Founding Members
Mary Grady Norkus Beven Ramsey Danielle Cohen Sarah White Lauren Wong Lilli Mann Amelia Barksdale -Patterson Erin Casanaga |
Guest Teachers and ChoreographersMary Grady Norkus Marie Middleton Willie Hinton Danielle Cohen Erin Casanaga Maura Michelle Garcia Joy Williams Jessi Knight Walker Lark Brown |
Board of DirectorsBeven Ramsey - Managing Director Mary Grady Norkus - Artistic Director Andrew Blass - Financial Advisor Katherine Dickson - Legal Support Lisa Thompson - Public Relations |
ParticipantsMeghan Vanasek Kristin Vincent Johnson Lila Brown Caitlin Meeks Annie Dwyer Ginger Wagg Jenny Zhou Samantha Shucavage Leah Smith Chelsea Privette Ben Labe Lauren Brune Amy Calhoun Tina Joy Craven Kaitlin Houlditch-Fair Heather Pike Heather Rose Lark Brown Anne Davis Anna Martin Maddie Ford |
Mary Grady Norkus
Mary grew up dancing in Raleigh NC at Emmanual Kovach School of Dance and at St. Mary’s Junior College. In 1979, Mary graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a double major in Dance and Journalism. After a summer scholarship at The American Dance Festival in 1980, Mary moved to New York to live, dance and work. Chapel Hill called her back home a year later, when she began teaching with her sister Noel Grady Smith at Dance Space, and raising three children, Joseph, Elizabeth and Katherine with her husband Joe Norkus. From 1981-1988, Mary performed with Carolina Dancers, founded at UNC Chapel Hill by Carol Richard and Diane Eilber.
In 1990, Mary opened Dancentre with Melody Eggen and recently celebrated it’s 20th anniversary. Since 1995, Mary has been teaching movement at Durham Academy Middle School, and in 2004, she received the Community Dance Educator of the Year Award from the Dance Association for NC Educators and the Durham Academy 2007 Excellence in Teaching Award. Ready to explore a new venture in the arts this summer, she was encouraged by her friend and dancing protégé, Beven Ramsey to co-found Carrboro Modern Dance Company, a company for adult dancers who wish to pursue their artistry on a professional level. With the formation of Carrboro Modern Dance Company, Mary hopes to facilitate the type of artistic opportunity that she has consistently experienced in the Triangle community as a working dancer and artist.
Mary grew up dancing in Raleigh NC at Emmanual Kovach School of Dance and at St. Mary’s Junior College. In 1979, Mary graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a double major in Dance and Journalism. After a summer scholarship at The American Dance Festival in 1980, Mary moved to New York to live, dance and work. Chapel Hill called her back home a year later, when she began teaching with her sister Noel Grady Smith at Dance Space, and raising three children, Joseph, Elizabeth and Katherine with her husband Joe Norkus. From 1981-1988, Mary performed with Carolina Dancers, founded at UNC Chapel Hill by Carol Richard and Diane Eilber.
In 1990, Mary opened Dancentre with Melody Eggen and recently celebrated it’s 20th anniversary. Since 1995, Mary has been teaching movement at Durham Academy Middle School, and in 2004, she received the Community Dance Educator of the Year Award from the Dance Association for NC Educators and the Durham Academy 2007 Excellence in Teaching Award. Ready to explore a new venture in the arts this summer, she was encouraged by her friend and dancing protégé, Beven Ramsey to co-found Carrboro Modern Dance Company, a company for adult dancers who wish to pursue their artistry on a professional level. With the formation of Carrboro Modern Dance Company, Mary hopes to facilitate the type of artistic opportunity that she has consistently experienced in the Triangle community as a working dancer and artist.
