EXPERIENCE - DC Dance AZ Staff

DC DANCE AZ'S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Trisha K. Folk, our Artistic Director is a native Phoenician and has instructed dance, drama and art in Arizona for twenty four years, has trained over 800 students, ages 3 through adult, beginners through professionals and produced over 200 company stage shows. She was the Artistic Director of Arizona Dance Theatre for 15 years and and is a mom of twins, Anna and Bradley who were born December, 2006. She holds a BFA in General Fine Arts from the University of Arizona and advocates for special needs children and serves on the Board of Directors for Autism Society of Greater Phoenix.

Trisha’s solid reputation for producing high quality productions and skilled dancers in Arizona is part of a family legacy. Her Mother Glenda danced with Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett and Fred Astaire and her Father Don, a tap dancer, danced with Donald O'Conner and Gene Kelly. Trisha started dancing at the young age of 3 and was classically trained by some of the world's greatest, performers, teachers and choreographers in Ballet (Royal, Cecchetti, Vaganova, Bournanville, and Floor-Barre), Pointe, Jazz, Tap, African, Modern (Limón Technique, Graham), Contemporary, Flamenco, Musical Theatre, Ballet Folklorico, Hip Hop and Argentine Tango. Trisha was the dance assistant to the legendary Father of Modern Jazz Luigi on his national master class tour of the US and has apprenticed with the Corp de Ballet for Houston Ballet. Ms. Folk has traveled the country in numerous touring stage shows, such as Grease, Chicago, 42nd Street and West Side Story and with ZZ Top, Charlie Daniels, Three Dog Night and Tim Conway. She has choreographed, directed, danced and produced for over 300 productions for such notables as: Twentieth Century Fox Studios, Disney, NBC, Atlanta Olympics, Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Jose Cuervo, Reebok, Porsche, Time Warner, Best Western, AT&T, Phoenix Zoo Lights, The Hyatt Hotels, Redkin, Penn Racquets, Danskin, Levi's, Tommy Hilfiger, Esprit, Sketchers, Coca Cola, Swatch, Polaroid Cameras, Ray Ban, Dollyworld Tennessee, House of Blues, The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles, The Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Cancer Ball, Phoenix Symphony Ball, Arizona Heart Ball and Arizona Opera Ball, Arizona Kivel Ball, Arizona Big Brothers, Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, Grand Canyon College, Miss Arizona Pageant, Phoenix New Times, GoDaddy, Honeywell, Boeing, American Express, Mayo Foundation, Lowe's Company, Desert Botanical Garden and Gila River Gaming, Harrah's Entertainment.

Companies and Productions with former students trained by Trisha: Alvin Ailey, San Francisco Ballet, Paul Taylor, Colorado Ballet, Disney, Fox Sports, Cirque du Soleil "Mystere" Las Vegas, Dancing With The Stars, Broadway cast of Hairspray (US touring co.), Broadway cast of Rent (Australia touring co.), Broadway cast of Miss Saigon (San Fransisco), Broadway Cast of Lion King (Los Angeles), Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, Mark Morris, Hubbard Street Dance, Ballet Arizona, Jubilee Las Vegas, West Valley Conservatory of Ballet.

Ms. Folk is the recipient of an AriZONI award, Choreographer of the Year 1995, Arizona Performing Artist Association and the National Arts Education Association Award of Excellence for Outstanding Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts Curriculum; Children's and Teens Dance Programs and Dance with Drama.

Trisha's teaching style is a reflection from years of technique based training and distinguished performance methods. Her students receive the benefit of a world class curriculum exposing them to multitudes of dance styles while laying a traditional, classical foundation that is necessary to be successful in dance.

With all her years of teaching experience in dance, theatre and visual art, Trisha brings quality, commitment and experience to any program and is unparalleled in the Valley. She specializes in multidisciplinary curriculums, integrating the arts into a cohesive and successful program of study. Trisha’s teaching strength lies in the 'old school' commitment to teach the classical fundamentals and traditional techniques of each art form according to each student’s stage of development and personal goals. Communicating the language of the arts by recognizing individual needs is her philosophy for success. She believes each child is unique and capable of contributing to the arts through a well structured program in which each child is given individual attention and supported as part of a unified group. Trisha’s classes help students develop a sense of craftsmanship, quality performance, and goal-setting skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

Trisha allows students to learn the value of technique based core training, production and teamwork in a challenging, fun and positive environment while creating memories and success that lasts a lifetime.

Christie Wieger

Owner

Has been dancing for 25 years and was classically trained in Jazz, Ballet, Tap and Musical Theatre. She was Captain of Phoenix Country Day School Dance Line and danced for Westmont College's Hip Hop Crew NSTEP. She has danced professionally in numerous stage shows such as Seussical the Musical and Alice in Wonderland and for many corporate and gala events. She has instructed kids through adults and hopes DC Dance will bring back quality dance training to Arizona like she grew up with. Her dream is to inspire students of all ages to love the classical art of dance. Christie is the mother of two and has a BS from Westmont College.

