Kinetics Dance Theatre, School of Contempoary Dance

Faculty

	Carol Asher (Movement and Me, Combo): Carol Asher has a BS Degree in Special and Elementary Education as well as a Dance Minor from the University of Maryland. She holds a Teacher’s Certificate (Advanced Professional) for K-12 Special Education and 1-6 Elementary and Reading Education. Carol has been a special and elementary education teacher for the Howard County School System for over 20 years. Carol was the Creative Movement Program Instructor for the Columbia Association and is affiliated with the National Education Association, Council for Exceptional Children, International Reading Association and is the Artist Enrichment Coordinator for the PTA Executive Board.
	Colleen L. Bogan (Tap and Jazz): Colleen is a member of Dance Masters of America Chapter 17 and is trained and certified in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and modern dance. Colleen has studied dance for over 20 years and has choreographed for various competition dances. She has been a member and a judge for the Mid-Atlantic Dance and Pom Association as well as a judge for TAP Production Competitions. Colleen holds a BA in Interior Design from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.
	Rachel Boyd (Ballet, modern and lyrical): Rachel holds a B.S. degree in Dance Education from Radford University. She is a substitute teacher for Howard County and choreographs for Anne Arundel Community College. Rachel has been dancing since she was 7 years old and has performed at the Kennedy Center as part of the American College Dance Festival. She is a member of Kinetics Dance Theatre’s Professional Company.
	Gina Bates Brown (Ballet): Gina Bates Brown was professionally trained at The Baltimore School for the Arts where she was trained in the Vagonova method. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the North Carolina School of the Arts where she studied Graham technique. Gina’s career in teaching and choreographing began in 1990. She has taught pre-school through 12 grade students in schools, dance studios, recreation and parks programs, the Alvin Ailey Summer Camp and the Baltimore School for the Arts TWIGS program and high school programs. Gina has performed at Dance Place in Washington, DC, The Baltimore Theatre Project, The Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and The Stephen’s Center in NC. She was also a production intern at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in MA. Gina has two creative children and resides in Ellicott City with her husband who was the former Head Electrician for The Richmond Ballet and The Alvin Ailey Dance Company.
	Kelly Cardall (Cardio-Kickboxing, Pilates/Stability Ball): B.A. degree in Theatre Arts (emphasis directing), minor in Communications. Academic and Leadership Scholar. AFAA certified Group Fitness Instructor, Powerhouse Pilates I & II Certification.
	Karen Cerkez (Ballet): Karen Cerkez is a graduate of the Philadelphia Performing Arts High School. She attended The University of the Arts in Philadelphia where she received her Bachelor of the Fine Arts Degree in dance. Karen was awarded a full scholarship to the Rock School and performed with the Pennsylvania Ballet from 1987-1990 and danced professionally for 15 years. Karen has received many awards for excellent achievement in Ballet and has been a teacher and a coach since 1990. Her students have also won platinum and gold medals in ballet and contemporary modern dance and many have pursued careers in the dance field, with much success.
	Kris Copeman (Yoga): Yoga teaching certificate through The Yoga Center of Columbia, MD. Studied under Beryl Bender Birch and David Swenson.
	Lauren Cromer-Snyder, Student Company Director (Creative Dance, Dance Fundamentals, Parent and Child Movement and Song, Modern, Tap): Lauren holds a BA in VPA/Dance and Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where she was an Artist Scholar and writing minor. She is a graduate of Carver Center for the Arts and Technology Dance program. Lauren has danced with Kinetics, Baltimore Dance Project and with NY-based Amy Marshall Dance Company in a workshop performance. This is her sixth year teaching at Kinetics and her fourth year as Student Company director.
	Jennifer Dorsey (Pilates): Jennifer Dorsey received her early training at Kinetics Dance Theatre. She holds a BFA in Dance from TISCH School for the Arts at New York University and a MFA in Choreography and Performance from the University of Maryland at College Park. Jennifer has performed works by Doug Varone, Sean Curran, Mark Haim, David Parsons, Meriam Rosen and Ed Tyler. Her choreography has been chosen for the National American College Dance Festival and has been commissioned by Dickinson College, UMCP, Kinetics Dance Theatre and the Carver Center for the Arts and Technology. Jennifer is an Assistant Professor of Dance and Theatre at Bowie State University and performs with Kinetics’ Professional Company.