Beven Ramsey
Arthur (Beven) Ramsey was born in Dunn, NC and grew up in CumberlandCounty. He began his theater career at an early age, performing with Cape Fear Regional Theater and in seasonal showcases and public service videos for teens. Beven attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, studying modern dance with Lisa Yount and Marion Turner Hopkins. He went on to be accepted at the North Carolina School of the Arts summer dance program. He then moved to Los Angeles and worked in television, music videos, art expos, and movie productions.
His body of work includes: 110 in the Shade, Shiveree, Applause Applause, Bye Bye Birdie, Grease, UNC Modern Extension Dance Company, Afro I, Opposite Corners, Hotel Malibu, My So Called Life, Bigge Quick, Night Eyes IV, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Upon returning to the triangle in 2006, Beven opened "Blu Icon Salon and Color Group", right here in Carrboro. In May 2011, he co-founded the Carrboro Modern Dance Company, with his long time dance associate and friend, Mary Norkus. Beven is active in the Carrboro community as evidenced by a nomination to take a seat on the Economic Sustainability Commission for the Town of Carrboro.
Arthur (Beven) Ramsey was born in Dunn, NC and grew up in CumberlandCounty. He began his theater career at an early age, performing with Cape Fear Regional Theater and in seasonal showcases and public service videos for teens. Beven attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, studying modern dance with Lisa Yount and Marion Turner Hopkins. He went on to be accepted at the North Carolina School of the Arts summer dance program. He then moved to Los Angeles and worked in television, music videos, art expos, and movie productions.
His body of work includes: 110 in the Shade, Shiveree, Applause Applause, Bye Bye Birdie, Grease, UNC Modern Extension Dance Company, Afro I, Opposite Corners, Hotel Malibu, My So Called Life, Bigge Quick, Night Eyes IV, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Upon returning to the triangle in 2006, Beven opened "Blu Icon Salon and Color Group", right here in Carrboro. In May 2011, he co-founded the Carrboro Modern Dance Company, with his long time dance associate and friend, Mary Norkus. Beven is active in the Carrboro community as evidenced by a nomination to take a seat on the Economic Sustainability Commission for the Town of Carrboro.
Danielle Cohen
Danielle Cohen is a Los Angeles native trained in RAD ballet technique. She worked in television and theater on the west coast for several years before moving to Chapel Hill to attend graduate school. She holds an MAT from UNC, and is currently the dance instructor at Chapel Hill High.
Sarah White
Sarah grew up in Carrboro and discovered her love of dance at the age of 4 at Dancentre where she studied ballet under Mary Norkus. Even though ballet and modern have been her initial sparks of interest in dance, Sarah finds passion in all styles of dance and movement. Sarah received her undergraduate degree in English and minor in Creative Writing from Earlham College in 2005, and received her Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Earlham College in 2009. At Earlham, Sarah continued ballet and modern classes and devoted her free time to Earlham’s student-run performance dance program, Dance Alloy, as a dancer, choreographer, and co-leader of the program. Sarah taught dance in Indiana, worked for the American Dance Festival in administrative internship positions, and taught ballet and creative movement at Dancentre. Sarah has explored many genres of dance throughout her experience including swing, Lindy Hop, Blues, Latin, hip-hop, classical Indian dance, and belly dance.
Sarah currently teaches high school English at Anson County Early College High School in Polkton, North Carolina (and directs the school plays and talent shows). Sarah has also been highly involved in the Lindy Hop and Blues dance scenes in the Charlotte area.
Sarah currently teaches high school English at Anson County Early College High School in Polkton, North Carolina (and directs the school plays and talent shows). Sarah has also been highly involved in the Lindy Hop and Blues dance scenes in the Charlotte area.
Lauren Wong
Lauren was born and raised in Chapel Hill and took her first dance steps at Dancentre under the tutelage of Mary Norkus. In addition to dancing at Dancentre, she later trained at institutions such as The Ballet School of Chapel Hill, Triangle Youth Ballet, UNC School of the Arts, Governor’s School of NC, and Richmond Ballet, performing solo roles in The Nutcracker, The Tempest, and an original work by Tiffany Rhynard. Continuing to explore modern dance in college, she studied and choreographed under Rebecca Lazier at Princeton University. There, she also performed and soloed in New York choreographer Gabri Christa’s Imaginary Friend in 2006, debuted Ethnography, a dance-anthropology creative thesis by Mariah Steele, in 2006, and was a dancer and choreographer with the innovative, student-run diSiac Dance Company from 2005-2009.
