Jacob's Pillow Dance

with longtime friend and colleague Chet Walker. Originally from Richmond, VA, she enjoyed an 18-year performing career in New York City before she embarked on her second career as the head of the dance program for the Musical Theatre Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program at Penn State University. On Broadway, she was seen in King of Hearts, Carmelina, Peter Pan, Copperfield, Dancin' (where she met and worked with Chet!), Merlin, La Cage Aux Folles, and Teddy and Alice. She also toured the U.S. in Cats, West Side Story, and Good News. Her favorite memories include dancing in the rain with Ben Vereen in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade 1975, working with Peter Gennaro at Radio City Music Hall, understudying Chita Rivera as the Evil Queen in Merlin and performing for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Command Performance at the Drury Lane Theatre in London. In her second career, she has taught master classes in Chicago, Houston, London, Seoul and New York City. Professionally, she has choreographed Dames At Sea, Showboat, Oliver!, Oklahoma, West Side Story, Lucky Stiff, and Little Shop Of Horrors. At Penn State, her credits include Ragtime, Children of Eden, Side Show and She Loves Me. Recently, she participated in the Fifth International Forum of Jazz Dance in Paris. Her most precious production is her 18-year-old son, Ford DeCastro. This will be her first season on faculty with the Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program.