The Collective

Sonja Howard began her dance career at the age of 7. She was a member of the Ballet Folklorico Infinite Dance Company for eight years prior to attending Texas Woman’s University. While at TWU she was an active member of the Folk Company for 3 years and has performed and participated in various dance forms ranging from Salsa to Hip-Hop. She attained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from TWU in 2005. Since graduation she has become a mother of 2 and continues to explore choreography projects focusing on creative movement and programs for the youth.

Danielle Marie Georgiou is an alumna of the University of Texas at Arlington where she received her Master of Arts in Political Science in 2008 and her Honors Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business and French in 2006. Danielle began her dance training at the age of two in her hometown of Carrollton, Texas. She received her ballet training in Balanchine technique from Patty’s Studio and Carrollton Christian Dance Academy, then moved to Newman Smith High School’s Gallery in Motion, where she studied modern and contemporary dance. After high school, Danielle moved to Arlington, Texas to pursue her academic studies at the University of Texas at Arlington and became a member of the UTA Dance Ensemble. Her experience with the Ensemble allowed her to explore herself as a dancer and choreographer and provided her the opportunity to participate in five American College Dance Festivals as both a performer and choreographer. In 2007, Danielle accepted the Assistant Director’s position with the Ensemble, and is a dance lecturer in the Department of Kinesiology. In the fall of 2008, Danielle will begin work on her Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities at the University of Texas at Dallas.

 Emily Boyd is a Professor of Dance at Tarrant County Community College District. She received her Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science degree with Dance certification from Southwest Texas State University. She then went on to earn her MFA in Dance from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. While at CWRU she assisted and taught at Mather Dance Center, Veal, Cleveland School of Dance, New York International Ballet Competition, and NonSolo Danza in Italy. She has created choreography for the CWRU Opera Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and co-directed various programs such as Round Rock Dragonette Dance Team, Orchesis Dance Company and Madacol Community Dance Company. She has worked professionally with various artists including Cathy Ward, Bill Evans, Katherine Duke, Karen Potter, Kelly Holt, Louis Kavouras, Ginger Thatcher, Gary Galbraith, Ken Topping, Carlos Orta, and Richard Dickenson. As a New York resident she studied on scholarship at both the Martha Graham and Paul Taylor schools, taught ballet and creative movement at Mulberry Street Theatre and Five Star Dance, worked as an Administrative Intern with Peridance,and performed with Steven Scott Entertainment and Annie Sailer Dance Company. As a Dallas resident she has taught dance at various community colleges including Collin County Community College, North Lake College, and Brookhaven College. She has performed with Elledanceworks Dance Company for the last five years. and has also presented choreography at Barefoot Brigade. She will be performing with MuscleMemory Dance Theatre this season.

Jessica Thomas is a recent graduate from The University of North Texas, receiving a BFA in Modern and Ballet Performance. While at UNT, she performed in all Faculty, Junior, and New Choreographers'

Concerts, including Shelley Cushman's New York ADF Nationals winner,

"En I Me." Ms. Thomas was awarded the Lucille Murchison Dance

Scholarship. In addition she rehearsed and performed the reconstruction of Jose Limon's "Psalm" under the direction of former Company member,

Brenna-Monroe Cooke. This experience led her to further

her studies in New York and California with the Limon Company, as

well as the Backhaus Dance Company on full-scholarship.

Lauren Guyer graduated from Texas Woman's University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching from the College of Professional Education at TWU. While a member of the performing ensemble, Dance Works, Lauren was given the opportunity to study under professionals such as, Mary Williford-Shade, Jordan Fuchs, Sarah Gamblin, Larry Keigwin, and Bill Young. She has recently participated in American Dance Festival Winter Intensive in NYC, where she studied under Ishmael Houston-Jones, Pamela Pietro, Donna Faye-Burchfield, and Mark Heim.

Shortly after receiving her degree, Lauren joined the staff of Rockwall-Heath and Naaman Forest High School, as the Color Guard Director. Lauren Guyer has taught color guard for six years and has received numerous awards and honorable mentions throughout her career.

Sunghun Lim

Tarah Sprague

Ashley Hellen