Fusion Seniors

Recital Program

Act 1

1. Requiem

featuring Fusion Performance Co.

Opening Remarks

2. Hamilton

featuring Jazz/Contemporary Ensemble

3. Homecoming

featuring Hip Hop Crew

4. Dear Darkness

featuring Jazz/Contemporary Ensemble

5. Still Your Girl

featuring Jazz/Contemporary Ensemble

6. Game of Survival

featuring Jazz/Contemporary Ensemble

7. Finesse - Sr. Soloist Wendy Wang

8. Dreamgirls

featuring Jazz/Contemporary Ensemble

9. Google Me

featuring Jazz/Contemporary Ensemble

10. Like a G6

featuring Hip Hop Crew

11. Desolation

featuring Ballet Ensemble

12. Work It

featuring Hip Hop Crew

13. Before You Go - Sr. Soloist Anya Kothari

14. Carmen

featuring Ballet Ensemble

15. Don’t Get Me Started

featuring Hip Hop Crew

10 minute Intermission

Act 2

a Ballet by Ms. Ivy Koval

based on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

by Lewis Carroll

SYNOPSIS 

ACT 1:

SCENE 1: Alice is out for a picnic in the woods with her friends and becomes engrossed in a book she has brought along. She is interrupted by a white rabbit that pops down a nearby rabbit hole by a bed of flowers, and Alice jumps down the rabbit hole in pursuit.

SCENE 2: Alice finally catches up to the White Rabbit along with two more visitors. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum—a pair of brightly colored, eccentrically attired creatures—who have an invitation to a party and squabble about which direction the map is taking them. They reach an impasse in their argument when Alice finally gets their attention and offers to help them figure out the correct way to go. As a show of thanks, they offer her to accompany them to the party.

ACT 2:

SCENE 1: The Mad Hatter has spent the better part of a month preparing for an elaborate tea party for her friends and neighbors in Wonderland. Alice arrives with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and are greeted by the Mad Hatter, who pulls Alice into the center of the crowd. Much to Alice’s relief, she is finally set back down when the tea bell rings and the guests rush to the table to dine. But even at the dining table, the dancing continues and before too long teatime dissolves into a raucous celebration.

SCENE 2: Alice retreats to the calm of the surrounding forest, which has grown darker as dusk falls. Although she is enjoying the peace of the evening, she still has no idea how to get back to her world and is lonely for her friends. Suddenly she is startled by the Cheshire Cat who appears out of the gloom and tells Alice of someone who might be able to help her but that it will require Alice to shrink down to a very small size. Although apprehensive, Alice agrees and is transformed with a bite of the Cat’s cupcake. Immediately Alice is greeted by a caterpillar who tells her of a beautiful forest with fields of living flowers that are as big as most humans and that she simply must see it. Although Alice is no closer to returning to her own world and her friends, she is intrigued and accepts an apple from the caterpillar, returning her to normal size as she runs off to find the described living flowers.

SCENE 3: After some searching, Alice finally finds the field of living flowers where a group of field mice has taken up residence. She happily dances with them before being interrupted by the Knave of Hearts, running for her life while the White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dee, Tweelde Dum, and the Cheshire Cat are hot on the trail. In utter disbelief, Alice stops the White Rabbit to ask what is going on. The White Rabbit explains that the knave is accused of stealing from the Queen of Hearts and is labeled a fugitive who must be turned in. When Alice asks if she can meet this Queen of Hearts and perhaps help out the poor knave, the White Rabbit reluctantly agrees to take her to the queen’s castle.

ACT 3

The Queen of Hearts is in her throne room, perturbed as usual by the incompetence of her underlings. The thieving knave has evaded capture for a week now, but before the Queen can order the execution of another unfortunate servant, the royal herald announces the arrival of a guest. Seeking to preserve her image as nothing but a gracious and benevolent ruler, the Queen bottles up her anger for the time being. Alice comes into the court accompanied by the all her new friends. The Queen—continuing with her charade of cordiality—proposes a peculiar game of Wonderland Croquet. When Alice wins the game, the Queen is livid. Thinking quickly, the she decides to frame Alice and puts some of the royal tarts into Alice’s cloak before bidding Alice and the other guest farewell. The Queen flies into a rage when the tarts are reported to be missing and claims Alice must have stolen them. She commands the Cards to arrest Alice and a court is hastily called to order. A chaotic brawl ensues in the courtroom. Alice clamps her hands over her ears and tightly shuts her eyes wishing with all her might that she could wake up from this nightmare—which miraculously she does! And Alice finds herself once again in the woods of her own world with her friends enjoying the picnic nearby and is overjoyed that her adventure into Wonderland was just a dream… or was it?

