Dance at Emory Faculty

Dance Program Faculty and Staff

Dance and Movement Studies Faculty

Anna Leo (Associate Professor and Director of Dance) Before joining the Emory faculty in 1993, Anna Leo taught at Ohio Wesleyan University and Kenyon College. Prior to receiving her Master of Fine Arts degree at The Ohio State University, she lived in New York City for thirteen years, where she danced with choreographers Sharon Kinney, Kenneth Rinker and Bebe Miller. Her choreography has been produced in New York City, and she has taught and choreographed at colleges and universities in the U.S., and in studios and theaters in Canada and Germany. She has been a National Endowment for the Arts Choreography fellowship recipient. Leo's teaching areas are modern and ballet technique, composition and dance history. Email: aleo@emory.edu

Anna Leo

Sally Radell (Professor) holds a Master of Arts degree in Choreography/Labanotation from The Ohio State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Arizona State University. From 1984-1986, she served as Artist-in-Residence in dance at Memphis State University where she was actively involved with the Memphis Composers' Alliance. Radell has been an active choreographer for the past twenty-five years, and her work has been produced in various locations, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Orleans, New York and Recife, Brazil. In addition to receiving numerous choreographic commissions and artist grants, she is also a published dance critic and does data based research on body image. Radell was founding director of the Emory Dance Program (1987-2008). Her teaching areas are modern and ballet technique, improvisation, composition, and Labanotation. Email: sradell@emory.edu

Sally Radell

Lori Teague (Associate Professor) holds an M.F.A. in choreography and performance from The Ohio State University and certification in Laban Movement Studies. Teague’s eclectic training in contemporary movement blends together with continuous study of contact improvisation, improvisational performance, and somatic practices. From 1988-1991 she toured extensively with the University Dance Company, including works by Mark Morris, Pat Graney, Sharon Wyrrick, Charles Weidman, Sophie Maslow, Doris Humphrey, Susan Hadley, and Victoria Uris. She was also a company member of Zivili: Songs and Dances of the Western Balkans of Ohio and Randy James Dance Works of New York. In Atlanta she has performed with GardenHouse Dance, Full Radius Dance, Beacon Dance, and CORE Performance Company as well as many independent choreographers. Teague has collaborated with dancers to create more than fifty choreographic works produced throughout the southeast as well as Scotland and Russia. She also trains artists to teach in under-served communities and serves as the Program Chair for Moving in the Spirit, a youth development program. She is an artist/activist and an environmentalist. Email: lteague@emory.edu

Lori Teague

Gregory Catellier (Lecturer) is a dancer, choreographer, lighting designer, and teacher. He started dancing during his two years at Webster Universities' Conservatory of Theatre. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Arizona State University. Upon graduation, he danced for various choreographers and companies in Phoenix and New York. He received his Masters of Fine Arts degree from The Ohio State University where he concentrated on dance lighting design and production. Catellier is active in the Atlanta dance scene as both a dancer and lighting designer. His choreography has been selected for American College Dance Festival gala concert, the Modern Atlanta Dance Festival and the Handful Series in Athens, Georgia. At Emory, Catellier is the resident dance lighting designer, and teaches modern dance technique, fitness for dancers and principles of design. Email: gcatell@emory.edu

George Staib (Senior Lecturer) began his dance training at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in conjunction with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. He pursued his Master of Fine Arts degree at Temple University where he served on the faculty upon graduating. While in Philadelphia, Staib danced with Ann Vachon/Dance Conduit, Brandi Floreen, and Paula Kellinger and Dancers. After earning his degree, Staib received a scholarship to study at the American Dance Festival, where he met and danced with Sharon Kinney, Bela Lewitzky, Betty Jones, Mark Heim and Irene Hultman. Staib has been a Guest Artist-in-Residence at Wilson College and the University of Nevada, and was a choreographer for the Las Vegas Civic Ballet. Recently, Staib traveled to Czechoslovakia to participate in the Prague "Dance and Theater Prize 2000," where he received a prize for outstanding choreography. Staib teaches modern and Ballet techniques, Introduction to Dance, and Choreography at Emory. Email: gstaib@emory.edu

