An exploration of Molly Brodak’s poem “I Hope You’re Happy: a novel.” The poem evokes some haunting narrative of which the details are mysterious. We wanted to make a large reflection of the text in the form of choreography, projections, and turn of the century American classical music.
Poem “I Hope You’re Happy: a Novel” by Molly Brodak
Music by Charles Ives, Walter Piston, Aaron Copland
Choreography by Isabella Ginter and Erin Patterson
There were three performances at the KRD Venue, Sept. 12, 13, and 14.
Here are some photos:
Artists
Isabella Ginter, Choreographer
Isabella is originally from Chicago, Illinois where she studied classical ballet and modern at The Academy of Movement and Music and where she danced with MOMENTA Dance Company. Isabella graduated from TCU’s School for Classical & Contemporary Dance where she earned her BFA in Ballet with a teaching certificate in Pilates, Summa Cum Laude. During her time in both schools, Isabella had the honor of dancing the roles of Aurora, Giselle, Swanhilda, and Nikya in excerpts from each of these ballets. After graduation, she danced in the corps de ballet in two of Ballet Concerto’s Summer Dance Concerts and performed in various repertoire including, Bolero, Les Sylphides, Hyden Quartet, and Goyescas. In 2021, Isabella danced as a guest artist at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas with Elevator Project’s A Lily Among Thorns. Isabella danced with Ballet Ariel in their 2023-2024 season in Denver, CO and guested with Ballet Papillon, Dallas, TX in Tea for Two, An Afternoon of Pas de Deux, where she participated in the setting of several new works including Whirlwind, a neo-classical pas de deux. Most recently, Isabella danced with Maureen Breeze Dance Theater and is currently beginning her second season with Ballet Melange.
erin Patterson, choreographer, Performer
Erin Patterson is a freelance dance artist performing in Denver. Born in Colorado, she finished out her early training at Boulder Ballet. She then moved to Pittsburgh to farther her education at Point Park University, receiving a B.F.A. in dance and graduating Summa Cum Laude. To supplement her training she also attended summers at Ballet West, American Ballet Theater, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and several “b12” workshops in Berlin. During those years she had the opportunity to perform in classics including The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Romeo and Juliet as well as dance works by Ohad Naharin, Robert Moses Kin, Alex Ketley, and Mathew Powell, to name a few.
Erin was privileged to begin her professional career with Texture Contemporary Ballet in Pittsburgh. After three seasons, she moved to NYC to continue training and freelancing. Shortly after, she joined 6 O’Clock Dance Theater in Dallas. Erin now resides back in her home city of Denver and has enjoyed dancing lead roles with Ballet Ariel in classics such as; Sleeping Beauty, Le Corsaire, and American in Paris. This past season, Erin had the honor to guest with Colorado Conservatory of dance, performing in Sandra Park’s contemporary “Romeo and Juliet: The Choice” as Juliet with live accompaniment by Frederic Chiu. Most recently, she has joined Reverie Dance Company as a new emerging contemporary ballet company in Denver!
Erin’s choreographic journey began in school with her first piece “Experience”. Thereafter she has choreographed on numerous students and also had the opportunity to create on a professional company of peers at Texture Contemporary Ballet with “Forking Paths”.
Erin is THRILLED to be collaborating on “I Hope You’re Happy” as both a performance artist and choreographer! She is so excited to be a part of such a unique project and choreograph amongst incredible artists!
Abigayle Crampton, Performer
Abigayle Crampton began her training in Lincoln, Nebraska. After graduating high school, she attended The University of Oklahoma’s ballet program and received her BFA in Ballet Performance in 2021. There, she performed in notable works such as Swan Lake, Willam Christensen’s The Nutcracker and Gerald Arpino’s Reflections. She had the opportunity while at the University of Oklahoma to perform at the International Dance Encounter in Cancún, Mexico, in works by Michael Bearden and Boyko Dossev. Upon graduating, she danced with the Fort Wayne Ballet and performed roles in Giselle, The Nutcracker, and The Sleeping Beauty. She joined Ballet Ariel in 2022 and is looking forward to beginning her fourth season with them this fall performing in original and classical ballets.
