Director Bios
Crysta Caulkins-Clouse, M.F.A.
Co-Director, crysta@bigrigdance.org
Crysta Caulkins-Clouse has performed, taught and choreographed nationally and internationally in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina, and New Zealand working with artists such as Jordan Fuchs, D. Chase Angier, Rebecca Bryant, Mary A. Chase, Sarah Gamblin, and Mark Dendy. Upon completing her M.F.A. in dance at Texas Woman's University, she taught performance and technique classes at colleges all around DFW. Crysta has also taught dance in high schools in New Zealand, Las Vegas, and Dallas, and leads Professional Development for public school dance programs. Her teaching certifications include FIT4MOM Stroller Strides/Stroller Barre, Youth Protection Advocates in Dance, Progressing Ballet Technique, Secondary Teaching Certificate in Dance, and Movement Fundamentals. Currently, Crysta specializes in health and fitness for new moms as an instructor for FIT4MOM Stroller Strides and Stroller Barre classes. She also teaches and serves as Event Manager at Lonestar Collective Dance in Boerne, TX while teaching, performing, and choreographing as Co-Director of Big Rig Dance Collective throughout Texas.
Co-Director, crysta@bigrigdance.org
Crysta Caulkins-Clouse has performed, taught and choreographed nationally and internationally in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina, and New Zealand working with artists such as Jordan Fuchs, D. Chase Angier, Rebecca Bryant, Mary A. Chase, Sarah Gamblin, and Mark Dendy. Upon completing her M.F.A. in dance at Texas Woman's University, she taught performance and technique classes at colleges all around DFW. Crysta has also taught dance in high schools in New Zealand, Las Vegas, and Dallas, and leads Professional Development for public school dance programs. Her teaching certifications include FIT4MOM Stroller Strides/Stroller Barre, Youth Protection Advocates in Dance, Progressing Ballet Technique, Secondary Teaching Certificate in Dance, and Movement Fundamentals. Currently, Crysta specializes in health and fitness for new moms as an instructor for FIT4MOM Stroller Strides and Stroller Barre classes. She also teaches and serves as Event Manager at Lonestar Collective Dance in Boerne, TX while teaching, performing, and choreographing as Co-Director of Big Rig Dance Collective throughout Texas.
Whitney Geldon, M.F.A.
Co-Director, whitney@bigrigdance.org
Kansas native Whitney Geldon’s work emerges from the immediacy of the body, through dance, installation, and pedagogical practice. She holds an MFA in Dance from Texas Woman’s University, where she received the Excellence in Choreography Scholarship Award. Whitney has been a recent guest artist at Kansas State University, Eastfield College, Tarrant County College, Flatlands Dance Theatre, Texas Dance Improvisation Festival, and Movement Fundamentals Coalescence. She has performed works by international artists such as Amii Legendre, Rebecca Bryant, The Equus Project, D. Chase Angier, Jordan Fuchs, Sarah Gamblin, Mary A. Chase, and Kathy Dunn Hamrick. Currently, Whitney is a Co-Director of Big Rig Dance Collective and Adjunct Professor at University of North Texas, as well as Co-Coordinator for TWU’s Community Dance Center, where she teaches community members of all ages to explore the art of dance.
Co-Director, whitney@bigrigdance.org
Kansas native Whitney Geldon’s work emerges from the immediacy of the body, through dance, installation, and pedagogical practice. She holds an MFA in Dance from Texas Woman’s University, where she received the Excellence in Choreography Scholarship Award. Whitney has been a recent guest artist at Kansas State University, Eastfield College, Tarrant County College, Flatlands Dance Theatre, Texas Dance Improvisation Festival, and Movement Fundamentals Coalescence. She has performed works by international artists such as Amii Legendre, Rebecca Bryant, The Equus Project, D. Chase Angier, Jordan Fuchs, Sarah Gamblin, Mary A. Chase, and Kathy Dunn Hamrick. Currently, Whitney is a Co-Director of Big Rig Dance Collective and Adjunct Professor at University of North Texas, as well as Co-Coordinator for TWU’s Community Dance Center, where she teaches community members of all ages to explore the art of dance.
Amanda Jackson, M.F.A.
