OU Dance

Study Abroad Announcement!!

We are so excited to send off EIGHT of our students along with Director, Michael Bearden, and Prof. Roxanne Lyst, to Plodiv, Bulgaria!

While in Bulgaria, our students will perform choreography by faculty members, Michael Bearden, Boyko Dossev, and Roxanne Lyst at the National Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts.

Follow along as our dancers keep you up to date with their travels on Instagram stories!

Dancer Credits:

1. Larissa Yakunovich is an incoming Senior pursuing double majors in Ballet Performance and Biology. She is from Houston, Texas.

2. Danielle Bush is an incoming Junior Modern Dance Performance Major from Houston Texas.
📸: Olivia Moon

3. Eve Grunenwald is an incoming Sophomore Ballet Performance major with a double major in Communications. Her hometown is Simpsonville, South Carolina

4. Ruby Peterson is an incoming Senior Modern Dance Performance Major from Fayetteville, Arkansas.

5. Payton van Poppel is a rising Senior pursuing a double major in Ballet Performance and Business Management. She is from Frisco, Texas.

6. Madison Hoadley is a Modern Dance Performance Junior from Eldersburg, Maryland.

7. Anna Zimmerly is a rising Junior pursuing a double major in Ballet Performance and Psychology. She is from Wyoming, Ohio.

8. Zooey Cooley is an incoming Junior Modern Dance Performance Major with a Minor in Art. She is from Flower Mound, Texas.

We’re not done celebrating our 2026 graduates just yet!! Class of 2026!!

Meegan Hertensteiner, currently residing in OKC, has recently graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Dance! Her hometowns include Upper St. Clair, PA; Simsbury, CT; Norman, OK; and San Francisco, CA. Congratulations, Meegan!

Favorite memory at OU?
I am super grateful that I had the chance to Direct three new major works. Two evening length works (one of them working with 20 undergraduates), and one work which premiered at CDO ‘25.

What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to channel your inner red panda sooner and stay playfully curious.

What are your plans after graduation?
My next chapter will include revamping my dance company that I Co-Direct with former OU alum, Derek Harris. Human Creature Dance Theatre () was founded in San Francisco in 2008 and will be reestablishing here in OKC. I am also working with RACE Dance Collective (), as a company member, teacher, and staff for RACE the Space.

We are so proud of you, Meegan!

📸: Simon Hurst Photography (Photos 1&2)

Introducing our incredible Guest Faculty for the OU Dance Summer Intensive!

Swipe to read about each of the accomplished dancers/choreographers/teachers that will be imparting their knowledge to young dance students from all over the country over the next month on the University of Oklahoma’s Norman Campus!

Stay tuned for more OUSI content and keep a special eye out for the incoming Freshman Class of OU Dance who will be popping up throughout!

degree unlocked 🎓

📸:

2025 - 2026 Season Recap!

Next up, we head to Colorado Springs with Oklahoma Festival Ballet’s collaboration with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic performing Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”.

OU School of Dance ballet faculty, Michael Bearden, Boyko Dossev, Glenn Edgerton, Jan Fugit, and Brandye Lee came together to stage brand new choreography with returning choreography from Dean Mary Margaret Holt and Hannah Jew for a weekend of magical performances that set off the Holiday Season!

Dancers:
1. Sophie Brown and OFB Company
2. Skyler Ryden and Callum Findlay-White: Oklahoma City Ballet, Corps de Ballet
3. Abby Pieper, OFB Company Members and Community Dancers
4. Andrew Parson, Paige Russel: Oklahoma City Balley, Soloist, and Larissa Yakunovich
5. Ben Nemmers, Abby Pieper, and Boyko Dossev
6. Paige Russel: Oklahoma City Ballet, Soloist and James Klump: Oklahoma City Ballet, Corps de Ballet
7. Skyler Ryden and Callum Findlay-White: Oklahoma City Ballet, Corps de Ballet
8. Sophie Brown
9. Thomas Brown, Sophia Smith, Rhianwen Tinsley, and Rut Trujillo Abeyta
10. Abby Pieper and Ben Nemmers
11. Sophie Brown, Anna Zimmerly and Isabella Lucido
12. Eve Grunenwald and Payton van Poppel
📸:

Fall 2027 Pre-Screen Auditions Are Open NOW!

We are excited to be the FIRST higher ed institution to partner with for auditions! Click the link in our bio to find open auditions and apply!!

Have questions? Email [email protected] and stay tuned over the Summer for some tips from OU Dancers that have gone through the process!

Credits:
Layla Rickman and Contemporary Dance Oklahoma Company Memebers in “Retrograding” choreographed by Austin Hartel
📸:
Full credits:https://www.ou.edu/content/dam/finearts/documents/CDO-Program.pdf

2025 - 2026 Season Recap!

Starting off with Oklahoma Festival Ballet 2025! Michael Bearden and Glenn Edgerton joined forces to choreograph a reimagined ballet inspired by William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Magical spirits, nymphs and forest royalty bring light and life back to their woodland home. Boyko Dossev contributed sparkling, elegant classical ballet to the program, and we were honored to present, “Tsela”, a premiere by esteemed international choreographer, Rena Butler.

Full credits here:https://www.ou.edu/content/dam/finearts/documents/OFB-2025-Program.pdf

Dancers:
1. Cheyenne Lok Suet Yang
2. Katya Cassidy, Oscar Miller, Abby Pieper, Payton Van Poppel
3. Lucy Wagner
4. Andrew Parson, Skyler Ryden
5. Sophia Smith
6. Oscar Miller, Abby Pieper
7. Cheyenne Lok Suet Yang
8. Skyler Ryden
9. Hollis Narkiewicz
10. Taylor McCardle, Oscar Miller
11. Abby Pieper
12. Andrew Parson, Skyler Ryden

OU Alumni Class of 2026!!

Senior, Ben Nemmers from Dallas, Texas, graduated last weekend with a BFA in Ballet Performance. Congratulations, Ben!

Favorite memory at OU?
My favorite memory of my time at OU dance had to be the incredible trip we took to Clermont-Ferrand in France.

What advice would you give your Freshman self?
My advice to my freshman self would be to understand that you are going to change a lot through college and to remind yourself why you love to dance.

What are your plans after graduation?
I will be joining New Jersey Ballet as a company member.

Congratulations, Ben! We are so proud of you!!

Happy Graduation Day!!

Senior, Rylie Gatlin from Fort Worth, Texas graduates TODAY with a BFA in Modern Dance Performance and a BS in Pre-Physical Therapy. Congratulations, Riley!

Favorite memory at OU?
My favorite memory during my time in the OU School of Dance would have to be collaborating with one of my best friends, Lauren Konkol, for our capstone show. It turned out exactly how we imagined, if not better; the entire process was super fun!

What advice would you give your Freshman self?
Don’t rush it. Say yes more, stress less, and be present. It all goes by faster than you think. 

What are your plans after graduation?
In the Fall of 2026, I will be attending Texas A&M Texarkana Doctor of Physical Therapy program to receive my Doctorate in Physical Therapy! While I continue school, I will also be joining the faculty of my former dance studio, Studio of MoveMINT. 

Congratulations, Rylie! We are so proud of you!!

HAPPY GRADUATION DAY!! YOU DID IT!! 🥹

A HUGE congratulations to the University of Oklahoma School of Dance Class of 2026!! We are so proud of who you are and the work you have done. We cannot wait to see what is next for each of you!

Keep in touch and visit often.