Jordana Che Toback, who hails from Los Angeles, California, began her choreographic tutelage as a teenager under the guidance of the modern dance legend, Bella Lewitzky. After graduating NYU Tisch School of the Arts, she spent seven years touring internationally with the Mark Morris Dance Group before earning the title of “Supremely Theatrical” (Village Voice) for her choreography and performances in NYC and abroad. As the original dancer/director/choreographer behind Fischerspooner, she and her dancers graced all sorts of venues from LA’s new downtown Standard Hotel, to Irving Plaza in New York City. During her time with this influential group, Fischerspooner was considered the darlings of the art world. They collected many awards, as well as signing a multi-million dollar record deal with Capitol Records, followed by appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Top of The Pops. Toback then returned to her downtown roots staging Operettas Accidental Nostalgia and Must Don't Whip 'm at St Ann's Warehouse and Musical Theatre such as The Bacchae at Harvard's A.R.T, and Mankynde The Musical at NYC Fringe, all of which toured extensively, receiving both accolades and awards including Bessies, Obies and Grants awarded for excellence in Theatre.
Toback continues to investigate the art of spectacle with three new site specific shows TERRE, PINK LADY, and BEHIND THE RED DOOR, for nightclub, casino theatre and warehouse performances respectively. All shows created by POON Productions include Tom Rossi's live world orchestra except for the shows in pre-production. These are DANCIN' DAYS, a sexy, raucous trip down memory lane with cowgirls, go go and the sensual delirium of rock in the early 70's set to a Led Zeppelin score and the "As of yet untitled Zeigfield Follies style floor show" featuring flappers and showgirls tapping and flapping their way through this Busby Berkeley style spectacle. The Follies are accompanied by a live 1920's orchestra whose traditional score is blended with remixes by Tom Rossi for the new millenium. In addition, Toback and her band of classically trained dancers perform at a variety of events and private functions, most recently shaking their way across Brooklyn's Pier 5 for Mayor Bloomberg and many of the city's political elete.
In addition to her ensemble work, Toback's series of critically lauded solo performance pieces have been produced by The NYC Fringe Festival, LA’s 2100 SQ FT, as well as PS122 and HERE. She is proud to have worked with such influential Directors as Leslie Dektor, Wayne Wang and Michel Gondry on commercials and films as well as styling and staging movement for photo shoots, album covers and editorials with such lauded photographers as Juergen Teller, Todd Eberle, Antony Nagelmann and fashion pioneer Terry Richardson.
More info go to: www.JordanaDance.com
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Tom Rossi is a composer, producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His musical style is a global mosaic, a border-dissolving symphony of tones and beats and harmonies from Africa and Asia and the Middle East, South America and the Caribbean and Brooklyn, USA. Rossi was born in Texas, raised in Massachusetts, and went to college in the Pacific Northwest, but in Togo, Rossi grasped the raw psychotropic power of music in voodoo ceremonies. After returning from further expeditions to Ghana, Brazil, Cuba and Turkey, Rossi released his world music debut record, Salma Har, in 2005. The record was featured with an interview on BBC/PRI's "The World" with acclaimed Lisa Mullins, NPR's "Echoes" with John Diliberto, as well as tracks played on Continental Airlines in-flight world music channel and NPR's "Talk of the Nation".
Rossi's travels around the globe have not only given him a broad musical education, but also a unique perspective on humanity as well. After many years of soothing hospice patients and their families with his voice accompanied by the kora, kalimba and guitar, he composed the music for Sweet Repose and Perfect Escape (2008), two of a three album series of world music and orchestral sounds for sleep and relaxation for one of iTunes top selling companies, Inner Splendor Media.
As the founder of Salma Har Productions, LLC, Rossi has produced and performed on several albums spanning the genres from Rock to Holiday to New Age. His latest project, Monster's Halloween Party, hit the top 10 on iTunes top 100 overall albums, with the single, Night On Bald Mountain - Dance Remix, at #2 on the iTunes Dance charts. Rossi has composed all the music in POON, as well as creating the soundtracks for the Anna Getty Natal Yoga DVD series, the Mayo Clinic Wellness DVD series and the Ayurveda DVD series with Dr. John Douillard for healthy lifestyle giant, Gaiam Inc.
More info go to: www.tomrossi.com and www.salmahar.com
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Jason's professional lighting career has taken him around the globe including South America, Australia, Europe and 48 States in the US. Selected design credits include work with Directors and Performers such as Lee Breuer, Anne Bogart, Cynthia Hopkins, Joe Jackson, John Mayer Trio, Powderfinger, Natalie Merchant, Todd Rundgren, Rosanne Cash, Nami Yamamoto, Blues Traveler, Natalie Cole, Liz Phair, and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. To see more visit www.jasonboydlighting.com.
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After studying at Parsons in Los Angeles and the Fashion Insititute of Technology in New York, Zaldy and makeup artist Mathu Anderson kick-started their career in fashion on the nightclub circuit. There, Zaldy's looks caught the eye of event producer Suzanne Bartsch. Bartsch and Zaldy began to work together regularly, and before long, Zaldy and his partner were fixtures at every Bartsch event. Such exposure helped the duo achieve cult status and led to collaborations and image consulting with companies such as Donna Karan and Shiseido. Zaldy's personal client list includes Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Parker Posey and Gwen Stefani. Zaldy was one of the designers for L.A.M.B (Gwen Stefani's line) and most recently was styling and designing for Michael Jackson's Fairwell Tour.
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Elisa Jimenez (born 1963) is an interdisciplinary artist, primarily in fashion design but also including writing, drawing, painting, performance art, and art installation. Her main ongoing project is called "The Hunger World," a world of marionettes ranging from 2 inches to 30 feet in height. Born in Texas, Jimenez is the daughter of sculptor Luis Jiménez and graphic designer Vicky Balcou. She attended the University of Texas where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a minor in anthropology. She went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Arizona. After her father's sudden death in 2006, Jimenez moved to Humble, Texas from New York City. Vogue discovered Jimenez as "the scoop" and consistently has acknowledged her as being at the forefront of the new avant-garde as well as one of the top 10 American Designers in the independent realm. Her designs have appeared in the pages of Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Dutch, Black Book, Paper Mag, Jane, and Trace. She has worked for a number of actors, musicians, films and television programs, including: Melissa Auf der Maur, Cher for her Believe album, Jennifer Connelly for her character in Requiem for a Dream, Marisa Tomei, Courtney Love, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City, Pink, Cameron Diaz, and art photographer Cindy Sherman. Jimenez was invited to be in the Barbican Gallery's exhibit and book Rapture: Art and Fashion Since the 1970s, curated by Chris Townsend of London. In a Project Runway testimonial, Jimenez disclosed that she was the victim of a motor-vehicle impact as a pedestrian. She was hit by a Porsche and cracked her skull open "3, almost four inches". She obviously made a significant recovery. In 2007 Jimenez was a contestant on the fourth season of Project Runway.
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