Choreographers

Robert Audy has worked in every aspect of show business as director-choreographer for Broadway, television, movies, and summer theatres across the country. He has coached or taught numerous stars, including Shirley MacLaine, John Travolta, Cybill Sheppard, Joel Grey, and Ben Vereen, and has trained several generations of international tap dancers. He wrote two best sellers published by Random House, Teach Yourself How to Tap and Jazz Dancing, and has taught for every major dance organization in the United States, as well as in Paris, France, and Helsinki, Finland.

Robert was delighted to accept the Dance Masters of America President’s Award for 2001. He was honored for his contributions to tap dance at Tap City 2003. In 2007, the New York Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day presented him with the Flo-Bert Life Achievement Award. In May 2009, Jazz Choreography Enterprises honored Robert for his contributions to the art of jazz dance as a distinguished teacher and choreographer. And in November 2009, Robert will be presented with the Tradition In Tap Award for “Outstanding Achievements & Significant Contribution To The Tradition And Art Of Tap Dance.” info (at) jazzchoreographyenterprises.org

Bob Boross is known internationally for his artistic excellence as a jazz and tap dance teacher and choreographer. His career has taken him from dancing on Broadway to choreographing musicals and concert dances across the globe, as well as contributing articles to Dance Magazine, Dance Chronicle, and Dance Teacher, where he also serves on their Advisory Board. Bob has choreographed Equity musical theatre productions from coast to coast, while his concert jazz dance choreography has been seen at Jazz Dance LA in Los Angeles, the NY Jazz Chorography Project, and with companies in Finland, France, Russia, England, and Italy. He is also a noted university professor, having acted as head of jazz and tap dance for the University of California, Irvine, and now as Instructor of Dance at Radford University, Radford, Virginia. Bob would like to acknowledge his debt to his incredible teachers – Matt Mattox, Lee Theodore, Billy Siegenfeld, Chris Chadman, Paul Draper, Bob Audy, Nenette Charisse, Maggie Black, Diana Cartier, Ana Marie Forsythe, and Rosemary Boross. Visit www.bobboross.com.

Crystal Chapman is the Artistic Director of the New York TheatreDance Ensemble, a company dedicated to the art of musical theatre. She currently serves on the faculty of Broadway Dance Center in New York City where she specializes in tap and theatre dance. Crystal is looking forward to choreographing the Off Broadway musical Split Ends in 2012. Regionally, she has choreographed A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Carousel, Oklahoma!. Her performance credits include:  Broadway—Fosse (Workshop); Off Broadway—Seesaw, and There’s a Marquee; Other New York performances—Dancing On Air at City Center, A Demand Performance at Lincoln Center, and Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers and Hammerstein at Radio City Music Hall (where her taps were so clean that she was chosen to dub the taps for this show); Regional theatre—Anything Goes at the Tony award winning Williamstown Theatre Festival, Gigi, Oklahoma! and several productions of 42^nd Street.

Crystal danced with Ben Vereen in his video Celebrating Life and is a guest performer with Les Femmes, an all female tap company in New York. She was chosen to dance with Beyonce at a special event for Target.  On television she has portrayed a child services officer on Law and Order, a mom on Animal Planet’s Monsters Inside Me, along with appearances on 30 Rock, Law and Order: SVU, and The Good Wife. Commercials include Only In America with Larry the Cable Guy, Samsung, Buick, Intel, and Chase/Shop Rite, PSA for ITT, and choreography for Converse. Crystal and her husband are currently working on a documentary film about Tony Stevens which is scheduled for release in 2012. She is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and AFTRA.   

Michele Cuccaro is the artistic director and choreographer of InnerSoul Dance Project. InnerSoul Dance Project is the recipient of the “Performance Award” at Dancin’ Downtown at the Joyce award for 2010. Michele has been named Choreographer of The Year by American Dance Awards. She is the co-owner of JAM Dance and Fitness Center, with three locations on Long Island. Michele has proudly participated in many Dancers Responding to Aids (“DRA”) events, including St. Marks and Stars of Tomorrow. Michele has choreographed for galas at the Indy 500 and has received numerous awards and recognition for her work as a teacher, choreographer, and emerging artist. Michele has trained many fine, young, talented dancers and has inspired many to continue further education in the field of dance. Michele Cuccaro and InnerSoul Dance Project are committed to sharing their passion for dance through innovative, conceptual and cutting edge choreography.

