Reach

Reach...a movement collective inc.

The Dancers

Richard Parsons

Richard Parsons holds a BS from Northwest Missouri State University where he studied computer science, broadcasting, and modern dance. Richard performed with a-ha! dance theatre for four years and is a founding member and choreographer for Reach…a movement collective inc. Richard works as an analyst/programmer and enjoys making pottery and soaps in his spare time.

Marisa MacKay

Marisa MacKay has worked with and performed on stage at the following Kansas City Theatres: The Kansas City Repertory Theatre, City Stage Theatre at Union Station, The Folly Theater, Starlight Theatre, The Civic Opera, Musical Theater Heritage, Princess Squid Productions, Theatre in the Park, Leawood Stage Co., The Barn Players, and others. Marisa holds a BFA in dance performance and a minor in theatre, along with the academic Golden Key award from The University of Missouri, Kansas-City. Marisa is a first year company member of the 940 Dance Company in Lawrence, Kansas. She has danced with Reach…a movement collective inc. for six years, choreographs for the company, and serves as Co-Artistic Director. Marisa's choreography has been performed at A Modern Night at The Folly (2007), the Choreographer's Showcase in Lawrence (2006 & 2007), Musical Theater Heritage, Kansas City's Dance in the Park, The Pitch Mastermind Parties for 3 years (was nominated for a "Performing Arts" award,) UMKC Conservatory shows (dance dept, opera dept), Reach's "Dancing With Scissors", "Pulse", "Confluences", and "No Shoes Required", Leawood Stage Co., Minds Eye Theatre, and Shawnee Mission North West High School. Marisa has danced for 23 years and has studied at Nallia's School of Dance, Kansas City Dance Theatre Company, Kansas City Ballet, Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, the Ailey School, and The Place (London, England) with Raymond Chai. Marisa also held a paid internship with the Theatre Arts Center in New York. In addition, she has performed with Kacico Dance, at Disney World, on The Big Red Boat and on The Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Marisa currently teaches dance, Pilates, and Yoga. Her film credits includes the lead in the independent film "Dead End", placing third in the KAN Film Festival in 2001; "The Water Nymph", a music video by The Popsicles, directed and produced by Clay Morgan; and "Suburban Bluff" directed and produced by Scott Smith. Marisa often works the local commercial circuit. She is an EMC candidate, and the producing artistic director and group choreographer of Burlesque Downtown Underground.

Maggie Osgood

Maggie Osgood is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City's BFA program in Dance, and also as a recipent of the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Honor Award. Originally from Minden, Nebraska, Maggie began studying dance at age 3. She started teaching dance in 1997 at Dance Minden, a studio she started with her sister, Claire. Maggie transferred to UMKC is 1997, after receiving the Chancellor's Non-Resident Scholarship for the dance department. Maggie is Co-Artistic Director and both a dancer and choreographer for Reach. This is her 2nd season with the company. She is also a member of Burlesque Downtown Underground. Maggie teaches at All About Dance by Katye, and is the Dance Coordinator at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. She was honored this year by an invitation to have her choreography performed at City in Motion's Modern Night at the Folly. Maggie would like to thank her family and friends for all their love and support. "...you are all the pretty music that I need..." -k.devine

Kat Kimmitz

Kat Kimmitz is a native of Virginia and holds a BFA in dance performance with an emphasis in Modern Dance from the University of Missouri, Kansas-City. Her training includes: M & S Entertainment Corporation in VA, Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, The Center Dance in Kansas City, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, and The Ailey School Summer Intensive in New York City. She has attended the American College Dance Festivals held in Texas, Utah, and Iowa where she performed in the World Dance Conference. Kat has been performing since the age of three and those performances include: Disney's Magic Kingdom, UMKC Dance Department concerts, The Ailey School, and The Barn Players. Reach performances as listed: A Modern Night at The Folly, Choreographer's Showcase in Lawrence, Dance in the Park, "Confluences", The Pitch Mastermind Awards Party "Creative Bliss", and "No Shoes Required". Her choreography debuted in 2006 at the UMKC Conservatory and followed in "Confluences", "Pulse", "Dancing With Scissors" and The Lawrence Choreographer's Showcase 2007. Kat is a company member of City in Motion Dance Theatre, Inc. and has been with Reach for four years. She is also a performer in Kansas City's professional burlesque company, Burlesque Downtown Underground. La Vie Boheme!

