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Mélange: concoction, mixture, combination.
In this series of performances brough to you by Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre (GHDT), audiences experience art coming to life in front of their eyes in an intimate theatrical setting. Each series features three unique and talented artists of different genres. Together they create art at The Florence (Carmel’s newest black-box theatre space), in a collaborative and organic manner.
This Mélange Series features a vocalist, dancer, and visual artist. The dancer creates spontaneous movement inspired by the singer or vocalist, as the visual artist creates spontaneous art inspired by the dancer and the music. Audiences will experience live art in a new manner, bringing groundbreaking and creative art to central Indiana.
Audiences love the interactive nature of the Mélange performances. The artwork created during the performances is auctioned to audience members at the end of the performance.
The next production of the Mélange series features the haunting melodies of Jessica Crum Hawkins, the stunning visuals of artist Mayra Espino, and the artistry of dancer Vivien Mickels.
The performances are set for 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 at The Florence, 329 Gradle Drive, Carmel. Tickets are $25 for general admission seating and can be purchased at this link.
Vocalist: Jessica Hawkins
Jessica Hawkins says she is humbled to be a part of The Melange Series with GHDT. She began her vocal training in high school and focused on more classical training at Cornerstone University. After a long break from performing, she began getting involved with musical theater in the Indianapolis area in 2011. She was a part of Gregory’s, La Casa Azul, as “Frida Kahlo” in 2015, and as “Natalia Trotsky” in 2019.
Jessica also sang the role of Frida at The Music of La Casa Azul at the Palladium in 2023. Some of her favorite roles in musical theater include “Aldonza” in Man of La Mancha (Southbank Theatre Company), “Jackie Noelle” in Disaster: The Musical (Buck Creek Players), “Clara” in Passion (The District Theatre), “Paulette” in Legally Blonde (Footlite Musicals), and “Betty Haynes” in White Christmas (Footlite Musicals).
Hawkins lives in Fishers with her amazing husband, John Paul, and their rescue dog, Loki. She is always grateful to share the gifts God has given her, and appreciates all the support from family and friends. She sends many thanks to Gregory Hancock for another wonderful opportunity, and for his friendship.
Dancer: Vivien Mickels
Vivien Mickels hails from Noblesville. Her training began at En Pointe Indiana Ballet, where she studied under Polyana Ribiero, Robert Moore, and Paige Robinson. She graduated in 2022 from Hope College with a BA in Dance Performance/Choreography and Psychology. During her undergraduate studies, she performed in works by notable choreographers such as Matthew Farmer, Crystal Frasier, Sharon Wong, and Linda Graham. She has been a member of both H2 Dance Company and Strike Time Dance Theater. Additionally, she has both performed and choreographed internationally and was the recipient of the DeLong Senior Dance Award and the Kurtze-Wickersheimer Dance Award during her tenure at Hope College. She has also been a member of Dance Kaleidoscope, where she had the pleasure of performing in works by David Hochoy, Stuart Lewis, Manuel Valdes, Sean Aaron Carmen, and Joshua Blake Carter.
Visual Artist: Mayra Espino
Venezuelan-born artist, illustrator, and graphic designer Mayra Espino has established herself as a creator whose work is distinguished by elegance, vibrant color, and originality. For more than nine years, she has lived in Indiana, a place she now calls home and a source of inspiration, with its changing seasons, welcoming people, and captivating landscapes.
Her artistic proposal is defined by her exploration of flowers, landscapes, animals, and portraits, where color plays a central role. The incorporation of gold leaf and golden details lends her paintings a luminous and sophisticated aura, becoming a hallmark of her distinctive style.
Espino has exhibited in various galleries and cultural spaces, where her art has been praised for its emotional depth and its ability to blend the contemporary with the classical. Her personal experience as a wife and mother of three sons – one of them with autism, who inspires the entire family – together with the unwavering support of her husband, who encourages her and contributes ideas to her creative process, nurtures her artistic vision. Her family is the driving force behind her work, infusing each piece with sensitivity, beauty, and humanity.
The Mélange Series at The Florence has been created by GHDT Executive Artistic Director Gregory Glade Hancock and is presented by Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre.