Summer Intensive 2024

Carol Smitherman Anglin

Teaching Artist, Choreographer, Adjudicator, Artistic Director, Producer, and Consultant

Carol Smitherman Anglin was founding Artistic Director of the Louisiana Dance Foundation and resident dance company, Louisiana Dance Theatre, an Honor Company and 25-year member of Regional Dance America/SW, which performed throughout America, in Russia, Europe, and Canada. Carol directed and produced more than 600 master classes, dance festivals, and performances in Shreveport from 1982-2016 including residencies with Judith Jamison, Robert Battle, Dianne Maroney-Grigsby, Sylvia Waters, Milton Myers, Ana Marie Forsythe, Christopher Huggins, Ceyhun Ozsoy, Gennadi Vostrikov, Soili Arvola, Michael Vernon, John Magnus, Nikoloz Makhateli, Tatiana Tchernova, Joe Tremaine, Gus Giordano, Chet Walker, Jon Lehrer, Charles McGowan, Billy Siegenfeld, and many others. Companies presented under her artistic direction included multiple residencies and performances of Ailey II, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Feld Ballets, Ballet Eddy Toussaint de Montreal, Korea’s Universal Ballet, LehrerDance, Jump Rhythm Jazz, plus guest artists from San Francisco Ballet, Houston Ballet, ABT, NYCB, Paris Opera Ballet, and more.
As a Ballet and Modern teaching artist, Carol has taught globally in Russia, Europe, and Canada. She was the first American to teach Modern Dance at the School of Marina Semyonova in Moscow (1990) followed by a yearlong exchange of seventy Soviet/ American dancers between Moscow and Shreveport.
As founding director and instructor of Carol Anglin Dancenter, Inc. (1982-2016), her studio became an incubator for the development of dancers, teachers, choreographers, composers, costumers; company repertoire; audience development; collaborations and partnerships; community outreach; and more.
For 34 years, Carol taught 40+ classes per week to students from all socio-economic backgrounds in studios, public schools, colleges, and universities. Many of Carol’s students have pursued professional dance careers including Ashley Murphy (Principal dancer of Dance Theatre of Harlem & The Washington Ballet, current position) and Brandi Coleman (Assistant Professor of Jazz at SMU; Associate Artistic Director and principal dancer of Chicago’s Jump Rhythm Jazz Project).
Carol continues her position as guest artist at Grambling State University (1982-2021) where she and GSU Artistic Director and former Alvin Ailey soloist, Dianne Maroney-Grigsby, partnered for 34 years – combining artists, audiences, and resources in Shreveport, Grambling, Ruston, Nachitoches, and throughout the state of Louisiana. The two artists continue to work together as teachers & choreographers.
A SRAC Artist Fellow, Carol’s choreography has been selected for Regional Dance America Gala Performances, Tanzsommer Innsbruck Galas in Austria, performances in Russia, and several Jazz Dance World Congresses in Chicago and Washington, D.C. where she received choreography awards at Northwestern University, DePaul University, The Harris Theatre; and in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center.
For 34 years, Carol choreographed for Shreveport’s Symphony, Opera, and Community Theatres. Oscar and Emmy Award recipient, William Joyce, selected Carol to choreograph the World Premiere of the Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs. With a passion for community outreach and partnerships, Carol partnered with more than fifty north Louisiana organizations and educational institutions annually reaching averages of 30,000 people from underserved populations.
Carol received the 2004 Stream Award for outstanding artistic direction; artistic growth and excellence; and commitment to the Regional Dance America movement. In 2006, Carol was Adjudicator and instructor for Western Canada’s largest dance festival. Caddo Parish School Board hired Carol from 2009-11 to develop a dance program on Martin Luther King Drive at Green Oaks Performing Arts Magnet, one of Louisiana’s academically unacceptable high schools. Several of the Green Oaks students went on to graduate in Theatre and Dance at Grambling State University and are now dancing professionally. She also was the interim dance director and instructor at the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) in Natchitoches, LA from 2011-13—one of Louisiana’s two state supported arts magnet high schools with whom the Louisiana Dance Foundation partnered from 2000-2013.
