Jhon Richard Stronks
625 E. 18th Street
Houston, TX 77008
404.668.9317
Training and Education
TTI Certificate, Teacher Training Institute, Atlanta GA 2004
California State University Long Beach, Ca 1995 - 1998
California State University Fresno, Ca 1992- 1995
The Dance Studio of Fresno 1990- 1995
Modern
Winifred R. Harris - African/Horton/ Dunham, Michele Simmons - Ailey Horton/Graham,
Susan Mclain - Graham. Ruth Griffith – Hawkins/BMC, Lane Sayles - Humphrey/Limon,
Keith Johnson - Release, Silver Wilson - African, Della Davidson - Release, Sue Schroeder - Bill
Evans, Dieter Bauman - Release, Saroya Corbett – Dunham Technique
Jazz
Sue Sampson-Dalena, Michele Simmons, Bernard Johnson, Wayne M. Smith, Victor Robles,
Winifred R. Harris
Ballet
Kathey Mulligan - Atlanta Ballet, Alaine Haubert – ABT, Victoria Koenig - Inland Pacific Ballet,
Sophie Monat - New Jersey Ballet, Stefan Wenta - The Dancers Studio, Shirley Winters - Paris
Opera Ballet, Fred Bologna - Fresno Ballet, Margaret Hoard - Severance School of Ballet/Fresno
Ballet
Choreographic and Directing Experience
“there… in the sunlight”
Contemporary Dance
John R. Stronks, Artistic Director
1997- present
Long Beach, California, 1997-2000
Atlanta, Georgia, 2001- 2006
Houston, Texas, 2006 - present
Formed in 1997 to present a full evening repertory concert co-produced by the dance
department at California State University, Long Beach moved to Atlanta Georgia in 2001,
and to Houston Texas in 2006.”there… in the sunlight.” exists as an expression of growth,
not for better or more but for itself, a reflection of what it choose to look at.
Choreographic Works created
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Purple Rain, originally created in 1994 re staged in 1997
Spirit… Flesh… Desire, 1997
Proud Mary, 1997
Rain, 1998
Guard(i)en Vigil, 1998
Super Fierce, 1998
Masquerade, 1998
And here we are …again, 1998
Ruin, 1998
Another cry in the night, 2001
a life lived in pieces, 2002
3 of an imperfect pair, 2003
What does your soul look like?, 2003
o Presented in the 2003 Modern Atlanta Dance Festival
Soul searched, 2003
Mixed messages, 2003
Soaring Toward Sunrise, 2003
o First evening length work
UNLEASHED, multi media, 2003
o Site specific multi media performance presented by Critical Focus
“there…in the sunlight,” 2003
o The second in the series of site specific multi media works presented
Critical Focus
In the shadows of Secrets and Tales Told out loud, 2003/2007/2008
o Collaboration with Wayne M. Smith presented as part of the Atlanta
Alternative Arts Festival, 2003
o Excerpted version presented as part of “freaknikin’ beatnecks”, 2007
o Fringe Festival Houston produced by freneticore, summer 2008
RED…The Vehemence of love and other passions, 2004
Found and Freed, 2004
And with the time… , 2004
Presented in the Decatur Arts Festival performance “Breaking New
Ground”
A Stirring in My Soul, 2004
o Second evening length work
A View Form The Edge, 2005
o Presented in the 2005 Modern Atlanta Dance Festival, Atlanta, GA
o Presented in the 2007 Big Range Dance festival, Houston TX
o Presented in the 2007 MixMatch Festival, Los Angeles, CA
Red. White.Blue, 2005
Wanna get outa here?, 2005
Do you know what you’re up against?, 2005
Sweet Plantation Lullabies... and the morning after, 2005
Catch and Release Chapter I ADW, 2006
I go, 2006
Mystic Jazz Duet #1, 2007
Catch and Release Chapter II Ra(i)ZE.UP 2007
o Commissioned by the Houston Metropolitan dance Company Spring 2007
Freaknikin Beatnecks, art happening spring 2007
Crossing along the Dark Side Of Night… Kicking without Screaming, 2007
When angels speak of Love, 2008
Golden Room, 2008
O.k. I’m here… now what?, 2008
o Presented in the 2008 Big Range Dance Festival Program A
Save as draft, 2008
o Presented by The Houston Metropolitan Dance Company Summer
Concert
Venturing Out… Informal dance happening/ showing, Spring 2008 to present
Catch and Release Chapter III, 2008
o Presented in the 2008 Houston Black Dance Festival
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Houston Metropolitan Dance Center
Houston, Texas
Director Houston Met TOO Pre Professional Company
Choreography and Instruction
Fall 2006 to Present
Michelle Smith Executive Director
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Modern and Jazz dance Technique Instructor 2005 to present
Worked as Guest choreographer for MET Too from 2005 until 2006 under the
direction of Annette Karim
Created Aguas Azules, spring 2005
Created He shall Purify, Fall 2005
Created And the Glory, Fall 2005
Created Lift up your heads, Fall 2005
Created Halleluiah, Fall 2005
Created Souljourner’s Overture, Fall 2005
Recreated Catch and Release, Spring 2006
Artistic Director for “A Soulful Celebration” Fall 2006
Artistic Director for “dancin’ dancin’ dancin’” Spring 2007
Created “a long way gone”, Spring 2007
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Created “NO ONE” Spring 2007
Created “when we listen” Spring 2007
Created “I am” Spring 2007
Artistic Director for “ Fall Flowing” Fall 2007
Created “ A Million Times” Fall 2007
Created “Duet” Fall 2007
Created “Keep Off the Grass” Spring 2008
Artistic Director for “Once” Spring 2008
Houston Metropolitan Dance Company
Houston, Texas
Choreography and Instruction
Fall 2006 to Present
Marlana Walsh, Company Manager
Michelle Smith, Executive Director
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Modern dance technique instructor
Created “R(A)ZE. UP’”, spring 2007
The Nerve Series, New Modern Dance
Atlanta, Georgia
Collaborator/Technical Director
2002 to 2007
The nerve series is a collaboratively produced Modern dance series expressly for the
development of new choreography among the collaborators.
