Faculty

Emiko Tokunaga
Artistic Director, Summer Dance '10

"...some of the most creative and imaginative teaching to be offered to the dance world." -Heidi von Obenauer, Dance Magazine

Emiko Tokunaga returns for her 13th year as Artistic Director of The Boston Conservatory Summer Dance program. In 1998, she reinstituted the summer dance program, which attracts students nationally and internationally, by employing world-class faculty to teach ballet, modern, styles and choreography. She designed three lectures series -- Dance Forums, Dance Dialogues and Faculty Dance Traditions -- to introduce students to intrinsic beauty in the similarities and differences of movement arts.

Tokunaga is on the regular dance division faculty at The Boston Conservatory, where she teaches modern technique, modern dance pedagogy and academically advises undergraduate dance majors. She is the resident costume designer and premiered her choreography: The Bridge, Hanayagi, Gaman, and Narrow Interior Roads. She received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Student Government Association in 2003 and 2008 and the Service Recognition Award in 2001.

At Harvard University, she was a resident fellow in the 1995-96 Administrative Fellowship Program, and guest speaker at the Center for the Study of World Religions on Japanese Culture through Dance-History and comparison with the US. At Radcliffe College, she was the Dance Coordinator from 1994-1998 and the first speaker for the arts at the 10th Annual Women's Leadership Project.

Tokunaga co-founded the NY-based Tokunaga Dance Ko. (TDK) with her sister, Yasuko. TDK is a non-profit dance company, which has performed more than 2,000 times. TDK toured nationally in the United States with Japanese Culture through Dance and in Japan with Made in America programs sponsored by the Japan-United States Friendship Commission to represent both countries. TDK was funded for 17 years by the National Endowment for the Arts, and 10 years by the NY Department of Cultural Affairs, among others. For its cross-cultural work, TDK received numerous meritorious awards from Japan (including the key to Nara City) and the United States.

For the City of NY, Tokunaga was a multicultural facilitator and produced 15 Celebrate Asia Festivals for the NY and Queens Botanical Gardens. She was a facilitator through NY schools and introduced Tokyo's Matsuyama Ballet Company for the City Center Theater and the NY committee for Young Audiences, among others. She also choreographed for students in the Alvin Ailey-Fordham program.

As a cultural anthropologist, she is a protégé of the late doyenne of African dance, Pearl Primus. As a choreographer, she created 67 dances. As a consultant/panelist, she audited companies for California's Dance/USA, NYSCA, NYDCA, and NY Foundation for the Arts, among others. As a costume designer with her mother, Utako, she designed and executed all TDK costumes.

As an author, her articles have been published in Dance Magazine, Dance Teacher, Radcliffe News and Career Choices (6th Grade Math Textbook) by Houghton Mifflin. She is the authorized biographer of the famous Martha Graham dancer, Yuriko-To Wash in the Rain and Polish with the Wind, which was published by tokunagadanceko.; and her mother, Utako Seiki Tokunaga, America no-Itohan/Princess from America- An Haute Couture's Cinderella Story, pending publication.

Alberto del Saz

"...veteran master of the company... Alberto del Saz, exact but never careful, generous but never sloppy, energized but never emotive."
-Toby Tobias, Dance Magazine

Session 1: Modern 2, Modern 3, Choreography

Alberto del Saz (aka "Tito") is Co-Artistic Director of the Murray Louis and Nikolais Dance Company, Director of the Nikolais/Louis Foundation for Dance, and Assistant to Mr. Louis. He has been a vital and important link for more than 20 years in keeping the Nikolais/Louis repertory alive.

Born in Balbao, Spain, del Saz began performing first in figure skating and became the 1980 Spanish National Champion and subsequently performed with Holiday on Ice International. His choreography is in demand by medal winning figure skaters and has appeared on Ice Wars, Grand Slam, and the Professional World Championships, televised on CBS, FOX, and ABC networks.

He began his dance training with Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis, and continued with Hanya Holm, Beverly Blossom, and Tandy Beal, among others. In 1985, he made his debut as a lead soloist with the Nikolais Dance Theater, and today is the main reconstructor of the Nikolais/Louis repertory. In 1990, he was a guest artist in "V" by Ushio Amagatsu, Artistic Director of Japan's Sankai Juku.

