Playbilll - Dance Mosaic 2025

Ballet Embody’s Dance Mosaic is an artist-driven celebration of movement, music, and collaboration!

Each year, Dance Mosaic brings together professional artists, guest choreographers, and guest artists to create an unforgettable and audience-engaging performance experience.

Performance Details:

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Synergy Space, Westminster, MD

5:00pm & 7:00pm, select your ticket for the appropriate performance time

Playbill for 5:00pm

Playbill for 7:00pm

Dance Mosaic 2025 Playbill

NOTES ON BALLET EMBODY’S DANCE MOSAIC

Now in its third iteration, this program embodies Ballet Embody’s mission to:

EMBODY a collaborative experience,

CULTIVATE a space that elevates dancers and their craft, and

INSPIRE audiences to further explore and experience the artform.

This intimate performance highlights guest dance artists, a local dance artists, and more.

Emily + Melissa

Co-founders, Management Team

Ballet Embody

5:00pm Performance

Concerto for Strings

Choreography by Emily Runkle, Ballet Embody

Music: Violin Concerto in B-flat Major by Vivaldi

MELISSA LINEBURG

MADISON BONVISSUTO-RYAN BLAIR D'AMICO

KRISTEN FARACLAS JESSICA MARKIEWICZ

This neoclassical piece was created in 2020 during the pandemic, when I was feeling restless and had a lot of energy to burn. That energy shaped the fast pace and high intensity of the choreography, which brings the music to life through movement. The playful call-and-response between the soloist and corps reflects the dynamic between me and my best friend, who I originally choreographed it on. To me, the piece feels like a spritz of fresh perfume—bright, joyful, and full of momentum. It celebrates the simple joy of dancing and the satisfying “push” that comes with giving everything you have through the very last moment.

Weight of Silence

Choreography by Heather Malone-Wolf

GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL'S BLUE ALLEGRO

With our worlds ever changing societal norms, this work explores the following questions: "What do you do when you see injustice in front of your eyes? Do you pretend not to see it? Do you pretend not to hear it? Do you refrain from speaking up? If you don't, who will?"

There is Light

Choreography by Guest Artist Kylie Stegman

Music by Ryan Adams

BCV DANCE CENTER TEEN/SENIOR ELITE COMPETITION TEAM

There is Light is a reflection on the people who anchor us…the friends who stay, the ones
who make every moment brighter just by being there. It’s about the kind of connections that
outlive distance, time, and even life itself. No matter where we go, or what happens, there’s
a light that never goes out when we’ve truly loved and been loved in return.

Ravel

Choreography by Lacee Buckholz, Ballet Embody

Music by Maurice Ravel

LACEE BUCKHOLZ

MADILYN CONROY

REBECCA DUNPHY

Ravel is a contemporary ballet expression of Maurice Ravel’s Trio for Violin, Violoncello and Piano:II. Pantoum. I. A brisk, exuberant and spritely showcase of the complexity and technical brilliance of Ravel’s works. Phrases intertwining and instruments working together to carry dancers around the stage. Crossing paths, shifting in space and unraveling within repetitive phrase work.

Thick Skin

Choreography by Caroline Rocher Barnes

Music: Dave Grusin, Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

TOWSON UNIVERSITY DANCE DEPARTMENT

AMAYA HAMILTON INDIRA ISMAELI-ROBINSON

LONDON LOBBAN KAI MORTELLARO

This is an abstract look at the artist’s journey into the fierce competitive dance industry through four transformative phases: Fitting the mold, searching for self, driving for success, and finding the sense of ownership.

ECHO

Choreography by Melissa Lineburg, Ballet Embody

Music: Original score composed and recorded by Arsen Sumbatyan

KRISTEN FARACLAS MELISSA LINEBURG

ECHO explores the cyclical nature of life through the original piano score and evolving movement. Structured as a solo-duet-solo, the choreography revisits and reshapes central themes, mirroring the layered repetition of the music. With an emphasis on musicality and seamless transitions, the piece draws the audience into a hypnotic flow—an emotional and visual arc that lingers with a sense of motion that never quite resolves.

