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Longstreet Theatre
Green and Sumter Streets
Main Office, Room 402
Columbia, SC 29208

phone: 803.777.4288
fax: 803.777.6669
email: theatre@sc.edu or dance@sc.edu

Faculty and Staff Bios

Acting/Directing
Design Faculty
Design and Production
Theory/Theatre History
Dance
Administration/Staff

Acting/Directing

Sarah Barker

Theatre Movement, Acting. Associate Professor. MFA, Southern Methodist University, 1974. Certified Alexander Technique, Certified Lozanov Instructor.

Sarah is a nationally recognized leader in movement training for actors and is an internationally known expert in the Alexander Technique. Her book, The Alexander Technique, has been distributed world wide and has been translated into French, Japanese, Portuguese, and German. It has been used as a standard text in many theatre training programs. Sarah Barker coaches and choreographs movement professionally for companies including Shakespeare and Company, St. Louis Repertory and Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival. She has been a member of the training and artistic staff of Shakespeare and Company (Lenox, MA) since 1986. Nationally, she currently serves as a board member for Alexander Technique International. She has also been president of the Association of Theatre Movement Educators and a board member of the University/Resident Theatre Association. Sarah has acted professionally, in roles including Kath in Entertaining Mr. Sloan, Ophelia in Hamlet, Carol Cutrere in Orpheus Descending and Honey in Lenny Bruce. She has performed for Theatre South Carolina, playing Judith Bliss in Hay Fever and Amanda in The Glass Menagerie. She teaches Alexander Technique privately and trains Alexander Technique teachers in Japan and at the Chesapeake Bay Alexander School.

Robyn Hunt

Acting. Carolina Distinguished Professor (Awarded 2013). Professor. UC/San Diego.

A member of Actor’s Equity, Hunt has acted professionally in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan. She worked for over a decade with Tadashi Suzuki, performed in Tokyo and Kanazawa in Opium, a joint Pacific Performance Project/Theatre Group Tao production under the direction of Kenji Suzuki, studied and performed in Kyoto under the direction of Shogo Ohta, and between 1994 and 2000 performed frequently at the Actor's Theatre of Louisville, under the direction of Jon Jory. Hunt was co-founder and first artistic director of the San Diego Public Theatre and co-heads the Pacific Performance Project/east, now based in Columbia, SC. In 2001, she received the University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award. Most recent acting roles include Dottie in Noises Off, the title role in Mother Courage and Ranevskaya in both Gravity (Connelly Theatre, NYC) and The Cherry Orchard Sequel at LaMaMa. Hunt performed in the New York debut of Peter Kyle Dance as Miss Haversham in To What Extent at the Henry Street Settlement/Abrons Arts Center inFall 2007, and in 2000, appeared in another Kyle dance, Going. She has created several evening length dance/theatre pieces, including the trilogy Suite For Strangers, which had its Seattle debut in 2004. Other dance/theatre collaborations (with Peter Kyle and Steven Pearson) include: Myra's War, Prix Fixe, and Shogo Ohta's The Water Station (Mizu No Eki). She appears in the January 2008 article "Shaping the Independent Actor," in American Theatre Magazine. Her Work can be viewed at the Pacific Performance Project/east website (P3east.com).

Richard Jennings

Acting, Directing. Distinguished Professor Emeritus University of South Carolina. MFA, California Institute of the Arts, 1979. Former Head of the Acting Program and Director of Graduate Studies.

A member of Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild, Richard is a professional film and stage actor who has been acting professionally since 1966. He was Director of Theatre for several years at Morningside College. Richard has been a guest master acting teacher at colleges and universities across the country.

Richard has acted in professional companies from the Pearl Theatre in New York to the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles and numerous theatres in between. He has acted in and directed over a hundred stage productions. He has also acted and directed at the Clarence Brown Theatre in Tennessee playing such diverse roles as Mozart in Amadeus and Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Richard has recently appeared in two productions at LaMama in New York City. Richard has appeared in national film and television productions, as well.

