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The Dance Complex Faculty

(Alphabetical by first name)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Aicha "Astou" Sagna (African) has been dancing for twenty-five years. During this time, she worked with the African Ballet of Senegal and the National Ballet of Senegal.

Alioune “Pape” N’Diaye (African) www.papendiaye.com | 575-513-7273 | infor@papendiaye.com. A multi-talented artist from Dakar, Senegal, Alioune “Pape” N’Diaye (www.papendiaye.com) is a seasoned performer (song, dance, and percussion), instructor, and choreographer in Djembe, Kutiro, Sabar, Modern, and African contemporary dance forms. He has been a member of numerous acclaimed Senegalese traditional and contemporary dance companies, including the National Ballet of Senegal, Cinquihme Dimension, Ballet Sinomew, Forêt Sacrée, and Manhattan Dance School. Pape N'Diaye is also a former lead dancer for Jant-Bi where he choreographed pieces for the award winning FAGAALA, Jant-Bi’s most recently toured production. In the United States he has choreographed and performed with the Kinodance Company, Maimouna Keita School of African Dance, and the Harvard University Pan-African Dance and Music Ensemble, to name a few. He is the lead singer and founder of the Mbalax Music Band, Doomou Africa, and the director of the recently acclaimed African Dance Company, Les Enfants du Soleil - African Dance Theater. This company is made up of dynamic artists and musicians from various West African countries and the United States. In addition to singing and directing Les Enfants du Soleil - African Dance Theater, Pape N'Diaye is the founder of the Ndaje School of African Arts, Inc. which hosts the Annual Ndaje Festival of African Music and Dance, the largest African dance and drum celebration in Boston! Pape currently teaches a weekly beginning African Dance class at the Dance Complex in Cambridge, MA.

Alyza Delpan-Monley (Contemporary), originally from Northern California, studied with Marin Ballet for ten years before moving to the Stapleton School of Performing Arts in 2004. Though her early fundamental training was in ballet, she explored modern, jazz, West African, flamenco, musical theatre, hip hop and contemporary dance. Since moving to Boston in 2007, Alyza has danced and choreographed for Sarabande, a contemporary, jazz, modern and ballet ensemble, and Spirit of Color, a hip-hop and contemporary company, both associated with Tufts University. In 2009 Alyza joined Static Noyze Dance Company, through which she dances, choreographs and teaches classes. Alyza's main goal as a choreographer is to stretch movement beyond the body and to create pieces that are expressive. Alyza currently attends Tufts University where she studies Philosophy and Economics.

AnaLinda Marcus www.tangoembrace.com (Tango) Argentine Tango is an improvisational social dance that changes lives, and AnaLinda fell under its spell 6 years ago. Social dance has been the connective tissue of her life since age 12. After dancing Jazz and Hip-hop in her 20's, she renewed her childhood involvement with Latin social dance in her 30's and studied Salsa and Mambo intensively, as well as Cha Cha, Bolero, Cumbia, and Bachata. She continues to dance these genres, which influence her Tango style. AnaLinda's method of movement in the Tango utilizes the concepts of stretch and release/weight and counterweight that she encountered as a student of both Tai Chi and Yoga. AnaLinda has taught dance classes for more than 5 years, initially as an assistant to Sharna Fabiano of the Boston Tango School. For the last 4 years she has led her own group and private classes. She was a member of the faculty at the former Brookline Community Center for the Arts, and is presently a member at the Dance Complex in Cambridge, MA. In addition to performing in the local area, AnaLinda has traveled extensively to pursue her Tango passion throughout North America. She has also been to Buenos Aires, Argentina several times to study Tango.

Andy Taylor-Blenis (Modern) - started dancing with her parents in International Folk Dance at age 0. Her early Creative Movement experiences were with Ruth Wheeler, co-founder of Dance Collective, and with Ann Brown-Allen. After receiving her BFA in Dance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, she came to Boston and danced with Danny Sloane Dance, Paradigm Dance, Concert Dance Company, Dance Collective, Micki Taylor-Pinney, Dawn Kramer, Miguel Lopez, Milton Myers, Julie Ince-Thompson, ACE Entertainment, and has been with Prometheus Dance Company for 19 years.

She has taught International Dance through the Folk Arts Center of New England, Modern and Jazz Dance at Northwestern and Northeastern Universities, Harvard, Emerson, Boston University, Boston Conservatory and the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio. Andy is the artistic director of Mladost Dance Ensamble and the RSCDS Demonstration Team and loves teaching school residencies thru Mass Movement and Revels Inc. Andy is an adoring admirer of Lynn Simonson. Dance is a musical, satisfying, overwhelming, strengthening, challenging, freeing discipline that applies to and enhances each day of our lives. Enjoy!

To contact Andy, call: 617-875-7426 or email: atayblenis@yahoo.com

Anna Myer www.annamyerdancers.org (Ballet) received scholarships from American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet and a Ford Foundation Scholarship from the School of American Ballet. Since 1978, she has performed with various companies in the Boston area such as Boston Ballet, Caitlin Corbett Dance Company and Copley Square Ballet, as well as directing her own company, "Anna Myer and Dancers" in contemporary works. Myer also directs the Cambridge School of Ballet.

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Brian Crabtree (Modern) has been dancing and making dances since 1975 in Boston, New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia and his home town of Portland, Maine. He studied Modern Technique with Viola Farber, Dan Wagoner, June Finch, Diane Frank, Douglas Dunn and Daniel McCusker. For 8 years he was a member of Ram Island Dance Repertory Company based in Portland under the direction of Daniel McCusker. There he danced a repertoire that included dances by Senta Driver, Maida Withers, Yvonne Rainer, Lucinda Childs and Mr. McCusker. Since moving back to Boston, his own work has been produced or commissioned by the Boston Center for the Arts, Greet Street Studios, Ram Island Dance, Dance Complex, World Music, First Night and Dance Umbrella.