Meet the Artists

Fondly known by her dancers as Ms. Heather, Heather Malone-Wolf brings passion, artistry, compassion and a wealth of experience to her role as Director of Dance and Department Chair of the Performing Arts at Garrison Forest School. She trained at The Baltimore School for the Arts under Norma Pera and Stephanie Powell. Upon graduation, Heather went on to Mercyhurst College, and joined Lake Erie Ballet. In 1997, Mrs. Malone-Wolf joined The Dance Theatre of Harlem's second company Dancing Through Barriers. Her professional career extends to North Carolina Dance Theatre, Nashville Ballet, Collage Dance Collective, and Oakland Ballet where she became the company's first African American Clara in their Nutcracker. She has taught for many different institutions such as Towson University, Coppin University, Project C, and the Dance Institute of Washington. Prior to joining the faculty at Garrison Forest School in 2014, she danced with the Bowen-McCauley Dance Company in DC.

Ms. Malone-Wolf graduated from Towson University in 2011 with a BS in Psychology. She also holds a MS in Clinical Nutrition from Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is a certified running specialist, and is a ABT certified teacher in Pre-Primary through Level 5.

She is a member of NDEO (National Dance Education Organization), and is the original founder of Independent Dance Network, a dance festival for Maryland's Independent and Private Schools.

The BCV Dance Center was founded in 1983 as Ballet with Cindee Velle. For 39 years our home
was in Stonehouse at the Long Reach Village Center in Columbia. In 2022 we moved into a new,
spacious location on Red Branch Road in Columbia. At our new facility we have expanded our
technique programs for all ages, added more teachers to our staff and have grown our elite
competition team. We take pride in offering a friendly, family atmosphere for our students as
well as a cohesive dance program that we have developed over 42 years. We are thrilled to be a
part of Dance Mosaic today!

Learn More about BCV Dance Center

Caroline Rocher Barnes is an assistant professor of dance at Towson University. She trained at the Conservatoire de Montpellier in France, the Rudra Béjart Art School in Switzerland, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York. In 1999, Mrs. Rocher Barnes joined The Dance Theatre of Harlem under Arthur Mitchell’s mentorship, was promoted to Soloist in 2000, and then Principal Dancer the following year. Her professional career extends to the Bavarian State Ballet in Germany, the Lyon Opera Ballet in France, and Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet in San Francisco. In 2001 Mrs. Rocher Barnes was named “to watch” in Dance Magazine. She has taught at numerous dance institutions worldwide, such as the Alonzo King Lines Training and Summer Programs, the University of Oklahoma, the Bates Dance Festival, the J.F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Washington School of Ballet, the Metropolitan School of the Arts, the University of Cincinnati Conservatory Program, the Collage Dance Collective Summer Program, the George Mason University, the Georgetown University, the LEAP Dance Academy in Cape Town South Africa, the Conservatoire Mozart and Conservatoire de Montpellier in France.

Mrs. Rocher Barnes is a current member of IABD, the International Association of Blacks in Dance, and of CORPS de Ballet International (Council of Organized Researchers in Pedagogical Studies of Ballet).

Mrs. Rocher Barnes holds a certification in the Gyrotonic® & Gyrokinesis® expansion systems, the FA® Functional Awareness method, and the Progressing Ballet Technique®. She is an ABT® Certified teacher who has completed the ABT® Teacher training intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5.

Mrs. Rocher Barnes graduated Summa Cum Laude from Saint Mary’s College of California with a BA in Performing Arts. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Learn More about Towson Dance Dept

Originally from Moscow, Russia, Arsen Sumbatyan is a highly skilled trumpeter and pianist. He completed his music education at prestigious institutions like Moscow Conservatory College and Ippolitov-Ivanov State Musical Pedagogical Institute. Arsen has collaborated with renowned companies such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet. He also performed with jazz and symphony orchestras, including the Regent Seven Seas Cruise Jazz Orchestra. As a versatile musician, Arsen plays trumpet for various bands and jazz ensembles, including the Doc Scantlin Band and The Hot Lanes. He currently serves as a Senior Pianist and Accompanist Coordinator at Maryland Youth Ballet, showcasing his talent both as a performer and teacher.

