De Facto Dance (DFD) Biographies

Kelly Donovan Kelly Donovan is a Co-Founder of De Facto Dance and Co-Artistic Director of Improvisational Arts Ensembles, a nonprofit presenting organization devoted to the development of improvisational choreography. Kelly was a member of the Richard Bull Dance Theatre (RBDT) from 1994-1998. With RBDT, she frequently performed at The Warren Street Performance Loft and learned to appreciate the never-ending intricacies of improvisational choreography, taught to her by the "Father of Choreographic Improvisation" - Richard Bull. In addition to her work with De Facto Dance, Kelly performs with other companies including Artichoke Dance and the New Haven-based puppet company Puppetsweat Theater. Kelly's own dances have been produced in New York by Improvisational Arts Ensembles, Movement Research at the Judson Church, The New Dance Alliance, University Settlement, Free Range Arts' Humor Unplucked, TheaterKore, and in Philadelphia By Dance Camp at the Painted Bride. Her dance "Run" was performed by the New York City repertory company Gotham Group Dance. She has also self-produced several evenings of her own work. Kelly's choreography draws from an eclectic array of sources, producing unpredictable dances. Her movement training includes structured improvisation, modern, ballet, tap, West African, Korean martial arts, stiltwalking, several years as a soccer goalie, and multiple stints as a life-size puppeteer. Her work encourages the dancers to imbue the performance with their own unique presence; and while the kinesthetic quality is often athletic, raw-edged, and high energy, the choreography always maintains a vivid and clear use of space. (Back) Meg Fry Meg Fry is a Co-Founder of De Facto Dance and Co-Artistic Director/Executive Officer of Improvisational Arts Ensembles, Inc. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 1991 with a BA in English and a minor in dance. She danced with the Richard Bull Dance Theatre from 1994-98. She was a founding member and is an ongoing participant of Dance Camp, a collectively run dance festival hosted by Philadelphia’s Headlong Dance Theater each summer since 1995. In addition to dancing, her current primary movement practices are Iyengar yoga, Alexander technique, and bodywork/movement coaching with George Russell. She has worked as a gymnastics teacher, non-fiction book editor, dance company administrator, and now does financial and managerial work at a corporate private investigation firm. (Back) Aggie Postman Aggie Postman holds a BA in Dance from Wesleyan University (1993) and an MA in Dance and Dance Education from Teachers College Columbia University (2000). She was a member of the Richard Bull Dance Theater from 1994-1998 and performed at the Warren Street Performance Loft, St. Markís Church, the 92nd St Y, Wesleyan University, New York University, Barnard College, and Emerson College. In 1999 she performed with Sarah East Johnsonís acrobatic dance troupe LAVA in "Volcano Love" at the Kitchen and at PS122, and in "Lava Love" at the Flea Theater, receiving both an "Obie" award and a "Bessie". She has also performed at the Merce Cunningham Studio, Joyce Soho, Movement Research at the Judson Church, Dixon Place, Galapagos Theater, Gowanus Arts Exchange, Arts at University Settlement, Free Range Arts, the Ellen Cornfield Studio, and Middle Collegiate Church with choreographers Kelly Donovan, Meg Fry, Jody Sperling, Adrienne Truscott, Suzanne Snider, and Robert Bingham. She has also performed as a puppeteer with Puppetsweat Theater/Azdakís Garden at Theater for the New City and as part of The Hensen International Festival of Puppet Theater at La MaMa ETC. Each August, she participates in a month long artist-run dance festival hosted by Philadelphiaís Headlong Dance Theater. She is currently dancing and choreographing with De Facto Dance. She teaches creative movement classes at the Diller-Quaile School of Music and is also a part-time yoga instructor. (Back) Lee Shapley Lee is a Co-Founder of De Facto Dance. He thoroughly enjoys exploring new dances with his fellow company members. Lee occasionally performs works of Richard Bull Dance Theater Repertory (RBDT) under the direction of former RBDT members. Before his work with De Facto, Lee had the opportunity to work with a number of choreographers including: JoAnna Mendl Shaw, Alan Danielson and Maya Ciarrocchi. He was a member of the Brian Brooks Moving Company during 1998 and 1999. Lee has also presenting his own work throughout the New York area. Currently Lee is working toward a teacher certification in the Alexander Technique at the American Center for the Alexander Technique. He will be opening a private practice in New York in January 2003. (Back)