The Company

Collette Stewart in "Of Momentous Order"
( Photograph by Del Brown)

Artists

Li Chiao-Ping
Douglas Rosenberg

Dancers

Robin Baartman
Valerie Barnes
Anneliese Charek
Rachel Krinsky
Mariah Meyer LeFeber
Emily Miller

Li Chiao-Ping (Artistic Director/Choreographer) was named by Dance Magazine as one of the 25 “we’ll be watching in 2001 and for years to come!” A native of San Francisco, she has toured extensively as a solo artist with her evening-length works YELLOW RIVER, ENTOMBED WARRIOR, and a concert of six solos titled THE MEN’S PROJECT. She formed LI CHIAO-PING DANCE in 1990 and co-directs DZIGA VERTOV PERFORMANCE GROUP with Douglas Rosenberg. Her collaborations with Douglas Rosenberg include dance films such as YELLOW RIVER (HWANG HO), DE L’EAU, and PERIPHERY and evening-length multimedia works such as ODYSSEY and VENOUS FLOW: STATES OF GRACE. Her work has been presented and screened throughout North and South America, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, and Toronto, as well as at festivals such as Jacob’s Pillow, Bates Dance Festival, The Yard, the International Festival of Video and Dance in Argentina, and the American Dance Festival. Ms. Li has received numerous awards, grants, and honors, including grants from the NEA and choreographic fellowships from the Wisconsin Arts Board and Scripps/ADF Humphrey-Weidman-Limon. She was invited to be the American representative in ADF’s International Choreographers Program and was recently nominated for a prestigious Cal Arts/Alpert Award in Dance. Ms. Li has served as a grants panelist for both the Philadelphia Dance Alliance and the Illinois Arts Council as well as an adjudicator for the American College Dance Festival (ACDFA). Her work has been commissioned by university dance programs, dance companies and independent artists.

Douglas Rosenberg (Visual Artist) is an interdisciplinary artist working in video, installation and performance, whose work has been shown both in the United States and internationally in museums, galleries, and festivals. He is well known for his collaborations with Molissa Fenley, Sean Curran, Joe Goode, and Li Chiao-Ping. Recent honors include fellowships from, the Project on Death in America, funded by the Soros Foundation, the Wisconsin Arts Board (Fellowship in Performance) and was awarded an Isadora Duncan Dance Award (IZZIE) by the Bay Area Dance Coalition for his work with Ellen Bromberg on Singing Myself A Lullaby. His work has been funded by the NEA, the Zellerbach Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. His numerous residencies include: The Institute for Studies in The Arts, and the International Festival of Video Dance in Buenos Aires, Argentina and recently STARLAB Institute, Brussels and the Video Danza Mostra, Barcelona. Recent shows include, Video Festival Riccionne Teatro Televisione, Riccione, Italy, The Contemporary Art Museum in Buenos Aires, Dance on Camera Festival, NY, Mostra de Vídeo Dansa de Barcelona, Spain and Moving Pictures Festival of Video Dance, Toronto. His video dance work was recently screened at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. He is the recipient of the Phelan Award in Video and was recently nominated for an Emmy Award.

Valerie Barnes (Dancer) began dancing six years ago at UW-Madison, where she graduated with honors in 2006 with a B.F.A. in Dance and a major in English/Creative Writing. Upon graduation, Ms. Barnes was accepted into the University of Michigan on full scholarship and graduated this past April with a M.F.A. in Dance for Choreography and Performance. Barnes has worked and performed with numerous artists both nationally and internationally. In 2007 she had the pleasure of dancing with the Académie De Ballet Nini Theiladein Lyon, France and performed in the company’s summer program. Ms. Barnes also creates her own work and has been honored with several distinguished awards, including the University of Michigan 2007 Summer Research Grant and the University of Michigan 2008 Thesis Concert Grant. Barnes completed her full STOTT PILATES® Teacher Certification Program and is pursuing her advanced certification. Ms. Barnes was invited to join LI CHIAO-PING DANCE this August and is delighted to be performing with the company.

Robin Baartman (Dancer) began her dance training under the instruction of Charlotte Wendel of Southwest School of Dance, Marshall, MN. With this studio, Robin toured the Baltic States and performed her international debut at Red October Hall, Moscow. Continuing her education in dance, she had the pleasure of working with Julie Kerr-Berry, Maggie Desenberg, Sherone Price, Jin-Wen Yu, Li Chiao-Ping, Ed Groff, Pat Catterson, Sean Curran, and others. After obtaining a B.S. in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Robin continued her second season with the nora.new.dance.company. Shortly thereafter, she began performing with Li Chiao-Ping Dance. Since, she has obtained certification in Pilates, served as an adjunct instructor for UW Division of Continuing Studies, and is currently an instructor at Capital Fitness.

Anneliese Charek (Dancer) had been studying and performing dance for 15 years in her hometown of Los Angeles, before joining the Li Chiao-Ping Dance Company last year. She received a B.F.A. from California Institute of the Arts, where she majored in dance and choreography, and worked in costuming for dance as well as dance on camera. There she was influenced by great teachers such as; Glenn Eddy, Colin Connor, Francesca Penzani, David Burns, Fontella Boone and Ed Groff. Now also pursuing her passion for visual art, she is currently an M.F.A. candidate in the Art Department at the University of Madison.

Rachel Krinsky (Apprentice) studied dance at the Wisconsin School of Ballet in the 1970s and 80s and was a member of Jazzworks in 1984-5 before leaving dance for other pursuits. In the spring of 2006, she danced in Li Chiao-Ping's “Arrivals”, tracing the personal histories of six Jewish women. Having rediscovered her passion for dance, she is delighted to be performing with the Li Chiao-Ping Dance Company. Rachel is the Executive Director of The Road Home Dane County, a non-profit agency providing shelter and housing to homeless families.

Mariah Meyer LeFeber (Apprentice) grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts in dance and psychology from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where she had the honor of training with and dancing for a group of highly esteemed faculty members and guest artists. She performed for four years with the University Dance Theatre, and was proud to represent the University of Minnesota as a gala performer at the 2004 National American College Dance Festival. Following her time in Minnesota, Mariah completed her Master of Arts in Dance/Movement Therapy & Counseling at Columbia College Chicago. Mariah currently works at Common Threads Family Resource Center in Madison. She is thrilled to be dancing with Li Chiao-Ping Dance.

Emily Miller (Dancer) is pleased to make her professional debut with Li Chiao-Ping Dance. As an undergrad, Emily met Li and fell in love with Li’s athletic and full-bodied movement style, which was much like Emily’s previous training in gymnastics. Throughout her undergrad, Emily has not only had the pleasure of working with Ms. Li, but has also worked with such distinguished artists as Peggy Choy, Larry Kegwin, Luis Lara Malvacias, Jeremy Nelson, Chris Walker, Nina Watt, and Jin-Wen Yu . She has performed at the American College Dance Festival and has received numerous scholarships and summer awards which have allowed her to study in Miami, North Carolina, and New York.

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