Toneta is the Founder and Co-Artistic Director of West Virginia's only professional touring
dance company in the history of the state. Toneta's awards include the 2005 WV Governor's Arts Award for "Excellence
In The Arts", WV Woman of the year in 1989 by the WV Women's Commission and the WV Federation of Women's Clubs,
and Monticello Scholarship for Choreography from the National Association of Regional Ballet. She was the 2005 guest choreographer
for the dance department at James Madison University. Toneta has served as Choreographer and Master Teacher for Theatre West
Virginia since 1983. The WV Dance Company was chosen for the National Endowment - WV Commission on the Arts pilot project,
"Arts in the Classroom" which involved an eighty-eight school tour. Her premiere dance presentation of the "Glass
Menagerie" with the Greenbrier Valley Theatre through the Challenge America Grant by the National Endowment for the Arts
and the WV Commission on the Arts was listed in the Charleston Gazette as "The Best Arts Event in 2002." Toneta
graduated from Point Park University in 1977 where she studied with and became friends with Leonide Massine who greatly influenced
her ambitions to become a choreographer. While at Point Park she trained in ballet with Edward Caton, Graham with Judith Leifer
and Luigi jazz technique with Ron Tassone. Her studies at Point Park included theatre and acting training from Tom Thomas,
Jim Prescott, Cecil Kitkat and Alan Clarey. Toneta continued her studies in New York City at Alvin Ailey's American Dance
Center where she was demonstrator for Hector Mercado's jazz class, received a certificate from Gelabert's Dance Kinetic
Institute, studied with Pearl Lang and others at the Martha Graham School, ballet with David Howard and Finis Jhung among
many other daily classes. Toneta attended the American Dance Festival's six weeks training program for three summers.
She studied intensely with Betty Jones for eighteen weeks. Other studies that have greatly influenced her work were Anna Sokolow,
Lucas Hoving, Daniel Nagrin, Stuart Hodes, Gerri Houlihan and Doug Varrone. She has taught workshops on many WVDC tours throughout
West Virginia as well as 13 other states and Brazil. .Toneta has been the master teacher for the WV Fine Arts Teachers Academy
and has been both a master teacher and performer at the WV Governor's Honors Academy.
Donald graduated from the University of California, Irvine with his MFA in dance in 2004.
He is currently the Rehearsal/Co-Director of the West Virginia Dance Company. Before entering the graduate program at
UCI, Donald performed with the West Virginia Dance Company, Houlihan & Dancers (Miami, FL), Randy James Dance Worx (NYC),
X-Factor (NC), and many guest appearances throughout the Mid-Atlantic states. While attending UCI, he had the opportunity
to perform for Donald McKayle, Loretta Livingston, Lisa Naugle, and Christine Chrest, as well as presenting his own choreography
which was chosen to represent UCI at ACDFA in 2003 and 2004. Donald's work with Lisa Naugle and John Crawford has
produced three dance videos that have been presented at the Lincoln Center and in dance video conferences in Yugoslavia, Japan,
New Jersey, Michigan, Arizona, and at the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC. Donald has taught at James Madison
University, UCI, Lees-McRae College, ACDFA-Southwest region, and at many regionally events. In the summer of 2005, he
was the modern dance instructor at the WV Governor's School of the Arts.
Lorenzo Buchanan is originally from Tucson, AZ. He began dancing with Chelonia Dance Company
at Beloit College in Wisconsin in 2003. While there, he worked with several choreographers, including Margi Cole, Chris Johnson,
Aiko Kinoshita, Gabe Masson, Kirby Reed, and Margaret Rennerfeldt. Lorenzo also danced with Kanopy Dance Company in Madison
in 2006 and 2007. After graduating from Beloit in 2007 with degrees in dance and literary studies, Lorenzo decided to sow
some wild oats and join the Peace Corps. From July 2007 to August 2009, he taught English and dance, and worked with youth
leaders in the small Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan. He took this opportunity to introduce new styles of choreography
to his Kyrgyz students, who had not previously been exposed to such styles as hip-hop, jazz, and African. This cultural exchange
was extremely influential on him. Lorenzo is very happy to be back and to be dancing. This is his first season with West Virginia
Dance Company.