Holly Godwin (Teaching Specialist) is an actress, director, and teacher who received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater at the University of Victoria. For six years she was a resident company member at the Academy Theatre and currently performs one-woman shows in the Atlanta area schools. She has studied Clown with Sue Morrison at the Theatre Resource Centre in Toronto, and has attended workshops in Neutral Mask, Le Jou and Bouffon with Philippe Gaulier. She received her teaching certification at The Alexander Foundation in Philadelphia, and has taken numerous Alexander workshops with master teacher Marjorie Barstow. Godwin teaches courses in the Alexander Technique for the Emory Dance Program. Email: hasteve@emory.edu
Holly Stevenson

Sheri Latham (Teaching Specialist) began her studies with Southern Ballet under the direction of Pittman Corey. After being chosen as a finalist for the Bolshoi Ballet's children program during their North American tour, she continued her ballet training at the Atlanta Ballet under the direction of Robert Barnett. Latham left the Atlanta Ballet after ten years to guest perform with other companies and to study at Georgia State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Education. In addition to the Atlanta Ballet, Latham's studies included companies in New York and Paris. Latham is currently teaching all levels of ballet at Emory University. She has choreographed numerous ballets for the Emory Dance Company and also designed the costumes. Latham has been a guest teacher for Agnes Scott College, Georgia State University, and Woodward Academy. Email: latham1@bellsouth.net Latham

Tara Shepard Myers (Teaching Specialist) came to Emory from Savannah, Georgia, where she performed and taught for Sankofa Dance Theater and their outreach programs, in addition to acting as the company's rehearsal director. Myers received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Florida State University. While working towards her degrees, Myers performed in the U.S. and abroad with the repertory companies from both universities. She also produced and directed the first annual Georgia Arts Dance Camp, a week-long summer camp for children in Southwestern Georgia. Recently, Myers' choreography was chosen to be performed in the Pan African Dance Festival. Myers teaches jazz and modern techniques at Emory. Email: tshepa2@learnlink.emory.edu

Tara Shepard Meyers

Sasikala Penumarthi (Teaching Specialist) Vempati Chinna Satyam is the most renowned teacher and choreographer of Kuchipudi dance in modern times. From 1984-1990, Penumarthiserved as a resident Artist / Performer / Teacher at the Kuchipudi Art Academy and traveled extensively all over India, U.S.A, Canada, Europe, former Soviet Russia and gave over 800 performances, conducted workshops and lecture demonstrations. Penumarthi moved to Atlanta in 1991 and started teaching and performing Kuchipudi Dance in the Atlanta area. She also founded the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, a non-profit organization, in 1997. She
received the Master Artist award from the Georgia Arts Council and the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts. Penumarthi is on the Georgia Council for the Arts and Young Audiences of Atlanta Artist Rosters. She teaches Kuchipudi dance for the Emory Dance Program.
Email: sasikala@bellsouth.net

Julie Rothschild (Teaching Specialist) is an independent artist living in Athens, Georgia, where she is co-founder of Floorspace Movement Arts Studio and producer/curator of The Handful Series. Rothschild began her modern dance training at Western Reserve Academy, Hudson, Ohio in 1983 and continued to pursue her interest in dance and performance at Colorado College and Ohio State University. She has worked with Prairie Wind Dancers, Aha! Dance Theatre, Miki Liszt Dance Company, Live Arts Theatre, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, and Zen Monkey Project, with whom she continues to collaborate. Between 2003-2007 Rothschild served as a Visiting Faculty in the Dance Department at The University of Georgia. Rothschild now teaches, choreographs and performs locally and internationally and has recently become a certified Alexander Technique Teacher. At Emory, Rothschild teaches modern dance technique and improvisation.
Email: jeroths@emory.edu

Administrative Staff

Kendall Simpson (Music Operations Administrator) has composed original scores for several Atlanta-area theatre productions, including Red Scare on Sunset and The Enchanted April at Theatre in the Square; Romeo and Juliet, A Winter's Tale, The Tempest at Georgia Shakespeare Festival; Night and Her Stars, Kindertransport' Born Guilty and The Golem at Jewish Theatre of the South, The Invisible Man at Georgia Ensemble Theatre and A Hole in the Dark at Horizon Theater. Simpson's most recent work for dance, Papillon, was premiered by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Lee Harper and Dancers. Also working in film, Simpson has scored several independent films including the "The Etiquette Man." which has received top honors at several film festivals. Recent television credits include various pieces for Sesame Street. For the concert stage, Simpson has been commissioned to write works for piano and various chamber ensembles. Email: ksimpso@emory.edu

