CHOREOGRAPHERS
Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Inc., believes in giving jazz choreographers at various stages of their development the opportunity to show their work. Both professional and inexperienced choreographers are able to develop their technical skills and creativity by having their dances performed before live audiences. The choreographers who participate in our performances do not pay a fee to have their work shown, and they are able to purchase a DVD of their dances without paying the much larger cost of filming.
Artistic Directors
Merete Muenter
Merete Muenter is a choreographer and director, as well as the Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Jazz Choreography Enterprises. Choreography: Off-Broadway –FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – IN YIDDISH (Assistant Choreographer – Director, Joel Grey), AMERIKE THE GOLDEN LAND (The National Yiddish Theater - Folksbiene), THE GOLDEN BRIDE (Chita Rivera Award Nomination / The National Yiddish Theater - Folksbiene), SOUTH PACIFIC and MAN OF LA MANCHA (Plaza Theatricals), THE KING OF SECOND AVENUE (New Repertory Theater). Director / Choreographer: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – IN YIDDISH – (Associate Director, Off-Broadway / New World Stages – Director, Joel Grey), THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, (American Theater Group), CHICAGO, TOMMY, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG,
(Woodstock Playhouse), THEY WALK AMONG US (MITF / Award - Best Choreography), WINESDAY – (Associate Director / Movement Coordinator – Off-Broadway). Short Film: THROUGH THE AGES (Director / Choreographer / Producer) Multiple Film Festival Awards. Originally from Buffalo, New York. SUNY Geneseo Graduate.
Danielle Diniz
Danielle is the Co Artistic Director of Jazz Choreography Enterprises and has choreographed for the Ailey BFA program, Jacob's Pillow, New York Dance Project, Ballet Hartford, Central Utah Ballet, Stars of American Ballet, Earl Mosley's Diversity of Dance, St. Paul's ballet program, Columbia Ballet Collaborative and the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, among others. She was also honored to be Artist in Residence at Tribeca BMCC via CUNY Dance Initiative last year. She choreographed the musicals ‘My Way’ and ‘On the Air’, made her Off-Broadway choreographic debut at the AMT Theatre with 'An Unbalanced Mind,' presented work at the McCallum Theatre/Palm Desert Choreography Festival and the New York Theatre Barn Choreography Lab at BAC and was awarded a grant from NYFA. She choreographs musicals for AMDA and has served as Associate Choreographer for Lorin Latarro. She enjoys teaching at Steps on Broadway, Peridance, Mark Morris and Manhattan Youth Ballet and has a B.A. from Cornell University.
Current Choreographers
Barbara Angeline
Evita Arce
Sofia Bengoa
Lisa Biagini
Jessica Black
Lauren Blue
Bob Boross
Paul A. Brown
Antuan Byers
William Byram
Kelly Carrol
Tiffanie Carson
Ashley Carter
Sharlane Conner
Kiley Corcoran
Matthew Couvillon
Arthur Cuadros
Lloyd Culbreath
Shany Dagan
Jeff Davis
Cristal Del Mar López
Danielle Diniz
Rachel Leigh Dolan
Mike Esperanza
Candice Michelle Franklin
Tony Fraser and Jaime Shannon
Karla Garcia
Kenya Joy Gibson
Mariah Gomez
Taylor Gordon
Kavin T. Grant
Billy Griffin
Julia Halpin
Carol Haney
Bill Hastings
Misaki Hayama
Stephanie Heroux
Richard J. Hinds
Michelle Isaac
Michael Jagger
Julia Kane
Karin Kawamoto
Svetlana Khoruzhina
Bryan Knowlton
Ali Koinoglou
Gregory Kollarus
David Cartahena Lee
Trinity Leite
Jesse LePretto
Glenn Leslie
Christopher Liddell
Erinn Liebhard
Sam Lobel
Fatima Logan-Alston
Cat Manturuk
Austin Marquez
Vanessa Martínez de Baños
roberta mathes
Mary Lynne McAnally
Sekou McMiller
Bryan Menjivar
Bobby Morgan
Tammy O’hara
Lauren Pagano
Matt Pardo
Fréyani Patrice
Liz Piccoli
Christy Rak-Samson
Nicholas Ranauro
Mandie Rapoza
Shawn Rawls
Robert Redick
Jessica Redish
Ashley Rich
Francis J. Roach
Alexis Robbins
Sue Samuels
Kirsten Schwartz
Ellenore Scott
Jaime Shannon
Sarah Juliet Shaw
Alan Spaulding
Ashley Stafford
Leah Suskind
Amy VanKirk
Cory “Nova” Villegas
Kurt Weiler
Ariana Andretta
Born and raised in NYC, Ariana Andretta grew up surrounded by movement. The historic St. George Theatre was an active part of her formative years, which gave her an appreciation for a theatrical space early on. Ariana’s intention as an artist is to celebrate community through dance and storytelling with the goal of making theatre an equitable space. Ariana received her B.A. in Theatre Arts (summa cum laude) from SUNY New Paltz. Her time there versed her with the craft of character and development of choreography, especially thanks to her mentor, Joe Langworth. As a performer, Ariana has worked regionally on “Mary Poppins” (Potsdam Music Theatre), danced as a swing for Billy Griffin’s “History Repeating” (Steps Studio Theater), and most recently joined Jena VanElslander’s TSQ Project. In the choreographic sphere, Ariana’s work has been shown in festivals such as NACHMO (Mark Morris), PLUNGE (Peridance), and “A Burden to Bare” group art exhibition. She has also apprenticed with Freddy Ramirez on “Pippin” (The School at Proctors) and choreographed/assisted in educational settings throughout NYC/Upstate NY. Ariana is grateful to JCE for virtually gathering us to celebrate jazz dance!
Barbara Angeline
Barbara Angeline is the founder and artistic director of Hysterika Jazz Dance. She is a full-time instructor at Rutgers, teaching Jazz, Broadway Jazz, History of Broadway Dance, Dance History, and Improvisation. She has an M.A. in Dance Education (NYU) and B.A. in Dance (UC Irvine). Barbara’s historical collaboration process was used for her works: Tightrope (a tribute to the contributions of Bob Fosse); eat Crow (inspired by the movement style and life of Josephine Baker); and Rhapsody (in the style of George Balanchine). HJD’s premiere work, “Mi Maschera (Mask Me)”, was an original jazz dance that explored Venetian Masks in the Baroque Period as they related to issues of female identity. Presented Jazz Dance Choreography – Historical Collaborations with Dance Luminaries (NDEO, Chicago). Barbara created and moderated panel of jazz dance educators from around the country to discuss Jazz Dance in Higher Education and The Professions: Where Do We Go From Here? Performance credits include Broadway Backwards 5, 6, 7, Oakland Ballet, Broadway Bares, Gypsy of the Year Awards, Equity national tours and musicals, Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. Danced with/for Woody Allen, Jerry Mitchell, Graciela Daniele, Bob Bartley, Bernadette Peters, and Aretha Franklin. Hysterika Jazz Dance is dedicated to expanding the legacy of jazz dance as a rich, powerful, historical American art form.
Avital Asuleen
Avital Asuleen is a director and choreographer of musicals, plays, and devised works, and is very excited to be making her JCE choreographic debut! Director/choreographer highlights: Beauty and The Beast (Woodstock Playhouse), The Floorshow, Ephemera (Combustion Collective). Musical Theatre choreography favorites: Guys and Dolls (Bigfork Summer Playhouse), Footloose, Shrek, Tarzan, The Music Man (Berkshire Theatre Group), Newsies, Crazy For You (Frenchwoods Festival), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Legally Blonde, Chicago (Polaris Productions), and the NYC premiere of The Queen Bees (Queens Theater in the Park). Her concert choreography has been seen at Steps on Broadway, the 92nd St. Y, Green Space Studios, New York Theatre Barn’s Choreography Lab, and The Choreographer’s Canvas. Avital is a certified Giordano Jazz Dance Instructor, has taught at Alvin Ailey’s Professional Division and Broadway Dance Center, and is a teaching artist with New York City Center and The Mark Morris Dance Center. She is the Artistic Director of Combustion Collective and is also the founder and director of the Choreography Lab, now in its 9th season at New York Theatre Barn. Special thanks to everyone at JCE and to Dann!
Mike Baerga
Mike Baerga (a native of Houston, Texas) received a B.A. from the University of Houston with a double Major in Dance and Journalism, and an M.F.A. in Dance and Choreography from NYU: Tisch School of the Arts. His training includes Urban Souls Dance Company, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and Joffrey Jazz & Contemporary. His performing credits include: Broadway-“King Kong” (Kingsman), “Miss Saigon” (Asst. Commissar/Acrobat), “Moulin Rouge” Lab (Ensemble); Off-Broadway-Metropolitan Opera (“The Merry Widow”), Houston Grand Opera (“Aida”). Mike has choreographed for Showtime Network (King Mo Fight), Disney Cruise Line (Dream Crew Awards), Lumipad Festival (Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre), New York Fashion Week 2018 (Arielle Toole,) The Trevor Project, and Award recipient for his numerous works in Regional Dance America Festival and the U.S. International Ballet Competition. He has served as a faculty member at the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC, American Academy of Ballet, Broadway Classroom, Camp Broadway and Man in Motion to name a few. Mike Is ecstatic to create work for this year’s JCE Jazz Dance Project, and would like to thank Marian and Merete for such a wonderful opportunity! Love and thanks to God, Mom and Dad!
Talissa Bavaresco
Sofia Bengoa
Sofia Bengoa is an Ecuadorian immigrant who grew up in Miami, FL. She received her early dance training at Heidi and Joe Melchiona’s Dance Center. Sofia attended Brown University, where she earned her B.A. in community health and is currently an Epidemiology Ph.D. student at the CUNY School of Public Health and Policy. In addition to her academic life, Sofia works as a freelance contemporary dancer. Recent performance credits include Young Choreographers Festival and the Fuerza Fest Festival Gala 2022. As a choreographer, Sofia strives to create using the language and the music of her childhood. Recent choreography credits include Estia Day Fest 2022 and Anthology 33.
Lisa Biagini
Lisa Biagini is a New Orleans born and raised dancer, teacher and choreographer with decades of experience in theaters and studios across the U.S. She began her career in 1972 with Chita Rivera in ”Bye Bye Birdie” at Pittsburgh CLO. Her credits in other major regional theaters include “Take Me Along” with Gene Kelly; “Fiddler On The Roof” with Leonard Nimoy; “Seesaw” with Tommy Tune and Lucie Arnaz; “Sugar” with Donald O’Connor, Robert Morse and Ken Berry; and “Damn Yankees” with Dick Van Dyke. Other favorite credits include “Hello, Dolly!” as Minnie Fay, “The Music Man” as Zaneeta Shinn, “Fiddler on the Roof” as Chava, “Gone With The Wind” as Suellen, as well as “My Fair Lady,” “Can-Can,” “Applause,” “Funny Girl,” “How To Succeed…,” “Mame,” and “Kismet.” Recent NYC performance credits include “Marathon ’33″ at Webster Hall and a performance of an original work by Luigi for the NY Jazz Choreography Project in the spring of 2010. Film/TV: “Summer Rental,” Glen Campbell’s “Southern Nights” (CBS), “Rumpelstiltskin” (PBS). A student of the Luigi Jazz Technique since childhood, Lisa has been a sub/guest teacher at Luigi’s Jazz Centre in NYC since 2010.
Jessica Black
With the generous love and support from her parents, Jessica Black was able to move to NYC to further her dance training at several studios throughout the city. Jessica had the opportunity to perform classical variations from Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Paquita, Don Quixote, and Balanchine’s Episodes and La Source. After attending the famous LaGuardia H.S. of the Performing Arts, Jessica was selected as the top ballet student of the year under the Jacques d’Amboise award. Jessica also received a scholarship to train in the Alvin Ailey School’s Fellowship Program and was chosen to perform with the Alvin Ailey company in “Memoria” at New York City Center. Under the tutelage of the Master of Jazz, Luigi, Jessica was the first American to perform his work “Solitude” in several NY venues. Jessica has worked as a freelance dancer with Edgar Cortes Dance Theater, Eglevsky Ballet, Ballets with a Twist, and is currently with TranscendanceGroup and DeMa Dance Company.
Al Blackstone
Al Blackstone is a New York City based director, choreographer, and educator and the recipient of the 2011 Capezio A.C.E. Award for Choreographic Excellence. Most recent projects include Newsies at the Maltz Jupiter Theater (Carbonel Nomination), American Dance Spectacular! (Northeast Tour) and the world premiere Off-Broadway musical The View Upstairs. Other credits include: So You Think You Can Dance, Freddie Falls In Love, Happy We’ll Be, and Born to Dance (Princess Cruise Line). Al is a proud faculty member at STEPS on Broadway and likes coffee, disco, and dance parties. Endless thanks to his parents Richard and Denise for teaching him how to dance and live life with enthusiasm.
Lauren Blue
Lauren Blue started her dance career in ballet, jazz, and hip-hop and by age 10 was dancing competitively in the North East. She received her bachelor’s in English at the University of Vermont where she choreographed for their dance company, Orchesis. Soon after she started her first company, “Sync,” a contemporary jazz ensemble that performed around New England. She moved back to New York where she choreographed for Broadway Dance Center showcases. Since then, she has choreographed for ABC TV, the Boston Celtics pre-show at TD Garden, venues around New York City such as Highline Ballroom and Kaye Playhouse and has taught workshops around New Jersey and New York City. She has danced for MTV, ABC, and done promotional work for GAP. Her goal is to take societal conformities and blow them up to promote the message that beauty does not discriminate.
