The Garden: River’s Edge is NCDC’s latest version of The Garden, a series of intimate performance installations adapted to new sites with each iteration. The Garden: River’s Edge will have a preview at the historic Arch Street Meeting House in Old City, Philadelphia from April 30th to May 7th, 2024.
Tickets now available HERE
Information on previous versions of The Garden available HERE
Performance Credits
Original Composition and Sound Design: Michael Kiley
Performers: Eun Jung Choi, Rhonda Moore, Chelsea Murphy, Beau Hancock, Nichole Canuso, Simon Canuso Kiley, Dylan Smythe, Chloe Marie Newton
Voice-over actors: Rhonda Moore, Makoto Hirano, Simon Canuso Kiley, Nichole Canuso
Costume Design: Rebecca Kanach
Props: Emily Schuman & Nichole Canuso
Writing: Nichole Canuso with additional contributions by Jackie Sibblies Drury and Anna McDonald
Video/Lighting: Christopher Ash
Dramaturgy: Mieke D.
Production Stage Manager: Payton Smith
Project Manager: Sarah Chandler
Collaborator Bios
Eun Jung Choi, featured as one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch in 2012, is a movement artist who has been working professionally for the past 28+ years in the United States, Mexico, and Korea. She has been Artistic Co-Director of Da·Da·Dance Project, a duet repertory dance theater, performing works of Eun Jung Choi, Guillermo Ortega Tanus, Melanie Steweart, Erick Montes, Gerald Casel, Helena Franzen (Sweden), Elise Knudson, Rodger Belman and Luke Gutgsell since 2008. Most recently she has spent more time collaborating and performing with Nichole Canuso Dance Company. www.eunjungchoi.org
Rhonda Moore is a sound and movement performance artist, educator and community-based dance enthusiast. Her talents have led to collaborations with acclaimed dance artists such as Jamie Cunningham’s ACME Dance Company, David Gordon, Douglas Dunn, Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane Dance, Brigid Baker, Sylvain Émard, Ben Grinberg & Almanac Dance Circus Theater, and of course, Nichole Canuso. Collaborations with music artists include Max Roach, Luigi Bonafede, Rocky Roberts, Carlo Ceriani, Michael Jackson, and Philadelphia’s own Tierra Whack. Passions? Ballroom, Salsa, Tango Argentino, Hip-Hop, gardening, cooking, and language learning.
Chelsea Murphy (she/her) is a Philadelphia based dance artist, choreographer, and somatic therapist. Over the past decade she has created and performed with Magda San Millan (Shame Symposium, 2016), Pig Iron Theatre Company (Superterranean, 2019), Lily Kind (Wolfthicket, 2021), Nichole Canuso Dance Company, and the Vaudevillian’s (Philadelphia’s Queer and Femme-led Mummer Brigade). Her work has been presented by FringeArts, JACKnyc, and Miami Light Project. As a therapist Chelsea explores how art and connection to body and movement can support mental health, emotional expression, and identity development in young adults. Chelsea is excited to dance in this newest iteration of The Garden. To learn more or contact Chelsea you can go to www.chelseamoves.com
Beau Hancock is an independent performer and choreographer based in Philadelphia. He earned an MFA from Temple University, where he was a University Fellow and Rose Vernick Choreographic Achievement Award recipient. He also holds a BA in Dance and American Studies from the University of Kansas, and was a founding member of the Bowery Dancers, a Lawrence, Kansas-based movement collective. In 2009, he won the Cleveland Art Prize/Kathryn Karipides Scholarship, a national prize for summer dance study. As a performer, Beau has had the pleasure to work with Ben Munisteri, Douglas Dunn, Ellen Cornfield, Merian Soto, Nichole Canuso, Bronwen MacArthur, Kun-Yang Lin, subcircle, and Megan Bridge <fidget>. As a choreographer, he frequently collaborates with Eleanor Goudie-Averill as the company Stone Depot. His own work has been shown at the Flea Theater, the Painted Bride Arts Center, Christ Church Neighborhood House as a part of the Point of Departure Series, and the International Dance Day Festival in Byblos, Lebanon. His honors include a nEW Festival Artist Residency, a Dance USA/Philadelphia Polish Exchange Residency, the Ellen Forman Memorial Award from Drexel University, and a Greater Philadelphia Dance and Theater “Rocky” Award. He is an Associate Professor of Dance at Stockton University.
Dylan Smythe is a lover of rhythm, bodies, people, and movement. He strives to apply lessons learned as a student of music, dance, and bodywork towards moving through life’s difficult times instead of around, over, or away from them. Interest in play and improvisation has led him to learn from and work with creators such as Lily Kind as a member of the Wolfthicket ensemble, and with Lillian Ransijn in their 2019 work Good Grief! Following a decade-long passion studying the Afro-Brazilian art of capoeira, he continues teaching and training in queer-rooted Afro-diasporic social dance styles, including House and Waacking, alongside making and performing in contemporary dance-theater works in Philadelphia.
Chloe Marie is a multi-disciplinary artist based on the Lenni Lenape Land also known as Philadelphia. In 2013, Chloe moved to Philadelphia to attend The University of the Arts where they received their BFA in 2017. While at UARTS they worked with artists of varying styles of performance and technique. Chloe currently collaborates with multiple artists in Philadelphia and occasionally teaches. Chloe realizes the immense privilege they have to live life as an artist; they are extremely thankful for those in their life who continue to support and care for them.
Emily Schuman is thrilled to be working on another iteration of The Garden. She prop designed for The Garden back in 2017 when it was at the Bok Building. Emily has been a Philadelphia-based actor, props designer and musician for 10 years, working with such companies as Delaware Shakespeare, Delaware Theatre Co, Pig Iron, 1812 Productions, InterAct Theatre Company, Theatre Exile, Applied Mechanics, EgoPo Classic Theatre, and Theatre Horizon. emilyschuman.net