Company  

Jane Abbott (She/Her) is thrilled to be in her 12th year of making Mischief. She has performed Off-Broadway, domestically and internationally. Credit highlights include: General Mischief Dance Theatre, Mark Morris Dance Group, Chase Brock Experience, Diavolo, Olivia Palacios Dance, North Shore Music Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse and more. When she isn’t on stage, you can find her working as an Associate Choreographer, Stage Manager and Pilates Instructor. She holds a B.A. in dance from Columbia University. @janeabbott10

Mark Baker (He/Him) designs experiences in physical spaces using technology and story. As General Mischief’s Technical Director, he is proud of the company’s body of work and looks forward to future Mischief adventures. He has lost count of his many production designs over the years with Mischief, Kybele Dance, Invertigo, and many other concerts and events. 

Ray F. Davis (He/Him) is a performer, choreographer and teacher, born in Jamaica and residing in Bronx, NY. A dance professional for 22 years, Ray is versatile and proficient in various styles of hip hop and many genres of partner and solo dances, such as Lindy hop, salsa, jazz, modern. Having trained and performed with multiple companies, Ray has often travelled nationally and internationally to expand his knowledge and feed his passion for dance. @theRayFDavis

Mia DiChiaro (She/Her) is delighted to serve her 10th year with the company as Mischief Manager. She creates dance projects that encourage communities to explore imagination, empathy, and joy. She received an interdisciplinary B.A. in 'Performance and Arts Activism’ from NYU and M.A. in ‘Contemporary Dance Performance’ from University of Limerick. @miaadichi

Pablo Eluchans (He/Him)was born and raised in Santiago de Chile, and studied with many of Chile’s best drummers, at Escuela Moderna de Musica, as well as at Berklee College of Music. He works as a freelance performer and recording artist, who has toured South and North America, The Caribbean, Europe and Asia. He has also recorded over 100 albums as a sideman, leader or co-leader, as well as DVDs, film scores, TV and radio jingles. He has toured South and North America, The Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

Karen Gayle (She/Her) Originally from Toronto, received her degree from Ryerson University. Karen is a faculty member at The Juilliard School, Marymount Manhattan College, Montclair State University, The Joffrey Ballet School, Steps on Broadway and The Ailey School. She has taught and choreographed across the U.S. and abroad, including Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, Italy, Cyprus, and Israel and is a returning guest artist with OH Ballet Arts Academy (MD), Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, (PA), Techniche de Danza (Rome) and Earl Haig Performing Arts School (Toronto). Commissions include: General Mischief Dance Theatre, The Harvard Ballet Company, Steps Repertory Ensemble, Boston Tea Party Opera, Steffi Nossen, Marymount Manhattan, MSU.

Maiko Harada (She/Her) A native of Japan, holds a BFA in Dance Education from Ochanomizu National University of Japan. Falling in love with the diversity of dance in NYC, she relocated shortly after her graduation. Starting as a Latin Ballroom dancer, she was reintroduced and trained in Ballet, Modern techniques and Theatre Jazz in Steps On Broadway as a part of their international student program. She has recently been a seasonal dancer with Carolyn Dorfman Dance and General Mischief Dance Theatre, and worked with choreographers such as Chase Brock, Juel D. Lane, Karen Gayle, Richard Pierlon, and Marijke Eliasburg.

Kara Kaufman (She/Her) Selected Off-Broadway: Five Models in Ruins, 1981, Daphne, NEXT@LCT3 (LCT3); Nomad Motel (Atlantic); Sojourners, Her Portmanteau (NYTW); The Revolving Cycles..., Hello, From the Children… (Playwrights Realm); Kingdom Come (Roundabout); Today Is My Birthday (P73); Travels With My Aunt, John & Jen (Keen); SeaWife (Naked Angels); The Mysteries, Restoration Comedy, These Seven Sicknesses, Kaspar Hauser (Flea); and many more. Proud AEA member, Harvard grad, and lifelong New Yorker.

Zara Lawler/The Flute on Its Feet (She/Her) “An engaging, fluent, mellifluous soloist” (Houston Chronicle) Highlights include directing the US premiere of Il Cerchio Tagliato dei Suoni, Salvatore Sciarrino’s work for 104 flutists, at the Guggenheim, directing a Flute Jamboree at the Kennedy Center, several national tours, and two albums with her flute and marimba duo Lawler + Fadoul. Recent interdisciplinary creations include Symmetrical Lives, a choreographed Bach B Minor Suite in which the musicians are also the dancers, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, musical scenes from Betty Smith’s beloved novel. She studied at the Juilliard School with Carol Wincenc and Sam Baron. ZaraLawler.com - @fluteonitsfeet on Instagram and @TheFluteOnItsFeet on Facebook

Saki Masuda (She/Her) Favorite credits include The King and I (Lincoln Center and 1st national tour), Cats, The Little Mermaid, The Bodyguard, ELF, A Christmas Carol, Mary Poppins, Fiddler on the Roof (Co-choreographer), Madam Secretary (CBS), Blinders (Short film), Spirit box (Film), Heidi Latsky Dance, General Mischief Dance Theatre, Nai-Ni Chen Dance, Xodus Dance, Nashville Symphony among others. Associate choreographer for Debbie Roshe. Gratitude to my family in Japan. Love to our wonderful mischief makers and Pippin. 

