BRIDGE PROJECT 2023
featuring
NICOLE CARDONA, MAIA MELENE DURFEE, + SYMONE SANZ
The Bridge Project is Velocity’s program for emerging dance artists. Each year, Bridge is a chance for audiences to get in at the ground floor of an artist’s career – to be acquainted with choreographers who could become mainstays of the future Seattle dance community. Join us for an evening of new artists + ideas.
The performances you will see are the result of an intensive 4-week rehearsal process undertaken by three choreographers and their cast of dancers. You’ll be invited to share what you see, and engage in a written feedback process that provides the choreographers with valuable feedback and affirmation.
This year’s artist lineup was curated through open application by Fox Whitney, Alyza Delpan-Monley, Kai Kohring + Elise Beers (Aachix̂ Qağaduug)
Photos credits [left to right]: Iy Cardona, Devin Muñoz, Leah Russell
ARTIST BIOS
MAIA MELANIE DURFEEis a Seattle freelance dancer and choreographer, who creates and researches movement that challenge the body and mind to thoughtfully display the sensations, textures, and musicality of her imagination. She holds a BFA in dance from Cornish College of the Arts, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and has studied at American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, Trinity Laban Conservatoire London, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and with Seattle hip hop dancers. As a performer, she currently dances for The Gray, and has danced for other Seattle choreographers and with local bands. She has had her choreography presented in a number of showcases and festivals, including ADF, BDF, New Moves, Soft Concrete, Cornish Screendance Festival, Northwest Film Forum, 12 Minutes Max, and has produced two evening length works and immersive dance events, Liminal and Ode. Maia works on exploring both the abstract and the deeply personal through motion, following melodic detours and rhythms from somewhere. She’s interested in things that are strange, beautifully grotesque, metaphorically human, and honest; something intricate, vivid and blank.
SYMONE SANZ holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is an experienced artist in performance, improvisation, and choreography. Amidst the pandemic, she has enjoyed creating live works with artists Heather Kravas, zoe|juniper, and Cherdonna Shinatra, among many others. Symone also enjoys filming, editing, and producing dance in her spare time.
NICOLE CARDONA is a movement artist originally from Chicago, IL. After earning their BFA from Columbia College Chicago, Nicole received secondary training from the American Music and Dramatics academy in Los Angeles. While in LA, Nicole was a scholarship recipient for LA Contemporary Dance Company’s 2019’s Summer intensive. During this time, she also had the opportunity to perform as a guest artist in the company’s work: Ebba. While training, learning, and living in LA, Nicole has also worked with Heidi Duckler Dance Theater, and Psychopomp Dance Theater. Working in such highly collaborative processes is what has helped shape Nicole into the artist they are today. Now based in Seattle, Nicole has been aching to start creating work again. Nicole is so grateful be be a Bridge Project Choreographer this year. The process has been so full filling so far and they can not wait to see what comes of the final product!
PRESENTING PARTNERS
The Bridge Project 2023 is presented by Velocity in partnership with Base. Support for this year’s program comes from the Washington State Arts Commission and our awesome community of individual donors.
This year, Bridge Project dancer stipends are sponsored in part by our friends at Café Argento. We are still actively searching for partners to join them in fully funding each participating dancer’s stipend in 2023. Let us know if you’d like to be a part of this growing network of supporters for dancers in Seattle.
