Barriskill Studio Company

The Barriskill Studio Company is made up from invited Conservatory-level students who are interested in a more dedicated study of dance. The Company is not a competitive team, rather a pre-professional program in which students are given the opportunity to work with guest choreographers from around the country to gain real experience auditioning and performing. Company members commit to an intensive rehearsal and performance schedule in addition to their dance classes throughout the year.

The Company has performed at festivals and community events around the Triangle, recently at SPARKcon Festival, Carrboro Arts Festival, and the American Tobacco Tower Lighting.

For more information or to inquire about a choreography or performance opportunity, please contact Mari O'Donnell, company director.

2021-2022 Guest Choreographers

Levi Marsman

Levi Philip Marsman was born and raised in Boston, MA and he began his training at the Boston Arts Academy, OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center, and Jeanette Neill Dance Studio as a scholarship recipient in their Boston Youth Moves Program. After graduating from the from the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Levi was awarded a place in the Scholarship Program at The Ailey School. He later enrolled in the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, which lead to an invitation to join Ailey II by former director, Sylvia Waters before graduation. Levi’s performance credits include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (New York), Movements Dance Company (Jamaica), OrigiNation (Boston), Lula Washington Dance Theatre (Los Angeles), Reed Dance (Pittsburgh) and PHILADANCO! (Philadelphia).

Levi is currently on faculty at Urbanity Dance and in the Ailey Extension program at the Ailey School and has been Artist in Residence at the Boston Arts Academy, the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Teacher In Residency for Urbanity Dance. As a choreographer, he has created works for institutions such as Dallas Black Dance Theatre: Encore!, the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, Sharron Miller Academy for the Performing Arts, Alexander W. Dreyfoos School for the Arts, Marygrove College, Renaissance High School, Boston Youth Moves, Dean College, Endicott College, Eastern Michigan University, Wheaton College, Georgetown University's Black Movements Dance Theatre, the Joffrey School, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, The Ailey School, Reed Dance, the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, Ballet Ecclectica at Center of Creative Arts, OrigiNation and MOVE(NYC). Most recently he was commissioned by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to create a new work entitled ‘Colorful’ in conjunction with the opening of their exhibit, “Boston’s Apollo” and he created his newest work, “some kind of peace”, to close out Richmond Ballet’s 2021 season. Levi was named choreographer and movement director for the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s production of “The Tempest” as they announced their return to the Boston Commons.

Levi’s awards include Contemporary Dance Silver Medalist of the 4th Seoul International Dance Competition, 2007 Young Professionals Awardee—Martha Hill Dance Fund, Best Performance at the 10th Annual Oakland Dance Festival in Michigan and first recipient of the 2016 Ballet Inc. Emerging Choreographer Award. He was asked to perform an original solo in the 2018 Boston Contemporary Dance Festival and was one of two guest choreographers to create a new work for Urbanity Dance in Boston in their "Urbanity NeXt" Project in 2017. He is excited to be choreographing for Dallas Black Dance Theatre: Encore! again this fall.

Past Guest Choreographers have been:

Levi Philip Marsman

Christian von Howard

Leah Wilks

Elizabeth Burke

Sean Carmon

Katie Dearman

Kristina Vensko

Allie Mobley

Courtney Sauls

David Ingram

Kristin Clotfelter