JEFFERSON
DANCERS
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Steve Gonzales
COSTUME SPECIALIST
Amethyst Robinson
LIGHTING DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER
Michael Mazzola
STAGE MANAGER
Jamie Lynne Simons
COMPANY MANAGER
Lisa Dungan Roth
COMPANY MEMBERS
HENRY ROTH, PIPER BOTT, HARLOW KLEFFNER, JAY’QUAN LEWIS-PRICE, DANICA BYNOE,
LILY PARRISH, MAYBELLE SHEPSKI, LILA MAE WENDROFF, NIMAH CREWS, ELLA SANCHEZ-GEORGE, SIERRA MILLER, BRIXTON FAIRMAN, JAHLIL YARBOROUGH, ZELIE HERMIDA-LOGAN
COMPANY APPRENTICES
WREN EDWARDS, SCARLETT BEPPU-LAROCCO, AVA BRANDON, ARIAH WINTER
PROGRAM
-ALUMNI SLIDESHOW- By Henry Roth
BENEATH THE BREAK (2025)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Lauren Smith
MUSIC: BIRDS-Turnstile, Breather-Jamie XX, Sunshower-Turnstile
PERFORMERS: Full Company
INTERLUDE:
CHOREOGRAPHY: Ella Sanchez-George
MUSIC: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart-Al Green
PERFORMER: Lila Mae Wendroff
SEMI-CONSCIOUS (2025)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Harlow Kleffner
MUSIC: Balsa-Gustavo Cerati, Tabu-Gustavo Cerati
PERFORMERS: Piper Bott / Jay’Quan Lewis-Price / Lily Parrish Danica Bynoe / Lila Mae Wendroff / Nimah Crews / Ella Sanchez-George / Sierra Miller / Zelie Hermida-Logan Jahlil Yarborough / Wren Edwards
INTERLUDE: (Thu. & Fri. performances only)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Jonte Moaning
MUSIC: Freakum Dress-Beyonce, Sock It 2 Me-LAYA
PERFORMERS: Jonte Moaning / Jay’Quan Lewis-Price / Piper Bott
Harlow Kleffner / Danica Bynoe / Maybelle Shepski / Nimah Crews Zelie Hermida-Logan / Ella Sanchez-George / Thomas Yale
INTERLUDE: (Sat. performances only)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Jay’Quan Lewis-Price / Ella Sanchez-George Nimah Crews / Zelie Hermida-Logan / Ava Brandon
MUSIC: Which One (feat. Central Cee)-Drake, GEEKALEEK (feat. BIA)-OHGEESY, In The Party-Flo Milli, Rock-Stepz
PERFORMERS: Jay’Quan Lewis-Price / Ella Sanchez-George Nimah Crews / Zelie Hermida-Logan / Ava Brandon
WHAT WAS SAID? (2025)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Michael Munday
MUSIC: Where Them Girls At-Megan Thee Stallion, Take Me Thru Dere-Metro Boomin, Sports Car-Tate McRae, POSER-Party of 2, Hello-Cardi B, Magnet-Cardi B, Extra L-Doechii & Jennie
PERFORMERS: Piper Bott / Jay’Quan Lewis-Price
Harlow Kleffner / Danica Bynoe / Lily Parrish / Lila Mae Wendroff Ella Sanchez-George / Nimah Crews / Zelie Hermida-Logan Jahlil Yarborough / Ava Brandon
INTERLUDE:
CHOREOGRAPHY: Sierra Miller / Wren Edwards
MUSIC: Upside Down-Jack Johnson
PERFORMERS: Sierra Miller / Wren Edwards
HOLLYWOOD (2026)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Finn Chisholm, Vivian Proctor
MUSIC: Aura-Lady Gaga, Confluence-LVDF, Leaving Hollywood-Nmesh
PERFORMERS: Piper Bott / Jay’Quan Lewis-Price
Harlow Kleffner / Danica Bynoe / Maybelle Shepeski
Lila Mae Wendroff / Ella Sanchez-George / Sierra Miller / Wren Edwards / Ariah Winter
ALUMNI PIECE
STAIRWAY (2026)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Julie Barnes / Alicia Anthony
MUSIC: Stairway to Heaven-Led Zeppelin
PERFORMERS: Piper Bott / Jay’Quan Lewis-Price
Harlow Kleffner / Lily Parrish / Ella Sanchez-George / Sierra Miller / Zelie Hermida-Logan
-INTERMISSION-
RHYTHM IS THE KEY (1999)*
CHOREOGRAPHY: Steve Gonzales
MUSIC: Clubbed to Death-Rob D, Prime Audio Soup-Meatbeat Manifesto, Ultrasonic Sound-Hive (Remix by John Lansing)
PERFORMERS: Full Company
*(‘Rhythm Is The Key’ was the first piece Steve Gonzales set on the JDs back in 1999 when he took over the company as artistic director. He is honored to reset it for our 50th anniversary.)
