Cynthia Newland (2003) Assistant Professor of Dance and Chair of the
Dance Department
BFA, George Mason University
MFA, Arizona State University
601-965-1413
cnewland@belhaven.edu
Mrs. Cynthia A. Newland, M.F.A. She earned her BFA from George Mason University, Fairfax Virginia, and her MFA from Arizona State University. Cynthia majored in dance with an emphasis on modern technique, choreography and performance.
For well over a decade, Cynthia has traveled nationally and internationally as a teacher, choreographer, and performer. She has set choreography on individual artists, dance ensembles, entire congregations in their corporate worship, and performed her own original dance works in fifteen countries.
Asked about her vision for dance at Belhaven College, Cynthia stated, “We live in a significant time with so many modern forms of advanced communications. I believe the art of dance in its simplest form utilizes the body in creative ways, speaks deeply to the soul. We may incorporate technology in presenting our message, however, dance in its pure form has and continues to reach and impact human lives.”
“I am blessed and honored to be in the position to train and influence students at Belhaven to discover their unique gifts, equipping them to impact the culture with profound influence for Christ.”
Duties:
Laura
Morton (2004), Assistant Professor of Dance
BS University of Houston
lmorton@belhaven.edu
601-965-1403
Ms. Laura Morton, a native Houstonian, received her training from prestigious dance educators such as Anne and Nicholas Polajenko, ABT'S Alexander Minz, and at Ballet West with director Bruce Marks and Toni Landers. Her professional credits include the Milwaukee Ballet, Delia Stewart Dance Company, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company and Ad Deum Dance Company. She has also earned a BS degree in Psychology from the University of Houston. Ms. Morton has served on the faculties of the Pacific Northwest School of Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theatre, Evergreen City Ballet (Assistant to the Director), and the Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy. In addition, she served as the Associate to the Director of Ad Deum Dance Company under the directorship of Randall Flinn. She has taught and choreographed locally, as well as nationally. Ms. Morton’s desire is to share the valuable information passed on to her by the many remarkable teachers that have mentored her, as well as inspire a love for dancing in all her students while promoting a high standard of excellence. Duties:
Ravenna Tucker (2006),
Associate Professor of Dance
rtucker@belhaven.edu
Ms. Ravenna Tucker trained under the Teachers’ Course for Professional Dancers (TCPD) at The Royal Ballet School specializing in RAD. Prior to becoming an Assistant Professor of Dance at Belhaven College, she gained a Commonwealth Society of Teachers’ of Dancing Teaching Certificate, Pilates Matwork certificate and a Masters of Creative Industries (Dance Teaching) from Queensland University of Technology whilst teaching at LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in Singapore. As a dancer she trained in Hong Kong and at The Royal Ballet Upper School before working with The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet companies as a principal dancer from 1979 - 1996.
Duties:
Britta Wynne (2005), Specialty Instructor of Dance
601-965-1402
bwynne@belhaven.edu
Mrs. Britta Heermann-Wynne was born in Hamburg, Germany. She studied at the State Opera School of Dance in Hamburg; the Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Munich; the International Centre of Dance in Cannes, France; and under the direction of Ruth Currier, former artistic director of Limon Company, in New York City. Her first professional engagement was in the film, Rheingold , directed by Herbert von Karajan. She then was contracted with the Music Theater in Revier in Gelsenkirchen for two years. In Italy, Mrs. Wynne was engaged to perform with the Stagione Lirica at the Arena Sferisterio in Maccerata, as well as at an open air theatre in Bologna performing in such operas as La Boheme and La Traviata. Her next engagement was with The Freiburger Tanz Theatre for two years followed by a six year engagement with the Tanz-Forum at the Metropolitan Opera House in Cologne, Germany, where she toured many international destinations extensively. During the time in Cologne she performed in two films and worked occasionally on German television. Moving to the USA with her husband Stephen and daughter Scarlett, Britta co-founded the Philadelphia based company At Marah Dance Theatre in 1996. where she performed many leading roles with the company and served as company and trainee program instructor. She presently serves a faculty member at the Belhaven College dance department.
Duties:
Stephen Wynne (2003), Assistant Professor of Dance
601-965-1401
swynne@belhaven.edu
Mr. Stephen Wynne began his training at the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet with augmented dance-related academics from Hannahman University. After receiving a full scholarship to American Ballet Theater's school, he was asked to dance with the Joffrey Ballet in New York. Mr. Wynne then had the opportunity to move to Europe to dance with the Scapino Ballet in Amsterdam, followed by CH Tanz Theater in Zurich, Switzerland, and Freiburger Tanz Theater, Germany. The year 1988 marked the beginning of Stephen's six years as soloist and company choreographer for Tanz-Forum, the resident modern dance company at the Metropolitan Opera House in Cologne, Germany.
