Body Through Which The Dream Flows

Written and Choreographed by Soomi Kim
Co-directed by Meghan Finn and Soomi Kim
Movement generated by the Company

September 22nd - October 16th

Choreographer and theater artist Soomi Kim reveals her personal history as a veteran gymnastics coach in the aftermath of the Larry Nassar scandal, and the deconstruction of the sport’s governing body. This dance theatre work navigates the sport in the time of #metoo and #cancelculture. Featuring dance and gymnastics inspired movement generated by an ensemble of 6 competitive gymnasts, ranging in age 9-16.

SOOMI KIM
WRITER, CHOREOGRAPHER, CO-DIRECTOR, and PERFORMER

Soomi Kim (she/her) is an actor & movement artist and has conceived (and co-devised with director Suzi Takahashi) a trilogy of work based on under recognized figures Asian American visionaries: Lee/gendary, dictee: bells fall a peal to sky and Chang(e). Chang(e) was developed through the HERE Artist in Residency Program (2012-2015). Dictee: bells fall a peal to sky(dance theatre adaptation of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Dictee) premiered at Culture Project's Women Center Stage Festival in 2012. Lee/gendary ran at HERE Arts Center’s and received a New York Innovative Theater award for Outstanding Production. Kim’s autobiographical dance theatre show, MLCG (My Little China Girl) was commissioned by Dixon Place (2017) and was awarded with an “Aggy Award” for best solo performance. Body Through Which the Dream Flows falls in line with Kim’s inclination to work in a biographical narrative and hybrid forms, using devising techniques to generate choreography and text. Awards/residencies: The Deceleration Lab Artist (The Assembly Theater), CRS grantee, Orchard Project's Greenhouse Lab (2020-21), Dixon Place commission (2017), HERE A.I.R. (2015), , Marble House A.I.R. (2019), Hemispheric Institute (2014), Asian Arts Initiative (2012 & 2013), Mabou Mines A.I.R. (2014), NPN’s Creation and Forth Fund. Kim has been featured in the NY Times, Huff Post, Timeout NY, Korea Times, NPR’s WHYY Radio and TDR (the Drama Review).

In 2018 Soomi was invited to give a clinic at the National Gymnastics Congress on Floor Routine Choreography utilizing techniques that she has developed through theatre making, She coined it “Devising Floor.” The same year she was named Coach of the Year at Chelsea Piers, NY and is the founder of GymKim Choreo LLC, a floor choreography and dance service for competitive female gymnasts and coaches. Working with the gymnasts in Body.. as well as her Creative Dance Workshop has been a transformative experience.

NORA AVCI
PERFORMER

Nora Avci (gymnast/dancer) is a 10 year old, big-hearted NYC girl with big dreams. She finished 5th grade and the accelerated math program on honor roll. Nora was a USAG gymnast, training level 7, who enjoyed bars and placed 3rd all-around at her last state championships. After a year full of injuries, ending with a "mild" L5 back fracture, she switched gears to pursue fencing, dance, and visual arts. A talented dancer in BAE's pre pro program, she has recently discovered a love for hip hop, jazz, and popping, recently dancing in a music video for Sonica. In her spare time, she is learning Turkish, Latin, and Korean. No, she wasn't a kpop fan. Although, now, she is Kpop krazy...don't get her started about Stray Kids! She is just SO excited to be working with Soomi Kim, a person who has had a huge impact on Nora.

ALEXANDRA BELLER
CHOREOGRAPHY CONSULTANT

Alexandra Beller has been Choreographer for “Sense and Sensibility” (Sheen Center, Judson Gym, Folger Shakespeare Library, American Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage), for which she won a Helen Hayes Award, Lortel Nomination, and IRNE nomination for Best Choreography. She choreographed the Off Broadway musical, “The Mad Ones” (Kerrigan/ Lowdermilk) (59E59), Bedlam’s “Peter Pan” (Duke Theatre), “Two Gentlemen of Verona” (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival), “As You Like It” (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Folger Shakespeare Library), “How to transcend a happy marriage” by Sarah Ruhl (Lincoln Center Theatre), “The Young Ladies of...” (Taylor Mac), “Chang(e)” (Soomi Kim at HERE Arts), and others. Current projects include choreographing “Antonio’s Song” (by Dael Orlandersmith and Antonio Suarez) for CATF and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. Her critically acclaimed international performance career includes 7 years with the Bill. T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and projects with Martha Clarke, John Turturro, and others. She created Alexandra Beller/Dances in 2001 and has created over 40 original Dance Theatre works, both for her own and other companies. Her choreography has been presented at theatres throughout the US and in Korea, Hong Kong, Oslo, Cyprus, St. Petersburg, and Poland. Alexandra currently holds a BFA in Dance, MFA in Dance and CMA (Certified Movement Analyst) in Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals. She is on the faculty of Princeton University, Montclair State University’s graduate program, and frequently adjunct teaches at Universities in NYC including Barnard College, Rutgers University, The New School, and Alvin Ailey Dance Center at Fordham University.

