Laurie Atkins

dancer

Laurie Atkins is a native of Boone, North Carolina. She received her early dance training from her mentor, Marianne Adams. She attended the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and completed a B.F.A. in Modern Dance in 2000. While at Utah, she received the continuing student scholarship and received honors from the Orchesis society for her performing. Her choreography was showcased at the ACDA informal concert in 2000. As part of the Performing Dance Company at Utah, she performed in works by Laura Dean, Abby Fiat, Steve Koester, John Malashock, and Doug Varone. After college she moved to New York where she studied at the Trisha Brown Dance Studio and performed with Chase Dance Theater. After moving back to North Carolina, she became a licensed massage therapist and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Community Counseling with an emphasis in expressive arts therapy at Appalachian State University. As a graduate assistant in the Department of Theater and Dance she teaches, performs and choreographs at ASU. In 2002, she performed with Ashley Thorndike in shape[no]context in Charlottesville, VA.

Pamela M. Hetherington

dancer

Pamela M. Hetherington has trained and performed in Philadelphia since the age of 10. She began her professional training as a member of the Next Generation Dance Theater under the direction of the late Stephan Love. She went on to study extensively in ballet, jazz and modern under many renowned teachers in Philadelphia, New York and Chicago. As a result of her training, she has performed in numerous stage shows, benefit performances and television appearances in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey which showcased her versatile and high-energy talents. As a 2001 honors graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, she performed and choreographed with Penn Dance, Penn's student-choreographed and professionally taught modern dance company, for four years. She was also resident choreographer for the company from 2001-2002. Recent modern stage credits in Philadelphia include SCRAP Modern Dance Co. and The Ages Dance Collective.

Tap dancing, however, has always been Pam's driving force in dance. Many teachers have influenced her over the years. She credits the late Leon Evans, La Vaughn Robinson, Delphine Mantz, Robert Burden and Jeannie Hill [Jump Rhythm Jazz Project] for her current technique and style. Pam was a member of Tap Team II from 1996-2002. As a company member, she enjoyed many opportunities to perform with and learn from several famous tap masters and jazz musicians. She performed and choreographed with "DA BOOM" Tap Company under the direction of Jarrodd T. Beverly until she left Philadelphia to pursue an advanced degree at the University of Virginia in English Literature.

Pam currently works with Prospect Dance Group and the Miki Liszt Dance Company in Charlottesville.

Jennifer Tweel Kelly

dancer

Jennifer Tweel Kelly is a native of Charlottesville and lives with her husband, Christian and daughter, Maya.  She earned a BA in Dance from James Madison University in 1996 and has worked as a performer, choreographer and teacher since then in the San Francisco Bay Area and Virginia.  Jen has trained with many teachers including Susan Klein, Joe Goode, Betty Jones and Lisa Race.  She is influenced by them as well as her study of the Alexander technique and her experiences as a member of the Zen Monkey Project in Charlottesville.   Jen has also worked with Chavasse Dance and Performance in VT and CORA/Shannon Hummel in NYC, among others.  Jen owns and operates The Hip Joint, a dance and fitness wear shop two blocks away, just off the Downtown Mall.  Visit www.thehipjointdances.com for more info. 

Kelly Silliman

dancer

Kelly Silliman trained in ballet and modern dance in her native Connecticut before earning her BA in Theatre Arts from Stetson University in DeLand, FL.  While in Florida, she designed and implemented the modern dance program at the Community School of the Arts Academy of Dance.  After graduation, Kelly moved to Boston, where she co-founded Royal Jelly, a performance ensemble of dancers, musicians, and visual artists.  In 2000, Kelly moved to Tucson, AZ, where she taught ballet, tap, jazz, and modern, and danced with NEW ARTiculations Dance Theatre.  She also founded NEW ART's youth dance ensemble in 2002.  Kelly recently relocated to Charlottesville, and is thrilled to be dancing with Prospect Dance Group.  She would like to thank her husband and daughter for the many hours of rehearsal they have sat through to support her dancing.

Lauren Alexis Spivey

dancer

Lauren Alexis Spivey is native to the farmland of southeastern Virginia but has chosen to make Charlottesville her grounding place for now. She is a graduate of James Madison University and holds a Bachelos of Arts in both dance and philosophy with an interdisciplinary study in Creative Writing. Spivey is currently teaching dance at Studio 206 Belmont and is developing a movement program for the Virginia Discovery Museum downtown. In addition to performing with PDG, Spivey is choreographing and performing for the Rockbridge Modern Dance Ensemble under the direction of Nancy Lane in Lexington, VA. She is also happy to be a part of the ongoing Lunatic Carnival, an artistic brainchild birthed by Christian and Tasha of CharlottesvilleÕs Biscuit Run. Spivey is one of many artists now collaborating at Biscuit Run, and dances there under the direction of Zen Monkey Project guest artist, Kelly East. The rest of her artistic life is devoted to Charlottesville's other budding modern dance company, SEED Dance Exchange. She would like to thank Miki Liszt, the McGuffey Art Center, and the Living Education Center for their support and for providing space for dance to grow in this beautiful city.