Pioneer Winter Collective: Apollo

Choreographer’s Note

Apollo emerges from a deep desire to explore the complex dynamics of intergenerational relationships, mentorship, and the expansive landscape of queer experience.

We entered into the project considering an aging Apollo, DJing in a leather bar in the 1980s. In our first residency, it became apparent that we didn’t want a setting to limit what could ultimately emerge from our devised process. And came to understand that the entire cast was Apollo – different iterations or fragments – but Apollo nonetheless. There’ve been many other changes and developments in Apollo’s gestation, but what’s remained is the notion of legacy and community – knowing how important mentorship has been in my own life, I wanted to explore the concept onstage, with some of the artists who have been – and continue to be – my mentors. The creative process behind Apollo has been a remarkable journey. I have the honor of collaborating (and sharing the stage!) with a beautiful and truly exceptional, talented team of artists.

As I consider my place among generations – this and another piece in development, In the Belly of the Bird/Godmother, honor and celebrate our guides and mentor figures, while also exploring the complexity of those relationships. Sometimes it can be hard to acknowledge who or what we are – and to step into that power – because it means we also have to accept the responsibility of wielding it, protecting it, sharing it, and passing it on when it’s time.

Our Apollo is meeting the moment – it’s easy to watch the sun set, but in the darkness what will you do to ensure that it rises again? Every body dances, and every body carries virtuosity and history – and a future. Thank you for sharing this belief, and in the future we will choreograph together.

Keep dancing,

xo Pi

 

For an in-depth look at Apollo, please visit our project page, read the study guide compiled by Karina Batchelor-Gómez, and check out this wonderful article written by Juan C. Sánchez. 

 

Wait – you want more? Catch us next week Wednesday, April 30 in the first glimpse of our new work in development, In the Belly of the Bird/Godmother as part of O, Miami Poetry Festival. Performance details here. 

 

If you feel moved to donate to Pioneer WInter Collective, we are very grateful for your support.

 

Collaborators

Pioneer Winter: Performer + Choreographer

Clarence Brooks: Performer
Octavio Campos: Performer
Frank Campisano: Performer
Diego Melgar: Sound Design + Composer
Juan C. Sánchez: Playwright
Karina Batchelor-Gómez: Dramaturgy

Dimitry Saïd Chamy: Scenic Media & Prop Designer Live Performance Visuals

Leonardo Urbina: Lighting Design
Olga Saretsky: Costume Design

Gladys Ramirez: Production Manager

Luisa Suarez: Stage Manager

PWC Team

Pioneer Winter: Executive Artistic Director
Gladys Ramirez: Company Manager
Luisa Suarez: Administrative Assistant
Melissa Gomez: Communications

PWC Board of Directors

Marte Siebenhar: Chair
Corey Davis: Treasurer
Jairo Ontiveros: Secretary
Vivian Marthell: Board Member
Andréa Labbée: Board Member

 

Gratitude

Pioneer Winter and the Collective extend their heartfelt gratitude and acknowledge the contributions of the individuals and organizations listed below, whose support has been instrumental in the development of Apollo. They recognize that the creation and presentation of new artistic work, particularly live theater, is a complex and resource-intensive undertaking. The realization of Apollo would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts and unwavering commitment of these esteemed partners.

The entire Apollo collaborative team for their artistry, humanity, love, and vulnerability. Especially the Apollos – Octavio, Clarence, and Frank – thank you, thank you, thank you. The greatest honor has been to share the stage with you three.

PWC board chair, Marte Siebenhar, who has been a dear friend and confidante since 2013 – and to the entire PWC board – Corey, Jairo, Vivian, Andréa – thank you for your insights, guidance, and belief. 

Thank you to Maven Leadership Collective and founder Corey Davis for always championing our work. and for their generous sponsorship of Apollo – Maven’s generosity has allowed many to attend this performance, who might not have otherwise been able. 

Thank you to Impulse Group Miami for all the work you do for the South FL queer community through advocacy and awareness. Impulse sponsored tickets for each night of the performance.  

Ann VanderMeer, for being a constant source of support and inspiration – thank you for making the entire Apollo team feel at home while up in Tallahassee. Andrew Winter, for reminding us that we are always in a state of becoming.

