|
|
|
Directors: |
|
|
|
|
DONNA MICELI (Founder/Director)
received her training at Boston Ballet, Gus Giordano Dance
Center in Chicago, and the New York City studios of Luigi and
Alvin Ailey. In addition to founding the Donna Miceli Dance
Ensemble and the Youth Dance Company, Ms. Miceli has instructed
at Boston School of Ballet, Gus Giordano Dance Center, Jeanette
Neill Dance Studio and Lowell Arts Magnet School. She has been a
Master Teacher for the Dance Teachers Clubs of Boston and Maine,
Dance Masters of America and Tanzwerkstatt Internationale in
Bonn, Germany. The recipient of numerous awards for her
performances and choreography, Ms. Miceli has choreographed for MRT and professional companies. She was a finalist in the
International Choreography Competitive Event at Jazz Dance World
Congress 2000 and 2003 where she received Honorable Mention
awards for her work. Ms. Miceli is certified by the Dance
Teachers Club of Boston and Dance Masters of America and serves
as adjudicator at competitions. |
|
|
|
| ELLEN
GRINDER
(Co-Director of the DMDC Dance Companies / Teacher, Jazz, Musical
Theater, MTV) celebrates 35 years as a dancer and
faculty member at DMDC. She holds an M.Ed. in
Curriculum/Instruction from Boston College and serves as
Assistant Director of the Harrington Extended Day Program in
Lexington. She traveled to Germany in 1992 as Dance Captain of Donna
Miceli Dance Ensemble and assisted with teaching and choreography at the
International Dance Festival in Bonn. Ellen performed at Jazz Dance
World Congress 2000 and returned in 2003 as a finalist in the
International Choreography Competitive Event. |
|
|
|
|
Faculty: |
|
|
|
| MARY
DEMASO
(Ballet) is Founder and Co-Director of Dance Prism. A
teacher for more than 25 years, Ms. Demaso directs her own Ballet
academy and teaches at numerous schools and colleges. She received her
own training from Vienna State Opera Ballet and Sam Kurkjian. Many of
her students have become professional dancers with respected ballet
companies, including Boston Ballet. |
|
|
|
|
RICHARD HINTON (Hip Hop)
holds an M.S. in Professional Communication from Clark
University. A 15 year student of DMDC, he was a soloist with the
Youth Dance Co. and is a member of the Advanced Contemporary
Repertory Ensemble. |
|
|
|
|
ALISON JENKINS
SIMOLARIS
(Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop,
"Zumbatomics")
a DMDC alumna and former member of YDC is a graduate of UMass
Amherst with a degree in Business Management & Dance. As a
member of University Dancers she performed in numerous concerts
throughout the Pioneer Valley. Her choreography has been
showcased in the Emerging Artist Series and Alive with Dance
Concert. Alison has directed, and currently choreographs, DMDC
dance ensembles. |
|
|
|
| LISA
(LIPPIELLO) McDonough
(Lyrical, Ballet, Modern)
received a degree in Dance from Point Park College where she performed
extensively with faculty and guest choreographers and at the Kennedy
Center. During her 12 years of study at DMDC, Lisa was a member and
soloist of YDC and an Apprentice Teacher. She performed with Donna
Miceli Dance Ensemble at Jazz Dance World Congress 2003. |
|
|
|
|
NICOLE RAUSEO ZWIREK (Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz)
received her B.F.A. in Dance at UMass-Amherst where she
performed as a member of the University Dancers and UMass Dance
Team. A 15 year alumna of DMDC and the Youth Dance Company,
Nicole teaches 5th grade in Tewksbury. She is director and
choreographer for Jr. HYPE and Kid Co. II. |
|
|
|
|
KATY NORDHOUGEN
(Zumba, Ballet, Tap)
has been a dancer for 30 years.
She is a DMDC alumnus, performer, and veteran teacher,
sharing her love of dance with students from Boston to Lowell.
