Founders

, a native of Toronto with honors degrees (BA and MA) in English Literature and Drama from the University of Toronto, has studied and performed as both an actor and dancer. He studied acting, voice (under Iris Warren), dance an directing at the London Academy of Dramatic Arts, as well as Yoga, Tai Chi and dance in New York. His choreography credits include, Twelfth Night and Don Giovanni at the Stratford (Ontario) Shakespeare Festival, Lorca’s Yerma for Canadian television, and over two dozen of his own works. He has created pieces for performance spaces ranging from proscenium theatres to swimming pools to the Mall in Washington DC to the steps of the US Treasury Building on Wall Street. Introducing elements of acting, singing and music, as well as dance, several of these pieces have been designed for performance by the Company with up to 150 volunteers, dancers and non-dancers alike. In 1980, Mr. Cunningham directed and choreographed the Opera St. Louis production of Brecht-Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, featuring his Company members.

He has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, The creative Artists Public Service Program, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the American Dance Festival. He has been a member of the faculty of the Pratt Institute for the past 19 years and is currently on the Faculty of the Professional Theatre Training Program of the University of Delaware where he teaches acting, directing, voice and movement to graduate and undergraduate theatre students. During the 1980’s he directed productions of As You Like It, Private Lives, The 3 Penny Opera and What the Butler Saw, as well as the North American preview of the award-winning English play The Harlot’s Curse.

Tina Croll was a part of the New York avant-garde in the 1960's and 70's and a founding member of Dance Theater Workshop. Her work is described as "powerful and provocative,... charged with a mysterious drama, like fantastic dreams, surreal collages, a wise child's imaginings...I like to watch her move." (Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice) "Tina Croll has attained a mastery in reflecting works of highly unique expression that can be desperately human or exquisite kinetic structures." (Tom Borek, Dance Magazine)

Ms. Croll studied with Merce Cunningham, Erick Hawkins and Nina Fonoroff and performed in the companies of Jose Limon, Jeff Duncan, Jack Moore, Arthur Bauman, James Cunningham, and Judith Dunn among others. In 1970 she established Tina Croll & Company in New York City and performed with her company at Judson Church, Dance Theater Workshop, the Theatre of the Riverside Church, Clark Center, The Exchange Theater, The Cubiculo, and other theaters in the city. The company also toured extensively throughout the United States. After a period spent exploring the spiritual aspect of dance, a quest that took her to India and Europe, Tina Croll moved to the west coast. Here she formed a new company and created a repertory of works including Starthrowers Cafe, Lonely at the Top, and The Struggle of the Magicians. "Tina Croll herself is an exquisitely calm, controlled mover, with the courage to be simple on stage." (Elizabeth Zimmer, L.A. Herald Examiner).

In 1993, Ms. Croll returned to her roots in New York City and has been performing her work at Dance Theater Workshop, P.S. 122, The Kitchen, Movement Research at Judson Church, The Vineyard Theatre, New York University, Hunter College, Joyce Soho, Musical Theater Works, and other locations in the city. Kate Mattingly of the Washington Square News describes her recent work: "Croll invents movement that stretches our idea of what is kinetically possible, and then ties this movement to music in such a sophisticated manner. . . . She keeps a viewer in suspense."

Ms. Croll joined with Wendy Perron, Douglas Dunn and Kenneth King to form an improvisation group "The Gang of Four". They performed at P.S.122 and were featured in the 1995 Improvisation Festival at Judson Church. They continue to work together.

Recent productions include Balkan Dreams, a collaboration with Zlatne Uste, a twelve piece Balkan Brass Band, and Izgori and Goli Teli who play music from Macedonia. 8 modern dancers and 12 folk dancers joined with 18 musicians in this evening-length work, at Danspace, St. Mark's Church in December 2002.

Ms. Croll is the recipient of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, Dance Theater Workshop, Bennington College, the Gutman Foundation and other organizations. She is on the board of directors of the The Erick Hawkins Dance Foundation and the American Dance Guild.