Meet our Choreographers
for Kindling: An Evening of Dance Works
Tina Diaz
Choreographer, Dancer
Tina Diaz (she/her), from New York, graduated with a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Psychology from SUNY Purchase. She was awarded Purchase Colleges’ Outstanding Senior Award for her excellence in academics and artistry within the dance conservatory. In New York, Tina performed in works by choreographers such as Merce Cuningham, Jose Limon, Andrea Miller, Hannah Garner, Nicole Wolcott, Skyla Schreter, and Meagan Ahern. Since moving to Chicago, Tina has danced for The Rooted Space Company and Moonwater Dance Project performing works by Katie Carey, Mackenzie King, and Stefany Cotton.
Her choreography has been shown at New York Live Arts, Arts on Site (NYC), and Downtown Art (NYC). In addition, she has created works for New Dances, Dance in the Parks, Evanston Dance Ensemble, and The Seldoms.
in collaboration with
Isabella Limosnero
Adeline "A" Else
Choreographer, Dancer
Adeline “A” Else (they/them) is a movement practitioner of artistry and authenticity. They have worked with an abundance of renowned choreographers including Mark Caserta, Meredith Dincolo, Joseph A. Hernandez, Alysia Johnson, Noelle Kayser and Terence Marling. Professional credits include; COMMON Canvas, DanceWorks Chicago, Luminous Tour, Symbiosis Arts and The Lyric Opera. They strive to create environments of radical love, empathy, and benevolence.
Exploring creativity through an intellectual study; conversations and choreography. A gentle approach to heavy lifting. The thesis to my movement practice is radical love. Offering my whole self so others may offer theirs. Encouraging joy, play, expansion and connection. Because what is dance without such? Without generosity, community and care? We are all works of art. Corny as one could say, on the contrary I offer passion.
Moments that bring joy and pleasure are a candle with an inviting book, the patience process of cooking, talking to the trees, getting lost in a creative project and a hug from a friend. Forever grateful to experience life and its abundant moments.
Photo credit: Peter Hinsdale
Jamie Greco
Choreographer, Dancer
Jamie (she/her/hers) began her professional career at the Joffrey Academy of Dance Trainee Program. She went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from the University of Utah. She also received a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate from Northwestern University. Her postgraduate dance training includes summer intensives at Hubbard Street and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, as well the LINES Ballet Training Program directed by Karah Abiog and the Hubbard Street Professional Program directed by Alexandra Wells.
Her choreography has been presented at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Intensive Summer Program, the Zuzu International Film Festival, Summer Shorts presented by the Rooted Space, and in Chicago Dance Month presented by See Chicago Dance and DCASE. Jamie choreographed, performed, and co-produced for the Little Fire Artist Collective productions, "Don't Tell Me What to Do," "Kinesthesia," and the Costa Rican Cultural Exchange. Jamie incorporates writing and sound design into her choreographic process, using linguistics and utterances as frequent inspiration for movement.
The piece that I am creating for Kindling is a solo dance work. From one person, a piece grows either up or down hierarchically: will the soloist eventually join the ranks of their peers, or will they rise above and stand apart as a symbolic counterpoint? A solo represents a respite for every other performer because they are allowed to hide "backstage," away from view. Meanwhile, the soloist experiences the weight of carrying attention. The inevitable attention of a solo interests me: how can a soloist surprise the audience when their every move is closely examined? The satisfaction that the audience shares with a soloist represents how intimacy is exchanged between dancer and observer. The audience must analyze their relationship with the soloist, rather than observing the relationship that exists between dancers in a piece of two or more.
Isabella Limosnero
Choreographer, Dancer
Isabella Limosnero (they/them) trained at the Alonzo King Lines Training Program under the direction of Karah Abiog from 2018-2020. They have worked professionally with James Graham Dance Theater, House of Dov, Project Bound, and LittleFire Artist Collective. Limosnero was the recipient of Khecari’s Artist in Residency at the Indian Boundary Cultural Center in 2023. During that time, they began the research that influenced their work for their piece, “Non Vintage Delusions” for DanceWorks Chicago x Thodos New Dances premiering at the Ruth Page Center.
