Suchu Dance, founded in 1998, is an award-winning, Houston-based contemporary dance/theatre performing group led by Artistic Director and Choreographer Jennifer Wood. Suchu Dance engages itself in the creation and development of new contemporary dance theatre works, averaging 2-3 evening-length premieres and 5-6 other performances a season in Houston and beyond.

Typical performance venues for Suchu Dance include DiverseWorks, the Wortham Theater, Miller Outdoor Theater, the Jewish Community Center, Main Street Theater Chelsea, Atomic Café, University of Houston Cullen Theater, the Heinen Theatre, and the new Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex, Suchu Dance's home.

There are a variety of ways for you to become involved in Suchu Dance:

- as an audience member
- financial or in-kind contributor
- performer
- volunteer

JENNIFER WOOD
artistic director/choreographer (1998 to present)

Jennifer Wood has been active as a choreographer in Houston since 1994, when she became co-founder of The Duplex, a salon-style performance venue for contemporary dance where she and many other performing artists honed their skills at creating detailed, intimate chamber performances. Prior to that she had been a performing member of Farrell Dyde Dance Theatre and Runaround Sue Dance Company, followed by one year spent as a MFA graduate student in dance, which she decided to give up so she could practice the craft of choreography more and talk about it less. Now she is the chief creative force behind the Houston-based troupe Suchu Dance, the person ultimately responsible for all its new artistic pursuits and performances. In late 2001 Jennifer was named a semi-finalist in the 2002 Rencontres Choreographiques international choreography competition, and she is also the recipient of a 2002 and 2005 Individual Artist Fellowship in choreography from the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County.

DANIEL ADAME
dancer

Daniel Adame was born in Houston and moved away shortly thereafter. Living in New Orleans, he began climbing magnolia and oak trees when he was very young. He went on to study martial arts when he was in high school and by the time he had earned a BFA in sculpture from the University of Houston, he was dancing with Suchu. He has displayed his work, both visual and performance, in various venues throughout the Houston area, including Diverseworks, Lawndale Art Center, Barnevelder, and the Jewish Community Center.

KRISTEN FRANKIEWICZ
dancer

Kristen Frankiewicz, a native of Houston and a BFA Dance graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, began dancing professionally with City Ballet of Houston while competing nationally as a rhythmic gymnast. Kristen continued her performance career in college as a member of Dance Repertory Theatre and was honored with a nomination for Dance Magazine's "Most Outstanding Performer Award" in 2006. Kristen has performed and choreographed throughout the states, as well as internationally on stages in Austria, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Mexico. Kristen freelances with various artists inbetween her main work with Suchu Dance, American Repertory Ensemble (Austin), and Frame Dance Productions (Houston). Formerly a competitive rhythmic gymnast growing up (and happily always growing up), Kristen now coaches The Houston Illusions, the only rhythmic gymnastics program in Houston. Kristen loves being a part of the Suchu family, and is currently in her third season with the company.

LINDSAY GEE
dancer

Lindsay Gee will die if she stops dancing. She was born and raised in Houston, TX and is grateful for her ballet training at the Houston Academy of Dance under Evelyn Ireton. She then went on to graduate with a BFA in Musical Theatre from The University of Oklahoma (where she fell in love with modern dance)! Teachers that have most inspired her dancing are Denise Vale, Steve Rooks and Oliver Steele. She also enjoys Square dancing and making piñatas. Lindsay is so blessed to be apart of this amazing SUCHU FAMILY!

LYDIA POLHEMUS HANCE
dancer

Lydia Polhemus Hance is from San Francisco and has performed the works of Steve Rooks, former principal of the Martha Graham Dance Company, Hope Boykin and Freddie Moore of Alvin Ailey Dance Company, Caleb Mitchell of Houston Ballet, among others.  She has danced with Ad Deum Dance Company, Dancepatheatre, 6 Degrees, and Suchu Dance. Outside of Houston, her choreography has been performed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and throughout the United States, from Times Square to San Francisco and in Virginia, where Hance is a guest choreographer for Lexington's Halestone Dance and Roanoke Ballet Theater. She is the founder and director of Frame Dance Productions (framedance.org). Lydia holds a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in English Literature from Southern Methodist University.

JESSI HARPER
dancer

Jessi Harper has been dancing with Suchu since 2002, her senior year at Rice University. She is also a Montessori teacher, recently (and happily) transplanted to the high school level.  Her appreciation goes out to C, for all of his patience and support. 

ASHLEY HORN
dancer

Ashley Horn studied dance at North Harris College and the University of Houston. She has performed with the North Harris College Dancers, the University of Houston Ensemble, FrenetiCore, Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theater, EZ Credit Theater, Dancepatheater and Round Rock Entertainment and co-directed Sol y Luna Dance for two seasons.  Ashley is the Editor-in-Chief for the Houston Entertainicle and teaches dance at the Jewish Community Canter and Broadway Center of Houston.  She has her BA in Public Relations/ Advertising from the University of Houston.

NICOLE MCNEIL
dancer

Nicole McNeil graduated from the University of Houston in 2010 with Bachelors of Art degree in Dance. While attending UH, she was a member of ENSEMBLE for four years and had the opportunity to work with choreographers, Teresa Chapman, Karen Stokes, Sophia Torres, Becky Valls, Toni Valle, Leslie Scates, Jackie Nalett, Amy Ell, Kelly Knox, and Jhon Stronks. She has also attended summer dance workshops and festivals with Liz Lerman Dance Exchange in Washington D.C. and with Dallas Black Dance Theatre, as well as participated in Houston's own Big Range.