Early on, before we knew what Apollo would become, we received so much feedback and great information from folks like ballet dancer David Palmer, DJ Smeejay and Adora, and Jeremy Stoller (PWC resident dramaturg 2021-24). We also had wonderful discussions with professors Amy Dill (classics/mythology), Paul Renfro (history/HIV), and Chris Martin (aging/cognition) while in residency at the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography. Residencies really built this work – thank you to the incredible MANCC team: Carla, Ansje, Chris, Ruth, and Emma; we can’t wait to premiere Apollo at the Carolina Theatre – thank you to our Durham family, Randy & Diogo, Myra, and Tony for welcoming us. Our most recent residency at the Movement Lab at Barnard College focused on the video projections, and would not have been possible without friend and mentor Gabri Christa. Incredible friend and talented photographer Peter Nieblas for documenting many of special moments in residency. The cast is also super grateful to actor and educator Iain Batchelor for coaching us in voice and text. The exercises we learned were invaluable. 

Special thank you to Marc Levin for his unwavering support throughout this process, and being such a gracious host.

Thank you to our 2024 Give Miami Day Donors – your support is appreciated now more than ever.

The art is only possible because of everything that happens behind the scenes (and not just in the studio). Gladys, Luisa, and Melissa thank you so much for going above and beyond.

PWC is so grateful to the Miami Light Project’s beautiful team: Beth, Regina, Eventz, and Terrence – this simply would not have been possible without your passion, support, and partnership.

Karloz Torres, my Apollo – thank you for reminding me to stay balanced.

 

Pioneer Winter (he/they) is a Miami-based choreographer and artistic director of Pioneer Winter Collective, an intergenerational and physically integrated dance-theater company, rooted in social practice and community, queer excellence, and beauty beyond the mainstream. Recognized in Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch and a Knight Arts Champion, Pioneer’s work democratizes performance in public spaces, museums and galleries, stage, and film. Selected commissions include Miami Theater Center, Karen Peterson & Dancers, Tigertail Productions, Jacksonville Dance Theatre, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art, Bang On A Can! Productions, the Miami Light Project, Carolina Theatre of Durham, and O, Miami Poetry Festival. Pioneer’s work is supported by the Andrew Mellon Foundation, Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Creative Capital, Alternate ROOTS, National Performance Network. Pioneer is also a proud alumnus of Maven Leadership Collective’s 2022 cohort. An extension of his creative practice, Pioneer has curated and directed ScreenDance Miami Festival since 2017, presented by Miami Light Project; Pioneer’s own films screen internationally. Pioneer’s choreography and writing have been published in Artists on Creative Administration (2024, The University of Akron Press and NCCAkron), Screendance from Film to Festival: Celebration and Curatorial Practice (2022, by Cara Hagan), and the quarterly journal Stance on Dance. Follow Pioneer and the Company on IG: @thepioneerwinter

 

Clarence Brooks (he/they) toured North America, Western Europe, Japan, and South Korea with 90 plus companies performing works by more than 130 choreographers. A former associate professor, who has lectured, choreographed, and taught in institutions across the nation, founded the Repertory Dance Theatre Ensemble which performed in curated festivals from Miami to Boston. They can be seen in the 5-part video documentary The World of Alwin Nikolais and their essay, Dancing with the Issues, was published in One Teacher in 10: LGBT Educators Share Their Stories. Additional distinctions include induction into the OCU Performance Hall of Honor, two Atlantic Center for the Arts Associate Artist-in-Residences, a Japan Foundation Grant to study Butoh, and the Library of Congress recorded their interpretation of Talley Beatty’s masterpiece “Mourner’s Bench” for the national archive. A founding member and past president of the Florida Dance Education Organization, Clarence holds advisory positions with FDEO and Natural Movers Foundation and sits on the boards of the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, danceTactics Performance Group, Miami Dance Futures, and Doris Humphrey Foundation for Dance. A high school dropout, they hold an MFA, a bachelor of performing arts, and several somatic certifications including Laban Movement Analysis, yoga (200 hour), and the Evans Method of Teaching Dance Technique. Clarence currently works with the Dance Exchange, Pioneer Winter Collective, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, danceTactics performance group, Megan Williams Dance Projects, and David Parker & The Bang Group. Follow Clarence on IG: @clbdreadeddancer

