Thursday and Friday, April 11 and 12
Wolf Kuhn Theatre
Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts
Free and open to the public thanks to the Kjell Meling Arts for All Initiative.
Director's Note
Completed creative projects are rarely exactly as originally imagined. Long-term projects that span years, in my experience, never look like the original idea. The beauty of collaborative projects is that they always bend and sway with the energy from the collaborators. Skyline is an eight-year project, born through frustration of global events on one hand, and the sheer joy of another collaboration with my dear and talented friend, Rick Wertz. While we started this knowing it would be at least two to three years in the making, we certainly did not take into consideration the disruption a global pandemic would inflict. As we all attempted to find normalcy in something so very foreign that threatened our very existence, certain projects got put aside or reconfigured, other things took precedence and finally, a few years on the other side, we have found that new normal, maybe.
Art, in all its forms, has at its core the opportunity for interpretation—by audience and performer alike. Skyline can serve as a speculative lens into a fraction of what challenges and encourages humans to leave the familiar to find a different place.
The impetus for this change could be as simple as growing up and setting out on your own, or it could be as dramatic and dangerous as war causing hundreds of thousands to leave their homeland in search of safety.
The “skyline” of our lives and the world will forever be changing. How will we choose to endure the change?
Enjoy tonight’s performance with additional choreography by Jaye Mackinson, adding to the beautiful discovery of the world through dance. Thank you for coming.
—KT Huckabee, Director, Ivyside Dance Ensemble and Allied Motion Dance Company
Program Order
Excerpts from "La Bayadère"
La Bayadère is a story of eternal love, mystery, fate, vengeance, and justice. Delicate spirits dance through opium clouds, and a bride and her friends celebrate at a doomed wedding.
- Choreographers: Petipa (1877), Vaganova (1931), Ponomarev (1941)
- Composer: Minkus (1877)
- Répétiteur: Jessica Jaye Mackinson (2024)
- Gamzatti's Variation, Act II, featuring Charlie Popson
- Kingdom of the Shades, Act III, Va. 3, featuring Kemi Ebigbola and Shelby Sinkowski
- Kingdom of the Shades, Act III, Va. 2, featuring Hailey Long
- Gamzatti's Friends, Pas de Quatre, Act III, featuring Ebigbola, Long, Popson, and Sinkowski
mur·mur·a·tion
A flock of starlings dance through dawn.
- Choreographer: Jessica Jaye Mackinson (2024)
- Composer: Koa Kalish, "Flight to the Sun" (2022) and Poppy Ackroyd, "Hanover Birds" (2022)
- Dancers: Sarah Cristofer, Kemi Ebigbola, Nia Hubbard, Angelina Lucchetti, Skyler Madtes, Abigail Quinn, Cheyenne Rider, Cassara Stanley, Isabella Tibado
Skyline
- Choreographer: KT Huckabee
- Composer: Rick Wertz; Here We Are, arranged and performed by Ryan Custead
- Costumer: Audrey Wawrynovic
- Projection Animation: Sophie Brenneman
There You Are
- Dancers: Sarah Cristofer, Adamari Cortez, Nia Hubbard, Hailey Long, Skyler Madtes, Emma Peterman, Charlie Popson, Isabella Tibado
- Singers: Michelle Saad-Barnes, Rick Wertz
Past and Present
- Dancers: Sarah Christofer, Nia Hubbard, Charlie Popson, Isabella Tibado
Windows on the World
- Dancers: Adamari Cortez, Kylie Hammond, Hailey Long, Skyler Madtes, Emma Peterman, Cheyenne Rider
- Allied Motion Dance Company Dancers: Samantha Bacza, Sage Rumberger, Haylei Libran, Ruth Packard, Olivia Ruble, Nicholle Ventura
Exodus
- Dancers: Sarah Christofer, Adamari Cortez, Kylie Hammond, Nia Hubbard, Hailey Long, Skyler Madtes, Emma Peterman, Charlie Popson, Isabella Tibado
Crossing
- Dancers: Sarah Cristofer, Adamari Cortez, Kylie Hammond, Nia Hubbard, Hailey Long, Skyler Madtes, Emma Peterman, Cheyenne Rider, Shelby Sinkowski
- Allied Motion Dance Company Dancers: Samantha Bacza, Haylei Libran, Sage Rumberger, Ruth Packard, Olivia Ruble, Nicholle Ventura
Here We Are
- Dancers: Sarah Cristofer, Adamari Cortez, Nia Hubbard, Hailey
- Long, Skyler Madtes, Emma Peterman, Charlie Popson, Isabella
Tibado
- Singers: Michelle Saad-Barnes, Rick Wertz
Ivyside Dance Ensemble Bios
Sarah Christofer is a second-year student from Tyrone, Pennsylvania, majoring in communications. Before attending Penn State Altoona, she danced at Andrea’s School of Dance and was a member of the Main Street Dance Company. She hopes to continue with Ivyside Dance Ensemble throughout her time at Penn State Altoona.
