History

Founded in 2005, Caroline Calouche & Co. developed from an independent project called Dimension that produced a great success drawing college football players to professional artists into the University Theater at Texas Christian University to see an evening-length dance work in October 2000.  Since then Caroline Calouche has continued to produce her choreography in festivals and for dance companies within North Carolina, Texas, Germany, and Austria.  Her unique genuine and physical choreographic voice has been praised by many throughout her artistic career.

Caroline Calouche & Co. was formed with the mission of creating an arts organization dedicated to producing and promoting contemporary dance choreography in conjunction with multi-disciplinary artistic collaborations.  The goal is to build cross-cultural dialogs with dance as a means to unite and educate the global community through an exchange of philosophies and methods.

Caroline Calouche & Co. is a charitable, non-profit organization with registered offices in Gastonia, North Carolina. All donations are tax-deductible.

Caroline Calouche, Artistic Director

Caroline Calouche began her training under Pat Wall at Gaston Dance Theatre in Gastonia , North Carolina . She furthered her dance education at Texas Christian University where she graduated with two B.F.A. degrees in Ballet and Modern Dance. In 2004 she received a North Carolina Regional Artist Grant to further her dance and choreographic studies in New York City and Brussels , Belgium . From these experiences, she was accepted into the International Choreographic Exchange Program at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of dance for post-graduate work in choreography. After her studies and work in the U.S. and Europe, Caroline established her contemporary and aerial dance company in her hometown of Gastonia , North Carolina .

Along with creating new works for Caroline Calouche & Co., she has choreographed for the Dance Department in the University of North Carolina at Charlotte , Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance, Contemporary Ballet Dallas and Florida Community College at Jacksonville , The School of North Carolina Dance Theatre. Her work has been performed in the U.S. , Austria and Germany in festivals such as the American Dance Festival, Fort Worth Contemporary Dance Festival, North Carolina Dance Festival, Piccolo Spoleto Dance Festival and the Greensboro Fringe Festival.

She has performed with Martha Connerton /Kinetic Works (Charlotte, North Carolina), Contemporary Dance/Fort Worth (Texas) and Contemporary Ballet Dallas (Texas) as well as her choreography in festivals. She has taught dance, GYROKINESIS®, and Pilates at The School of North Carolina Dance Theatre and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte . She also currently works in the Education/Outreach Department as a Teaching Artist for North Carolina Dance Theatre over the past two years. Caroline is also the creator and director of the Charlotte Dance Festival.

Tai Dorn, Dancer

Tai Dorn graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she was the four-year recipient of the Stone Fine Arts Scholarship.  She began her training with Asheville Academy of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Asheville Civic Ballet, Ballet Spartanburg, and Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre, as well as private study with London native Ronnie Zink. In addition to training at North Carolina Dance Theatre and the American Dance Festival, Tai studied on scholarship not only in the Trainee Program with the Joffrey School of Ballet but also with the Washington (DC) School of Ballet.

Tai has studied with artists such as Clay Taliaferro, Robert Battle, and Patricia McBride and danced as a member of Martha Connerton/Kinetic Works company   Tai’s choreography was featured in the 2005 premiere of the play Empty as well as at ACDFA and UNCC.  She has performed at ACDFA, NCDF, and Piccolo Spoleto as well as others.  Tai is also a member of EEMotion and Company.  She wishes to thank her parents and, especially, Ronnie.

Meg Griffin, Dancer

Meg Griffin began her early dance training in Ashland, Ohio, at Opus II Dance Studio and with the Opus Dance Company (now Ashland Regional Ballet), under the direction of Hellie Schussler. She attended summer dance intensives at Ballet Met and University of South Carolina's Summer Dance Institute as a young dancer. Meg received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Education in 2000, from Winthrop University, where she was a member of the Winthrop Dance Theatre, the Winthrop Dance Team, and also taught dance at the Winthrop Dance Academy. While at Winthrop, Meg performed works by Sandra Neels, Mary Beth Young, and the master work, The Parsons Etude, by David Parsons. After graduation Meg taught dance education at Camden Elementary of the Arts for 2 years, before becoming head of the Dance Department at Thomas Sumter Academy in the fall of 2002. While teaching, she also performed and choreographed for the Sumter Civic Dance Company from 2000-2004. She was also a member of the Power Company, where she performed works by Lisa Wheeler, Sean Curran, Alison Tipton, and Martha Brim. Meg was an active member of the Sumter County Cultural Commission bringing dance artists into the area for classes, lecture demonstrations, and performances. She is also a member of the National Dance Education Organization.