OLIVIA BLANCA CARABALLOSO
PERFORMER

Olivia Blanca Caraballoso (gymnast/dancer) is an 8th grade NYC public middle school student. She is a level 7 (training to level 8) gymnast at Chelsea Piers NYC. She started her gymnastics journey at 8 years old and discovered her passion for the performing aspect of the sport. She manages the rigorous training schedule and is top of her class academically. Olivia has spent the last year and half as a student in Soomi Kim's Creative Dance Workshop For Gymnasts and has been a cast member in previous workshops of Body...and takes dance classes at Ballet Hispancio. You can see her dance in the female trio SONICA’s soon to be released music video “Doyenne.” Olivia is a dual language student fluent in Spanish and enjoys spending time with her large family, dancing, gymnastics, drawing and is a NY Jets fan!

JULIE CAI
STAGE MANAGER

Julie Cai (she/they) is an actor, stage manager, theater technician, and NYU Tisch alum, currently based in Brooklyn. During their time at NYU, Julie co-founded the All Asian Arts Alliance, the first inter-departmental affinity group for AAPI students. She continues to make art that uplifts their community of queer, BIPOC artists. Outside of the theater, Julie also enjoys cooking, doing the New York Times Crossword, and peeking out the window when her train crosses the bridge. Julie is thrilled to work on Body Through Which the Dream Flows with these talented girls and is grateful for this wonderful creative team. She hopes you enjoy the show! Website: www.julie-cai.com

MIKE CASSEDY
COMPOSER

Mike Cassedy is a Brooklyn-based composer and pianist. He has performed, recorded and toured regularly with ensembles of various genres including guitarist and prog legend Francis Dunnery, minimalist ensemble Build, singer/songwriter Mary Bragg, rock band Sky White Tiger and his own co-led project East West Quintet. Theater Composing Credits include: Mac Wellman's: The Invention of Tragedy (The Flea Theater, 2019), Mac Wellman's: The Lesser Magoo (Brooklyn College, 2019), Manufacturing Mischief: A Noam Chomsky Puppet Play (Pedro Reyes at The Tank, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, The Power Plant Art Gallery/Canadian Stage, Serpentine Gallery London, Museo Jumex Mexico City, Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, The Night of Philosophy at the Brooklyn Public Library, the Savannah College of Art and Design), Daredevil (The Brick, 2014), Detroit Blues (Mt. Vernon Theater, 2014), Him (Walkerspace, 2008). Film and Television Credits include: Prometheus Bound (film adaptation 2021), Sidelined (Short Film 2019), Change for Change (Short Film 2019), The Movie House on Main (Documentary 2018), Madre Maria (Short Film 2018), Sucker (Short Film 2018), Barren (Short Film 2018), Half Life (TV Series 2018-2019), 16 Words or Less (Short Film 2017)

AI CLANCY
PERFORMER

Ai Clancy (gymnast/young Soomi) is 9 years old and Body... marks her first theatrical performance! This past winter/spring she was a participant in Soomi’s Creative Dance Workshop For Gymnasts. Soomi was her coach at age 4 as a Hot Shot at Chelsea Piers NY! She is now a level 6 gymnast (training 7) at Gotham Gymnastics in Brooklyn. This fall, she will begin the 4th grade at Ballet Tech and will continue her gymnastics at Gotham. She likes rollerblading and ice skating, but really wants a Toy poodle and to get her ears pierced! Her parents say when she becomes more responsible and achieves a big goal, her dream will come true!!

