2023 Teacher bios
Ehizoje Azeke (Contemporary) "Zoje” is a movement based artist living and working in NYC. He is represented by McDonald Selznick Associates and Wilhelmina Models. Recording artist credits include Beyonce, Madonna, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Jennifer Hudson. Film Credits include: In The Heights, Bolden, Carry Me Home; Days After Your Departure and currently Tick Tick Boom with Lin Manuel Miranda. Television credits include: Succession (HBO), Vinyl (HBO), The Get Down (Netflix), The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC), Tell Me a Story (CBS) Stage credits: include the Grammys, the MTV VMAS, and Victoria Secret Fashion Campaigns include: Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and Coach. He played Aire in the original cast of Queen of the Night at the Diamond Horseshoe in NYC.
Jermaine Browne: (Hip-Hop/Jazz/Funk) born in Georgetown, Guyana came to New York at the age of ten. As an aspiring performer, he studied dance, acting and voice. His exceptional talents were quickly recognized as he started working as a dancer in film, TV and theatre. Jermaine appeared in a Blockbuster/Visa commercial with Cindy Crawford which led to doing commercial work with Derek Jeter on a Nike project. He has appeared in commercials for the Gap, E-Trade, and American Eagle and has performed in music videos including J.Lo’s “Love Don’t Cost A Thing” and “Play”. His film credits include Malcolm X, Strictly Business and appearances on Saturday Night Live.
Jermaine has created stage shows for artists such as Crystal Waters, Koffee Brown, Jaheem, Richard Lugo, Deborah Cox, Angie Martinez and Tamia. He has staged shows for the MTV European Music Awards in Lisbon and the M6 Music Awards in Paris. Jermaine is known for choreographing Christina Aguilera’s break-through video “Genie in A Bottle” as well as music videos for Angie Martinez, Tamar Braxton and Sunshine Anderson. http://www.jermainebrowne.com/
Jermaine has created stage shows for artists such as Crystal Waters, Koffee Brown, Jaheem, Richard Lugo, Deborah Cox, Angie Martinez and Tamia. He has staged shows for the MTV European Music Awards in Lisbon and the M6 Music Awards in Paris. Jermaine is known for choreographing Christina Aguilera’s break-through video “Genie in A Bottle” as well as music videos for Angie Martinez, Tamar Braxton and Sunshine Anderson. http://www.jermainebrowne.com/
Valeria Cossu (Body Percussion) is a European artist and performer. Upon moving to NYC she choreographed Ser o no Cer...Vantes, 2011 REvolución Latina Choreographers Festival, BOUNTIFUL, To Be Or Not To Be, and The Tempest. As a director in NYC, Valeria has been invited to work in several festivals. She won Best Director for the musical Discovering Magenta, and the play Until Death Do Us Part was nominated for Best Play. Valeria joined Salgado Productions in 2011 and since she is been working alongside Luis Salgado as Associate Director/Choreographer in many productions such as Candela Fuerza y Pasión, Song of Solomon, Zuccotti Park, In The Heights, Ragtime, Fame, Aida, Matilda, among others.
Karen Gayle (Modern) originally from Toronto, Karen began her formal training in the Claude Watson Arts Program. After moving to New York, she furthered her studies at the Alvin Ailey American Dance School. Karen has had the honor of performing the works of such choreographers as Earl Mosley, Ronald K. Brown and Tony winner Hinton Battle. Karen has taught at Ballet Hispanico, Joffrey Ballet School, The Ailey Extension, The School at Columbia University, Horace Mann, New Dance Group, and is currently a faculty member at Steps on Broadway, Marymount Manhattan College, Montclair State University and Joffrey Ballet School. She has had the opportunity to guest teach and choreograph across the U.S. and abroad, including Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, Italy, Cyprus, and Israel and recent commissions include: The Harvard Ballet Company, Steps Repertory Ensemble, General Mischief Dance Theatre, The Boston Tea Party Opera, Steffi Nossen, Earl Haig High School and Montclair State University. As artistic director of the xodus dance collective, her choreography has been showcased at such venues as: The Ailey Theatre, Riverside Theatre, American Dance Guild Festival, DUMBO Dance Festival, Movement Research at Judson Church, the Downtown Dance Festival, JPAC, Here Arts Center, The Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto and the Inside/Out Festival at Jacob's Pillow.
Luis Salgado (Musical Theatre) is an international director, choreographer and educator from Puerto Rico that has fallen in love with the magic and power of telling stories onstage. Most recently Luis directed Matilda,The Musical, a bilingual version of FAME, the Musical that was translated and developed by Salgado Productions that won the 2020 Helen Hayes award for Outstanding Musical. Virtually Luis served as associate director and co-choreographer for the virtual concert Viva Broadway, Hear Our Voices. He was the Assistant Latin Choreographer of In the Heights on Broadway, which won four Tony Awards. In 2019 Luis worked as the associate director/choreographer of Cirque du Soleil's Paramour in Hamburg Germany. Among the productions he has directed/choreographed in the United States and abroad are the Holland Production of On Your Feet, RAGTIME, TO BE OR NOT TO BE... a Shakespearean Experience, AIDA, Amigo Duende the Musical, In The Heights, Bountiful, Zuccotti Park, Song of Solomon, Speed the Plow, The Tempest and Upfront events for TELEMUNDO.