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Carl Alleyne www.carlalleyne.com (Hip-hop) Carl has been involved with the entertainment industry for over 20 years. A native Bostonian, he has spent his time performing, teaching, and choreographing in different parts of the country at many venues. As a performer, he has performed in front of thousands of people, sharing the stage with artists such as Gladys Knight, the late Ray Charles, the O-jays, Fabolous, SPEECH of Arrested Development, Sir Elton John, Neill Young and others. He did a West Coast tour with his 3 time Boston Music Award Winning R & B Band Eye2Eye. He performed at Symphony Hall at Hillary Clinton's event where the Goo Goo Dolls were also special guests. His latest works include choreography and movement coaching for the new feature film “ Furry Vengeance ” starring Brendan Fraser, Brook Shields and Ken Jeong, directed by Roger Kumble, feature film “ Knight and Day ” starring Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruz where he was the role of one of the groomsmen, the taping of MTV ’ s Made as a dance instructor to an aspiring rapper, Hasbro ’ s Clue Game board as the character Mr. Green, and choreography and movement coaching for YouTube ’ s number one R & B Group, recording artists Ahmir.

Carl spent a few years in New York City working with his Talent Agency that he started, TTE Talent Agency. TTE represented choreographers and dancers who worked with projects and with artists such as Michael Jackson, Destiny ’ s Child, Chris Brown, The Rolling Stones, Don Omar, Coke Commercials, Bombay Dreams National Tour, In the Heights on Broadway, and the list goes on.

Carl brings personality, style, and knowledge to the table. God has blessed him to make great impact on the entertainment industry.

Chien-hwe Carol Hong was born in Taiwan and raised in Falmouth, Massachusetts. She began her undying love affair with dancing at her first ballet class with Irene Merrill. The expressive power of modern dance from the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble blew her mind and opened up the opportunity to study at the Ailey School's summer intensive programs for 2 consecutive summers, and then into the Ailey school's Bachelor in Fine Arts degree program with Fordham University.

After 4 years of refining technique and performing on stage as a student dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at City Center and with several New York choreographers for the Ailey/Fordham Student Dancers, she was called to teach, choreograph and share the love of dancing to schools, studios and plays on Cape Cod, Cambridge, Los Angeles and Hong Kong alike.

Other experience includes studying on scholarship at the Merce Cunningham school, attending Bates Dance Festival, participating in Alonzo King/LINES Ballet's professional workshop, dancing with the Hong Kong Ballet in TST and modeling/dancing for Van Cleef and Arpels in Hong Kong as well. Carol also made top 100 of Boston for So You Think You Can Dance season 6 and interviewed with Cat Deeley.

As a certified yoga teacher, a practitioner of martial arts, a trained dancer and a lover of expressive arts, Carol offers Modern Funk Jam as a unique blend of body conditioning, yoga, ballet and modern dance techniques with the irresistible spirit of contemporary, jazz, soul and earthy funk music into one cohesive class designed to make you sweat, to express yourself and to let yourself shine.

Carolisa moonlightdjs@aol.com (Bellydance and Zumba) has over fifteen years experience as a professional entertainer and dance teacher throughout New England. She teaches beginner through master classes, Zumba, Bellydance, and Dance Fitness and conducts Workshops for company wellness centers, social events & parties, and all ages from seniors to college, teen , & kids’ programs. She especially enjoys motivating and inspiring others of any fitness level or dance experience; and sharing her joy and knowledge in a fun and friendly class!
She is also an experienced DJ with Moonlight Disc Jockeys covering weddings, corporate & private functions, reunions, theme events, family and kids’ parties.

Cory Gray currently holds an Individualized BA in Dance from UMass Boston. She has been teaching dance to all ages, skill levels and backgrounds in and around the New England area since 2004. She has an extensive background in multiple styles of dance but it was her discovery of salsa that stole her heart. She has performed with several hip hop, modern and salsa companies and can easily be found within the dance scenes of Boston and New York. Currently traveling all over the US and internationally to study salsa, she hopes to continue to educate others through her passion while still learning and exploring dance for herself.

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Danny Swain www.dannyswaindance.org (Jazz Funk) holds a BFA in Theater from Salem State College, where he studied under Caitlin Corbett, Jennifer Uhl and Sallee Slagle. Danny teaches Jazz-Funk at the Dance Complex as well as teaching Jazz Dance and Musical Theatre Dance at UMass Boston and Hip Hop Fusion at Tufts University. In the past, he has taught classes at the Boston Conservatory, Boston University, Salem State College, Cambridge School of Weston, and the Boston Center for Adult Education, as well as St. Anselm's College & Plymouth State College in NH. He has been choreographing, performing and teaching throughout New England since 1997. His choreography has been seen in such venues as the Hatchshell on the Boston Esplanade, Seacoast Repertory Theatre in NH, Salem State College, Massachusetts College of Art, Green Street Studios, and the Dance Complex. Along with being Artistic Director & Choreographer for Danny Swain Dance Company, Danny has performed with Snappy Dance Theater, Boston Dance Collective, Impulse Dance Company, Kate Digby, Peter DiMuro Performance Associates in Massachusetts and in Washington D.C.