Del Saz has staged two Nikolais and three Louis works for The Boston Conservatory Dance Theater. He joins Summer Dance for the fifth time.

Seán Curran

"...approaches dance making with the sharp intelligence of a conceptualist and the raw physicality of an athlete."
-Thea Singer, The Boston Globe

Session 2: Modern 2, Modern 3, Body Percussion, Choreography

Seán Curran's approach to choreography is "concerned with both a physical and emotional virtuosity. I search for a visual abstract language that can convey, poetically, a world of human feelings and conditions. Although the content of my work is postmodern in its sensibility, my approach to composition and production values is informed by modern dance...I strive to assemble combinations in my work that will create new languages."

Curran choreographs for his company, Sean Curran Company, and other companies for the concert stage (Trinity Irish Dance Company, American Ballet Theatre's studio company, Ririe/Woodbury Dance Theater, and Dance Alloy). He also choreographs for the commercial stage (Boston Huntington Theater Company, Washington's Shakespeare Theater, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Shakespeare Theater NYC Central Park, NYC Opera, Metropolitan Opera). He choreographed James Joyce's The Dead for the Playwrights Horizons on Broadway, and off- Broadway, Marcel Proust's My Life with Albertine.

Curran founded his company in 1997 and presenters included: Jacob's Pillow, Symphony space, 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Project, The Joyce Theater, Central Park Summerstage, Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project, and Celebrate Brooklyn. Curran Company has received funding from National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, Arts International's Fund for US Artists, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Greenwall Foundation, Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, NY Foundation for the Arts and the Altrina Group, Inc.

He was a principal dancer in the off-Broadway extravaganza Stomp and with the Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co., where he received a NY Dance and Performance Bessie Award for Secret Pastures. In 2000, Seán was selected in the "Top 100" in Irish American Magazine. He received a choreography fellowship from the NY Foundation for the Arts in 2002.

As an energetic, Irish step-dancing child living in the Boston area, his affiliation with The Boston Conservatory began when he attended ballet classes. As a choreographer, he returned: in March 1997 to create Everybody Dance Now sponsored by the Bank of America Celebrity Series; in December 1997 for Die Fledermaus; in March 1998 for in November 2001 for Each of Both; Alone and Both; The Only Way Out is Through; and in February 2006 for a ballet, Pulcinella.

His international affiliations include: Denmark's Upper Cut Company, Sweden's Skänes Dance Theater, Trinity Irish Dance Company, as well as teaching for countless universities and colleges in Argentina, Ireland, Japan, Hungary, and Cambodia.

Curran's solo evening concerts have been performed throughout the United States, as well as Sweden's Danstation Theatre and France's EXIT Festival. He created St. Petersburg Waltz to celebrate Meredith Monk's 40th anniversary season at New York's Danspace.

As a founding member, Curran returns to Summer Dance '10 for its 13th year.

Gianni DiMarco

"...as everybody's first choice to lead the troupe...." -Joseph K. Kahn, The Boston Globe

Session 1 and 2: Ballet 2, Ballet 3, Gyrotonics

Gianni DiMarco, a native of Venezuela, began his dance training in 1981, in the professional division of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in Canada, He continued his studies at the National Ballet of Canada, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and in Banff under Laura Alonso.

In 1988, he joined the Royal Winnipeg Ballet as the first recipient of the Arnold Spohr Scholarship and within three years became a soloist. He also performed with Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, Boston Ballet and Germany's Opera Leipzig Ballet under Uwe Scholz.

DiMarco is a visionary and is always mindful of how dance can impact and inspire people's lives. He taught in the Boston Ballet's Adaptive Dance Program--created for children with Down's Syndrome and on the Autism spectrum. He co-produced Raw Dance, which originated first in the Boston Ballet studios.

DiMarco returns to Summer Dance '10 for the sixth time.

