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THE MODERN DANCE COMPANY
Meet the Company
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Dom Glover
Vice President Rapheal Griffin
Treasurer Lisa Edwards
Secretary Laura Jane Moser
2022 SEASON COMPANY DANCERS
Sara Ciampa
DANCER
Lisa Edwards
Treasurer
Seasons with THE
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Lisa stepped foot into the dance world at four years old, taking classes at Marie McCullough’s Dance Studio in Richmond, TX, The Dance Centre in Wapakoneta, OH, and then Wittenberg University in Springfield,Ohio. She has studied several different styles of dance extensively. These styles include tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, modern, and contemporary. Lisa was extremely involved in the world of competitive dance from 9-17 years of age, where her love for the stage and performing truly blossomed. She received multiple scholarships and awards, and held several leadership roles throughout the years. Lisa was the president and treasurer of the Wittenberg Student Dance Company and graduated with two degrees. She earned a bachelor's degree in dance and theater as well as a bachelor's degree in physics. She currently is employed as the secretary for The University of Toledo’s Department of Art. While not at work, she enjoys going to the gym, playing roller hockey, travelling, and snuggling her five cats. Dance is her passion and she is thrilled to be involved with THE Modern Dance Company. She is excited to expand and improve her skills, and become more actively involved in the arts community in Toledo!
Seasons with THE
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Lisa stepped foot into the dance world at four years old, taking classes at Marie McCullough’s Dance Studio in Richmond, TX, The Dance Centre in Wapakoneta, OH, and then Wittenberg University in Springfield,Ohio. She has studied several different styles of dance extensively. These styles include tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, modern, and contemporary. Lisa was extremely involved in the world of competitive dance from 9-17 years of age, where her love for the stage and performing truly blossomed. She received multiple scholarships and awards, and held several leadership roles throughout the years. Lisa was the president and treasurer of the Wittenberg Student Dance Company and graduated with two degrees. She earned a bachelor's degree in dance and theater as well as a bachelor's degree in physics. She currently is employed as the secretary for The University of Toledo’s Department of Art. While not at work, she enjoys going to the gym, playing roller hockey, travelling, and snuggling her five cats. Dance is her passion and she is thrilled to be involved with THE Modern Dance Company. She is excited to expand and improve her skills, and become more actively involved in the arts community in Toledo!
Marisa Dickens
DANCER
Seasons with THE
2021, 2022
Marisa Dickens began her dance training at Daryl Jervis Dance Studio in Sylvania, Ohio. She is a recent graduate from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor's degree in dance and a minor in film and digital media production. She has experience in both competition and concert dance and specializes in modern, postmodern, and floor work techniques. Throughout her studies, Marisa has performed both regionally and nationally with Loyola University Chicago, Mandala Dance Company in Rome, Italy, and the American College Dance Association. She is a 2017 recipient of the Provost Fellowship for Undergraduate Research in Dance and was an intern for In/Motion Chicago's International Dance Film Festival. As an artist, she celebrates authenticity and believes in collaboration, risk-taking, and inclusion. Through pursuits like performance, choreography, teaching, and filmmaking, Marisa strives to create meaningful work that both challenges and entertains diverse audiences.
Seasons with THE
2021, 2022
Marisa Dickens began her dance training at Daryl Jervis Dance Studio in Sylvania, Ohio. She is a recent graduate from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor's degree in dance and a minor in film and digital media production. She has experience in both competition and concert dance and specializes in modern, postmodern, and floor work techniques. Throughout her studies, Marisa has performed both regionally and nationally with Loyola University Chicago, Mandala Dance Company in Rome, Italy, and the American College Dance Association. She is a 2017 recipient of the Provost Fellowship for Undergraduate Research in Dance and was an intern for In/Motion Chicago's International Dance Film Festival. As an artist, she celebrates authenticity and believes in collaboration, risk-taking, and inclusion. Through pursuits like performance, choreography, teaching, and filmmaking, Marisa strives to create meaningful work that both challenges and entertains diverse audiences.
