Dream Launcher Podcast: For Theater and Dance Parents

Please welcome Jo Rowan and Associate Dean Melanie Shelley from my Alma Mater!
Both inspirations to me and my growth as a dancer, I am excited to share their expertise and values at OCU. Jo is the head of the dance department and has been since 1981. Dean Melanie attended school their shortly after and they have been a team ever since.
Melanie Shelley, Associate Dean and Professor of Arts Management, has served the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management in many capacities over three decades. She enjoys working with dance and entertainment business students as the Student Success Coordinator and preparing students for professional careers. Dean Shelley serves as Costume Consultant, choreographer, company manager, and professor at OCU. Her choreography has been performed both in the United States and internationally, in Beijing and Taipei, China and her costume designs have been included in the New York City Toy Show. Dean Shelley has been named to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers for multiple years, was named Oklahoma City University’s Exemplary Teacher of the Year for 2000, and served as Faculty Fellow and Interim Chair of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Oklahoma City University’s Academic Affairs Office in 2006-2007.
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Jo Rowan is a nationally known master ballet teacher and performer and is professor of dance and chairman of the Dance Department within Oklahoma City University’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment.

Rowan, who was trained at the School of American Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, holds degrees in design and dance from University of Cincinnati and has performed with Cincinnati Ballet, Dallas Ballet, Garden State Ballet, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Dallas Opera, Philadelphia Opera, Tulsa Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and as a soloist at Radio City Music Hall. She has been a guest artist with the Baltimore Symphony, Kansas City Philharmonic, and Cincinnati Symphony orchestras. A member of Actors’ Equity Association, Rowan has appeared in more than 60 musicals. She has performed in New York City, as well as at Actors Theatre in Louisville, Maine State Theatre, Playhouse in the Park, Kansas City Civic Center, and Kansas City Starlight Theatre, to name a few. She has also appeared in numerous television commercials and was a regular on the PBS TV show, Consumer Survival Kit. Rowan performed at Lyric Theatre in Grand Hotel as ballerina Grushinskaya and recently choreographed the Dream Ballet in Lyric’s production of Oklahoma!. She was the chief researcher for How To Make It In Musicals, Michael Allen’s authoritative book on developing a successful career as a musical theatre performer.

Formerly ballet mistress of Dallas Ballet, Rowan has taught for all major dance organizations in the United States and has been invited to serve as an Artist-in-Residence for Oklahoma. She has conducted master classes at the St. Louis and Detroit Tap Festivals, has toured America as a ballerina with Dance Olympus, has taught for Dance America and Boston Ballet, and has adjudicated for the North American Ballet Festival Competition in Boston and the State of Tennessee’s Individual Artist Fellowship Award in Dance-Choreography.

In both 2018 and 2019 Rowan was selected as one of the Journal Record's 50 Making a Difference during "The Woman of the Year" event. In April of this year, Rowan received The Governor's Arts Award in recognition of her longtime leadership and significant contributions to the arts acro

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Explore the world of professional dance education with guest Don Mirault on this episode of "Dance Colleges and Careers," hosted by Brittany Noltimier. In this enlightening conversation, we delve into the Theater Arts Preparatory School (TAPS) in Las Vegas, a game-changing program designed to equip aspiring dancers with the tools they need to launch their careers.
With a remarkable 45-year career spanning singing, dancing, acting, teaching, choreography, production, direction, and authorship, Don Mirault is a true industry veteran. He shares his insights into the creation of TAPS, a revolutionary six-month trade school that fills a much-needed gap in the dance education landscape. Tune in to discover how TAPS is geared towards fast-tracking dancers into the professional world, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional college programs.
In this episode, we explore the comprehensive curriculum at TAPS, covering everything from various dance styles to private and ensemble voice training, commercial and theatrical acting, marketing, business skills, cirque arts, research, and dance history. Plus, hear about the impressive roster of 70 industry professionals who mentor and guide students through this intensive program. Don't miss this in-depth look at TAPS and the future it's paving for aspiring dance professionals.
Visit the TAPS website here
Check out this awesome video on Facebook featuring the Theater Arts Preparatory School Alumni
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Karen Stokes is the Head of the Dance Program at the University of Houston.
She danced in New York and abroad with David Gordon, Larry Clark, and Stephan Koplowitz. As a choreographer, Stokes has premiered eight evening length projects, and multiple repertory works that have performed in such venues as Zilkha Hall, Discovery Green,the Kaplan Theater at the JCC, Cleveland Public Theater, Weathervane Theater in Akron, Plays & Players Theater in Philadelphia, the Cunningham Studio in NYC, and at the University of Houston.

In January 2013, Karen Stokes Dance was the first contemporary dance company in Houston to receive a “Masterminds Award” by the Houston Press. She is a nine-time recipient of Houston Arts Alliance grants and was co-recipient for the 2008 Buffy Award in Best Evening Length work category (Hometown) for 2003-2008. Stokes’ documentary short on “Framing Dance,” received “Editor’s Choice” for best video from Dance Teacher Magazine in September 2010, and her dance for camera video “Gallery Construction 1” received “Editor’s Choice” for best video from Dance Magazine in March 2012. Stokes has also won the Distance Education Teaching Award at University of Houston, the ACHE Teaching Award, and the Ross M. Lence Teaching Award.

• Stokes co-founded Travesty Dance Group in 1997, and is now Artistic Director of Karen Stokes Dance. Karen Stokes Dance, a non-profit organization, functions as the producing company for professional projects by Karen Stokes.
• Phone: 713-743-2915
• Email: [email protected]
• Karen Stokes Dance
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Let's learn about the University of Memphis Dance and Theater department with Jill Guyton Nee, the head of dance, and Michael Medcalf, an assistant professor in dance.
Dance and theater Vision

To cultivate a diverse community, in which all voices are valued, that fosters excellence in research, production, teaching, learning, community outreach, and collaboration.
Mission Statement

To educate the next generation of theatre artists for successful careers in the performing arts, the entertainment industry and arts education and to contribute to the cultural climate of our diverse community, region, and beyond as engaged partners. Central to the mission is the belief that theoretical and practical courses combined with production experiences and personalized mentorship are critical to the education and training of our students.

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Join us as we discuss the importance of trusting your decision when choosing a dance studio for your child. In this episode, we’ll talk about committing fully to your studio, knowing that you’ve made the right choice, and not worrying about whether the grass is greener elsewhere. We’ll also discuss how no studio is perfect and why it’s okay if there’s something missing — it’s all part of the process. Learn how to evaluate what your child truly needs to grow and thrive in their dance education.

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Got a question or story you'd like to share? Message me HERE, and your submission might even be featured in an upcoming episode!