Emerge

Directed by Judy Bejarano

The fall capstone dance concert features the creative work of senior dance majors Barbara Bertrand, Cassidy Faulhaber, Morgan Militare, and Julia Stwalley. Four pieces showcase themes of self-acceptance, personal growth, and emergence into oneself. 

Barbara Bertrand is a dedicated student of the art of dance. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at Colorado State University. Her journey into the world of dance began at the tender age of three, and by the age of nine, she began competing at her local studio, 5,6,7,8 Dance Studio. At the age of 14, Barbara’s passion for dance led her to Artistic Dance Concepts Conservatory, where she started her exploration into ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, improvisation, hip hop, and modern dance.

Throughout her time at Artistic Dance Concepts, Barbara not only honed her skills, but became an integral part of the company at the studio, performing and competing with them year after year. Her dedication and talent earned her a role in every yearly ballet performance until her graduation in 2020. Barbara also enriched her dance education by attending masterclasses led by renowned choreographers such as Mikey Pesante, Teddy Forence, and Kathryn McCormick.

In 2020, Barbara embarked on a new chapter in her dance journey by enrolling in the BFA Dance program at Colorado State University. Over the course of two years at CSU, Barbara dedicated herself to community engagement, both within Fort Collins and beyond, by teaching creative movement and engagement projects. Alongside her partner, she imparted academic movement lessons to fifth graders at Laurel Elementary, making a positive impact on young minds. During her time at CSU, Barbara had the privilege of training under esteemed professors, including Chung-Fu Chang, Susie Garifi, Judy Bejarano, Grace Gallagher, Emily Morgan, Lisa Morgan, Matthew Harvey, Madeline Harvey, and Joy Prendergast. She also expanded her horizons by attending masterclasses led by Vincent Thomas, André Megerdichian, and Hernan Justo. Barbara’s dedication and talent shone through as she participated in over 17 student and faculty pieces in various dance concerts, including soloist roles in Judy Bejarano’s Humanesque and Vincent Thomas’s What’s Going On? She even showcased her choreography in works titled Politik and Eminence during fall and spring dance concerts.

Barbara’s commitment to her art is further exemplified by her status as a recipient of the Creative and Performing Arts Dance Scholarship. When not dancing, Barbara spends quality time with her grandparents and shares her passion for dance with them. Barbara cherishes her summers, as they provide her with the freedom and time to experiment with new movement ideas and refine her strengths. Looking ahead, Barbara’s aspirations include pursuing a master’s in dance/movement therapy abroad, with a strong desire to immerse herself in various dance communities and cultures. She acknowledges the unwavering love and support of her family, especially her motivating grandparents, for guiding her on this incredible journey. Barbara’s fervent dedication to dance knows no bounds, and she eagerly anticipates the ongoing adventure of artistic exploration with deep gratitude in her heart.

Cassidy Faulhaber is a dance major at Colorado State University in pursuit of her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She started dancing at four years old at Parker Dance Academy and received training in ballet, hip-hop, tap, jazz, contemporary, and musical theater. She performed in productions of The Nutcracker for eight years and danced competitively for four years. Cassidy took master classes from renowned tap dancer Barbara Duffy and Elizah Ohman. She performed work by guest artists Corina Kinnear and Isaac Huerta in competitions. She won awards with her solo “Lay Down in the Tall Grass,” choreographed by Kat Reese, including third place overall at Fluid Dance Convention’s national competition in Phoenix, Arizona.

While at Colorado State University, Cassidy trained under Judy Bejarano, Chung-Fu Chang, Grace Gallagher, Susie Garifi, Matthew Harvey, Madeline Harvey, Lisa Morgan, Joy Prendergast, and Emily Morgan. She has performed choreography by Professors Chung-Fu Chang, Grace Gallagher, Matthew Harvey, and guest artist Vincent Thomas. She has also choreographed two funk and jazz-inspired pieces titled “Can You Get to That?” and “The Threat of Regret” in the fall semester dance concerts of 2021 and 2022. She explores flaws, mistakes, and the deformation of shapes in her choreographic work and aims to create an environment where every dancer feels accepted. Cassidy has engaged with the community through teaching creative movement and outreach coursework. She has taught academic concepts through movement at Laurel Elementary, Heard Elementary, and Sunrise Elementary. She engages with the CSU student body through her pedagogy coursework and teaches students of all experience levels. She has taken master classes from Christina Johnson, Vincent Thomas, and André Megerdichian. She is a current recipient of the Creative and Performing Arts Dance Scholarship and the Grace and Dwight Harris Scholarship. She worked as an intern for the CSU Dance Lab Summer Intensive and assisted in the facilitation of the virtual Colorado Dance Education Organization Conference in 2020.