 

Octavio Campos (he/him) is a Cuban-American performance artist, choreographer, educator, and circle keeper whose work defies category and dances at the edge of disruption, wonder, and radical possibility. Born of contrasts – Cuban, Queer, Buddhist, Positive, Rebellious – Campos emerged as a multidisciplinary trickster forging paths where spectacle meets intimacy and activism meets art. Trained at the Martha Graham School, SUNY Purchase, and Germany’s Folkwang Hochschule under Pina Bausch’s legacy, Campos soaked in a movement philosophy rooted in risk and raw humanity. His European decade included collaborations with visionaries like Robert Wilson, Philip Glass, Vivienne Newport, and Yoshiko Waki. Returning stateside, he founded Camposition, a Miami-based collective crafting provocative, site-specific works tackling HIV/AIDS, religious extremism, and domestic violence. He has redefined audience-performer relationships with Juggerknaut Theatre Company and now performs with the Pioneer Winter Collective, where he also facilitates Recovery in Motion, blending movement, expressive arts, and recovery practices. As founder of LALA Open Studio, Campos nurtures a new generation of interdisciplinary artists, expanding Miami’s creative terrain through artist-led gatherings and wellness incubators. Campos has taught at New World School of the Arts and NIDA in Sydney, sharing his dynamic approach to storytelling, embodiment, and social engagement. Offstage, he is a certified mindfulness instructor, somatic practitioner, and peer support worker serving on the board of B. Riley, an LGBTQ+ treatment center. He is currently Director of Human Readiness Training for PARABOLES, a pioneering microgravity performance experiment by longtime collaborator Natasha Tsakos. From black boxes to city streets, recovery circles to orbit – Campos brings mischief, rigor, and deep humanity wherever he lands. And now, he’s preparing to launch. Follow Octavio on IG: @octaviocampos

 

Frank Campisano (he/him) is originally from New Jersey, and he received his early ballet training at the New Jersey Ballet under the direction of Edward Villella and the Garden State Ballet under Constantine Casanova. Campisano later studied with Tampa Concert Ballet under Ric Brame, Nevada Dance Theatre under Vassili Sulich, the Darvash School of Ballet under Gabriela Darvash, and Broadway Dance Center under Ron Forella. Campisano has performed in Las Vegas, The Follies at The Tropicana Hotel and Casino, and with several major dance companies: Boston Ballet II, Anna Myer and Dancers, Festival Ballet Providence, and Island Moving Company, as well as Summer Stock at the Barn Theatre and Off-Broadway tours. Campisano has previously worked with Pioneer Winter Collective in the 2011 premiere of 42: A Stonewall Prospective at the Bass Museum of Art, in the 2017 premiere of Forced Entry and Other Loves Stories at the Light Box at Goldman Warehouse, the 2018-19 performances of Reprise at Miami Dade County Auditorium, Spinello Projects/Brickell City Centre, and Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival (San Antonio, Texas), and the 2021 premiere of Birds of Paradise at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Follow Frank on IG: @bodydancer10 

 

Diego Melgar (he/him) is a Peruvian-born and Miami-raised, idiosyncratic guitarist reflecting the tropical melting pot he calls home. His two most recent albums, ‘Falling Forward’ and ‘Summer Memories,’ reflect the influence of Miami’s underground rave scene through a unique abstract lens coming from Melgar’s involvement in the avant garde scene. The albums ‘Noble Savage’ and ‘Mitingu’ showcase Melgar’s jazz roots, the prior featuring his American trio and the latter with his European quartet. ‘Where’d You Go’ by Butterfly Snapple, a group of which Melgar is a founding member, features him in the context of an eclectic hip-hop band. Currently, Melgar runs a concert series hosted at Floyd Miami called ‘Pachamanca,’ where artists from the communities Melgar is a part of collaborate on new music for each concert, creating a one of a kind live musical experience. Diego has been collaborating with Pioneer Winter Collective since 2023 and is a 2025 Creative Connections artist. Follow Diego on IG: @diegounchained

