally:
I like to create on the spot with the dancers in the room. I may give choreography or prompts, you may speak or sing. I enjoy working with versatile artists. My work is usually very spiritual and I want everyone to be the best they can possibly be.
Rehearsals:
At UMass in a series of weekend 3-4 hour workshops hopefully starting in late summer and extending through the semester.
Saroya Corbett & Duane Lee Holland, Jr.
The work:
Progressions is an exposition of the fundamentals of Dunham Technique. Katherine Dunham composed the structure of "Progressions" during her time building the Performing Arts Training Center in East St. Louis, IL. Progressions highlights the energy and power of the technique and features the authentic rhythms composed for Dunham Technique
The cast:
12-16 dancers
Rehearsals:
UMass Mondays & Wednesdays: 5:30-7:00 pm + Intensive weekend August 23-30