Dennis Goldsmith (Tae Kwon Do, Cardio Kickboxing) holds a Masters Degree in Counseling and Consulting Psychology from Harvard University. He is a fifth degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and provides both private and group lessons in Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, and Self Defense Skills. Dennis is certified as a personal trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the American council on Exercise, the American Institute of Fitness Educators, and has an Advanced Personal Training Certificate from the International Sports Medicine Association. In addition, he was part of the Reebok University's Personal Training Program. Dennis is also certified to teach Aerobics, Kickboxing and Muscle Conditioning classes through AFFA, Cardio Athletic Kick Box, and Martial Arts Training, and teaches Heartsaver classes in First Aid, CPR and AED. Dennis teaches group exercise classes and provides personal training sessions throughout the Boston and Greater Boston Area including the Sports Club/LA and Boston Sports Clubs. Dennis also serves on the Board of Directors of The Dance Complex.

Denny Morrell (Teen Ballet) has extensive dance training and performing experience. After graduating from the Victorian Ballet School, Denny performed with The Victorian Ballet Company. She received her classical ballet training from Dame Laurel Martyn one of Australia's foremost Ballerinas and Artistic Director of The Victorian Ballet Company. Denny has a B.F.A. from The Boston Conservatory of Music and a Ms.Sc.Sp from Emerson College. Denny has choreographed many original ballets including Peter and the Wolf, The Wizard of Oz, and Snow White. She has also choreographed many musicals including West Side Story, Annie, and The Music Man. She founded The All About Us Performing Arts Company Inc in 2000. Denny is an artist-inn-residence at MassBay Community College in Wellesley Hills, MA.

Deepa Srinath (Bharatanatyam for beginners) is a well known danseuse from Bangalore, India. Introduced to dancing at the tender age of 5, Deepa has continuously been learning and has proved herself time and again on various dance platforms. Having been trained extensively by Guru Radha Sridhar in Bangalore, she has also learnt from Guru Nandini Eshwar (Mysore) and Guru Soundarya Srivatsa (Bangalore). She has performed her “ Arangetram ” (i.e., ‘ Ascent to stage ’ graduation) in the year 2001.

Having done her graduation in the field of business, Deepa ’ s first and foremost passion is dance. Deepa combines in herself a student, performer and choreographer. An assortment of these qualities won her not only awards and certificates but also critical acclaim. With excellent communication skills and imaginative ‘ abhinaya ’ (expression), Deepa has been able to impress and connect herself to laymen and connoisseurs alike while performing.

Deepa has performed extensively throughout India and abroad. She has rendered more than 100 performances – over 40 solo recitals, 10 dance ballets, 40 group performances, and 7 televised shows. She has also choreographed 3 dance ballets herself. She has delivered workshops introducing Bharatanatyam to foreign audience.

Derrick Davis (Jazz Funk) is a native New Yorker who attended Fiorello H. Laguardia School of the Arts and was a scholarship student with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Derrick has taught Hip Hop, Jazz, and modern dance in the New England area and in the Boston Public schools for many years. He has also taught master classes throughout the United States. Derrick has trained some of Boston's best Hop and Jazz performers and has choreographed and performed with such artists as: Nas, Eve, Kid Capri, Slick Rick, KC & Jojo, and other national and international recording artists. Derrick is a member of Impulse Dance Company, Expressions of Christ and a featured artist with companies throughout the U.S. He is currently a master teacher at Dance Theatre of New England in Bridgewater, MA, under the directorship of Debra Bianca.

Diane Arvanites & Tommy Neblett www.promethuesdance.org (Advanced Modern) As co-Artistic Directors of both the Prometheus Dance Company and the Prometheus Dance Elders Ensemble, Diane Arvanites & Tommy Neblett create powerful and provocative dance/theatre that resonates with honesty and passion. Since 1997, they have choreographed nearly thirty works for Prometheus Dance, Inc.; two operas, Nixon In China and Alceste, for OperaBoston; and over fifteen works for the dance programs at The Boston Conservatory, Emerson College, Walnut Hill School, Boston Ballet Summer Dance and Harvard University. They, and their company, regularly perform and teach throughout New England, as well as in Spain, France, Denmark, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Ms. Arvanites & Mr. Neblett have received numerous awards for their work, including a Creativity Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and four Artists Grants for Choreography from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, individually in 1996 and 1994, and collaboratively in 2004 and 2000. Prometheus Dance has also been named " One of the Years Ten Best in Dance " by the Boston Phoenix (2004), the Boston Herald (2002) and the Boston Globe (2000). As respected educators, Ms. Arvanites and Mr. Neblett teach modern dance technique, partnering and choreography at The Boston Conservatory and Walnut Hill School. They also teach open-enrollment technique classes for professionals (company class) and post-professionals (Dance for 55+) at The Dance Complex in Cambridge. They are highly involved and supportive of the local arts community, participating in grant panels with the Cambridge Arts Council and the New Hampshire Arts Council; on the Board of Directors of the Boston Dance Alliance; and as mentors for The Dance Complex Shared Choreographers Program.

Dicki Johnson Macy (Duncan Dance), ADTR, M. Ed. L.M.H.C creates movement/music programs for children that encourages the development of resiliency, awareness, honor, and grace. Dicki, direct lineage holder in the Art/Technique of Isadora Duncan, distills her methodology from this tradition; her work celebrates nature's unity and rhythm, remembers ancient rituals and archetypes and dances simultaneously, the tribal and the divine. Her programs for the able and disabled have been presented and implemented nationally as well as in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

E

Eve Agush www.alwaysbdancing.blogspot.com (Youth Flamenco and Tap) Eve Agush has been teaching flamenco, tap dance and yoga in the Boston community for the past eighteen years, specializing in teaching children. Ms. Agush is a familiar face on the Boston dance scene, contributing her considerable experience to events such as the Citi Performing Arts Dance Residency Program, Dance Across the City Day, The Children's Dance Festival, City Dance and The Gardner Museum Gala . Eve Agush is the founder and Artistic Director of Always B Dancing and is the creator of Yoga Snacks, an in-school yoga program.

