FIRST LOOK SERIES
DINT
created and directed by EMILY ASLIN
creative advisor: ELLA PORR
Is devotion healing or harmful? “Dint” is a contemporary dance work that investigates the boundaries of devotion in interpersonal relationships and in the individual person devoted to a cause. Using William Butler Yeats’ “Easter, 1916” as a framework, “Dint” questions whether there is a limit at which human devotion turns detrimental and why the answer may not be so clear. “Too long a sacrifice / Can make a stone of the heart. O when may it suffice?” (Yeats, Easter, 1916).
“Dint” features performers Maya Lam, Tyler Choquette, and Emily Aslin. Research for the production of “Dint” was made possible in part by The Visionary NY, 92Y Future Dance Festival, and Theaterlab’s First Look Series.
Aslin Projects (AP) is a research and performance project space for contemporary dance. AP strives to capture the internal subtleties of human behavior through movement in order to foster connection, bring forth emotion, and challenge expectations about social and political norms. Using the dance arts and interdisciplinary work as a vehicle for research into topical philosophical, social, and political questions, AP presents contemporary projects and endeavors to contribute to an equitable and accessible future for artists and viewers of the arts.
Founded by artistic director Emily Aslin in November 2024, AP has performed at the SHIFT Festival at 14St. Y, the 92Y Future Dance Festival, and was an artist in residence at The Visionary NY. AP is thrilled to premiere “Dint” as a part of Theaterlab’s First Look Series.
PERFORMANCES
Friday, November 7 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, November 8th @ 3:00pm
Saturday, November 8th @ 7:00pm
60 mins (10 minute intermission)
TICKETS
General Admission : $35.00 ($38.50 with fees)
Artist/Student : $25.00 ($27.50 with fees)
MEET THE ARTISTS
EMILY ASLIN (creator)
EMILY ASLIN (she/her) is a New York-based choreographer and dance artist. Emily is the founder of Aslin Projects and artistic associate with Synchronous. She is a current company member with Kizuna Dance and LaneCoArts. Emily has worked with the likes of Donald Byrd, Jamar Roberts, Cameron McKinney, Felix Landerer, Marion Sparber, Lane Gifford, and Alexander Anderson. Her work was chosen for the 2025 92Y Future Dance Festival and she has also presented work at 14St. Y, The Craft NY, and the Spark Festival. Emily was an artist in residence at The Visionary in 2025 and Carroll Hall in 2024.
Emily studied choreography under Eva Stone and choreographed her first pieces at Spectrum Dance Theater. Emily was recently selected as a choreographer in the 92Y Future Dance Festival in April 2025. She has also presented her work at the Spark Festival and The Craft NY. Emily was an artist in residence at Carroll Hall in February 2024. She also co-choreographed UTILITY with Stephanie Shin for Synchronous and Emissary Quartet which premiered at the Blue Building in April 2024. Emily has also premiered work at the SHIFT festival at 14 St. Y in February 2025. Emily is thrilled to present her first evening length work, “Dint” as a part of Theaterlab’s First Look Series.
TYLER CHOQUETTE (performer)
TYLER CHOQUETTE (they/them) is an artist and educator based in New York City. Since graduating from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, Tyler has performed with Nimbus Dance Works, alma Collective, and Inclined Dance Project. In addition to joining Smashworks Dance in 2019, Tyler is currently in their third season as a company member with Carolyn Dorfman Dance and both a dancer and rehearsal assistant for McKoy Dance Project. Originally from California, they began their dance training at the Orange County School of the Arts in the Classical and Contemporary Department while performing with San Diego Unity Dance Ensemble under the direction of Tarua Hall and Tessandra Chavez. Additionally, Tyler has performed in Mr. Ailey’s “Memoria” alongside Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre at New York City Center, the Table of Silence 9/11 Ritual in Lincoln Center directed by Jaclyn Buglisi, and in new works by choreographers such as Ashley Kaylynn Green, Amy Hall Garner, Gregory Dolbashian, Nijawwon Matthews, and Lisi Estaras. They have premiered Isaac Iskra’s works, “Tilted Glass” and “Nefeliba”, commissioned by Mare Nostrum Elements, and collaborated with moveDIPR under the direction of Dionna Pridgeon. Tyler is grateful to be joining in Aslin Projects’ work titled “Dint” this year.
MAYA LAM (performer)
MAYA LAM (she/they) is a New York-based Asian-American dancer, choreographer, and interdisciplinary artist. As a recipient of a City Artist Corps Grant, Maya has curated an interdisciplinary performance installation, entitled crumbs. Commissioned by The Kennedy Center, they created a short film for their Art-Under-A-Minute Series. They were a Resident Artist with Moulin/Belle in the South of France. Maya is interested in the investigative processes that challenge societal ideals and power structures and strives to comment on these concepts with a multifaceted approach. As a performer, Maya has worked with Sidra Bell, Jessica Lang, Jenn Freeman, Yin Yue, Jessica Chen, and Samuel Pott to name a few.
Maya graduated summa cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Dance with a concentration in Ballet, a BA in Business with a concentration in Media & Arts Management, as well as a minor in Biology. They currently perform and tour with Ballet Nepantla, J CHEN Project, Synchronous, and Aslin Projects and have danced professionally with Nimbus Dance Works and Periapsis Music and Dance. Maya has worked administratively with GALLIM and McKoy Dance Project.
COVID-19 policy: In guidance with the city and state COVID-19 policies, we will no longer be requiring masks, but strongly recommend them.