Current collaborators, Blake Beckham, Saskia Benjamin, Camille Dieterle, Elizabeth
Dishman, Martha Donovan, Wayne M. Smith and Jhon R. Stronks.
Lighting plot and design
Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia
Resident Guest Artist
Spring 2001 to 2006
Vita Gohler, Theater Arts/Dance Department Chair
Wayne M. Smith director, Spelman Dance Theater
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Instructor for Modern and Jazz classes
Created what does your soul look like?, fall 2001
Du(it), spring 2002
Created Somethin’s got a hold on me, fall 2002
Created found and Freed, spring 2004
Created Do you know what you’re up against?, spring 2005
Created Sweet Plantation Lullabies… and the morning after, Fall 2005
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Created Catch and Release, spring 2006
University North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Alexandra J. Houston, MFA Candidate
Spring 2006
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Crated forty minutes of choreography and video projection based on “do you
know what you’re up against?”, in collaboration with Alexandra J. Houston for her
thesis concert Soul Stories
Episcopal High School
Houston, Texas
Guest Choreographer
Fall 2006
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Created “Keep off the grass” Fall 2006
Neighborhood Music Schools of Georgia State
Atlanta, Georgia
Administrator/ Instructor
2003 – 2005
Anne Richardson, Director
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Program Coordinator for the Met Life Music and Movement Program housed at
Warren Holyfield Boys and Girls Club in East Atlanta.
Movement teacher for Music and Movement program housed at the Warren/
Holyfield Boys and Girls Club in East Atlanta
Artistic director for the collaboration between Neighborhood Music Schools of
Georgia State and Moving In The Spirit 2003 to 2005
Moving in the Spirit
Atlanta, Georgia
Instructor/ Project Artistic Director
2001- 2004
Dana Phelps- Marschalk, Executive Director
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Technique/ Ballet instructor for the Apprentice Corporation and Junior
Companies Fall 2002- 2004
Co- Artistic Director and Co-Production Coordinator for Under the Sun Presented
by the National Black Arts Festival summer 2002.
Instructor for Moving in the Spirit Performance Company class spring 2002 –
present
Finale coordinator and choreographer for From Africa to the A-Train,
Artistic director for the collaboration between Neighborhood Music Schools of
Georgia State and Moving In The Spirit 2002 to 2004
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A live music and dance collaboration with the neighborhood Music schools of
Georgia State, The Finale combined all three Moving in the spirit performance
companies with the Faculty and student Jazz Orchestra from NMS.
Created Another Cry in the Night and Under the sun for the Moving in the Spirit
Performance Company. Performed at the 2002 National Black arts Festival.
Created And So followed the rest of the world for the apprentice Corporation.
Performed on their 2002 summer Tour
Professional Performance Experience
Travesty Dance Group
Houston, Texas
Dancer
February 2007
Karen Stokes, Co- Artistic Director
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Performed BAD Q!
Sandra Organ Dance Company
Houston, Texas
Dancer
December 2006 – December 2007
Sandra Organ, Artistic Director
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Performed Malchior in “Amal and the Night Visitors” Choreography By James
Sewell
Performed in the “Seed Series” Choreography by Sandra Organ
Blood Moon Dances
Houston, Texas
Dancer
October 2006
Leslie Scates, Artistic Director
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An evening of improvisational dances directed by Leslie Scates
Pink Aware
Houston, Texas
Dancer
Fall 2006 to present
Jane Weiner, Artistic Director
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Pink Aware is a touring company that performs in conjunction with the pink
Ribbons project under the direction of Susan Rafte. Promoting Breast Cancer
Awareness.