In 2017 Luis directed and choreographed the U.S premiere of the Spanish version of In The Heights at GALA Theatre in Washington D.C which received nine 2018 Helen Hayes Awards including Best Musical, Best Direction and Best Choreography. He has appeared on Broadway in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, ROCKY, In The Heights, On Your Feet, as well as Off-Broadway shows and Broadway tryouts ‘The Mambo Kings (Frankie Suarez), Fame on 42nd Street (Joe Vegas, understudy) and Aida, among others. Film credits include: "American Gangster"; "Dirty Dancing 2, Havana Nights”, the television remake of "Dirty Dancing”, "Enchanted" and "Step Up 2, The Streets" (Alejandro), for which he also was assistant choreographer. Luis’ personal mission as an artist and a leader is to empower society through the arts to create change.
In 2017 Luis directed and choreographed the U.S premiere of the Spanish version of In The Heights at GALA Theatre in Washington D.C which received nine 2018 Helen Hayes Awards including Best Musical, Best Direction and Best Choreography. He has appeared on Broadway in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, ROCKY, In The Heights, On Your Feet, as well as Off-Broadway shows and Broadway tryouts ‘The Mambo Kings (Frankie Suarez), Fame on 42nd Street (Joe Vegas, understudy) and Aida, among others. Film credits include: "American Gangster"; "Dirty Dancing 2, Havana Nights”, the television remake of "Dirty Dancing”, "Enchanted" and "Step Up 2, The Streets" (Alejandro), for which he also was assistant choreographer. Luis’ personal mission as an artist and a leader is to empower society through the arts to create change.
Previous teacher bios
Veronica Alvarez (Hip-Hop/House Fusion) has a 12-year career as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. She is the director of the Vanilla Dancehall crew, along with Vivian Gabel, first place winners at the Dancehall Master World - Paris 2018. She is the director of the Dance Connection Camp, the first camp in Peru which has been carried out 4 times. She trained as a dancer at the D1 School of Vania Masías, where she was part of the CIA D1, and at the Broadway Dance Center in New York.
She has participated in musicals such as Mezcla, Cabaret, El Musical 2010, West Side Story, Tu Lima, El Chico de Oz, Los Locos Adams, Sweet Charity, Blanca Nieves, El Musical 2015, Av. Larco, among others. She starred in Mamma Mia and In The Heights in Peru and In The Heights in Washington DC. She was the winner of the Aibal awards for best dancer performer in 2017. In 2018 she won the category of best actress at the Broadway World Regional Awards and was nominated for best actress at the helen Hayes awards in Washington DC. She participated in the films “Me Haces Bien "and" Av. Larco ”.
She has participated in musicals such as Mezcla, Cabaret, El Musical 2010, West Side Story, Tu Lima, El Chico de Oz, Los Locos Adams, Sweet Charity, Blanca Nieves, El Musical 2015, Av. Larco, among others. She starred in Mamma Mia and In The Heights in Peru and In The Heights in Washington DC. She was the winner of the Aibal awards for best dancer performer in 2017. In 2018 she won the category of best actress at the Broadway World Regional Awards and was nominated for best actress at the helen Hayes awards in Washington DC. She participated in the films “Me Haces Bien "and" Av. Larco ”.
Daniel Fetecua (Modern/Limon) is a native of Bogotá, Colombia holds a BFA from Folkwang-University of the Arts, Essen-Germany, and has appeared as guest artist in Pina Bausch’s masterpieces, Rite of Spring and Tannhäuser. Fetecua has been a soloist member of the Limon Dance Company for ten years (2006-2016) dancing main roles in Jose Limon's master pieces. Daniel has also danced works by Jiry Kilian, Susane Linke, Rodrigo Pederneiras/Grupo Corpo, Lar Lubovitch, Anna Sokolov, Doris Humphrey among others. Mr. Fetecua is a master teacher of the Limon technique and reconstructor of Limon's repertory, faculty member of the Limon Institute and founder member of Limon4Kids program. Daniel Fetecua is the founder and artistic director of two dance companies: Pajarillo Pinta’o, a dance company that preserves and promotes the Colombian traditional dances through dance performance, workshops and classes and D-Moves, a contemporary dance project that combines Colombian traditions, Modern Dance and German TanzTheater. Fetecua was recently hired as adjunct dance faculty at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts for the fall 2019 and Universidad del Atlantico in Barranquilla-Colombia for the fall/spring semester dance program 20/21. He is the producer and artistic director of LATITUDES DANCE FESTIVAL, a new NYC based platform to promote and present Latin American and Native dancers, companies and choreographers from around the world.
