The Ume Group to Celebrate 5-Year Anniversary at Irondale Center

The Ume Group, a physical theatre ensemble hailed by New York critics for its "commanding, physically impressive performances" (The Village Voice) and "risky physical vulnerability" (nytheatre.com) is celebrating its 5-Year Anniversary with a week of performances at the historic Irondale Center in Brooklyn, NY, August 10 - 13, 2016.

Each evening features three of the company's major works on a ravishing triple bill, including the WORLD PREMIERE of their latest original work "LYSISTRATA PROJECT", a Commedia Dell'Arte-styled adaptation of the classic anti-war sex comedy by Aristophanes. Also included are "DREAM DANCES", a moving meditation based on the real-life dreams of the artists and audiences themselves and "FACET", a butoh-based, dance-theater duet chronicling the rise, fall, and oneness of mankind with a raw and poetic physicality.

Jordan Rosin (Producing Artistic Director, Director, Performer) is physical theatre artist, teacher, and movement coach. Based primarily in butoh, he also draws on yoga, clowning, and acrobatics to create choreography & movements which he hopes have universal resonance. He received his BFA in Drama from Syracuse University. His main butoh teachers are Joan Laage, Vangeline, & Tetsuro Fukuhara, though he has trained with numerous others including Ko Murobushi, Katsura Kan, Diego Pinon, and Daiichiro Yuyama.

Yokko (Associate Artistic Director, Director, Performer) is an actress, movement artist, and Butoh performer from Japan, has acted in, devised and choreographed a variety of local and international shows, having won several awards, including "Best One-Woman Show" for Butoh Medea (United Solo 2014). Other theatre credits include BALDY(CRS; United Solo 2013; Hollywood Fringe 2013; FringeNYC 2012), Butoh Electra (Irondale Center; FringeNYC 2011), and many others. Dance credits include Isis Variations (Fringe NYC 2014); Facet (Hollywood Fringe 2013; Wave Rising Series). MFA Actors Studio Drama School. She is a proud member of The Ume Group and Void Theatre Company as well as the artistic director of Ren Gyo Soh in NYC. www.yokko-online.com

Byron Hagan (Performer) was born and raised in Houston, TX. He graduated with a BA from North Texas University and an MFA from The Actors Studio Drama School. He is thrilled to be continuing ongoing creative work with The Ume Group. Credits include Joly in Les Miserables, Paris/Sampson in Romeo & Juliet and his dream self in the devised production Dream Dances at The Ume Group. He occupies his spare time with writing, photography and a really good movie. Love to Mom.

Karina Sindicich (Performer) is an Australian born actor, performance artist and clown. She attained her Bachelor of first class Honors degree from Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore where she was fortunate enough to study various asian art forms including suzuki, kalaripayyatu, kathakali, chinese opera, butoh and tai chi. Her acting training was highly physical with training also in viewpoints, laban, grotowski, lecoq, clowning and commedia dell'arte. With a love to laugh, Karina pursued clowning and became a clown for an Children's hospital in Sydney for 2 years before moving to New York. She is incredibly grateful to be a part of the very special Ume Group. www.karinasindicich.com

Brantley Ivey (Perfomer), a recent graduate of Coastal Carolina University's Acting program and an Accademia dell'Arte alum, Brantley is a New York City based actor, applied theatre practitioner and physical theatre artist. She recently appeared in METAMORPHOSES under the direction of Zany Umbrella Circus co-founder Benjamin Sota, was a featured reader at Atlantic Stage's New Voices PlayFest for a second consecutive year, and has twice led workshops at the Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed Conference. Love and gratitude to Rick, Boo and Sterling Ivey, as well as to the "Always Teaching, Always Learning, Always Performing, Always Creating" Ume Group collaborators. www.BrantleyIvey.com

Clara Kundin (Performer) is an actor, singer, and teaching artist. She received her B.A. in theater from St. Olaf College and then continued her studies in physical theater at the École Jacques Lecoq in Paris. While in Paris, she trained in mask under Mariana Araoz and assistant directed her production of L'Opéra de Deux'Sous. She also taught neutral and expressive mask at the École du Jeu and performed with Moving Parts and as a voiceover artist. She began her butoh studies while living in Paris, studying under Yumi Fujitani. She has performed with the Guthrie Theater, the GYM at Judson, Wirehead Collective, the Galli Theater, Flying Ship Productions, and the Cherry Lane Studio. www.clarakundin.com

Performance Apprentices: Miles Butler, Edgar Eguia, Julia Karis, Kaitlin Kaufman, Jorge Luna.

The Ume Group (producer) is a physical based theater / dance theater ensemble dedicated to sharing traditions and developing new work. They are based in New York City at Grace & St. Paul's Church in Manhattan where they develop work, host classes, and perform. For more information, visit: www.theumegroup.org.