

Welcome
​Open Space presents SHEEN.
Welcome! We are delighted to present sheen; Open Space's annual spring show! There are three works on the bill this evening and this might just be the most ambitious amount of dancing for our artists in Open Space history! Artistic Director, Franco Nieto, is premiering a new work, STRUCTURALLY sound, which is a series of duets and trios. I am in constant awe of his seemingly limitless ability to create. Many of our dancers are at Open Space because of Franco, and the phenomenal artistic and physical commitment he is able to pull out of them blows my mind each and every day.
We are also excited to premiere our Resident Choreographer, Noelle Kayser's work, Fragments. Currently in her second of three years with Open Space, Noelle's presence in the studio is a gift. She is a thoughtful visionary and our dancers feel so connected to her work.
We also have had the pleasure to welcome back Keelan Whitmore! Who Lights the Sun? was first commissioned by Open Space in 2022. And, when Keelan arrived last week, he decided to expand on the original work, essentially creating a brand new piece in a week! Wow! He also has been incredibly generous with the artists and has included 6 of the Open Space Too dancers from our advanced training program.
A special thanks Oregon Contemporary for your continued partnership with Open Space.
On behalf of my cofounders, Maeve Dougal and Franco Nieto, and all of us at Open Space, thank you for being part of our blossoming community- we love dancing with you!
​Big love,
Char
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Charlene Hannibal, Executive Director
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Open Space Company Artists
Ariel Clarke, Audrey Wells, Annie Borden, Bryaunna Kostelnik, Elise Gonsalves, Kylee Killian
Apprentice: Ellie Thomas
Choreographers
Franco Nieto, Noelle Kayser, Keelan Whitmore
Open Space Too Artists
CJ Hankins, Maeve Ethridge, Elisa Trujillo, Omar Vargas, Dinah Gardner, Natalie Becker
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Structurally Sound, Part I
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Choreography: Franco Nieto
Dancers: Ariel Clarke, Audrey Wells, Annie Borden, Bryaunna Kostelnik, Elise Gonsalves, Kylee Killian, Ellie Thomas
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​In this triptych of two duets and a trio, Nieto plays with the title's meaning. To him, it's about building and breaking. The work also explores our bodies' physical container where sound resonates.
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Structurally Sound, Part II
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Choreography: Franco Nieto
Dancers: Bryaunna Kostelnik, Elise Gonsalves, Ellie Thomas
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Structurally Sound,
Part III
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Choreography: Franco Nieto
Dancers: Annie Borden, Kylee Killian
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fragments.​
Choreographer: Noelle Kayser
Dancers: Ariel Clarke, Audrey Wells, Annie Borden, Bryaunna Kostelnik, Elise Gonsalves, Kylee Killian, Ellie Thomas
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“fragments” is a part of Noelle Kayser's LIVES & WORK, an ongoing choreographic series honoring iconic historical female artists. This installment draws from the life and writing of Sappho. In a time when the rights of women and queer people are increasingly under threat, Sappho's voice reaches through the centuries with clarity and comfort. Despite the homophobic and sexist rhetoric that has long shaped her legacy—and the violent disregard for preserving her work—even the surviving fragments of her poetry carry a resonance most authors could only hope for. “fragments” is a physical response to her writing and a meditation on endurance, desire, and presence. From Kayser: “It’s an offering and a reminder: that even in pieces, we matter. Sappho makes me feel proud and brave. Right now, women and queer people need that. We need her.”
15 min intermission
Enjoy some refreshments in the lobby
Who Lights the Sun? ​
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Movement Director: Keelan Whitmore
Choreography: Keelan Whitmore in collaboration with the dancers.
Dancers: Ariel Clarke, Audrey Wells, Annie Borden, Bryaunna Kostelnik, Elise Gonsalves, Kylee Killian, Ellie Thomas, CJ Hankins, Maeve Ethridge, Elisa Trujillo, Omar Vargas, Dinah Gardner, Natalie Becker
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"Who lights the Sun?" enjoyed its world premiere with Open Space in 2022 and explores the depths
of crossing a threshold into the world of uncertainty. His creation explores the archetype of ‘The Hero,’ deriving inspiration from ancient mythologies, spiritual traditions and literary histories. Whitmore’s compositions are relentlessly physical, with nods to the plurality of the human experience.
