West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Department of Theatre and Dance
University Dance Company
Resonance
November 6 & 7, 2026
Friday and Saturday @ 7:30
Saturday @ 2:00
Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre, Swope Music Building
817 S. High St.
The focus of the UDC is to promote dance as an art form at West Chester University and to provide students with interests in arts administration, choreography, design, performance, and stage management the opportunity to create and shape their voice within this art form. As a member of this organization, students will receive a complete understanding of the workings of a dance company as well as the aspects of being involved in a university organization. UDC has two concerts every season; the fall concert focuses on faculty and guest artist work, while the spring concert mainly presents student choreography and design. Students work with both faculty and guest artists in the creation and management of new choreography and design. Community outreach and service is a component of membership to this organization as it currently is for all professional arts organizations. UDC also offers students the opportunities to attend, present and perform at various conferences annually to add to their dance and movement education.
The University Dance Company is an SSI-sponsored organization.
Biographies
Faculty and Guest Artists
Gretchen Studlien-Webb
Professor Gretchen Studlien-Webb, Director and Choreographer, is the coordinator for the dance minor program in the Department of Theatre and Dance at West Chester University. She holds an M.F.A. from Temple University and a B.F.A. from The Ohio State University's Department of Dance. Professor Studlien-Webb is the advisor for the University Dance Company where she has directed more than 35 full-length concerts and choreographed over 50 dances. In addition, Studlien-Webb taught and presented work internationally at the Ladek Zdroj International Dance Festival in Poland (2008 and 2013) and Claremont Project in London, England (2014). Her scholarly research for the past twenty years often focuses on environmental sustainability which translates into her choreographic compositions; E.A.R.T.H. (Evolution Arises Revealing True Humanity) (2007), Shared Ignorance (2011), Re[F]use (2013), Continuous Cycle (2015), and Environmental Intervention (2016), Carnival of Ruin (2018-2021), a multi-disciplinary, collaborative, full-length installation performance with set and costumes created entirely out of post-consumer waste, and (re)Surge (2022). In addition, Studlien-Webb maintains an active private yoga practice and has been teaching yoga in both the corporate and private sectors for 25 years.
Meghan Frederick
Meghan Frederick, Guest Artist, is a mother, dance artist and scholar based in Philadelphia, PA. Meghan’s work explores choreographies of devotion and has been presented throughout the Northeast under the umbrella Meghan Frederick/Practice Project. Meghan also frequently collaborates on duet dances with Kate Seethaler. Meghan was a member of the Brian Brooks Moving Company from 2008-2014 and has performed with Cardell Dance Theater, Ella-Gabe Mason, Vanessa Anspaugh, Liz Lerman, Megan Bridge, and many others. Meghan teaches at Stockton University. She completed her MFA at Temple as a University Fellow and the recipient of the Katherine Dunham Award for Excellence in Creative Research. Meghan’s scholarship has been shared at conferences internationally, she published her first chapter this year, and she recently founded the Caregiver Educator Affinity Group through NDEO with Ali Duffy and Madeline Jazz Harvey.
Nicole Sabella
Nicole Sabella, Guest Artist, a Florida native, earned her BFA in Modern Dance Performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. From 2013–2024, Nicole was a core member of the Mark Morris Dance Group, performing in more than 35 works and originating roles in 13 world premieres. Alongside performing, she contributed to MMDG’s education programs through early childhood dance, teen mentorship, masterclasses, and repertoire staging. Nicole has served on faculty at The School at Mark Morris Dance Group and New York City Ballet Outreach Education and is currently a teaching artist with BalletX Dance eXchange. She has also facilitated workshops at Joffrey Ballet School, Princeton University Ballet, and Western Michigan University. Additionally, Nicole is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Level 2 EFT Tapping Practitioner, and founder of The Nourished Dancer, a coaching and education platform supporting the whole dancer through nutrition, mindset, and personal development principles while advocating for a more sustainable, supportive future in dance.
Ty Tansy
Ty Tansy, Light Designer, recently graduated from West Chester University with a Theatre Design/Production degree. He is a freelance designer and technician currently working for companies such as Longwood Gardens, FringeArts, and People’s Light. Moreover, he is the resident lighting designer at Reading’s Miller Center for the Arts, where he has worked with several artists including Iris Dement, Naturally 7, and Solar Federation. Past companies and organizations he has worked for include Advanced Staging Productions, USITT, Touch of Class Dance, KCACTF, Berks County’s Annual Jazz Fest, and Jamison Celtic Rock. Ty has recently went down the education route and is now an adjunct professor of technical theatre and lighting design at Reading Area Community College, helping build their brand new technical theatre certificate program.
Officers, Student Choreographers & Stage Managers
Elya Bergstein
Elya Bergstein, President and Choreographer, is a senior majoring in Media and Culture with a minor in Digital Marketing. She has been dancing for 17 years and has been a member of the University Dance Company for six semesters. Throughout her time with UDC, Elya has grown not only as a dancer and choreographer, but also as a member of a community that means so much to her. She is excited and grateful to serve as President and contribute creatively through choreography this year. Elya is especially thankful for the friendships, memories, and opportunities for growth that UDC has given her, and she looks forward to her last year of dancing, creating, and making memories with the company.
Mackenzie Weinstock
Mackenzie Weinstock, Vice President, is a junior communications major with a media and culture minor: She has been dancing for 18 years, and this will be her third year dancing with the company. She is so grateful for being able to serve on the executive board this year and oversee UDC in all its glory. She wants to give a huge thank you to all the choreographers and Gretchen and Maria for making this show happen. She is so beyond proud to be able to say she has a home in UDC, and a wonderful group of people to call her best friends.