Meg recently received her MFA in Performance and Choreography from Florida State University. While at FSU, Meg was an active member of Dance Repertory Theatre and assisted director, Lynda Davis with company business, rehearsals, and organizing performances for students in Leon County Schools. She performed in works by many guest choreographers including, Terry Creach, Bruce Wood, Jawole Zollar, Gerri Houlihan, and Dr. Nancy Smith Fichter. She also performed works by Lynda Davis, Anthony Morgan, Patty Phillips, and Rick McCullough, while at FSU. Meg taught dance for the General Studies program at FSU, and had the distinct honor of working closely with Dan Wagoner as one of her mentor's for her thesis concert. She also performed in master works including Martha Graham's, Steps in the Street, from Chronicle in the fall of 2006, and was also rehearsal director and a performer in Paul Taylor's, Esplanade, in April 2007. She has performed at ACDFA and in several Piccolo Spoleto Festivals since 1999. Meg will be performing in the Charlotte Dance Festival in the fall of 2007, and is excited to be performing with Caroline Calouche & Company, for the 2007-2008 season.

Katie Lester, Dancer and Wolftrap Teaching Artist

Katie's early training began in Dublin , Ohio at Dublin Dance Center under the artistic direction of Robin Smith. Her experience there with ballet, pointe, Graham technique and jazz led her to Elon University  where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance and psychology. While at Elon University she performed in works by Shouze Ma, Susan Haines, Nina Wheeler, Cherie Bower, Lauren Kearns , and most recently Lila York. Katie's choreography was also noted during her time at Elon. Her piece titled, Survival of the Fittest was chosen to represent her university at the American College Dance Festival. Her other training experience includes intensives at the American Dance Festival with Keith Thompson, Donald McKayle, Ming-Lung Yang and Pamela Pietro as well as participating in the Jazz Dance World Congress held in Chicago. After her recent graduation she performed in Lauren Kearn's piece, Swinging on a Bench for Kearn's Dance Project at the American Dance Festival. Katie is excited to be performing with Caroline Calouche & Co. this season!

Lawrence "L-Jae" Levine Jr., Dancer

Lawrence is originally from Abbeville , LA. At a young age his family moved to the Midwest . As he grew up in South Bend , IN Lawrence found his heart and passion in music and theatre. He left home to attend college in North Carolina at age 17. As he furthered his education as a Religion and Philosophy major he also found that he could not get away from the theatre or music. Lawrence put the two together and began performing in musical theatre in Raleigh , NC in such productions as ‘Smokey Joe's Café' and ‘Ragtime'. In the past year Lawrence has taken to the city of Charlotte with high hopes and aspirations. Recently Lawrence joined with CPCC Summer Theatre as a cast member in the productions of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie' and ‘The Odd Couple'. He has also been seen in Theatre Charlotte's version of ‘Smokey Joe's Café;. When he is not on the stage you might see him flipping around on the court as a RallyCat for the Charlotte Bobcats. Lawrence is elated to be joining Caroline Calouche & Co. and looks forward to all of the wonderful projects ahead. He gives thanks to his family and friends for their support over the years.

 

Kate McDonald, Dancer

Kate McDonald joins Caroline Calouche & Co., from Fort Worth, Texas where she graduated from Texas Christian University with her BFA in Modern Dance.  Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Kate began her dance training at a young age.  She is an eclectic mover who seeks to share her joy of dance with her audience and students on a personal level.

Kate has had the privilege of working with artists such as Christian von Howard (Von Howard Project), Leah Cox (Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company), Elizabeth Johnson (David Parker & the Bang Group), Andee Scott, Jin-Wen Yu ( Jin-Wen Yu Dance), Caryn Heilman (Liquid Body, former dancer with Paul Taylor Dance Company), Luis Lara Malvacias (Full Fat Dance), Douglas Becker (former dancer of the Frankfurt Ballet), Paula Clancey (Bill Evans Dance Company), Susan Douglas Roberts, Kerry Kreiman (Contemporary Dance Fort Worth), Elizabeth Gillaspy, Li-Chou Cheng, and the late Fernando Bujones.  During Kate’s time at TCU she also had memorable opportunities which include performing inTCU’s A Night at the Bass, and traveling to Nagaoka, Japan to perform and participate in a cultural exchange.  In the future Kate hopes to continue sharing her passion for dance, in whatever form that may take, both nationally and abroad.