Ximena Salgado (Salsa) is an international multifaceted artist originally from Peru where she earned the title of National Salsa Champion as a Soloist in 2015. Her Dance Awards in the US includes 1st place in the Samba Team Division at the World Salsa Summit 2019, 1st place in Salsa Pro Heats and 2nd place as a Soloist at Salsa Con Fuego , Pittsburgh 2017, 2nd place in Bachata Rising Stars and 3rd place in Samba Soloist at the World Salsa Summit 2017. As a dancer she has performed in arenas such as the Madison Square Garden and MET Life Stadium. She has been a member of Balmir Latin Dance Company performing, teaching and competing in diverse Latin Dance Festivals around the US. Her experience in Musical Theater includes “In the Heights” US Spanish Premiere at Gala Hispanic Theatre in Washington DC, “Hairspray”, “Disney’s High School Musical” (Sharpay), “Beauty and the Beast'', “The Wizard of Oz” in Peru. Between her most important roles in Theater she played “Hamlet” (Ophelia), “Don Juan Tenorio” (Ana) in Peru, where she also played diverse featured roles in TV series and soap operas. Based in New York City, she is Founder and Artistic Director of Rumbamena Dance Company. She also teaches her Latin Rhythms class, salsa and bachata in diverse dance studios and venues of the city. On top of all she still pursues her acting and singing career along other passions.
A non stop dreamer and hardworking woman deeply grateful and inspired by her friends and family for the love and endless support. Follow Ximena’s Journey: XimenaSalgado.com Instagram: @XimenaSalgado92 Facebook: @XimenaSalgado
A non stop dreamer and hardworking woman deeply grateful and inspired by her friends and family for the love and endless support. Follow Ximena’s Journey: XimenaSalgado.com Instagram: @XimenaSalgado92 Facebook: @XimenaSalgado
Matthew Stefffens (Contemporary) is a NYC based director, choreographer and performer. Broadway/Off Broadway: Doctor Zhivago (Associate Choreographer); Queen of the Night (Drama Desk Award - Associate Choreographer / Resident Director), Pretty Hunger (Public Theater - Choreographer), Bountiful (R.Evolucion Latina - Choreographer) , BC BEAT (Choreographer). Regionally, he has directed and/or choreographed A Chorus Line, Violet, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Guys & Dolls, 9 to 5, A Christmas Carol, Hairspray, The Pajama Game, Chess (Associate Choreographer) . Theaters include The Kennedy Center, The Guthrie Theater, Playmakers Repertory Company, Heritage Theater Festival The Mountain Playhouse as well as internationally in China on the original Chinese musical Princess Butterfly. As a performer he has appeared on Broadway in Promises, Promises, Women on the Verge and has danced, fought and flown his way through 18 operas at the Metropolitan Opera. Tours: West Side Story, CONTACT, Beauty & the Beast . Film/TV: The Last Five Years, Across the Universe, Black Box, Smash, Kennedy Center Awards - Chita Rivera, Pan Am (Assoc. Choreographer). Upcoming: La Traviata (Metropolitan Opera), The Visitor (The Public Theater), The Outsiders (The Goodman Theater). He also serves as a TEAM DIRECTOR for R.Evolución Latina, a community organization making a difference through the arts. Visit matthewsteffens.com
Daniel Ulbricht was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and began his dance training at the age of 11. At age 16, Mr. Ulbricht was invited by the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, to continue his training. In 2000, he became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and in 2001 he joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. In 2005, Mr. Ulbricht was promoted to the rank of soloist and principal dancer in 2007. He has danced featured roles in a number of Balanchine, Robbins, Martins, and Wheeldon ballets including George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son, Tarantella, Stars and Stripes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mozartiana, The Nutcracker, Symphony in 3, The Steadfast Tin Soldier: Jerome Robbins’s Fancy Free, Interplay, Four Seasons, A Suite of Dances; and Peter Martins’s Jeu de Cartes, Hallelujah Junction, Eight More, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo + Juliet among many others. Mr. Ulbricht has also danced Tarantella at the 2004 Kennedy Center Honors to celebrate the Balanchine Centenary. Mr. Ulbricht is a guest teacher at the School of American Ballet, Ballet Academy East, as well as, teaching at a number of well-known national dance schools, private schools, and universities throughout the US. Mr. Ulbricht is currently the Artistic Advisor of Manhattan Youth Ballet and is the Artistic Director of New York State Summer School for the Arts in Saratoga Springs, NY. Mr. Ulbricht is founder and director of “Stars of American Ballet”, a touring group focusing on high art, education and outreach. Mr. Ulbricht is the co-founder and producer of “Dance Against Cancer”, an annual benefit for the American Cancer Society and is on the board of the National Dance Institute. Danielulbricht.com | starsofamericanballet.com
Ahren Victory (Hip-Hop) is a New York based Performer and Storyteller who most recently made her National Broadway Tour debut in Andy Blankenbuehler’s adaptation of the musical CATS as Sillabub. Originally from Colorado, She began her performance training in the Classical Vocal Arts, and has performed with Opera Theatre of the Rockies. Regional Theatre Credits include; CATS, Hairspray, Joseph Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Women, and more. Ahren is a proud card-carrying Member of the Actor’s Equity Association, who has her Bachelors Degree with an emphasis in Arts, Media, and Entertainment. She has been fortunate to train in various styles of dance around the U.S. such as; Point Park International Intensive, Classical Ballet of Colorado Intensive, Joffrey Ballet School Jazz/Contemporary Trainee Program, and Broadway Dance Center. Additional performance experiences are; The Think Tank Showcase, BroadwayCon, Broadway Cares: Red Bucket Follies, BC Beat, and Jacob's Pillow. She is grateful to have worked closely with several choreographers in New York, including Salgado Productions. She can be found online at; ahrenvictory.com
Former DanceFest Master Teachers
Kurt Froman (Classical Ballet) performed with New York City Ballet for seven years. He recently completed the film “Red Sparrow” training and coaching actress Jennifer Lawrence. He was JLaw’s personal ballet trainer and oversaw the dance sequences during production. He was the Dance Captain and Swing for the B’dwy hit, “An American In Paris” and was seen on the STARZ series “Flesh & Bone”. He was the Resident Choreographer of “Billy Elliot, The Musical” on B’dwy and the National Tour, and the Associate Choreographer for the film “Black Swan”, responsible for training and coaching Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis & Vincent assel. He has choreographed commercials, for ASICS & L’Oréal, choreographed music videos, ad campaigns, video shoots and catalogues for Bloch dancewear. Kurt has been on faculty at Steps on B’dwy, Ballet Tech, B’dwy Dance Center, North Carolina School of the Arts, Barnard College and the Univ. of Michigan. His B’dwy credits include: Twyla Tharp/Billy Joel show, “Movin’Out”, the revival of “Pal Joey” at Studio 54, City Center Encores!- “Juno” and “On Your Toes”, and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center. Other TV/Film credits include Smash, Across the Universe, Center Stage, SNL, and Live From Lincoln Center telecasts.
