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2021-2022

Kay Andersen (Modern) received his BA from Southern Utah University, and his MA from New York University in dance education with an emphasis in performance/choreography. His career has spanned four decades and six continents. For twelve years he was a soloist, participated in the creation of important roles, and taught company and master classes with Nikolais Dance Theatre and the Murray Louis Dance Company of New York City. He performed worldwide in venues such as the Paris Opera Garnier, Kennedy Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music (NYC), The Joyce Theater (NYC), Spoleto Festival (USA), American Dance Festival (Korea, USA), Carlton Festival (Brazil ), Italica Festival (Spain), Athens Festival (Greece), Aix en Provence Festival (France), Kuopio Festival (Finland), Jacob’s Pillow (USA), served as a cultural ambassador to India representing the State Department, performed for President Reagan at the Kennedy Center Honors CBS telecast featuring the Nikolais Dance Theatre, and many more.
Kay worked as a performer/teacher/choreographer for Televisa of Mexico City where he appeared in weekly television specials, commercials, and toured throughout the republic of Mexico. He performed as a guest artist with Simona Bucci’s Imago Dance Theatre of Florence, Italy, and Ema Pulido’s San Juan de Letran Danza Comtemporanea, Mexico City, Mexico. Other performance credits include New York based companies: Shapiro and Smith, Linda Nutter Dancers, Erroll Simpson Dance Company, Zipolitos, among others. In Los Angeles he performed extensively with the American Folk Ballet and was a member of the company for 24 years.

Kay Andersen recently retired from Southern Utah University after 22 years, 10 of which serving as Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. Kay is excited for the next step in his creative life as he choreographs and teaches both domestically and abroad. 

Suzanne Ryanstrati has a Master of Arts in Dance Choreography from the University of Iowa. She is a choreographer, educator, and director. Her choreography has been performed in Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington and made her International debut in England (2012 & 2015), France (2015, 2019), Germany (2016, 2019) and Ireland (2016).

Ryanstrati's professional dance career began at the age of 19 under Neil Hess, director of the Lone Star Ballet and TEXAS Musical Drama. She performed with Bill Evans in the USA and Japan, later relocating to Kansas City where she joined aha! dance theater and Reach...a movement collective.

Ryanstrati is a Traumatic Brain Injury survivor. Prior to and following her TBI she worked with people living with disability, terminal illness and debilitating diagnosis and chronic conditions. These include: Polio, Multiple Sclerosis, Spina Bifida, Bipolar Disorder, Dyslexia, Cerebral Palsy, Clinical Depression, Anxiety Disorder, Cystic Fibrosis and Parkinson's Disease, and Diabetes. In 2020 she founded Dancing Together with CF, a dance program for the Cystic Fibrosis community funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Prior to this, she founded a dance program at the National Parkinson's Foundation, Heartland where she worked for 7 years based on the Dance for PD program in New York and directed Ryanstrati & Co. where she employed people living with and without disabilities and diagnosed illness.

Robyn Avalon is the Director of three Alexander Technique Teacher Training Programs: Alexander Alliance Southwest/Alaska/Italia; and is on the faculty of Alliance schools in Germany, Japan, and Philadelphia.

Having playfully studied Alexander’s principles for nearly 30 years, she has had the opportunity to work with professional performing artists, Olympic athletes and equestrians, fitness professionals, artisans and fine artists, martial artists, scientists and engineers, and medical professionals worldwide.

She offers introductory thru post-graduate workshops throughout the US, Canada, Europe, and Japan, as well as maintaining a private practice in Santa Fe, NM. Robyn is also the creator of LIVING IN A BODY™: An Owner’s Guide to Using Your Body Naturally.

Robyn is certified in Cranial Sacral Therapy and the Personal Totem Pole Process®, a Deep Imagery© orientated personal growth process. She has studied many allied movements arts/therapies including Feldenkrais, Body-Mind Centering, Pilates, Physio-Synthesis, Somatics, Holotropic Breathwork, Experiential Anatomy, Tai Chi and all forms of Dance.

