Travesty Dance Group Houston is currently comprised of eight performers and one apprentice.  

The Company 2010

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Kara in RC video Kara in RC video

Kara Ary enjoys dancing and choreographing.  Kara has enjoyed the opportunity of dancing with wonderful dancers and working with different choreographers, including Rebecca Valls in Houston.  She was the recipient of the 2006 Outstanding Dancer Award in the School of Theatre & Dance before graduating.  She loves open country space, like her mom's home in Hempstead.  She recently discovered Bikram Yoga.  Kara loves gatherings with her family and friends.  She loves to cook and bake.  Kara is a staff accountant at FKP Architects, Inc, a dancer, a choreogapher, a daughter, a girlfriend, a best friend, & a pet lover.  She has a cat name George, AKA Curious George.

 

 

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Teresa Chapman . . .  what a wild ride it has been!  In my lifetime, I’ve been a CAT, a showgirl, and even an alien.  I’ve descended upon a stage of opera singers in Los Angeles, sprained my ankle on the cobblestone streets of Hamburg Germany, braved the cattle calls of New York City, danced with Liz Lerman's Dance Exchange, and stood on the podium of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, baton in hand.  All roads have led me to Houston.  I am proud to say that I am currently a performer with Travesty Dance Group, an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston, and a dance maker.  

 

 

 

Marlow Fleming  is a native of St. Petersburg Florida.  Fleming trained at various schools including Pinellas County Center for the Arts, Joffrey Ballet School, Pittsburg Ballet Theater School, and the Joel Hall Dance Center in Chicago.  He was awarded an apprenticeship before joing the Joel Hall Jazz Dancers.  Performing with Ballet West in Central Florida, Marlow performed Swan Lake, Nutcracker, and Don Q under the direction of Mervet Elnabarawi and  Wagih Aboella.  Mr. Fleming has had works set on him by both modern and jazz dance artists such as Paul Sanasardo, Lisa Johnson Willingham, Kirby Reed, Tommy Cousins, Duwane Pendarvis.  Since coming to Houston he has performed in choreography by Rebecca Valls and Teresa Chapman, as well as joining Travesty Dance Group/Houston.

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Mechelle Flemming enjoys dancing in the air and on the ground.  This potato lover from London began dancing at the University of Houston where she also discovered a love for choreography.  In her free time, Mechelle loves to run, read, eat, get buff, go to the movies, watch too much TV, and smile big.  Thankful of the support of her loved ones, Mechelle is on a mission to reach heights she never thought imaginable in life, love, and art!  In addition to being a member of Travesty Dance Group/Houston, she works with Amy Ell in her aerial dance company.  Mechelle recently moved to Arizona, but remains active on our TDG guest roster.

 

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Erica Lewis Okoronkwo is an oldey but goody; this is her 6th season with TDG. She has danced with Sandra Organ Dance Company, Chrysalis Dance Company, Dancepath, and numerous independent choreographers in Houston.  Erica's passion for dance has grown immensely with TDG under the direction of Karen Stokes.  Erica is an only child, has a memory like an elephant, is a dog lover and became a married woman last November.

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Catalina Molnari came from the real south: Bogotá Colombia. Her first stop was in Cuba to get a taste of what it takes to become a professional dancer.  A year later, she ended up in Houston taking an english placement exam. Nine years later she still eats burnt eggs and dislikes beets, but she has managed to put a dance degree in her pocket, find strong friendships, create dances, dance dances, work for dance, find my perfect man, and own three cats, one dog, and a turtle. Cata, Cat, Catush likes to do the bonus dance, the wobble dance, and the happy dance.

 

 

Karen in RC video Karen in RC video

Karen Stokes revels in dance making and in the community formed in rehearsals.  She has choreographed over 45 contemporary works, which have been performed nationally in such cities as Philadelphia, New York, Cleveland, Toronto, Dallas, & Seattle.  She has premiered five evening length projects in Houston, and multiple repertory works that have performed in such venues as Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Wortham Center downtown, Barnevelder Theater, Discovery Green,the Kaplan Theater at the JCC, Miller Theater, and the University of Houston. She is a seven time recipient of Houston Arts Alliance grants and was a co-recipient for the 2008 Buffy Award in Best Evening Length work category (Hometown) from 2003-2008.  Karen has been awarded grants from the Houston Endowment, the Anchorage Foundation, the Clayton Fund, various corporate matching grants, and numerous individual donations.  Stokes has also won the Distance Education Teaching Award at University of Houston, the ACHE Teaching Award, and the Ross M. Lence Teaching Award.

 

Karen thinks that Houston is a great city for the arts and being enterprising, and appreciates her fellow dance makers, dance performers, dance writers, dance administrators, and dance teachers. She loves humidity, but dislikes mosquitoes.  Karen also loves hiking in the Colorado mountains and dipping her toes into icy cold mountain streams.  She loves Normandy too (and a man who grew up there).  Karen is a cat lover and has two.

 

Toni Leago Valle received a B.A. in Theatre, specializing in dance, from University of Houston in 2000.  Toni has received two Individual Arts Grants from Houston Arts Alliance to produce "It's All Relative" in 2002 and again in 200o7 for her third evening length concert "Tetris," that premiered in January 2009.  Ms Valle presented Interview for a Date/I Take off My Clothes Off at Big Range Dance Festival 2006 as the preview to "Cracked," her second evneing length concert (2006) as a recipient of the Diverse Works Artist Residency.  In addition to the above venues, her choreography has been seen at the JCC in Houston, University of Houston, San Jacinto College, HSPVA/Houston, Freneticore Theatre's Fringe Festival, and various art openings & outdoor events.  She has performed with Suchu Dance, Becky Valls & Dance, Psophonia Dance Company, and Dancepaththeatre.  Ms Valle has been a featured performer in numerous concerts, including Texas Contemporary Dance and Marta Lichlyter's duet, "A Thin Line" as part of the University of Houston Choreography in Action series by Karen Stokes which originally premiered on PBS.  Toni is rejoining Travesty Dance Group as a performer after 3 years working on her own choreography.   www.tonileagovalle.com

Yahudi Castaneda (apprentice) started his dance training when he was 18. He was a member of the UH Dance Ensemble, and participated in American College Dance Festival at Stephen F. Austin College and at Texas A&M.  As an Ensemble member, he worked with choreographers Karen Stokes, Teresa Chapman, Jackie Nalett, Toni Valle, john r stronks, & Lori Amare. His most memorable performance to date was with Leslie Scates at Miller Theater in summer 2008.  He was also part of the Young Audience company under the direction of Becky Valls. Other than dance, music is Yahudi's passion. He has played the trumpet for over 10 years.  Yahudi is thrilled to be a part of Travesty Dance Group, and hopes to have many exciting seasons with the company after graduation from the University of Houston.Yahudi Castaneda (apprentice) started his dance training when he was 18. He was a member of the UH Dance Ensemble, and participated in American College Dance Festival at Stephen F. Austin College and at Texas A&M. As an Ensemble member, he worked with choreographers Karen Stokes, Teresa Chapman, Jackie Nalett, Toni Valle, john r stronks, & Lori Amare. His most memorable performance to date was with Leslie Scates at Miller Theater in summer 2008. He was also part of the Young Audience company under the direction of Becky Valls. Other than dance, music is Yahudi's passion. He has played the trumpet for over 10 years. Yahudi is thrilled to be a part of Travesty Dance Group, and hopes to have many exciting seasons with the company after graduation from the University of Houston.