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The SRU Dance students have put many hours of work and dedication into their performances. Read about the performers and the pieces below!
Senior Dance Synthesis Performers
Michelle Thompson is a senior dance major from Erie, PA. She has had the opportunity to work with guest artists and faculty such as Tom Truss, Teena Custer and Ursula Payne. After graduation, Michelle plans on pursuing a career in Nursing as well as continuing to dance. She is also very excited to get the opportunity to perform one last time at SRU.
Tiffany Ehredt has participated in Slippery Rock University Dance Threatre as a dancer for two years and a choreographer for two years. This is her third year participating in the Senior Dance Concert. She has danced with Eclectic Dance Company and she hopes to continue working with dance companies after graduation. She would like to thank her family and friends for all of their love and support.
Lisa O'Brien is a senior exercise science and dance double major. She is an Exercise Specialist and also teaches yoga and other group fitness classes at the ARC. Lisa is the President of the Exercise Science Society and the Head Director of Major Fitness within her exercise science major. In addition, Lisa is a member of Dance Express, the Bodybuilding and Fitness Club, and the Strength and Conditioning Association. Upon graduation, Lisa plans to attend an osteopathic medical school to specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Sarah Zaborowski, daughter of a U.S. Marine, currently hails from New Orleans, LA. She is excited to make another appearance in a Slippery Rock Dance Dept. concert. She has also been involved in SRUDT and the Tap-Jazz Ensemble. After graduation, she plans to choreograph for dance studio competition teams and take dance classes abroad. She is getting married in July to a U.S. Army Officer and will be moving to Germany. She would like to thank her family, friends, and fiance for their support.
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Performance Pieces
Moving with V-Force
Choreographed and Performed by: Cathy Maschek
Costume by: Cindy Pace
Music: (not sure yet)
Dancer Bio: Cathy hails from Youngstown, Ohio. She has performed and
created works with SRUDT for the past three years. Performing off campus,
Cathy has had the opportunity to dance works by Jose Limon and Lar Lubovitch at
Hunter College for the Sharing the Legacy Conference. Additionally, she
has performed pieces by Helanius Wilkins, Nola Nolen-Holland, and Ashley Valo.
Her own work was performed at the American College Dance Festival in 2007.
Cathy is the advanced modern teacher at Ballet Western Reserve in Youngstown,
Ohio.
Delicate
Music: Delicate Damien Rice
Dancers: Michealeen D Newcomer-Vargo, Trista M Newcomer
Choreographed by: Michealeen D. Newcomer-Vargo and Trista M. Newcomer
Note: This dance is a product of the research project titled “Overcoming
Physical and Emotional Obstacles through Dance,” which focused on Multiple
Sclerosis. Michealeen D. Newcomer-Vargo is a MS survivor. The Newcomer sisters
worked together as a form of therapy, and this dance was created through that
process.
Dancer’s Bio: Trista M Newcomer of Windber, PA is an active member of the dance honorary Sigma Rho Delta and was also the sophomore and junior representative for the Dance Advisory Board. Trista has preformed in guest artist Tom Truss’s piece Carrying and has also performed in SRUDT pieces. This is her first time choreographing and has had the pleasure of doing so with her sister. After graduating, Trista plans to return to Windber and teach modern dance at her home studio, along with teaching ZUMBA, in which she is certified. She also plans to volunteer her time with the PEACE CORPS. Trista would like to thank her family and friends for all their support in these long 4 years.
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Under Pressure
Under Pressure is a dance that is based on a research project titled Using Dance
Majors and Non-Dance Majors in Choreography. Lindsay used her research as basis
for choreographing the dance using trained and untrained dancers. All her
dancers are students of Slippery Rock University who have offered their time to
training and rehearsing for this dance.