Jim O’Connor

Directing, Acting. Professor. MFA, Pennsylvania State University, 1969. Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

Jim has directed at numerous regional theatres, such as Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, the Alley Theatre in Houston, Stage West in Massachusetts, the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, and the Wisdom Bridge and Northlight Theatres in Chicago. He has also directed for the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival on numerous occasions as well as the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival. He received the Cleveland Critics Circle Award and was nominated for Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award for Directing. He created and headed the MFA program at Purdue University where he also served as Chair and Artistic Director for ten years. He served two terms as the President of the University/Resident Theatre Association, and has been elected to the prestigious National Theatre Conference and he is head of the Stavis Playwriting selection panel.

Jim received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Arts and Architecture at Penn State University in 1999. He Chaired and served as the Artistic Director of Theatre South Carolina from 1997 until returning to the faculty full time in 2004. Jim has an intensive background in the visual arts and brings this as well as his focus on theatrical forms to bear on his teaching.

Steven Pearson

Acting. Professor. Head of the MFA Acting Program. Carnegie-Mellon.

Professor Pearson has acted and directed professionally in the US, Japan, Canada and Europe. A graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University with degrees in acting and directing, and a 10-year student of Tadashi Suzuki, Professor Pearson was head of the Professional Actor Training Program at the University of Washington from 1992 to 2003, and previously taught in and headed the acting program at the University of California, San Diego. He is an Artistic Director of the Pacific Performance Project/East, and recent professional work includes directing at On the Boards in Seattle, LaMaMa in New York, in Sibiu, Romania, in Chicago and Minneapolis; and acting in Seattle and Kyoto, Japan.

Robert Richmond

Directing and Acting. Associate Professor. Head of Undergraduate Performance. Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Robert Richmond, originally from Hastings, England, studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. For Aquila Theatre he has directed over 30 productions including Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, The Invisible Man, Agamemmnon, Othello, The Man Who Would Be King, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Tempest, Wrath of Achilles, Much Ado About Nothing, Cyrano de Bergerac, Julius Caesar, The Iliad: Book One, and King Lear. He has also directed special concert engagements of Cherubini’s Medea, Tanyev’s Oresteia, and Theodorakis’ Electra at Carnegie Hall. In 2005, Aquila and Mr. Richmond’s production of Much Ado About Nothing played a command performance for a private reception at the White House in honor of Shakespeare’s birthday. Additionally, he has worked extensively as an actor in the UK and US including seasons with Aquila, The Royal Lyceum, Communicado, and Citizens’ Theatre Glasgow.

Erica Tobolski

Voice, Acting. Associate Professor. MFA, Purdue University, 1989. Certified Lessac Teacher.

Erica Tobolski is the voice and speech trainer at the University of South Carolina, teaching acting, voice, speech and dialects. She has professionally coached voice/text/dialects for the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival, the Clarence Brown Theatre, Charlotte Repertory Theatre, Purdue University and others, and was dialect consultant for productions at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and for the radio play Merry Go Round on NPR. As Distinguished Visiting Professor at Universiti Teknologi in Malaysia she taught acting and voice and also served as voice and acting coach on a Malay version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed at the National Theatre in Kuala Lumpur. Her work is published in The Complete Voice and Speech Workout, in addition to several articles in the leading journal The Voice and Speech Review. She maintains a private practice in voice consultation, is a Lessac Certified Trainer and regularly performs on stage and in voice-overs.

Design Faculty

Nic Ularu

Design. Professor. Head of the MFA Design Program. Universitary degree (MFA equivalent), University of Bucharest, 1980.

Professor Ularu has extensive design credits in USA and Europe, including theatres in Sweden, Northern Ireland and Romania. Nic Ularu was the head of scenography at the National Theatre of Bucharest - Romania, and served for four years as a board member of The European League of the Institutes of the Arts (ELIA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He has taught scene and/or costume design in Romania, Germany, Sweden, UK, Italy, Denmark and Hong Kong. Prior to USC, he taught at Smith College, National Theatre School of Denmark and The University of Theatre and Film, Romania. In 2003, Professor Ularu received an OBIE award for outstanding achievement in Off-Broadway theater. Ularu’s designs appeared in the USA entries at the Prague Quadrennial International Exhibitions of scenography in 2007, 2003 and 1998. In 2005, Nic co-designed the exhibit and designed the poster of the World Stage Design Exhibition, Toronto - Canada, and was appointed by the United States Institute of Theatre Technology as the leading designer and curator of the USA National Exhibit at the Prague Quadrennial International Exhibition of 2007.