Beyond her teaching practice, Robyn has a comprehensive resume as a director/choreographer and rhythm tap dancer. She performed extensively with Honi Coles and the Copasetics, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, and Brenda Bufalino.

www.livinginabody.com

 

2020-2021

Rogelio Lopez (modern) is an award-winning dancer, teacher, choreographer, costume, lighting, and scenic designer. He earned his MFA in dance at CSU Long Beach. Rogelio has had the pleasure to work with famous choreographers such as; David Dorfman, Bill Young, Joe Goode, Terry O’Connor, and Andrea Woods, among others. His choreography has been presented at The American College Dance Festival in Gala Performances and at Nationals at The Kennedy Center. Rogelio has won three Lester Horton awards, two as a dancer and one as scenic designer and also a winner at the United States Institute of theater technology for best student set design in region VIII. Presently he is Assistant Professor of Dance at Saint Mary’s College, and teaches at Shawl Anderson Dance Studio. He is the Artistic Director of Rogelio Lopez and Dancers.

Rob Wood (guest pianist& musicality for dancers) is a recently retired Professor, Lecturer and Director of Music in the School of Dance at the University of Utah, where he has been a faculty member for the past twenty-two years. Besides teaching numerous theory and studio based classes in the ballet and modern dance programs, his duties include hiring, training, and supervising all pianists and musicians. He works on a regular basis as Company Class Pianist with Ballet West and Utah Metropolitan Ballet. Rob has recorded two CD's under the direction of Master Teacher David Howard and most recently recorded a 2 CD set of 94 tracks of ballet class music through a collaboration with Professor Shayla Bott of Brigham Young University. This CD set is marketed through BYU Creative Works. Rob has lectured on the subject of "Musicality in the Ballet Class for Teachers and Directors" at numerous Regional Dance America (RDA) festivals as well as at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s Teacher Seminar. Rob has served as Music Director of RDA’s National Choreography Intensive eight different seasons working closely with Directors of Choreography Alan Hineline, Kathryn Posin, Janis Brenner and Nelly Van Bommel. Rob is a member of CORPS de Ballet International, Inc. and the International Guild of Musicians in Dance.

Rob is sought after nationally and internationally as a ballet accompanist because of his energetic approach to providing music representing a vast repertoire of various music styles, including classical, jazz, and popular melodies. Because of his knowledge of ballet technique and his kinesthetic awareness, he is known for always providing inspirational music that is closely tied to the technical demands of the teachers and dancers. Besides his work as a pianist, university professor and lecturer, Rob served eight years as a tenor in the world-renowned Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. Rob is married to the former Ballet West dancer Susan Sattler. Their family includes five children and twelve grandchildren.

 

2019-2020

Dr. Debra Knapp (modern) is a Professor Emerita from New Mexico State University, where she served at the Director of the dance program for 15 years. She is a certified teacher in the Evans’ Dance Pedagogy Method. She has been on the dance faculties of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the Palucca School Academy of Performing Arts in Dresden Germany. She has danced professionally with the Bill Evans Dance Company, the Dresden Germany Semperoper Ballet Company, the Nora Reynolds Dance Company, the Danzantes Dance Company, InMotion Dance Company, and the Windfall Dancers.

Debra has also been a keynote speaker at conferences and festivals both in the USA, China and in Mexico. She has received national choreographic recognition from the American College Dance Festival Association and the National Dance Association. Debra received the National Dance Association’s 2012 University Dance Educator and 2013 Scholar/Artist awards. Debra has been an Artist-in-Education since 1977 as a dance/movement specialist. Debra continues to freelance as a choreographer, performer, and dance instructor.

Kay Andersen (Modern) received his BA from Southern Utah University, and his MA from New York University in dance education with an emphasis in performance/choreography. His career has spanned four decades and six continents. For twelve years he was a soloist, participated in the creation of important roles, and taught company and master classes with Nikolais Dance Theatre and the Murray Louis Dance Company of New York City. He performed worldwide in venues such as the Paris Opera Garnier, Kennedy Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music (NYC), The Joyce Theater (NYC), Spoleto Festival (USA), American Dance Festival (Korea, USA), Carlton Festival (Brazil ), Italica Festival (Spain), Athens Festival (Greece), Aix en Provence Festival (France), Kuopio Festival (Finland), Jacob’s Pillow (USA), served as a cultural ambassador to India representing the State Department, performed for President Reagan at the Kennedy Center Honors CBS telecast featuring the Nikolais Dance Theatre, and many more.
Kay worked as a performer/teacher/choreographer for Televisa of Mexico City where he appeared in weekly television specials, commercials, and toured throughout the republic of Mexico. He performed as a guest artist with Simona Bucci’s Imago Dance Theatre of Florence, Italy, and Ema Pulido’s San Juan de Letran Danza Comtemporanea, Mexico City, Mexico. Other performance credits include New York based companies: Shapiro and Smith, Linda Nutter Dancers, Erroll Simpson Dance Company, Zipolitos, among others. In Los Angeles he performed extensively with the American Folk Ballet and was a member of the company for 24 years.