Anne Walker (Office Manager) holds a B.A. in studio art and art history from St. Olaf College. She has an interest in all the arts, including dance. Walker has worked at Emory since 1998, as Assistant Director of Development for the Rollins School of Public Health and Program Coordinator for the Center for the Study of Public Scholarship, before joining the Dance Program in 2005. Outside of her job at Emory, she runs Anne Walker Studio, a business selling her handcrafted sterling silver jewelry. Email: awalker@emory.edu

Dance Musicians

David Decaminada, originally from Columbus, Ohio, has been involved with ballet and modern dance as a piano accompanist in Atlanta since 1984. His associations include the Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta School of Ballet, Agnes Scott College, Carl Ratcliff Dancers, Georgia State University, and S.E.R.B.A. In Ohio he accompanied dance at Ohio State University and the Ballet Metropolitan. His background as pianist includes Columbus Ohio Association for Performing Arts, Warner Cable, St. Thomas More, and Women's Glee Club. Decaminada accompanies classes in ballet, modern and jazz technique in the Emory Dance Program.

Joanie Ferguson, drums and percussion, is originally from Niles, Michigan. Ferguson has an extensive background as a touring and recording musician with several different artists. She has shared the stage with notables Edwin McCain, Sister Hazel, Better Than Ezra, Spin Doctors, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Toto, Randy Bachman (BTO) and Blue Oyster Cult. Joanie accompanies classes in modern and jazz for both the Emory University Dance Program and Agnes Scott College.

Klimchak is a composer, percussionist, and performer. Recent music/performance credits for theatrical productions include live music/performance for The War in Heaven, written by Sam Shepard and Joe Chaikin at Seven Stages in Atlanta, and a live score for No Exit at Le Neon Theater in Washington DC. He is the Composer-in-Residence for GardenHouse Dance Company and has composed music for many other choreographers. His dance music has been performed most recently at Die Werkstatt in Dusseldorf, Die Brotfabrik in Bonn, and Bovenzaal Staddsschouwburg in Amsterdam. Klimchak's last solo performance show, Off the Beaten Path, has been performed for PBS and released as an audio cassette. He accompanies classes in modern and jazz technique, and has composed musical scores for Emory faculty and students. Klimchak's music is available at http://www.cdbaby.com/klimchak. Email: jklimch@emory.edu

