Below is a list of where dance students have gone upon graduating from Belhaven University. While it is not an exhaustive list of graduates, it provides examples of dance department alumni who have gained employment as dance company members, instructors, choreographers, administrators, and scholars.
2023
| Megan Kruthoff | BFA | Company Member with Open Sky Dance Collective in Dallas, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Susanna Sims | BA | Dance Faculty at Ballet Mississippi in Jackson, MS |
| Grace Neff | BFA | Instructor at Yazoo City School of Dance and Administrator at Mission First |
| Sarah Lunceford | BFA | Pursuing MFA in Dance at Hollins University |
| Kathleen Flaccomio | BFA | Company Member with Störling Dance Theater in Kansas City, KS |
| Savannah Stach | BFA | Ballet 5:8 Second Company in Chicagoland, IL |
2022
| Alexandra Hall | BA | Dance Teacher at The Dance Center in Auburn, ME |
|---|---|---|
| Katherine Claxton | BFA | Company Dancer with Marigny Opera Ballet in New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Hannah Mucha | BFA | Company Dancer with Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre |
| Shalyn McFarling | BA | Dance Instructor at Linsey Claire Dance Company in Jackson, MS |
| McKenna Brooks | BFA | Dancer with Zion Dance Project in Dallas, TX |
| Grace Ragland | BA minors in Biblical Studies and Global Studies | Ministry Training with Fellows and Dance Instructor in Chattanooga, TN |
| Cammy Useldinger | BFA | Company Member with Hannah Khan Dance Company in Denver, CO |
| David Cummings | BFA | Company member with Ballet Arkansas in Little Rock, AR |
| Isabella Hunter | BFA | Dancer with Zion Dance Project in Dallas, TX |
| Kaitlyn Blake | BFA | Teacher with Ballet Center of Houston and Artist in Residence with Houston Repertoire Ballet |
2021
| Katrina Peterson Clarke | BFA | Ballet 5:8 in Chicagoland, IL and Storling Dance Theatre in Olathe, KS |
|---|---|---|
| Ally DesJardins | BFA & BS | 6 o’clock in Dallas, TX |
| Christa Essley | BFA | Performing Artist/Field Worker in Central Asia |
| Taijah Lamar | BA | Company Member with Kinetic Etchings in Jackson, MS |
| Adriana Popa | BA | pursuing M.A. at the University of Denver |
| Natalya Watson | BFA | Company Member with Kinetic Etchings in Jackson, MS |
2020
| Alex Brown | BFA | Bruce Wood Dance Company in Dallas, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Jenae Drum | BFA | Creative Global Engagement Facilitator |
| Sarah L. Freeman | BFA | Executive Administrative Associate and Stage Manager for Ballet 5:8. Freelance dancer in Chicago, IL. |
| Audrey Hammitt | BFA | Glorify Dance Theatre in West Chester, PA |
| Barbara B. Nix | BFA | Missionary with United World Missions. |
2019
| Sara Berry-Lee | BFA | Finance and Operations Director for the USA International Ballet Competition; Instructor at Ballet Mississippi; Company Artist with Kinetic Etchings in Jackson, MS |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Bostelman | BA | Apprentice with Twin Cities Ballet of Minnesota |
| Abriana Effland | BFA | Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Emma Eltzroth | MFA | Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Andie Knudson | BFA | 2019 Jacobs Pillow Video Documentation Intern, Dance Instructor for Yazoo City School of Dance and Laurel Ballet Academy, Administrative Assistant for The Breath and The Clay creative arts gathering, freelance choreographer and videographer. |
| Lydia Mathis | BA | Hope Partners International; Contributing Author Dancing Across Borders, Perspectives on Dance, Young People, and Change.(Routledge) |
| Alisa Nipp | BFA | Trainee with Ballet 5:8 in Chicago, IL |
| Anna Rhodes | BFA | Inlet Dance Theatre in Cleveland, OH |
| Joshua Schaeffer | BFA | Inlet Dance Theatre in Cleveland, OH |
| Hetty (Layton) Thompson | BFA | Owner and Instructor at Dance Divine in Starkville, MS |
| Torianna Turnbow | BA | Masters degree candidate in Musical Theatre from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, UK |
| Kailey Watson | BA | Director of Fine Arts at Trinity Christian Academy in West Palm Beach, FL |
