A a | a B : B E N D

Described by NPR Music as “a trumpeter of deep expressive resources and a composer of kaleidoscopic vision,” Ambrose Akinmusire has made a home at the crossroads of different musical forms and languages, from post-bop and avant-garde jazz to contemporary chamber music and hip-hop to singer-songwriter aesthetics. He began recording for Blue Note in 2011, earning widespread acclaim for his albums when the heart emerges glistening (produced by Jason Moran), the imagined savior is far easier to paint, A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard, Origami Harvest (top albums of 2018, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Los Angeles Times), and on the tender spot of every calloused moment (2021 Grammy nominee, best jazz instrumental album).

Akinmusire has also created music for film and television projects including the new Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal series Blindspotting; appeared as a featured soloist with the legendary artists Archie Shepp and Roscoe Mitchell; and made signal contributions to groundbreaking albums including Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl, Brad Mehldau’s Finding Gabriel, and Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. He also played on Joni Mitchell’s 2014 release Love Has Many Faces, and in 2018 accompanied Chaka Khan, James Taylor, and other luminaries honouring Mitchell in a gala concert documented on Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration. Akinmusire received his second Grammy nomination, this time for best improvised solo on Carrington’s 2022 release, New Standards Vol 1. In 2024, Akinmusire signed to Nonesuch records and released the critically acclaimed Owl Song—the first of three records Akinmusire will release over the next few years.

Aszure Barton is a choreographer, director, and innovator who began dancing at age three. With training spanning from tap and African dance to Scottish Highland and character, she's been producing dances since her days as a student at Canada's National Ballet School. In the early 2000s, she founded Aszure Barton & Artists | AB&A — the core of her choreographic voice and an ongoing creative hub described by the US National Endowment for the Arts as “watching the physical unfurling of the human psyche.” While AB&A remains her artistic home, Barton’s reach extends globally. She has collaborated with celebrated artists and companies such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, María Pagés, Cyndi Lauper, Volker Bertelmann (Hauschka), Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, English National Ballet, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Hamburg Ballet, Limón Dance Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, National Ballet of Canada, Nederlands Dans Theater, Sydney Dance Company, Teatro alla Scala, and others. Among her celebrated works, Mere Mortals premiered at San Francisco Ballet in collaboration with DJ Floating Points and Hamill Industries, marking the first full-length ballet by a female choreographer in the company’s 90-year history. Barton is currently Resident Artist at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and House Choreographer at Gauthier Dance at Theaterhaus Stuttgart — partnerships  that expand her choreographic web while remaining grounded in AB&A’s ethos. She has received numerous honors, including a Bessie Award for her work BUSK and the prestigious Arts & Letters Award. Barton was the first Martha Duffy Resident Artist at Baryshnikov Arts Center and is also an official ambassador of contemporary choreography in Canada.
 

Jonathan E. Alsberry began dance and music training with his mother at Agape Dance Center and later graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts. He earned his BFA from The Juilliard School, where he met choreographer Aszure Barton—launching a long-standing creative partnership. Known as “Jojo,” he is currently the Senior Rehearsal Director and Director of Summer Intensives at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. He is also a Creative Associate with Aszure Barton & Artists, assisting in numerous creations for companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Hamburg Ballet, Malpaso, and La Scala Ballet. He joined the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 2007 and continues to serve as a stager and teaching artist. Jojo has appeared as a soloist with The Metropolitan Opera Ballet and Lyric Opera of Chicago in several productions, and most recently, LA Opera. Other companies include Luna Negra Dance Theater, The Chase Brock Experience and Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company. International performance credits include Mikhail Baryshnikov’s Hell’s Kitchen Dance, Evolution with Alessandra Ferri, and Despertares with Isaac Hernández. Teaching and choreographic credits include Arts Umbrella, The School at Jacob’s Pillow, The Juilliard School, Springboard Danse and University of California Irvine.
First worked with aB: 2004

American-Canadian dancer Nora Brown trained at the Boston Ballet School and Manhattan Youth Ballet before performing with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, and Ballett im Revier. From 2015 to 2022 she was a member of Gauthier Dance at Theaterhaus Stuttgart and began working with Aszure Barton & Artists in 2023. Nora has originated roles in works by Aszure Barton, Sharon Eyal, Marco Goecke, Marcos Morau, Cayetano Soto, Marie Chouinard, and Nacho Duato and performed repertoire by Ohad Naharin, Mauro Bigonzetti, Hans van Manen, David Dawson, and George Balanchine, among others. Nora also holds a bachelor’s in art history and a master’s in curating from the Zurich University of the Arts.
First worked with aB: 2023

