The Arizona Dance Coalition Board of Directors
ADC Board of Directors page – password protected.
| Executive Committee |
Board Members |
Lisa R Chow
Lisa R. Chow, President
Co-founder of the Arizona Dance Coalition | Vice President April 2006, President March 2007
Artistic Director of Desert Dance Theatre (Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe)
Lisa is Desert Dance Theatre’s (DDT) artistic director, company manager, choreographer, performer and educator. DDT has been on the roster of the Arizona Commission on the Arts since 1981 and has toured throughout Arizona, Mexico, California, Nevada, Texas, New York and the northwestern states. She has choreographed children’s programs in collaboration with String Sounds (String Quartet) for almost 15 years. Chow is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Crossroads Performance Group along with Step Raptis, performing interdisciplinary music and dance projects since 1989. She is also the managing director and performer with Step’s Junk Funk, interdisciplinary percussion and movement group that utilizes everyday objects as instruments. She was 1st Vice President of the Arizona Dance Arts Alliance (2002-05), coordinated and produced the AZ Contemporary Dance Festival and Arizona Dance Festivals for many years, and was a major force in the formation of the Arizona Dance Coalition.
Mary Heller
Mary Heller, Director (Prescott) | Director June 2017
Mary is a veteran dance educator and scholar who has taught in studios, schools and Higher Ed for more than 33 years. She was full-time lecturer in dance at the University of Idaho from 2006-2011. Originally from Chicago, Mary earned an M.F.A. in Dance Technology (Sharing Ground), Pedagogy, Performance and Choreography from Florida State University. She teaches level I – professional level Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Tap, Improvisation, Contact Improvisation, Choreography, Dance Theory, Dance History, Dance Pedagogy, Dance Production, and Creative Movement Methodology, including training veteran k-12 Teachers, and Physical Education, Early Childhood Education, and Dance Education Pre-Service Teachers in this methodology. In somatics her specialty is her own Heller Barre Practice®, (a Floor Barre informed by Kinesiology, and other somatic modalities).
Mary is an adjunct Professor of Dance in the Performing Arts Department at Yavapai College, since Aug. 2018. As a Wellness Advisor for 33 years she meets one-on-one as well as offering a retreat, GetInToGetOut.com. She was a principle dancer in four Chicago companies, and selected by audition to perform in works by Jawole Willow Jo Zollar, Randy Duncan, Sherry Zunker, Jim Clouser, Bill T. Jones, and others. See her C.V. at Mary Heller Dance Arts HERE.
Michael Tarver
Michael Tarver, Director (Tempe) | Director April 2026
Michael is a community-centered leader, movement educator, and strategic thinker dedicated to advancing the arts, education, and community engagement throughout Arizona. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology & Society and a Master of Science in Futures & Design from Arizona State University, where his work focused on inclusive leadership, systems thinking, and creating equitable, future-ready communities. His professional experience spans the nonprofit, corporate, wellness, and arts sectors, with leadership roles in operations, community engagement, strategic planning, and organizational development. Michael is passionate about connecting people, organizations, and ideas to create meaningful impact and sustainable growth.
As a certified yoga instructor, dance educator, and performing artist, Michael believes in the transformative power of movement and creative expression to foster connection, well-being, and community. He has performed with organizations, including Desert Dance Theatre and Gravity Jazz Dance Theatre, and remains a strong advocate for expanding access to arts education, cultural programming, and opportunities for artists across Arizona. As a member of the Arizona Dance Coalition Board of Directors, he is committed to strengthening Arizona’s dance ecosystem through collaboration, accessibility, education, and initiatives that support artists, organizations, and communities statewide.
