Saturday, February 5, 2011

Here are all the artists involved in TRAUMNOVELA. The Short Film

Juan Borona, Director, Producer, Choreographer

Juan Borona began his dance career in Madrid with the Victor Ullate Ballet Company and the Carmen Roche Dance Co. A resident of New York, he choreographs and teaches all over the US, Spain, Mexico and Italy.

Mr Borona has been working with different kinds of artists to create highly visual theater productions. This was where he came up with the idea to create The Crepus Project.

Favorite collaborations include those with director Cris Buchner and fashion designer Zaldy, where in TraumNovela, a dance musical, was born. TraumNovela had successful runs in Dallas (Hub Theater), New York (Barrow st.Theater) and Barcelona. Juan's visionary ideas have been part of worldwide projects like the last Michael Jackson tour: This Is It.

He has a long experience directing and choreographing Off-Broadway shows ( TraumNovela, Female Heart, The Territory, Girliemagic) ,regional theater shows (A Chrorus Line, Cabaret, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Dreamgirls, Company), short films, and special events in remarkable locations such as The Manhattan Center, The Rainbow Room (Rockefeller Center), City Center and Cipriani among others.

He is also a guest choreographer for Wonderland Group, one of the most profitable theater companies in Spain and the USA
www.juanborona.com

Max Losk, Director, Producer


www.MaxLosk.com

Max Losk is a New York City based producer and art director. He grew up in a small rustic town on the Russian tundra. From an early age, Max was deeply influenced by observing snow – the white powder is nature’s #1 visual effect. After getting bored with his Mechanical Engineering School in Siberia, he left for the Big Apple to study graphic design and cinematic effects at the School of Visual Arts. His professors steeped him in the diverse rich history of film and media as well as the latest tricks to keep on the edge.

Max now works for IEEE - global organization that strives to advance technology for the benefit of humanity, his everyday projects involve graphic design, motion graphics, web design, branding, product placement and social media marketing. Additionally, Max produces and edits commercials for TV and online distribution.

Mr Losk previously produced a full length music video “New York City Boy.” Set to the soundtrack of the hit song New York City Boy by the Pet Shop Boys, the original footage told the story of a city that gives people of every gender, race, and sexual orientation the chance to succeed. It is an opportunity that people do not enjoy everywhere in the world.

Bettina Sheppard, Music Composer

Bettina Sheppard has composed and arranged music for numerous classical, film, theatre, and dance pieces. She is a classically trained singer and pianist, and holds graduate degrees summa cum laude from University of Virginia and CUNY Hunter, with postgraduate work at Juilliard. She has studied with eminent composers Christopher Theofanidis, Conrad Cummings, and Shafer Mahoney. Some works include: Emily Dickinson poems, performed in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall; Edna St. Vincent Millay poetry, commissioned for the American Cathedral in Paris; stage productions including a dance piece, Hell, City Center, with choreographer Juan Borona; TraumNovela, Barrow Street Theatre and Barcelona; 365 Days/365 Plays by Suzan-Lori Parks, The Public Theater; The Picture of Dorian Grey; Kindly Direct Me To Hell: An Evening With Dorothy Parker. Current projects include an opera based on Welsh tales, and the opera Stillwaters with librettist Wallace Wilhoit Jr., which was originally developed at The Juilliard School under the guidance of composer, Conrad Cummings. Solus, her CD of original material was released in 2006 under her Welsh name, Brythonwen. As a performer, she has appeared in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, Broadway and Off Broadway theatres, with television credits includingAll My Children and One Life to Live. She currently records for film, television, and radio. Ms. Sheppard created the swing jazz trio, Satin Dolls, who performed her original material and jazz arrangements in Radio City Music Hall, The Rainbow Room, and Trump Plaza, among others, and often appeared with big bands including the New York Pops. She also created the international vocal group, Bridges Vocal Ensemble, a cross-cultural project devoted to the performance of her original choral repertoire. Bridges Vocal Ensemble appeared in Carnegie Hall in Spring 2010.Ms. Sheppard is an active member of The Sound and Music Institute, an innovative group of multicultural musicians who are exploring the effects of both archaic and modern music in today’s society. Collaborators include Grammy Award winner David Darling, Don Campbell, John Beaulieu, Silvia Nakkach, Layne Redmond, and Pat Moffit Cook. She is currently a faculty member of City University of New York and Broadway Dance Center, and is the author of The Everything Singing Book.

Nellee Dii, Make up Artist

Mr.Dii has often quoted himself as being "a jack of all trades... and a master of non of them"...Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York to a Colombian single parent, Nellee (birth name, Nelson Moreno) was an only child. Shy, yet playful, with a knack for walking in his mother's white pumps (often sans clothing)!During & after surviving High School, Nellee found where he belonged, among the misfits of St.Marks & the raging queers of Christopher.St! Soon, Nellee became obsessed with Rock&Roll, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and just how shocking mascara & lipgloss can be...!Now, Nellee can be found performing at downtown cabarets, perhaps spinning records at seedy functions, painting faces and coiffing hair for the camera... but, you certainly can always find Nellee having a good time...!"Don't dream it, BE IT!"/Tim Curry.

Alexander Chan, Casting Director/Production assistance

Since he was a young child, Alex was always fascinated with the arts. Whether it was watching his aunt perform on stage at the Chinese opera, or religiously going to museums for updated exhibits there is always an effort to expose himself to new ideas and thoughts. After getting his Bachelors in International Business and working for many multinational corporations, Alex decided to get into the arts himself. Specifically the culinary arts, where after attending the Le Cordon Bleu in Las Vegas, he is now a pastry chef for a large corporate restaurant, Grand Luxe Cafe in Garden City. He is always looking for new projects to participate in and is quite happy working with TraumNovela as their Casting Director, given his meticulous and professional organizational skills.



Saturday, November 6, 2010

Alexandra Matthews - Painter (Sweden/USA)



My name is Alexandra Matthews, I work as a contemporary artist/Painter.I was Born in America, Hartford,Connecticut Upstate, in 1965...but I live in sweden and have done since 1969 , I am half English....with some roots in AMerica..(swedish Mother/English Father).I went to the University College of Fine & Contemporary Arts and Design, Stockholm, Sweden,-87-94, in painting and sculpture.Have been working mostly in the painting section of art, but also installations ,scripts... objects and film....and open to most creative ideas.My field is though Painting and this is where i mostly explode my works....into mind scapes...fields of "metafysical" worlds....endless ways there are!!;-)I never really had the disciplined patience required for the classical sculpture techniques, and processes... In painting, I get the direct contact I want.
For me painting is narrative, a kind of geographical fantasy scenario. Sometimes I write, sometimes I paint. In the story, I try to grasp something that I do not really know what it is ...and it never matters...it becomes vital and sublime anyways....... embedded memories future .....etc... I feel like a reflector....a surfer... As an artist I have the task of researching my existence, what does it mean to be a human ...or me.. that slowly emerges - seven years of thinking and writing may explode in a series of images...take it further, its a play owith reality and imaginary inner scapes as material.
Inspiration I get from life, my everyday life,people, conversations, good music in all genres, I also get inspiration by watching movies and going to the library where I borrowed books on biology and astronomy to find out how a star is born and dies.And also sneak into the worlds of the old masters.
By that I build,create,and try to attract the curiosity of others....to see beyond reality..... The playfullness and open tickeling mind, must not be forgotten as an adult. I want to give the people who see my pictures an opportunity to put themself into a new state, to fall into another world....and into their own...

The challenge is to find oneself and to dare to be yourself faithful. Not allow yourselfe to be stressed by what is happening around you, of trends, or that someone has done something similar or slightly better. It took many years before I came this far, there has been an uncertain groping. Now I dare to stand up for what I do....and do what i wish...

-The metaphysical in the image is important - state of reality is dissolved - which gives room for something else,to step forward and grow itself...into a form,colour or scape...beeing.