Bob Boross
A musical theatre performer in West Side Story, Godspell, Zorba, and The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King), Bob made his Broadway debut in the 1981 revival of Can-Can, choreographed by Roland Petit. Since then he has choreographed Equity and Non-Equity productions of Annie Get Your Gun, Guys and Dolls, Victor/Victoria, Blood Brothers, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Bob has also been invited to teach and choreograph at the 3rd International Jazz Dance Forum in Paris, France; Boris Eifman Dance Academy in St Petersburg, Russia; Just Jazz Dance Company of Finland; Millennium Dance 2000 in London, England; Pro Danza Italia and La Bella Vita Arts in Italy; and the University of Dance and Circus in Sweden. Most recently his work has been seen in the NY Jazz Choreography Project, the Choreographer’s Canvas (NYC), and VelocityDC Dance Festival in Washington DC. In Los Angeles Bob presented his work in Jazz Dance LA, Spectrum Dance in LA, and at the Gypsy Dance Awards Show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. His evening length dance theatre piece Empty Sky…The Rising, set to twelve songs by Bruce Springsteen, debuted in 2005 at the Two River Theatre in NJ. Bob holds the M.A. in Individualized Study (Jazz Dance) from the Gallatin School of New York University. He has held professorships at Shenandoah University, the University of California, Irvine, and is currently an adjunct professor of jazz dance at Marymount Manhattan College.
Paul A. Brown
Paul A. Brown is Internationally known as a Master Jazz Teacher, having taught master classes and workshops while touring with Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago as Assistant Associate Director and Principal Dancer, as well as with International/National tours of the Broadway shows CATS and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. He has also performed with such acclaimed regional dance companies as Chicago Dance Medium, Dancewerks, AntiGravity and many others. In 2004 his own company, Moonlight Gypsy Productions, LLC, premiered his original ballet, La Sparizione (The Vanishing) – A Gothic Rock Experience, at the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles to rave reviews. He has choreographed and taught for various companies and studios throughout the Chicago, LA and New York regions, as well as abroad in Austria, Brazil, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. Paul’s mentors are the various choreographers he’s had the privilege of working with as either Assistant Choreographer or Dance Captain, including such greats as Gus Giordano, Matt Mattox, Luigi, Frank Hatchet, Tony Stevens, Barry McNabb and Liza Gennaro, just to name a few.
Antuan Byers
Antuan Byers (Dallas, Tx) is currently a senior in the Ailey/Fordham BFA program and a graduate of the certificate program at the Parsons School of Design. He is a alumni of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, under the direction of Lily Weiss. Antuan has danced alongside Grammy Award Winner, Erykah Badu, Tony Award Winners, Jennifer Holliday and Melba Moore, and Tony Award Nominee, Felicia P. Fields. Antuan has been featured in New York Magazine, Dazed Digital, and Tribeca Film as a dancer in Erik Madigan-Heck’s “The Enemy,” choreographed by Elena Vazintaris. He can also be seen in the music video,“Bury Me” by The Skins featuring D.R.A.M.. Antuan has performed with KEIGWIN + Co. for the Park Avenue Armory’s 2015 Gala as well as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for both their Lincoln Center and City Center Opening Night Gala’s. Antuan is currently a dancer with The Metropolitan Opera Ballet under the direction of Joseph Fritz, performing works by Kim Brandstrup, Alexei Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon, among others. Additionally, Antuan is a dancer with Washington National Opera Ballet as well as an apprentice with Ailey II.
William Byram
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, William Byram’s training includes the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, receiving the Outstanding Graduate Award in 2016, and a BFA in Composition and Ballet from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, SUNY. William also spent a semester studying ballet at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In recent years he has attended summer programs at Springboard Dans Montreal, Jacob’s Pillow, Perry-Mansfield, The Ailey School, and Charlotte Ballet. William’s choreography has been seen at the Regional High School Dance Festival, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), and Purchase Cares: Dancers Responding to AIDS, Marigny Opera House and will be presented at the JCE Jazz Dance Project and Battery Dance Festival in 2021. He also had the privilege of movement directing for opera and theatre with such credits as Dido & Aeneas (Purchase Opera), Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (Purchase Repertory Theatre), Cendrillon (NOCCA Opera), and Rinaldo (NOCCA Opera). He received the 2020 Bert Terborgh Award in Dance for his leadership, passion, vision, and spirit for art and creativity in dance. William is the 2020-2021 US-UK Fulbright Scholar in Dance and will be attending the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance in London this fall.
Kelly Carrol
Kelly Carrol (Choreographer) began her dance training in Chicago and spent three years touring internationally with the Lenore Sutton acro-dance company. She came to New York and began a long career as a triple threat performing on Broadway, television, film, night clubs and international concert venues. Kelly was a Copa Girl at the original Copacabana, and performed in such musicals as Cabaret, My Fair Lady and Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway. She was one of the original members of JoJo’s Dance Factory, was a dancer in Grover Dale’s company at the Lenox Arts Center in Jump Crow, and in Galt McDermott’s LaNovella with the NY Dance Ensemble. Kelly’s choreography credits include a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Longacre Theater on Broadway, Jazz Age Revisited music video, Rockula music video, The Gaslight Club Speakeasy review, and a special dance segment for As the World Turns. She also created choreography for the lead and back-up singers of musical acts such as Vickie Sue Robinson’s international tour, 70’s Disco Revival at Radio City Music Hall, and The Harlettes. Kelly has been lovingly choreographing for Jazz Roots Dance Company since its inception.
Tiffanie Carson
Tiffanie Carson (she/her) is an educator, mentor and performance artist. She earned her MFA in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and BFA in Dance Performance at Chapman University. She is currently an Auxiliary Adjunct Assistant Professor and has been teaching at the Conservatory at Shenandoah University (SU) for the past ten years offering technique classes focusing on contemporary within commercial styles as well as commercial industry styles classes to both dance and musical theater majors. Tiffanie is also part of the adjunct faculty at Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University teaching contemporary within commercial styles. In addition to her work in academia Tiffanie is in her 12th season as company dancer and Assistant Director for Christopher K. Morgan & Artists (CKM&A) directed by Christopher K. Morgan, and is a longtime company member of 16 years for BARE Dance Company directed by Mike Esperanza in New York City. Tiffanie is honored to be presenting her 4th work at the 2024 April JCE Jazz Dance Project performance. “Say My Name” was originally commissioned by Shenandoah University in 2023, and features members of the Shenandoah Conservatory Dance Ensemble.
Ashley Carter
Ashley Carter is passionate about her work as a dancer, teacher and choreographer; and as co-director of NYC-based company DoubleTake Dance www.DoubleTakeDanceCo.com. She has had the opportunity to perform and/or choreograph at venues such as Jacob’s Pillow, SummerStage, Battery Dance Festival, Webster Hall, the New York Jazz Choreography Project and Carnival Choreographer’s Ball. Ashley is on faculty at Ballet Academy East and Joffrey in New York. She can be seen working alongside artists such as Ricky Martin, NeYo, Lady Sovereign, Nicki Minaj and Mila Kunis, for companies like Pilobolus, Balasole, Derek Mitchell, Germaul Barnes/Viewsic Expressions, Ruddur Dance, HannaQ Dance Co, the Little Opera Theatre of NY and Balasole, and for brands such as Nike, Athleta, Nokia, Microsoft, Heineken, Yahoo, Ameriprise, the Rachel Ray Show and Lush Cosmetics. She has been seen off-Broadway in “West Side Story”; performed in a music video for Sia, a Boost Mobile commercial, a feature film with Justin Timberlake, and is credited with choreographing independent feature film “The Ride of Tom and Valkyrie” and the musical “Dragula.” Recently, Ashley was featured in the original dance film “Here We Go Again” (dir. Nathan Cohen), performed as Fritz/Rat King/Russia in “DIY Nutcracker,” danced in “Barber of Seville” with the Amore Opera, and worked on “Peter Pan” for Broadway Asia.
Sharlane Conner
Sharlane Conner’s recent musical theater credits include “On Your Feet” (John W. Engeman Theater), the first regional production of “On Your Feet” (Gateway Playhouse) and “In the Heights” (Olney Theatre Center). Past stage experience: The Actor’s Fund CTFD Gala, “Gilded” at the Capital Fringe Festival, “Broadway Bares,” Bare Opera’s “Goyescas,” Chicago Int’l Salsa Congress, NY Int’l Salsa Congress, and “Apollo Club Harlem.” She has toured internationally with Catapult Entertainment (seen on “America’s Got Talent”) and her recent TV/Film credits include “Younger,” “Tick Tick Boom,” “Pose” and “The Tick.” Sharlane majored in Dance at Dean College and trained at The Alvin Ailey School’s Summer Intensive and Independent Study Program. She previously worked at Dance With Me Studios (owned by DWTS pros Maks & Val Chmerkovskiy) where she trained and competed in multiple ballroom, Latin and social dance styles. Sharlane is thrilled to be back performing and choreographing again for JCE!
Kiley Corcoran
Kiley Corcoran is a performer, teacher, and choreographer based in New York City. She grew up in Andover, Massachusetts and studied under Jeannette Neill and her pre-professional dance company, Boston Youth Moves, continuing her education in ballet, jazz, tap, and Horton technique. She graduated as Valedictorian with her BFA in Dance and Minor in Musical Theatre from The University of The Arts. Some of her favorite credits include performing in works by Milton Myers, Paul Matteson, and Jesse Zaritt, in addition to being a part of Tommie Waheed-Evans’s piece “Bodies as Site…” at the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) in Los Angeles. Most recently, she choreographed for American Dance Training Camps and was based at their Vermont location. Kiley is currently on the jazz and tap faculty at the acclaimed ABT-affiliated dance school, American Youth Dance Theatre, where her work has been shown at the Kaye Playhouse Theatre. To Mom, Molly, and the incredible women in my life: thank you for always inspiring me.
Matthew Couvillon
Matthew Couvillon received a BFA in dance from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and continued his studies at The School at Jacob’s Pillow. He has toured both Nationally/Internationally with West Side Story (A-Rab) and A Chorus Line (Larry, Mike, dance captain). Some of his Regional credits include: Cats, The Pajama Game, and Brigadoon. Couvillon has also worked as Assistant Choreographer to Director/Choreographer Baayork Lee on productions of A Chorus Line, Oliver, ShowStoppers (Wynn, Las Vegas), One Singular Sensation (The Public Theatre’s 2014 Gala), as well as two shows for Busch Gardens Williamsburg. He has set work for college dance departments, and his piece In Retrospect was showcased at the American College Dance Festival. Couvillon is also a teaching artist for the Theatre Club at P.S. 124; headed by the National Asian Artist Project (NAAP). Special thanks to Baayork Lee, Samantha Duthler, Cassey Kivnick, NAAP, Merete Muenter and Marian Hyun for their continued support and encouragement.
Arthur Cuadros
Arthur Cuadros is a dancer, choreographer and producer based in NYC. He attended University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Alvin Ailey School of Dance in New York City. He has traveled the world dancing for Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Princess Cruise Line. He was last seen at Boston’s Shubert Theatre in “Showboat.” He has worked regionally at Moonlight Productions, Village Theatre, San Diego Theatre, Merry-Go-Round Theatre, and numerous others. Arthur made his Boston choreographic debut with “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” in the fall of 2016. Arthur is proud to be a producer on the Broadway production of “Head Over Heels.” He recently wrapped on his first feature film, “Isn’t it Romantic” starring Rebel Wilson and Liam Hemsworth.
Shany Dagan
Shany Dagan is an Israeli-American performer and choreographer working in NYC, CA, and Israel. She moved to NYC in 2012 after serving three years in the Army (IDF). She’s an American Musical and Dance Academy NY graduate, a Broadway Dance Center Professional Semester Alumna, and a trained aerialist from the Warehouse Circus Intensive Program. Shany performed in “The Little Mermaid” (Fireside Theatre), “Christmas Wonderland” tour and “Le Grand Cirque” (Dublin Productions), RWS & Holland America Cruise Line, “Hope the Musical,” Israel’s “Dancing With the Stars,” and NBC. She is a board member of the California-based SpectorDance Company under the direction of Fran Spector Atkins, where she performs for causes such as Sustainability, Climate Change, and Social Awareness. As a choreographer, Shany draws inspiration from her background as a Modern dancer, gymnastics, and her 12-year fitness experience, converging to a rare combination of athleticism and grace. Shany’s choreography was presented in various NYC venues, such as Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, Leg Up On Life, Gibney Development Project, and Martha Graham Studio. She also presented her work in Israel’s yearly Karmiel Dance Festival and SpectorDance’s “Dance that Makes a Difference” in Monterey, CA. Shany is always on her creative route.
Jeff Davis
Jeff Davis is a NYC based Dancer, Choreographer and Visual Artist. He is the Founder and Director of Jeff Davis Dance, fusing art, musical theater, contemporary and jazz dance to tell unique stories. His background in dance, theater, opera and puppetry have led to multifaceted, thought provoking and highly entertaining performance pieces. He recently choreographed Caravantasy for the Spring JCE Jazz Dance Project. His work French Trio premiered at the 2019 Fresh Fruit Festival, winning outstanding dance. His collaborations with Glitter Kitty Theater include Director and Choreographer of the Gunfighter Meets his Match for the New York Musical Festival (NYMF) and One for the Ages! at Theater for the New City. He is a former Co-Artistic Director of the Hudson Vagabond Puppets, touring and staging large scale puppetry. He is also co-creator of The Dick & Anita Holiday Hour! and The Lovely WILDS with composer Elliot Roth. As a performer, he has been featured with Labyrinth Dance Theater, NYC Children’s Theater, Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, Josh Prince’s Broadway Dance Lab, PCLO and Pittsburgh Opera; international tours with Attack Theatre and Zullo/Raw Movement; national tour of the hit musical FOSSE.
