Happendance

Alison Wagner was raised in Okemos, Michigan and was heavily involved with the arts program at Okemos High School. In college at Michigan State University, she majored in Vocal Performance with a flute & piano minor as well as a Business Degree. Following her undergraduate work, she moved to New York to study Arts Administration at New York University. While in New York, she worked with Roundabout Theatre Company and the New York Philharmonic. Now living in the Detroit area, her current position as the Events Coordinator at Oakland University's School of Nursing affords her the opportunity to work on building scholarship funds for nurses in the state of Michigan.

Janet Welch encountered Happendance’s exuberant spirit in the early performances on the banks of the Red Cedar, and has been a fan ever since. Her appreciation of Happendance deepened during her daughter Mara’s fourteen years of training at the Happendance School. A lawyer, Janet is the Executive Director of the State Bar of Michigan. She has had an extensive career in Michigan government, including service as Michigan Supreme Court Counsel. In 1998, the Council of State Governments named her a Toll Fellow for outstanding achievement and service to state government. Janet joined the Happendance Board in 2004.

Jim Linnemann is a physics professor at MSU. He spends much of his day attemting to outwit computers. He performs experiments in high energy physics at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, and participates in a cosmic ray experiment in New Mexico called Milagro. He's been interested in modern dance since his graduate school days at Cornell, when a fellow researcher started taking classes. He's followed Happendance with pleasure since his arrival in Lansing in 1984, and has been pleased to serve as a board member of Happendance since 1995.

Jim lives in Haslett with his wife Ruth Eggert Linnemann. Ruth works with the Michgan Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. She invites you to visit the dance chime at the MSU children's garden. Their daughter Rachel has taken classes at Happendance since she was 3. On (rare) good days, Jim thinks of downhill skiing as a form of dance.

Matt, a long-time member of the Happendance family, started his dance training at Happendance School at the age of 12. He continued his training at Lansing Community College and received a full scholarship to attend the American Dance Festival in 2003. After an internship with Happendance in 1999, he joined the company with full status in 2001. In 2004, as an innovative extension of Happendance, Matt conceived and implemented a showcase for emerging choreographers. This initiative has since developed into the CD Project. In 2006 Matt co-directed Happendance’s winter concert “Man in a Can”. He moved on to be the artistic director of Happendance To Go, the company’s education team, in 2007. As a company member with Happendance, Matt has worked with guest choreographers Joan Hartshorne and Leanne Schmidt.

Most recently Matt has returned from a 9-month residency in Philadelphia where he worked with choreographers Philip Grosser, Jennifer Morley, and Kun Yang Lin. He is excited to return to Happendance this year to dance with his Happendance family and continue his leadership of the CD project.

Diane has been active in developing dance in the Lansing area since 1968 while a student at Michigan State University. She received a B.S. degree in Zoology with a dance minor, completing a Master's Degree in Parks and Recreation Resources Administration in 1975. While a graduate student, Diane began teaching at Lansing Community College; helped form the MSU Repertory Dance Company; established Newman Dance Theater (now Happendance School) in 1974; began teaching dance mechanics to competitive athletes in 1975; and in 1976 founded Happendance, a non-profit organization and mid-Michigan's only professional contemporary dance company. In 1981 Diane was selected by the Michigan Dance Association as Michigan Dance Teacher of the Year. She served as Artistic Director of Children's Ballet Theatre of Lansing from 1991-1995. She is currently the Executive Director of Happendance and continues to manage, teach, and develop the curriculum for Happendance School. Diane has co-authored a book with colleagues Beth Post and Dr. Lynnette Overby, published in 2005, to teach core curricula through dance, titled Interdisciplinary Learning through Dance: 101 MOVEntures. In 2007, Diane was selected by the Michigan Dance Council as Dance Educator of the Year. She teaches many levels of ballet, modern, composition, and creative classes for young children.

In 2002, Missy entered the graduate dance program at Arizona State University to earn an MFA degree in dance. After completing her degree Missy returned to Lansing where she currently serves as the Artistic Director of Happendance Professional Company, producing all concerts and outreach performances. At Happendance School, Missy teaches ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern dance and creative classes for young children in addition to running Happendance 2.

Missy is a former Happendance School student who also served as a teaching assistant to the program for 5 years. After graduation from Haslett High School, Missy attended the University of Michigan, completing her BFA in dance in 1998. Missy then auditioned and joined the Happendance professional company and Happendance School staff. She also served as the Dance Faculty Liaison at Lansing Community College from 1999-2002. Once again a Lansing area resident, Missy seeks to make dance her full-time career.

Amanda grew up in metropolitan Detroit, where she trained in Cecchetti ballet with the Rosemarie Floyd studio in Royal Oak. She attended Interlochen Arts camp and was a dance major at Western Michigan University. After getting her certification in Massage Therapy and opening her own business, Amanda auditioned for Happendance in the fall of 2005 and was accepted as a full status artist. Amanda has also been a member of the children's outreach program, Happendance To Go, for the past three years.

Tim lives and works on a family owned dairy and crop farm. He has been attending Happendance performances for over 15 years and is glad to contribute to the organization by serving on the board.

Profile coming soon.

Rosy Goacher attended her first Happendance concert within a couple years of its 1976 founding, and has been one of its biggest fans ever since. She was part of the first Board when it incorporated in 1982, and except for a few years living overseas, has stayed active as a hard-working volunteer and Board member. After working for the State of Michigan, and obtaining a degree to teach French (and a Fulbright to Bordeaux), she stayed home to raise three children (Heather, Matthew & Robyn), all of whom studied dance at Newman Dance Theater/Happendance School.

In the mid-1980s Rosy worked from a home office as Happendance Business Administrator, a grand title that she grew into by teaching herself accounting, marketing, grant-writing, desktop publishing and more. This prepared her to re-enter the work force in 1991 as Manager of Business Operations for Wooden Skate Antiques, Jewelry and Gems in Okemos. During her 13 years there, the store won ten People’s Choice Awards, and Rosy honed more business skills, which in turn enhance what she has to offer Happendance. She is currently self-employed, as a court reporter and free-lance bookkeeper.

In response to a nomination by Happendance, which also acknowledged her extensive volunteer work on behalf of her church, Rosy received the 2006 Adult Volunteer of the Year Award from Lansing’s Volunteer Center, administered by Capital Area United Way.

Rosy is a musician (pianist, organist, and former professional folk singer), whose body doesn’t allow dancing, but whose soul dances. She is thrilled to now be working side by side with the next generation of Happendancers and volunteer workers, all ensuring that this amazing organization goes forward with an expanded ability to live up to its motto – “inspiring through dance.”

Katherine McKinney began taking dance classes in her mid-twenties as an undergraduate at Michigan State University. She has continued to take dance classes whenever possible. She presently attends Diane Newman’s “Class for the Ageless Dancer” at the Happendance School.

Katherine first became interested in arts development as a beginning dancer. She watched an MSU dance concert and told her dance teacher that she would someday raise funds for the dancers. One of those dancers was Diane Newman. Katherine appreciates the opportunity to be on the board of the organization co-founded by Diane.

Katherine interned with the Vice-President of Development at the University of California at Santa Cruz where she studied literature. She returned to Michigan State to earn a master’s degree in Educational Administration. Currently, she is writing a book. Katherine is a member and supporter of Phi Beta Kappa.