Detroit Metropolitan Dance, 450 Enterprise Court, Bloomfield Hills, MI (2026)

08/28/2026

INTRODUCING OUR FIRST SEASON AS DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE

SOUNDS OF DETROIT | March 20, 2027 | Music Hall Detroit

The season culminates with SOUNDS OF DETROIT, a celebration of the sounds of the city.

Drawing inspiration from Detroit’s rich musical history, from techno and jazz to Motown, this finale honors the sounds, stories, and cultural heartbeat of the city.

The program includes the return of Stephanie Pizzo’s, "Surge," an electrifying work driven by Detroit’s techno legacy with original composition by Aaron Siegel of FIT Sound.

Detroit Met Dance will also bring back "(In) Line and Then Some" by acclaimed choreographer Hope Boykin set to jazz music composed by Detroit's own Ali Jackson.

The program concludes with a new Motown-inspired work by 2020 Kresge Fellow Michael Manson. Bringing Detroit street-dance traditions into conversation with DMD's contemporary movement, this premiere features our company artists alongside local community performers in a powerful celebration of Detroit talent.

08/28/2026

INTRODUCING OUR FIRST SEASON AS DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE

SIGNAL | January 23+24, 2027 | Schaap Center for the Performing Arts

The season continues with SIGNAL, a program exploring the physical and emotional forces that move between people—what is expressed, what remains unspoken, and how individuals search for connection in an increasingly complex world.

The program will feature audience favorite, "I Am Not Myself" by internationally-acclaimed choreographer, Maxine Doyle. Originally commissioned as part of the company’s 35th-anniversary celebration, the work brings Doyle’s visceral theatricality and dynamic movement language to our company artists.

Also featured, Stephanie Pizzo’s "Architecture of Silence" investigates the spaces where emotion is contained and composure is expected. The work reflects the quiet weight of restraint and the endurance required to sustain it. It invites reflection on the invisible architecture that shapes human experience.

Tickets for SIGNAL are available now at www.detroitmetdance.org/signal 🎟️

08/28/2026

INTRODUCING OUR FIRST SEASON AS DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE

HERE | October 17+18, 2026 | Schaap Center for the Performing Arts

Opening the season, HERE becomes a powerful statement of arrival. Originally postponed from our previous season, the production now takes on deeper meaning as DMD's first performance at its new home theatre, the Schaap Center for Performing Arts in Grosse Pointe, MI.

The program includes "Ongaeshi: The Debt of Feathers" by Yosh*to Sakuraba, a visually evocative contemporary work inspired by the Japanese folktale "The Grateful Crane." Through compelling movement and theatrical imagery, the work explores sacrifice, gratitude, and the consequences of promises made and broken.

HERE also features a premiere by Artistic Director, Stephanie Pizzo, set to an original score composed by Madeline Merwin and performed with a full orchestra.

Completing the program is Pizzo’s work, "State of Mind," performed in collaboration with dance students from Western Michigan University. The partnership reflects our commitment to connecting professional artists with the next generation and creating meaningful performance opportunities for emerging talent.

Get your tickets for HERE at www.detroitmetdance.org/here 🎟️

08/27/2026

INTRODUCING OUR DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE COMPANY ARTISTS

COLLEGIATE APPRENTICE, JUNE WALLACE
June Wallace (he/they) was born and raised in Michigan and is a senior at Oakland University. They are pursuing a BFA in Dance with plans to attend a master’s program after graduation. While at Oakland University, he has had the opportunity to work with choreographers Neda Ebrahimi, Lauren Anderson, Ali Woerner and The Take Root Dancers, Wade Schaaf, Stephanie Pizzo and the Eisenhower Dancers, Christia Smutek, Judy Miller, and Tony Frazier. June, as a first-year college student, was invited to take his piece Virtue vs. Vice to Detroit Dance City Festival to be shown under Oakland University at the College Showcase, then this piece was accepted into Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s NewDanceFest-Emerging Choreographer program in 2024. While June was at NewDanceFest, he had the opportunity to create a work under the guidance of Stephanie Pizzo, the artistic director of Eisenhower Dance Detroit. Shortly after, June created his own dance company, June’s Creative Expressions (JCE). The company had their debut in June of 2025 at Dumbo Dance Festival in the Mark O’Donnell Theatre located in Brooklyn, New York. JCE performed an original work by June entitled The Journey by Mary Oliver. The company is rooted in radical empathy, intersectionality, and prioritizes collaboration with artists of all disciplines. Since returning from New York, June continues to shape a career that blends artistic innovation with community engagement through the growth of their company and continued training at Oakland University.