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Program

About the Choreographers + Special Guests
Franco Nieto
Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Open Space
Franco Nieto is a Princess Grace Award-winning dancer and the cofounder and Artistic Director of Open Space. He has choreographed over 20 original works, performed in more than 160 world premieres, and is a sought-after master teacher. He is known for fostering a culture free of judgment and creating a wave of positive change in the dance world. Franco Nieto was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He made the unconventional switch from football to ballet in his teenage years and has now taught and danced in over 10 different countries and performed with the likes of Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John. He spent 10 years as a principal dancer with NW Dance Project in Portland, Oregon, where he toured the world and worked hand in hand with the leading minds in choreography to create and bring to life countless original works. His early training came from the Vancouver School of Arts & Academics and Columbia Dance, and his formative line of choreography was born from his mentorship with Tracey Durbin. He graduated with his BFA in Jazz from Point Park University. Franco brings his big heart (and his dog, Otis!) to the studio each and every day.
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Noelle Kayser​
Open Space Resident Choreographer
Noelle Kayser is an award-winning choreographer, director, and multi-disciplinary performer based in Chicago. She is the inaugural resident choreographer for Open Space, a Whim W’him Choreographic Shindig winner, the 2025 BalletX Choreographic Fellow, and a 2026 Ballet Collective Commission for Developing Choreographers recipient. Noelle has created work for companies including Dance Aspen, DanceWorks Chicago, MADCO, Visceral Dance Chicago, and SALT II among many others. She served as a guest Ballet Mistress at the Lyric Opera, was the founding rehearsal director and administrator for PARA.MAR Dance Theatre (2022 Dance Magazine Top 25 to Watch), and named one of NewCity Magazines, “The 50 People Who Really Perform for Chicago." Most recently, Kayser was selected as one of the 2025 Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellows at Jacob’s Pillow.
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Keelan Whitmore
Guest Choreographer
Currently the Rehearsal Director and Community Liaison for Philadelphia’s premiere contemporary ballet company, BalletX, Whitmore danced with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Tanz Theater Münster (Germany) and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet. He is currently pursuing his M.A. in Arts and Cultural Management at the Leuphana University/Goethe Institute in Lüneburg, Germany.
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Whitmore’s choreographic credits include creations with Schauspiel Dortmund, Tanz Theater Münster, Junges Theater Münster, Joffrey Ballet School, Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program and B.F.A. Program, Kansas City Ballet Company and School, Quixotic Performance Fusion, Virginia School of the Arts, Sonia Dawkin’s Prism, and Regional Dance America, which presented him with the National Choreographic Recognition Award in 2005.
Whitmore has been on the teaching faculty of numerous schools across the country. He has also been invited as a guest teacher/lecturer at Universität Münster, Folkwang Universität der Künste, Stanford University, University of Alabama, Austin Paey State University Edinburgh Dance Festival, Dance Outreach, Cape Academy of Performing Arts, and the ZAMA Dance School in Cape Town, South Africa.