Kay Andersen recently retired from Southern Utah University after 22 years, 10 of which serving as Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. Kay is excited for the next step in his creative life as he choreographs and teaches both domestically and abroad. 

 

2018-2019

Bob Boross (Jazz) known internationally for artistic excellence in jazz, tap, & musical theatre, Bob’s career began in West Side Story, Godspell, Zorba, Funny Girl, The Boyfriend, & The Pirates of Penzance. He made his Broadway debut in the 1981 revival of Can-Can, staged by French ballet choreographer Roland Petit. Bob has choreographed Equity/Non-Equity productions of Annie Get Your Gun, Guys and Dolls, Victor/Victoria, Blood Brothers, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and others. His work has been commissioned by the 3rd International Jazz Dance Forum in Paris, France; Kannon Dance House & Boris Eifman Dance Academy in Russia; Just Jazz Dance Company in Finland; Millennium Dance 2000 in London; Pro Danza Italia & La Bella Vita Arts in Italy; the University of Dance and Circus in Sweden; and the First Congress on Dance in Mexico. Bob’s choreography has been commissioned across the USA. His approach is influenced by the jazz dance pioneer Matt Mattox. Bob is a widely published author on jazz dance. He received his M.A. at New York University.

Alexia Hess-Sheehan (Ballet) studied ballet in Amarillo, Texas under the tutelage of her parents. At age nine, she received a scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre. The following year, she followed her two older sisters at the world-renowned School of American Ballet in New York City. She joined the New York City Ballet in 1979, where she worked with choreographers George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. Alexia made her Broadway debut in Tony Award-winning “Jerome Robbins Broadway,” playing Maria in West Side Story. Other Broadway credits are 110 In The Shade, Phantom of the Opera (where she met her husband, Ciaran) and Carousel. Alexia moved to New Jersey in 1996 and began sharing her love of ballet with young students. In 2006 she opened Ridgewood Performing Arts Center in Ridgewood NJ.

Stephanie Parker Lanham (Ballet) a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ms. Parker began serious ballet training at the age of eight years with the Pennsylvania Ballet School, now called The Rock School, under the direction of Lupe Serrano. While continuing her professional training, Ms. Parker attended The Performing Arts High School of the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, now called The University of the Arts, where she studied not only ballet, but also Graham Technique, Drama, and Music. In 1986, at the age of 16, Ms. Parker was invited to join the Pennsylvania

Ballet. Ms. Parker left the Pennsylvania Ballet in 1991 to perform Principal roles concurrently with Empire State Ballet and Xing Ballet Company. In the spring of 1994, while performing with Ballet Idaho for a short season, Ms. Parker was invited to join Eugene Ballet Company by Toni Pimble where she remained for nine years. With this well-known company, Ms. Parker created many roles, including Clara in The Nutcracker, Silk Stocking Girl in Rhapsody in Blue, and other Principal roles in Slipstream and Silk and Steel, all choreographed by Toni Pimble. Stephanie was also certified in Pilates in 1995 at the Stott Studio in Toronto, Canada, and on a more interesting note, is certified in five weapons in Shaolin Kung Fu, and received training for her Idaho Hunter’s Certification in 2001. In 2003, Stephanie crossed paths with a former friend and associate, Mark Lanham, whom she married in the late summer of 2004. In 2005, Stephanie and her husband Mark opened their own ballet school, Landance Conservatory. In March 2006, both she and her husband choreographed and appeared in Chamber Music Amarillo’s production of Histoire du Soldat. In 2007, Ms. Parker danced with Cirque Du Soleil’s fabulous production of La Nouba at Disney World-Orlando, dancing the role of the “Lost Ballerina.” In 2008, she was Principal Guest Artist in Legacy Dance Theatre’s Pioneer Legacy as “Elisabeth” in Springville, Utah, and in the 2014 WTAMU Dance Concert’s New Work andElegy for my Parents. For the past seven years, Stephanie has been the Principal Guest Artist in Pampa Civic Ballet’s The Nutcracker.