Anthony de Marte
Anthony de Marte is a New York based dancer, actor, singer, and choreographer. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Dance from Muhlenberg College. He also trained in Physical Theatre at the Accademia dell’Arte and in Musical Theatre Dance at The School at Jacob’s Pillow. Favorite performance credits include Beauty and the Beast, West Side Story, and Elf. Anthony’s choreography has been featured at Teatro Virginian in Arezzo, Italy, at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, and on various musical stages in Westchester County, New York. He would like to thank his family, friends, and mentors for their ongoing support, and Marian and Merete for the opportunity to have his work featured in the JCE Jazz Dance Project.
Cristal Del Mar López
Cristal Del Mar López is a Dancer, Choreographer, and Teacher based in New York City and Puerto Rico. After graduating from the specialized school Ballet Julian E. Blanco in Puerto Rico, she went on to train in the School of the Performing Arts, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Broadway Dance Center, and Steps on Broadway. She has participated in numerous productions in Puerto Rico, including El Quixote de la Locura, Regata 2000, Peces al Ataque, Las Zarzuelas (Las Bodas de Luis Alonso y El Barberillo de Lavapie), El Cascanueces, and Las Plaza Dancers, among others. In NYC, she is currently a member of Ashle Dawson’s company, Latin Fusion Dance Project, and has recently performed in works by Michelle Barber (Symphony Space), Ashle Dawson (Symphony Space, Global Citizen), and Julia Kane (Booking Dance Festival/Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dixon Place). She also took part in the Luis Salgado show, “Bountiful,” where she performed in works by Gabriela Garcia, Luis Salgado, Rickey Tripp, as well as assisting Amanda Turner. As a teacher, Cristal has taught classes around Puerto Rico at Ballet Julian E. Blanco, Escuela Bellas Artes de Carolina, Ballet Concierto, and at Dance Studio of Park Slope.
Danielle Diniz
Danielle is the Co Artistic Director of Jazz Choreography Enterprises and has choreographed for the Ailey BFA program, Jacob’s Pillow, New York Dance Project, Ballet Hartford, Central Utah Ballet, Stars of American Ballet, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, St. Paul’s ballet program, Columbia Ballet Collaborative and the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, among others. She was also honored to be Artist in Residence at Tribeca BMCC via CUNY Dance Initiative last year. She choreographed the musicals ‘My Way’ and ‘On the Air’, made her Off-Broadway choreographic debut at the AMT Theatre with ‘An Unbalanced Mind,’ presented work at the McCallum Theatre/Palm Desert Choreography Festival and the New York Theatre Barn Choreography Lab at BAC and was awarded a grant from NYFA. She choreographs musicals for AMDA and has served as Associate Choreographer for Lorin Latarro. She enjoys teaching at Steps on Broadway, Peridance, Mark Morris and Manhattan Youth Ballet and has a B.A. from Cornell University.
Rachel Leigh Dolan
Rachel Leigh Dolan is a Choreographer and Master Dance Teaching Artist based in Washington, DC. She is a Helen Hayes Award Nominated Choreographer whose highlights include: Hair and Cabaret at the Keegan Theatre, Oliver at Adventure Theatre MTC, recently James and the Giant Peach, directed by Michael Baron, and A Year with Frog and Toad at Imagination Stage. In 2014, Rachel was honored to be selected as part of the 2014-15 Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Prestigious Observership Class, and has since become a proud Associate Member. She continues to grow her portfolio of unique choreographic style, and always strives to take on challenging projects with progressive theaters. As a professional performer, Rachel made her debut in 2000 in Debbie Allen’s Dreams at the Kennedy Center, and performed with Ms. Allen again in 2002 in Pearl. A dance educator, she has had the privilege to teach at numerous prestigious studios, schools, and universities in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, including Catholic University of America, American University, Montgomery College, Joy of Motion, and Loudoun School of Ballet. In 2014, Rachel became a faculty member at the innovative private performing arts secondary school, The Academy at Metropolitan School of the Arts.
Mike Esperanza
Born in Manila, Philippines and raised in Southern California, Mike Esperanza has established himself as a sought after teacher and choreographer throughout the nation. Mike has been commissioned by colleges and universities nationwide to create original works for their programs. He has also been invited to present work at the Ford Amphitheater, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The McCallum Theater and The Orange County Performing Arts Center. In 2005, Mike was awarded a “Dance: Creation to Performance” grant presented by Dance/USA and the Irvine Foundation. With support from this distinguished award, he founded BARE Dance Company. Since 2005, BARE has produced acclaimed productions in the Southern California area and has headlined events for the Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, The Center Orange County, Inland AIDS projects and the Epilepsy Foundation of Southern California. BARE was a finalist for the Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival’s professional division in 2005, 2007 and most recently in 2009 when Mike won the second place award for his choreography “Silk or Cotton.” In 2010 BARE will be participating in ODC theatre’s Innerstate program in San Francisco (created to give touring opportunities for dance companies, promote residency and outreach).
Tony Fraser
Tony Fraser and Jaime Shannon
Tony Fraser and Jaime Shannon are some of the most sought after international shag teachers around the globe. In 2010, after only six weeks weeks of partnering, they placed a solid third in the prestigious Hot Rhythm Holiday’s shag division in Austin, Texas. Five and a half months later they became international champions, and they have worked tirelessly ever since to advance their practice, their students, and the dance itself. Teaching out of Dance Manhattan in NYC, Tony Fraser is a 17-year veteran of swing dancing, competition, coaching and teaching. He’s a best of breed technical instructor having taught workshops in shag, aerials, partner charleston and lindy all over world. He’s been on television many times and is an ALHC and US Open champion. Jaime Shannon acquired her B.A. in dance from Hofstra University in 2006. Since then, she has established her professional dance career by performing throughout the US with such companies as Lauren Hale Dance, HalloHallo, Dance Cat-Alyst, Kelley Donovan and Dancers, and the Bronx Opera Company. As a swing dancer, Jaime is an assistant instructor at Dance Manhattan and an advanced coach in partnering technique across all styles of swing dancing.
Karla Garcia
Karla Garcia is a NYC based choreographer, dancer, and educator. She graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in dance and a minor in journalism. Performing credits include Broadway shows WEST SIDE STORY, GIGI, and HOT FEET; the National Tours of WICKED and ADDAMS FAMILY; top 7 female TV finalist on FOX’s SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Season 5; a soloist for Rasta Thomas’ BAD BOYS OF DANCE; and a principal dancer on NBC’s SMASH season 2. In 2011, Karla was named UNIpro Magazine’s “Top 30 Filipinos Under 30.” Karla’s choreography has been performed at BC Beat, Jared Grimes’ Broadway Underground, Capitol Movement, the 2nd Annual Blake Whyte Music Festival at Alvin Ailey, and Dancin’ Downtown at the Joyce Theater, where her piece “Ai Du” was selected as a finalist. She has choreographed music videos for artists GABI and KINDNESS. Her choreography for KINDNESS received rave reviews and was praised as “infectious” by chartattack.com. She is set to choreograph the next music video for the group, THE KNOCKS. Karla teaches all around the country and is a guest teacher at Broadway Dance Center. She is an adjudicator for numerous organizations including Dance Educators of America, Dance Masters of America, Dancers Inc.
Kenya Joy Gibson
A native of Brooklyn, NY, Kenya Joy Gibson is the Founder and Artistic Director of TORCH Dance Theatre. A former student of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and one of the last to experience the tutelage of the late Arthur Mitchell, Gibson graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master’s in Dance Education from the Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program at Hunter College in May 2020. She has performed in two Bessie Award-winning performances for DanceAfrica 2017 and 2020. She was featured in the New York Times for Spike Lee’s Cadillac Campaign. Gibson is committed to cultivating new methods of reclaiming and retaining the legacy of the African Diaspora. In August 2020, she established her artistic voice with the production of “Honor” in memoriam to the ancestors who journeyed through the Middle Passage. She has taught as a Guest Artist for the Hunter College, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Teens@Graham. Gibson was selected to present her choreography at the 2022 Women in Dance Leadership Conference at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Gibson is a full-time dance educator with the NYC Department of Education, and is an active member of both the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD).
Gierre J. Godley
Gierre J. Godley is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher currently living and working in NYC. He began his training in Arkansas under the direction of C. Michael Tidwell. In 2010, Gierre created PROJECT 44, an all male troupe dedicated to showcasing the beauty of male artistry throughout the arts. The group has toured to numerous national cities including San Francisco, Little Rock, Seattle, Walla Walla, Vashon Island, Kalamazoo, Austin, New Jersey, Chicago, St. Louis and international cities including Montreal, Berlin, Manchester, Havana, Barcelona, and Madrid to name a few. In 2016 Gierre was awarded the NECF Choreography Award and Echo Choreography Award. Most recently Gierre & PROJECT 44 were awarded funding from the Queens Council on the Arts & the Peg Santvoord Foundation to support their upcoming project, “Dearest Charlotte.” Gierre is currently on faculty at The College of Mount Saint Vincent, Suffolk County Community College, Connecticut Dance Center and is a performer in the NYC Bessie Award Winning show, “Then She Fell.”
Daniel Gold
Daniel Gold is a NYC based choreographer, dancer, and teaching artist. He has performed regionally at numerous houses like the North Shore Music Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Tuacahn Center of the Arts; Disney’s Beauty and the Beast National Tour; he was a guest performer at the Institute of Contemporary Art with Karole Armitage’s company Armitage Gone! Dance. On film, Daniel has been involved in a handful of music videos for artists on the rise, most recently, Fredrik Eklund’s music for “It Gets Better”. Daniel’s choreography has been featured on stage at Theatre By The Sea and Little Theatre on the Square. He also has choreographed orchestral concerts and galas along the east coast. Daniel teaches all around the country and can periodically be found teaching at Broadway Dance Center, Peridance Capezio Center, and Brickhouse NYC. He has been an adjudicator and traveling faculty member of Dancers Inc, Turn It Up Dance Challenge, and Broadway Connection. Daniel is also the founder and director of an artistic initiative, Leg Up On Life, which bring artists together to collaborate while raising money for organizations that give directly back to our communities.
Mariah Gomez
Born and raised in Queens, New York, Mariah Gomez has been dancing since the age of three. She was a member of Mossa Dance Academy for eight years, where she trained and competed in ballet, modern, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, and contemporary. Mariah is 18 years old, and a Senior at The Beacon School. Mariah is also currently one of the Senior Directors and Choreographers for the Beacon Dance Company but was the first Junior Director in the history of the program. She is mentored under the direction of Artistic Director Cory “Nova” Villegas and enjoys teaching others and passing on her knowledge of dance. She has also had the opportunity to dance with Chloe Arnold, The Syncopated Ladies, MOVE |NYC|, IFE Youth Dance Theater and Jazz Choreography Enterprises in their October 2023 Jazz Dance Project.
Taylor Gordon
Taylor Gordon is an international dancer, creator, and educator based in NYC for over 18 years. She is currently Show Supervisor for Step One Dance Company/RWS Global and Resident Director for Dublin Worldwide Productions, as well as on Musical Theater faculty at New York Film Academy. Taylor performed at Lincoln Center with The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, 4 seasons of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Off-Broadway and national tour of Angelina Ballerina The Musical, at The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Jacob’s Pillow, TUI Cruises, internationally as dance captain with Spirit Productions, and with many ballet & contemporary companies in NYC like Exit12 Dance Company. She has danced across 50 countries and her choreography has been presented at JCE, STEPS Beyond Foundation, and Uptown Rising.
Billy Griffin
Billy Griffin is a New York City based artist who received his BFA from New York University/Tisch School Of The Arts. Performing credits include the Broadway/1st National productions of Mary Poppins, Young Frankenstein, and White Christmas, as well as Jeff Amsden’s A Few Good Men Dancin’, The Electric Company on PBS, and the video game Dance on Broadway for Nintendo Wii. As a director/choreographer he has created work for Hershey Park, Waldameer Park, The Miss America Organization, The National YoungArts Foundation, Fleet Week at South Street Seaport, The Neighborhood Playhouse, Steps Conservatory and NYU. Associate/assistant credits include working with Andy Blankenbuehler on Only Gold, Josh Bergasse on episodes of NBC’s SMASH, Marlo Hunter on My Life Is A Musical at Bay Street Theater/Duke on 42nd and Al Blackstone on Broadway Backwards, BC Beat, Gypsy Of The Year, the new musical Crazy In Love, Freddie Falls In Love at the Pershing Square Signature Center and the Fire Island Dance Festival and most recently The View Upstairs which is currently running off-Broadway. Billy also teaches regularly at Broadway Dance Center, Steps On Broadway and NYU.
Daniel Gwirtzman
Daniel Gwirtzman — producer, educator, filmmaker and performer — celebrates twenty-two years as a New York choreographer and company director. His diverse repertory for the nonprofit Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, and other concert and commercial projects, has earned praise for its humor, stylistic diversity, musicality, charisma and accessibility. “Mr. Gwirtzman does know that in dance less can be more. And that’s a good thing for any choreographer to know” writes The New York Times. The New Yorker describes him as a choreographer of “high spirits and skill.” His choreography has been performed at venues throughout the country and abroad and he has been awarded commissions, residencies and fellowships from institutions around the world. Daniel produces dance films which have enjoyed screenings at venues nationally and internationally including the American Dance Festival’s International Screendance Festival. Daniel has been on faculty, a visiting professor, and a guest choreographer at various institutions. He danced with Garth Fagan Dance and the Mark Morris Dance Group among other companies. In 2014, Daniel celebrated DGDC’s fifteenth anniversary with the evening-length premiere of The Oracle at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Throughout 2018/2019 the Company celebrates its 20th Anniversary season with a range of exciting shows and events.