	Emily Gibbs ( Ballet, Dance Basics): Emily Juliane Gibbs has been dancing most of her life. Her first dance teacher was her mother, followed by formal training at the Baltimore School for the Arts, Butler University, and UMBC. She has performed with Phoenix Dance Company, Doug Hamby Dance, and Movement Addiction. Emily is a member of KDT”s Professional Dance Company.
	EC Goode (Pre-tap, Hip Hop): EC earned her BA from the University of Maryland at Baltimore County in Visual and Performing Arts with a concentration in Dance and later pursued her graduate studies at NYU. She also holds an AFAA certification in group fitness. EC has performed with The Eleo Pomare Dance Company, Ringling Bros. Circus, Sesame Street Live and several Maryland-based dance companies. Upon her return to Baltimore, EC appeared in and choreographed for several productions for area dinner theatres. EC teaches ballet, modern, tap, hip hop, jazz, Yoga, Pilates, indoor cycling and Kwando throughout the Baltimore/Washington/PA area.
	Marissa D. Guerrero (Jazz): Marisa recently graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park with her MFA in Dance/Choreography. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with an emphasis in choreography and performance from Ohio University. Marissa has currently performs with Nejla Yatkin/NY2 Dance Company and has also performed with Next Reflex Dance Collective, Giselle Mason Dance Projects as well as with Alvin Mayes. Marissa is trained in modern, ballet, jazz, world dance, hip hop, contact improvisation, tap and dance notation.
	Priscilla Kaufhold President of the Board of Directors and Artistic Director for the Professional Company: Priscilla Kaufhold holds and MFA fin Dance and Design from George Washington University and a BA in Performing Arts/Dance from American University. Since February 1998, Priscilla has been the Director for Kinetics Dance Theatre’s Professional Company which has toured throughout the Mid-Atlantic States at various colleges, concert halls, senior centers, schools benefit concerts and festivals. Her choreography has been commissioned by the Arlington Dance Theatre, Glen Echo Dance Theatre, Moving Target, Sharon Wyrrick and Full Circle, Dickinson College and Franklin and Marshall College. Priscilla holds choreographic awards from the Metropolitan Dance Association, Dance Council of Central Pennsylvania and Dance Conduit. She received an Artist-in-Residence grant to work with troubled youth through movement in two middle schools in Lancaster, PA. Priscilla is the resident Costume Designer at Millersville University.
	Alexandra Krebs (Musical Theatre, Jazz): Alex Krebs has been dancing for 12 years and has been trained in a variety of styles including Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap and Hip Hop. As a Dance Company Captain and a member of the Mentor Program at Hammond High School, she was able to continue studying dance and learn more about dance education. In her sophomore year she became involved in the Theatre Department and eventually became a co-choreographer for musical productions. Alex will be attending Howard Community College and plans to transfer to UMBC to continue her studies in Dance Education.
	Sara Malinowski, Junior Company Director (Dance Fundamentals, Jazz, Ballet, Modern): Sara holds a BA in Dance from the University of Maryland at College Park She has performed with Circle of Dance under the direction of Carl Paris and Susan Dodge in New York. Her most rewarding work was bringing dance to public schools on Long Island and in Queens through Circle of Dance's Arts in Education Program. These residencies emphasize transfer of cognitive knowledge and skill development found in dance to other areas of study. Before working as a teaching artist, she spent her years at University if Maryland working with Alvin Mayes as well as in residence with Joe Goode, Dianne McIntyre, and Elisa Clark. She has performed at venues such as The Jack Guidone Theatre, Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, and Dance Place.
	Julie Myers, Vice President of the Board of Directors (Movement and Me, Combo): Julie holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education, B.A. degree in Early Childhood Education and a Minor in Dance.
	Amanda Quayle (Creative Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Dance Basics): Amanda holds a BFA in dance performance from Towson University. She has performed in such ballets as “The Nutcracker” and “Giselle” and also with the Towson University Dance Company. Amanda has performed in the Off-Broadway Baltimore tour of “The Awesome 80’s Prom” under the director Ken Davenport. She has spent her most of her summers performing as a Can-Can dancer at Frontier Town Western Theme Park. Amanda is currently pursuing her MA in Dance Education at the University of Maryland at Baltimore County and is a member of Kinetics Dance Theatre’s Professional Company.