Rapheal Griffin, MFA
Vice President
THE2 Artistic Director
Seasons with THE
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 , 2022
"Dance keeps my soul searching for innovative ways to choreograph, collaborate and collectively unite dancers that share a passion for movement. Dance is what sets my soul on fire when I move through any space. After twenty plus year of teaching, dancing, and choreographing, my passion for movement has moved, inspired, and uplifted so many people. I remember walking into my first dance class at BGSU, overwhelmed by my pre-law major, I took a modern dance class. After moving through the studio space and learning how to articulate my body in such a way that I could have ever imagined, i knew I was meant to dance. After taking many genres of dance classes, performing in the university’s pre-professional company University Performing Dancers, I completed my undergraduate degree in dance with an emphasis on dance education. Wanting to further my creativeness in dance that had ignited my life, my path lead me to my graduate work at the University of Michigan. While there I had the opportunity to perform and be a part of Ann Arbor Dance Works, the resident dance company of the University of Michigan. I received a full tuition scholarship from the university of Michigan and now hold a Master’s of Fine Arts in choreography and performance. Receiving this scholarship has lead me to so many opportunities to teach, dance, collaborate and simply share my love for the art of dance. Some of those opportunities include teaching dance at Owens Community College for the past fourteen years, teaching and choreographing for various dance studios throughout northwest Ohio, and collaborating with various artists on dance projects within the community. My continued goal in life is to keep the unprecedented interest in dance soaring across our community."
THE2 Artistic Director
Seasons with THE
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 , 2022
"Dance keeps my soul searching for innovative ways to choreograph, collaborate and collectively unite dancers that share a passion for movement. Dance is what sets my soul on fire when I move through any space. After twenty plus year of teaching, dancing, and choreographing, my passion for movement has moved, inspired, and uplifted so many people. I remember walking into my first dance class at BGSU, overwhelmed by my pre-law major, I took a modern dance class. After moving through the studio space and learning how to articulate my body in such a way that I could have ever imagined, i knew I was meant to dance. After taking many genres of dance classes, performing in the university’s pre-professional company University Performing Dancers, I completed my undergraduate degree in dance with an emphasis on dance education. Wanting to further my creativeness in dance that had ignited my life, my path lead me to my graduate work at the University of Michigan. While there I had the opportunity to perform and be a part of Ann Arbor Dance Works, the resident dance company of the University of Michigan. I received a full tuition scholarship from the university of Michigan and now hold a Master’s of Fine Arts in choreography and performance. Receiving this scholarship has lead me to so many opportunities to teach, dance, collaborate and simply share my love for the art of dance. Some of those opportunities include teaching dance at Owens Community College for the past fourteen years, teaching and choreographing for various dance studios throughout northwest Ohio, and collaborating with various artists on dance projects within the community. My continued goal in life is to keep the unprecedented interest in dance soaring across our community."
Dom Glover
President | Choreographer
Seasons with THE
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021,2022
Domonique Glover began his dance career in Atlanta, GA with the Spelman Dance Theater student company, studying ballet, modern, and contemporary. After returning home to Toledo, he has taught at numerous dance studios from the Toledo area to Cleveland. Dom has choreographed local performances, including Hairspray, Ragtime, and West Side Story. He spent several years as a principal company member with the Toledo Ballet, and performed on stage at the Stranahan, the Valentine Theater, the Toledo Rep, the Ohio Theater, Maumee Indoor, the Croswell (Adrian, MI), the Fillmore (Detroit, MI), and the Knight Theatre (Charlotte, NC). Dom is excited to teach and choreograph for THE Modern Dance Company.
Seasons with THE
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021,2022
Domonique Glover began his dance career in Atlanta, GA with the Spelman Dance Theater student company, studying ballet, modern, and contemporary. After returning home to Toledo, he has taught at numerous dance studios from the Toledo area to Cleveland. Dom has choreographed local performances, including Hairspray, Ragtime, and West Side Story. He spent several years as a principal company member with the Toledo Ballet, and performed on stage at the Stranahan, the Valentine Theater, the Toledo Rep, the Ohio Theater, Maumee Indoor, the Croswell (Adrian, MI), the Fillmore (Detroit, MI), and the Knight Theatre (Charlotte, NC). Dom is excited to teach and choreograph for THE Modern Dance Company.
Hannah Kramer
Art and Development Chair
Seasons with THE
2019, 2020, 2021
Hannah began studying classical ballet at the age of three, and upon entering high school, began studying modern dance. She has been in many performances including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, An American in Paris, Carnival of the Animals, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Toledo School for the Arts’ Kaleidoscope, and many more. Hannah later became a dance educator at multiple institutions while earning her undergraduate degree. Ms. Kramer is a recent graduate from the University of Toledo with a degree in Art History and aspires to be a museum curator. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys reading, volunteering, traveling, and creating art of all kinds.