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F

Fatou Carol Sylla (African) has been a dance teacher, performer, and choreographer for over a quarter of a century. She has preformed in several African as well as Modern/Jazz/Blues/Gospel dance companies including Ballets Africaines and Ballet Bougouroubou in Senegal and Ballet Fatala in Guinea, West Africa. She is the current Artistic Director of Under the Sun Dance & Drum, which is sponsored under the Mass Cultural Council's Events and Residencies program and teaches at the Dance Complex and for over ten years in the public schools for VSA arts of Massachusetts Standard Teaching Certification in both Dance and Health K-12. Ms. Sylla has also taught dance at the college level, including ten years in the dance department at Bradford College. In 1985, Ms. Sylla designed and lead a month long seminar in Senegal, Guinea and Guinea Bissau for Americans interested in studying dance, music and the function (especially in health and healing) that the arts play in these traditional cultures. She continued this work at Bradford College by organizing and teach a similar two-week three credit course in Senegal as part of Bradford's Summer Studies Abroad Program.

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H

Honey Blonder www.HoneyBlonderDance.com (Street Funk) started dancing in New York City at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute where she studied dance, theatre and voice. Her choreography in the independent film Dance by Design screened at the National Film Theatre, London; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Boston International Festival of Women's Cinema; the Ivy Film Festival at Brown University and the First Glance Film Festival in Philadelphia. In 2006, Honey choreographed The Berries, a pilot for children's television. Additionally, Honey choreographed and danced in New York and Boston with performance art / recording artists Countess and received a Boston Music Award nomination for Best Live Act. She performs frequently with her dance company, Disco Brats.

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I

Ife Bolden (African) is a former member of several Boston based dance companies such as The Art of Black Dance and Music and the Bamidele Dancers and Drummers. She was co-founder & choreographer of ACE (African Cultural Explosion) and founder, director & choreographer of the We are Family Children's Dance Theater and the Kuumba Watoto Children's Dance Company. Ife was the first instructor to establish an African dance class at The New Dance Complex and has now been teaching here for over 18 years.

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J

Jean Josue Appolon www.JeanAppolon.com (Haitian Dance & Modern Technique) grew up in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, where he began dancing at the age of 13. In 1991 Jean received a scholarship to study with Lynn Williams Rousier Dance School where he commenced his training in Ballet and traditional Haitian Folkloric dance techniques. Because of Jean's great passion and aptitude for dance, he was blessed with the opportunity to study and perform with several dance companies at that time, including Viviane Gauthier Dance Company and the Folkloric Ballet of Haiti. After moving to the United States, Jean was able to continue his dance education at the Harvard and Radcliffe Dance Program (1995-1996 Miami, FL), Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (1996-1998 New York, NY) and graduated from the Joffrey American Ballet School (1998-2003 New York, NY) in the spring of 2003. In addition to those listed above, Jean has performed with many dance companies throughout the US including, Rainbow Tribe Company, Elma Lewis Productions (Black Nativity), Marlene Silva, North Star Ballet Company, Black Door Dance Company, and the Atlantic City Ballet Company. Jean teaches dance classes at various locations throughout the New York City area. In addition to teaching classes, Jean also aspires to develop his skills as a choreographer. For Jean, dance is a special vehicle that affords him the ability to communicate his life experiences in the visible realm. Therefore, he hopes to bring his danced visions to the stage, as well as the classroom, so that he may reach a larger audience.

Johara Cusick www.joharasnakedance.com (Middle Eastern BellyDance) Johara, which means Jewel in Arabic, is a passionate and innovative dancer, drummer, choreographer and teacher in the Boston area. Johara's diverse background in dance includes ten years of study in Middle Eastern dance (Egyptian ,Turkish, and Gypsy) along with five of study in West African and several years of Afro-Caribbean and Latin dance styles. Beyond folk dance, she has taken courses in Modern, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Ballroom, Yoga, and Pilates. Johara also has studied at Berklee College of Music, and holds an Associates degree in jazz and Contemporary Music from the University of Maine. She has performed professionally in Istanbul Turkey, Baiia Brazil, New York City, and throughout New England. One of the highlights in Johara's dance history was on July 9th and 10th 2006, when she performed as a solo artist and as part of the MAVI dance company for a crowd of 5000 cheering fans in a folk festival in Inegol, Turkey. Johara is a compassionate and committed dance instructor and workshop leader with over 11 years of experience. She has trained some of Boston's top bellydancers and two of her students have passed auditions to join the Bellydance Superstars International performing company produced by Miles Copeland. She is director and producer of Snakedance Theater, Serpentine Nights (semi-monthly dance events), and the Bellisima dance troupe. She is creator and host of the Boston Annual Bellydance Awards which began in 2004.

