Stacy West is the Executive/Artistic Director of the St. Louis based Modern American Dance Company (MADCO). She holds undergraduate degrees in marketing and dance and a masters degree in business administration.  In New York, Ms. West studied with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, Robert Small of the Alwin Nikolais Dance Company and Jacque d’Amboise’s National Dance Institute.  MADCO has performed at the JoyceSoho in New York and the Toronto Fringe Festival for Independent Dance Artists, where the company was named by Dance International Magazine as the “Best of the Best.”  West has served as a master teacher for the American College Dance Festival, Cirque du Soliel in Orlando, Florida, Tennessee Association of Dance, State University of New York/Fredonia, Southern Illinois University, University of Missouri, and Walt Disney World among many others.  West has choreographed and taught education programs for the St. Louis Municipal Theatre and the St. LouisArt Museum where her work “Burghers of Calais” was featured on the “Meet Another Culture” series.  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 St. Louis’ Grand Center Visionary Artist Award.

Todd Weeks (Associate Artistic Director) grew up in Oklahoma and received his classical ballet training in Dallas, Texas from 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 “Ki Mera,” a dream inspired multi-media experience.  Weeks’ extensive teaching background has led to work with Walt Disney World, Cirque du Soleil, SUNY/Fredonia, Southern Illinois University and the University of Missouri St. Louis where he serves as a part-time faculty member.  In the world of musical theater he enjoyed performing in 30 productions and 13 seasons with The Muny in St. Louis and has performed with other regional theaters such as Kansas City’s Starlight Theater, Atlanta’s Fox Theater, and Pittsburgh’s Benedum Theater. In 2004, he choreographed the premiere of “Xanadu Live” for Legacy Entertainment. Todd is co-owner and Artistic Director of Midwest Dance Academy and Metro Dance Company located in Fairview Heights, Illinois where he hopes to ignite a passion for dance in his students and help them discover the joy of performing. 

Jennifer Reilly (MADCO Rehearsal Director) is a graduate of Lindenwood University in St. Louis 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 its current repertoire, and she played a major role in the creation of the company’s full-length production of Ki Mera. She has recently served as a guest artist at State University of New York in Fredonia and as a workshop teacher at Walt Disney World in Orlando.  In addition, she is co-owner and Associate Artistic Director of Midwest Dance Academy where she and MADCO’s Todd Weeks have founded the Metro Dance Company, a pre-professional not-for-profit dance company.   

Lindsay Hawkins (MADCO 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 and has worked with Frank Chaves, Robert Battle, Janice Garrett, Michael Foley and John Beasant III, among many others. Performance highlights include 2004 Contemporary Moves presented by Dance St. Louis,  2004 DanceNow NYC, Toronto Fringe Festival for Independent Dance Artists, and Dance St. Louis's Spring to Dance Festival 2008 and 2009.  MADCO has also presented several of her choreographic works. In addition to her responsiblities at MADCO, Lindsay is the Director of the ballet program and ballet ensemble at Arts In Motion in St. Louis, is a faculty member at Coca, and has been a teaching artist for St. Louis Artworks in 2008 and 2009. 

Monica Alunday graduated in 2009 from the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati as Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance, and is a 2005 graduate of the Jordan College Academy of Dance in Indianapolis, Indiana. She performed as a guest artist with professional companies such as Cincinnati Ballet, Kentucky Ballet Theater and Gregory Hancock Dance Theater. She attended summer programs at the American Ballet Theater, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as a Fellowship Student, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Ms. Alunday performed pieces choreographed by Yi Qi Cheng, Jiang Qi, Michael Tevlin, Dierdre Carberry, Vivi Flindt, Bart Cook, Rodney Gustafson, Christine Spizzo, Peter S. London, Pedro Ruiz, and Kirk Peterson. This is Ms. Alunday’s first season with MADCO.

R. Vance Baldwin, native of St. Joseph, Missouri, holds a Bachelor of Science in Education - Vocal Emphasis - from Missouri Western State University, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from University of Missouri - Kansas City.  He has danced/choreographed for 940 Dance Company, Reach....a movement collective inc.,  Robidoux Resident Theater, Eubank Productions, and danced for Shawnee Mission - The Theater in the Park.  Some of his favorite roles are:  Mr. Mistofellees (Cats), Wickersham Brother #1 (Seussical: The Musical), Simon Stimson (Our Town - Philip Jerry), Blueberry (Serenade - George Balanchine) and Russian Dancer (Fiddler on the Roof).  He has been a master teacher for The Dance Arts Center and Lawrence Arts Center.  He would like to thank his family for their love, support, and guidance on this adventurous career in dance.