Cassidy has taught in public schools through Creative Dance Kids and has taught and choreographed several solos at Parker Dance Academy. She continues to teach at various studios across the state.

After graduating from Colorado State University, Cassidy hopes to further her teaching and choreography experience through media and private and public teaching institutions. She hopes to continue to make dance a central part of her life. She would like to thank her parents Daniel Faulhaber and Carrol Homer for their consistent support throughout her four years at CSU. She would also like to thank all her professors and instructors for their commitment to her technical training and the development of her creative voice.

Morgan Militare started her dance training at 2 years-old in Westminster, Colorado where she danced competitively and performed in many studio showcases, and storybook ballets with Artistic Fusion Dance Academy. While growing up Morgan had the opportunity to learn from many teachers and choreographers including: Joey Dowling, Danny Lawn, Jen Jarnot and Kirsten Russel. During her high school years she completed American Ballet Theater testing, passing with both Honors and Merit. All of these experiences pushed her to take her dance career further by attending Colorado State University for her Bachelor’s Degree in Dance.

During her time at CSU Morgan has performed in many works including those of: Chung-Fu Chang, Grace Gallagher, Judy Bejarano, and Madeline Harvey. Her choreography was adjudicated multiple times while attending CSU, allowing her to set choreography for the many spring dance concerts. Her work, Operation Imitation was chosen to represent CSU student work at the Spring 2023 American College Dance Association Northwestern Conference. Along with choreographing and performing, Morgan found her passions for teaching dance and health and exercise science through other classes taught at CSU, helping her clarify future plans after graduation.

Outside of CSU Morgan teaches jazz, contemporary, and tap at Canyon Concert Ballet where she is also the Youth Ensemble Director. At CCB she has had the opportunity to choreograph on younger groups of kids, and bring them to many competitions, and community engagement events throughout the year including: The Spooky Kids Club Halloween event at The Lyric and RMD Kiwanis Mid-Year Conference.

Once Morgan graduates from CSU in Summer 2024 she hopes to continue her teaching career while also finding performance opportunities. Eventually, she wishes to attend graduate school to become a Physical Therapist for dancers. Morgan would like to thank her friends and family who have supported her throughout her dance career, specifcally her sisters Teagan and Jojo who consistently push her to do the things she loves. A special thank you to the stage crew and all the professors that have helped Morgan throughout her experience at CSU. Morgan is excited to see where her career takes her after graduation!

Julia Stwalley began her dance training at the age of two and a half years old at Danza Dance Academy in Castle Rock, Colorado. Over the course of 15 years, she dedicated herself to studying a diverse range of dance forms, including ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and tap. Her dedication extended to eight years of competing in various dance competitions and conventions while also working closely with choreographers Katrina Lairsmith, Donovan Helma, and Paul Gibbs.

After deciding to further her dance education, Julia began pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Dance at Colorado State University in 2020. Throughout her time at CSU, she has earned a place on the Dean’s list for several consecutive semesters and will graduate at the end of the semester. Julia has had the privilege of attending master classes taught by members of Complexions Contemporary Dance Company and Parsons Dance Company, as well as performing in works by guest artist Vincent Thomas. She has also gained experience in pedagogy, while assisting in teaching modern and ballet classes. She also worked with Lisa Morgan through BRAINY, a program that provides arts education to Title 1 elementary schools. Julia has performed in many dance concerts at CSU, including dance films produced by Julia Cooper and Vern Lazar.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Julia was offered an apprenticeship with Davis Contemporary Dance Company located in Denver, Colorado in 2019, and was invited to join the company as a full member the following year. Under the direction of Artistic Director Terrell Davis, as well as choreographers Aubrey Klinger-Fearns, Rachael Harding, and Christopher Page-Sanders, Julia has honed her skills as a performer and collaborator for four years through the company. She has also participated in various dance festivals in the Denver and Boulder area. Additionally, her passion for sharing her love for dance and choreography with young artists led her to teaching all ages and levels at Production Company Dance Centre.

Upon graduation, Julia aspires to earn her Master of Fine Arts in Dance Education. In her future, she will continue to nurture her career as a performer with a focus on contemporary and ballet styles. She will carry her knowledge of dance into her passions for educating and choreography. Julia remains deeply grateful for the support of her family, dedicated mentors and professors who have guided her along her dance career and made a lasting impact in her life.