Isadora Snapp
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TEEN JAZZ CO-DIRECTOR. JUNIOR COMPANY DIRECTOR.
BALLET, JAZZ. |
Isadora grew up in Vermont, studying studying ballet, modern and jazz with Lorraine Neal and Holly Yacawych at CD&FS. Following her high school graduation, she spent a year in New York city training at Dance New Amersterdam Studios and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Since then, she has moved back to Vermont to pursue her interest in teaching and her own work. She has had the opportunity and pleasure to work with many local and national artists, including the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, Ron K. Brown, David Dorfman, Larry Keigwan, Yo-El Cassel and Christopher Anderson.
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Current Faculty
Rosemary Leach |
TEEN JAZZ CO-DIRECTOR.
HIPHOP, FUSION |
Rosemary (she/her) studied at CD&FS during her teen years and performed with the first Teen Jazz group under the direction of Lorraine Neal. Rosemary went on to receive her B.A. in Dance and Cultural Studies at Hampshire College in 1993, and she performed with the Orts Theater of Dance in Tuscon; the Montana Transport Company in Missoula; Hoi Polloi in Massachusetts and Soup/All-Purpose Dance Company at Phantom Theater in Warren, VT. She loves teaching many forms of movement to students of all ages and abilities and also serves on the faculty of Bates Dance Festival Youth Arts Program and Essential Physical Therapy & Pilates.
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Carissa Bellando |
TAP
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Carissa Bellando (she/her) is originally from New York and holds a MFA in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University and a BA in Theatre and Speech with a concentration in Musical Theatre and a minor in Dance from Wagner College. She is also a Registered Vinyasa and Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RYT, RPYT) as well as certified Zumba Instructor.
Carissa performed professionally for thirteen years in Concert Dance and Musical Theatre throughout the US, Taiwan, and at sea with Norwegian Cruise Line and Aida Cruises before moving into teaching and choreographing full-time. Some of her favorite performance roles include Tumblebrutus in Cats, the Carpet in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and Die Hexe (The Witch) in Es War Einmal (Once Upon a Time). Carissa has taught and choreographed in the US and Germany for colleges, conservatories, theaters, dance companies, and numerous studios. Before moving to Vermont, she was an Adjunct Professor at her alma mater, Wagner College, for four and a half years. There Carissa choreographed five |
original full-length dance concerts and multiple musicals while teaching multiple levels of Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Ballet, Pointe, Tumbling, and Choreography/Composition.
Carissa’s passion for dance and love of sharing her knowledge through teaching can be seen in each of her classes. She believes that a true technical basis, in any genre of dance, is the key to learning and executing advanced movement. It is her goal to help her students hone their skills and progress in a way that best suits them, at any age or level, for each student is unique and every body beautiful.
Carissa’s passion for dance and love of sharing her knowledge through teaching can be seen in each of her classes. She believes that a true technical basis, in any genre of dance, is the key to learning and executing advanced movement. It is her goal to help her students hone their skills and progress in a way that best suits them, at any age or level, for each student is unique and every body beautiful.
MaryChris DeBelina |
BALLET, MODERN, CO-MOTION
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Mary Chris DeBelina Doyle’s focus since 2008 has been primarily teaching children creative dance and raising her growing family. MC studied Biology and Dance at Dartmouth College (B.A. 2005) and combined her two passions at Sarah Lawrence College receiving an MFA in Dance (2008). MC founded the Hopkins Center’s Children’s Creative Dance Program at Dartmouth and taught until 2012 when her family relocated to Philadelphia. Relatively new to Vermont, Mary Chris is excited to find local choreographers to work with and classes to teach.
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annamaria dipietropaolo |
HIP HOP
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AnnaMaria DiPietropaolo (she/her) is originally from Northern Virginia, relocating to Vermont in 2013. She has a strong interest in the preservation and education of Black dance forms and their communities, as well as the relationship between dance and neurodivergence/mental illness, with the ultimate goal of making dance more accessible and inclusive to all by dismantling deeply rooted biases. She currently resides in central Vermont, working as an office manager/dancer/choreographer/podcast host, and spends her spare time creating all different kinds of art. “I am a guest in the street and club dance community, and I am incredibly grateful for the knowledge and movement that has been shared with me by hosts, elders, and my mentors so that I may pass it on to others. The knowledge that I teach comes from Rennie Harris, Moncell Durden, Shakia Johnson, Quilan ‘Cue’ Arnold, and Millie Heckler.
