Banner photo of The Seldoms by Andrew Glatt
ACE (Asheville/Chicago Exchange) fellowship in dance
Dancers Robert Rubama and Haley Heckethorn perform at an open rehearsal in the Red Barn studio, as part of the 2022 ACE Fellowship with Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo by Camilla Calnan.
An ACE Fellowship in Dance provides immersive creative time and space to selected artists, free of charge.
Available to established Chicago area choreographers and dancemakers, awardees receive the rare opportunity of uninterrupted time and space to create their next great work, along a variety of supportive financial benefits. The length of the residency is one to two weeks, and the choreographer can be joined by 3-5 dancers/collaborators. There is no expectation of producing any specific work or material. However, during the ACE Fellowship, artists are invited to engage with the regional community in a variety of ways. During the residency, there may be a Meet the Artists event, or other opportunities for the Chicago-based artists to interact and exchange time and talent with members of the WNC (Western North Carolina) Artist Roster. Trillium Arts acts as a facilitator for this “Exchange” portion of ACE, providing suggestions for pairings and introductions as necessary. Beyond any selected engagements, this is a self-directed program, and the artists determine the specific ways to use their residency time.
With funding support from our sponsors, Trillium Arts can provide ACE artists with the following:
Dancer Tuli Bera rehearses among the trees as part of Ayako Kato’s 2021 ACE Fellowship.
paid airfare from Chicago to Asheville
private lodging in a beautiful setting on 22 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains
rehearsal space in the Red Barn Studio at Odonata Farm
a welcome dinner and daily essential groceries/supplies
a rental car
an honorarium/per diem
opportunity and support to engage with Western North Carolina-area artists of all creative disciplines via our ACE Roster.
ACE Fellows are selected via invitation each spring. ACE residencies occur during the summer and fall months.
Meet the 2024 ACE Fellow:
Xavier Núñez - Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, Xavier Núñez embarked on his dance journey at age ten at the Hartt Community Dance Division in Hartford, Connecticut, becoming the first dancer in his family. He continued his training at the International Ballet Academy in Cary, NC, under Miguel Campaneria in 2010. In 2012, he earned the silver medal at the World Ballet Competition, propelling him to join the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company under the guidance of Kevin McKenzie and Franco De Vita. There he performed in international galas in Italy and France, performing George Balanchine’s Tarantella and Alexei Ratmansky’s Le Carnaval Des Animaux. Xavier’s path led him to The Tulsa Ballet in 2013, where he performed in productions including The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Cinderella. In 2017, Xavier took part in the Concours de Opera National de Paris, earning him the 6th place and a contract for the 2017-2018 season with the Paris Opera Ballet. In 2018, Xavier proudly became a member of the Joffrey Ballet, a momentous step in his career. Since then, he has been privileged to grace the stage in lead roles, performing in acclaimed productions such as Yuri Possokhov’s Anna Karenina, John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid, and more. Xavier's recent choreographic achievements include the creation of a new ballet for the Joffrey's "Winning Works" program, and Cosmic Rhythms at Chicago's Adler Planetarium. Beyond his onstage achievements, Xavier Núñez’s entrepreneurial drive led him to co-found a media production company, Action Lines, with talented peers Dylan Gutierrez and Eric Grant. He creatively directs and choreographs, aiming to fuse dance, education and entertainment with a fresh perspective.