SOLACE: A COMMUNITY HEALING PROJECT

TRACY HALLORAN

Detroit native, Tracy Halloran, is the founder and Artistic Director of the contemporary dance company ConteXture danceDETROIT and co-founder of Detroit Dance Exchange, a dance festival where local choreographers present new works for collaborative feedback. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Madonna University and held the same title at Marygrove College until its closing. She is a 2014 Kresge Artist Fellow in dance and music. She received her B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Marygrove College and her M.F.A. in Choreography from the University of Michigan. Besides creating works for ConteXture, Halloran is a sought-after choreographer, creating works for Muse Dance Ensemble, Marygrove College Dance Company, Academy Dance Alliance, Noretta Dunworth School of Dance, Miss Jean’s Dance Arts, Dance Masters of Michigan and more. Her choreography has been performed at the Art X Detroit Festival, Detroit Dance City Festival, Oakland Dance Festival, American College Dance Festival, DUMBO Dance Festival in New York City, and multiple dance conventions. She is an accomplished teacher in ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, stretch and strengthening techniques, and works as a consultant for the USA Rhythmic Gymnastics; Injury Prevention Program where she is the co-designer of their Dance Health Program. In addition to her position at Madonna University, Halloran is also on faculty at the Company C Dance Club in Toledo, OH. She has been an instructor at the American College Dance Festival, Oakland Dance Festival, Detroit Dance City Festival, the University of Michigan, Marygrove College, and various studios in the Chicago and Detroit metropolitan areas. Her students are currently performing with Zurich Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet of Arizona, Illinois Ballet Theater, and Disney World’s Beauty and The Beast.

JILLIAN HOPPER

Jillian Hopper is assistant professor of dance at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and is Artistic Director of The Dance Legacy Project at Michigan alongside creative partner Prof. Christian Matijas-Mecca. She specializes in the dance technique of Doris Humphrey with the aim of preserving the technique for future generations as a Trustee of the Doris Humphrey Foundation, UK (England). Hopper also focuses her physical practice around methods of embodiment for the purpose of increasing empathy and sensitivity in practice and performance. These skills have assisted Hopper as a director of the DLP and a regular rehearsal director for U-M for many guest works. She has taught professionally for Hillsdale College, Eastern Michigan University, Middlesex University (London, UK) The Place (London, UK), and Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds, UK). As rehearsal director for U-M, Hopper has had the pleasure of rehearsing guest works by Ohad Naharin, Richard Alston, Lucinda Childs, Urban Bush Women, Alessio Silvestrin, and Shannon Gillen (Vim Vigor) among others. 

Hopper received her BA (hons) choreography from Middlesex University London, UK (2007) and her MFA Dance Performance from the University of Michigan (2012). She is on the board of directors for ConteXture Dance Detroit. In her own work, Hopper explores ritualistic movement concepts with an emphasis on nature’s powerful spirituality. She has performed in works by Monica Bill Barnes, Sidra Bell, Danny T. Reid, Tracy Halloran, and many of her own compositions throughout the Midwest and Europe.

BREEANN BIRR DE OLIVEIRA

Breeann Birr de Oliveira is a mover and creator who prioritizes body-positive experiences and chance explorations. She graduated from Wayne State University with a B.S. in Dance and a minor in Art History. Breeann works as a freelance creator under the name BMBO Creations with a specialization in photography, graphic design, and videography for performing artists. She is currently the administrative and digital marketing manager for Screen Dance International, a member of Collective Sweat Detroit’s artistic leadership, developing her interview based podcast “Dance Lives in Detroit,” and collaborating on filming a screen dance and documentary with ConteXture Dance Detroit about community healing through embodied movement.