NOVOA, MEAGHAN

Charray Helton (she/her)

Charray’s role in “In This House” is inspired by Nora Helmer, the protagonist in Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House,” and Laura Kieler, a friend of Ibsen, who’s life events the author used as inspiration for this play. 

About Charray: 

Born and raised in Atlanta, Ga., Charray Helton trained at Ballethnic Academy of Dance for 14 years, while also becoming an apprentice with Ballethnic Dance Company. She then went on to become a graduate of the Alonzo King LINES BFA program. Since her return home to Atlanta,Ga, she is currently a working and learning freelance dance artist around the Atlanta area. She collaborates and produces works that express the emotions and discussions deemed necessary within the current socio-political climate. This includes her first dance film entitled BLACK; holding three awards thus far. Not only has she presented solo work, she has also worked with Indya Childs and the Peace, Love, and Dance Project, Core Dance, Komansè Dance Theater, ALA Dance, Dance Canvas, and other choreographers in the area. Her most recent and notable work is her performance for Dexter King’s Candlelight Memorial Service with Stevie Wonder; choreographed by Troy Powell. With high hopes, she plans to continue this journey as well as to challenge not only the dance or the dancing body, but also the spaces the art is presented in.

Photo by T’Shauna Henry 

Isa Newport (she/they)

Isa’s role in “In This House” is loosely inspired by Anne-Marie, a former nanny of Nora Helmer, who now helps her raise her own children  (in Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House”). 

About Isa:

Isa Newport is a multifaceted artist from Tallahassee FL. Their professional training took flight at UNCSA, where They have grown immensely as a mover and creator. Throughout those four years, they have danced the works of Shen Wei, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, and Trish Brown. Additionally, in spring 2021, they performed as a soloist in a devised theater piece with UNCSA’s world-renowned School of Drama. Though they recognize dance as their first love,  they have taken new interests in dramaturgy and interdisciplinary collaborations. During the fall of 2019 they started developing different bodies of work that bring awareness to non-consensual intimate encounters. New to Atlanta since the spring of 2023, they have quickly made their mark on the local dance scene. They've showcased their talent with local companies including VIA UNI and Monica Hogan Danceworks, while also dancing in works for choreographer Meaghan Novoa. As the Spring 2024 Rising Artist resident with Rise City Dance, they debuted their latest work in May.

Photo by Art Davidson

Faith Fidgeon (they/she/he)

Faith’s role in “In This House” is inspired by Torvald Helmer, the husband of Nora Helmer in Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House.” 

About Faith: 

Faith Fidgeon (they/she/he) is a graduate of University of North Carolina School of the Arts. They are a freelance movement artist based in Atlanta, Georgia. Faith has worked with dancers and choreographers such as George Staib, Fly on a Wall, Shen Wei, Robert Battle, Ming Lung-Yang, Taryn Griggs, and Chris Yon. In addition to stage performance, Faith has worked on several projects including live circus performances, museum installations, short films, and most recently, with the Alliance Theatre’s Theatre for the Very Young. Faith’s movement practices are seeped in contemporary dance forms such as improvisation, contact partnering, release technique, and countertechnique. They are excited for this queer take on a classic play and blending the boundaries between dance and theater. 

Photo by Christina Massad

Charlie W. Baker IV (he/they)

Charlie’s role in “In This House” is inspired the character Dr. Rank, in Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House.”  Dr. Rank is the closest friend of Nora and Torvald and visits their home daily. 

About Charlie:

From Albany, GA, Charlie W. Baker IV is a Morehouse Alumnus who majored in Cinema Television and Emerging Media Studies and minored in Theater Performance. He has started his training in jazz and hip-hop when he was ten years old at Uptown Dance Studio. In his collegiate career at Morehouse College he became a member of the Rho Chapter of Delta Phi Delta Dance Fraternity, Inc. and Chapter 10 of House Arrest II Championship Dance Team Inc. Currently, Charlie is continuing his profession as a creative director and a freelance dancer.

Photo by Shannel Resto

Kiera O’Reilly (they/he/she)

Kiera’s role in “In This House” is loosely inspired the character Krogstad in Ibsen’s play, “A Doll’s House.” Krogstad is a former acquaintance and employee of Torvald’s. In the play, Krogstad blackmails Nora as revenge for Torvald firing him and as a way to restore his reputation. He is also the love interest of Kristine in the play. 

