Europe Dance Mission 2018
Time and location:
- Tue 07/17/2018 midnight - Sun 08/12/2018 11:59 p.m.
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Europe
Europe
Faculty:
Randall Flinn
Founder / Artistic Director
Mr. Flinn began his dance training in Houston over twenty five years ago with Glenn Hunsucker, Camille Long Hill, Dina Vail and Patsy Swayze. His most recent modern dance influences have come from studies with The José Limón Dance Company and Steve Rooks, former principal dancer with Martha Graham. He has taught and choreographed locally as a guest artist for the Houston Ballet Academy, The Episcopal High School, Houston Met Dance Company, Joan Karff Dance Company, The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and North Harris Performing Arts Dance Company.
He was selected as a guest choreographer for Houston’s Dance Salad 1999, Dance Houston 2006, and Texas Weekend of Contemporary Dance 2007. Nationally, he has served as guest faculty and choreographer for Cirque Du Soleil’s-Alegria, Ballet Magnificat, Belhaven University, Friends University, Project Dance NYC, LA, and Sydney, Australia, as well as Hillsong and Dance Revolution Conventions.
Having lived throughout Europe and Asia for ten years, Mr. Flinn has also been a guest artist for Hong Kong Ballet, City Contemporary – Hong Kong, Guanzhou Modern Dance Company – China, Xaris Danz Europe, and Youth With a Mission International Schools of the Arts.
Stella Almblade
Ad Deum Guest Artist
Stella has a B.F.A. in Dance, University of Arizona. Stella has performed with companies both nationally and overseas, including 9 months in Spain where she also taught English, as well as dancing with Arrows International in Costa Rica and China.
Meggie Belisle
Main Company
Meggie Belisle began her dance training at Suzanne’s School of Dance in College Station, Texas. She has danced with Ingredients Dance Company in Texas (2008-2010), Arise Dance Company in the The Netherlands and England (2012), Roxey Ballet in New Jersey (2013-2014). From 2014-2017 she freelanced in New York with various companies and projects. She is now currently a member of Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX. Meggie has also choreographed for and performed in the music videos Trace the Lines by Lizi Bailey and Summertime Anytime by Dannah. Other choreographic credits include works for Talitha Dance Company and You Are Conference in Texas (2008-current), Freedom Benefit Concerts in Texas (2009), Arise Dance Company European Tour throughout the The Netherlands and England (2012), HATCH showcase in New York (2016), Amalgamate Artist Series in New York (2016), and more.
Meggie graduated from Belhaven University with a BFA in modern dance in 2013. In 2016, Meggie founded the KDA Pre-Professional program in Poughkeepsie, NY and was the program’s director for the 2016-2017 season.
Grace Sutherland
Ad Deum 2 Principal Dancer
Grace Sutherland was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri where she began her dance training at Dramatic Truth School of the Arts. She trained there from the age of 4 to 17 and graduated from the school, as well as apprenticed with the company for one year. Grace has also trained at Kansas City Ballet and performed with Open Sky Arts Collective. Currently, Grace is dancing with Ad Deum 2 and teaching dance in various schools in Houston. She is excited and expectant to see what God will do in this next season!
Simon Zinabu Costello
Ad Deum Guest Artist
Simon Zinabu Costello trained at the Southhold Dance Theatre in Indiana, where he danced Hillarion in Giselle, Franz in Coppelia, Cavalier in Nutcracker and Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty. While there, he received a full-ride summer scholarship that allowed him to study with several companies, including American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet and the Colorado Ballet. In 2015-16, Simon studied at Palucca in Dresden, Germany, which is connected to the Sempreopera Company. He has worked with Erica Fiscbach, Mathew West, Jock Soto and Carlos Acosta to name a few. He recently placed first in Pas de Deux at the Youth American Grand Prix competition. With the Colorado Ballet, he has performed in the Nutcracker and Firebird.
Kevyn Ryan Butler
Main Company Guest Artist
Born in Oakland, CA, Kevyn was introduced to the performing arts when he attended Delta Academy for the Performing Arts and Deer Valley High School. But it was in his senior year when Kevyn began formal dance training at the Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) with an emphasis in Dance. Once there, Kevyn received training in Ballet and Modern under the direction of Reginald Ray-Savage. Upon graduation from OSA he auditioned and was offered dance scholarships to schools such as Alonzo King Lines Ballet Program at Dominican University of California, the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and The University of Arizona. Butler decided to attend The University of Arizona where he studied various styles of Ballet, Modern and Jazz technique. He completed four years of his Bachelors and moved to New York City in 2016. Soon after, Kevyn joined Ronald K. Brown Evidence, a Dance Company in Brooklyn, New York where he performed works such as Grace and Four Corners. It was during his time in New York where Kevyn encountered the Holy Spirit, became a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ.