Adamari Cortez (Adi) is originally from California. She is a third-year student majoring in criminal justice. She is very passionate about dance and has experience in many genres such as tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, Polynesian, and hip-hop. Adi is looking forward to participating in more performances and expanding her horizons.
Kemi Ebigbola is from Glenolden in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. She is a senior integrative arts major with a focus on dance studies, supported by human development and family studies and psychology courses. She plans to continue to dance for the cause that sparked the passion in her, liturgical dance. Her future goal is to participate in dance productions as a choreographer and teach creative dance. She plans to get a master’s degree in law while pursuing her artistic endeavors.
Kylie Hammond is a first-year student from Tokyo, Japan. She plans to complete a major in Korean at University Park. She is uncertain how she will continue as a dancer, but she has a desire to continue doing what she enjoys.
Nia Hubbard is a third-year nursing student from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her favorite style of dance is tap, although she performs all genres. She really enjoys dancing with Ivyside Dance Ensemble and expanding her ideas of ‘movement’ and ‘dance.’ She loves to perform and plans to continue performing through her adult years.
Hailey Long is a second-year student from Longwood, California. Hailey is majoring in public relations with a minor in English. This is her fourth semester performing with Ivyside Dance Ensemble. She also does some social media work for the group. She teaches dance classes at her home studio and helps with cleaning and choreographing the high school varsity dance team when she is home for breaks.
Angelina Lucchetti is from Freeport, Pennsylvania, in Butler County. She is a first-year student studying biology. Angelina plans to continue dancing with Ivyside Dance Ensemble until she transfers to University Park to complete her degree.
Skyler Madtes is from Old Forge, a tiny town in upstate New York. She is a third-year criminal justice major. She will continue to dance with Ivyside Dance Ensemble until graduation in spring 2025.
Emma Peterman is a first-year student majoring in nursing with a minor in dance studies, prompted by her study in dance prior to college. She plans to teach dance after graduating and continue expanding her knowledge of the art form.
Charlotte (Charlie) Popson is in her first year at Penn State Altoona. They are pursuing a major in human development and family studies with ambitions to pursue a master’s degree in social work. Charlie loves having the opportunity to perform and hopes to improve in dance styles they are not used to.
Abigail Quinn is a second-year student from Altoona. She is pursuing a business degree with minors in dance studies and entrepreneurship. Abbie plans to continue dancing and hopes to open her own studio after she graduates.
Cheyenne Rider is from northern Maryland. She has always enjoyed the arts, especially dance. Cheyenne is a second semester student majoring in kinesiology. She plans to stay involved with dance and hopes to work with dancers and others in improving their way of life through movement and physical therapy.
Shelby Sinkowski is from Boyertown, Pennsylvania. She is in her fourth semester and plans to major in environmental development. Shelby hopes to find opportunities to continue dancing at University Park when she transfers next year.
Cassara Stanley is from Altoona, Pennsylvania, and is a third-year student pursuing a degree in early education with a dance studies minor. She plans to continue dancing while expanding her knowledge of dance and performance. Cassara currently teaches hip hop at Rail City Allstars. She is an avid traveler and hopes to continue teaching dance and discovering ways to incorporate dance in her future travels.
Isabella Tibado is from Winter Haven, Florida. She is a nursing major and dance studies minor. Bella has performed with Ivyside Dance Ensemble for three years and hopes to find opportunities in dance performance once she graduates.
Allied Motion Bios
Samantha Bacza has danced with Allied Motion since 2019. In college, she danced with Ivyside Dance Ensemble. She spends her free time on her farm with her family.
Haylei Libran graduated from Sweet Briar College in 2020 with a B.F.A. in dance and theatre. She recently moved to Pennsylvania from southern California. From a young age, Libran studied jazz, hip hop, and modern technique. Libran also participates in Scottish Highland dance competitions under the guidance of fellow dancer Ruth Packard. This is Libran's first year with Allied Motion.
Sage Rumberger is from the local area and will attend Penn State Altoona beginning in the fall of 2024. Sage plans to major in early childhood education and minor in dance studies.
Ruth Packard graduated from Sweet Briar College in 2017 with a B.F.A. in dance and writing. She lives in State College, Pennsylvania, where she teaches jazz, lyrical, and hip hop at the Central Pennsylvania Dance Workshop. She is a competitive Scottish Highland dancer and a member of the British Association of Teachers of Dance, which allows her to teach other competitive Highland dancers.
Olivia Ruble has studied tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop, and lyrical. Most recently, she took classes at Central Pennsylvania Dance Workshop in State College and delved into Scottish Highland dance.
Nicholle Ventura is a Penn State Altoona alumna with a degree in integrative arts. After graduation she attended Integrative Bodywork School of Massage Therapy in State College. Nicholle works as a licensed massage therapist at the Circle of Life in Greenwood, PA. She is happy to be dancing with Allied Motion Dance Company.
Singer Bios
Rick Wertz began playing guitar as a child after seeing the Beatles perform in 1964 on the Ed Sullivan Show. In the 70s, he seriously pursued studying the instrument. Wertz has played hundreds of performances, concerts, and theatre shows. He has traveled with various musical acts. He has played with Wild Cherry, best known for their single "Play that Funky Music."