Kimberly Rose Dooley is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Communication Studies as well as a double minor in Business and Dance. In 2009, Kimberly acted as the Artistic Director of Graffiti Dancers, Northwestern University’s premier student dance company. As a scholarship student at the Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago, IL, she trained in ballet, modern, and jazz. Her recent professional credits include performances with Beyonce Knowles on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. Kimberly also acted as associate choreographer for the 2010 US premiere of Departure Lounge at the Royal George Cabaret Theater (Chicago, IL).

Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Kayleigh Doremus is excited to be a part of the New York Jazz Choreography Project. Kayleigh has danced for Western Kentucky University Dance Company, The Lost Colony, and ZFX Flying Effects. She would like to thank her friends and family for their ongoing support. bryannakg (at) yahoo.com

Cara Goodwin is originally from Virginia Beach, VA, where she trained and later taught at the nationally renowned dance studio- Denise Wall’s Dance Energy. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Dance from James Madison University. While there, Cara helped formulate and set up a dance program at a multidimensional studio in Waynesboro, VA. She then went on to work with Stiletto Entertainment and Holland America Cruise Line, dancing onboard their five-star cruise ships and traveling throughout South and Central America, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Hawaii and Alaska. After completing her contracts, she was featured in various commercials and was cast twice to perform with Cirque du Soleil. Cara is currently living in NYC, where she was a dancer with Keen Dance Theatre. She has been invited to present her choreography in a number of shows, most recently the :pushing progress Showcase Series. She is also on faculty at Broadway Dance Center in NYC and an instructor at TMSD in Westchester, NY. Cara is very excited to have her piece featured in the New York Jazz Choreography Project.

Marian Hyun has studied jazz and ballet in New York with Luigi, Bob Audy, Ed Kresley, Shirley Bassat, Julia Dubno, and wonderful teachers in Paris, France, Susan Sparks and Frédéric Lazzarelli.  A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, she was a freelance writer and a writing instructor at the New School before enrolling in the Dance Education Lab (DEL) at the 92^nd Street Y.  Since then she has taught dance to people of all ages, from two-year-old pre-ballerinas to senior citizen jazz buffs in various New York studios and community centers.  She has performed and choreographed for the New York Jazz Choreography Project, Choreographer’s Canvas, and benefit performances at Chelsea Piers. In May 2007 at New Dance Group, Marian produced the first performance of the New York Jazz Choreography Project, a showcase devoted to jazz dance. It sold out. Subsequent performances of the Jazz Project have been produced semiannually by Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Inc., a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established in 2007 to promote the creation of original jazz choreography.  Marian is the president and co-artistic director of Jazz Choreography Enterprises. marian (at) jazzchoreographyenterprises.org

Joyce King is the Artistic Director/Owner of JKing Dance Company and Jolt Dance Convention/Workshop. King’s versatile experience and style has awarded her opportunities to choreograph, perform, and teach throughout the U.S., Costa Rica, Belgium, and France. In NYC, King continues to enjoy teaching on faculty at Steps on Broadway and Guest at Broadway Dance Center. Notable performing credits: A Chorus Line, Cats, Fame, Benefits for Broadway Cares, Impulse Dance Company. King’s choreography has been commissioned over a variety of venues: Special Performances at Pinkerton Academy Theatre Arts, Palace Theatre, Dansstage Dance Festival, Competitions, The Auditorio Nacional and Teatro Eugene O’Neil Theaters in Costa Rica.

King established JKDC in Oct 2008. Since then, JKDC had the pleasure of performing at the Ailey Studios, Tribeca, 92Y Harkness, PMT, Cool NY Dance, Steps, Triskelion Arts, and most recently invited to The HATCH/Jennifer Muller and the Ailey Citigroup Theatre, Joan Weill Dance Center, NYC under Jazz Choreographer Enterprises. JKDC remains passionate and persistent in their development to evolve, creating repertory and workshops Nationally and Internationally, while maintaining their humility and high ideals. We nurture talent, educate and value imagination and individuality, for all levels of public viewing and participation. JKDC is a Sponsored Artist of the Field. King is happily married to Ray and the proud mom of her 7yr old son, Aidan. www.JoyceKingDance.com

Chip Klose is a New York-based Director & Choreographer as well as the Founding Artistic Director of Dreamlight Theatre Company. Over the past ten years his work has garnered two Barrymore Award Nominations and two Drama Desk Nominations. He hold a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA) and is a proud member of AEA and SDC.