Choreographer: Lindsay Armstrong
Music and Composer: Indoscrub by Mickey Hart
Dancers: Emily Huey, Eileen Martini, Grace Recor, Cody Smith, and Michael Weber
Dancers Bio: Lindsay Armstrong has performed in SRUDT fall and winter
concerts and the 2007 Senior Synthesis concert. In the summer of 2007, Lindsay
traveled to India where she studied the classical Indian dance, Bharata Natyam
for a month. While in India, Lindsay was given the opportunity to perform a
solo, choreographed by her, as well as a trio, choreographed by SRU Dance
Department faculty member Nola Nolen-Holland (for the International Dance
Alliance). She also performed Bharata Natyam in a Hindu temple in India. She
later gave a lecture/ demonstration of Bharata Natyam for the fall 2007 Dance in
India Initiative. Lindsay is currently a member of SRU dance alumni Kathryn
Kuczka’s Eclectic Dance Company. She has done performances with this company
in Pittsburgh and Buffalo. Lindsay is a member of Sigma Rho Delta Dance Honorary
and Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity. Lindsay choreographed for this
year’s Senior Synthesis concert as a part of her senior research project that
focused on choreography for trained and untrained dancers. Lindsay is thankful
for all the opportunities given to her at SRU and for all the people who have
supported her along the way, especially those who are dancing in tonight’s
performance for their first time.
Precise Moments
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Choreographer:
L. Amber Henderson
Dancers: Kaitlyn Cristensten, Sam Corvino, Cara Hoover
Song: Tetrishead by Zoe Keating
Dancer’s Bio: L. Amber Henderson is a senior dance major from
Philadelphia. Dancing since the age of 7, Amber received her training from
Wissahickon Dance Academy, home of the International Ballet Exchange. She
has trained in ballet’s Vaganova Syllabus, modern, jazz, and hip-hop.
Amber has been involved with SRU’s Dance Theatre for four years;
choreographing for two years, and serving as a student director for two years.
She also served as student assistant director for the first SRU Dance Jazz/Tap
Ensemble and is a member of SRU’s Dance Xpress team. Her performance
credits include The Donetsk Ballet’s The Nutcracker, Ursula Payne’s
Womenfolk: Swimming Upstream, the repertories of Nola Nolen-Holland, Jennifer
Keller, and Teena Custer. Selected to participate in several residencies,
Amber has learned and performed Jose Limon’s “Suite from A Choreographic
Offering” (where she served as student director), Lar Lubovich’s
“Marimba”, and Helanius Wilkin’s “Falling” (performed at ACDFA, 2008).
She has been the recipient of the Lucy Isacco Sack Minority Scholarship
(2007), the International Ballet Exchange Summer Program Scholarship (2005), the
Incoming Freshman Dance Scholarship (2004), and has been accepted into the
Kirov Academy Summer Intensive (2002, 2003). After graduation, Amber plans
on auditioning for modern dance companies, including Philadanco. She is
also looking into being certified in floor-barre and is also looking into
enrollment at the Laban Conservatoire in London, to receive her MA. Amber
would like to express her deep gratitude towards SRU’s dance department
faculty, her family, and friends.
Buried Devotion
Choreograher: Angel Streitman
Music: "Under One Groove" by World Drums
Dancers: Jean Rettig, Ashley Kostelnik
Special thanks to Katie Kelly who made the gorgeous costumes.
Dancer’s Bio: Angel Streitman from Butler, PA and is a senior double
majoring in mathematics with a special interest in secondary education and
dance. She presently teaches at Shelor School of Dance in Butler, PA.
Angel has been involved in SRUDT both choreographing and performing for four
years and has attended ACDFA for four years. Angel was Historian for two
years and is presently Treasurer for Sigma Rho Delta Dance Honorary. Angel
has performed for many guest artist including Art Bridgeman and Myrna Packard,
Pablo Francisco Ruvalcaba of the Limon Company, John Dayger of the Lar Lubovitch
Company, Hilanius Wilkins, and has performed in professors repertories
performing in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, PA, and Ohio University. Angel
has also had the opportunity to study Bharata Natyam Classical Indian dance in
Chennai, India through the Dance in India Initiative at SRU.
Overcrowded Room
Choreographer: Juliane Bobby
Dancers: Amber Allgyer, Tiana Carney, Amie Davis, Kylie Flanigan, Kaitlyn
Grimes, Ashley Kostelnik, Jillian Peterson, Kristen Rozzo, Jen Shuniak, Rebecca
Young
Music: Artist-Stolen Babies
Titles- "The Button Has Been Pushed" & "Swint? or Slude?"
