Nash Dawson
Nash Dawson, originally from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is a dance and theatre performing artist. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and holds a BA in Dance as well as a BFA in Musical Theatre. Nash has performed the works of Doug Varone, Paul Taylor, Maureen Mansfield Kaddar, and others. This past summer he worked on his first professional theatre contract at The Prizery Theatre in South Boston, Virginia as a performer and a teacher. As a choreographer, Nash has choreographed his own pieces that were featured in concert venues and theatrical productions at WVU. Nash is beyond excited to start his professional dance journey with this company and looks forward to creating a new family while also sharing the art of dance to as many people as possible.
Katie Jo Fulks
Katie Jo Fulks is a performer, arts administrator, and researcher originally from Huntington, West Virginia. A graduate of Elon University, she holds a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a BA in Arts Administration. Katie has performed in works by Christal Brown, ShaLeigh Comerford, Casey Avaunt, Jen Guy Metcalf, and in Elon musical theater’s production of 42nd Street.
Katie performed with Theatre West Virginia in 2021 and returned in 2022 as dance captain. As an arts administrator, she focuses on event management, marketing, social media management, and grant writing. As a researcher, Katie specializes in Soviet Union ballets and the use of ballet choreography as political propaganda. Through Katie’s work on and off stage, she strives to emphasize the power and necessity of art. Website: katiejofulks.com
Jax RF McAtee
Jax RF McAtee (They/He) is a Pittsburgh-based choreographer, director, and performance artist. McAtee holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA, and a BFA in Theatre: Original Works from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. Born into the West Virginia hills, Jax spent their early years pursuing arts and performance in the form of dance, theatre, and instrumental music, followed by a nine-year stint of art-making in and around Seattle. After undergrad, McAtee took a few-year performance detour into the art of vaudeville/burlesque, becoming the initial conduit for their experimental performance aesthetic and interdisciplinary creation, as well as paving way for their ongoing freelance career as a director/choreographer and theatre/dance educator, working with all ages. Jax is beyond ecstatic to be back in their home among the hills, dancing as a member of WV Dance Company for the 2021-2022 season! Website: jaxrfm.com
Lauren McBarron
Lauren McBarron is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. She received her BFA in dance with concentrations in performance, choreography, and business administration from Slippery Rock University in 2021. While at SRU, Lauren performed works by various choreographers, including Martha Graham, Bill Evans, Lindsay Fisher Viatori, and Grady Bowman. In April 2021, Lauren was honored to receive the Outstanding Dance Production and Technology Award from the SRU dance faculty. In addition to dance, Lauren is passionate about technology, dance on film, music, and teaching. This is Lauren’s second season dancing with West Virginia Dance Company, and she is excited for what this year has to offer!
Sarah Walker
Sarah Walker graduated from West Virginia University with degrees in dance and in multidisciplinary studies with a focus
on arts management. During high school, Sarah has had the opportunity to perform in several shows such as Peter Pan as the title character, Wizard of Oz as the Wicked Witch, and The Nutcracker as several featured roles. She also worked with such choreographers as Garfield Lemonius, Jason McDole, Keisha Lallama, Kelli Hodges, and Dan Karasik. She attended summer intensives at WVU, Nashville Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Hubbard Street, and Point Park University. She participated in Dance West Virginia and West Virginia State Dance Festival where she was rewarded several scholarships. After high school, Sarah attended Point Park University before transferring to WVU. There she performed choreography by Paul Taylor, Maureen and Yoav Kaddar, General Hambrick, and fellow peers. Sarah is excited to start her professional career with the West Virginia Dance Company this season.
Guest Artist – Donald Laney
Donald Laney graduated from the University, of California, Irvine, MFA in Dance. For 15 years he was Producing Artistic Director of the WV Dance Company. He currently is the Faculty of the Department of Theatre & Dance at Western Illinois University. Modern Dance Choreography; WVDC, James Madison University, Lees-McRae College, WV Wesleyan College, WVU, Charleston Ballet, Beckley Dance Theatre, Trillium Performing Arts. Musical Theatre credits: Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Marshall University, WV Wesleyan College, Theatre WV, Davis & Elkins College, Cape Fear Regional Theatre. Donald has served as the WV Governor’s School for the Arts instructor in Dance, from 2005 to present.
Guest Artist – Dane Toney
Originally from West Virginia, Dane graduated with a BFA in Dance from Point Park University, where he worked with numerous faculty members and guest artists, including Dawn Stoppiello of Troika Ranch and Doug Varone of Doug Varone and Dancers. He trained intensively with Toneta Akers-Toler, founder and artistic director of the West Virginia Dance Company (WVDC). Dane has spent 16 summers with Theatre West Virginia’s Outdoor Drama Company and has performed as a guest artist with the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange and the WVDC. Dane is a recipient of the 2017 BRAZZY Award, which recognizes two exceptional Pittsburgh dancers each year in honor of Leslie Anderson-Braswell. Dane has been a company member with Attack Theatre since 2008.
