January - MishMash201; Harrington Park, NJ
January - Mountain Dance Concert, East Stroudsburg, PA
February - ETC. Performance Series; Philadelphia PA
February - Dance New Amsterdam; NYC, NY
March - MishMash201; Harrington Park, NJ
March - Carabret Nights; Bethlehem, PA
MarDelDance is a new and rising non-profit dance company full of fresh ideas, passion, and a desire for change.
"This primarily contemporary dance company aims to introduce audiences and society as a whole to dance-drama. Marianne Delehanty, founder and choreographer, also hopes to touch others with her work in putting them on the path towards self-discovery. Delehanty combines dance with music, acting, singing and film, producing dance-drama. "
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Marianne Delehanty, a native to north New Jersey, has studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe, hip-hop, voice, and acting from a young age. Marianne competed in many regional and national dance competitions and has worked with numerous professionals, such as Anita Ehrler, Frank Mastrocola, Norma Riester-Smith, and Jennifer Marquardt to name a few.
Marianne continued her dance education at DeSales University where she studied ballet and modern dance. She graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. While at DeSales, Marianne has worked with professionals such as Trinette Singleton, Tim Cowart, Kristin Fieseler, Tara Madsen, Kate Jewitt (of Shen Wei Dance Arts), and Ashleigh Leite. She has also taken her dancing worldwide with DeSales dance majors to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she took classes with famous Brazilian choreographers as well as taught dance to underprivileged children. While at DeSales, Marianne also founded her own dance company, MarDelDance, a contemporary dance company aimed at introducing audiences to dance-drama.
In the summer of 2011, Marianne traveled to Ireland where she was asked to teach master-classes and set work. She is also the co-founder of MishMash201, a monthly performance showcase featuring all performing arts hosted at Sukha Arts Center in New Jersey, where she also teaches and co-directs MarDelDance Youth & Mini, two pre-professional dance companies focused on education and development of young dancers
Marianne’s work has been performed and adjudicated at the American College Dance Festival, and has been seen throughout the NJ, NY, and PA area. Her work has been performed at Steps on Broadway in NYC, the Painted Bride Arts Center in Philadelphia, The Carnegie Arts Center in Ireland, and Rosa Parks High School, in New Jersey to name a few. She has also won Dance Magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award for her piece Patsy. Marianne's choreography has been inspired by current events and those of others that have touched her heart. With a focus on dance-drama, Marianne’s works have collaborations with musicians, artists, multi-media, singers, and actors.
Christine Chan has been studying dance for more than twenty years in various disciplines, including ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, hip-hop, and contemporary. She graduated magna cum laude from New York University with a Concentration in the Social and Psychological Construction of Mind and Body, focusing on healing through Eastern and alternative medicine techniques. During her college tenure, she participated in a work-study program at Peridance Center in New York City, where she continued her dance education. In the years since, Christine has taught dance classes that range from ballet to Zumba from ages three to adult, all while obtaining her 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher Certification and deepening her knowledge as Reiki master practitioner. Christine is currently a company dancer of MarDelDance, and has performed throughout the tri-state area. In 2010, she opened Sukha Arts Center, a dance and yoga studio that offers donation-only yoga classes and focuses on fostering a love of the art of dance. Christine believes that movement, especially dance, is a window to the soul. Her choreography is organic and lyrical, and merges contemporary movement with nostalgic styles.
Jen Gill has been dancing since she was two years old, attending a few different studios. Her most recent one, where she also has been teaching for five years, is Central Bucks School of Gymnastics and Dance in Doylestown, PA. During her years as a company member, Jen performed on two Royal Caribbean cruises and choreographed the opening for one of them. She also performed at Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA for three years. At DeSales University, Jen has performed Marianne Delehanty's choreography in the informal concert and was an understudy in her piece for the Emerging Choreographer's Concert. Also at DeSales, Jen has performed in both the Emerging Choreographer's Concert and DeSales University Dance Ensemble in numerous work, most notable one by Rennie Harris. As a member of MarDelDance Jen has performed at various venues including the Etc. Performance Series in Philadelphia, the Silk City Arts Festival in New Jersey, and the 60x60Dance in New York City. Jen has performed MarDelDance's Voice, Close Your Ears, Hallelujiah,Laced, Uninvited Blessing, Involuntary, Hunter, and the solo Patsy. She will also be performing the newest of MarDelDance rep., Tainted Love, with dancer David Smith as well. Jen is an original member of the company and the winner of Dance Magazines Editors Choice Award for her solo Patsy.
