Rice Dance Theatre - Once Upon a Dance Program

Once Upon a Dance, the RDT fall 2005 concert, ran November 11, 12, 17, 18 & 19.

Concert Photos
(Or click the title of a dance below to be taken directly to that dance's pictures.)

Gotchya!
Choreograper: Caroline Crites
Music: "Between the Rooms," Don Potter
Dancers: Amy Richter, Ashley Martin, Nancy Ku

Breaking the rules
Choreograper: Angelica Bush
Music: "They," Jem
Dancers: Christine Chen, Lizzi Clark, Zeynep Eroglu, Tracy Edwards, Sonia Kannadan, Dionella Martinez, Melody Muñoz

Karma
Choreograpers: Caroline Crites, Heather Johnston, Katie Olson, Anisha Srinivason
Music: "Karma," Alicia Keys
Dancers: Caroline Crites, Heather Johnston, Katie Olson
Note: Anisha, our pride and joy, we dance for you!

With Two
Choreograper: Nancy Ku
Music: "The Little Shepherd," Debussy (Andre Watts, pianist)
Dancers: Danielle Mouledoux, Althea Skinner

One in Five
Choreograper: Tiffany Truss
Music: Bittersweet Nightshade," Magica
Dancers: Tracy Edwards, Christian Holmes, Dionella Martinez, Melody Munoz, Katie Olson
Note: If you or someone you know needs assistance, call the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-494-8100 or the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) 1-800-656-HOPE.

Social Skills
Choreograper: Danielle Mouledoux
Music: "Five Four," Roberto Menescal; "Depois Da Queda," Roberto Menescal; "Retrato Em Branco E Preto," the G/9 Group
Dancers: Christine Chen, Ruta Perzynska, Althea Skinner

A Modern Tale of an Epic Whale
Choreograper: Amy Richter
Music: "Mariner's Revenge," the Decemberists
Dancers: Tracy Edwards, Zeynep Eroglu, Ashley Martin, Marysa Mumphrey, Jennie Wilburn, Carmen Wright

The Other Half
Choreograper: Ruta Perzynska
Music: "Merchant Petard," Plastic Bertrand
Dancers: Zeynep Eroglu, Marysa Mumphrey, Katie Olson, Nancy O'Connor, Stephen Rooke, Jennie Wilburn, Natalie Weber

Opposing All Unpleasantries
Choreograper: Ashley Martin
Music: "You Make Me Weak in the Knees," Electralane
Dancers: Rebecca Philips, Meghan Saumur, Amy Richter, Nancy Ku, Jamie Lee, Kathleen Shergy

Beziers
Choreograper: Katie Olson
Music: "Equinoxe 4," Jean Michel Jarre
Dancers: Angelica Bush, Heather Johnston, Marysa Mumphrey, Nancy O'Connor, Meghan Saumur, Tiffany Truss, Natalie Weber, Carmen Wright

La Búsqueda Para el Dosel de Verdad (The Search for the Canopy of Truth)
Choreograper: Althea Skinner
Music: "The True Story of What Was," Ani DiFranco; "Frosti," Björk
Dancers: Caroline Crites, Jamie Lee, Natalie Weber

Glappy!
Choreograper: Anisha Srinivason
Music: "Stash," Phish
Dancers: Lizzi Clark, Jasmine Davis, Christian Holmes, Heather Johnston, Nancy Ku, Jamie Lee, Katie Olson, Nancy O'Connor, Amy Richter

Angelica Bush is a senior psychology major at Jones College. She started dancing with Atelier of Dance in Tampa, Florida at the age of three, and "mastered" the art of ballet, tap, jazz, character, modern, and drill team by the age of ten. After a 10 year hiatus, she reunited with her passion for dance when she joined RDT last fall. This is her first time choreographing. She would like to thank her dancers for being so supportive and for their assistance in the creative process.

Caroline Crites, a Baker junior majoring in linguistics and German, has been a member of RDT since her freshman year. This is her second attempt at choreography. The idea for this piece developed from Caroline's inability to hold still when she hears a beat, as well as her fondness for laughter and silliness. She would like to thank her dancers for their patience and hard work, her family and friends for their support, her roommate Carolyn for her willingness to hear the same song played over and over in their room, and Christ for the talent. Her hope is that this piece inspires you to let dancing take you over!