"Joh" Sidi Mohamed Camara www.JohOnLine.com (African Dance) Sidi Mohamed Camara, popularly known as " Joh, " was born in Bamako, Mali in West Africa. Surrounded by great artists and musicians as a child, Joh started traditional dance and drumming at the age of five. On his father's side, he comes from the Camara ancestry that ruled in Mande Society. However, he mastered the art of music and dance from his mother, Fanta Kamissoko, a well-known Jali. Jalis, also known as Griots, are highly venerated in their traditional society as skilled oral historians who are singers, storytellers, musicians, advisors, and mediators. Joh has participated in and founded a wide variety of traditional dance companies in his career, completing tours throughout West Africa. Under his guidance as Chief Choreographer, Troupe Mande and Troupe Sewa became among the most renowned and competitive troupes in the world of West African dance and drumming. Since relocating to the US in 1995, Joh has taught at: Brown, Princeton, Brandeis, University of Pennsylvania, Berklee School of Music, Washington University, Olympia (Washington State), and Boston Public Schools (elementary, middle, and high). Nationally, Sidi has presented at various museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. In addition to holding weekly classes in Boston and touring the United States, Canada, and France, Joh currently teaches at various community centers and instructs a semester dance and drumming class at Boston University and Harvard University. Through his willingness to share at national conferences, community workshops, and academic engagements, Sidi continues to enhance cross-cultural exchange and make a positive imprint on the fabric of cultural arts and education in America.

Julianne Corey www.MovingCelebrations.com is a Nia Black Belt and a Nia Next Generation Trainer. She holds the MFA in Creative Writing, 200 hour certification in Elemental Yoga and has studied Yin Yoga with Josh Summers and Yoga Therapeutics with Bo Forbes. Her purpose and passion is to hold the space for transformation through the celebration of body, mind and spirit! Contact: julianne@niaboston.com or call: 617-645-9158.

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K

Katie Bircher has been dancing since childhood, studying ballet and modern dance before discovering her true love in belly dance.
Before moving to the Boston area, she was a long-time member of both Shoshanna's Ya Habibi Dance Ensemble and Tribalesque Tribal Fusion Belly Dance in her native California. Katie is grateful for the wisdom and generosity of her many teachers, including Denise Murphy, Jill Parker, Elizabeth Strong, Carolena Nericcio, Rachel Brice, Bonnie Wolf-Moss and Theresa Phillips of Tsingani, Sahra Saeeda, Amy Sigil and Unmata, Sarah Adams and ORIGIN, Jemileh Nour, Alyssum Pohl, Naraya, and especially Shoshanna.

Kelly Silfies (Salsa) is a non-Latino female with a Latin soul. Her inner Latina emerged six years ago, when she discovered salsa while living in Chicago. She has studied salsa with Colombian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and French instructors and has been teaching Puerto Rican style salsa for four years. Her motto is to enjoy the salsa experience - feel the music, feel the connection to your partner, relax, and have fun!

Kirsta Sendziak (Ballet) started her dance training in Buffalo, NY with Clare Fetto of The Festival School of Ballet and Elaine Gardner of Pick of the Crop Dance. Kirsta attended Hampshire College, completing a Bachelor of Arts in 2003 in Dance and Psychology. In Boston, she has performed with Kelly Donovan and Dancers, Rozann Kraus and choreographer Josie Bray. In 2008, Kirsta performed a solo from Marcus Schulkind’s “Ladies’ Night Out.” Her dancing has been reviewed numerous times by The Boston Globe. Kirsta also teaches ballet, modern and jazz dance at the Brookline Center for Adult Education..

The School of Classical Ballet was founded in 1985 by Anna Myer and Patricia Adelmann. For 25 years, the school has provided students with classical ballet training and helped to develop student appreciation for dance as an art form. In 2009, under the direction of Ariella Amshalem and Kirsta Sendziak additional dance forms were incorporated into The School of Classical Ballet curricula. Currently, Kirsta continues to provide students the quality instruction upon which the school was founded. The School of Classical Ballet is technique-based. Performances are all-inclusive opportunities for students to showcase their technique as well as their love of dance while gaining experience performing for an audience of family and friends.

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Lamine Touré www.laminetoure.com (African) Amadou Lamine Touré comes from a long line of griots, a caste of musicians and oral historians among the Wolof people of Senegal. Born into a family of griot percussionists, masters of the sabar drum, Lamine has been drumming and dancing since the age of four. Growing up in Kaolack, he received his early training as part of his family's drum troupe, performing regularly at weddings, baptisms, and neighborhood dance parties. In 2001, Tour é relocated to the U.S. to pursue his solo musical career and has continued to teach and choreograph sabar dance. Since Fall 2002, Lamine Tour é has been serving as Artist-in-Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he directs the Senegalese drumming ensemble, Rambax MIT. He also teaches sabar dance at Suffolk University. In May 2005, he co-wrote a pioneering composition with Evan Ziporyn entitled Sabar Gong for sabar drums and Balinese gamelan, which was premiered at the MIT Presidential Inauguration of Susan Hockfield. He continues to teach sabar drumming and dance classes in the Boston area, with ongoing dance classes at the Brazilian Cultural Center of New England and at Springstep in Medford, MA. He also conducts workshops and lecture-demonstrations at local schools and universities.

Lino "leanski" Delgado www.floorlords.com (Break Dancing)

Lisa Simon (Jazz, Stretch) has been a professional dancer/choreographer for over 30 years and a stretch and personal trainer for over 20 years. She has taught and performed in a variety of dance styles for many colleges and universities, and performed with many local and European companies such as: The Opera Company of Boston, The Kamikazee Jitterbugs, San Germaine Follies European tour, Brazilian dance tours in Sicily, and TV and film. She has taught master classes for many companies and colleges throughout New England, New York, Italy, France and Germany and has taught many couples how to be fabulous dancers for their weddings.

