Welcome to Rising Tide!
At Kindling Productions, we believe in the transformative power of dance to inspire, connect, and uplift. This year’s Rising Tide is a celebration of collaboration and the female choreographic voice, showcasing a diverse collection of works from local and guest artists who embody creativity and courage.
The proverb, “A rising tide lifts all boats,” reminds us of the strength in community and shared growth. Each piece in today’s program highlights the beauty of individuality while weaving together a tapestry of movement, imagination, and storytelling.
We are thrilled to partner with Spokane Civic Theatre for this special event, as part of their 77th season, and to feature the incredible talents of our Inland Northwest artists alongside a guest choreographer, Alicia Mullikin, from Seattle.
Thank you for being here and for supporting the arts in our community. Your presence ensures that dance continues to thrive and that the voices of these artists are celebrated.
Enjoy the performance!
Warmly,
CarliAnn Forthun & Monica Mota
Directors, Kindling Productions
CarliAnn Forthun Bruner is a dancer, choreographer, educator, producer, and multi-disciplinary storyteller of Syilx (Okanogan) band of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Secwepemc (Shuswap), and of mixed-European descent. She received a BFA in dance from Simon Fraser University in 2012 and a MFA in dance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2021. Since receiving her formal education, CarliAnn has been on a scholarly and personal journey to more fully understand her Indigenous heritage, using her dance and embodiment to uncover ways of knowing the world that were once taken from her ancestors. At the root, CarliAnn’s work is a physical investigation of relationships to nature, human beings, and spirit, and stories from the past or of the imagined future.
She often collaborates with artists of other disciplines, creating dance for film, theater, galleries, and performance. She currently is an adjunct professor of dance at Gonzaga University, co-founder of Kindling Productions LLC, and co-founder of Scattered Roots Collective with James Pakootas. As a dance creator, CarliAnn investigates human interactions that are universal and transcend language, exploring the ineffability of life. For more info: carliannforthun.com
Sara Donally has been teaching and choreographing ballet in Spokane for the past twenty five years. She is the Director of Spokane Ballet Studio. Sara was trained in Spokane by Peggy Goodner Tan. Prior to starting Spokane Ballet Sara has worked/choreographed with Spokane Historic Concert Association, Northwest Museum of Arts and Passport To The Arts, Ballet Arts Academy, Theatre Ballet of Spokane, Gonzaga University, Spokane Area Children’s Chorus, Allegro Baroque and Beyond and Alberta Ballet School of Dance. Sara has also danced professionally with Alberta Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Lexington, and Artisan Dance in Helena Montana.
Sara is excited to be a part of Rising Tide. She is proud to join forces with the other choreographers and bring the audience a wonderful performance of dance in Spokane.
Sarah Glesk is a dance educator, choreographer, and dancer from Spokane, WA. She has been a dance adjunct faculty member at Gonzaga University since 2013 and Whitworth University since 2018. Additionally, Sarah is a dance instructor at Spokane Ballet Studio and Artistry Motion, and guest teaches summer intensives at several studios throughout Spokane. Her areas of expertise include ballet, pointe, contemporary/modern, jazz, dance conditioning, and choreography.
Sarah earned a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts, graduating Cum Laude in 2006,
where she performed in such works as Martha Graham’s Diversion of Angels. Her professional dance experience includes performing with companies Zoe Scofield and Juniper Shuey, Alloy Dance Project, Serendip, and Vytal Movement. Sarah also co-founded the CanCan Castaways where she performed and choreographed for the Seattle-based cabaret dinner theater. She has notable choreographic features in Rising Tide, Gonzaga’s annual Spring Dance Concert, Spokane Film Project, 50 Hour Slam, and multiple music videos.
Sarah is excited to be choreographing a new work for this season’s Rising Tide, a co-production by Kindling Productions and Spokane Civic Theater which will be presented in January 2025. This extravagant 25-minute piece is a comedy featuring 17 dancers telling the story of an individual who dreams of being a runway model and explores their experience in the outlandish world of fashion design. In addition, she is the director of the Children’s Company for ODC’s production of Velveteen Rabbit, produced by Gonzaga University Performing Arts Center which will be presented in February 2025.