Seasons with THE
2019, 2020, 2021
Hannah began studying classical ballet at the age of three, and upon entering high school, began studying modern dance. She has been in many performances including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, An American in Paris, Carnival of the Animals, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Toledo School for the Arts’ Kaleidoscope, and many more. Hannah later became a dance educator at multiple institutions while earning her undergraduate degree. Ms. Kramer is a recent graduate from the University of Toledo with a degree in Art History and aspires to be a museum curator. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys reading, volunteering, traveling, and creating art of all kinds.
Leslie Madaras
DANCER
Seasons with THE
2022
Seasons with THE
2022
Victoria Merchant
DANCER
Seasons with THE
2022
Victoria Merchant grew up dancing at The Dance Company Conservatory (DCC) in Port Huron, MI where she trained under the direction of Mary Mervich, Juliana Sadowski, Brandon Harneck, as well as many other remarkable instructors. It was there that she found a fierce passion for performing on stage. For most of her life, Victoria has studied ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, and musical theatre. Victoria spent many years performing with the Nutcracker Ballet Theatre Company portraying such roles as Flower, Snow, Chinese, and Friend. She was also a featured dancer with Bluewater Dance Theatre performing the roles of the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland and the French Princess and Lead Fairy in Cinderella. Victoria then went on to become a member of MUse Dance Ensemble (MUse) in Livonia, MI. It was with MUse that Victoria had the opportunity to perform in Brian Hare’s work turn over and Alan Obuzor’s work Reshifting Time. Victoria also had the honor of performing in the American College Dance Association East-Central Conference Gala at the John Legend Theatre along with dancing in Madonna University’s Performing Arts Showcases and working in collaboration with Madonna University’s Lyric Theatre. MUse also gave her the chance to choreograph an original piece, je suis le deluge, on a high school dance program at
Churchill High School as well as an original, …if one only remembers to turn on the light, on fellow MUse company members. While attending Madonna University Victoria studied under Stephan Hadala, Tracy Halloran, Susan Panek, and Zandria Lucas.
Victoria completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from Madonna University in 2021.
Seasons with THE
2022
Victoria Merchant grew up dancing at The Dance Company Conservatory (DCC) in Port Huron, MI where she trained under the direction of Mary Mervich, Juliana Sadowski, Brandon Harneck, as well as many other remarkable instructors. It was there that she found a fierce passion for performing on stage. For most of her life, Victoria has studied ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, and musical theatre. Victoria spent many years performing with the Nutcracker Ballet Theatre Company portraying such roles as Flower, Snow, Chinese, and Friend. She was also a featured dancer with Bluewater Dance Theatre performing the roles of the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland and the French Princess and Lead Fairy in Cinderella. Victoria then went on to become a member of MUse Dance Ensemble (MUse) in Livonia, MI. It was with MUse that Victoria had the opportunity to perform in Brian Hare’s work turn over and Alan Obuzor’s work Reshifting Time. Victoria also had the honor of performing in the American College Dance Association East-Central Conference Gala at the John Legend Theatre along with dancing in Madonna University’s Performing Arts Showcases and working in collaboration with Madonna University’s Lyric Theatre. MUse also gave her the chance to choreograph an original piece, je suis le deluge, on a high school dance program at
Churchill High School as well as an original, …if one only remembers to turn on the light, on fellow MUse company members. While attending Madonna University Victoria studied under Stephan Hadala, Tracy Halloran, Susan Panek, and Zandria Lucas.
Victoria completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from Madonna University in 2021.
Laura Jane Moser
Recording Secretary
Seasons with THE
2020, 2021, 2022
Laura Jane Moser has studied multiple styles of dance for over 20 years and continues to work as a young artist to explore movement and interdisciplinary creative mediums. Her passion for the arts has grown into a lifestyle that blossomed at a very early age. Raised in the rural parts of Northeast Pennsylvania, Laura Jane grew up dancing at local studios where she was a competitive group dancer and soloist in many styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, and Irish step.
Laura Jane pursued an education in Dance at Cedar Crest College located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. While at Cedar Crest, she focused her studies and research on modern dance and human movement experiences. Laura Jane was extremely active in the Dance and Theatre programs at Cedar Crest and performed in many stage productions including; Legally Blonde, Once On This Island, Nunsense the Musical, Peter Pan, Cowgirls, and many more. Laura Jane was also a dancer and company manager for the Cedar Crest College Meraki Dance Company and performed in the ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, modern, and contemporary ensembles. In 2017, Laura Jane was awarded the Carol Welton Kelly Dance Award for Movement Studies from Cedar Crest College for her work and dedication to human movement exploration and scholarly research in dance.
