2008 Dance Magazine

Friends of Dance Celebrates 20 Years Young Dancers Take Center Stage

Faculty Focus: Tim Glenn Dance Students Go Behind the Camera

“The Scales of Memory” Travels the U.S. MANCC Highlights

Florida State University Department of Dance

From the Chairs “We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.” (Ray Bradbury)

Dancing to new heights!

Every year the Department of Dance educates more than 100 dance majors and 400 nonmajors, providing them with unparalleled opportunities.

It is with the support of our generous patrons that many of these opportunities are available.

Please help us to continue to provide a superior education for our students and the best in performance for our audiences by contributing to the Department.

For more information contact: Joyce Fausone Department of Dance P.O. Box 3062120 Tallahassee, Florida 32306-2120 850.645.2449 jbstraub@fsu.edu Fred Salancy Assistant Dean, Fine Arts Tallahassee, Florida 32306-1160 850.644.3911 fsalancy@admin.fsu.edu

Please join us in looking back on our 2007-2008 academic year. Even in times of budget turmoil, we have poured our share of beauty upon the world. Many thanks to our Dean, Sally McRorie and the forward thinking FSU administration for seeing us through. We could not be who we are without their dedication and support.

the Cedar Lake and AXIS dance companies. The Cedar Lake experience included a choreographic residency for our students with Artistic Director Benoit-Swan Pouffer. This residency was supported not only by Seven Days but by community sponsors as well.

As with the support of the choreographic residency, we could not reach many of our goals without our community. Our support group, Friends of Dance, turned twenty this year and we celebrate their generosity and tireless efforts on The foundation of this our behalf. A large portion year’s achievements was of the $34,000 in scholaras always our community: ships awarded to our stuour students, faculty, staff, dents last year was a result of alumni and supporters. their efforts. They also sent Photo: Tallahassee Magazine With their efforts, over four faculty and sixteen stu110 dance works were created within dents to the American College Dance the department. The drive and initia- Festival southeastern regional confertive of our students continued the suc- ence this year, among other projects. cess of the informal showing series and began the new tradition of a year-end As you finish this walk through the past banquet. Our faculty continued their year with us, please don’t go too far. We teaching, creative and research life both need you. If you are in or around Talhere and abroad. Fabulous guest teach- lahassee, come see our concerts or take ers and choreographers added to our part in a MANCC entrypoint. Even betofferings and broadened our horizons. ter, bring a few friends with you! Join Friends of Dance and reconnect with The Maggie Allesee National Center for fellow dance lovers in our community.

Choreography grows more exciting each If you are a teacher, tell your students year, and continues to explore new ways about us. No matter your connection, to engage our students in visiting artists’ please keep in touch. We love to know research. This year saw the establishment where you are and what you are doing. of a MANCC scholarship fund to assist our Drop us a line from time to time or even dancers who want to continue work with better join our “My Family” site and reformer MANCC artists. Spring saw the in- connect with friends and get updates on ception of a new course, “The MANCC their lives and activities. (Contact Emily Experience”, that upper level dance ma- Keeler at ekeeler@fsu.edu for details.) jors may elect to take to deepen their MANCC connections. And late breaking Sincerely, news is that BFA spring graduate Aline Wachsmuth has just been invited to join the company of Ben Levy, San Francisco MANCC Fellow of 2005-2006, with whom she worked with here in Tallahassee.

Patty Phillips

Seven Days of Opening Nights continued to enrich our lives by presenting both

Co-Chairs

In This Issue

Table of Contents 2

From the Chairs

4

Les écailles de la mémoire

6

2007-2008 Guest Artists

7

Picture This:

8

Young Dancers Take Center Stage

Dance Students Go behind the Camera

10

Year in Photos

12

MANCC Update

14

Faculty Focus: Tim Glenn

15

Alumni Updates

18

Dance Repertory Theatre

19

A Fond Farewell

20

Faculty and Staff Updates

22

News

23

Friends of Dance

Cover: Birds, Mommy!

Choreographer: Andy Noble Days of Dance Dancers: Jacqueline M. Podence and Andy Noble Photo: Jon Nalon

Celestial Navigation Choreographer: Gerri Houlihan Lightness of Being - MFA Concert Dancer: Kathleen Byrne Photo: Jon Nalon

Writer / Editor Emily Keeler Art Director Emily Keeler Photographer Jon Nalon

Les écailles de la mémoire The story of Urban Bush Women and JANT-BI started many years ago on two separate continents. Through dance their two worlds would once again unite.

For the members of Urban Bush Women, an all female troupe from New York and JANT-BI, an all male troupe from Senegal, the journey of a lifetime started several years ago as an idea, a seed planted by their award winning artistic directors. When Jawole Zollar, Urban Bush Women founder and artistic director, and noted choreographer and director of JANT-BI, Germaine Acogny, met at a conference in 2004, a seed was planted that has resulted in an extraordinary international partnership.

From this seed the two groups converged both in the United States and Senegal to unite in dance and to understand histories that were both shared and separate. Their collaboration eventually became a full evening length work entitled Les écailles de la mémoire (The scales of memory).

“We have the same color, but not the same culture, because African-Americans are American,” says Acogny, “So it was really important that they discover who we are.”

The two groups first met in Brooklyn in March 2007, and came to Tallahassee in the summer of 2007 for the first of a two-part International Exchange through a residency with the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC). The themes of memory, love, and resistance emerged as the center of their study.

During the two week stay, the two groups not only danced, but also visited slavery sites including African American museums in Tallahassee and Jacksonville, nineteenth century plantations where slaves worked and lived, a “hanging” tree, and a traditional Afri-

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can American church, and they joined panel discussions by African American historians. These experiences were coupled with work in Senegal, again illuminating the different histories and cultures of the dancers, and through them all, the work took form.

According to Zollar, “Hopefully there’s not one meaning, so whether you think of it as a journey across the continents, across water, history, culture, gender... we want people to be able to see from their perspective.”

