About think/dance collective
Founded in 1997 by Artistic Director Liz Joynt Sandberg, think/dance collective is a group of women working to present dance that is fearless, curious and charged with explosive human energy and emotion. think/dance's movement is simultaneously thoughtful and aggressive, pedestrian and technical, energized and relaxed. Dancers hurl their bodies through space, splatter on the floor, and move with captivating abandon as they communicate with audiences about issues we consider everyday, spanning from the mundane details of our lives to climactic and crazy events. Dance pieces address social and metaphysical concerns with humor and realism, posing questions through music and movement, encouraging those participating by watching to draw their own conclusions. Working with compositions by Anathallo, Joanna Newsom, Sufjan Stevens, Half-Handed Cloud, The Books, Animal Collective, Deerhoof and other cutting edge artists, think/dance is moving to the music of a new audience for dance, drawing in a young, progressive crowd with little dance exposure and versed art lovers alike. Utilizing film, text, non-confrontational audience activities, and often elaborate props, think/dance shares with audiences the experience of a world opening up, filled with new possibilities and infinite adventure.

Who are we?
think/dance collective is a core of five women who work together as artists and athletes to make all kinds of crazy stuff - mostly dance. Dancers in the company come from a wide range of backgrounds, from life-long dance training to virtually no formal dance experience. All dancers share in common a love of making art, a commitment to intense physical training, a curious worldview, and a bizarre, shared sense of humor. Let's be friends!

Wendy Froman graduated in 2002 from the Naturopathic Institute in Mt. Pleasant, MI and is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, specializing in Clinical Oncology Massage. She joined think/dance collective in January of 2006 at the age of 24 with no formal dance experience. Since that time, Wendy has dedicated herself to an intense and accelerated training process in order to gather the skills needed to meet the challenges of think/dance's versatile repertoire. Some of her other creative pursuits include photography, writing, painting, and making music. Wendy finds inspiration from authors such as Thomas Merton and Jonathan Saffron Foer, musicians like Gillian Welch and Joanna Newsom, as well as the movements of the other think/dancers. Wendy would like to thank Liz Joynt Sandberg for her intelligent, formidable, and breathtaking choreography, the other dancers for their help and friendship, and all those who have supported think/dance with an open mind.

Sarah Mott is in her 5th season with think/dance collective. She began dancing at age 5 and has danced with various companies including Orchesis Dance Theatre and Dance Umbrella of Central Michigan University before finding her home with think/dance. Sarah graduated with a degree in nutrition and dietetics from CMU and works as a renal dietitian.

Megan Cottrell is a professional dancer living in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. She graduated summa cum laude from Central Michigan University with a degree in political science and history, and now works as a dance instructor and freelance writer for radio and print media. She is a proud member of the Isabella County Democratic Party and has one gold tooth. Megan has never danced any important roles in any ballets, but if performing ballet were ever made available to those who weren't creepily thin, she would be delighted to perform the roles of Swanilda from Coppelia, the Lilac Fairy from Sleeping Beauty or a cygnet from Swan Lake. Her heroes are Ira Glass, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Josiah Bartlet. She highly recommends WNYC's radio lab, Harry Potter and George Lakoff's Don't Think of an Elephant. She would like to thank her husband, Jeff, for his never-ending support and for always doing the dishes.

Pauline Krupa was born in Chesterfield, MI. She began her dance training at Bev's Dance Studio where she studied the Royal Academy of Dancing technique of ballet for fifteen years. She took her first modern dance class in January 2006, decided it was a success, and joined think/dance collective that summer. Pauline now dances and teaches at Vision Studio of Performing Arts in Mt. Pleasant, MI, while also finishing her degree in elementary education at Central Michigan University. She plans to one day teach middle school students about cells, electricity, light, rocks and minerals - you know, science! Pauline loves organization, her 'little' brother, Sal, inside jokes, and dreaming big. She recommends finding a passion, whether it be reading, cooking, or buttons, everyone should have something to get geeked about.

Liz Joynt Sandberg loves tee shirts with cats, eagles, or winsome horses on them. In addition to being a principal performer for the company, Liz is the artistic director and choreographer for think/dance collective. She directs and teaches for a community dance program at Vision Studio of Performing Arts in Mt. Pleasant, MI, and is a member of the dance faculty at Alma College. Liz also teaches at Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant High School, and several other dance programs around the state of Michigan. She holds a degree in Philosophy and Music from CMU and lives in Mt. Pleasant with her husband Nathan and her dog Maude. He hobbies include cooking, themed parties involving costumes, making god's-eyes, Christmas, and hunting for more cat shirts. She aspires to be a stand up comedian when she grows up, or perhaps own an all-thanksgiving-food restaurant, or both.