Artist Biographies

JEANNE MAM-LUFT

ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jeanne Mam-Luft is the Artistic and Executive Director of Mutual Dance Theatre and Arts Centers, which she partly founded as MamLuft&Co. Dance in 2007 (later merged with Contemporary Dance Theater, found­ed by Jefferson James in 1972). Mam­-Luft holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Texas Woman’s University and a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. Mam-Luft studied at both American Dance Festival and Bates Dance Festival on full scholarships, as well as Carnegie Mellon’s acclaimed School of Drama, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and Point Park University. Her training includes Sarah Gamblin (Bebe Miller Dance Company), Mary Williford-Shade (Dance Alloy), James Caton (Ballet Metropolitan), Melissa M. Young and Nycole Ray (Dallas Black Dance Theatre), Ming-Lung Yang (Trisha Brown Dance Company), Tatiana Baganova (Provincial Dances Russia), and many others. Mam-Luft was the Assistant Director of Contemporary Dance Theater for 4 and a founding mem­ber of Greater Cincinnati Dance Alliance. She is certified in Labanotation from the Dance Notation Bureau (NY) and is also a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional. As an artist-producer, Mam-Luft has produced dozens of evening length and 60+ short­er works (35 of which she was lead cho­reographer). She was the first and only dance artist to be named a Cincinnati Arts Ambassador Fellow in support of an origi­nal dance-for-camera she choreographed, filmed, and edited. She served on the board of OhioDance (the state-wide organization for dance) for 6 years. She has been a grant panelist for both the Ohio Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. She was raised in Texas after her family es­caped the Khmer Rouge genocide. Most of her works are inspired by her family’s expe­riences. As a choreographer, her interests lie mostly in human connections and how that is portrayed through spatial relation­ships. She has guest-taught and/or set work on students at Texas Woman’s University, University of Cincinnati, Wittenberg University, Northern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, Tarrant County College, and Kent State.

 

CECILIA BENITEZ

GUEST CHOREOGRAPHER

Cecilia Benitez was born and raised in Miami, Florida, where she currently resides. She earned her BFA in dance from Point Park University in 2020. In the spring of 2019, she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain at the Conservatorio de Danza Superior “Maria de Avila”. Upon graduation she worked as a freelance art­ist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania perform­ing with an improvisation-based company The Pillow Project under the direction of Pearlann Porter. She also served as the lead dancer and rehearsal director in the original production of “Milton” choreographed by Kaylin Horgan. Now a freelance artist based in Miami, she dances for Rosie Herrera Dance Theater while teaching, dancing, and choreographing for Syncopate Collective. Her dance films have been featured in both ScreenDance Miami and the 305 & Havana International lmprov Fest. Her choreogra­phy has been commissioned by Miami Light Project’s “Here and Now” program, Pioneer Winter’s “Grass Stains”, Bistoury Physical Theater and Film, and Miami- Dade County Cultural Affairs. Through her choreographic process she aims to unearth memories from one’s cultural and social background in or­der to inspire improvisational scores and movement generation. When not dancing or creating you can find her reading, biking, writing letters, or making Cuban coffee.

 

JASMINE SNELLEN

CHOREOGRAPHER AND COMPANY MEMBER

Jasmine Snellen be­gan her dance train­ing at Louisville Youth Performing Arts School
where she studied Martha Graham’s tech­nique and classical ballet. She is a gradu­ate of the selective and esteemed Kentucky Governor’s School For the Arts. Snellen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Shenandoah Conservatory and University where she trained with equal emphasis in Ballet, Jazz (classical, contem­porary, and commercial), Modern (Graham, Limon, Horton), composition, and peda­gogy. Snellen has had the honor of training with Alan Arnett, Tiffanie Carson, Ting-Yu Chen, Maurice Fraga, Elijah Alhadji Gibson, Erica Helm, Linda Miller, and Lisa Startsman among others, including main stage features by Mike Esperanza of Bare Dance Company NYC, Company I E of Washington DC, and Brussels-based artists Katie Vickers and Albert Quesada. Jasmine has performed at Peridance Salvatore Capezio Theater in NYC, trained with LA Contemporary Dance Company and Sidra Bell Dance New York, and presented work at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. Snellen has a passion for de­sign and digital media and has served as Mutual Dance Theatre’s Marketing Manager in the past. She has created two works on the company since joining in 2019. She con­ceptualized, choreographed, and edited a five-part dance-for-camera entitled FFIFF (2020), which explores society’s rapidly shifting polarity, clashes of beliefs, and the tethers of group-think. In 2022, she created “Cingularity,” a 20-minute work exploring the idea that “singularity” might be reached, when humans and technology eventually become one (the title is also a nod to the 90s cell phone network, Cingular).

