THANKS!

Many thanks for all those who had supported and came to watch the shows! It was a wonderful success and I hope to bring more dance to the future.

Thank you so much for all those who had donated towards the garage sale! It was a wonderful success!!! I had made $300, much more than anticipated, making it possible (with additional donated money) to purchase all  the costumes needed for "A Common Thread".

Special Thanks to those who donated items:                     Special Thanks to those who donated $$$:          

Laura B. Williams                                                            Nancy Cecil

Reese Spiller                                                                   Karin Carlson

Nate Laningham                                                              Eve Alcantar

Kameron Glasson                                                            Daniel Thorndike

Sharon Marroquin                                                            Nial Farrel

Kathy Dunn Hamrick                                                       Mando de la Cerda

Stephanie Patrick

Heather Uthoff

Stephanie Chavez

John Clark

Delaney Weaver

Margarita Trembath

Description of Dance

"A Common Thread" 

Choreography by Yelena Konetchy

Music composed by Nate Laningham

My goal in this work is to embrace individuality and communion within human kind.

Choreography is inspired by Loie Fuller's use of silk sheets in contemporary movement.
 

The dancers are held together by a common idea, a thread of sorts.That idea is up to the viewer's interpretation. That idea may represent family, work, friendship, hate, love. Each dancer is connected to this idea via the silks, which symbolize a common thread between them, until one dancer begins to realize the value of her/his own individuality. That dancer pulls out of the group and parts from the silks. Soon the other dancers realize their value. Before long they find they share a stronger bond. That bond is the recognition of each dancer's unique personality and independence. Their personalities are shared between one another and are accepted as the true bond of humankind.

CAST FOR "A COMMON THREAD"

NATE LANINGHAM (COMPOSER) - 

Nate Laningham is a composer, lyricist, and frontman for the local Austin band “The Storms”. He has enjoyed working with Yelena Konetchy, and looks forward to blending music with dance again in the future.
 

PAYTON JONES - 

Payton Jones is from Abilene, TX and is a graduate of Abilene Christian University with a BFA in Theatre. She danced for 4 years with the Chameleon Performing Arts Company while in high school and college. She has a passion for dance and is very thankful for each opportunity God brings forth in her life to express herself through this avenue. 

STEPHANIE PATRICK -

Stephanie is an Austin, Texas native. She began her dance training at age three, and continued
her study during college at the University of Oklahoma, at The Edge while living in Los Angeles
after graduation, and through three summers of study at Steps On Broadway in New York
City. Stephanie continues to train at Tapestry Dance Company, and is an apprentice with its
professional dance troupe this season. This will be her third year of teaching tap, jazz, ballet,
and hip-hop. Her most influential mentors in performing and teaching are Acia Gray, Derick
Grant, Lynn Schwab, Michelle Dorrance, Matt Shields and Andrew Nemr.

TREVOR REVIS -

Trevor Revis has been dancing since his feet were put on this earth. He has learned an eclectic style of movement from breakdancing to ballet and contemporary. Trevor is a choreographer and president of Vitality Exhale Student Dance Company where he plans to create and conceive awesomeness.

ATTICUS RODRIGUEZ -

Atticus Rodriguez is from Corpus Christi, TX and was chosen to be in the Texas magnet school program in elementary. He chose dance as his curriculum and was fortunate enough to get a scholarship by the ballet at age 12. He continued studying dance and  began his professional career as a dancer at the age of 17. Atticus has competed in many competitions and has danced with many professional companies all over Texas. Atticus' break dance abilities were passed down through generations of city kids and street artists wanting to express their heritage and culture. He is currently the Artistic Director of Vitality Exhale ACC Student Dance Company.

  

CIANN SPILLER -

Ciann is an Austin native and is a descendant of a Pioneer of Travis County. She started dancing at Dance Unlimited Buda, Texas and has been attending Dance Institute Performance Academy for the past four years, under the instruction of owner/Director Linda Holland. She is currently an intern and performs on the teen team. Ms. Spiller has a love of dance and community where she volunteers with hospice and handicap children. Her life goal is to be an ICAP teacher and develop a dance program for handicap children. She believes that everyone should have the opportunity to deliver emotion through passion and powerful body movement. 

LAURA B. WILLIAMS-

Laura Bond Williams returned to dance in 2008 as a student of Ballet Austin's Butler Community School, where she performed in numerous Broadway revues and holiday plays from 2008 - 2011. Her recent appearances include featured dancer roles in the Georgetown Palace Theatre's production of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS and Crank Collective's original musical, ANTARCTICA. She is delighted to be a part of Lena's creative process and the performance of A COMMON THREAD.

ERICA LEBOEUF-

Erica LeBoeuf is a dancer, choreographer, singer, and artist from New Orleans, Louisiana. She received a BFA in Performing Arts with a concentration in dance in 2010 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In late 2011, she moved to Austin to continue her pursuit of the arts in the professional realm. She enjoys doing Pilates, creating music, painting, going to live shows, and spending time with her dog, Wylie, on her down time. Erica is more than excited to join the dance community of Austin and looks forward to taking advantage of all creative opportunities headed her way.