MFA Dance

Nathan Andary
Teaching Assistant: MFA in Dance
301.405.4196
1211 Preinkert Field House
nandary@umd.edu
www.andarydance.org
Education/Training: BFA Dance, Ohio University, 1999; CMA, Laban Institute for Movement Studies, NYC, 2009
Areas of Specialization/Interest: Release Technique, Improvisation, Butoh, Choreography, Social Issues, Diversity in Dance Performance, Laban Movement Analysis, Video for Dance, Somatics, Yoga, Human Interaction through Movement and Performance, Social pressures and gender roles through dance performance.
Professional Affiliations: National Dance Educators Organization, NEFA Touring Roster Artist Program, Boston Dance Alliance.
Representative Productions: Created/Directed projects that toured nationally for Andary Dance—Inside Out; Outside In, Flight Plan, Osmosis, Crossover, Serious (series of) Solos, Spatial Tendencies; Curated Providence's Frazier Festival (2006, 2009); Curated/Directed Rhode Island's RIPPED.
Honors/Awards: Teaching Fellow at University of Maryland School of Dance; Project Awards from Toyota, Massachusetts Cultural Arts Council, Berwyck Research Institute in Boston, Green Street Studio Theater of Boston, Creative Arts Council at Brown University, Innovation Grant from NG Systems of Rhode Island; Choreography Awards from Antonio Cirino at the Rhode Island Foundation for the Arts, World Music/CrashARTS of Boston, Island Moving Company of Rhode Island, Moving Laboratory of Boston, and Two-time recipient of the Merit Award from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts; Board member for Rhode Island Dance Alliance, Providence's Frazier Festival, and Rhode Island Independent Performer's Network

Graham Brown
Teaching Assistant: MFA in Dance
gramlit@mail.umd.edu
Education/Training: BFA, University of Utah Department of Modern Dance
Areas of Specialization/Interest: improvisation, contact improvisation, modern dance technique, mixed-ability dance, dance education via teaching, writing, and public speaking.
Professional Affiliations: Current Performance- PearsonWidrig DanceTheatre, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange (adjunct company member), Tzvetta Kassabova. Past Performance- Cie. Willie Dornier’s Bodies in Urban Spaces project (NYC), Movement Forum (MoFo) co-Directed by Danell Hathaway and myself (Salt Lake City (SLC) UT). Stephen Koester (SLC), Juan Carlos Claudio (SLC), The John/Allen Project (New Orleans, LA), Raw Moves directed by Natosha Washington and Nicholas Cendese (SLC). Teaching- Utah Valley University, Salt Lake Community College, Now Practices improvisation workshop (SLC), Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company Workshop (SLC), Open Look Festival (St Petersburg, Russia), American College Dance Festival, Utah Dance Educators Organization Conference. Guest Teaching- Utah State University, University of Utah, Salt Lake Ballet Conservatory, Weber State University, Snow College, Scottsdale Community College, Anne Arundel Community College.
Representative Performances: MoFo: Founder, Co-Artistic Director. A Salt Lake City based dance improvisation performance company. Created countless installation, guest, and street performances, as well as four full evening-length improvisational works, namely, SpontaneousCombustions, The Game, Zodiak Tattoo, and B-Sides and Rarities. Now The Show: Collaborative improvisational performance with Brandin Steffensen, Sherisa Bly, and Brad T. Garner. I’ve Had It Up To Here: An evening of solo and small-cast works from the repertory of MoFo, Stephen Koester, and my own choreography. BrownRice Dance: A Collection of work by various choreographers performed by myself and Erin Lehua Brown.
Representative Publications/Research Activities: Public Speaking: Utah Dance Educators Organization Conference, keynote panel member. Embodied Believing: Faith in Motion symposium, Brigham Young University, spoke about Stephen Koester’s work, The Ascetic. National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Lexington, VA, University of Utah Arts in the Library lecture series, University of Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, paper presentation, Fighting Ephemeral with Ephemeral: Dance Improvisation as Performance. University of Utah Rehabilitation Center, paper presentation, The Paraplegic Movement. Writing: dancearticleweb.com, a total of 13 brief articles published on various aspects of dance practice, performance, teaching, administration, and culture. Site is no longer online. Contact Quarterly volume 31, number 2, Summer/Fall issue rit•u•al. Utah Dance Education Organization Newsletter volume 2, issue 4, Winter/Spring issue, Movement Forum at NY Fringe Festival. University of Utah Journal of Undergraduate Research Abstracts, spring issue, vol. 4 Fighting Ephemeral with Ephemeral: Dance Improvisation as Performance.
Honors/Awards: Arty award nominee, Best Individual Performer, City Weekly Magazine, SLC. Arty award recipient, Movement Forum’s Zodiac Tattoo, Staff Choice Award for best “Un-Choreography.” Grants received from: Utah Valley University Institute of Professional Engagement, Salt Lake City Arts Council, University of Utah: Undergraduate Studies Department, College of Fine Arts, Department of Modern Dance, Associated Students of the University, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

