site    
hope college > academic departments > dance   

 
Student Handbook <
Faculty <
Courses <
Awards <
Affiliate Companies <
Performance Opportunities <
Summer Dance Opportunities <
News & Events <
Photo Galleries <
Prospective Students <
Fast Facts <
Where Are They Now? <
 


FALL 2009

Sharon Wong: has been on faculty at Alvin Ailey since 1992. She serves as faculty advisor for BFA and Certificate students at the Alvin Ailey School. She is presently on faculty at Adelphi University Dance Department. Sharon serves on the Board of Directors of Evon Arts LTD COming Together Performance Series, New York City. She has received the J.S. Seidman Award for Excellence in Dance.

Dorrell Martin: is a soloist for the national touring company of "A Few Good Men...Dancin." Dorrell is a faculty member at the Joffrey Ballet School and Dance New Amsterdam. He has performed in musicals such as Lion King, Aida, Swing, and West Side Story. He has worked with recording artists such as Emma Burton, Jennifer Lopes, and Pink. He has taught and set works for Houston Ballet Academy, University of Louisiana, C.A.D. Dance in New York City, Lamar University, and contemporary dance companies in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and overseas. His studies include Paul Taylor, The Ailey School, EDGE Performing Arts in Los Angeles, Steps on Broadway and two years at the New York State Summer Intensive with New York City Ballet.


SPRING 2010

Claire Porter: has performed her PORTABLES around the country and in Germany, Holland, England, Latvia and Korea. She has received several National Endowment for the Arts and New Jersey State Council on the Arts Choreography Fellowships, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Awards and commissions fro DTW’s First Light Project, The 92nd St. Y Harkness Dance festival, Domino’s Pizza Company and University Dance Companies. Porter set a solo on the Kansas City Ballet, performed in Mikhail Baryshnikov’s GALA 09 and is currently performing Namely, Muscles in Festivals, conferences, medical schools and universities. She has taught Laban Movement Analysis and/or choreography for NYU Dance Ed., Columbia Teachers College, Connecticut College, Manhattanville College and Hope College in Michigan. She teaches Clair’s Workout in NJ and serves on the Board of DanceNJ. Porter has a MA in Dance from Ohio State, and BA in Mathematics, is a Laban Movement Analyst and is represented by PENTACLE/Dance Works/NYC.
Her website, www.cportables.com lists upcoming works.


Richard Rivera: hails from concrete buildings and asphalt pavement in Bronx, New York. He has experience performing, teaching and choreographing in the United States and internationally. His primary dance training is from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center with additional classical training from Peridance Center and David Howard Ballet Studios. Richard was a member of Ailey II under the direction of Sylvia Waters. He has also worked under the direction of Donald Byrd, Sean Curran, Kevin Wynn, Shen Wei, Arthur Aviles, and other notable choreographers in the New York dance community.

In 2002, Richard founded PHYSUAL, a dance company that uses movement as a catalyst for developing ideas and performance work. PHYSUAL has served as a vehicle for Richard to explore his choreographic voice and express his point of view through structural aesthetic. PHYSUAL has also had the distinct honor of being presented by Jacobs Pillow as part of their Inside/Out Series ’05.

During 2004 and 2005 Richard was an artist in residence at Tribec Performing Arts Center. After his two year residency he was commissioned by TPAC to assist in the development of a curriculum for an arts exchange with P.S. 104 in Lower Manhattan and co-create an original theater piece titled “Dance Soup.” The focus of “Dance Soup” was story telling through movement and dance for young audiences.

Currently Richard is collaborating with musician/composer Julio Montero on the development of a Spanish Rock Opera titled “Cancion del Inmigrante.”

Tracy Ray Kofford is originally from Southern California where his dancing began with tap at the age of nine, and his theatre work began at the age of 13. He holds a BFA degree in dance from the University Of California at Santa Barbara and a MFA degree from New York University Tisch School of the Arts where he received a full scholarship. His choreography has been presented at NYU Main stage, at the NYU 25th anniversary Gala, Adelphi University Spring and Fall Dance concert, Stockton Spring Concert, Stockton Student Showcase and at the Jennifer Muller Summer Intensive workshop in NYC. Recently Mr. Kofford assisted Jennifer Muller and John Brooks in the re-staging of City for Williams/Henry Dance Company. Other works Mr. Kofford has assisted on include the creation of a new work, FootPrints, for the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, along with being assistant to choreographer Jennifer Muller, setting pieces on the Alvin Ailey School Senior Company, The Marymount Student Dance Company among others. Mr. Kofford made his debut with Williams/Henry in Trains and City. Recently Mr. Kofford returned to New York after a successful run as Tarzan for Disney Cruise Line. He continues to assist Ms. Muller with her Summer Choreography series at Steps in NYC, in which he teaches rep from the Works. Other professional credits include Santa Barbara Dance Theatre, Mark Dendy Dance Company, Preal Umbegan Dancers and Musicians, and Jody Oberfelder and has danced in works by choreographers Donald Byrd, Bebe Miller, Joe Goode, Bill T. Jones, Paul Taylor Christopher Pilafian, Leda Meredith and Breezy Berryman. Mr. Kofford has choreographed and performed in Homer, Alaska production of the Nutcracker for over six years. Currently Mr. Kofford is a Senior member with Jennifer Muller/ The Works Dance Company where he has performed both nationally and internationally in Bolivia and Thailand. Mr. Kofford returned from a highly sucessful international tour to China this past December, where he not only danced but was the companies rehearsal director. Along side performing, Mr. Kofford was also an Adjunct Professor at Adelphi University and Artistic Director of a new festival in Homer Alaska, teaching the Muller Technique, performance skills and comp to pre-professional dancers. Mr. Kofford recently held a position as Visiting Professor of Dance at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. This past spring Tracy was a featured dancer with Jennifer Muller at the Joyce Theatre for her 35th anniversary season. This past fall, Mr. Kofford has taught and choreographed in Switzerland.