Photo by Allison Armfield Photography

08/27/2026

INTRODUCING OUR DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE COMPANY ARTISTS

COLLEGIATE APPRENTICE, LANDRIE ADAMS
Landrie Adams (she/her) was raised in Romeo, Michigan, where she began dancing at the age of three. With a focus on contemporary and ballet, she moved to Indiana to pursue advanced training under Alyona Yakovleva and Tatiana Pali before continuing her training at the Boston Ballet School and Ann Parsley School of Ballet.

She has attended training programs with Complexions Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, and Ballet West, among others, where she had the opportunity to work with Andrea Long, Peter Stark, Desmond Richardson, Dwight Rhoden, and Meg Paul. Landrie received recognition at YAGP for both ballet and contemporary work, served as the assistant choreographer for the Detroit Lions Cheerleaders' sideline routine, and was awarded the Sutton Foster Award for Choreography

Landrie is currently a senior pursuing her BFA in Dance at the University of Michigan, where she has trained with faculty including Judy Rice and Shannon Gillen of VIM VIGOR and performed FLOCKWORK's original work, ReQuest. She is also a nationally certified Pilates instructor and dance educator. Landrie is excited to begin her first season with Detroit Metropolitan Dance.

Photo by Allison Armfield Photography

08/26/2026

INTRODUCING OUR DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE COMPANY ARTISTS

COMPANY MEMBER, LOUIS GONZALEZ
Louis "Louie" Gonzalez (he/him) is a contemporary dance artist and educator originally from Plymouth, Michigan. He began his journey by moving away at a young age to pursue elite classical training at The Rock School for Dance Education and the Indiana Ballet Conservatory. Louie later shifted his focus to contemporary dance, refining his artistry at Vancouver's Arts Umbrella and training at prestigious intensives including Juilliard, Ellison Ballet, UNCSA, and Ballet BC. He has performed works by a distinguished roster of choreographers, including Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton, Johan Inger, Marco Goecke, Sharon Eyal, and Twyla Tharp. His artistic path eventually led him overseas, performing in various projects and showcases across Europe. Today, Louie shares his global expertise as an educator at Art Flux and is thrilled to join Detroit Metropolitan Dance for his first season as a company member.

Photo by Allison Armfield Photography

08/25/2026

INTRODUCING OUR DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE COMPANY ARTISTS

GUEST ARTIST, ALEXZANDER LARSON
Alexzander Larson (he/him), originally from Portland, Oregon, holds a BFA in Dance ('22) from The Hartt School. During this time he had the privilege of performing works by Jose Limon, Merce Cunningham, Lar Lubovitch, Gabrielle Lamb, Jaclyn Buglisi, and Sir Richard Alston to name a few. In 2022 he was the inaugural recipient of the Merce Cunningham Trust’s Barbara Ensley Award. Alex has had the pleasure of dancing with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Des Moines Metropolitan Opera with choreographer: Issac Martin Lerner, Suzzanne Ponomarenko Dance, Cornfield Dance, Matthew Westerby Dance, and The Merce Cunningham Trust. He is currently a dancer with The Met Opera Ballet and a Guest Artist with Detroit Metropolitan Dance.

