Keith A. Thompson, Artistic Director

Keith A. Thompson completed his MFA Research Fellowship in Dance from Bennington College in 2003.  He performed with Trisha Brown Dance Company for ten years, the last three of which he also served as rehearsal director.  Keith continues to represent TBDC in the sharing of Technique and Repertory both at the Trisha Brown Studio in New York City as well as festivals, schools, and workshops around the world.  He recently danced for Bessie Award Winning Choreographer Bebe Miller, and currently with the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange.

As a Choreographer and Teacher, Keith has been on the faculty of American Dance Festival since 2005.  He has also served on faculty of Shenandoah University, George Mason University, Temple University, and Long Island University.  As a university faculty member Keith’s choreography has consistently been selected for Gala Concerts at the American College Dance Festival.

Keith continues to immerse himself in his choreographic work with his company danceTactics performance group, which was formed in 2005.  He made his New York choreographic debut at Dance Theater Workshop in the summer of 2006.  His collaborative work with choreographer Didier Theron of Montpelier, France was produced as a part of Draft Works Series at DanSpace Project at St Mark’s Church in NYC.  This work, “Democratic Combine,” was created in part by support from Centre Choreographique National De Montpelier and will be presented in the 2009 Montpelier International Dance Festival.  Keith has been commissioned to create works at Muhlenberg College, Barnard College, James Madison University, Duke University, Denison University and Ursinus College to name a few.  Keith’s work, “Silent Echo,” was made possible by a generous grant from Duke University and the North Carolina Council for the Arts.  His work has also been featured at the Harkness Center for Dance at the 92nd St YMCA in NYC, and in the DanceBOOM Festival in Philadelphia, PA in spring 2007, In the Company of Men series at Dance New Amsterdam 2008, Judson Church and DUMBO Dance Festival in NYC.  Keith has received space grants from the Harkness Center for Dance at the 92nd St YMCA and The Field to support the continuation of his choreographic work in NYC. Keith continues new research for a new work that has received some support from the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation and the Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation Inc. The company is currently on the boutique roster of Jodi Kaplan and Associates.

Jennifer Morley, dancer, Executive Director

Jennifer Morley (Executive Director) has been a member of danceTactics since 2006. She has been proud to present master classes and community outreach for Tactics in both Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Raleigh, North Carolina. Jennifer earned her MFA in dance from Temple University in 2008. Her culminating choreographic work, Literal Translation earned her the Rose Vernick award for choreography. She has presented work in New York at the Brooklyn Lyceum, the Evolving Arts Theatre, St. Mark’s Church, and Peridance Center, and in Philadelphia at the Adrienne Theatre, the Community Education Center, the Chi Movement Arts Center, and the Conwell Dance Theatre. In 2007 she co-directed The Sustainability Project for the Philadelphia Fringe. Her work has been commissioned for the Community Dance Project in Lansing, Michigan. In addition to her work with Keith, Jennifer has performed with KC Chun, Robin Becker, Deborah Goffe, Olive Prince, David Parker, Phil Grosser, Willie Dorner, and Tanya Calamoneri. Jennifer is Temple University’s Conditioning Coordinator and the Director of the Figments Dance Ensemble.

Daniel Puneky, dancer, Company Manager, Web Design

Daniel Puneky, born in New Orleans and raised in Virginia, is a BFA graduate of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He is also an alumnus of the Virginia School of the Arts. While at George Mason, Daniel performed the works of Doug Varone, Lar Lubovitch, Mark Morris, Susan Marshall, Lara Dean, David Parsons, and Danny Ezhralow. He also performed the works of Susan Shields at both the National College Dance Festival and the 2004 Beijing International Cultural Tourism Festival. In addition to working with danceTactics, Daniel works with Wallie Wolfgruber and has participated in the creation of two new works for the company cornfield dance in New York City. He performed with Dance Theater X in the 2008 benefit for Broadway South Africa. He currently resides in Harlem.

