Contributing Writers for Goldrush Online October 2006

 Nancy Galeota-Wozny was a NEA fellow at the Institute for Dance Criticism at the American Dance Festival and a 2004 recipient of the Gary Parks Memorial Award for Emerging Dance Critics. Her work has appeared in Dance Magazine, The Houston Chronicle, Artshouston, and several other publications. She is also a guild certified practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method.®

Rhee Gold grew up in dance studios and later operated his own, performed and choreographed professionally, owned a leading dance competition, presided over national dance teaching organizations, and founded Project Motivate to reinvigorate dance teachers for the long run. His recent book, The Complete Guide to Teaching Dance is currently in its second printing.

Diane Gudat is from Indianapolis, IN, where she has owned her own school, The Dance Company, Inc., since 1979. She is the author of four books on dance education, including Acrobatics for the Dance Studio, and The Time Step Dictionary. Gudat has served as a faculty member to the DMA, DTCB, FDM and the CNADM Teachers Training Schools.

Andrea Higgins has over twenty years of experience as a dancer and educator. Her credentials include a Masters Degree in Dance and certification as a practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education. In 2005, Higgins launched KinestheticEdge.com, a company that serves as a resource for the study of the Feldenkrais Method.® She can be reached via email at mail@kinestheticedge.com.

Elizabeth Konopka began her professional training at the National Ballet School in Toronto. Following NBS she attended Juilliard, where she performed with the Errol Grimes Dance Group and the Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre. Now she is pursuing the life of a freelance artist, dancing with and assisting young NYC choreographers, teaching, and acting as Administrative Director for the Art-in-Action Experience. Photo credit: Nina J Chung.

Jane O’Donnell has been teaching dance in Massachusetts for more than 30 years. She has studied tap with Brenda Bufalino, Julia Boynton, and Gene Murray, where she was one of the founding members of the Platinum Tap Company. In 2001 she became the owner and director of the Center for the Performing Arts in Andover, MA. She resides in the Merrimack Valley with her husband and 3 children.  

Stacey Marolf is the owner of Studio of Dance.com, a company that designs websites specifically for dance studios. She has over fifteen years experience teaching dance in both the studio and public schools, and headed the dance portion of the Bonner Artists in Residence program, in which dance, music, drama and art were taught in elementary schools throughout Fresno County, CA.

Tom Ralabate is an associate professor of dance at the University at Buffalo [NY], where he has served as dance director; assistant chair, dance; and director of Zodiaque Dance Company, UB’s resident dance company. He has served on international and national dance faculties for all major dance organizations and is currently the national education chairperson for Dance Masters of America.