Bobbi Foudree

Bobbi Foudree of Independence, Missouri, started her dance training at the age of 16 under former Kansas City Ballet dancer Kim Shope. She received her B.F.A. in dance from Stephens College in Columbia, MO. Ms. Foudree has spent her summers studying at Nashville Ballet and School of Ballet Chicago where she has trained with such prestigious faculty as Sheila Rozann, Patricia Blair, and former New York City Ballet dancer Daniel Duell. Ms. Foudree spent two seasons dancing as a trainee with Northern Ballet Theatre in Nashua, New Hampshire. She has also danced as a company member with Jennie and Company, a modern company in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and spent two seasons with Kacico dance in Kansas City. She is currently a new company member of 940 Dance Company in Lawrence, KS and a third year dancer and choreographer for Reach. Ms. Foudree's choreography has been presented at The Folly Theater, City Stage Theatre at Union Station, the 2006 and 2007 Choreographer's Showcase in Lawrence, Kansas and in Reach's "Confluences", "Pulse", and "Dancing With Scissors" performances. She is also a performer in Kansas City's professional burlesque company, Burlesque Downtown Underground.

Gwen Yoshimura

Gwen Yoshimura started dancing when she was four years old and has been dancing ever since. After growing up studying ballet, Gwen is excited to be exploring the world of modern dance with Reach. A native of San Luis Obispo, CA, she grew up studying from Gilbert Reed and Sydna Flynn (dancing with the Gilbert Reed Ballet) through high school, then deviated into taiko (ensemble drumming incorporating rhythm and movement) in college. There, she took dance classes whenever possible. Gwen has continued taking ballet classes while also adding jazz and modern into the mix. Gwen works at the Environmental Protection Agency, holds a B.S. in Earth Systems, and is excited to be a member of Reach for her second season!

Past Dancers

Stephanie Whittler

Stephanie Whittler began her dance training in St. Louis, Missouri at the age of two. She has attended various schools where she studied the teachings of the Royal Academy of Dance, the American Academy of Ballet, Cecchetti, Horton, Ailey and Graham. She has worked with local choreographers Harlan Brownlee, Karah Abiog, and David Ollington. She has also performed with the Gateway Ballet of St. Louis , Kansas City Ballet, Minnesota Ballet, and Body Cartography Kansas City. In 1999, Stephanie received a scholarship to the Conservatory of Music at UMKC, where she studied extensively with Paula Weber, Mary Pat Henry, DeeAnna Hiett, and Katherine Plavcan to obtain her BFA with an emphasis in ballet performance. Her dance experience has helped her cross over occasionally to musical theatre in productions such as Gypsy, The King & I, Seven Brides for Seven Bothers, Little Shop of Horrors, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Over the last four years Stephanie has been a professional dancer with City in Motion Dance Theater, Inc. and has joined Reach…a movement collective, inc. again for her second season. In addition, she is a dance instructor at Penn Valley Community College, City in Motion, and is also on the City in Motion Board of Directors. Stephanie currently co-instructs a Canine Freestyle Dance class at The Dog's Spot in Gladstone, Missouri.

Geraldine Lert

Geraldine Lert is a native of Paradou, France. She has studied ballet and modern/jazz dance at the "Association de Dance de la Vallee des Baux" starting at the age of 5. Geraldine holds a Master of Business with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. She has been a Senior Accountant at State Street, Kansas City for two years. She currently takes ballet, jazz and modern dance classes at City in Motion. This is Geraldine's third year with Reach.

