The Flowers You Gave Me

Mary Willmeng

Choreographer
Mary Willmeng is an independent choreographer, teacher, and dancer living in Minneapolis, MN. She danced professionally in Chicago, IL with Mordine and Company Dance Theater, the 58 Group, Breakbone Dance Company, Adriana Durant Dance, and Ayako Kato before relocating to Colorado in 2009. During her time in Colorado, she performed with Cindy Brandle Dance Company, Mary Wohl Haan, and Rachel Oliver Young. Her own work has been presented at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder, the Colorado Conservatory of Dance, the Dance Center of Columbia College, Links Hall, the UIC Theater, and Stage 773. She has set her work on Simantikos Dance Chicago, Trifecta Dance Collective, and the students of Zenon Dance School. Her duet, Walk With Me, was chosen as a commissioned piece by Simantikos Dance Chicago and was presented in their company show. In 2019, she was chosen as a choreographer to collaborate in the creation of a new work with flutist Hope Rogers for Trifecta Dance Collective’s Summer Engage Artist Lab. Her work, Open Field, was chosen as a commission by TDC and was set on their professional company. In 2023, she produced her first Minnesota Fringe Festival show, Little Pieces. She also presented a new work in the production of 16 Feet, a choreographer’s collective, at the Tek Box theater and set a new work on the students of the Zenon Zone program. She is thrilled to be back in the Minnesota Fringe and is so grateful to work with her amazing cast of dancer/collaborators to bring this performance to life.

Hunter Batterson

Dancer/collaborator
Hunter Batterson (she/her) is a dancer, performance artist, and arts administrator originally from Chicago, IL. She began her multidisciplinary movement training with the Dance and Music Academy before transitioning into a pre-professional program at The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts), also receiving additional instruction through the Kansas City Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago summer intensives at this time. She then went on to pursue her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and minor in History from the University of Minnesota, graduating with high distinction in 2021. Here, she had the opportunity to perform in works by Andrea Miller (Gallim Dance), Vie Boheme, Chris Schlichting, Annie Hanauer, Carl Flink, Joe Chvala (Pippin), and Rahila Coats (North Central ACDA 2020 selection). In her professional endeavors, Hunter has worked closely with Borealis Dance Theatre, Corpus Callosum Dance (Lily Conforti), Javan Mngrezzo, and Mary Willmeng (Willmeng Dances), appearing in the Zenon Zone Showcase, CANDY BOX Dance Festival, and the MN Fringe Festival and their annual Five Fifths Fundraiser. She is currently a company member with Concerto Dance by Jolene Konkel as well as a featured performer in a monthly cabaret at the Bryant Lake Bowl, produced by Kendall Kramer. Along with performing, Hunter has also worked administratively within numerous dance-based organizations, previously with institutions like Zenon Dance School, ARENA DANCES, Northrop, and Trifecta Dance Collective, now serving as the Marketing Coordinator for Platinum Dance.

Kaitlin Craven

Dancer/collaborator
Kaitlin Craven is a Twin Cities-based arts administrator, yoga instructor and dance artist. She works in the Grants Office at the Minnesota State Arts Board and recently served as the Interim School Coordinator at Zenon Dance School. Since moving to Minneapolis in 2019, Kaitlin has performed in Concerto Dance Company, Borealis Dance Theatre, Soiled Dance Series, CANDY BOX Dance Festival, Art-A-Whirl, CollabArts, Generating Room, DanceBARN Festival, and more. She is grateful to collaborate with Mary for a second Fringe Festival this summer!

Sophia Louwagie

Dancer/collaborator
Sophia Louwagie (she/her) is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher residing in Saint Paul, MN. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BFA in Dance and a 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teaching Certification in 2022. As a student, she performed in works choreographed by Herb Johnson III, Danial Shapiro & Joanie Smith of Shapiro and Smith Dance, Souleymane Badolo, and Renée Copeland & Genevieve Muench of Hiponymous. Professionally, Sophia has performed in CANDY BOX Dance Festival and MN Fringe Five Fifths Fundraiser with Lily Conforti of Corpus Callosum Dance and worked closely with Madeleine Scott, owner and artistic director of South Dakota Ballet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Currently, Sophia performs at Bryant Lake Bowl where she is a featured dancer in a cabaret produced by Kendall Kramer. Additionally, Sophia works for Dance Endeavors as an Educator, Associate Director of the Nutcracker, and an Administrative Assistant in Bloomington, MN.

