DANCE Dance Adds Faculty Steeped in Pro Experience The Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment has added three new faculty members with star-studded credentials. Vincent Sandoval, artist-in-residence for musical theatre, tap, and jazz, pursued his career in New York City. Performing credits include Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Radio City Easter Show, Radio City Spring Spectacular (as featured dancer), the “Crazy for You” European tour, “Victor Victoria” first national tour, and the “Fosse” (dance captain) first national tour, where he worked with Ann Reinking and Gwen Verdon in the Fosse Vincent Sandoval style of dance. Sandoval’s regional credits include Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, Music Theatre Wichita, Casa Mañana, and Paper Mill Playhouse. His choreographic credits include Radio City Christmas Spectacular (assistant director/choreographer to Linda Haberman), Royal Caribbean International (director/choreographer), Summer Stock Austin (choreographer), and Georgetown Palace Theatre (choreographer). Sandoval earned a Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance Performance from OCU and was recognized as the Outstanding Graduating Senior. Aaron Pomeroy, instructor of dance, is a dancer and choreographer who started performing at age 4. A company member with the San Diego Ballet for more than 10 years, performing as a soloist, Pomeroy has appeared in numerous ballet productions that have toured extensively throughout the U.S. He has performed with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular for many years. Originally from San Diego, some of his personal favorite performances include “Spamalot,” “Oklahoma!,” Aaron Pomeroy “Funny Girl,” “The Producers,” “My Fair Lady,” “42nd Street,” and “On The Town.” Some of his favorite roles include Mike in “A Chorus Line,” Billy in “The Goodbye Girl,” Bobby in “Crazy for You,” and the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz.” Recently, Pomeroy performed in the new musical “Roman Holiday,” based on the classic film with Audrey Hepburn, which premiered at the prestigious Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Tye Love, assistant professor of dance, performed with Oklahoma Festival Ballet and was a company member of Oklahoma City Ballet. Love has appeared as a guest performer with dance companies throughout the United States and has choreographed for Oklahoma Festival Ballet and Joffrey Texas Workshop, where he has served on the faculty. He worked with the Ballet Ruse Archive in Tye Love transitioning its collection to an online database. Love holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts from the University of Oklahoma. He studied ballet technique at Ballet Academy of Texas and with John Magnus, former director of the Joffrey Ballet School. He has served on the faculty of Dance Center of Oklahoma City Ballet and also as a graduate fellow at the OU School of Dance.
18 // FOCUS Spring 2017
Benjaman Lanham participates in one of many auditions conducted by Dance Chair Jo Rowan (at right). Photo by OCU Staff
Rowan Earns High Honors Dance Chair Jo Rowan was honored by the Association of Dance Conventions and Competitions with the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award during the Industry Excellence Awards Gala in Las Vegas. Rowan is a nationally renowned ballet dancer, choreographer, and teacher. “I’ve always said dancing is easy, but it’s hard to learn Jo Rowan how to do it with ease,” she said. “I have strived to prepare performers who wanted professional careers with a gift of work that they love. “In a competitive business like the world of entertainment, it is wonderful to hear dancers say, ‘They’re paying me for doing what I love.’ So to all of us who endeavor to bring quality dance education to audiences of all ages and to spread the joy of dance, this honor is very meaningful.” In October, Rowan also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Annie Oakley Society, which is part of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Rowan has appeared in ballets, in musicals, and on television. She has toured globally with The American Spirit Dance Company, which she founded at OCU’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment. Rowan has served as a spokesperson for National Dance Week with Tommy Tune, Fayard Nicholas, and Ben Vereen and was honored by Dance Teacher magazine as a National Teacher of the Year in Higher Education, among a variety of other honors and awards. Members of the ADCC board said Rowan was selected for the award based on her vast experience, commitment to excellence, and lasting influence in the field of dance. Rowan and OCU Dance and Entertainment Dean John Bedford pioneered American dance in higher education, creating the world’s first collegiate program to emphasize tap, jazz, and music theater dance at OCU in 1980.