Juan C. Sánchez (he/him) is a Cuban-born playwright who has lived in Miami since age seven. His recent work includes Hurricane, performed in London, New York, Philadelphia, Fort Myers, and more as a 2023 Climate Change Theatre Action Fellow; Miami Bus Stop Stories: Tropical Dreams, an immersive piece at HistoryMiami Museum; Versace Era, a radio play commissioned by Theatre Lab at FAU; Long Distance Affair, a virtual performance by NY’s POPUp Theatrics and Miami’s Juggerknot Theatre Company; and Prelude to 2100, a climate-change immersive play set at the Deering Estate. He is best known for the Miami Motel Stories series – Little Havana, MiMo, Wynwood, and North Beach – site-specific immersive plays set in historic buildings across Miami, each telling the story of its neighborhood. Other works include A Grey Divide (Postcard Theatre, UK); Marea Roja, a Spanish-language play at Teatro MALI in Lima, Peru; Paradise Motel (Mangrove Creative Collective/Miami Theater Center, with a reading at New York Theatre Workshop); Catherine’s Wheel (FIU’s Alternative Roots Festival); Property Line (commissioned by New Theatre); A Bearded Lover and Red Tide (The Promethean Theatre, with Red Tide also at the Minneapolis Fringe Festival); Buck Fever (Terranova Collective, NY, and The Promethean Theatre); Big Al (Your Name Here: A Queer Theatre Co., NY); and Beer and Cigarettes: The Comeback of Connie Lingus, co-written with David Hemphill (Miami Made Festival at the Arsht Center and The Dragonfly Club, Los Angeles). Follow Juan on IG: @juancsanchez 

 

Karina Batchelor-Gómez (she/they) is a Latiné dramaturg, director, writer, and scholar. Previous dramaturgical projects include SolFest 2023 (Festival Dramaturg), El Huracan, A Doll’s House Pt.II, Heisenberg, and We Will Not Be Silent (GableStage). Karina recently directed new work as part of the Summer Jam Playwright Fellows for SolFest. They are a proud alumna of the Shakespeare Institute (RSC) in the UK. Karina is guided by a profound belief in the power of storytelling as a catalyst for societal change and dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices on the stage. Follow Karina on IG: @itskbat 

 

Dimitry Saïd Chamy (he/him) is a transdisciplinary artist, designer, and cultural producer. He works with hybrid generative systems using collaboration, process, and play to evoke what is lost, examine the present, and explore the possible through his love of nature, science, and storytelling grounded in his diasporic experiences as a queer Haitian-Lebanese American immigrant. Chamy has been awarded several grants from Miami-Dade County and an Oolite Arts Creator award. He’s been in residency at Design Hi(j)ack in Beijing, the Barnard College Movement Lab with Pioneer Winter Collective, FETA foundation, and a teaching residency at Locust Projects in Miami, where he’s also exhibited. Other shows include Beijing Design Week, New York Fashion Week, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, and the Lowe Museum in Coral Gables. Chamy’s videos have won international awards and been screened in festivals globally and he’s performed for and collaborated with Juraj Kojš on his Orchid Adventures. He holds an MFA from Yale, has taught at six universities, and served as an Erasmus+ Scholar and Honorary Chair at the Art Academy in Riga, Latvia. He is a Co-Founder, Research Associate, and Resident Artist at the Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator at Florida International University in Miami. Follow Dimitry on IG: @2urn_

Leonardo Urbina (he/him) is a BFA and MFA recipient for Theatrical Lighting Design at both Florida International University and University of Florida. Leo has begun his venture into lighting for dance and architecture as he believes the artistic properties of light go beyond the stage. Leo’s most recent work includes; Ronnie Larson Presents: The Actors-Off Broadway debut at Theatre Row, assistant Lighting Designer for Miami New Drama’s: Lincoln Road Hustle, and assistant Lighting Design for Zoetic Stage’s Cabaret. Leo is beyond grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Pioneer Winter and this extraordinary design, directing, and performance team, Leo hopes that you, the audience, will enjoy this culmination of design, storytelling, and performance. Follow Leo on IG: @Urbinarts_01

