Afternoon of Sioban (2009)
Choreography by Ben Munisteri
Composer: Antonio Carlos DeFeo

Excerpts from Juaniata College:

“Afternoon of Siobhan” has been developed over time at several residencies at university and college campuses.

Comprised of six dancers, the ensemble has toured internationally and across the country. Ben Munisteri, the founder of the group, combines bold musical choices and striking theatrical settings with rigorous modern dance.

Munisteri describes his style as creating dance collages that are spontaneous, yet witty mixes of music, ballet and modern styles. While the company has staged works to ethereal classical music, it also is just as likely to choreograph a dance to such tunes as “In-Na-Gadda-Da-Vida,” by Iron Butterfly, film scores by Vangelis or an orchestration by Stravinsky.

Munisteri founded the group in 1994 after establishing his dance career as a founding member of the Doug Elkins Dance Company. While performing with that company he started collaborating with Lisa Wheeler, now a member of the Munisteri group.

Lisa Wheeler is associate artistic director of the group and also performs with The Power Company, a modern dance company in South Carolina. She also is the host of a dance-fitness show on the Health Network.