Lineage Dance
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Lineage Dance, a professional dance company based in Los Angeles tours nationally each year raising tens of thousands of dollars for charitable causes. The company has been highly successful in not only raising funds, but also in creating new dance audiences everywhere it goes. Operating under the auspices of the Pasadena Arts Council, this accomplished group has raised funds for organizations ranging from the Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA) to Habitat for Humanity to Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
In the summer of 2006 the company turned its focus towards “Healing Blue” – a benefit dance performance designed to raise funds for breast cancer education, research and patient care. The dance concert includes personal and moving stories, captured on videotape, of women who have courageously faced the challenge of breast cancer in their own lives, as well as in the lives of their mothers and daughters. As the stories unfold, the message is clearly one of hope and triumph. Along with original music and breath-taking choreography, “Healing Blue” is truly a celebration.
The company has received acclaim at performances throughout the country. The Los Angeles Times has praised Lineage for “soulful femininity and sophisticated spatial design”. The Washington DC Danceview Times noted, “The emotional content that came through tugged at one’s heart…” The Beverly Hills Outlook named Hilary Thomas as one of the top choreographers in the Dance Awards 2004 and 2005. Thomas’ style of choreography incorporates the grace of ballet, but constantly challenges gravity with daring lifts and falls to the floor. Her sense of musicality weaves music and movement together seamlessly.
The Company Hilary Thomas (Artistic Director) grew up in Pasadena, receiving her early training from the highly respected Pasadena Dance Theatre under the direction of Philip and Charles Fuller and Cynthia Young. She continued her dance training at Santa Clara University, where she was awarded a dance scholarship. She also pursued the rigorous training offered by The Joffrey Ballet in New York City. While attending Santa Clara, she was invited to dance as a soloist with Western Ballet in Mountain View. She earned degrees in dance and psychology from Santa Clara University. Prior to founding Lineage Dance, Hilary danced with contemporary choreographer, Benita Bike and her DanceArt Company in Los Angeles. She created Lineage Dance in 1999. Since that time, Lineage Dance has presented over 120 dance performances and raised tens of thousands of dollars for charitable, educational and nonprofit organizations. Hilary has earned awards for choreography (Palm Desert, "Dancing Under the Stars" 2001), the Beverly Hills Outlook selected her as one of top choreographers of 2004 and 2005, and in June of 2006 she received a prestigious "Gold Crown Award" presented by the Pasadena Arts Council.
Peggy Burt (Company Manager) received a BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah and as a student, was selected to perform with Ballet West. In New York City, she received a scholarship to study and work with jazz great Frank Hatchett. In Michigan , she co-founded Jazz Dance Theatre, and was a featured guest soloist with the acclaimed modern dance troupe, J. Parker Copley & Dancers. In Seattle, she performed and choreographed for Spectrum Dance Theater, and her work was selected for the Bumbershoot Arts Festival at the Seattle Center. In Boulder , Peggy founded Solstice Dance Ensemble. In Washington DC, she was on the dance faculty of Montgomery College, taught at Joy of Motion Dance Center and performed with JazzDanz.dc. Peggy and her daughter Shannon recently performed in the B.E. Production of Sides choreographed by Rebecca Levy and Eryn Schon. Peggy currently teaches at Le Studio in Pasadena. Peggy has been with Lineage Dance since 2001.
Rebecca R. Levy was raised in Boston, MA. and holds her BFA in Dance from Cornish College in Seattle, WA. Rebecca has performed with Boston Dance Collective, Jazz Spectrum Dance Company and with Benita Bike's DanceArt Company. Rebecca produced and choreographed the following contemporary works: THREADS a Collage of Danceworks, in Port Townsend, WA., The Cousins Project, Boston, MA and Beauty, South Pasadena, CA. Rebecca has been a proud company member of Lineage Dance since 2002 and has taken part in four of the company's national tours. Additional performing credits include The Merry Widow, Sweet Charity and Flesh. Rebecca is co-artistic director of B.E. Productions Dance Company of Los Angeles along with Eryn Schon which recently produced "Sides" in both Santa Monica and Boston. For more information go to www.beproductions.org
Caterina Mercante (Associate Director) started dancing at the age of 3. She began her training in ballet and jazz with Sabina and Suzanne Childers in the San Francisco Bay Area. She continued training and performing in Italy with Gruppo Stabile Udinese, under the direction of Elisabetta Ceron and Antonella Cumin, where she was introduced to contemporary ballet and modern dance. From 1996-2000 she trained in jazz, modern, tap and ballet with Fran Atlas-Lara, David Popalisky, and Audrey King. In June 2000 she received a B.A. in Theatre Arts with emphasis in Dance and a B.A. in Italian Literature from Santa Clara University. Caterina has been teaching dance at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada for three years. This is her sixth season with Lineage Dance.
Tara Mosier began her formal training at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts where she studied under Jean-Marie Martz. She went on to dance with Evergreen City Ballet under the direction of Wade Walhall. She received her B.F.A. at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. While there, she trained with Debrah Wolf, Pat Hon and Wade Madsen, as well as many guest artists. Tara danced with Benita Bike's DanceArt Company in Los Angeles for three years. She has been with Lineage Dance since 2002.
