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CREATIVES THROUGH THE YEARS

This page contains a robust list of artists we've worked with throughout our years. We love you and are honored to have worked with you. We want to share you with our world. We want to have you listed here and keep in touch with you. Please keep in touch and feel free to send us updated information at contact@ofmovingcolors.org

MUSICIANS

Christian Frederickson is a violist, composer, and sound designer who specializes in live music performance for theater and dance. Originally from Port Townsend, WA, he is now based in New York City, where he lives with his wife and two sons. He was a founding member and one of the principal songwriters (along with Jason Noble and Rachel Grimes) of the Louisville, KY-based instrumental band Rachel's, who released 6 albums on Quarterstick Records between 1995 and 2003. The 2016 re-issue of 'systems/layers', the final Rachel's album was called "a truly synthesized mesh of chamber music and electronics that sounded like little else…a godfather record to the nascent (post-classical) genre…" As a solo artist, Frederickson has released five albums since 2011 and has played concerts of his own music in New York City, Seattle, Louisville, Nashville, and Zilina, Slovakia. Since moving to New York in 2004, Frederickson has worked primarily in theater and dance at a long list of theaters, notably the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Classic Stage Company, The Public Theater, The Baryshnikov Arts Center, La MaMa, Atlantic Stage 2, as well as regional theaters, primarily Actor's Theatre of Louisville where he has worked on 14 productions and is a regular designer at the Humana Festival of New American Plays. Frederickson was trained as a classical musician, and holds degrees from The Peabody Conservatory and The Juilliard School. From 2000 to 2004 he was the viola instructor at the University of Louisville, where he also performed as a member of the Louisville String Quartet.

 

Terry Byars received his B.S. in English Education from Louisiana State University, his M.F.A. in Acting from Temple University (Philadelphia), and his Ph.D. in Theatre from Louisiana State University.  His teaching experience includes various high schools in Baton Rouge including St. Joseph's Academy, Southern Lab School, and Scotlandville Magnet School.  He was an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in Nachitoches, LA and at Louisiana College in Pineville, LA.  Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Speech and Theatre at River Parishes Community College.  His professional experience includes extensive work for Playmakers Childrens' Theatre of Baton Rouge, The Baton Rouge Little Theatre, and St. John's Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church and for many other organizations in Louisiana.

 

Kristy Coast (vocalist) wast last seen on the Manship Theater stage as Lily St. Regis in Playmakers' production of Annie.  Other theatrical roles include Lina Lamont in Singing in the Rain, Babe in Pajama Game, and Cheryl in The Taffetas, all at BRLT.  She teaches classes at Playmakers and is an "edutainer" at the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum theatre.

Andrew Knox has been working as a composer/music producer/supervisor/sound designer for more than 15 years in the broadcast industry. Knox started in New York at CBS as an Assistant Music Supervisor for the television show “Guiding Light”.  He then moved on as Music Director at Associated Production Music and then Superdupe Recording where he continued his involvement with music scoring and sound design for major television and radio commercials. Prior to starting his own business, he worked several years at HSR-NY as music director, where he continued to produce and compose.  Knox now owns and operates AKM Productions, Inc. Knox’s television and movie credits include, music cues for major network and cable TV shows, several independent films, and commercials for Colgate Palmolive, Bayer, Heinz, GNC, Porsche, AT&T, Gillette, NFL, VISA, and many more.

 

Quiana Lynell (vocalist) is a rising star of jazz, funk, and soul in the Southern Region.  She is known by her closest fans as KIKI. She has performed on stage with many jazz icons as Kermit Ruffins and Shannon Powell.  She is currently working on her solo project and can be seen frequently performing in prominent jazz spots in the New Orleans area.  Quiana has had a long relationship with OMC and loves the infusion of the arts.

 

Lisa Oivanki holds undergraduate and Masters degrees in music from Louisiana State University.  She is an active performer in the Baton Rouge area. In 2001, she was selected Outstanding Member of the Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus for the 2000-2001 performing year. In March of 2003, she performed at the 1st Annual LSU School of Music Alumni Weekend Lisa currently teaches vocal and instrumental music full-time in the parochial schools of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. She also teaches voice, piano, and guitar to children and adults at Chrysalis, her private music studio in Watson, Louisiana. Lisa has also performed in OMC productions Yellow, Orchid, Blue, Red, Lilac-Magenta, and White. Since, 1998, she has also provided original live music and vocals as a solo musician for OMC's mid-winter production, Green.

Lisa Pegher has been called “The Future of Percussion” and as quoted by Symphony Magazine, “is blazing a particularly rough, un-trodden trail” in the world of percussion.  Having grown up on a small rural farm in western Pennsylvania, Lisa began playing the drums at the age of seven and made her debut as a solo percussionist with the Pittsburgh Symphony at Heinz Hall in her early twenties. Since then, she has been described by critics as “ a brilliant polished performer” and as “the rising star in the percussion world,” and continues to premiere and commission numerous works for solo percussion.  Pegher has appeared as soloist in numerous venues in various cities such as Chicago, Tokyo, Eindhoven, Houston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York. She was one of only two Americans chosen to perform at the TROMP International Percussion Competition and Festival in the Netherlands and has been a featured artist at the Percussive Arts Society Convention on numerous occasions.

 

Lindsey Spiller began enjoying music as a toddler by listening, mainly to his sister's rehearsals on piano. He played in his first band at an early enough age that his mother would take her turn bringing the group with equipment to their gigs. Lindsey later co-founded and played with the group Kicks, and retired from it after 19 years of entertaining. Since then he has become an active member of First Presbyterian Church's worship team, has co-produced a concert on Nicole Nordeman, was music director for The River 2000 by Renaissance Productions and has teamed up with friend Russ Wasson to play and record with various artists including Kirk Holder, Matt Doran and Todd Westbrook. Lindsey has been head musician for Of Moving Colors Productions major shows for five years.

 

Robert Ward began playing guitar in 1983 when he was 13. In high school he enrolled in Jazz Ensemble and in 1987 won "Outstanding Musician" for guitar at Loyola's Jazz Festival. In 1990, he was accepted to Musician's Institute.  Upon graduation in 1991, he moved back to Baton Rouge and has performed in various projects in the local music scene. In addition to working with OMC, he writes and performs with DOROTHY JANE, ROLLOVER, and on private demos. He is also the Guitar Instructor at Live Music.

 

Jonathan Wilson is a native of Baton Rouge and has been a drummer/percussionist for over 20 years. He has been involved in local music for over 15 years, playing in projects ranging from Rhythm and Blues to Rock, Punk and Reggae. An absolute Love for the performing arts and specifically, the joy that OMC brings to the community and surrounding areas, keeps him a "more than willing participant" in ANY OMC production.

 

 

GUEST CHOREOGRAPHERS

John Allen is currently a Salt Lake City-based freelance dance and movement artist. He recently moved from a teaching position as an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Tulane University where he worked for 12 years. As a freelance choreographer, he has set works on such international companies as Russia’s Kannon Dance Company and the Ekaterinburg Contemporary Arts Centre Dance Company as well as South Africa’s First Physical Theatre. Nationally he has set works on the Ririe- Woodbury Dance Company, Baton Rouge Ballet, Of Moving Colors and Tsunami Dance Company. His cooperative company, John/Allen Project, has performed in such venues as St Petersburg’s OPEN LOOK Festival, the Harare International Festival of the Arts, and South Africa’s National Arts Festival among other national venues. He is active in giving teaching and choreographic residencies at universities domestically and abroad. His performance background includes dancing with such companies as the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, SB Dance and Steve Koester and Dancers and performing in original works by Doug Varone, Seán Curran and Daniel Ezralow, among others.

 

Gina Bashour has been a member and rehearsal director since 2003 with Palissimo Dance Theatre. She has recently been seen performing in Dr. Atomic at the Metropolitan Opera. She has worked with Ashleigh Leite since 2005 and has also performed with Jody Oberfelder & Company and Alethea Adsitt & Company. In addition, she has performed and collaborated with Dance New Amsterdam's former producer Alberto Denis, was a founding member of Melissa Riker's The Kinesis Project, flown in the air with Julie Ludwick's Fly By Night Trapeze, danced as a principle in the Off-Broadway production Thin Line directed by Derek Mitchell, among others. In 2001, Gina founded the dance company, GiBa in motion, which has performed throughout New York and New England. She has been a freelance choreographer since 2005 and has lived in NYC since 2000.


Nicole Cassivio - (2002; 2003)
(Contemporary technique classes, exploration of release-based partnering possibilities and Choreography for Paradise Orange and Peacock Blue)
Swiss artist Nicole is based in Berlin. She teaches a dynamic, concentrated and powerful contemporary dance style which is based on Release and Cunningham techniques combined with personal influences such at the Alexander technique and sport. Her training includes the Rambert School in London and the Cunningham Studios in NYC. Nicole is a highly sought after instructor and choreographer all over Europe. She has taught and/or choreographed for Impulstanz (Vienna), GDA (London), State Opera House (Turkey) and others.


Nick Erickson received his M.F.A. in Acting at CalArts and has performed at such places as the Swine Palace, the Intiman and Empty Space Theatres in Seattle, and at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Erickson was a founding member of Diavolo Dance Theatre and for seven years co choreographed and performed in almost all of the company's pieces on three national tours and abroad.  As a Movement Director/ Coach/ Choreographer/ Stunt Coordinator, Erickson has worked for the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, the Indiana Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Festival/LA, the LA Opera, Disney, LSU Opera, Occidental Children's Theatre, and for film.  Mr. Erickson has worked with OMC off and on for many years, choreographing "Boy Meets Girl" that performed in New York and performing in "The Maestro’s Music" in 2007.  Nick choreographed aerial silk work as part of OMC's Aqua in 2010.

