October 30th and November 1st at 7:30pm
Arthur Miller Theatre
Walgreen Drama Center
1226 Murfin Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
FREE and OPEN to the Public
THE LONG FALL was made possible by a generous RCI grant from The University of Michigan and the commitment of VIM VIGOR DANCE COMPANY, as a company in residence at the U-M dance department, to provide professional opportunities for rising artists at the University. This work will premiere at Michigan before touring a new iteration to be realized with international artists at MAVERICKS at dock 11 in Berlin, produced by b12 Festival with performances running June through July 2026.
CAST & COLLABORATORS
Concept and Direction: Shannon Gillen
Choreography: Jason Cianciulli and Shannon Gillen, in collaboration with the performers
Choreographic Assistant: Katherine Kiessling
VIM VIGOR COMPANY: Jason Cianciulli, Tzveta Kassabova, Katherine Kiessling, Samy Navarez, Caitlyn Wade
Guest Performance: Ruby Clay, Audrey De Guia, Emerson Forbes, Leah Kropp, Rachel McNaughton, Liam Meister, Ava Menzel, Melisa Orduna, Olga Rabetskaya, Jessica Serres, Angelica White
Sound Score: Marshall Chadbourne in collaboration with Shannon Gillen
Lighting Design: Jess Fialko
Set Design: Jungah Han
Original Text: Shannon Gillen
Backstage Operations Manager: Tiff Crutchfield
You are falling, but you never land.
THE LONG FALL imagines a world suspended in contradiction – a space of constant motion where characters shift form, time loops without resolution, and realities collide. Inspired by the existential absurdity of being alive, the failures of assigned roles, and the blurred boundaries between play and performance, the work explores the combustible territory between childhood imagination, adult consequence, and theatrical illusion.
What does it mean when children play at war, or love, or death – enacting dramas they barely understand? And what happens when those same dramas become real, lived, or staged? Is the stage any less real than the battlefield, the bedroom, or the family dinner table? THE LONG FALL lives in this surreal overlap, where innocence and impact are tangled, where performance is both survival and surrender.
Set against an original electronic score by Marshall Chadbourne, the myth of the American mission – of family, of purpose, of safety – fractures. No promise can truly be kept. No victory comes without shadow. And still, we try. We fail. We try again. Our lives tumble forward in the chaotic current of time, and even as we fall through space, we brazenly and optimistically reach for one another. These exquisite moments of connection, caught between descent and delay, are the flashes of meaning against all odds.
My process begins with the body. Behavior that rises into high physicality becomes a portal into the surreal, emotional, and mythic. The pressure between bodies becomes a kind of truth-teller. The audience is present – not just as observers, but as witnesses, co-dreamers, and sometimes accomplices.
Creation is collaborative, volatile, and alive. I bring movement, text, images, themes, and tasks; the ensemble brings their interpretations – wild, grounded, broken, ecstatic. We construct a world from fragments and contradictions. A world that drifts between war-torn realities and absurd dream-states. Where the nuclear family is both icon and ruin. Where love is earnest and unspeakable. Where we fail beautifully, collapsing forward, haunted and held.
THE LONG FALL does not seek to tell a linear story, but to inhabit a state – a falling, looping, breaking, trying. It is a meditation on fragile persistence, on the way human beings continue inside impossible conditions. How even when the promise has been broken, the mission has failed, the family has splintered, we keep playing. Over and over, bending time into childlike loops: Are we there yet?
VIM VIGOR CAST:
Shannon Gillen is the artistic director of VIM VIGOR (US). Her creative work has been commissioned across the USA, Canada, Central America, South America and Europe. Projects include commissions by L.A. Dance Project, dance.films for BAM, fashion label Phelan for NY Fashion Week, Danceworks at the Lobero Theatre, Hubbard Street 2, Gibney Dance Company, over het lj in (NL), Jacob's Pillow Festival, Boston Dance Theater at the ICA in Boston, Ruvuelo (Chile), Mainfranken Theater Würzburg (DE), Arts Umbrella in Vancouver (CA), the International Solo-Tanz Theater Festival in Stuttgart (DE), the TIF theater in Kassel (DE, de dansers (NL), as a think big choreographer-in-residence at Staatsoper Hannover (DE) and at Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton where she was a choreographer in residence; notable festivals and venues where her work has been seen include Springboard Danse festival in Montreal, New York Live Arts, Prisma Festival in Panama, Judson Church, PULSE art fair/Art Basel, Bryant Park, NYC's River to River festival, Perry Mansfield, and The Joyce. Gillen was recently commissioned to create new works for the IUA in Reykjavik, Iceland, the b12 Festival in Berlin, IAB in Spain, Michigan Movement, Vassar College and Resilience Company, In 2026 she will create new works for The University of Limerick in Ireland and return to the IAB and LUZ / SITGES in Spain, MAVERICKS in Berlin, and Michigan Movement. Gillen is an Associate Professor of Dance at the U-M and through VIM VIGOR’s new space Arts Assembly A2 is establishing a midwest hub for contemporary practices with open classes, children’s programming and annual professional winter / summer trainings. Gillen is a graduate of The Juilliard School and earned her MFA from Tisch School of the Arts, NYU.
