Dance Guest Artists
Fall 2026 Guests
Chris Woolfolk
Chris Woolfolk is a Detroit native who embarked on his dance journey at Wayne State University. Initially pursuing engineering, he made a pivotal switch to dance education, earning a Bachelor of Science in Dance Education. With over a decade of performance experience, Chris was able to balance a career as a pharmacy technician and social worker for the past 10 years and recently transitioned to public health working with the State of Michigan.
As a dancer, educator, and choreographer, Chris has honed his craft at the esteemed Deeply Rooted Dance Theater in Chicago under the mentorship of notable figures such as Kevin Iega Jeff and Gary Abbott. Upon returning to Detroit, he found artistic solace at Body Rhythm Dance Theatre, collaborating closely with director Shirley Bryant.
Chris's collaborative spirit shines through his work with remarkable artists like Aku Kadogo, Marlies Yearby, Biba Bell, and Nathan Trice. Recently, he made his mark in the play "Salt City," an Afrofuturistic Techno Choreopoem written by Jessica Care Moore and directed by Aku Kadogo. Co-founding the groundbreaking (Re)Claim Series with Ta'Rajee Omar, Chris has created an innovative movement based platform exploring identity, culture, and the significance of art in life. He continues to perform independently and as a dancer with Ngoma Za Amen-Ra African Drum and Dance Company. In 2026, Chris was honored as a Kresge Arts Detroit Gilda Award recipient in the category of Live Arts in Choreography and Dance.
Gary Abbott
Gary Abbott is a founder and resident choreographer of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater in Chicago, Illinois. His work exists in and is inspired by the African American community. He’s a dance maker using curiosity and creativity to express, inspire, and rejuvenate all those seeking uplift.
Through teaching and choreography, he offers dance as a meeting place where movement, ideas, triumph, and fears intersect, empowering each to strengthen the other's spirit. He strives to celebrate humanity by using dance as a tool for the exploration of the human condition.
Abbott began his career in Atlanta, GA, with Barbara Sullivan’s Atlanta Dance Theatre and later attended the California Institute of the Arts and Hollins University. He danced with Lula Washington Dance Theatre and then the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble of Denver, CO, where Ms. Parker-Robinson generously mentored him as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer.
He’s taught and choreographed for Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas Black Dance Theater in Dallas, Texas; Iliev Foundation in Bar Montenegro and Sofia, Bulgaria; Flatfoot Dance Theater in Durban, South Africa; Tianjin Conservatory in Tianjin, China, and conducted workshops in Shenzhen, China.
Abbott is a Professor Emeritus of Dance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory and a recipient of the 2022 John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship.
Past Guest Artists
Charles Askegard, (formerly of Ballet Next, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet)
Kathryn Alter (Limón Dance Company)
Zelma Badu-Younge (Azaguno)
Melissa Barak (Barak Ballet, formerly of Los Angeles Ballet, New York City Ballet)
Karena Birk (Dance Fremont!)
Julie Blume (formerly of Parsons Dance)
Richard Bowman (formerly of Royal New Zealand Ballet, Leipzig Ballet, Australian Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre)
Xan Burley (alexandance company)
Susan Brooker (University of North Carolina School of the Arts)
Queala Clancy (The Dance Narrative Project, formerly of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Lulu Washington Dance Theatre, Cirque Du Soleil's Zumanity)
Sofie Clemmensen (independent artist)
Bryn Cohn (Bryn Cohn + Artists)
Amy Cova (Amy Cova Dance)
Natasha Davis (Morehead State University)
Autumn Eckman (formerly of Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street)
Lauren Edson (formerly of Trey McIntyre Project)
Brian Enos (Big Muddy Dance Co.)
Mike Esperanza (BARE Dance Company)
Mina Estrada (independent artist)
Kristi Faulkner (Kristi Faulkner Dance)
Mark Haim (independent artist)
Melissa Hale Coyle (formerly of American Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet Co., Tulsa Ballet Theatre)
Randy Herrera (formerly of Houston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet)
Susan Kikuchi (Martha Graham Dance Company)
Justin Koertgen (formerly of Dayton Ballet)
Lisa LaMarre (LaMarre and Dancers)
Rebecca Lemme (Acts of Matter)
Marlayna Locklear (Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, formerly of Dayton Contemporary Dance Co.)
Joshua Manculich (formerly of Thodos Dance Chicago)
Karen Milligan (Milligan School of Ballet)
Eddy Ocampo (formerly of River North, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago)
Amy O'Neal (Amy O/tiny rage)
Michael Spencer Phillips (RIOULT Dance NY)
Stacy Reischman Fletcher (University of Southern Mississippi)
Amy Rose (formerly of American Ballet Theatre)
Yoshito Sakuraba (Abarukas)
Solveig & Mark Santillano (SoMar Dance Works, formerly of Pilobolus, MOMIX)
Leslie Scott (BODYART)
Paul Singh (Baryshnikov Center, Julliard, Sarah Lawrence)
George Smallwood (Paul Taylor Dance Company, formerly of Battleworks Dance Company)
Peter Sparling (formerly of Martha Graham Dance Company)
Alex Springer (formerly of Doug Varone and Dancers)
Melissa Thodos (Thodos Dance Chicago)
Simon Thomas-Train (David Dorfman Dance)
Takehiro Ueyama (TAKE Dance, formerly of Paul Taylor Dance Company)
Roger Van Fleteren (formerly of American Ballet Theatre)
Helanius J. Wilkins (formerly director of EDGEWORKS Dance Theater)
Wallie Wolfgruber (SUNY-Purchase)
Jesse Zaritt (independent artist)
Recent Alumni Guest Artists have included
Lauren Blane Bogren (Founder and Artistic Director of Main Street Ballet Company, owner of Synergy Dance Academy, formerly of Giordano Dance Chicago)
Elizabeth Fadell (formerly of Grand Rapids Ballet)
Alexander Goodreau
Kelly Kerastas (Studio Manager and Company Director of Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center)
Carley Klebba (Chicago Repertory Ballet)
Natiya Lozano (licensed dance movement therapist, formerly of CODA, The Puzzle League)
Jessica Pittman (Industrial Dance Alliance, Third Law Dance Company)
Jesse Powers (Artistic Director of Capital Ballet Theatre, formerly of Inaside Chicago Dance)