Eagle Performing Arts Center

July 29, 2010

About EPAC

As a performing arts center, our philosophy is to instill a respect and knowledge of the art of dance, while providing the highest quality of education in this discipline. Our professional faculty joins us with a refreshingly humanistic approach to training and preparing the student for a meaningful and long lasting relationship with the arts.

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES:


	Megan Brandel (Modern) earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Modern Dance from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2005. She has also trained extensively in ballet, tap, and jazz dance, studied Elementary and Special Education, and is a Yoga Alliance certified Hatha yoga teacher. Megan has performed professionally in Idaho, Colorado, Washington, and New York City, and has danced with Idaho Dance Theatre, Speaking of Dance (CO), 3rd Law Dance/Theater (CO), and the University of Colorado Legacies project. Her choreography has been performed at the American College Dance Festival and throughout Colorado and Idaho. She has well over 10 years of experience teaching dancers with and without disabilities and loves connecting with people of all ages and ability levels through dance.

	Eliza Finch (Ballet and Tap) Eliza received her early dance training at Maddox Dance Studio where she studied ballet, tap and jazz. She then continued her training at The Rock School in Philadelphia, PA. After attending The Rock she joined Jeff and Cathy Giese as a trainee at Ballet Idaho Academy. Eliza then danced with Eugene Ballet in the Nutcracker, Giselle, and Mid-Summers Night Dream as well as works by invited guest choreographers. Eliza has now turned her focus to teaching and is excited to be able to share her expertise and love of dance with our students.

	Cathy Giese (Co-Director, Eagle Performing Arts Center) received her early ballet training in San Francisco, CA with Leona Norman and Richard Gibson At the age of 17 she joined the Stuttgart Ballet under the late John Cranko. She rose to the rank of soloist while touring throughout the world. She also danced with the Ballet de Caracas under the artistic directorship of Vicente Nebrada and the Zurich Ballet. She worked with choreographers George Balanchine, John Cranko, Kenneth MacMillan, Jiri Kylian, Margo Sappington and Vicente Nebrada while appearing in theatres throughout the world including New York’s Lincoln Center, the Paris Opera, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Covent Garden in London and Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater. She met her husband, Jeff Giese while both were dancing in Zurich, Switzerland. Cathy has been teaching ballet for the past 18 years in both private and public institutions.

	Jeff Giese (Co-Director, Eagle Performing Arts Center) was born in Gooding, Idaho and received his early training in Fort Worth, Texas at the Texas Christian University Preparatory Ballet School. At 15 he received a Ford Foundation Scholarship to study at School of American Ballet in New York City. Jeff joined Houston Ballet at the age of 19 touring throughout the U.S. and Europe. He also danced with the Zurich Ballet, Hartford Ballet, Dallas Ballet and was a founding member of BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio. Jeff has taught throughout the U.S for the past 20 years including Southern Methodist University, Texas Women’s University and Dallas Arts Magnet. Prior to opening EPAC in 2003, Jeff directed Ballet Idaho Academy for five years.

	Robyn Gordon (musical theater) moved to Eagle two years ago, with her family, from Florida. Robyn has a degree in Elementary Education and Art Education. Her passion for the performing arts began as a child putting on her own neighborhood performances and has continued throughout her teaching career. She loves the process of having students involved in performing plays, musicals, and dramas. This is Robyn’s first year teaching at EPAC and she looks forward to establishing her program and seeing it grow.


	LISA MOON (Ballet and Resident Choreographer) was born in Birmingham, Alabama, where she received her first training from Stevan and Melanie Grebel. Lisa was a Harkness trainee with David Howard before joining Stars of American Ballet and the Bavarian National Ballet in Munich. During her career as a dancer in Europe and the United States, she worked with renowned artists such as Frederic Franklin, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Lynn Seymour, John Neumeier, and Edward Caton. Lisa has devoted the past thirteen years of her teaching career to students and professionals in the Northwest. Five years ago Lisa choreographed a highly successful adaptation of the children's classic Charlotte's Web. This production has become a tradition for Treasure Valley families during the holiday season


	Tori Croshaw (ballet) received her training in ballet, jazz, modern, tap, clogging, and baton from across the western United States. She began teaching dance technique to high school flag and dance programs in 1996. In 1999 she taught jazz, modern, and baton at Dance Arts Academy in Idaho Falls. It was at this time she discovered her love of teaching children through movement and music. Since then her teaching career has focused upon working with young children. Tori has three beautiful children of her own and has worked with Jeff and Cathy Giese for over seven years.

	Therese Gerard, PT (Pilates) received her B.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of Puget Sound in 1985 and has been practicing physical therapy in the Treasure Valley since 1987. Therese initially became involved in Pilates training after her high-risk pregnancy and prolonged bed rest resulted in painful movement dysfunction. In 2006, Therese began Pilates Instructor training with Kristen Nelson-Veltkamp, MS, PT, CSCS of Integrated Balance. In 2007, Therese became a Certified Pilates Instructor and began teaching Pilates at EPAC. Thereseís approach to Pilates is based on current scientific evidence regarding stabilization and mobilization of the spine and extremities to create controlled ease of movement while preventing injury.

	Colleen Horiuchi (Marketing Director) was born in Pocatello, Idaho, and raised in the family restaurant business where she learned the art of communication through her grandfather, Jimmy Hong. She studied business classes at University of Utah while working at Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City, before moving to Orange County, California. She worked for American Video Communications, Inc., Anaheim International Inn & Suites, and John Laing Homes. She moved to the Bay Area and went on hiatus to raise her daughters.In 2002, Colleen and her family moved to Eagle, where she is active in the PTA with the schools, and is thrilled to be involved with EPAC’s marketing projects.
Directors Jeff and Cathy Giese Resident Choreographer Lisa Moon Artistic Advisors Arturo Fernandez, Lines Contemporary Ballet Amanda Bennett, Basel Ballet, Switzerland Clara Cravey, formerly Houston Ballet Cynthia Lucas, Marin Ballet Faculty Eliza Finch, tap, ballet and jazz Cathy Giese, ballet Jeff Giese, ballet Lisa Moon, ballet Tricia Thomas, ballet and jazz Tori McKnight, ballet Therese Gerard, Pilates Pianist Juli Draney Marketing Director Colleen Horiuchi Technical Advisor Tod Fleetwood Costumes Cindy Whiting Winter Auction Susan Evans Photography Jennifer Oates Eric Jacky Graphic Design Jacky Digital