What’s new? There is so much that’s new that its too much to write about right here, but I’ll do my best.

One of the most exciting developments is the addition of our managing director, Lucia Del Vecchio. Thanks to a generous grant from the Janirve Foundation, the board and I are no longer alone running the company. Having someone in the office to manage day to operations of the company and studio, as well as to concentrate on fundraising, frees me up to really concentrate on the ‘artistic’ part of being the artistic director. I think that this will really be apparent when it comes to performance time. It also means that we are able to work harder to expand upon things like our outreach programs and adding performances outside of and around Asheville.

In the meantime, there are many other developments to be excited about. The studio is looking beautiful and has become not only a wonderful home for us, but a nice source of income during our off months. Area dancers and movement artists of all kinds teach and rehearse in the evenings making the studio Asheville’s dance center. It is also giving us the opportunity for Terpsicorps workshops where we can offer intensive training to young pre-professional dancers. A special thank you to all of our donors who gave specifically for the studio last season!!!

My focus this year is turning towards reaching new audiences. Last summer, we were the hit of a new dance festival in Greensboro, NC. That performance led to another guest performance in Greensboro in March. We are also going to be the featured entertainment for the Patron’s Party at The Asheville Area Arts Council Purple Ball in June. Look at the events page for more details about the ball!

One of the best ways to gain exposure for Terpsicorps is for me to do more choreographic work outside the company. I recently placed first in round one of the Ballet Nouveau Colorado 21st Century Choreographic Competition. Myself and the other finalists were then flown to Denver to create new ballets for their company dancers. This was a national competition and gave me the opportunity to have influential people in the dance world see my choreography. This will attract national attention for Terpsicorps as well.

The judges of the final round of the competition were…

Wendy Perron, Editor in Chief - Dance Magazine


Virginia Johnson, Editor in Chief - Pointe Magazine


Dorothy Gunther Pugh, Founder and Artistic Director - Ballet Memphis


Trey McIntyre, Artistic Director and Choreographer - Trey McIntyre Project


Gil Boggs, Artistic Director - Colorado Ballet

On top of this, I have been honored with a commission to create a new work for North Carolina School of the Arts’ Spring Dance performance in Winston-Salem. My new work will be sharing the program with pieces by dance icons Agnes DeMille and Merce Cunningham. The new dean of the school is international ballet star, Ethan Stiefel, one of the greatest male dancers of our time. Again, having Ethan and the rest of the faculty of the school see my choreography could open additional doors for Terpsicorps.

Of course all of this exposure would mean nothing without the exciting new season we have in store for you. Check out the events page to see what we have coming up. I think you’ll be excited!

Have we really been here that long? Some days it feels like we just got here and other days, its hard to imagine feeling at home anywhere else.This is going to be a great season. On the June show, June 21-23, we have two really exciting new works, and we are bringing back some of our favorites as well. One repeat that I think will especially excite people is an excerpt from "Alice." We are doing "That Caterpillar's Trippin' Again," (the Caterpillar Pas de Deux), complete with Gary Crossey's projections and the As-Is Ensemble.

This seemed like a perfect fit since we are collaborating with As-Is again for a brand new work (as yet untitled). This is the work where we will have local painter, Benjamin Betsalel, in a booth of the theater creating a new piece every night, inspired by the dancers and musicians on stage. The painting will be projected in real time onto the backdrop as the piece is performed. Exciting!

The other new piece on that show is our second collaboration with Evan Bivins, the composer of last season's "Welcome to Cabaret KiKi." We have been reading and studying the works of Edward Gorey, as well as his life, to create a tribute to the bizarrely wonderful man and the magical, twisted world he created through his drawings. This work, featuring local singer and front man of The Goodies, Holiday Childress, is titled, "The Many Deaths of Edward Gorey."

August 9-11 brings us back to what I believe is the greatest accomplishment of my life thus far. We are restaging "The Scarlet Letter." Ask anyone who saw the show, this is the ultimate Terpsicorps production. The mix of elements truly found a perfect balance with this production. Three shows last season didn't feel like enough. I have heard many people lamenting the fact that they missed the shows, and it only seems fair to give them another chance. Mark this one down on your calendar!

The biggest news for us this year, is the acquisition of our own rehearsal space. After four years of living off of the generosity of every location in town large enough to lay a dance floor, we will be opening Studio Terpsicorps! In the evenings and all day long for our off season (mid-August - May), we will renting the space out to dancers and movement artists of all kinds. Anyone needing rehearsal or class space, please don't hesitate to call! We want the studio to be as all inclusive and representative of Asheville's vibrant performing art scene as possible. (828)231-8618

Artistic Director