Early in 2008 the groups returned to MANCC with the aid of a prestigious Florida State University AHPEG grant, awarded to Professor Zollar to put final touches on the work. Russell Sandifer, Co-Chair of the Department, was the lighting designer. “He bathes the stage in amber light, softly washing over the dancers like water,” according to Dance Magazine. At the end of the second MANCC exchange The Scales of Memory was presented to an enthusiastic audience in Tallahassee before the beginning of an extensive and equally intensive tour.

The ensemble is touring the United States and Canada, including extremely well reviewed performances at The Kennedy Center. The North American tour ends in November 2008 with the New York premier at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave Festival.

The production will then travel to Essen, Germany for presentation at Internationales Tanzfestival NRW 2008, as curated by Pina Bausch.

“The main subject is memory, and then to resist against things like this happening again,” says Acogny, “To resist the oppression of slavery and colonization. Then love is the only means to fight against that, to turn it around, to change people, to change daily life.”

Dancer: Bertrand Saky Photo: Jon Nalon

MANCC establishes student scholarship fund

Catherine Denecy, Babacar Ba, company dancers. listen to music.

Photo: Marc Ray

In January 2008, the preview performance of “Les écailles de la mémoire (The scales of memory)” was held in the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre as a benefit event for the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography Student Scholarship Fund. Scholarships will be used to enable students to continue working with former MANCC guest artists.

The event was sponsored in part by ProBank, Student Housing Solutions, Parks & Crump, transplant, and Rapid Press.

Preview of The Scales of Memory Photo: Jon Nalon

Four students were awarded scholarships for summer study: Michelle Fletcher Spring 2008 MFA Graduate Production Internship AXIS Dance Company (CA) Ashley Denae Hannah First year MFA student Summer Institute Urban Bush Women (NY)

Jane Marks, Jawole Zollar, Germaine Acogny, Mayor John Marks, Helmut Vogt Preview reception Photo: Katie Noletto

Kaley Warren Pruitt Sophomore BFA student Summer Workshop Limón Dance Company (NY) Jana Tripp Second year MFA student Summer Intensive AXIS Dance Company (CA)

Pape Ibrahima Ndiaye - ‘Kaolack’’, Marjani Forte, company dancers Photo: Marc Ray

To contribute to the MANCC scholarship fund, please contact Joyce Fausone at 850-645-2449.

DEPARTMENT OF DANCE

Guest Artists

Wallie Wolfgruber

Each year the Department of Dance is honored to have many guest artists visit the

Monica Bill Barnes

Florida State University campus including legendary figures such as Alwin Nikolais, Doug Varone, Susan Marshall, Alonzo King and Barton Mumaw to name a few.

The department’s Spring Guest Teaching Artists included Monica Bill Barnes, Shouze Ma, and Wallie Wolfgruber. All three taught major contemporary and repertory classes and were actively engaged with students, faculty and our dance communities.

Monica Bill Barnes, a 2006-2007 MANCC Fellow, is a New York based choreographer and heads her own company - Monica Bill Barnes & Company. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally by organizations including Jacob’s Pillow, The International Fabbrica for Choreographers (Florence, Italy), The Fourth International Dance and Movement Festival on the Volga (Yaroslav, Russia), Tanz Festival (Karlsruhe, Germany), Sushi Performance and Visual Art (San Diego, CA), DancePlace (Washington, D.C.), and The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Barnes holds an MFA from New York University/Tisch School of the Arts.

Benoit-Swan Pouffer

Shouze Ma was a founding member of the first modern dance company in China.

Currently, Shouze Ma is an associate professor in the Department of Dance at Arizona State University and the founder and director of The Visionary Dance Company. While at FSU Ma set his piece “The Secret of the Fan” on FSU dancers, where it was performed for An Evening of Dance in April 2008.

Wallie Wolfgruber, a former principal member of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, returned to Florida State again to work with the department as a guest artist. Wolfgruber’s choreography has been presented in Germany, Canada, France and in NYC at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, LaMama E.T.C. and with DanceNow and 40up at the Joyce Soho, Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, the Duke Theater on 42nd Street and DTW.

Shouze Ma

The Department of Dance also held two guest choreographic residencies during the 2007-2008 season.

Alan Danielson, a 1981 Florida State MFA graduate, visited in the fall, taught a master class, and set his piece, “Window of the Heart” on Dance Repertory Theatre dancers.

The piece was performed during DRT’s February concert. Danielson is based in New York City, where he teaches, choreographs and directs his company, Dance by Alan Danielson. Danielson also serves as the School Director of the José Limón Institute.

In conjunction with 7 Days of Opening Nights, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Artistic Director of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, created an original work entitled “The Tent” for An Evening of Dance. The circus inspired work was a collaboration of many at Florida State.

Tim Glenn created the accompanying film while the FSU Circus shared their space for several of the scenes.

Alan Danielson

Choreographic residencies would not be possible without the generous sponsorships of community members. “The Tent” was made possible in part by Ken and Kathryn Cashin, Curva & Associates, Jesse and Hope Suber, and Jay and Susan Walton.

Picture This:

Dance students go behind the camera

Dancer: Amanda Vazquez Photo: Katie Noletto

T

he art of dancing is usually pictured on a stage, with an audience, performed live.

This past year four dance students went behind the scenes and learned the fine art of dance photography.

The class was taught by Assistant Professor Rick McCullough, who is both an accomplished choreographer and photographer in his own right. McCullough got his start in photography early in his dance career, photographing sites while touring. The more photos he took the more he was in demand. He eventually earned a degree in commercial photography from Randolph Community College and his required internships led him to New York City to study with well-known photographers Lois Greenfield and Eduardo Patino.

Through a FSU Equipment and Infrastructure Enhancement Grant McCullough was able to purchase equipment for an elective dance photography class. Teaching both graduates and undergraduates, the class focused on building a portfolio and enhancing photography with digital editing programs. Students spent many hours in the studio capturing images of dancers and visiting artists.

“I loved that I learned how to express my love of dance through another medium” - Whitney Earnhardt

Whitney Earnhardt, a 2008 spring graduate, said of the class, “I loved that I learned how to express my love of dance through another medium. It is also another skill I learned at Florida State that I can take with me.”

