WE
GO TOGETHER LIKE
SHANNON GILLEN
Arts Assembly A2 Founder and 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.
JASON CIANCIULLI
Arts Assembly A2 Lead Teacher
Co-Choreographer and Co-Founder 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.
TOM LIPINSKI
Arts Assembly A2 Founder and Camp Director
TV and FILM Actor
VIM VIGOR Company Member, Dramaturg,
Acting Advisor, and Performer
Tom Lipinski is an actor and documentary producer best known for his role as Trevor in the hit television show Suits. He is also the recipient of an Edward R. Murrow Award for his work producing Gone South, an investigative journalism podcast about crime in the deep south.
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Tom attended Concord Public High school where he was an All-American athlete and later went to Brown University where he majored in history. In New York, he started his career as an actor working in experimental theater for Obie Award winning Theater of a Two-Headed Calf. Other theater credits include leading roles in plays by A.R. Gurney and Christopher Shinn.
For film and television, he has worked with acclaimed directors like Steven Soderbergh in The Knick, Jason Reitman in Labor Day and Paolo Sorrentino in Youth. In addition to his recurring role as Trevor in the hit USA/Netflix show Suits, Tom has also recurred across multiple series including Billions and the recent television adaptation of Bong Joon Ho's Snowpiercer.
As a producer, Tom co-created the Edward R Murrow Award winning podcast Gone South. Just finishing its fourth season, Gone South dives into a new true crime story each week. Available wherever you download or stream your favorite podcasts.
KATHERINE KIESSLING
Arts Assembly A2 Collaborator / 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.
JILLIAN HOPPER
Arts Assembly A2 Collaborator / Teacher
Jillian Hopper is assistant professor of dance at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance and is Artistic Director of The Dance Legacy Project at Michigan alongside creative partner Prof. Christian Matijas-Mecca. She specializes in the dance technique of Doris Humphrey with the aim of preserving the technique for future generations as a Trustee of the Doris Humphrey Foundation, UK (England). Hopper also focuses her physical practice around methods of embodiment for the purpose of increasing empathy and sensitivity in practice and performance. These skills have assisted Hopper as a director of the DLP and a regular rehearsal director for U-M for many guest works. She has taught professionally for Hillsdale College, Eastern Michigan University, Middlesex University (London, UK) The Place (London, UK) and Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds, UK). As rehearsal director for U-M, Hopper has had the pleasure of rehearsing guest works by Ohad Naharin, Richard Alston, Lucinda Childs, Urban Bush Women, Alessio Silvestrin, and Shannon Gillen (Vim Vigor) among others.
Hopper received her BA (hons) choreography from Middlesex University London, UK (2007) and her MFA Dance Performance from the University of Michigan (2012). She is on the board of directors for ConteXture Dance Detroit. In her own work, Hopper explores ritualistic movement concepts with an emphasis on nature’s powerful spirituality. She has performed in works by Monica Bill Barnes, Sidra Bell, Danny T. Reid, Tracy Halloran, and many of her own compositions throughout the Midwest and Europe.
TZVETA KASSABOVA
Arts Assembly A2 Collaborator
VIM VIGOR Company Member, Collaborator and Performer
Tzveta Kassabova is a Bulgarian born choreographer, performer, costume designer and installation artist who was named one of the '25 to watch' by Dance Magazine. At different times she has been a gymnast, physicist, and meteorologist, and she holds three Masters degrees. Her work has been presented in throughout US, Europe and Asia, and has received multiple awards for the performance and choreography. Currently, Tzveta is an associate professor at the Department of Theatre&Drama at UMich. She has always been fascinated by the concept of space, and is constantly trying to address it, both in her choreography and design.