Credits include… Off-Broadway: The Extraordinary Ordinary, Avenue X, and Fugitive Songs; Regional/University: A Murder, A Mystery, and A Marriage (Two River Theatre / Red Bank, NJ); West Side Story (U Penn), Guys & Dolls (Fairleigh Dickinson), Putting It Together (University of the Arts), not to mention a host of readings, workshops, and benefit concerts. He’s also assisted with pre-production rehearsals and workshops on two different Broadway shows – first in 2005 with John Carrafa (Good Vibrations) and then in 2007 with Tony Award-winner, Andy Blankenbuehler (The Apple Tree).

Chip recently choreographed a ballet, “The Lightning Strike”, which had its premiere in Synthesis Dance Project’s 2011 summer concert at the Peridance Capezio Center. At the moment he is busy with two projects: First up is a commission with 180 Dance Company to set a new ballet in January 2012. Following that, he’s direct a staged reading of The Evolution of Henry Mann, a new musical by Douglas Cohen and Dan Elish. www.ChipKlose.com

Whitney Laurent is the Founder/Artistic Director of the Whitney Nichole Dance Outlet. She has studied dance from the age of three and continued her dance studies at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University where she received her B.F.A. in dance. Her journey as a dancer has led her to tour nationally and internationally with the Hudson Repertory Dance Ensemble and the Foot Prints Dance Company, both under the direction of Freddie Moore, as well as the Rod Rodgers Dance Company under the direction of Kim Grier. She is now exploring her talents as a performer as well as a choreographer through her emerging dance company with hopes of bringing pieces to the public that inspire, challenge, and move audiences. She is excited and honored to have her company be a part of the 2012 New York Jazz Choreography Project performances.

Christopher is thrilled to return to his dance home, JCE, with Erika Black!! Since JCE gave Chris his first NYC choreographic opportunity in 2007, he has established his dance company “Le Troupe Liddell!” performing at such venues at Alvin Ailey/Citigroup Theater, MMAC, SUNY Purchase and many others. He has also created choreography in music videos, fashioned movement for commercial music artists and realized Theatre Dance faculty positions at prestigious studios including STEPS on Broadway and Harkness Dance Center. Please visit www.cliddellchoreography.com for more info. Thanks for coming! Matthew 6:33

Jen Littlefield is currently an Adjunct Professor in Dance for the Musical Theater department at Pace University. Recent choreography projects include: the new musical Eat, Drink, and be Merry (NY Fringe Festival), South Pacific (Maine), Carousel and Our Urban Jungle: A Benefit for ASTEP (Pace University), and the spring Jazz Choreography Enterprises benefit show. Associate and assistant choreography to Rhonda Miller: All Shook Up (Pace), Austentatious, Gemini: the Musical, and Common Grounds (NYMF), Nothing Like a Dame and Broadway Bares ’07 & ’08 (BC/EFA).

Luigi is a jazz legend who has influenced generations of dancers and choreographers by creating and teaching the world’s first complete technique for learning jazz dance. Born Eugene Louis Faccuito in Steubenville, Ohio, Luigi spent his childhood performing in local theaters as a singer and dancer. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Luigi moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in movie musicals. Two months later, he was in a near fatal car accident, which left him with a skull fracture and paralysis down one side of his body. While he was in a deep coma, an inner voice told Luigi, “Never stop moving, kid. If you stop, you’re dead.” When he awoke, he was told by doctors he would never walk again, but he was determined to dance.

On his own, Luigi created a series of rehabilitative exercises that helped him discover what he had to do to control his body. After a year of trial and error, he regained enough strength to start dance classes. He eventually went on to dance in the chorus of over 40 classic musical films, such as On the Town, An American in Paris, Annie Get Your Gun, Singin’ in the Rain, The Band Wagon, and White Christmas. While on a movie set, Gene Kelly gave him the professional nickname, Luigi.