Arsen composed an original score and recorded it for performances of ECHO.

Learn More about Arsen

Dance Mosaic 2025 Playbill

NOTES ON BALLET EMBODY’S DANCE MOSAIC

Now in its third iteration, this program embodies Ballet Embody’s mission to:

EMBODY a collaborative experience,

CULTIVATE a space that elevates dancers and their craft, and

INSPIRE audiences to further explore and experience the artform.

This intimate performance highlights guest dance artists, a local dance artists, and more.

Emily + Melissa

Co-founders, Management Team

Ballet Embody

7:00pm Performance

Concerto for Strings

Choreography by Emily Runkle, Ballet Embody

Music: Violin Concerto in B-flat Major by Vivaldi

MELISSA LINEBURG

MADISON BONVISSUTO-RYAN BLAIR D'AMICO

KRISTEN FARACLAS JESSICA MARKIEWICZ

This neoclassical piece was created in 2020 during the pandemic, when I was feeling restless and had a lot of energy to burn. That energy shaped the fast pace and high intensity of the choreography, which brings the music to life through movement. The playful call-and-response between the soloist and corps reflects the dynamic between me and my best friend, who I originally choreographed it on. To me, the piece feels like a spritz of fresh perfume—bright, joyful, and full of momentum. It celebrates the simple joy of dancing and the satisfying “push” that comes with giving everything you have through the very last moment.

Autonomy ][ Agency

Choreography by Jess Beach

Music Credit: Downtown Snow by AGF Delay; Gate 3 by Emptyset

Rehearsal Directors: danah bella & Christopher Pennix

PEABODY DANCE ENSEMBLE

JADE ABNER-GILMORE EVELYN AU (swing)

MAKENNA CHARLES PARRIS HESTER

AMARI JAMES IVA LIN

JILLBETH RIVER CECI SUN JASMINE TODD

Rooted in jazz dance techniques and highly stylized movement, this work investigates the tension between self-governance and external constraint.

Autonomy
While we all possess the capacity to make our own choices, external influences and societal pressures can impose limitations that generate hesitation or even paralysis. This section explores the constraints of conformity—what it means to “stay within the lines”—and how those boundaries are embodied and resisted through space and movement.

Agency
Agency emerges through initiative and action. Sometimes, all it takes is one individual courageous enough to begin; their choice can ignite momentum, inspiring others to carve their own paths. This section examines how influence and bravery ripple outward, creating space for collective transformation.

Ravel

Choreography by Lacee Buckholz, Ballet Embody

Music by Maurice Ravel

LACEE BUCKHOLZ

MADILYN CONROY

REBECCA DUNPHY

Ravel is a contemporary ballet expression of Maurice Ravel’s Trio for Violin, Violoncello and Piano:II. Pantoum. I. A brisk, exuberant and spritely showcase of the complexity and technical brilliance of Ravel’s works. Phrases intertwining and instruments working together to carry dancers around the stage. Crossing paths, shifting in space and unraveling within repetitive phrase work.

Another World

Choreography by Ryan Bailey

Music: Another World by Antony and the Johnsons, ANOHNI

RYAN BAILEY

The Tell Tale Heart

Choreography by Emily Runkle, Ballet Embody

Music by Edvard Grieg

JESSICA MARKIEWICZ

MADISON BONVISSUTO-RYAN LACEE BUCKHOLZ

MADILYN CONROY

ECHO

Choreography by Melissa Lineburg, Ballet Embody

Music: Original score composed and recorded by Arsen Sumbatyan

KRISTEN FARACLAS MELISSA LINEBURG

ECHO explores the cyclical nature of life through the original piano score and evolving movement. Structured as a solo-duet-solo, the choreography revisits and reshapes central themes, mirroring the layered repetition of the music. With an emphasis on musicality and seamless transitions, the piece draws the audience into a hypnotic flow—an emotional and visual arc that lingers with a sense of motion that never quite resolves.