Tommy Neblett

"...powerful political theater that hovers on the edge of tears." -Thea Singer, The Boston Globe

Session 2: Modern 2, Modern 3

Since 1992, Tommy Neblett has been co-artistic director/choreographer of Prometheus Dance company with Diane Arvanites. They have created acclaimed dance/theater works known for their powerful athleticism, emotional depth, and visual beauty. Presenting organizations of Boston include: Bank of America Celebrity Series, Dance Umbrella, New England Artists' Congress, International Festival of Arts and Ideas, The Boston Boston Conservatory, Emerson Stages, The Yard, as well as WBGH Public Television. International theaters and festivals include: Spain, France, Denmark, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Neblett is the recipient of grants in choreography from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Cambridge Arts Council, and fellowships from Somerville Arts Council. He has served on the board of The Boston Dance Alliance, Cambridge Arts Council, Boston Cultural Council, Dance Umbrella, Harvard's Office for the Arts, Massachusetts Council for the Arts, Denmark's Oure Idraetshojskole, and Spain's En Pe De Pedra Festival.

Neblett has performed extensively since 1984 as a member of Dan Wagoner and Dancers, Laura Dean and Dancers and Musicians, and Boston's Concert Dance Company. He teaches at Harvard University, Dance Complex and The Boston Conservatory.

Neblett returns to SD '10 for the ninth time.

Jennifer Scanlon

"One of the Limon Company's great dancers." -Boston Herald

Session1: Modern 2, Alexander

Jennifer Scanlon studied at Ted Shawn's Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and The Julliard School. In 1963, she joined the José Limón Dance Company for 21 years becoming a principal dancer in his classics: Moor's Pavane, Dances for Isadora, Choreographic Offering, There is a Time, and Missae Brevis. She was the Associate Artistic Director for the Limón Company.

In 1991, she joined The Boston Conservatory Dance Division faculty and as one of the main reconstructors, stages 13 major Limón works, as well as on Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, Compania Nacional de Bailado de Portugal, Royal Swedish Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, among others.

Jennifer is a legendary coach and worked with: Rudolf Nureyev, Alexander Godunov, Erik Bruhn, and the list continues to grow. She is on the regular Dance Division faculty at The Boston Conservatory. She is a certified Alexander teacher.

She is a founding member of Summer Dance, and returns to SD '10 for the 11th time.

Adriana Suárez

"Adriana is a petite powerhouse with gorgeous line and enough power and energy to launch a rocket ship." -Clint Hamblin, Back Bay Guide

Session 1: Ballet 2, Pointe, Gyrotonics

Born into a family of dancers in Caracas, Venezuela, Adriana Suárez began her training at the age of 10. Her first teacher was her mother, Celia Inés Marino, who is the Director of the Ballet Department at the Alvin Ailey School.

Suarez continued her studies at the School of American Ballet and, in 1989, became a member of Boston Ballet. In 1994, she became a principal dancer and her artistry has been unequalled in productions of The Sleeping Beauty, Le Corsair, Giselle, Onegin, Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, as well as works by Balanchine, Nacho Duato, Mark Morris, Christopher Wheeldon, Rudi van Dantzig and Stanton Welch.

In addition to her dance career, Suárez is married to dancer Gianni DiMarco and is mother to their two children: Gianna (born 2000) and Adriano (born 2004). She is also certified in Gyrotonics.

Suárez returns to Summer Dance '10 for her fifth time.

Donna Silva

"She brings to the classroom true professionalism, an upbeat, energetic personality, and a thoroughly thought-out knowledge of her subject--classical ballet."
-Gretchen Ward Warren, Professor, University of Southern Florida

Session 2: Ballet 3, Pointe, Stott Pilates

Donna Silva trained with Leila Crabtree of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Metropolitan Opera Ballet of New York, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, American Ballet Theatre School and American Ballet Center.

Silva performed throughout America and Europe with the Manhattan Festival Ballet, Radio City Music Hall, as a soloist with the Joffrey Ballet, as principal dancer with the First Chamber Dance Company and Bern State Theatre of Switzerland. Silva has made numerous guest appearances including the White House for President Johnson; The king and I, West Side Story and On The Town; with the Akar Dance Group and Il Cerchel Magic of Switzerland. Silva has worked directly with such well known choreographers as Robert Joffrey, Gerald Arpino, Charles Bennett, Kurt Jones, Eliot Feld, David Blair, Agnes DeMille, Paul Sanasardo, Alvin Ailey, Joe Layton, Tod Bolender, Leonide Massine, Anna Sokolow, Anne Schlotz, Ted Shawn, Alexandra Danilova and LaMeri.

