Chicago Conference Administrator
www.audiencearchitects.com/2011conference





Chicago Host Committee Co-Chairs
Brett Batterson, Executive Director, Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University
Patti Eylar, Co-Director, Chicago Ballet Arts
Gail Kalver, Executive Director, River North Dance Chicago
Kathy Bliss, Host Committee Administrative Assistant & Assistant to the Executive Director, Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

Opening Reception
Lead: Aleksandra Efimova, President, Russian Pointe Inc. & Russian Pointe Dance Boutique
Pam Crutchfield, Co-Founder, DanceWorks Chicago
Nan Giordano, Artistic Director, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago
Michael McStraw, Executive Director, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago
Melissa Thodos, Founder & Artistic Director, Thodos Dance Chicago
Michael Tiknis, President and Managing Director, Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Pre-Conference Events
Lead: Cynthia Quick, Managing Director, Mordine & Co. Dance Theater
Pranita Jain, Founder/Artistic Director, Kalapriya Dance - Kalapriya Foundation
Linda Solotaire, Principal, Solorohm Associates - Arts Consultants

Honors Celebration
Lead: Christopher Clinton Conway, Executive Director, The Joffrey Ballet
Rick Johnson, Grants & Booking Manager, Thodos Dance Chicago
Helen Melchior, The Joffrey Ballet, Trustee
Christine O’Brien, Assistant to the Executive Director, The Joffrey Ballet
Jason Palmquist, Executive Director, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Beth Silverman, Founder & President, The Silverman Group

Showcase
Lead: Phil Reynolds, Executive Director, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago
Bonnie Brooks, Chair, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago
Peter Taub, Director of Performance Programs, Museum of Contemporary Art

Funding Connections
Lead: Pam Crutchfield, Co-Founder, DanceWorks Chicago
Meg Callahan, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Trustee
Jennifer Edgcomb, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Trustee
Patti Eylar, Co-Director, Chicago Ballet Arts
Jay Franke, The Joffrey Ballet, Trustee
Phil Lumpkin, River North Dance Chicago, Trustee   
Roell Schmidt, Director, Links Hall

Public Relations/Marketing
Leads: Carol Fox, President, Carol Fox & Associates, and
Heather Hartley, Director, Chicago Dancemakers Forum
Ligia Himebaugh, Marketing Director, The Dance Center of Columbia Chicago
Maggy Fouche, Director of Marketing, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
Lizzie Leopold, Artistic Director, Leopold Group

Community Recruitment/Outreach
Leads: Shirley Mordine, Artistic Director, Mordine & Co. Dance Theater, and
Margi Cole, Artistic Director, The Dance COLEctive
Joseph Caruana, Managing Director, Elements Contemporary Ballet
Mike Gonsey, Artistic Director, Elements Contemporary Ballet
Joan Gray, President, Muntu Dance Theatre
Joel Hall, Artistic Director, Joel Hall Dancers
Carrie Hanson, Artistic Director, The Seldoms
Winifred Haun, Founder & Artistic Director, Winifred Haun Dancers
Cameron Heinze, Community Development Manager, Chicago Human Rhythm Project
Pranita Jain, Founder & Artistic Director, Kalapriya Dance - Kalapriya Foundation
Julia Meyer, Senior Program Manager, Chicago Humanities Festival
Amaniyea Payne, Artistic Director, Muntu Dance Theatre
Hema Rajagopalan, Artistic Director, Natya Dance Theatre
Julia Rhoads, Artistic Director, Lucky Plush Productions
Wilfredo Rivera, Artistic Director, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre at the Hubbard Street Dance Center
Molly Shanahan, Artistic Director, Molly Shanahan Mad Shak

Programming
Lead: Julie Nakagawa, Artistic Director, DanceWorks Chicago

Hospitality/Volunteers
Leads: Joanna Naftali, Executive Director, Luna Negra Dance Theater, and
Jennifer Edgcomb, Trustee, Luna Negra Dance Theater
Evin Nicole Eubanks, Executive Director, Chicago Dancing Company
Terry Scrogum, Executive Director, Illinois Arts Council

Volunteers
Lead: Cara Sabin, Assistant to the Chair and Student Coordinator, The Dance Center of Columbia Chicago
Bob Bondlow, Manager of Operations & Development, Ballet Chicago
Lizzie Leopold, Artistic Director, Leopold Group
Chris Simek, Volunteer, The Saints Organization

Dance/USA and the Chicago Host Committee would like to thank the following conference volunteers:

Ariel Huffman
Ashley Burns
Ava Wolff
Barbara Hogu
Bob Bondlow
Cheryl Olendski
Chris Simek
Dustyn Martincich
Jenna Dillon
Katie Knowles
Kevin Dirckson
Krista Juderjahn
Lindsay Reich
Mckenzie Rodgers
Myah Shein
Nicole Fisher
Nora Younkin
Olivia McGee
Shari Simpson