LEO MUñOZ dancer

Leo Muñoz began dancing at the University of Houston under the direction of Karen Stokes and faculty in 2000. He is a former member of the UH Dance Ensemble and recipient of the Outstanding Dancer Award for 2005. Leo graduated with a B.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Psychology from UH. Leo's choreography "At Third Glance" was selected by adjudication to be performed at the American College Dance Festival in Edmond, OK in the spring of 2005. Leo has performed under the direction of Karen Stokes, Stephen Koplowitz, Becky Valls, and Julie Fox. He has also performed with Travesty Dance Group and Urban Indian Beat. Leo is excited to have performed with Suchu Dance at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in the summer of 2008.

TINA SHARIFFSKUL dancer

Tina Shariffskul was introduced to modern dance by Penny Tschirhart at Gregory-Lincoln Middle School, encouraged along by Sharon Roberts at Lamar High School, and since returning to Houston after graduating from Boston University, has, for more than a decade now, continued to develop her performing skills and dance vocabulary under the tutelage of Jennifer Wood. She has performed with other arts companies doing hip hop (3 years), Thai folk dancing (2 years) as well has Muay Thai exhibitions (on and off for 17 years). Her other influences include ballroom, latin dancing, and she'll even admit to once being on a drill team.

ALEX SOARES dancer

Alex Soares was born and raised in Bahia, Brazil and moved to Houston to study Psychology and Creative Writing at the University of Houston, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2006. Fascinated by the arts from a young age, Alex performed as an actor with Passagem and Nauau Theatre troupes before he discovered dance and what dancers can do (!!) He's since cultivated a passion for movement and is influenced by native Brazilian rhythms of Capoeira and Samba-Reggae. Alex is excited for his second season with Suchu. He also performs with FrameDance Productions in Houston, TX. Alex looks forward to dancing what the future brings.

PRUDENCE SUN
dancer

Prudence Sun began dancing with Suchu in 2009. Her interest in dance developed at a young age when she started taking ballet and Chinese folkdance classes at Mitsi Dancing School in Houston, TX. She was introduced to modern dance at Rice University where she eventually became co-President of Rice Dance Theatre and grew as a dancer under the tutelage of Becky Valls, Chris Lidvall, Leslie Scates, and Rosie Trump. Prudence holds a BS in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from Rice University.

LINDSEY SARAH
dancer

Lindsey began dancing as a child with her mom, Janet Thompson, and Paula Evelo, a close second. She has continued to ever since. Lindsey performed with the University of Houston Ensemble for two years. During that time, she was awarded Choreographer of the year 2002 and received the Outstanding Dancer Award 2003. Her choreography has been performed for the Gala at the American College Dance Festival, the UH faculty concert, and the Big Range Dance Festival. Lindsey joined Suchu Dance in the fall of 2004. She holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Photography and Digital Media from University of Houston, and makes a living teaching photography and digital media at CyWoods High School.

JEREMY CHOATE
lighting designer

JerCho is a Houston based freelance designer with more than 20 years of experimentation and has been lighting Suchu since 2003. At about the age of 7, he began his study of light in the darkness of his closet. Utilizing various flashlights, aluminum foil, plastic eggs, etc. he would mount world premier light shows with his little brother. JerCho's light has been featured as installation in art galleries across the nation, FOUR COLOR SOUND: DiverseWorks (Houston), MC Gallery (Los Angeles) The Project (NYC); and SOMETHING LIKE FIREWORKS: The Davis Museum (Boston). Upcoming exhibits include a five-year installation at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art opening Summer 2011 and at the Anderson Gallery (Richmond, VA) in November. His work has been described as: "Sensually expansive" –LA Times, "Like meditation, if you're lucky" and "Intoxicating Beautiful" –Houston Chronicle, "…a kitschy holiday display from a 1970's disco." and "especially ugly" by local independent writers. For the stage he lights Theatre for: Stages Repertory, Catastrophic and Horse Head, for Dance is resident light designer with: Suchu, Hope Stone, NobleMotion, iMEE, MBDE, and Revolve, and Music ensembles: Musiqa, Mercury Baroque, and Tim Hagans Subversive Jazz. He has toured with productions in Spain, Sweden, California, Florida, New York, and throughout Texas and is resident designer for The Big Range Dance Festival, and Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance.

NATASHA MANLEY
stage manager

Natasha received her master of music degree in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. In June of 2010, as a recipient of the HopeWerks Emerging Artist Residency Program, she premiered her first production, entitled Stand by ... and go, which incorporated original music for voice, cello, piano, and percussion as well as contemporary modern dance. She is the saprano soloist at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Houston and has been teaching private voice lessons for 15 years. She has stage managed productions for Dancepatheatre, Hope Stone Dance, Michelle Brangwen Dance Ensemble, Sandra Organ Dance Company, CORE Performance Company, Suchu Dance, Travesty Dance Group/Houston, and various local choreographers.

SUCHU BOARD MEMBERS:
Jennifer Wood
Louie Saletan