Greer Gisy (Contemporary) is an NYC-based performing artist. As the choreographer and creative consultant, she was responsible for setting Andy Blankenbuehler’s original Broadway choreography on the Brazilian cast of In the Heights in São Paulo. She has taught at Alvin Ailey, R.Evolución Latina, Broadway Dance Center, Texas State University, and master classes throughout the country. Recently she served as associate director on two productions, and associate choreographer on three productions of In the Heights under Mark Stuart and Michael Balderrama. She was dance/fight captain on each production as well as the dance captain for Evita under the direction and choreography of Nick Kenkel. Greer is Lorin Latarro’s associate choreographer for McCarter Theatre’s renowned A Christmas Carol and for Public Theatre's Public Works productions of Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in the Park. She is also the founder of the upcoming app LALUZ : Meditations for Performers
George de la Pena: (Ballet) Professor of Dance at the Univ. of Iowa, is a multi-disciplinary performer-director-choreographer-researcher who continues to seek new knowledge through the arts and sciences. Of particular interest is the investigation of how music, visual, and theater arts inform movement, cognition and emotion, and how, together, they provoke an audience to critically examine the human condition. Critical to this research are developments in neuroscience directly related to human health and wellness. He began his career with American
Ballet Theatre in 1975 after graduating from George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet. In 1978 he was chosen to portray Vaslav Nijinsky in the Paramount Pictures/Herbert Ross film Nijinsky. He followed that with numerous other projects for film, theatre and television, as well as on and off Broadway. In addition to being a member of Lincoln Center Theater’s Directors Lab, he continues to collaborate with playwrights, composers and creators in the Digital Arts to develop new work.
Ballet Theatre in 1975 after graduating from George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet. In 1978 he was chosen to portray Vaslav Nijinsky in the Paramount Pictures/Herbert Ross film Nijinsky. He followed that with numerous other projects for film, theatre and television, as well as on and off Broadway. In addition to being a member of Lincoln Center Theater’s Directors Lab, he continues to collaborate with playwrights, composers and creators in the Digital Arts to develop new work.
Jason Samuels Smith (Tap) is an established leader for Tap with accolades as Choreographer, Performer and Humanitarian. He received an Emmy, Dance Magazine Award, and American Choreography Award as well as grants/residencies supporting the development of new work. Choreography and film credits include Black Nativity (associate tap choreographer/security guard #1); Hit Series Psych; CBS’s Secret Talents of the Stars (MYA); So You Think You Can Dance.
As a humanitarian, he continues to support organizations including Dancers Responding to Aids, Tied to Greatness, Career Transitions for Dancers, Tap Into A Cure, Groove with Me, and Move The World among others. He also designed and developed a leading professional tap shoe sold exclusively by BLOCH. Jason aims to promote respect for tap dance and continue to create opportunities for upcoming generations as he continues to travel as an ambassador for tap around the world.
Justin Boccitto (Tap) is currently on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, Marymount Manhattan College, Peridance & Circle in the Square. His students have included Lady Gaga, Tony Yazbeck (On The Town), Adam Chanler-Berat (Next to Normal, Peter and the Starcatcher), Sophia Anne Caruso (NBC’s Sound of Music) and Stanley Martin (Aladdin). He was invited to teach Stephen Colbert how to tap dance & appeared as a coach on MTV's MADE. Justin is on the guest faculty at The Juilliard School, The Pulse, Broadway Donation, Steps on Broadway and Broadway Artists Alliance. Justin, along with colleague Sol Bloch, is co- founder of the non-profit company, New Generation Theatre in Rockland County, producing sophisticated musicals with area high school students while educating them in the craft of musical theatre.