Kalah Jackson, Performer
Jackson grew up in Centennial, Colorado and began dancing at the age of 4 at a local studio. She was on the competition team at Rocky Mountain School of Dance (now The Silhouettes) from 2012 to 2014. After a 3 year break she decided to purse classical ballet and modern training at Centennial State Ballet and studied under Kristin Kingsley and Kathryn Rogers from ages 13-18 when she graduated high school. She is now starting her second season as a trainee with Ballet Melange under Elizabeth Shipiatsky and Sergii Sidorsky. In her 11 years of dancing she has learned from mentors such as Megan Odom, David Taylor, Lynne Waggoner Patton, and Keith Haynes. Her featured roles include Vespers Soloist by David Taylor, Sugarplum Fairy set by Kathryn Rogers, Little Masha set by Elizabeth Shipiatsky, and Le Travail soloist from Coppelia
Henry McCall, Performer
Henry Maximilian McCall was born and raised as the youngest of four boys in St. Louis, MO, where he started dancing at COCA. He studied at a series of schools, including the Ailey School Junior Division, Manhattan Youth Ballet, Walnut Hill School for the Arts under Michael Owen and Pacific Northwest Ballet in their Professional Division Program under Peter Boal. After which he moved back across the country to study in and graduate from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program in the class of 2018. While in New York City he spent time freelancing with various artists and companies including working as an apprentice with Ailey II. His time in Denver has included dancing and choreographing with Wonderbound, teaching and choreographing for Classical Ballet Academy, collaborating with Ben Youngstone on a work for Leon Gallery and dancing with Maureen Breeze Dance Theater.
Sydney McCall, Performer
Sydney McCall began her dance training at the Academy of Colorado Ballet under Elizabeth Shipiatsky. She spent her summers at ballet intensives across the country including American Ballet Theater, Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and Ballet West. Before leaving for college, she performed corps roles with Colorado Ballet in their renditions of Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker. She graduated from Texas Christian University, Cum Laude, with her BFA in Ballet where she performed lead roles in Giselle, Paquita, Don Quixote, Antony Tudor’s Dark Elegies, and George Balanchine’s Valse Fantaisie. Upon graduation she moved to New York City where she danced with Arch Contemporary Ballet and Golden Hour Dance. She then returned to Denver and performed with Wonderbound and currently works with Maureen Breeze Dance Theater.
Echo Sweet, Performer
Echo Sweet a Denver native, started dancing at the age of 3 with Colorado Ballet Academy. In 2014 Echo began dancing at Ballet Melange Academy (formerly Classical Ballet Academy), and later became a trainee with Ballet Melange. Echo performed many principal roles with Ballet Melange such as Paquita, Cipollino, Myrtha and Gulnara. In 2021-2025 Echo also danced with Maureen Breeze Dance Theater in productions such as Traveling the Labyrinth, Little Black Dress and Flight and Flow: A Dance Mosaic. She trained under Elizabeth Shipiatsky for 11 years and has completed certification for teaching levels 1-8 in the Vaganova method. In 2024 Echo joined Ballet Ariel’s company and has performed lead roles such as Susan in Narnia, Corregidor’s Wife in Three-Cornered Hat and Micaela in Carmen.
Ty York, Performer
Emil Ginter, director
Emil studied Ancient Languages and Theater at Wheaton College, BA 2020. His directing includes Constellations by Nick Payne and two premieres of the devised works Figure Drawing and Poetry Project in Chicago, IL. He likes to direct poetic, ensemble-driven theater.
He has worked as an actor with the Towle Theater in Hammond, IN (Murder for Two, Women in Jeopardy!, A Fabulous Fifties Christmas), Refracted Theatre Company in Chicago, IL (U/S Tambo and Bones), Arena Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park in Wheaton, IL (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It), and others.
He is really grateful and delighted to get to work with such talented artists on this show.