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It's vital for me to acknowledge this so I can help eliminate issues in the community such as attribution, representation, and appropriation. We must be the change we want to see in the world, and hire Black dancers and educators to share their knowledge rather than hearing it secondhand from hegemonic bodies. 100% of the proceeds from my classes go back to Black educators and students.” If you are a BIPOC dancer at CD&FS who is looking for help to cover the cost of classes, please contact the studio.
MARISA HALL |
CONTEMPORARY
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Marisa Hall (she/her) is a dancer and choreographer from the Adirondacks who has found her soul’s home here in Montpelier. Marisa’s affinity for dance has guided her since her earliest years, evolving from a traditional jazz-ballet-modern background to the amalgamation of contemporary-house-femme repertoire that inspires her current works and movement vocabulary. Dance is her home, and sharing this sanctuary with you is her highest honor.
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Millie Heckler |
INFERNO CONDITIONING, FUSION
Millie Heckler (she/her) has worked as a Lecturer in Dance at University of Vermont and University of Texas, as well as many other schools and studios nationally and abroad. She has worked for Rennie Harris, assisting in the creation of Lazarus and Exodus for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and has danced with Charles O. Anderson/dance theater x. She is co-founder of the Vermont-based interdisciplinary female collective, lunch, exploring multiple shades of intimacy. She is a certified yoga teacher, as well as Inferno Hot Pilates teacher.
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ERIN SULLIVAN
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FUSION
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Erin Sullivan (she/her) recently graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s in Dance, and a minor in psychological sciences. While there she was in choreographed works by Paula Higa, Bernard Brown, Maree ReMalia, Paul Besaw, and others. This past semester she was cast in a duet (by Paul Besaw) that
was, one of the 34 pieces from all over the nation, invited to perform at the American Collegiate Dance Association national conference. She’s also found a strong passion for teaching and choreographing, last year she created a solo which was performed at the annual dance department concert as well as at Arizona State University for a regional ACDA conference. She is so excited to be back at her hometown studio this year and she can’t wait to get dancing with everyone! |
ALLISON MANN |
TAP, YOGA
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Allison’s rich and eclectic background includes VT State secondary licensure in English, Vocal Music, and Dance, and she is a certified Yoga instructor and Massage Therapist. Allison is also a professional Folk and Jazz vocalist, and continues her ongoing studies of the craft, science, and art of vocal production and singing. Allison’s dance related studies include Afro-Haitian and Afro-Cuban dance and culture, Tap, Jazz, Yoga, and West African dance. Since 1992, Allison has taught dance, movement, music, and academics in public schools, colleges, and private settings including Community College of Vermont, Goddard, Johnson State, and Montpelier High School.
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TRACY MARTIN |
MODERN
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Tracy graduated from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts Dance Department. She performed in several theater dance productions and, after moving to Vermont, has become artistic director of the Phantom Theater in Warren. She has been teaching modern, creative movement for children, and NIA throughout Vermont and has been on the CD&FS faculty for eight years. Tracy believes there is a dancer in everyone. She approaches all of her classes with unbridled enthusiasm and infuses all of her students with creativity and the joy of dancing.
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CALVIN WALKER |
BREAKING
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Calvin Walker (he/him) began dancing in his early teens under the guidance of Cheri Skurdall and the NCUHS dance program. Writer by day, breaker by night, he continues to train and compete in a balanced capacity with his crew/band of brothers, the Rhythm Riderz. In the past, he has performed with Bryce Dance Company, Paula Higa Dance, and as a variety act with the Green Mountain Cabaret. He has taught at studios across Vermont and has a passion for all forms of creative movement.
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Lorraine neal,
FOUNDER
Lorraine has studied with some of the great legends in modern and jazz, and has taught various styles of dance to students of all ages and levels throughout Vermont and New Hampshire since 1972. She was on the dance faculty of Goddard College, and was a master teacher for the Burklyn Ballet Theatre Summer Program for 10 years, and, more recently, the Arts Supervisor for a small Special Education private school in NYC. Lorraine has choreographed, directed, produced, and performed in numerous dance and theater productions, and is the founder and former artistic director of Teen Jazz.
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