Matthew Steffens (Contemporary) is a NYC based director, choreographer and performer. Most recently, Matthew was seen in La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera and on movie screens nationwide. Other credits include Broadway/Off Broadway: Doctor Zhivago (Associate Choreographer); Queen of the Night (Drama Desk Award - Associate Choreographer / Resident Director), Pretty Hunger (Public Theater - Choreographer), Bountiful (R.Evolucion Latina - Choreographer) , BC BEAT (Choreographer). Regionally, he has directed and/or choreographed A Chorus Line, Violet, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Guys & Dolls, 9 to 5, A Christmas Carol, Hairspray, The Pajama Game, Chess (Associate Choreographer) . Theaters include The Kennedy Center, The Guthrie Theater, Playmakers Repertory Company, Heritage Theater Festival The Mountain Playhouse as well as internationally in China on the original Chinese musical Princess Butterfly. As a performer he has appeared on Broadway in Promises, Promises, Women on the Verge and has danced, fought and flown his way through 15 operas at the Metropolitan Opera. Tours: West Side Story, CONTACT, Beauty & the Beast . Film/TV: The Last Five Years, Across the Universe, Black Box, Smash, Kennedy Center Awards - Chita Rivera, Pan Am (Assoc. Choreographer). Upcoming: Superhero (Second Stage - Assoc. Choreographer), The Ring Cycle (Metropolitan Opera), Joseph…(Alexrod PAC - Director/Choreographer) matthewsteffens.com
Jonathan Lee (Hip-Hop) has worked with various recording artists including Grammy Award winners Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Pitbull, Tracy Chapman, and Joe as a backup singer, dancer, and choreographer. His Film/TV credits include The Detour, Chapelle’s Show, Good Morning America, ABC News Now, The View, You've Got Mail and Guiding Light. Theatre credits include Once On This Island, The Wiz, West Side Story, The King & I, and Miss Saigon. He has choreographed and performed with networks such as Disney, MTV, Nickelodeon, and VH1 as well as soft drink giants Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Jonathan has also been seen or heard in several commercials, recordings, and print ads for Verizon Wireless, NIKE, Optimum Online, Texas Instruments, Wendy's and WeeBee Tunes. Currently Jonathan teaches Hip-Hop at Alvin Ailey in NYC. Recently Jonathan has been featured in Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine, Dance Teacher Magazine and named "The Best Hip Hop Class"; by Time Out NY.
Duncan Lyle: (Ballet) Born in Melbourne, Australia, Lyle began his training at Camberwell District Ballet with Janina Ciunovas, Susan Thomson, Toivo Taves and Barbara Nimmo. In 2007, he was accepted in to the Royal Ballet School from which he graduated in 2010. With the Royal Ballet School, Lyle performed Pas de Cinq from The Sleeping Beauty on tour in Japan, Liam Scarlett's Toccata on the main stage of the Royal Opera House, Peasant Pas de Six from Giselle and Pas de Douze from Ashton's Swan Lake.
Lyle joined American Ballet Theatre in 2012. His repertoire with the Company includes a Step-Sister in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, Village Notary in La Fille mal gardée, Wilfred in Giselle, the Standard Bearer in The Green Table, Mother Ginger and the Russian Dance in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Lord Montague in Romeo and Juliet, the Indian Prince and Prince Fortune in The Sleeping Beauty, Sebastian in The Tempest and roles in After You, Bach Partita, The Brahms-Haydn Variations and Raymonda Divertissements, as well as roles in all of the Company's full-length ballets.
In addition to teaching for American Ballet Theatre main company and American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, Lyle has taught for American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensives, Intermezzo Dance Company, Sheer Talent Ltd., Studio Larkin, Techniques Dance Studio and The Russian Choreographic Academy.
Lyle joined American Ballet Theatre in 2012. His repertoire with the Company includes a Step-Sister in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, Village Notary in La Fille mal gardée, Wilfred in Giselle, the Standard Bearer in The Green Table, Mother Ginger and the Russian Dance in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Lord Montague in Romeo and Juliet, the Indian Prince and Prince Fortune in The Sleeping Beauty, Sebastian in The Tempest and roles in After You, Bach Partita, The Brahms-Haydn Variations and Raymonda Divertissements, as well as roles in all of the Company's full-length ballets.
In addition to teaching for American Ballet Theatre main company and American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, Lyle has taught for American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensives, Intermezzo Dance Company, Sheer Talent Ltd., Studio Larkin, Techniques Dance Studio and The Russian Choreographic Academy.
