Katie Welko
Dance
In Seeking Qualia
About the Project
In Seeking Qualia is my senior thesis work; the culmination of four years of personal exploration and boundary breaking. More than that, though, it is an ode to curiosity and imagination in the creative process. This is the unedited footage from the filming, towards the end of the life cycle of this work. Embodied by Hanna Swartz, Kennedy Alexandria, Nicole Steffensen, Destina Tokbas, and Brady Neher, with living backdrops animated by Shelby Lerner, and sonic score composed by Graham Pienkowski.
About Katie Welko
While working towards her BFA, Katie Welko had the opportunity to perform in almost a dozen student and/or faculty-choreographed works, and produced two short concert works titled They Splash Upon that Inward Eye and Carnegiea Gigantea Sciendi Cupidum, as well as one untitled duet which was presented at the two week CAMPING summer intensive at the Centre Nationale de Danse in Pantin, France. At this intensive, she got to work closely with Thomas Hauert, Daniel Linenham, and Micheal Helland. Forever hungry for more influences, Welko has attended many summer programs, including a month-long intensive with the Ate9 company headed by Danielle Agami and multiple commercial stints in Chicago and New York.
Immediately after graduation, Katie is relocating to Wisconsin to continue teaching at several local competitive studios, and one day hopes to perform at one of the Disney Parks before heading back to school to obtain her Master’s degree and teach at a University level. She hopes to spark curiosity and imagination wherever dance leads her, in a lifelong effort to spread happiness.
“Watching Katie Welko’s growth over the last four years as a movement artist, choreographer, and engaged student teacher has been an honor to witness. Katie’s choreography is imbued with the same traits she brings to her dancing: a rich palette of movement possibilities that draws from a wide range of dynamics, thoughtful and nuanced choice making, and a strong sense of individuality and compassion for those dancing with and around her.”
-Paige Cunningham, Associate Chair & Associate Professor, Dance