Julia Halpin
Julia Halpin is a native of Santa Cruz, California, where she studied classical ballet. She spent two years with the Richmond Ballet of Virginia before moving to New York in 2001. She has dedicated much of her career to broadening her skills as a dancer, studying Latin ballroom, swing dance, Forsythe improvisational techniques, and of course, contemporary jazz. Her choreography often reflects this mix of styles. In 2013 she produced her first evening length work, Love Don’t Come Easy, featuring a cast of acrobats, swing dancers, bboys, and ballerinas. Most recently, she finished production on a music video for singer Joanna Wallfisch. She has been a featured soloist with BalaSole Dance Company and performed in such venues as Ailey Citigroup Theater, Webster Hall, and The Muse Brooklyn, where she is an artist in residence and studying aerial acrobatics! On top of dancing and choreography, she is also a personal trainer specializing in post rehab conditioning and injury prevention.
Carol Haney
Carol Haney (1924-1964) was spotted by dancer/choreographer Jack Cole, becoming his dance partner and assistant from 1946–48. She also assisted Gene Kelly in choreographing films On the Town, Summer Stock, An American in Paris, Singin’ in the Rain. Haney danced with Bob Fosse in the 1953 film Kiss Me, Kate, and when he landed his first Broadway choreographing assignment, The Pajama Game (1954), he recommended that Haney be cast in Gladys Hotchkiss. The role shot Haney to Broadway fame and won her a Tony Award.
She was seen on television, and she recreated her performance as Gladys in the film The Pajama Game (1957). She focused her career on choreography for Broadway shows: Flower Drum Song (1958, directed by Gene Kelly), Bravo Giovanni (1962), She Loves Me (1963) and Funny Girl (1964). The American Dance Machine(1978) featured her choreography from television. She was nominated for three more Tony Awards, for choreography, for Flower Drum Song, Bravo Giovanni and, posthumously, for Funny Girl.
Bill Hastings
Bill Hastings has performed in over 50 musicals including the Broadway and National Companies of A Chorus Line, The Most Happy Fella’, Cabaret, Rags, Sweet Charity, and Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. He received a National Endowment for the Arts grant (U. of Nebraska); received the Wilson Center guest artist residency at the U. of Georgia; three-time choreographic grant recipient at the U. of Richmond. On faculty of three universities (UCI, Chapman, and Houston). Six-time choreographer for Jacob’s Pillow Jazz Happening; premiered his modern work, Napta Playa, at the Duke Theater and PBS/ Metro 13. As well as 30 musicals and 20 concert pieces, Bill conceived, directed, and choreographed the highly lauded full-length dance opera Lotti: The Girl With the Golden Knot. Bill was Dance Captain for Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ on Broadway; assisted Tony winner Scott Salmon on the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and Miss America Pageant; assisted Chet Walker and Gwen Verdon on the Tony-winning Fosse; was Dance Supervisor on Heatwave: The Jack Cole Project at the Queens Theater. Bill is privileged to have worked with such dance luminaries as Bob Fosse, Graciela Daniele, Michael Bennett, Ron Field, Tony Stevens, Phil Black, Luigi, and the great teacher, Harvey Hysell.
Misaki Hayama
Misaki Hayama was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. She moved to New York in 2015 as a scholarship student at the Alvin Ailey Dance School. During her school career in 2016, she performed her duet, a modern dance piece titled ”Antagatadokosa,” at the Ailey Citigroup Theater in “Global Harmony.” The following year in 2017, she performed a solo piece, ”Touryanse,” at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. After graduating from the Alvin Ailey School, she presented ”Touryanse” at Ailey Citigroup Theater, Tank Theater and The Works Studio. In 2019, a 30-minute solo dance, ”Warabe Uta,” was performed at the TADA!Theater. In the same year, ”Kagome Kagome” was shown at The Baumann. In 2020, she presented her new piece, ”Sakura Sakura,” at Old First Church and won 4th place. In 2021, She performed her 30-minute solo, ”Warabe Uta,” in Green Space as a Take Roots 2021 artist. In 2022, she performed her solo, “Touryanse,” for KoDaFe in NYC, presented by I KADA Dance Company, and “Warabe Uta” for “Studio to Stage,” presented by Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company.
Richard J. Hinds
Richard’s Broadway & Tour credits include Come From Away (Associate Chor.), Disney’s Newsies (Associate Dir.), Jekyll & Hyde (Associate Dir./Chor.), Il Divo: A Musical Affair (Assistant Dir.), 9 to 5 (Associate Dir.) and Disney’s High School Musical (Associate Chor.). Richard worked on the Off-Broadway and West End productions of Here Lies Love (Associate Dir./Chor.). His Regional Theatre credits include La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, Paper Mill Playhouse, Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Gateway Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre and Seattle 5th Ave. Theatre. His Television credits include Bring It, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, America’s Got Talent and The Bethenny Show. Richard is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center and represented by bloc Talent Agency.
Michelle Isaac
Michelle Isaac was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She began dancing at the age of 4 in church, and started formal training in high school at Dr. Susan S McKinney Secondary School of the Arts, under the direction of Zakiya Harris. Michelle received her BFA in Dance from LIU Post with Honors Recognition in 2015. Shortly after graduation, she performed in Tamara LaDonna’s Moving Spirits Inc. as a company dancer, and completed a choreography residency with a contemporary ballet company in Brooklyn, NY. In 2019, Michelle completed her graduate studies through the Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program at Hunter College, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with her MA in Dance Education and K-12 NY State Professional Certification. She was the first dance educator ever to deliver the student commencement address for the Hunter College School of Education commencement ceremony. Michelle is a Co-Founder of Eden Arts Inc, formerly known as Ntrinsik Movement, and functions as the Artistic Director of Eden Brooklyn Dance Theater. With the company, she has choreographed several works, produced concerts, hosted community and school workshops through their residency program, and has performed in various NYC theaters, as well as theaters outside of NYC. Aside from performing and choreographing, Michelle is a full-time dance educator at her alma mater, Susan S. Mckinney, and she recently entered her 9th year in education. She continues to provide dance workshops and classes for children and adults in various churches and dance schools throughout her community. She is also a junior board member for Jazz Choreography Enterprises and a member of the National Dance Education Organization. In the fall of 2022, Michelle was named the NDEO Dance Educator (Emerging) Award recipient in a private sector, for the work that she continues to do through her organization’s dance school, Eden Center for the Performing Arts. She is currently a student and candidate in the Institute for Dunham Technique Certification, and is continuing her education in the field, by studying the dance technique and philosophies of Ms. Dunham.
Mindy Jackson
Mindy Jackson is a professional dancer, choreographer, rehearsal director, teacher and youth mentor for concert dance, theater, music videos and television. Currently, Mindy is Director of Professional Training Programs & contemporary faculty at Steps on Broadway plus a guest teacher at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s ASAP Mentorship Program and schools across the country. Notable credits include being recognized by Dance Magazine with an ENews exclusive and showcased as a style model in continuing issues of the publication. Most recently, her work was presented by Inception to Exhibition at Bryant Park’s Contemporary Dance Summer Series. She has worked with top contemporary dance makers including Aszure Barton, Cherice Barton, Donald Byrd, Benoit Swan Pouffer, Larry Keigwin, Seán Curran, Monica Bill Barnes, Nathan Trice, Andrea Miller, Camille A. Brown, Mark Dendy, Zvi Gotheiner, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Celia Rowlson-Hall, and Cape Town South Africa’s Ikapa Dance Theatre to highlight a few. Honorable mention for her choreography includes being selected as 1 of 4 pieces from the North Carolina Dance Festival history to perform in the ADF’s 80th Anniversary Celebration.
Julia Kane
Julia Kane holds a BFA degree in Dance, and is a graduate of the Broadway Dance Center Professional Semester and of Long Island High School for the Arts (under direction of Janice Aguilera and Shirlene Blake). She trains consistently with Michelle Barber, Ginger Cox, Jamie Salmon, and Diane Laurenson, and has had the privilege of assisting Michelle at Broadway Dance Center’s Dance Educator Development, as well as in private master classes. In 2018, while undergoing treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Julia channeled her creative energy towards choreographing and creating dance. With that, The Julia Kane Dance Collective premiered onstage at Jazz at Lincoln Center as a part of APAP’s Booking Dance Festival. Her work has since been seen at Dixon Place, Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, KLICK’T’s iDance4aCure benefit, and at the NYC Choreographer’s Forum, among others. Julia is on Jazz Faculty at PMT Dance Studio where she teaches weekly adult classes. She assists and subs for Broadway Dance Center Children and Teens Program, and often guest teaches for conventions and master classes at local studios. She is thrilled to have her work be a part of the JCE Jazz Dance Project!
Karin Kawamoto
Karin Kawamoto spent her early 20′s playing Connie Wong in A Chorus Line in several International Tours as well as in regional theaters, working for Baayork Lee and Mitzi Hamilton, among other notable directors. She also sang and danced for Ms. Lee and Marvin Hamlisch at the Hollywood Bowl and the opening of the Cincinnati Performing Arts center. In addition to performing in industrials, at theme parks, and Civic Light Operas, Karin has assisted Baayork in recreating Turkey Lurkey from Promises, Promises at NYU and for private workshops. In 2015, she dusted off her dance shoes to perform in National Asian Artists Project’s 5th Anniversary Gala, where she performed in two of her favorite numbers, Big Spender from Sweet Charity and Turkey Lurkey, from Promises, Promises. She also danced in the 2016 Annual BC/EFA Easter Bonnet at the Minskoff, finally performing on a Broadway stage. Recently, Karin also made her film debut in the soon-to-be-released film short, Parental Pride, and teaches an open jazz dance class for NAAPs Professional Development program that is open to the public. Karin has a B.A. from UC Irvine in Sociology and Psychology, and a minor in classical voice.
Svetlana Khoruzhina
Svetlana Khoruzhina is originally from Moscow, Russia where she grew up and started her dance career as a competitive ballroom dancer. Later, she began training in contemporary dance, street styles, modern and jazz dance and joined JMshow dance company under the mentorship of Moscow-based choreographer Ludmila Kvasnevskaya, performing and choreographing for numerous events and dance festivals. Svetlana was awarded with a scholarship to study at Institut de Formation Professionnelle Rick Odums (Centre International de Danse Jazz) in Paris, France, where she successfully passed the French state exam in jazz dance technique. Then she moved to NYC to further her dance training in the Steps on Broadway Conservatory Program, where she now has the opportunity to study and perform, as well as to choreograph herself. Svetlana was a part of the Musical Theatre Dance Program at Jacob’s Pillow in 2016, where she performed choreography by Chet Walker, Bill Hastings, Jason Wise and Shannon Lewis. Svetlana also holds a bachelor degree in Culture Studies and is a certified Pilates instructor. She is not new to JCE as a performer and choreographer and is very excited to present her new piece.
Eveline Kleinjans
Eveline Kleinjans is a dancer, choreographer and dance teacher from the Netherlands. At young age she started her dance training in jazz technique, and later on she expanded her training with ballet and modern dance. After high school she was accepted by ArtEZ School of Dance in Arnhem, the Netherlands, and graduated in 2012 with a BA in Dance Education. While studying she taught jazz dance, ballet and modern classes to all different age groups. Upon graduation she received a scholarship to study Simonson technique in NYC. She started as an International Student at Dance New Amsterdam and after its closing in October 2013, she resumed her study at Steps on Broadway. In 2016 she assisted master teacher Lynn Simonson during the Simonson teacher training courses in Paris and Barcelona. Intrigued by this technique she is motivated to pass the technique on to the next generation of dancers. Since moving to NYC she has performed in works by Diane McCarthy, Laurie DeVito, Katiti King, Jana Hicks, Marijke Eliasberg, Julia Ehrstrand, Mei Yamanaka, Akiko Tomikawa, Andrew Jannetti and Jess Lewis.
Bryan Knowlton
Bryan Knowlton is a New York and London based director and choreographer. His extensive career has spanned from starring on Broadway in the most recent Revival of A CHORUS LINE to appearing in multiple National Tours, Film and TV. He is an award-winning choreographer with credits that include CABARET and CHICAGO (NH Theatre Award “Best Choreographer,” ONSTAGE Theatre Award Nomination (“Best Choreography”), MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Award “Outstanding Choreography”) BEEHIVE! (Berkshire Theatre Award nomination “Best Choreographer”) SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER/MAMMA MIA (SALT Award nomination “Best Choreographer”), CURTAINS (Broadway World Award Nomination “Best Choreography”), among many others. At present, he is attached as Director/Choreographer to the developmental project “In My Own Little Corner” starring Chryssie Whitehead in NYC and serving as choreographer for the new musical, “The Only Way Out” written by David Thatcher Maglione in London, UK. He is currently an adjunct professor at Montclair State University as well as on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, STEPS on Broadway in New York City as well as THE HUB and House of Jazz in London.
Ali Koinoglou
Originally from Long Island, Ali Koinoglou is an award-winning choreographer working out of NYC and now globally online! From summers at the American Ballet Theater to training in Joffrey Ballet School’s year-round certificate program, Ali was dedicated to honing her technique and expanding her knowledge in the arts. Following Joffrey, Ali spent two summers at the Broadway Dance Center as a trainee in the Professional Semester, where she was mentored by master educators such as Sheila Barker and Derek Mitchell. Ali’s professional choreography debut was at the Young Choreographer’s Festival. Other choreography credits include DUMBO Dance Festival, Sybarite Dance Productions, Brooklyn Dance Festival, and most notably, Madonna’s 50th birthday celebration flash mob for MTV & TLC’s the Long Island Medium. Ali also has a background in arts administration and worked in the Broadway Dance Center’s Educational Department for several years, then was media manager and personal assistant to choreographer Mia Michaels. Ali’s administration skills, combined with her love for creating and teaching dance, led her to found her own company, Koin & Co Dancers, and within the company, the Koin & Co Junior Training Program. Presently, Ali runs Koin & Co’s training program full time, she is a guest instructor at NYC dance studio Peridance Capezio Center, and she’s teaching classes/setting work all over the country!