Dance at Emory | Emory College | Emory University

Dance and Movement Studies Faculty
Anna Leo (Associate Professor and Director of Dance) Before joining the Emory faculty in 1993, Anna Leo taught at Ohio Wesleyan University and Kenyon College. Prior to receiving her Master of Fine Arts degree at The Ohio State University, she lived in New York City for thirteen years, where she danced with choreographers Sharon Kinney, Kenneth Rinker and Bebe Miller. Her choreography has been produced in New York City, and she has taught and choreographed at colleges and universities in the U.S., and in studios and theaters in Canada and Germany. She has been a National Endowment for the Arts Choreography fellowship recipient. Leo's teaching areas are modern and ballet technique, composition and dance history. Email: aleo@emory.edu
Sally Radell (Professor) holds a Master of Arts degree in Choreography/Labanotation from The Ohio State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Arizona State University. From 1984-1986, she served as Artist-in-Residence in dance at Memphis State University where she was actively involved with the Memphis Composers' Alliance. Radell has been an active choreographer for the past twenty-five years, and her work has been produced in various locations, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Orleans, New York and Recife, Brazil. In addition to receiving numerous choreographic commissions and artist grants, she is also a published dance critic and does data based research on body image. Radell was founding director of the Emory Dance Program (1987-2008). Her teaching areas are modern and ballet technique, improvisation, composition, and Labanotation. Email: sradell@emory.edu
Lori Teague (Associate Professor) holds an M.F.A. in choreography and performance from The Ohio State University and certification in Laban Movement Studies. Teague’s eclectic training in contemporary movement blends together with continuous study of contact improvisation, improvisational performance, and somatic practices. From 1988-1991 she toured extensively with the University Dance Company, including works by Mark Morris, Pat Graney, Sharon Wyrrick, Charles Weidman, Sophie Maslow, Doris Humphrey, Susan Hadley, and Victoria Uris. She was also a company member of Zivili: Songs and Dances of the Western Balkans of Ohio and Randy James Dance Works of New York. In Atlanta she has performed with GardenHouse Dance, Full Radius Dance, Beacon Dance, and CORE Performance Company as well as many independent choreographers. Teague has collaborated with dancers to create more than fifty choreographic works produced throughout the southeast as well as Scotland and Russia. She also trains artists to teach in under-served communities and serves as the Program Chair for Moving in the Spirit, a youth development program. She is an artist/activist and an environmentalist. Email: lteague@emory.edu
Gregory Catellier (Lecturer) is a dancer, choreographer, lighting designer, and teacher. He started dancing during his two years at Webster Universities' Conservatory of Theatre. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Arizona State University. Upon graduation, he danced for various choreographers and companies in Phoenix and New York. He received his Masters of Fine Arts degree from The Ohio State University where he concentrated on dance lighting design and production. Catellier is active in the Atlanta dance scene as both a dancer and lighting designer. His choreography has been selected for American College Dance Festival gala concert, the Modern Atlanta Dance Festival and the Handful Series in Athens, Georgia. At Emory, Catellier is the resident dance lighting designer, and teaches modern dance technique, fitness for dancers and principles of design. Email: gcatell@emory.edu
George Staib (Senior Lecturer) began his dance training at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in conjunction with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. He pursued his Master of Fine Arts degree at Temple University where he served on the faculty upon graduating. While in Philadelphia, Staib danced with Ann Vachon/Dance Conduit, Brandi Floreen, and Paula Kellinger and Dancers. After earning his degree, Staib received a scholarship to study at the American Dance Festival, where he met and danced with Sharon Kinney, Bela Lewitzky, Betty Jones, Mark Heim and Irene Hultman. Staib has been a Guest Artist-in-Residence at Wilson College and the University of Nevada, and was a choreographer for the Las Vegas Civic Ballet. Recently, Staib traveled to Czechoslovakia to participate in the Prague "Dance and Theater Prize 2000," where he received a prize for outstanding choreography. Staib teaches modern and Ballet techniques, Introduction to Dance, and Choreography at Emory. Email: gstaib@emory.edu
Holly Godwin (Teaching Specialist) is an actress, director, and teacher who received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater at the University of Victoria. For six years she was a resident company member at the Academy Theatre and currently performs one-woman shows in the Atlanta area schools. She has studied Clown with Sue Morrison at the Theatre Resource Centre in Toronto, and has attended workshops in Neutral Mask, Le Jou and Bouffon with Philippe Gaulier. She received her teaching certification at The Alexander Foundation in Philadelphia, and has taken numerous Alexander workshops with master teacher Marjorie Barstow. Godwin teaches courses in the Alexander Technique for the Emory Dance Program. Email: hasteve@emory.edu
Sheri Latham (Teaching Specialist) began her studies with Southern Ballet under the direction of Pittman Corey. After being chosen as a finalist for the Bolshoi Ballet's children program during their North American tour, she continued her ballet training at the Atlanta Ballet under the direction of Robert Barnett. Latham left the Atlanta Ballet after ten years to guest perform with other companies and to study at Georgia State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Education. In addition to the Atlanta Ballet, Latham's studies included companies in New York and Paris. Latham is currently teaching all levels of ballet at Emory University. She has choreographed numerous ballets for the Emory Dance Company and also designed the costumes. Latham has been a guest teacher for Agnes Scott College, Georgia State University, and Woodward Academy. Email: latham1@bellsouth.net