Lisa Hooks Murray currently directs the dance department at The Dunham School.  Lisa is the founding director of In The Company Of Dancers which became Of Moving Colors under the direction of Garland Goodwin Wilson.  She owned The Turning Point Dance Studio for 12 years and was an Artist In Residence for the Greater Baton Rouge Arts Council for 20 years.  Lisa was a soloist with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre and received her classical ballet training with Phoebe Brantley.

Sarah Cullen Fuller began her formal training at the Academy of Movement and Music in Oak Park, Illinois, under the direction of Stephanie Clemens. She continued her studies at the Boston and Joffrey Ballet schools before graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with degrees in dance and psychology. Upon graduation, Ms. Fuller became a member of the Chicago-based company, The 58 Group, before joining Hubbard Street 2 where she was soon promoted to the main company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, under the artistic leadership of Jim Vincent. Ms. Fuller has had the opportunity to dance the works of such leading choreographers as Lou Conte, Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Lar Lubovitch, Susan Marshall, Marguerite Donlon, Jim Vincent and Alex Ketley, among others. Ms Fuller continues her relationships with both the Hubbard Street Dance Center and the Academy of Movement and Music, teaching, choreographing and fostering young talent.


Hannah Kahn -(1998) Hannah directs the Denver-based Hannah Kahn Dance Company. She is a master teacher and choreographer with thirty-one years of experience creating ninety dances. After graduating from the Juilliard School, Kahn directed the Hannah Kahn Dance Company in NY and then relocated the company to Colorado in 1988. Awards include 2 NEA Choreography fellowships and 6 elected times to appear on the Colorado Choreographers' Showcase. In addition to her own company, she has set her work on many other companies including Concert Dance Company of Boston and Pennsylvania Dance Theatre. Hannah set “Wheeling” on Of Moving Colors (formerly In the Company of Dancers) under Lisa Hooks-Murray in 1996.


Ashleigh Leite is a graduate of SUNY Purchase with a BFA in Modern Dance Performance. Her performance credits are with Stephen Petronio Company of which she has served as the Assistant Director/Rehearsal Director and dancer for eight years. Her own work has been presented at Danspace Project's "Out of Space" series in New York. Ashleigh has performed for other choreographers and is an active member of Pavel Zustiak's palissimo dance theatre. She is a sought teacher internationally and guest teaches regularly at Dance Space Center, New York City.

Lindsey Dietz Marchant is a freelance dancer, choreographer, improviser and teacher living and working in NYC. Performances have taken her throughout California, the New England area, and internationally in Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa; Internationally her work has been presented at conferences and festivals about dance and technology, dance and improvisation, and interdisciplinary performance Recent awards and commissions include a commission for new work from Dance New Amsterdam, half of the room which premiered in NYC May 2008; a commission for new work from Danspace Project, Inflatable Man, Evaporating Woman which premiered in NYC June 2007; and commission for new work for the resident dance company at the Isadora Festival in Siberia, Russia. Lindsey has taught advanced modern and set repertory at Universities and Art Conservatories such as Julliard School of Performing Arts in NYC, State University of New York – Purchase, Bennington College in Vermont, University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and others.

 

Susan Perlis is the Associate Director of the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre and a ballet teacher at both LSU and The Dancers’ Workshop. After early training with Bill Weber, she danced with the Louisville Ballet under the direction of George Skibine and Nels Jorgensen, and as a trainee with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She trained at the Joffrey American Ballet Center and holds a B.S. in Ballet from Indiana University. As director of the BRBT Youth Ballet, she has created ballets, re-staged classics, and directed the annual summer tour. Her works for the BRBT Senior Company have garnered recognition from Regional Dance America through its Choreography Recognition Award, Choreography Conference Scholarship, and a Project Tier Commission. She is a board member of the Louisiana Alliance for Dance and served as Louisiana Dance Festival co-chairman in 2005 and 2006.

Frankie Lee Peterson III received his BFA from UNCSA & has trained with the Zion Dance Project, the Merce Cunningham Trust, The Dance Company Experience, Springboard Danse Montreal, Shen Wei Dance Arts & American Dance Festival. He has danced for Zaccho Dance Theater, Oakland Ballet, dawsondancesf, Helen Simoneau Danse, Antonio Brown Dance, Gaspard & Dancers, Rising Rhythm, Rawdance SF. He is a 2 time Izzie Award Nominee, Webby Award Winner & has choreographed for the Bay Area Ballet Conservatory, Gritty City Repertory Youth Ensemble, Alabama State University, Alvarado Elementary School, June Jordan School of Equity, Design Tech High School, Dance Mission Grrrl Brigade & Zion Dance Project. He was recently an Adjunct Professor at Mills College & also teaches for the Bay Area Ballet Conservatory, the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, Dance Mission Grrrl Brigade, and LINES Dance Center.


Scott Putman, Choreographer, Founder, and Artistic Director of Amaranth Contemporary Dance, is an Associate Professor at VCU, resident choreographer of Pasadena Dance Theatre and the creator of the Elemental Body Alignment System© (EBAS). He currently directs and teaches the Summer I Program at the Accademia dell' Arte in Arezzo, Italy as well as for California State Summer School for the Arts and the Richmond Ballet. Scott has taught internationally in Bangkok, Thailand, Paris, France, Arezzo, Italy and Costa Rica. He has danced for Mordine and Company Dance Theatre, Dimetrius Klein Dance Company, Minnesota Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Chicago, Donald McKayle, David Alan and Douglass Becker. Scott received his BA from Columbia College, Chicago and MFA from University of California, Irvine.


Irene Rampino, (1987-2012) Irene, a native Californian, began dancing and gymnastics at the age of nine. In 1971, she received a high school performing arts scholarship to study under David Wood of the Martha Graham Company at the University of California at Berkeley. In 1974, Irene graduated from Berkeley Performing Arts High School and continued to study and perform until 1984, in the companies of Margaret Jenkins, Albert Reid, Viola Farber, Joanne Halgood, and Steve Paxton. In 1984, she received a full-fellowship to New York University at Tisch School of the Arts and completed her MFA in 1986. While in New York, Irene began to study the Pilates Method of exercise and Astanga Yoga. In 1986, Irene apprenticed in the Merce Cunningham Modern Dance Company for one year. In 1992, Irene completed her Master of Science in Physical Therapy at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Since moving to Baton Rouge in 1992, Irene has taught, choreographed and danced with In the Company of Dancers. Currently, Irene owns and operates E-Centrics, and outpatient Physical Therapy clinic and Pilates studio. She is married to Jim Levy.


Danny Scott - (2004) (Varous physical theatre improvisations and development of exercises focusing on composition)
Danny is a performer and director of exceptional artistic strength, vision and professionalism, prolific in his ability to develop and inspire at every level. He has developed an international reputation as a performer, teacher, director and consultant, specializing in Acting and Physical Theatre, cultivating his unique style from a rich backdrop of professional performing arts experience spanning 20 years. He has traveled the world as a performer, teacher, actor and director with clients including Westminster Theatre on the West End and London's BBC Television.

Christian von Howard is the Artistic Director of the VON HOWARD PROJECT, a contemporary dance company based out of New York City. As an international artist, he has worked with many dance artists such as Fred Benjamin, Doug Varone, Fernando Bujones, Douglas Becker, Germaul Barnes, Daniel Gwirtzman, Charles O. Anderson and various others. Christian is a NJ State Council of the Arts Choreographic Fellow (2006) and his choreography has been produced in various venues across the globe including Germany, Japan, Bulgaria, Colombia, Chile, South Korea and in the states at Dance Theater Workshop (now New York Live Arts), Joyce SoHo, Dixon Place, the Ailey Citigroup Theater amongst others. His guest artist teaching/residency highlights include Dance Masters of America, the Interlochen Arts Academy, American Dance Festival, Dance It! Festival (Bulgaria), Peridance Capezio Dance Center, the Korean Dance Festival and numerous private and public dance institutions. Christian is a 2013/2014 recipient of the Distinguished Achievement in Teaching Award from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts where he was part of the teaching faculty in the Department of Dance & Choreography from 2008 to 2014. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre & Dance at Montclair State University and concurrently teaches at the Alvin Ailey School in NYC where he has been on faculty since 1998. Christian also serves as the Northeast Regional Director of the American College Dance Association. He holds advanced degrees in Performance and Choreography from the School of Classical and Contemporary Dance at Texas Christian University and from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. 


Stephen Wynne - (1998, 1999, 2001, 2004)
Stephen's training includes the Pennsylvania Ballet and ABT. He has worked for the Joffrey Ballet in New York and was a principal dancer and resident choreographer for the Freiburger Tanz Theater. As a principal dancer and guest choreographer for the modern dance company at the State Opera House in Cologne, he was awarded for his choreographic achievement by the German Cultural Department. Stephen founded and directed At Marah Dance Theatre in Philadelphia for five years and taught at Bellhaven College in Mississippi.  He currently resides in Arizona.

Netta Yerushalmy moved to New York in 1996 in order to complete a BFA in dance from Tisch School of the Arts. In NYC she has danced with Nancy Bannon, Karinne Kiethley, Marc Jarecki and many others, as well as with Ronit Ziv in Tel-Aviv. Her own choreographic work has been produced and performed in numerous venues in NYC, and at The Yard on Martha's Vineyard and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. Originally from Israel, her work was commissioned there by the prestigious Curtain-Up Festival and International-Exposure 2006 and, most recently, by the Tmuna Theater in Tel-Aviv. She has had the pleasure of dancing with Doug Varone in various settings, most notably in productions of Les Troyens and Le Sacre du Printemps at the Metropolitan Opera, and has also staged Varone's work at Michigan University and Point Park College. Netta joined Doug Varone and Dancers in 2007.