Luigi started teaching while working in films, television, and Equity productions. After moving to New York to be in Broadway shows, he eventually opened his school, The First World Jazz Centre. His students have included Liza Minnelli, Susan Stroman, Donna McKechnie, Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp, and many other celebrated performers and choreographers. Luigi has taught master classes throughout the world and has served on the faculty of many dance schools and colleges, including the Harkness Ballet School, the High School for the Performing Arts, and New York University. Writers have called him an Ambassador of Jazz, and he has been given many awards for his contributions to dance. He also created the phrase “ah five, six, seven, eight!” But perhaps the greatest tribute to Luigi is the fact his technique is taught today by his students in schools and colleges all over the world. www.luigijazz.com

Cat Manturuk is the founder and artistic director of DANCE CAT-ALYST, a soul-driven contemporary dance company. She holds a BFA in Dance and BS in Exercise Science from Western Michigan University. Cat hails from Detroit, MI. Upon graduating, she branched out to Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City. In Chicago she was on scholarship at Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Center. In LA she performed with LA Modern and Ballet Company, Blue13 Dance, Regina Klenjosky Dance Company, and Collage Dance Theatre. Upon her arrival in NYC she became rehearsal director of Decadancetheatre and a company member to Dance 2XS. Her music video credits lie with BET and MTVIndia.

DANCE CAT-ALYST produced their first concert in February 2007. Since the debut, the company had many outreach programs and performances in Nanjing, China; NYC’s Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Inc.; Albion College; University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Wellspring Cori Terry & Dancers; NYC’S Chelsea Piers Sports Center and Sky Rink; ; Michigan Dance Project; and Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival Salute the DJ event. Cat is a recipient of the ACDF Excellence in Performance and Choreography Award, a Harkness Scholarship, a National Dance Association Outstanding Scholarship, and Presidential Award. Her choreography has been noted as “creating heat…” by the LA Times. www.DanceCat-alyst.net

Mary Lynne McAnally has been teaching and choreographing for over 25 years. Her choreography has been performed across North America and Europe. As the resident choreographer for Ballet Classic and Entertainment (Hannover, Germany) she choreographed European Tours of “West Side Story”, “Cabaret”, “Chicago” and “Oklahoma!”. After receiving her Masters Degree in Choreography from The University of California at Los Angeles Mary Lynne was the resident choreographer for the Edmonton Festival Ballet; introducing Jazz and Modern choreography to the company’s repertoire.

Currently Mary Lynne is the coordinator of the Jazz and Tap program in the Gifted and Talented Dance Program at Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School in Bridgewater, NJ. During the last 15 years at Vo-Tech she has built a repertoire of jazz choreography which has been presented at the National High School Dance Festival. She is also the Artistic Director of “The Vo-Tech Tap Ensemble”, a student touring company. Mary Lynne’s proudest accomplishments to date are her three children Matthew, Kyra and Grace!

As an advocate for preserving Classic Jazz Technique, Mary Lynne is thrilled for the opportunity to present her students at this exciting event, and is delighted that the Jazz Project exists to showcase the wonderfulness of Jazz dance!

Kelly Potter McHale graduated cum laude from the University of South Florida. In addition to dance and choreography, Kelly studies acting in New York and Los Angeles where her work has expanded to improvisational troupes, soap operas and theatre. She is excited to have this creative outlet in which a new piece of work can be debuted in the New York Jazz Choreography Project. Helped made possible by the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center Space Grant Program.

Merete Muenter is originally from Buffalo, New York. Her choreography credits include “Burlesque To Broadway” (National Tour),  “They Walk Among Us” (Director / Choreographer in New York’s Midtown International Theatre Festival 2008), for which she won the award for Outstanding Choreography, “Sherlock Holmes – The Early Years” with the New York Musical Festival 2007, and regional productions of “The King and I” and “It’s A Wonderful Life.”  Additionally, she was the Assistant Choreographer for the NYU Tisch School of the Arts production of “TOMMY,” directed by Kent Gash and choreographed by Joe Langworth.  Merete served as the Assistant Director for the World AIDS Day Gala in Capetown, South Africa, and as the Assistant Director / Female Swing for the European Tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” both directed by Baayork Lee. In addition, she was the Resident Director / Dance Captain for the European Tour of “West Side Story.” In 2010, Merete founded and co-produced three shows for “The Broadway Series at Springside Inn” in Auburn, New York. The series included Donna McKechnie’s one woman show entitled “My Musical Comedy Life,” directed by Richard Jay-Alexander, as well as Keith Thompson’s “Kooky Tunes,” and Julie Budd’s “Showstoppers – The Great American Musicals!” She also currently serves as the Operations Manager for Baayork Lee’s company, National Asian Artists Project.  Merete is a founding member and co-Artistic Director of Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Inc. merete (at) jazzchoreographyenterprises.org