This fall, Sarah worked on several projects, including choreographing the ballet for the musical “Carousel” at the Spokane Civic Theatre, which opened in September. In October, she created and performed a spooky ballet piece for Kindling Dance Production’s “Ghostlight,” an immersive experience set in the historic Glover Mansion. She also directed one of the Gonzaga Dance Repertory Companies, where she choreographed two pieces that will be toured to local studios in the spring of 2025.
When Sarah is not choreographing, teaching, or dancing, she loves gardening, cleaning, and spending time with her family and friends!
Born in El Paso, Texas, Monica Mota studied dance at the University of New Mexico, earning a B.A. in dance and then a Masters in Teaching from Whitworth University. Monica has danced professionally with the New Mexico Ballet and the Bill Evans Dance Company, coached Seattle Opera dancers taught and Pacific Northwest Ballet and studied flamenco for over twenty five years, including extended studies in Seville and Granada, Spain and with teachers such as Manuel Linan, Eva La Yerbabuena, Manuela Carrasco, Olga Pericet, Fuensanta La Moneta, Concha Jareno, El Torombo, Pastora Galvan and Domingo Ortega. Monica has performed throughout Washington State as well as in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon and Idaho. Monica is the Artistic Director of Quiero Flamenco, a Spokane based dance company that has performed with national and international guest artists, including Jose Moreno, Fanny Ara, Israel Heredia and Jesus Montoya.
Alicia Mullikin is an Indigenous Chicana dance artist, educator, and community organizer. She is the founder of the arts organization EL SUEÑO and the creator of EMBODIED ALTARS, a movement technique that brings Indigenous practices into the dance classroom. She holds a Masters in Dance from Cal State University of Long Beach. As a dancer trained in both classical dance styles and Indigenous Danza Azteca, she is uniquely positioned to support the development of culturally relevant dance curricula with an emphasis on racial literacy and decolonization. Her work brings marginalized identities into dance academia through lived experience, and years of research and exploration. Through all of her work, Alicia aims to empower historically marginalized communities and nurture future ancestors. Her work has been shared from coast to coast at a number of Schools, Institutions, and Studios throughout the U.S. She has partnered with the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, the Henry Art Gallery, the Museum of Northwest Art, the Seattle Center and many others to bring powerful expressions of Mexican Indigenous Identity to the forefront. In 2023 she was one of only fifteen national artists recognized as an Arts Advocacy Leadership Fellow by the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures.
Lexie Powell is a dancer, teacher and choreographer with a passion for education & the arts. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. She has had the pleasure of performing in works by Susan Haines, Penny Hutchinson, Natascha Greenwalt, and Vincas Greene.
Lexie joined Vytal Movement Dance as a founding member in 2016. In 2023, she took on the role of Artistic Director working to feature the voices of many local voices in the company’s intimate performance space and beyond. She is also a pharmacist and assistant professor at WSU’s College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. Lexie is a firm believer in the interconnectedness of art and science and strives to highlight the importance of both in each of her roles.
A key goal of hers is to foster collaboration among artists and continue to grow the dance community in Spokane. Choreographing & performing in the second production of Rising Tide has been a joyful opportunity to aid in this endeavor.
Sofie Boures has been dancing since age 3, starting her ballet training at Ballet Arts Academy at age 4 until age 15, while also taking tap, jazz, and contemporary classes. She has been taking classes from Monica Mota and been a part of the Quiero Flamenco Comapny for the last 7 years. Outside of dance, Sofie is a senior cheerleader at Lewis and Clark High School.
Sarah Braun began her dance career at Spokane’s A Time to Dance and then continued her studies at Whitworth University. She is currently apprenticing with Vytal Movement Dance Company and working towards her Masters Degree in Expressive Arts as Therapy. She is so excited to grow as an artist and participate in Spokane’s art culture!
