Monday May 19th BC Beat to feature new work by eight theatrical choreographers including Lortel Award Winner Sonya Tayeh, ROCKY’s Patrick McCollum, A.R.T’s Rick & Jeff Kuperman and more!

New York, NY, May 12, 2014 —The seventh installment of BC Beat on Monday May 19th highlights award winning choreographers and performers from television, film and Broadway who have created and performed in some of the year’s most anticipated productions.  They include choreographers Sonya Tayeh (Lortel Award – Best Choreography, KUNG FU), Patrick McCollum (ROCKY), Jon Rua (HAMILTON workshop), Rick and Jeff Kuperman (A.R.T.’s THE LIGHT PRINCESS), James Harkenss (BEAUTIFUL THE MUSICAL), Jim Cooney, Ryan VanDenBoom, Jennifer Jancuska and performers Ricky Tripp (Motown), Matthew Steffens (QUEEN OF THE NIGHT), Holly Heiser (FUERZABRUTA), Katie Hagen Huddleston (ANYTHING GOES), Matthew Oaks (SLEEP NO MORE) and many more. 

The program was announced in Times Square and captured by dance photographer, Travis Magee.  This week the artists prepare for BC Beat, the showcase and dance party with it’s own rules for sharing work and connecting artists.  With a line winding down Little West 12th Street, doors open at 7pm and guests are welcomed by the evening’s choreographers and performers as Broadway veteran Justin Johnston curates music.  As conversations between choreographers, directors, writers and composers develop in harmony with the room’s graceful support, it’s easy to hope the night lasts forever.

ABOUT THE EVENT

BC Beat returns to Cielo (18 Little West 12th Street) on Monday May 19, 2014.  Doors open at 7pm.  Online tickets ($8) are now available through Brown Paper Tickets.  Tickets can also be purchased at the door ($12 cash only).

BC Beat has been conceived and created by Jennifer Jancuaka and is sponsored by LaDuca Shoes, Broadway Connection and Don Matteson of At Home in Brooklyn.  The BC Beat Team includes Emily Hayes as stage manager, Travis Magee as photographer, Marjorie LeWit as videographer, Whitney Addams as stylist and Jason Ferguson as Press Director alongside lighting designer, Steve Gonzalez, sound designer Justin Johnson and assistants Grace Freeman, Christina Eskridge, Evan Lacombe, Maggie Denning, and Katherine Durel. 

Videos of all BC Beat performances are available for viewing on the BC Beat website and YouTube Channel. 

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The program for Monday May 19th stays true to the BC Beat mission by introducing new work by theatrical choreographers Sonya Tayeh, Patrick McCollum, Jon Rua, Rick & Jeff Kuperman, James Harkness, Jim Cooney, Ryan VanDenBoom and Jennifer Jancuska.

Sonya Tayeh

Sonya Tayeh received the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Choreographer for her work with Leigh Silverman on "Kung Fu" (Signature Theatre).  As an Emmy Nominated Choreographer, Sonya has also worked on "The Last Goodbye" (Old Globe); "Spring Awakening" (San Jose Repertory Theatre); (Cirque de Soleil) "Walk For Water" "Wave" and "Next Wave" (Los Angeles Ballet). "The Root of Me" "Endurance To Move" "Battles" (Tayeh Dance Company).  Television Credits Include: So You Think You Can Dance, American Music Awards, Brit Awards, The Voice, X Factor, and American Idol.  World Tours and Stage Performances include: Florence and the Machine, Kylie Minogue, Steed Lord, Madonna, Miley Cyrus and Kerli. 

