Tim Cowart holds a BFA in Dance and Choreography in from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MFA in Dance and an MS in Arts Management from the University of Oregon
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Tim Cowart has performed nationally and internationally as a company member of the Lewitzky Dance Company, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and with Impact Production’s “Dayuma” and the “Masterpiece.” He has also performed with Elizabeth Streb/ Ringside, The David Dorfman Dance Company, Minh Tran and Company, and The Dance Theatre of Oregon. Cowart has taught in the dance programs at Western Oregon University, Lane Community College and at the University of Oregon and served as the Chair of the dance department at DeSales University for 14 years He currently serves as head of dance at Western Oregon University.
He trained under Alito Alessi and has a teaching certification DanceAbility work. He also holds a certification in Stott Pilates. Since 1997 he has been performing with Co-Art Dance a contemporary dance company he co-founded with his wife Corrie.
Corrie Cowart teaches ballet, modern, and choreography classes at Western. S She Studied Dance and Choreography at Cornish College of the Arts and the University of Oregon
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Les Watanabe is an adjunct Professor at Western Oregon University, where he teaches Ballet, Modern and Dance Seminar. Les Watanabe received his B.F.A in dance from California Institute of the Arts and his M.F.A. from UC Irvine as a Chancellor’s Fellow.
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He has been Artist in Residence at: University of Oregon, University of California-Irvine, University of Arizona, University of Maryland, Portland State University, Theater An Der Wien in Vienna, Austria and the Rotterdam Academy in the Netherlands. Les has also taught master classes at dance festivals in France, Austria, The Netherlands, German and Spain. In addition to his expansive career as a dance educator, Mr. Watanabe has had an illustrious career as a performer. He performed as soloist for such companies as: Donald McKayle’s Inner City Repertory Company, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Joyce Trisler’s Danscompany, Alvin Ailey II, Burch Mann Folk Ballet, Sachiyo Ito Japanese Dance Company, L.A. Jazz, and with Peter Goss Dance Company in Paris, France. Performances in theater and television include: Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway production of Pacific Overtures, The Who’s Tommy, Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, Alvin Ailey Presents Duke Ellington CBS special , the Bill Cosby Shows, Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, French variety television and a national tour with Rita Moreno’s (‘Westside Story’) The Act. As a choreographer, Mr. Watanabe is known for his eclectic and stylistic dynamism. Luna which he set for Djazzex in the Netherlands was nominated for the American Choreographers Award and toured Europe for 1 year. Cantes de Ida y Vuelta (a dance illustrating Creolization of cultures in the New World) was showcased for Univ. of California, Irvine and the Lester Horton Festival in Los Angeles. His theatrical credits include: Pajama Game, Blood Wedding, Company, Journey, Rhinocerous (Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts), Midsummer Night’s Dream, Guys and Dolls, Beethoven n’ Pierott (Denver Center Theatre Company); Judy Garland (St. Pölten Stadt Theater in Austria); Gift of the Magi (Cleveland Playhouse).
The teachers who are the most influential in his career:
Janice Gudde Plastino, Ph.D. who as his first teacher at Harbor Junior College and then at UC Irvine, gave Les encouragement and said to him that it was possible if he “worked hard for 10 years that he could make it as a dancer”. Also, Donald McKayle who, as a mentor exemplified the highest ideas as a teacher, choreographer and human being. And the great Eugene Loring, who once said, “your commitment to dance..is your security”.
Darryl Thomas is a Professor of Dance at Western Oregon University where he teaches composition, jazz dance, contemporary partnering and modern technique.
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As Co-Artistic Director of Rainbow Dance Theatre, Darryl has performed and choreographed in Bermuda, England, Denmark, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico and throughout the United States including Hawaii and Alaska. In 1993 he received the Hawaii State Dance Council Award for choreography. A former dancer and artistic collaborator in the world-renowned Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Darryl’s performing credits include the 1996 Centennial Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and the PBS televised special for the 25th Anniversary of the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC for which he received an EMMY. Most recently he performed at the 5th Annual Contemporary Dance Festival in Mexico City, D.F. In Summer 1999 Darryl taught contemporary partnering Kalani Honua in Hilo, Hawaii. In addition he received a commission to choreograph a new work for Nemian Contemporary Dance Company in Mexico City, D.F. In both the Summer 2000 & 2001 he was the artist in residence for the Santa Fe Dance Institute held in Gainesville, Florida. Darryl’s teaching appointments include visiting professor at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida and Pusan National University in Pusan, South Korea and as guest instructor at the Centro Nacional des Bellas Artes of Mexico City, D.F. and Studio Dance Tanz in Osaka, Japan. Darryl received his Masters of Fine Arts in performance and choreography from the University of Hawaii. In February 2002 Darryl was honored with the Living Legend Award given by Willamette University for his artistic contributions within the Willamette Valley.
