Board Chairman – Edmond Cooper
Edmond Cooper, a native of Hot Springs, is a former professional touring performer and acclaimed choreographer. His talent, energy, and vision breathes life in the dance company every day, on all levels. He has returned home, to Hot Springs, to be close to family and to dedicate himself fully in this Children’s Dance Theatre endeavor.
Edmond Cooper began his formal Ballet training under the direction of Fernando Schaffenburg, founder and Artistic Director of the Fort Worth Ballet. Subsequently, Edmond was awarded the Texas Christian University Nordan Scholarship. He later went on to train extensively under the direction of world renown teacher David Howard in New York.
Edmond has performed professionally with the Fort Worth Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and Ballet Arizona directed by John Paul Comlin, former ballet master of the Stuttgart Ballet. He is the 1986 recipient of the National Association of Regional Ballet Young Choreographers award, adjudicated and awarded by David Barnet, former artistic director of the Atlanta Ballet. Edmond served as choreographer for the Fort Worth Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Interlochen School of the Performing Arts.
Edmond’s greatest choreographic success was his collaboration with Stewart Copeland on Copeland’s Original Opera ‘“Holy Blood and Crescent Moon” premiered in 1994 with the Fort Worth Opera.
Board Treasurer – John Sichter
John Sichter, Treasurer of HSCDT has a MBA from Syracuse University, over 40 year’s financial accounting experience in several multinational corporations advancing to Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of a billion dollar international company. Additionally, John’s experience includes over 10 years’ non-profit experience as Chief Administrative Director of Dallas Children’s Theater. John and his wife Elaine moved from Dallas, Texas, and now enjoy retirement in Hot Springs plus visiting their ten grandkids.
Board Secretary – Alexandra Stafford
Alexandra Stafford permanently moved to Hot Springs from Houston in August of last year. An art historian by training, Alix worked extensively in the art world in London, in public relations and gallery management, before relocating to Houston, Texas. There, unable to work without a green card, she went back to school to study dance, with a particular emphasis on classical ballet. During her time in the dance program at Houston Community College she began an intensive study of dance at City Dance Studio where, for one semester, she trained under Lauren Anderson, prima ballerina at Houston Ballet. After several years Alix began teaching ballet to little children and adults, to the latter a very rewarding experience. She began to realize that we all have a capacity to be a dancer, that dance stretches our imagination and enhances our confidence, and that, like study of any kind, is a gift we give to ourselves. Alix is also a member of the Arts Advisory Committee of Hot Springs and is currently training to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate. She completed her time as co-Chair of the British Festival in Houston and remains head of entertainment on the Festival Committee. I am a CASA advocate and a volunteer at Ouachita Children’s Center.
Board Members
Elaine Bankston grew up in Los Angeles and began her professional career as an actress at the Tony Award winning South Coast Repertory Theater. She has appeared in theaters all over the country , including Ford’s Theater in Washington DC, The American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, the Huntington Hartford Theater in Hollywood, the New Locust Theater in Philadelphia, the Dupont Theater in Delaware and many more. Elaine has a degree in Theatre from the University of California, Irvine and has taught all aspects of Theatre Arts. She has directed over twenty plays. Elaine has been enjoying a career as a national radio/television voiceover talent for years.
Robin Brown has been an integral part of the Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre since its founding in 2013. Her extensive contributions span numerous capacities, most notably in marketing, advertising, and public relations. Robin’s children, Kodie and Zachary, were active members of the Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company and performed in many productions throughout their childhood.
Jennifer Davis is an Arkansas native. While her background does not include the arts professionally, she enjoys and supports the arts in various capacities. Jennifer holds a BS in Information Science, a MS in Operations Management, and a JD from the Bowen School of Law. Her background in information technology, specifically database and applications development, brings a more scientific perspective to the Board. Jennifer is the Deputy State Chief Information Officer and attorney for the State of Arkansas, Office of State Technology. She currently lives in Bryant, Arkansas, with her family.
Amy Falck is an Arkansas native. Growing up, she developed a passion for ballet and served as a member of the Western Arkansas Ballet Company in Fort Smith. She is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where she majored in Microbiology and Immunology with a minor in Chemistry. After graduating from the UAMS College of Medicine, she practices Internal Medicine with CHI Hot Springs. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.
Samantha Millard first came to Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Co. as the parent of a new dancer and has fallen in love with the ballet through her daughter’s experience in the company. A teacher by trade, Samantha has been homeschooling her children for the past 21 years and volunteering in the community. Now that her youngest has graduated high school, she is tutoring students and continuing her volunteerism. Samantha has a passion for bringing the arts to communities where there haven’t traditionally been arts opportunities. Because of this, she enthusiastically supports the mission of HSCDTC and its impact in the lives of the young dancers and the community as a whole and is excited to serve on its board.