Jason Reese C. is a Psycho-Physical Theatre Artist whose research is grounded in Floorwork, Partnering and Physical Theatre. He is a teacher, performer, bodyworker and creator who aims to make worlds, sculpt space and tell stories. As an international performer he has worked throughout the United States and many other countries, including Canada, Panama, Germany, and Romania. He holds a License in Massage Therapy in both Michigan and Pennsylvania, working in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Craniosacral, and Myofascial Release Techniques. Jason is a co-choreographer with VIM VIGOR. He holds a BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase and an MFA in dance from the University of Michigan. After receiving his BFA, Jason returned to SUNY Purchase to teach as a lecturer. With VIM he has taught at various institutions throughout the globe, creating work and teaching VIM’s Physical Dance Theater Methodology. He most previously was teaching at the University of Iceland. Jason was a Performer and Rehearsal Director with the iconic immersive show, Sleep No More NYC.
Tzveta Kassabova is a Bulgarian-born choreographer, performer, costume designer, and installation artist named one of the ‘25 to watch’ in 2012 by Dance Magazine. At different times she has been a gymnast, physicist, and meteorologist. Her work has been presented in the US, Europe and Asia. Tzveta has received multiple awards for her performance and choreography. She deeply values collaboration and has worked with composers, visual artists, theater directors, video artists, dramaturges, and even engineers. Tzveta is thrilled to be teaching at the University of Michigan and cherishes the new direction in her artistic and pedagogical efforts applied to the realm of theater. She has always been fascinated by the concept of space, and is consistently trying to address it in her choreography and design.
Katherine Kiessling is a dancer and recent graduate of the University of Michigan, where she earned a double major in Dance and Computer Science. She has trained and performed across the U.S. and Europe with companies including Vim Vigor, b12, Whim W’Him, Sidra Bell, and Christina Mertzani.
In 2024, she traveled to Iceland with Vim Vigor as a choreographic collaborator and assistant rehearsal director for DON’T LET ME DOWN, commissioned by the Iceland University of the Arts. She later performed in the company’s DRACULA at the University of Michigan and MOTHERLOAD during their 2025 London tour, and assisted on commissions at the b12 festival in Berlin and the Institute of the Arts Barcelona. Following her graduation in May 2025, she officially joined Vim Vigor, continuing to support their physical practice and choreographic processes through Michigan Movement Performance Projects.
Samy Nevárez is a dancer, choreographer, and workshop leader with over eight years of experience in contemporary dance. A graduate of the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey, she has received scholarships from programs such as P.A.R.T.S (Brussels) and REVÉS (Costa Rica), and trained with artists including Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich in Valencia. She has performed with groups like “DON CAÑALERO” and CEPRODAC, collaborating with renowned choreographers such as Damien Jalet and Hamid el Kabouss, with performances across Mexico and abroad. Since 2019, she has led her contemporary workshop Cuerpo Abierto in institutions and companies throughout Mexico, England, Costa Rica, and beyond. She co-directs The Rommies and founded La Inquieta, presenting original works such as Very Beauty, Veinte21, and No Estés Triste internationally. Recently completing a residency with the Jasmin Vardimon Company (UK), she now works as a freelance artist focused on developing her own movement language and fostering collaborative creation.
Caitlyn Wade is an artist from Detroit, Michigan. Wade is a 2025 graduate from the University of Michigan where they earned a BFA in Dance, a BA in Linguistics, and a minor in Interdisciplinary Astronomy. Their training places specific emphasis on floorwork, partnering, Gaga, and Humphrey. They have performed works by FLOCKWORKS, Marcat, Rosanna Tavarez, Wideman-Davis, KyungHwa Hong, and FangFei Miao. Additionally, they have worked closely alongside VIM VIGOR, NW Dance Project, RUBBERBAND, and Giordano Dance Chicago. They currently serve as a rehearsal director for Marcat’s recent creation on the University of Michigan Dance Company.
U-M CAST:
Olga Rabetskaya is a multidisciplinary artist from Belarus that currently resides in the United States She works across the US and Europe as dancer, choreographer, director, and photographer whose practice also spans into film and multimedia production. Her work is profoundly influenced by the concept of "The Body as an Archive"—a living vessel that holds the imprints of memory, experience, and transformation.