Liz Lapuh (Ballet) is the Artistic Director of the Cambridge Chamber Ballet. She has taught ballet classes in the Boston area for more than ten years and is currently teaching at The Boston Conservatory, North Atlantic Ballet Studio, and at the Dance Complex. She has performed in the Boston Area as well as in Virginia, Florida and the south of France with such companies as the Virginia State Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Boston and the North Atlantic Ballet. Ms. Lapuh holds a BA in dance and an MFA in choreography from the Boston Conservatory. She currently heads the dance program at UMass Boston.

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Margot Parsons www.dancevisions.net (Ballet) Margot Parsons trained in Chicago with Richard Ellis and Christine DuBoulay, and in New York with Richard Thomas, Barbara Fallis, Maggie Black, The Harkness School, and the Martha Graham Studio. Along with being invited to dance with American Ballet Theater, Agnes deMille, and Pearl Lang, she performed with Yuriko, The Ballet Ensemble of New York, in the City Center production of the King and I, and in Boston with Ken Pierce Baroque Dance Company, and the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble. Her degrees include a BS from the University of Wisconsin and an MA from the University of Utah. She is an instructor of ballet at Boston College, Boston University, the Dance Complex, Harvard University, and Suffolk University, and she is President and Artistic Director of DanceVisions, Inc. Her work has been seen across the United States and in Europe. She choreographs for her own company and has choreographed for Boston College, Boston University, Wellesley College, and Boston Ballet II Company, and produces numerous shows including Dance on the Top Floor.

Marianne Harkless (Afro-Jazz) was a member of Danny Sloan Dance Company, Ballet Theatre of Boston, Impulse Dance Company, Bandanca Afro-Brazilian Dancers & Musicians, Brasiliero, Inc. and the Arts of Black Dance & Music. She has performed and taught at colleges, public and private schools and dance studios throughout New England, France, Switzerland, Sweden and Jamaica. Marianne was a 1996 recipient of The Dance Belt Award and is a former member of the Board of Trustees o the Boston Dance Alliance. Marianne currently teaches at Wellesley College, the Cambridge School of Weston and Move for Youth, Cambridge.

Matei Livianu and 'Hirley Cremin' www.salsamatei.com/About.php (Salsa)

Maureen Cosgrove (Tap), teacher, choreographer, and Director of Boston Tap, has been teaching and performing tap dance in the Boston area since 1977. She teaches at the Dance Complex as well as at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Her company has performed throughout the area at various events, schools, and clubs, including First Night, Cambridge River Festivals, and Boston University. Maureen received her MFA from Massachusetts College of Art where she is currently a part-time instructor. She has been the recipient of grants from the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities, the Cambridge Arts Council and the Massachusetts Arts Lottery.

Mestre Manhoso (Capoeira Angola) Born Charles Davis in 1947, Mestre Manhoso first started studying martial arts at age 12. Beginning with Judo and Boxing but quickly moving on to Goju-ryu Karate, Mestre Manhoso studied with noted instructors Kent Davis and Fred Bodarsky for 20 years. In 1966, Mestre Manhoso served in the US military in Vietnam. He took advantage of military life to train with fellow soldiers, from America, Korea and Vietnam. While in Vietnam, he also was exposed to traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts. After being wounded in 1969, he was shipped to Okinawa, where he served for one year while studying Karate in the land in which it originated. Returning from the military in 1970, Mestre Manhoso relocated to Boston, where he began studying Nothern Shaolin Kung Fu and the Filipino knife fighting art of Kali. In 1974, he started classes with sifu Bo Sim Mark, and dedicated himself to the Chinese internal arts of Tai Chi, Ba Gua, and Hsing Yi.

Always curious about the art of Capoeira, Mestre Manhoso was finally able to find a teacher when Mestre Nego Gato began teaching in New York in 1984. After Mestre Deraldo arrived in Boston in 1986, Mestre Manhoso began to train with him. Mestre Manhoso currently teaches at Spontaneous Celebrations, and the Dorchester YMCA. Alongside Mestre Deraldo, Mestre Manhoso has participated in numerous festivals, and expositions throughout the United States and Canada. Manhoso was graduated as a Master of Capoeira in 2010.

Michelle Bach-Coulibaly is a performance artist and educator who, since coming to Brown in 1987, has created over 40 original pieces of contemporary movement theatre for the concert stage that investigate socio-political canvases, cross-cultural narratives, and embodied texts. At Brown University she directs New Works/World Traditions, a research-to-performance troupe of actors, musicians, dancers and imagists who develop new theatre for national and international festivals, educational venues, and for the concert stage.

As a long time RISCA supported artist for school programming and education, Bach-Coulibaly has conceived, written and performed over thirty different educational programs that regularly tour nationally and internationally that utilize the power of performance to service public health, sustainable entrepreneurship and egalitarian exchange. Since 1990, her work in Mali has been focused upon building Yeredon, a research center for cultural preservation, international collaboration and social activism. Yeredon is the home for the Bloodline Project, a unique international collaboration and edutainment program to combat the devastating effects of malaria and other debilitating calamities.