Christa Bross began her training at Alexandra School of Ballet in St. Louis.  She is a graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts (Ballet Major) where she studied under Melissa Hayden, Duncan Noble, Warren Conover, Christine Spizzo, and Nina Danilova among others.  Her summer training includes the School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre (NY), and the Hungarian National Ballet School in Budapest.  As a member of Charleston Ballet Theatre she performed in Serenade, Nutcracker, and also at the Spoleto Festival.  Christa recently graduated cum laude with a degree in Communications from UMSL where she danced under the direction of Rob Scoggins and Todd Weeks.  Christa has also performed locally in numerous productions of Nutcracker at the Fox, the Muny, Stages St. Louis, and Theatre Factory.  This is her second season with MADCO.

Jason Flodder is a graduate of Ball State University with a degree in dance and a minor in musical theatre.  He has trained with David Hochoy (Martha Graham), George de la Pena (ABT), Michael Worcel (42nd Street), Audra Sokol, and Lou Ann Young. At BSU, Jason choreographed for numerous productions including dance and show choirs.  For the last five years, Jason worked as a dance and musical artist at Busch Gardens, Paramount and Fancy Pants Inc. This is Jason's second season with MADCO. He is also a faculty member of Dance Inc. and Jane Mannion's School of Dance.  

Claire Hilleren is from St. Louis and received her BFA in Dance with a ballet emphasis from Webster University in December 2008. While at Webster she performed in works choreographed by St. Louis choreographers Summer Beasley and Mary Ann Rund and performed in Webster's Dance Ensembles. She also performed in Summer Beasley's "Panorama" as well as MADCO's February 2009 production of "Chimera". Claire has choreographed for St. Charles Community College's 2007 production of "Black Elk Speaks" and recently attended the American Dance Festival in North Carolina. While at ADF she took classes with David Dorfman, Ohad Naharin, Mark Haim, Abby Yager, Ishmael Houston-Jones, David Brick, and Yvonne Meiers. She also worked with Ruth Andrien on Paul Taylor repertory. Claire is looking forward to her first season with MADCO and the beginning of her professional career in dance.

Keli Brook Hermes 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. Career highlights include working with Robert Battle, Michael Foley, and John Beasant III, performing with MADCO on tours to Detroit and Tampa, Florida, as well as performing in the 2009 Spring to Dance Festival presented by Dance St. Louis.   Her choreography has been performed at Summerdance/04, Dallas’ Dance for the Planet, CreekviewHigh School in Carrollton, Texas, the Young Choreographer’s Showcase in Norman, Oklahoma, Loop in Motion Festival, St. Louis and St. Louis Dance Showcase. She was also a teaching artist for the St. Louis Artworks program in 2009.  She is currently on the dance faculty at Arts in Motion and Denoyer School of Dance in St. Louis.  This is her fourth season with MADCO.

Kari Ann Knobeloch

Kari Ann Knobeloch is a graduate of Lindenwood University with a B.A. in dance. While in college, she was a four time participant of the American College Dance Festival and received the 2008 Lindenwood University Dance Award. She has studied and performed work by Marcelo Gomes and Anna Liceica (American Ballet Theater), Marcus Bugler (Metropolitan Opera Ballet) as well as John Beasant, Michael Mizerany, John Leher, and Robert Reed.  In 2008, Kari Ann choreographed two main stage musicals for SIUE'S Summer Showbiz program.  She was selected as the model/dancer for the 2009 Fall/Winter issue of St. Louis Bride Magazine's featured article entitled "Shall we...Dance?"  Kari Ann is currently director of the ballet program and ensemble at Dance Inc. in St. Louis and is also on staff at Midwest Dance Academy.  This is her second season with MADCO.

Gavin Sisson is originally from Belleville, Illinois.  He began his professional career at the age of 18 for the St. Louis Municipal Opera (MUNY Theater), America’s largest outdoor amphitheater.  He worked with MADCO from 1999-2002 before moving to New York.  In New York he worked with several small companies and was then hired as one of six select dancers for the Erick Hawkins Dance Company.  Gavin returned to MADCO in 2007 where he most recently worked with Robert Battle, Frank Chaves and Janice Garrett.  He also served as a teaching artist for St. Louis ArtWorks, a nationally recognized program that uses the arts to provide job training skills for youth in need. 

Nicole Reuther Whitesell graduated magna cum laude from Missouri State University with a BFA in Dance Performance. While attending MSU, she was a member of the Inertia Dance Company, which toured local elementary schools and emphasized reading through creative movement. Upon graduation, Nicole moved to New York City to dance with Dodge Dance Company. While in New York, Nicole also danced with the Amy Marshall Dance Company and Luxdance. Now back home in St. Louis, Nicole is excited to be dancing with Madco this season.
Another passion of Nicole's is dance education. Nicole studied dance pedagogy and taught dance throughout college. She continued her teaching in New York at Posey School of Dance and was an assistant teacher at Ballet Tech under the direction of Elliot Feld. She is currently on the faculties of Dance Incorporated, St.Peter's Academy of Dance and The Corral Performing Arts Center.