PADMA CHEBROLU
Padma Chebrolu started learning dance at the age of three in India. She finished her Bharata Natyam Arangetram (graduation) recital by the age of eleven. She attended several gurus and mastered Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Andhra Natyam, Mohini Attam and other classical dance styles. Some of Padma’s gurus include; Dr (Prof). Uma Rama Rao, Lakshman Rao and K. V. Chalam. Padma is the founder and artistic director of Cultural Centre of India which was founded more than a decade ago. This organization gave thousands of performances, presentations and workshops to local children and families to promote awareness, understanding and better appreciation for diversity. She created the instructional DVD series, Dances of India to bring the mysteries of Indian dance close to world wide audiences, This series is being used by many dance departments, schools, libraries and museums. She has made numerous TV appearances both in India and in US and brought awareness on the value of cultural collaboration and education. Padma Chebrolu’s background in education includes Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and Masters in Education (MEd) in Information Technology from US. She is an Ohio Certified teacher in high school. She also has a degree in Dance from India. She works as an IT Project Manager at a major corporation. Padma has been nominated for Ohio Arts Council for Individual Artist award for achievements in the field of dance and dance education. She is on the board of Ohio Dance which is a state agency that supports public programs in the arts. She also received the “Dada Rafiki” award from Eye of the Artist Foundation, Inc for her positive contributions to the community through her dance in the community. Padma is also the member of “Artist on Tour” with Cincinnati Arts Association and presents the following school programs: India Culture Comes To You – Dances of India, Music of India and Art of India. Along with operating a dance studio, she conducts lectures, demonstrations, workshops and performances at many universities, museums, corporations, and performing art schools. Padma extensively writes articles about dance and dance education which are published in prestigious publications. Padma is also the Founder and Executive Director of World Cultures Media, winner of 2007 Telly Award and 2006 & 2007 Blue Chip Award for Overall Achievement in TV programming. It is a non-profit organization which brings TV and internet broadcast programming dedicated to providing the global community with unique and honest perspectives on life styles, events, arts, environment, business, health, human rights, and culture.
JERI DECKARD GATCH
Jeri Gatch, born in Bloomington, Indiana, is a Modern Dance teacher, choreographer, and performer. She earned her BS: Kinesiology from Indiana University, and her MFA: Performance/Choreography from Temple University where she also taught for 2 years. Jeri was adjunct faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University in the Dance and Theater Departments. Since moving back to the Mid-West with her Cincinnati born husband, Jeri has worked through the Contemporary Dance Theater, Growth In Motion, and performed with several local choreographers. Jeri choreographed for a workshop at the Playhouse In the Park, lead pre-school Creative Movement, was a Modern Dance faculty teacher at the 2002 Ohio Dance Festival, and guest teaches. Jeri was commissioned by Miami University to set a new work on their company and she completed an Artist’s Residency at Berea College in Kentucky. Currently, Jeri is working at DeSales Elementary School through the Artlinks program, is on the Board of OHDance, and a Journey To Adulthood youth advisor. Supporting and inspiring all of her movement projects is Jeri’s family, for which she gives thanks. She and her cyclist husband enjoy their parents, grandparents, and friends and are embracing life and its ongoing adventures with their children Lily and Lewis.
DIANE GERMAINE
DIANE GERMAINE, one of The Enquirer’s “8 to watch in 2008,” is the Founder of Cincinnati Choreographers’ Collective. She was an honors graduate of NYC’s Performing Arts High School and went on to earn critical acclaim for many roles during her 13 years as Principal Soloist of the Paul Sanasardo Dance Company (NYC). She’s received choreography fellowships and grants from the NEA, City of Cincinnati and the OAC for such works as “Playground,” “Nighthawks,” “Didi, a Life,” and “Fated Tango,” and has been a Master Teacher abroad in Israel, London, Norway, and in the USA for Skidmore College, American University, and NCSA. Her proposed work for the 2009 Choreographers’ Without Companies Concert is the trio "Dos Gallos Y Una Dulzura" – third in the (tango) tryptich honoring Astor Piazzolla’s music.