Kendall Kramer

Dancers/collaborator
Kendall Kramer loves peanut butter, and is almost 5’3. She is thrilled to perform with Willmeg Dances at the 2024 MN Fringe! Originally from Minnesota, Kendall graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Spanish Language from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, where she had the privilege of studying with Danny Buraczeski. In Texas, she collaborated with Leslie Scates of Lower Left, Frame Dance, and Psophonia Dance Company as a company member, where she also set her own work. Since returning to Minneapolis in 2019, Kendall has choreographed and performed genre-diverse works including those for REM5 VR Studio/Twin Cities XR Festival, Fox & Beggar Theater, Future Interstates, Minnesota Dance Festival, and “The Heathers” with Barret Music Studio. She currently creates “#betches,” a monthly parody dance cabaret at Bryant Lake Bowl, where she was also a co-conspirator for Crude Tuesday, a monthly community platform for works-in-progress and audience feedback. Kendall’s dance films have premiered at Dance Camera North (MN) and Mafra Dance Festival (Portugal). In Minnesota, she has performed works by Paula Mann, Analog Dance Works/Brenna Mosser, DanceCO, Jon Ferguson, Hatch Dance/Helen Hatch, and HoneyWorks/Berit Ahlgren, among others. She is a proud founding member of RJDT, where she currently dances. She is also quite proud to have won the Nudie Nubies burlesque competition in April 2022. Kendall shares her passion for dance and Pilates by teaching at Zenon, MDT, Hot House, Pilates Underground, and Lundstrum Performing Arts.

Ayaka Moriyama

Dancer/collaborator
Ayaka Moriyama is an aspiring scientist and movement artist based in the Twin Cities. Born and raised in Japan, she came to the US to study at Carleton College, where she earned B.A. in Dance and Physics in 2022. She learned contemporary dance from Jane Shockley and Judith Howard as well as worked with artists such as D. Jinza Thayer, HIJACK, Mathew Janczewski, BRKFST Dance Company, and Rosy Simas. She had the honor of presenting her solo My Heart, Your Hand, Their Grandma’s Eyebrow at the American College Dance Association North Central Conference in March 2022, which was selected for performance in the conference’s closing Gala Concert. After graduation, she had an opportunity to work with Hatch Dance, Jon Ferguson, Margaret Ogas, and Dance Projects by ME. She’s been exploring ways to incorporate science into performing arts and to spread the joy of movements with people from various backgrounds. She is grateful to work with Mary and be part of MN Fringe Festival.

Ayumi Shafer

Dancer/collaborator
Ayumi Shafer is an educator, choreographer, and mover currently active in the Twin Cities and greater area. Originally from California, Ayumi has now been teaching for over 16 years in various cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Eugene, and Minneapolis. She earned a BA in Dance and Choreography from San Francisco State University (2009), as well as a MFA in Dance from the University of Oregon (2013). As she continues to teach in both public and private institutions, Ayumi has focused on collaborating with local artists in both dance and other disciplines. In 2014, she co-founded DanceBARN Collective with her dance partner, Molly Johston. DanceBARN is a nonprofit organization committed to creating dance opportunities for artists, performers, educators and audience members in rural communities. Ayumi and Molly strive to build community, create innovative dance through collaboration, and nurture the creative minds and bodies of our communities. Ayumi is also immersed in the community at Jeté Dance Centre in Rogers MN, serving as Assistant Director and working with youth of all ages, in many genres from Musical Theatre to Improvisation. Recently, Ayumi had the opportunity to collaborate with Jagged Moves on a residency at the Red Eye Theatre, as well as present some of her work through Inbox@Artbox, The Cowles Center’s Generating Room, 6x6 Solos, and Candy Box Festival. Drawing inspiration from the idea of play, the freedom to act on our impulses, and active curiosity, she strives to create work that tells a story. She is enthusiastic about sharing dance with all members of her communities, and continues to organize events for people with all types of experiences in art and life. When Ayumi is not teaching or working, she enjoys her days with her husband and 2 kids. Usually catching a movie, crafting, cooking, or romping at a playground.