Sara Roer, dancer, Rehearsal Director

Sara Roer, a native of Wilmington, North Carolina, is a BFA graduate of George Mason University. She has recently been working and performing with Emily Berry, Michele Dunleavy, Shelley Poovey/bigGRITs, and of course danceTactics by Keith Thompson. She would like to sincerely thank her family for their ongoing love and support.

Matthew Baker, dancer

Matthew Baker originates from Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he began his movement exploration as a gymnast. Prior to relocating to New York City, Matthew received his BFA Degree in Dance from Western Michigan University in April 2008. While attending WMU he was privileged to perform works by such choreographers as George Faison, Antony Tudor, George Balanchine, Lou Conte, and Doug Varone. In addition to his work with danceTactics in NYC Matthew has performed with Mark Dendy, and Leslie Scott’s Bodyart. Most recently he has been a guest artist with Keigwin + Company. He would like to thank his family and friends for their love and support.

Hallie Dalsimer, dancer

Hallie Dalsimer grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she developed a lasting love affair with open skies, mountains, and green chile. After receiving her BA in Government from Wesleyan University in 2005, she spent one year with Moving People Dance Santa Fe, with whom she had the pleasure of performing at the Santa Fe Opera. Since moving to New York in the fall of 2006, Hallie has had the privilege to dance for Elizabeth Dishman, VIA Dance Collaborative, Michel Kouakou, Nicole Wolcott, and as a guest with Keigwin +Co and David Dorfman Dance. She was also a company member for the 2008 Bessie Schönberg Residency at The Yard. Hallie happily joined danceTactics in the spring of 2008.

Matthew Reeves, dancer

Matthew Reeves is a recent BFA graduate of the University of Florida. Matt has performed with the Florida MOD Project, The People?s Touring Project, Shadow Dance Theatre, and Diavolo. His choreographic work has been seen and produced at the American College Dance Festival Gala and at New Grounds Dance Festival in Tampa. Matt would like to thank God, his family and Colette for all their love and support.

Jen Rose, dancer

Bio Coming Soon

Dan Walczak, dancer

Dan Walczak, from Buffalo, New York, completed his BFA in dance at the State University of New York College at Brockport in May of 2007. Throughout his four years at Brockport he studied with and performed the works of Bill Evans, Mariah Maloney, Melanie Aceto, James Hansen, Anne Burnidge and Wallie Wolfgruber. Upon graduation, Dan relocated to New York City and began performing with Coriolis Dance Inc. as well as danceTactics. Currently living in Brooklyn, Dan is constantly developing and investigating his artistic point of view while keeping up with the inspiring energy of the city.

Emily Upson, Production Manager

Emily is originally from Michigan where she started working as a Stage Manager and Lighting designer at Lansing Community College and was a production consultant for the Happendance professional company where she also co-created the Young Choreographers Showcase.  She has since moved to Philadelphia and has worked as Stage Manager and Lighting Designer for Waheed-Works directed by Tommie Waheed Evans of PHILADANCO and as Stage Manager for Philip Grosser.  For two summers she has worked production at the American Dance Festival where she has had the privilege of working with such companies as Paul Taylor, Pilobolus, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Shen Wei, and other international companies.  ADF also gave her the opportunity to work with Jennifer Tipton and to Stage Manage for Tatiana Boganova of Russia.  She also works throughout the year with the ADF/Hollins University MFA program.

Rebecca Chaleff, apprentice

A native of New Jersey, Rebecca started her early dance training at the Princeton Ballet School. In May 2008, she will receive her BA in Dance and English from Barnard College, where she has had the opportunity to perform repertory from Merce Cunningham and Bill T. Jones, and work with choreographers including Keeley Garfield, Reggie Wilson, David Neumann, Ivy Baldwin, David Gwirtzman, Gerald Casel, and Keith Thompson. Rebecca is studying on scholarship at the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio. She also serves of dance/NYC's Youth Advisory Committee and interns in the Dance Program at the New York State Council for the Arts.