Professor of Dance
Director, USC Dance Company
2011 SC Professor of the Year
2009 Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor
2009 Governor's Professor of the Year

Susan Anderson began her career in Monterey, California and credits her teacher, Madame Olga Ziceva from Russia’s Kirov Ballet, with her ballet training. She continued her dance studies at the San Francisco Ballet as a scholarship student. She received her MFA from the University of California at Irvine under the legendary choreographer Eugene Loring. Her professional dance career was with Ballet Celeste of San Francisco, Los Angeles Dance Theatre, and Moving South. Professor Anderson is the founding director of the USC Dance Company, USC Dance Conservatory, and South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory, which hosts international students and world renowned faculty and choreographers.

Under her Directorship the dance program recently implemented the BA major in Dance which is currently 40 majors strong. The BA degree track in Performance /Choreography, which began in 2004, has concentrations in Ballet or Contemporary Dance. In Fall 2006 the dance program began the BA degree in Dance Education, a K-12 Teacher Certification program in partnership with the College of Education. The dance program now has more than 60 course offerings and approximately 3,000 students enrolled each year taking dance courses.

Some of Susan Anderson’s professional artistic works include the creation of 105 ballets such as Scheherazade, Ondine, Taming of the Shrew, Plant Dance with artist Blue Sky, The Firebird, Phantom of the Night, Crown Jewels, Sylvia, Carnival of the Animals, Pleasures of Paris, Don Quixote, and The Young Man and Death. She has choreographed and taught master classes for Gus Giordano Dance Company in Chicago, the University of California, University of Buffalo, University of Georgia, Several Dancers Core in Atlanta, Murray State, Knoxville Dance Theatre, Loyola University, Inco Ballet in Colombia, South America and Stadtische Opera in Gera, Germany.

In 2009, Susan was named the Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year and Governor’s Professor of the Year.

In 2011, Susan was named SC Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation.

Associate Professor, Director of USC Dance Education Major

Dr. Mila Parrish is nationally and internationally recognized for her work in dance pedagogy, educational technology and interdisciplinary instruction. She received a BFA in choreography and performance and K-12 Teachers Certification from the University of Michigan; an MA in Dance Education from Columbia University in New York and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in Art Education. Her research and publications have established new trends in movement technology, integrated curriculum and teacher training in the digital arena. Parrish was a professional dancer and choreographer in NYC, performing with modern, ballet and theatre companies, most notably, The Jean Erdman Theater of Dance, with whom she toured nationally. Her company, Koshin Dance Theater has been presented at various NYC venues including DIA Center for the Arts, P.S. 122, the Morningside Dance Festival and St. Mark’s Church. She is a Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) from the Laban Institute of Movement Studies in NYC with research interest in Labanotation, Motif Writing and enhanced movement cognition. Mila has served on the board of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) as the Director of Technology, Dance and the Child International (daCi) as the Newsletter Editor, and the Dance Notation Bureau (DNB).  In her short time at USC, She has established instructional initiatives including, Dancers Connect a free community dance program for area high school students, iDance SC a standards-based curriculum delivery system of dance instruction using videoconferenced technologies, reconstruction initiatives and community service programs. She is a leader in the dance education community offering professional development courses, seminars and workshops thought the US and in Canada, China, Finland, Brazil, Greece, Portugal and the Netherlands. Recently, Parrish gave the Keynote Address on Dance and Technology at the Taipei Dance Education Research Consortium in Taipei, Taiwan.

Distinguished Artist in Residence. Instructor of Ballet, Dance USC. School Director of Curriculum, USC Dance Conservatory.
Soloist, NYC Ballet.

Stacey Calvert was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina and began her ballet training at the Calvert-Brodie School of Dance, studying with her Mother and Godmother. In 1980, Ms. Calvert entered the School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet—and remained there for three years. She joined New York City Ballet’s corp de ballet in 1983. In 1992, Ms. Calvert joined William Forsythe’s Frankfurt Ballet. She returned to New York City Ballet in the winter of 1993. Ms. Calvert was promoted to the rank of Soloist in 1994.