| Jenna Werner | BFA | Modern/Contemporary Instructor at Roswell Dance Theatre, North Atlanta Dance Academy, and Georgia Dance Conservatory in Atlanta, GA |
2018
| Patricia Morena Atkinson | BFA | Pursuing M.S. in Counseling at Mississippi College with intent of of obtaining a certificate in Dance Therapy upon graduation in Jackson, MS |
|---|---|---|
| Alia Calrberg | BFA | Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Caryn Camacho | BFA | Ad Deum II Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Elizabeth Cush | BA | Sarasota Cuban Ballet School |
| Catherine Hampton | BFA | Faculty Member at Hunsville Ballet; Licensed Massage Therapist in Huntsville, AL |
| Mariah Henry | BFA | Diffusion Dance Company; Stage Manager/Instructor for Light of Life Performing Arts, Licensed Massage Therapist in York, PA |
| Katherine Koon | BFA | iKADA Dance Company in New York City, NY. |
| Regine Pieters | BFA | Director's Assistant at Dishman + Co. in Brooklyn, NY |
| Carlie Price | BA | Ad Deum II Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Grace Ramazzini | BFA | Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Elizabeth Stevens | BFA | Verb Ballets in Cleveland, OH; Ballet Hartford in Hartford, CT |
2017
| Sarah Allen | BFA | Freelance choreographer based in New Orleans, LA |
|---|---|---|
| Angela Mia Belmonte | BFA | Vivid Ballet in CT |
| Katie Buchholz | BFA | Go 2 Talent Agency; LA Follies in Los Angeles, CA |
| Kathryn Lee | BFA | Corps Bara Dance Theatre and EnCorps Dance Collective in Calgary, AB |
| Grace Miller | BFA | Open Sky Arts Collective in Texas |
| Lauren Ashlee Small | MFA | Marigny Opera Ballet in New Orleans, LA |
| Lisa Renee Wissing | MFA | Founder/Owner of Lisa Renee’s Dance- Enrichment Studios in Bainbridge, OH |
2016
| Joshua Bell | BA | Marigny Opera Ballet in New Orleans, LA |
|---|---|---|
| Edward DeShane | BFA | Uptown Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Emily Davis | BA | MFA in Dance at Sam Houston State University; Professor of Dance and English at Hengyang Normal University in Hengyang, China |
| Abigail Hardy | BFA | Co-director of Zion Dance Project; Ballet Director for the Epicenter for the Arts in Southlake, TX |
| Emilee Jones | BFA | Störling’s Artist Development Program in Olathe, KS |
| Arianna Marcell | BFA | Adjunct Instructor at Belhaven University; Instructor at City Dance (USA International Ballet Competition) in Jackson, MS |
| Abby Maharaj | BA | Marketing Intern for Texas Ballet Theater in Dallas, TX and USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS |
| Lauren Ashlees (Small) Messina | MFA | Marigny Opera Ballet in New Orleans, LA |
| Stephanie Morales | BA | Artistic Director/Founder of Cavod Ballet Theatre |
| Sophia (Williams) Murphy | BA | Owner and Practitioner at Imperium Stretch and Recovery in Nashville, TN |
| Kaleb Reilly | BFA | Vivid Ballet in Hartford, CT; Neos Dance Theatre in Akron, OH; Freelance Dance Artist in Orange County, CA |
| Miriam Smith | BFA | Ballet Theatre of Indiana; Costume Designer for Kids Acting Studio in Austin, TX |
| Melody Stowe | BFA | Dancer with The Limelight Collective (a dance ministry) in Berlin, Germany |
2015
| John Bozeman | BFA | Marigny Opera Ballet in New Orleans, LA |
|---|---|---|
| Alayna Brenchley | BFA | Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet in Killingworth, CT |
| Marian Bayer | BFA | Artistic Administrative Associate at Houston Ballet in Houston, TX |
| Nina Chong | BFA | Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company International Dance Journey program in Ga’aton, Israel |
| Taylor Ellen | BFA | Artistic Director Statesboro Youth Ballet in Statesboro, GA; Ballet Instructor The Habersham School in Savannah, GA |
| Allie Sahli | BA | African Bible College in Lilongwe, Malawi; Anastasis Ballet In Dublin, CA; New Dance Company in Stockton, CA |
| Adrienne (Joransen) Schrag | BA | MFA in Dance candidate at Texas Woman's University in Dallas, TX |
2014
| Leyna (Woods) Doran | BFA | Artistic Director of Ballet Hartford in Hartford, CT |
|---|---|---|
| Gabriel Speiller | BFA | Paul Taylor 2 Dance Company in New York, NY; Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX; Bruce Wood Dance Company in Dallas, TX |