	Melissa Nibali (Pre-ballet, Dance Basics, Dance Fundamentals, Jazz, Hip Hop): Melissa is currently a junior at UMBC pursuing a degree in Dance Education. She began dancing at Kinetics in the fourth grade and continued her studies through high school. During her time at Kinetics, Melissa was also a member of the Student/Senior/Apprentice Company for six years and performed in and around the Howard County area. Melissa has also performed with Kinetics Dance Theatre’s Professional Company. Before transferring to UMBC, Melissa was a student at Salisbury University.
	Betsy Romer (Ballet, Modern): Betsy Romer hails from Durham, North Carolina, where she worked with The Independent Dance Makers, The Ways and Means Dance Company and former Limon dancer, Clay Taliaferro at the Duke University Dance Department. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Utah. Betsy has taught at the Interlochen Academy for the Performing Arts, the Durham Arts Council, Durham Public Schools, Baltimore Theatre Conservatory and the Baltimore County Schools. Betsy performs regularly with the Kinetics Professional Company as well as choreographs for the company.
	Lindsay Sarver (Teen Ballet and Teen Tap): Lindsay graduated from Loyola College in Maryland with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. She has been dancing for 20 years and has been trained in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical and hip hop. Lindsay choreographed several intermediate and advanced tap and jazz routines for the Loyola College Dance Company. She has studied under Laveen Naidu from the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Gary Pate, the founder of StarPower National Talent Competition.
	Rebeka Small (Ballet): Rebeka Small, a Baltimore native, is a graduate of the Sudbrook Arts Centre and a founding member of the Baltimore County Youth Ballet, where she danced the roles of Marzipan, Dew Drop and Sugar Plum Fairy in “The Nutcracker”, Helena in “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, and Swanhilda in “Coppelia”. She holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Maryland, one in Dance and the other in Computer Graphic Design for Arts Promotion. In 1995, she was awarded the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Scholarship for Dance at the University of Maryland. While at UMD, Rebeka was fortunate to work with such modern choreographers as Shane O'Hara, Garth Fagan, and Alvin Mayes. In addition to dance, Rebeka has had a successful career in event planning, most recently handling all events for the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce in Beverly Hills, CA. Rebeka currently lives in Columbia, MD with her husband, Jon, and their daughter, Lily.
	Emily Socolinsky, School Director/Senior Company Director Emily holds a MA in Education from University of Maryland at Baltimore County as well as an Advanced Professional Certificate for grades K -12 and a BA in Visual and Performing Arts/Dance from UMBC. She is a graduate of the Baltimore School for the Arts where she studied ballet with Norma Pera and Sylvester Campbell and modern with Stephanie Powell and Debra Robinson. She began her early ballet training with Wendy Robinson at the Baltimore Ballet where she studied the RAD method. Emily has danced with the Phoenix Dance Company, Nancy Romita and the Moving Company, Doug Hamby Dance, The Collective and Kinetics Dance Theatre and is currently working with The Moving Company again under the direction of Dana Martin.
	Zaira (Belly Dance): Zaira al Zahara is a MD/DC/VA area belly dance artist who began studying belly dance in the summer of 2002. In addition to being a soloist, Zaira is often seen performing with Leyla Fahada, both co-directors of the Indra Lazul dance duo formed in fall 2006. She occasionally performs with Piper’s troupe Daughters of Rhea. With Indra Lazul, Zaira creates original choreographies for stage and hafla performances and also improvises, most notably in their frequent performances with the Baltimore-based world-fusion band Telesma. Zaira’s belly dance style draws from her continuous Egyptian and American Cabaret training with elements of Folkloric, Tribal Fusion, and Turkish. She has also studied ballroom, ballet, West African dance, and hip hop.
	Zobeide (Belly Dance): Zobeide holds a B.A degree from Huntingdon College and a M.A. degree from the University of Alabama. Solo performances include the Joy of Motion Showcase, Tommy's Place in Chicago, Illinois, New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD and the Wiggles of the West Belly Dance Competition in Reno, Nevada.
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