Angela Dennis - Dancer
Angela began her training under Diane Lewis at the Hochstein School of Music in Rochester,
NY. She was a member of West Virginia University's African Dance Ensemble, a scholarship recipient, principal dancer,
teaching assistant and choreographer within WVU's Division of Theatre and Dance. Ms. Dennis has studied with artists such
as Cecil Slaughter, formerly of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company; Michael McGowan, formerly of Hubbard Street Dance Company;
Sharon Butcher of Shenandoah University; Alan Sener, Artistic Director of The Louis Falco Repertory; Bob Durkin, former dancer
under Bob Fosse, and Diane Lewis, formerly of American Classical Ballet and Festival Ballet of New York. Angela has been a
featured dancer in several residency works such as, ‘Volanti Assi' choreographed by Sharon Butcher as well as, ‘Portrait'
and ‘Appalachian Waltz' by Alan Sener. Ms. Dennis' own choreography has been selected for performance at the
2006 AAPHERD National Gala in Baltimore, MD and most recently for the 2009 Create West Virginia Arts Conference held in Snowshoe,
WV. Angela has been commissioned to choreograph and perform works for University High School, Morgantown Children's Theatre,
Sally Ann's Dance Company, WVU's Concert Choir and Fairmont State College. A former member of the Kitchen Sink Dance
Company under the direction of Michael McGowan, Angela co-founded and has served as Artistic Director of Alchemy Dance Project
in Morgantown, WV since its inception in 2003. In January 2009, Ms. Dennis founded Red Stone Dance Initiative, a youth modern
dance organization also based in Morgantown, WV and serves as Artistic Director.
Cyan Maroney - Dancer
Cyan Maroney is a native of Renick, West Virginia, and a graduate of Connecticut College
where she received a BA in Dance. Cyan was a member of Trillium Performing Youth in Lewisburg, WV; participated in the 2002
West Virginia Governor's School for the Arts; attended The American Dance Festival in Durham, NC; And performed with Theatre
West Virginia for three summer seasons. During her time at Connecticut College, Cyan studied under David Dorfman, Heidi Henderson,
Lan-Lan Wang, Lisa Race, Robyne Watkin, Adele Myers, and Richard Schenk among many others. She was a participant in both the
2007 and 2008 New England ACDFA competitions and has performed works by choreographers Doug Elkins, David Dorfman, Isadora
Duncan, and Paul Taylor.
Rachel Oliver - Dancer
Rachel Oliver, originally from Missoula, MT, has danced extensively in venues in San Francisco,
Chicago, Montana, West Virginia, local ACDFA performances, and at Beloit College in Wisconsin. After completing a double major
in biochemistry and dance at Beloit College, she moved to San Francisco to pursue dance. While there, Rachel performed with
companies Double Vision and Dance Theatre/Shannon, as well as teaching and performing for Presidio Dance Theatre and DanceOUT
of PPAF. While in San Francisco, she completed her Pilates mat certification through ITT Pilates and worked as a physical
therapist aide at Presidio Sports & Medicine. Currently in Lewisburg, she teaches Pilates and is involved with Trillium
Performing Arts Collective, choreographing and dancing in local performances as well as co-directing Trillium Performing Youth,
a high-school aged dance company, and teaching modern and ballet to children and adults. This is her first year dancing
with West Virginia Dance Company.
Sara Belcher - Dancer
Sara Belcher is originally from Matheny, WV, and has studied dance under Toneta Akers-Toler
for almost 20 years. She has spent 10 summer seasons with Theatre West Virginia and is in her 4th season with the West
Virginia Dance Company. Sara has taught dance at the River City Youth Ballet, Pineville Dance Theatre, and at the WV
Mini Dance Festival. She is currently a gymnastics instructor in Oceana, WV, where she resides with her daughter Emilee.
Gerri Houlihan began her professional career at the Juilliard School, studying with Antony
Tudor, Alfredo Corvino, and members of the Martha Graham and Jose Limon dance companies. She performed with the Metropolitan
Opera Ballet and the Paul Sanasardo Dance Company and spent five years as a soloist with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company touring
extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Ms. Houlihan has taught or choreographed for such institutions as N.
Y.'s High School of the Performing Arts, the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, the Bates Dance Festival, the Boston
Ballet, the Harvard Summer Dance Center, Meredith College, the University of South Florida, North Carolina School of the Arts,
the University of Richmond, the University of North Carolina- Greensboro and Virginia Commonwealth University. From
1984-1987 she directed her own school and company, the Boston Dance Project. She was one of five finalists in the Boston Ballet's
International Choreography Competition. From 1988-1999, Ms. Houlihan was on the faculty of New World School of the Arts in
Miami, Florida. During that time, she was also the artistic director of Houlihan and Dancers. The recipient of two Florida
Individual Artist Fellowships in Dance/Choreography in 1991-92 and 1996-97, Houlihan and Dancers was on the touring roster
for the state of Florida. Ms. Houlihan has been on the faculty of the American Dance Festival from 1981-1983, and from
1987 to the present. As an international representative for ADF she has participated in fifteen international linkages, teaching
in Korea, China, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Estonia, Poland, the Philippines, Moscow and Mongolia. She will teach in February
of 2008 in Shanghai. She is the 2005 recipient of the Balasaraswati, Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished
Teaching, and received her MFA degree in 2007 from the Hollins University/American Dance Festival MFA program. She is currently
an associate professor at Florida State University.
