Company
JAN JOHNSON, director
Jan Johnson is the face of dance in Colorado Springs. As the founder of the Ormao Dance Company she has brought a longed for level of professional contemporary dance to our city. Her work has brought noted choreographers to the company and given young, emerging choreographers fertile ground to launch exciting new works. As a choreographer, she has developed a wide repertoire of works including “Beyond Spatial Limits,” “Cracks in the Narrative“ and “From Fire.” But her true gift is in the classroom. As have many fine choreographers and company directors before her, she recognizes that excellent, dynamic and challenging choreography is only possible when the body, mind and soul of the dancer are well-formed. Whether teaching youth at the Ormao Dance School or company class, she is able to bring out of each student and professional dancer an extraordinary level of excellence. Jan was herself well-schooled in dance at the University of Wisconsin and then began dancing, teaching and choreographing in a variety of companies until founding Ormao Dance Company in 1990. From its humble beginnings as the vision of a professional dance company for the Front Range, Ormao has become an outstanding part of the Colorado Springs’ cultural offering. Her belief in the inclusive nature of the dance experience has created a company with depth of artistic expression and brilliance of technical skill. Ormao performances are consistently excellent, and each results in an evening to remember. Jan Johnson has take the raw material of well-trained dancers and given back to the Colorado Springs community a professional contemporary dance company they can call their own.
TIFFANY TINSLEY-WEEKS, assistant director
Tiffany was raised in Miami, Florida where she began her dance training in performing arts elementary and middle schools. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. While earning her BFA, she performed in choreography by Shapiro and Smith Dance, ODC/ San Francisco, Adele Myers, and Kelly Drummond Cawthon. She was a founding member of the Florida MOD Project and Physical Theater Productions, with whom she toured nationally as a featured performer. Tiffany was a lab dancer at Jacob’s Pillow in their collaboration with Tanglewood Music Center and later an apprentice for Shapiro and Smith Dance. She moved to Colorado Springs and began dancing with Ormao Dance Company in 2001, where she is currently Assistant Artistic Director. In addition to dancing with Ormao Dance Company, Tiffany is on faculty at the Colorado Springs Conservatory and Ormao Center for Contemporary Dance where she directs the Junior Repertory. She has taught at American College Dance Festival and been a guest artist at Colorado College. Her choreography has been nominated for the Peak Area Performer and Artists Award for her work ‘Aria’. Her passion for collaboration inspires her dancing, teaching and choreography. Tiffany is enjoying being a mother to her son born in the spring of 2009.
MARY RIPPER BAKER, dancer
Mary left Texas for the Springs after dancing with Suchu Dance Company in her native Houston. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance and has become known for her choreographic talent in the U.S. and in Mexico. She has been dancing with Ormao Dance Company since 1999 and in addition to her performance and rehearsal schedule, Mary maintains ownership of a Pilates studio, Motion Studies, and specializes in dance rehabilitation. She also teaches dance at Pikes Peak Community College, choreographs for the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theater Company, and is the proud mother of two.
DEBRA MERCER, ballet mistress
Debra has been dancing with Ormao Dance Company since 1994. In addition to her performing with the company, she is also the ballet mistress continuously challenging the other members to maintain and improve technique. For the past fifteen years, she has been teaching at Colorado College. She earned her Bachelors of Arts in Dance with honours from York University in Toronto, Canada. Debra has danced with various ballet companies through out the country including the Colorado Ballet, Dance in Flight, David Taylor Dance Theatre, Denver Civic Ballet and Jackson Ballet.
KATELIN MCGRATH, dancer
Katelin McGrath has been dancing since she was 5 years old. She has studied a variety of dance such as ballet, tap, jazz, flamenco, and modern. She has been honored to have studied with great teachers such as Anne Adair and Lindsey Fischer at the Colorado College Summer Dance Intensive, Bene Arnold and Shari Jackson with the Ballet West Conservatory, and Michael Owens from the prestigious Walnut Hill Dance School. After moving to Colorado Springs in 2005, she was a member of the High Altitude Dance Ensemble at Pikes Peak Community College for approximately 4 years. Katelin is currently dancing with Ormao Dance Company. She has just completed her Bachelors of Arts degree in Art History at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
ILA CONOLEY, guest choreographer
Ila Conoley began her studies at the Alabama Dance Theatre, where she attended the South Eastern Regional Ballet Association yearly. She earned her BA in Dance from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her MFA from the famed Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. In 2004 Ila accepted an invitation to move to Colorado Springs and join the Ormao Dance Company. Until 2011, Ila chaired the dance department at Pikes Peak Community College and directed the student dance company, the High Altitude Dance Ensemble (HADE). Ila has also taught various courses and master classes at Colorado College’s Extraordinary Summer Dance Festival, Mesa State College, University of Wyoming at Laramie, and the American College Dance Festival Association. She has had the privilege of dancing with choreographers such as Darrah Carr, Doug Elkins, Deborah Jowitt, Liz Lerman, Ken Tosti, and Kevin Wynn, to name a few. Ila is the co- executive director and choreographer of 6 for 12 Productions, along with Christian and Jessica Medovich. Ila’s education and experience merges all facets of dance, combining artistry and beauty with her knowledge in the business of dance.