Gregory Kollarus
Gregory Kollarus is a proud alumnus of the Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA) dance program. He also attended the Martha Graham Teen Program and went on to study at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and Joffrey Midwest. He is a proud graduate of The William Esper Studio where he studied the Meisner technique. Gregory is a co-founder of Logos Dance Collective, for which he co-choreographed “Allegory of the Cave,” “Echolocation,” “Flutter,” “The Missing Shade of You,” and “Curved Spacetimes,” performed with all of the founding member of Logos Dance Collective: Barbra Montero, Patra Jongjitirat, and Theresa Duhon. He also created his own jazz piece, “Falling Into the Current.” Gregory is a dance instructor at the Studio for Performing Arts in Commack, Long Island alongside with Jamie Chandler-Torns, and the Alden Moves Studio in Brooklyn owned by Alden LaPaglia. Gregory and Alden co-choreographed and performed “Once in A Life Time” at the Dixon Place Theater and for the APAP City Center. Gregory has been seen in productions of “West Side Story” at the John Engeman Theater, “Carrie the Musical,” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”
Linda Kuo
Linda Kuo is the director and choreographer of her dance company, Dancers Unlimited, a bi-city company based in Honolulu and NYC. The company is performing its 8th season this winter in NYC and currently has an artist residency at Mark Morris Dance Center. As a choreographer, Linda’s work has been presented on stages in NYC,Hawaii, Shanghai and Beijing. Notable venues where Linda has presented her work include: Shanghai World Expo 2010, Bboy In Shanghai World Final / US Embassy in Shanghai, The Contemporary Museum of Honolulu, Honolulu Academy of Art, Ailey Citigroup Theatre, New York City Center Studios, Mark Morris Dance Center, Brooklyn Music School, and Triskelion Arts Center. In addition to choreographing, Linda has also taught workshops in various cities and abroad. Most recently, she was the featured Contemporary dance teacher for NYC Dance Week. She is currently a guest teacher at Mark Morris Dance Center.
David Cartahena Lee
David Cartahena Lee, originally from Union City, California, began his dance journey in high school show choir. At San Jose State University he trained in Limon under Gary Masters before transferring to the University of California, Irvine, where he obtained his BFA in Dance performance and danced for the late Donald McKayle. David has performed at theme parks, dance companies such as JazzXchange, Rogue Makers, Gotham dance theater, California Contemporary Ballet, placed at Hip Hop International, performed commercially for indie artists in LA and NY, and toured China. David recently earned his Master’s in Dance Education: dances of the African diaspora from NYU. David was the company director of Rogue Makers in Southern California, set choreography at private and public studios and schools and Evoke Dance Company. He has presented his choreography at Club Jete, Sybarite, Inhale/Exhale, amongst many more and is currently in residency with Alpha Omega Dance Theater. David’s choreography is based in street styles and contemporary movement with the culture and history of these dance styles as the foundation of his movement practice. Currently, his choreography investigates the Asian American experience of our shared experiences and the nuances of our differences.
Jesse LeProtto
Jess LeProtto is a New Jersey native and Broadway performer, who holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater at Pace University. Broadway credits include Carousel, Hello, Dolly!, Cats (Mungojerrie), On The Town, Newsies (OBC), Bye Bye Birdie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and The Boy From Oz. National Tours/Regional Theater include Hello, Dolly! (Barnaby Tucker), Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Grand Ole Opry), American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (Joyce Theater), A Bronx Tale (Papermill Playhouse), In Your Arms (Old Globe Theater), Freddie Falls in Love (Signature Theater). Film/Television credits include Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” (A-Rab), “So You Think You Can Dance” (Season 8, Top 8), “Isn’t It Romantic,” “Smash,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “One Life to Live,” and the MTV VMAs.
Jess has also choreographed for Christy Altomare (“Freedom Inside”), Mike Eldred (“Here For You”), iHeartDance NYC, Pace University, as well as conceived and directed the short film The Nightfly. Today, Jess continues to teach at Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, and for Break the Floor Productions.
Trinity Leite
Trinity Leite is a performer, choreographer, and teacher from Hamden, CT. She is currently an undergraduate at Salve Regina University, pursuing a B.A. in dance and a B.S. in finance. At Salve Regina University, Trinity is a member of the pre-professional dance company, Extensions Dance Company, and serves as the dance program assistant under director Lindsay Guarino. Trinity has had the opportunity to work with trailblazers in the jazz industry, such as Kimberley Cooper, Carlos Jones, Brandi Coleman, Monique Haley, and Alvon Reed. Through her studies, she has become passionate about engaging in and celebrating the art of jazz dance. Trinity’s movement aesthetic is a fusion of styles, including jazz, tap, hip hop, and contemporary, but is unified by a deep connection to music and rhythm. Trinity aspires to generate movement that evokes what she believes is the most profound human emotion: joy.
Glenn Leslie
Glenn Leslie is an Emmy Award-winning dancer who danced with Chicago-based Jump Rhythm Jazz Project (Billy Siegenfeld, artistic director) for 10 years. Glenn’s tenure of studying and training with Mr. Siegenfeld and his gravity-directed body-healthy approach to physical movement (Standing Down Straight®) and his rhythmically intricate choreography continues to inform and influence Glenn’s explorations of dance that are rooted in energy, emotion, and vernacular movement. In addition to having taught Jump Rhythm® Technique in intensives, residencies, workshops, master classes, and at Northwestern University, Glenn has been teaching adult tap classes at Dance Center Evanston since 1999. Before he moved from New York to Chicago in 1998, Glenn worked professionally in musical theater, performing in summer stock, regional, cabaret, and dinner theaters, and international productions. Glenn has choreographed many musicals including “Anything Goes”, “West Side Story”, and “Fiorello!” His concert dance choreography includes “Out of a Rut & Into a Groove”, “First Comes Love”, and “G. K. Lovejoy”, his homage to Gene Kelly. In 2009 Glenn established Classic Jazz & Tap Productions, with the intent to honor, preserve, and promote the timeless (classic) traditions of jazz and tap dance and to apply those traditions in telling stories for our contemporary world.
Erinn Liebhard
Erinn Liebhard (MFA University of Colorado Boulder, BFA University of Minnesota) is a Twin Cities-based dance artist making opportunities for people to experience the reflective and connective power of groove through performance and education. Guided by this inspiration and a fondness for jazz and American social dance ideas, she’s worked with creatives as varied as hip-hop dance theater artists Rennie Harris and the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers Appalachian clogging company. In performance, she makes and performs new staged works and presents those of others through her company Rhythmically Speaking and plays as “Nerdette” for St. Paul Saints Baseball, in addition to making new works for professional companies, colleges and high schools. Her creative work emphasizes groove, interaction and improvisation, and is inspired by both social and concert dance movement while often driven by contemporary jazz music. In education, she works as a Teaching Artist for the Cowles Center and serves on their Advisory Council, is on faculty at several area colleges and universities, conducts educational outreach through her company and is an active writer and conference presenter. She is driven to help connect people to themselves, one another and the moment through rooted and innovative embodiment of groove.
Sam Lobel
Sam Lobel is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in New York City. Sam is on faculty at Steps On Broadway, the Broadway Dance Center Children & Teen Program, and Luna Performing Arts. She produced her own evening-length dance narrative titled “Love, In Time.” Sam was the associate choreographer for Nicholas Palmquist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Gala, the Steps Professional Performance Workshop, and the Peridance Certificate Program and for Marc Kimelman’s piece for the Professional Semester at BDC. She has presented her work at the Young Choreographer’s Festival, NACHMO, NYC Choreographer’s Forum, APEX, Sybarite Love is Love, DUMBO Dance Festival, Think Tank the Showcase, DoubleTake Dance Gala and more. Sam was a part of the Nordstrom BP Pride campaign and was part of the RWS workshops for Houdini and Premiere on the MSC Meraviglia and Seascape Ships. She is passionate about her craft and cherishes every opportunity to share it!
Fatima Logan-Alston
Fatima Logan-Alston, a native of Durham, North Carolina, is founder and Artistic Director of VashtiDance Theater and an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist. Fatima received her BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA), a Teaching Artist Certification from the Teacher’s College at Columbia University, and a Master’s in Liberal Arts from SUNY Old Westbury. Fatima has toured internationally with Forces of Nature Dance Theater, the African-American Dance Ensemble, and VashtiDance Theater. She has performed with Ntozake Shange, Bobby Sanabria, Paul Winters, and at Lincoln Center Outdoors. Fatima has been in residence at Long Island University Post, Gibney Dance, and Hostos Community College through the CUNY Dance Initiative. She has been a Guest Teacher and presented at Hunter College, Queens College, Barnard College, and has received recognition for her commitment to dance education from Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor. Fatima is currently a teaching artist with Alvin Ailey Arts in Education, the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute and is celebrating more than a decade as Artistic Director of VashtiDance Theater.
Cat Manturuk
Cat Manturuk is the founder and artistic director of DANCE CAT-ALYST, a soul-driven contemporary dance company. A native of Detroit, MI, she holds a BFA in Dance and BS in Exercise Science from Western Michigan University. After graduating, Cat was a scholarship student at Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Center in Chicago, later moving to LA, where she performed with LA Modern and Ballet Company, Blue13 Dance, Regina Klenjosky Dance Company, and Collage Dance Theatre. Upon her arrival in New York, she joined Dance 2XS and became rehearsal director to Decadancetheatre. Her music video credits lie with BET and MTVIndia, and she has been featured in Dance Spirit, Shape, and Elle magazine.
DANCE CAT-ALYST outreach programs and performances: Nanjing, China; the NY Jazz Choreography Project; Battery Downtown Dance Festival; Brooklyn Dance Festival; Detroit Dance City Festival; Wellspring Cori Terry & Dancers; NYC’S Chelsea Piers Sports Center and Sky Rink; and Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. Cat is a recipient of the ACDF Excellence in Performance and Choreography Award, a Harkness Scholarship, a National Dance Association Outstanding Scholarship, and Presidential Award. Her choreography has been noted as “creating heat…” by the LA Times and teaching role as “crisply alive…” by the NY Times.
Austin Marquez
Austin Marquez is a performer, choreographer and teaching artist based in New York City. Austin has been seen in several productions around New York City including the immersive theatrical experience Zerospace, the Off-Broadway premiere of GEEKS! The Musical and The Turkeys Go on Strike, the equity showcase of MANIFESTO: The Diaghilev Project, and When Broadway Went to Hollywood at the Merkin Concert Hall. Austin is an active choreographer who has choreographed for several dance schools around the country and theatrical productions in New York City including The Drowsy Chaperone, The Addams Family, and A Chorus Line. He is currently a teaching artist at the acclaimed ABT affiliated dance school, American Youth Dance Theater, and has taught for the musical theatre program at Marymount Manhattan College, the same program he graduated from in 2018. Austin is thrilled to share this piece with a larger audience. He would like to thank his incredible dancers, the support from American Youth Dance Theater, and his many mentors. He hopes Midnight Moonlight puts a smile on your face and reminds you to appreciate all the beauty the world around us has to offer.
Vanessa Martínez de Baños
Vanessa Martínez de Baños is a recognized dancer, teacher and choreographer, and co-director of DoubleTakeDanceCo.com (NY SummerStage, Battery, Carnival, Jazz Choreography Project, etc). Featured twice in Dance Informa Magazine, DoubleTake Dance (DTD) has recently received several commissions: Rock that Rolls choreographic commission for Dancing Wheels in Cleveland, OH; HT Chen New Steps residency NYC; Next Step commission and performance for JPAC NYC. Currently she dances and choreographs for DTD, Daniel Gwirtzman and American Tap Dance Foundation. Other companies/choreographers include DIY Nutcracker, BalaSole, Noir Tribe Media, RSW & associates, ABT, Little Opera Theater, Ikada, Ryan Beck, Derek Mitchell, Guillém Alonso, Lynn Schwab and Tony Waag, L’OREAL, Heineken, Ameriprise, Yahoo, Ursus Vodka, KDDance, Tag Heuer, Lush Cosmetics/Gorilla Perfumes, Fuse TV, X- Box/Kinect (Times Square with NeYo and Lady Sovereign), Rachel Ray Show etc. Film credits include “Friends With Benefits” with Justin Timberlake (IMDB 2011). Vanessa is passionate about her teaching career. On faculty at Steps, Joffrey, BAE and a Tap City Leader, she’s been featured on CNN, NBC and TV Globo in Brazil.
Skye Mattox
Skye Mattox began her career when she moved to New York City at age 17. She has been seen on Broadway in the recent, Tony nominated revival of Carousel, West Side Story, and On the Town, where she understudied the lead role of Ivy Smith. Other NYC credits include American Dance Machine and numerous shows for New York City Center’s Encores!series, such as Little Me and Call Me Madam. She can also be seen as a dancer throughout the second season of NBC’s hit TV series SMASH. In addition to performing, Skye has always been passionate about choreography and teaching dance. She has taught for many studios across the country, as well as two of NYC’s top dance studios, Steps On Broadway and Broadway Dance Center. Most recently, her choreography can be seen in the short film, The Denodnaba Prologue.