Gerri Houlihan brings an American Masterpiece to WV West
Virginia Dance Company hosted master choreographer and teacher, Gerri Houlihan for a week in
September. Ms. Houlihan set her dance work, titled 4 x 4, on the WVDC dancers.
WVDC will perform 4 x 4throughout its upcoming season. Her visit to Beckley was made possible through
an American Masterpiece grant from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. For more information about Gerri
Houlihan see her biography below.
Daniel Nagrin - Guest Choreographer
Mr. Nagrin, one of the country's most distinguished an critically acclaimed solo dancers
and choreographers , began his career in 1940 after earning a Bachelors of Science Health Education from the City College
of New York. Mr Nagrin's dance study was done mostly in the Graham technique, including a one-year scholarship with
Martha Graham and one season with a variety of other modern dance teachers, including Helen Tamiris and Hanya Holm.
Nagrin's career spans over four decades, ranging from Broadway, to film, to being a solo concert artist, lecturer, and
an artist-in-residence on the university touring circuit.
Carli Mareneck - Choreographer
After completing her BFA in Dance from the University of Utah in 1976, Carli moved with
her husband to rural West Virginia. She is co-founder of Trillium Performing Arts Collective and the Dance Studio in
Lewisburg, WV. Carli's work has been shown regionally in WV and Virginia. She has choreographed over 25 works
including two full length original dance dramas. Since 1999 she has relished the opportunity to perform works by Monica
Bill Barnes at Dancespace (NYC), Context Theatre (NYC), Hollins College, James Madison University, and Goose Route Dance Festival
(WV), as well as other venues.
Stephanie Nerbak-McLaughlin - Choreographer
A dancer, teacher, choreographer and Licensed Massage Therapist, Stephanie received a
Bachelors of Arts in Dance from Point Park University in 1997 and a National Certification in Massage and Bodywork in 2004.
While attending Point Park Stephanie's choreography was chosen for the American Collegiate Dance Festival's Gala performance
at the University of Southern Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She attended the American Dance Festival in the summer of 1997 where
she had the opportunity to study with such names as Gerri Houlihan, Doug Nielsen, Molissa Fenley, Daniel Lepkoff and David
Dorfman. Stephanie joined the West Virginia Dance Company in 1997 and toured with them until her relocation to Los Angeles
in 2001. In Los Angeles she had the pleasure of joining Donna Sternberg and Dancers (Santa Monica, CA), Naomi Goldberg's
Los Angeles Modern Dance and Ballet (Los Angeles, CA), and most notable Collage Dance Theatre, a site-specific dance company
(Los Angeles, CA). In 2005 Stephanie came back to West Virginia to rejoin the West Virginia Dance Company under the new shared
artistic direction of Toneta Akers-Toler and Donald Laney. Since her return to West Virginia Stephanie has also worked extensively
with Carli Mareneck of Trillium Performing Arts Collective (Lewisburg, WV) and has showcased her own choreography with Trillium
Performing Arts and their Performing Youth. She has taught master classes at James Madison University, Marshall University,
The West Virginia Contemporary Dance Festival, West Virginia Dance Company and Trillium Performing Youth. Stephanie is currently
the Director of Dance with Treehouse Arts Ensemble (Beckley, WV), which is a multi-disciplinary arts company.
Heather Taylor-Martin - Choreographer
While earning her BA from Point Park University, she performed in many Pittsburgh Playhouse
productions as well as an appearance at KCACDFA. She also started working with Theatre West Virginia as a dancer and
ensemble actor in their summer seasons. Upon graduation she joined the West Virginia Dance Company under the direction
of Toneta Akers-Toler which gave her the opportunity to perform state-wide. She performed the role of Laura in a dance
interpretation of The Glass Menageriefunded by the NEA Challenge grant and played at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre.
While performing at the West Virginia Dance Festival she was introduced to the Kitchen Sink Dance Company which she joined
the following year. The company relocated to New York City. While performing with Kitchen Sink she began working
with Nadia Tarr at the Brooklyn Lyceum and performed with her company in Weightfall: An Elizabeth Pape Memorial Concert.
Currently she is dancing independently, working on projects as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer in and around Beckley,
West Virginia.
Dr. Eluza Maria Santos - Guest Choreographer
Eluza Maria Santos has been on the dance faculty at UNC Greensboro since 1996. She
holds a degree in physical education from Universidade Federal de Espirito Santo in her native Brazil, BFA and MFA degrees
in dance from Arizona State University. Her research focuses on the cultural origins of contemporary Brazilian concert
dance.