Daniel Ulbricht (Ballet) was born in St. Petersburg, Florida and began his dance training at the age of 11. At age 16, he was invited by the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, to continue his training. In 2001 he joined the company, he was promoted to soloist in 2005 and in 2007 he was promoted to a principal dancer. He has danced featured roles in ballets choreographed by Balanchine, Robbins, Martins, and Wheeldon such as Prodigal Son, Tarantella, Stars and Stripes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mozartiana, Nutcracker, Symphony in 3, The Steadfast Tin Soldier: Jerome Robbins’s Fancy Free, Interplay, Suite of Dances, Four Seasons; and Peter Martins’s Jeu de Cartes, Hallelujah Junction, Eight More, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo + Juliet among many others. He has performed at national and international festivals and galas. Mr. Ulbricht is a guest teacher at the School of American Ballet, Ballet Academy East, as well as, teaching at national dance schools, private schools, and universities throughout the US. He is currently the Artistic Advisor of Manhattan Youth Ballet and is Artistic Director of NY State Summer School for the Arts in Saratoga Springs. He is the founder/director of “Stars of American Ballet”, a touring group focusing on high art, education and outreach and the co-founder/producer of “Dance Against Cancer”, an annual benefit for the American Cancer Society. www.danielulbricht.com www.starsofamericanballet.com
Amos Machanic: (Modern) began his training in Miami, Florida at Miami's New World School of the Arts. He studied as a scholarship student at The Ailey School and was a member of Ailey II and The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1996-2011. In 2010 Mr. Machanic had the pleasure of performing at The White House in tribute to Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison. Currently, Mr. Machanic is a freelance artist and has had the pleasure of working with the Alvin Ailey arts in education program as a teaching artist and as a teacher at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center- Ailey Extension. He has also taught at the American Ballet Theater summer intensive program and at Ballet Academy East.
Adrienne Hurd: (Modern) is a native New Yorker; She began her training at the Joffery Ballet School, School of American Ballet and the Alvin Ailey School. She has performed with The Neubert Ballet, Dance Brazil, Ailey II, The Jamison Project, and Earl Mosley's Diversity of Dance. She worked with Judith Jamison as an assistant for 4 years and was a rehearsal director for The Jamison Project. She has worked with Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Michael Peters, Paula Abdul, Twyla Tharp, Garth Fagan, Donald McKayle, Graciela Daniele, Jeff Calhoun, Vince Patterson, and Earl Mosley. She has appeared on Broadway in “Down To Earth”, “Dangerous Games” and “Annie Get Your Gun”. She has taught at the University of Minnesota, Open Look Dance Festival St. Petersburg, Russia, Dance New Amsterdam, JKO School at ABT, ABT Summer Intensive NYC, Joffery Ballet School, Professional Performing Arts School, Ailey Extension, The Ailey School, The Ailey School Junior Division, Steps on Broadway and Rasta Thomas' "Rock The Ballet”. She has choreographed for The Ailey School Junior Division, ABT Summer Intensive NYC, Lynch Ballet Company Professional Performing Arts School, The United Arts Counsel, Univ. of Minnesota and is the resident Choreographer for the Nomad Contemporary Ballet Company. She has also choreographed original musicals; “The Lost Boys”, “Open Rehearsal” and “SPEAK the Show” for SummerStage NYC.
Kristin Sudeikis: (Contemporary) Kristin Sudeikis choreographs, directs, and performs for TV, Film and Stage. She has choreographed and danced for the Emmy award winning NBC hit “30 Rock” and for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 NIKE Blast in Stockholm, Sweden. She has danced for Mariah Carey and has been featured on “The View”, “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show”. Print work includes features in Marie Claire Magazine, Vogue, Dance Studio Life Magazine and Dance Teacher Magazine. Kristin recently created a world premier for the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company and is the Artistic Director of The Kristin Sudeikis Dance Company. She travels the world setting works on companies and teaching master classes.
Noah Racey: (Tap) is a New York based actor, director, choreographer and educator. He appeared on Broadway in CURTAINS, NEVER GONNA DANCE, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE and FOLLIES. He was the Associate Choreographer for THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (Tony Award, Best Choreography). Regional Choreography credits include Seattle 5th Avenue (CINDERELLA, GUYS AND DOLLS); ACT (GREY GARDENS); Goodspeed Opera House (SHOW BOAT, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN – both won Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Choreography), and SHOWBOAT at the Asolo Repertory Theatre. Noah is a 11 year Resident Director/Choreographer/Performer for BROADWAY BY THE YEAR at Town Hall. Noah choreographed the World Premiers of IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU (George Street Playhouse) and TURN OF THE CENTURY, (Chicago’s Goodman Theatre - directed by Tommy Tune). Noah teaches Master Classes and Audition Workshops for Professionals for such esteemed programs as NYU’s CAP21, University of Michigan, The Boston Conservatory, and Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre Conservatory. Noah is a Dance Faculty member at the Boston Conservatory’s SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE. He is the Founding Artistic Director of the NEW YORK SONG & DANCE COMPANY, they have toured overseas in collaboration with the US Embassy, conducting workshops with local artists and dance studios in such cities as Amman, Jordan and Jerusalem. Their production NOAH RACEY’S: PULSE had it’s world premiere at the Asolo Repertory Theatre. He is a proud product of—and strong proponent for—arts funding in public schools.
