how to milk
a ghost
Liquidate Reserves | Neltje
About the Project
how to milk a ghost is an intimate and optionally participatory dance performance inspired by the artwork and legacy of Wyoming legend Neltje. Drawing from her bold gestures, layered textures, and uncompromising voice, the work explores how those expressions may live within all of us.
Throughout the evening, and within the walls of the gallery, performers navigate the relentlessly lingering presence of what has been silenced—buried voices, withheld stories, muted instincts. What unfolds is not a fixed product but a living experiment: a movement-based exploration of reclamation—of voice, of space, of self.
Crafted through physical embodiment, imagery, and collaborative inquiry, this showing invites you into the raw, wild and bizarre process of making.
We invite you to move with us through this ghostly, bizarre terrain.
Director + Choreographer | Beth Twigs
Collaborative Interpreters + Dancers | Tyne Carney, Madelyn Caviness, Conner Horak-Flood, Jenna Smith, + Liam Teagarden
Visual Artist | Neltje
Music | Ludwig Goransson, Peggy Lee, Johnny Greenwood, Nancy Sanatra + Lee Hazelwood, Julia Kent, Warmduscher, The Kinks, Astrid Sonne, + Chuck Berry
Sound Design + Text Author | Beth Twigs
Video/Projection Creators | Todd Hester + Beth Twigs in collaboration with Flow Labs
About the Artists
NELTJE
Neltje was born in New York City in 1934 and grew up spending time in rural Long Island and South Carolina. In 1966, she left her life in New York and set out with her two young children to settle on a ranch in Wyoming. In 1985 she turned her passion for art into a serious practice and formed her career as an abstract expressionist painter. She studied at the Art Students League, The New York Studio School, and has exhibited her work across the United States. Her solo exhibitions include showings at the Nicolaysen Art Museum in Casper, Wyoming, the University of Wyoming Art Museum, and the Yellowstone Art Center in Billings, Montana. Her work is included in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution, IBM Corporation, Yellowstone Art Museum, and the Wyoming State Museum, as well as private collections both nationally and internationally.
But Neltje was so much more than a painter. She was also a rancher, educator, entrepreneur, community developer, benefactor, champion of contemporary visual art and literature, mother and grandmother. Her generosity to her friends, colleagues and family, and her respect for nature extend to all that she did and all that she valued.
In her early years in Wyoming, in 1969, Neltje stepped up to save the historic Sheridan Inn from destruction and for nearly two decades ran the Inn for the public. In 2001, she founded the Jentel Foundation, inviting artists and writers from around the US to Wyoming to envision, to create, to reinvigorate, to dream. Neltje traveled the world over and in time, established Turned Antiques, a store full of eclectic clothing and furnishings from around the world that attracted patrons from around the state.
Neltje was a one-woman force in the Sheridan area and state-wide and Wyoming is richer for her vision and leadership.
BETH TWIGS
Beth Twigs is a choreographer, educator, and multimodal dance artist whose work spans over two decades of performance, creation, and teaching. Currently an assistant lecturer at the University of Wyoming, she teaches ballet, contemporary modern, and academic/professional development courses, while contributing to departmental programming and national conference planning.
Beth holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington, where her research investigated gender-based violence and consent practices in ballet partnering and pedagogy. She has presented this work at conferences including Corps de Ballet International, the National Dance Education Organization, and the Popular Culture Association.
Beth began her professional career with Ballet Austin, where she danced for ten seasons under Artistic Director Stephen Mills. Her repertoire includes works by Crystal Pite, Nicolo Fonte, KT Nelson, Thang Dao, Thaddeus Davis, Gregory Dolbashian and many others. She has toured nationally and internationally, performing at venues such as the Kennedy Center and the Arsht Center.
Her choreographic work—known for blending rigorous physicality with theatrical narrative—has been commissioned by Vitacca Ballet, Seattle Dance Collective, and Chamber Dance Company, and featured in festivals including the Seattle International Dance Festival, Austin Dance Festival, and New Century Dance Project. She is the founder of The Gray, a Seattle-based nonprofit dance company, and continues to develop work through her Colorado-based project Twigs + Co.
Beth’s research and teaching are rooted in fostering consent culture, collaborative creation, and the integration of academic and professional dance practices. Her creative residencies include engagements with Seattle International Dance Festival’s James Ray Residency Project, The Bridge Project at Velocity Dance Center, and Colorado Conservatory of Dance
TYNE CARNEY
Tyne Carney, is a talented and dedicated dancer, known for a captivating blend of artistry and athleticism. Born in Greeley Colorado, she began dancing at a young age, cultivating a passion for movement that would shape her life. She trained and competed rigorously in various dance styles, including ballet, tap, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop, honing her technical skills and expanding her artistic repertoire.
After graduating from Thompson Valley High School, she set out to continue her dance education at Colorado State University, where she is currently working toward her Bachelors of Fine Arts- Dance Degree. In her first year with CSU Dance she has already been selected and performed in 8 pieces, been chosen to teach community classes, and was selected as an intern for the CSU Dance Labs.
In addition to performing, Tyne is passionate about sharing her love for dance through teaching and choreography. She has assisted workshops and classes for dancers of all ages, nurturing future talent while emphasizing the importance of technique, creativity, and expression. Most notable with Soul De Soul Dance Convention.
Her performance work has been recognized with several awards, including Denver Honored Dancer Revive, Battle of the Stars Teen National Title winner and many top overall scoring routines, reflecting a competitive dance career marked by excellence and innovation. In the summer of 2025, Tyne work and performed with Kelly Demelio on the P(art) Project Professional Series, Beth Twigs, Grace Gallagher: The is No Planet B, and as a resident assistant for the CSU Dance Labs. With a relentless drive to grow as an artist, Tyne Carney continues to explore new opportunities, collaborating with diverse artists and experimenting with various forms of dance.
