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.
brooklyn toli
Administrative Associate
brooklyn@dorrancedance.com
Brooklyn Toli is a Boston-based arts administrator and educator. She currently serves as a faculty member at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee teaching jazz and tap dance. In 2020, Brooklyn started “Sisters Support Success,” an organization that works to support arts accessibility, and awards an annual $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior committed to volunteerism. Brooklyn holds a B.A. in Dance Performance and Musical Theater from Rhode Island College, and is currently earning an M.F.A in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College.
production team & auxiliary staff
kathy kaufmann
Lighting Designer
devin koenig
Lighting Supervisor
amy page
Wardrobe Supervisor
Arts fms
Andrea Nellis & Evan Aanerud
Financial Services
outer/most
Barbara Frum
Artist Representative
donorly
Megan Callaghan, Sofia Del Valle, & Carrie O’Dell
Development Consultants
board of directors
Henri Benaim, Chair
Marc Steglitz, Treasurer
Deb Klowden Mann, Secretary
Courtney Blackwell Burton
M’Liss Dorrance
Michelle Dorrance
Michael Feller
Quamid Francis
Joseph Gallo
Hilary Srere