After college, Laura Jane performed as a singer/dancer with JRW Productions at Knoebel's Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA. After her contract, Laura Jane moved back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, where she continued to teach technique classes and choreography at the Conklin Dance Academy in Conklin, NY, as well as work with the dancers at Cedar Crest College as a guest choreographer. After relocating to the Toledo, OH area in the Fall of 2019, and is ready to continue creating and dancing in Northwest Ohio with THE Modern Dance Company.
Seasons with THE
2020, 2021, 2022
Laura Jane Moser has studied multiple styles of dance for over 20 years and continues to work as a young artist to explore movement and interdisciplinary creative mediums. Her passion for the arts has grown into a lifestyle that blossomed at a very early age. Raised in the rural parts of Northeast Pennsylvania, Laura Jane grew up dancing at local studios where she was a competitive group dancer and soloist in many styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, and Irish step.
Laura Jane pursued an education in Dance at Cedar Crest College located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. While at Cedar Crest, she focused her studies and research on modern dance and human movement experiences. Laura Jane was extremely active in the Dance and Theatre programs at Cedar Crest and performed in many stage productions including; Legally Blonde, Once On This Island, Nunsense the Musical, Peter Pan, Cowgirls, and many more. Laura Jane was also a dancer and company manager for the Cedar Crest College Meraki Dance Company and performed in the ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, modern, and contemporary ensembles. In 2017, Laura Jane was awarded the Carol Welton Kelly Dance Award for Movement Studies from Cedar Crest College for her work and dedication to human movement exploration and scholarly research in dance.
After college, Laura Jane performed as a singer/dancer with JRW Productions at Knoebel's Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA. After her contract, Laura Jane moved back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, where she continued to teach technique classes and choreography at the Conklin Dance Academy in Conklin, NY, as well as work with the dancers at Cedar Crest College as a guest choreographer. After relocating to the Toledo, OH area in the Fall of 2019, and is ready to continue creating and dancing in Northwest Ohio with THE Modern Dance Company.
Hope Smith
DANCER
Seasons with THE
2022
Seasons with THE
2022
Ashley Hill
Co-Founder
Ashley Hill (Nowak) was raised in Maumee, Ohio. Her love of dance, music, theater and art was nurtured by her family and mentors from a young age. Ashley believes as the motto of her mom and aunt’s performing arts studio - OnStage - stated, “... that every child is a developing artist” and thought it natural then to open a company that nurtures the adult artists in the community!
Ashley studied music and writing in college and at one time was in both Opera-Vocal Performance and the Musical Theatre programs simultaneously at Bowling Green State University. She traveled and worked in theaters acting, choreographing before wrapping up a Liberal Arts degree in 2011 from BGSU. Dance was always her first love and basically her after-school program growing up with a mom who choreographed and taught… everywhere! Ashley was able to learn on the job how art impacts lives through an informal then formal apprenticeship in performing arts education and the business of creative collaboration.
Some of her favorite roles on stage have been: Velma Kelley, “Chicago”, Reno Sweeney, “Anything Goes” (Croswell Opera House, Adrian, MI); Sara Brown, “Guys & Dolls” (Valentine Theatre, Toledo, OH) Belle, “Beauty and the Beast”, Ulla, “The Producers” (Oregon Community Theatre, Oregon, OH). Ashley has choreographed for her own classes at OnStage Studio and for her Showcase Company that performed additional shows throughout the season with guest artists at the Valentine Theatre’s Studio A. She held her own vocal studio and led a musical theater class that performed with the National Touring Company of “The Wizard of Oz” along with other students from the Toledo Repertoire Theatre. The last musical she choreographed was in 2018 - “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” for Oregon Community Theatre.
She loves writing cabarets that fuse various art forms and collaborating on projects that uplift the community. Ashley lives in Maumee with her husband and two daughters.
Ashley Hill (Nowak) was raised in Maumee, Ohio. Her love of dance, music, theater and art was nurtured by her family and mentors from a young age. Ashley believes as the motto of her mom and aunt’s performing arts studio - OnStage - stated, “... that every child is a developing artist” and thought it natural then to open a company that nurtures the adult artists in the community!