McCullough will continue the class during the 20082009 school year.

Dancer: Jaclyn Speights Photo: Katie Noletto

Dancer: Joshua Reaver Photo: Whitney Earnhardt

DEPARTMENT OF DANCE

Young Dancers take center stage

DANCE.FSU.EDU

This page: Young dancers in ballet class Far page: Young dancers participating in Workshop for Young Dancers Photos: Emily Keeler

While the primary focus of the Department of Dance is the training of collegiate students, more and more young dancers are benefiting from the talents of the resident faculty, staff and visiting artists that grace the hallways of Montgomery Hall.

Each winter Friends of Dance, the support organization for the Department of Dance, hosts the annual Workshop for Young Dancers. Celebrating its seventh year, the workshop once again featured world-renowned ballerina and Florida State Eppes Professor, Suzanne Farrell, as well as Lynda Davis with Dance Repertory Theatre dancers, Tim Glenn, Gerri Houlihan, Sheila Humphreys, Rick McCullough, and Dionne Sparkman Noble.

What started as a small affair seven years ago has grown quickly, with students from around the country now flying in for the two day workshop.

Over 100 dancers ranging in age from 10 to 18 participated in this year’s event. Classes included ballet, modern, and jazz, as well as classes in dance technology and choreography.

After the continued success of the workshop and the demand for a longer and more comprehensive training workshop, the Department decided to host a longer training intensive.

Premiering in the summer of 2008 was the first Florida State University Summer Dance Intensive held for young dance students. Designed for the well-rounded

student interested in all forms of dance, the two week long intensive allowed young dancers to live, eat, and breathe dance with fellow students.

From June 15-29 the students participated in daily classes in conditioning, modern, ballet, pointe work and repertory with Florida State University dance faculty. Evenings were filled with special programs including hip hop, salsa, technology classes and a college night to explore the world of dance at the collegiate level.

“This is a great opportunity for the dancers,” according to Joyce Fausone, Director of the workshop. “Students are able to work with the distinguished faculty and use the Department’s stateof-the-art facilities.”

For many, the workshop was also an opportunity to experience what life as a dance major at Florida State might entail.

Says Fausone, “These young dancers are using the same facilities and working with the same faculty that our students work with on a daily basis.”

Students from all over the country auditioned for the two week intensive. The fifty selected participants represent many states, some as far away as Texas, Tennessee and Ohio.

Information about the two annual events is posted on the Department’s website at dance.fsu.edu. To join the mailing list for these and other Department of Dance events contact Emily Keeler at ekeeler@fsu.edu.

DEPARTMENT OF DANCE

A Y EAR I N P H OTOS

Pas de Trois from “Swan Lake” Choreographer: Marius Petipa Restaged by Sheila Humphreys Days of Dance Dancers: Lauren Owen, Etienne Diaz, Myriah Harper

Heavenly Bodies Choreographer: Michelle Fletcher Lightness of Being - MFA Concert Dancer: Kari Gonthier, Amanda Gates, Michelle Kinny, Sarah Pomarico, Allison Shir

Journey...Travels into Life’s Unknowns Choreographer: Anjali Austin Upside Out - MFA Concert Dancer: A’Keitha Carey

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Round This World Baby Mine Choreographer: Dan Wagoner An Evening of Dance Dancers: Kathleen Byrne, Kristen Sholes, Jacqueline M. Podence, Michelle Fletcher

Sound Vessel Choreographer: Lynda Davis Dance Repertory Theatre in Concert

Pale Sparrow Choreographer: Allison Shir Days of Dance Dancer: Allison Shir

Embodiments of Silence Choreographer: Tim Glenn An Evening of Dance Dancers: Joshua Reaver, Stefan Zubal, Jason Macdonald

Suite Appalachia Choreographer: Rick McCullough Dance Repertory Theatre In Concert Dancers: Maggie Cloud, Brittany Logan, Jason Macdonald

DEPARTMENT OF DANCE

11

Luciana Achugar (NY) 10/5 - 28, 2007

Fueling the creative process for:

choreographers • community • students • artists

2007-2008 Review

CHOREOGRAPHIC FELLOWS

Kate WearE

Luciana Achugar began development of The Sublime is Us at MANCC by experimenting with tactile reflection and further investigating her questions about infiltrating an audience member’s experience during live performance. Entrypoints and audience feedback during the development process confirmed and challenged Achugar’s choreographic experiments related to audience sensation, transparency and vulnerability.

Nami Yamamoto

(NY)

(NY)

11/25 - 12/15, 2007

2/17 - 3/1, 2008

Kate Weare concentrated her research on unearthing a deeper potential for clashes and connections between sound and dance. To address this for her newest work Bridge of Sighs, Weare invited composer/violinist David Ryther to create live sound improvisations with the dancers. These exchanges afforded Weare the opportunity to deeply investigate the relationship between the two mediums.

Yannis Adoniou (CA) 3/30 - 4/19, 2008

Yannis Adoniou investigated humor and kinesthetic deprogramming with the community and two of his company dancers. Filmmaker and dramaturge, Talal Al-Muhanna assisted the research which included measuring audience response to various props, sound scores, juxtaposition, lighting, movement speed and verbal expression.

Nami Yamamoto used her fellowship to shape the choreographic arc for a howling flower prior to its world premiere.

Yamamoto worked with her full cast including Tony the puppet, and puppet advisor, Deanna Acheson, to meticulously accentuate and enhance the nuances of the dancers and puppet within the full work.

Nora Chipaumire (NY) 5/18 - 6/7, 2008

Nora Chipaumire, a self-exiled choreographer from Zimbabwe collaborated with Zimbabwean composer/musician Thomas Mapfumo and musicians from the Blacks Unlimited. FSU students and faculty from various Departments aided in her research on topics related to the migrant body, ancestral body, Zimbabwean inflation, and gender/self identity, which helped inform and advance her new work.