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Olivier Besson (Movement Improvisation Jam & Contact Improv) is a improvisational movement artist who hails from France and is based in Boston (USA). From 1980 until the early 90's, Olivier studied contact improvisation with Nancy Stark Smith, Lisa Nelson and Andrew Harwood, and improvisation with Daniel Lepkoff and Julyen Hamilton. During that time, he also trained and performed Bugaku (Japanese court dance) with Arawana Hayashi. Most notably, Olivier's work has been presented: in the US - at Dance Theatre Workshop (NYC), Judson Church (NYC), New York Improvisation festival, Walker Art Centre (Minneapolis), Boston Dance Umbrella, Florida Dance Festival, Dance Place (Washington DC), Radford University (Virginia) & internationally - at the National Institute of the Arts (Taipei, Taiwan), Die Pratze (Tokyo, Japan), Art of Movement Festival (Yaroslav, Russia), Studio 303 (Montreal, Canada) and with Cie Vertige (Nice, France). He has collaborated with many individuals including Chris Aiken, Lisa Schmidt (formerly of Trisha Brown co.), Debra Bluth, Liz Roncka, Min Shen Ku, Pamela Newell (formerly of Marie Chouinard co.), Toshiko Oiwa (formerly of Bill T. Jones co. and Angelin Preljocaj co.) and musicians Mike Vargas, Peter Jones, Jane Wang and Grant Smith. Locally, he has guest danced for Dawn Kramer, Micki Taylor Pinney and Diane Noya. His current and upcoming performance projects involve collaborations with musician/composer Mike Vargas in Paris, Emmanuelle Pepin in Nice and Jane Shockley in Minneapolis. The Boston Conservatory senior class will perform under his direction, Nov 15-18th. Olivier is currently on faculty at the Boston Conservatory (dance division) and teaches regularly at Canal Danse (Paris) and the French national circus school (C.N.A.C). He has been on faculty at Emerson College, Boston University and Bates Dance Festival. He has taught residencies at the National Institute of the Arts (Taipei, Taiwan), the Centre Choregraphique de Danse/ Daniel Larieu (Tours, France), the University of Minnesota, and Radford University (Virginia) among other places. His current and upcoming performance projects involve collaborations with Liz Roncka in Boston, musician/composer Mike Vargas in Paris, Emmanuelle Pepin in Nice and Jane Shockley in Minneapolis.

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Yeumougor “Paa” Seck Diery (West African Dance) is a dancer from Kaolack, Senegal. He teaches the dances and rhythms called Sabar, the popular dance of Senegal, West Africa. Paa grew up in a griot family and began learning dancing and drumming at age 3 with his father. He has toured and performed in Europe, Japan, United States, and many countries in Africa. His classes start with a thorough warm up, followed by choreography that is broken down section by section, focusing on technique, execution and comprehension of the Sabar rhythms. The class then follows the African Dance Class format of dancing across the floor in lines accompanied by live drummers. Paa’s style of teaching is clear, clean and precise, filled with the warmth, enthusiasm and the unique stylistic qualities that are found in the traditional and contemporary styles of Sabar. His expertise as a drummer, musician and dance performer make the classes a fun and thorough learning experience. All levels of students are welcome.

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Rachel Werkman (Samba) discovered samba in 2001 and her life was changed forever. Prior to that Rachel dabbled in other dance styles and practiced yoga. Samba brought dance to the forefront and through its study Rachel built confidence as a dancer and found her place in the vibrant local Brazilian community, as well as the dance community.

Rachel has been teaching samba since 2003, first as a substitute teacher at the Brazilian Cultural Center of New England. She has taught her own classes in and around Cambridge and Boston, and co-teaches on Saturday afternoons at the Dance Complex. She also acts as the Dance Director for the BCCNE’s performance troupe, Samba Tremeterra. Rachel has traveled extensively to Brazil since 2001, including a six month stay in Rio de Janeiro. She has also created a dance tour to Rio de Janeiro which successfully completed its first annual run in February 2009. She is currently co-developing an online subscription samba class offering called BossaMoves!

For Rachel, the joy of samba and other Brazilian rhythms inspires and energizes every day. Her objective in class is to create the welcoming, non-competitive and fun environment that was a hallmark of the BCCNE and laid the foundation for her passion for dance to unfurl.

Ramon de los Reyes (Flamenco) was born in Madrid, Spain and since an early age has been dancing flamenco. At only 13, he was performing flamenco and classic Spanish dances around the world while continuing his training under great Spanish teachers like Manolo Vargas, Enrique " el Cojo " , Perice, La Quica, Antonio Marin and others. He has performed worldwide in prestigious theatres and danced as a soloist with the Spanish National Ballet, Ximenez Vargas Company, Pilar Lopez Dance Company and Alba-Reyes Spanish Ballet. M. de los Reyes has performed on television and has won many awards and grants: National Endowment for the Arts; recognition for Excellence in Dance from Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival; Recognition for Artistic Contribution to the people of Massachusetts from Governor Michael Dukakis; Gold Medal, World Olympics, Mexico, to name a few. He has also taught in universities including Boston Conservatory, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Walnut Hill School, Boston Ballet and many more.

Rebecca Rice www.rebeccaricedance.com (Organic Ballet).From the beginnings of her professional career when she co-founded and performed in Pittsburgh ’ s Dance Alloy company, Rebecca Rice has been a sought-after and highly respected modern and ballet dance teacher, choreographer, and performer. With a solid base in classical ballet, Denishawn and modern dance, Rebecca ’ s classes support in each student a powerful sense of working intuitively and as a unique individual artist. Her background studying and performing classical Denishawn Dance with her grandmother, Marion Rice; her training in Ballet with Maggie Black and Lance Westergard and her work in modern with Bill Evans, Mark Morris and Gerri Houlihan all contribute to her rich, unencumbered style. A graduate in modern dance performance with honors at the University of Utah cemented her creative work in both ballet, choreography and modern dance. Rebecca spent 17 years teaching modern and choreography as faculty of the Boston Ballet under Bruce Marks, Anna Marie Holmes and Mikko Nissinen, and developed ballet, modern and choreography programs at MIT, Winsor School and Dana Hall. Her performing group, Rebecca Rice Dance, performs throughout Boston and won the " Best of Boston 2003 " by both the Boston Herald and the Boston Phoenix. Her group performed at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in 2004 and was invited to show her work as part of the Bank of America Celebrity Series May 2006. Her company debuted in NYC in March 2006 and has performed recently at Killian Hall, MIT, Cunningham Studio NYC, JORDAN HALL, Boston, and as an invited guest of the DANCEGUILD NYC, performances in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Rebecca recently received a grant from the MIT Office of the ARTS. In May 2009 her work "Russes Suite "premiered at Boston Symphony Hall as guests of Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in their " Ballets Russes " Celebration. Keith Lockhart mentioned in the August " Improper Bostonian " that Rebecca Rice Dance is one of "Boston's hidden gems".