Mary Lynne McAnally
Mary Lynne McAnally was resident choreographer for Ballet Classic and Entertainment in Hannover, Germany from 1987-2011. During this time she choreographed numerous European tours including “West Side Story,” “Cabaret,” “Chicago,” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” She worked as the resident choreographer for the Edmonton Festival Ballet; introducing jazz choreography to the company’s repertoire. Her choreographic work has been seen at the Istanbul Festival, The Citadel in Edmonton, Canada; at Royce Hall in Los Angeles, and all across Europe. Mary Lynne holds a Master’s in Choreography from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Currently Mary Lynne is the coordinator of the Jazz and Tap curriculum in the Gifted and Talented Dance Department at Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School in Bridgewater, NJ. She is also Artistic Director of “The Tap Co..” a student touring Tap Company. She has been teaching and choreographing for over 25 years and has taught in New York, Los Angeles, Canada, London, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy.
Mary Lynne is thrilled for the opportunity to present her students once again at The NY Jazz Choreography Project! She continues to be an advocate to preserve Classic Jazz Technique, and is delighted that the Jazz Project exists to showcase this wonderful art form!
Sekou McMiller
A native Chicagoan now residing in New York City, Sekou is the forefront of a new movement in the Latin dance world. Sekou’s unique style of Latin dance, rich with Afro-Caribbean essence and laced with many genres of dance, has earned him recognition world-wide. Sekou made his NYC Off-Broadway debut and international tour with “Celia the Musical.” He was an associate choreographer for the theatrical productions “Afro Tango” and the “Latin Nutcracker Review” and is the founder and artist director of SMc Dance Co., an internationally recognized Afro-Latin dance theater company.
Sekou has performed and choreographed for top Latin artist such as Gilberto Santa Rosa, Willie Colon, Cheo Feliciano, Johnny Pacheco, Tito Rojas, Tito Nieves, Jose El Canario Alberto, PitBull, r&b artist KEM, and the pop icon Madonna. In addition, Sekou has worked with the Radio City Rockettes, Bravo TV, Jennifer Lopez’s new network NUVO TV and “Good Morning America.“
Bryan Menjivar
Bryan Ernesto Menjivar is a triple threat performer from the West Coast. Born and raised in California, he was always the life of the party as a child, so much so that he enjoyed and strived for the limelight. Dancing was his escape from the harsh realities of his troubled youth; he started in Hip-Hop and contemporary in school, and salsa and merengue at home. In 2008 he graduated from the Musical Theatre program at AMDA LA. Shortly after that he joined the high seas and danced for Carnival Cruise Lines. He enjoyed the challenge and never looked back. Following those 5 years he moved to the city to pursue his dream of Broadway and hasn’t given up yet. He is currently working for Dance with Me studios where he is still building up his resume and honing his skill but also making it possible for him to create new styles and choreograph many awesome and beautiful pieces. He wants to thank his partner, Sharlane, for not giving up on him, his family for always being there, but most of all his man and dog—Teddy and Oliver—for being the family he always wanted.
Bobby Morgan
Bobby Morgan is a freelance choreographer, DJ, spiritualist and student of life based in NYC with a background in many styles such as ballet, jazz, hip hop, house, voguing, modern, and contemporary. The main source of his passion across all those different genres is his love for music. Sound has the ability to create different realms in the imagination. Because Bobby grew up as a part of both concert and commercial dance worlds, one of his missions as a choreographer is to curate spaces for those that live in between both of those worlds. Throughout his training, summers were spent at Complexions, Ballet Hispaníco (Choreographer’s Lab) and performing at Jacob’s Pillow, while also being on scholarship at commercial dance conventions (Monsters of Hip Hop, Intrigue, ASH). Bobby has trained under choreographers such as Dana Foglia, Desmond Richardson, Erica Sobol, Jon Ole Olstad, and many others in the concert, commercial and underground street worlds. Another mission is to assist in raising the vibration of the collective on the planet in these times of darkness, uncertainty and uncharted territory. Through movement and sound, his intention is to always remind us of the importance of human connection, keeping the heart space alive, and remembering why we’re here.
Rebekka Nodhturft
Rebekka Nodhturft is a passionate teaching artist and choreographer. Currently working towards her MFA in Dance from Montclair State University, Rebekka earned her B.A. from Boston University, where she graduated Magna cum Laude. She also studied in the Professional Division of The Ailey School, Orlando Ballet, and Broadway Dance Center. Rebekka performed with Jazz Roots Dance, founded in 2009 and directed by the legendary Sue Samuels. She has also performed at the world-renowned Cotton Club, where she tapped with Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards and her line of “Sophisticated Ladies.” Rebekka also worked as a soloist with Keen Dance Theater (KDT), a contemporary company under the direction of John Keen, with whom she toured internationally. In 2014, Rebekka founded Awaken Dance Theater, a NYC-based company that performs works about social and political issues. She recently premiered a piece about climate change, and won “best choreography” in 2015 at the NYC10 Festival for a piece exploring the tragedy of gun violence. In 2016, the company was honored to host the tribute concert from NYC dancers to the victims of the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting in the Orlando, FL.
Tammy O’hara
Tammy O’hara is from Kanagawa, Japan. She graduated from Tokai University with a degree in Physical Education and runs her own dance studio, Studio Tammy; choreographs and performs with her jazz dance company, FJ Co.; and is a Luigi teacher and Luigi clothes line representative for Chacott. Tammy commutes several times a year to New York City, which she considers to be her second home. She studied for many years with her mentor, Luigi, and teaches jazz at Luigi’s Jazz Centre. In New York she is also a guest teacher and choreographer for various workshops and has performed with her FJ dance company. Her other performing credits include Steve Love’s New York Express Roller Dance Company with her dance roller-skating mentor, Lezly Ziering. Tammy loves roller dancing at the Central Park Skating Circle, attending dance classes, and spending time with her New York friends.
Jaclyn O’Rourke
Jaclyn O’Rourke is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Dance Performance. She has been a member of ASH Contemporary Dance Company under the direction of Braham Logan Crane where she has toured extensively throughout the country. While a member of ASH she performed in Budapest, Hungary at The Sziget Festival, the Philly Fringe Festival, and at New York City’s Carnival Choreographer’s Ball. Jaclyn spent six years as a performer at Atlantic City’s Taj Mahal with Almost Angels where she had the opportunity to perform for many of the industries top artists. Jaclyn has danced with Michael Susten & Company where she has performed in various shows in New York City. Jaclyn’s eclectic, award-winning choreography has won several top awards, been showcased at the annual New York City Carnival Choreographer’s Ball, Boston University’s dance team, as a teacher for Bill Hotaling’s Manhattan Dance Project, and as a guest teacher at The University of the Arts & Millennium Dance Complex Philadelphia. She is currently on faculty at Jazz Unlimited Dance Studio in Marlton, NJ and at The Rock School West.
Lauren Pagano
Lauren Pagano is a native of South Florida and began her dance training at A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and Florida School for Dance Education. She attended the Ailey/Fordham BFA Dance Program from which she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a double major in Dance and History. Over the course of her training she has had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Adam Barruch, Virgine Mecene, and Alexander Anderson. Since graduating she has worked professionally with DanceKerr & Dancers and CES Dance Works, and most recently was an ensemble dancer in the movement opera The Final Veil. She currently is on faculty at Bridge for Dance and is a member of the front of house staff at Westside Theatre.
Andrea Palesh
Andrea Palesh is a NYC based producer, director, choreographer, and marketing consultant. She attended Colorado State University where she graduated with a BA in Dance and BS in Fashion Merchandising. Since moving to NYC, she’s danced in Eyes of a Blue Dog Dance Theater, performed as a backup dancer for entertainer Robert Taylor Jr., was a featured dancer in the off-broadway show Chris March’s Butt-Cracker Suite, and toured internationally and domestically with Mystic India: The World Tour. Most recently she was the associate choreographer and featured artist in the hip-hop/vaudeville show Rebirth of Rabbit’s Foot and the choreographer of the production Gunpowder. Currently she directs, choreographs, and performs for the nightlife cabaret spectacle: Guilty Pleasures Cabaret. When she’s not dancing or choreographing, she can be found designing costumes, contributing articles for online publications, and consulting brands with their online marketing and social media presence.
Matt Pardo
Matt Pardo, originally from Albany New York, is a 2007 graduate of the University at Buffalo with an advanced honors B.F.A. in dance. Professionally, he has danced for the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Groundworks Dance Theater, Northeast Ballet Company, Balasole Dance Company, Parijat Desai Dance Company, and as the company apprentice for the River North Chicago Dance Company. Matt was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Dancers in the World for 2010-2011”, one of 10 Americans, by Dance Europe Magazine for the performance of a solo he choreographed and performed with the Balasole Dance Company in NYC. His choreography has been in the repertory of Universidad De Las Americas Puebla, Skidmore College, Salve Regina University, Zodiaque Dance Company, Santa Monica Contemporary Ballet Company, Northeast Ballet Company, the Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, and Jazz Choreography Enterprises among others. Currently, Matt is a company member with the Lucinda Childs Dance Company and is also on the world tour of the Philip Glass Opera “Einstein on the Beach”. Matt recently completed a guest faculty position in the dance department at Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY and is a member of the Actor’s Equity Union.
Fréyani Patrice
Fréyani Patrice is the Artistic Director of Ntrinsik Movement and its junior company, “IFE The Movement.” She was born in Queens and raised in Brooklyn, where she started her formal training at Restoration Youth Arts Academy. She continued her training at LIU Post where she received her BFA in Dance Studies. Over the years she was given the opportunity to work with well-established performers/choreographers such as Michael Leon Thomas, Akira Armstrong and Ronald K Brown. Ntrinsik has performed in various theaters in the Tri-state area. She was able to judge the “Step It Up Dance/Step Competition,” which was held at the Apollo Theater, and choreographed the opening number for the competition. Fréyani was featured in the New York “Times” for her performance in Saya Woolfalk’s “ChimaTEK” and Spike Lee’s campaign with Cadillac. She is thankful to God, and for her family and close friends for their constant support and love.
Teresa Perez Ceccon
Native New Yorker Teresa Perez Ceccon earned a BA in Theater/Dance from Queens College. In 2020, she obtained her MFA at Montclair State University with a thesis on Latin Jazz Dance. For over 25 years, she has been performing her own choreography as well as works by a variety of highly regarded choreographers. Throughout her career, Teresa has accrued a long list of choreographic achievements performed by students and professionals at numerous diverse dance institutions and venues. In 1997 she began teaching Simonson Modern Jazz Technique classes at the legendary Dance Space (later Dance New Amsterdam). As a protégée of Lynn Simonson, Teresa conducts Simonson workshops and teacher trainings in the U.S. and abroad. Currently, she teaches virtual dance classes to her global network of students through her online enterprise Lines of Energy (www.linesofenergy.com). She is also in-person at Gibney Dance teaching weekly Simonson Jazz classes. As a guest artist/choreographer, she is frequently invited by various studios, organizations and university programs. Her most recent JCE piece, Do I Move You?, was featured in the 2019 JCE Jazz Dance Project, and she is thrilled to participate in the 15th year anniversary performance.
Mallory Pettee
An Ohio native, Mallory Pettee, is a NYC based performer. She received her B.F.A in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College where she graduated cum laude. Since graduation, she has worked as a freelance dancer striving to be the most versatile performer she can be. Recent credits include the Broadway Christmas Wonderland Tour, Fire Island Dance Festival, and an industrial at Radio City Music Hall. She also teaches and choreographs for dance studios across the nation, pursues photography (@maljpetphoto), and is a volunteer for the Hudson Guild Foundation. She is represented by LDC Artist Representation. Mallory is very grateful to Jazz Choreography Enterprises for the opportunity to present her work here in NYC!
Liz Piccoli
Liz Piccoli (AEA/AGMA/SDC Associate Director/Choreographer). Choreo: Assist. Director/Choreographer-Tricia Brouk, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” (Central Coast Theater), Assist. Choreographer “Central Ave. Breakdown” at NYMF (Deagu Award,) Assist. Choreographer- “Ionescopades” (York Theater/Lucille Lortel Nomination,) SDC Observer-Dan Knechtges (Lysistrata Jones, Off-Broadway,) Assist. Choreo.-TVLand Awards starring Liza Minnelli and Choreographer of “Now the Cats with Jewelled Claws” Off-Broadway at La Mama with Jonathan Warman. She was the choreographer for a musical in workshop based on Pink’s album “Misunderstood,” at EAT and is very happy to be a part of the NY Jazz Choreography Project at Alvin Ailey. Liz most recently was the Co-Director and Choreographer of “Spandex, the Musical” Off-Broadway as well as the choreographer of “Footloose” and “Hairspray” with the Ohana Arts Project in Oahu, HI.
Spencer Pond
Mimi Quillin
Mimi Quillin received a BFA in Dance, Boston Conservatory of Music. She danced in the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Milwaukee Ballet, Chamber Dance Theater under director William Carter of ABT. Broadway debut in Bob Fosse’s revival of SWEET CHARITY starring Debbie Allen. Quillin assisted Fosse and Gwen Verdon in the reconstruction and as Dance Captain. Fosse chose her as recipient of a scholarship to the Lee Strasberg Institute to pursue a career in acting. Off Broadway /Regional credits include Genet’s THE BALCONY at Hudson Guild as the General’s Mare, Jules Feiffer’s CARNAL KNOWLEDGE on Theater Row as Cindy with Judd Nelson and Jon Cryer, A.R. Gurney’s SNOWBALL directed by Jack O’Brien/Old Globe, San Diego. She is a member of British Actors Equity performing Edith Wharton’s CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY among other books for the BBC Radio. Returning to Broadway in the original cast of RAGTIME. Choreography includes regional productions of CAROUSEL, MUSIC MAN and OLIVER, THE FLEA THEATER/OOB, numerous plays and the world premiere of Liz Swados’ KASPER HAUSER. Quillin teaches at STEPS and Broadway Dance Center as well as writing and performing solo pieces at various NY venues. She played Tessie Tura in Harbor Lights Theatre Company’s August 2015 production of GYPSY.