Since joining the Company, she has danced numerous featured roles including George Balanchine’s Apollo, Ballo della Regina, The Four Temperaments, The Nutcracker (Hot Chocolate), Stars and Stripes, Symphony in C, Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, Western Symphony, and Who Cares?, as well as Jerome Robbins’ The Four Seasons (Winter) and Interplay. In addition, she has been featured in Peter Martins’ Ash and Barber Violin Concerto as well as William Forsythe’s Herman Schmerman. During the inaugural season of NYCB’s Diamond Project in 1992, Ms. Calvert originated a principal role in John Alleyne’s Bet Ann’s Dance. During the Company’s 1994 Diamond Project, she originated principal roles in Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s Chiaroscuro, John Alleyne’s The New Blondes, Trey McIntyre’s Steel and Rain, and Kevin O’Day’s Viola Alone...(with One Exception). For The Diamond Project in 1997, Ms. Calvert originated principal roles in O’Day’s Open Strings and Angelin Preljocaj’s La Stravaganza. In addition, she originated principal roles in Mr. O’Day’s Huoah, Dvorak Bagatelles and Badchonim. Ms. Calvert has danced in Europe with a touring group, and has travelled extensively in the United States and abroad with the New York City Ballet.

In the spring of 2006, 2007 and 2008, she presented, for USC, Ballet Stars of New York, with principal dancers from the NYC Ballet Company including Wendy Whelan, Albert Evans, Nilas Martins, Tom Gold, Nikolaj Hubbe, and Yvonne Borree and the USC Dance Company. The 2006 star-studded evening included Apollo, Agon, and Tarantella, all works by the legendary choreographer George Balanchine. This gala evening has become an annual event for the USC Board of Dance.

Distinguished Artist in Residence. Instructor of Ballet, Dance USC.
Principal, Boston Ballet.

Kyra Strasberg is a former Principal dancer from the Boston Ballet, known for the artistry and human quality that she brought to the stage. Among her many roles are Odette/Odile, the Lilac fairy, Myrtha, the Sugar Plum Fairy, Medora, Cleopatra, and Fate in Choo San Goh’s Romeo and Juliet. Her Balanchine repertoire includes Diamonds, Emeralds, Rubies, Tzigane, Mozartiana, Serenade, Who Cares?, and Apollo among others. She has worked with Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, Bebe Miller, Ben Stevenson, Lila York, and Suzanne Farrell. Her incredibly well-rounded background makes her fantastically suited to teach and coach our students. Through her rich past, Ms. Strasberg continues to bring much energy and excitement to the USC Dance Company. She is responsible for bringing in for the 2008-09 season Lila York’s modern classic, Celts.

Instructor/Production Manager,
MFA Western Illinois University

Eric is a teacher, designer, painter and a writer. Born and raised in Augusta, GA, he is a graduate of Augusta College and earned his MFA in Stage Design from Western Illinois University. He has assisted, designed and produced for trade shows, ballet, opera, regional theatre, Off-Broadway and Broadway. As a young designer he assisted Tom Skelton, Michael Phillippi, Kevin Rigdon, Brian MacDevitt, Natasha Katz and others at venues such as The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Trinity Repertory and Great Lakes Theatre Festival. For almost twelve years he served as the resident scenic and lighting designer for Lexington Children’s Theatre in Lexington KY, where he produced work seen by hundreds of thousands of Kentucky children and adults. His teaching includes classes and workshops for colleges, universities and professional training programs such as Illinois Wesleyan University, University of Kentucky and The Hotchkiss School Summer Program. In 1991 he was one of six national candidates granted a TCG/National Endowment for the Arts Young Designer Fellowship. His articles and stories have appeared in Painter’s Journal, Business Lexington, Sandhills Magazine, and others. He is currently on faculty with University of South Carolina, and the Designer/Production Manager for USC Dance. Eric’s latest work includes design and production management for Wideman-Davis Dance Company. In his spare time he writes fiction and makes original music with his band Classes of Dynamo.

Mr. Davis was featured in Dance Magazine’s January 2002 issue as one of  “25 To Watch In The World.”  The premiere of his first  choreographic work, “Once Before Twice After”, was named one of the top ten moments in dance for 2002 by The New York Times, calling it “reassuring evidence of New York dance’s promising future.”  A year later he was the 2003 recipient of the prestigious Choo San Goh Award for Choreography.  In 2006, he received First Prize in Ballet Austin’s  New American Talent/Dance Choreography Competition.

Mr. Davis danced with Donald Byrd/The Group for four years, where he also served as Mr. Byrd’s creative assistant.  In addition, he has danced with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Fukuoka City Ballet, Atlanta Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY (Dance Galaxy).  As a teacher and choreographer, he has done residencies at The Juilliard School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Butler University, Arizona State University, Ballet Austin Academy, and has served as guest faculty at The Alabama School of Fine Arts. 