Rachel Lanham Kitto received her earliest training from Sandra Allen at the Classical Ballet Conservatory in Orem, Utah. She went on to study at Jacqueline’s School of Ballet under the direction of Jacqueline P. Colledge, where she trained until joining the professional company, Utah Regional Ballet. While with URB, Rachel had the opportunity to perform principal and soloist roles both regionally and internationally. Rachel attended Brigham Young University and received a degree in Dance Performance. While at BYU, she received the Gary Hopkinson Dance Scholarship, as well as the Distinguished Graduating Senior and Outstanding Female Performer awards. Rachel has performed and toured with The Dancers’ Company at BYU for two seasons; performing in works by notable choreographers such as Carl Flink, Carley Conder, and Amy Markgraf Jacobson. Most recently, Rachel has been a member of the dance faculty at both Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University, where she has taught various levels of ballet and contemporary technique. She has had the opportunity to teach at several prominent dance studios in Utah. Currently, Rachel spends the majority of her time as a mother to her three children. She enjoys bicycling, yoga, and spending time with family.

Arkaday Orohovsky (Ballet & Character) a native of Ukraine, Mr. Orohovsky received his dance education at the Kiev State Choreographic Institute as well as a Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees from the Kiev State University of Culture. Mr. Orohovsky began his professional career at the Ukrainian National Theatre of Opera and Ballet. He toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan, Mexico, and Canada, performing both soloist and principal roles with the company. In 1994, Mr. Orohovsky won the Bronze Medal at the Serge Lifar International Ballet Competition in Kiev, Ukraine. Shortly thereafter, he joined Ballet El Paso as a Principal Dancer. Mr. Orohovsky became Artistic Director of Dance at Brigham Young University, where he staged many of his own works and several well-known classics while still dancing as a guest artist. Mr. Orohovsky then joined Houston Ballet under Ben Stevenson. His repertoire includes Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, the Prince in Cinderella, Franz in Coppelia, Prince Ivan in The Firebird, Bronze Idol in La Bayadere, the Prince in The Nutcracker, and Albrecht in Giselle. Mr. Orohovsky has appeared throughout the United States as a much sought after guest artist and master teacher. Since being in the United States, Mr. Orohovsky has conducted master ballet classes and has choreographed and staged many full-length ballets, as well as short contemporary ballets for professional and pre-professional companies and Universities throughout the US and Europe. He successfully presented his Master Classes in Japan and has held a summer intensive in Prague

for the previous four years. Currently, Mr. Orohovsky is the Artistic Director of South Mississippi Ballet Theatre, a pre-professional school and company that trains students whose aim is to dance professionally. With SMBT, his students have been employed by Boston Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and Ballet Arizona to name a few. He has coached many of his students to success at Youth America Grand Prix and World Ballet Competition, including his son’s 1st place win at YAGP in February. Mr. Orohovsky was the competitor evaluator and judges’ liaison for the Jackson International Ballet Competition in 2018.

 