In 2009, Lauren graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture. She currently works in Research Triangle Park and enjoys faraway travel, candid photography, airplane turbulence, delicious food, broken air conditioning, Italian opera, and walking barefoot outside.
In 2009, Lauren graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture. She currently works in Research Triangle Park and enjoys faraway travel, candid photography, airplane turbulence, delicious food, broken air conditioning, Italian opera, and walking barefoot outside.
Lilli Mann
Lilli grew up in Chapel Hill and began dancing at the age of three at Dancentre, where shestudied ballet, modern, and jazz dance for fifteen years. She performed with the Studio A youth dance company from 1993 through 2003 and was a member of the East Chapel Hill High School show choir from 2002 through 2003. She attended the Governor’s School of North Carolina summer dance program in 2001 and has also participated in the American Dance Festival’s
School for Young Dancers and Bates Dance Festival Young Dancers Workshop.
Lilli received her B.A. in Sociology and Hispanic Studies from the College of William and Mary in 2007. She is currently a Master’s student in the Health Behavior and Health Education department at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Lilli enjoys all types of movement and is happy to be dancing again with old and new friends at CMDC.
School for Young Dancers and Bates Dance Festival Young Dancers Workshop.
Lilli received her B.A. in Sociology and Hispanic Studies from the College of William and Mary in 2007. She is currently a Master’s student in the Health Behavior and Health Education department at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Lilli enjoys all types of movement and is happy to be dancing again with old and new friends at CMDC.
Amelia Barksdale-Patterson
Amelia grew up in Hillsborough and first discovered the joy of dance at age 6 at Dancentre in Chapel Hill, studying ballet under Mary Norkus for 7 years. She also studied at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill during middle and high school. She attended high school at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut, where she was a member of the modern dance company for four years, receiving her varsity letter in dance. There she studied under Dance Director Alexa Melonopoulos and enjoyed opportunities to perform around the greater Hartford area. She also briefly studied ballet at the Connecticut Ballet Center in Stamford and the Estelle Jones School of Dance in West Hartford. While at Miss Porter’s, Amelia transitioned from her earlier love of ballet to truly enjoying and appreciating modern dance. In college at Virginia Tech, she performed with the student-run Contemporary Dance Ensemble for five wonderful years.
Amelia graduated cum laude from Virginia Tech in 2010 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and a minor in Spanish. She now lives in Durham and works at the School of Education at UNC Chapel Hill. In her free time she enjoys photography, hiking in the mountains, and dancing (of course).
Amelia graduated cum laude from Virginia Tech in 2010 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and a minor in Spanish. She now lives in Durham and works at the School of Education at UNC Chapel Hill. In her free time she enjoys photography, hiking in the mountains, and dancing (of course).
Erin Casanega
Erin Casanega received her BFA in Dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Upon graduating, she moved to Carrboro, NC where she is working, teaching, choreographing, and dancing. She is currently working on a new project, Seedbed Dance Company, with aims toestablish herself as an emerging artist through collaborative initiatives in dance as a means of outreach and education. Her choreography has been shared locally and out of state at ACDFA. Erin danced with The Naked Stark, a dance company based out of Philly and with Andrew Arts in Greensboro and recently began dancing with the Carrboro Modern Dance Company. She taught as a guest artist at Weaver Academy and currently teaches at the ArtsCenter. Erin has performed in works at UNCG, Greensboro Fringe, Goose Routes Festival in West Virginia, Patchwork Arts Benefit, and other independent performances in the surrounding region.