Besides his national and international design activity Nic Ularu is a playwright and director. His recent freelance work as playwright and director includes several acclaimed productions at LaMaMa ETC - New York, Sibiu International Theatre Festival - Romania, Teatrul Foarte Mic, Bucharest - Romania, “O” Teatret - Sweden, National Theatre of Constanta - Romania, and National Theatre of Cluj - Romania.

Lisa Martin-Stuart

Costume Design. Associate Professor. Associate Department Chair. MFA, University of Texas at Austin, 1984. United Scenic Artists, Local 829.

As head of the Costume Design Program, Lisa has a strong background in design, historical research and costume technology. Lisa’s professional design credits include Film: Ruby in Paradise; winner of the 1993 Sundance Film Festival and starring Ashley Judd, Ulee’s Gold (1997) starring Peter Fonda, Coastlines (2002) starring Timothy Olyphant. Regional Theatre: American Folklore Theatre, Asolo State Theatre, Aquila Theatre Company of London, Charlotte Repertory Theatre, and Hippodrome State Theatre. Her continued collaboration with Marilyn Wall (Emmy Award-winning costume designer) and Marion Caffey (Three Mo’ Tenors) on Cookin’ at the Cookery has brought her design and technical expertise to the Geva Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and Huntington Theatre Company. As resident wardrobe stylist for Mad Monkey, a nationally recognized media production company, she has collaborated on numerous national and regional award winning television commercials including University of South Carolina’s Bicentennial Campaign and more recently “Cheerleader” from 2004. During Lisa’s 13 years at USC she has designed over 30 productions for Theatre South Carolina.

Jim Hunter

Scene and Lighting Design. Professor. Chair and Artistic Director. MFA, University of Virginia, 1991. United Scenic Artists, Local 829-Scenic and Lighting Design.

Jim’s scene and lighting designs have been seen at such theatres as: Theatre Virginia, Phoenix Theatre, Charlotte Rep, Florida Stage, Arkansas Rep, Playhouse on the Square, Drury Lane Theatre, Heritage Repertory Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse, VeggieTales Live National Tour, Florida Rep, as well as others. Jim toured with the modern dance company Wall Street Danceworks. Recent designs include the lighting design for The Lost Colony in North Carolina and the scene design for Thoroughly Modern Millie at Phoenix Theatre in Arizona which was awarded his second consecutive AriZoni Award for Excellence in Scene Design. Jim is a member of the national designers union, United Scenic Artist, Local 829 in scene and lighting design. National service includes the Commission for Accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Please visit his online portfolio at www.jimhunterdesigns.com.

Design and Production

David Britt

Production Manager, Lab Theatre. Instructor. MFA, University of South Carolina

David Britt appeared on stage at Theatre South Carolina in Measure for Measure, A View from the Bridge, Bus Stop, Dancing at Lughnasa and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He is from Raleigh, NC, where he appeared in more than 30 roles. He has trained at the New Actors Workshop in New York City and at the world renowned Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA. David also completed the Second City Comedy Improvisation Boot Camp.

Sam Gross

Assistant Technical Director. Senior Instructor. MFA, Indiana University 2005.

Sam Gross is a graduate of Indiana University where he earned an MFA in Theatre Technology. He specializes in mechanized scenery, computer controlled systems, electronics, set construction, and rigging. He has designed and built motion control systems for such productions as The Real Thing, Sweeny Todd, Romeo and Juliet, Sweet Charity, Dracula, and Pal Joey. He has overseen the construction of USC productions since 2005. Mr. Gross received his Bachelor of Sciences Degree from the University of North Alabama where he also worked as a sound designer, lighting designer, sound engineer, carpenter, and actor. In his position as Assistant Technical Director, Sam supervises graduate and undergraduate students in the construction of scenery and props for USC Theatre and Dance productions.

M. Spencer Henderson

Costume Technology. Instructor. Costume Shop Supervisor. MFA, UNC Chapel Hill, 2008.