Nicholas Ranauro
Massachusetts native Nicholas Ranauro grew up training in tap, jazz, and musical theater before graduating from the ballet program at Walnut Hill School for the Arts. He is a 2014 graduate of The Juilliard School where he danced in the works of famous and emerging choreographers alike including Lar Lubovitch, Ohad Nahrin, Alex Ketley, and Pina Bausch. Post graduation he has danced with the Tania Perez-Salas Compañía de Danza in Mexico City but remains based in NYC where he is represented by CESD Talent Agency and is happy to have joined the touring cast of iLuminate; Artist of Light. Nicholas is an avid choregorapher and has had his work presented in the Amalgamate Artist Series, Juilliard’s Choreographic Honors, and is thrilled to be presenting a piece in the New York Jazz Choreography Project. He has taught professionally throughout New England and on outreach trips to Johannesburg, South Africa and New Orleans, Louisiana. Nicholas hopes to work closely with artists of all mediums and styles to continue pushing the envelope and making dance that is fresh, interesting, and entertaining.
Mandie Rapoza
Mandie Rapoza’s performance and creative work has played on stages from London to LA including Broadway, National Tours and downtown New York Theatres. Originally from London, Mandie moved to NYC in 2012. She was the 2016 SDCF Traube Fellow and worked under the mentorship of Casey Nicholaw on the Boradway production of “Tuck Everlasting.” Select credits include “Something Rotten!” (1st National Tour, Dance Captain), “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” (The York Theatre, Assistant Director), “The Parlor” (SOHO Rep, Movement Director), “Flocking” (The Old Vic Tunnels, Ensemble), Broadway Dance Center Showcase (Choreographer), Digital Narratives Lab (The National Theatre London, Ensemble Writer) and “Pandemic Voices” (Choreographer/ Artistic Director). In March 2021, Mandie will be the Satellite Artist- in-Residence at New Dance Alliance.
Robert Redick
Robert Redick is a New York-based choreographer, performer, producer, and educator. A Joffrey Ballet School graduate, his choreographic and teaching credits include Joffrey Ballet School, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Harlem School of the Arts, Kanyok Arts Initiative, Brooklyn Dance Festival, Bryant Park Summer Series, and the Youth American Grand Prix. Additionally, Robert is currently Programs Director and a resident choreographer at Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance. He is also the production coordinator, curator, and host for the Uptown Rising Performance Series held at the Bridge for Dance. Uptown Rising gives choreographers the affordable opportunity to present, discuss and receive feedback on their work and process. Robert has a deep passion for creating an inclusive, fulfilling experience with the artists he collaborates with. He believes in instilling confidence and allowing a safe space for humanity to thrive.
Ashley Rich
Ashley Rich started her technical training at a young age, fell in love with dance, and completely immersed herself in her dance education. Some of her achievements include being a finalist on the 8th Season of “So You Think You Can Dance” and attending the prestigious Ailey School in NYC, home of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She has been featured in music videos, has performed nationally, and most recently choreographed a lyric video for Sony recording artists Lecrae and Tori Kelly. Ashley is currently a master teacher for “Turn it up Dance challenge” and teaches at Downtown Dance Factory in New York City. She is the Head of the Contemporary/Lyrical program at Downtown Dance Factory and Choreographer for their Junior/Senior Lyrical performing companies. During the summer she is the Director of the dance program at the SOCAPA, a dance intensive for teens located in Los Angeles. With her primary focus being on choreography and dance education, she decided to start Rich Dance Project in 2014. Rich Dance Project is a NYC based dance company for teens from all over the Tri-State area. RDP has performed throughout NYC in shows such as the New York Jazz Choreography Project, Brooklyn Dance Festival Youth Ensemble show, Brooklyn Summer Stage, and were featured performers in Tracie Stanfield’s SynthesisToo Apprentice show. Ashley’s mission is to teach dancers how to explore the purpose of their talent, develop their ability in a supportive space, and to inspire change through dance.
Francis J. Roach
Francis J. Roach is the Artistic Director of Luigi’s Jazz Centre in NYC. He travels all over the globe (30 times to Japan alone) to teach Luigi’s method. In the USA, he guest teaches at Manhattan Youth Ballet and countless workshops, such as Broadway Theater Project. He has taught at the Houston Ballet Academy, Joffrey Ballet School, Manhattan Marymount College, CUNY, Jackson International Ballet Competition, and Hoctor Dance Caravan. His choreography credits are: Broadway benefits for ALS, fashion shows for NYC Marathons, opera and dance companies, MTV videos, Japanese commercials, JCE showcases, and a magazine spread for Charlotte D’Amboise. He assisted Luigi for one of Liza Minnelli’s tours and currently is Resident Choreographer for NY Artists Unlimited. As a dancer, Francis appeared in AEA and SAG productions, on Broadway and world stages. Dance Masters of America President’s Award was bestowed on him. He is the humble co-author of Luigi’s Jazz Warm-Up book with Luigi and Lorraine Person Kriegel.
Alexis Robbins
Alexis Robbins, a native of Wakefield, RI, is a graduate of Hofstra University with a B.A. in Dance and B.S. in Exercise Science. Her emerging tap and modern dance company, kamrDANCE, has performed at Near and Far Collaborative Art Project in Cape Cod, ASBC’s 4th and 5th Choreographer Showcase in NYC, the 4th Biomorphic Dance Festival in NYC, Marie-Christine Giordano Dance’s November 2015 salon in Brooklyn, Sans Limites Dance Winter Season 2015 and Spring Season 2016 in NYC, Peridance’s Winter and Summer Student and Faculty Showcase 2016 in NYC, and the 3rd Annual Astoria Dance Festival in Queens. Robbins has performed in works by Rachel List, Anita Feldman, David Parker, Sean Curran, Heather Waldon, Amy Marshall, Sean Fielder, Hillary-Marie Michael, and Kristen Collins and has performed on Good Day New York with Aaron Tolson. Robbins is a rising choreographer who fuses tap and modern dance with humor and intricacy to create unique voices and investigate the necessity of supportive relationships, laughter, and absurdity. Alongside choreographing, Robbins is a, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and teaches tap at several studios on Long Island. She is very excited to be presenting “Please Be Kind if I’m a Mess” at the New York Jazz Choreography Project.
Joey Rosario
Joey Rosario is excited to return to JCE! Coming from a musical theater background, Joey has had the opportunity to perform nationally and internationally with the tour of A Chorus Line and regionally in shows like Beauty and The Beast, Guys and Dolls, and West Side Story. He debuted his first professional piece through the JCE Jazz Dance Project two years ago. Since then, he’s been pursuing more choreographic opportunities, releasing a short dance film last year, And Just Like That, as well as Bad Idea, and most recently serving as Associate Choreographer for In the Heights at Park Playhouse. His style is a fusion of classic musical theater jazz, jazz funk, and Latin dance. He is a proud Montclair State University alum. Joey would like to thank Erin Pride for her constant encouragement and nurturing his choreographic voice, George Dearani for his theatrical inspiration and tutelage, his friends and family for their constant love and support; and Marian and Merete for the opportunity to be a part of the JCE Jazz Dance Project!
Jenn Rose
Jenn Rose is a NYC based choreographer working in theater, concert dance, and film. Current projects include You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Untitled Project # 213 (Edinburgh Fringe 2019). Regional choreography includes Cabaret (Arden Theatre Co), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre), Avenue X (11th Hour Theatre Co), Herringbone (Flashpoint Theatre Co), The Black Nativity (Theatre Horizon), and Honk! (Two River Theatre). Film choreography includes Feature: Christmas Dreams; Short: Not Immune (Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival Selection); In or Out, unPresidented (Loose Screws Productions). Commissioned choreography includes Player Piano (The Steps Conservatory Program), That’s What It’s All About (Dancebreak 2018), The Missing Piece (Ballet Fleming), Three and a Break (Ursinus College), Benzo (Drexel University). She is the recipient of the 2016 Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre Choreography and has been honored with five additional nominations.
Sue Samuels
Sue Samuels — performer, master jazz teacher, choreographer — has an established reputation as one of the leaders within the performing arts community. She was the co-founder/owner of Jo Jo’s Dance Factory in New York City, which later became Broadway Dance Center. Sue has been on the faculty of Broadway Dance Center since 1986 and is also on the faculty of Peridance Capezio Center NYC. Students have included numerous stage, film, and television stars such as Melba Moore, Brooke Shields, Dominique Dawes and Irene Cara. As a performer and choreographer, Sue has over 40 years of extensive credits in film, television, and theatrical productions on Broadway and around the world. In 2009, Sue founded Jazz Roots Dance, a professional company dedicated to the preservation of the classic jazz dance form while aiming to excite and educate all generations about its roots. In Spring 2013 she self-produced and presented a successful season for Jazz Roots Dance, and in Fall 2013 the company completed its first tour to L.A. to perform in the TriArt Festival in San Pedro. Sue is a 2015 recipient of the Flo Bert Award for her dedication to the Jazz Dance art form. Critics agree that this company is “a new force to be reckoned with.”
Ellenore Scott
Ellenore Scott is a New York City based choreographer, master teacher and performer. Scott was a finalist (Season 6) and All-Star (Season 8) on the hit television show “So You Think You Can Dance?” and most recently was the Assistant Choreographer for the Broadway Revivals of “Cats” and “Falsettos.“ She has choreographed for national commercials (AVON and Chase), numerous music videos and internationally for Glow Dance Company (Norway). This season she had the pleasure to choreograph for Kate Hamill’s “Pride and Prejudice” at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, which will go Off-Broadway in Fall 2017. Scott is also the Artistic Director of New York City based contemporary-fusion dance company, ELSCO Dance.
Tommy Scrivens
Tommy Scrivens is a Florida native. He graduated from The Ohio State University with Contemporary Ballet Company, in the UK tour of Tap Fusion, as a guest artist with BalletMet, Columbus, Collide, and Parsons Dance. Later in his concert dance career, he danced with dre.dance, Nicholas Andre Dance, marInspired, and Kristin Sudeikis Dance. Most recently Tommy performed in the pre-Broadway run of the new musical “Roman Holiday” in San Francisco, appeared in the FX show “Fosse/Verdon,” and in “Sophisticated Ladies” directed by André DeShields. As a choreographer and teacher, Tommy has worked all over the world. In the US he has been privileged to teach at Peridance, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, The Ohio State University, Adelphi University, Manhattanville College, and Marymount. Most recently, he assisted the director and choreographer for the North Shore’s “Smokey Joe’s Café” and the 2022 Jimmy Awards, and was movement director for the world-premiere of “The Supadupa Kid” at Barrington Stages. Tommy is currently an adjunct professor at Marymount Manhattan’s Musical Theatre Program, and he was just named the inaugural Legacy Teacher for ADM21 and a protégé with the Verdon/Fosse Legacy LLC.
Danita Shaheen
Danita Shaheen is a dance-based educator, performer and creator from NY. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Disagreeable Creatures, a movement-based collaborative. She graduated magna cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College’s BFA program with a double concentration in ballet and modern dance. She consistently collaborates with artists from all artistic disciplines, and has performed nationally and internationally with numerous contemporary, modern, jazz and hip hop companies. Additionally, Shaheen has appeared in multiple video projects and has been an invited guest choreographer at many prestigious institutions, including Shoreline Ballet, The Spence School, The Brearley School, Montclair High School and Connecticut Dance Center. She has had the honor of working with Ariel Rivka Dance, Dance Cat-alyst, Kilowatt Dance Theater, Salma Allam and Dancers, Jeff Davis, The Cantigas Woman’s Choir, Grace Rising Dance, Tamara Saari Dance, Jacobs Campbell Dance, Gehring Dancetheatre, Banana Peel Dance, dancesbyremi, Ryan McNally, Kaleidoscope Dance Theater, DoubleTake Dance, MAD About Dance , H.T. Chen and Dancers, AERA, Beth Soll & Company, Andrea Gise and Dancers, Laura Ward/ Octavia Cup Dance Theatre, and Nina Buisson Contemporary Move. She is thrilled to be presenting her work at JCE Jazz Dance Project.
Jaime Shannon
Jaime Shannon began her dance training at the age of four at the Lee Lund Studio of Dance in Milford, CT. In 2006 she received her B.A. in dance from Hofstra University where she studied with Lance Westergard, Stormy Brandenberger, Robin Becker, Carla Wolfangle, Rachel List, and Amy Marshall. Since then, Jaime has performed professionally with Azul Dance Theatre, Dance Cat-Alyst, Soluq Dance Theater, Lauren Hale Dance, and Kelley Donovan and Dancers. In 2010 Jaime met Tony Fraser and together, they quickly became a dynamic partnership in the swing dance community. Together they have performed and taught various styles of swing dance throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia. In 2014 Jaime formed Kilowatt Dance Theater (KDT), a dance company specializing in the roots of early jazz dance, swing, lindy hop, and blues in combination with modern and contemporary dance. KDT has had the honor of performing at such noted venues as Jacob’s Pillow, The Battery Dance Festival, Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night’s Swing, and Jazz Choreography Enterprises.
Sarah Juliet Shaw
Sarah Juliet Shaw is a New York City-based performer, teacher, and choreographer. She is currently on the guest faculty at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway and has presented her own work in New York Theatre Barn’s Choreography Lab, the Broadway Dance Center Performance Project, and at the National Museum of Dance. As a performer, Sarah has danced on Seasons 4 and 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and performed at numerous regional theatres across the country. She has a degree in Dance and Psychology from Skidmore College. Sarah would like to thank her dancers for being so open and excited to bring her vision to life, and JCE for this wonderful opportunity.