Katy received her B.A. from Roger Williams University where
she concentrated in English, Dance and Philosophy. She is AFAA and ZUMBA certified and teaches fitness in several private
gyms, schools and corporate programs. |
|
|
|
|
ROSIE BUBANAS
(Childrens' Programs, Ballet, Tap, Hip Hop)
DMDC welcomes Rosie for her 5th season
as DMDC faculty. A 16 year DMDC alumna and past member and
soloist with YDC, Rosie recently graduated from Bridgewater
State College where she was a member of the Dance Ensemble and
co-founder of the Bridgewater State Dance Team. Rosie also
performed with the Donna Miceli Dance Ensemble at Jazz Dance
World Congress in 2003.
Miss Bubanas also directs the dance program at Lowell High
School and is the director of DMDC's Mini Hype. |
|
|
|
|
LILIANA KUALAPIA
(Tap)
Liliana studied tap, ballet, jazz and
musical theater in Hawaii, California, New York, and later in
Nebraska where she opened the Bennet Dance Center and co-founded
the Lincoln Tap Force. She came to the Northeast to attend
Brandeis University where she earned her B.A. in Theater Arts.
She has choreographed extensively in the Midwest and
Massachusetts. Lili presently choreographs for private sector
schools and is the owner of Downtown Dancewear in Lowell. |
|
| |
|
|
KELCIE TEEL
(First Steps)
is a graduate of Dean
College with a degree in Education and Dance Performance.
She is an alumni of DMDC and a member of our resident
jazz and tap companies. |
|
|
|
|
MICHAL MALDONCIA
and SNEJANA (Ballroom) |
|
|
|
|
JENNIFER CORMIER DALY – “Jeni”
(Belly Dance)
DMDC alumna, recently
relocated from Los Angeles where she performed regularly
in top nightclubs, restaurants, exclusive private events
and in numerous theatre shows, including “Bellydance
Evolution,” a groundbreaking production that tours the
world. In 2008 she danced in segments for A&E’s “Gene
Simmons Family Jewels” and ABC’s “Dancing with the
Stars” as well as Fox’s “Good Day L.A.” and E!’s
“Keeping up with the Kardashians” in 2010. In addition
to dancing in various internationally distributed
videos, Jeni also worked as a script supervisor on a
popular line of Belly Dance DVD’s.
www.jenibellydancer.com |
|
| |
|
|
MICHELLE PINTO
(Jazz, Lyrical, Repertory) majored in Dance at University
of South Florida and is a 20 year teaching veteran. She
trained at DMDC for over 15 years and was a soloist and
member of the Youth Dance Company which she co-directed
for several years. Michelle was also a member of
Prometheus and the Body Language Dance Company. She is
co-director and choreographer for Kidsdance Co. Michelle
has served as past director of Kid Co and the Youth
Dance Company and will co-direct the Youth Dance Company
this season. |
|
| |
|
| Guest Artists &
Choreographers: |
|
| |
|
|
BECKI DENNIS (Theatre Arts)
holds a B.A. with honors in Musical Theatre from Point Park
University. An alumna of DMDC and the Youth Dance Company, she
has taught musical theatre at COPC in Pittsburgh, PA and Andover
High School. |
|
| |
|
|
ADRIENNE HAWKINS
(Artist-in-Residence, Jazz), well known as a
teacher of dance throughout the world, holds an M.F.A. in Dance
from Connecticut College. She has been a guest artist at
numerous colleges including Harvard University, Mt. Holyoke,
UMass-Amherst, Boston Conservatory and University of the Arts in
Philadelphia. Ms. Hawkins has been Artistic Director of Impulse
Dance Company of Boston for over 30 years and is an
award-winning choreographer, known for her incomparable mixture
of humor and passion. |
|
|
|
| NAILAH
BELLINGER is on the faculty of Dean College and is a judge
and master teacher for DMA and ADA. Her credits include membership on
the 1992 Dance and Music Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts.