M. Spencer Henderson is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received an MFA in Costume Shop Management and Costume Technology. He received his BA in theatre from Florida State University. His costuming credits include Playmakers Repertory Company, The Utah Shakespearean Festival, and Glimmerglass Opera. Recently, he spent the three summers (‘09-’11) at the Williamstown Theatre Festival as the Costume Shop Manager. Spencer supervises the USC costume shop, assists with the patternmaking and construction of costumes, and teaches costume construction classes.

Christine Jacky

Assistant Technical Director for Lighting and Sound. MFA, Southern Illinois University, 2010.

Christine Jacky received her MFA from Southern Illinois University in Theater with emphasis in lighting design and theatrical management. She specializes in stage electrics, sound technology, production management, and photography for the stage. She has worked at Central Piedmont Summer Theater, Long Lake Camp for the Arts, McLeod Summer Playhouse, New York City International Fringe Festival, and Lookingglass Theater in Chicago.

Andy Mills

Technical Director. Instructor. MFA, University of South Carolina, 1996.

Andy has designed professionally at Shakespeare Theatre’s Young Company (Washington, DC), Charlotte Repertory Theatre, Carolina Opera, USC Opera, and Trustus. Andy currently teaches Intro to Theatre Design and Theatre Laboratory. He specializes in the area of properties, finding or building the most obscure of items. Andy is a Member of USITT.

Eric Morris

Instructor/Production Manager. MFA, Western Illinois University

Eric is a teacher, designer, painter and a writer. Born and raised in Augusta, GA, he is a graduate of Augusta College and earned his MFA in Stage Design from Western Illinois University. He has assisted, designed and produced for trade shows, ballet, opera, regional theatre, Off-Broadway and Broadway. As a young designer he assisted Tom Skelton, Michael Phillippi, Kevin Rigdon, Brian MacDevitt, Natasha Katz and others at venues such as The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Trinity Repertory and Great Lakes Theatre Festival. For almost twelve years he served as the resident scenic and lighting designer for Lexington Children’s Theatre in Lexington KY, where he produced work seen by hundreds of thousands of Kentucky children and adults. His teaching includes classes and workshops for colleges, universities and professional training programs such as Illinois Wesleyan University, University of Kentucky and The Hotchkiss School Summer Program. In 1991 he was one of six national candidates granted a TCG/National Endowment for the Arts Young Designer Fellowship. His articles and stories have appeared in Painter’s Journal, Business Lexington, Sandhills Magazine, and others. He is currently on faculty with University of South Carolina, and the Designer/Production Manager for USC Dance. Eric’s latest work includes design and production management for Wideman-Davis Dance Company. In his spare time he writes fiction and makes original music with his band Classes of Dynamo.

Valerie Pruett

Costume Design. Senior Instructor. MFA, Costume Design, University of South Carolina. Licensed Cosmetologist and Wig Master.

Valerie has been working as a professional hair and makeup artist for over fourteen years. Before returning to the University of South Carolina ten years ago, she free-lanced and designed for regional theatres across the country, including: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, American Players Theatre, New American Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, American Folklore Theatre and the Madison Repertory Theatre. Valerie also worked as a guest lecturer and adjunct faculty at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI and the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition to teaching and designing at Theatre SC, Valerie maintains an active professional career as a Hair and Make-up artist in the tri-state areas with film and media productions. She firmly believes that a successful portrayal of any character must include the complete visual transformation of that character in order to have a true balance and silhouette.

K. Dale White

Stage Management. Production Manager. Instructor. BFA, Webster University, 1981. American Guild of Variety Artists. Actors' Equity Association

K. Dale is a proud member of Actors’ Equity. He has worked on Broadway, Off Broadway, regionally and has toured. He has worked with David Rabe, Richard Greenberg, Anna Deavere Smith, George C. Wolfe, Will Eno, Tony Kushner, John Rando, James Taylor and Billy Joel among others. Other credits include: The Berkshire Theatre Festival, Shakespeare and Company, Playwrights Horizons, The Public Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, La Mama, Cambridge Theatre Company, The American Repertory Theatre, Chamber Theatre Productions, Available Light, Opera Theatre St. Louis, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Alley Theatre, STAGES, and the Alaska Repertory Theatre. He teaches Stage Management at the University of South Carolina, Department of Theatre and Dance, Columbia, SC. He has taught at Emerson College, Boston, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA and Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Great Barrington, MA. K. Dale is a graduate of the Conservatory of Theatre Arts, Webster University, St. Louis, MO.