Carlos Lopez: (Classical Ballet) was born in Madrid and studied at the Victor Ullate School with Karemia Moreno, Atilio Labis, Menia Martínez, Jose Pares and Aurora Bosch, and continued his training in NY with Willy Burmann, David Howard, Rinat Imaev, V. Semenov and Lupe Serrano among others. He danced at the Victor Ullate Ballet from 1991-2001, being promoted to Principal Dancer in 1996. Some of his repertory included leading roles in Don Quixote, Giselle, Allegro Brillante, Paquita, Les Sylphides, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and Theme and Variations. Carlos joined American Ballet Theatre in 2001 and danced as a Soloist from 2003-2011. He has worked with Natalia Makarova, Gelsey Kirkland, Anthony Dowell, Alexander Grant, Georgina Parkinson, Anne Marie Holmes, John Neumeier, Donald Mahler, Maria Calegari, Jean-Pierre Frohlich, Nancy Somes, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Stanton Welch, Aszure Barton, Alexei Ratmansky, James Kudelka, Lar Lubovitch, Jorma Elo, William Forsyth, Kirk Peterson, Patrick Corbin and Robert Hill. In 1996, he won the Silver Medal at the “Paris International Ballet Competition” and was awarded the “Les Etoiles de Ballet 2000” Prize in Cannes in 2004.
As a Guest Artist, he has performed with the National Ballet of Georgia, National Ballet of Cuba, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Japan’s Espace O.B.S, The Inoue Ballet Foundation and the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. He is an ABT® Certified Teacher. He joined the Faculty of the ABT Studio Company in 2013 and was appointed Ballet Master in September 2014. For the Studio Company, he has staged the pas de deux of Diana and Acteon and a Suite of Le Corsaire and traveled to London to teach during the exchange with the Royal Ballet School. He was a mentor at “YoungArts” Miami 2014, part of the faculty at“Ibstage” Summer program in Barcelona and a Judge at the “Youth America Grand Prix”. To learn more about Carlos Lopez visit http://www.carloslopez.org.
As a Guest Artist, he has performed with the National Ballet of Georgia, National Ballet of Cuba, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Japan’s Espace O.B.S, The Inoue Ballet Foundation and the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. He is an ABT® Certified Teacher. He joined the Faculty of the ABT Studio Company in 2013 and was appointed Ballet Master in September 2014. For the Studio Company, he has staged the pas de deux of Diana and Acteon and a Suite of Le Corsaire and traveled to London to teach during the exchange with the Royal Ballet School. He was a mentor at “YoungArts” Miami 2014, part of the faculty at“Ibstage” Summer program in Barcelona and a Judge at the “Youth America Grand Prix”. To learn more about Carlos Lopez visit http://www.carloslopez.org.
Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards: (Bdwy/Tap) (performer, choreographer, instructor) is known for setting high standards in the world of Tap Dance. Tap coach to the king of pop Michael Jackson over the course of 11 years, she received a Bessie Award for her featured performance in Jason Samuels Smith & Company at the Joyce, and an Astaire Award for Best Female Performer for her featured performance in Broadway’s After Midnight. She is currently on the board as the Tap Advisor for Dance Magazine and was the official Tap Spokesperson for Capezio being featured in their international advertising campaign. Performances include Tony award winning productions on Broadway such as After Midnight, Black and Blue and Bring In Da’Noise, Bring In Da’Funk; International Tour of Bring in Da’Noise, Bring in Da’Funk (dance captain/principal dancer/understudy to the lead role); national tour of Wild Woman Blues; and Debbie Allen’s SAMMY (the life and times of Sammy Davis Jr.). She most recently performed as a special guest at NJPAC with Grammy Recording Artist and fellow After Midnight star Fantasia. Mrs. Sumbry-Edwards was also nominated for Best Actress for the starring role in “The Rise and Fall of Miss Thang” (Lavender House Films) which toured film festivals nationwide. Other notable film credits include “TAP” with Gregory Hines; Spike Lee's “Bamboozled” (Assistant Choreographer/actress); and “The Rodgers and Hart Story: Thou Swell, Thou Witty”. Mrs. Sumbry-Edwards’ choreography has been featured in national and international stages as well as in Michael Jackson's music video “Rock Your World”; and in weekly shows at the world famous Cotton Club in Harlem.
Guillermo Asca: (Modern) Guillermo is currently on faculty at the Ailey School, where he teaches Horton and Coordinates the Ailey PPAS program, a division of the Ailey School affiliated with the Professional Performing Arts High School.
Guillermo was introduced to dance while attending LaGuardia H.S. of the Arts where he graduated with a major in music. He continued his dance training on scholarship at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and the Ailey Repertory Ensemble. Mr. Asca went on to dance with Ballet Hispanico, Shapiro and Smith Dance, Footprints Dance Project, Ballet Metropolitano De Caracas as well as performed in the closing ceremony of the 92 Barcelona Olympics. Guillermo was a Performer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1994 to 2014 where he had the opportunity to work with respected choreographers such as Talley Beatty, Ronald K. Brown, Geoffrey Holder, Judith Jamison, Donald Byrd , George Faison, Hans Von Manon, Ohad Naharin, Rennie Harris, Donald Mckayle and Bill T. Jones to name a few . Mr. Asca has conducted Master Classes, Lecture Demonstrations and has hosted Mini Performances for the Ailey Company. He has also appeared in the Lester Horton Instructional Videos, TV and Film in shows such as Sesame street, Great Performances “A Hymn for Alvin Ailey”, “Beyond the Steps”, Kennedy Center Honor, Ellen, and The Today Show .
