Dance Theatre Company News

Dance Theatre Company Auditions!

Fall semester is about to start! That means Dance Theatre Company Auditions are coming up fast! Though a requirement for Dance majors, all RWU dancers are welcome! Dance in works by internationally renowned guest artists, faculty, and student choreographers – all while getting credit for your passion and training with your dance family!

Performing Arts Center’s Dance Studio – Sept. 6, 6-8PM.

Here is our amazing lineup of choreographers for the fall semester:

Guest artist CLAUDIA-LYNN RIGHTMIRE of c/s movement projects spends her days writing stories, drawing faces, and creating dances. Claudia-Lynn holds an Honors summa cum laude BA from Roger Williams University and is a certified health coach. She has taught, created, and collaborated in Florida, Australia, and NYC. Claudia-Lynn moves with David Dorfman Dance Company, INSPIRIT Dance Company, Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre, and Cortney Andrews. She has worked with New York City Children’s Theater, Third Rail Projects, Kinesis Project Dance, Moving Ethos Dance, Sarasota Contemporary Dance, and others. In 2021, she formed c/s movement projects alongside her partner, Simon Thomas-Train. She is driven by storytelling, voice, and shadow. 

Guest artist COLIN STILWELL of colinmoves.com was a company member with Doug Varone and Dancers and continues his relationship with the company, teaching and setting repertory on their behalf. Mr. Stilwell has worked with multiple esteemed companies and artists in New York City (NYC), including Dance by Neil Greenberg, RoseAnne Spradliin, Netta Yerushalmy, Bill Young/Colleen Thomas Co., Jon Kinzel, robbinschilds, Curt Hayworth, Daniel Charon, and Sarha White-Ayon: iLAb. He was honored to work with Trisha Brown in developing dance material for the Opera Da Gelo a Gelo, collaborate with German performance artist John Bock in Lecker Puste and Lecture, work with playwright, director, and multi-media artist John Jesurun in Shadowland, and dance in the Metropolitan Opera's Les Troyens, Le Sacre du Primtemps, and the Minnesota Opera's Faust. His choreography and dance films have been presented at Aunts, Dixon Place, Hofstra University, Hunter College, and other performance venues in NYC. As an adjunct professor at Hofstra University and Hunter College, he guest taught at numerous colleges and universities in the U.S., including Roger Williams University, Purchase College, Barnard College, Marymount University, and Princeton University. In 2015, the New Museum in NYC selected him for their Research and Development Season in Dance, where he taught a workshop on awakening proprioception through modern/contemporary dance technique. In the '23-'24 season, he will be a faculty member at the Newport Ballet School and a guest artist/teacher at Providence College. Mr. Stilwell has an MFA in Dance from Hunter College, a BFA in Dance from Purchase College, and is a certified massage/bodywork therapist. As a dance artist, choreographer, teacher, and bodyworker, Mr. Stilwell's passion is to offer audiences, students, and clients the space and time to see, discover, and feel their body's vast movement potential, dynamic energy, and emotions. 

ANTHONY TORRES of Grooves on West started his dance journey as a self-taught Freestyler in Hip Hop & Street Styles. At age 20, he began training in Hip Hop choreography and deepened his training by traveling around the United States to attend master classes and workshops focused heavily on Hip Hop fundamentals. He began competing in All Style Jams, and performing with professional teams at events like World of Dance. He began directing competitive Hip Hop crews by the age of 23, and is currently Co- Director of the studio, Grooves on West. In 2023, he is still committed to his work as a student, and attended the Professional Training Program at Bates Dance Festival to broaden his scope. Anthony’s credits include performing with Rhode Island Company Liv3lihood, and performing in a dance installment at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. He currently dances for Boston Company, N/A.

Guest artist SIMON THOMAS-TRAIN of c/s movement projects began dancing at Middlebury College, transitioning from an extensive background in competitive cross-country skiing to graduate with a joint BA in Dance and Architectural Studies in 2009.  He has danced professionally in NYC and Europe for the past 12 years for companies including David Dorfman Dance, Rosie Herrera Dance Theater, Third Rail Projects, Palissimo and Vanessa Anspaugh. Simon holds an MBA in Sustainability Systems from Presidio Graduate School. He has created dances at numerous colleges and served as a guest choreographer, artist and/or teacher at a variety of institutions. Simon is the co-founder of c/s movement projects where he creates works of dance and performance in collaboration with his life partner, Claudia-Lynn Rightmire.

Faculty choreographer ASHLEY RICH of A. Rich Dance has been in the dance industry for fifteen years – much of it teaching and choreographing nationally. Her professional training includes Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Horton, and Hip-Hop. Some of Ashley’s achievements include being a finalist on the 8th Season of So You Think You Can Dance and attending the prestigious Ailey School, home of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (NYC). Highlights of her teaching, adjudicating, and touring include: Ingredients Dance Training Program and Company (Dallas), Dance Revolution Conventions (USA Nationals), Turn It Up Dance Challenge, and Earthshakers National Dance Competition. She also helped develop the Contemporary program at Downtown Dance Factory (NYC), while serving as the program’s leading coordinator. Ashley also served as Director of Dance at the School of Creative and Performing Arts (Los Angeles) for 6 years – this international Contemporary-Jazz dance intensive for teens is the foundation to which Ashley attributes much of her own growth. Since 2014, Ashley has developed programs and dance companies focused on helping dancers find their Purpose in Dance. Rich Dance Project (Ashley’s NYC-based dance company) performed extensively with the New York Jazz Choreography Project, Brooklyn Dance Festival Youth Ensemble, Brooklyn Summer Stage, Tracie Stanfield’s Synthesis Too Apprentice Show, and Brooklyn Museum’s Target 1 st Saturday’s Series, among others. RDP’s successes catalyzed a professional branch, Rich Dance Company. RDC consists of a group of multi-cultural professional dancers who use their dancing to bring impactful change to communities. In 2020, Ashley launched A. Rich Dance – now the organizational umbrella for her many programs, classes, and companies. Ashley recently added choreography and teaching at universities to her list of achievements – including Roger Williams, Salve Regina, and Sacred Heart. These experiences have ignited excitement, as Ashley continues to launch programs that serve the next generation of dancers. Ashley’s goals are to help the dance community develop authentic artistry, thrive in technical excellence, and provide a dance community where ALL dancers are welcomed. Focused on these goals, Ashley dedicates herself to creating programs and opportunities for dancers to grow and find their purpose in dance!

Each of these incredible artists will be creating an original work for Dance Theatre Company, while offering trade advice and networking to our students in the process!

If you have any questions about the Dance and Performance Studies Program’s Dance Theatre Company – or the audition itself – please contact Professor Cathy Nicoli at cnicoli@rwu.edu.