Mr. Davis has created choreographic works for Fugate/Bahire Ballet NY (Dance Galaxy), Donald Byrd/The Group, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theater, Ballet Austin,  Ballet Memphis, Configuration Dance Company, Reflections Dance Company, Nashville Ballet, Ballet Met  and Wideman/Davis Dance.

Born in Montgomery, Alabama he began his studies with The Montgomery Civic Ballet, Carver Creative Performing Arts Center, and Alabama Dance Theatre.  After graduating high school he studied and danced with Barbara Sullivan’s Atlanta Dance Theatre and Dyann Robinson’s Tuskegee Cultural Arts Center, before attending Butler University where he graduated in 1993 with a BFA in Dance. 

Ms. Wideman-Davis has been noted by New York Dance Fax as “distinctive for the power of her secure pointe work and her personality.”  She has received International acclaim and was given the honor of “Best Female Dancer of 2001-2002” by Dance Europe magazine.  Ms. Wideman-Davis has trained with some of the premiere schools in the country, starting with The Academy of Movement and Music, The Ruth Page Dance Foundation, The Joffrey Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Chicago City Ballet, and The Dance Theatre of Harlem.

 
In 1993 she was invited to join The Dance Theatre of Harlem where she danced works by Balanchine, Glen Tetley, Michael Smuin, Geoffrey Holder, John Taras, Billy Wilson, John Alleyne, Alonzo King, Vincent Mantsoe, Jose Limon, Choo San Goh, and Dwight Rhoden.  Ms. Wideman-Davis joined The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago in 1999 where she danced many roles in the company’s vast repetoire.  Upon returning to Dance Theatre of Harlem she was named Principal Dancer.

Seeking an experience that allowed more self-exploration Ms. Wideman-Davis joined Alonzo King’s Lines Contemporary Ballet in 2002 and worked there for two seasons before going to work with Donald Byrd at Spectrum Dance Theatre.

As Co-Artistic Director of Wideman/Davis Dance, she has assisted in creating new works and setting existing works for Ballet Memphis, Phrenic New Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY (Dance  Galaxy), The Juilliard School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Reflexions Dance Company, Alabama School of Fine Arts, and Wideman/Davis Dance. 

Adjunct Dance Faculty
Jazz, Musical Theatre, West African, Tap.
BA, Webster University.

Cynthia Flach, is a nationally known choreographer of stage musicals. She is a graduate of Webster University and has worked extensively in the South and Mid-West. With over 125 stage musicals to her choreographic credit, she has worked with summer stock, universities and community theatres. She has been on the dance faculty at USC since 1988. Ms. Flach has staged Pop Concerts and full stage productions for the South Carolina Philharmonic. Cindy specializes in Jazz, Musical Theatre, West African and Tap instruction.

Dale Lam

Adjunct Dance Faculty - Jazz

Dale is the founder, artistic director and choreographer of Columbia City Jazz Dance School and Company, named "One of the Top 50 Dance Companies in the US" by Dance Spirit magazine. She has a BA in Theatre and Speech from the University of South Carolina and received additional theatrical training from Jim Baffico of Carnegie-Melon and is now in her second year on staff at theUniversity of South Carolina Dance Department. She received extensive dance training with Frank Hatchett at the Broadway Dance Center in New York and continues to work with top instructors from New York and California. Dale has taught master classes at the Kiradjiev Cultural Center in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, the American School in Singapore, and for the Singapore Dance Association at Lasalle College of the Arts. She is in great demand as a choreographer and travels extensively each year, setting a diverse body of original work throughout the country. In addition, she teaches master classes at studios and dance conventions across the United States, has judged many dance competitions including Star Systems Nationals in Las Vegas, and had conducted several successful after-school programs in South Carolina. Dale performed for the King of Norway during an overseas tour of “Godspell” and was a principal dancer during a European USO tour to Turkey, Greece, Spain and Italy. She was dance captain for the Southeastern Theatre Conference Summer Repertory in Fairfield, Tenn. and a principal dancer in " Hooray for Hollywood" at Carowinds. Dale was the head of the jazz faculty for the Myrtle Beach Dance Experience for two seasons and has been featured in “Dance Spirit” and “Dance Teacher” magazines for her inspirational lyrical jazz choreography.