Tara Shepard Myers (Teaching Specialist) came to Emory from Savannah, Georgia, where she performed and taught for Sankofa Dance Theater and their outreach programs, in addition to acting as the company's rehearsal director. Myers received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Florida State University. While working towards her degrees, Myers performed in the U.S. and abroad with the repertory companies from both universities. She also produced and directed the first annual Georgia Arts Dance Camp, a week-long summer camp for children in Southwestern Georgia. Recently, Myers' choreography was chosen to be performed in the Pan African Dance Festival. Myers teaches jazz and modern techniques at Emory. Email: tshepa2@learnlink.emory.edu
Sasikala Penumarthi (Teaching Specialist) Vempati Chinna Satyam is the most renowned teacher and choreographer of Kuchipudi dance in modern times. From 1984-1990, Penumarthiserved as a resident Artist / Performer / Teacher at the Kuchipudi Art Academy and traveled extensively all over India, U.S.A, Canada, Europe, former Soviet Russia and gave over 800 performances, conducted workshops and lecture demonstrations. Penumarthi moved to Atlanta in 1991 and started teaching and performing Kuchipudi Dance in the Atlanta area. She also founded the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, a non-profit organization, in 1997. She received the Master Artist award from the Georgia Arts Council and the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts. Penumarthi is on the Georgia Council for the Arts and Young Audiences of Atlanta Artist Rosters. She teaches Kuchipudi dance for the Emory Dance Program. Email: sasikala@bellsouth.net
Julie Rothschild (Teaching Specialist) is an independent artist living in Athens, Georgia, where she is co-founder of Floorspace Movement Arts Studio and producer/curator of The Handful Series. Rothschild began her modern dance training at Western Reserve Academy, Hudson, Ohio in 1983 and continued to pursue her interest in dance and performance at Colorado College and Ohio State University. She has worked with Prairie Wind Dancers, Aha! Dance Theatre, Miki Liszt Dance Company, Live Arts Theatre, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, and Zen Monkey Project, with whom she continues to collaborate. Between 2003-2007 Rothschild served as a Visiting Faculty in the Dance Department at The University of Georgia. Rothschild now teaches, choreographs and performs locally and internationally and has recently become a certified Alexander Technique Teacher. At Emory, Rothschild teaches modern dance technique and improvisation. Email: jeroths@emory.edu
Administrative Staff Kendall Simpson (Music Operations Administrator) has composed original scores for several Atlanta-area theatre productions, including Red Scare on Sunset and The Enchanted April at Theatre in the Square; Romeo and Juliet, A Winter's Tale, The Tempest at Georgia Shakespeare Festival; Night and Her Stars, Kindertransport' Born Guilty and The Golem at Jewish Theatre of the South, The Invisible Man at Georgia Ensemble Theatre and A Hole in the Dark at Horizon Theater. Simpson's most recent work for dance, Papillon, was premiered by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Lee Harper and Dancers. Also working in film, Simpson has scored several independent films including the "The Etiquette Man." which has received top honors at several film festivals. Recent television credits include various pieces for Sesame Street. For the concert stage, Simpson has been commissioned to write works for piano and various chamber ensembles. Email: ksimpso@emory.edu Anne Walker (Office Manager) holds a B.A. in studio art and art history from St. Olaf College. She has an interest in all the arts, including dance. Walker has worked at Emory since 1998, as Assistant Director of Development for the Rollins School of Public Health and Program Coordinator for the Center for the Study of Public Scholarship, before joining the Dance Program in 2005. Outside of her job at Emory, she runs Anne Walker Studio, a business selling her handcrafted sterling silver jewelry. Email: awalker@emory.edu Dance Musicians
David Decaminada, originally from Columbus, Ohio, has been involved with ballet and modern dance as a piano accompanist in Atlanta since 1984. His associations include the Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta School of Ballet, Agnes Scott College, Carl Ratcliff Dancers, Georgia State University, and S.E.R.B.A. In Ohio he accompanied dance at Ohio State University and the Ballet Metropolitan. His background as pianist includes Columbus Ohio Association for Performing Arts, Warner Cable, St. Thomas More, and Women's Glee Club. Decaminada accompanies classes in ballet, modern and jazz technique in the Emory Dance Program. Joanie Ferguson, drums and percussion, is originally from Niles, Michigan. Ferguson has an extensive background as a touring and recording musician with several different artists. She has shared the stage with notables Edwin McCain, Sister Hazel, Better Than Ezra, Spin Doctors, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Toto, Randy Bachman (BTO) and Blue Oyster Cult. Joanie accompanies classes in modern and jazz for both the Emory University Dance Program and Agnes Scott College.
Klimchak is a composer, percussionist, and performer. Recent music/performance credits for theatrical productions include live music/performance for The War in Heaven, written by Sam Shepard and Joe Chaikin at Seven Stages in Atlanta, and a live score for No Exit at Le Neon Theater in Washington DC. He is the Composer-in-Residence for GardenHouse Dance Company and has composed music for many other choreographers. His dance music has been performed most recently at Die Werkstatt in Dusseldorf, Die Brotfabrik in Bonn, and Bovenzaal Staddsschouwburg in Amsterdam. Klimchak's last solo performance show, Off the Beaten Path, has been performed for PBS and released as an audio cassette. He accompanies classes in modern and jazz technique, and has composed musical scores for Emory faculty and students. Klimchak's music is available at http://www.cdbaby.com/klimchak. Email: jklimch@emory.edu