Pavel Zuštiak is the Artistic Director of Palissimo Company, established in New York City in 2004 under his vision to pursue artistic liberty through communion with live audiences. Palissimo is known for sophisticated, multidisciplinary works with piercing emotional content and abundant surrealist imagery. A 2010 Guggenheim Fellow, 2008-2009 Movement Research Artist-in-Residence, and winner of both a 2009 Princess Grace Work in Progress Residency Award and 2007 Princess Grace Award, choreographer Zuštiak’s repertory of original works and commissions have toured nationally and internationally to both audience and critical acclaim. Through layering "weighted, sensual, and loose-limbed" movement (The Village Voice), powerfully evocative sonic environments, and “a ghostly atmosphere” of projected photography, film, and staged theatrical scenario (The New York Times), the Company has fast established itself amongst experimental theater groups and works with a roster of contributing and commissioned artists.  Pavel has worked with Of Moving Colors many times since 1998.


Additional guest choreographers for OMC: Joe Alegado (1998), Emilie Plauche-Flink, CoCo Loupe (2000), Dana Brewer-Plaznic (2002), and Randi Turkin (2003) (Please send us an updated bio if you guys are reading this!)

Musicians
Guest Choreographers
POETS

Ava Leavell Haymon was named 2013-2015 Poet Laureate of the State of Louisiana. Her most recent poetry collection is Eldest Daughter, published by Louisiana State University Press. She has written three previous collections, Why the House Is Made of Gingerbread, Kitchen Heat, and The Strict Economy of Fire, all also from LSU Press, and edits the Barataria Poetry Series, which will premiere Spring 2014. Her poems have appeared in journals nationwide. Prizes include the Louisiana Literature Prize for poetry in 2003, the L.E. Phillabaum Poetry Award for 2010, the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters 2011 Award in Poetry. Why The House Is Made Of Gingerbread was chosen as one of the top ten poetry books of 2010 by Women’s Voices for Change. A committed teacher of poetry writing, she worked as Artist in the Schools for a number of years, teaches poetry writing during the school year in Louisiana and, during the summer, directs a retreat center for writers and artists.

 

Summer Mauldin Stewart was born and raised in South Carolina where her love of front porches, butter biscuits, story-tellin' grandmothers, and all things Southern began. She attended Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC before moving to Lake Charles, LA to obtain a MA in English and a MFA in writing. Last year she moved to Baton Rouge as a bright-eyed newlywed, and has since fallen in love with the capital city. She currently works as the Assistant Editor of Country Roads Magazine and spends her free time absorbing the sights and sounds of the bayou country.  Summer’s work was featured in OMC’s 2004 production of Peacock Blue.

Becky Larkin teaches Technical Writing and Introduction to Poetry at LSU.  She wrote poems for and appeared in the OMC production of Paradise Orange.  She was born and raised in the West but has lived in Baton Rouge for many many many years.  Her work was  alsofeatured in OMC’s 2004 production of Peacock Blue.

Chancelier “xero” Skidmore is an Executive Director with 13 years experience as a trained teaching-artist, facilitator, curriculum writer, and youth worker. But all that started with a love for art and performance. He has worked various jobs in manual labor, from assembly line drone to warehouse safety instructor, all the while taking the stage by night to perform poetry and music. He made his first National Poetry Slam team in 2000 representing Baton Rouge. In 2003 he was asked to serve as a performance consultant with a youth theater organization called City At Peace. The next year he was asked to serve as their Artistic Director, teaching and overseeing every facet of programming. While serving as Artistic Director at City at Peace (now known as The Possiblity Project), an organization that only did programming on weekends, he was tapped by Anna West to come work full-time with the Big Buddy Program’s WordPlay Teaching Writing Project. In late 2011,  he and some staff left Big Buddy to start Forward Arts Inc., a spoken word-based arts non-profit designed to serve much of Southeast Louisiana, and of which he serves as Executive Director. As a spoken word artist, Chancelier  has been ranked twice among the top five slam poets in the United States and in October of 2013 he ranked 1st at the Individual World Poetry Slam Festival.  You can find his work published in the anthology, Spoken Word Revolution Redux by Sourcebooks mediaFusion and the Spring 2010 volume of the New Delta Review by LSU Press.  Xero recently self-published a manuscript called upBEAT DOWNbeat, a collection of poetry based on his life as a professional percussionist.

Poets
Production
PRODUCTION

Alice H. Allen (Production Stage Manager) has a B.A. in Theatre Administration from Louisiana Tech University and is currently working on her M.A. in Theatre History from Regis University in Denver, CO. Her professional credits include production stage manager, puppet master, and fight choreographer for Stagedoor Manor in Loch Sheldrake, NY working on such shows as Evita, Avenue Q, and Oklahoma. She has training in stage combat, dance, and puppetry; she also enjoys lending a hand to other local non-profit theatres in the Baton Rouge area.


Liz Grimes Droessler (Lighting Designer) has a B.S. in Dance, a Masters in Theatre and is working on her Doctorate in Adult Learning. In Raleigh NC she supervises 525 K-12 arts educators and tours nationally with Chuck Davis and the African American Dance Ensemble. Her lighting designs have been seen at the American Dance Festival and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC for such greats at Donald McKayle, David Dorfman and Dr. Pearl Primus. Liz has come to know and love Louisiana as a free-lance theatre, music and dance lighting designer and is always thrilled to have the opportunity to work with so many gifted OMC artists.
 

Bruce Benton is best known for his design and construction of costumes for Mardi Gras tableau balls. He has also designed for dancers in cabaret acts and pageants. This will be his second experience designing for Of Moving Colors Productions.


Karla King, Costume Designer, lists LSU, USL, Swine Palace, Singapore Repertory Theatre, Peace College, Mystic Krewe of Achilles, Krewe de la Louisianne Governor's Mardi Gras Ball, Baton Rouge Green, Playmakers, BR Ballet Theatre, The Dance Center, MoonLark Productions and various individuals as owners of her costume designs. Karla is currently employed with Mary Kay Carleton, CPA.


Ray Sibley, Production Director, is the founding director of "Moonlark Productions," the parent company of Feliciana School for the Performing Arts. He also is the artistic director of the theatre division of FSPA and is building the Moonlark Theatre in Ethel, Louisiana. He organizes and hosts the Baton Rouge poetry slam competitions and teaches drama at Broadmoor Middle Performing Arts Magnet. He also teaches Theatre at SLU. Ray received his doctoral degree from LSU in Performance Studies with a minor in English.


Laura Souter's The Atelier Hair and Body Salon was established in 2000 as the first hair salon in Downtown Baton Rouge in over 30 years. Laura Miller Souter, Hairdresser in the Baton Rouge area for 14 years, has been involved in styling for the Baton Rouge Opera, the Hall of Fashion Ball, and several other dramatic productions locally. She was the In-House Educator for Lockworks, USA, for over 5 years, specializing in hair color. Currently, Laura is the owner of the Atelier Hair and Body Salon and a national educator for John Paul Mitchell Systems.


Billy Wilson, stage manager, has participated extensively in productions by Of Moving Colors over the last ten years. He has run sound (Red), handled photo shoots (Green), sung with the band (White), performed motorcycle stunts and offered his martial arts skill to the stage (Paradise Orange). He currently writes lyrics and sings with his band Dorothy Jane. He also sings frequently at First Presbyterian Church. He would like to thank his wife Garland for her loving support and his father for all of his encouragement and support.

VISUAL ARTISTS

​David Cano is a self-taught metal designer and fabricator currently working in Baton Rouge.  He has been in business for six years.  His beginnings took him to the BR Arts Market where he built his business and currently is working exclusively on custom works as an independent contractor.   David was asked to build a small but extremely heavy utilitarian base for the peacock feathers and then delivered a work of art.

Tim Cundiff has been a production potter in Baton Rouge for 30 years.  He worked at Port Hudson Pottery for four years before starting his own studio Mud and Metal Craft Studios in 1977.  Tim received a BFA from LSU in 1973, with a major in ceramics, studying under John Goodheart and Joseph Bova.  Tim is a former board member of the Baton Rouge Gallery and Baton Rouge Arts and Humanities Council.  He currently sells his work through Mud and Metal Craft Studios.  Sienna was Tim's first collaboration with Of Moving Colors Productions.

Katie Knoeringer is from Long Valley, New Jersey. She attended Kutztown University where she received her Bachelors of Fine Arts and Bachelors of Science in Art Education. She received her MFA from Louisiana State University in 2011.  Her work has been exhibited in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Arkansas, and Louisiana.  We live in a collage culture. Katie’s work reflects the process of making art in today’s eclectic environment.  She uses various materials and techniques together in a piece to demonstrate the multi-faceted nature of our visual landscape.  The way the works are installed on the wall has the ability to change and grow with the addition of more parts just as a daydream can expand and morph over time.  Katie’s work is about looking and finding.  She draws people she knows, but rather than portraits, their pictures stand for iconic watchers and seekers.  These paintings come out of the physical and mental isolation that is symptomatic of intense contemplation and daydreaming. What the figures are concentrating on may change, but the mental state remains the focus.

Mark Nikoff  (Painter) Mark’s work is intertwined with multiple meanings and movement that pulls the viewer into his world of visualization and interpretation. Once in that world they can discover what that means to them.  Art is a never-ending world of change and evolution, upon each interpretation a new understanding of individuality is born.  He is a firm supporter of Visual and Performing Arts in our area. He states,  “I am honored to be a participant with ‘Of Moving Colors.’  …we have so many fantastic creative people in Baton Rouge.  I live to create and want to share that excitement with you”​

Robert Sherman (Set /prop design and construction) worked on props for Yellow Orchid Blue, Red, Green, and Lilac Magenta.  He even danced in Red and Lilac Magenta, albeit in novelty roles.  Robert was trained as a chemical engineer and currently works with hazardous waste for a living.  Hobbies include juggling, unicycling, and butterfly ranching.

Kathleen Nowak Tucci (feather designer) resides and creates in Baton Rouge. For most of her artistic life she was a painter, but in the last few years she has found her new love of playing with dirt. Kathleen now hand forms ceramic clay into whimsical and elegant lamps, candlesticks and sculpture for the home and garden. Her creations can be found in many outstanding homes in Baton Rouge including the LSU Chancelor's home. She is represented by Brunner Gallery in Covington and Lifesytle Gallery in Fairhope, AL. Her work was previously featured in OMC’s Sienna.

