Sandra Parks, Founder/Executive Director

Sandra Shih Parks received her BFA in Dance from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University and her MFA in Choreography from Smith College, MA. Originally from Taiwan, Sandra danced as a soloist with Four Seasons Ballet and Wu-I Dance Company in Taipei. She toured nationally and internationally with a Broadway production of the King And I. While directing her own production, she danced and choreographed over 80 live concerts. After moving to Boston, she danced with Bosoma Dance Company, Dance Collective, and Impulse Dance Company.

Sandra has presented work at venues including Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, Dixon Place, and Manhattan Center in New York City; Boston University Theater, Strand Theater, and Dance Complex in Boston, MA; 14^th Street Playhouse and The Marcus Jewish Center in Atlanta, GA; Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, TN; Xinzhuang Cultural Performing Arts Center in Taipei. She also created commissioned work for Bosoma Dance Company in Boston, Cangelosi Dance Project and Of Moving Colors in Baton Rouge, LA.

Sandra was a member of the faculties at Boston University, Bridgewater State College, Colleges of Fenway, Kennesaw State University, Regis College, Smith College, National Taiwan University of Arts, the Head of Dance Program and assistant professor at Louisiana State University, and the Program Director for Drexel University in Philadelphia. In 2013, Sandra founded Women in Dance to celebrate and promote female leadership in dance, and she is the director of the international conference: Women in Dance Leadership Conference.

Romeo and Juliet – The Choice, a re-imagined performance of the popular classical ballet composed by Russian modernist Sergei Prokofiev. This innovative and immersive production is co-created by the internationally acclaimed pianist, Frederic Chiu and the founder and director of Women in Dance, Sandra Shih Parks.

Romeo and Juliet is a classic Shakespearean play about two star-crossed young lovers from dueling families who tragically take their lives at the conclusion of the play. In 1936, Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev composed the initial draft of a ballet of the title work for piano. In this version, Prokofiev gave the story an alternative ending where Juliet wakes up before Romeo’s despair that leads to the tragic ending. Prokofiev never orchestrated this ending, choosing instead to adapt his final published orchestra score to the original fate of the lovers in an attempt to placate critics. Romeo and Juliet, The Choice presents audiences with an opportunity to experience either Prokofiev’s original ending or the more commonly performed version of this beloved score. Audiences will be invited to vote on which ending to be performed, the results of the vote being revealed only when the storyline unfolds. In addition, audience members will be invited to join a few numbers of the ballet and be part of the production.