FREE TO REP

(NY) 2/3 - 28, 2008

LIVING LEGACY

The Lim贸n Dance Company participated in the Free to Rep movement laboratory program with three choreographers they had not previously worked with: Ellen Cornfield (NY), Colin Connor (CA) and Neta Pulvermacher (NY). The residency provided a unique opportunity for participants to research together void of the time and resource constraints surrounding many commissioning structures.

DANCE THEATER WORKSHOP PARTNERSHIP PROJECT

Lim贸n Dance Company

Dean Moss (NY) 6/15 - 30, 2008

Dean Moss conducted collaborative research for Kisaeng becomes you with choreographer Yoon Jim Kim, composer Okkyung Lee and cast of five Korean dancers. Moss refined movement, audio and visual design elements and created the first of many music videos to be used online to promote the work which will premier at Dance Theater Workshop in 2009.

Margaret Jenkins

Deborah Hay

(CA)

(TX)

9/2 - 15, 2007

3/9 - 23, 2008

Renowned choreographer, performer and educator Margaret Jenkins and her company re-staged A Slipping Glimpse at MANCC prior to its U.S. tour. Collaborators included the Tanusree Shankar Dance Company (Calcutta, India) and Paul Dresher Ensemble. The residency provided an opportunity to restage the work with new dancers, and condense the set for touring purposes.

Deborah Hay, acknowledged by critics and historians as one of the most influential representatives of experimental dance today, spent two weeks creating If I Sing to You, a new work commissioned by the William Forsythe Company. A cast of six distinguished international performers joined Hay to hone the score of the work and experiment with costuming and audience participation.

Please visit us online to learn more about upcoming artist residencies and opportunities to engage with their research and creative process.

Watch videos, listen to podcasts and learn more about past, present and future activities at

DEPARTMENT OF DANCE

13

Faculty Focus Tim Glenn Dance Technology, Contemporary Dance

Tim Glenn didn’t grow up dreaming of grand proj-

ects in dance technology. In fact, computers were still a new and exciting technology when he was a child. As a young dancer fresh out of college from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he joined the Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Company. During this time he was exposed to Nikolais’s work with projections, costumes and movement, forming a base knowledge of the world of dance technology. However, it was an opportunity back at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that opened up the world of dance technology.

Glenn returned to his alma mater where he started a degree in InterArts and Technology, hoping to take a few classes here and there as a “hobby,” when that hobby turned into a new career.

That expert knowledge of technology and choreography will be showcased this fall when Glenn conducts his Tallahassee premiere of Embodiments of Silence. The work, first performed in 1996, was inspired by stories from his family history and growing up in the rural south.

to the world premiere of a corresponding video of the work following the live performance. The video version, while incorporating much of the same choreography, will be adapted to the screen and include an additional solo dream sequence.

As well as presenting Embodiments of Silence, Glenn will be on sabbatical during the 2008-2009 school year.

He plans to collaborate with New Zealand director and producer Clinton Bradley, along with many other well known experts, to create OrgaMecha – a full evening-length production of dance and technology.

The goal for the team is ‘to breathe life and amazement into the emotional and visceral connections we all feel to both the natural and technological, which have become equal in most of our lives in an evolutionary sense.’ Glenn will act as the video projection designer for the project, which will feature a custom-built video theater.

In addition to his often hectic schedule, Glenn wears many hats. Each summer since 2001 he has taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Dance Program’s Dance Millennium For the piece, Glenn says “We all Top: Tim Glenn dancing in the 1996 production of Summer Dance Intensive. He is a leadhave experiences and images of Embodiments of Silence. er in the world of dance documentaPhoto: Gretchen Miller the past we recall, and I hope to tion, teaches both technology and create moments that the audience Bottom: FSU student Jason Macdonald dancing modern dance technique classes at the same role in 2008 at Florida State University. can relate to.”

Photo: Jon Nalon Florida State University and is an active choreographer. His many talents Lines of balancing and symmetry bring the best of two worlds – dance are common themes throughout the piece. For the and technology – to the students and the commu2008 production, the choreography remains mostnity at Florida State. ly unchanged. However, audiences will be treated 14

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Maria Caruso (BFA 2005) Photo: Eric Rose

KDNY Flowers 2006 Photo: Lois Greenfield Dancer: Theresa Duhon

Amy Grimm Taravella (MFA 1996) Photo: Lou Taravella

Alyce Cristina Vallejo Moran (BFA 2006) Photo: Mark Hamilton

Dancer: Heather Seagraves (BFA 2004) Photo: Amanda Becker

Zach Morris, Tom Pearson (BFA 1998), Jennine Willett (MFA 1996) The Orange Project Photo: Paul Millman

Tori Sparks (BFA 1999), Donna Ahmadi, Marissa Nielsen-Pincus, Tom Pearson (BFA 1998) Reel Photo: Richard Termine

Alumni Updates

Mary Heller (MFA 2005) www.unintended_affects.com Photo: Joe Phalen/University of Idaho

DEPARTMENT OF DANCE

15

ALUMNI U Kate Albarelli (BFA 2001) appeared on NBC’s television show Deal or No Deal in March and is currently performing with Rebecca Kelly Ballet in New York City .

Joylyn Bateman (BFA 1995) will serve as an adjunct instructor in exercise and sport science at Austin College. She is also the owner and artistic director of Art in Motion of Whitesboro, TX. Christine Bergeron (MFA 1998) and the Armstrong/Bergeron Dance Company performed at the New York International Fringe Festival in August. The company will work with a cinematographer on a Dance for the Camera project to be completed in 2009. She has also been promoted to Director of Dance Programs and Initiatives at Texas A&M University.

Danny Clifton (BFA 1998) received his MFA from Hollins University and was married on September 2, 2007.

Terence Duncan (MFA 2005)taught and performed in Wichita, Washington D.C., Steamboat Springs, Paris, Brooklyn and Mallorca, Spain. He also danced at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival and worked with Gemze de Lappe in excerpts

by Agnes de Mille. He staged Donald Mahler’s Cinderella on Atlanta Ballet.