Other visual artists that have worked with OMC include Demond Matsuo, Saliha Staib, and George Marks.

Visual Artists
PAST PERFORMERS

Brandon Adkins, an apprentice in 2003-2004, is the oldest son of Danny and Gail Adkins. As of 2003, Brandon has been dancing for six years and performances include the Nutcracker and Cinderella with BR Ballet Theater. At school, Brandon is a member of the BRHS Dance Club, African American Heritage Club and gymnastics team. Brandon is also a member of several community and church groups. He thanks his family for their support of him and the arts.

 

Amanda Arostegui has trained in a tap, jazz, ballet, and contemporary at Rhonda Edmundson School of Dance in New Orleans for sixteen years. She competed with her studio for eight years in a variety of competitions both local and nationally, including Dance Masters of America. Amanda was co-captain of her high school dance team and helped lead her team to a national title her senior year. She is also a staff member of American All Star Dance and Drill Team LLC. She currently teaches at Powell-Moise School of Dance. Amanda performed for four seasons with Of Moving Colors.


Leonard Augustus, Jr. is an acclaimed dancer, singer, actor and choreographer, who jokes about performances spanning from New York City to New Roads, LA.  He has performed in a number of theater productions, RENT being the most recent, landing him a Best Supporting Actor nomination, which followed BRLT’s 2010 Best Actor In A Musical Award for his role as The King in "The King and I." A seasoned performer, he brings trained and non-trained dancers together in local Baton Rouge flashmob sightings and local celebrity dance competitions like Big Buddy’s Dancing with the Stars. He also holds a recurring seat as a Judge for Fox 44’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and “American Idol” auditions.  Leonard continues to perform annually in the Baton Rouge Ballet’s Nutcracker “A Tale from the Bayou,” BR Little Theatre productions, and is honored to be featured on occasion with Of Moving Colors. ​

Alexandra Barbier began dancing at 3 years old. She previously trained with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre where she was a member of their junior and senior companies. She enjoys acting and has performed in productions with Baton Rouge Little Theatre, most notably as Liz ("Pop") in Chicago. Alexandra recently returned to Baton Rouge after spending two years in New York, where she studied acting at the Atlantic Acting School and dance at Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, and the Movement Workshop Group. Alexandra danced with the company for five seasons.

Yvonne Marie Boudreaux began dancing with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre for 10 years and also trained with Twin City Ballet, Nashville Ballet, and At Marah Dance Theater. She has danced with Of Moving Colors Productions for 5 years since its inception in performances such as Yellow Orchid Blue, Red, Fall & Recover, “ArtReach” and Green (1999, 2000, & 2002), and Sienna. She is currently pursuing a masters in theatrical design at UT Austin. She is an architect graduate from LSU, and during her tenure in Louisiana, she built the set for Sienna as well as produced her own site-specific work, "Skin".

Will Bove began his dance training in Baton Rouge at Tari’s School of Dance. Upon graduating high school, Will continued his training in Minnesota, where he danced with Minnesota Dance Theatre, a contemporary ballet company in Minneapolis under the artistic direction of Lise Houlton, formerly of American Ballet Theatre. While with MDT, Will performed in original repertoire and its annual production of the Nutcracker Fantasy. After returning to Baton Rouge, he danced as a member of the 2013 LSU Dance Ensemble. His other performance credits include Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty and New York City’s Movement Workshop Group’s Racine D’or.  Will graduated from Louisiana State University in Advertising with a minor in dance, and went on to train with Alonzo King's Lines Ballet after departing from OMC. Will danced with OMC for three seasons.

 

Kelly Breaux is a graduate of Louisiana State University where she minored in Dance. She trained at Glenda Moss Academy of Dance and attended classes at Broadway Dance Center and New Dance Group in New York City. Kelly studied at the Student Honors Intensive Program in Buffalo, New York for one summer and at the Florida Youth Ballet Theatre in Orlando, Florida for two summers. She danced with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre for two seasons and was a member of the LSU Tiger Girls Dance Team for one year. Kelly danced with the company for one season.

Claire Preston Broyles, a native of NYC, received her early dance training and performance experience at Ballet Hispanico and Neubert Ballet. She continued to study dance while attending Skidmore College, performing under the direction of Paul Sanasardo and Debra Fernandez. After earning a degree in Physical Therapy at Boston University, Claire moved to Washington, DC and trained with Miya Hisaka and Francisco Castillo, co-directors of Teatro de Danza Contemporaneo de El Salvador. Upon relocating to Baton Rouge in 2006, Claire danced with Cangelosi Dance Project under director Kris Cangelosi.


Christine Chrest is a recent transplant to the Baton Rouge area and is thrilled to be here. As a dancer she has performed nationally and internationally with the Lewitzky Dance Company, Post House Dance Group, Donald McKayle, and Andrea Woods. She has toured Europe and the United States with the shows "Crazy for You," "Will Rogers Follies," and "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." In 1994, she had the honor of performing for President Clinton at the White House. As a choreographer, her work has been showcased in the Los Angeles Festival of Solos and Duets, the Praxis Project, with the West Virginia Dance company, and with Kyblee Dance Company. She has created work for the University of California, Irvine, Fullerton College, Cerritos College, Moorpark College, California State University, Northridge, and the American College Dance Festival where her work was selected as Gala Finalist. Christine holds a BFA from Point Park College, and an MFA from the University of California, Irvine where she assisted Donald McKayle.  Christine's proudest accomplishment is her son Nicolas.


Sydney Cockburn has trained at Star Steppers Dance Studio and Divine Dance Studio for 13 years and was a part of the competition team. She is currently a student at Louisiana State University studying Kinesiology. She was a part of the LSU dance ambassadors for two years. She has also taken part in many intensives, such as TOKYO the Academy summer intensives, The MET Houston summer intensives, and Dance Zone Houston summer intensives. Sydney danced with OMC from 2019-2020.

 

Jessica Collins has studied dance for 10 years. She dances locally at 2Ms School of Dance. She has also danced with the LSU Dance Department. She danced with OMC in 2002-2003.

Micaela Marchand Coner began her dance training with In the Company of Dancers' founder Lisa Hooks Murray at Turning Point dance studio. Micaela trained and performed extensively with the Cangelosi Dance Project directed by Kris Cangelosi. She has attended the Jazz Dance World Congress, the Panoply Festival, and has studied at ImpulsTanz in Vienna. She has choreographed works for the LSU Dance Ensemble, Cangelosi Dance Project apprentice group, Baton Rouge's UnCommon Thread Wearable Art Show, Of Moving Colors, and others. Micaela is a coastal scientist with the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. She recently opened a dance studio named The Coda with fellow dancer, Stephanie Faucette. Micaela joined Of Moving Colors in 2001.


Hamilton Tyler D’Aquilla "Khya" began his study of dance 5 years ago at LeMoine and Chatelaine Dance Center of Baton Rouge. After a year of training, he attended the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts for 2 years where he studied ballet, modern and jazz. When entering LSU in 2004, Khya took time off from his study of dance to pursue his Bachelors in International Studies and French. During his 2nd and 3rd years of college, however, he has continued his studies of modern under Kathleen Spinazolla and Dina Melley, as well as ballet, jazz and Latin Dance. Khya was a member of LSU’s Dance Theatre.

Gabi Danna trained at Giacobbe Academy of Dance for fifteen years and danced with Delta Festival Ballet for ten years. Gabi also spent one summer at American Ballet Theatre, multiple summers at Ballet Chicago, one winter at RIOULT Dance, and traveled to Seville, Spain to study Flamenco. In college, she studied dance at The Boston Conservatory and performed with LSU’s Dance Ensemble.  

 

Alyseia Darby is a native New Orleanian that has been dancing for 10 years. Her training was predominantly done at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts in ballet, jazz, tap, and modern. She has won third place in the dance division of Overture to the Cultural Season. Working with various choreographers like Debbie Allen, Alyseia gained much experience performing throughout southern Louisiana. She was a featured dancer in New Venture Theatre’s production of Color Purple. She teaches ballet and jazz at Danse Noir Studio. Alyseia is also secretary of Legacy hip-hop crew.  Alyseia danced for four seasons with Of Moving Colors.​


Brian Davis started break dancing at the age of 14. He recently won second place for break dancing at Import Invasion. He has also attended many other break dancing competitions in the past 4 years. He danced with OMC in 2004.

Meagan Delatte grew up dancing in the Baton Rouge community, where she started out at a local studio, Melissa Zeno Acclaimed School of Dance, and later transferred to Tari’s School of Dance, where she experienced most of her training. After graduating high-school at St. Joseph’s Academy, she joined LSU Dance Ensemble. She was a part of Diavolo Architecture in Motion’s winter construct, under the artistic director Jacques Heim. Meagan studied in Seville, Spain learning Flamenco Dance. She performed Savage/Love in Edinburgh, Scotland at the International Fringe Festival. Meagan’s choreography has been featured in Cangelosi Dance Project’s Holiday Mixture and LSU’s theatre production Good Kids. Meagan continues to stay rooted in the Baton Rouge community where she is able to share her artistic talents with 225 Magazine and teach Yogalates to local men and women where she is able to incorporate therapeutic movements into art. 

 

Leigh Jennings Devillier previously trained at the Phyllis Guy Dance Center, the Dance Center, and Dream Factory Dance Academy. She attended the Central Florida Ballet School and Spotlight Dance Center while living in Orlando, and has attended classes at the Edge in Los Angeles. In 2007, Leigh was a dancer for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines on the Voyager of the Seas. She is now teaching dance at Dream Factory and Powell-Moise School of Dance. Leigh served as the Interim Artistic Director for Of Moving Colors in 2005 and as Associate Director in 2008. Leigh danced with OMC from 2005-2012.


