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Concept &
Driving Mission
ARTS ASSEMBLY A2 is the site for VIM VIGOR's creative and pedagogical research. At the core of our mission are our tri-fold platform for training and professional development, creative residencies and partnerships, and community engagement that support the arts ecosystem of Southeast Michigan. Centered in contemporary movement practices and dance theater work, our space offers an entry point into movement exploration, as well as pre-professional and professional training opportunities. Arts Assembly also embodies the woven nature of the arts ecosystem, through partnerships and residencies to support the creative work of local, national, and international artists / companies developing their work in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
We aim to harness the transformative power of the arts to spark imagination, deepen understanding, and foster meaningful human connection. With a strong emphasis on creative research, ARTS ASSEMBLY A2 is a place where artists of all ages and backgrounds come together to develop strength, skill, and curiosity—cultivating a dynamic, inclusive, and forward-thinking artistic community.
Artistic Team
Space is a critical asset for the performing arts. VIM VIGOR has had the good fortune of many residencies and partnerships to support our creative research. Arts Assembly is our way of creating a new resource for local, national and international artists developing their work in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area. Below are members of the VIM VIGOR team and associated artists that support Arts Assembly's mission.
Arts Assembly A2 Founder
Lead Teacher
Artistic Director and Co-Choreographer of VIM VIGOR
Shannon Gillen is the artistic director of VIM VIGOR (US) and an Associate Professor of Dance at U-M. Her creative work has been commissioned across the USA, Canada, Central America, South America, Nordic countries and Europe. Projects include commissions by L.A. Dance Project, fashion label PHELAN for NY Fashion Week, DANCEworks at the Lobero Theatre, Hubbard Street 2, Gibney Dance Company, Over het lj in the Netherlands, Jacob's Pillow Festival, ICA in Boston, Ruvuelo in Chile, Boston Dance Theater, Mainfranken Theater Würzburg, Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, the International Solo-Tanz Theater Festival in Stuttgart, the TIF theater in Kassel, de Danseurs in NL, as a THINK BIG choreographer-in-residence at Staatsoper Hannover and at Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton where she was a choreographer in residence; notable festivals and venues where her work has been seen include Springboard Danse Festival in Montreal, New York Live Arts, Prisma Festival in Panama, Judson Church, PULSE Art Fair/Art Basel, Bryant Park, NYC's River to River Festival, Perry Mansfield, and The Joyce. VIM's work PUNCHLINE premiered at dock 11 in Berlin, before touring to the Arthur Miller Theater in Michigan, and with Gibney Presents at the Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center in NYC. Prior to founding VIM VIGOR, Shannon was a full company member of the Johannes Wieland company at Staatstheater Kassel in Germany.
Recently, she was commissioned to create work at the IUA in Reykjavik, Iceland, Michigan Movement Performance Projects, Chisenhale Dance Space in London, and for St. Louis based Resilience Dance Company. Upcoming commissions include Mavericks in Berlin as part of b12, the The University of Limerick, the IAB in Spain, and Zagreb Dance Company in Croatia.
Dedicated to educating and learning from the next generation of artists, Gillen is profoundly inspired by the talent of students at The University of Michigan where her company VIM VIGOR is the department’s company in residence. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School and earned her MFA from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU where she received the Dean Fellowship. Shannon also trained in Meisner acting at the Maggie Flanigan Studio in NYC, which contributes significantly to VIM's approach to dance theater methodology.
Arts Assembly A2 Lead Teacher
Co-Choreographer of VIM VIGOR
Jason Reese C. is the co-choreographer and founding member of VIM VIGOR and a LEO in Dance at U-M. Their research is grounded in Floorwork, Partnering and Physical Theatre. He is a teacher, performer, bodyworker and creator who aims to make worlds, sculpt space and tell stories. As an international performer he has worked throughout the United States and many other countries, including Canada, Panama, Germany, and Romania. He holds a License in Massage Therapy in both Michigan and Pennsylvania, working in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Craniosacral, and Myofascial Release Techniques. Jason is a co-choreographer with VIM VIGOR. He holds a BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase and an MFA in dance from the University of Michigan. Jason also trained in Meisner technique at Maggie Flanigan's Studio in NYC. After receiving his BFA, Jason returned to SUNY Purchase to teach as a lecturer. He now teaches as a LEO in the dance department of the University of Michigan. With VIM he has taught at various institutions throughout the globe, creating work and teaching VIM’s Physical Dance Theater Methodology. He most previously was teaching at the University of Iceland and the IAB in Spain. Jason was a Performer and Rehearsal Director with the iconic immersive show, Sleep No More NYC.
Arts Assembly A2 Teacher
VIM VIGOR Company Member, Collaborator and Performer
Katherine Kiessling is a dancer and recently graduated from the University of Michigan, where she earned a double major in Dance and Computer Science. She has trained and performed across the United States and Europe with companies such as Vim Vigor, b12, Whim W’Him, Sidra Bell, and Christina Mertzani, among others. In April 2024, she traveled to Iceland with Vim Vigor as a choreographic collaborator and assistant rehearsal director for their commission, DON’T LET ME DOWN, for the graduating class of contemporary dance at the Iceland University of the Arts. She performed in Vim Vigor’s DRACULA at the University of Michigan in November 2024, and in MOTHERLOAD during the company’s London tour in March 2025. She also assisted the company in their commissions at the b12 festival in Berlin and at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona. Katherine officially joined Vim Vigor following her graduation in May 2025 and has assisted the company throughout their physical practice and choreographic processes at Michigan Movement Performance Projects.
Arts Assembly A2 Teacher
VIM VIGOR Company Member, Collaborator and Performer
Caitlyn Wade is an artist from Detroit, Michigan. Wade is a 2025 graduate from the University of Michigan where they earned a BFA in Dance, a BA in Linguistics, and a minor in Interdisciplinary Astronomy. Their training places specific emphasis on floorwork, partnering, Gaga, and Humphrey. They have performed works by FLOCKWORKS, Marcat, Rosanna Tavarez, Wideman-Davis, KyungHwa Hong, and FangFei Miao. Additionally, they have worked closely alongside VIM VIGOR, NW Dance Project, RUBBERBAND, and Giordano Dance Chicago. They currently serve as a rehearsal director for Marcat’s recent creation on the University of Michigan Dance Company.
Arts Assembly A2 Teacher
Guest Company Member and Teacher
Samy Nevárez is a dancer, choreographer, and workshop leader with over eight years of experience in the contemporary scene. She trained professionally at the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey and has received scholarships and support for her development in programs such as P.A.R.T.S (Brussels) and REVÉS (Costa Rica). Her training includes residencies with prominent artists such as Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich in Valencia, Spain.
She has been part of various projects and ensembles, including the contemporary tap dance group “DON CAÑALERO” and the Fourth Edition of the Contemporary Dance Production Center (CEPRODAC). Throughout her career, she has worked with renowned international choreographers such as Damien Jalet and Hamid el Kabouss, presenting her stage work both in Mexico and abroad.
Since 2019, she has taught her own contemporary dance workshop, Cuerpo Abierto, in various educational institutions and dance companies in Mexico, England, Costa Rica, and other countries. She also co-directs The Rommies project and has developed her own initiative, La Inquieta, through which she has presented original works such as Very Beauty, Veinte21, and No Estés Triste on various international stages.
She recently completed a professional residency with the Jasmin Vardimon Company in England. Currently, she works as a freelance dancer and creator, constantly seeking artistic growth and collaborations with renowned companies and choreographers. Her work focuses on exploring new forms of expression and developing her own unique voice and movement style.