​Cast:

Alice: Liel Shnitman

Alice’s Young Friends: Melody Brooks, Maggie Hammer, Margaret Martin

Alice’s Friends: Marley Grafflin, Macy Hafen, Audree Jackson, Scarlett Jones, Emily Lampert, Isabelle Lin, Natalie Lorenz, Catherine Vanman, Zara Zemichael

White Rabbit: Elle De Jesus

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum: Amelia Martin and Audrey Zembower

Mad Hatter: Emmy De Jesus

Tea Party Corps: Elle De Jesus, Sofia Fernandez, Safia Fernandes, Samara Fernandes, Macy Hafen, Yael Hlebnyak, Ava Luu, Amelia Martin, Riley Sanborn, Audrey Zembower

Cheshire Cat: Ava Luu

Caterpillar Lead: Yael Hlebnyak

Caterpillar Corps: Audra Cartwright, Macy Hafen, Anya Kothari, Emily Lampert, Isabelle Lin

Flower Lead: Audree Jackson

Flower Corps: Safia Fernandes, Marley Grafflin, Scarlett Jones, Natalie Lorenz, Riley Sanborn, Catherine Vanman

Field Mice: Melody Brooks, Maggie Hammer, Margaret Martin

Queen of Hearts: Sofia Fernandez

Cards: Audra Cartwright, Samara Fernandes, Macy Hafen, Yael Hlebnyak, Anya Kothari, Emily Lampert, Isabelle Lin, Zara Zemichael

15 Year Montage Video

16. Breathe

featuring Hip Hop Crew

17. BO$$

featuring Hip Hop Crew

5 and 10 Year Studio Awards

Congratulations to our recipients:

Audrey Zembower - 5 yrs.

Ella Sales - 5 yrs.

Wendy Wang - 5 yrs.

Emily Ricks - 5 yrs.

Abigail Wyckoff - 10 yrs!

Catherine Vanman - 10 yrs!

Natalie Lorenz - 10 yrs!

18. Feeling Good

featuring Jazz/Contemporary Ensemble

19. The Path

featuring Jazz/Contemporary Ensemble

20. Ouchies

featuring Hip Hop Crew

21. Chunk Up the Deuce

featuring Hip Hop Crew

Senior Recognition and Closing Remarks

22. What Time Is It?

featuring Fusion Performance Co

Fusion Directors

Hayley Grafflin

Hayley is a native of Irving, TX where she grew up dancing at Riley’s Dance Center, and performing with the Irving Ballet.  Hayley went on to attend Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, where she performed works by world renowned choreographers such as Paul Taylor, Stephen Mills, Jay Franke and Jessica Lang.  She furthered her dance education at Stevens College, and received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of North Texas studying dance, kinesiology, and business management.  Hayley worked for Suffolk Pointe Company as an expert pointe shoe fitter, and was store manager at Suffolk Dance Boutique.  Hayley has danced professionally with Beckles Dancing Company in Dallas, and has been choreographed for Plano Children’s Theatre.  Hayley started teaching at a very young age, and has taught at several studios throughout the metroplex.  Hayley served as Artistic Director for Momentum Dance Company from 2021-23.  She is currently in her 12th year at The Dance Movement, where she teaches all styles of dance in the Academy and Wiggles and Giggles programs to students ages 2-18.  Hayley is in her 10th year as Company Manager for Fusion, and has loved every minute of it.  Hayley lives in Plano with her husband and now Fusion Prop Parent, Ron, son Jackson, and daughter and Fusion dancer, Marley.  Hayley is blessed to do what she loves, and share the gift of dance with others. 

Ivy Koval

Ivy Koval, a native Texan, received her early training at the Dallas Ballet Center where she had the opportunity to perform in various full-length ballets with soloist and lead roles. Following high school graduation, Ivy danced with Ballet Magnificat!, a professional Christian ballet company in Jackson, Mississippi, before returning to Texas to attend Dallas Baptist University for both her undergraduate degree in Studio Art, which she obtained in December of 2015, and a graduate degree in Commercial Art, which she is currently pursuing. Ivy is also honored to continue in her seventh season as a signature company artist and choreographer with Epiphany DanceArts, a professional Dallas-based contemporary ballet and modern company. Ivy came on staff with The Dance Movement in December of 2013 to serve as the director Fusion Ballet Ensemble, and she immediately found a passion for the directing and teaching aspect of dance, setting original choreography as well as adapting and re-staging various ballets on her students like The Nutcracker, Coppèlia, and Sleeping Beauty. She feels incredibly blessed and thankful that God has given her a way to give back the instruction, encouragement, and mentorship that she received from her teachers over the years and to influence young dancers under her instruction.