Shannon Dooling
Teaching Assistant: MFA in Dance
301.405.3197
1942 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
shannon_dooling@hotmail.com
www.shannondooling.webs.com
www.newstreetdancegroup.com
Education: DeSales University: BA in Dance, Magna Cum Laude, 2007; Princeton Ballet School/American Repertory Ballet
Professional Affiliations: Founder/Director – New Street Dance Group
Representative Performances: Repertory Dance Theatre (Allentown, PA), Terra Firma Dance Theatre (Dunellen, NJ), Vada Dance Collective (Philadelphia, PA), EDP Dance Project (Patterson, NJ), Angeline Wolf-Gloria/Totts Gap Arts Institute (Bangor, PA), Annex Dance (Lehigh Valley, PA)
Areas of Specialization/Interest: Ballet, Modern Dance, Choreography, Improvisation; Dance Outreach and Education; Dance History, Philosophy, Aesthetics; Writing for Dance; Dance and Religion; Dance-Theatre; Collaboration among artistic disciplines and personal expression through creative work.
Honor/Awards: Presidental Merit Scholarship, DeSales University

Valerie Durham
Teaching Assistant: MFA in Dance (Choreography Emphasis)
301-405-3197
1942 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
vdurham@umd.edu
www.duncandancers.com
Education/Training: Orlando School of the Performing Arts, Royal School of Ballet, Brigham Young University, University of Florida, Isadora Duncan Foundation for Contemporary Dance and other Duncan Dance technique masters
Professional Affiliations: Kennedy Center Teaching Artist, Maryland Dance Council, National Dance Educators Association
Representative Performances: Performances at national, regional and local theaters for the following theater and dance companies: National Operatic Society (lead actor, company member), Nassau, the Bahamas; DuncanWorks Children's Dance Theater (featured soloist), Gainesville, FL; Floridance Company (company member), Gainesville, FL, Lori Belilove & Company (company member, soloist), New York, NY; The Duncan Dancers (artistic director, soloist, choreographer), Washington, DC; Word Dance Theater (guest artist, director of education), Washington, DC.
Area of Specialization / Interest: Isadora Duncan technique and repertory. Other: Artistic Director, The Duncan Dancers; Director of Education, Word Dance Theater

Xuejuan Feng
Teaching Fellow: MFA in Dance
1942 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
xfeng12@umd.edu
Education/Training: B.A. Chinese Folk Dance, Beijing Dance Academy, Beijing, China, 2003. Diploma, Chinese Folk Dance and Classical Dance, Shijiazhuang Arts School, China, 1998.
Areas of Specialization/Interest:  Modern Dance, Folk Dance, World Cultures, Improvisation, Choreography, Cultural and Social Significances to Dance, Dance Education.
Representative Productions: Choreography of entries in the 17th and 18th Annual International Festival Showcase of Roanoke,2007-2008; Choreography of Longsleeves, Tibetan Dance, Virginia Tech Dance of Nations, 2007; Choreography of Solo Fan Dance, Han Minority, for Contemporary Dance Ensemble of Virginia Tech, 2005; Collaboration with the Young Dancers League of Beijing Dance Academy for a performance at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, DC; Direction of Niu Bei Yao Lan, Tibetan Dance, for the HeBei Province Dance Competition; Chinese Spring Festival Arts and Performance Showcase, China Central Television (CCTV), 1996,1997.
Honor/Awards: Teaching Fellow at University of Maryland School of Dance; Certification for Teaching Chinese Dance to Children (age 5-16); Excellent Student Scholarship at Beijing Dance Academy; 1st Prize Scholarship at Shijiazhuang Arts School.

Emily Oleson
Teaching Assistant: MFA in Dance
301.405.3197
1942 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
ekoleson@umd.edu
www.mattyandem.net
Education: B.A. in Theatre and Dance, Dance concentration, James Madison University, 2004
Professional Affiliations:Good Foot Dance Company, Charlottesville Dance Alliance
Representative Performances: "100 Migrations" with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company in Charlottesville, VA; Good Foot Dance Company at the Performatica festival, Cholula, Mexico; A Charlottesville Wunderkammer, Charlottesville, VA

Kwame Opare
Teaching Assistant: MFA in Dance
301.405.3191
1937 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
kwameopare@gmail.com
Education: B.F.A. in Dance, Towson University, 2010

Florian Rouiller
Teaching Assistant: MFA in Dance
301.405.3197
1942 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
florianrouiller747@hotmail.com
Education/Training: John Cranko School 1992, David Howard 1993, Joffrey Ballet School 1993.
Representative Performances: Professional dance experience since 1992 with such companies as:Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Co., Milwaukee Ballet, Ohio Ballet, Ballet Chicago, City Dance Ensemble, Merce Cunningham Company, Ballet International USA, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago,  Delta Festival  Ballet, Jane Franklin Dance DC,  Lucy Bowen McCauley, Ballet Caracas, Daniel Singh,  Goteborgoperans Sweden.
Area of Specialization / Interest: Modern and Ballet teaching and Performance