Tobin Del Cuore began his artistic journey in dance. He attended The Juilliard School and after graduating, joined the artists of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, where he danced for six years. Del Cuore has since performed with Aszure Barton & Artists, The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, The Metropolitan Opera, BalletX, Alessandra Ferri Dance, Houston Grand Opera, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, and SFDanceworks. In 2011, Del Cuore founded his production company, Imagination + Muscle, producing and directing numerous music videos, documentaries, commercials, promos, dance films, and multi-camera live performance captures. He works closely with Aszure Barton, assisting in new creations, staging existing work, and creating video projections. 
First worked with aB: 2010

Jeff Docimo is a New York based performer and creator. He was a member of Punchdrunk's production 'Sleep No More' from 2015 to 2024, and is currently working with Aszure Barton. Docimo has also worked with artists such as Bryan Arias, Madboots Dance, and Peter Chu. He has been featured in music videos for artists such as T-Pain, Rick Ross, and Dave Mackay.
First worked with aB: 2021 

Abdiel Figueroa Reyes was born and raised in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, before moving to the United States in 2011. He graduated from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts with a Dance Major in 2016, then joined Contemporary West Dance Theater as an apprentice. In 2019, he became a company member of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, where he continued to develop his artistry until 2024. Figueroa's achievements include being named one of the "Top 25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine in 2020 and he was awarded the Princess Grace Award in 2022. Recently, he was featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Local Chicago 2023 for his aspirations towards innovative dance. He is excited to follow Aszure Barton and Artists as a freelancer performer, while simultaneously developing his choreographic voice. 
First worked with aB: 2017

Jennifer Florentino, born in Paterson, NJ, is a storyteller with a multidisciplinary career in dance, theater, TV and film. She received her BFA in Dance from Point Park University. Recent credits include world premiere, A a | a B: BEND and Kidd Pivot’s Assembly Hall by Crystal Pite & Jonathan Young. Florentino was also involved in the development of Broadway productions such as Moulin Rouge The Musical, Justin Peck’s Illinoise and Once Upon a One More Time. Her artistic career has allowed her to perform across the country. Television/Film credits include Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, Kiss of a Spider Woman, Smile 2, Up Here, Modern Love, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Isn't It Romantic, Kennedy Center Honors (Gloria Estefan), and SNL. Theater: Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl, Life & Trust, Only Gold, Evita and On Your Feet (1st National) Dance Companies: Aszure Barton & Artists, Kidd Pivot and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater.
First worked with aB: 2016

Zack Gonder grew up near Chicago and trained at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, under the tutelage of Randy Duncan. He graduated from the Juilliard School in 2018 where he performed works by Austin McCormick, Aszure Barton, Pam Tanowitz, Richard Alston, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano and Crystal Pite. In 2024, he was in the Broadway show Illinoise, choreographed by Justin Peck, at the St. James Theater, as well as its Off Broadway runs at the Park Avenue Armory and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He has performed with Pam Tanowitz Dance, Brian Brooks Moving Company, Mark Morris Dance, PARA.MAR Dance, Zvi Dance, and most recently, toured with Twyla Tharp Dance for her Diamond Jubilee.
First worked with aB: 2015

James Gregg is a distinguished international dancer, choreographer, and creative visionary. Hailing from Oklahoma and residing in Los Angeles, Gregg stands as a sought-after collaborator in contemporary dance. Having worked with respected dance companies and artists, Gregg has danced with Aszure Barton & Artists, Rubberband Dance Group, Rubberlegz, Bodytraffic, BJM Danse, Anne Plamondon Productions, and River North Dance Chicago. Performing works by renowned choreographers like Aszure Barton, Barak Marshall, Crystal Pite, and more, he's amassed significant experience. Gregg's choreography has been featured by Hubbard Street Dance Company, Whim W'him, Ballet X, Arts Umbrella, Edmonton Ballet, and Springboard Danse Montreal. His talent transcends the stage, creating works for TV, film, and music videos such as Peacemaker, Cirque Du Soleil at Sea, and Kresha Turner's "Love Again." He also collaborates closely with Aszure Barton as an assistant and stager. Recognized with the Princess Grace Works in Progress Award, Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award, and New American Talent Choreographic Contest, Gregg's expertise shines through numerous accolades. His passion for dance and drive to innovate movement and artistry continue to inspire audiences and peers alike.
First worked with aB: 2005

