Garrett Ammon
Artistic Director, Choreographer
Joined Wonderbound in 2007
Garrett Ammon began his tenure as Artistic Director of Wonderbound in 2007. Under his direction, the organization has been transformed into an open laboratory for cross disciplinary exploration and creation. He has been recognized for his work as both an artist and leader through a Denver Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture, a University of Denver Dance Archive Legends of Dance Award and a Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Livingston Fellowship.
Having choreographed and directed more than 80 works across two decades, Ammon has developed a trademark aesthetic that seamlessly blends tradition with adventurous new ideas. He keeps Wonderbound continually engaged in collaborative endeavors with the region’s finest arts organizations including Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, Central City Opera, the Colorado Symphony, Curious Theatre Company, Lighthouse Writers Workshop, Mizel Arts & Culture Center, and Newman Center Presents, among many others.
In addition, Ammon’s deep belief in the value of live music as an integral part of the dance experience keeps Wonderbound actively creating with a wide range of independent musicians and composers like Hal Aqua and The Lost Tribe, Ofer Ben-Amots, Chimney Choir, Confluence String Quartet, Ian Cooke Band, Flobots, Tom Hagerman, Jesse Manley and His Band, Paper Bird, and Clay Rose.
Always pushing the boundaries of dance and the performance experience, Ammon brings an eclectic range of other collaborators into Wonderbound projects as well. These individuals include visual artists Eric Dallimore, Mark Allen Henderson, Andrea Pliner and Tom Varani as well as poet Michael J. Henry, digital artist Kristopher Collins, photographer Amanda Tipton, illusionist and mentalist Professor Phelyx, and perfumist Michelle Roark.
As a dancer, Ammon was a member of Houston Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Ballet Memphis and Trey McIntyre Project where he toured to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Vail International Dance Festival, HIDC’s Dance Salad and Wolf Trap.
Ammon lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife and muse, Dawn Fay. They have worked alongside each other continuously since they first met in 1999.
Dawn Fay
President
Joined Wonderbound in 2007
Dawn Fay joined Wonderbound in 2007 and has served as President of the organization since 2018. Her professional career spanned more than twenty years, including being named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” Dawn is a native of Memphis, Tennessee and received her professional training at North Carolina School of the Arts. She began her career at Ballet Oklahoma and went on to dance with Miami City Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders and Ballet Memphis. Dawn performed principal roles in classical works including Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote, Fleming Flindt’s La Sylphide, as well as Giselle, Cinderella and Coppelia. She has danced contemporary works by Garrett Ammon, Trey McIntyre, Jiri Kylian, Choo San Goh, and Lila York, among others.
In 2005, Dawn became a founding member of Trey McIntyre Project, dancing at festivals around the country including The Vail International Dance Festival and Jacob’s Pillow. Dawn has staged Mr. McIntyre’s work for Trey McIntyre Project, The Washington Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Smuin Ballet and Ballet Augsburg. Dawn has also staged Garrett Ammon’s work for Wonderbound and Smuin Ballet.
Dawn works closely with Garrett Ammon on the development and creation of his new work and facilitates production collaborations. As President, she is responsible for fundraising, board management, grant writing and costume design. Dawn is also deeply involved in Wonderbound’s community programs.