Nelly van Bommel(Administrative Assistant, Improvisation)
Born in France to Dutch parents, Ms. van Bommel trained at the Académie de Danse Claudie Plaçais-Rocher and the Centre National de la Danse in Paris (French National Dance Center). She participated in numerous programs and workshops with choreographers including Claude Brumachon (Centre Chorégraphique National de Nantes), Richard Alston, Christian Trouillas (Tanztheater Wuppertal/Pina Baush) and Charles Henri-Pirat, among others. She performed throughout France and North Africa with French choreographer Claudine Peny. In addition to her performing career, Ms. van Bommel attended Université de Paris 8-Sorbonne (France) and graduated with an MA in Comparative Literature and an MA in Performing Arts Aesthetics.
In 2002 Ms. van Bommel moved to New York City thanks to a fellowship from the Conseil Régional d'lle de France. Upon completion of the MFA dance program at Purchase College, Ms. van Bommel was presented with an Outstanding MFA Graduate Award for excellence. Ms. van Bommel is also an alumna of Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, as recipient of a full scholarship there to work with choreographer Susan Marshall during summer 2005.
Ms. van Bommel founded her company NØA DANCE, a contemporary dance project based in New York City in 2003. Since then, she has presented four acclaimed New York City seasons and her work has been feartured in major festivals and venues throughout the Northeast including The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, Dance Theater Workshop, Jacob's Pillow, Joyce SoHo, P.S. 122, and The Duke on 42nd Street, to name a few. She has received support from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The New York State Council on the Arts, The Field, and The Joyce Theater Foundation.
Ms. van Bommel is a co-founder of the REVERB Dance Festival, a yearly event at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater in NYC. In spring 2007, Ms. van Bommel won first prize at the 2nd Genesis International Choreographic Competition organized by the Milwaukee Ballet, and was commissioned to create a new work which premiered in April 2008 to rave reviews. Also in spring 2007 she was a finalist at the A.W.A.R.D Show at Joyce SoHo in NYC, and in fall 2007 she was granted a residency at Kaatsbaan international Dance Center in New York. Ms van Bommel is currently the Stella Adler Studio of Acting "MAD AIR" artist-in-residence. Most recently, Ms. van Bommel was commissioned to make a new work for CorbinDances (Patrick Corbin, artistic director) which premiered in Washington D.D in August 2008. Her work is also featured at the fall 2008 Kuandu Arts Festival in Taiwan.
"Nelly van Bommel has talent, a sense of passion and intensity...and a quirky sense of humor," wrote John Rockwell, The New York Times, February 2006.