Guillermo was introduced to dance while attending LaGuardia H.S. of the Arts where he graduated with a major in music. He continued his dance training on scholarship at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and the Ailey Repertory Ensemble. Mr. Asca went on to dance with Ballet Hispanico, Shapiro and Smith Dance, Footprints Dance Project, Ballet Metropolitano De Caracas as well as performed in the closing ceremony of the 92 Barcelona Olympics. Guillermo was a Performer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1994 to 2014 where he had the opportunity to work with respected choreographers such as Talley Beatty, Ronald K. Brown, Geoffrey Holder, Judith Jamison, Donald Byrd , George Faison, Hans Von Manon, Ohad Naharin, Rennie Harris, Donald Mckayle and Bill T. Jones to name a few . Mr. Asca has conducted Master Classes, Lecture Demonstrations and has hosted Mini Performances for the Ailey Company. He has also appeared in the Lester Horton Instructional Videos, TV and Film in shows such as Sesame street, Great Performances “A Hymn for Alvin Ailey”, “Beyond the Steps”, Kennedy Center Honor, Ellen, and The Today Show .
Stella Abrera: (Ballet) Stella Abrera began her dance training in South Pasadena, California with Philip & Charles Fuller and Cynthia Young. She continued studying at West Coast Ballet Theatre in San Diego and the Royal Academy of Dancing method in Sydney, Australia. She joined ABT as a member of the corps de ballet in 1996 and was promoted soloist in 2001. Her repertoire with ABT includes the Girl in Afternoon of a Faun, Gamzatti and a Shade in La Bayadere, Cinderella in Cinderella, Aurora in Coppelia, Helena in The Dream, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, In the Upper Room, The Leaves are Fading, among many others. She received the Gold Medal at the Royal Academy of Dancing’s Adeline Genee Awards in London in 1995.
Karida Griffith: (Tap) Karida Griffith is a Producer, Performer/ Choreographer and Actor. She began her study of dance in Portland, Oregon. Her professional career began as a principal dancer in the West Afrikan dance company, Northwest Afrikan American Ballet. She toured Europe with the B’dwy hit Black and Blue, performed with Cirque du Soleil in “Banana Shpeel”, in the world famous Radio City Christmas Spectacular as a Rockette and in the Gala for “Career Transition for Dancers” in NY. Her choreography has been featured at the NYC Tap Festival at Symphony Space. Karida is on the faculty of Broadway Dance Center in NY and is currently in production for multiple episodes for Season 4 of the HBO hit series “Boardwalk Empire”, both as an actor and dancer.
Ben Hartley: (Theatre Dance/Jazz) is the founder and director of The Broadway Experience musical theatre program based in New York City. He is a freelance teacher, choreographer and performer having a career on stage, in television, and film. His Broadway credits include: Cats, Fosse, Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, Fiddler On The Roof, Little Mermaid, and Enron in which he also served as Associate Choreographer. Ben was a member of the English National Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and was a featured dancer at the Santa Fe Opera. Ben was on the theatre dance faculty at Broadway Dance Center and has guest taught at STEPS and Peridance in NY. In 2005 he was recognized by the US government as an artist of extraordinary ability giving him a Green card and a permanent resident status. In June 2011 he proudly became and American citizen. tbenyc.com
Freddie Moore: (Modern) Freddie Moore’s professional career as a dancer, master teacher and choreographer began with his formal dance training at The Ailey School. After graduating from the school’s Certificate and Merit Scholarship programs, he went on to being a featured artist with Ailey II, Donald Byrd/The Group, Forces of Nature, Gallman’s Newark Dance Theater, and Blue Mercury Dancing Company. His career as a master teacher has taken him across the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. A noted Master of the Modern Horton technique, Mr. Moore conducts artist-in-residence workshops in public and private schools and has developed performing arts curriculum for community-based programs and churches. He has received honors for community service including commendations from the NAACP, the New Jersey Senate, the National Black Police Association, the Jersey City Community Outreach Team, and the Public Advocate for the City of New York. Mr. Moore is currently the Rehearsal Director for both, the Ailey/Fordham Student Dancers (AFSD) and Ailey Student Performance Group (ASPG), Ailey Certificate Program Advisor and a faculty member at The Ailey School, Hudson Repertory Dance Theater, Educational Center for the Arts (ECA) and Morning Glory Christian Dance Academy and is the Founder and Artistic Director of Footprints Dance Company.
Tracy Inman: (Modern) Co- Director, The Ailey School. Mr. Inman is a former member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, and The Jamison Project and has performed in three international productions of the musical "CATS", performing the show in English, German and Flemish. Tracy is also a Horton instructor, faculty advisor and at The Ailey School as well as coordinator for the Ailey Dancers' Resource Fund. (ADRF). http://www.alvinailey.org/tracy-inman
Craig Salstein: (Classical Ballet) began his training at the Ballet Academy of Miami at the age of eight and continued his training with the Miami City Ballet. In 1995, he was the Grand Champion of Ed McMahon's Star Sea. He trained with The Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet and at American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive as a National Training Scholar. He joined Miami City Ballet in 1999 and American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in 2000. In 2002 he joined the corps de ballet of American Ballet Theatre and was promoted to Soloist in March 2007. Craig teaches ABT company classes during rehearsal periods in NY and while on tour. http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=84
Important Note: Faculty is subject to change