Jessica Donley has been dancing for years and dance has always been in her life. She has danced with the Cangelosi Dance Project, training under Kris Cangelosi. She also played a dance role in the movie, Ray, starring Jamie Foxx. Jessica has studied under movement instructors at LSU such as Nick Erickson, Susan Perlis, and Molly Buchmann and modern/African under Millicent Jonnie. Jessica is an Anthropology major and a dance minor at LSU and plans to culturally study dance. She appeared in OMC's Green (2004) and was active and amazing in 2004's summer's "CLOSER to the Arts!" Educational Outreach Program.


Courtney Doucette is a native of Slidell, Louisiana where she began training at Slidell School of Dance. Courtney has worked with Coco Loupe, Molly Buchmann and Susan Perlis of Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, and Tari Smith of Tari's School of Dance. In 2001, she joined OMC and was featured in Lilac Magenta, Dance: Baton Rouge, Philadelphia, and Green. She was also featured in Louisiana State University's Spring Dance Concert in 2002. She has attended residency programs with guest artists Stephen Wynne and Danny Scott. Her most recent performance was DramaRama in New Orleans, LA.

Whitney Dufrene, from Louisiana, is a performer, teacher, choreographer, and vocalist based in Baton Rouge. She graduated with a BFA in dance from Belhaven University. Whitney was a company member of Ad Deum and served as the company director for Dance du Coeur and director of dance for Creative Dreams Outreach Center. She has choreographed work for Ad Deum, Dance du Coeur, Belhaven, and Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, among others. She also danced in Jerusalem with the TDC as a part of the Feast of Tabernacles in 2015. Most recently, she served on faculty at Hunter College. She is a member of Awakening Movement, a faith-based dance organization. Her deepest passion and joy is working to see the arts bring breakthrough, justice, hope, healing, and freedom in individuals and communities. Whitney joined Doug Varone and Dancers in 2016.

Gretchen Erickson began her dance training at Carol Anglin Dancenter in Shreveport, Louisiana and performed with Louisiana Dance Theatre for six years. She has attended Regional Dance America Festivals, Joffery’s Summer Intensive in New York City, Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Summer Intensive, Jazz Dance World Congress and RDA’s Craft of Choreography Conference. She also attended the Tanzammer Innsbruck Festival were she trained and performed in Austria and Germany. Gretchen studied dance on scholarship at New World School of the Arts in Miami. Gretchen danced with OMC for six seasons.

 

Stephanie Ann Faucette first twinkled her toes at The Center of Performing Arts in her hometown of Central, Louisiana, at the turn of the millennium.  She has since cavorted and capered her way through the first 24 years of her life, participating in classes and various dance-related endeavors with Louisiana State University, Of Moving Colors Productions, and The Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre. Besides studying under local dance celebrities, she has, for the past two summers, traveled to New York to train under acclaimed dance educators, including Laurie de Vito, Katiti King, and Diane McCarthy. Stephanie believes firmly in continuing and sharing her dance education; thus, she and fellow OMC Dancer, Micaela Coner, recently opened their studio, The Coda.  By day, she is an English teacher at St. Joseph's Academy and the choreographer and fearless leader of the Catholic High School Bruinettes.

Rebecca Giglio is a Baton Rouge native who trained dance with Powell Moise School of Dance for 15 years and was a member of their competition team for 9 years. She competed and won scholarships from various conventions, and was a member of the LSU dance ensemble.  

Erin Gilbert began her dance training at The Dancers' Workshop in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she was a senior company member with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre for many years. Dance intensives she has attended include the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Parsons Dance Company in New York, and LINES Ballet in San Francisco. At LSU, Erin was a dancer and choreographer with the Dance Ensemble. In 2009, she received the first ever "Outstanding Dance Student" award and scholarship from LSU's Department of Dance.


Trey Gillen, a native of BR, grew up competing in gymnastics. He won the title of 1990 U.S. National Champion and placed 6th at The World Championships for Sport Acrobatics. He moved to NYC where he received a BFA from the Juilliard School. He has performed around the world with dance companies such as Iceland Dance Company, in Reykjavik, Iceland, Los Angeles Chamber Ballet, The Metropolitan Opera Company, Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre, Mark Dendy Dance Theatre, The Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Bopi's Black Sheep and the jazz/gymnastics group Antigravity, Inc. For several years, Trey has also been choreographic assistant to Lila York, creating ballets for The San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, The Royal Birmingham Ballet and The Juilliard School. Currently, Mr. Gillen is Principal dancer with The Nikolais Dance Theatre: A Celebration Tour. His first appearance with OMC was in 2004.

 

Kerrington Griffin is a graduate of Baton Rouge Magnet High School. She has been dancing since the age of three. Kerrington has received most of her dance training from school under the direction of Robbye Thomas, Roxi Victorian, Kris Cangelosi, and Rebecca Acosta.  She has also attended various workshops throughout the city. She most recently attended the Joffrey Ballet School’s Jazz and Contemporary Summer Intensive in New York City.  Kerrington is no stranger to OMC, as she participated in OMC’s Kick it Out for two years.  She was an apprentice with the company for one season and performed as a company dancer from 2019-2020.

 

Marlon Grigsby began his dance training in classical ballet at the Dancers’ Workshop in Baton Rouge. He is a company member with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, under the direction of Molly Buchmann and Sharon Mathews, where he has been featured in many roles in their Spring Concerts and The Nutcracker, including the Nutcracker, Mouse King, and Arabian. He danced with their Ballet for Children and Youth Ballet programs and has been selected to perform with the ballet at Regional Dance America-Southwest festivals. Most recently, he danced and choreographed for the LSU Dance Ensemble. Marlon danced with OMC for two seasons.

Sarah Guarisco has been dancing all her life, mainly training in tap at a young age. She began competing with Revolution Dance Company around the age of 14 where she began training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop and continued training in tap. During her fourth year as a member of Revolution, she was granted the opportunity to train and travel with the dance convention West Coast Dance Explosion's dance company, Fuzion.  

Jeoffery Harris, Jr. is from New Orleans, LA. His training is in multiple dance forms, including Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Hip Hop. He has performed in numerous productions, such as: going on tour from North Carolina to Atlanta, performing at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., where his choreography was showcased on the National level at the American College Dance Festival in the top 30 of 431, and performing as a featured dancer in the movie “Who Do You Love?” Jeoffery was accepted into American Dance Festival at Duke University, and also has performed under the direction of Mrs. Debbie Allen in her Just Dance Production. He is working as an instructor at Danse Noir Studio. He thanks GOD for his unique talent. “Nobody can dance the way that GOD has marked out for me.” Jeoffery danced with OMC in 2010-2011.


Sonja Bruzauskas Haymon, German actress and Mezzo oprano, was featured as a guest artist in voice in 2003. Since 2000, Sonja has been performing as a soloist with the Staatsoperette Dresden, Germany, where she interpreted "Rosina" in "The Barber of Seville", "Eliza" in "My Fair Lady", "Anita" in "West Side Story", "Nancy" in "Martha", "Orlofsky" in "Die Fledermaus" and many more. After earning her undergraduate degree in Musical Theatre Performance at the Folkwang Hochschule Essen, Germany, Sonja graduated from Manhattan School of Music in New York with a Master's Degree in Voice Opera. Ms. Bruzauskas has appeared as soloist in several oratorio concerts and recitals throughout Germany, the USA, and Mexico, and accepted an invitation to compete in the final rounds of the Wagner competition for young voices in Bayreuth, Germany. She currently resides in Houston, TX.


Laura Herrera has been dancing for 10 years in the areas of jazz, ballet and tap. She first started in her home country, Costa Rica, where she became a member of a Jazz Dance Company for four years. With the company, she had the opportunity to participate in The American Theater Dance Workshop in NY (1998) and in two Jazz Dance World Congresses in Buffalo, NY (1999,2000). Laura also became a teacher and choreographer for the school at which she was taught. She left her country to pursue a career in Industrial Engineering in the USA. She danced with OMC from 2002-2003.


Patience Impson has been dancing for 26 years. Patience studied on scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet in New York and Gus Giordano School in Chicago. She danced with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre under the direction of Sharon Mathews and Molly Buchmann for three years. She also currently dances with Izzy Moving Dance Theatre. She danced with In the Company of Dancers under the direction of Company founder, Lisa Hooks-Murray, for three years, then joined OMC in the year 2000. She trained under artists such as Joe Alegado and Danny Scott. She has a degree in English literature.


Mary Cynthia Jenkins, native of Chicago, has been a resident of BR for 12 years. In Chicago, she has instructed modern dance at several inner city District Community Centers. She has danced with Jordan's Dance Ensemble, performing all throughout the Chicago area. Currently, she is performing for churches in Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Louisiana and welcomes more opportunities to serve God with her gift of dance. Mary has taught for OMC' s "C.L.O.S.E.R. to the Arts" outreach program. She is also a manager, certified personal trainer, and aerobics instructor at Spectrum Health Club.


Stephen J. Kernion worked with OMC from 2003-2004. He has only been dancing for about three years, but has been very dedicated to this trade. He is a senior at LSU and recently became a Theatre Performance major. He has studied under Lucrecia Hydell, Keri Bourg, Susan Perlis, & Molly Buchmann. He hopes to attend film school at UCLA and one day become a director or choreographer. His inspirations include Bob Fosse, Stanley Kubrick, and Christopher Walken.
 

Sarazen Knight is a Louisiana State University graduate, where she is earned a degree in economics. She has danced for 11 years, and she spent 8 years of her training at Machita Dance Company. She danced competitively with MDC for 4 years and attended various dance competitions/conventions. She has attended SoulEscape Dance Company's summer intensives for two years where she trained with Justin Giles. Sari performed with OMC for three years.

 

Carel Lynn Landry, a native of Baton Rouge, is thirteen years old (2003) and has studied dance under the direction of national award-winning choreographers, GiGi Haddad and Brittany Hastings, at A Chorus Line Dance Studio for the past 10 years. She has participated in plays and theatrical workshops, placed in numerous competitions, and danced a lead in the off-Broadway production of “The Children.” She apprenticed with OMC in 2003-2004.
 