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Performing Artists

Natalie Becker
Open Space Too Trainee
Open Space Board of Directors
Gina Condon, President
Sarah Reppenhagen, Secretary
Charlene Hannibal, Treasurer
Maeve Dougal
Franco Nieto
Kelly O'Sulivan
Jane Tighe
Open Space Support
Supernova Sponsors ($10,000 - $20,000)
Alan and Sharon Jones, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Jessica Nokovic, Swell Fund/Oregon Community Foundation
Light Speed Legends ($5,000 - $9,999)
Katherine Disenhoff, The H.W. & D.C.H. Irwin Foundation, John Perry, Portland Queer Arts Foundation, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Sarah and Frank Reppenhagen, Maya Strom and Jeremy Sedita
Starstruck Killers ($2,500 - $4,999)
Barbara Berkeley and Wendy Storch, Ashley Roland and Jamey Hampton, Jared Hunt Kendal and Dorian Kendal, Allison and Peter Lyneham, Megan and Jesse Milliken, Kelly O’Sullivan, Urban Cadance, Serena Zilliacus and Pierre-Laurent Baudey
Comet Crusaders ($1,000 - $2,499)
Melinda and Jim Coats, Gina Condon and Eric Cress, Dr. Abby and John Furukawa, Suzy and Jonas Greenburg, Susan and Thomas Hannibal, Harrington Family Foundation, Alan Gerencer, Paul King and Walter Jaffe, Melissa and Mark MacDonald, Jodi and Kevin Morich, Ann-Marie Nava, Kaelin and Frank Nieto, Reegan and David Rae, Elizabeth Reed, Jane Tighe, Sarah and Stephen Schwarz, Jennifer and Dr. Brandon Togioka, Sarah and Steve Wells​
Meteoric Marvels ($500 - $999)
Annie and Brad Carnese, LeeWei Chao, Jen and Danny Clancey, Yvonne Cohen, Paul Fylger, Kathleen Frazlen, Kyle and Charles Fuchs, Terri and Robert Hopkins, Bambii Kanekoa, Jax Ko, Nicole Longaker, Jackie and Dan Moore, Meg Remson, Jack Rutledge
Cosmic Crewmates ($250 - $499)
Erin Acker, Dr. Carrie and James Allison, Bradley Chow, John and Amy Cooney, Jonathon Cresson, Malia and Nathan Freeburg, Erin and Elizabeth Grossberg, Eric Garcia, Chelsea and Gabe Heller, Gea and Leahland Hill, Jessica Hutchins and Stephen Malkmus, Melissa Hurley and Micheal Davis, Linda and Malcolm Mathes, Jess and Bob Monsey, Misty and Douglas Moore, Joshua Myrie, David Nokovic, Dani Rowe and Luke Ingham, Ani Sitterly and James Arnold, Daniel Stearns, Clair and Hubert Scrase, Ray and Darla Tomac, Shannon and Erik Walcott, Lucinda Welch and Dennis Nolan, Colette and James White, Kristan Williams, Maryann Yelnosky
Space Cadet Squad ($100 - $249)
Erin Acker, Katie Bledsoe, Zachary Carroll and Anne Huffington-Carroll, Jen and Danny Clancey, Thane Giles, Ty Givens, Regina and Doug Hansen, Jeffrey Howard, Adra Huston, Sysko and John Kiggins, Julie Lageson, Holly MacFee, Kelly McCoy and Peter Ostrom, Ashley and Nick McCullar, Bradley Miller, Dennis Morar, Shane Nevius, Kolin and Ben Pope, Portland City Properties, David Rubin, Corey Scholibo, Anna-Marie Spence and Mac Strang, Vy Ta and Brandon Chung, The Leotard, Jenny Van Alstyne, George and Marilou Waldmann, Karen and Lester Weideman
Stardust Seekers ($25 - $99)
Katherine Brown, Debra Burke, Whitney Dorer, Galen Ettlin, James Evans, Michael Gearhart, Mary Anne and George Hannibal, Julie Harrigan, Lisa Kaplan, Shaun Keylock, Ali Krasnow, Melissa Lu, Hannah Martin, Kari McFarlan, Douglas Meddaugh, Daniel Newman, Kristen Nichols, Ry Ott, Jenny Peterson, Stacey Shroeder, Amy Smith, David Taub, Teryn Thiesen, Kathleen Valdez
Nebula Navigators (In Kind)
AM Spence Design, Apizza Scholls, Atrium Movement, BodyVox, Botanica Floral Design, Canard, Kim and Mike Chopko, Dove Vivi, Erath Winery, Nathan Freeburg, Full Plate Farm, Fusion Landscape Design, Dr. Alice Gray, Hilary Finck, Janelle Faherty, Jessica Schultz, Knot Springs, Louise Apparel, Mayfly, McMenamins, Mississippi Studios, Kirsten Nichols, North Country Productions, OMSI, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Oregon Brewery Running Series, ¿Por Qué No?, Pacific Groves, Caitlin and Zach Pickens, Portland Women’s Acupuncture, Posies, Rae Creative, Rose City Dogs, Sarah and Frank Reppenhagen, TEDxPortland, Jane Tighe, White Bird
Corporate Matching Gifts
Google, Intel, Nike, Raytheon Technology, Salesforce
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Open Space Support