Taylor LaBruzzo is a freelance dancer, teacher, and dance rehearsal director/assistant based in New York City. She has performed across the country with Brian Brooks Moving Company, has recently worked with Pam Tanowitz Dance, and collaborates regularly with Aszure Barton as a dancer, assistant, and stager. She has taught at summer intensives such as Canyon Concert Ballet, Steps on Broadway, School of American Ballet, and Nevada Ballet Theatre, and she spent the past four years working at Juilliard as the dance division’s first ever Rehearsal Assistant. In 2023, LaBruzzo was part of the world premiere of A a | a B : B E N D by Barton and Ambrose Akinmusire at Kampnagel in Hamburg, Germany. She has staged Barton’s work at Houston Ballet, Canada’s National Ballet School, Arts Umbrella, and has assisted Barton during creation at Hamburg Ballet and The Juilliard School. Having grown up in Las Vegas, Nevada, LaBruzzo received her BFA at Juilliard under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes, where she performed works by world-renowned choreographers including Crystal Pite, José Limón, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, and Ohad Naharin. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship.
First worked with aB: 2015

Chicago native Angelina Ramirez (she/her), who began her training with Extensions Dance Company under the direction of Lizzie MacKenzie, has attended summer programs with Hofesh Shechter, b12, Nederlands Dans Theater, Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and Houston Ballet. In 2019, Ramirez was named a YoungArts Silver award winner in Contemporary Dance. At Juilliard, she performed works by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, Aszure Barton, Johannes Wieland, Yue Yin, Camille A. Brown, and others. 
First worked with aB: 2025

Sydney Revennaugh (she/her), originally from Marion, IN, began her dance training at Dancers Edge and Indiana Ballet Conservatory. A 2024 BFA graduate from The Juilliard School, she attended summer programs with Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballet BC, and Arts Umbrella. She was a 2020 YoungArts Finalist and silver medalist in modern/contemporary dance. At Juilliard, she performed works by renowned choreographers including Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, and Kyle Abraham, and was active in Student Choreographic Workshops. Revennaugh recently completed her first season with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago under Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell.
First worked with aB: 2022

Jeff Rowell is a Brooklyn based audio engineer. Originally trained at Stanford's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics with more than a decade of experience recording and mixing for film, music, and theater he is excited to dig into any interesting creative project. His home theater has been the Park Avenue Armory since 2021 but he has worked nationwide with subjects and collaborators including everyone from Liza Minelli to Jamie Hector to Michelle Obama.

Nicole Pearce is a multidisciplinary artist living in Queens, NY. Her work has been seen across the United States, Cuba, England, Germany, Japan, Korea, Italy, New Zealand, and Russia. Recent works include The Look of Love choreographed by Mark Morris with the Mark Morris Dance Group, Catch Me If You Can Directed by Molly Smith with Arena Stage (Helen Hayes Award Nomination), and Children’s Songs by Choreographed by Jessica Lang with American Ballet Theatre. Her installation of 1,000 paintings entitled Tiny Paintings for Big Hearts is open to doctors, nurses, staff, and patients of Elmhurst Hospital in Elmhurst, NY.

After working in the Fine Arts, as an educator in the Israel Museum, and manager of Raw Art, one of Tel Aviv's leading galleries, Amit moved to the music industry, tour managing some of the leading indie artists in Israel and producing some of the most prominent festivals, such as InDnegev, the Jerusalem Jazz Festival and Mekudeshet, focusing on bringing international artists to perform in Israel. Then she moved to the dance world and worked with Batsheva Dance Company as manager of International Touring from 2016-2022, bringing the company's works to some of the biggest stages for contemporary dance. She was also in charge of the marketing of a leading boutique winery in Israel, for which she produced, curated and edited a book about art and wine. She currently resides in Northern California. 

Christopher Gilmore designs for theatre, opera, dance, and live performance. Recent designs include “El Niño: Nativity Reconsidered” (American Modern Opera Company: Opera Omaha, Stanford Live, Yale Schwarzman Center, St. John The Divine), Boston Ballet School: Next Generation 2023 (Boston Ballet), Wine in the Wilderness (co-design Kathy Perkins, Two River Theatre), “Seven Deadly Spins” (La Jolla Music Society), Luke Hickey’s A Little Old, A Little New (The Joyce @ Chelsea Factory, American Dance Festival 2022, New Victory Dance Festival 2023), With Care (AMOC: 92Y), Ensemble Connect Up Close: Through Movement (Carnegie Hall), CAGE (AMOC), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (NYFA). Assistant/Associate: Siegfried (Virginia Opera), Only an Octave Apart (Spoleto Festival USA, Gate Theatre Dublin), La Boheme (Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Philadelphia), Harawi (AMOC: DeSingel, Bayer Leverkusen, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg), Broken Theatre (AMOC: Carolina Performing Arts, OZ Arts Nashville, La MaMa ETC), Assembly (Park Avenue Armory), Trevor: A New Musical (Stage42), Radio Golf (TRT), Log Cabin (Playwrights Horizons), also multiple productions at American Repertory Theatre and Huntington Theatre Company. Proud graduate of Emerson College.

