Choreographer Biographies

April 22, 2015

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Kaitlyn King
Public Relations Director
985-237-0890
kking39@lsu.edu

Sandra Parks-Head of Dance, LSU Department of Theatre

Sandra Parks was born in Taipei, Taiwan, where she
studied ballet and Chinese ethnic dance. She danced as a soloist
in Taipei with Four Seasons Ballet and Wu-I Dance Company.
Parks earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance
Performance degree from Tisch School of the Arts, New York
University and her Master of Fine Arts in Choreography from
Smith College, MA.
Parks danced on tour nationally and internationally with
a Broadway production of the King and I. Parks directed,
choreographed and danced in more than 80 live concerts. Parks
moved to Boston, where she danced with Bosoma Dance Company, Dance Collective and
Impulse Dance Company.
Parks has presented her choreography at venues including Carnegie Weill Recital Hall
and Manhattan Center in New York City; Strand Theater and Dance Complex in Boston, MA;
14th Street Playhouse and The Marcus Jewish Center in Atlanta, GA; Schermerhorn Symphony
Center in Nashville, TN. Xinzhuang Cultural Performing Arts Center in Taipei.
Parks taught at Boston University, Bridgewater State College, Colleges of Fenway,
Kennesaw State University, Regis College and Smith College, and master classes at National
Taiwan University of Arts. She is now the Head of Dance at Louisiana State University.
In her second year as the Head of Dance at LSU, Parks hopes to unite the campus
community in a collaborative, artistic performance.

Justin Chin-Student Choreographer

Justin Chin is a senior at LSU originally from
Mandeville, La. Chin plans to graduate this May with a
degree in biology and a minor in dance. Chin expects to
work for a year as a certified EMT and then attend
medical school.
Chin became involved in dance through his
interest in Korean pop music. The music inspired him to
move in creative and expressive ways. Chin discovered
the LSU dance program. He has developed his
choreography through the dance composition class.
Chin auditioned to create a piece for the spring concert and has worked under the mentorship of
Parks to hone his choreography. Chin hopes to challenge audience members traditional concepts
of beauty and inspire them to reevaluate the darker times in their lives.

Claire Wyly-Student Choreographer

Claire Wyly is a native of Baton Rouge. She is a junior at
LSU studying psychology and minoring in dance. Wyly plans to
graduate May 2016 and then pursue a masters degree in social
work from LSU. Ultimately, Wyly would like to work as a dance
movement therapist.
Wyly began dancing at the age of 11. She trained in ballet,
tap and jazz with the Powell-Moise School of Dance for four
years. In high school, Wyly left the studio and competed in
cheerleading. Wyly was inspired by personal experience to add the
dance minor and pursue a career in dance movement therapy.
Wyly developed her skills as a choreographer through the LSU dance programs dance
composition class. In the fall, Wyly auditioned to choreograph a piece for the Dance Ensembles
spring concert. The spring concert will be her the first public display of her choreography.