After his time in New York, Kevyn travelled to teach and perform through Missions work with the Ad Deum Dance Company in France, Switzerland, Bulgaria and the Netherlands. Kevyn’s resume consists of performances at the 2015 Jose Limon Dance Festival, Project Dance Houston and Project Dance Paris. He has guested with the Ad Deum Dance Company, Störling Dance Theater, Oakland Ballet, the Tucson Regional Ballet, Ballet North Texas, Contemporary Ballet Dallas, Festival Ballet of North Texas and worked with choreographers such as Reginald Ray-Savage (Savage Jazz Dance Company), Robert Garland (Dance Theater of Harlem), Daniel Agami (Ate 9 Dance Company), Guy Shomroni and Yaniv Abraham (Batsheva Dance Company). In 2019 Kevyn moved to Dallas, TX to dance with Zion Dance Project where he is currently a company member for his second season. He is an active Dance Instructor in with Texas Ballet Theater Professional Training Program and Booker T. Washington Magnet School for the Performing and Visual Arts. in Oakland, CA, Kevyn was introduced to the performing arts when he attended Delta Academy for the Performing Arts and Deer Valley High School. But it was in his senior year when Kevyn began formal dance training at the Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) with an emphasis in Dance. Once there, Kevyn received training in Ballet and Modern under the direction of Reginald Ray-Savage. Upon graduation from OSA he auditioned and was offered dance scholarships to schools such as Alonzo King Lines Ballet Program at Dominican University of California, the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and The University of Arizona. Butler decided to attend The University of Arizona where he studied various styles of Ballet, Modern and Jazz technique. He completed four years of his Bachelors and moved to New York City in 2016. Soon after, Kevyn joined Ronald K. Brown Evidence, a Dance Company in Brooklyn, New York where he performed works such as Grace and Four Corners. It was during his time in New York where Kevyn encountered the Holy Spirit, became a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ.
After his time in New York, Kevyn travelled to teach and perform through Missions work with the Ad Deum Dance Company in France, Switzerland, Bulgaria and the Netherlands. Kevyn’s resume consists of performances at the 2015 Jose Limon Dance Festival, Project Dance Houston and Project Dance Paris. He has guested with the Ad Deum Dance Company, Störling Dance Theater, Oakland Ballet, the Tucson Regional Ballet, Ballet North Texas, Contemporary Ballet Dallas, Festival Ballet of North Texas and worked with choreographers such as Reginald Ray-Savage (Savage Jazz Dance Company), Robert Garland (Dance Theater of Harlem), Daniel Agami (Ate 9 Dance Company), Guy Shomroni and Yaniv Abraham (Batsheva Dance Company). In 2019 Kevyn moved to Dallas, TX to dance with Zion Dance Project where he is currently a company member for his second season. He is an active Dance Instructor in with Texas Ballet Theater Professional Training Program and Booker T. Washington Magnet School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
DANCERS BRING BEAUTY, HOPE & ARTISTIC & SPIRITUAL BLESSING TO EUROPE!
Six Members of Ad Deum Dance Company, Stella Almblade, Meggie Pinones Belisle, Grace Sutherland, Lysion Vieira, Simon Zinabu Costello, Kevyn Ryan Butler and myself will be embarking on a Summer European Mission Through Dance. We will begin our travels in mid July and remain until mid August. Our planned starting point is The Netherlands where we will conduct a 3 day Dance Intensive and performance.
Next we travel to Paris, France to participate in Project Dance Paris, an outreach to the city. We then travel to Sofia, Bulgaria with Life Camp Sofia - an arts camp for Bulgarian youth. We will complete our time in Biel, Switzerland where we help conduct a one week summer dance Intensive hosted by Youth With A Mission.
So, why call this a mission through dance?
The members of Ad Deum and I believe in and are fully committed to the life-giving and redemptive virtues of the art of dance. We believe that artistry soaked in the pure essence of spiritual and redemptive caregiving can transform individuals and nations alike. We have witnessed this truth for many years as we have traveled to many continents.
We are volunteering and giving as well of our own resources in time, talent and finances to make this possible. However, we sincerely have need of financial assistance to provide the remaining funding still needed.
If you'd like to help and be a part by contributing to this mission, we would be so blessed by any and all assistance. We need to raise $4000.00 to supplement all needed travel and accommodation expenses. Every donation helps meet this goal!
Tax Deductible Contributions to Ad Deum can be made through our PayPal donations link or checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 271481 Houston, Texas 77277.