Clara Buck earned her BA in Communication Studies, Psychology, and Dance from Gonzaga University and is currently pursuing her MA in Communication and Leadership Studies also from Gonzaga. She is the Marketing & PR Assistant for the Gonzaga Theatre and Dance Department. Recent creative endeavors include Jersey Boys (Assistant Choreographer), The Addams Family (Dance Supervisor), and CATS (Staging Supervisor) with Spokane Civic Theatre; Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Choreographer) with My Turn Theater; Siamsa: A Celtic Christmas (Dancer & Assistant Director) with Shamrock Productions; and the Reno Fashion Show (Model). Headshot Photo Credit: Zack Berlat
Ella Carver is currently a competitive dancer at The Edge Dance Company. She is currently working on building up a dance resume to attend a dance college. Her specialty is teaching younger children ballet and lyrical. Lyrical is her passion in the arts and her dream to one day choreograph a piece of her own. She is very excited to participate in this amazing production!
Emily Davis earned her BA in Dance Pedagogy at BYUI and currently choreographs for Ferris high school’s musical theater department. She is so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Rising Tide and meet local creatives and movers.
Malina Davis earned her BFA in Dance at Western Washington University this past June. She is now a dance artist with Vytal Movement Dance and teaches at Dance Motionz here in Spokane! She is very excited to participate more in the Spokane dance community through Rising Tide this year! Photo by Marcus Badgley Photography
Amar Dhaliwal is a former Second Soloist with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. His most notable roles include Carabosse (Maleficent) in The Sleeping Beauty and Zidler in Moulin Rogue. Having retired from professional dance in 2013, he now does high voltage electric work with Avista Utilities. As a member of Quiero Flamenco, he enjoys the opportunity to continue to explore and share a new art form with Spokane audiences.
Cassie Donally has been dancing since she was six years old and loves it! She has also been teaching ballet for two years at Spokane Ballet Studio, where she enjoys instructing and inspiring students through dance. She has been a part of Quiero Flamenco company for the last year and hopes to continue to learn and grow as a dancer.
Emerson Doubet has been dancing for almost nine years. She currently teaches ballet and hip hop at Dance Center of Spokane, as well as choreographs for their competition team.
Marisa Glesk started dance classes at the age of 2, received her BFA with a major in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts in 2005, and is grateful to still be performing today. Marisa works as a Physical Therapist Assistant in home health and skilled nursing, teaches Dance Science and Wellness at Gonzaga University, and occasionally teaches Dance for Parkinson’s at GU. In her free time, she loves spending time with her three daughters and her fiancé, and challenging herself to learn how to dance on roller skates!
Emily Grizzell- In her former life, Emily was a Soloist with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Throughout her career, she performed leading roles in numerous ballets including Juliet in Rudi van Danzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Wendy in Peter Pan, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and Nancy (Cinderella) in Val Caniparoli’s Cinderella. She now trains the next generation of dancers as a faculty member at Spokane Ballet Studio. She is currently enjoying a second act in dance as a member of Quiero Flamenco.
Anna Gyure is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher with Vytal Movement Dance, where she also serves on the Board of Directors and as the Head of Facilities. She is passionate about fusing different styles together to create vibrant works that showcase the joy of dance. When not dancing, she works as a theatrical lighting designer, and has designed for a number of productions including Ballet Arts Academy’s The Nutcracker, Gonzaga Dance’s Pivot, and Vytal Movement’s Reflecting in Color.
Lauren Hovik is a dancer, choreographer, educator, Pilates practitioner, and arts advocate. She was a scholarship recipient at the University of Idaho Dance Program where she graduated magna cum laude with degrees in both Dance and Exercise Science and Health. Lauren is interested in sharing her love of movement through performance and somatic practices.
