By Angelina DiFranco, guest contributor 

Cleveland Dance Project’s (CDP) Choreographer Showcase is returning to the stage for its 16th season at Berea Midpark High School this Saturday, November 22, for two shows. The showcase will feature the work of 31 choreographers and over 225 dancers.

CDP was founded by local dancer Anna Cerveny in 2017, as she sought a space to train and perform with like-minded adults who shared her passion for dance, performance, and community. Over the years, Cerveny cultivated a rich network of friends, studio owners, teachers, and professional dancers in the area who shared her vision to provide adult dance artists, from novices to professionals, with the opportunity to create and perform work on stage. With their enthusiasm and support, CDP hit the ground running, and the organization and its Choreographer Showcases have continued to grow ever since. 

The first season of CDP’s Showcase featured the work of 17 choreographers and 50 dancers. This season, CDP received applications to participate in the showcase from over 60 choreographers and over 225 dancers. The rapid growth of movement artists involved with CDP is a testament to how much Cleveland needed an organization like CDP and a performance vehicle like the one Cerveny envisioned.

“It is awesome to see how the creative outlet we provided is used by all the different choreographers, says Cerveny. “Some of our choreographers are seasoned professionals in the industry and are renowned nationwide, while others are just beginning their choreographic journeys and are relatively new to the field. They create works in various dance styles, including hip hop, ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, and pom. Additionally, each season features a diverse range of cultural dances. Past seasons have included Classical Indian, Bhangra, Salsa, K-pop, Step, and more.”

In that same spirit, Season 16’s Choreographer Showcase will highlight a diverse range of choreographic works. One of the 31 choreographers presenting work on Saturday’s showcase is Cleveland-based dancer/choreographer Rashawn Kadeem, who will be making his dance showcase debut as a choreographer. Kadeem has appeared locally at Karamu House, Great Lakes Theater Festival, and Cleveland Playhouse. He has also danced professionally with Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Daniel Ezralow Dance Company, Universal Studios, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. 

Kadeem is recognized for his emotionally charged stage presence and contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. His work is deeply inspired by cultural storytelling, identity, and the transformative power of movement. Whether on stage or in the studio, Kadeem is committed to using dance as a tool for healing, expression, and community empowerment.

His work for the showcase is a modern/contemporary dance piece for 8 dancers set to the songs “Dionysus” by Jocelyn Pook and “Precognition” by Steed Lord. The work is an expansion of a piece he created for a Greek Showcase at Bowling Green State University. Kadeem describes the costuming as gothic, with the dancers costumed in black leather, flowing fabrics, and togas.

Kadeem first participated in CDP’s Choreographer Showcase as a dancer in Season 15. “I’m grateful that Anna pushed me to dance because I was drawn closer to CDP,” says Kadeem. Following Season 15, he had the opportunity to choreograph for CDP’s Convergence Showcase, which led to his choreographing this season.  

“My journey has definitely been a growing experience. Learning dancers’ strengths and weaknesses and choreographing based on that has been a needed lesson,” says Kadeem. 

Joining Kadeem with work on the showcase are Macie Westrick and Zoë Helms, who previously participated in Season 14. The pair co-choreographed a Jazz Funk piece for 26 dancers to the Chappell Roan tunes “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” “The Giver,” “Hot To Go,” and “Pink Pony Club.”

Westrick grew up immersed in the world of competitive dance. She continued her dance training at Ohio University as a member of the OU Dance Team, performing at campus athletic events and competing nationally at both the Universal Dance Association Nationals and the Dance Team Union’s College Classic. She remained at Ohio University to complete her MBA, during which she joined a student-led dance organization and served as a guest choreographer. 

Helms graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Education and received her Resident Education License in Dance from The Ohio State University. Helms taught at Toledo Public Schools from 2015 to 2021, Toledo School for the Arts from 2021 to 2023, and choreographed two national championship-winning dances for Nye Dance Productions. 

Westrick and Helms shared that their piece was inspired by a night out with fellow CDP dancers. “At one point, we talked about loving Chappell’s music, so I decided to listen to her on the way home,” says Helms. “As choreographers do, I started seeing dances in my head.” 

Helms and Westrick gave the dancers in their work the freedom to create their own Chappell-inspired costumes, allowing each dancer to celebrate their individuality. 

Helms, who recently moved to Cleveland, shared her gratitude for CDP and the safe space Cerveny has created for all dancers. “This is my 3rd season being involved with CDP, and it has been very important in my life,” says Helms. “When I found CDP, everyone was so welcoming and kind. I felt right at home. Not only does CDP give me the opportunity to train as a dancer and express myself as a choreographer, but it has also allowed me to make the best friendships in a brand new city.”

One of the more than 225 dancers participating this season, Willow Freed, offered insight into how deeply nourishing the organization is for both choreographers and dancers alike: “The process has really given me back the experience of being a student in a dance studio again—The friendship between dancers, working on each piece with pure enthusiasm, and the removal of pressure that professional work can create. I strive in rehearsals to be the best I can be because I love it and not because of outside expectations.”

It is that love of dance expressed by Freed, Cervany, and all the others that keeps CDP and its Choreographer Showcase going year after year, enriching the lives of its participants and delighting those who come to watch their work and them perform.

Cleveland Dance Project presents its Season 16 Choreographer Showcase on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Berea Midpark High School, 165 E Bagley Road, Berea, OH. Tickets are $15 (presale) and $20 (at the door). Tickets for children under 10 years old are $10, and admission is free for children under 3 years old. To purchase, visit clevelanddanceproject.com/tickets. 

Angelina DiFranco is a dance artist, writer, and choreographer. She graduated from Kent State University with honors in May 2023, earning a BFA in dance and a BA in English with a concentration in professional writing. She has trained with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Koresh Dance Company, Visceral Dance Company, and LA Contemporary Dance Company and participated in residencies with choreographers including 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 the Dancing Wheels Company, where she has toured internationally, choreographed repertoire, and earned the Dancing Wheels Integrated Dance Teacher Certification. As a choreographer, her work in film won Best Overall recognition at the Kent State Film Festival and Best Experimental Film at the Highland Square Film Festival. Angelina’s choreography has been performed at the Cleveland Dance Fest, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the OhioDance Festival, and Cleveland Dance Fest’s 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 participated 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.