A Graduate Teaching Foundation Fellow (2016-2019), Carol recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma with her Master’s in Fine Arts (MFA). During her three years at OU, Carol taught Modern, Ballet, and Understanding Dance courses. In addition to setting her personal choreography on OU’s Dance Majors, she assisted Ballet and Modern Dance faculty and an international roster of OU’s guest artists Trey McIntyre, Jean Guilliaume Weiss, and Modern Director Austin Hartel in their choreography for OU season performances. For her thesis, Carol designed a higher education course, “The Dancer as Entrepreneur: Guiding Young Dancers in Developing Community Dance Programs.” (200+ pages)
As America’s only National Association of Ballet and Modern Dance Companies, Regional Dance America’s Board of Directors named Carol Anglin a National Adjudicator in 2018. She served as RDA/SE’s 2020 Adjudicator evaluating 15 companies in ten states. Interrupted by the COVID 19 Pandemic, Carol returned as RDA/SE’s 2021 National Adjudicator selecting three evenings of choreography for a culminating ‘virtual festival’ April 23-25, 2021. She has served as faculty member for Regional Dance America Workshops and Festivals in Atlanta, GA; Houston and Dallas, TX; Baton Rouge and Monroe, LA; and Ft. Smith, AR. Hosted by Grambling State University, Carol also taught ballet for three Black College Dance Exchanges at Louisiana’s Historically Black University attended by other HBU’s.
A fourth-generation artist and educator, Carol continues to pursue international training as a teacher and choreographer. She was one of 18 international teachers accepted to New York University to train with Mme. Claude Bessy and Serge Golovine, Directors of the Paris Opera Ballet School, where she also studied choreography by Serge Lifar and other legendary artists. Carol attended the 2006 & 2010 USA IBC Teachers Courses in Classical Ballet in Jackson, MS. She completed the Intermediate and Advanced Horton Pedagogy Courses at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York (2011, 2017, 2020) and attended the National Dance Educator Organization’s Annual Conferences (NDEO) in Miami (2019) and virtually (2020, 2021).
With a lifelong goal of decentralizing dance in America, Carol recently taught Dance Majors in Michigan for Interlochen Center for the Arts’ 2019 Summer Intensive, for the University of Oklahoma’s three-week Summer Intensives, Hathaway Academy of Ballet in Dallas, Texarkana Civic Ballet’s Nutcracker Auditions casting 250 dancers, Lake Charles Civic Ballet, Saint Louis Catholic High School’s newly formed Dance Department, Feijoo Ballet in Houston, DeCruz Ballet of San Antonio, Regional Dance America/SE Fall Workshop in Atlanta, GA, Houston’s Dance Du Couer, University of Houston Dance Majors, Juxtapose Dance/JetPac, Hunter Dance Center; Collective Dance Artistry of San Antonio, and for Grambling State University’s Orchesis Dance Company’s Fall Ballet Intensives.
In March 2022, Carol taught and judged audition classes for Regional Dance America/SW Festival at the Eisemann Center in Dallas, TX. In April, she served as guest artist for University of Houston Dance Majors teaching Ballet and Modern classes. Carol currently teaches Ballet II-V & Pre-Professional Ballet and Pointe to students at Dance Du Coeur, Houston Ballet Academy Level 7 Ballet/Pointe, Hunter Dance Center (Oct/Nov 2022), Bayou City Youth Ballet (Oct/Nov 2022), Ballet and Modern Company Classes for Houston’s Ad Deum Dance Company (Sept/Oct).
Throughout the pandemic, Carol has continued to mentor and guide dancers, choreographers, directors, and non-profit organizations in their missions of pursuing dance in these unprecedented times.