Courtney Landry began her dance training in Baton Rouge at Machita & Company Dance Studio where she was a dedicated competition dancer for 5 years. In 2007, she moved to Los Angeles where she intended to further her professional career performing, teaching and choreographing. While there, she studied at Edge Performing Arts Center and was able to work with choreographers such as Mark Meismer, Keri LeGrand, Joelle Martinec, Nichelle Bane and Doug Caldwell. She traveled with VIP Dance Competition as a Teacher and Judge for various competitions around the US. Courtney moved back to Baton Rouge in 2009 and has been dancing with Of Moving Colors ever since. The company has given her the chance to work with Pavel Zuštiak, Sarah Cullen Fuller, John Allen, and Lindsey Dietz Marchant. She was given the opportunity to dance as Juliet in the 2015 production of Romeo + Juliet. She also has choreographed for the company for 8 years and assisted in creating the sound score for the past 5 years. Courtney taught dance at multiple schools in Baton Rouge: Machita Dance Company, Powell Moise School of Dance & Tari’s School of Dance. She focuses mainly on contemporary technique and likes to bring something different and challenging to each studio and has won several Overall and Choreography awards. Courtney spent time in North Carolina attending the American Dance Festival in 2017 and spent 2 weeks immersed in the Limón Technique at Kent University in Ohio. She also spent a week in NYC for a Kidd Pivot workshop. Courtney was with Of Moving Colors for ten years and was an Associate Artistic Director for three years. 

Breana (Bree) Lathers is a graduate of Grambling State University where she studied Biological Sciences and Dance. She was a member of the Orchesis Dance Company, where she danced in several productions under the direction of Dianne Maroney Grisby. Breana also studied dance under Carol Anglin at the Carol Anglin Dance Center of Shreveport, LA as well as traveled abroad to China to dance on tour. She is currently a floating choreographer and dance teacher assistant at McKinley Middle Magnet under the direction of Roxi Victorian. Breana danced with OMC for 2 years.

Lacy Little is from Franklin, TN. She has been dancing for 11 years. In Tennessee, she danced with Ann Carroll School of Dance under the direction of Ann Carroll, Julie Palmer, and Jerry Noone. She was a colorguard member of the LSU Tiger Band from 2001-2004. She is an LSU graduate and holds a degree in General Studies with minors in biology, chemistry, anthropology, dance and jewelry making/metalsmithing. Lacy plans on pursuing a career in medicine. She joined Of Moving Colors in 2005.

David Llorca, a French artist and current PhD student at LSU, is a strong figure in the contact improvisation and somatic dance world. After various performances in Strasbourg, Paris, Boston and New York with Mark Tompkins, Claude Coldy, Alain Montebran, Odile Duboc, Robert VerEecke and Daniela Swartz among others, he recently presented lectures at NYU tying together movement and philosophy. David appeared with OMC in PINK!


Melana L. Lloyd is a native of Lafayette, LA. She is an LSU Alumna and is finishing her second year in the Master of Fine Arts program from the Tisch School of the Arts (NYU) in New York City. She has been studying dance since the age of 13 at PJ's School of Dance, Lafayette Parish High School Arts Academy, and The Alvin Ailey School of Dance. Melana was with OMC since its inception in 1998. She thanks God for her gift, her loved ones for the encouragement, and the company for the opportunity to DANCE.


Alia Maggio is a native of Thibodaux, Louisiana. She has recently graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelors in Psychology. Alia started dancing in high school with her high school dance team. She has attended classes from guest artists Nicole Caccivio, Danny Scott, and Stephen Wynne. Two years ago, she started taking classes from Tari Smith of Tari's School of Dance. She danced with OMC in 2003-2004.


Leslie Malick began training in 1987 under NYC Ballet’s David Keary – current Artistic Director of Ballet Mississippi. Throughout this time, she also trained under the late Hollis Pippin (Soul Train Gang), Elizabeth Sullivan, Lisa Brown and Tammy Bomar. Leslie first danced with OMC in 1999 under the direction of Garland G. Wilson and has since performed in Red, Green (1999-2002), Dance Philadelphia/Baton Rouge, White, Loupe’d, Lilac Magenta, and Paradise Orange. Her last performance with the company was Vertical Voyage, a collaboration with the Baton Rouge Symphony in 2005. During that time, she worked with myriad artists including Nicole Cassivio, Stephen Wynne, Coco Loupe, Emily Plauche-Flink, Ashleigh Leite, Irene Rampino, Nick Erickson and Palo Zustiak. In 2002, Leslie also joined Izzy Moving Dance Theatre under the direction of Dana Brewer-Plazinic and performed various works in New Orleans, New York and Baton Rouge.

Caroline Martin previously trained for fifteen years and competed for eight years with Powell-Moise School of Dance. Caroline taught/assisted dance class for six years at Powell-Moise. She is attending Louisiana State University where she is studying Kinesiology in pursuit of a career in Occupational Therapy. Through her education at Louisiana State University, she has taken ballet and aerial silks classes. Caroline competed with her sorority, Delta Zeta, in their 2017 Songfest Performance. Caroline performed with Of Moving Colors in their 9th anniversary of Kick it Out! Caroline was a member in Of Moving Colors for three years.

 

Meghan McCulla is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin in theater and dance. She began her dance training in Baton Rouge and has danced through Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New York. While studying under mentors such as Kent deSpain, Yacov Sharir, and Andee Scott, Meghan has found a passion not only for modern dance, but also contact improvisation. Throughout the years, Meghan has taught jazz, modern dance, and children's creative movement. In addition, she is also a Pilates instructor and Personal Trainer. She recently worked with Irene Rampino at E-Centrics Physical Therapy.  Meghan taught class at the Dance Center in Baton Rouge under the ownership of Tamu Wilson and Jennifer White. Meghan joined the company in the beginning of 2006 and served as Associate Director for 2 years.

 

Bethany Jones McCullough began her dance training with Renee Chatelain and Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre. She spent one year training intensively at the Alvin Ailey School, also completing intensives at the Martha Graham School, Jose Limon Institute, Paul Taylor School and Vienna Dance Festival. In 2002, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Florida State University.  She has performed with Dance Repertory Theater FSU, Xaris Dance, Tsunami Dance Company, Cangelosi Dance Project, and as a soloist with Fuzion Dance Artists at the Alabama Dance Summit. Bethany is also certified in Pilates and the Gyrotonic system and teaches creative movement for children at First Presbyterian Mothers Day Out program. Her choreography has been performed by Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre for RDA Southwest Festival, where she received the Project Tier Choreography honor. She teaches and choreographs for OMC and has danced with the company since its inception in 1998.


Dina Ternullo Melley, originally from Boston, studied under Donna Silva and Jennifer Scanlon at the Boston Conservatory, earning a BFA in dance. Dina also trained at the Joffrey School in San Antonio and with Gus Giordano in Chicago. She has performed master works by José Limón, Paul Taylor, and Donald McKayle and tours internationally with the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble. In 2002, Dina performed for Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada. Since arriving in Baton Rouge, she has been privileged to perform with Baton Rouge Ballet Theater's "Ballet for Children," CTK Liturgical Dancers, has performed in conjunction with the LSU School of Music, and teaches at local studios and LSU. Dina performed with OMC for two seasons.

Craig J. Messina was born and raised in Schenectady, NY where his study of dance began with Darlene Myers, performing in Northeast Ballet's productions of Nutcracker, Cinderella, Night & Day. Additionally, he attended summer dance programs at San Francisco Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and American Dance Festival. Mr. Messina continued his dance education at the Conservatory of Dance of SUNY Purchase. While earning his BFA, Mr. Messina performed the works of Stanton Welch (with ABT II), Nicolo Fonte, Jacqualine Bugulisi, Asun Noales, Richard Cook and H.T. Chen's "Legacy", as part of an International Dance Festival in Dusseldorf, Germany. Returning to Schenectady, his performances included Stories that Dance, Andy Warhol Suite, and The Nutcracker, as well as choreographing and teaching for both Myers' students and Northeast Ballet. Craig performed with Of Moving Colors Productions for three years.

Catherine Ledet Mier trained at Jill Listi Dance Studio in Lafayette for 12 years and taught there beginning in 2011. She has travelled to New York City to train at the Radio City Rockettes Summer Intensive for the last three years and has also trained at Broadway Dance Center. Catherine was a member of the national champion St. Thomas More Sparklers Dance team for four years. She graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2016 with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and currently works at W. R. Grace as a Chemical Engineer. Catherine performed in Kick It Out in 2019 and was a company member for one full season.

 

Larry Montelongo is a Modern/Contemporary dance teacher at Javier’s Dance Studio. He is a dance major at Southeastern Louisiana University, and has performed in the SLU Moxie Dance Project Spring and Fall Concerts under the direction of Dana Brewer-Plazinic.  As a dedicated dancer and choreographer, Larry continues to enhance his skills by taking master classes and dance intensives. He has taken classes with master teachers David Howard, Chris Hale, Joy Karly, and Andrey Silantiev at the Broadway Dance Center in New York. Larry performed for one season with Of Moving Colors.


Michael J. Morris is a BR native and BFA modern dance major at Belhaven College. He has appeared in works choreographed by Stephen Wynne, Amy Roarke-McIntosh, and Cynthia Newland. Michael studied locally at the Dancer’s Workshop and BRHA under Sharon Mathews, artistic director of the BR Ballet Theatre, and appeared in ballets such as Cinderella and Copellia. Michael performed in Shanna Forrestall’s Celebration of Cultural Diversity in 2002, and would like to thank Shanna for the guide she continues to be. Michael has taken class with the David Parsons Company, Coco Loupe, Garland Goodwin Wilson, and a number of other fine local instructors. Michael appeared in Sienna and Peacock Blue.