- What really affects me? - All ........ Landscape - the morbid beauty of the landscape. Maybe not the red cottage, but the worn down old pulp mill ...or factory.... Moving to northern Sweden, was to be unleashed in a ferociously....a rough new world from nature....that captured me....and took me more steps into my artistic personality further,

When I paint old industries, they may look like weathered temple - they remind us of another time. The nature around buildings that are left are poisoned, exploited, ravaged,left emty, - still beautiful. It has magical charisma ............ you can fantasize that the old industrial buildings is something else, and discerns that nature once again takes over, resuming its seat by the inevitable breakdown. Organisms will again take over in other forms...new survival kits;-)

I do not let technology control when I paint, it must adapt. If I want to do something, so it does not matter if there is a new technology that I've seen someone else use. I do it anyway, in my own way...like any other artist any filed, lets her be inspired...!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Cassandra Vincent -Performer (USA)

Cassandra Vincent is a multi-disciplinary performer and conceptual designer with a penchant for new work and the gothic side of art. The telling of an engaging story is the key focus and believing that art has no boundaries she has engaged many art forms including dance, theatre, singing, mime, puppetry and magic. NY excerpts: Citation of Excellence from Talkin’Broadway for her performance in “Eli and Cheryl Jump” at Fringe NYC; dancer/puppeteer The Metropolitan Opera’s “Madama Butterfly”, directed by Anthony Minghella; Regional excerpts: “A New Amahl” with puppet master Basil Twist; independent films including voice and motion capture for “ Silver Circle ”; original productions with her company Vincent Magic Productions; LA: film shorts "Blank Canvas" and "One Hell of a Plan"; Best Director award for premiere of play "The Opening" for The Hurricane Play festival; Member AEA, AFTRA, AGMA & SAGe. Her current collaborative macabre cabaret act “La Petite Guignole" has performed in many East Village venues in NYC, at the Inner Circle of Bizarre Magick convention and will be performing in Las Vegas on December 16th 2010 at Jeff McBride's Wonderground
For more information visit:
http://www.cassandravincent.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/ScarletteUnderground

Friday, October 15, 2010

Cheng-Huai Chuang - Fashion Designer (USA/ TAIWAN)


Cheng-Huai Chuang got his start in design as a young boy by dressing mannequins at his parents’ clothing store in Taipei, Taiwan. In high school, he designed and starred in his own fashion show, “The Little Boy’s Girl” at the Nan-Hai Art Gallery, part of National Taipei University. This show led to an invitation to design costumes for an experimental theater production, “Yes, but not Only” by the Van Body Theater (formerly, Chibody Theater Troupe). He was also invited to participate in the Taipei Taiwan Art Festival after graduating high school.

In 2006, at the age of 18, Cheng came to New York City to attend Parsons School of Fashion Design. Cheng is currently a design intern for emerging Philippine designer Marc Rancy and launched his first collection for Fall/Winter 2010 in February 2010 during New York Fashion Week. Recently, he designed costumes for the musical "You are a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and designed gowns for the Miss New York Pageant and National Sweetheart Pageant of Miss Manhattan 2009 and Miss Jubilee 2010, Inga Schlingmann. He is also the exclusive designer for drag queen Sherry Vine and is currently producing a t-shirt line featuring Sherry and other drag queens called Drag Tease.

http://www.chuang.me/

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Lannette Alvarez - Performer/ Visual Artist (USA)


