Kara Ary received her BA in Theatre/Dance from the University of Houston in 2006. Recently, Ms. Ary danced in Houston Grand Opera's Aida.  She has also performed with Teresa Chapman, Julie Fox, Karen Stokes, Sophia Torres, Toni Valle, Becky Valls, and Jennifer Wood. She is in her fourth year with Travesty Dance Group.

Jenny Dodson received her BA in Communication - Public Relations/Advertising from the University of Houston, where she also studied dance and was a member of The Ensemble. Jenny has performed with Suchu Dance, Sara Draper, Psophonia Dance Company, Leslie Scates, Travesty Dance Group, Toni Valle and Becky Valls. In her other life, Jenny is a Regional Account Manager with John Hancock Retirement Services.

Kristi Farr is a choreographer and dance teacher for Star Steppers Dance Studio in Friendswood, Texas.  She graduated from the University of Houston in 2007 with her BA in Entrepreneurship and Marketing. Over the years, Mrs. Farr has performed choreography by Suzanne Oliver, Michelle Manzanales, Victoria Loftin, Teresa Chapman and Becky Valls at venues such as Weekend of Contemporary Dance, ACDFA, ACDFA Nationals in Washington, D.C., Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, and Big Range Dance Festival.  This is her first performance in the Sistahood and has really enjoyed being a Sista.

Marlow Fleming, a native of St. Petersburg, Florida,  Marlow trained at various schools including Pinellas County Center for the Arts, Joffrey Ballet School, Pittsburg Ballet Theater School and The Joel Hall Dance Center in Chicago. He was awarded an apprenticeship for two years before joining the Joel Hall Jazz Dancers. Performing with Ballet West in Central Florida, .Fleming performed Swan Lake, Nutcracker and Don Q under the direction of Mervet Elnabarawi and Wagih Aboella. Mr. Fleming has had works set on him by both modern and jazz dance artist such as Paul Sanasardo, Lisa Johnson Willingham, Kirby Reed, Tommy Cousins and Duwane Pendarvis. Marlow is currently a student of Anthropology and Dance at the University of Houston.

Mechelle Flemming grew up in London, England and has been dancing since she switched her college major from Biochemistry to Dance, in 2004.  Mechelle was a member of the University of Houston's pre-professional dance group, ENSEMBLE from 2005-2008 during which time was a recipient of the Joanna Friesen Scholarship, and awards for both performance and choreography.  She also presented work at the American College Dance Festival during that time and her work ‘details,’ was selected for the 2007 Gala.  Mechelle has also studied at the Laban Center in London and has had the pleasure of working with Becky Valls, Jennifer Wood (SUCHU), Psophonia Dance Company, Teresa Chapman, with whom she performed for at the Cunningham Dance Studio in NYC in 2007, Toni Leago Valle, Douglas Dunn and is currently a member of Travesty Dance Group (Houston), under Karen Stokes.  She is also an aerial fabric teacher under the direction of Amy Ell and will be a company member of Vault, Ell’s in air/on ground dance company launching later this year.  Mechelle has presented solo and collaborative work at Big Range Dance Festival, Diverseworks= A12 Minutes Max,@ the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) and Merging Modes.  With a background in theatre and interest in film, Mechelle plans to investigate ways in which she can incorporate elements of these mediums thru her love of dance.  She plans to continue her artistic adventure both individually and collaboratively and to further her knowledge in technique and choreography thru continued studies. 

Kathy Hallmark is in the process of finishing her Bachelors of Arts in Dance at the University of Houston. She began dancing at the age of 20, but has been a performer all her for life. Her theatre career was launched at Playhouse 1960, then continued with Theatre Southwest, The Unheard Voices, and BigGreenBunny. She is currently in her fourth year as a member of the UH Dance Ensemble, and in her second year with the Young Audience Touring Company at UH directed by Becky Valls. Kathy is thrilled to now be a part of Memoirs of the Sistahood.

Mallory Horn is currently a student at University of Houston majoring in dance. She is in her second year as an Ensemble member, and a member of the UH Young Audience Touring Company.  This is her first professional performance with Becky Valls and she is very excited to be a new sista!

Nicole McNeil is a student at the University of Houston where she is pursuing a Bachelors of Art degree in Dance. She was a member of the UH Dance  ENSEMBLE for four years and had the opportunity to work with choreographers, Teresa Chapman, Karen Stokes, Sophia Torres, Becky Valls, Toni Valle, Jackie Nalett, and Jhon Strong. She has recently attended summer dance workshops with Liz Lerman Dance Exchange in Washington D.C. and with  Dallas Black Theatre in Dallas. She is presently a member of the Young Audiences Touring Program at UH directed by Becky Valls and is a new performer with Suchu Dance, directed by Jennifer Wood.

Stephanie Rodriguez received her BS in Fitness and Human Performance from UHCL. She has been teaching all levels of ballet, tap, and jazz for over 15 years. She is also an adjunct faculty member at San Jacinto College South in the Physical Education Dept for dance. She has danced with the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company as an apprentice, Exclamation Dance Company, and the Community Dance Collective at San Jacinto College South. She was a member of the cast for Memoirs of the Sistahood- Chapter One and performed in Houston and New Orleans.

Joani Trevino is honored to return as a performer in the next chapter of the Memoirs series. Mrs. Trevino has studied dance at San Jacinto College-South, Texas Woman’s University and University of Houston.  Over the last 10 years, she has trained with and performed the choreography of Suzanne Oliver, Michelle Manzanales, Becky Valls, Sara Draper, and Amy Ell.  Joani continues to dance with local companies/choreographers whenever possible.  Recently, she joined the newly formed ariel dance company, “Vault”, and is looking forward their upcoming performance in May 2010. Mrs .Trevino currently works as a Biology professor at San Jacinto College-South in Houston, Tx.  

Toni Leago Valle is the Project Coordinator of Dance Source Houston.  Toni received a BA in Theatre from UH in 2000.  Toni has received two HAA Individual Artist Grants to produce It's All Relative in 2002 and for her third evening-length, Tetris, that premiere at Barnevelder in 2009.  Ms. Valle premiered CRACKED in 2006 as a recipient of the DiverseWorks Artist Residency.  Her choreography has been seen at DiverseWorks, JCC, UH, San Jacinto College, HSPVA/Houston and various art openings and outdoor events. As a dancer, she has performed with Becky Valls & Company, Dancepatheatre, Psophonia Dance Company, Suchu Dance, and Travesty Dance Group.  Toni will be featured next in Becky Valls' Memoirs of the Sistahood, Chapter Two: House in October 2009 and is premiering her own dance company, 6 Degrees, alongside Amy Ell's company, Vault, in May 2010 at DiverseWorks. www.tonileagovalle.com or www.amyell.com