Lauren Nathanson has been dancing for eleven years. She danced previously with Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre under the direction of Sharon Mathews, Molly Buchmann, and Susan Perlis. She danced with the Atlanta Ballet for two years under the artistic direction of John McFall, where she trained with artists such as the late Fernando Bujones. Lauren has attended summer intensives on scholarship such as ABT, Austin Ballet, and Juilliard. She attended Atlanta Ballet's summer programs for five years on full scholarship. Lauren teaches ballet at Dance and Company, and she is also employed by the law office of Andre P. LaPlace. Lauren joined the company in 2004.

Le'Brian A. Patrick, has a PhD from Louisiana State University in the Department of Sociology and the Women's and Gender Studies program. He is originally from Amite, LA. He became intrigued with dancing as a child, but began taking classes at age 24 at LSU. He instantly loved ballet and has voluntarily taken consecutive classes. He is presently a company member of the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater dance company. In addition, he has performed in a number of theater productions with the Louisiana State University Music and Dramatic Arts and Communications Studies departments, as well as with New Venture Theater and other local community productions. He is grateful for the opportunity to dance with OMC and to continue doing what he loves: performing.


Martinique Marcella Harris Perkins is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a bachelor of science in psychology. She has been dancing for 15 years and has studied under Kris Cangelosi, Renee Chatelain, and Laurie Minarik. While with the company, Martinique has trained under artists such as Irene Rampino and Dana Brewer. She has been in the productions of Lilac Magenta, White, Green, and Paradise Orange. Martinique was with Of Moving Colors for three years. She also teaches liturgical dance at New Pilgrim Baptist.


Jessamyn Polson began her training at the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica. In her second year, she received a full scholarship and danced with Danza Una. She continued her training at the Conservatorio el Barco with Jimmy Ortiz and Veronica Llanez. Jessamyn was also part of the touring company Circunnavegantes, under the choreographer David Calderon. She has recently moved from Costa Rica to Baton Rouge as an intern with OMC.

 

Rebekah Prudhomme, native of Opelousas, LA, began her dance training under the direction of Cathy Hebert at Hebert Dancentre. She has attended summer intensives at Oberlin College and the USA IBC dance school, various dance conventions across the South, and participated in UL Lafayette’s State of LA Dance. Rebekah was also a part of LSU Dance Ensemble for three years.  


Nalini A. Raghavan has been training in the classical Indian dance form of Bharata Natyam under the direction of guru Padmini Chari in the Kalakshetrastyle. She is founder and director of the Amruthananda School of Bharata Natyam. Ms. Raghavan also received training from renowned guru, Padmasri Kalaimamani Adyar K. Lakshaman in Madras, India. Raghavan has performed in public venues such as Red River Revel in Shreveport and in staged productions such as the dance drama, Krishnanjali. Most recently, Raghavan produced and performed a two and a half hour solo performance named Arangetram. She has been featured twice with Of Moving Colors Productions.


Erin Jennings Reynolds has been dancing for 18 years. She has danced with Phyllis Guy Dance Center, Spotlight Dance Center, and Dream Factory Dance Academy where she is presently on staff. Most recently she attended Impulstanz in Vienna and studied under Risa Steinberg and David Zambrano. She is a graduate of LSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Child Consumer Science and she is Montessori Certified through NCME. After a year and a half in Vegas she returned home to Baton Rouge and currently teaches at LaPrintaniere Montessori School.


Jamie Johnell Roddy has been a student of dance for 11 years (in 2003). She has been with the Children’s Moving Company of Zachary, under the artistic direction of Becky Coxe, for 10 years. She has received Outstanding Junior Dancer and Dancer of the Year 2 years in a row. She is a member of the BR Ballet Junior Company and the Tri-Parish Senior Dance Company. She apprenticed with OMC in the Fall of 2003.

Emily Rodriguez previously trained at Northshore Academy of Dance.  She has attended numerous conventions and classes ranging from the Gulf coast region, Las Vegas, and New York.  Since 2007 she has been a staff member at Northshore Academy of Dance teaching the contemporary style. She currently choreographs for NAD’s competitive teams, and her choreography has won numerous awards.  She is currently a senior at Louisiana State University, where is majoring in International Studies with a concentration in Global Studies and Africa. She also trains as a dance minor; she has participated as a dancer and choreographer in the LSU Modern Dance Ensemble for three years.  Emily worked with Of Moving Colors 2009-2012.


Calvin Rowe studied theatre under Nancy Keel, Joseph Frost, and Dr. Louis Campbell, the latter two of Belhaven College. His theatrical roles include Aztrov in Uncle Vanya, Fabian in Twelfth Night, and an ensemble production of Antigone. He was also in the world premier of Rememberfall by Joseph Frost. He studied and performed dance under Stephen Wynne of Belhaven College. Calvin danced with OMC from 2008 to 2011.

 

Emily Roy is a native of Baton Rouge receiving her BFA in dance with an emphasis in modern technique from Belhaven University. She primarily trained at The Dancer’s Workshop as a teenager and danced with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater’s Senior Company for five years. Emily further went on to study with Ballet Magnificat! and The Joffrey School but has recently worked with prominent artists in the Jackson, Mississippi area as a music video choreographer and performer.  Outside of Jackson, Emily is an ambassador and member of the Alabama Dance Council where she performs and choreographs for the New Works concerts.  In Louisiana, she teaches all around the capital city with studios and schools and is currently dancing with Of Moving Colors.

Christina Russo has been dancing for 16 years. She trained at Body Expressions in Mandeville and was a member of the company for 4 years. She was also a member of the nationally-ranked UDA Mandeville High School Spinnakers dance team for 4 years. Christina was on the LSU Golden Girl line for 4 years. She taught jazz for a year at The Dancer’s Workshop in Baton Rouge during college and was also a UDA instructor for one summer. She continues to teach private lessons to dancers trying out for high school and college dance teams.  

Muriel Santana began her classical training under Spring Garcia at the Capdepon Ballet School in Slidell, LA. In 2005 she was accepted into the ballet program at Loyola University where she studied under Gayle Parmelee, Laura Zambrano, and Gilbert Rome. Muriel has also trained with Javiers Dance Studio and the Giacobbe Dance Academy, performing professionally with Javiers Dance Company and the Delta Festival Ballet. She also performed with Arova Contemporary Ballet in Birmingham, Alabama as an apprentice for their 2011-2012 season. Muriel danced with Of Moving Colors for four seasons.

Rebecca Sawyer previously trained for 16 years at Morgan Street Dance Company and The Dance Warehouse, Inc. In Lafayette, Louisiana. As a member of LA Dance Junior and Senior companies, she attended various conventions and competitions and performed in summer intensives programs at Ballet Austin. She participated in classes at EDGE Performing Arts, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Jazz Dance World Congress, Alvin Ailey’s Dance, and Arizona Jazz Showcase. Rebecca was a member of the nationally-ranked UDA Sparklers High School Dance Team. Her teaching experience included private lessons and choreography for future dance team members.  


Hannah Beth Schuster, a native Oklahoman, continues to pursue a dance career that began eight years ago. While attending LSU in Baton Rouge during 1996 to 1999, Hannah joined the Of Moving Colors during its first year as a company. In July 1999 Hannah moved to New York City to study dance at the renowned Ailey School, formerly called Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She attended Long Island University in Brooklyn and participated in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program for dance and choreography. In January 2003, Hannah returned to Baton Rouge and LSU to complete her degree. She is very happy to be reunited with her former dance company, OMC.

Anna Schwab trained for 16 years with Donna Blanchard at Powell-Moise School of Dance. From 2005 to 2007, Anna attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she trained in modern dance technique. In 2006 Anna traveled to New York to perform OMC’s Vertical Voyage at Dance New Amsterdam, where she was featured as a soloist. Anna attended ImpulsTanz International Dance Festival in Vienna, Austria in 2007, and in association with OMC, she has performed the work of choreographers such as Pavel Zustiak and Netta Yerushalmy. Anna teaches at Powell-Moise School of Dance. She is the mother of a three-year-old daughter, Quinn, who also happens to love dancing. This is Anna’s sixth season with Of Moving Colors.

 

Jacie Scott is a product of Monroe, La. Her love for dance transpired at the age of six, training with Linda Lavender School of Dance and the Twin City Ballet Company in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and hip-hop. In 2012, Jacie earned her degree in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University where she was a 3-year member of the LSU Tiger Girls, winning the UDA Collegiate Hip-Hop Championship in 2010. Following her graduation from LSU, Jacie auditioned for and was named a world-famous, internationally acclaimed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. In her time with the DCC, Jacie traveled the world as a member of the Show Group. She visited Bahrain, Kuwait, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, and Guam as an entertainer and goodwill ambassador on four separate tours with the United Services Organization. She’s also shared the stage with some of the best in the music industry, including Usher, Selena Gomez, Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, and Luke Bryan, on the nationally televised Thanksgiving NFL Halftime performance at AT&T stadium. In 2017, Jacie was given the opportunity of a lifetime to dance on the Great Stage of Radio City Music Hall as a Radio City Rockette. Jacie performed with OMC from 2019-2020. 


Arlando Smith 's local credits include Fences for Swine Palace, The Three Penny Opera for LSU Theatre, and A Cajun Christmas Carol for Playmakers among many others. He has also toured around the nation with various theatre companies. Plans for the future may include graduate school in acting. He was very happy to make his Of Moving Colors debut with Sienna. He sends endless thanks to Yvonne, Randi, Garland and Jen.

Adrienne Sonnier has previously trained at Dance Connection in Abbeville, LA and Delarue Dance Centre in Lafayette, LA graduating with teacher's courses in ballet, tap, and jazz. For the past 8 years, she has taught at Jete's Dance Company working with beginner to advanced level students and the company team, where she received a Choreography award for her piece "Armchairs."  In the summer of 2008, Adrienne attended a workshop at Broadway Dance Center obtaining a teacher's certification. She was also a three-year staff member for the Universal Dance Association and a two-year dancer and choreographer for LSU's Modern Dance Ensemble.  Adrienne is currently a Pilates instructor.  She danced for two years with Of Moving Colors.


