Faculty
This past summer, Li-Chou Cheng taught as ballet master for Texas Ballet Theater, Atlanta Ballet and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre restaging the 3rd Act of Raymonda for the graduate level students in Pittsburgh. Internationally he traveled to Taiwan and taught for Taipei National University of the Arts and set an original choreography in Macau, China at the Hong Peng Wa School of Ballet.
Susan Douglas Roberts’ new work, Moonfall, was performed by Laura Barbee (BAMO 2006) at the World Dance Alliance-Americas General Assembly in Madison, WI (May), Brincos International Dance Festival in Guatemala (July) and for City Parks Foundation/NYC – East River Park – as part of the VonHowardProject performance (August). She just completed her first course toward the Women’s Studies Graduate Certificate at TWU. Her solo, Lifeline, performed by Ashanti Williams (MODA 2008), was part of an exhibition at the Nave Museum in Victoria, TX titled Mentors and Muses, curated by former student Debra Chronister.
Roma Flowers gave a Lighting Design for Dance lecture/workshop to MFA students at Texas Woman’s University in November of 2008. February of 2009 found her back at TWU designing the lighting for Tennessee William’s The Glass Menagerie directed by Sharon Benge. She was also lighting designer for the 11th Annual Debbie Allen Dance Institute Concert this past June which was presented at Ed Landreth Auditorium.
Elizabeth Gillaspy served as rehearsal director for Susan Jaffe’s ballet, UnCaged, which was adjudicated and chosen for the Gala Performance at the 2009 South Central Region ACDFA Conference, hosted by Texas A&M University. She is entering her second active year as President of CORPS de Ballet after hosting the 11th Annual Teacher Conference at TCU in July 2009. The five-day conference drew attendees from over 20 U.S. states, Canada and England.
Suki John had the opportunity to accompany her late father, Dr. E. Roy John, to Cuba where she continued research for a book about Cuban Modern Dance. She interviewed Cuban National Ballet Artistic Director, Alicia Alonso, prima ballerina Viengsay Valdes, and the founder of the Cuban contemporary technique, Ramiro Guerra. She recently presented her research at the Society for Dance History Scholars and the Popular Culture Association conferences. She premiered her first choreography for DanceTCU, a collaboration with composer Joel Diamond. Suki is co-writing Susan Jaffe’s biography.
Nina Martin spent the better part of the summer working on her comprehensive exams for the Ph.D. Just before school started, she traveled to Germany and Lithuania to lead Contact Improvisation workshops.
Ellen Page Shelton continues to work tirelessly for the growth and development of the SCCDance. She is an active member of the National Association of Schools of Dance and will participate in the upcoming conference.
Current Students
Grants and awards:
Adrian Busby (BFA May 2010) attended Earthdance with a grant from the TCU Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Initiative in June.
Summer McGowan was awarded a grant from TCU Transitions – Project Junior Giveback – to offer creative movement for children in the Fort Worth ISD. Summer is the new president of the Chi Tau Epsilon Dance Honor Fraternity.
Workshops and Performance:
Rachel Cummings and Jerusha Weaver attended Bates Dance Festival.
Eli Mendoza and Asia Waters attended the American Dance Festival at Duke University in Durham, NC.
Brie Lowry and Lacey Taylor attended the Burklyn Ballet Workshop and Lacey traveled with the group to perform in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Sandra Plunkett studied with Ballet Memphis this summer and then attended the Frieburg Contact Improvisation Festival (Germany).
Updates from the 2009 graduates
Heather Bays is dancing with Georgia Festival Ballet.
Erica Hochstedler attended the American Dance Festival.
Anne Lukowiak begins her student teaching in the dance program at Arlington Heights High School this fall.
Candace Rattliff is dancing with Hopestone Company in Houston, TX
Patty Solórzano’s Honors Project, Expressing the Immigrant Experience and Culture Through Dance, was one of four finalists for the Boller Award, and her work was adjudicated for publication in the TCU Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. Patty attended the American Dance Festival this summer.
Sarah Yarbrough is dancing with Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX and just restaged her Senior Capstone project for dancers in the Stephen F. Austin State University Dance Program.
In Memorium
Fernando Schaffenburg (1925-2009) Chair 1964-1988.
Calloway Cochran (1933-2009) Husband of founder/director of the BFA in Modern Dance, Jerry Bywaters Cochran
