Since its inception in the 70s, the dance program has been a home to many students. Every now and then, a member of the dance program continues their study of performing arts in a professional capacity. They are good resources, and love talking about their experience and their growth as performing artists.

Jae Greunke '92
Jae Greunke began her dance training at Williams College (where she majored in literary studies) and through a cross-enrollment program at Bennington College. Upon graduating from Williams in 1992 she was awarded a Hutchinson Fellowship, which allowed her to move to New York and further her training. She has performed with a wide range of downtown choreographers, including 3-D Dance/Blue Man Group, JoAnna Mendl Shaw, Neo Labos Dance Theatre, Vera Huff, and Gotham Group Dance. She is currently dancing with Sarah Skaggs Dance and Ben Munisteri. Jae is also the owner of Intelligent Exercise Personal Training, through which she works as a personal trainer/somatic educator. Her writing on dance and movement has appeared in the Village Voice, American Dance, and on IndiePlanet.com. She is currently training to become a Feldenkrais practitioner.

Julia Foulkes '86
Currently, Julia Foulkes is a faculty member of the New School University in New York City where she teaches courses in 20th century US history. She received her Ph.D. in history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and her book on the development of modern dance in America is forthcoming from the University of North Carolina Press. Most recently, she has been an onscreen commentator and consultant for "Free to Dance," a PBS documentary airing in February 2001 which traces the history of African Americans in dance. She was a Rockefeller Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College Chicago in 1997-98.

Erica Dankmeyer '91
Erica Dankmeyer, Artistic Director, Dancer, Choreographer, and Teacher, began her ballet training with Paul Curtis and Anna Bena in California. She studied Modern and African dance at Williams College, where she returns annually as Guest Artist. Ms. Dankmeyer has been a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company since 1996, has performed in many Graham ballets, such as the Woman in Yellow in Diversion of Angels. Ms. Dankmeyer has choreographed works for herself and for members of the Graham Company and Ensemble, which have been presented around the United States. She is on the faculty of the Martha Graham School and has taught at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater, Williams College, and Marymount Manhattan College.

Will Rawls '00

Mayda del Valle '00
Mayda Del Valle hails from Chicago's South Side, where she began performing her own writing while in high school. She relocated to New York City in October of 2000, after graduating from Williams College with a B.A. in Art. One of Mayda's first stops was the legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe. In spite of never having performed poetry competitively, Mayda won the Nuyorican's Grand Slam Championship and went on to the National Poetry Slam in Seattle in August of 2001. There she won the Individual National Poetry Slam title and became the first poet from the Nuyorican, the youngest poet and the first Latina to win the title. Mayda was featured on the HBO series "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry." She has also been featured in El Diario, Urban Latino, Mass Appeal magazine and The New York Times. She has performed at NYU, Columbia University, UT Austin, USC, the Public Theater and Joe's Pub, and recently showcased a one-woman show at the HERE Arts Center in New York City.

Alesha Arscott '01

Ben Sands '02

Jason Lucas '02