Mind.Body.Movement at Golden West College

Every spring, the Golden West College Dance Department produces a full concert on the Mainstage Theatre. I love these productions, because students get hands-on experiences with choreography, costumes, and even lighting design.

In this year’s production, I got to dance in a few pieces and also created some of my own choreography to share.

Golden West College 2022

Elements-Dancer

Photography by Greg Parks

Style: Modern Dance

Choreographed by Leslie Bitong and performed by the Golden West College modern dance class

Tether-Choreographer

Photography by Greg Parks

Style: Postmodern Dance

Choreographed by Nicole Martensen and performed by dancers names

Real Estate-Choreographer/Dancer

Photography by Greg Parks

Style: Contemporary Dance

Choreographed and performed by Nicole Martensen and Anna Trollmann

Phantom-Featured Dancer

Photography by Greg Parks

Style: Contemporary Ballet

Choreographed by Leslie Bitong and performed by the Golden West College ballet class

Chant-Hades (Featured Dance Role)

Photography by Greg Parks

Style: Musical Theatre

Choreographed by Kole Williamson

Runnin-Dancer

Style: Jazz Dance

Choreographed by Leslie Bitong and performed by jazz dance class

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Interviews with Golden West College Dance and Theater Faculty

Check out these faculty videos from Golden West College, featuring students from the dance and theater arts departments. You may catch a glimpse of me and some other Golden West College students.

Spamalot at Golden West College

When life seems jolly rotten, there’s something you’ve forgotten, and that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.

I’ve been doing a lot of that lately. Laughing, smiling, dancing, and singing. I was asked to assist with the dance audition for Spamalot and found myself performing as a Laker Girl and assisting as the production dance captain. This was my first time performing in a musical in many years, and I had an amazing time connecting with new people. Check out our postcard and production photos below!

A new musical lovingly ripped off from the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”

From the original screenplay by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin

Book and lyrics by Eric Idle
Music by John Du Prez & Eric Idle
Directed and Choreographed by Martie Ramm

April 29 – May 8, 2022

Mainstage Theater

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View more photos at gwcgallery.com

For more news on performing arts events at Golden West College and how you can get involved, visit gwctheater.com

Renversé Ballet Summer Works-Identity

This summer, I joined Renversé Ballet as a dancer for a couple of new hybrid choreography works.

Kyle Aiden-Social Detox

Kyle Aiden’s piece explored the story of a social media detox.

Social Detox choreographed by Kyle Aiden

Calvin Martin-Isolated Identity

With Calvin Martin’s choroegraphy, we started with group reflections on identity in the pandemic to help inspire our own interpretations of movement.

Isolated identity choreographed by Calvin Martin

These works and more are available to watch on the Renversé Ballet website.

Bringing the Past to the Present with Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre

I joined Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre in a very special event this October 1-2. Nannette Brodie curated a program of choreography to transport the audience in place and time and I portrayed members of the Bixby family and reenacted letters and diary entries from the Rancho archives.

“Experience the Rancho through an artist’s eye. In a series of performances in the gardens and barnyard, Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre will bring their signature drama, wit, joy, and invention to the historic site. “

Florence Bixby in the Garden

Nicole Martensen as Florence Bixby

The Bixby sisters played by Nicole and Laura

The Drowsy Chaperone at Golden West College

Nicole Martensen as Trix the Aviatrix in The Drowsy Chaperone at Golden West College

I’ve been working on another musical theatre production at Golden West College. In addition to my role as dance captain, I am also playing Trix the Aviatrix.

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The Golden West College Theater Arts department production of The Drowsy Chaperone opens this Friday, November 11 and runs through November 20 in the Golden West College Mainstage Theater.

Winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Original Score, The Drowsy Chaperone is a loving send-up of the Jazz Age musical, featuring one show-stopping song and dance number after another. With the houselights down, a man in a chair appears on stage and puts on his favorite record: the cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical The Drowsy Chaperone. Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan, and an intoxicated chaperone, and you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight!

The Drowsy Chaperone at Golden West College