Liam Meister is so incredibly excited to work with the company of Vim Vigor on The Long Fall! Liam is a Sophomore BFA Acting student and a Political Science double major; his Michigan credits include Red by John Logan and A Few Good Men. He is beyond honored to work with so a remarkable company on such a moving piece! @liam._.meister
Ruby Clay is a Michigan based dancer and performance artist. They graduated from the University of Michigan class of '24, holding a BFA in Dance and minors in History of Art, English, and Performing Arts Management & Entrepreneurship. During undergrad, they worked with choreographers Wideman Davis Dance, Sidra Bell, and Rosanna Tavarez, as well as MARCAT Dance in Seville, ES. Following graduation, they trained with the Jasmin Vardimon Company in the UK as part of JV2, touring pieces choreographed by Victoria Fox, Vinicius Salles, and Jasmin Vardimon, and teaching workshops across the country. Ruby has since participated in choreographic processes with Vim Vigor and MARCAT Dance through the inaugural Michigan Movement Performance Projects, and begun teaching at dance studios in southeast Michigan. Most recently, they participated in the inaugural MediaLiveYpsi (MLY) festival, showing an interdisciplinary performance piece at CYNK Studios in Ypsilanti.
Audrey De Guia is a rising senior at the University of Michigan, pursuing a dual degree in Dance and Neuroscience on the Pre-Med track. She previously trained for 12 years with Eisenhower Dance Detroit, working with members of the professional company to develop a strong technical and artistic foundation. Audrey has performed works by acclaimed choreographers including Shannon Gillen, Mario Bermúdez, Norbert De La Cruz III, Stephanie Pizzo, and Rosanna Tavarez. In 2024, she performed at Dock 11 in Berlin during the b12 festival in a piece by Gabrielle Nankivell and Harrison Elliot. She also trained with Mario Bermúdez and Catherine Coury at MARCAT Dance in Seville, Spain. Audrey merges her passions for art and medicine by organizing performances and creative events for medical students at Michigan Medicine, exploring how movement and healing can intersect.
Emerson Forbes is currently a senior at the University of Michigan pursuing a BFA in Dance and a BA in Communications and Media. Throughout her time at the university she has trained immensely in ballet, floorwork, partnering, modern, compositional techniques, and commercial styles. She has also been given opportunities to work with well known artists such as Biza Sompa and Sean McKnight for the University of Michigan Dance Company. Furthermore, she has spent her summers experiencing additional training through the b12 festival and the Steps on Broadway’s Summer Study where she learned an extensive repertoire from Maura Morales, Edivaldo Ernesto, Cree Barnett Williams, Yasmin Iriel Frione, Vim Vigor, Andrew Winans, Emily Snouffer, Liz Picini, Betty Weinberger, Ellenore Scott, and Billy Griffin. Some of her many accolades include being featured on America's Got Talent; being a gold medalist at the IDO tap championship in Riesa, Germany; and having hip hop choreography featured in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois at the Urbanite Showcase. She aims to utilize the culmination of her versatile training to further deepen her work as a performer and an artist. Emerson is very excited to bring this energy to the Arthur Miller stage and perform in THE LONG FALL!
Leah Kropp (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Michigan. She is pursuing a dual degree with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance and a Bachelor of Science in movement science. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Leah gained extensive training at her local studio, The Moving Company Dance Center, and the performing arts high school, George Washington Carver Center for the Arts and Technology. Currently, in the School of Music, Theater, and Dance at the University of Michigan, Leah recently performed in student thesis work, worked closely with faculty member and artist, Andrea Salazar,and attended the Michigan Movement Performance Project where she trained with professional dance companies, Vim Vigor Dance and Marcat Dance. She is excited to continue her training at U of M exploring her versatility and artistic individuality as a contemporary dance artist.
Melisa Orduna is a versatile dancer from Mexico City, whose movement artistry spans floorwork, jazz, ballet, contemporary, and many other forms. Her love for dance first flourished in El Paso, Texas, before she continued her training in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at Studio 19 Dance Complex. Melisa later joined the pre-professional program at Eisenhower Dance Detroit and completed her high school studies at Juliana’s Dance Academy. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at the University of Michigan, where she has performed in eight BFA senior capstone works. Melisa has worked with esteemed artists including Rosanna Tavarez and Mario & Catherine (Marcat), and in 2023 she traveled to Seville, Spain, to study abroad with Marcat Dance. Her diverse background and cross-cultural training have shaped her into a dynamic performer with a deep curiosity for both technical precision and emotional storytelling.
Rachel McNaughton is a 19 year old junior at the University of Michigan, pursuing her BFA in dance. Born in Southern California, McNaughton trained with The Brea Space, Mallory Academy of Dance, Royal Flux and the School of American Ballet. Aside from her studies at U of M, she teaches and choreographs for Gravity Dance Company and Mallory Academy of Dance. Rachel has a love for inspiring the next generation of dancers and hopes to fuel their artistry while continuing to pursue a career in dance herself.