RACHEL JAMES
Rachel James (choreographer) is a sought-after performer, choreographer, and teacher. Her work is informed by a lifelong exposure to dance: as an audience member, a studio volunteer, a student, a tech person, a performer, a teacher, and a choreographer. “Although my work is not always happy, I do like the audience to share the joy we feel when we are dancing.” Rachel’s dances have been presented at CDT’s Performance and Time Arts Series, the Fine Arts Fund Sampler, and Choreographers Without Companies, as well as Louisville’s Moving Collective and Until the Violence Stops: Kentucky. She dances for Mam-Luft & Company Dance (www.mam-luftcodance.com) and has worked with many local choreographers. She is on the faculty of Contemporary Dance Theater (Modern Dance) and Cincinnati Ballet (Rhythm & Motion). Rachel has an M.A. in Interpretation and is a nationally certified sign language interpreter.
KA-RON BROWN LEHMAN
Ka-Ron Brown Lehman - dancer/ teacher /choreographer, recently moved from LA, California to Cincinnati, July 2007. Formerly was in charge of the Artistic Direction of the Dance Department at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where she also taught Contemporary Modern and Choreography, and was known for spotting talent, motivating students, and helping students to unlock their emotions through dance. Ms. Lehman’s twenty-one years at LAHCSA earned her the 2006 Alumni Association’s Outstanding Arts’ Educator Award and a Distinguished Teacher Award by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. For her forty-three years as a dedicated dance educator. Ms. Lehman received the American Choreography Educator Award in 2004, along with nominations for Disney Teacher of the Year for 2005 and 2006. Choreographically her achievements like Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, numerous musicals for C.B. Jackson’s Inner City Cultural Center, Othello with Ted Lange, associate Choreographer to Joe Layton’s Broadway, Rockín Roll-The First 5000 Years, commissioned works for the Lehman Dance Company, re-staging of classic ballets such as Rite of Spring, Firebird, Cinderella, a national commercial for Bayer Aspirin, starring Ben Vereen, and numerous others, helped gain her notable recognition. In 1993, Ka-Ron created the Annual Lehman Awards to honor members of the dance community, and educate young dancers about their pioneers’ rich legacy of dance. Ka-Ron dedicates this premiere work to the dance community of Cincinnati and thanks them for their warm embrace. Ms. Lehman invites you to view her resume at myspace.com/lehmandance.
REBECCA BEDEL
Rebecca Parker is a full time instructor at Mercy Healthplex. Rebecca grew up in the arts. She is a graduate of the School for Creative and Performing Arts and has continued her studies in learning movement at Nosara Yoga Institute in Nosara, Costa Rica and Balance Body University. She is a trained practitioner, and has received her master certification in interdisciplinary movement, yoga and on the Pilates reformer. She has choreographed a class at Mercy Healthplex called “Reformer, Yoga and You” that has become a permanent fixture of the Pilates reformer program. Rebecca became a professional aerialist in 2005 attending the New England Center for Circus Arts and has continued her aerial studies there. Hanging the aerial fabric from jungle trees in Costa Rica has been the highlight to her aerial experience as well as hanging from the ceilings of the Aronoff, and Music Hall, and recently she danced in the air over Fountain Square. Rebecca has performed in the Fringe Festival for the last 3 years with Jeremy Millsaps, and with Holly Price in Choreographers Without Companies in 2007. Rebecca has worked with other local artists including Moving Art Dance Company and multi-discipline artists in CDT’s Performance and Time Arts Series. Rebecca has taught Yoga Fusion at CDT in the past but gave that up to exlore more deeply her dance connections. Rebecca will be collaborating with Holly Price for this CWC concert.
HOLLY PRICE
Holly Price is a full time instructor at Body Mind Balance Pilates Studio. Holly is an NKU graduate who has been creating performance art in the Cincinnati area for 10 years. She has worked with many great choreographers such as Fanchon Shur, Judith Mikita and Diane Germaine. She has performed everywhere, from the opening of the new Contemporary Arts Center, the Jarson-Kaplan Theater, CDT, Grailville, to the top of barbwire fences, hanging from railings and even in the rain. Holly is currently branching out into new mediums, acting, rock climbing, video, writing and anything else she can do. The last few years Holly has been involved in the Fringe Festival thru Moving Art Dance Company and Jamming Talent Productions working alongside Rebecca Parker and Jeremy Millsaps. She has recently performed at Music Hall for the Enchanted Ball, and this year will be her 2nd year performing for the Opera Gala. She was recently featured on Fountain Square in an aerial demonstration. She looks forward to continuing her journey in the air or on the ground.