| Dara Oda | BFA | Texas Ballet Theater II in Fort Worth, TX |
| Matthew Palfenier | BFA | Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater in Las Vegas, NV |
| Chisako Suzuki | BFA | Dramatic Truth Ballet Theater in Kansas City, MO |
| Patience Lay | BA | Instructor at KW Dance Studio in Federal Way, WA |
| Mercy Lay | BA | Instructor at KW Dance Studio in Federal Way, WA |
| Jana Shivers | BFA | Ballet Instructor for Statesboro Youth Ballet in Statesboro, GA |
| Kathryn (Gurtler) Wilson | BFA | Director of Dance Production at Belhaven University; Artistic Director of Kinetic Etchings in Jackson, MS |
2013
| Hope Berghuis | BFA | Assistant to the Artistic Director at Sangre de Cristo Ballet in Pueblo, CO |
|---|---|---|
| Rhiannon Crosier | BFA | Storling Dance Theatre in Olathe, Kansas |
| Elisabeth Kurashige | BFA | Convergence Dance Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Sarah Osterhus | BFA | 5th Digit Dance; Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre in Volusia County, FL |
| Meggie Pinones | BFA | Apprentice with Roxey Ballet in Lambertville, NJ |
| Donald Sayre | BFA | Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Hope Stone Dance, LMT in Houston, TX |
| Emily Roy-Sayre | BFA | Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Transitory Sound and Movement Collective in Houston, TX |
| Carina Stern | BA | Master of Science in Athletic Training with a Performing Arts focus at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA; Athletic Trainer at Physical Therapy Solutions |
2012
| Erik Sampson | BFA Dance | Uptown Dance Company in Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Rachel Kurtz | BFA Dance | Ad Deum II Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Rebecca (Seelhorst) Spencer | BFA Dance | Apprentice at Petra Ballet Company in Springfield, MO; Dance Faculty at The Redeemer’s School in Jackson, MS |
| Amanda Bravo | BA Dance | Director of modern dance program at Lake Arrowhead School of Dance in Lake Arrowhead, CA |
| Melissa Wenhold | BFA Dance | Instructor at The Link School of the Arts in Troy, MI |
| Whitney Dufrene | BFA | Doug Varone and Dancers in New York City; Ad Deum Dance in Houston, TX |
| Hannah Johnson | BFA Dance | MFA candidate at Belhaven University; Intersect Dance Collective in Jackson, MS |
| Marah King | BFA Dance | Winston Salem Festival Ballet in Winston-Salem, N |
2011
| DeMarcus Suggs | BFA Dance | Dayton Contemporary Dance Theatre in Dayton, OH; Education and Engagement Coordinator at Victoria Theatre Association |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Bishop | BFA Dance | International Tour of West Side Story; Deeply Rooted Dance Theater |
| Scarlett Wynne | BFA Dance | Georgia Ballet |
| Michelle Sipes | BFA Dance | Inlet Dance Theatre in Cleveland, OH |
| Lindsey Carson | BFA Dance | Anastasis Christian Ballet Company, CA |
| Sarah Miller | BA Dance | Intersect Dance Collective in Jackson, MS |
| Michelle Boutros | BA Dance | Artistic Director of the School of Dance at Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo, CO |
| Amy Morrow | BFA Dance | Instructor at University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre & Dance; Teachers’ Certification for Gaga technique, earned in Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Joanna Tan | BA Dance | Ad Deum II Dance Company in Houston, TX |
2010
| Jamie Thompson | BFA Dance | Dallas Black Dance Theatre in Dallas, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Lauren Small | BFA Dance | MFA candidate at Belhaven University; Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Fellowship Program in New York, NY |
| Tiffany Schrepherfman | BFA Dance | Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX; Production Manager for American Dance Festival in Durham, NC |
| Leah Martin | BFA Dance | Front Porch Dance Company in Jackson, MS |
| Michelle Boutros | BA Dance | Adjunct Instructor in Hinds Community College Dance Department |
| Benji Tompkins | BA Dance | Dance instructor at Kennedy Dance Theatre in Webster, TX |
