Trinity Leite of Hamden, CT makes choreographic debut in NYC with works performed by Salve dance majors

Leite is a junior majoring in dance and finance at Salve Regina University

by By Matt Boxler

Newport, RI (10/20/2023) — Members of Salve Regina University's dance will travel to New York City twice in the coming weeks to perform two choregraphed works by Hamden, Conn. native Trinity Leite - "Cat and Mouse" and "Artemis" - both of which have been selected as featured performance pieces at festivals in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

"I feel incredibly honored and grateful that my work has been invited," said Leite, a jjunior at Salve majoring in dance and finance. "These performances will be my choreographic debut in New York, which is a dream I never thought I would achieve."

Leite created "Cat and Mouse" to embody the performance environment, energy and atmosphere exuded by live jazz musicians. It will be presented at Jazz Choreography Enterprises (JCE) Jazz Dance Project on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28 and 29 at KnJ Theater in Peridance Center near Union Square in New York City's East Village.

"Artemis" was inspired by the memory of Leite's former dance teacher and mentor Erin Brady, founder and owner of the Cheshire Performing Arts Academy in Connecticut, who lost her battle with ALS at age 32. The piece will be performed at WAXworks on Sunday, Nov. 19 at Muriel Schulman Theater in Brooklyn.

"The choreographic process is incredibly vulnerable, as you are sharing the most innate, genuine, and authentic parts of yourself with the world," said Leite, whose goal is to create work that evokes what she believes is the most profound human emotion - joy. "The opportunity to present my work at these festivals is a monumental step in my dance career and I am grateful that my Salve community is a part of this experience. I feel extremely blessed to share these experiences with my fellow Salve students performing my work."

A total of nine Salve Dance majors will perform at the two separate events. Performing "Cat and Mouse" at JCE will be Livia Armstrong '25, Ashley Blake '26, Morgan Dubay '24, Julia Paulo '25, Mackenzie Robichaud '24 and Jala Settles '25. Performing "Artemis" at WAXworks will be Armstrong, Blake, Paulo, Settles, Aleah Begg '25, Samantha Belekewicz '26 and Julia Chiola '26. In addition to those students who will perform in New York, Leite thanked Taylor Steeves '25, who she said was an important part of the choreographic process.

"It became apparent last year that Trinity's gifts as a choreographer are beyond her years," said Lindsay Guarino, chair of Salve's department of music, theatre and dance who mentored Leite's class work on both pieces while teaching DNC400: Choreography and DNC401: Dance Composition. "I suggested that she consider submitting her work to festivals, which is a great way for emerging choreographers to get their work seen. This is a tremendous accomplishment for Trinity, whose works will be showcased alongside professional choreographers in the field."

Guarino said she's also thrilled that Trinity is carving out an identity as a jazz artist, which is unique to the Salve Dance curriculum. "It gives me hope that this upcoming generation of dance artists will carry the jazz form forward by honoring its roots and origins while innovating through a rooted contemporary lens."

Leite said without Guarino's guidance and expertise, she would not have had the courage to apply for these festivals. "[She] encourages her students to dig deeper and expand their knowledge in both research and embodiment," Leite said.

Leite also thanked Carlos R.A. Jones (adjunct faculty, Summer Compass faculty, and chair of Dance at SUNY Brockport); Brandi Coleman (Salve Dance guest artist, Summer Compass faculty, and assistant professor of jazz dance at Southern Methodist University); Kimberley Cooper (Salve Dance guest artist from Calgary-based Decidedly Jazz Danceworks); Alvon Reed, adjunct faculty); and Monique Haley (Salve Dance guest artist and associate professor of dance and African American Studies at Western Michigan University) for their feedback, guidance, and support.