Photo by Allison Armfield Photography

08/24/2026

INTRODUCING OUR DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE COMPANY ARTISTS

COMPANY MEMBER, STEPHAN EMMANUEL
Stephan Emmanuel (he/they) is a Raleigh, NC native and dance artist in his first season with Detroit Metropolitan Dance. A recent graduate of The Ailey School Certificate Program, he began his dance training at the North Carolina Theatre Conservatory and North Carolina Dance Institute before continuing his studies in New York City. During his time at Ailey, he performed alongside Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Memoria in 2025. During his final two years at Ailey, he was also a member of the Ailey Student Performance Group, performing selections from Alvin Ailey’s Revelations, For ‘Bird’—With Love, The River, and Night Creature. His additional credits include Dreamgirls with NC Theatre, The Patriot Project with Black Box Dance Theatre, and works by Norbert De La Cruz, Jennifer Archibald, Ronald K. Brown, Darrell Moultrie, and Brandi Lewis.

Outside of dance, Stephan enjoys cooking, playing piano, exploring new music, and spending time with friends and family. He dedicates his work first and foremost to God, as well as to his family, mentors, and the many supporters who have shaped his journey.

Photo by Allison Armfield Photography

08/21/2026

INTRODUCING OUR DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE COMPANY ARTISTS

COMPANY MEMBER, ISABELLA MARINA VARON
Isabella Marina Varon (she/her) is a professional dancer and dance educator based in Detroit, Michigan. She has been a company artist with Detroit Metropolitan Dance, formerly Eisenhower Dance Detroit, since 2023, where she has worked closely with and performed works by a diverse range of choreographers, including Maxine Doyle, Tess Voelker, Yosh*to Sakuraba, Christian Denice, Tamisha A. Guy, Rauf Yasit and James Gregg, Joshua Peugh, and Norbert De La Cruz III.

Most recently, Isabella performed lead roles at Detroit Met’s summer tour to Jacob’s Pillow. Isabella has performed principal roles in Rinaldo, directed by Louisa Proske at the Detroit Opera House, as well as works by Sharon Eyal at Springboard Danse and Scott Jennings at the b12 Festival in Berlin. In the fall of 2026, Isabella will be a featured artist in the Detroit Design District’s inaugural In Session series at the Boyer Campbell building.

Isabella earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College in 2020, with a concentration in ballet. Her training includes prestigious summer programs with American Ballet Theatre and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

Beyond performance, Isabella is passionate about dance education and mentorship. She regularly teaches ballet and contemporary techniques to pre-professional students across the Metro-Detroit area and provides college preparation guidance for aspiring dance majors. Her teaching experience spans colleges, intensives, and festivals nationwide, and her students have gone on to study dance at NYU Tisch, Marymount Manhattan College, SUNY Purchase, University of Michigan, and Oakland University. Isabella is currently on faculty at Viva Dance Company, Spotlight Dance Works, and the School of Detroit Metropolitan Dance. She was the Associate Artistic Director of Young Dancers Initiative from 2022 to 2025.

Photo by Allison Armfield Photography

08/20/2026

INTRODUCING OUR DETROIT METROPOLITAN DANCE COMPANY ARTISTS

COMPANY MEMBER, COLE SEARS
Cole Sears (he/him) began his competitive dance career at age 8 and since then he has furthered his education and earned his BFA in dance with a concentration in modern at Point Park University with a minor in business management. During his collegiate time, he had the opportunity to perform works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Penny Saunders, Bridget Moore, Kevin and Marcel Wilson, and Staycee Pearl. He also had the opportunity to perform notable works such as Bob Fosse’s “Rich Man’s Frug,” Robyn Miko-William’s “Cloudline,” and Twyla Tharp’s “Sweet Fields”. Cole had the opportunity to attend Whim W’Him Winter Intensive under artistic direction of Olivier Wevers and Karl Watson. Cole is starting his second season with Detroit Metropolitan Dance.

Photo by Allison Armfield Photography

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