Michelle Saad Barnes has been singing and performing since she was nine years old. She had the privilege of studying guitar with the late, great Ed McGuire. She currently performs as part of the musical duo The Silver Linings, and she can also be seen onstage with local theatre groups such as 39 Tigers and P&J Productions. She is enormously grateful to KT and Rick for the opportunity to be involved with Skyline.
Production Team Bios
Sophie Brenneman (projections) is the program coordinator for Visual Art Studies (VAST) at Penn State Altoona. She is a visual artist, designer, and poet. In 2015, she earned her B.F.A. in drawing and painting from The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and in 2017 she earned her M.F.A. from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Maxwell Doherty (technical director) is the technical director for the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts. Recently, he has worked on such shows as Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and The Wonderful World of Animation. In addition to his recent experience at Disney World, he is also a recent graduate of the Penn State School of Theatre, where he worked on such productions as Brigadoon, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Seawall, Angels in America, To Kill a Mockingbird, Legally Blonde, and many more.
Christian Howard (stage manager) is a graduate of the Integrative Arts program at Penn State Altoona. He was an active performer on the college’s stage during his time as a student, and he was the recipient of a Liszka Award and Kenneth M. Kuhn Memorial Award. He was also a two-time winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singers vocal competition in the musical theatre category. He participated in a Masterwork Chorus Festival where he performed in Carnegie Hall along with Penn State Altoona's Ivyside Pride choral group. Currently, he is the theatre and gallery assistant for the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts and is an active member of the local performing arts community.
KT Huckabee (director, choreographer) received her B.F.A. in dance from East Carolina University and her M.F.A. in dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She received her certification in Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis from the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in New York, which she utilizes for all her teaching, choreography, and body work in consultation situations with individuals and groups. Huckabee came to Penn State Altoona in 1998 to start the dance program and assist in the development of the integrative arts major. She is currently a teaching professor of dance and is spearheading the new vision of performing arts at the college which includes an increase in community involvement, collaboration on and off campus, and exciting new opportunities and productions. Huckabee utilizes her love of collaboration to find new inspirations for creativity, movement, and program development.
Jessica “Jaye” Mackinson (choreographer) received her training at the Milwaukee Ballet School. She attended summer intensives at the School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet School, the Vail International Dance Festival, and Chautauqua Dance. Mackinson has performed professionally with Milwaukee Ballet, BalletMet, Charlotte Ballet, Rockford Dance Company, Madison Ballet, and Elements Contemporary Ballet. Mackinson has worked as a dance educator, director, and choreographer for over 20 years. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Rockford University where she also served as a professor of dance. Mackinson is currently on faculty at Nittany Ballet, PBR Dance, and Penn State Altoona and serves as executive director of Fermata Ballet Collective.
Audrey Wawrynovic (costumer) is a second-year student and local sewist with five separate awards for their costume making. Recently they took on the task of lead make up design for Penn State Altoona's productions of Dark Side of the Mood: A Tribute to Pink Floyd, and Circle Mirror Transformation. Audrey served as head costumer and helped with hair and make up for The Wake of Jamey Foster by Beth Henley at Penn State Altoona.
Benjamin Weaver (theatre technical assistant) graduated from Centenary University with a degree in technical theatre. Past credits include set design for 1984, Avenue Q, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Sweat at NEXTStage Rep, scenic artist for A Christmas Carol at Centenary Stage Co., and assistant scenic design for The Evolution of Mann at the American Theatre Group. Recently, he served as set designer for The Wake of Jamey Foster by Beth Henley at Penn State Altoona. His Instagram is @yellowbensets.
Production Team
- Director—KT Huckabee
- Technical Director—Maxwell Doherty
- Choreographers—KT Huckabee
- Costumer—Audrey Wawrynovic
- Stage Manager—Christian Howard
- Projections—Sophie Brenneman
- Technical Theatre Assistant—Benjamin Weaver
Upcoming Performances
- April 18–19 at 7:30 p.m.
Ivyside Pride Performance
Sunrise Over Broadway - April 27 at 2:30 p.m.
University Jazz Band Performance
Special Thanks
Todd Harshbarger
Acknowledgments
- Dr. Ron Darbeau, chancellor and dean
- Peter M. Hopsicker, vice chancellor, Academic Affairs
- Dr. Leigh Ann Haefner, interim division head, Arts and Humanities
- Dr. Brian Black, consultant, Arts and Humanities
- Jonathan O’Harrow, director, Strategic Communications
- Marissa Carney, media and public relations coordinator, Strategic Communications
- Melissa Wilt, graphic designer, Strategic Communications
- Brenda Berry, faculty and program assistant, Misciagna Family Center
- Kylea Myers, theatre and gallery coordinator, Misciagna Family Center
- Christian Howard, theatre and gallery assistant, Misciagna Family Center
- Maxwell Doherty, technical director, Misciagna Family Center
- Benjamin Weaver, technical theatre assistant, Misciagna Family Center
- Kathy Bumberger, janitorial worker, Facilities and Operations
Performances are free, thanks to the Kjel Meling Arts for All Initiative.