Patrick McCollum

Originally from Orange County, California, Patrick has had the privilege of working with choreographers and directors such as Steven Hoggett, Alex Timbers, Joe Mantello, Roger Rees, Doug Varone and Wayne Cilento among others.  He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from California State University, Long Beach. His Broadway credits include Rocky (Associate Fight Choreographer), Wicked (Dance Supervisor), Peter and the Starcatcher (Movement Associate). He will serve as the Associate Choreographer to Steven Hogget on Sting’s new musical The Last Ship for both its World Premiere in Chicago in June and also it’s Broadway premiere in October. International/Off Broadway/Touring productions: Rocky (World premiere in Hamburg, Germany), Murder Ballad (Associate Choreographer) Peter and the Starcatcher at New World Stages and National Tour (Assoc. Movement), Performance Credits include Wicked (Broadway/Los Angeles/Chicago), Mythic Montana (Joe Goode Performance Group), Broadway Against Bullying 2013 (San Francisco) and various industrials,dance companies. 

Jon Rua

Jon Rua’s talents have crossed all mediums from Broadway & TV/Film to Concert Work & Music Videos. Credits include Broadway: Hands on a Hardbody (Jesus Pena), In The Heights (Sonny, Grafitti Pete, Usnavi u/s)  Off-Broadway: Kung Fu (Matthew, Fung Fung, more), Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Mace u/s), Damn Yankees (Encores!). Regional: Old Globe’s Somewhere (Alejandro-Craig Noel Leading Actor Nomination), Bring It On The Musical (Twig-World Premier), La Jolla’s Hardbody (Jesus), Muny’s West Side Story (Chino).  Film: Fall to Rise (Magic) TV: Law & Order. Jon has danced for Mariah Carey, Don Omar, Soulja Boy, and more as well as commerical ventures for Target, BillBoard, Puma, IBM, Panasonic. As a Choreographer, his credits include Phish (Atlantic City 2013), ABC’s Celebrity Wife Swap, Nick Blaemire & The Hustle, Brooklynettes, Broadway Bares, Emmy Award-Winning Webisode ‘Chaos Theory’, Hey Day, CBS, MTV, and Off-Off Broadway in ‘Union Square’. He has assisted Tony Award-Winner Andy Blankenbuehler, Tony Award Nominee Sergio Trujillo, Shaun T., Lorin Lotarro and more.  Such projects: Flashdance, Bring It On-The Musical, In The Heights, ENCORES! The Wiz, Hands on a Hardbody, Insanity. Currently Jon is working on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s new musical Hamilton Mixtape. With 9 years of experience teaching internationally, Jon teaches at Broadway Dance Center, spreading his movement THEGrit.

Rick & Jeff Kuperman

Rick and Jeff are a directing and choreography team for stage and screen. Their latest film, Rules of the Game, premiered at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and is now part of the Dance on Camera tour. Other award-winning films have been screened across Europe and North & South America. Their theater and dance works have been seen across New York City at venues including: Ars Nova, HERE Arts Center, the Ailey Citigroup Theater, Steps on Broadway, Dixon Place, The Living Theatre, NY Fringe, and Symphony Space. Recent directing credits include Roll! (Ars Nova), The 39 Steps (PST), and Dispossessed (HERE). Recent choreography credits include The Light Princess (American Repertory Theater), My Machine is Powered by Clocks (New Ohio), and Tit for Tat (Ailey Citigroup/White Wave). Recent music video choreography and appearances include “Safe and Sound” (Capital Cities) and “Sci-Fi Queen” (Evolver). As dancers, they have worked with choreographers Alison Chase (founding artistic director, Pilobolus), Cherice Barton (B'way: Spider-Man), Benoit-Swan Pouffer (Cedar Lake), and Josh Prince (B’way: Shrek, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical). They have danced the works of Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp, Larry Keigwin, Susan Marshall, and Sean Curran, and have appeared in films and commercials produced by MTV, YTV, Bravo!, and MuchMusic. The brothers are recent graduates of Harvard and Princeton, respectively. 

James Harkness

James Harkness is excited to be a part of BC Beat. An accomplished performer currently on the Broadway stage in Beautiful The Musical, he is happy to be getting back on the journey of choreographing and directing. Having choreographed for projects ranging from stage to the screen, from Vegas to New York, is thankful and humbled to be amongst the talent here. Kudos to Jennifer Jancuska for creating an platform for people like myself to create and live their passion. You can check out some of his work on youtube.com/jklh37. One step at a time!