History/Theory

Peter Duffy

Theatre Education. Assistant Professor. MFA, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007.

Peter is the head of the MAT program in theatre education at the University of SC. Before coming to USC, Peter was the Director of Education and Community Programs for the Irondale Ensemble out of Brooklyn, NY. Peter taught middle level and high school English, German and Drama for a decade in Maine and New Jersey. Additionally, Peter worked as an actor/teacher in New York City schools, most notably with the Creative Arts Team. Peter works mostly with students and teachers infusing theatre in to the basic curriculum both here and abroad. He has served on the international board of Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed and is actively involved in AATE. He is the co-editor along with his colleague, Elinor Vettraino, of Youth and Theatre of the Oppressed, published by Palgrave Press. His research
interests include the intersection of cognition and theatre, using Theatre of the Oppressed techniques with youth and activating the basic curriculum through theatre. He lives in Blythewood, SC with his actress wife, Patti, and their children Eve and Nolan.

Amy Lehman

Theatre History. Associate Professor. PhD, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1996.

Prior to joining USC in 2005, Amy taught at Towson University, MD, and at the State University of New York at Albany. She has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses on topics in theatre history and dramatic literature, ranging from 17th century French theatre to 20th century women playwrights. She has researched and published in the area of 19th century theatre and actresses, and has a book about Victorian women performers and mesmerism forthcoming from McFarland & Co., publishers. She has presented scholarship at the American Society of Theatre Research and the International Federation of Theatre Research. Other areas of interest include acting and dramaturgy for plays including Cloud 9 and The Duchess of Malfi.

Dance

Susan E. Anderson

Ballet, Choreography, Historic Dance. Professor. MFA, University of California at Irvine, 1973.

Susan is Artistic Director of the South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory and the University Dance Program. She is founder and Artistic Director of the USC Dance Company.

Susan trained with the San Francisco Ballet and danced professionally with the Los Angeles Dance Theatre and Ballet Celeste of San Francisco. She has taught master classes and workshops throughout the US and internationally. She is a dance history specialist in baroque dance and has choreographed twenty full-length ballets and more than fifty original works. Most recently, she taught and choreographed at the University of Buffalo and The Gus Giordiano Dance Company in Chicago and Dresden, Germany.

Diane B. McGhee Valle

Head of Dance Education. Instructor. B.S. Madison College; M.S. James Madison University.

Diane B. McGhee Valle is Head of Dance Education for the University of South Carolina where she has also taught dance history and world cultural dance forms. She was awarded the 2011 Top Citation from the National Dance Education Organization for the best national presentation and research in the field of dance. She is pioneer of the Repertory Etudes™ Educational Project, a ten year research and development project providing new access and methods of teaching dance masterworks in American education. Diane has been Dance Education Coordinator and developed the graduate programs for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is Associate Professor Emerita of Dance and Director Emerita of the Arts for Children Interdisciplinary Program at the State University of New York, College at Brockport. She has prepared dancers for teacher licensure in three states and led New York’s unique arts certification for regular classroom and early childhood educators. Diane is former Director of the Southeast Center for Dance Education, an author, artist, and international presenter. She has delivered significant presentations in Montreal, Canada and Cairo, Egypt; she was selected for an International Education Policy Round Table, at Oxford University in Cambridge, UK. Diane’s 1986 choreography Appalachia remains in the repository of the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts - Jerome Robbins Dance Division. She has been honored in the City of Boston by Fidelity Investments Corporation for her contribution to youth through education and dance. She has served as Education Consultant to the American Dance Legacy Institute and to the New York State Summer School of the Arts School of Dance in Saratoga Springs New York, located at the National Museum of Dance. Diane is recipient of numerous technology, service, innovative program, and research awards, including from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Dana Foundation, the South Carolina Arts Commission, General Electric, and many more. She has founded several professional dance institutes and served as board member for local, state, national, and international associations. Her biography is included in Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who of American Women.

