Katie Bateman is a dancer, educator, and choreographer based in the NJ/NYC area, their work rooted in the spirit of modern dance and founded within collaboration and community. A graduate of Rutgers University, Katie earned an Ed.M in Dance Education with a Certification of Eligibility with Advanced Standing in K-12 Dance (CEAS) from the Graduate School of Education, and a BFA in Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts, where they were recognized as a Hanya Holm award recipient. Recently, Katie performed under Grant Jacoby & Dancers, where the company presented at the annual Morven Moves event in Princeton, NJ. As an educator, Katie is currently a Community Teaching Artist for Nimbus Dance, teaching in Jersey City and Union City Public Schools, and is a ballet teacher at Triangle Dance Center. As a choreographer, recently they were a Guest Artist at Middlesex College, and presented a new work at their 2026 Spring Dance Concert. Katie began an apprenticeship with Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company in the summer of 2026.

Derek Crescenti is a dance artist whose work is shaped by his experiences dancing in New York City and Seattle with choreographers Chase Brock, Donald Byrd, Daniel Gwirtzman, Larry Keigwin, Mark Morris, David Parker, Megan Williams, among others, as well as performing with the repertory company 10 Hairy Legs. Derek has assisted Donald Byrd on commissions and stagings of his work at ACT Theater, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Barnard College, DeSales University, and Spectrum Dance Theater, and teaches Donald Byrd Contemporary Technique. As an associate choreographer for Larry Keigwin, he has worked on commissions for Paul Taylor Dance Company and Vail Dance Festival, and has staged Keigwin’s work on Ormao Dance Company. Derek’s choreography has been presented by Allentown Symphony Orchestra, Men in Dance, Seattle International Dance Festival, Ten Tiny Dances, and WestFest Top Floor. He has taught at The Taylor School and was previously on faculty at DeSales University and the University of Washington. His research in restaging and re-performance has led to presentations at the NDEO National Conference, and his recent article, “Joining the Dance: Exploring Meaning-Making in Pedagogies of Restaging,” has been published in the Journal of Dance Education. Derek holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Michigan and an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington, and is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Montclair State University.

Daniel Gwirtzman—producer, educator, filmmaker and performer—celebrates thirty years as a NYC choreographer and company director. Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, a nonprofit teaching and performing organization is known for its optimistic ethos and the repertory for its invention, humor, musicality, stylistic diversity, charismatic performances, and accessibility. Collaborations that blend genres, take risks, engage communitiy, and celebrate humanity are areas of focus. “Mr. Gwirtzman does know that in dance less can be more…he can evoke strong feelings with a few gestures” writes The New York Times. The New Yorker describes him as “a choreographer of high spirits and skill,” and The Village Voice calls him “an abundantly inventive artist with a subtle defiance of gender roles.” Performance highlights include Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Kennedy Center, Battery Dance Festival, Fire Island Dance Festival, Bryant Park, La MaMa, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and Lincoln Center. He has been awarded commissions, residencies and fellowships from institutions including the Joyce Theater Foundation, The Yard, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Raumars (Finland), Sacatar Foundation (Brazil), Sfakiotes Residency (Greece) Maison Dora Maar (France), Centro Negra (Spain), Gdański Festiwal Tanca (Poland), The Studios of Key West, CUNY Kinsgborough Community College, and Ucross (Wyoming), American Dance Festival (Durham, NC). Recent productions include the dance-theater duet e-Motion (2023), which La MaMa presented during their 20th Anniversary Season of La MaMa Moves Dancer Festival (2025), delving into the concerns of AI, which Culturebot reviewed as “profoundly chilling,” noting Daniel’s performance as “masterful.” In 2024 he was in residence at the Dora Maar Cultural Center in Provence, France where he produced the dance film Framing Ménerbes, which premiered in France and New York City (June 2025), and continues to screen in theaters. Thanks to leadership support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Dance With Us, a free online educational resource produced by the organization is designed to demystify choreography and increase comfort viewing and speaking about dance. https://dancewithus.org