KIM DAVAGIAN, dancer
Kim comes from Massachusettes, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Fordham University/Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. After having the great opportunity to dance and travel around New York City and abroad, she chose to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in fitness training. It was here she began teaching and choreographing (and surfing), and was asked to join the staff at UCLA, teaching modern dance and ballet. In 2008, Kim relocated to Colorado Springs to accept the position of artistic director of NorthRidge Dance Conservatory, where she is enjoying her second year. Kim also teaches advanced ballet and pointe at Artistry in Motion, and had the pleasure of dancing in Ila Conoley and Christian Medovich's Nezabudka in August of this past year. Kim is thrilled to be rehearsing and performing with Jan and all of the strong, beautiful dancers that make up Ormao Dance Company.
JEN VIOLA, dancer
Jennifer came to Colorado Springs in 2008 from her home in Ohio where she trained in a variety of dance forms. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science Degree Cum Laude in Recreational Therapy. While attending college, she was on the Ashland University dance team and studied at the Ashland Ballet Company. She took 4 years off of dancing to volunteer in Tanzania and is thankful to the Ormao for giving her the opportunity to join them as a guest performer; the opportunity has rekindled her love for dance and allowed her spirit to move, grow, and transform in exciting ways. Currently she works as a Recreational Therapist at Cedar Springs Behavioral Health Hospital.
SARA MURDAUGH, Mathtastic/Dance in Education Team
Sara comes from Longview, Washington where she received an AAS in Physical Therapy. In 2001 she received her BA in dance from San Jose State University where she graduated Cum Laude and received the "Senior of the Year Award" for excellence in performance, choreography and academics. While attending San Jose State University Sara was invited to perform with the University Dance Theater, which allowed her to perform with the Limón Company as well as work with world-renowned choreographers. Sara has performed in various venues, including on the cruise ship, The Big Red Boat. Her award-winning choreography has been used all over the west for musicals and competitions. Sara has had the pleasure of working with all age levels in multiple positions including public schools and ice rinks. Currently, Sara is the assistant director for the Spring City Ballet Company and teaches at several area studios.
LEAH RAGAN, dancer
A native of Colorado, Leah received her bachelor of fine arts in modern dance performance from the University of the Arts (Philadelphia) in 2008. She has studied and performed with the Martha Graham Company, as well as studied with Jennifer Muller, among others. In NYC she began pursuing a career in the health and fitness industry, and is currently certified in personal training, as well as Pilates and yoga instruction. Leah is thrilled to be dancing with the wonderful people in Ormao, and is grateful for the opportunity.
SARAH TIETJE SABIN, dancer
Sarah trained throughout Louisiana and New Zealand in a variety of dance styles. Sarah moved to Colorado in 2006 after receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Art History from Tulane University in New Orleans. She has performed and choreographed with Ormao Dance Company and at the Manitou Art Theatre, and she directs the Ormao Youth Ensemble. In 2009, she earned her Masters of Arts in Teaching from Colorado College and is currently a full-time Visual Art teacher at Wasson High School.
LIZ FEGLEY, dancer
Liz is originally from Fairfax, Virginia where her dance training began at a young age. She has worked with an array of dance artists such as Nick Pupillo, Tommi Galaska, Patti Weeks, Joseph Carow, Galina Panova, Derek Brown, and Ziva Cohen. Liz has her Bachelor of Fine Arts from East Carolina University in dance performance, with a jazz concentration. She has her Master in Teaching from The Evergreen State College, with endorsements in K-12 dance and theatre. Having just moved to Colorado Springs this April, she feels truly honored to be continuing her technical and performance training with Ormao Dance Company, and is also thrilled to be teaching at Ormao Dance School and Director of the Ormao Youth Ensemble.
AMANDA BROWNING, dancer
Amanda is originally from Bloomington, IL and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Belhaven University with a BFA in Dance. Since then, Amanda has danced with Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, TX, Front Porch Dance Company in Jackson, MS and and most recently Kim Robards Dance Company in Denver, CO. She has taught for the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet School, Ballet Magnificat Trainee program, and Belhaven University in Jackson, MS. Her choreography was a South East Regional Ballet Assocation Festival Recipient in 2009 and has been performed by companies such as TALK Dance Theatre, Front Porch Dance Company, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, and the Belhaven University’s Dance Ministry Ensemble. Amanda and her husband Jordan moved to Colorado Springs in May 2011, where she is currently teaching at the Dance Center of Colorado Springs and is excited to be working with Ormao!
EMILY FORD, dancer
Emily, a Colorado Springs native, graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in dance from the University of Arizona in 2009. This is her third year as an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Pikes Peak Community College, where she loves her job teaching ballet, modern, jazz, and tap. She is also the Jazz Director at The Dance Center of Colorado Springs, where she teaches all ages of dancers. Emily danced with Ormao in Spring 2010, and is thrilled to be back, amongst the talented and creative people at Ormao.
JESSICA RUSS-MEDOVICH, dancer/choreographer
Jessica was raised in Phoenix, Arizona where she began her dance career as a key member of a Phoenix-based hip hop company, City Streets. Jessica has studied a variety of dance techniques from modern dance, African, and jazz to improvisation. She is a founding member of High Altitude Dance Ensemble of Pikes Peak Community College and upon graduation, returned as the Assistant Artistic Director. Presently, Jessica is the director of “Mathtastic: Dancing with Mathematics,” Ormao’s Dance in Education Team. Jessica is also an adjunct instructor of dance at PPCC and the hip hop instructor at Ormao Dance School.