Alan Spaulding
Alan Spaulding has taught dance to youths and adults since 1994. He currently teaches ballet, tap, and jazz dance in his neighborhood of Inwood in Upper Manhattan at The Pied Piper Children’s Theatre, where he has also choreographed several musicals including “The Pajama Game,” “Kiss Me, Kate,” “Anything Goes,” and most recently, “Singin’ in the Rain.” He has been involved as a dancer and choreographer for JCE since its inaugural production, and he is very happy to be revisiting these two numbers from past shows, especially re-staging “I Met a Girl,” which was originally choreographed by his teacher, mentor, and dear friend, Bob Audy.
Ashley Stafford
Originally from Bloomington, Indiana, Ashley Stafford came to New York City by way of Lexington, Kentucky. A free-spirited and hyperactive choreographer, teacher, performer, photographer, and pianist, Ashley’s love for the arts began at a very young age with the Indiana University pre-college ballet and music programs. She graduated with honors and received her Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance, as well as a minor in Psychology, from Transylvania University. Ashley currently teaches for the Children and Teens Program at Broadway Dance Center and at Downtown Dance Factory. Her choreography has been showcased in both the Brooklyn Dance Festival and Gotham Dance Theater’s performances for emerging choreographers, as well as in Chris Palacio’s Rooftop Showcase. She performs regularly for both stage and for film, and has appeared on MTV, Good Morning America, and Telemundo to name a few. Ashley aims to fuse together her diverse training, life experiences, musical knowledge, and passion for the arts to create works that are relatable, genuine, and powerful.
Johnny Stellard
Johnny Stellard has performed in the original Broadway casts of Anastasia and Evita (
Leah Suskind
Leah Suskind was born and raised in Randolph, NJ and in May 2022, she graduated summa cum laude from New York University Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in dance. While at NYU, Leah performed works by Yin Yue, Stephen Petronio, Jaclyn Walsh, and Molissa Fenley. In the fall of 2022, Leah participated in the inaugural GibneyPro Training Program where she got to work with artists such as Rena Butler, Maleek Washington, Laja Field, and Elia Mrak. Throughout her summers, Leah has attended programs at Jacob’s Pillow, Orsolina 28, the Juilliard School, and with companies such as Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, GALLIM, Parsons Dance, and the Martha Graham Company. She was also the fellowship recipient of the 2021 DM.Connect Choreographer Competition. Leah is currently in her second season as an apprentice with Jon Lehrer Dance Company.
Ai Toyoshima
Ai Toyoshima is a New York based performer. Since she moved to New York in 2017, she has worked intensively with Finis Jhung, Mindy Jackson, Nicholas Palmquist and Fredrick Earl Mosely. Her favorite credits include the Bryant Park Modern Dance Summer Series, the Joyce Theater, the 20th annual Dumbo Dance Festival and the Steps Beyond Foundation Performance Lab. Ai is looking forward to reconnecting with the world after two years of the pandemic! Follow her on her Instagram @toyosienne to get more information about her next performance!
Elaine Tripoulas
Elaine Tripoulas began dancing at age eight in her hometown outside of Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from Cornell University in 2015 with a B.S. in Interior Design and a concentration in Performing and Media Arts. While at Cornell, she choreographed for two dance groups as well as theatrical productions of Sartre’s “No Exit” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Since moving to NYC, Elaine has choreographed for DanceWorks NYC, NACHMO, and Fertile Ground. She’s also performed at the Young Choreographer’s Festival, WAX Works, Conkrete Jungle, and Uptown Rising. When not dancing, Elaine works as an experiential designer and teaches indoor cycling.
Amy VanKirk
Amy VanKirk is an Associate Professor of Dance at Radford University. She has had original work showcased at the American College Dance Association Festival, Ferguson Center for the Arts, New York Jazz Choreography Project, Alluvion Stage Company, and at various universities across the country. VanKirk was commissioned to create an original work, Remember the Future, for the NASA Langley Research Center Centennial Tribute in 2017, and created and directed an original a full-length musical, Keep This For Me: Memories of the Last World War, in 2015. Amy received her MFA in Dance from the University of Arizona where she served as the rehearsal assistant for Ann Reinking’s Chicago Suite. Professional credits include Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, danahbella DanceWorks, and Artifact Dance Project. She is a member of the National Dance Education Organization where she has presented on topics such as female leadership in dance, interdisciplinary collaborations, and Latin jazz fusion. VanKirk’s primary teaching focus is jazz dance technique, with additional focuses on composition, musical theatre, and ballroom. Amy continues to work as a freelance performer and choreographer throughout the United States.
Cory “Nova” Villegas
Cory “Nova” Villegas, a native of the Hunts Point area in the Bronx, embarked on her dance journey at the tender age of five, immersing herself in Salsa On 2 at Starlite Dance Studio under the guidance of David Melendez. Continuing her passion at Dancers DreamZzz School of Dance under Debbie Melendez and the mentorship of Kimberly Rivera, known as “The Lady of Soul,” Cory honed her skills. Her dedication led her to Lehman High School, where she trained under Penelope Kalloo, a former member of the Forces of Nature Company, exploring ballet, Afro-Caribbean, Bollywood, Contemporary, and various Modern dance styles as a member of the Lehman High School Dance Company. It was during this time that Cory created her inaugural Salsa piece, “Acuyuye.” Post-graduation, Cory transitioned into teaching at Dancers DreamZzz and Lehman High School while furthering her studies at Lehman College under Michael Manswell, specializing in Dunham Technique. Eager to delve deeper into Dance Education, she pursued her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees at Hunter College’s Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program, mentored by renowned choreographers Pedro Ruiz Jr. and Maura Donohue. Cory’s choreographic prowess flourished with works like “Creciente” (2017), “La Liberacion” (2018), and “Calle Soul” (2018), showcased at prestigious events including the Bronx Borough Arts Dance Festival, Ailey CitiGroup Theater, and the EstroGenius Festival. She also graced stages with her performances for artists like Don Omar and collaborated with Forza Malizia Dance Co.
Beyond dance, Cory found a passion for lighting design, illuminating venues such as Hunter College’s Kaye Playhouse and the Jamaica Center Performing Arts Center. In 2019, she co-founded Soul Dance Co.: The Soul Experience, serving as Artistic Director alongside Kevin Williams. Cory’s dedication extends to her role as Beacon Dance Program Director and Artistic Director of the Beacon Dance Company at Beacon High School. Currently pursuing an MFA at Hunter College, Cory is slated to graduate in May 2024. Her journey is marked by gratitude for her gift of dance and the love she’s received in showcasing her work, a testament to her enduring passion and commitment to the art form.
Kyle Weiler
Kyle is honored to be back presenting work with NY Jazz Choreography. A recent graduate of The Juilliard School, he has performed the works of José Limon, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Kyle Abraham, Camille A Brown, and Brian Brooks. Recent stage credits include: Damn Yankees (Ordway) and Mamma Mia & Dear Edwina (Theatre Aspen). Kyle participated in Arts Powers Arusha, an arts outreach exchange in Arusha, Tanzania. Back home in Minnesota, he has created original material for local dance companies, Hennepin Theatre Trust, and assistant directed/choreographed Bare: The Pop Opera at Minneapolis Children’s Theatre. He is also a founding member of the Arts Fusion Initiative, a diverse group of artists who create unique, interdisciplinary performances inspired by American poets. For the next year, he will be adventuring around Europe and Asia, playing Diesel in the centennial tour of West Side Story. Much love to his family and mentors!
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In Memorium
Robert Audy
Robert Audy has worked in every aspect of show business as director-choreographer for Broadway, television, movies, and summer theatres across the country. He has coached or taught numerous stars, including Shirley MacLaine, John Travolta, Cybill Sheppard, Joel Grey, and Ben Vereen, and has trained several generations of international tap dancers. He wrote two best sellers published by Random House, Teach Yourself How to Tap and Jazz Dancing, and has taught for every major dance organization in the United States, as well as in Paris, France, and Helsinki, Finland. Robert was delighted to accept the Dance Masters of America President’s Award for 2001. He was honored for his contributions to tap dance at Tap City 2003. In 2007, the New York Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day presented him with the Flo-Bert Life Achievement Award. In May 2009, Jazz Choreography Enterprises honored Robert for his contributions to the art of jazz dance as a distinguished teacher and choreographer. And in November 2009, Robert will be presented with the Tradition In Tap Award for “Outstanding Achievements & Significant Contribution To The Tradition And Art Of Tap Dance.”
Kavin T. Grant
Kavin T. Grant (1981-2019), a native of Jacksonville, Florida, was an Associate Professor of Dance at Alabama State University. He received his MFA in Dance with a concentration in Choreography and Performance from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Grant trained with Kariamu and Company: Traditions, and was a member for three years; Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet; Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Florida Community College at Jacksonville; and Jacksonville University, where he earned a BFA in Dance with departmental honors and a minor in Sociology. He was a guest instructor at Tri-Cities High School, Booker T. Washington Magnet High School, Temple University, Penn State University, The University of the Arts, The University of Akron, Rowan University, Muhlenberg College, Tallahassee Community College and Jacksonville University. He was also the founder/CEO of Kavin Grant Productions and Entertainment, LLC. Three of his choreographic works were adjudicated and selected for the Gala program at various Regions of the American College Dance Festival, and one chosen for the National American College Dance Festival. He specialized in classical ballet (Vaganova), contemporary ballet, contemporary modern, hip-hop, jazz, African (Umfundalai), musical theater and step dance. On March 31, 2019, Kavin T. Grant died in a car accident. JCE is presenting his work for the fifth time since 2015 and is dedicating these performances to him. A talented choreographer and much loved teacher, he is greatly missed by the dance community.
Luigi
Luigi (1925-2015), creator of the world’s first complete technique for learning jazz dance, is a legend who influenced generations of dancers, teachers and choreographers. Born Eugene Louis Faccuito in Steubenville, Ohio, Luigi spent his childhood performing on local stages as a singer and dancer. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in movies. Only two months later, he was in a near fatal car accident that left him with a skull fracture and paralysis down one side of his body. While in a coma, an inner voice told Luigi, “Never stop moving, kid. If you stop, you’re dead.” When he awoke, doctors told him he would never walk again. On his own, Luigi created a series of rehabilitative exercises that helped him discover what he had to do to control his body. After a year of trial and error, he continued his work and started back in dance classes. Miraculously, he went on to dance in the chorus of over 40 classic films, such as, An American in Paris, Singin’ in the Rain, The Band Wagon, and White Christmas. While on the movie set of On the Town Gene Kelly gave him the professional nickname, Luigi. During this era Luigi choreographed nightclub, television, and Equity productions too. He also started teaching. After moving to New York to be in Broadway shows, he eventually opened his still running school, Luigi’s Jazz Centre. Celebrities such as Liza Minnelli, Susan Stroman, Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp, and Michael Bennett, along with countless students, have taken there. Writers have called Luigi an Ambassador of Jazz, and others have bestowed many awards for his contributions to dance. But perhaps the greatest tribute to Luigi is the fact his technique is taught today by his students in schools and colleges all over the world.
Sal Pernice
Brooklyn born and bred, Sal Pernice got his start on stage at the age of four, when he tore down the house dancing to “Darktown Strutters’ Ball” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He attended the High School of Performing Arts, and upon graduation, performed with the Santa Fe Opera Ballet Company. Soon after, he went on tour as Baby John in Jerome Robbins’ unparalleled “West Side Story.” Sal was a veteran of nine Broadway shows including “Dear World” with Angela Lansbury, “The Apple Tree” with Alan Alda, and “Goodtime Charley” with Joel Grey. His performing career also included stock, industrials, and national tours. Having achieved success and a sense of completion performing under others’ direction, Sal decided to create his own choreography and teach others. For almost 30 years he taught children and adults at the 92Y Harkness Dance Center. At the Center’s 75th Anniversary Gala, Sal directed young dancers in the Harkness Repertory Ensemble in an excerpt from Jerome Robbins’ “Opus Jazz.” He was also on the faculty at Ballet Academy East. Sal died on September 9, 2018. He will be remembered by many in the dance community, especially his devoted students, who now call themselves the Salarinas.
Chet Walker
Multi-Award Winning Director/Choreographer Chet Walker has garnered acclaim onstage in theaters across the globe, in television, film, music video and all commercial media. Chet originally conceived the 1999 Tony-Award-winning musical FOSSE which also won an Outer Critics’ Circle Award and the Toronto Theater Alliance Award for Choreography. Chet is also recipient of the L.A. Drama-logue Award for Best Choreography for Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; Sweden’s equivalent of the Tony Award for Best Choreography for Annie Get Your Gun; and Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award for his co-choreography of Pal Joey at the Goodman Theatre. Chet most recently received the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, the Astaire Award, and a Tony nomination for his choreography of Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin, the acclaimed revival directed by Diane Paulus. Also, as director/choreographer, Chet created Sweet Charity (Bob Fosse’s Original Choreography) in the United States and abroad; further credits include productions of La Cage aux Folles, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Follies, Working, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Producers, The Dancing Man, and Jazz on Jazz. He has also created five dance operas, including The New York Times critically acclaimed Seduction; as well as three ballets for Julio Bocca’s Ballet Argentina.
Past Choreographers
Roy Lightner
Jen Littlefield
Lara Luzim
Arron Racheal Masters
roberta mathes
Bafana S. Matea
Tammy O’hara
Jaclyn O’Rourke
Sal Pernice
Katrina Phillip
Kelly Potter McHale
Christy Rak-Samson
Shawn Rawls
Tyrell V. Rolle
Kristen Brooks Sandler
Svea Schneider
Hadley Schnuck
Kirsten Schwartz
Kellie Schweon
Amy Baker Schwiethale
Mary Shorey
Lauren Ashlee Small
Shauna Sorensen
Lori Spada
Tracie Stanfield
Katherine Titone
Fukuyo Watanabe
Kathryn Wilkening
Lara Wilson
Sidney Erik Wright
Debra Zalkind
