Christie Sullivan ~ Curtain Call Rising Star Scholarship
Christie Sullivan, a Dallas native, received her initial training at Ballet Dallas under the direction of Thom Clower. She has studied with the Paul Taylor II Dance Company, and earned a BFA in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Her performance credits include works by Loris Beckles, Laura Dean, Margie Gillis, Lar Lubovitch, Agnes de Mille, Helen Tamiris, Paul Taylor, and Bruce Wood. She has performed with Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Pointe Dance Academy of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Beckles Dancing Company, LaHunter InFlight Dance Theater, and Bruce Wood Dance Company. As a member of the Bruce Wood Dance Company for nine seasons, she has performed extensively across the United States during their national touring program. She can also be seen as a dancer in the Barney Home Video Let’s Make Music.
As a choreographer, Christie's works have been showcased at DIFFA: Dallas Collection XV, The Hockaday School, Repertory Company Theater: West Side Story, and Texas Ballet Theater School Junior Ensemble. She served as choreographer’s assistant for Bruce Wood in setting Rheology for Texas Ballet Theater and is currently Rehearsal Director for the Bruce Wood Dance Project.
As a successful teacher, Ms. Sullivan has taught at Preston Center Dance, the Texas Ballet Theater School (Dallas and Fort Worth campuses), Texas Ballet Theater Summer Intensive, Dian Clough West Dance Studio, and Mary Lois School of Dance in addition to teaching and judging for Dance Olympus/ Dance America and Dance Masters of America Chapter #3. In 2007, she joined the Fine Arts faculty at The Hockaday School.
Christie has accepted a position on the 2011 Cohort: MFA in Dance/Choreography at Jacksonville University with studies beginning this summer. The MFA degree emphasizes choreography and the creative process of building new works along with a rigorous curriculum in pedagogy, dance history, and directed portfolio work. The intensive study also includes a residency this summer at the studios at White Oak with guest artists such as Alonzo King, which is sure to spur a burst of new ideas and creativity. Christie is looking forward to the opportunity to attend such an exciting program and knows her teaching with benefit greatly from being a part of this artistic atmosphere. The full range of courses offered will allow her to incorporate new concepts into the classroom. Attending this program will further not only Christie's own education, but will provide new relationships and ideas that she will be able to offer her students.
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“Do you feel expansive?”- Alonzo King
What an amazing experience I had in my first semester with my MFA program at Jacksonville University! It all began with an incredible ten day residency at White Oak. We danced our hearts out in the Baryshnikov studio, we were fed like royalty, and the work was phenomenal. I will never forget the classes with our guest artists: Alonzo King, Yaniv Abraham from Batsheva Dance Company with the Gaga technique, Steven Caras, Sati Chmeler, and my classmate in the 2012 cohort, David Parsons.
Throughout the six weeks, we took classes in techniques from Ballet to African to Gaga. We were movie directors as we filmed and edited our Intermedia projects and held an informal film festival for each other. The choreography and rehearsal for our portfolio performances were so rewarding; it is hard to believe it all happened in only one summer.
Thank you, DCNT for helping me to begin this ride. Do I feel expansive? Yes. I’m enjoying the work this year, and I can’t wait for what excitement next summer holds!
~ Christie