Willie Hinton
Willie Hinton, a native of New York, began dancing at the age of 16 at Enloe Gifted & Talented High School in Raleigh, NC, and was a scholarship student at The American Dance Festival, ADF (Durham, NC). After graduating, Hinton attended the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts where he received his BFA in dance. Willie has toured nationally and internationally as a dancer and choreographer. He received his initial National Dance Institute (NDI training at NDI New Mexico. For the past several years, Willie has been a teaching artist for the Richmond, VA affiliate, Minds in Motion. Willie has recently returned to the triangle area and is the new Artistic Director for NCAIA, North Carolina Arts in Action. He is a member of Gaspard Louis Dancers and Carrboro Modern Dance Company and also guest teaches Modern and Contemporary technique at the ADF studios in Durham, at NCSU and with the Carolina Ballet in Raleigh.
Maura Michelle Garcia
Maura Garcia is a dancer and choreographer. Through performance and community outreach she communicates with clarity, invention and passion. Garcia’s performance work features project-based collaborations between herself and other artists. As a Native American woman (Cherokee/Mattamuskeet) who is also of African descent, she fuses her work with cultural imagery and narrative elements. Themes of social justice, cultural identity and the rhythms of the natural world run throughout Garcia’s work.
Garcia’s outreach work promotes the use of movement as a communicative tool. She specializes in community engagement, focusing on empowerment and wellness. In addition to the arts, she has a background in advocacy and crisis intervention. Garcia firmly believes that dance is a strong agent for social change and seeks to blur the line between arts and activism.
Garcia has performed throughout the U.S, notably at the Senegalese Embassy, the University of Arizona, American University and the Folly Theater. She has had to the opportunity to collaborate with Indian visual artist Soumitra Dasgupta, Ethiopian singer/activist Chachi Tadese and soundartist MGL, among others. Garcia has worked with people of all ages, sharing her workshops with sexual assault survivors, Native farmers, art museum patrons and 4th grade geometry classes.
In 2009 and 2010, Garcia received the Charlotte Street Foundation’s Urban Culture Projects Studio Residency Award. Her choreography was
selected to appear in adjudicated showcases in Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Currently she is a guest artist of the University of North Carolina’s Department of Dramatic Art. At present, Garcia is working to build collaborations and create new work. As a Native, native Carolinian, Garcia is dedicated to making a positive impact in her homeland.
Maura Garcia is a dancer and choreographer. Through performance and community outreach she communicates with clarity, invention and passion. Garcia’s performance work features project-based collaborations between herself and other artists. As a Native American woman (Cherokee/Mattamuskeet) who is also of African descent, she fuses her work with cultural imagery and narrative elements. Themes of social justice, cultural identity and the rhythms of the natural world run throughout Garcia’s work.
Garcia’s outreach work promotes the use of movement as a communicative tool. She specializes in community engagement, focusing on empowerment and wellness. In addition to the arts, she has a background in advocacy and crisis intervention. Garcia firmly believes that dance is a strong agent for social change and seeks to blur the line between arts and activism.
Garcia has performed throughout the U.S, notably at the Senegalese Embassy, the University of Arizona, American University and the Folly Theater. She has had to the opportunity to collaborate with Indian visual artist Soumitra Dasgupta, Ethiopian singer/activist Chachi Tadese and soundartist MGL, among others. Garcia has worked with people of all ages, sharing her workshops with sexual assault survivors, Native farmers, art museum patrons and 4th grade geometry classes.
In 2009 and 2010, Garcia received the Charlotte Street Foundation’s Urban Culture Projects Studio Residency Award. Her choreography was
selected to appear in adjudicated showcases in Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Currently she is a guest artist of the University of North Carolina’s Department of Dramatic Art. At present, Garcia is working to build collaborations and create new work. As a Native, native Carolinian, Garcia is dedicated to making a positive impact in her homeland.
Jessi Knight Walker
Jessi Knight Walker is a dancer, teacher and choreographer from Pittsboro, N.C., She began her training at Dancentre in Chapel Hill N.C. under the instruction and mentorship of Mary Norkus and Melody Eggen. As an undergraduate at Duke University, she pursued a self-designed dance degree with an emphasis in music and education. While at Duke, she studied and performed with various Duke faculty members, Duke’s Modern and African Repertory Ensembles, and with guest artists Billy Siegenfeld of Jump Rhythm Jazz Project and Ron K. Brown of Evidence. Since graduation in 2004, Jessi’s passion for dance has led her to pursue a life full of teaching, choreographing and performing. Having spent the last four years as a professional dancer with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Jessi make her homecoming inspired to share all that she has discovered so far.
Heather Pike
Heather is a dance educator who received her BFA in Dance Education from East Carolina University. While at ECU, Heather received the Outstanding Senior Award in Dance Education as well as performed in several dance productions at the ECU Loessin Playhouse including works by faculty and guest artists. While growing up in Wilmington, NC, Heather studied ballet and has attended workshops at BalletMet, Charlotte City Ballet, and North Carolina School of the Arts. Recently she has continued dancing by attending the American Dance Festival for several summers as well as taking classes and performing in the Triangle Area. Heather currently teaches at Barriskill Dance Theatre School in Durham. She is delighted to be a co-founder and director of Blank Slate and is in her 5th season dancing and choreographing with the company.
Heather Rose
Heather Rose graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Boston Conservatory receiving a B.F.A. in dance. She began her training at a young age in Durham, North Carolina where she played an active role in the Triangle Youth Ballet under the direction of Lauren Lorentz de Haas. In her junior year of high school, she ventured to the northern tip of Michigan to attend Interlochen Arts Academy for the remainder of her high school years. She supplemented her training over the summers with distinguished programs including the Joffrey Ballet School, Joffrey Midwest Workshop, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and the American Dance Festival. Upon completion of her Bachelor's degree, she moved to Florida where she danced with Florida Dance Theatre for one season and Voci Dance for the following three seasons. While performing with Voci Dance, Heather worked diligently in the Polk County School systems as an English teacher. She has recently transitioned back to the RDU area where she works as a 7th grade Language Arts teacher at Durham School for the Arts. Heather is assistant director for Blank Slate Dance and is in her fourth season with the company. About the Company
Marie Middleton-Hopkins
Marie began dancing at the age of eight, studying modern jazz, modern dance (Horton Technique), African dance, tap and ballet. She trained at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York City for five years before joining the Alvin Ailey American Summer Institute as an intern in 1992. Marie graduated from Penn State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a minor in Dance. While at Penn State, she was the Artistic Dance Director of Nommo Performing Arts Company where she performed and choreographed for four years.
Marie was a member of the regional NA'ADE in Philadelphia, performing traditional African Dance and Modern Dance from 1995 to 1997. She performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City as a member of the Rosemarie Lindt Dance Company during the 1998-1999 season. After relocating to North Carolina in 2000, Marie began choreographing for Gold's Gym dancers and teaching locally in Cary. She has had the privilege of teaching in Durham Public Schools as the Director of Dance at Riverside High School for six years. In the summer of 2011, she was the recipient of the ADF Dance Professionals Workshop Scholarship. Marie is excited to continue to work with the talented youth in this area and growing the love for dance.
Marie was a member of the regional NA'ADE in Philadelphia, performing traditional African Dance and Modern Dance from 1995 to 1997. She performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City as a member of the Rosemarie Lindt Dance Company during the 1998-1999 season. After relocating to North Carolina in 2000, Marie began choreographing for Gold's Gym dancers and teaching locally in Cary. She has had the privilege of teaching in Durham Public Schools as the Director of Dance at Riverside High School for six years. In the summer of 2011, she was the recipient of the ADF Dance Professionals Workshop Scholarship. Marie is excited to continue to work with the talented youth in this area and growing the love for dance.