DCDC 2 | Fall Company

Comprised of recent graduate and undergraduate dance students, DCDC2 is the next generation of dance artists under the umbrella of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, founded in 1968 by its founder, Jeraldyne Blunden, and currently led by Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Artistic Director.

Rooted in the framework of DCDC’s arts culture, DCDC2, like its parent company, presents performances in traditional theatre and alternative venues. The ensemble is integral to DCDC school and community engagement throughout the Miami Valley region.

DCDC2 participates in DCDC’s established university partnerships, which provide opportunities to engage in collaborative programs with the University of Dayton, Wright State University, and Central State University, which offer campus-wide activities and dance programs.

The ensemble has performed throughout Ohio's Miami Valley and the Midwest, Northeast, and South Central regions. In 2019, the ensemble was chosen to present at the OhioDance Festival in Columbus, Ohio, and showcased at the 31st International Blacks in Dance “Established Dance Companies” performance hosted in Dayton, Ohio.

DCDC2 continues to be a resource for new dancers for DCDC’s main company and maintains an impressive record of successfully transitioning dancers into other professional companies, Broadway, film, television, media, and graduate schools.

DCDC2 DIRECTOR

Shonna Hickman-Matlock

Director of DCDC2, performed as a principal dancer with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company from 1983–1995, touring nationally and internationally in South Korea, Russia, France, Germany, and Bermuda and has performed throughout the United States including the prestigious American Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Lincoln Center, New York Theatre and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She accepted the position of Director of DCDC2 in 2000 and in 2014 she was appointed Director of Education and Outreach Services. For three and half decades she has taught, performed, and choreographed modern dance works, developed education and outreach programs for the main company as well as other dance companies, performing arts schools, and universities. Under her leadership, numerous dance artists have transitioned into DCDC’s main company and other professional dance companies and dance productions.

Abby Leithart is originally from Gahanna, Ohio, and currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia, as a dance teacher at Ballet Nova and teaching assistant at Immanuel Lutheran School. Before relocating to Virginia, she was the modern/contemporary teacher at The Milwaukee Ballet for the pre-professional program. She was also an active member of the Chant Claire choir in Milwaukee and continues to sing in her church choir. Due to her passion for creating, she has choreographed various solos and group performances nationwide. Miss Leithart brings sixteen years of dance teaching and eleven years of professional dance company experience to the classroom.

She was a Dayton Contemporary Dance Company member for five years before moving to Virginia and working with various companies in DC, including Company E, PrioreDance, S.J. Ewing and Dancers, and KyokoDansu. She has taught youth and adult classes at Judy Dollenmayer Studio of Dance (Gahanna, Ohio), City Dance Conservatory (Rockville, MD), Ballet Nova Center for Dance (Arlington, VA), Joy of Motion Dance Center (Washington, DC), Rhythm in Motion (Arlington, VA), Born2Dance Studio (Vienna, VA), Milwaukee Ballet (Milwaukee, WI), and master classes at DanceWorks (Milwaukee, WI), Episcopal High School (Houston, TX), Company E (Washington, DC), as well as in other countries during her travels. Miss Leithart received her BFA in Dance at Wright State University. She continued her training with additional summer intensives at Hubbard Street Dance Company, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, and NW Dance Project. She was recognized with the Regional Dance America's Northeast Josephine Schwartz Award for a best-emerging choreographer in 2015. She has performed and taught worldwide in Azerbaijan, Russia, England, Cuba, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and in the United States at the Kennedy Center in DC, the Joyce Theatre in New York City, and Jacobs Pillow in Becket, MA.

DCDC2

The Pre-Professional Ensemble

DCDC2 DIRECTOR

Shonna Hickman-Matlock

DCDC2

Dance Artists

Advancing the art of the next generation

Guest Choreographer 2024

Building "TRUST"

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