Reynaldo Gonzalez (Afro-Cuban) hails from Matanzas, Cuba. For 14 years Reynaldo was a dancer in one of Cuba's top national folkloric dance companies, AfroCuba de Matanzas. For the past six years Reynaldo has lived and worked in the Boston area, teaching Afro-Cuban dance forms and performing and teaching master classes on a national and international basis.

Ricardo "Psy-Fa" Foster (Hip Hop Explosion) Using his special talent as a Dancer, Choreographer, Performer, Actor, and Model, Ricardo Foster has single-handedly made a name for himself amongst many of today's popular artist. Working and performing with artists ranging from Jay-Z to NSYNC, En-vogue to Uncle Cracker, and Destiny's Child to Old School Classics like Naughty by Nature, and RUN DMC he has seen it all. Ricardo is presently the Associate Director/Instructor of his own company, Street Feet Choreography. With an outstanding personality, he has a way with audiences, students and his peers a like. By using comedy, simple physical analogies, and a story like premise behind all of his dance movement, he looks to have people understand, enjoy, and enhance any performances or classes he has. And at the same time hopes to help people find a new appreciation of Dance and Themselves.

Roseann Ridings (Ballet) danced with the Boston Ballet and the Copley Square Ballet. She was the director of the Cambridge Ballet Center and has taught at the Cambridge School of Ballet and Marie Paquette's Classical Ballet School.

Rozann Kraus (Modern) has served on the faculties of the Yale School of Drama, New England Conservatory of Music and Boston University. Winner of an Artists Foundation Choreography Fellowship, a Choreography Fellowship from the State of Ohio, the Paul Robeson Award and Arts Lottery Grants from five cities, her work has been commissioned by a wide range of sponsors, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, The Yale Art Gallery, Composers in Red Sneakers and (for nine consecutive years) Boston's First Night. Touring throughout the country as teacher, choreographer and performer, Ms. Kraus has been a guest choreographer at MIT, the Cambridge School and Tufts University and was an Artist in Residence at Clark University's Center for Contemporary Performance and many other institutions. A published author and poet, Rozann Kraus is the founder and President of The Dance Complex.

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Seydou Coulibaly (African) is one of Mali's leading choreographers and dancers. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the award-winning TROUPE KOUMME DIOSSE. In America, Seydou teaches at Brown University, the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, Babemba USA. The Music School, Roger Williams Middle School, and privately in Boston and Connecticut.

Sharon Montella www.hiphopballerina.com (Hip-Hop) holds an MFA from the Boston Conservatory. Her choreography has been presented internationally and includes work for members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She can be seen in the film Dance by Design and has done promo work for Justin Timberlake. Sharon has danced with Boston Dance Company, Impulse Dance, Honey Blonder's Discobrats in Boston, and Bicycle Shop Dancers, Kelley Donovan, Toby Armour and Michael Mao in New York. Her name, Hiphopballerina, derives from her classical training and performing experience. Her hip hop style has been influenced by choreographers Bev Brown and Luam, with whom she studies in NY, and by her studies in White Dragon Fist kung fu, in which she is a black belt practitioner.

Sheila Eghbali (Iranian Dance) began her training in classical Iranian dance, which is based on ballet, at the age of nine under Melinda Khachaturian, a student of Mdm. Yelena, one of the five Iranian dance legends. Upon Immigrating to the United States, she continued her passion for dance through choreography and performances at cultural events. In 2006, Sheila returned to Iran for further training under Hadiyeh Kishipour. She learned the intricate moves of various regional dances such as Baba Karam, Azeri, Kurdish, Bandari, and Gilaki. With her expanded repertoire, Sheila founded the Iranian Dance Team in Davis, California and was the artistic director for the duration of existence of this group. There she choreographed over 30 dances and performed at 15+ events a year with one annual performance showcases all her dances of the year. She has taught students ranging from 6 to 60 years of age. Since dance is illegal in Iran, all of her former teachers’ studios in Iran have been shutdown and few individual artists continue to be able to preserve this art form inside and outside of Iran. With 20 years of dance and 8 years of teaching experience, Sheila hopes to further share her talent and the art of Iranian dance with the people in this community.

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Wendy Jehlen (Modern) Wendy Jehlen is a Contemporary dancer/choreographer, whose unique approach to movement incorporates elements of a wide range of dance and movement styles including the South Indian dance forms of Bharata Natyam, Odissi and Kuchipudi, Capoeira, West African dance, and a wide-range of Modern and Contemporary dance styles. Jehlen also collaborates with Deaf performers and poets, and uses the language and aesthetic of American Sign Language poetry in her choreography. Jehlen's emotionally powerful choreography has been performed in the United States, Europe, India and Japan.

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