Lannette D. Álvarez, a performing, visual and teaching artist, is a New York City Chelsea native of Puerto Rican heritage. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Dance and Studio Art from City University of New York, Hunter College. Ms. Álvarez combines her passions for the visual arts with the performing arts and her admiration of "people watching". Her artistic style encompasses rich fluid lines and colors which emit serene emotions from the subject.
Lannette Alvarez currently enjoys serving her community as a teaching artist in several schools and studios in New York City while she continues to perform and practice her crafts.
Visual Fine Artist. As a studio art student Ms. Álvarez trained in acrylic painitng, drawing, etching for print making, and clay work. She has had her artwork displayed throughout the CUNY campus and has been photographed painting for the school website. She presented her first gallery Solo Exhibition LA Arte Spring 2010 at Perry Studios in Harlem, NYC. The art, which was very well recieved, included an almost complete collection of her paintings, drawings, sketches and etches for print making.
Performing Artist. Ms. Álvarez began her dance training at Ballet Hispanico's School of Dance as a high school senior intern and went on to train at other prestigious institutions including American Ballet Theater`s Collegiate Program under the direction of Nancy Raffa where she danced an excerpt of Raymonda by Marius Petipa set by Katie Lydon, Complexions Contemporary Ballet's Choreography Workshop at Baryshnikov’s 37 Arts directed by Dwight Rhoden and Desdmond Richardson, as a scholarship recipient for Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Traditions Program in Beckett Massachusetts directed by Milton Myers, on scholarship at Dance Theatre of Harlem's School under Endalyn Taylor, The Ailey School's Professional Division directed by Denise Jefferson, and Taller Flamenco studying with Felipe Matos and Lordes Recio in Seville, Spain. As a performing artist proficient in Ballet, Contemporary, Horton, Jazz, Ballroom and Flamenco styles, Lannette has been seen on Harlem Stage at Aaron Davis Hall, The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Meadowlands Arena’s IZOD Center in New Jersey, Mukonoso Japan, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, The Danny Kaye Playhouse, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance for their BAAD As* Women's Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Stage, El Museo del Barrio, Bollywood film “Hastey Hastey”, Food Network, UPN Network, WNBC Network, Fox 5 Good Day New York, and at New York City Hall amongst other venues. As well as performing with the company of Ballet Hispanico, Lannette has performed works by Alberto Alonso, an excerpt of Graciela Daniele’s Cada Noche Tango for a tribute to costume designer the late Patricia Zipprodt, Robin Dunn, Sara Erde dancer with the Metropolitan Opera, Nicola Marino of NiMa Dance Works Italy, Earl Mosley, Pedro Ruiz choreographer and former dancer of Ballet Hispanico, Tim Rushton current Artistic Director of New Danish Dance Theatre, Marcos Santos of Broadway’s In the Heights, Kathryn Sullivan, William Whitener, Ellis Wood of Ellis Wood Dance Company, and Edgar Zendejas of EZ Danza, Canada. She has presented her choreography for Merce Cunningham’s Studio, Harlem Stage at Aaron Davis Hall, CUNY Hunter College, CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College, Project FIND New York City Senior Centers, Arts Cure Center LIC and throughout New York.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Christopher Ong - Designer (USA/Malaysia)

Christopher Ong’s design philosophy has always embraced the contemporary living with the graciousness of tradition, tempered by his singular East-meets-West experience. From Malaysia to Manhattan, Christopher Ong’s journey has brought him into contact with a rich diversity of cultures and sensibilities. The result is Metro-Style, a customized fusion of modern and traditional ulticultural motifs that perfectly complementthe modern urban habitat.
Ong earned his Business & Economic degree from York University, Toronto. He pursued his Interior Design education at FIT, New York City. He further polished his design skillsat Island Outpost/ Island Trading; involved from lifestyle product designs to interiordesign of various critically acclaimed, celebrity-frequented boutique hotels inSouth Beach, Jamaica and the Bahamas.He launched his design firm in 2000, and since has designed interiors for clients from theEast coast to the West and across the pond, country homes and townhouses,apartments, art galleries, and a converted barn in England.Clients enjoy his unexpected approach, with touches of eclecticism and a global look andfeel. Yet his pursuit of beauty does not hamper sense of practicality and comfort.Ong is pleased to introduce perfumed candles in his home fragrance collection inspired byhis childhood in Malaysia. The collection begins with four new fragrances, all candlesare exquisitely Made in France, one perfectly suited to each mood and occasion:GARDENIA ~ WHITE TEA ~ PATCHOULI-FIG ~ POMELO. Products can be ordered from the website: