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Sophie Alpern ('10) Sophie is a senior sociology major
from New York City, where she attended The Brearley School. She's
been dancing for over 15 years, and has studied at the School of
American Ballet, Steps on Broadway, North Carolina School of the Arts,
Houston Ballet Academy, and the Royal Ballet School. She would like to
thank the Dance Department for giving her the opportunity to continue
doing what she loves, and for making her past four years at Vassar so
rewarding. She will miss everyone in VRDT tremendously, and will always
remember her wonderful experiences dancing with the company.
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Joey Army
('10) Joey Army is a senior Drama/Political Science double
major. Any of Joey's time that VRDT does not eat up is spent
rehearsing for various theater productions and Flypeople, Vassar's
student run dance company. Joey would like to make a quick thank
you to Jeanne Czula for all her care, support, and teaching throughout
his Vassar career.
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Katie Aspell
('10) Katie was born and raised in Illinois, which
accounts for her wholesome Midwestern vibe. She was dragged through
Eastern European folk dances at a young age before becoming a
competitive Irish Dancer. Katie began modern dance at Vassar, where she
learned to move her arms, relax her neck, and—occasionally—breathe.
Katie is a senior Political Science major, and plans to be a Diplomat
whose contractions are so devastating they engender world peace.
Failing that, she plans to be successful in many diverse, as yet
unknown, ways. |
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Molly Brenner ('11) Molly is a junior from San Mateo, California, and this is her second year in VRDT. Before discovering modern dance, she also trained in jazz, tap, and "lyrical" at various points in her life. Outside of dance, Molly is a Media Studies major and plans on making tons of money analyzing representations of women in the media. She feels honored to dance with the faculty and students in VRDT. |
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Dana Cass ('11) Dana Cass is a junior English major from fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada who started dancing at age 12. She is psyched to be back with her VRDT mishpacha for another amazing year of dance! When not in dance class, Dana can generally be found rehearsing for VRDT, FlyPeople (Vassar's student-run dance company), or whatever musical theatre production she's involved in that semester. Love to family and friends from every coast, without whom nothing would be possible. |
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Dana Christy ('11) Dana is a junior from Chicago (oh haaaaay Chi Town!) with a double major in American Culture and Fierceness. She has been a modern dancer since high school and a lover of movement all her life. She has had the pleasure of working with such artists as Robert Battle, Doug Varone, Anna Czajun, Shirley Mordine and Joel Hall. Dana loves VRDT with all her heart and is grateful to dance with so many creative spirits. |
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Elly Dembo ('13) Elly is a freshman from New York City. She began her studies at Studio Maestro, and at age nine, went on to study at the School of American Ballet. While there, she performed in the Nutcracker, as well as numerous other Balanchine ballets including: Midsummer, Coppelia, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Circus Polka, Harlequinade and Mozartiana. In 2006, she went on to study at the JKO School at American Ballet Theatre, where she had a chance to perform in American Ballet Theater’s Le Corsaire, Sylvia, and in their 2009 Metropolitan Opera Gala. Elly has attended summer programs in this country and abroad: the Kirov Academy of Ballet, the National Ballet School of Canada, the Royal Ballet School, Chautauqua, Miami City Ballet, and the ABT New York Summer Intensive. |
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Kelli Devitte-McKee ('12) Kelli
is thrilled to be a part of the VRDT family this year and is grateful
to all of her many, many amazing dance teachers throughout the years.
She also doesn't really like long walks on the beach, but does enjoy
velociraptors, brightly colored duct tape, and, of course, dancing. A
probable neuroscience major, she can't wait to see what coming the year
holds. :D
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Emily Dunuwila ('12) Emily is
a sophomore urban studies major with a correlate in Arabic Language and
Culture. She was born and raised in Syracuse, NY where she studied jazz
and tap and traveled with her studio's competition team. When not
rehearsing, Emily enjoys reading Augusten Burroughs novels, watching
Top Chef, and working with her two INCREDIBLE House Fellows as an HFI
in Davison. She is so thankful to VRDT for introducing her to modern
dance and is honored to be working with such inspired and dedicated
choreographers.
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Mallory Easton ('11) Mallory is a junior Urban Studies major, hailing from Nashville, Tennessee. Besides dancing, she also likes Full House, making bracelets, and mashed potatoes. Mallory is so glad to be a part of VRDT and for the opportunity to dance and spend time with so many talented, exciting people. |
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Sara Gabrielson ('12) Sara is a sophomore Environmental Studies major from Hillsborough, North Carolina. She fell in love with modern dance at Carolina Friends School and has been pursuing it in many styles ever since. She has danced at Bates Dance Festival, American Dance Festival, and NC Governor’s School. When she is not dancing and choreographing, she is studying environmental science, reading poetry, playing ultimate frisbee, or lying in the grass with her friends. Sara is happy to be in VRDT for her second year. She would like to thank her parents, Annie Dwyer, and her dear friends for all of their support! |
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Katharine Gripp ('13) Katharine Gripp hails from the bustling metropolis of Fairhope, Alabama. She is a freshman and plans to major in English. She is excited to be a part of VRDT, which gives her an excuse to dance as much as she could possibly want. |
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John Hayden ('13) John is a freshman from Boston Massachusetts and has been dancing for six years. After taking a brief break from dance to pursue other interests in high school, John is tremendously excited to be a member of VRDT this season. |
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Max Hershenow ('10)
Maxalicious Hershenow is a senior Urban Studies major from McCall,
Idaho. This is his third year in VRDT and oh, how the time has just
flown by! But really, Max didn't start dancing until coming to Vassar
and VRDT has been truly life-changing, paradigm shifting, and universe
altering. In fact, he now dreams of starting his own dance theater
company some day! Maybe someday soon. He would like to thank the
incredible Vassar faculty and the BEAUTIFUL dancers in this company for
giving him the support and encouragement to have this dream. He doesn't
like to think of having to leave them. BUT THE WORLD AWAITS!
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Thomas
Hochla ('13) is a freshman from Oklahoma potentially
majoring in Music. Seen onstage since the age of nine, Thomas
began taking dance “full time” his freshman year of high school.
Dance, piano, choir, and musical theatre are his passions. These
have culminated with in a 9 year performance association with Lyric
Theatre of Oklahoma both professionally and volunteer. Much love
goes out to all his teachers here and back home and his friends and
family for their undying love and support.
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Myles Jarrett ('12) Myles is a sophomore from Portland, Oregon. He began his training at Oregon Ballet Theater and Pacific Festival Ballet at the age of eight. Having taken a 6 year break from dance, he is excited to be back in the studio. New to the company, Myles very much enjoys working with his fellow dancers and instructors who have made VRDT absolutely magnificent. |
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Camilla Kelsoe ('10)
Camilla Kelsoe is a senior hailing from what many Vassar students
consider The Deep South: North Cackalacky. She is a double Anthropology
and Italian major with a VRDT triple minor. She enjoys candle-lit
dinners, dancing while cooking, romantic walks on the beach, dancing on
the beach, anthropology theory books that are at least 400 pages long,
dancing while reading theory, gardening, owls, and writing about
coffee. Camilla would like to take this time to thank all of the little
people for getting her where she is today. Thank you, little people. |
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Nicole Krenitsky ('11) Nicole is a junior from Syracuse, New York who began dancing at the age of three and just can’t seem to stop. On the rare occasions when she gets to leave Kenyon, Nicole studies Science, Technology & Society and Italian while pursuing an avid interest in global health. Nicole would like to thank all of the choreographers for this wonderful opportunity, her amazing cast for working with her crazy ideas, her family and friends for their ongoing support and her fellow VRDT members for their inspiration and love. |
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Jenna Kronenberg ('13) Jenna is a freshman from New Jersey and is honored to be working with such incredible people this year. She has previously trained in ballet, jazz and tap, but this is her first experience with modern dance. She would like to thank everyone from the dance department for giving her this amazing experience to learn, and her family and friends for always supporting her dancing. Much love to Lexi, one of the best dance partners ever. |
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Caitlyn Lamdin
('11) Caitlyn Lamdin is a Junior Religion major and
Arabic Language and Culture correlate. She is thrilled to be
dancing and co-choreographing in VRDT for the second year, as well as
participating in FlyPeople (Vassar's student-run dance group) and
choreographing the Drama Department's production of RENT. She
sincerely thanks her family, Vassar's unbelievably talented faculty and
student choreographers, and last but not least the Teaghlach
(Mishpacha).
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Tobi Lawson ('10) Tobi is celebrating her third year with the fabulously talented VRDT while attempting to graduate with a degree in Biochemistry. She has been pointing, flexing and picking flowers from the prima Donna age of five. She enjoys talking about Jamaica and aspires to one day be the “girl with the crazy side bend” at a Carnival near you. She would like to thank all her lovely choreographers and fellow VRDTers for seeing the inner lioness/creeper/Irish/shaker and techno spreader in her. |
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Simone Levine ('13) Simone is so excited about joining the
VRDT family this year! Before Vassar, she spent zillions of hours
studying at Ballet Memphis School and many weeks at the Boston Ballet
and Joffrey Ballet School's summer programs. As of now, she's
contemplating a Math major with a philosophy correlate. Aside
from thinking deeply and dancing intensely, Simone likes to eat lots of
desert, watch trashy 80's movies, and chase adventures in New York
City.
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Mickey Mahar ('12) VRDT
entered Mickey's life at just the right time: after his second divorce
but before his hips begin to give way.
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Caroline Mills ('12) Caroline Mills is a sophomore Media Studies major with a possible correlate in Sociology. She is from the city streets of New York, where she received her ballet training from Studio Maestro (now Manhattan Youth Ballet.) Over her 15 years of dance she has attended The Joffery School, School of American Ballet, NYSSSA, Houston Ballet Academy, Boston Ballet and Bartholin Ballet Seminar in Copenhagen. This is her first year in VRDT and she is delighted to be dancing at Vassar. |
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Dan Ming ('10) Dan is a senior from Victoria, British
Columbia majoring in Peace and Conflict Studies. Don't ask him what it
entails, he's still figuring that out. He was randomly chosen as the
"pity pick" for the company his freshman year and three years later
they can't get rid of him. He would like to thank his three comrades in
VRDT for keeping it strange, Steve Rooks for keeping him in shape, and
Kathy Wildberger for keeping him sane.
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Caroline Moran ('10) Caroline Moran is a senior majoring in psychology, and this is her first year in VRDT. She's from Yonkers, New York and trained at The School of American Ballet and Ballet Academy East. She's really excited to have the opportunity to dance with VRDT this year. |
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Katrina Newman ('13) A freshman from Orlando, Fl. Dancing since the age of 5, she entered the Orlando Ballet School in 1999 and continued her training there under scholarship till she graduated in '09. She has attended summer programs at the Milwaukee Ballet School and at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in Manhattan. She will most likely be an anthropology major at Vassar. She feels privileged to be able to be both a college student and a member of a dance company at the same time! |
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Chelsea Peterson-Salahuddin ('13) Chelsea Peterson-Salahuddin is a freshman from New York City. Chelsea began dancing at Ballet Hispanico at the age of five because it meant she got to wear a tutu, and has been in love with dance ever since. Chelsea danced in Ballet Hispanico’s intensive dance program for eight years, training in Classical Ballet, Horton, Limon, Flamenco, and Jazz, and then continued her dance training at her boarding school, The Grier School, where she was a member of the school’s Competition Dance Team. Chelsea has also taken classes throughout the years at New York’s City’s Broadway Dance Center, where she had the opportunity to be an intern for two months this past summer. |
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Alex Rodabaugh ('10) Alex is a senior from Lima, Ohio (Glee is loosely based on his early years) and majoring in computer science in his spare time. He would like to thank Shelly Washam, Maeva Naylor, the Vassar Dance Department, Stephen Harding, Steinvor Palsson, Ballet Austin, Bates Dance Festival and his incredibly supportive family for helping him get where he is. Alex plans to continue in dance after college and he's got canned heat in his heals tonight, baby. You know this boogie is for real. Got so much canned heat in my heels. |
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Kiara Segal ('13) Kiara
is a freshman from Brookline, Massachusetts who tentatively admits to
an interest in political science. Her time apart from the studio is
spent climbing trees, fiddling with rubik's cubes and eating dark
chocolate almond granola bars. She is very excited to boogie with
everyone in VRDT, on and off the stage.
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Amanda Sugino ('11) Amanda is a junior Psychology major from
New York City who has been dancing since the age of three. She has
studied ballet and modern at Ballet Academy East and LaGuardia High
School of the Performing Arts, and she has an intense love for Graham
technique, Aureole runs, and apfelkuchen. This is Amanda's third year
of
VRDT, and she
would like to thank all of her choreographers and the fabulous dance
faculty for always pushing her to new heights.
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Isabel Vondermuhll ('10)
Isabel hails from New York City, and will be graduating this year with
a degree in Art History. Before coming to Vassar, Isabel trained
at the School of American Ballet and performed with New York City
Ballet for 10 years, in roles such as Marie in Balanchine's Nutcracker,
the original principal dancer in Christopher Wheeldon's Scènes
de Ballet, and principal dancer in Peter Martins' Harmonielehre and in
Balanchine's Serenade and Western Symphony. She is excited to return to
the dance world after graduation, and thankful that John Meehan and
Merrill Ashley are here to whip her back into shape after having
experienced the crazy world of collegiate academia and its various
extra-curriculars.
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Devon Wambold
('10) Devon is a senior and has been dancing for 15 years,
mostly in his hometown of Albuquerque, NM, prior to joining VRDT as a
freshman. He is a film and Hispanic studies double major and the
plan after graduation is still in the works. Devon would like to
thank all of his choreographers and directors from this year and the
past few years. He would also like to thank his family and
friends for their continued support, and his fellow company
members-past and current-for the great time he has had these last few
years. (Finally, he would like to point out that the headband was
not his idea.)
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Anna Wilen ('13) Anna Wilen is a freshman this year at Vassar College. She was born and raised in Davis, California and has been dancing since age eight. Life at Vassar has been everything she could have hoped for and VRDT has played a key role in making it so. Besides dancing Anna loves traveling, meeting new people, and eating peanut butter and jelly. |
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Stephen Xue ('11) Stephen Xue is a junior Media Studies major from Shanghai, China. He has a penchant for scarves (neutrals only) and spends his days and nights on Cuteoverload.com (its the new perezhilton). Favorite movies include 28 Weeks Later, Army of the Dead, Bloodsucking Nazi Zombies, Burial Ground: The Night of Terror, and Boy Eats Girl. One of his dreams is to go spelunking in Deer Cave, Borneo. This is Stephen's second year in VRDT. |