Olga Saretsky (she/her) is a Miami-based designer, visionary artist, and founder of Kikimora Fashion® and Kikimora Studio®. Originally from Kazakhstan, Olga brings over two decades of international performance and costume design experience to her work, merging high fashion with the visual poetry of movement. Her brand Kikimora Fashion® provides custom, high-performance costumes for dancers and entertainers worldwide, celebrated for their elegance, durability, and theatrical flair. Through Kikimora Studio®, Olga designs avant-garde couture costumes and directs immersive living art performances for luxury events, art galleries, and stage productions across the globe. In 2024, Olga’s creation “Volcano” earned third place in the World of WearableArt Competition‘s Crazy Curiosities of the Creature Carnival category in New Zealand, highlighting her innovative approach to wearable art. Olga’s work has been showcased at prestigious venues and events, including the Vizcaya Museum and the Cruz Building. A former performer herself, Olga’s work is rooted in a deep understanding of physical expression and visual storytelling. She continues to mentor emerging performers and designers, expanding the reach of her bold artistic vision through licensing and collaboration. Follow Olga on IG: @kikimorafashion and @kikimorastudioart

Gladys Ramirez (she/her) is a Miami-based theatre artist whose work centers community and collaboration. As PWC Company Manager and Production Manager for Apollo, she brings years of experience supporting large-scale, multidisciplinary works that uplift historically excluded voices. Gladys’ leadership spans immersive site-specific productions, new work development, and inclusive ensemble building. Gladys is also Executive Director of City Theatre and a 2023 Remy’s Pioneer Award recipient. She is proud to be part of Pioneer Winter Collective’s intergenerational, queer-led creative process – helping steward work that redefines who gets to be seen, celebrated, and sustained onstage and off. Follow Gladys on IG: @gladysactsout

Luisa Suarez (she/her) is a Miami-based theatre technician, manager, and creative. Luisa studied theater and film at Florida International University, and is a 2019 Miami Light Project fellow as part of their Technical Fellowship Program. She has worked with Pioneer Winter Collective since 2024, and She is enthused about being part of the Pioneer Winter Collective team. Follow Luisa on IG: @luisabel.ig

Melissa Gomez (she/her) is the founder of alley-oop creative, a storytelling and communications agency rooted in strategy, creativity, and collaboration. A seasoned communications strategist, cultural producer, and proud Miami expert, Melissa brings over a decade of experience leading game-changing narratives, campaigns, and cultural initiatives that uplift community voices and spark lasting impact. alley-oop creative collaborates with clients in the sports & entertainment industry, arts & culture nonprofit sector, and mission-driven festival space. Follow alley-oop on IG: @alleyoopcreative_

Pioneer Winter Collective (PWC), established as a non-profit in 2016, is a physically integrated and intergenerational dance theater company that creates performances everywhere and anywhere. In all it does, PWC seeks to expand the definition of all that dance is and can be, so all bodies survive, thrive, and are witnessed. The Collective creates work that is queer, experimental, and fluid, embodying the complexities of identity and community in an ever-changing world. Our performances are living, breathing works – embracing risk as a vital, dynamic force to push boundaries – in both movement and thought. Driven by the need to challenge convention, constantly reimagining dance and performance as spaces of innovation and transformation, PWC also created and maintains two artist accelerator programs: Grass Stains and Creative Connections, which both redistribute resources and cultivate artists from South Florida, emphasizing a commitment to long-term investment in individuals. To support us and join us, please email [email protected] or visit www.pioneerwinter.com.

 

Support
Pioneer Winter Collective’s Apollo is co-presented by Miami Light Project and FundArte. In Partnership with Miami-Dade County Auditorium’s Away From Home series and part of Out (Loud) in the Tropics.

Pioneer Winter Collective’s Apollo is made possible by a 2022 Creative Capital Award. Apollo is a 2024 National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Miami Light Project, Carolina Theatre of Durham and NPN. The Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Apollo also received support from the National Performance Network (NPN) Artist Engagement Fund and Alternate ROOTS.

Apollo was created during a series of short, intense residencies at Miami Light Project, The Carolina Theatre of Durham, Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography, Atlantic Center for the Arts, The Movement Lab at Barnard College, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and The Ringling.