Heather Johnston burst onto the dance scene in 1988 in a riveting performance as 'the one little duck' and hasn't stopped dancing since. In her third year with RDT, she owes giant thanks to the lovely ladies of Karma for bringing her in on the fun and giving this rookie a chance to work with such fantastic choreographers. Heather is a junior Elec (trical engineer) at Jones College.

Nancy Ku is a senior MechE at Hanszen College. She has danced with RDT since freshman year, and choreographed her first piece, MindStorms, last year. Prior to Rice, she tap danced. Nancy is thankful dance and improvisation are a part of her life, and more thankful for the friends with whom she's shared these joys. And she's really happy this year.

Ashley Martin started dancing at the age of 3 when her mom decided to sign her up for classes because she was always walking on her toes. She received her formal training at the Alexandra School of Ballet in St. Louis, Missouri. Before joining RDT, Ashley performed with Alexandra Ballet Company, Mid-America Dance Company, and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. Ashley is currently a junior at Will Rice majoring in biology. This is her third year in RDT and her first time choreographing. She would like to thank her parents and friends for all their support, with a special thanks to Sarah for having such a great music collection. She would also like to thank Nancy for her help with the costumes and a huge thank you to all her dancers for all of their hard work, insight and enthusiasm.

Danielle Mouledoux (vice president) is a junior English major. This is her second time choreographing for RDT and has been a member of group since Fall 2003. She has also danced with Chrysalis and Psophonia Dance Companies. Any suggestions as to what she should do with her life are greatly appreciated.

Katie Olson is a senior Sports Medicine major from Martel College. She has been dancing since the 1980s when all she could do is spin until she fell down; a move which runs rampant through her choreography. This is her fourth and final year as a member of RDT and her fourth time choreographing for the company. As for her future, nothing is certain. All she knows is that her back up plan is moving to Mexico and sipping margaritas in the sunset. Whatever happens, Katie plans to follow the immortal wisdom of James Dean: "Dream as though you'll live forever, live as though you'll die today."

This is Ruta Perzynska's senior year at Rice and her first time choreographing. It's been a challenge and a thrill and she can't wait to do it again next semester. She's been with RDT for four semesters and will miss it all when she graduates and disappears into a puff of smoke.

Looking toward the horizon, the shipwrecked sailors are apprehensive about their future. Undertaking the monumental task of destroying the whale that consumed her companion, Amy Richter attempts to create a modern tale of this epic whale. This is her second dance with Rice Dance Theatre and she hopes there will be many more. She would like to thank her dancers, her family and Gericault for inspiration.

Althea Skinner, a junior sociology major, began dancing at the Festival School of Ballet in Buffalo, NY at age three and continued training at the Halycone Ewalt Perlman School of Ballet in Columbia, MO from ages 10 to 18. She has also studied dance at the Pennsylvania School of Ballet, Pineapple Studios in London, Stephen's College, the Louisville Ballet and the Houston Ballet. Last year, she debuted professionally with the Michele Brangwen Dance Ensemble (MBDE), the Sandra Organ Dance Company and Chrysalis. This is her third semester working with Rice Dance Theatre and her first time choreographing. She is grateful that dance is a part of her life and appreciates her dancers for their flexibility and diligence. She thanks her loved ones for their intellectual, psychological, emotional and artistic support in the joyful challenge that is life.

Anisha Srinivason has been training in two major forms of Indian Classical Dance for over 13 years and is a senior member of the Anjali School of Performing Arts. She's been a member of RDT since her freshman year, and this is the fourth piece she has choreographed in the company. Along with RDT, she has danced and choreographed in other cultural and community events on and off campus. Dance is her passion and you can find her dancing everywhere, whether it's on stage, in the studio, in the car, in the kitchen, or in her head! Note: I couldn't have asked for a better, more amazing group of dancers. I want to say a special thank you to ALL of them for making this dance so memorable for me :)

Tiffany Truss: n. a small carnivorous mammal that is finishing it's senior year majoring in mechanical engineering/managerial studies. In it's natural habitat of Wiess College the mammal can often be found swinging from ceilings fans, randomly bugging RDT members or doing a happy dance. Origins lie in several military bases across the world including Germany. Likes to travel alone, but will tolerate other members of society. Take caution when caffeinated.