Ava Menzel, originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Biology. During her time at the university, she has performed in works by Jason Cianciulli, Tzveta Kassabova, and Scott Jennings. Over the summer, she continued her training at the B12 Festival for contemporary dance in Berlin, Germany. In addition to performing, Ava has spent the past three years teaching and choreographing for competitive dance studios.
Jessica Serres is currently a senior at the University of Michigan pursuing a BFA in Dance and a BS in Movement Science. During her time there, she has trained extensively in floorwork, partnering, ballet, modern, improvisation, and compositional techniques. She has also had the opportunity to work closely with Maleek Washington, Tzveta Kassabova, and Robin Wilson for the University of Michigan Dance Company. Additionally, she has spent her summers pursuing additional training through Orsolina 28, Michigan Movement Performance Project, and FLOCK, where she was able to delve into the repertoire of Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke, VIM VIGOR, Marcat Dance, and FLOCK. This year she was named as a choreographer for the University of Michigan First-Year Dance Company. She aims to bring the culmination of her training to further deepen her work as a contemporary dance artist and choreographer.
Angelica White is pursuing a B.F.A in Dance and a minor in Performing Arts Management and Entrepreneurship. She is a current SMTD Wellness Ambassador and leader of Black Scholars in Dance. Born and raised in Indianapolis, she graduated from Brownsburg High School on an honors diploma. For the last 16 years she trained with Stage Door Dance Academy. She has also trained at Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Butler Ballet and New York Dance Project. Since her time at Michigan she has trained at, Dance Kaleidoscopes Pre-Professional Summer Intensive, Vim Vigors Summer Intensive, and B12 summer festival in Berlin, Germany. One of her recent highlights this year was being casted in two pieces for the University of Michigan Dance Company through the department of dance. She was in “The Opposite of Killing” with Tzevta Kassabova, a contemporary, physical theatre piece. The other piece she was a part of was, “Mabanza” with Biza Sompa, a congolese work. She hopes to use her gift of dance to become a choreographer and dance educator. And hopes to be an Occupational Therapist in her future.
VIM VIGOR COLLABORATOR BIOS:
Marshall Chadbourne, based in Portland, Maine, is a Producer and Composer with a focus on electronic compositions and sound design. After graduating from Berklee in 2023, Marshall's love for the collaborative process of turning ideas into auditory experiences has led him to noteworthy achievements. His compositions include original scores for Vim Vigor's “Mother's Love" and “Punchline" for the B12 festival in Berlin, “Size of Darkness" for Power Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Kiley Dolaway's creations for Staatstheater Kassel. Additionally, Marshall recently scored season 3 of the "Gone South" podcast for Cadence 13 productions. Blending technical abilities with a fresh vision, Marshall's approach to music and technology is inspired by both experimental works and commercial productions alike.
Jess Fialko, is a lighting, costume, and scenic designer. Regional credits include: Colorado Springs Conservatory, Theatreworks Colorado Springs, Penobscot Theatre Company, Promethean Theatre Ensemble, Riverside Theatre, Iowa Summer Repertory, Maples Repertory Theatre, Hollins University, University of Northern Iowa, Birmingham Children's Theatre, Davenport Junior Theatre, and Quad Cities Theatre Workshop. Jess is a clinical assistant professor of Theatre & Drama at the University of Michigan, where they teach lighting design and theatre production.
Jungah Han is a New York-based freelance set designer, specializing in Theatre, Film, and Television. Her work spans a wide range of artistic mediums, with recent design credits including Chiaroscuro: A Light and Dark Skin Comedy (Flea Theatre), My Onliness (Sibiu International Theater Festival), The Duat (Philadelphia Theatre Company), Disinform (American Opera House), A Little Night Music (Power Center), Grand Horizon and The Chinese Lady (Tipping Point Theatre), and L’incoronazione di Poppea (Brockman Hall for Opera). Other highlights include The Power of the Dog (Juilliard School), Bernarda Alba (Arthur Miller Theatre), and Don Giovanni (Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre). In addition to her freelance work, Jungah has also contributed as an associate and assistant set designer for several Broadway and international productions, such as Lempicka (Longacre Theatre), The Thanksgiving Play & Kite Runner(Helen Hayes Theatre), Jagged Little Pill (National Tour), The Empire of Light (Théâtre National de Bretagne, France), and Rigoletto (Die Staatsoper Unter den Linden). Her artistic journey has been deeply influenced by mentors like Ming Cho Lee, Ralph Funicello, and Riccardo Hernandez and has led her to expand her creative work beyond theatre into film and immersive art projects.Jungah received her MFA from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale and currently teaches at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She currently serves as an Executive Committee member at the Nam Center for Korean Studies and as a Scenic Design Exam Review Committee member for USA 829.