Jane Weiner
Artistic Diretor
Jane Weiner graduated from Bowling Green University with a degree in deaf/elementary education and a minor in dance. She had the unbelievable opportunity to work with the Doug Elkins Dance Company for a decade of fine dancing, touring and experiences before her move to Houston, TX in 1996. She has also worked with the wonderful talents of Deborah Tell, Mark Dendy, Donna Uchizano, Joe Chavla, Kevin Wynn, Jennifer Monson, Amy Rosen/Derek Bernstein, and Michael Foley. She has set her work on the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, the High School for Performing and Visual Arts, the University Performing Dancers of Bowling Green State University, Episcopal High School the Houston Repertoire Ballet and most recently Stockton College Dance Department. She presently is the executive director of HOPE STONE, Inc., and artistic director of the Pink Ribbons Project, Dancers in Motion Against Breast Cancer. She also runs (and is resident janitor as well) at Hope Center a dance and movement facility, and directs Kid’s Play, an arts out-reach program for children 6-18 years old. She was awarded the CACHH general fellowship grant for 2002, the Houston PBS Speaking Women’s Health Conference Honoree 2004, the Surgical Society of Oncology’s James Ewing Layman Award, the Jung Center Award for 2005, and was a finalist for the Cal Arts/Albert Award for Dance in 2001. In 2007 she will be setting a new work on Houston Ballet II as well as premiering SEE ME with her own company in January 2008 at the Cullen Theater at the Wortham Center.
Janie Carothers
Dancer
Janie Carothers is a graduate of the High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas and has a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. She has performed with Theatre Under the Stars, Princess Cruises, Webster Dance Theatre, Davidson Dance Group, Chrysalis and WEAVE Dance Company and has choreographed for Galveston Outdoor Musicals, Episcopal High School, Texas Tap Ensemble, WEAVE Dance Company and the HSPVA Concert Dancers. Janie teaches on the HSPVA Dance Faculty and is a proud Mom to daughter Claire Lucia. Janie began dancing with Hope Stone in 1998.
Bonnie Collins
Dancer
Bonnie Collins graduated from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and has a BBA from the University of Houston. Bonnie has performed for and danced with many amazing people including Sean Curran, Erin Reck, Karen Stokes, Jennifer Wood, and for eight years was a co-director of Weave Dance Company with Megan Lyle, Juliet Hicks and Maria Montes de Oca. Bonnie began dancing with Hope Stone inc. in 2002.
Reyie Delgado
Dancer
Reyie Delgado graduated from Lamar High School where he started in Hip Hop Dance. He has danced with City Dance Company, Freneticore Theater, and participated in a number of events, competitions, commercials and videos both nationally and internationally. He has worked at Marshall Middle School, YES College Preparatory School, Cypress Academy of Arts, and is currently on staff at Lamar High School teaching dance. He joined Hope Stone in 2007
JoDee Engle
Dancer
JoDee Engle is a native Houstonian where she attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She then went on to study at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where she received her BFA in Modern Dance. Now back in Houston, she has performed with several dance companies in the Houston area, as well as Houston Grand Opera and San Diego Opera. She currently teaches at HSPVA and enjoys spending time with her husband, Gregg, and their daughter, Katherine. JoDee joined the company in 2006.
Christian Holmes
Dancer
Christian Holmes He received his B.A. in Theatre with a specialization in dance from U of H. He danced with Suchu Dance from 99-'04, and has been with Hope Stone Dance since 2001. He has been in many plays and musicals around town including most recently, 20 Love Songs with IBP, and THE LONG CHRISTMAS RIDE HOME with Unhinged Productions. Currently he teaches Broadcasting and Theatre at Stratford High School. Christian joined the company in 2002.
Lindsey McGill
Dancer
Lindsey McGill graduated from the Houston Ballet Academy under the direction of Ben Stevenson and Clara Cravey. She then danced with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 2 and began dancing with Hope Stone Dance in 2002. In addition to her dance projects, Lindsey is Studio Manager and a ballet instructor at Hope Center.
Joseph Modlin
Dancer
Joseph Modlin, a native of Indiana, began his dance training at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. While there he also trained with Anderson Young Ballet Theatre. Since moving to Houston in 1997 Joe has danced with Chrysalis Dance Company, Woodlands Dance Company, Houston Repertoire Ballet and has guested with several independent choreographers such as Amy Ell, Leslie Scates, Karen Stokes, Lindsey McGill and Sara Draper. Joe began dancing with Hope Stone, Inc. in 1998.
Erica Sandberg
Dancer
Erica Sandberg is awesome. She didn't write this. Lindsey did. Erica is beautiful and awesome.
Penny Tschirhart
Dancer
Penny Tschirhart received both her under-graduate and graduate degrees from Sam Houston State University. She has been dancing in, and around, Houston ever since. Penny teaches in the Houston Independent School district and is currently the Program Director for Dance and Fine Arts Department Chair at Mirabeau B. Lamar High School. Penny joined the company in 2002.
Brittany Wallis
Dancer
Brittany Wallis is a native Houstonian. She started her training at Shelly Power's School of Dance, and continued her studies at Houston Ballet's Academy in 1994. She danced professionally with the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company from 2001-2005 and recently joined Hope Stone Dance Company in 2007. Some of Brittany's performances include The Liz Lerman Project, Festival De Danza (Cordoba, Mexico), Jazz World Congress, Psophonia's Phantasia, Dance Houston, Texas Weekend of Contemporary Dance, and the Illumination Project. Brittany would like to give mad props to her parents for all the love, monetary support, and food they've given her since birth.