Terry danced in two premieres in Points of Departure, a program of contemporary, Baroque inspired choreography at the Mark Morris Dance Center. He has also joined the faculty of Ballet School NY, the official academy of New York Theatre Ballet, teaching a new class for boys.

Kathleen Dyer (BFA 1992) and her company, KDNY Dance, celebrated their 10th anniversary season.

Joyce Straub Fausone (MFA 1974) was married to Rick Fausone in July 2007.

James Frazier (MFA 1994) received his PhD from Temple University and has completed his first year as Chair of the dance program at Virginia Commonwealth University.

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Seiji Gammage (MFA 2007) was a guest artist with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. He is acting as rehearsal director, dancer, and assistant to Cleo Parker Robinson.

Meg Griffin (MFA 2007) has been appointed adjunct faculty at Winthrop College. She is dancing with Caroline Calouche & Company and recently performed Fantasy on Dark Eyes, choreographed by FSU Professor Lynda Davis, for the Charlotte Dance Festival.

Judith Lyons (MFA 1974) continues to provide massage therapy to people with AIDS through Big Bend Cares and to clients of Big Bend Hospice. Her daughter, Halle Lyons, Au.D. and Bree Van Oss were married in their community, the Miccosukee Land Co-op, (in Leon County) on March 22, 2008.

Carol L. McCoy (MFA 2007) joined Compagnie James Carles in Toulouse, France in July 2008.

Kathy Dunn Hamrick (MFA 1984) and her company, KDH Dance Company, premiered their work, Well-Suited. The piece features paper costumes by Renee Nunez and Mark Nunez.

Angela McDonough (MFA 2005) served as adjunct faculty at the University of Florida and at Santa Fe Community College during the 2007-2008 academic year.

Catherine Horta-Hayden (MFA 1998) was named Assistant Provost at Towson University in Towson, MD.

Dr. Constance McIntyre (MFA 2000), along with her husband, Dr. Vincent McIntyre, hosted and produced a second television program, Called 2 Dance Television Series in Miami, FL.

Lawrence M. Jackson (MFA 2006) has been appointed to full-time tenure track Assistant Professor of Dance position at the University of Wyoming following an appointment as visiting faculty at the University of Nevada/Las Vegas.

Millicent M. Johnnie (MFA 2007) presented her work The Speak Easy during the 2008 Harlem Dance Festival in NYC. Kim Jones (MFA 2008) has been appointed to the faculty at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte.

Tennille Lambert (MFA 2005) and The Ugly Company presented a concert at the Merce Cunningham Studio in New York City in October 2007.

Susan Taylor Lennon (MM 1972), chair of the Department of Speech, Theatre, & Dance and director of the Dance Program at The University of Tampa, is the 2007-08 recipient of the annual Louise Loy Hunter Award. This award is the highest official honor given to a UT faculty member and is presented for exceptional contributions in teaching, service, and scholarship.

Mishele Mennett (MFA 1986) has been appointed Assistant Professor of Dance at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA. Courtney Miller (BFA 1999) presented her first full evening work, Love for the Weary, in New York City by the Tank at Collective: Unconscious and in Springfield, MA by American International College. She has been working with the Brooklyn-based Williamsburg Art Nexus (www.wax205. com) as the Production Director for their monthly multimedia showcase series, “WAXworks.” She became engaged to her long-time beau and was recently accepted to the SUNY Downstate Medical Center’s School of Nursing.

Emily Mlot (MFA 2006) has been appointed as a part-time dance instructor at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA. Alyce Christina Vallejo Moran (BFA 2006) was recently married and is currently dancing with Kinetic Works Dance Company in Charlotte, NC.

UPDATES Adele Myers (MFA 2000), Artistic Director of Adele Myers and Dancers has been performing throughout the Northeast including Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, and was most recently presented in New York City by Dance New Amsterdam’s Splice series in the fall of 2007, and at Joyce Soho in July 2008. Adele Myers and Dancers will be presented as an Artist-In-Residence at Dance New Amsterdam in June 2009.

Adele is also on faculty as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Connecticut College.

downtown Manhattan in fall 2008.

Pam Pietro (BFA 1989) is now on the full time faculty at Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

Andrew Noble (MFA 2008) has been awarded a 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of South Florida. In the fall he will start a tenure track position in dance at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

Jeremy Smith (BFA 2004) has joined ODC/Dance

Kristen Tucker Paladino (MFA 2007) was wed to Eric Paladino. Their ceremony was held in Wilmington, Delaware and the newlyweds are currently living in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

Erin St. John (BFA 1998) has been invited to join Barry University as Adjunct Dance Faculty in Miami Shores, FL. as well as continuing to teach at Broward Community College in Davie, FL. In May 2008, Erin performed at The 40th International Choreographers’ Showcase at The Montenegrin N a t i o n a l Theater in Podgorica,

Tom Pearson (BFA 1998) is hot off the heels of his latest production, “Vanishing Point,” a collaboration with Zach Morris, presented in NY by Danspace Project in June. ThirdRail Projects, the company Tom directs with Zach Morris and fellow FSU Alumna Jennine Willett (MFA 1997), has officially incorporated after seven years and has enjoyed recent commissions from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (for Third Rail’s Hong Kong tour in 2007), and Danspace Project along with grants from LMCC, the American Music Center, Dance Theater Workshop, and an award from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in support of Tom’s latest work, “The Witness Project” premiering spring 2009. Tom is currently working with Zach and Third Rail artists to develop “The Orange Project,” a month-long sitespecific, participatory performance for

Jessica Prohias (BFA 2002) has been appointed as the Assistant Director of the School of Dance for Ballet Hispanico in New York, NY. Dawn Maira Sasine (BFA 1997) is now a Project Manager with Silverman Construction Program Management in Atlanta, GA.

Dance Conference held in Bari, Italy.

Carol Trowbridge (BFA 1995) is happily married with a 2 year old daughter, Charlee. She is currently working at a Miami law firm.

Alana Marie Urda (BFA 2004) was the choreographer for The Dream Ascends tour in southeast Asia. Alana recently married Nicholas Urda.