Carly Nelson
Carly Nelson, Secretary and Choreographer, is a senior Media and Culture major and a dance minor. She has been dancing for 20 years! Carly has been a part of the University Dance Company for 9 semesters, and this is her third time choreographing. She is also a part of the Kappa Delta sorority. She loves sharing her passion for dance with everyone and can’t wait for you to see all the hard work everyone put together! Carly would like to thank Gretchen, Maria, and her fellow board members for everything they do! She also would like to thank her dancers for being amazing workers and for performing this dance beyond her expectations!
Molly Gilligan
Molly Gilligan, Treasurer, is a junior at West Chester University double majoring in finance and economics. She has been dancing for 18 years and has been a member of the University Dance Company for three years. Molly is excited to serve on the executive board as treasurer this year. She enjoys being able to continue her passion for dance throughout college and is grateful for the friendships and memories she has made through the company. Molly would like to thank her family, friends, and company advisors for their continued love and support.
Rachel Kearney
Rachel Kearney, Historian, is a sophomore Media and Culture major with a Dance minor. She has been dancing for 10 years, and this will be her second year dancing with the company. She has loved being able to serve on the executive board this year and experience UDC from a different perspective. She congratulates the entire cast on an amazing show and thanks Gretchen and Maria for their guidance and support throughout the semester. She is grateful to be able to continue dancing and have the opportunity to be surrounded by such a supportive and talented group of dancers.
Renee Perreault
Renee Perreault, Social Chair, is a sophomore Social Work major. She has been part of UDC for three semesters. Renee has been dancing for 17 years and received her training at Fusion Dance Centre in Roselle Park NJ. Before college, Renee graduated from the Academy for Performing Arts in Scotch Plains NJ where she was a dance major. She got the opportunity to perform in professional environments such as NYU and choreograph many diverse pieces. She loves to perform within this community and can’t wait to see where this journey takes her.
Teagan Bittner
Teagan Bittner, Choreographer, is an elementary education major at West Chester University. This is Teagan’s last semester with UDC and fifth time choreographing. She is grateful to be creating with such talented dancers and humans. She began her versatile dance training at 2 years old; valuing different styles and discovering new ways to move. Teagan would like to give a huge thank you to everyone involved with UDC for their support!
Sam Calabro
Sam Calabro, Choreographer, is an early education and special education major with a dance minor. She has been dancing for 19 years and has been a part of UDC for four years. This is her second time choreographing for the company. Before college, Sam graduated from Council Rock North and danced at Debra Sparks Dance Works in Newtown, PA. Since college has started she studied abroad and went to Madrid with the dance program and she has spent a week in Massachusetts studying dance with Teddy Forance, Lucy Vallely, Rachel Markarian, and Jason Williams. She wants to thank Gretchen, Maria and everyone on the UDC board for all they have done. She also wants to thank her cast for doing such an amazing job and her amazing family and friends for their ongoing love and support.
Mariah Marrero
Mariah Marrero, Choreographer, is a junior psychology major with a minor in dance. She has danced for 18 years and performed with UDC for 3 semesters. Before college, Mariah attended Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, where she majored in dance and worked with professional dance companies. In addition to UDC, Mariah is a member of the West Chester University Dance Team. Mariah wants to thank her amazing family and friends for their never-ending support and love, along with her wonderful cast for bringing her vision to life and for their hard work.
Danielle Myers
Danielle Myers, Choreographer, is a junior geoscience major with minors in dance and museum studies. This will be her fourth semester with UDC and her first time choreographing! Danielle's favorite part about UDC is the friends and community that you get to build. She thanks Gretchen, Maria, her family and friends for their endless support, her cast for being so amazing and hardworking, everyone who helped to make this show possible, and wishes everyone in the cast the best of luck!
Vivian Schreiber
Vivian Schreiber, Choreographer, is a Junior in the Honors College majoring in marine science and minoring in dance and Civic and Professional leadership. She has been dancing for 16 years, and this is her 3rd year with the University Dance Company. This is her first time choreographing for the University Dance Company and she is very excited to share the work she has created with her cast. She would like to thank Maria and Gretchen for entrusting her creative vision and her cast for all their hard work. She would also like to thank her family for all the support they have given her, allowing her to dance through her life.
Gabby Tomczak
Gabby Tomczak, Choreographer, is a junior majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in dance. She has been dancing for 18 years, and this is her third year performing with the company. This is also her first semester choreographing for the company and is so grateful to Gretchen and Liz for this opportunity and thankful for everything they have done. She wants to give a round of applause to the entire cast for an amazing semester and wants to thank her family and friends for being so supportive and encouraging.
Land Acknowledgement
“The land upon which we gather is part of the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape, called “Lenapehoking.” The Lenape People lived in harmony with one another upon this territory for thousands of years. During the colonial era and early federal period, many were removed west and north, but some also remain among the continuing historical tribal communities of the region: The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation; the Ramapough Lenape Nation; and the Powhatan Renape Nation, The Nanticoke of Millsboro Delaware, and the Lenape of Cheswold Delaware. We acknowledge the Lenni-Lenape as the original people of this land and their continuing relationship with their territory. In our acknowledgment of the continued presence of Lenape people in their homeland, we affirm the aspiration of the great Lenape Chief Tamanend, that there be harmony between the indigenous people of this land and the descendants of the immigrants to this land, “as long as the rivers and creeks flow, and the sun, moon, and stars shine.”
From the Nanticoke Lenni- Lenape Tribal Nation website (nlltribe.com)