ALUMNI PIECE
THROUGH (2025)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Piper Bott
MUSIC: A Bird’s Last Look-Macabre Plaza
Calico-Emile Mosseri, Let it Be-The Beatles
PERFORMERS: Harlow Kleffner / Jay’Quan Lewis-Price Danica Bynoe / Lily Parrish / Maybelle Shepeski / Lila Mae Wendroff Nimah Crews / Ella Sanchez-George / Sierra Miller / Zelie Hermida-Logan / Jahlil Yarborough / Ava Brandon
INTERLUDE:
CHOREOGRAPHY: Piper Bott / Harlow Kleffner / Danica Bynoe
MUSIC: Boogieman-Childish Gambino
PERFORMERS: Piper Bott / Harlow Kleffner / Danica Bynoe
SOLE AWAKENING (2026)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Sara Martins
MUSIC: Cymande, Herb Alpert, Nikodemus
PERFORMERS: Piper Bott / Harlow Kleffner / Jay’Quan Lewis-Price / Lily Parrish / Maybelle Shepski / Lila Mae Wendroff / Ella Sanchez-George Sierra Miller Nimah Crews / Brixton Fairman / Wren Edwards / Ava Brandon / Ariah Winter
-SLIDESHOW- By Piper Bott & Danica Bynoe
MENDIANI (2026)
CHOREOGRAPHY: Demetria (Bunky) Holden-Williams
MUSIC: Derrell Sekou Soumah Walker, Hakim Muhammad, Naby Camara , Daniel Lasuncet, Matt Wirzbicki
PERFORMERS: Full Company
ALUMNI PIECES
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
I want to thank all the contributors who have helped us financially this year and in the past. Without your financial support, it would be difficult to keep this nationally acclaimed program running smoothly. Unfortunately, we don’t have the financial resources that we once had and can only continue with your help. Your generous support makes it possible for us to continue to educate, inspire, and create new and exciting pieces for the Company.
TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS
We want to extend a special thank you to everyone who donated to and supported the Jefferson Dancers for 48 years.
Over $5000
Portland Public Schools
The Gray/Bott Family
Oregon Ballet Theatre
IN-KIND DONORS
Nike Jordan Wings
Por Que No?