She performed with several dance companies in California and appeared
with Janet Jackson in the video “Escapade”. Lorraine Chapman,
director of Lorraine Chapman & Dancers, has danced for Ballet de
Montreal, Feld Ballets/New York City, Prometheus and Spencer/Colton. She
teaches at Harvard University and Brown University and her choreography
has been performed in New York, Seattle and Toronto. |
|
|
|
|
Kelly Cannone
is the founder of Dance Artistry in Rhode Island, the studio
Dancer Magazine notes as "One of the four most successful
studios in America". She is a Master teacher, choreographer and
adjudicator whose students have performed across the United
States, in Europe and in Russia. Kelly is also the founder of
Aspiring Dreamz, a goal setting program presented to schools and
organizations. |
|
|
|
|
Lorraine Chapman,
director of Lorraine Chapman &
Dancers, has danced for Ballet de Montreal, Feld Ballets/New
York City, Prometheus and Spencer/Colton. She teaches at
Harvard University and Brown University and her choreography has
been performed in New York, Seattle and Toronto. |
|
|
|
| BILLY
McLAUGHLIN teaches at Boston Conservatory, Jeanette Neill
Studios and Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts. He performs
throughout New England, the U.S. and Europe with Prometheus, Impulse
Dance Company and ACE Entertainment. He recently appeared in his own
one-man show in New York City. |
|
|
|
|
DUSTIENNE MILLER is a graduate of DMDC and holds an M.S in
physical therapy from Russell Sage College where she founded the Sage
Dance Ensemble. She performed in the national touring companies of
“Fosse” and “Will Rogers Follies” and is currently playing Bebe in “A
Chorus Line”. Dustienne is a certified Kripalu yoga instructor. |
|
|
|
|
Eva Von gencSy,
former principal dancer with the Royal
Winnipeg Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, founded Les
Ballets Jazz de Montreal. In 1977 she received the Queen’s Medal
for Special Artistic Achievements. A renowned teacher, Ms.
von Gencsy directs Jazz workshops and choreographs on an
international level in Canada, the U.S., Europe and North
Africa. |
|
|
|
|
TAMI MACDONALD
(Jazz, Lyrical, Musical
Theater), Tami has been teaching dance for over 20
years. She owned and operated Tami's Dance Connection in
Leominster Ma. for 17 years with much success and involvement in
the community. Tami graduated the Dance Teachers Club of
Boston's Teacher Training School with high honors. She served as
President of Dance Masters of America's New England Chapter #5,
served of the National Board of directors for the organization
and has been a member for the past 23 years. Tami continues to
work as an adjudicator for several major organizations
throughout the country. She is on the faculty of many prominent
dance studio's throughout the north east and is known for her
unique and creative ideas and choreography. She enjoys passing
on her love of dance to each of her students and is excited to
be a positive influence in their dance careers. |
|
|
|
|
Courtney Grassia
will soon be continuing her 5th season with the world
famous Radio City Rockettes. She began her dance
training under the direction of Donna Miceli. Ms.
Grassia continued her studies under scholarships from
Gus Giordano's Jazz Dance Chicago, Jose Mateo's Ballet
Theatre, and Broadway Dance Center of NYC. In 2006 she
received a B.F.A. in dance from the University of
Arizona. She was invited to dance in Italy alongside
Prima Ballerina, Evelyn Hart and also was a featured
performer at The Broadway Theatre Project. Courtney has
performed at Gus Giordano's Jazz Dance World Congress,
In Japan at Tokyo Disneyland and has performed on live
television with the Rockettes. Her most recent credits
include Joseph...Technicolor Dreamcoat and No No Nanette
with Tony award winner, Donna McKechnie. |
|
|
|
|
Judine Somerville
performed on Broadway in the original cast and
full run of the singing trio sensation The Dynamites in
the long-running Tony Award winning musical Hairspray.
Other Broadway credits include: On The Town, The
Life, Crazy For You and Late Nite Comic.
Television appearances include: MTV's "Made", "Late
Night with David Letterman", "The Tonight Show with Jay
Leno", "The Today Show", "Judge Hatchett", CBS's "The
Early Show", "The Rosie O'Donnell Show", "The VH1 Vogue
Awards", "The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade", "The
View", and "The Tony Awards". Special events include:
Performing on the Red Carpet at the Grammy Awards,
Anthem Singer at Madison Square Garden, Former Rockette
at Radio City Music Hall, and Guest Lecturer and Dance
Instructor at Canyon Ranch Spa in Tucson, AZ. |
|