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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR : Colleen Laliberte
Colleen Laliberte has been working as a teaching artist for the past thirty years.
In 1993 she attended the Loose Moose International Improvisation Summer School in Calgary, Alberta Canada, where she met and studied with Keith Johnstone. She has continued to study with Keith since 1993 (back in Calgary, twice in London, at Bay Area Theatresports, at Philly Improv Theatre and took the bold leap to bring Keith Johnstone to her hometown of Chattanooga Tennessee. March 2010 was Keith’s fourth intensive offered in Chattanooga, sponsored by Colleen and the Skwalking Heads Production Team. Colleen has taught Johnstone based improvisation classes for Theatre teachers in public schools, for the Southeast Theatre Conference (SETC), for the Network of Performing Arts Magnet Schools Conference, for The Tennessee Teaching Academy (Belmont University), and as an adjunct Professor for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
She has conducted school residencies throughout the US, and her international residencies include Sweden, Austria, and Canada. As founding Director of Skwalking Heads Production Co., she has directed and co-created theatrical experiences for audiences of all ages. Colleen can create a dynamic performance experience for students in the classroom or on the stage. In addition to classroom residencies Colleen has designed teacher-training workshops for Universities, professional development conferences and community organizations. She is a member of the Applied Improv Network and relishes any opportunity to connect with fellow improvisers.
ARTIST : Jessica Laliberte Bowman holds a BA in Dance from Columbia College Chicago. She taught and danced professionally in Chicago before relocating to Chattanooga. Mrs. Bowman has worked as an independent choreographer and teaching artist leading Master Classes, Workshops and Choreographic Residencies across the Southeast including work with UTC, Ballet Tennessee and TAD. She is a founding member of Skwalking Heads Productions and founding director of The International Arts Exchange. Her choreographic credits include ‘Joseph’, ‘Smokey Joes Café’, ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ among numerous regional, community and children’s theatre productions. Her choreography has been showcased for the American Medical Alliance, March of Dimes and American Heart Association. Mrs. Bowman has been a grant recipient for the TN Arts Commission, Allied Arts of Chattanooga and the Public Education Foundation. She is currently on faculty at Chattanooga Center for Creative Arts teaching Jazz, Tap, Cultural Styles, Modern Dance and is the Resident Choreographer for Project Motion Ensemble. She has spent time in Japan, Iceland and Germany, making her international teaching debut in Hamm.
MEET THE SKWALKERS!
ARTIST : Zach Laliberte is a multi-faceted artist who resides in Staunton, VA after living in the Sunny City of Los Angeles and the Windy City of Chicago. He was born and raised in the southern town of Chattanooga TN. He attended a Performing Arts high school before making his venture north to Chicago where he earned his Bachelors degree in the Theater Program at Columbia College Chicago. Since graduation he has gone on a national Clown Tour with his colleague and Parter in crime Kelly Badgley, Attended the International Festival of Alternative and New Theatre (INFANT) in Novi Sad Serbia, He has worked to create both the Tonkawa Theatre Tribe(TTT) and The Chicago Physical Theatre Institute(CPTI) in Chicago. He has just released his independently produced live album entitled Skeletons of Songs with the help of his good friend and independent Filmmaker Joe Burke. Aside from creating independently Zach has made many friends around the world studying under Kieth Johnstone at the Loose Moose Theater Co. in Calgary, performing at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, and collaborating with some of his favorite artists in Chicago such as the Neo-Futurists and Kapoot Clown Theater. Mr. Zach also worked as an Artist in Residence in collaboration with The Vittum Theater teaching Art, Music, Theater, and Improvisation in Chicago Public schools. Whether making music, making masks, writing scripts, or Improvising; Zach Laliberte continues to strive to create New and Innovative works of art while collaborating globally.