Anne Tangi has trained with the Lemoine-Chatelain Dance Center, the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, the Dance Center Inc., and the McKinley High Dance Department, where she has performed as well as choreographed. She has appeared in The Inner-City Nutcracker, and The Nutcracker: A Tale From the Bayou. She also loves cultural dance forms, such as Latin, and has performed in Filipino and East Indian works. Anne is a freshman at LSU and has danced with OMC in Vertical Voyage, the Louisiana Dance Festival, and Gifts of Red and Green. She began dancing with the company in 06-07.

Carrie Tatum began dancing under Donna Blanchard at Powell-Moise School of Dance, where she has now been on staff for fifteen years. She has also trained with Ashleigh Leite, Laurie Minarik, and Susan Perlis, among many others. Carris has performed and learned in venues across the US and beyond- including Vienna, Las Vegas, and NYC- and is a member of the educational organization Dance Masters of America, having been certified by test to teach ballet and modern. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from LSU. Her pastimes include raising a child and letting plants die. Carried joined OMC as a dancer in 2002 and served as Associate Director from 2007-2019. 


Jeremy Theriot is a graduate of LSU in Biological Engineering. Jeremy made his theatrical debut in a short movement production of Shakespeare's “The Tempest” (2002). He can currently be seen in the acrobatic dance company CAGED, directed by Nick Erickson. Sienna was his first and only appearance with Of Moving Colors, as he moved to California shortly afterward. When not walking on his hands or swinging from trees, he likes to sleep, dreaming of tuna and beef and of his aversion to vegetables. He would like to thank Garland, Coco, and Nick for all their help.


Monica (Thibodeaux) Theriot has been dancing for over 17 years. She enjoys dancing and dedicates all her time to fulfilling that enjoyment. Monica performs with Of Moving Colors and also with Nick Erickson is CAGED. She would like to become a professional dancer and is currently attending California State University at Long Beach to major in dance. She worked with OMC for two years.

 

Harlee Trautman began training at the age of three at Gulf Coast School of Performing Arts and also continued er dance studies with the Gulf Coast Ballet Academy. She performed and competed with D-sire the Company in Biloxi, MS. Currently, Harlee is on faculty at South Mississippi Ballet Theatre and has choreographed national award-winning pieces for her students. She attends LSU and performs with the LSU Dance Ensemble. This is Harlee's third season with Of Moving Colors.


Genevieve (Jenna) Tucci, the daughter of Steven and Kathleen Tucci, recently graduated from BR Magnet High School. From 1995-1999 she danced with Renee Chatelaine and Cecil Lemoine at the Dance Center. She took a break from dancing for three years to play sports. She lettered in volleyball and tennis at BRMHS. She has rekindled her love for dance and has immersed herself in the art. She apprenticed with OMC in 2003-2004.


Randi Turkin made her fourth and final appearance with OMC in 2003 before moving to Austin, TX. She has trained for 19 years in various styles including ballet, modern, tap, and jazz under several artists including Berlin's Nicole Cassivio and NYC's Skip Costa. Last summer she attended the NYC Core Movement Project's Summer Intensive as a scholarship student. Her choreography has most recently been performed for Baton Rouge's WVLA 33, in LSU's Spring Concerts 2001 and 2002, and in "Paradise Orange." Much thanks to Garland for letting her light a few fires in Sienna. To those who inspire her, you are forever in her heart.

Toi Turner has trained for 18 years at Powell-Moise School of Dance under the direction of Donna Blanchard. She has traveled and competed regionally and nationally studying under numerous choreographers. Toi has represented Dixie Dance Masters as their Teen Miss Dance 2005 and as their Miss Dance 2009, where she went on to compete for the national title of Teen Miss Dance of America and for the title of Miss Dance of America. She has had the honor of working with Debbie Allen in her production of “Just Dance.”  Toi’s worked with Of Moving Colors in 2010-2011.

Roxi Victorian holds a BFA in theater and dance from Howard University, a diploma from the North Carolina School of the Arts, and a certificate in Shakespeare from the British Academy of Dramatic Arts at Oxford University. In addition, she has trained at the International School of Ballet in Cannes, France, the Academy of Theatrical Arts and the Jones Haywood School of Ballet in Washington DC.  She was a selected member of the Juilliard Experience at the Juilliard School in New York and has been accepted to and awarded scholarships from the Alvin Ailey School, and the Emerson College School of Dance and Drama. She is a founding member of the Dance Collective Baton Rouge. She recently served as the Director of Dance at Episcopal High School, where she founded the first chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance in the state of Louisiana. She founded the second chapter in her current position as Dance Head at McKinley Middle School.  She has served as an Adjunct Prof of Dance at LSU and ballet teacher at Taris School of Dance and Mainstreet Dance in Hammond. Roxi is an MA/Ph.D. candidate at Texas Woman’s University with a concentration in Dance Education. 

Rachel Vierck-Amie grew up training at various studios around Baton Rouge, predominately Baton Rouge Dance Connection and Revolution Dance Company. She graduated from Louisiana State University with two bachelors' degrees in Mass Communication and Theatre Performance. At LSU she performed and choreographed with the LSU Dance Ensemble, Legacy Dancers, LSU Theatre, and led the LSU Tap Ensemble. Training highlights include: Disney Dancin', Parsons Dance Company Summer Intensive in NY, The Edge Performing Arts in CA, learning Crystal Pite repertory through a KiddPivot intensive at Peridance Capezio Center in NY, The Dance Masters of America Teacher Training School at the University of Buffalo, and with Debbie Allen and other notable artists through her competitive training years. Performance highlights include Walt Disney World, halftime for the New Orleans Saints, Just Dance with Debbie Allen, and the Parsons Dance Summer Showcase, in addition to work in film and regional theatres. Rachel has danced professionally with Emmy Award winner Heidi Malnar's company Theatre on Tap and Dance Collective Baton Rouge.  She has taught with programs across south Louisiana, including Saint Joseph's Academy, St. Luke’s Episcopal School, The Manship Theatre, Arts Council of Baton Rouge and various studios. She is a certified dance educator through Dance Masters of America, certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) and a member of the National Dance Educators Organization. She is also an active board member of Dance Masters of America’s 37th Chapter. In 2015, she established a new dance studio in the greater Baton Rouge area, RAVE Performing Arts Company, in which she remains the owner and Artistic Director of both the studio and the performance/competitive company. She was a company member of OMC for 7 years.

Christine Vinci has been dancing for 19 years and is currently a dance minor at LSU. She has studied dance with Kelli’s Kreative Dance and the Jefferson Ballet Theatre. She is a member of the LSU Dance Ensemble and has choreographed for the LSU Dance Concert and the Louisiana Dance Festival. She has also choreographed and competed on both the regional and national levels. She presently teaches ballet at Cindy’s School of Dance. Christine is originally from Kenner, LA and will be graduating this year with a degree in psychology. This is Christine’s first year with OMC.

Jamal Wade, age 16, was a junior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School when he apprenticed with OMC in 2011. He is president of the Dance Club and a student of Sharon Mathews. Jamal attends the Dancer's Workshop, the feeder school of the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater. He has performed with artists such as Debbie Allen and Dion Watson.


Cheryl Walker has been a dancer for over fifteen years, she has studied and performed with 2M's School of Dance for the past 10 years and Laurie Minarik at McKinley Senior High for four years. Her love of dance has led her to cross-train in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and modern. This adds to her knowledge and technique. Recognized for her artwork and writing, Cheryl spent a summer at Emory University in Atlanta in a Youth Theological Initiative. She hopes to study religion and the arts. She danced with OMC in 2002-2003.


Allison Ward is currently a senior at LSU studying History and Dance. She performs and choreographs with the LSU Dance Ensemble. Allison grew up dancing with DeFrances Academy of Dance. This previous year she was a guest artist in the opera La Traviata, Bill T. Jones' company's local show, and Martha Graham's "Panorama."


Shaun Warner is a native of New Orleans, LA. He has studied dance at Bonnie Adams Dance Studio in NO, LSU, BRLT, Tari’s School of Dance, and Elite Dance School under Stephanie and Theresa Whitaker. He has performed in The Death of Bessie Smith at UNO at LSU; Playmakers Wind & the Willows 10th anniversary addition. Shaun performed with the Baton Rouge Little Theatre in Damn Yankees and the Wizard of Oz, He also performed in Jelly’s Last Jam with the Inner City Community Theatre. He danced in OMC's production of Peacock Blue.


Jennifer Williams, danced with OMC in 2003-2004. She has always loved to dance. She grew up dancing under the instruction of DeFrances Academy of Dance, where she learned tap, ballet, modern, and jazz. Some of her fondest childhood memories include participating at dance conventions in Myrtle Beach, Virginia, New York City, Las Vegas, and Chicago. She also enjoyed studying under Sharon Mathews and Molly Buchmann of the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater during her years at Baton Rouge High and LSU. Currently, Jennifer was so grateful for having the opportunity to dance with OMC. She has admired the company for many years and thanks Garland and the rest of the crew for welcoming her into their group.

Rikki Willis trained with Morgan Street Dance Co. in Broussard, LA from age seven to age eighteen.  During her undergraduate course studies at LSU, she was a dancer and choreographer in the LSU Dance Ensemble.  She performed in the 2004, 2005, and 2006 LSU spring dance concerts.  In 2009, she appeared in Martha Graham's Panorama with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre as well as the OMC shows Longitude and Looking Glass, and in 2010, she appeared in OMC’s Kick It Out and Aqua. In 2011, she appeared in OMC’s Not Until Now.  She currently teaches honors English II at Baton Rouge Magnet High School.  Rikki danced with OMC for four seasons.

Past Performers
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