Teaching experience includes the Bern State Theater Ballet Company, Zurich Ballet Company (Ballet Mistress), Mark Morris Dance Group, Dance Academy Silva (founder and director, Switzerland), First Chamber Ballet Dance Company and Portland Ballet Company and School. Silva is on the Dance Division faculty at The Boston Conservatory, and is certified and teaches Stott Pilates.

Donna returns to Summer Dance '10 for her forth time.

De Ama Battle

Session 1 and 2: African

De Ama founded the Boston company, Art of Black Dance and Music. She made her first journey to Africa in 1972, and returns regularly to study, perform and teach the roots of the African and American dance traditions.

Her teachers include Dr. Pearl Primus, Raymon Syllah, Khatab Cissoko, Ibrahim Camara, Jean Marie Diatte (West Africa); Abraham Adzinya (Ghana), Lavinia Williams (Haiti), Rex Nettleford, Cedric Brooks (Jamaica)…and the list goes on.

As an educator she has designed and implemented culturally and artistically diverse educational programs for grades K-12, as well as lectures and courses for colleges and adult institutions throughout New England, Ohio, New York, Jamaica and Brazil.

As a cultural ambassador, she traveled to Senegal, W. Africa with the African Development through Drum and Dance (A3D) to present 10 computers to underprivileged children’s group and 10 sewing machines to a woman’s facility.

She has received countless awards among them: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Mount Ida College (1996), The Commonwealth Award by the MCC (1995), Achievement in the Arts Award by the League of African American women (1993), Elliot Norton Award (1992)…and the list continues.

De Ama teaches for SD’10 for the first time. 

Wyatt Jackson

Session 1 and 2: Hip Hop

Wyatt Jackson began performing with his own hip-hop group in 1980. His performing credit includes: Body and Soul (European tour with George Faison, Mercedes Ellington, and Andre Heller), WGBH Children’s Program (featured and choreographed for Zoom, and shares an Emmy Award with the crew for Fetch, and Design Squad), Black and Blue (European tour), Heaven and the Homeboy (with George Faison), and Divas Live VHI (with Aretha Franklin and Janet Jackson).

He has recorded with Warner Brother Records (director: Michael Douglas), and the hip-hop/r&b duo, Here and Now which released two hit songs: Are you Ready, and Tastin’
Love Again. Wyatt did the soundtrack for Paramount Pictures Losing Isaiah.

Wyatt has founded the hip-hop activist multi-media 4Peace with local musicians, and Wyatt Jackson 2.0 (WJ 2.0) which is the tagline for his company’s creative approach to performing and teaching “Open/Collaborate/Create.”

His teaching includes: Ailey Camp Boston, Boston Youth Moves, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival among many. He teaches on the regular Dance Division faculty at The Boston Conservatory, and teaches for SD’10 for the first time.


Julia Boynton

Session 1 and 2: Tap

Julia Boynton has been teaching, choreographing and performing tap dance in Boston for many years. Her affiliation with The Boston Conservatory began as a faculty member of the Dance Division under Ruth S. Ambrose.

She was a principal dancer with Brian Jones’ All Tap Revue in Providence, Rhode Island. The Boston Herald wrote: “They have been called the Fred and Ginger of the evening, sizzling their way through a pas de deux of south and rhythm.”

Boynton was a founding member of the Portsmouth, NH jazz quartet, Stop Time. In 1994-1995, she toured internationally and nationally with Manhattan Tap under the directorship of Heather Cornell, culminating in performances at New York’s Lincoln Center.

She has conducted workshops and residencies in Brazil, Venezuela, and Mexico. In the U.S., she taught at Jacob’s Pillow, Harvard Summer Dance Center, MIT, Leon Collins Studio, Boston College, the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, and Florida Dance Festival, just to name a few. Currently, she teaches on the faculty of Harvard Dance Program. JuliaOnTap produces major tap events in Boston, which includes hosting “Monthly Tap Jams at Springstep.”

Boynton joins Summer Dance for the eighth time.