Printed from: http://www.rockforddancecompany.com/company/meet/Index.cfm?
Date/Time: Fri, 09 May 2008 16:12:57 PM
Meet the Company
Margaret C. Faust
Artistic Director
Margaret brings to the Rockford Dance Company, as Artistic Director, more than 30 years of experience as a dancer, choreographer and teacher. She has danced with Ballet West, Fort Worth Ballet, Bodyworks Dance Ensemble, Northern Dance Theatre and Salt Creek Ballet Company. Margaret's formal training includes a B.F.A. in ballet from Texas Christian University and a M.F.A. in ballet from the University of Utah. She has studied professionally with Richard Ellis, Christine DuBoulay, David Howard and Larry Long among others. A prolific choreographer, her ballets have been performed throughout the country. Margaret has taught extensively for the past 30 years throughout the U.S., in both professional studios and university dance programs.
Full Company Members
Emily Cummins
Emily Cummins has been a dedicated member of the Rockford Performing Arts Community for the past five years. She entered the School of Rockford Dance Company in the spring of 2001, and since then has studied ballet, modern, and tap with the school. After performing with Dance Reach since 2002, she joined the Rockford Dance Company as a trainee in the 2005-2006 season, was promoted to apprentice at the beginning of last season, and is now a full company member. She has appeared in many Rockford Dance Company productions, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cinderella, and Coppelia, Russian Nights and has danced in The Nutcracker for the past four years.
Whitney Lashock
Whitney Lashock studied with the School of Rockford Dance Company since the age of three, taking ballet, jazz, tap and modern. She was a member of DanceReach under the direction of Maria E. Castello for seven years. A Company Trainee in 2005, she was promoted to full Company Member last year. Her performances with RDC include, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Coppelia, and Russian Nights.
Katy Telfer
Kathleen (Katy) Telfer has been dancing with the Rockford Dance Company since the summer of 2005. Katy began dancing at the age of three at the Academy of Movement and Music in Oak Park under the direction of Stephanie Clemens. She has danced in the Blue Lake Fine Arts International Tour. She has performed the role of Clara in Ballet Legere's Nutcracker, and been a member of the Momenta Dance Company of Oak Park. She is excited to be working under the direction of Artistic Director Margaret Faust and to be a company member at RDC. Since joining RDC she has performed in the Nutcracker, Coppelia, Symphonic Dances, The Nightingale, & Swan Lake Act 2
Elizabeth Ward
Elizabeth has studied with the Rockford Dance Company since she was six years old, taking ballet, jazz, irish, and modern. She was a member of DanceReach for six years before becoming a trainee in the dance company in 2003. She became an apprentice in 2004 and this is her third year as a full company member. Over the past three summers, Elizabeth has participated in a six week summer intensive program through the Milwaukee Ballet Company. This is Elizabeth's 12th year performing in The Nutcracker. She has also performed in Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Coppelia, Symphonic Dances, The Nightingale, and Swan Lake, Act 2.
Associates
Stephanie Ottman
Stephanie has been dancing since the age of three. After dancing with Edwards Dance Studio and Dance Source Unlimited, Stephanie joined RDC in 2000. She was an active member of DanceReach for three years and received the prestigious Joan Stonecipher Scholarship in 2004. Stephanie has benefited from three internships at RDC through a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Stephanie is currently working towards her associate's degree from Rock Valley College, with plans of attending Oral Roberts University. Performance credits with RDC include: The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Russian Nights, Cinderella, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Sleeping Beauty.
Apprentices
Megan Seger
Megan Seger began her training at The School of Rockford Dance Company at the age of three. She was an active member of DanceReach under the direction of Maria Castello. Megan was promoted to apprentice in 2006. She has performed in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Coppelia.
Brianna Wellen
Brianna has been dancing with the Rockford Dance Company for the past eight years. She participated in the DanceReach program for five of those years under the direction of Maria Castello. In 2006 she became an apprentice member. In 2004 she was a co-recipient of the Joan Stonecipher Talent Scholarship. Since dancing with RDC she has been in productions of The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Cinderella, and Coppelia.
Trainees
Susan Belles
Bailey Glavan
Marina Ragonese-Barnes
Martha Shaw
Monette Tanuyan