MADELYN CAVINESS
Madelyn Caviness began dancing at the age of three in Thornton, Colorado at Denver Dance Starz. From age seven through high school, Madelyn continued her dance training at Premier School of Dance in styles such as ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and modern. During this time, she also danced on the competitive dance team under the mentorship of Alexandra Fields.
In 2019, Madelyn received a Performing Arts scholarship to study as a dance major at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She trained under Professors Madeline Jazz Harvey, Grace Gallagher, Judy Bejarano, Chung-Fu Chang, and Joy Prendergast–among other renowned faculty–completing various dance technique, pedagogy, and choreography courses. Beyond her coursework, Madelyn performed in nine dance concerts in pieces choreographed by students, faculty, and guest artists throughout her time at CSU. One highlight was performing “Across the Universe” from “Beatle Juice” by Dwight Rhoden during his 2021 residency. Madelyn's choreographic works were selected for virtual adjudication at American College Dance Association (ACDA) in 2023 and performance at ACDA in 2024.
Madelyn worked professionally with Reign Free Films, as the lead dancer and actress in the “Time” music video by Holdfast. (2021). She was also a student research assistant for Movement Through Parenthood, a study examining the effect of dance on emotional availability during pregnancy. Under Professor Madeline Harvey's guidance, Madelyn helped to adapt and facilitate movement interventions for expectant mothers. She presented research at American College Dance Association, National and Colorado Dance Education Organizations, and the World Association for Infant Mental Health. In 2023, Madelyn graduated magna cum laude from CSU with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance.
Following her time at CSU, Madelyn danced professionally as a company member with vitality [the company] during their first season from 2023-2024, and she currently dances for Denver-based contemporary company, Rogue Co. Dance Company, as well as gracegallagherdance in Fort Collins. Madelyn also teaches weekly contemporary classes and choreographs at DanceSpace Dance Studio in Erie, Colorado, where she received three choreography awards in 2025. Known for her passion for establishing a collaborative dance environment, Madelyn continues to investigate new movement vocabularies through her choreographic exploration with multidisciplinary artists. She would like to thank her family for encouraging her, her professors and mentors for guiding her with their wisdom and experience, and her fellow dancers for supporting and inspiring her throughout her dance journey.
CONNER HORAK-FLOOD
Conner Horak-Flood was born in Fort Collins, Colorado where he was introduced to dance through a synthesis of musical theater and martial arts. He received his initial training from Canyon Concert Ballet and summer intensives at Boston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet, and Next Generation Ballet. He continued dancing at Butler University, where he graduated cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance with departmental honors. At Butler, Conner had the privilege of performing in Paul Taylor’s Le Sacre Du Printemps (The Rehearsal), Gorgio Arpino’s Viva Vivaldi, and George Balanchine’s Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. Conner has danced with Wonderbound in Denver, Colorado, where he performed with the Flobots at the Vail Dance Festival, with David Taylor’s Zikr Dance Ensemble, Boulder Ballet, Reformations Contemporary Ballet, Amy Anderson’s Engage Movement Arts, Front Range Contemporary Ballet, IMPACT Dance Company, Starry Night Productions, and James Sewell Ballet, where he worked with James Sewell, Darius Strong, and Gabrielle Lamb, and is currently a principal dancer with Canyon Concert Ballet Northern Colorado where he has been for three seasons. He is also a director and choreographer for The Soda Shop Movement Company.
JENNA SMITH
Jenna Smith is originally from Maple Grove, Minnesota, where she began training in ballet at the age of four. She received her BFA in Performing Arts from Colorado State University, where she had the opportunity to perform many featured roles in faculty and guest artist works. After graduation, she worked with Cleo Parker Robinson’s 2nd company before joining IMPACT Dance Company in the fall of 2012. She remained both a company member and publicity/marketing director until moving to Tennessee in 2015. In Nashville, she had the pleasure of studying with Banning Bouldin of New Dialect and FALL aerial ballet company. Jenna joined Canyon Concert Ballet in 2019 and remained a full-time artistic associate until Spring 2024. She has been a guest performer with Aspen Dance Connection, Industrial Dance Alliance and has performed all over the United States and Puerto Rico. She remained an active member and Assistant Director of IMPACT Dance Company until the company's retirement in 2025, and is very excited to be Co-Director of The Soda Shop Movement Company!
Her choreographic work has been featured in IMPACT Dance Company’s shows, “Words, (Wo)men and Song” in 2018, “C’est La Vie” in 2021, “From the Circus.. To The Sea” in 2022, and “Nourish” in 2024. She has produced and directed multiple award-winning shows at the Fort Collins Fringe Festival. “Women Working: Movement Stories by 3 Colorado Choreographers,” which received the Salt Magazine “Movers and Shakers” award, and “5 X 5,” which received “Best of Fringe”, “Audience Choice”, and “Artist Choice” awards. Her choreography has been commissioned in multiple shows by Canyon Concert Ballet: “Ballet and Beer: Latin Nights”, “Ballet, Jazz, and Beer”, “Ballet, Broadway, and Beer”, “The Little Mermaid”, and for the 2023 Fort Collins Movement Festival.
LIAM TEAGARDEN
Liam is going into his fifth year as a Dance/Business Administration double major at Colorado State University. He received the majority of his 9 years of dance training at Colorado School of Dance in Parker, CO and received additional Summer training with institutions like Colorado Ballet and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. He has performed as a guest artist in the role of Cavalier in The Nutcracker of Parker 2021-2023, in “American Lullaby: Still Singing with IMPACT Dance Company, and is currently working both as a performer with The Soda Shop Movement Company and as a teacher with Canyon Concert Ballet.