 

HANNAH WILLIAMSON

REHEARSAL DIRECTOR, CHOREOGRAPHER, AND COMPANY MEMBER

Hannah Williamson is a 7th-season performing Company Member, as well as the Rehearsal Director and a choreographer in Mutual Dance Theatre. She is a 2017 graduate of Wright State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance – Magna Cum Laude. Her senior choreographer project White Shores received the Adjudicated Choreography Award and was performed in the 2017 fac­ulty concert alongside Testament, cho­reographed and set by Dwight Roden and Clifford Williams of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, which she also had the honor of performing in. Williamson’s works created after her studies were se­lected for presentations, including two choreographic residencies with Columbus Modern Dance Company, Contemporary Dance Theater’s Area Choreographers Festival (2018 and 2021), Mutual Dance Theatre’s New Dance Laboratory, and Yes! Virginia Dance Festival. Williamson also re­ceived a commission from MDT for the creation of Variations in a Brainstorm (2021), a half-evening of work. She was honored to be chosen to teach Advanced/Intermediate Modern for Wright State’s prestigious dance program in the fall of 2022. She has recently been hired as an adjunct profes­sor for the college’s advanced musical the­atre program and was also honored with the opportunity to create original work for the school’s faculty concert. “Nacht” is Williamson’s third commission for MDT.

 

MCKINLEY WILLIS

GUEST CHOREOGRAPHER

A native of Dallas, Texas, McKinley Willis is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance Performance with a minor in Health and Exercise Science from The University of Oklahoma. During her time at OU, her choreography was featured in the Young Choreographer’s Showcase, paving her journey to creative discovery. As a senior, McKinley collaborated with com­poser Leah Kennedy for the production of “Not Buying It,” a show reflecting the dark reality of the human trafficking system in America. McKinley’s Capstone Project, The Experience: Love, Life, Light, was a 45 min­ute, one-act show created in collaboration with various artists – it was this production that sparked her fiercest desire to collabo­rate, in turn leading to the development of her arts organization The Artist Kinnection. McKinley has performed with 6 O’clock Dance (2015), Bruce Wood Dance Project (2011 & 2015), and Dallas Black Dance Theatre (2015-2023) where she worked with choreographers Bruce Wood, Matthew Rushing, Christopher Huggins, Tommie Waheed-Evans, Hope Boykin, Stephen Mills, and Dianne McIntyre. She’s had several cho­reographed works featured in DBDT’s annu­al Black on Black series, premiering works such as “Black Angels,” “Gus,” and “A Suite Christmas.” McKinley has also been com­missioned to choreograph for several spe­cial events including weddings, birthdays, and various corporate events through­out the DFW metroplex. In 2019, she cho­reographed Arts Visions’ production of “Hair Spray Jr.” under the Direction of Fran Anderson, and in the midst of the pandem­ic in 2020, she choreographed and organized Arts Visions’ virtual edition of “The Wiz Jr.,” recognized for its creativity and ingenuity. She also recently received a commission from Houston Contemporary Dance Company. McKinley’s invigorating take on movement defines dance by way of the human experience and encourages con­nections to happen, creating space for vulnerability, exploration, and authenticity.

 

CLAIRE DIERINGER

COMPANY MEMBER

Claire Dieringer is a 2016 graduate of Kent State University, from which she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Magna Cum Laude. Claire also studied at American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina in many styles and with numerous teachers from all over the world. Claire has worked professionally as the Director of the Dance Program at Lake Bryn Mawr Camp in Pennsylvania. In 2017, Claire joined Mutual Dance Theatre (when it was MamLuft&Co. Dance) after training in New York. She was hired full-time as the organization’s Education and Outreach Coordinator and now holds the role of Studio Director and Programs Manager. Claire oversees the dai­ly operations of Mutual Arts Centers’ ed­ucation and academy programs in both Hartwell and Clifton. In 2019, she per­formed in Geographie, a multi-week in­stallation by French choreographers Annie Vigier and Franck Apertet (les gens d’Uter­pan) at the Contemporary Arts Center, as well as in the Area Choreographers Festival (Contemporary Dance Theater). Most re­cently Claire’s choreographic works have been chosen to be presented in the Synergy Dance Series and at Northern Kentucky University’s Dance ’24 performance.

 

LINDA GARZA

COMPANY MEMBER

Linda Garza is a 2022 graduate of Miami University, where she re­ceived her Bachelor of Science in both Chemical Engineering and Engineering Management. During her time at Miami, she also earned minors in environmental engineering and dance. Prior to joining Mutual Dance Theatre, Linda was a member of Miami University’s Dance Theatre (under Lana Kay Rosenberg}, where she performed in a va­riety of pieces by both student and guest choreographers. Some of her favorite piec­es from her time in the company include “A Pep Talk for This Life” choreographed by Bessie-winning and internationally-ac­claimed Joanna Kotze and “The Kids Are(‘nt) Alright” choreographed by Liza Torrence. More recently, Linda performed at the 2023 OhioDance Festival in “The Blue Room” choreographed by Mutual Dance Theatre’s Jasmine Snellen. Linda is so excited to have the opportunity to dance with Mutual for this 2023-2024 season!

