our staff
Jenny is a nonprofit strategist and fundraiser with 15+ years of combined on-the-ground and consulting experience within the performing arts. Her long standing relationship with Dorrance Dance began in 2015 through her work at DUNCH consulting. Most recently, Jenny served as Interim Executive Director of Camille A. Brown & Dancers, further leading the national executive search to appoint a permanent Executive Director. Jenny holds a M.A. in Arts Administration from UKY and a B.A. in Writing & Performing Arts as a Catalyst for Social Change from NYU. She proudly served on the Boards of Groove With Me and MOVE|NYC|.
jenny novac
Novac Consulting
Interim Executive Director
jenny@dorrancedance.com
hillary kooistra
General Manager
hillary@dorrancedance.com
Hillary Kooistra (she/her) is an NYC-based arts manager specializing in project, tour, and Board management for nonprofit dance companies and organizations. She has worked as a freelance administrator with Cora Dance, Dance/USA, Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group, and Nicole von Arx & Guests; and served as the Company then General Manager for A.I.M by Kyle Abraham for seven years. Hillary is a 2019 Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training Mentee and a 2019-20 EmcArts Arts Leaders as Cultural Innovators Fellow; and serves on the Board of Trustees for We Are Queens, a Gen-Z-led empowerment organization for young dancers.
Christopher Marc
Production Manager / Sound Designer
christopher@dorrancedance.com
Christopher is a NYC-based Sound Designer & Production Manager from Minneapolis, MN. He has designed and engineered sound for Michelle Dorrance, Music From the Sole, Variety Life Productions, Lincoln Center Restart Stages, Luke Hickey, and Michael Jellick, as well as regional and off-broadway productions with the Kennedy Center, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, IJB Productions, Aquila Theatre, and Mills Entertainment. Christopher also designs/builds custom floors for percussive dance and is owner/operator of @CMarcAudio.
gabby benavides
Associate Producer
gabby@dorrancedance.com
Gabby Benavides (she/her) is a New York City based arts administrator. She previously worked for the School of American Ballet, TADA! Youth Theater, Gibney Dance, and Ballet Academy East. Additionally, Gabby has taught for various dance and theater organizations across Dallas Fort-Worth and New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies from Arizona State University.
taylor craft
Company Manager
admin@dorrancedance.com
Taylor Craft (she/her) is a New York City based dancer, choreographer, photographer, and arts administrator. Originally from Waterford, Michigan, Craft received her BFA in Dance from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. She has photographed for Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Wayne State, and Madonna University and has published work in Dance Magazine and the New York Times. In 2022, Craft independently produced and premiered her first dance theatre work ‘the semi truck that blocks my view is still beautiful.’ She has previously worked for Complexions Contemporary Ballet as the Associate Company Manager and Creative Coordinator and is now working with Dorrance Dance as Company Manager.
production team & auxiliary staff
kathy kaufmann
Lighting Designer
olivia brown
Stage Manager
andrea nellis & evan aanerud
Arts FMS
Financial Services
barbara frum
outer/most
Artist Representative
board of directors
Joe Gallo, Chair
Marc Steglitz, Treasurer
Deb Klowden Mann, Secretary
Henri Benaim
Courtney Blackwell Burton
M’Liss Dorrance
Michelle Dorrance
Michael Feller
Hilary Srere