2017-2018

George Bohn (Tap) Originally from California, George started tapping and performing at an early age. His first teacher was Vernon Russell who was heavily influenced by Louis DaPron. After college, George spent 2 years with a regional ballet company touring the Northwest in a hippie-painted bus performing ballets in every type of venue from theaters to gym floors, with the dancers doing all sets, lights, and sound. He was invited to insert a tap section into a ballet about Calamity Jane set to Aaron Copeland music. He then moved on to arena shows performing with Disney-On-Parade in South Africa before finally moving to New York. Once in New York, George performed in summer stock (Gypsy with Angela Landsbury), and Off-Off Broadway, had a stint with The American Dance Machine and taught at the Nat Horne Theater and the Manhattan Plaza. Picked by Stuart Ross of Forever Plaid fame for the outrageous comedy review Not So New Faces, George and choreographer Terry Rieser created the "Flipper Dance" (now on YouTube). The late Henry LeTang choreographed a nightclub act for George and also selected him for the Las Vegas revue of The Cotton Club, which coincided with the release of the film starring Gregory Hines. George ended up teaching at the LeTang Studio. Next George joined Dancellington, a concert tap company founded by Maurice Hines and led by Mercedes Ellington, the Duke’s granddaughter. In addition to performing and touring with the company, George made his choreographic debut creating the Russian dance and Sugarplum Fairy dance in Dancellington’s premier of Cracker Jazz—Peter and the Duke, Ellington’s arrangement of the Nutcracker Suite. He went on to perform his choreography live with the Ellington orchestra at the Delaware Opera house receiving a full-house standing ovation. Next he was Miss Ellington’s assistant, choreographing pieces for Austrian Andre Heller’s Body and Soul which debuted at the Munich Opera House and went on to tour Germany and Austria. Back in New York, George got to perform A Simple Song with his long-time friend and Broadway actor, Bob Fitch with the group Dancers Over Forty. After 30 years in NY George has rubbed shoulders and traded steps with a raft of tappers and dancers of many disciplines. Since coming to Austin, George is involved with the summer arts and music camp at St. Theresa Church and helps stage and choreograph their Christmas concerts.

Meg Paul (Ballet) Currently Ballet Master for the internationally acclaimed Complexions Contemporary Ballet, a full time faculty member at the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University. She is Artistic Director of the WSU Dance Workshop and is Program Director for the Complexions Detroit Summer Intensive at Wayne State University.

Ms. Paul is a recipient of The Princess Grace Award and has been a principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Ron De Jesus Dance. She directed Ballet Builders, a NYC showcase for emerging choreographers and was Ballet Master for the Joffrey Ballet Ensemble. She was a faculty member at The Joffrey Ballet School in NYC and has taught master classes around the nation for the past decade. Along with her husband Vince Paul, she co-founded World Arts Inc., a representation agency that represented national and international companies such as Nacho Duato's Compania Nacional De Danza, Les Ballets De Monte Carlo, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Les Grand Ballets Canadian.
Ms. Paul assisted Twyla Tharp for the Tony-award winning show Movin' Out , serving as Dance Captain during the Broadway run and performed both leading roles as 'Brenda' and 'Judy', and she also staged the national touring cast of Movin' Out.
Ms. Paul was the Director of Dance at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts where she conceived and directed a benefit for dance titled National City Stars of Ballet and Broadway. For her work on National City Stars of Ballet and Broadway, she was honored by the Detroit Free Press as one of Detroit's Renaissance Heroes in 2008.

Meg Paul received her early training with Southern Ballet Theatre in Orlando, Florida. After winning the International Dance Competition of the Americas, she was invited to train on full scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. At fifteen, Ms. Paul began her professional career touring with the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, and the Joffrey Ballet II, and was promoted to the Joffrey Ballet at nineteen, rising through the ranks to perform many leading roles. 

2016-2017

Travis Prokop (modern/contemporary) Currently an assistant professor of dance at Lamar University, a company member of NobleMotion Dance and Hope Stone Dance in Houston, as well as on staff as a Modern Dance Instructor with Houston Ballet. Mr. Prokop has performed at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D. C., and has performed with LEON Contemporary Dance. He has has studied the repertory of Jiri Kylian, GaGa, and Batsheva in Lucca, Italy with Bruce Michelson and Aya Israeli. His choreographic works have been produced at The Dance Gallery Festival New York, and the American College Dance Association. He has choreographed numerous theater and musical theater productions including Trojan Women and Chicago. He appeared in Season 2, Episode 5 of ABC’s hit TV show, American Crime, and on the Fox TV's very popular So You Think You Can Dance in 2009. Mr. Prokop has served as an adjunct professor at Sam Houston State University and Southern Methodist University. Mr. Prokop graduated from WTAMU with his BFA in Dance in Decem

