lisa andrea thurrell

Artistic Director KDC , Modern graham, Choreography, Repertory faculty
Ms Thurrell is Co-Director of Kanopy School for Contemporary Dance and Choreography. She was faculty at Academy of Russian Ballet, Denver, CO (‘01-04); Guest at Illinois State University, Normal, IL (‘05.); guest faculty Ballet Minnesota, (‘98 - to date); and visiting Professor, UN-Lincoln, NE ('92,'94.) She danced with the Martha Graham Company in NYC; in the International Spoleto Festivals in Italy and South Carolina ('91-'94); and with several companies in NYC (‘90-94.) She danced with Wendy Hambidge in Portland, OR (‘95); Connolly Dance and Smartdance in Madison. As Chair of Dance at the Idrætshøjskole, Oure, Denmark, she
toured her choreography to Odense, Arhus, and Copenhagen (‘97.) Her choreography was presented in NYC (‘89-‘93) at The Field, Dance Space, Laban Center, and Goodson Theatre and throughout the Midwest. She holds a Certificate of Completion,Professional Trainee and Teaching Program, from Martha Graham School for Contemporary Dance, NYC (’93) (3yr program); an MFA in Dance/minor in Asian Theatre from UW- Madison (‘87.) Training includes study with: Yuriko, Diane Gray, Carol Fried, Ethel Winter, Maggie Black, Zena Rommett, Hanya Holm, Nancy Hauser, Phyllis Lamhut, Lon Gordon, Vivian Tomlinson, Tibor Zana and Elizabeth Shiapetsky. She has shared awards with Kanopy Dance (‘96-to date) from: the Wisconsin Arts Board,CitiARTS Commission, Madison Civic Center Foundation, Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission, Pleasant T Rowland Fdtn, Overture Fdtn and Madison Community Fdtn. She received Wisc Dance Council ’99 Choreography/Performance Award; nominated for the Bonnie Bird International Choreography Award (Laban Centre For Dance, London ‘97); UW Outstanding Alumni (‘98.); soloist for Nini Theilade's Ballet Schubert, Denmark (‘97); soloist in UW Alumni Concert, Hanya Holm's "Rat-a-Tat" (‘99.)

robert e. cleary

Artistic Director KDC, Modern graham, Choreography, Repertory, Post modern faculty
Mr Cleary is Co-Director of Kanopy School and has been dancing since 1982 when he started with the Minnesota Ballet and Minnesota Dance Theatre. In Minneapolis, he trained under Frank Bourman, David Voss, Loyce Houlton, Bonnie Mathis and Tisha Von Burpee. In 1990, he earned a BA from the University of Minnesota in Dance/Choreography and a BA in History;19th Century Europe. In NYC, he trained at the School of American Ballet and in Susan Klein-Releasing Technique. He has worked with, and performed for, modern and post-modern performers: Bebe Miller, Bill T. Jones, Danny Ezralow, Paula Mann, Carolyn Brown,
Susan McGuire, and Maria Cheng among others. He has taught ballet and modern dance for Mankato Ballet, Ballet Minnesota, Delange Studio. Mr. Cleary was dance director and faculty at Oure Idrætshøjskole, Denmark. He toured his choreography and performed throughout Denmark;was a soloist in Nini Theilade's Ballet Schubert, created originally for Massine's Ballet Russe. Mr. Cleary served as Guest Faculty at South West Texas State. He annually performs as soloist in the Nutcracker for Ballet Minnesota. He has performed as a guest artist/soloist in the Minnesota Dance Festival and with Wendy Hambidge and Dancers in Portland, OR. In Madison, he has danced with Maureen Janson's Smartdance, Wisconsin Dance Ensemble, Connolly Dance, and KirOga Theater. He has shared awards with Kanopy (‘96-to date) from: Wisconsin Arts Board,CitiARTS Commission, Madison Civic Center Fdtn, Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission; Pleasant T Rowland Foundation, Overture Foundation, and Madison Community Foundation.

Kerry Parker, Principal Dancer, KDC, ballet facuty was born in St.Paul, Minnesota. Kerry's early years were spent training at Minnesota Dance Theater and Pacific Northwest Ballet School and at the summer courses of the Milwaukee Ballet and School of American Ballet. She danced with Minnesota Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet and The Vienna State Opera Ballet. After a brief hiatus from the dance world she moved to New York where she studied dance with Zvi Gotheiner, Jackie Villamel, Christine Wright and Jeremy Nelson. While in New York she also studied yoga with Peter Rizzo and Gyrotonics with Jurgen Bamburger. Kerry freelanced with Avila/Weeks Dance, Arianne Anthony & Company and Ancient of Days Dance Theater before returning to the Midwest to dance with Ballet of the Dolls, Jennifer Hart, Bonnie Mathis, and the Vroom Vroom Group. She taught ballet at the University of Idaho for the past several years. She has been performing her own work since 2005 and has presented at University of Idaho, Washington State University, American College Dance Festival and On The Boards in Seattle.