Ashley studied music and writing in college and at one time was in both Opera-Vocal Performance and the Musical Theatre programs simultaneously at Bowling Green State University. She traveled and worked in theaters acting, choreographing before wrapping up a Liberal Arts degree in 2011 from BGSU. Dance was always her first love and basically her after-school program growing up with a mom who choreographed and taught… everywhere! Ashley was able to learn on the job how art impacts lives through an informal then formal apprenticeship in performing arts education and the business of creative collaboration.
Some of her favorite roles on stage have been: Velma Kelley, “Chicago”, Reno Sweeney, “Anything Goes” (Croswell Opera House, Adrian, MI); Sara Brown, “Guys & Dolls” (Valentine Theatre, Toledo, OH) Belle, “Beauty and the Beast”, Ulla, “The Producers” (Oregon Community Theatre, Oregon, OH). Ashley has choreographed for her own classes at OnStage Studio and for her Showcase Company that performed additional shows throughout the season with guest artists at the Valentine Theatre’s Studio A. She held her own vocal studio and led a musical theater class that performed with the National Touring Company of “The Wizard of Oz” along with other students from the Toledo Repertoire Theatre. The last musical she choreographed was in 2018 - “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” for Oregon Community Theatre.
She loves writing cabarets that fuse various art forms and collaborating on projects that uplift the community. Ashley lives in Maumee with her husband and two daughters.
Allie Batey
Co-Founder
Allie (Schiavone) Batey grew up studying dance, performing and choreographing throughout the Toledo area. She took classes in Tap, Jazz and Ballet and eventually joined a competitive dance team that trained together and performed numbers in Contemporary, Kickline, Pom and Jazz for adjudication. Throughout High School and College she frequently choreographed for musicals, cheerleading squads, and dance teams. While enrolled in nursing school, she began teaching ages 5-18 years old at Mini Motions Dance Center. She implemented a new class structure for the intermediate and advanced Tap, Jazz and Lyrical students. She grew her arts family of whom she is still working with. She really enjoys teaching lyrical pieces that help students explore their emotions and feelings through movement. Her philosophy regarding movement is simple… "Just be. Be within yourself at that moment in time. Feel what you are feeling that day, in that moment and present it to the universe. I try to connect each movement with my purpose of the day/ hour/moment."
She has found that her profession as a nurse has allowed her the opportunity to present dance/movement as an additional platform for the health and wellness of her patients. Over the years she has enjoyed teaching at many different places including Jazzercise and Aegela's Studio for Middle Eastern Dance. She loves learning new genres of dance and enjoys taking class from her fellow company members. She is able to present her years of aerobics knowledge, with her many years of nursing experience, her 17 plus years of dance-teaching and choreographing experience, with years of yoga practice, and thirty plus years of dance performance; with confidence, strength, and pride.
"My hopes for this company are to share dance as a platform for wellness, change, love, and acceptance. I want T.H.E. to connect dancers and like-minded individuals to share this conversation of movement and all art forms for a larger purpose."
Allie (Schiavone) Batey grew up studying dance, performing and choreographing throughout the Toledo area. She took classes in Tap, Jazz and Ballet and eventually joined a competitive dance team that trained together and performed numbers in Contemporary, Kickline, Pom and Jazz for adjudication. Throughout High School and College she frequently choreographed for musicals, cheerleading squads, and dance teams. While enrolled in nursing school, she began teaching ages 5-18 years old at Mini Motions Dance Center. She implemented a new class structure for the intermediate and advanced Tap, Jazz and Lyrical students. She grew her arts family of whom she is still working with. She really enjoys teaching lyrical pieces that help students explore their emotions and feelings through movement. Her philosophy regarding movement is simple… "Just be. Be within yourself at that moment in time. Feel what you are feeling that day, in that moment and present it to the universe. I try to connect each movement with my purpose of the day/ hour/moment."
She has found that her profession as a nurse has allowed her the opportunity to present dance/movement as an additional platform for the health and wellness of her patients. Over the years she has enjoyed teaching at many different places including Jazzercise and Aegela's Studio for Middle Eastern Dance. She loves learning new genres of dance and enjoys taking class from her fellow company members. She is able to present her years of aerobics knowledge, with her many years of nursing experience, her 17 plus years of dance-teaching and choreographing experience, with years of yoga practice, and thirty plus years of dance performance; with confidence, strength, and pride.
"My hopes for this company are to share dance as a platform for wellness, change, love, and acceptance. I want T.H.E. to connect dancers and like-minded individuals to share this conversation of movement and all art forms for a larger purpose."
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