FAC National Honor Society for Dance Arts Induction Ceremony

Mireille Fehler-Secretary, Hannah Winton-Treasurer, Jacqueline Calle-Vice President,
Rhiannon Laymon-President presenting Certificates and Awards

Pre-Concert for the FAC Dance Concert on April 26th four new members were inducted into the FAC Chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA). 

The four new members: Nikki Morath, Lauren Hurley, Sydney Parker, Rachel Spitzmiller.

Hannah Winton is dressed for her Senior Prom, which was the same evening as the FAC Concert.  She came from Prom activities for Induction and Concert and then continued with her Prom!


Current members of NHSDA are:  Jacqueline Calle*****+, Caitlin Drummond*, Mireille Fehler*****, Rhiannon Laymon ***, Nikki Morath, Kara Nightingale, Kendall Roberson *, Carley Tomlinson, Mattison Williams ***, and Hannah Winton***.

+Jacqueline Calle was one of two Finalists in the 2012 NDEO (National Dance Education Organization) Artistic Merit, Leadership, and Academic Achievement Award, placing her in the top four in the nation.

*denotes the number of Stars earned--each Star places members at the next level

New Members and Dancers Receiving Star Awards

Carley Tomlinson--1st Star, Kendall Roberson--2nd Star, 

Kaitlyn Schultz--3rd Star and Mattison Williams-4th Star Award

Dance Concert April 26, 2013

The Fine Arts Center Dance Concert performance is Friday, April 26th at 7:00 PM in the Wade Hampton High School Theatre--the building adjacent to the Fine Arts Center.

The repertory includes choreography by Tim Glenn (Associate Professor in the School of Dance at Florida State University and a former dancer with the Nikolais/Louis Dance Company), Tyler Gilstrap (founding member of Battleworks Dance Company and featured dancer in such films as Across the Universe, directed by Julie Taymor), Sara Procopio (founding member and former Artistic Associate of Shen Wei Dance Arts),  Rebecca Lee (Wildwood Ballet, alumna of the Fine Arts Center and Director of the ARMES Dance Program), and Andrew Kuharsky (Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and Director of the Greenville Ballet).

The concert has a wide variety of dances and should run between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 hours.

"Crash Rhythm" choreographed by Tyler Gilstrap to be performed in FAC Dance Concert April 26th

  Olivia Hopkins in the air  with dancers Kathy Gale, Addison Kreisher, and Megan Hannon

"Crash Rhythm" was re-staged on the AM dancers in January and is a very high energy dance piece. Tyler Gilstrap earned her B.F.A. in Dance from Southern Methodist University and performed "Midsummer Marriage" with the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany after graduation.  Ms. Gilstrap has been a featured dancer in such films as "Across the Universe," directed by Julie Taymor, and "The Wackness," directed by Jonathan Levine.  She was also the assistant choreographer for the film, "Love and Other Drugs".  Ms. Gilstrap has taught hip-hop and modern/contemporary dance in Germany, Hungary, Italy and throughout the United States.  She was a founding member of Battleworks Dance Company, under the direction of Robert Battle, who is currently the Artistic Director of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.  She has also danced with Morales Dance, Patrick Corbin, and the Amy Marshall Dance Company.

"Crash Rhythm" choreographed by Tyler Gilstrap

“Chaconne” choreographed by Tim Glenn to be performed in FAC Dance Concert April 26th

Rhiannon Laymon and Nikki Morath in "Chaconne"

"Chaconne" choreographed by Tim Glenn, Associate Professor of Dance at Florida State University and former member of the Nikolais/Louis Dance Company is one of the dances that will be performed in the FAC Dance Concert on April 26th.  According to Mr. Glenn, the dance, "Chaconne" is a pure movement work based on the musical form, which includes variations on a repeated musical structure of "Symphony for Eight" by Phillip Glass.

Kendall Roberson, Jacqueline Calle and Kaitlyn Schultz

 Caitlin Drummond, Carley Tomlinson, Hannah Winton and Mireille Fehler

Costumes created by Dance Alumna Parent and Current Visual Art Student

Meade Inglis and Teri Goddard

Teri Goddard, a costume designer, designed and created the costumes for "Chaconne", choreographed by guest artist Tim Glenn.  Assisting Ms. Goddard is Meade Inglis, a current Visual Art student at the Fine Arts Center.  Teri Goddard created costumes in the past for such dance pieces as "Mud", choreographed by guest artist Lisa Wheeler, when her daughter FAC dance alumna, Danielle Goddard, attended the Fine Arts Center.

Early stages of the costume design

Guest Artist Rebecca Lee sets another new choreographic work

Rebecca Lee set another choreographic work on FAC dancers—her first for the PM dancers during her week residency at the end of February.  Ms Lee, an alumna of the Fine Arts Center, received her BFA from Columbia College in Columbia, SC and her MFA from Florida State University.  She has been a company member with Dance Repertory Theatre in Tallahassee, Florida, the Power Company in Columbia, SC, a guest artist with Wildwood Ballet and with Christian von Howard in the Von Howard Project in New York City. She is currently an artist-in-residence in Spartanburg and is the director of the ARMES Dance Program.

Dancers take master class with two cast members from “Billy Elliot”

On February 14^th the afternoon dancers had the privilege of taking a master class with two cast members from the National Tour of “Billy Elliot-The Musical” at the Peace Center. The dancers learned a dance that was a compilation of various sections of the show—it was non-stop dancing for the entire hour class!

To see more--go to the link below posted by Greenville Online, which includes interviews:

Link to video from master class with Christopher Howard and Peyton Royal with "Billy Elliot"!

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013302140013

Master Class at the Peace Center

Video Clip below is an excerpt from the class

Dancers with Peyton Royal and Christopher Howard

Guest Artist Rebecca Lee sets new choreographic work

Rebecca Lee

Rebecca Lee set a challenging work on the AM dancers during her week residency in February.  Ms Lee, an alumna of the Fine Arts Center, received her BFA from Columbia College in Columbia, SC and her MFA from Florida State University. She has been a company member with Dance Repertory Theatre in Tallahassee, Florida, The Power Company in Columbia, South Carolina and guest artist with the Wildwood Ballet.  She has also danced with Christian von Howard in the Von Howard Project in New York City.

Terry Jarrard-Dimond, Visual Artist in Residence, Speaks with Dancers

Terry Jarrard-Dimond and AM Dancers

Dancers listen to Terry Jarrard-Dimond speak about the similarities between art and dance composition.  Ms. Jarrard-Dimond is a textile construction artist and her work is on exhibit in the Francis Sheffield Wood Gallery at the Fine Arts Center from January 23^rd through March 22^nd.  She was in residence for two weeks working with students and sharing her experiences as a textile industry designer and professional artist.

VINCAS GREENE teaches master classes

Vincas Greene, professor of Dance at Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia, taught master classes on January 31^st.  He received his MFA from California Institute of the Arts and has trained with dance artists Merce Cunningham, Mark Morris and Gerri Houlihan among others.  He has choreographed over forty choreographic works and three operas.

AM Dancers

PM Dancers