Dancer's Bio: Juliane Bobby is a senior dance major from
Butler, PA. She has had the opportunity to work with guest artist and
faculty Helanius Wilkins, Tom Truss, Teena Custer and Ursula Payne. She
has also been involved with SRU dance theatre all four years, performing and
choreographing for two of those years. After graduation, Julie plans to
continue teaching dance while actively pursuing a performance career.
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Kalos Eidos: Through
the Scope
Music: Shoot the Loop by Acoustic Alchemy
Choreographer: Christine Chever
Costume and Makeup: Rachel T. Mess
Dancers: Lisa Bavisotto, Bailey Bretz, Alicia Garrity, Katie Kelly, Ashley
Kostelnik, Katie Lander, Rachel T. Mess, Jill Michalsky
Choreographer Bio: Christine Chever of Lancaster, PA is a senior dance major. As a member of the Jazz/Tap Ensemble and Slippery Rock University Dance Theatre, she has had numerous opportunities to perform and choreograph. Christine is a member of Sigma Rho Delta Dance Honorary (serving as secretary), the Dance Advisory Board, Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity, All Saint’s Fellowship (serving as president), and Golden Key International Honor Society. Christine has had the opportunity to travel to Chennai, India to study Bharata Natyam classical Indian dance. She holds teaching certifications in Ashtanga Yoga, Chi Gung, and Zumba and is a Registered Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Alliance.
The Edge of Night
Choreography: Allison Schneider
Music: “Head On” by The Real Thing
Performance: Julie Akerly, Stephanie Frey, Katie Kelly, Eileen Martini, Rachel
Mess.
Dancer’s Bio: Allie Schneider is a senior dance major/psychology minor
from Pittsburgh, PA. She has been involved with SRUDT, Senior Synthesis
concerts, Site Specifics, and Dance Express. She was fortunate to be
chosen to be an understudy for Marimba and performed it in the 2008 Winter
Concert. She was chosen for faculty works by Teen Custer and Nola-Nolen
Holland. She has also performed in Pittsburgh and Buffalo, NY with
Eclectic Dance Company. She is the newsletter editor for the dance
honorary, Sigma Rho Delta. Allie would like to thank her friends and both
of her “families” for their support.
Unaccompanied
Choreography and Performance by: Alexandra Rice
Music: Minakawa/Telescope by Andrew Hasenflug
Alexandra is a senior dance major from Gibsonia, Pa. Alexandra has performed
with SRUDT for the past three years. She has also performed in the Fall Concert,
past Senior Concerts, site specifics, and the informal concert. Alexandra had
also had the opportunity to travel to Chennai, India to learn classical Indian
dance, Bharata Natyam. Alexandra is a member of Sigma Rho Delta, and a certified
Zumba instructor. After graduating from Slippery Rock, Alexandra plans on
continuing her education by getting a Masters of Fine Arts in dance. She would
like to thank her family for all their love and support.
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Fierce
Choreographer and Dancer: Marlana LaCivita
Music: Drumbone by The Blue Man Group
Discenssion
Choreographer: Marlana LaCivita
Music: With or Without You by The Vitamin String Quartet and U2
Dancers: Todd Englander, Darcey Karas, Marissa Lang, and Jennifer Meckley
Haven
Choreographer: Sarah Joy Stallsmith
Music: Over the Pond by The Album Leaf
Dancers: Amie Davis, Todd Englander, Cara Hoover, Jillian Peterson, Jean Rettig
Dancer’s Bio: Sarah Joy Stallsmith was involved in SRUDT throughout her time at Slippery Rock.
Sarah Joy also participated in the Limón and Lubovitch residencies. As a
result, she performed in the Sharing the Legacy concert during her Sophomore and
Senior years. Sarah Joy is interested in improvisation and has taken
workshops with Nina Martin and Lower Left to further explore this interest.
After graduation, Sarah Joy will continue dancing while pursuing certification
in Massage Therapy.
A Peaceful Chaos
Choreographer: Brianna Pitzer
Music: "Sleep" by Imogen Heap
Dancers: Tiana Carney, Kaitlyn Christensen, Stephanie Frey, Darcey Karas