Richard Sayama (He/Him) Originally from Honolulu, Hawai’i, Richard Sayama graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a double major in B.F.A Modern Dance and B.A Business. Upon graduation, Sayama joined Jon Lehrer Dance Company where he toured domestically and internationally for over 5 years. He has also performed as a guest artist with Jose Limon Dance Company and finished a season with Limón2. Richard is grateful to enter his sixth year creating mischief with General Mischief Dance Theatre.

Samantha Siegel (She/Her) After graduating from NYU/Tisch Dance, Samantha dedicated her career and study to specializing in swing dance/Lindy Hop and integrating it with her diverse background in competition jazz dance, musical theater, modern, and contemporary. Select credits: "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel", "Blue’s Big City Adventure", Wonderful Town (Encores! New York City Center), development presentation of Never Alone by Andy Blankenbuehler (Guggenheim’s Works & Process), and  co-directing the Broadway musical Swing! on Norwegian Cruise Lines. samanthalsiegel.com @samanthalsiegel 

Peter L. Trojić (He/Him) is a disabled dancer and actor from New York City. He is a company member of Heidi Latsky Dance and is excited to be back with the Mischiefs. In addition to performing, Peter works to improve accessibility in the arts, focusing on creating inclusive practices for both performers and audiences. He believes that prioritizing accessibility from the outset leads to better art.

Emily Smyth Vartanian (She/Her) is General Mischief's Head Troublemaker. She is UCLA graduate in Dance/World Arts & Cultures, and her choreography has been presented at venues ranging from Radio City and Dixon Place in New York to Highways and the House of Blues Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Emily loves working/playing with this amazing group of artists. She hopes the show gives you a lift!

Juniper Viernes (They/She) is a transfemme Filipina artist from the Bay Area and based in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. They have danced in works by Chase Brock, Colleen Thomas, and Lucinda Childs. They were a nonfiction writing fellow with the 2021 Kundiman Mentorship Lab. Juniper begins her graduate studies this fall at Northwestern University with the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Theatre and Drama. This is her sixth year with the wonderful Mischiefs, whom she will miss dearly! Instagram: @jpfriday

Alexandra Williamson (She/Her) graduated from Montclair State University, BFA in Dance. She currently dances and causes some mischief with Darrah Carr Dance, DiMauro Dance, Moe-tion Dance Theatre, Champagne Fountain Dance Company, Emotions Physical Theatre, Jennifer Chin and Karen Gayle. Alexandra is on faculty at Hofstra University. She has caused mischief touring nationally and internationally, most recently in Alaska and Ireland. Instagram: @Alexandra_Dances

Collaborators

Hodi Maputo Afro Swing is a non-profit cultural association founded in 2014 and based in Maputo, Mozambique. Their mission is to work for the preservation, research and dissemination of Mozambican traditional dance, music and instruments as well as African American Swing Dances. The company includes a singing and dance company, the group Banda Hodi, and a youth program where future professional dancers learn Mozambican traditional dances and Swing. Hodi has grown to be one of Mozambique’s foremost companies representing dances from the whole country, and they have participated in major international festivals abroad.

Mischief Staff and Co-Conspirators 

Head Troublemaker: Emily Smyth Vartanian

Mischief Administrator: Mia DiChiaro

Technical Director: Mark Baker 

Stage Manager: Kara Kaufman

General Manager, The Riverside Theater (TRT): Temishia Johnson 

TRT Technical Manager: Martin Bodenheimer

TRT Audio Engineer: Oscar Portillo

TRT Light Board Operator: May Harris

TRT Stage Crew: Refilwe Kekana

PR Representative: Michelle Tabnick PR

Plus our amazing collaborators:

TAIKOPROJECT.com  -  @taikoproject on Instagram

Karen Gayle at xodusdancecollective.com  -  @xodusdance 

Hodi Maputo Afro Swing at MASX.org - @hodimaputoafroswing 

Donna Viscuso - @41street_ensemble & Jackeline Rago - @jackelinerago 

Special Thanks 

The generous donors and organizations who make Mischief possible!

Mia DiChiaro for making wonderful Mischief from a distance. The incredible company artists for their generosity and resilience. 

Annaliese Wilbur for a wonderful tap board, and Aaron “AB” Belinfanti for helping Alex be in two places at once. Chriselle Tidrick and Stefani Berger for beautiful costume pieces. And YOU for joining the adventure! 

Joyful Noise performances are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, as well as the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. General Mischief’s work is also supported by Dance/NYC’s Dance Advancement Fund, made possible by the Howard Gilman Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

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