Stacy Calvert

Dance. Senior Instructor.

Stacy Calvert, former soloist with the New York City Ballet and a scholarship student at the School of American Ballet, was chosen by George Balanchine to be a company member by the age of 18. Some of her notable roles were in Western Symphony, Stars and Stripes Forever, and Who Cares. She received her early dance training from Ann Brodie, Artistic Director, Carolina and Columbia City Ballet in South Carolina. Her mother, part owner of the very successful Calvert Brodie Dance School, has also had a great influence in her dance training.

Kyra Strasberg

Dance. Instructor.

Kyra Strasberg was a ballerina with the Boston Ballet, rising to Principal status over a 15 year career. She has taught and staged works for Harvard University. She is a master teacher trainer for Pilates.

Thaddeus Davis

Assistant Professor, Contemporary Dance. MFA, Hollins University.

Mr. Davis was featured in Dance Magazine’s January 2002 issue as one of “25 To Watch In The World.” The premiere of his first choreographic work, “Once Before Twice After”, was named one of the top ten moments in dance for 2002 by The New York Times, calling it “reassuring evidence of New York dance’s promising future.” A year later he was the 2003 recipient of the prestigious Choo San Goh Award for Choreography. In 2006, he received First Prize in Ballet Austin’s New American Talent/Dance Choreography Competition. Mr. Davis danced with Donald Byrd/The Group for four years, where he also served as Mr. Byrd’s creative assistant. In addition, he has danced with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Fukuoka City Ballet, Atlanta Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY (Dance Galaxy). As a teacher and choreographer, he has done residencies at The Juilliard School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Butler University, Arizona State University, Ballet Austin Academy, and has served as guest faculty at The Alabama School of Fine Arts. Mr. Davis has created choreographic works for Fugate/Bahire Ballet NY (Dance Galaxy), Donald Byrd/The Group, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theater, Ballet Austin, Ballet Memphis, Configuration Dance Company, Reflections Dance Company, Nashville Ballet, Ballet Met and Wideman/Davis Dance. Born in Montgomery, Alabama he began his studies with The Montgomery Civic Ballet, Carver Creative Performing Arts Center, and Alabama Dance Theatre. After graduating high school he studied and danced with Barbara Sullivan’s Atlanta Dance Theatre and Dyann Robinson’s Tuskegee Cultural Arts Center, before attending Butler University where he graduated in 1993 with a BFA in Dance.

Tanya Wideman-Davis

Assistant Professor, Contemporary Dance and Ballet.

Ms. Wideman-Davis has been noted by New York Dance Fax as “distinctive for the power of her secure pointe work and her personality.” She has received International acclaim and was given the honor of “Best Female Dancer of 2001-2002” by Dance Europe magazine. Ms. Wideman-Davis has trained with some of the premiere schools in the country, starting with The Academy of Movement and Music, The Ruth Page Dance Foundation, The Joffrey Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Chicago City Ballet, and The Dance Theatre of Harlem. In 1993 she was invited to join The Dance Theatre of Harlem where she danced works by Balanchine, Glen Tetley, Michael Smuin, Geoffrey Holder, John Taras, Billy Wilson, John Alleyne, Alonzo King, Vincent Mantsoe, Jose Limon, Choo San Goh, and Dwight Rhoden. Ms. Wideman-Davis joined The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago in 1999 where she danced many roles in the company’s vast repetoire. Upon returning to Dance Theatre of Harlem she was named Principal Dancer. Seeking an experience that allowed more self-exploration Ms. Wideman-Davis joined Alonzo King’s Lines Contemporary Ballet in 2002 and worked there for two seasons before going to work with Donald Byrd at Spectrum Dance Theatre. As Co-Artistic Director of Wideman/Davis Dance, she has assisted in creating new works and setting existing works for Ballet Memphis, Phrenic New Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY (Dance Galaxy), The Juilliard School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Reflexions Dance Company, Alabama School of Fine Arts, and Wideman/Davis Dance.