Louis Kavouras (Artistic Director / Joe) has been a principal dancer and soloist with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company and faculty member of the Erick Hawkins School of Dance since 1996. Francis Mason, renowned dance critic and author of the World of Dance Review for WQXR, New York’s Classical Radio Station listed Louis Kavouras in his list of the best soloists in New York in 1997.
Louis Kavouras joined the dance faculty at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1992. In 1994, he was elected chairperson of the Department of Dance. He has taught at Case Western Reserve University, Southwest Texas State University, Allegheny College, Lake Erie College, Cal State Fullerton, Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts, and the University of Washington, Seattle.
Kavouras worked, collaborated and studied intensely with Lucia Dlugoszewski. His training also includes study with outstanding master teachers of the modern dance: Kelly Holt, Kathryn Karipides, Erick Hawkins, Katherine Duke, Cynthia Reynolds, Gloria McLean, Laura Pettibone, Cathy Ward, Betty Jones, Lucas Hoving, Donald McKayle, Peter Pucci, Gus Solomons, Jr., Rudy Perez, Claire Porter, and Clay Taliaferro.
Kavouras is accomplished as a choreographer, designer, visual and graphic artist. His dances have been showcased in Monaco, Denmark, Russia, China, Scotland, England, Nova Scotia, Guatemala, Jamaica and throughout the United States. Kavouras believes in creating dances that are uniquely his own, and range from "hilarious" to "poignant." He comes from a total theater tradition and explores all interdisciplinary avenues between the arts. He has been instrumental in furthering the Hawkins legacy by organizing and offering Hawkins Intensive workshops and residencies throughout the nation, and in establishing a Hawkins West Institute, for the preservation of the profound contributions of Erick Hawkins and Lucia Dlugoszewski.
Michael Lugering (Actor/ Director) is a master teacher of voice, movement and acting. Mr. Lugering has spent over 15 years researching the physical, psychological, behavioral and aesthetic aspects of human expression. The Lugering Method marks a revolutionary departure from traditional methods of actor training. In this truly integrated technique the voice and body, thought and feeling, sound and movement, psyche and soma are synthesized in the practical exploration of expression action. Mr. Lugering’s new book THE EXPRESSIVE ACTOR: An Integrated Method of Voice, Movement & Actor Training is currently being readied for publication. Mr. Lugering has taught master classes in acting, voice, movement and classical text at theatre conferences and Professional Acting Training Programs throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom. Recent acting credits include JOE: THIS INFINITE UNIVERSE preformed in Las Vegas, Monaco, Scotland and Los Angeles. The production will travel to Liverpool and Quebec in 2004. Additionally, Mr. Lugering is a passionate director noted for his innovative approach to the classics. He has served as a professional voice coach for the Utah Shakespearian Festival and the Nevada Conservatory Theatre. Mr. Lugering is a member of the theatre faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
deeAnn Nelson holds a B.A. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas & an M.F.A. from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts. Currently she is a company member of STREB/RINGSIDE while working as a pilates instructor. She has danced with a variety of choreographers including Kun Yang Lin, Maleshock Dance Company, Adrienne Celeste Fadjo Dance, & recently w/ Nicholas Duran at DTW, &Niles Ford at PS 122. She has also had the opportunity to work as rehearsal director for Nicolo Fonte’s Force Quit. deeAnn has been creating and performing her own work since 1999. Her choreography has been presented in such venues as Chashama, Joyce Soho as part of the Dancenow Festival, the D.U.M.B.O. Dance Festival, and the American College Dance Festival.
Mathew Sandoval (Dancer) is the Artistic Director and Founder of first function. He is an NYC performance artist dedicated to re-envisioning contemporary dance & theatre. He produced, directed, & acted in first function’s production, I , which premiered in November 2003at the Producers Club. He has collaborated w/ “23 Elephants”, most recently directing their original comedy “The Unspeakable Act” at the New York Comedy Club. He also played Iago in their production of Othello at the Creative Place Theatre. Mathew performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2000 w/ the Velvet Vipers under the direction of Davey Marlin Jones. In 2001 he returned to the Edinburgh Fringe w/ choreographer Louis Kavouras to perform Kavouras’ duet My Brother, which subsequently went on to tour in Guatemala. Mathew has also danced in the Erick Hawkins Legacy Forum Concert at Hunter College in 2002. Mathew is trained in the Erick Hawkins technique of Modern Dance, has studied integrated voice & movement w/ master teacher Michael Lugering, & Clown w/ NYC’s Vaudeville icon Eric Davis. Mathew holds a bachelors degree in English/Literature from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Tad Mike