Internationally recognized dancer, teacher, choreographer and co-artistic director of DoubleTake Dance. Vanessa has been trained in Contemporary, Ballet, Lyrical, Musical Theater, Hip Hop, Tap, Modern, Aerial Silks and Acting. Currently dances for Daniel Gwirtzman Company (now celebrating more than 10 years as a soloist. Some of her favorite shows include Lincoln Center Outdoors, Battery Dance, Rochester Fringe Festival…), Christy Walsh Company and DoubleTake Dance. Recently seen as “The Queen” in the Contemporary Ballet production of “The Queen of Nöri” by Stoneworks Productions (performed in Oahu, Hawaii) and in the Fashion Magazine BAZAAR Indonesia, dancing/modeling for Fashion Designer Yinglun Zhang. And the shows “Planets” and “Seasons” as a dancer/choreographer produced by KDA (Oahu, Hawaii).Vanessa has produced, choreographed and directed several full length shows with her dance company DoubleTake Dance along with co-director Ashley Carter. Currently on faculty at BAE (Adult Program), Ballet Hispánico (Adult, Summer Intensive and Pre and Professional Programs) and BeFit. Other teaching credits include: Peridance, Joffrey, Steps on Broadway, Nazareth Dance, Ithaca College, PMT, Bridge for dance in NY; Alonzo Lines in San Francisco; LeHigh Valley Alliance in Pennsylvania; Hawaii Univ, Punahou, Mid-Pac, Kailua Dance, Kroc Dance, Destination in Hawaii; Round Rock Rep, and Tarrytown Dance in Austin; V. Ullate, Arte de Bailar, Luthier, L’atelier, Ross in Spain; PAO Dance in Belgium, T- Stage in México…). Vanessa loves traveling as a teacher, judge and choreographer and is also a Pilates Mat Certified Trainer, with choreography featured in the YAGP finals.

Johnny Mathews III (he/they) is a Filipino-American dancer, choreographer, and video artist from Madison, Wisconsin, now based in Brooklyn. Johnny is a company member with Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, Valerie Green/Dance Entropy, and KAŌS Dance Collective, and has performed with artists including Keith A. Thompson/danceTactics, Kashia Kancey, Cameron Barnett & Fiona Schlegel, Cristina Moya-Palacios, and Justine Gelfman/Sally Butin.Johnny is a 2026 CPR Artist-in-Residence and his choreographic research has been supported by residencies at The Residency Project @ 280 in Pasadena, CA, and the Digging In Group (DIG) Residency at Green Space in Queens, NY. He has shown work at the Pageant Gala, Triskelion Arts, Green Space, THAT SHOW at Index Space, ESTIA Day Fest, and more. In collaboration with Nikaio Thomashow and KAŌS Dance Collective, they have created and performed work at the Bryant Park’s Picnic Performances series, the Ailey Citigroup Theater, and Madame X. He holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.
Instagram: @johnnymathews3

Aria Roach is a dance artist, educator, and producer based in NYC. She has performed with Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, Yehuda Hyman’s Mystical Feet Company, Eva Dean Dance, The Moving Architects, Hallie Chametzky, Stephanie Saywell, and Zoe Walders. Aria works with young dancers as a Teaching Artist and Choreographer for Mark Morris Dance Group’s Student Company program, and her teaching previously extended into the NYC public schools through National Dance Institute (NDI). Aria serves as Associate Producer at Works & Process, a nonprofit organization dedicated to championing performing artists and their creative process from studio to stage; she’s also held administrative positions at Jacob’s Pillow, SW!NG OUT, and Caleb Teicher & Company. She earned her BFA in Dance & Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts (VCUarts), a Master Composter Certificate from NYC Compost Project, and a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification from The Shala. IG: @aria.roach // Website: https://ariaroach.com/

Malaya Elise Fluellen (Apprentice) is so excited to be working with the Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company for the first time. She is a Class of 2026 graduate of Ithaca College, where she earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Dance. Some recent credits include The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Ithaca College), IC Unbound Dance Company (Dancer/Choreographer), and the States of Mind Dance Concert, where she served as Assistant Choreographer to Daniel Gwirtzman. Malaya is overjoyed to be working with him once again and has deeply appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with such a creative and inspiring company. Thank you and enjoy the show! @laya.elise

Mollie Navarro (Apprentice) is thrilled to be joining Daniel Gwirtzman’s Dance Company for this project! She’s a rising senior at Ithaca College pursuing her BFA in Musical Theatre. Her recent credits include Marmee in Little Women (Ithaca College), Ensemble/Betty in Catch Me If You Can (Ithaca College), and Sister Sophia in The Sound of Music (5 Star Theatricals). She would like to thank Daniel for this fulfilling and unique opportunity! Thank you! @mollie.navarroe

Jason Soranno (Apprenice) is so excited to be dancing with the Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company for the first time! He is a recent graduate of Ithaca College, where he earned his B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. Some credits include Laurie in “Little Women” at Playhouse Stage Co., dir. Chuck Kraus, Baby John in West Side Story at Milton Theatre, and Sorn in “Stupid F*ing Bird” at The Hangar Theatre w/ Ithaca College, dir. Marc Gomes. Jason has been so lucky to work on Encore and deeply appreciates the unique collaborative experience this show has given him. Thank you! @jasonsoranno