Chelsey Nagy has been dancing since age 3. She has studied in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, modern, and hip hop. She competed for 8 years and has continued her passion for dance in college. She enjoys the process or choreographing using organic movement and improvisation as her inspiration. Chelsey is pursuing a dance minor at Montclair State University allowing her to expand her dance knowledge and growth.
David is a graduate of DeSales University, where he received a BA in Theater. His previous training includes a background in Jazz, Tap, Ballet and Modern dance. He joined MarDelDance in the spring of 2010 and has danced for the company in various performances. These include Save Her, Patsy, and Picture Perfect. David has performed with MarDelDance at The Mountain Dance Concert in Stroudsburg PA, Cabaret Nights in Bethlehem PA, and Mix It Up in Paterson New Jersey to name a few. David is currently working on a new piece, Tainted Love, along side friend and fellow dance partner Jen Gill, which will be brought to stage in spring 2011 in venues such as The MishMash in New Jersey and the ETC. Performance series in Philadelphia. David has also been in many stage and theatre productions. His performance quality is one that makes him an assest to MarDelDance as well as a truly unique dancer.
Jessica Meister has been dancing and performing since the age of three. From childhood through high school, Jessica studied dance at Anita Ehrlers Dance Extensions in Park Ridge, NJ, in the disciplines of jazz, ballet, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, and modern. She continued her studies at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, where she received a BA in Psychology and Spanish. At Emory, Jessica studied jazz and modern with Tara Shepard Myers. Each semester she was involved with AHANA dance, performing in shows featuring student choreography. She was also a member of the Emory Dance Company. In 2008, Jessica assumed the role of Captain and Head Choreographer of Emotion Dance Team, performing at various university sporting events. In 2009, Jessica became a member of the NextPhase hip-hop dance team, under the direction of Julia Friedman. Currently, Jessica is pursuing a doctoral degree in School-Clinical Child Psychology at Yeshiva University and is a MarDelDance company member. In 2010, she performed at Silk City Arts Festival in MarDelDances Involuntary and at BHPhotos Choreography Festival in Philadelphia in Cell Block Tango. In January of 2011, she performed Cell Block Tango at the Mountain Dance Concert in East Stroudsburg, PA. Jessica is thrilled to be a part of MarDelDance and grateful to have the opportunity to express herself through the art of dance.
Ever since a young age, Dan was introduced to the music of rock legends such as David Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Kirk Hammet of Metallica from his father. He started playing trumpet in the school band at age 8 up until he was 14. Some friends he knew played in a band, so he picked up an electric guitar that influenced his musical styling ever since. Dan never took a professional lesson in his life and is completely self taught. During his years in high school he played in several local jam bands on rythm guitar and later on played in a Metallica cover band. It was during his college studies in Europe, where he picked up an acoustic guitar and started to play classically. Today, he dabbles in other instruments and sounds including the bass guitar, 12 string guitars, and bongos. He brings a strong rock influence and a creative musical styling for MarDelDance. Most recently, he plays the bass in "Cell Block Tango" and acoustic guitar in "White Wash" along side Chris Benvenuto, and plays solo acoustic guitar in the piece "Amore" alongside girlfriend and Artistic Director, Marianne Delehanty.
Chris started playing guitar at the age of 15. Some of Chris' music is inspired by Metallica, Pantera, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and many more. He is completely self taught and has never taken a professional lesson in his life. He originally started playing bass and participated in a band during highschool where he recorded a few albums at TRAXX recording studio in NJ. Many artists such as Thursday and Taking Back Sunday have recorded there. Chris has also had the opportunity to play at Starland Ballroom in Sayerville, NJ for Skate and Surf Fest Battle of the Bands and also LaMour's nightclub in Brooklyn, NY. Chris continued playing through college where he began learning the guitar and has been playing ever since. To further his love and involvement with music Chris worked at Roadrunner Records in New York City. He interned in the marketing department for bands such as Slipknot, Nickelback, Soulfly, Killswitch Engage and many more. In his free time chris also enjoys producing electronica music and writing his own songs. He plays guitar in the piece "Cell Block Tango" and "Whitewash" along side Dan Bator.
Photo Gallery
Harrington Park, NJ
Photos Taken by Company Photographer: Kevin Vandervalk
