Matthew Farmer

Matthew Farmer is currently the Co-Artistic Director of Jackson Dance Alliance along with his colleague Kristen Berger. As Co-Artistic director, Farmer has had great success as both a choreographer and performer. Most recently he finished a guest performance and workshop with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company on behalf of the University of Michigan. He has also had several of his works set at various universities throughout the U.S., and will have 3 of his newest works shown at the Dance in Desert Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. Formerly the Associate Director and company member of LehrerDance, Farmer has appeared in Dance Teacher Magazine, Dance Magazine Online, and Dance Magazine. Prior to dancing with LehrerDance, Farmer danced with Peter Sparling as a company member and soloist of The Peter Sparling Dance Co.  While dancing for Sparling, Matthew received his MFA from the University of Michigan in Dance Performance and Choreography. Farmer also studied under and performed with Steven Iannacone (Director of Dance Projects), who trained and performed with Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis.  Matthew received his BA in Theatre and Dance from Hope College, as well as a secondary focus in Scenic Design.   As a soloist and guest performer, his performance credits include Dance Chicago, Dance in the Desert Festival, Men Dance Michigan, Next Step Dance, Chicago Humanities Festival, The Rein Orange (Duesberg, Germany) The European Cultural Bid (Liverpool, UK), The Roof (Germany), The Summer Stage (Brugge, Belgium), and various other festivals. Farmer has also had the privilege of performing for such choreographers as Avi Kaiser, Sergio Antonino, Merce Cunningham, Laura Dean, Murray Louis, and Doug Varone.
Aside form Modern Dance; Farmer specializes in Improvisation and Contact Improvisation, which he is hired by many universities and private studios to teach. He most recently taught at the Chicago National Association of Dance Master’s (CNADM) Summer Conference and Convention, and continues to teach in the US and abroad. Other teaching credits include: the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters Fall Conference, Musiker Productions and Camps, Chelsea Dance Theatre, Oakland University, Hope College, the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, the Summer Stage (Brugge, Belgium), and various Masters Classes around the U.S. His choreography has been produced by the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Chelsea Youth Dance Theatre, Musiker Productions, Spezio Dance Dynamics (Buffalo, NY), Men Dance Michigan, Next Step Dance (Miami, FL), Dance Projects (Hope College), and Oakland University (Rochester, MI).
      As a performer, he has extended his capabilities beyond dance. His acting credits include four seasons with The Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, in addition to numerous productions while attending Hope College. His international credits include such productions as Money Tree Production’s premier of Michael McArdle’s Fancy Delights (UK). His scenic and property design credits include Bonegrinders (Road Less Traveled Productions, Buffalo, NY), Humpty Dumpty (Road Less Traveled Productions, and nominated for best scenic design of Buffalo, NY 2007-2008), The Trestle at Popelick Creek (Hope College), The Imaginators (Hope summer Repertory Theatre), Fools (Calvary Schools of Holland), Fancy Delights (MoneyTree Prod., UK) and Along Those Lines (UM MFA Thesis Concert). 

matt@rusticgroovedance.org

Kristen Berger

Kristen Berger is Co-Artistic Director of RusticGroove Dance Company with colleague Matthew Farmer. Before forming RusticGroove, Kristen taught as Special Lecturer in Dance at Oakland University teaching Modern, Ballet, Pedagogy, Composition, and special topics in muscular anatomy/stretch. She was also the Artistic Director of Oakland University's Repertory Dance Company during her time at the university. As director Kristen took this company to dance festivals around the state, during which time a number of pieces received high acclaims from judges and audiences across the Mid-West. As director of the University Repertory Dance Co. Kristen worked alongside choreographers Michael Foley and KT Niehoff. Kristen's peformance credits include six seasons with Patterson Rhythm Pace Dance Company (PRP), under director Gregory Patterson. Patterson's unique fusion of jazz and modern heavily influenced Berger's repertory, and has earned PRP an engagement at the Joyce Theatre in 2010. Kristen was a regular guest artist and performer with Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Laurie Eisenhower, for six seasons. She has also performed works by Peter Sparling, Bob Fosse, Robin Wilson,Gesel Mason, Mariah Malec, and Bill DeYoung. Other company credits include Ann Arbor Dance Works, Oakland Dance Theatre,and University Repertory Dance Co.

Kristen received her MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Michigan, studying under Peter Sparling (Former soloist for Martha Graham) and Judy Rice (CO. Dance and Behind Barres). She also trained with Gay Delanghe, Jessical Fogel, and Robin Wilson. Kristen spent her graduate years studying Kinesiology and obtained IRB approval to institute original research relating the injuries of the university level dancer, and presented it nationally at the Performing Arts Medicine Association.From this research she received publications and lecture engagements around the United States, including the Paul Taylor workshop in Ann Arbor, MI. She is also a member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science.

Kristen received her BA in Dance and Performing Arts from Oakland University where she trained under Iacob Llascu in the Vagonova Method. She also spent many years in Chicago training and studying under Gus Giordano and Frank Hatchett. Her teaching credits include Musiker Productions, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Dance Gallery Studio, Eisenhower Center for Dance, Detroit Skating club, Oakland University, and the University of Michigan. Her researsh contiues to this day, as she and fellow colleague Shauna Steele are finishing their current book "Experiencing Dance: A Creative Approach to Dance Appreciation"; scheduled to be published in Fall of 2009. Kristen also continues to teach in the community for studios, companies, and schools from around the state and has created an exciting apprentice program for high school age dancers within RusticGroove.

kristen@rusticgroovedance.org