Kristen Fisher is a dancer, choreographer, and performance artist from Weston, West Virginia. She is a recent graduate of West Virginia University, earning Bachelor of the Arts degrees in both Dance and Psychology. Kristen’s dance journey began at The Dance Factory and Augusta Youth Ballet Company under the direction of Nina Scattargeia in Buckhannon, West Virginia. She has had the opportunity to perform as a dancer and dance captain at Theatre West Virginia, performing in shows such as Hatfields and McCoys and The Wizard of Oz. During Kristen’s time at West Virginia University, her choreography was featured in productions through the dance program. She volunteered at SteppingStones, a recreational facility for those with disabilities, where she found a drive for teaching dance to this marginalized group. Kristen served as Treasurer of the Student Dance Association and was an active member of Omega Phi Alpha National Service Sorority. She was inducted into the National Honor Society of Dance Arts and Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology in the spring of 2024. Kristen hopes to continue her education and passion for making dance and movement accessible to others by earning a masters degree in Dance/Movement Therapy. Kristen is excited for this season with West Virginia Dance Company!
Nash Dawson (he/him) is a professional dancer, theatre performer, and educator originally from Williamsport, Pennsylvania where he began his dance training with Jaclyn Trepanowski. He is a 2022 graduate of West Virginia University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. During his time at WVU, Nash had the opportunity to perform works by Doug Varone, Paul Taylor, and Maureen Mansfield Kaddar. Following graduation, Nash began performing with the West Virginia Dance Company under the direction of Toneta Akers-Toler for three seasons. He then spent a year in Philadelphia, PA performing with Sharp Dance Company and made his NYC debut at the APAP Conference at New York City Center. Nash is also an alumni of Springboard Danse Pittsburgh, where he performed works by Luke Murphy’s Attic Projects and Jie-Hung Connie Shiau. Nash is thrilled to return to performing with WVDC this season as well as teaching at Academy of Arts at January’s.
Bailey Heffernan is a performer, teacher, and choreographer from Beckley, WV. She began her training at Beckley Dance Theatre School, under the direction of Jerry Rose, where she studied ballet, jazz, modern, musical theatre, and tap. She then continued her training at Brenau University, expanding her training in styles such as West African and Ballroom, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a minor in Dance/Movement Therapy in December 2024. While in school, Bailey danced with the Gainesville Ballet Company, performing some of her favorite roles, such as Dewdrop and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland. She has also worked as the costume mistress for the company, where she has designed and costumed both The Nutcracker and Alice in Wonderland. She began her professional career with Theatre West Virginia in Grandview National Park in the summer of 2023. She has performed with the company as a principal dancer, dance captain, assistant choreographer, costume assistant, Mary Butcher in Hatfield’s and McCoy’s, and understudy for the roles of Nancy McCoy in Hatfield’s and McCoy’s and Cora in Honey in the Rock. Bailey’s involvement in the dance field also includes teaching. Her teaching expertise encompasses pointe, ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary dance. She has taught with the Gainesville Ballet Company (Gainesville, GA), Rhythms Academy Dance and Cheer in (Toccoa, GA), Beckley Dance Theatre School (Beckley, WV), and various masterclasses around West Virginia.
Chloe Mansheim is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Lewisburg, West Virginia. She graduated from West Virginia University in 2024, where she studied dance and interior architecture. Chloe studied dance starting at a very young age with Carli Mareneck and now performs as a guest dance artist in Carli’s choreography. She also studied intensely at Valley Dance Studio with many alum WVDC dancers. Chloe currently teaches at Encore Community Arts in White Sulphur Springs, offering classes in modern, ballet, jazz, and hip hop. She is so excited to be joining the West Virginia Dance Company for their 2025-2026 season.
Owen N. Tidd (he/him) is a dancer, choreographer, and movement educator from Parkersburg, West Virginia. He began his training with Mid-Ohio Valley Ballet Academy with Suzy Gunter and Brian Palmer. Owen is a WVU Parkersburg alum (2021) where he received a certificate degree in Applied Sciences with an emphasis in Welding, as well as a Radford University alum (2025) where he received a B.F.A in Dance, and minor in Appalachian Studies. While in college, Owen performed pieces by Keith Lee, Ji-Eun Lee, James Robey, Inessa Plekhanova, and others. Owen choreographed several works while in college, including a main stage production of Dido & Aeneas, and was recognized twice by the university for research and the creation of the McConnell Library Makers Space. Other performance opportunities include: Shrek the Musical, Honey in the Rock, Hatfields & McCoys, (Theatre West Virginia) The Nutcracker (Beckley Dance Theatre School) The Kingdom of Rexmonte (SoCal award winning film). Owen is thrilled to be back dancing with WVDC for his second season.
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
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.
Lauren McBarron is a performer, dance educator, and choreographer from Harrison City, a small town just outside of Pittsburgh. Since 2023, Lauren has been a member of KD & Collective, a project-based dance company located in Durham, NC. While with KD & Collective she has danced works by Founder and Director Kisten Taylor-Duncan, Alyah Baker, Sidra Bell, and Helene Simoneau. Lauren danced professionally with the West Virginia Dance Company from 2021 to 2023, where she performed works by Gerri Houlihan, Toneta Akers-Toler, Donald Laney, Maureen Kaddar, Dane Toney, and Heather Taylor-Martin for K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and public venues in West Virginia.
Most recently, she was involved in a project with Attack Theatre, a Pittsburgh based dance company, in a collaboration with Quantum Theater Company. Lauren also recently worked as assistant rehearsal director to Gerri Houlihan during her residency with the West Virginia Dance Company. In addition to dancing, she is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor in Pittsburgh, PA.
She received her BFA in dance from Slippery Rock University in 2021 with concentrations in performance, choreography, and business administration. At SRU, she worked with choreographers such as Bill Evans, Jesse Factor, Lindsay Fisher Viatori, Jennifer Keller, and Grady Bowman, and had the opportunity to perform Martha Graham’s Celebration at the Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out series in 2019.
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.
Emily is a technically trained dancer and performance artist from Saint Albans, West Virginia. Her dance journey began at the Academy of Arts at January’s in Charleston and continued with the Dance Program at West Virginia University. In 2019, she worked with Theatre West Virginia as a dancer and soloist, performing in Annie, Hatfields and McCoys, and Paradise Park: The Musical.
Emily earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Dance and Psychology from West Virginia University in May 2021. She joined the West Virginia Dance Company (WVDC) for the 2021-22 season and again for the 2023-24 season. During her time with WVDC, Emily has been fortunate to perform works by renowned choreographers such as Toneta Akers-Toler, Gerri Houlihan, Donald Laney, and many others. WVDC has been a crucial part of Emily’s artistic growth, offering her a platform to pursue her passion for dance and engage with the West Virginia arts community.
Emily is thrilled to be continuing her journey with WVDC in the upcoming 2024-25 season.