Tony Crawford is a technical director and production manager with more than 15 years of experience in dance and performing arts; select experiences include: Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival (Operations and Production Manager); Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (Technical Director); Twyla Tharp Diamond Jubilee Tour (Production Stage Manager); New York City Ballet (Assistant Technical Director); Brooklyn Academy of Music (Production Coordinator). Crawford also has a BS in Geographic Information Science with an interest in conservation and resiliency of natural resources, and he restores and refinishes mid-century modern furniture.

Bonnie is an award winning lighting designer from Toronto, Canada. She has designed the lighting for over 400 productions for theatre, opera and dance. Her work has been seen in most theatres in Canada including The Shaw Festival, The Stratford Festival, The Canadian Opera, Opera Atelier, Soulpepper theatre, The National Arts Centre, The National Ballet of Canada, Tarragon theatre, The Segal, The Citadel and Ballet British Columbia.  International work includes lighting designs for The Dutch National Ballet,  American Ballet Theatre, The Glimmerglass Opera, The Versailles Royal Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The New Zealand Opera, The Dortmund Ballet, The Royal Flanders Ballet, Ballet du Rhin in Mulhouse,  The State ballet of Georgia, and Ballet Im Reveir in Germany,  Bonnie also designed the lights for 7 world premieres for The Stuttgart Ballet, and  collaborated with the Kevin O'Day Ballet in Mannheim, Germany for 14 seasons  from 2002 to 2016 where she designed the lighting for more than  25 world premieres for the company. Bonnie has received 18 Dora award nominations and has won the award twice.
 

A graduate with a bachelor's degree in Fashion Design from the École Supérieure de Mode, Rémi van Bochove was discovered with his first collection “Les Fleurs d'Opium” presented during the 2017 Fashion and Design Festival. To this day, the collection of Asian and futuristic inspirations has been a resounding success on the Montreal and international scene. Original, fluid, colorful and sometimes cinematic, his creations have been seen in music videos and visuals of several performing artists including Louis-Jean Cormier, Philippe Dunnigan, Apashe, Pierre Kwenders, Mulay, Lubalin, Sarahmée and many more. Van Bochove has created costumes for dance projects such as “La Résistance” by Lydia Bouchard and Merryn Kritzinger, “Animal of Distinction” by Dana Gingras, and “Les chambres des Jacques” by Aszure Barton for Ballets Jazz Montreal. And other creative projects: from C2 Montreal, to “Sakuya Lumina” by Moment Factory in Japan, and Attitude's “Raise the bar” campaign.

Since 1998, Pomegranate Arts has worked in close collaboration with a small group of contemporary artists and arts institutions to bring bold and ambitious artistic ideas to fruition. Creative and executive producers Linda Brumbach and Alisa E. Regas, along with their committed team at Pomegranate Arts, have produced the Olivier Award-winning revival of Einstein on the Beach; Taylor Mac’s epic A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, Holiday Sauce, and now – their third collaboration  together, along with composer Matt Ray – a rock opera meditation on queerness called Bark of Millions; the touring production of Ambrose Akinmusire and Aszure Barton’s A a | a B : B E N D; Available Light by John Adams, Lucinda Childs and Frank Gehry; Robin Frohardt’s The Plastic Bag Store and Shopping Center of the Universe; electronic composer Jlin’s live performances; Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch’s Shockheaded Peter; and the Drama Desk Award-winning production of Charlie Victor Romeo. In recent years, Pomegranate has expanded into non-performative mediums, including the feature documentary film Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music (HBO Original Doc), the film short Taylor Mac: Whitman in the Woods (ALL ARTS), museum installations for Machine Dazzle, the Philip Glass Piano Etudes box set (publisher: Artisan Books). Pomegranate Arts is proud to support worldwide touring for kNoname Artist | Roderick George and North American touring for Batsheva Dance Company and Sankai Juku. www.pomegranatearts.com

Creative & Executive Producer            Linda Brumbach
Creative & Executive Producer            Alisa E. Regas
Senior Producer                                   Rachel Katwan
Operations Consultant                        Kaleb Kilkenny
Administrative Assistant                      Elena Messinger
Production Consultant                        Jeremy Lydic

TO Live is one of Canada’s largest multi-arts organizations, operating three iconic venues: Meridian Hall, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, and Meridian Arts Centre. In addition, TO Live presents a full range of performing arts, theatrical, and concert events at these venues in both downtown and uptown Toronto. With these two hubs of creativity and content creation, TO Live has a unique place and perspective to activate creative spaces by inspiring local and international artists, connecting audiences, stimulating new ideas, and elevating artistic potential, becoming a catalyst for creative expression that is reflective of Toronto’s diversity. www.tolive.com