Co-Artistic Director of BDP, Ann Sofie Clemmensen is originally from Denmark and has a BA in Dance Pedagogy from the Norwegian College of dance, a first-class honor postgraduate diploma from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, and an MFA in dance from Ohio State University. Her choreography has been presented at the Davison Theater - Riff Center and BalletMet Performance Space in Columbus OH, the Louis Armstrong Theatre in Allendale MI, American Dance Festival (ICR), Ullens Contemporary Dance Center in Beijing China, Movement Research at Judson Church, and other venues. Her creative research has received support from the US Embassy in Copenhagen, Columbus Dance Fellowship, and OhioDance. Most recently she was awarded the 2019 Local Dance Commission Program by the John F. Kennedy Center. Notable residencies include Dance All Year Long (Odense, Denmark), American Dance Festival (IRC), Grand Valley State University, and Old Dominion University (VA). She has performed original work by Wendy Houston, Henri Oguike, Darshan Shing Bhuller, Francesco Scavetta, Sølvi Edvardsen, Kari Hoaas, and Anne H. Ekenes. Ann Sofie is an Assistant Professor at UMBC.
Carol Hess
Co-Artistic Director Carol Hess was born in New York City where she trained as a dancer. She received her BA in Dance from Barnard College and her MA in Dance Education from Columbia University Teachers College, where she studied dance composition with Robert Ellis Dunn, whose approach to the choreographic process has had a profound effect on her creative work. In New York, she performed with Hannah Kahn and Dancers, The Rondo Dance Theater, and DANCES/Janet Soares. Also a tap soloist, she appeared on television and in solo concerts in the United States and Europe. She was featured in the film Dancing's All of You, directed by Tony diNonno, with Alfredo Gustar, who had danced with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Her mother, renowned tap dancer and teacher Mary Jane Brown also greatly influenced her work in tap dance. Her choreography has been presented in New York at The Cubiculo, Dance Theater Workshop, The Grand Finale, the New York Fringe Festival, and in Germany and The Netherlands. For over ten years, her work has focused on the interaction between dance and video. Many of her dances for the stage feature the use of live camera feeds and/or pre-recorded images. Her dance films have been screened at film and video festivals in the United States and abroad. Substrata, a dance film set to music by the metalcore band Dillinger Escape Plan, was screened at the Maryland Film Festival 2006, Artscape 2006, Tucson Shortfest, the Dallas Video Festival, and the 2007 Rosebud Festival. In November 2008 she received the Outstanding Service to Dance award from the Maryland Council for Dance. She had coordinated the company's outreach program and chairs the Dance Department at UMBC, where she has taught since 1982.
Shaness Kemp
Co-Artistic Director Shaness Kemp is a native of Nassau, Bahamas and holds a Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degree from Temple University. She is a freelance dancer and choreographer, a certified Umfundalai teacher and is currently an Assistant Professor at UMBC. Her training and professional affiliations include Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Kariamu & Company: Traditions, Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, Eleone Dance Theatre, Philadanco and Urban Bush Women to name a few. She was the 2015-2016 recipient of the Ellen Forman Memorial Award, presented choreography at the 2019 International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference, taught and performed in the 2019 Women In Dance Leadership Conference and most recently presented her work in the 37th Annual Choreographers' Showcase where she received the audience choice award. She is excited to be a part of this years Baltimore Dance Project concert.
Sandra Lacy
Veteran performer with BDP, Sandra Lacy is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dancing in London. She has performed with the Maryland Ballet, Impetus Dance Company, Path Dance Company, Phoenix Repertory Dance Company, James Hansen's Assemblage Dance Company, and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane and Company. Currently, Ms. Lacy is Co-Artistic Director of Lacy & Shade, Solo Duet Dance Works. Recent performances of Lacy & Shade include the Maryland Showcase for Choreographers, the Yes Virginia Dance Festival in Richmnd, the Out of the Loop Theater Festival in Addison, Texas, The Toronto Fringe Festival and th Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. Ms. Lacy is a six-time recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award in solo dance performance. She is a member of the dance faculty at UMBC and the Baltimore School for the Arts.
