Lindsay Nelko presents ‘Awakening’
Lindsay Nelko, a young dancemaker who has created work for FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance Season 10, will present the world premiere of Awakening in three performances on August 6 and 7 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater in NYC.
In collaboration with Capezio and Break The Floor Productions, this 2nd runner-up of the 2013 Capezio A.C.E. Awards will present her original choreography in a full-length show featuring 25 dancers from major companies like Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Miami City Ballet and San Francisco Ballet.
Known for her unique fusion of ballet, modern and jazz techniques, Nelko’s choreography for Awakening will investigate the blurred state between wakefulness and sleep.
The stellar cast will feature dancers: Mark Caserta, Addison Ector, Young Sil Kim, Kelly Marsh IV, Casey McIntyre, Kris Nobles, Kelly Sneddon and Tercell Waters, all courtesy of Complexions Contemporary Ballet; Joseph Kudra and Ida Saki, courtesy of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet; Daniel Baker of San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet and So You Think You Can Dance; Maira Barriga of Miami City Ballet; Taeler Cyrus from Broadway’s hit show After Midnight; Barton Cowperthwaite of Bad Boys of Dance; and Daniella Filippone of Bad Boys of Dance, Metropolitan Opera Ballet and Radio City Music Hall.
Other performers include: Ashley Fitzgerald from the first U.S. national tour of Come Fly With Me; Sara Hoenes of the Radio City Rockettes; Jason Kittleberger of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet; Shane Ohmer of Pacific Northwest Ballet, Bad Boys of Dance, Grands Ballet Canadienne de Montreal and the Flashdance National Tour; Lauren Perry of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Bad Boys of Dance and Metropolitan Opera Ballet; Amy Ruggiero from Come Fly With Me; Acacia Schachte of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet; Nicholas Sipes from Broadway’s Billy Elliot and Pennsylvania Ballet; Jeffrey Sousa of Evita on tour; and Allison Ulrich of Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis.
Nelko’s diverse and theatrical work has shot her into the limelight at a young age. She’s been called a choreographer with “an insane gift!” by director and choreographer Brian Friedman. The Winnipeg native received her training in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, musical theatre and hip-hop at the school of her mother (the Shelley Shearer School of Dance), who had been a member of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Nelko has continued that relationship by workshopping her new dances with artists from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Her education continued at UCLA Performing Arts in L.A. in the Theatre, Film and Television Department, and at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Musical Theatre Program.
With a classical ballet foundation, Nelko is also a self-professed “Broadway baby.” Her talent and interest in all forms of dance have taken her to successes in TV, movies, music videos and competitions. In addition to choreographing a work for Season 10 of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance, she was Associate Choreographer on the hit show The X Factor and for the NBC/University movie American Girl: Saige Paints the Sky. Earlier this year, she choreographed the live event “Royal Wedding in Dubai” and the music video “Get Out Alive” for Canadian singer Sheena Grobb.
Nelko’s choreography has played a critical role in The PULSE On Tour conventions throughout North America. Indeed, from 2010-12 she received four “Choreographer’s Pick” awards from the PULSE’s all-star panel of judges, and in 2012-13 was the “Pulse Featured Choreographer of the Year.”
She has represented Canada as a choreographer at The International Dance Organization and World Dance Championships, both held in Germany, where her choreography helped team Canada win the Silver medal in 2010, as well as in Poland, where team Canada won the Silver and Bronze medals in 2011.
To see this promising choreographer’s full-length show Awakening, head to Ailey Citigroup Theater, located at 405 West 55 Street in NYC, on August 6-7. Visit www.lindsaynelko.com for more information.