SummerWorks 2026
August 1st
3:30 & 6:30 pm
Sandefur Theatre at The University of Akron
Join The Movement Project for the return of SummerWorks 2026 in Akron! This year’s program features new works by TMP company members Kailey Fraer and Emmaline Devore, visiting guest artist Victoria Awkward, and Cleveland-based artist Tori Zegarelli. The evening also includes performances by our 2026 Summer Intensive artists and the premiere of LINK Artist Angelina DiFranco.
*TMP’s LINK Choreographer Residency in partnership with NCCAkron, supports choreographers in their creative process while fostering connections across Northeast Ohio and linking the artistic communities of Akron and Cleveland.
Date: Saturday, August 1st, 2026
Time: 3:30 & 6:30 pm
Show 1 at 3:30 pm (Box Office & House Opens at 3:00 pm)
Show 2 at 6:30 pm (Box Office & House Opens at 6:00 pm)
Location:
Sandefur Theatre
Guzzetta Hall - The University of Akron
228 E Buchtel Ave, Akron, OH 44325
Tickets:
$21 (General Admission)
$17 (Students with ID or Seniors 62+)
$11 (Children 12 & under)
*Includes all processing fees ($1/ticket)
Parking: Paid parking is available in Lot 27, located across from the building entrance, or in the North Campus Parking Deck
Accessibility: Accessible entrance available from the building entrance on Buchtel Ave.
Photo Credits: Black Valve - Evan Prunty
Meet the Choreographers
Victoria Lynn Awkward
Guest Artist
Victoria Lynn Awkward is a multidisciplinary creator, educator, producer, and the Director of VLA DANCE. She pursued her multiple interests at Goucher College and graduated with high honors in Dance, Visual Art and Secondary Education. As the Director of VLA DANCE she is currently directing projects: “For Nina” - a multidisciplinary show celebrating the lineage of Nina Simone, “In The Space Between” - a production where dance, textile, and audio brings audiences into a world of queer imagination, and “Harnessing our Gardens” - a book celebrating the stories of Black femme movement artists. Notably, Victoria is a Brother Thomas Fellow as well as a recipient of the Queer (Re)public Theater Offensive Residency. Additionally, Victoria is a producer of Performance and Live Art for MoMA.
Tori Zegarelli
Guest Artist
Tori Zegarelli is a mover, creator, and educator based in Cleveland. She has performed professionally with Aerial Dance Chicago, Dance in the Parks, Hedwig Dances, and most recently, GroundWorks DanceTheater. During her time with GroundWorks, Tori had the privilege of performing works by renowned choreographers including Antonio Brown, David Shimotakahara, FLOCK (Alice Klock & Florian Lochner), Olivier Wevers, Peter Chu, Rena Butler, Sidra Bell, and Spenser Theberge. In her final seasons with the company, she also served as Artistic Associate and Web Designer, contributing both artistically and administratively.
Tori was selected as a commissioned choreographer for Cleveland Dance Fest 2025 and is excited to premiere a new work as part of The Movement Project’s SummerWorks 2026 program. As an educator, Tori has worked with dancers of all ages throughout the Chicago and Cleveland areas. She has also facilitated and assisted with numerous community outreach programs in Cleveland public schools and adult education settings. Most recently, she completed the Dance for PD™ Dance Teacher Introductory Course and currently serves as a demonstrator and assistant for Dance for Parkinson’s classes at Playhouse Square.
Tori is originally from Chicago, IL and holds a BFA in Dance from Point Park University. She is a certified yoga instructor and integrates somatic practices into both her teaching and personal movement research. Her work is rooted in sharing the joy of dance, fostering connection, and encouraging a continual pursuit of excellence.
Angelina DiFranco
2026 LINK Artist
Angelina DiFranco is a dance artist, writer, and choreographer. She graduated from Kent State University with honors in May 2023 and holds a BFA in dance and a BA in English with a concentration in professional writing. She has trained with Deeply Rooted, Koresh, Visceral, and LA Contemporary Dance Company and partaken in residencies with choreographers such as Amy Hall Garner, Hope Boykin, Stefanie Batten Bland, Laura Smyth, Staycee Pearl, and Tiffany Mills. Angelina danced professionally with InPulse Dance and MoJo Co.Lab, and is currently in her fourth season with Dancing Wheels, where she has toured internationally, choreographed repertoire, and earned the Dancing Wheels Teacher Certification. As a choreographer, her work in film has won Best Overall at the Kent State Film Festival and Best Experimental Film at the Highland Square Film Festival. Angelina’s choreography has been performed at Cleveland Dance Fest, the Museum of Contemporary Art, OhioDance Festival, CDF Akron Series, and will be presented at RADFest in 2026. Alongside her work as a performing artist, Angelina is entering her second season teaching at Studio J and Cleveland Dance Project. As a writer, she has taken part in See Chicago Dance’s critical writing fellowship and has been published in See Chicago Dance, Luna Negra, Brainchild, Arts Air, and The Movement Project’s Blog.
Kailey Fraer
TMP Company Member
Kailey Fraer is a dedicated artist, educator, and performer from Pittsburgh, PA. She holds a BFA in Dance from Slippery Rock University (SRU), where she also completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT-200) to become a certified yoga instructor. During her time at SRU, Kailey had the opportunity to perform a work by Martha Graham at The Joyce Theater in New York City as part of the University Partners Showcase. She was selected twice to perform in the American College Dance Association (ACDA) Gala Concert, and was also a member of Palenque: Colombian Dance Ensemble, a touring company committed to sharing Latin American culture through dance. Beyond performance, SRU provided Kailey with the chance to explore choreography. Her solo, group, and duet works were adjudicated and selected for mainstage concerts. In the summer of 2024, she studied internationally, training in Italy at Orsolina28 and Dance Italia. Here she worked with esteemed international educators across a variety of dance styles. For the past five years, Kailey has taught and choreographed at a studio, working with students ages 3 to 18. She specializes in contemporary partnering, floorwork, ballet, and jazz, and her choreography has received multiple high point and choreography awards. Kailey recently relocated to the Cleveland area to join The Movement Project as a company member. In addition to her work with the company, she teaches both dance and yoga in the local community. Outside the studio, Kailey enjoys reading, crocheting, hiking, and traveling—activities that fuel her creativity and passion for movement.
Emmaline Devore
TMP Company Member
Emmaline Devore started dancing at age 3 and trained in multiple states (Missouri, South Dakota, Arizona, and Oklahoma). She attended Mercyhurst University where she graduated with honors, attaining her B.F.A. in Dance Performance while holding dance and academic scholarships. She performed with Seiche Dance Collective 2022-2023 under the direction of artistic director Danielle Kaiser, has appeared as an artist with Deos Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Tess Sinke. Some of her favorite performances include performing the role of Rothbart in Swan Lake and performing original choreographic works during Seiche’s spring show intra-action.