R. Vance Baldwin

R. Vance Baldwin started his dance training under Paul Chambers at Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, Missouri, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education with a vocal emphasis. He is continuing his dance study at the University of Missouri, Kansas-City's Conservatory of Music. Vance's musical theater credits include: Wickersham in Seussical: The Musical, Cable in South Pacific, Dr. Carrasco/Knight of Mirrors in Man of La Mancha, and dancer/chorus in Camelot, Mame, Dido and Aneas, Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens, Rocky Horror Show and They Came From Just Off Broadway. In 2004, Vance performed in a group piece titled "Grey", (choreographed by Winston Dynamite Brown,) which was selected for the Gala Concert for the Northwest Region: American College Dance Festival. The piece was also selected to perform in the Eleventh National American College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC. Vance has also appeared as a guest artist with the MWSU dance company. He has choreographed Seussical: The Musical, The Music Man, Rocky Horror Show, Grease, A My Name Is Alice, A New Brain, Songs for A New World, Missouri Western State University Dance Company, University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory Spring Extravaganza, Benton High, Central High and Lafayette High Show Choirs in St. Joseph, MO. A My Name Is Alice and A New Brain were both selected by KC Stage as the top 10 musicals of 2004. Recently, Vance ended a professional job in Branson, Missouri, dancing with the renowned fiddle player, Shoji Tabuchi. He is currently choreographing for Robidoux Resident Theater's and Missouri Western State University's production of Disney's Beauty & the Beast. This is Vance's second season with Reach.

Katrina Carey

Katrina Carey is enjoying her first year on the stage with Reach. She began her stage career at 6 months old, and began dancing at the age of three. As a teen, Katrina studied dance under Kari Kohls-Bruch, and performed nationally with the Starfire Dance Company and Uncontrollable Energy. After high school, she went on to obtain her B.G.S. in Theatre at the University of Kansas, while studying dance at the Lawrence Arts Center. She has led theatre and movement based workshops in Rennes, France, and through the state of Kansas.

Maria Tate

Maria Tate recently returned to the Midwest after studying and performing in Dublin, Ireland. While there she performed with the Rob Dias Hip Hop Troupe at the NBA in Dublin, as well as showcasing her modern dance solo for a Fusion Arts Evening at Radio City, Dublin. Maria received her BFA Magna Cum Laude in Dance Performance and Choreography from Wichita State University in December 2007. While at WSU Maria's choreography was chosen for the informal showing at the American College Dance Festival Association. She performed with the student company, Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre, and choreographed and performed for WSU theatre and musical theatre productions. She was a member of the professional Alithea Mime Theatre, including a performance tour to the United Nations in NY, NY. She has studied at the School for Mime Theatre in Gambier, Ohio and with Janice Garrett and Dancers in San Francisco, CA. Maria has performed Off Broadway in 21 Stories: A Broadway Tale. She has studied at Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her theatre credits include roles such as: Queenie in Honk!, Dream Laurie in Oklahoma, and a Boylan Sister in Annie. Maria has choreographed musical theatre for the Great Plains Theatre Festival, Horsefeathers and Applesauce Dinner Theatre, and Music Theatre for Young People (Wichita). Maria has recently been in Kansas City performing with Kacico Dance, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Starlight Theatre. This is Maria's first year with Reach, and she's excited to doing what she loves.

Guest Artists

Summer Beasley has a B.F.A. in Dance and an M.F.A. in Theater. She was recently a company member and choreographer for Antonini Dance Theater in Washington, D.C. Summer was a senior company member, choreographer and production manager for the Mid America Dance Company. She danced as a pick-up dancer for IntenselyFun Dance Theater in Seattle, WA. Summer was a Guest Choreographer/Performer at the University of Illinois at Edwardsville. Her work has also been seen in the ChoreoFest in Seattle, WA. As a teacher, Summer has been an instructor for several St. Louis area studios as well as a counselor in the theater and dance program of ArtWorks for “at risk” teenagers. She was also an adjunct faculty member at Lindenwood University. Summer's work has been described as "contentious and athletic." With a background in dance and theater, it is important for Summer to merge the two performing arts. Ms. Beasley works with trained as well as untrained performers. In 2004 She began her partnership with Reach...a movement collective inc. in the Disembodied Spirit performance at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in 2004.