Matt Pardo, originally from Albany New York, is a 2007 graduate of the University at Buffalo with an advanced honors B.F.A. in dance. Professionally, he has danced for the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Groundworks Dance Theater, Northeast Ballet Company, Balasole Dance Company, the Santa Monica Contemporary Ballet, Parijat Desai Dance Company, and as the company apprentice for the River North Chicago Dance Company. He has taught and choreographed for universities, dance studios, and choreographic festivals throughout the Northeast and Midwest.  Additionally, Matt was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Dancers in the World for 2010-2011 (tying for 18th)” by Dance Europe Magazine for the performance of a solo he choreographed and performed with the Balasole Dance Company in NYC. Currently, Matt is on tour with the Lucinda Childs Dance Company and the revival of her piece “DANCE,” and has also just begun a world tour of the Opera “Einstein on the Beach” with Lucinda Childs, Robert Wilson, and Philip Glass.

Sal Pernice, Brooklyn grown, is a graduate of the High School of Performing Arts. Upon graduation he performed with the Santa Fe Opera Ballet Company and soon after went on tour as Baby John in Jerome Robbins’ unparalleled West Side Story. Pernice is a veteran of nine Broadway shows, including Baker Street, Illya Darling with Melina Mercouri, The Unknown Soldier and His Wife, Dear World with Angela Lansbury, The Apple Tree with Alan Alda, Molly with Kaye Ballard, Georgy, Heathen, and Goodtime Charlie with Joel Grey. Pernice has also toured with the national companies of Hello Dolly with Betty Grable, Mame with Edie Adams, and Hellzapoppin’ 67 with Soupy Sales. His industrial credits include the Milliken Breakfast Show and the Ford Industrial Show. His work in stock has also brought him into contact with Molly Picon in Milk & Honey, Jan Murray in Bye Bye Birdie, Alfred Drake in Kiss Me Kate, and Anna Maria Alberghetti in West Side Story. Having achieved success and a sense of completion performing under others’ direction, Pernice decided to create his own choreography and teach others. For the past 20 years he has taught at the 92Y Harkness Dance Center and is on the faculty at Ballet Academy East in New York City.

A native of Chicago, Katrina Phillip & her ‘Strong Like Cattle Dancers’ have presented choreographed works over the past 5 years for Group Theatre Too’s Choreographer’s Canvas, and for various other choreography showcases presented by major NYC dance studios such as Manhattan Movement Arts Center, New Dance Group, Bridge for Dance, and for STEPS on Broadway. Katrina’s latest endeavors have involved collaborating with composers for The New School’s Music School Graduates, which was presented this past April, and for ‘The Band of Gypsies2- MUSIC +DANCE’, that was shown May 4th.  Ms. Phillip not only choreographed for the two ‘Band of Gypsies’ shows, but helped produce, direct, and danced in them as well! Katrina has been a Guest Artist for E. Quinlan’s Centre Stage School of Dance in Waterford, IRE (summer & fall 2009), for The Ross School in East Hampton, NY (summer 2008), and is currently a guest artist/choreographer for the New Dance Studio in Rye, NY.  Ms. Phillip was last seen performing on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS  at the Easter Bonnet 2010 Competition. For more information about Katrina Phillip & Strong Like Cattle Dancers please visit www.katrinaphillipdance.com or  www.bandofgypsies.net.