P a m e l a Warshay (BFA 1992) taught Gyrokinesis, at Ramblewood Dance, a one week professional level dance intensive retreat in Maryland.

in San Francisco, CA.

Ruka White (BFA 2005) has joined Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.

Tamara Williams performed with The Alpha Omega Theatrical Group in NYC as they celebrated their 35th anniversary and is currently apprenticing with Urban Bush Women in New York City.

Contact Emily Keeler at: ekeeler@fsu.edu with new contact information or to be added to our mailing list.

These updates cover the period July1, 2007 to June 30, 2008.

Montenegro.

Vincent E. Thomas (MFA 1998) performed with his company, VT Dance, as part of Free Fall Baltimore. He also was a featured choreographer for “The International Choreographers’ Showcase,” a presentation of DanceForms Productions for the 22nd World

Adele Myers (MFA 2000) and Dancers Photo: Lois Greenfield Dancers: Jessica Patz (BFA 2001), Diana Deaver (BFA 2001), Rachel Astern (BFA 2002), Allison Walton (BFA 2002)

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Dance Repertory Theatre

Rhapsody Choreographer: Lynda Davis Dance Repertory Theatre In Concert Dancers: The Company Photo: Jon Nalon

Dance

Repertory Theatre, the resident repertory company, vigorously met another year as they participated in events both on and off the Florida State University campus. Chosen by audition, the dancers present a home concert as well as performances for local museums, benefits and community festivals.

Highlighting the year was the annual DRT In Concert held in January, led by the Artistic Director, Lynda Davis. Guest choreographers for the concert included Lynda Davis, Rick McCullough, Anthony Morgan, Patty Phillips and a restaging by Sheila Humphreys. Choreographer and FSU alum , Alan Danielson, also set his piece Window of the Heart on DRT dancers for the concert.

In conjunction with the January performance, DRT held a children’s matinee the week of the concert. Over 200 area students came to Montgomery Hall to learn about dance and to view an abbreviated performance.

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In February DRT participated in the Fine Arts Festival, an annual event in February celebrating the arts in the Tallahassee community. The event was held at

year’s presenters included Cynthia Hollis from the Mary Brogan Museum, Aline Wachsmuth, Andy Noble, Dan Wagoner and Gerri Houlihan.

The group gave lecture-demonstrations to hundreds of FSU students through Honors Colloquium classes and First Year Experience Leadership events. The performances demonstrated how dancers train, aspects of the choreographic process and excerpts from repertory.

Suite Appalachia Choreographer: Rick McCullough Dance Repertory Theatre In Concert Dancer: Maggie Cloud Photo: Jon Nalon

the Tallahassee Museum as part of the Seven Days of Opening Nights festivities.

Continuing their activities, the group also organized In The Works, an evening of informal showings of works in progress from various disciplines. This

In addition to the many performances, DRT continued its master class series featuring guest artists A’Keitha Carey (Afro Caribbean), Jennifer Atkins (Tap) and Danzas Españolas (Flamenco).

According to Davis, the goals of the student group are repertory study and performance, community and school links, curriculum links and collaborations with other artists, campus departments and organizations.

A fond farewell

Welcome!

The 2007-2008 academic year brought a farewell to three outstanding family members. Janie Brown, John Perpener and Marc Ray all bid a fond farewell to Montgomery Hall.

new faculty and staff

Janie Brown (Academic Support) Janie served as the Senior Program Assistant for the FSU Department of Dance for over 17 years, and was with Florida State for 36 years. Before joining the department Janie worked at the Florida Center for Public Management where she was Staff Assistant. Prior to that she served as Lead Secretary for the FSU Honors and Scholars program. Dance alumni presented her with a chair in the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre to honor her for many years of service to the Depart- Janie Brown Photo: Emily Keeler ment.

Chris Cameron (Technical Support Analyst) received his BFA in Studio Art from Florida State University. He is experienced in web development, graphic arts, and digital video production. He has collaborated on a number of dance video projects and is interested in the research and development of interactive technologies and their relationship to dance.

John O. Perpener (Dance History) has served the Department for six years. John received his Ph.D. in performance studies from New York University and his MFA in dance from Southern Methodist University.

He has performed with the Hartford Ballet Company, Maryland Dance Theatre, and D.C. Repertory Dance Company. Dr. Perpener lectures inJohn Perpener and Jennifer S.B. Calienes ternationally on African-American Photo: Emily Keeler dance and was a consultant for the 2001 PBS documentary Free to Dance. He was also the author of awardwinning African American Concert Dance. Dr. Perpener, along with Janie Brown, were honored at the February Dance Repertory Theatre concert, which was dedicated to their service to the Department of Dance.

Stephanie Farmer (Academic Support) has been with Florida State University for nine years.

She was born and raised in Tallahassee and enjoys spending quality time with friends and family. Stephanie also enjoys traveling and spending time with her children.

Jasmine Johnson (Senior Accountant) received her B.A. in Philosophy & Religion from Florida A & M University. Prior to working in the Department of Dance, she worked for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. She enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and reading.

Marc Ray (Technology Specialist) Marc Ray received his BS in Information Studies from Florida State University. He has been working in the computer networking and Internet development field for the past six years, four of them with the Department of Dance. His work has ranged from website programming to network administration and design. He also helped bring to the department new experience in digital video and documentary video production. He currently runs his Marc Ray own company in the Tallahassee area. Photo: Emily Keeler DEPARTMENT OF DANCE

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Faculty and S Jennifer Atkins received her PhD in History from Florida State University.

Jennifer S.B. Calienes, director of the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography, was honored in September by Butler University at their annual Jordan College of Fine Arts Alumni Convocation. A 1994 alumna of their Arts Administration program, she was presented with an Alumni Recognition Award to honor her achievements. Following the ceremony Calienes spoke to current arts administration students and dance majors. Along with graduate student Shoko Letton, she also presented Behind the Scenes of Contemporary Dance Choreography: Documentary and Dance during the 2008 Film and Lecture Conference at FSU. In January she served on the panel for Dance Advance, a program of the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Alex Davis composed the music for Coca-Cola Film Competition finalist Paul Seetachitt, a current FSU graduate student (film). The 50-second comedy “Can on the run” can be viewed at www.ccrfa.com. Davis also composed the music for “empty” which won first place in the PSAid contest and will be broadcast nationally.