Ryan VanDenBoom

Ryan VanDenBoom is a New York based performing artist and teacher hailing from Munger, Michigan. He has performed nationally and internationally singing and dancing on the symphony orchestra circuit. He appeared in and choreographed a concert commissioned by the Gershwin estate entitled Here To Stay: The Gerswhin Experience. He is also one of three dancers who know, and the only currently still performing a symphonic piece written by Morton Gould with original choreography by Danny Daniels called The Tap Dance Concerto. Ryan also appeared in the latest revival of Annie. A budding teacher and choreographer, Ryan has taught abroad in Japan with The Broadway Experience, he sometimes teaches at his alma-mater CAP 21, and recently he finished as a movement consult for a new play at NYU Steinhardt.

Jim Cooney

Jim Cooney’s international body of work encompasses television, stage, concerts, and live events. Choreographic highlights include Extreme Makeover: Home Edition featuring Kristin Chenoweth, both seasons of The Glee Project for Oxygen’s Upfronts, The Today Show featuring Little Richard, The Accused for Tropicana Atlantic City (awarded Best Casino Show of the Year), assisting Randy Skinner on City Center’s production of Abby’s Song starring Paul Sorvino and Ginger starring Donna McKechnie, Associate Choreographer to Dan Knechtges on Guys and Dolls, opening day of NYC Fashion Week, Broadway at the Ballpark (Mets stadium) starring Robbie Rosen of American Idol, the launch event of Warner Bros. Supergirl clothing line featuring Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin, and Singin’ in the Rain which was nominated for a Po’okela Award (Hawaiian State Theater Excellence) for Best Choreography. Current projects include a couple of Holland America Line shows, the upcoming Broadway Bares, and Smokey Joe’s Café at Capital Repertory Theater (Associate Director/Choreographer to Richard J. Hinds). Jim is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center (BDC) and was praised by The New York Times for training dancers with "audition must haves: character, motivation, and endurance" and he’s proudly the faculty advisor of BDC's Educational Programs. 

Jennifer Jancuska

Jennifer Jancuska is an American choreographer noted for her narrative and physical approach to theatre.  She is currently working with The Public Theater, Camille A. Brown and Daniel Aukin for FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE (Associate Choreographer), Lawrence Arancio  for CAP21's production of RENT (Choreographer), Lillian King for New London Barn Playhouse's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (Choreographer), Vincent Marini for Flat Rock Playhouse's MISS SAIGON (Choreographer), and with producer, Justin Nichols in collaboration with composers Ty Defoe and Tidtaya Sinutoke. Throughout the 2013 - 2014 season, Jennifer has also worked with Andy Blankenbuehler (ONLY GOLD), Michael Heiztman, Nick Blaemire and the Lucille Lortel Foundation as Choreographer for the annual live awards show, and with Vincent Marini, Richard Hinds and Flat Rock Playhouse on COTTON PATCH GOSPEL (Choreographer), EVITA (Associate Director/Choreographer), LES MISERABLES (Choreographer), the re-imagined, sold-out production of CATS (Choreographer, Associate Director), and LOST HIGHWAY (Choreographer, Associate Director).

Recent work also includes choreography for ZELDA: AN AMERICAN LOVE STORY with Andy Blankenbuehler, Frank Wildhorn, Jack Murphy and Vincent Marini, associate director/choreographer at The Royal George Theatre, Trinity Repertory Theatre and the Merrimack Theatre, lead flyer and assistant choreographer for Phish at Madison Square Garden, as well as choreographer and master teacher for studios and universities including the Shanghai Theatre Academy, University of the Arts, PACE University, College of Charleston and Broadway Dance Center.  A graduate of Cornell University, Jennifer is also the co-founder of Broadway Connection, a national and international arts education organization and the creative director and producer of BC Beat.