Liz Piccoli (AEA/AGMA) has enjoyed her professional career as a dancer, instructor, choreographer and recently director.  Regional performance credits: “West Side Story” (Virginia and Lyric Operas,) off-Broadway “Thin Line” at Dance Theater Workshop, “Shafrika, the White Girl,” (The Vineyard Theater, choreographed by Tony Award winning Luis Salgado,) and “Fat Camp” at NYMF.  Liz has also performed three seasons with the Metropolitan Opera in productions of “Romeo et Juliette” and “The First Emperor.” Past choreography projects include work with the Knicks City Dancers and promotional choreography for the Dodgers Theatricals to promote Broadway’s “42^nd Street and off-Broadway’s “Fame.”  She has choreographed industrials for Sirius Satellite Radio, Alfaparf Milano and Random House Publishing and created a piece for the provocative new off-broadway show “Erotic Broadway.”  

Liz is the proud creator and co-owner of the production company “Crazy Sexy Disco,” which recently produced its’ first musical theatre version at the Roy Arias Theater.  She assisted in the direction of this production as well as the choreography and direction of the rock opera “Seduction” performed at the Gene Frankel Theater last July. Most recently, she has presented work with The New York Jazz Choreography Project at Alvin Ailey and has assisted Dan Knechtges (Zanadu, Spelling Bee) on an off-broadway show enitleed “Lysistrata Jones,” the TVLand Awards opening number with Liza Minnelli and tango choreography for an episode of “White Collar.” Liz is an SDC Associate Director/Choreographer and continuously strives to grow every day as a valuable and productive artist.  www.lizpiccoli.com

Francis J. Roach is on the faculty of the Luigi Jazz Centre in New York City. He has taught Luigi’s technique at the Joffrey Ballet School, Manhattan Marymount College, CUNY, Studio Maestro Summer Workshops, Jackson International Ballet Competition, Hoctor Dance Caravan, and numerous conventions and workshops from Alaska to Florida. In addition he has traveled all over the world (over 25 times to Japan) to teach Luigi’s method. In 2004 he received the prestigious Dance Masters of America’s “President’s Award.” As a dancer, Francis has appeared on TV, in AEA and SAG productions, and on Broadway stages. His choreography credits include: Broadway Benefits, MTV videos, operas, commercials, industrial fashion shows, a magazine layout for Charlotte D’Amboise, and various dance companies. Recently he assisted Luigi and Liza Minnelli on the dances for one of her tours. Francis co-authored Luigi’s Jazz Warm-Up with Luigi and Lorraine Person Kriegel. www.luigijazz.com

Tyrell V. Rolle, a Florida native, grew up in the Liberty City section of Miami, known as one of the most crime-ridden areas in the U.S. Dance became his outlet and his eventual exit from Liberty City. He began his dance training with Shannon Haynes at Miami Northwestern (PAVAC Magnet Dance) Senior High School and The Thomas Amour Youth Ballet under the direction of Ruth Weizen. He received scholarships from Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Chicago, The Florida Dance Festival, and the Ailey School. He owes a great deal to the personal involvement in his life of the late Denise Jefferson, Director of the Ailey School and world-renowned dance educator. She allowed him to teach as a faculty member and choreograph on the students at the Ailey School. He has had the extraordinary privilege of being able to work with such iconic choreographers as Judith Jamison, Camille Brown, Robert Battle, Rennie Harris, Christopher Huggins, Alonzo King, and Danny Ezralow. Tyrell has choreographed for stage shows and music videos. Dance credits include Disney’s The Lion King, Philadanco!, Ailey II, and So You Think You Can Dance, Season 7.

Sue Samuels — performer, teacher, choreographer — has an established reputation as one of the leaders within the performing arts community. She was the co-founder/owner of Jo Jo’s Dance Factory in New York City, which later became Broadway Dance Center. Sue has been on the faculty of Broadway Dance Center since 1986. She is also on the faculty of the Alvin Ailey Extension program and Arias Dance NYC. Students have included numerous stage, film, and television stars such as Melba Moore, Brooke Shields, and Irene Cara. As a performer and choreographer, Sue has over 35 years of extensive credits in film, television, and theatrical productions on Broadway and in other countries. In 2009, Sue founded Jazz Roots Dance, a professional company dedicated to the preservation of the classical jazz dance form while aiming to excite and educate the younger generation about its roots. Critics agree that this company is “a new force to be reckoned with.”

Svea Schneider was born and raised in Landau, Germany and moved to NYC in 2003 to pursue her dancing career. She has taught and performed throughout Germany, the UK, the US, Canada, Dubai and India. Svea has worked with artists such as Chris Cornell, Timbaland, Nitty and Lumidee and has danced for MTV TRL, BET, ABC Networks “The View”, Eska Music Video Awards and MTV India. She extensively toured the US and the UK with the all female hip hop company Decadancetheatre, in which she danced and co-choreographed from 2006 until 2008. Svea performed at such renowned stages as the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the South Bank Center in London, Liverpool Playhouse, B Supreme Festival and Jacobs Pillow. Her own choreography has been performed at “Cut Loose” at the Merce Cunningham Studio, the International Music Festival in Berlin, Choreographers Canvas, Carnivals Choreographers Ball and at the Daryl Roth Theatre in NYC. She has worked with dance companies such as Vissi Dance Theater, Hydroflo Movement and Sybarite Productions. Her recent credits include the national Hasbro I-dog commercial and the International UFO Advertising campaign. In 2008 she founded her own dance and dance production company “creARTive NYC” and most recently finished creating, choreographing and producing the Off-Off Broadway Show “Crazy Sexy Disco“, a tribute to the 70´s and Disco Era. Svea teaches at Peridance, Equinox and Groove with me.

Amy Baker Schwiethale is honored to be a part of the New York Jazz Choreography Project! She is the Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre/Choreographer at Wichita State University in Kansas. FATE, originally premiered at the Kansas Dance Festival in November of 2010. Professionally, Amy has served as Choreographer on Camelot and Gypsy (Mary Jane Teall Award) for MTWichita, and at WSU on Carnival, Urinetown, How to Succeed…Trying (Certificate of Merit KCACTF), Lady Be Good!, Street Scene, Waltzing In Heaven (Certificate of Merit KCACTF), and Amahl and the Night Visitors for Opera Kansas. Professional performing credits include playing Phyllis Dale on the First National Broadway Tour of 42nd Street, performing for two years with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, receiving her Actor’s Equity card while doing Singin’ In the Rain at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, and performing with MTWichita for 5 summers. She also performed at the Bob Audy Tap Experience Showcase in New York City in 2009. Currently, Amy is hard at work on her MFA in Dance-Choreography from Jacksonville University. She would like to thank her husband for his inspiration, her dancers for their heart, and the New York Jazz Choreography Project for this incredible opportunity.

Ellenore Scott, most recently appearing as a finalist and All-Star on the prime time television show, “So You Think You Can Dance”, is a New York professional dancer and choreographer. She has made several television appearances, including dancing on “The Ellen Show,” “The View,” “One Life to Live,” “82nd Annual Academy Awards,” and as a guest dancer on “Dancing with the Stars.” Ellenore has been tour dancer with the iconic Janet Jackson during her performance in 2010 at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. Ellenore has danced with numerous dance companies in New York City including The Von Howard Project, jillsigman/thinkdance and nathantrice/RITUALS. In addition to pursuing her dance career, Ellenore is working as an aspiring choreographer. She has assisted Earl Mosley in setting “Saddle Up!” on the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and has been a rehearsal assistant for Nathan Trice and Matthew Rushing. Ellenore received Honorable Mention from the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts and is an Honors Graduate from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School (The “FAME” School) and has set a piece on their graduating class of 2011 entitled “Click: a dance of distraction, concentration and communication.”

Lauren Ashlee Small graduated Cum Laude from Belhaven University with a BFA in Dance. Born and raised in the Midwest, she has experienced movement opportunities here in the U.S. as well as abroad in Europe. Lauren has worked with Ming Wong in his most recent film and performance installation at The American Museum of the Moving Image titled, Persona, based on the 1966 film by Ingmar Bergman by the same name, and she is a current fellowship recipient of The Ailey School. Lauren has had the opportunity to work with Stephen Wynne, attending American College Dance Festival for the performance of Traffic Culture in spring 2009 and with Valerie Henry and Britta Wynne in a reconstruction of Charles Weidman’s Brahm’s Waltzes in fall 2009. Lauren Ashlee’s choreography has been presented at Belhaven University and American College Dance Festival at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (Violation State), at National Dance Week with Stephen Wynne’s Talk Dance Co. (Behind Barres), on the Springfield Ballet Company (Heavy In Your Arms), and most recently showcased at The Ailey School (Entre Amis). Entre Amis was also selected to perform alongside several other NYC-based companies in NYC10’s Spring 2012 choreography festival.