 

ANA HART

COMPANY MEMBER

Born in Osijek, Croatia, Ana Hart graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts & Design, with a concentration in Interactive Design. Ana has performed at the American College Dance Association, with the Contemporary Dance Ensemble, and with Virginia Repertory Dance Company. In 2021, Ana received the JMU Outstanding Dance Performance Award. Following grad­uation, she was honored to be an inaugu­ral dance and design intern for the JMU Next Steps Summer Dance Intensive, a collaboration with DanceWorks Chicago. Ana has expanded her training and artist­ry through attending the American Dance Festival where she learned from Shayla-Vie Jenkins, Ray Schwartz, Maayan Sheinfeld, Noa Zuk, and Ohad Fishof. She has also at­tended the Groundworks DanceTheater Winter Intensive, the Sidra Bell Dance New York Summer MODULE Satellite, and bl2 Berlin Workshop Festival, where she stud­ied with Leila McMillan, Zoe Gyssler, and Vasko Nasonov. Ana joined Mutual Dance Theatre in 2021 and has also performed works by Terrence Marling, Braeden Barnes, Adeline “A” Else, Christian Warner, Matt Pardo, Gregory Dolbashian, Ryan Corriston, Stephanie Liapis, Darla Stanley, and Chien­Kuei Chang (Chang Dance Theatre). Ana’s intersection of design and dance inter­ests also serve MDT through her role as Marketing Manager.

 

EVELYN LACKNEY

COMPANY MEMBER

Evelyn Lackney re­ceived her Bachelors of Arts in dance and com­munication studies from Western Kentucky University. Originally from Danville, KY, Evelyn danced with the WKU Dance Company and had the opportunity to work with various choreographers across various styles. During her time in Bowling Green, KY, Evelyn was trained by artists at Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, New Dialect, and Mutual Dance Theatre. Additionally, Evelyn has choreographed multiple modern works that were adjudicated and presented. Her choreographic pieces are known for their emotional storytelling, inspired by the be­lief that art exists in everything. She is thrilled to have danced with Mutual Dance Theatre this season!

 

KC LYPHOUT

COMPANY MEMBER

KC Lyphout, originally from Toledo, Ohio, began formally training in dance at the age of 12 at Toledo School for the Arts. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Wright State University in 2021, KC joined Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 2 as a dance artist for the 2021-2022 season. Additionally, KC has been a choreographer and dancer with Dayton Dance Initiative since 2022. As an emerging choreographer, she has had the pleasure of creating new dance works for Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company and Suttle Dance Detroit. KC was thrilled to be with Mutual Dance Theatre this season.

 

CAROLINE NYMBERG

COMPANY MEMBER

Caroline Nymberg was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a young dance student, she studied at Cincinnati Ballet, San Diego Ballet, and Company E. She graduated mag­na cum laude from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance. During her time at university, she had the honor to perform and work with esteemed artists, including Bill T. Jones, Hope Boykin (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre), Karen Reedy, Rob Kleinendorst, and Christopher D’amboise (for whom she was a rehearsal assistant). She is a third­ year company member with Mutual Dance Theatre and has performed in works creat­ed by Sidra Bell and Victor Lewis Jr.

 

LARRY CSERNIK

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Larry Csernik is a light­ing designer for the­atre, dance, and opera. Originally from Louisville, Larry earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre at Northern Kentucky University. He has designed many shows for his alma mater, The Commonwealth Theatre Company, Contemporary Dance Theater, and most recently, became the resident Lighting Designer of Mutual Dance Theatre. Other show credits include Don Giovanni, La Cenerentola, lolanta, Der Freischutz, Fidelio (Queen City Opera); The Full Monty, Willy Wonka, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Joseph … Dreamcoat (The Carnegie in Covington); the premiere performance of Soldier’s Christmas (Blueline Editorial); and numerous shows at Thomas More College (Almost Maine, Macbeth, Frankenstein, Godspell, Little Women, The Crucible, Urinetown).

 

CELESTE KENNINGTON

UNDERSTUDY

Celeste Kennington graduated from Wright State University where she studied under distinguished faculty including Teressa Wylie McWilliams, Ashley Walton-Pabst, Gina Walther, Gregory Robinson, and Erin Robbins. She danced with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s second company, working with Shonna Hickman-­Matlock, Elizabeth Ramsey, Countess Winfrey, Matthew Talley, and Amy Jones. Her original works include “Anesidora” on Suttle Dance Detroit in June 2023, and her “Fleshed Out” at Synergy Dance Series II. Celeste is beyond grateful and excited for the opportunity to train and understudy with Mutual Dance Theatre this season!