Lynda Davis was a guest artist with the Dallas Museum of Art celebrating the opening of the new museum wing The Center for Creative Connection. The two day event included classes, lecture-demonstrations and studio sessions in the museum spaces. She also taught at FSU’s Summer Intensive.

Joyce Fausone was promoted to Associate in Dance and served as Director of the first FSU Summer Dance Intensive Workshop.

Suzanne Farrell, as the Artistic Director of The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, presented four programs of mixed repertory at The Kennedy Center. Farrell also set Balenchine’s Tzigane on The Royal Ballet of Lon-

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don in February.

Nancy Smith Fichter received the 2008 FSU Alumni Association Commitment to Excellence Award on April 5, 2008, a special award of the FSU Emeritus Alumni Society. She also served as a consultant for the Dance Program at the University of South Carolina in late February and her work, SOUNDINGS, was performed in late February at the University of Florida, Gainesville,FL. Gerri Houlihan received her M.F.A. from the Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA program. She taught a master class at Booker High School and at New College in Sarasota in December. She also conducted a two week residency in Shanghai for the American Dance Festival, and taught at their Winter Intensive in NYC. Houlihan’s choreography, Every Little Movement will be performed by Fuzion Dance Company in Sarasota, FL and will be directed by former FSU grad Leymis Bolanos-Wilmott (MFA 2003).

Tim Glenn was the featured artist for August on theartsweb. com. He also directed the ChoreoVideo.com project in conjunction with MFA candidate Andrew Noble (dance) and FSU guest faculty Dionne Noble (dance).

Glenn also created a new work, Puzzle Piece at the University of Wisconsin-Madison set to an original score by Alex Davis (dance).

Staff Highlights Rick McCullough premiered his contemporary ballet work Trans/Cell July 24, 2007 at the NCSA Summer Performance Festival. McCullough worked with Michael Davidson (Mag Lab) and his award-winning photomicroscopic images and Alex Davis (dance) composed an original score for the duet. The duet was filmed for use in dance exhibitions around the world, including the 21st World Congress in Research in Dance in Athens, Greece. His work, Exception to the Corollary was premiered by the Columbia Classical Ballet in the spring. His choreography was showcased in April during BalletBuilders 2008, presented by New Choreography On Point, Inc. in New York City.

Lindsay Meeks served on the dance grant panel for the Council on Cultural Arts (COCA), the local arts agency for Leon County, Florida.

Anthony Morgan created the choreography Idyll to the music Helletused by Veljo Tormis on the Vancouver company Dancers Dancing in late July. It was performed November 15, 2007 at Simon Fraser University’s Mainstage Theatre in Vancouver, Canada.

Morgan’s dancefilm Zoomorph screened in the MA Dance Screen Salon, October 26, 2007 at the Drake Hotel in Toronto, Ontario. Morgan was a guest artist with Coast Contemporary Dancers (British Columbia, Canada) in March.

Russell Sandifer designed lighting for Les écailles de la mémoire (The scales of memory), an evening length work choreographed by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and

Germaine Acogny and performed by the combined companies of Urban Bush Women from Brooklyn and Compagnie Jant-Bi from Senegal. The dance will tour the nation throughout the year. Sandifer also designed the lighting for four productions at the Kennedy Center for The Suzanne Farrell Ballet.

Sally Sommer contributed to the article “Krumping in PDX: The gravity-defying, cross-cultural dance arrives” by Casey Parks. The article was published in The Oregonian on March 20, 2008.

Dan Wagoner Winthrop University bestowed upon Dan Wagoner the university’s highest award for the arts: Medal of Honor in the Arts. The awards are given to those who have encouraged the arts and offered inspiration to others. The university president selects all of the recipients. He also served as an adjudicator for the 2008 South-Central Regional American College Dance Festival at Stephen F. Austin State University and the North-Central Regional at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Tom Welsh and Jennifer Deckert (University of Wyoming) and Sarah Barry (University of Alabama) cowrote Analysis of pelvic alignment in university ballet majors for the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science.

Jawole Zollar was a presenter at the 2007 BESSIE Awards in New York City. She was also the invited speaker for the Spring 2008 commencement ceremonies at Florida State University.

The Fan Choreographer: Shouze Ma An Evening of Dance Dancer: Kim Jones Photo: Jon Nalon

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2008-2009 Scholarship Recipients:

Nancy Smith Fichter Award Kanisha Brown Martha Graham Summer Intensive Joshua Reaver Friends of Dance Awards Brittany Anastasio, Christine Corbett, Shauna Dever, Jessica Herzogenrath, Devon Kelly , Maxey Koch, Elizabeth Loft, Amanda McPeek, Aimee Plauche, Jade Poole, Kaley Pruitt, Mallory Starling, Jana Tripp Friends of Dance-Summer 2008 Kanisha Brown, Diane Cahill, Christine Corbett, Natalie Ellison, Denae Hannah, Jessica Herzongenrath, Kirsten Kapustik, Jana Tripp Dickinson/Settle Awards (Study for FSU in NYC Program) Olivia Aman, Alexandra Jennings, Michelle Kinny , Stephanie Mas, Chelsea Rodriguez DMJT O’Brien Scholarship Philip Ancheta Daisy Flory Men’s Scholarship Philip Ancheta, Etienne Diaz, Jason Macdonald, Joshua Reaver Alumni Award Diane Cahill, Kirsten Kapustik Dickinson Settle-Summer 2008 Shauna Dever, Michelle Fletcher, Devon Kelly, Maxey Koch, Sarah Pomarico, Kaley Pruitt, Chelsea Rodriguez, Mallory Starling

Ikons Choreographer: Anthony Morgan Days of Dance Dancers: Rebecca Lee, Jacqueline Eremitea, Blythe Barton

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MANCC Summer Scholarships Michelle Fletcher, Ashley Denae Hannah, Kaley Warren Pruitt, Jana Tripp

Research Highlights Tim Glenn will be on sabbatical during the 2008-09 school year to research a new multimedia work. Dionne Sparkman Noble will teach technology classes during his research period.