Juan Carlos Díaz Vélez, Principal Dancer KDC, Ballet faculty Mr. Velez began his dance training in Guadalajara, Mexico under Carmen Sandoval and Alex Zybin at the Victoria Ballet and Guadalajara Ballet schools. He also studied at the San Francisco and Pacific Northwest ballet schools. Mr. Díaz Vélez initially danced with the American Festival Ballet and then as a soloist with Spokane Ballet. Juan Carlos joined Eugene Ballet Company in 1989 and then left briefly to join Charleston Ballet Theatre where he performed leading roles in Nutcracker, Dracula and other contemporary works by resident choreographer Jill Eathorne Bahr. Juan Carlos returned to the Eugene Ballet Company in 1992 and performed with EBC and Ballet Idaho as a principal dancer until 1996, when he returned to school to pursue a career in physics. While attending school, Juan Carlos briefly performed with Idaho Dance Theater, Boise State University's resident company.

Elizabeth Fine, Principal Dancer, KDC Ms. Fine trained as a gymnast, continued on to teach rhythmic gymnastics, and coached Special Olympics in both artistic and rhythmic styles. She studied modern dance at the UW-Madison where she took a master class with Bill T. Jones. In 2000 she began training in the Graham style at Kanopy. She also studied post modern dance in Germany. She practices yoga and performs with traditional Celtic singing group, Navan.
Meg Johnson, Principal dancer, KDC, Modern, Jazz faculty Ms Johnson originally of Ames, Iowa, began studying dance at age six. She spent all four years of high school performing with and choreographing for Iowa State University's auditioned dance group, Orchesis I, being the first high school student chosen to dance with the college company. She also performed with Valerie Williams Co'motion Dance Theater, Iowa Dance Collective, ACTORS Studio, and in various other productions including the Iowa State Center Nutcracker Ballet and Carmina Burana. Before moving to Madison, Meg studied dance at Columbia College Chicago and the University of Iowa. Meg studied with guest artists Alan Danielson at Iowa State University and Lar Lubovitch at Columbia College Chicago. She has performed in various venues including the American College Dance Festival, Getz Theater in Chicago, and the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul with KDC. Meg studied acting at Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Columbia College Chicago, and improvisation with Atlas Improv Company. She has done print and commercial work and acted in industrial and promotional videos. Meg also teaches for the Kanopy School. This is her fourth season with Kanopy Dance Company (2008-2009).
Lyndsey Groth, Dancer KDC, Modern horton faculty Ms. Groth received her BFA in dance from the University of Minnesota where she worked with Kari Margolis, Myron Johnson, Doug Varone, Paula Mann, David Dorfman, Carl Flink, HIJACK, Scott Rink and Toni Pierce.  She participated in the Jose Limon Summer Intensive, participated as an art educator through the U2U program in the Twin Cities public schools and taught at the Bryant Square Park community center.  Ms. Groth studied Afro-Brasilian dance, capoiera, and axe in Salvador, Brazil, where she studied with the acclaimed Bale Foklorico and performed at the Teatro Vilha Vehla and Miguel Santana.  In New York City, Ms. Groth participated in the workstudy program with DanceSpace, and worked as Membership Associate with American Ballet Theatre while continuing her dance training.  In Madison, Ms. Groth has danced for SMARTDANCE and has taught dance through the UW OUTREACH program.  Ms. Groth currently serves full time as Company Manager for Madison Ballet and teaches modern dance at Madison Ballet and Kanopy. Ms. Groth studies yoga, African dance, Indian, Middle Eastern dance, and Flamenco.  Recently, Ms. Groth completed a Lester Horton Technique and Teacher training program under the direction of Ana Marie Forsythe at the Alvin Ailey School in New York City.
Georgia Corner, Guest Dancer KDC, Modern hawkins faculty Ms Corner has been praised for her dancing by the NY Times, The Village Voice, and Dallas News. She danced with Erik Hawkins Dance Co; Douglas Dunn; Lise Brenner, Kriota Willberg, Karen Bernard; Ballet Harren, and Ballet Mink Colbert. In ‘98, she founded Wellspring Project, a company based in the Hawkins technique. Wellspring commissioned new dances, produced New York seasons, and toured New England and Canada. Corner shared awards with Wellspring from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the Bossak Heilbronn Foundation. In ‘02 Wellspring produced the Erik Hawkins Legacy Forum which drew teachers and students from around the world. Corner taught at the Erik Hawkins School and the 92nd Street Y. She directed Broome Corner Studio, and has been a guest artist at the University of Nevada.