Kristanne Connolly--Artistic Director/ Choreographer/ Dancer:  Raised on a farm in Minnesota, Kristanne began studying dance, maikido, and gymnastics as soon as she got her driver's license. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she was fortunate to receive many scholarships and awards for performance and choreography.  Upon graduating, she danced in Chicago with Maggie Kast and Company, and Janet Skidmore-Harpole's improvisational dance theater Add Water and Stir.  In the same year she co-founded Connolly Dance Company, a contemporary modern dance touring company specializing in unusually athletic lifts and throws.  Her work with the company has seen performances in New York at St. Mark's Church (The Remember Project), the HERE Arts Center, the Joyce Soho, the Kitchen, and the Gowanus Arts Exchange.  Since the company's inception in 1994 she has led fifteen residencies and forty-seven workshops through universities, public and private schools, theaters and dance presenting organizations throughout the Midwest and in Washington.  Her choreography has been performed in over 80 concerts in seven states.  Her penchant for collaborations with social service organizations has lead to pioneering arts programming with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Events (workshops and performances funded by a generous grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the state of Wisconsin) and a benefit concert for the ACS in 1999; ongoing performance demonstrations in Madison area retirement centers; and the airing of two programs featuring her choreography, performance, and educational programs through Connolly Dance Company on Community Cable (West Bend, WI).  She has collaborated with the critically acclaimed Ed Anders Quartet (jazz) and John Strassburg (contemporary); photographers Greg Zocher (Boston), Shawn Harper (photographer for the rock group GARBAGE), Bill Frederking (recipient of Chicago's Ruth Page Award for excellence in dance photography); and artist Debbie Dejno-Swift (St. Louis).  Kristanne has enjoyed working as guest artist with Milwaukee's Dancecircus, Madison's Kanopy Dance Theater, and teaches contemporary modern dance classes through UW-Madison Continuing Education.  She actively supports the Wisconsin dance community by acting as a project evaluator for other dance companies, a panelist for the Wisconsin Arts Board, and has continued her own dance education in Bartenieff Fundamentals with Betty Salamun, Arve technique with Karen Smith-English, and Ballroom dance with Michael Argue.

Patrick Connolly--Artistic Director/Choreographer/Dancer: Born and raised in Illinois, Patrick grew up playing ice hockey, basketball, and football. After developing an interest in the arts, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He began his dance training with James Moore, Diane Woodward, and Ann Mosey, and studied on scholarship with David Parsons at the New Arts Festival. He has danced with Maggie Kast, Janet Skidmore-Harpole’s Add Water and Stir, and was invited to be a guest artist with Betty Salamun’s DanceCircus for three seasons. In 1999 he danced the role of Prince in the Wisconsin Dance Ensemble’s “Cinderella”. Patrick teaches creative movement and modern dance workshops and has been featured as artist in residence at various universities. Patrick has created 14 works for the Connolly Dance Company.

Jordan W. Buck -- Dancer:
Jordan began dancing his freshman year at UW-Whitewater, and continues his training at UW-Madison, where he will shortly receive a BFA in dance. He has enjoyed exciting opportunities to perform choreography by Tandy Beal and Robin Pettersen in several concerts, and most recently appeared in a piece by guest artist Barbara Gruebel in the UW-Madison spring concert. This summer Jordan will work with Connolly Dance during its Dane County American Cancer Society Relay for Life collabotative tour.

Joana Dacosta -- Dancer:
Joana has studied ballet, modern, tap, capoeira and samba for 16 years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and in Madison. As a student at UW, Joana has performed with Professors Jin Wen Yu and Li Chiao Ping as well as guest artists Barbara Gruebel, Sean Curran, Ed Groff, Clyde Morgan, Tandy Beal and Gloria McLean. Joana has also choreographed and performed her own works on student choreographer's showcases. Joana will graduate with a BFA in Dance from UW-Madison, and is excited to continue her work with the Connolly's this summer during the American Cancer Society Relay for Life tour!

Julie Wetlaufer -- Dancer:
Julie is a graduate of Beloit College with a major in Dance and a minor in Performing Arts. She began her dance training at age 8, and has enjoyed opportunities to study at STEPS, Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, the Martha Graham School and the Limon Institute in NYC, as well as several Madison schools. As a student in Beloit, Julie performed with the Joy XU Conservatory of Dance, the Chelonia Dance Ensemble, the Rockford Dance Company, and many independent choreographers. Currently, Julie teaches at Monona Academy of Dance. This is her first season with Connolly Dance Company, and she is excited and grateful for this opportunity!