Meet the Artists

Jess Beach—a Pennsylvania native—brings over 30 years of dance experience, with expertise in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Musical Theatre. She trained under renowned choreographers including Nicolas Petrov and Ilya Gaft, and earned her BA in Dance (Jazz Concentration) from Point Park University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Jess has performed internationally for 7 years with Holland America Cruise Lines through Stiletto Entertainment based in Los Angeles, California.

Transitioning into education and choreography, Jess has spent the past 16 years mentoring dancers and creating original works. She has served as Master Jazz Instructor for the Alvin Ailey Dance Company’s AileyCamp Baltimore, contributed commercial choreography for Big Picture Media, and collaborated with ADP Dance Company. Her recent positions include Adjunct Faculty at The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University and full-time dance instructor in Maryland.

As an adjudicator for national and international dance conventions and competitions, Jess is recognized for her choreographic excellence and commitment to dance education. Her recent engagements include teaching in Florence, Italy, and judging in Edinburgh, Scotland—further expanding her global influence in the dance community. Jess truly believes that movement is medicine and is committed to being a forever student.

Peabody Dance Ensemble is an award winning pre-professional dance company featuring the 4th year BFA Dance artists studying at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. They showcase original and repertory work by faculty and guest artists, tour around the country, and serve Baltimore and its surrounding communities through the facilitation of movement workshops and performances.

Learn More about Peabody Dance

Ryan Bailey is a dancer and choreographer based in the DMV & NYC. Upon graduating with a BA in dance from UMBC in 2016, Ryan was granted outstanding senior in choreography and dance after he was awarded an American College Dance Association Gala Finalist. He then furthered his education by attending training programs with dance companies in Chicago, NYC, LA, Portland, and Tel Aviv. In 2017, Ryan premiered his company Pacing Bodies first evening length show funded by Earl and Darielle Linehan which premiered at UMBC. Ryan was featured on national television on season 14 of So You Think You Can Dance that same year.

Ryan has danced professionally for MADBOOTS DANCE company on various projects and performances at Gibney Dance, New York Live Arts, and at the Joyce Theater in NYC. He has also had the opportunity to dance for Project 44 Dance Company, performing at the Jack Crystal Theater in NYC. Ryan has performed with Priore Dance directed by Robert Priore based in D.C. Ryan was also a background dancer for the music video “Moons” by Micah McLaurin. Currently, Ryan teaches and choreographs dance at various studios, conservatories, and universities. Recently Ryan set work for Peabody Dance Conservatory and Howard County Dance Company. In the winter of 2024, he will be featured as a dancer in a second evening length work for Haus of Pvmnt Dance Company in NYC at Abrons Art Center. This is Ryan’s fifth time performing with Ballet Embody as a guest Artist!

Learn More about Ryan Bailey

Originally from Moscow, Russia, Arsen Sumbatyan is a highly skilled trumpeter and pianist. He completed his music education at prestigious institutions like Moscow Conservatory College and Ippolitov-Ivanov State Musical Pedagogical Institute. Arsen has collaborated with renowned companies such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet. He also performed with jazz and symphony orchestras, including the Regent Seven Seas Cruise Jazz Orchestra. As a versatile musician, Arsen plays trumpet for various bands and jazz ensembles, including the Doc Scantlin Band and The Hot Lanes. He currently serves as a Senior Pianist and Accompanist Coordinator at Maryland Youth Ballet, showcasing his talent both as a performer and teacher.

Arsen composed an original score and recorded it for performances of ECHO.

Learn More about Arsen

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Ballet Embody has been funded in part by a Community Arts Development Grant from the Carroll County Arts Council and Maryland State Arts Council.

Meet Ballet Embody

Ballet Embody is Maryland’s premiere contemporary ballet company located in Carroll County. Co-founded in 2019 by Emily Runkle and Melissa Lineburg, Ballet Embody produces original classical and contemporary works.

Learn More about Ballet Embody