Shauna Sorensen earned her BFA in Dance Performance from The University at Buffalo. She is currently a member of LiNK The Movement under the direction of Ginger Cox. With LiNK she has had the opportunity to perform at: SoNo Arts Festival, New Yorks 60×60 Dance, Elian Summer Dance Awards, Jazz Dance Choreography Enterprises, and Harkness Dance Center’s “Fridays at Noon”. Recently she has been working closely with Matias Dance, a NYC based modern dance company. A few other credits include Carnival with Synthesis Dance Project, Dancers Responding to AIDS, and Tangle: A Site Specific Dance, Music, and Art Show. Shauna’s choreographic work first premièred in 2010 at The Ailey City Group Theater in New York City. Since then she has presented works at Jennifer Muller’s: Hatch, The Quarterly Arts Soiree at Webster Hall, PMT Seasonal Showcases, and The Rebound Dance Festival in New Haven, CT. Shauna is currently collaborating with other New York City based dancers to help create and establish her thought provoking and innovative choreography. Shauna’s work can be viewed by visiting www.shaunasorensen.com.

Lori Spada, born in Wilmington, Delaware, began dancing at the age of four. By the time she reached her early teens she was part of two companies, The Wilmington Ballet and the Brandywine Contemporary Dance Company, and studied at the prestigious Boston Ballet Summer Intensives. She continued her training at Towson University, where she received a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and worked with choreographers such as Alonzo King, Peter Pucci and David Parsons. After graduating, she joined one of Washington D.C.’s most respected contemporary dance companies, under the direction of Juan Carlos Rincones. Currently residing in New York, Lori is an active teacher, performer and choreographer. She was most recently a principal dancer in the off-off Broadway show They Walk Among Us as well as a choreographer for the opening tribute. She has been involved in The New York Jazz Choreography Project since May 2007. spada4444 (at) yahoo.com

Alan Spaulding has performed Off-Broadway at Playhouse 91, La Mama E.T.C., and at F.I.T., most recently in the annual Tap Dance Extravaganza. He has provided choreography for Disco Divas at Town Hall, starring Vicky Sue Robinson and Gloria Gaynor, Anything Goes in Upper Manhattan for the Delphi Theater, and The New York Jazz Choreography Project. Alan teaches ballet, tap, and jazz. He also teaches partnering for JCE’s workshops. info (at) jazzchoreographyenterprises.org

Kathryn Wilkening, originally from Nashville, TN graduated from New York University with a degree in Dance Education. She currently works at the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center as the Dance Program Manager where she also teaches in the children’s modern program and serves as mentor to the dance merit scholars. After a four year hiatus from dance, Kathryn is thrilled to be performing, teaching, and choreographing again and, in addition to performing her own choreography, has recently performed in numerous festivals and concerts with Yuki Hasegawa/Azul Dance Theatre, Amir Levi/The Poisonous Ladies, and Elizabeth Greene/Mora XXIII in collaboration with members of rock band, The Hold Steady. KWilkening (at) 92y.org

Originally from Michigan, Lara Wilson began performing at the age of four. Eventually, after lots of practice, she studied at Jacob’s Pillow, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and the Taylor School, learning and performing repertory by Robert Battle, Elisa Monte, Ohad Naharin, Jiri Kylian, and Paul Taylor. She graduated summa cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in 2009, where she completed a thesis in Choreography under the mentorship of Kazuko Hirabayashi and Joanna Mendl-Shaw. Wilson was selected for a Choreographic Residency at SF Conservatory of Dance in 2008. Her work has been presented at Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Stage; at the Ailey Citigroup Theater; at various venues in the NY Jazz Choreography Project; and in Burgos, Spain; Mexico; and Guatemala. Wilson established lara wilson dance project in July 2010 as an evolving forum for her choreography.

• Christine Bancroft
• Elise Caldwell
• Ginger Cox
• Vic DiMonda
• Geoffrey Doig-Marx
• Arron Racheal Masters
• Bafana S. Matea
• Tracie Stanfield
• Katherine Titone
• Fukuyo Watanabe
• Debra Zalkind