Mr. Wynne returned to the USA in August 1994, and two years later founded At Marah Dance Theatre (AMDT) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Under Stephen’s direction At Marah was included in the Pennsylvania State Performing Arts on Tour, worked together with Nina Watt (of the Limon Dance Company), performed in coordination with the C.S. Lewis Foundation in Oxford and Cambridge, England and produced six international tours. AMDT is a grant recipient from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Dance Advance (Pew Foundation), the Huston Foundation, the Five-County Arts Fund, The Mustard Seed Foundation, Cigna Corporation and other private and corporate foundations.
Stephen appeared as guest faculty at many national and international dance festivals as well as San Francisco State University, University of Louisiana, University of Missouri, Hancock College, CA and at the University of Riga, Latvia. In July 2003 Wynne was appointed Assistant Professor of Dance at Belhaven College in Jackson.
Duties:Adjunct Faculty
Mrs.
Krista Bower graduated Summa Cum Laude from Belhaven College with a BFA in
dance. As a student, she received the Bezalel Award for outstanding artistic
achievement and the Daniel Award for outstanding scholastic achievement. Krista
performed with Living Water Dance Company from 2005 – 2006. In 2006, she served
as the assistant dance school administrator for the USA International Ballet
Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. She is the current owner and director of
the Yazoo City School of Dance. Krista also serves as the modern dance
instructor for the Trainee Program at Ballet Magnificat. In January of 2007,
Mrs. Bower became an adjunct faculty member of the Belhaven College dance
department.
Mrs. Betsy McMillan began her ballet training at the age of nine with the Alabama Dance Theater in Montgomery, Alabama. She was scholarshiped and attended summer workshops with the Joffery Ballet New York, Houston Ballet, and Ballet Magnificat. At the age of thirteen Betsy was accepted into the Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy’s Pre-Professional division. She also received acceptance to the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) in Houston, Texas. After two years of training with HSPVA and Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy, Betsy was promoted to the Professional Division of the Academy/ Houston Ballet II and was placed on a full merit scholarship. During her time in Houston she performed annually in Ben Stevenson’s, The Nutcracker, as well as in an original work by Ben Stevenson entitled “Emily’s Tangos.” In January of 2000 Betsy joined Ballet Magnificat as a trainee. She was apprenticed in 2002 and became a full Company Member in 2003. As a Company Member with Ballet Magnificat, Betsy toured nationally as well as internationally to such countries as Singapore, Czech Republic, Greece, and Costa Rica .She performed in numerous ballet’s with the company such as “Deliver Us”, “Freedom”, “The Journey of the Prodigal Son”, and “Ruth”. Betsy also taught Master Classes while on tour, as well as various technique classes during Ballet Magnificat’s Summer Dance Intensives. In August of 2006 Betsy became an Adjunct Professor of Dance for Belhaven College. She is also currently the director of the Belhaven College Dance Ministry Ensemble.
Mrs. Erin Scheiwe Rockwell is originally from Steamboat Springs, Colorado where she grew up dancing with Ballet Northwest. Leaving the Rocky Mountains, Erin traveled to the hills of Northfield, Minnesota to attend school at St. Olaf College where she choreographed and performed with Companydance. In 2001, Erin graduated with a B.A. in dance and computer science and headed towards the skyscrapers of New York City. In New York, Erin’s choreography was presented on several great stages including Dance Theatre Workshop, The Culture Project, University Settlement, One Arm Red, Saint Marks Church and Evolving Arts Theater. She also enjoyed working with a dance theatre company called Notes In Motion and performing with a variety of independent choreographers. In August 2005, Erin moved cross-country to the sunny west coast to pursue an M.F.A. in dance at California State University, Long Beach. During her time in Long Beach, she received a certification in Pilates through Body Arts and Science International and taught Pilates and modern dance at CSULB. Erin is overjoyed at her opportunity to explore the south and teach with the excellent faculty at Belhaven College.
Mrs. Emily Wright, MFA, received her BFA in Dance from Belhaven College in 2002. She received her MFA in Dance, with an emphasis in Performance and Choreography, from Arizona State University in 2007. Her thesis research on contemporary American Protestant dance was presented at the 2006 international Congress on Research in Dance (CORD) conference and is slated for publication in an upcoming dance ethnography text. Mrs. Wright has served as assistant to the program director and conference liason for two international CORD conferences and as research assistant to Cross Cultural Dance Resources in Tempe, AZ.
