MADCO - The Modern American Dance Company- Who's Who

Stacy West is the Executive and Artistic Director of the St. Louis based Modern American Dance Company (MADCO). In New York Ms. West has worked with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, Robert Small of the Alwin Nickolais Dance Company and Jacque d’Amboise’s National Dance Institute. MADCO’s recent engagements include the JoyceSoho in New York, the Toronto Fringe Festival for Independent Dance Artists and master classes for Cirque du Soleil in Orlando, Florida. West is a regular master teacher for the American College Dance Festival and has taught at Emory University, Northern Iowa University and Washington University. She has also recently served as a guest artist/choreographer for Tennessee Association of Dance, State University of New York/Fredonia, University of Missouri, Southern Illinois University, Webster University, and Lindenwood University among others. West has choreographed and taught for the St. Louis Municipal Theatre (America’s largest outdoor amphitheater) and the St. Louis Art Museum where her work “Burghers of Calais” was featured with the Auguste Rodin exhibit. In 2001 the national organization Young Audiences selected her as “Artist of the Year” for her contribution to arts education and in 2004 she was nominated for a Visionary Artist Award.

Todd Weeks (Associate Artistic Director) grew up in Oklahoma and received his classical ballet training in Dallas, Texas with Joyce Seaborne-Bader, ARAD. He has danced with numerous companies, including MADCO from 1994-2002 when he was appointed Associate Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer. MADCO holds 16 of his works in its repertory including the highly acclaimed “Chimera,” a dream inspired multi-media experience. Weeks’ extensive teaching background has recently led to work with Cirque du Soleil, SUNY/Fredonia, Southern Illinois University and the University of Missouri St. Louis where he serves as adjunct faculty. In the world of musical theatre he performed for 13 seasons at The Muny in St. Louis, and has performed at Kansas City’s Starlight Theater, Atlanta’s Fox Theater, and Pittsburgh’s Benedum Theater.

Nicki Burkholder (Company Member) graduated cum laude from Lindenwood University in 2005 with degrees in Dance and Performing Arts. She has performed in Austrailia and studied dance on scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet, The Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles and the School of Hartford Ballet. In St. Louis she has performed with Opera Theatre and the Gateway Ballet and was selected to perform with MADCO at fFIDA in Toronto. She is also a certified Pilates instructor at Techniques Ballet and Pilates Studio. She is currently working on her Masters Degree in the Art of Teaching Dance.

Jennifer Reilly (Rehearsal Director) is a graduate of Lindenwood University and holds degrees in Dance, Math and Secondary Education. In 2001 she danced with Taylor 2 in Esplanade and later that year joined MADCO. She was appointed the company’s Rehearsal Director in 2004. Ms. Reilly has extensive training in ballet and modern and is an accomplished performer, choreographer and teacher. MADCO holds three of her works in is current repertoire, and she played a major role in the creation of the company’s full-length production of Chimera. She has recently served as a guest artist at State University of New York in Fredonia. In addition, she is co-owner and Associate Artistic Director of Midwest Dance Academy where she and Todd Weeks have founded the Metro Dance Company for young performers.

Tamara Prince-Parrish (Company Member) is a graduate of the University of Memphis with a BFA in Theatre and Dance. She has studied in master classes with Alvin Ailey Dance, Chuck Davis Dance Ensemble, Paul Taylor Dance Company and Ron Brown among others. She has served as a dancer, choreographer and/or teacher with Metal Velvet Project, Project Motion, Ballet on Wheels, Memphis Black Arts Alliance and Bantaba Dance Company and is also a board member of the Tennessee Association of Dance. One of her latest ventures included becoming an Americorps Member for Mid-South Community College where she worked as the Community Outreach Coordinator at the Crittenden Arts Council in West Memphis, Arkansas. She is currently employed by COCA in St. Louis and works with their Urban Arts Program.

Trevor Harrison (Company Member) holds a degree in Performing Arts with an emphasis in Dance from Lindenwood University. He has worked with MADCO as a guest artist since 2004 and became a company member in 2007. He has performed at the St. Louis Dance Festival Showcase, Dance St. Louis’ Contemporary Moves 2004 and his choreography has been featured at the St. Louis Choreographer’s Showcase. He currently teaches Hip-Hop, Break-Dance and Modern Dance throughout the St. Louis area.

Lindsay Hawkins (Assistant Rehearsal Director) is from Columbus, Indiana and has trained at the Pennsylvania Ballet, Butler University and the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre. In 2002 she received her B.F.A. in dance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, under the direction of Jeremy Blanton. At SMU she worked with many notable choreographers in ballet, modern and jazz. In 2003 she joined MADCO. Performance highlights include 2004 Contemporary Moves, DanceNow NYC and the Toronto Fringe Festival for Independent Dance Artists. MADCO has also presented several of her choreographic works. In addition to her responsibilities at MADCO, Lindsay has recently become the director of the ballet program and ballet ensemble at Arts in Motion in St. Louis.

Gavin Sisson (Company Member) is originally from Belleville, Illinois. He began his professional career at the age of 18 for the St. Louis Municipal Theatre, the nation’s largest outdoor amphitheater. He danced with MADCO from 1999 to 2002 before relocating to New York. In New York he worked with several companies before joining the Erick Hawkins Dance Company in 2005 as one of six select dancers. He returned to the St. Louis area and rejoined MADCO in 2007.

Apprentices

Simone Baechle (Apprentice) hails from Randolph, NJ and is a graduate of Northwestern University with degrees in Dance and English Literature. She has studied dance at the New Jersey School of Ballet's pre-professional division, at American Academy of Ballet, Joffrey Ballet (NYC) and Ballet Hispanico. In the Chicagoland area she has studied at Giordano's, Ruth Page Center for the Arts, and Lou Conte Dance Studio.

Keli Brook Hermes (Apprentice) is from Texas and graduated with distinction from University of Oklahoma with a BFA in modern dance performance. While at OU, she performed works by Austin Hartel (Pilobolus), Denise Vale (Martha Graham) and Rob McWilliams (Murray Louis Dance Company) among others. In 2004 her piece titled Intentions won the Scott Salmon Choreography Award at OU. In 2005 she attended the Bates Dance Festival and in 2006 she studied at the Dance Alloy Summer Intensive. Her choreography has been performed at Summerdance/04, Dallas Dance for the Planet, Creekview High School and the Young Choreographer’s Showcase.

Tyler Smith (Apprentice) is currently completing a B.A. in Theatre with a specialization in Dance Performance at Southern Illinois University. He has worked with choreographers such as Germaul Barnes (Bill T. Jones), Michael Thomas, Dan Karaty, and David Covey. He has recently performed at the St. Louis Museum of Contemporary Art, the American College Dance Festival, and the St. Louis Dance Festival. He has studied in master classes and workshops with Michael Mizerany (MizeranyDance!), Tierre Batasaux (North Carolina Dance Theater), Bebe Miller, Rachael Murray (Mark Morris), Aaron Henderson (Elizabeth Streb). In 2007, he was awarded the Alcine Wiltz Dance Scholarship at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

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