Isadora Snapp
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TEEN JAZZ CO-DIRECTOR. JUNIOR COMPANY DIRECTOR
BALLET, MODERN. |
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Isadora Snapp (she/her) 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
HIP HOP |
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Rosemary Leach (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, JAZZ
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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.
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 evening-length dance concerts and multiple musicals while teaching numerous 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.
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. 30% 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
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HIP HOP, FUSION, INFERNO CONDITIONING
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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ALLISON MANN |
YOGA
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Allison Mann’s (she/her) 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 Martin (she/her) 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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Kait Nascimento |
MODERN
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Kait Nascimento (she/her) grew up dancing at CD&FS and obtained a BA in dance from Wesleyan University in 2007. During her time as a student, she had the opportunity to learn from many influential artists such as Lisa Race, Liz Lerman, Koma Otake and Miriam Druwe. Over the past fifteen years, Kait’s focus has shifted to teaching as she finds great joy in passing on her love of dance to others. Kait holds a Master’s degree in teaching and is also now finishing her Master’s in psychology; she believes movement and music can be profoundly therapeutic. Having witnessed dance enrich the lives of countless students at CD&FS, she is very happy to be back this year!
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ABBY PEPIN |
JAZZ
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Abby Pepin (she/her) began dancing at the Ruth Vicery School of Ballet in Barre and then at the Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio where she was lucky enough to have Kathy McBride and Lorraine Neal as teachers.
She then went on to receive a BA in Performing Arts from Johnson State College where she worked closely with Maris Wolf who opened her eyes in many ways. Upon graduating she began teaching at CD&FS, Montpelier High School, Stowe Dance Academy, and the Wolcott Ballet. She has performed extensively throughout the state and has worked with many creative and inspiring artists. She was a founding member of the Vermont Dance Collective and Same Planet dance company. She currently teaches at CD&FS and lives in Middlesex with her husband and two kids. |
Mary selene |
JAZZ, MODERN
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Mary Selene (she/her) is a Burlington Vermont native, and received her BFA in Dance Performance with a Jazz concentration in April of this year. She completed the Balanced Body Reformer certification process, and loves incorporating Pilates into her daily routine as well as her teaching.
Throughout her dance training, Mary has found her love for choreography, teaching and performing. Her choreography has been featured at Future Artists choreography festival in January 2024. Previously, she has performed and choreographed with Synergy Dance Company, and is excited for a new chapter of collaborating, exploration and creation with fellow artists. |
ERIN TAVANI |
FRONT DESK, CREATIVE MOVEMENT, BALLET
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Erin Tavani (she/her) is originally from Pennsylvania but has relocated to Vermont to pursue a law degree from Vermont Law and Graduate School. Erin grew up dancing and has previously studied dance at Penn State Altoona, where she earned her Dance minor. Since graduating, she has performed with the Allied Motion Dance Company. Throughout her dance journey, Erin has developed a deep passion for movement and teaching, and she looks forward to continuing on this path.
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SYLVIE WILLIAMS |
BALLET
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Sylvan Williams (she/her) is a recent graduate from Keene State College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Education. She enjoys writing and photography, both of which she also studied, and was the 2023 recipient of the Eder Award scholarship for creative writing. Other collegiate achievements include being selected to present her choreography at the Northeast ACDA (American College Dance Association) conference in the spring of 2024, and being a member of the theater honors society Alpha Psi Omega. She was a student at Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio from 2007-2020 and studied a wide variety of styles, her favorites including Modern, Contemporary, Ballet, and Fusion, as well as being part of the Teen Jazz ensemble in high school. She recently moved back to her hometown in Vermont, and is excited to rejoin the studio as a faculty member.
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Lorraine neal,
FOUNDER
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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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