Laura Harrell modern/contemporary) Currently teaching as a Dance Adjunct Faculty at Lone Star College (North Harris). She has presented choreography at SHSU, Dance Gathering at the Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex, the 2012 Houston Fringe Festival, Anything Goes Weekend at the Frenetic Theater, and Venturing Out… To Where it all Began at the Houston Met Studio. This spring she presented Milestones & Monuments at the American College Dance Festival, South-Central Conference which was chosen for presentation at the Gala performance. Ms. Harrell is from Sugar Land, TX, holds a Master of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Sam Houston State University. While attending SHSU, she has studied under Andy and Dionne Noble, Dr. Cindy Gratz, Dana Nicolay, Jennifer Pontius, Erin Reck, Jonathan Charles, Tiffany Nirider, Melissa Wynn, and Kista Tucker. Ms. Harrell was recently awarded the SHSU Dance Graduate Student Outstanding Choreography Award. She is scheduled to present a work at the Dance Gallery Festival held at the Ailey Citigroup Theater NYC this coming October.

Matthew Lindstrom (modern) Originally from Lake View, NY. He is currently an instructor in dance and theater for the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy. Before coming to Interlochen, he was an assistant professor of dance at Colorado Mesa University. He has given master classes and set work at Cornell College, University of Northern Iowa, West Texas A&M University, Iowa Wesleyan College, Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Company and many others. For eight years he served as dance captain for Stephen Foster the Musical in Bardstown, KY. His choreography has been presented in Aspen, Boulder, Denver, throughout the Midwest, New York, Costa Rica and San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 2010 his piece "If I were, you'd be(e)" was chosen to close the ACDFA Northwest region gala concert. Recently he has appeared in both the Interlochen Shakespeare Company's productions and the full-length ballets of the Interlochen dance ensemble. Mr. Lindstrom has his M.F.A., dance performance, from the University of Iowa and his B.S., in Education from the State University of New York at Geneseo

Meg Paul (ballet) Currently Ballet Master for the internationally acclaimed Complexions Contemporary Ballet, a full time faculty member at the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University. She is Artistic Director of the WSU Dance Workshop and is Program Director for the Complexions Detroit Summer Intensive at Wayne State University.

Ms. Paul is a recipient of The Princess Grace Award and has been a principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Ron De Jesus Dance. She directed Ballet Builders, a NYC showcase for emerging choreographers and was Ballet Master for the Joffrey Ballet Ensemble. She was a faculty member at The Joffrey Ballet School in NYC and has taught master classes around the nation for the past decade. Along with her husband Vince Paul, she co-founded World Arts Inc., a representation agency that represented national and international companies such as Nacho Duato's Compania Nacional De Danza, Les Ballets De Monte Carlo, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Les Grand Ballets Canadian.
Ms. Paul assisted Twyla Tharp for the Tony-award winning show Movin' Out , serving as Dance Captain during the Broadway run and performed both leading roles as 'Brenda' and 'Judy', and she also staged the national touring cast of Movin' Out.
Ms. Paul was the Director of Dance at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts where she conceived and directed a benefit for dance titled National City Stars of Ballet and Broadway. For her work on National City Stars of Ballet and Broadway, she was honored by the Detroit Free Press as one of Detroit's Renaissance Heroes in 2008.

Meg Paul received her early training with Southern Ballet Theatre in Orlando, Florida. After winning the International Dance Competition of the Americas, she was invited to train on full scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. At fifteen, Ms. Paul began her professional career touring with the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, and the Joffrey Ballet II, and was promoted to the Joffrey Ballet at nineteen, rising through the ranks to perform many leading roles.

Jeff Rebudal (modern) Currently dance area head and associate professor of dance and choreography at Wayne State University. He is artistic director of New York and Detroit-based Rebudal Dance and is an original founding member of the critically acclaimed Sean Curran Company in which he performed and toured throughout the nation and abroad from 1995 to 2003, in addition to performing with H.T. Chen & Dancers and Andrew Jannetti & Dancers.

Prof. Rebudal's professional concert dance choreography has been presented in New York at Joyce SoHo, Danspace Project at St. Mark's Dance, Cunningham Studio, the American Museum of Natural History and the 92nd St. Y, Downtown Dance Festival and DUMBO Dance Festival. Other venues include the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila, Anargyrios & Korialenios Theatre and Theatre of Helioupolis in Greece, Dance Place in Washington, DC, International Dance Festival in Connecticut, Arts Boundaries Unlimited in Florida, the Alexandria Dance Festival in Virginia and Montclair State University. The New Yorker described Rebudal's dances as a "fruitful meld of contemporary dance with Filipino folk forms" while Opera News stated it as 'delightful choreography 'a bright moment' (Carmen).