Sally Sommer returned from her sabbatical this fall to once again head the FSU in NYC program in New York City.

During her absence last year, Latika Young (MA 2007) ran the New York program.

Tom Welsh completed his sabbatical during which he worked on a new book. The book will be published in 2009. During his sabbatical Carol L. McCoy (MFA 2007) ran the conditioning program.

Senior Chelsea Rodriguez was awarded an Outstanding Undergraduate Award for summer research.

MANCC and DTW Partnership

MANCC and Dance Theater Workshop (DTW) have launched an institutional partnership to provide creative development residencies for artists receiving commissioning and presentational support from DTW. This new initiative will engage choreographers, their collaborators and performers to pursue artistic experimentation that includes a process-driven residency within FSU’s comprehensive academic research setting. The artists then will access resources at DTW, an internationally recognized performing arts venue, to further develop and present their work. Selected artists will have access to the extensive resources of both institutions. The goal is to deepen the commitment to contemporary choreographers through the integration of resources needed to create work over time, from inception to final product.

The first artist to receive support was award-winning director, dance and video artist Dean Moss, whose MANCC residency took place June 15 - 30, 2008.

An evening with Nancy Friends of Dance celebrated their 20th anniversary with a wine gala held in honor of Nancy Smith Fichter, former Chair of the department and founder of Friends of Dance. The event was held at The Fresh Market and featured gourmet food and wine.

Nancy served as the Chair for 33 years and her choreographic legacy includes more than 90 original works. Her dedication to dance at Florida State developed a number of students who Nancy Smith Fichter have gone on to perform and teach Photo: Emily Keeler at top dance schools and performing organizations. She continues her inspiring leadership through her choreography and graduate level classes.

This historic event was attended by over 200 community members and raised nearly $6,000 for the Friends of Dance Scholarship Fund. During their 20 year history the group has awarded over $160,000 in scholarships to deserving dance students and hosted the annual Workshop for Young Dancers. Friends of Dance continues to raise funds to provide financial support for the policies, projects and activities of the Department of Dance, as well as encouraging participation and attendance of various productions.

Friends of Dance President, Jeannie Pierce, presents Nancy with a gift during the reception.

Photo: Emily Keeler

The Department of Dance would like to thank its generous patrons who have contributed to the Department of Dance through Friends of Dance during the period of July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.

Impresario Howell Ferguson and Sharon Maxwell-Ferguson Shawn C. Murphy Aline Wachsmuth Producer Barbara L. Aguirre Nancy Smith Fichter & Robert W. Fichter Head Over Heels Dancewear Dr. Jim & Betty Ann Rodgers Kathryn Scott Dr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Sholes Tallahassee Dance Academy Principal Provost & Mrs. Lawrence Abele Ellen Ashdown Kathryn & Katy Cashin Perry T. Fulkerson Debra & David Lachter Ralph & Sue Mancuso Susan & Jim Mau Dean Sally McRorie Cricket & Doug Mannheimer Susan & Jim Mau John & Virginia McCray Dean & Chris Minardi Anthony Morgan Rich & Mary Beth Mutarelli Patricia Pertalion Tom & Jeannie Pierce Ann & Fred Salancy Nikki Spencer & Family

Rob & Robin Stuyverson Sandy & Eric Wiedegreen Wildwood Ballet Soloist Michele Ackermann / The Dance Studio Kitty & Jim Ball Beverly A. Barber Dorothy & Harold Bell Margo & Klaus Bindhardt Leslie Campbell Ann & Greg Choppin Sharon Davis School of Dance Jerry & Anne Draper Grayal Earle Farr Rick and Joyce Fausone Beverly Frick, Photographer Caitlin Hafer & Family Gerri Houlihan Geoffrey & Joan Kajcienski Amy & Bryan Lowe / Performing Arts Center Jane & John Marks Pauline M. Masterton Susan & Jim Mau Bernard & Patty Phillips Russell & Ombra Sandifer Bill & Denise Sherman Susan & Chris Smith The Tallahassee Ballet Steve Urse Patsy Vinson

Corps Nancy Carroll Abbey Helen A. Akenson Benjamin Bivins Barbara Cooper Doug & Beatrice Corbin Robert & Lynda Davis Elizabeth Delancy John & Peggy Finizio Roberta Behrendt Fliss Donna & Ken Gates Janet & Peter Hughes Jean Graham Hunt Martin & Karen Jennings Jessie Kano Emily A. Keeler & Keeler Lee Helen Light Amelia Rogers Pelton Frank & Eva Pomarico Jane Quinton Marc & Kate Ray Nicole Spencer & Family Tom Welsh & Sue Carpenter Full House Project Theatre Chairs Barbara Aguirre Cristina Aguirre Maria Caruso Elizabeth Fletcher Kristen Swingle Sholes Urban Bush Women Letitia K. West

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Save the date!

Embodiments of Silence MFA Concer t Days of Dance Dance R eper tor y Theatre MFA Concer t 7 Days - Noche Flamenco MFA Concer t An Evening of Dance

S eptember 26-27, 2008 O c tober 17-18, 2008 November 18-22, 2008 Januar y 30-31, 2009 Februar y 13-14, 2009 Februar y 17-18, 2009 M arch 27-28, 2009 Apr il 16-18, 2009

The Tent Choreographer: Benoit-Swan Pouffer An Evening of Dance Dancers: Cristina Suarez, Michelle Fletcher, Michelle Kinny, Jacqueline M. Podence, Mallory Starling, CJ Perry, Philip Ancheta, Aline Wachsmuth

The College of Visual arts, theatre & DanCe The & Department of Dance P.O. Box 3062120 The Tallahassee, FL 32306-2120 634 W T

dance.fsu.edu

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