WHO WE ARE
EXECUTIVE / Artistic Director
REBEKAH HAMPTON BARGER
Founder & Executive/Artistic Director
Founder & Executive/Artistic Director
Rebekah Hampton Barger relocated to Nashville in 2010 from Oklahoma City, OK where she was a company member and choreographer with modern and aerial dance company Perpetual Motion Dance, and a guest performer and faculty instructor with the Oklahoma City Ballet. Upon arriving in Nashville, Rebekah founded FALL, Nashville’s first aerial and contemporary dance company.
Drawing on her multi-disciplinary background that ranges from classical ballet to Capoeira and rhythmic gymnastics, Rebekah’s work blends classical and contemporary dance with a mix of aerial fabric and invented structures, examining how the use of various apparatus’ can provide a broader range of movement possibilities, create opportunities to explore more dimensions in space, and challenge dancers to experience gravity and their own physicality in new ways.
In addition to directing FALL, Rebekah is the Ballet Program Director at Ann Carroll School of Dance, and is a guest instructor for New Dialect’s Contemporary Cross-Training Series, the Governor's School, and the Tennessee Association of Dance. She was part of the inaugural class of Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training, and recently completed a 5 year residency with abrasiveMedia.
Drawing on her multi-disciplinary background that ranges from classical ballet to Capoeira and rhythmic gymnastics, Rebekah’s work blends classical and contemporary dance with a mix of aerial fabric and invented structures, examining how the use of various apparatus’ can provide a broader range of movement possibilities, create opportunities to explore more dimensions in space, and challenge dancers to experience gravity and their own physicality in new ways.
In addition to directing FALL, Rebekah is the Ballet Program Director at Ann Carroll School of Dance, and is a guest instructor for New Dialect’s Contemporary Cross-Training Series, the Governor's School, and the Tennessee Association of Dance. She was part of the inaugural class of Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training, and recently completed a 5 year residency with abrasiveMedia.
COMPANY MEMBERS
DORSE BROWN
At the age of 7, Dorse Brown began his dance career with Hip Hop in his hometown of Little Rock, AR. He graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor's Degree in Music, a concentration in Recording Technology, and a minor in Dance. While training, Brown received a Young Artist Talent Scholarship to attend the American Dance Festival and also had the opportunity to appear and compete on the 5th season of the television show, "So You Think You Can Dance". He is so honored to have trained and danced with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in Dayton, Ohio from 2011- 2015. After Dayton, Brown moved to Nashville where his traveling opportunities continued with guest artist residencies at various universities. In January of 2016, he went back to his hip-hop roots with a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line contract. The time with Royal Caribbean gave him the chance to train and perform in areas he had never thought of, as an aerialist. He’s grateful to continue training and growing as an aerialist as well as a dancer with FALL. He gives all of the glory and honor to God and thanks to his wife, family, and friends for their continuous support.
LAUREN COUGAN
Lauren Cougan hails from Indianapolis, Indiana where she began dancing in high school. She then went on to receive her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in dance from Ball State University, studying contemporary dance and choreography. Shortly upon graduating, Lauren moved to Franklin, Tennessee where she engaged with the dance community in Nashville and encountered her first taste of aerial dance. Lauren has been working to perfect the art of hooping, spinning staff, and spinning poi for several years, and feels that aerial dance gracefully marries her love of flow arts with dance. This is Lauren's first season with FALL.
BETH LOOSMORE
Originally from Baltimore, MD, Beth Loosmore received the majority of her dance training from Baltimore School for the Arts. She also trained at Nutmeg Conservatory and Washington Ballet. During her career she had the privilege to dance for Karen Reedy Dance, Dance Theatre of Tennessee, Carbon Dance Theatre and Ballet Fleming. Beth joined FALL in 2014 is beyond excited to be here. Beth is also a licensed massage therapist.
SHELBY RING
Shelby Ring graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2015 with a BFA in Contemporary Dance. While attending school, she had the opportunity to work with Brenda Daniels, Trish Casey, Sean Sullivan, Ming-Lung Yang, Susan Jaffe, and Juel Lane. Shortly after leaving UNCSA, Shelby found her way back home to Tennessee where she became a company member of FALL in 2015 and has been able to work and perform with many diverse artists and collaborators. Currently, she teaches modern dance at The Dancer’s School in Murfreesboro and ballet at Smartt Steps Dance Studio in Hendersonville. Shelby is looking forward to an exciting year of teaching and performing with great artists.
board of directors
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Board President - Angie Adams (PENCIL Foundation)
Kate Abrams (OZ Arts Nashville) Jonah Eller-Isaacs (NATIVE Magazine) |
Thérèse Keegan (independent performing artist)
Sundeep Podila (KraftCPAs) Vince Walzberg (independent performing artist) |
Other artists
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DANCERS
Clemence Aubier
Audra Almond-Harvey Jessica Cavender Luke Davis Liz Eisenga Mersey Fulper-Smith Mary Ruth Isbell Ryann Lievens Allison Little Kasey Lowry Ashley Marshall Lena Mazel Bethany Miller Julia Mitchell Lindsay Ogle Becca Place Rachel Rebottaro Jenna Smith Athena Sweeten Michael West, Jr. |
COLLABORATORS
Actors Bridge Ensemble
Audra Almond-Harvey (poet/consultant) Jessica Cavender (photographer/multi-media artist) Herb Bailey (poet) Marsha Barsky (choreographer) Conner Carroll (videographer) Timbre Cierpke (harpist/vocalist/composer) chatterbird Andrew Collins (composer) Robert Cortner (metal sculptor) DancEast Laurel Desmarais (choreographer) Epiphany Dance Partners Wesley Duffee-Braun (photographer) Laura Fenwick (photographer/visual artist) Molly Graves (circus artist) Justin Harvey (martial artist/photographer) Robbie Lynn Hunsinger (multi-instrumentalist/multi-media artist/improvisor/composer) Kat Jones (musician/performance artist) Andrew Krichels (event coordinator) David Landry (visual artist) Kelly Landry (costume designer/lighting designer/dancer) Alex T. Leach (electronic musician/composer) Kristen Teffeteller Leophard (circus artist) Ryann Lievens (choreographer) Nichole Marie Lim (makeup artist/hair stylist) Michael Mallicote (videographer) Tavius Marshall (poet) Mitch Massaro (rigger/lighting designer) Mary Mooney (visual artist) New Dialect OZ Arts Nashville Bill Rios (photographer/multi-media artist) Kent Smith (composer) Jesse A. Strauss (percussionist/composer) Suspended Gravity Circus Lizard Walker (circus artist) Roger Wiesmeyer (multi-instrumentalist) |