Sample of Past Alumni
Europe and Abroad
- London: Sara Wookey (BFA 1996)
West
- Portland, OR: Noelle Stiles (MFA 2007)
- Oakland, CA: Betsy Strome (BFA 1983)
- Los Angeles, CA: Heather Sultz (MFA 1989)
Heather Sultz continues to perform, choreograph and educate through her company, Keyhole Residencies. She also works as an actor in film and television projects in her home base of Los Angeles. Last year brought her to Wyoming, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and St. Louis for events including site-specific performance, Architectural Discovery & Movement for Actors workshops, a multidisciplinary panel on architecture for education, and a participatory site event for the American Institute of Architects conference. So far, 2014 includes a corporate workshop in NYC, an artist-in-schools residency for the New Rochelle school district and workshop at Vassar College.
Midwest
- Stevens Point, WI: Michael Estanich (MFA 2006)
- Kalamazoo, MI: Megan Slayter (MFA 2003)
- Bloomfield Hills, MI: Debra Bernstein-Siegel (BFA 1973)
- Huron, OH: Julie Cruse (MFA 2010)
Julie Cruse (MFA Dance & Technology, 2010) has recently returned to Ohio from completing her Mmster’s degree in media arts and sciences at Arizona State University’s School of Arts, Media, and Engineering, during which she researched and designed embodied, multimedia, collaborative games for learning and health in K-adult settings that span schools, studios, museums, science centers and therapy settings. She joined Oberlin College as the founding designer and director of the new cross-disciplinary creative media initiative, where she catalyzes campus-wide curricular and scholarly collaboration, experimentation, learning, and innovation via student-led workshops, assistance, and hybrid exploratory events.
- Cincinnati, OH: Karen Wissel
- Columbus, OH: Rashana Smith (MFA 2012)
- Columbus, OH: Mariah French (BFA 2005)
- Hilliard, OH: Mary Beth Hurst (MFA 1988)
- Dublin, OH: Sean Kessler (BFA 2002)
- Dublin, OH: Trudy Giasi (BFA 2001)
Northeast
- Providence, RI: Jamie Jewett
- New York, NY: Thom Fogarty (BFA 1977)
- New York, NY: Carly Hunter (BFA 2005)
- New York, NY: Melanie Anastacia Van Allen (BFA 1999)
In 2012, Melanie graduated from New York University- Tisch School of the Arts with an MA in Performance Studies. This fall she will present her dance research on the Bolivian Tinku at the University of London for the international conference: "In the Balance: Indigeneity, Performance, Globalization" which is a is a five year research initiative funded by the European Research Council and based at Royal Holloway, University of London. She also will continue her academic studies at New York University with an emphasis on the intersections between dance and anthropology, in the Draper Interdisciplinary Program of Humanities and Social Thought.
- Brooklyn, NY: Kendra Portier (BFA 2002)
As part of David Dorfman Dance, Karl Rogers and Kendra Portier are part of State funded cultural exchange program thru BAM DanceMotionUSA, which has them teaching, performing, and learning with diverse groups in Yerevan, Armenia; Istanbul, Diyarbakir, Batman, and Ankara, Turkey; and Dushanbe, Tajikistan. These endeavors will culminate in a creative residency at Bates Dance Festival 2014, where they will collaborate with international artists they have met on the tour and create a new work to be performed at BAM Fisher (NYC) in August 2014.
- Brooklyn, NY: Tiffany Mills (MFA 1995)
- Brooklyn, NY: D. Chase Angier (MFA 1994)
- Brooklyn, NY: Theresa Elwell (BFA 2012)
- Pittsburgh, PA: Teena Marie Custer (MFA 2004)
- Pittsburgh, PA: Beth Corning (MA 1981)
- Pittsburgh, PA: Maree ReMalia (MFA 2011)
South
- Frisco, TX: Melissa Thompson Bjork (BFA 2004)
- Houston, TX: Karen Stokes (BFA 1982)
In January 2014, Karen Stokes was named the number-one choreographer in the "Ten Top Choreographers in Houston" list by Houston Press. Her company, Karen Stokes Dance, also received a 2013 Masterminds Award, and was the first contemporary dance company to receive this award, which is given to recognize progressive art makers in Houston. Karen Stokes Dance is currently developing a multi-facted project titled "Deep: Seaspace," which includes site-specific works, a dance for camera component, several collaborations and partnerships, and a main stage premiere.
- Ocala, FL: Rebecca Lott (MFA 1993)
- Athens, GA: Shelley Shepherd Holmstead (MFA 1992)
- Chapel Hill, NC: Natalie Marrone (MFA 1998)
- Winchester, VA: Ting-Yu Chen (MFA 1996)
- Charlottesville, VA: Lisa Lyn-Dell Wood
- Bethesda, MD: Ashley Thorndike-Youssef (PHD 2010)
Now & Next Dance Mentoring Project was featured in the May issue of Dance Magazine. Now in its fifth year, N+N is expanding to four sites nationwide for Summer 2014. The program facilitates physical, artistic, and leadership development in professional artists, college dancers, and middle school girls. Executive Director Ashley Thorndike-Youssef (PHD 2010) runs the program with faculty members Laurie Atkins (MFA 2009), Annie Beserra (MFA 2007), Adriana Durant (MFA 2008), Kristen Lucas, and Meghan Durham Wall. www.NowNextDance.org
Memphis, TN: Wayne M. Smith (MFA 1995)
Renew your Buckeye Spirit!
Watch Carmen O-H-I-O as envisioned by choreographer Susan VP Petry and the freshmen of 2013-14 with the Men’s Glee Club under the direction of Robert Ward.