| Amy Morrow | BFA Dance | Pursuing teachers certification for Gaga technique in Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Michal Christian | BA Dance | Fulltime Faculty at The School of Nashville Ballet in Nashville, TN |
| Shawn Rawls | BFA Dance | Founder of Emotions Physical Theatre in New York City; Performer with Pilobolus and Roxey Ballet in Lambertville, NJ |
| Briana Christian | BFA Dance | Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN |
2009
| Nan Hannum | Dance Minor | Doctorate of Physical Therapy; Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI |
|---|---|---|
| Audrey Lowry | BFA Dance | Administrative work for American Dance Festival, Meredith Monk, and Dancewave |
| Brittany Nunes | BFA Dance | Performer with TALK Dance Company; Adjunct Instructor in Hinds Community College Dance Dept. |
| Kathleen Norberg | BFA Dance | Director of Storling's Artist Development Program at The Culture House School of Dance in Kansas City, KS |
| Julia (Start) Fletcher | BA Dance | MA in Worship Arts from Calvin Theological Seminary; Adjunct Instructor at Calvin College and Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, MI |
| Elissa Srulevich | BFA Dance | Braided Light Dance Project and East Coast Ballet Company in Jacksonville, FL |
| Naomi (Talbot) Hanvey | BFA Dance | Instructor at Ballet Academy of Moses Lake and Today's Generation Dance Studio in Moses Lake, WA |
| Ginger Wachter | BFA Dance | Instructor at To The Pointe Performing Arts in Hartland, WI |
2008
| Elizabeth (Deder) Gordon Sweatt | BFA Ballet | Performer with Ballet San Antonio and TALK Dance Company; Specialty Instructor of Dance at Belhaven University |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Grace Phillips | BFA Dance | Dance instructor at Georgia Academy of Dance; Founding board member for Katy Hagelin Dance Project |
| Amelia Pullen | BA Dance | Teacher, choreographer, and performer with The Dance Center and Adroscoggin Dance Company |
| Sarah Carey | BFA Dance | Adjunct Professor of Dance at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, OH; Co- founder/coordinator of Cleveland Dance Network |
| Amanda Parsons Browning | BFA Dance | Ad Deum Dance Company; Kim Robards Dance; The Dance Center of Colorado Springs and Ormao Dance Company |
| Katy Hagelin | BFA Dance | Artistic Director and founder of Katy Hagelin Dance Project in Seattle, WA |
| Ashly Hanson Braden | BA Dance | Instructor at La Grande School of Ballet in La Grande, Oregon |
| Kathleen Fenn | BFA Dance | Neos Dance Theatre in Masfield, OH |
| Victoria McConnell | BFA Dance | Dance Curator and Teaching Artist at Fremont Abbey Arts Center in Seattle, Washington; Performer with Katy Hagelin Dance Project |
| Chelsea Pirtle | BFA Dance | Adjunct Dance Faculty at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK |
2007
| Courtney Dressner | BFA Ballet | Georgia Ballet; Montgomery Ballet; Ballet San Antonio |
|---|---|---|
| Alli Beams Leatherman | Dance Minor | Performer with MegLouise Dance; Adjunct Dance Faculty at Cuyahoga Community College |
| Michael Morris | BFA Dance | Pursuing PhD in Dance Studies at Ohio State University |
| Andy Leatherman | BFA Dance | Inlet Dance Theatre in Cleveland, OH; adjunct instructor of dance at Belhaven University; co-founder of Intersect Dance Collective |
| Rachael Hellmuth-Watson | BFA Dance | Performer with Bosma Dance, Next Reflex Dance Collective and Crossroads Dance Project in VA |
| Jamie Scott | Dance Minor | Performer and choreographer for Project:Motion Dance Collective in Memphis, TN |
2006
| Krista Bower | BFA Dance | Chair of Belhaven University Dance Department; MFA from Jacksonville University |
|---|---|---|
| Beth Ingram Bilyeu | BA Dance | Kim Robards Dance, Denver, CO |
| Susie Poythress Long | Dance Minor | Front Porch Dance; Sanspointe Dance Company; instructor at the Briarwood Ballet and the Children's Dance Foundation in Birmingham, AL |
| Lauren Garey | BFA Dance | Performer with Groundwork Dance Company in Chicago, IL |
| Carly Detweiler | Dance Minor | Mission to the World in Codlea, Romania; dance instructor at Many But ONE Christian Performing Arts in Boca Raton, FL. |