Core Performance Company
Atlanta, Georgia/ Houston, Texas
Company member
Summer 2001 to 2006
Sue Schroeder, Artistic Director
Dance worked performed
 Aria for an Endangered Species, choreographer Ellen Bromberg
 Messiah Project, choreographer Sue Schroeder
 Facing Survival, collaboration between Company Members and Aids Survival
project Atlanta
 Williams Lost Night, Choreographer Jacklyn Carley
 A New Clear Morning, Choreographer Bill Young
 Idle, Choreographer Bill Young
 Links Choreography, Tanzcompanie Rubato, Berlin Germany
 Call, Choreography Sue Schroeder
 America! Question, Tanzcompanie Rubato, Berlin Germany
 Open Heart… Simple Cloth, Sue Schroeder and Susan Prinse
 Absence/presence, collaboration between Company Members
Teresa Chapman and Dancers
Houston, Texas
Dancer /Performer
May 2006 to Present
Teresa Chapman, Artistic Director
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Lost and Found choreographed by Teresa Chapman and performed at the
Barnevelder movement/Arts Complex in Houston Texas
Pedestal Choreographed by Teresa Chapman and performed at the
Cunningham studios in NY, NY
Off the Pedestal Choreographed by Teresa Chapman and presented in the Big
Range Dance Festival 2008 Program B
Coriolis Dance Project
Atlanta, Georgia
Elizabeth Dishman, Artistic Director
Dance works performed
 Trinity
 Pulse
Duende Dance Theater
Atlanta, Georgia
Amanda Exley Lower, Artistic Director
Dance works performed
 Making light out of darkness
 Hunger
Triptych for V
Atlanta, Georgia
Anna Leo, Choreographer
Professor Emory University Dance Department
Dance work performed
 Good Graces
Rendezvous Dance Works
Atlanta, Georgia
Nicole Wesley, Artistic Director
Dance work performed
 We
Winifred R. Harris’ Between Lines
Los Angeles, California
Company Member
1998-1999
Winifred R. Harris, Artistic Director
Works performed
 When Wet Came to Paper, Choreographer Winifred R. Harris
 A Water Ballet, Choreographer Winifred R. Harris
 Dawn, Choreographer Winifred R. Harris
 Bitter Suites, Choreographer Winifred R. Harris
 The Twelve Days of Christmas, Choreographer Winifred R. Harris
 The Force within, Choreographer Hae Kung Lee
Keith Johnson and Dancers
Long Beach, California
Company Member
September 1998
Keith Johnson, Artistic Director
Work performed
 Drowned, Choreographer Keith Johnson
Additional Teaching Experience and Faculty Appointments
Houston Metropolitan Dance Center
Houston, Texas
Director Houston Met TOO Pre Professional Company
Choreography and Instruction
Fall 2006 to Present
Michelle Smith Executive Director
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Modern and Jazz Faculty
University Of Houston
School of Theatre & Dance
Adjunct Faculty
Spring 2008 to Present
Karen Stokes, Dance Program Coordinator
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Modern and Jazz Faculty
Hope Stone
Houston, Texas
Guest Instructor Modern Dance
Summer 2006
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Taught both Beginning and Advanced Modern technique
Ballethnic Academy of Dance Atlanta, Georgia
Instructor
Summer 2005 to present
Nina Gilreath Co – Artistic Director/ Academy Director
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Academy Modern Dance Instructor
In Motion School of Dance
Bermuda
Liz Pimentel, Director
June/ July 2004 and 2007
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Member of the Modern and Jazz faculty for the 2004 summer intensive, in
Bermuda
Zoetic Dance Ensemble
Atlanta, GA
Master Class Instructor
September 2004
Melanie Lynch- Blanchard and Candess Giyan, Artistic directors
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Taught a three day master class series as part of “three for three” a three month
long master class series with three separate choreographers/ instructors
The Dance Studio of Fresno
Fresno, California
2000 - 2001
Sue Sampson-Dalena, Executive and Artistic Director
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On faculty 2000 – 2001 teaching Jazz, Ballet, and modern
Choreography for Senior Elite competition Team
California State University, Fresno
Fresno, Ca
Guest Artist
2000-2001
Ruth Griffith, Dance Department Coordinator
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Master class instructor, Modern
Performed and choreographed for Portable Dance Troupe
Created, The Bridge and the broken Dream, performed by Portable Dance
troupe
Performed, The Wound, Choreographer Ruth Griffith.
Performed, The Waiting Line, Choreographer Wade Madsen
California State University, Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
1998
Dori Levy
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Taught in studio master classes in jazz to non-dance majors, enrolled in viewing
dance classes.
Orange County High School for the Arts
Santa Ana, California 90611
Sophie Monat: Director
Classical Contemporary Dance Department
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In studio master class instructor in jazz 96-99
The Dance Factory
Los Angeles, CA
Roni Black: Owner/ Director
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Faculty 2000 teaching Ballet, Leaps and Turns
Santa Fe Springs Center for the Performing Arts
Santa Fe Springs, Ca. 90670
Lisa and Jason Weiss Owners/ Directors
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In studio master class instructor in jazz
Summer 1999 convention in Palm Springs