About Kiera:

Kiera O’Reilly (they/he/she) is a dance artist and creator, licensed massage therapist, and advocate for wellbeing in Atlanta, GA. They hold a BFA in contemporary dance from UNC School of the Arts. Along with massage therapy and dance, Kiera loves to play with their two cats and take them on walks outside, and to be with friends and family. Kiera is a grateful member of this thriving artistic community of movers and makers, and is excited to be performing again for the first time in a year.

Photo by Christina Massad

AK Bayer (they/she)

AK’s role in “In This House” is inspired the character Kristine, a childhood friend of Nora’s, in Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House.”

About AK:

AK Bayer is an interdisciplinary artist, professional dancer, writer, and emerging choreographer from Atlanta, GA. After falling in love with creative expression and performance at a young age, AK began training at Atlanta Dance before continuing with Decatur School of Ballet and Decatur City Dance. Living with dysautonomia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a systemic genetic disorder, AK navigates the intricacies of dancing with a dynamic disability. A visual artist as well, AK focuses on mixed media work and illustration. They have been creating art their entire life and love exploring identity through new mediums. AK is passionate about each of their creative pursuits but credits dance as their first love and the driving force behind their other crafts. AK is finishing their second season as company member with Full Radius Dance and has also had the honor of performing work from choreographers such as Patton White of Beacon Dance, Meaghan Novoa, and Dani Tirrell through Velocity Dance’s Seattle Festival of Dance and Improvisation.

Photo by John Ramspott

Dan Carey Bailey (he/him), composer

Dan Carey Bailey is an Atlanta based composer and musician who specializes in music for film, dance and performance. He has worked with the dance groups Bautanzt Here and Glo as well as directors AK Espada and Juice Box Films, he also plays bass in the band Greenscreen. Dan’s compositions focus on crafting environments of curiosity, discovery and emotional exploration, either through rhythmic repetition or unsettling textures, his music attempts to paint pictures of the imbalance between the unrelenting pressures of society and the serenity of nature.

Photo by Becca McCoy of Dan performing with Bauntanzt Here

PhaeMonae Brooks (she/they), costume designer

PhaeMonae has worked with Gloatl, Core Dance, and T. Lang dance, as a performance artist. They have since become a wearable art, design, and sculpture artist. PhaeMonae is a recipient for Art on the Beltline Arts and Culture “Beltline After Dark” 2024 series. PhaeMonae and team will create an embodiment intersecting hip-hops emergence and the lifespan of the Cicada through dance ,sound, sculpture and fashion. PhaeMonae and Lev Omelchenko created a dance on film “Free Noir Papillon” that explores the relationship of PhaeMonae as a black woman birthing a black boy in the midst of a pandemic and civil unrest. The FNP  film has been featured in over 10 film festivals including “Atlanta Film Festival” , “Cucalorus Film Fest”, “Miami Shorts”, “Brooklyn Film Festival”, “Nitehawk Shorts”,  and “Sidewalk film festival” just to name a few. PhaeMonae has costumed dances for film and stage like Beacon Dance “A piece : Through the senses”, Anicka Austin and Sierra Kings’ work “Untitled”, and Millie Heckler’s “Pink Booth Confessions”.  PhaeMonae will premiere new work over the next few months through DanceATL's "Engaging ATL Fellowship", "Summer Pantheon" May 25th at 8pm in “Mom said it’s fine” gallery space at The Underground ATL, and "Subtle Rage" in Vermont summer and fall of 2024.

Photo by Ashley White

Sean Dahlman (he/him), visual artist collaborator

Sean Dahlman is a composer and video artist from Boise, Idaho, USA. Sean started his artist career by composing for silent movies and performing in local indie bands. This eventually led him to explore his own video art; utilizing slow-motion cameras, he creates unique visualizers without the need for special effects. This created a passion for finding extreme aesthetics in brief moments. Years of surveying for the Forest Service inspired him to use native and local flora as inspiration for his videography. The videos for this performance were filmed in Blanca, Spain, at the AADK Artist Residency, and in the mountains of Idaho.