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February 16, 2007
Hassan Christopher, Artistic Director, Company of Strangers, and Monica Gillette, Filmmaker and Professional Dancer, 2-16-07
Hassan Christopher’s career in the performing arts has spanned nearly 15 years. Using an experimental approach he draws from classical, modern and contemporary urban dance forms to realize his vision of “Post-Hip Hop kinetic storytelling.”
Christopher began dancing in his native Chicago as a Deep House freestyle artist influenced by Breaking and martial arts. On a dare he took a dance class and ended up with a two-year scholarship to Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. Christopher’s passion for dance led him to NYU's Tisch school of the arts where he studied contemporary dance and experimental theater.
After New York, Christopher traveled to Eastern and Southern Africa, Brazil, India, Southeast Asia and Japan to study the styles, roles and social relevance of the performing arts within different cultures. His travels deeply influenced his belief in the transformative power of dance and theater.
Before Founding the Company of Strangers Christopher danced with David Rousseve, Diavolo Dance theater, Hiedi Duclker's Collage Dance theater, Rosanna Gamson World Wide, Julliard's Laura Glenn, Bill Evans, KT Niehoff and Maureen Whiting Company. He continues to perform and develop relationships with inspired contemporary dance artists.
Christopher recently finished choreographing/co-directing an expanded version of Sable and Batalion's critically acclaimed Hip Hop theater Musical, JOB The Hip Hopera. He is currently producing a collection of original Dance Electronica blending elements of House, Hip Hop, R&B and Blues as material for future Company of Strangers performances.
Christopher is Dance Faculty at UCLA LMU and the Edge Contemporary Dance Center in Hollywood. His teaching and performing continue to take him to new destinations around the globe.
Monica Gillette is an experienced filmmaker and professional dancer. She grew up training as a ballet dancer on scholarship with Stanley Holden Dance Studio and with the Joffrey Ballet. She also fell in love with the craft of film editing and quickly rose through the ranks of the commercial film world, working on such shows as The Sopranos, and Dick Wolf's Crime & Punishment. Since leaving Hollywood to return to dancing full-time, she has toured the U.S., Germany and Japan and has worked with several choreographers, including Patrick Corbin, Noemie Lafrance, Joe Goode, Yvonne Rainer, John Malashock, Helios Dance Theater, Company of Strangers, and most recently with the rock band Fischerspooner.
Monica now merges her two passions through dance films, which have screened at Dance Camera West, and she just completed a film with Johannes Wieland, which premiered as part of a live performance in New York City.
Posted by David Lemberg at February 16, 2007 11:15 AM Return to ARTSCAPE home page