Guest Artists

Malik Leonard

Summer 2024

Malik Leonard is a seasoned professional dancer and instructor known for dynamic choreography and an engaging teaching style. Having graced the stage of the Super Bowl alongside "The Weeknd". . read more 

 

Rich Ashworth

Fall 2022

Rich Ashworth (Milwaukee, WI) is an educator, choreographer, and performer whose interest in technical foundation and corresponding social cultures have made him a resource in. . read more

 

Tyler Gilstrap

Fall 2022

Tyler Gilstrap (Danville, VA) earned her BFA in Dance from Southern Methodist University. She was a founding member of Battleworks Dance Company (2001-2010), under the. . . read more

 

Nathan Fister

Spring 2022

Nathan Fister (he/him) is so excited to return as a guest artist to Western Kentucky University. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a minor in Performing Arts Administration from WKU. While studying at WKU. . . read more

 

Cheri Stokes

Spring 2022

Cheri L. Stokes,

Cheri L. Stokes, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, received her M.F.A. in Choreography and Performance from The Florida State University in 2017. She received her B.A. in Dance Studies with a K-12 North. . .read more

 

Kourtney "Koko" French

Summer 2022

Kourtney "Koko" French is a dancer, choreographer and creative director of Ink Movement. Graduating from Nashville School of the Arts she's studied under Stacie Flood- Popp , Travis Cooper, Andre Fuentes and. . . read more

 

Shyama Iyer

Summer 2022

Shyama Iyer is a scholar-artist who explores the intersection between Indian classical and American musical theatre performance practices. Iyer began her journey in Bharatha Natyam (South Indian classical dance) at the age of three, under her mother, Guru Akila Iyer. She did her first solo Bharatha. . . read more

 

Bronson Norris Murphy

Spring 2022

Bronson Norris Murphy, a summa cum laude graduate of Western Kentucky University and New York University is delighted to have been asked to spend time back on the hill as guest director of these incredible students and faculty artists who are responsible for this production. As an actor, Mr. Murphy has been seen on film, television and stages all across the country. Best known for. . . read more

 

Melanie George

Spring 2020

Melanie George is a dance educator, choreographer, dramaturg and scholar.  She is the founder and director of Jazz Is… Dance Project and a prolific dramaturg for dance with internationally recognized contemporary performing artists in the incubation of new works for the stage. She has contributed to projects by. . . read more

 

Juan Sanchez

Spring 2019

Juan Enrique Jimenez Sanchez was born in Cuba. At the age of 10 he joined the Academy of Art and Dance in Camaguey, Cuba. As a student he participated in various festivals and competitions in various styles including: classical ballet, modern, and. . . read more

 

Kate Wesler

Fall 2018

Kate Wesler is a NYC-based performer, originally from Birmingham, AL. She graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). She is currently performing on the national tour of Chicago as Go-To-Hell Kitty and understudy Roxie and Velma, after touring with the Tony Award. . . read more

 

Robert McKee

Spring 2018, Fall 2018

Robert McKee recently guest choreographed WKU's Department of Theatre & Dance's Evening of Dance in the spring of 2018 and also recently taught a Master Jazz Class at WKU on September 9, 2017. Robert McKee attended Point Park University and is a former company member of Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. He has . . . read more

 

Caitlin Abraham

Spring 2018

Caitlin Abraham hosted WKU's Dance Program Gotta Dance Friday on February 16, 2018. Her 90-minute Theatre Jazz class was followed by a Q&A session. Abraham is a Broadway actor, singer, dancer and a former Soloist at Carolina Ballet.  She was raised in Detroit and graduated . . . read more

 

 

Roberto Sifontes

Spring 2018

Roberto Sifontes led the first Gotta Dance Friday of the Spring 2018 semester in one of Gordon Wilson Hall's dance studios. His class focused on classical partnering in ballet, as seen in pictures to the right. Mr. Sifontes was born in Cuba. He received his training at the Professional School of Arts in Camaguey, Cuba. After graduating in 1989, he joined the Ballet of Camaguey . . . read more

 

Keith Fitzpatrick 

Fall 2017

Sponsored by the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) student chapter, Keith Fitzpatrick visited the Department of Theatre & Dance on September 15, 2017. WKU's Dance Program hosted "Gotta Dance Friday" featuring Fitzpatrick, a hip hop choreographer, dancer and teacher who brings "a dance style that has an urban edge with a lyrical . . . read more

 

Matthew Farmer

Spring 2017

Matthew Farmer is currently the Chair of the Dance Department at Hope College, the Co-Artistic Director of R.G. Dance Productions and the Co-Artistic Director of H2 Dance Co. Formerly the Director of Dance at Anderson University, Farmer has had great success as a director, educator, choreographer, performer, and author; co-authoring a book. . .read more

Jon Lehrer

Spring 2016/ Summer 2017/ Summer 2018

Jon Lehrer, who was raised in Queens, New York, took his very first dance class at age 19 at the University at Buffalo. While dating a dancer, Jon teased her about how easy it must be to get an A in a dance class. The girl dared Jon to try a beginning level modern dance class and his life was changed.  After only two years of training at UB, Jon was asked to join the. . .read more

Andrea Dawn Shelley

Spring 2016

Andrea Dawn Shelley born in Miami, Florida, received her classical ballet training predominately from Magda G. Auñon. Ms Shelley received additional training at summer intensives and workshops with the Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. She studied dance at the University of South Florida and holds a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Dance Education from. . .read more

 

Banning Bouldin

Fall 2015

Banning Bouldin is a Nashville native and received her BFA in dance from the Juilliard School in 2002. She spent the next eight years working internationally with some of her field’s most renowned companies, dancers, and choreographers: The Cullberg Ballet of Sweden, Mats Ek, Johan Inger, Hubbard Street 2, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui,. . .read more

 

Karen Callaway Williams

Spring 2015

Karen Callaway Williams is known for being both the first African-American female tap dancer and dance captain in RIVERDANCE - THE SHOW and the only African-American female tap dancer and dance captain in RIVERDANCE - ON BROADWAY. Other Broadway credits include include the Tony Award nominated Duke Ellington musical PLAY ON. She is currently. . .read more

 

Cornelius Carter

Spring 2015

Professor Cornelius Carter has always had a passion for dance and it is reflected in his list of accolades.  Carter was awarded the National Outstanding Doctoral and Research Universities Professor of the Year award by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. . .read more