Momentum Dance Collective

 The Listening Room

VIRTUAL PROGRAM

The Listening Room is an intimate performance experience pairing original choreography from Momentum Dance Collective with songs written and performed live by Alaskan singer/songwriters. We invite you to witness heartfelt melodies up close, movement, and lyrics from some of the brightest minds in the music and dance scene in our community. Drawing from personal stories, The Listening Room invites us all to take a pause, take a breath, and appreciate the shared human experience that connects us all.  You will leave feeling inspired and energized by what is possible when the worlds of live music and dance intersect.

Enjoy!

 

 

 
Email banner image - season preview  (3).jpg

 

 

 

Email+banner+image+-+season+preview+.jpg

CAST & CREW

Momentum Co-Artistic Directors | Irenerose Castillo, Ariel Graham

Momentum Executive Director | Becky Kendall

Musical Direction & Sound Design | Cody Allison, Shane Russell

Momentum Artists & Choreographers

Katie Allison, Irenerose Castillo, Karlyn Glidewell, Ariel Graham, Maggie Gray, Becky Kendall, Bonnie Moring, Michaela Phillips, Maia Draper-Reich, Erica Ruston

Musicians & Songwriters | Cody Allison, Katie Martini, Rosie Rush, Shane Russell, Ric Ruttum, Ashley Young

Light Design | Becky Kendall, Irenerose Castillo

Light Board Operator | Therese Holtz

Sound Operator | Sean Perkins

Costume Design | Katie Allison, Ashley McGee

Front of House | Greta Nelson, Brian Belcher, Beth Daly, Amy Kofoid, Brenna McCarthy, Ashley McGee, Oliviah Meneses

Momentum Leadership Team | Katie Alison, Bonnie Moring, Greta Nelson, Maia Draper-Reich

Social Media Marketing | Katie Allison, Ashley McGee

Promotional Videography | Cody Phillips

Rehearsal Photos | Irenerose Castillo

Special thank you to Liggy Connella and Henry Downey.

Dancers

 

 

DSC09587-Enhanced-NR.jpg

Cody Allison | Music Direction, Guitar, Backup Vocals

Cody Allison is a singer and musician from Portland, Oregon, who has over a decade of performative musical experience, as a worship leader and cover artist. Since moving to Anchorage at the end of 2020, Cody is focused on discovering who he is as a musician, within Anchorage’s thriving and beautiful music community, both through collaborative projects with various mediums, and individually. He has partnered with Momentum for Shine the last two years and now for The Listening Room. He is prioritizing


Katie Martini | Vocals, Guitar

Katie Martini is a singer/songwriter finding her voice in Anchorage, Alaska after spending ten years in the Southern California classical music scene.

As a classical soprano, Katie performed in numerous operas, recitals, concerts, and toured internationally as a chorister and soloist. With the CSUF University singers and the Grammy-award-winning Pacific Chorale, both directed by Dr. Robert Istad, she can be heard in the choir and as a soloist on 'Nostos: Homecoming of Music' and 'All Things Common: Music of Tarik O’Regan' by Yarlung Records. In the realm of voiceover, she has recorded vocals on countless songs for Lingokids, Fisher Price’s Code ‘n Learn Kinderbot ™, and more.


Rosie Rush | Vocals, Guitar, Piano

Rosie Rush is a born and raised Alaskan singer-songwriter. She will be releasing the first single off her bed album on December 6th, 2024.


Shane Russell | Music Direction, Sound Design, Vocals, Guitar, Drums

Shane Russell is a singer-songwriter born and raised in Anchorage. His lifelong passion for connecting with his community through music has led him to teach at Alpine Music Studios. He leads Childish Tycoon (an eight-piece “mountain-soul” band), drums for Ashley Young’s band, and continues expressing himself through independent songwriting inspired by John McRae, John Gorely, and Jack White. “He’s like if Jack Johnson had a distortion pedal” - review from a friend. Shane’s community outreach extends into songwriters’ workshop circles and songwriter showcases. His humanity is felt through his warmth and is evident through the web of creatives he has influenced and built relationships within Alaska.


Ric Ruttum | Bass, Drums

Ric Ruttum was born in Anchorage, Alaska and has spent the majority of his life learning and creating music there. Bedtimes as a child were always accompanied by requests that his parents sing him to sleep. Growing up, he learned to find his own voice in the elementary school choir. He owes his dedication to music to the Anchorage School District’s music programs and its educators where he found his love for the upright and electric bass. Playing across genres ranging from Jazz, Classical, Folk, Country, and Heavy Metal, he describes his journey with music as “continually revealing”. Though skilled in many other instruments the bass guitar is always calling him home. Currently he performs with Ashley Young as well recording for other local artists such as Ed Washington and Bethlehem Shalom.


Ashley Young | Vocals, Guitar

Ashley Young is a singer-songwriter below the Arctic Circle with fiery, lush vocal texture warms her ancestral land— Alaska. She invites you in like a friend with her refreshing honesty and infectious laughter. Her unquenchable curiosity has led her to exploring expressions unbound by genre. Her focus is rather on using music to reveal vulnerable and personal truths that many experience but are often afraid to discuss.

Ashley Young is on the DIY circuit, completing her 4th west coast tour spring 2025. She and her band were privileged to open for Grammy-nominated Australian future soul band, Hiatus Kaiyote. They also notably performed the main stage at Áak’w Rock Indigenous Music Festival and Sundown Solstice Festival in 2023. Ashley’s act continues to captivate, bringing attention to the vibrant indie music scene in Alaska.


 
DSC08134.jpg

 Special Thanks

We couldn’t do this show without many BIG thank yous! Thank you to all of our volunteers who help make these shows happen. Thank you to volunteers Dan Anteau, Beth Daly, Therese Holtz, Amy Kofoid, Ashley McGee, Olivia Meneses, Brenna McCarthy, Brian Belcher, and Greta Nelson.

Thank you to our partners, children, family and friends for your support and patience of our long hours in the theatre. Thank you to our Board and founding Momentum directors for their leadership and constant support. To all of our individual donors and our funders - your generosity is deeply felt and appreciated. Thank you (YOU!) for being here with us today for our production of The Listening Room.

The Listening Room is supported, in part by a grant from the Alaska State Concil on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. This show is made possible by a grant from the Atwood Foundation.



 

 

DSC09691-Enhanced-NR.jpg