Kerri Lambert

Adjunct Faculty; Administrative Director, Dance Conservatory

Kerri Lambert graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma with an M.F.A. in Dance where she was a Foundation Fellow.  She performed soloist and principle roles with the Oklahoma Festival Ballet, OU Opera Theatre, and Antón del Calizo's Fusion Flamenco.  Favorite roles include the First Nymph in Nijinsky’sL’apres midi d’un faune and Her Ladyship in Jeremy Lindberg’s Foxes.  Lambert co-produced and choreographed for 5 Degrees of Rotation 2009 and 6 Degrees of Rotation 2010 in collaboration with her fellow graduate students.  While at OU, she received the Miguel Terekhov Ballet Choreography Award 2009, Highest G.P.A. Award 2010 and 2011, Mary Gray Thompson Award for Outstanding Contributions to the College of Fine Arts 2010, the Wallace Carr Scholarship 2010-2011, and the Buffalo Mask Award.  Lambert completed her B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography at Brenau University, where she performed with the Gainesville Ballet, Bighouse Dance Theatre, and as a guest artist.  She studied the art of teaching ballet at the Gainesville School of Ballet under the artistic direction of Diane Callahan.  Lambert’s choreography has been presented at Atlanta BalletFest, the S.E.R.B.A. Emerging Choreographers’ Concert, and the University of Oklahoma’s adjudicated concert Young Choreographers’ Showcase 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Rona Walstra

Administrative Specialist

Raised in an art and music family, Ms. Walstra has an extended history of administrative support within the Arts. In her earlier years she worked in the music industry as a buyer for Tower Records and then with MTV as an administrative assistant.  While traveling and living all over the United States, Rona studied Photography, Advertising Design and Broadcasting at various universities. She was the Assistant in the Department of Continuing Education at Rhode Island School of Design for ten years, after which she accepted a position in the Department of Architecture for another three years as the Assistant to the Department Head. From there she worked for the award winning RISD Professor and Architect, Friedrich St.Florian. Mr. St. Florian was the winner of the World War II Memorial Design Competition. She managed St.Florian’s private practice, as well as marketing and assisting the architect with all administrative support for the WWII Memorial project. Once the WWII Memorial project was under construction she went to work for Brown University in the John Nicholas Brown Center, an historic Brown family home left to the University. Rona was the assistant to the Director, Assistant Director and the Historic Site Manager. JNBC is partially a touring museum which also holds events, lectures and exhibits. It is also used for Graduate students studying “Public Humanities.” In the Fall of 2006 she moved to Columbia, SC where she is currently Administrative Specialist for the Dance program. She assists with the daily operations of the Dance program under the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Dr. Michael James

Accompanist

Dr. Michael James has been a professional musician for over forty years. He studied piano and piano pedagogy with Ruth Slenczynska, Max Camp and David M. Ferguson. He performed as a soloist with the Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville) orchestra and the Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra (Belleville, IL) and taught piano and music theory in various colleges for thirteen years before beginning his doctoral program in piano pedagogy in 1986 at the University of South Carolina. Graduating with his D.M.A (1994), he went on to co-present at the 1998 and 1999 World Piano Pedagogy Conventions. Later these presentations became a two-part article, “Celebrating 100 Years of Piano Teaching in America,” published in American Music Teacher. Since 1993 James has focused on collaborating with dancers. In 2005 he performed the Gottschalk Grand Tarantella with the USC Orchestra, dancers Tom Gold (NYC Ballet soloist) and Sarah Coates. Currently, as the musician in the Dance Program at USC, he plays for classes, composes dance music, rehearses and performs with the dance company and teaches Music for Dancers. His other activities include playing for the Carolina Ballet and South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory at Columbia, SC, teaching piano and training dance accompanists. In the past, he has played for the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, Dance Department of Columbia College (SC), the SERBA Festival (Greenville, SC 1998) and the Corps de Ballet National Meeting (Columbia College 2003). His sensitivity to dance movement and ability to collaborate in the classroom and on stage has inspired dancers throughout South Carolina. In 2005 he produced a recording, “Music for Ballet Class” with Professor Patty Graham (Columbia College). In 2008 one of his compositions, “Meditation,” was choreographed by Stephanie Wilkins and is now a part of the repertoire of the Power Company, a modern dance company centered in South Carolina and lead by modern dancer, Martha Brim.