Stacy West (Executive/Artistic Director) holds undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Dance and a Masters Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management.  In New York, West studied dance and dance education with Robert Small, Erick Hawkins and Jacque D’Amboise’s National Dance Institute.  West joined MADCO as a dancer in 1988 and was appointed Executive and Artistic Director in 1994.  Ms. West has served as a master teacher for numerous organizations, universities and festivals including State University New York/Fredonia, University of South Florida, the Tennessee Association for Dance, American College Dance Festival/Emory University-Atlanta and the University of Missouri St. Louis among many others.  She has served as a master teacher for Cirque du Soleil’s cast of La Nouba in Orlando, Florida and as a master class teacher and consultant for Walt Disney Entertainment and Walt Disney Casting in Orlando.  While working for the MUNY Student Theater, West taught and choreographed education programs for The MUNY and her work Burgher’s of Calais was featured at the St. Louis Art Museum for the Meet Another Culture Series.  West has a passion for arts in education.   In 2001 the national organization Young Audiences named her “Artist of the Year” for her contribution to arts education.  In 2007 West designed and implemented MADCO’s newest education program, Books in Motion, which uses dance to promote literacy and creative thinking skills.  The program is now in 15 schools throughout the state of Missouri.