Diane Mahoney-Grisby

Guest Instructor

Dianne Maroney-Grigsby, LADA Choreographer, Artisti-in-Residence. A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Dianne left for New York in 1973. After joining the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, she toured extensively with that company. Dianne also performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

In 1983, Dianne left her positions with Ailey as soloist, assistant artistic director of the Ailey Repertory Ensemble, and full-time faculty member at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center to become artistic director of Orchesis Dance Company at Grambling State University (GSU). Since moving to Louisiana, Dianne received her BA degree from GSU and her MA degree in theatre from Louisiana Tech University (LTU). She is currently on faculty as dance instructor for both GSU and LTU’S School of Performing Arts.

Dianne taught at Louisiana Dance Foundation’s Summer Dance Festivals from 1983-2007 and has set numerous award winning ballets on LDF’S resident dance company, Louisiana Dance Theatre (LDT) including I Won’t Let Go of My Faith, World Hunger, Red, Red II, Obsessions, Lacrimosus, Immortalis, Apotheosis, Many Different Roads, Long As I Got King Jesus, and I Believe I Can Fly.

LDT has performed Dianne’s choreography in Russia, Austria, and throughout the U.S. in Chicago, IL; Washington, D.C.; Orlando, FL; throughout Louisiana; and throughout Texas in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Amarillo, and Abilene. LDT performed Dianne’s choreography at the Jazz Dance World Congress at the Kennedy Center in 1996 and in Chicago in 1994 earning the Silver LEO Award ($1,000) for her choreography, Red. LDT was also selected to perform Dianne’s choreography, Apotheosis, on the Gala performance of Regional Dance America’s first-ever National Festival at Jones Hall in Houston. LDT recently received Gala status at the 2006 RDA/SW Festival for their performance of Lacrimosis at the Dorothy Chandler Woodland’s Pavilion in Houston.

LDT and Grambling’s Orchesis Dance Company have collaborated in more than 25 workshops and performances since 1983. The 1995 Living Legend recipient and director of Orchesis has taken the 58 year-old company to a new level. As an ambassador for Louisiana, Orchesis has performed in Japan and throughout America from New York to California. Orchesis has been featured in Proctor and Gamble national TV commercials, live appearances with recording artist Vicky Wynans, and with the GSU Tiger Marching band in the hit movie, Drumline. Dianne recently choreographed and appeared in Denzel Washington’s new movie, “The Great Debator.”

Dawn Dippel

Artistic Director of Revolve Dance Company, Former dancer with Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre

Dawn Dippel has been dancing most of her life and is co-owner of NHPA & NHPA II, co-Director and founding member of Revolve Dance Company, and a former member of the Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre. She grew up in the Houston area, graduated from Houston’s High School for the Performing & Visual Arts Dance Department, and since then continues to train in and outside of Houston. Dawn’s choreographic works for Revolve Dance Company have been showcased at many of Houston’s various local performance events including Dance Houston, Texas Weekend of Contemporary Dance, Triple Focus, Choreographers X 6, Dance of Asian America, and Revolve On Camera. In the 2008 issue of Dance Magazine she was named as one of '25 to Watch' for up and coming artists across the country and was also named one of Houston's 100 creatives by the Houston Press. In 2014, 'Revolve On Camera' premiered at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival and won the audience choice award at the Dance Camera West festival in California. Currently Dawn is teaching at NHPA II, Ad Deum II and Houston Ballet Academy. She has spent many years working beside many talented and professional artists who have been an influence and inspiration in her journey of this art!

Durell R. Comedy

Mark Morris Dance Group Company Member

Durell R. Comedy is a native of Prince George's County, MD and began dancing at the age of 6. He graduated from the Visual & Performing Arts program at Suitland High School in 2004 and from George Mason University (magna cum laude), receiving his BFA Degree in Dance Performance in 2008. Since then, he has worked and performed with artists such as The Metropolitan Opera, Troy Powell, Matthew Rushing, CorbinDances, Roger C. Jeffrey & Kyle Abraham. Mr. Comedy was a member of the Limón Dance Company from 2009-2015, where he performed soloist and principal roles. An instructor certified in teaching Limon principles, he’s taught master classes and workshops at numerous universities and schools including Vassar College, Maryland Youth Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Belhaven University, CityDance Center at Strathmore & the Limon Institute. A former fellowship student at the Ailey School and a recent adjunct faculty member at George Mason University’s School of Dance, Mr. Comedy was awarded the 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award for the College of Visual and Performing Arts of George Mason University. Comedy began working as an apprentice with the Mark Morris Dance Group in 2015 and became a company member in 2016 and retired from his performance career in 2019. He, his wife, Hannah and 2 daughters, reside in Houston, TX and he currently serves as Worship Associate and Creative Arts Academy Director for Champion Forest Baptist Church.

Pattie Obey

Guest Instructor

I am a committed professional bringing over 40 years of experience, creativity, passion, and humor to the teaching profession.

A Chicago native and the daughter of a dancer, my professional career began at 16 years of age touring internationally with Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago. Performance credits both in the USA and abroad includes Broadway musicals, films and television. My personal style is greatly influenced by my mentor Gus Giordano, former Hubbard Street artistic director Lou Conte, jazz master Matt Mattox and my own elegant and powerful femininity. I credit my extensive classical background to the fabulous training I received with ex-Royal ballet soloists Richard Ellis and Christine DuBoulay.

I have had the pleasure to be on guest faculty at The Harid Conservatory, Houston Ballet Academy, Ad Deum Dance Company and Boca Ballet. I have also mentored for “1st Step” an outreach program serving the Boca Raton, Florida community.

I love coaching young talented dancers to ensure their success for middle school, high school, university fine arts programs and professional ballet competitions.