Outside of creating and dancing, Isabella enjoys quality time with their loved ones, the smell of the sea, a cozy blanket with a fresh cup of tea, and warm sunshine!
in collaboration with Adeline "A" Else
Photo credit: Chloe Hamilton
Choreographer
Ashley Rivette
Ashley Rivette (she/her) is a Chicago based dance artist originally from the DC, Maryland, Virginia area. She began her training in Stuttgart, Germany, where her family was stationed for eight years. In 2021, Rivette received a BFA in Dance from Shenandoah Conservatory. She apprenticed with Christopher K. Morgan & Artists during their 2019 and 2020 seasons. After graduating from Shenandoah Conservatory, Ashley joined DanceWorks Chicago (DWC) under the direction of Julie Nakagawa for two seasons. Some of her DWC repertoire included works by Robert Battle, Charissa-Lee Barton, Joshua Manculich, Mark Caserta, Demis Volpi, Hanna Brictson, Drew Lewis, and Brian Enos. She was a member of the 2022 NewDances company, performing works by Chicago artists Trey Johnson and Marco Pizano. Rivette currently is a dancer and serves as an Administrative Assistant for Boykin Dance Project founded by Brian Josiah Martinez.
Ashley is so excited and grateful to be collaborating with Little Fire!
Charlique C. Rolle
Choreographer
Hey.
I'm Charlique.
I'm many things in many places to many people at all times.
But mostly I'm just trying to be me.
Here. Now.
Peace + Blessings,
Charlique C. Rolle (she/her)
Celine Spinka O'Brien
Choreographer, Dancer
Celine O’Brien (she/her) is a Chicago-based dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Redding, California. She is a graduate from Butler University with a major in Dance Pedagogy. After her move to Chicago, Celine danced for several companies before joining Moonwater Dance Project as an original company member. She now serves as the company’s Executive Director. The piece she has created for Little Fire Artist Collective was first conceived at the collective’s Canadian residency co-produced by the Margie Gillis Dance Foundation.
Photo credit: Andrew Weeks
Jessi Stegall
Choreographer
Jessi Stegall (she/her) is a dance-theatre artist based between Chicago, IL and Boston, MA. She has been an artist-in-residence at Boston Center for the Arts, Harvard ArtLab, Rhode Island Women’s Choreography Project, National Parks Service, and was recently featured as one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” (2022). Her choreographic work has been featured at Boston Center for the Arts, the Dance Complex, Ballet Rhode Island, Motion State Dance Film Festival, Tufts University, and Cambridge Art Association. In 2024, she will premiere “The Theremin Vignettes”, an evening-length work, at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, MA. As a dancer, Jessi has performed works by Raja Feather Kelly, Jill Johnson, Ilya Vidrin, Ali Kenner Brodsky, Mariel Pettee, and Jamila Glass. In addition to her work in dance, Jessi holds an M.S. in Ethics from Harvard University with a focus in Narrative Ethics, a B.S. in Expressive Art Therapy from Lesley University, and is an alumna of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
"I currently approach dance-making as an act of ode: expressing curiosity for and paying homage to worlds built by others. The manifestation of this approach results in somewhat bizarre physical interpretations of real stories and artifacts that have been historically dismissed or overlooked. My guiding mission is to provide audiences an entry point into fields, studies, and narratives that they are not likely to encounter elsewhere. My work demands a high level of musicality, precision, and virtuosity. I believe my work is distinct in its rhythmically challenging and complex timing, strong incorporation of breath and vocal sound, and clear character development in nonlinear form. I infuse my work with humor and heartache, always aiming to produce high caliber work that is at once technically rigorous and wholly human."
