Biographies

Executive Director of Moving Arts Dance and General Manager of SOLAD Dance Center, is a significant figure in our society. His vision and drive for the cultural development of Contra Costa County has spanned two decades. He is the resident photographer for Moving Arts Dance and has been published internationally.

He has served as the president of the Contra Costa Convention and Visitors Bureau and was a board member for six years. He served as a board member in the Walnut Creek Fountain for Youth Foundation for three years. He has served on numerous committees for the development of performing arts in our community and currently serves as the East Bay Area representative on the National Dance Week steering committee.

Mr. Belding Directed the Pavilion Associates for 15 years, a non-profit 501(c)3 citizens' organization that provided fund-raising and volunteer services for educational, community and cultural programs at the Chronicle Pavilion. From 1976 - 2002, the Associates donated millions of dollars and countless volunteer hours in pursuit of this mission. Under Mr. Beldings direction the work of the Pavilion Associates mission encompassed the entire community and all performing arts forms: In our fast-paced society, the Associates believe the performing arts to be a vital humanizing element which encourages understanding and mutual respect. By making theater, music and dance accessible to the residents of our region, especially children and families, the Associates empowered a new generation to understand the personal and social value of the performing arts as a means of expression and communication.

Mr. Belding developed the Pavilion Associates from a small organization with a $16,000 a year budget to an organization treasured in the community with a budget of almost 2 million annually. Under his direction, The Pavilion Associates have been a significant force in the development of the performing arts in Contra Costa County. He was significant in providing music in the schools and community performances including such annual events as World Beats, CA Symphony 4th of July, Futjitsu Concord Jazz Festival, Todos Santos Park concerts, lecture demonstrations in the schools and much more. In theater, his major contribution was his vision and direction to build the outdoor theater in Martinez, and his drive to bring the John Muir musical to fruition.

Mr. Belding was instrumental in the development of Diablo Ballet. The Pavilion Associates was the first organization to produce Diablo Ballet, providing them with the position of Resident Dance Company at the Chronicle Pavilion for 5 years, commissioning new works by the company and providing the opportunity for the company to be showcased for supporters. Annually he produced a free dance concert on the third of July every year, followed by fireworks. The concert was offered for free and was typically attended by about 5,000 people. In 2001 the featured company was Diablo Ballet, in 2002 the featured company was Moving Arts Dance.

For over five years he presented Dance Around the World, performed by several dance companies showcasing a variety of traditional and contemporary dance styles, this lecture demonstration was attended by the entire 5th grade of Mt Diablo Unified School District. Additionally he provided lecture demonstrations in the schools by Diablo Ballet, Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Carlos Moreno, Disciples of the Kunhiramans and Moving Arts Dance. The Associates offered the free annual labor day event titled The Pavilion Dance Festival, in which several companies were featured performers, attended by 4-5,000 people were often seeing dance for the first time. The event was followed by an autograph signing that provided the audience with the opportunity to meet the dancers. Mr. Belding continues to devote his life to the cultural development of our community. He remains active and concerned with the quality of life.

Anandha founded Moving Arts Dance in 1996, after directing ARK III Dance in California and Arizona from 1980 - 1995. She has choreographed over 50 major works and received national awards including national selection as one of nine choreographers for the prestigious National Dance Festival Award presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC (also honored in Dance Magazine, 1986). Her choreography has been presented in honorary concerts across the nation and in Europe. In addition to showcase performances sponsored by the Martha Graham Company, her choreography has been commissioned/performed by Repertory Dance Theater (RDT) of Utah, several universities and colleges, and in festival performances across the United States and in Europe.

She was recently named One of Twenty-One Visionaries for the 21st Century (2000) and one of Twenty-Five Women Arts Visionaries (2004) by Diablo Magazine, as well as being inducted into the Womens Hall of Fame in Contra Costa County, CA (2004).

Ms. Ray has a BA in Dance Education from ASU, two Master of Arts degrees from UCLA (a double major in Choreography and Kinesiology and a second degree in Dance/Movement Therapy). She has guest lectured and served on the faculties of colleges and universities throughout the nation, and was the Director of the Dance Program at Yavapai College 1980-84; Assistant Professor, Director of Dance for the University of the Pacific from 1988-1990; and directed the dance program at Walnut Creek's Civic Arts Education from 1993-2000. She has served as adjudicator for selection committees for the American College Dance Festival, for grants committees, and for many years toured a lecture circuit to festivals and universities across the nation.

She has appeared in television shows and commercials nationally and in France and has performed the choreography of several renowned choreographers including Tandy Beal, Bill Evans, Doris Humphrey, Margaret Jenkins, Cliff Keuter, Alwin Nikolais, and Anna Sokolow among others. She has performed with Moving Arts Dance , ARK III Dance, The Anandha Ray Collective, the UCLA touring Company, A Ludwig Company in AZ, Clarence Teeters and Dancers in NY, ASU's touring Company, and festival and workshop performances across the nation and in Europe. And, in her spare time, she is a wife, mother and grandmother!

Michael Lowe, Assistant Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer, returns from retirement to perform as a full time member of Moving Arts Dance since 2003. A 2003 winner of the Bay Areas Izzie (Isadora Duncan Dance Award) for Choreography, he joined Moving Arts Dance in Season 2001 as Resident Choreographer. Mr. Lowe danced with Oakland Ballet for almost three decades and was the Assistant Artistic Director under Ronn Guidi. He performed numerous principal roles and he has created five dances for Oakland Ballet in addition to works for several ballet companies across the nation.