Sherry Janke loves to dance and is excited to be part of this year’s Rising Tide! Whether it is contemporary, tap, jazz, lyrical, musical theater… you will find her leaping at the chance to dance whenever and wherever she can. She is blessed to be a member of the Praise Dance Ministry at Timberview Church in Mead, and her community theater accomplishments have included Chicago and Chorus Line. #LoveDance #DanceLife #AgeDisruptor #AutisticDancer #DontLimitMe #NeverStopDancing Photo credit: Jessica Van Winkle
Marlena Mizzoni started ballet at the age of 4. She was introduced to the style of Flamenco at 12 years old, and instantly fell in love with the passion and rhythms that the art form possesses. She has been lucky enough to train in Spokane with Quiero Flamenco, and perform with the company in annual productions, as well as help introduce the art form to the city. Dance has been her entire life, and she is so excited to perform with emerging artists in Spokane!
Naelanni Murray is a sophomore at Gonzaga prep high school. She started doing ballet when she was 7 years old at Ballet Arts Academy, followed by contemporary until she was 13. She has been dancing for Monica Mota for 5 years, and was asked to be part of Quiero Flamenco in 2023.
Audrey Parks has been dancing for most of her life and earned a BA in Dance from Gonzaga University. She is ecstatic to be involved in Kindling’s Rising Tide for a second year. When she is not dancing, she is likely listening to music, reading or teaching dance.
Anna Peters grew up dancing in the Seattle area and earned a bachelor of arts in dance and a bachelor of science in biology from the University of Washington. She spent several years on the west side teaching dance, fitting pointe shoes, and performing. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy from Eastern Washington University and has been taking in all the Spokane dance scene has to offer!
Alyssa Pichette is a dancer, aerialist, and actor whose passion lies in storytelling through movement. Dance has always been a part of her life, and she loves exploring new techniques and styles. Her favorite type of performance is one that weaves in expression and audience interactions, so she is very excited to be a part of two wonderful pieces in Rising Tide! Photo Credit: Zak Morse
Rachael Rossbach is a teacher and competitive and contemporary Irish Dancer with The Haran School of Irish Dance. Rachael spent several years performing and touring with Michael Londra’s Celtic Fire, and the PBS special Beyond Celtic. She has been learning Flamenco and dancing under Monica Mota with Quiero Flamenco for the past three years.
Katriel Sahlstrom Smit is originally from Palmer, Alaska, where she began her dance journey. She went on to direct Whitworth’s dance club and currently teaches at Jubilee Dance. Performing in Rising Tide is an upcoming highlight of her dance career, as well as a clinical placement in the new year working with a professional ballet company.
Rowan Sandstrom is a senior in highschool who has loved to dance since she could walk. She currently dances at Spokane Ballet Studio and Quiero Flamenco and hopes to pursue dance professionally. When she isn’t dancing, she’s probably reading or watching The Office.
Mandy Scheffler is currently a dancer with Vytal Movement Dance, Spokane’s contemporary/modern dance organization, where she also serves as the President of the Board of Directors. She is passionate about dance and arts representation in all communities and enjoys working towards its expansion in the Spokane region and beyond.
Whitney Temby-Sturtevant earned her BA in Dance and BS in Biology from Gonzaga University. Movement has been a big part of her life since she started dancing at 3 years old. She is excited to be a part of the Rising Tide cast again this year.
Megan Van Cotthem is a company dancer with Vytal Movement Dance and mother to four beautiful children. She loves a good peppermint mocha and usually has Sour Patch Kids within an arms reach. Megan is grateful to be a part of Rising Tide again this year.
Abigail Zimmerman is very excited to be a part of Rising Tide. She graduated from EWU with a major in Criminal Justice and Theatre. You may have previously seen her in The Prom at EWU and Footloose at CST. She would like to thank all of her friends and family for continuing to inspire her to pursue her art.
Sydney Zinnecker has her BA in Dance and Physics from Gonzaga University and is in her first year as a dancer with Vytal Movement Dance Company. This is her second Rising Tide, and she has also recently danced for Kindling Production’s Ghostlight, TedX Spokane, Vytal’s Reflecting in Color and Illuminate Gala, and CATS and Carousel with the Spokane Civic Theatre. Photo Credit: Marta Berk