Nkonsinathi "Natty" Mncube, Dancer

Nkosinathi “Natty” Mncube was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he studied his dance training at Moving Into Dance.  Prior to his dance training he was into acting working with a company called Vuka Africa Artist (“VAA”) in South Africa.  After graduating with a Diploma in Edu-Dance at Moving Into Dance “Natty” pursued his teaching career teaching at lower primary schools in Soweto and Johannesburg.  He later joined IDTC under the  direction of two International acclaimed choreographers Moeketsi Koena & Sello Pesa  As he grew up he started doing Afro-fusion and contemporary dance classes with some of the renowned international South African dance teachers, such as, Vincent Mantsoe, Gregory Maqoma and the late Jackie Semela founder of Soweto Dance Theatre.  He has won prestigious awards in South Africa under the First National Bank and Vita Dance Umbrella, in 2000 he won the Most Promising Young Male Dancer award and in 2001 the  Most Promising Young Male Choreographer Award.

In 2001 Natty won the prestigious British Council & Rio Tinto 1 year Scholarship to study at The London Contemporary Dance School.  This was a one-year certificate but led to more opportunities furthering his studies post-graduate and the Master’s Degree in Dance & Choreography where he graduated from the University of Kent bury in London.  During his post-graduate study at LCSD he worked with some of the renowned international choreographers like: Wayne McGregor, Director of Random Dance Company (UK), Carol Brown, (UK), Olga and Peter Kobos (Spain) and Philip DeCoufle (France).  His studies included performing in London, Denmark, and Portugal with the London Contemporary Dance School student company Edge.  His choreographic work include, “still feel the presence” premiered in South Africa, performed at the Howard Theatre in London, “Larma of Emozione” a duet with Jennifer Lynn Crawford from Canada and in 2005 he premiered “BOUNDARIES in London, collaboration with visual artist Mbuyisa Maphalala.  He has worked with Robert Hylton Urban Classicism Dance Company based in London.  Presently, Natty teaches at Columbia Music Festival Association (CMFA) & CDE in Columbia, and is an Adjunct Professor at Coker College.

Ginny Skinner Haynes, Dancer

Ginny Skinner Haynes joins Caroline Calouche and Co. from Columbia , South Carolina . Her dancing has been shown all over the states and choreographed by many prominent choreographers such as Sean Curran, Gerri Houlihan, B.J. Sullivan, Dan Wagoner and Lisa Wheeler. Her choreography has been shown in many different venues and studios all over the Carolina 's and has been stated as innovative and eye-catching. She is a performer, guest choreographer and Power Tools Coordinator for The Power Company of South Carolina , Columbia 's own professional contemporary company.

Ginny joined the dance faculty at Columbia College as full time visiting assistant professor for the 2006/2007 academic school year. Prior to that experience, she was the dance specialist at Blythewood High School and adjunct professor at Columbia College. Before returning to South Carolina in 2005, Ginny taught as adjunct at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro teaching jazz and ballet classes for dance majors while attending graduate school. She has also taught as the dance specialist at Crayton Middle School and has been trained as a Stott Pilates mat instructor. Ginny holds a BFA in dance performance and choreography from Columbia College and a MFA from University of North Carolina at Greensboro .

Miranda Bengston, Apprentice Dancer

Miranda Bengtson trains at Open Door Studios with Jacqueline White, Jena Burgin and Chris Thompson, and has worked with Ann Reinking and numerous other Broadway artists, including the Radio City Rockettes. Miranda recently appeared in CPCC Summer Theatre's Thoroughly Modern Millie . Other favorite performances include “Cool Hand Luke”, On the Town , The Nutcracker (Arabian dancer), and Balanchine's Serenade . She has been awarded scholarships for summer study in dance, and is a Duke TIP scholar. She is a Discovery Place Sci-Teen and a Shining Hope Farms Therapeutic Riding program volunteer.