$1,000 – $2,500
Paula Jo Dungan
Portland's Signing Christmas Tree
David Sanchez
Karly Schubothe
$500 – $999
Ray B. Auel
Donald H. Bernstein
Patrick H. Clancy
Hosford Middle School PTSA
Gerald Kennedy
Larry Lewis
Roman Martinez
John Moore
Mark Myers
Stacy Parrish
Kim Simmons
Jacita Yarborough
$100 – $499
Andrea Arbogast
Jo Ann Bleich
Phyllis Brudney
Jeanne L Carlson
Anthony Chantracharoen
James P. Chasse'
Karanja Crews
Colman Currie
Kathy D Cumiford
Bonnie T Doyle
Debra Dungan
John W Dykes
Andrew Edwards
Jennifer Eng
Ronald Emerson
Martin Erwin
Rita Fawcett
Mary Folberg
Amanda Lamas Fairman
Marcia Freed
Charles E George
Nicolas George
Edward N Guillery
Luke Groser
Deanna Gray
Guest of Dominique Leopold
Sandra Holmes
Jane W Hubbard
Dennis Johnson
Nicole Kennedy
Merry Larsen
Dominique Leopold
Penelope Lobdell
Theresa Logan
Robert Logan
Jenny Marston
Sara Martins
Elizabeth McDougall
Jason G Miller
Walter Mintkeski
Melissa Mohlman
Anna Louise Moaning
Martin C Muller
Ronna Neuenschwander
Calista Nossaman
Christine Pallier
Darlene Parrish
Teresa Perrin
Jennifer Pirkle
Scott O. Pratt
Kim Rojas
Sarah Shea
Richard Schwandt
Kevin Selfe
Richard M Stein
Molly Stenzel
Ella Stallings
Alyx Surgeon
Mike Surgeon
Raeann Thompson
Cynthia Tosh
Julia Stewart Wayne
John D Wilhelmi
Homaira Wolper
Jacita Yarborough
Jean Zondervan
IN MEMORY AND SPECIAL DEDICATION OF PERFORMANCES
In Honor of Trinidad Eutsler
In Honor of Jasmine Garcia
In Honor of Anne M. Kearney
KEEP THE JEFFERSON DANCERS ON THEIR TOES!
Your generous donation helps to ensure that tomorrow's Portland Public School students have the opportunity to participate in this nationally acclaimed program. Your contribution to the Jefferson Dancers is tax deductible.
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!
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Jefferson High School/Middle College for Advanced Studies
5210 North Kerby Avenue
Portland, OR 97217–2656
(503) 916-5180
Thank YOU for joining us!
JEFFERSON DANCERS | PRESS NEWS
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Artistic Director Steve Gonzales is largely responsible for the dancers’ current level of professionalism. —David Plechl, The Portland Observer
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The Jefferson Dancers have sprinkled America’s professional dance troupes with performers, and they routinely move on to elite performing-arts colleges. Bob Hicks, –The Oregonian
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Energetic, entertaining, and a joy to behold. –Phil Hunt, The Oregonian
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Gonzales has resparked the program’s energy, skill, and pride. –Bob Hicks, The Oregonian
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Teenage dancers ecstatically pushed their bodies past their limits. –Kelly Clarke, Willamette Week
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The Jefferson Dancers are so well trained, so energetic and enthusiastic that their student status is forgotten the instant the curtain goes up. –Martha Ullman West, Willamette Week
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...last winter’s sold-out White Bird/PSU Series show at Lincoln Hall to wowing the international set in the south of France, Portland’s Jefferson Dancers have had the equivalent of their performance SATs this school year. The Jefferson Dancers get an A+ for effort this year in my book. –Kelly Clarke, Willamette Week
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The Jefferson Dancers were voted the best local dance company. –Willamette Week, Best of Portland (2003)
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THEIR LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO ARTISTIC DIRECTOR STEVE GONZALES. –Catherine Thomas, The Oregonian
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Powerful, playful, mesmerizing, and at times gravity-defying, Jefferson Performing and Visual Arts Magnet High School’s elite troupe of dancers drew a long standing ovation Saturday night in the Astoria High School Auditorium. --Darren L. Dunlap, The Daily Astorian
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Gonzales has raised the technical bar; his dancers are also fluent in African, hip-hop, tap, and jazz. –Catherine Thomas, The Oregonian
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Reinvigorated by Gonzales, a former Jefferson Dancer himself ...exciting dancers and a wide variety of forms and moves by some of the best choreographers in the world. The combination the company will take to the Kennedy Center. –Barry Johnson, The Oregonian