| Kyrie Oda | BFA Dance | Austrian Ballet Company in Tokyo, Japan; freelance performer and choreographer; Pilates instructor |
2005
| Cheryl Newman Barnard | Dance Minor | Associate Producer of Impact Productions in Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| Olivia Mullins Hansford | BA Dance | Director of Dance Program at First Presbyterian Church in Kosciusko, MS |
| Rebecca (Cumberlidge) McNeill | BA Dance | Music and movement instructor to special needs preschool children at the Little Light House in Jackson, MS |
| Danielle Horochowski | BA Dance | Director of The City Ballet School in Hagerstown, MD |
| Keith Williamson | BA Dance | Production Manager at Mataleap Creative in Atlanta, GA |
2004
| Shannon Brege | BFA Ballet | Storling Dance Theatre Apprentice in Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Debra Cross | BFA Ballet | Polarity Dance Theatre in Jackson, MS |
| Stephanie Miracle | BA Dance | Fulbright Fellowship to Germany for 2014-2015; MFA in Dance from University of Maryland; Ella Ben-Aharon/YelleB Dance, Laura Peterson Choreography, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange |
| Elizabeth Stratton | BFA Dance | Inlet Dance Theatre Intern in Cleveland, OH |
| Jessica (Tracy) Jacob | BA Dance | Creative Arts ministry in La Coruía, Spain; Aslan Performing Arts Center in Madrid, Spain; performer with Luminarium Dance Company |
| Megan Manuel | Dance Minor | Trainee with Ballet Magnificat! In Jackson, MS |
| Noelle Williamson | BFA Ballet | Refuge Dance Company; Instructor at the Atlanta Ballet |
2003
| Kandia S. Allen | Dance Minor | Director of Creative and Performing Arts with Youth with a Mission; leading international art outreach programs |
|---|---|---|
| Jill (Kille) Weaver | BFA Ballet | Polarity Dance Theatre, instructor at Yoko's Dance & Performing Arts Academy and Lana's Dance Studio in CA |
| Valerie Pope Nicholson | Dance Minor | Tulsa Contemporary Dance Theatre, OK; Front Porch Dance Company in Jackson, MS |
| Michele Painter | BFA Dance | MFA in Dance from University of Hawaii |
| Vanessa Steverding Van Wormer | Dance Minor | Ballet Spokane; MFA in Choreography and Performance from State University of New York at Brockport |
| Catherine Gordon Gunawan | BA Dance | Director of dance company and outreach ministry in Japan |
2002
| Andrea Brubaker | BFA Ballet | Polarity Dance Theatre in Jackson, MS |
|---|---|---|
| Naphtali Gunther | Dance Minor | Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX |
| Emily Henderson Wright | BFA Dance | Co-founder of Front Porch Dance; Associate Professor of Dance and Director of MFA Program at Belhaven University; MFA in Dance from Arizona State University and PhD from Texas Woman’s University |
| Lauren Morris Goodman | BFA Dance | MA in Dance Education from UNC Greensboro; Kinetic Dance Works; Administrative Assistant to the Arts at Belhaven University |
| Tapley Seaford | BA Dance | Dance Ad Deum II, TX |
| Maranda VanStraten | BA Dance | Tulsa Contemporary Dance Theatre, OK |
2001
| Courtney Gurley Hogue | BA Dance | Polarity Dance Theatre, Dance Instructor at Mississippi Ballet Theatre, Xpress Dance Company, Ballet Magnificat, Applause Dance Factory |
|---|---|---|
| Katherine Krepper Savage | BA Dance | Jeanne Ruddy Dance, PA, At Marah Dance Theatre, PA |
| Suzanne Niess Sanders | BA Dance | Ballet Magnificat School of the Arts Upper and Lower School Teacher (2012-2018); Doctor of Physical Therapy student at the University of Mississippi Medical Center |
| Sarah Niewola | BFA Ballet | Dance Ad Deum II, TX |
2000
| Karen Hamm Castleman | BA Dance | Hubbard Street Dance Company, MOMIX, At Marah Dance Theatre, Dance Ad Deum |
|---|---|---|
| Yvette Koonce | Dance Minor | Polarity Dance Theatre, MS, Instructor of Dance at Belhaven University, MS, taught for Ballet Magnificat, MS |
| Susan Olivo | BA Dance | At Marah Dance Theatre, PA |
| Shawn Sparlin | Dance Minor | At Marah Dance Theatre, Trainee Program, PA |
1999
| Jill Pelhan Day | BA Dance | Director of Laurel Ballet Academy in Laurel, MS |
|---|---|---|
| Shannon M. Smith | BA Dance | Project Dance, NY |
Verse of the Year
For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Psalm 100:5