Kenda Newbury

Ballet Mistress

Kenda Newbury, known as “Miss Kenda”, was classically trained by Mr. Kelly Brown of the Phoenix School of Ballet and America Ballet Theater (ABT), and Jurgen Schneider (ABT), Jelko Yuresha (Royal Danish Ballet) & Stanley Holden (CA), amongst other influential coaches in the ballet world. She has an MFA from The Boston Conservatory.

Kenda’s experiences are varied, with over 34 years of working in the professional field: performing with classical ballet companies such as Ballet West, Ballet de Americas, Phoenix Ballet, Chicago Lyric and Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble, jazz companies and greats such as Hubbard Street, Gus Giordano, Luigi, Bob Rizzo, Frank Hatchett, Glenda Folk, tap coaches & choreographers such as Tommy Tune, Gregory Hines, Sean Curran, Ralph Lemon and Kenny Ortega. She was fortunate to be on scholarship at Phoenix School of Ballet, ABT, Russian Teacher’s/Student’s seminars, Scottsdale Community College, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Paul Taylor and others. For several years she was dance swing for P&O/Princess Cruise Lines, traveling the world,choreographing and being able to perform in numerous countries on the side.

Miss Kenda was a former instructor at Boston Ballet, Boston College, Boston University, Dean College and other colleges, universities and studios. She taught at Pineapple Studio in London, England and The Studio in Sydney, Australia. She built the ballet program and the children’s program at Phoenix School of Ballet, built the dance classes at Paradise Valley Community College from one dance class and 11 students to over a dozen classes and close to 200 students in under a year and a half, and had a large following back east. Many of her former students have performed with Alvin Ailey, Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theater, American Repertory Theater, Nederlands Dance Theater, on broadway, cruise ships and regional ballet, jazz or modern dance companies.

Just like her dance training and performance experiences, her choreography credits are equally as varied: from co-choreographer for large-scale productions such as the Super Bowl XXX Radio City Productions Half-Time Show with Diana Ross and choreographer for all the half-time shows for Boston College’s Marching Band and Basketball Dance Teams and choreographer for Insight.com Bowl & Margarita Bowl Half-Time Shows to intimate black-box concert dance showcases. Newbury has also choreographed hundreds of regional and community theater musicals and for professional industrials, studio competition teams, collegiate pom/cheer/dance teams, studio recitals and concert dance productions.

Kenda is the Artistic Director of AZDance Group, a professional dance company which integrates Individuals with Different Abilities (Down Syndrome, Autism and/or physical challenges, called AZDance’s Movement E-Motion or MEM) and at-risk/underprivileged teens with professional dance artists. Kenda developed five outreach programs, which all are financially supported by sponsors, grants, fundraising efforts and ticket sales to their productions ~ visit www.azdance.org for company details and further information on Kenda.

Kenda Newbury is a mother of two children, Colin age 5 and Shaeleigh age 9, an equestrian & vaulting coach at her parents Shadow Hill Ranch, dance & equestrianjudge (dressage, hunter, combined driving), was a founding member and VP of the Arts Council of the North Valley, founding member of Arizona Dance Alliance, member of the Boston Dance Alliance, coaches dancers privately, and volunteers for a variety of nonprofit organizations including her AZDance Group.

Recently, she was the choreographer and movement coach for the premiere of At Homein The Desert and a ballet substitute for Royal Dance Works. Currently she enjoyscoaching privately, teaching her MEM students and working with AZDance Group and
working on her photography and painting when she finds the time.

Kenda looks forward to building an anatomically sound, emotionally positive,challenging and encouraging environment for former and new ballet students at the new
DC Dance studio in North Scottsdale.

Lisa Sagstad

Assistant Director

Lisa has danced for 28 years and was technically trained by Glenda and Trisha Folk in Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Modern and Musical Theatre. She specializes in Fosse style jazz. She has instructed kids through adults and has been Trisha's Assistant Director for 6 years serving as Dance Captain and Rehearsal Director as well. She has performed professionally in numerous stage shows such as Cats (Mr. Mistoffelees), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Fosse (Principle), Chicago, Seussical the Musical (Gertrude), Grease, Wizard of Oz (Glinda), Alice in Wonderland (Alice), Bye Bye Birdie (Kim), West Side Story and The Lion King (Zazu). She has performed in numerous corporate and gala events for such notables as Twentieth Century Fox, Universal, NBC, Porshe and Warner Bros. to name a few. She is currently the Director of Communications for HelmsBriscoe. Lisa graduated Magna Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a degree in Communication and Dance. She is excited to be dancing, performing and instructing once again with the amazing staff of DC Dance AZ.