Co-Director, amanda@bigrigdance.org
Amanda Jackson is the Dance Area Head and Artistic Director of Maverick Dance Company at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her choreography has been commissioned by the Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival, Muscle Memory Dance Theatre, Flatlands Dance Theatre, San Jacinto College, and Northwest Vista College. She is trained in Thai Bodywork, was voted “Best in Fest” at the 2015 {254} Dance-Fest, and presented at Harvard University’s 2011 Conference, Educational Bodies: The Performance of Gender and Sexuality.Amanda has performed extensively in local venues and nationally with artists Rebecca Bryant (CA), Mark Dendy (NC), Dance Exchange (DC), Sarah Gamblin (OK), Michelle Manzanales (NY), and CholoRock Dance Collective at The Kennedy Center. Her teaching credits include master classes and residencies at University of North Texas, Baylor University, Collin College, and Luther College in Iowa. Amanda holds an M.F.A. in Dance from Texas Woman’s University, where she earned the Excellence in Performance Scholarship Award and Pauline Bishop Leman Memorial Award & Scholarship for her outstanding artistic contributions.
Co-Director, amanda@bigrigdance.org
Amanda Jackson is the Dance Area Head and Artistic Director of Maverick Dance Company at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her choreography has been commissioned by the Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival, Muscle Memory Dance Theatre, Flatlands Dance Theatre, San Jacinto College, and Northwest Vista College. She is trained in Thai Bodywork, was voted “Best in Fest” at the 2015 {254} Dance-Fest, and presented at Harvard University’s 2011 Conference, Educational Bodies: The Performance of Gender and Sexuality.Amanda has performed extensively in local venues and nationally with artists Rebecca Bryant (CA), Mark Dendy (NC), Dance Exchange (DC), Sarah Gamblin (OK), Michelle Manzanales (NY), and CholoRock Dance Collective at The Kennedy Center. Her teaching credits include master classes and residencies at University of North Texas, Baylor University, Collin College, and Luther College in Iowa. Amanda holds an M.F.A. in Dance from Texas Woman’s University, where she earned the Excellence in Performance Scholarship Award and Pauline Bishop Leman Memorial Award & Scholarship for her outstanding artistic contributions.
Lily Sloan, M.F.A.
Co-Director, lily@bigrigdance.org
A Michigan native, Lily Sloan received her M.F.A. in dance at Texas Woman’s University with the Outstanding Graduate Student award. Currently, she is a Co-Director of Big Rig Dance Collective and an Adjunct Professor at Texas Christian University and Texas Woman’s University, all while living in Denton, TX with her husband and son. She has performed and/or presented work across the United States and in Mexico, as well as in Italy, where she was a guest artist in site-specific dance at La Bella Vita Arts Workshops. She has performed works by choreographers such as Amii Legendre, Rebecca Bryant, Mark Dendy, Jordan Fuchs, and Sarah Gamblin. Simple Sparrow Dance Company, Flatlands Dance Theatre, and Texas Christian University have commissioned Lily’s choreography and her writing on site-specific dance has been published in the Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship. Lily sees dance making and performing as unique opportunities to problem solve in a physical and spontaneous way. She strives to continue exploring, performing, and creating innovative performances, often combining her interests in improvisation and site-based work.
Co-Director, lily@bigrigdance.org
A Michigan native, Lily Sloan received her M.F.A. in dance at Texas Woman’s University with the Outstanding Graduate Student award. Currently, she is a Co-Director of Big Rig Dance Collective and an Adjunct Professor at Texas Christian University and Texas Woman’s University, all while living in Denton, TX with her husband and son. She has performed and/or presented work across the United States and in Mexico, as well as in Italy, where she was a guest artist in site-specific dance at La Bella Vita Arts Workshops. She has performed works by choreographers such as Amii Legendre, Rebecca Bryant, Mark Dendy, Jordan Fuchs, and Sarah Gamblin. Simple Sparrow Dance Company, Flatlands Dance Theatre, and Texas Christian University have commissioned Lily’s choreography and her writing on site-specific dance has been published in the Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship. Lily sees dance making and performing as unique opportunities to problem solve in a physical and spontaneous way. She strives to continue exploring, performing, and creating innovative performances, often combining her interests in improvisation and site-based work.
/© Big Rig Dance Collective LLC. All photos by Jesse Scroggins.