I have shared my expertise as a lecturer at Chapman University, Orange, California and the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

If you're wanting to hear more about me and if you've read this far and are even more curious…. keep reading : )

I have always loved to travel and have had the opportunity to teach at numerous dance festivals in Germany, The Netherlands, Austria, Finland and Mexico. I am a master teacher for Dance Educators of America’s Teacher Training Program, Dance Masters of America and Regional Dance America. I have been an Artist in Residence at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah and the University of Performing Arts in Tilburg, The Netherlands where I resided for 28 years.

I have taught master classes for countless, universities, colleges, dance companies and eminent dance studios in 37 states and 16 countries.

My choreography has been set on LaJazDanz Company, Ormao Dance Company, Spectrum Dance Theatre, Houston Met Dance, Jazz Dance Theatre, Boca Ballet Theatre, Illusionists’ Ted and Marion Outerbridge, The Playhouse Dance Company at Point Park University and Pori Dance Company in Pori, Finland to name a few.

Dance Magazine proclaims me as being “Dance Teacher Extraordinaire”. And Dance Studio Life Magazine as “The Leading Lady in Jazz”.

In 1992, I was the first woman to teach at the Jazz Dance World Congress and have been on the roster of master teachers ever since.

I am honored to be the recipient of the “2000 Jazz Dance World Congress Award”, in recognition of my considerable contribution to the world of jazz dance.

Bria Greenwood

Main Company Principal Dancer

Bria Greenwood is from Madison, MS. She received all of her dance training from the world’s first professional Christian ballet company, Ballet Magnificat, in Jackson, MS. She was in their School of the Arts, and then their professional Trainee Program. She was a part of the Events Company that traveled to dance and teach in Honduras, Guam, South Korea and China. Bria moved to Houston in the fall of 2017 to join Ad Deum II, and then was promoted to the main company in the Spring of 2019. She is a dance teacher for different studios in Houston.

Cynthia Newland

Director of Dance at Belhaven University

Ms. Cynthia A. Newland, earned her MFA in Dance from Arizona State University, with an emphasis on choreography and performance and BFA in Dance from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.

Prior to her appointment at Belhaven University Ms. Newland served as director for New Field Dance Theater, East Bay of San Francisco. For nearly three decades she has traveled nationally and internationally as a teacher, choreographer, and performer working with varied arts organizations and institutions such as Campus Crusade for Christ, Children of the World, International Christian Embassy, Intervarsity, Operation Mobilization International, International Christian Dance Fellowship, Youth With a Mission, Project Dance, Christians in Theater Arts, and in Korea, Dong Ah Institute of Media and Arts, Hang Yang ERICA University and FEBC.

A portion of her work and artistic endeavors has been in the realm of inclusive dance where she has created numerous choreographed works for people with and without disabilities, which have been presented in the United States through VSA International and USA International Ballet Competition.

She has received recognition as a recipient of the Higher Education Awards from the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education including the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Humanities Teacher Award by the Mississippi Humanities Council. At Belhaven University she has served on the Faculty Council and Education Advisory Council. She is a board Member of USA IBC (International Ballet Competition) and Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education, and member of ACDFA, Alabama Dance Council, CORD, Dance Camera West, NDEO, Performing Arts Medical Association and Screen Dance. Ms. Newland has also been a presenter for NASD's Annual Conferences.

Currently she teaches part time at Belhaven while traveling nationally and internationally providing dance training, presentations and choreography, as well as offering equipping tools for all ages on “Nourishing the Body, Soul and Spirit”.

Jinyoung Lee Hanley

Professor of Dance at West Palm Beach Atlantic University

Ms. Jinyoung Lee Hanley is Assistant Professor of Dance at Palm Beach Atlantic University (FL), and has taught for various events, organizations, universities and churches, including American College Dance Festival, Florida Dance Education Organization, and World Missions Conference (NYC). She founded and directed the dance ministry at Little Flock Church in NYC. Born in South Korea, Ms. Hanley started dancing at 16. She earned her B.A. in Dance Education (Major in Ballet) in South Korea, and came to the U.S. in 1999, earning her M.A. in Dance and Dance Education from NYU, and a scholarship to Cunningham Dance. She has trained under Merce Cunningham, Laura Hausmann, Larry Keigwin, Carla Maxwell, Daniel Lewis, and others, and she has performed with Park Sunyoung Ballet and Hasadim Mission Ballet (South Korea), Columbia Ballet Theatre (Spokane, WA), and H.T.Chen and Dancers (NYC). She has worked with Douglas Dunn, Randall Flinn, Victor Trevino, and Jeanguy Saintus Riché, and choreographed over 120 works of her own. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Dance Education Organization and is the co-chair of Florida National Honor Society for Dance Arts.