Rebudal also serves on the board of directors and is a regional director for American College Dance Association, was a dance panelist for the New York Foundation for the Arts and a USA Delegate for the World Dance Alliance Conference. Grants he has received include the Asian American Arts Alliance/JP Morgan Chase Regrant, Ruth and Seymore Klein Foundation, 92nd St. Y Harkness Space Grant and Connecticut College R.F. Johnson Grant, Wayne State University Research Grant and Research Enhancement Program in the Arts.

Prior to moving to New York, Rebudal studied and performed professionally with Pam Sandridge in Honolulu, where he has born and raised in Oahu's Kalihi Valley. In 1996 Prof. Rebudal began his career in academia as a visiting assistant professor at Connecticut College, University of Oklahoma and Wells College, in addition to being a guest artist at Arizona State University, West Texas A & M and UH-Manoa. He received an MFA in performing arts from American University and a BA in dance from University of Hawaii-Manoa.

2014-2015

Katharyn Horne (ballet) former principal dancer with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, former Artistic Director of Manhattan Festival Ballet, San Antonio Festival Ballet, Omaha Ballet, and Dance Charlotte. Currently, Artistic Director of Central Piedmont Community College Dance Theatre.

Britney Rush (contemporary) graduated from our program in 2009 and has steadily been performing with a variety of professional dance companies in Texas including Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Urban Souls (in Houston), 6 o’clock Dance Theatre (6DT), Psophonia Dance Company, and 8&1 Dance Company. 

Bill DeYoung  (modern ) Chair Emeritus and Professor of Dance at the University of Michigan.

Steve Norman (ballet) former Soloist with San Francisco Ballet for 13 years.

2013-2014

Mindy Copeland (Tap) Owner and Artistic Director of Tap Overload

Rogelio Lopez (Modern) Saint Mary's College, Freelance artist in San Francisco Bay Area

Steve Norman (ballet) former Soloist with San Francisco Ballet for 13 years

2012-2013

Brandon J. Aiken (Hip Hop) Artistic Director and Founder of ENVY Dance Company, LA

Steve Norman (ballet) former Soloist with San Francisco Ballet for 13 years

2011-2012

Jonathan Charles (jazz) Sam Houston State University

Matthew Lindstrom (modern) , Artistic Director of Push Don’t Pull Dance Theatre and Faculty at Interlochen Center for the Arts

Jamie Johnson (ballet), Principle Dancer with MOMIX

Steve Norman (ballet) former Soloist with San Francisco Ballet for 13 years

2010-2011

Kim Strunk (modern), Utah Valley University

Jeffery M. Rebdual (modern), Artistic Director of Rebdual Dance and Associate Professor of Dance, Wayne State University

2009-2010

Natalie Kasparova (Russia), Guest Choreographer. Artistic Director Kannon Dance Company, St. Petersburg Russia

Stevan Novakovich (Serbia) Guest Choreographer.


Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini (USA & Italy) Co-directors of Dance Now Ensemble, Florida.

2008-2009

Dennon and Sayhber Rawles (USA), Guest Choreographer. Choreographer of the film "Staying Alive".

Shelli Margheritis (USA), Guest Lecturer. McDonald Selznick Agency, the top agency representing
dancers and choreographers in the entertainment field.

2007-2008

Mia Cunningham (USA), Guest Choreographer/Stager. Former principal dancer with North Carolina Dance Theatre. Ms. Cunningham staged one of Sal Aiello's works.

Bill De Young (USA), Guest Choreographer.

Adrienne Clancy (USA), Guest Choreographer. Artistic Director of Clancyworks.

Bill Young (USA), Guest Teacher.

Waylon Anderson (USA), Guest Choreographer.

2006-2007

Stevan Novakovich (Serbia), Guest Choreographer.

Waylon Anderson (USA), Guest Choreographer.

Konstantin Karin, (Russia), Guest Teacher.

Thomas Flagg, (USA) Guest Lecturer - the founder/director of Terpsicore Dance Management 
former manager for Rasta Thomas