MEGHAN FINN
CO-DIRECTOR

Meghan Finn (she/her) is the Artistic Director of The Tank. She previously served as the Associate Artistic Director at 3LD Art & Technology Center. Her directorial work has been seen at the Tank, the V&A, Serpentine Galleries, The Wexner Center, SCAD, The Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago, Museo Jumex Mexico City, The Power Plant, Canadian Stage, Carnegie Mellon, Brooklyn College, MIT, NYU, the Great Plains Theater Conference and others. She has directed three world premieres by playwright Mac Wellman, including most recently The Invention of Tragedy (2019). Other recent credits include: I Am Nobody a new musical by Greg Kotis at The Tank; as well as The Nine Dreams: Blake & the Apocalypse by writer Nick Flynn (film). She directed a short film by playwright Peggy Stafford called 16 Words or Less which has been screened at indie film festivals nationally and in Europe. She is a frequent collaborator of conceptual artist and sculptor Pedro Reyes, and directed Doomocracy for Creative Time. Finn collaborated with photographer Mitch Epstein on a live performance with cellist Erik Friedlander as well as celebrated premieres by Erin Courtney, Peggy Stafford, Gary Winter, Ben Gassman, Alexandra Collier, Carl Holder, Eliza Bent and Cori Copp. When We Went Electronic by Caitlyn Saylor Stephens which premiered at The Tank in 2018 toured in 2021 to The Roes Theater in Athens Greece and OnStage! Festival Rome and Milan. She holds a BA in Theater from The University of Southern California and an MFA in Directing from Brooklyn College.

SARAH GANCHER
DRAMATURG

Sarah Gancher is a playwright who loves epic stories, big ideas, and deep comedy. Her most frequent subject is how history is reflected in individual lives—how places, communities, and debates evolve over time. Her plays have been produced or developed at London’s National Theatre, Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre, The Public, New York Theater Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, The Vineyard, The Atlantic, Berkeley Rep, Steppenwolf, New York Stage and Film, Ars Nova, WP Theatre, The Flea, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Hartford Stage, RoundHouse, Mosaic (DC), P73, NYC Summerstage, and Telluride Theatre, among others. She has been a Time Warner Fellow at the WP Playwrights Lab, a member of P73’s writer’s group, a Playwrights' Realm Writing Fellow, a member of the Orchard Project's Greenhouse Lab, and a member of the Ars Nova Play Group. She is a resident at New Dramatists.

MADISON RODRIGUEZ
PERFORMER

Madison Rodriguez (gymnast/dancer) started her gymnastics journey at Chelsea Piers NY at the age of 2 and is currently a level 8/9 gymnast. Madison also started dancing at the age of 2 and has been a long time student at Alvin Alley’s pre-professional program. She loves that she’s able to do both things that she has so much passion for. Madison was in Soomi Kim’s first dance theatre workshop for gymnasts in 2018 and has been a regular student in her Creative Dance Workshop For Gymnasts. She will be an 8th grader this fall at The Center School (Upper Westside) and enjoys school because she’s a social butterfly! In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family, arts & crafts, making jewelry and baking. She enjoys life and is a ball of fun!

ADAM ROGERS
COMPOSER/GUITARIST

A native New Yorker, Adam Rogers has been the guitarist of choice for an array of the some of the greatest names in music: Michael Brecker, Joe Jackson, Ravi Coltrane, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, among many others. He has appeared on over 250 albums. Most recently Adam has been a member of Steely Dan participating in the summer 2022 “Earth after hours” tour. He was also the guitarist in the 2021 premiere in of Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” at the Metropolitan Opera. He will continue his association with the Met taking part in the premiere production of Terence Blanchard’s “Champion” in spring 2023. Adam has released 7 albums of original music as a bandleader to critical acclaim. " Body Through Which the Dream Flows" is Roger’s 5th collaboration with Soomi Kim.

ZËK STEWART
SOUND DESIGN

Zëk Stewart (they/them) was a resident artist with the Pillow Project, an experimental dance company. With them, they performed in 2084 (Redlight), Dirty Swan (Siegfried) and The Jazz Furnace (a 12 hour post-modern dance performance staged in the last blast-furnace in Pittsburgh). In NYC they have worked with NatlieInMotion, Witness Relocation, Alexandra Beller and Soomi Kim on new works of experimental theatre. Their work often questions the nature of reality and the malleability of social constructs played out in visceral display. They also reports about TTRPG news and design cocktails! Zëk has a B.A. in Musical Theatre from Point Park University.

SHAYNA WILSON
PERFORMER

Shayna Wilson (gymnast/dancer) is a 13 years old level 9 competitive gymnast at Chelsea Piers NY and her favorite events are floor and bars. She was formerly an Alvin Ailey dancer and gave it up to focus exclusively on gymnastics. She has always loved dancing and was excited to be part of the Body... Shayna is an eighth grader at The Clinton School and a member of the National Junior Honor Society. Her favorite subjects in school are math and science and is especially interested in space. Her goal is to be a competitive College gymnast and hopes to to work in the field of Astronomy someday!