Check the Calendar Section for more important events!

Former Miss New Jersey to teach at the Next Stage. For more info click here!

To download a registration form for our 2010-2011 session click here!

Congrats to Mary DiPipi, 2010 Project Dance scholarship receipient, who will be majoring in Dance at Univ. of the Arts in September.

Colleen Wills is the captain of the PVI Dance Team.

Congrats to Bree DeLash who will be performing for Disney.

Bailey O'Brien and Julia Udine performed in "Joseph" at the Broadway Theatre this summer!

 

 

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, MUSICAL THEATRE INSTRUCTION, DRAMA

COURTNEY DANIELS, an alumnus of St. Joseph’s University, received a masters degree from Immaculata University in 2002. Since 2002, Ms. Daniels has served as the director of the Dance and Drama Department at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield and is a certified school psychologist specializing in child development and educational strategies. A former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader and Head Coach of the St. Joe's University Dance Team, Courtney began her training at the Bowman School of Dance in Cherry Hill and then later studied at the University of the Arts. She has been performing and instructing for over 14 years, in addition to choreographing and directing over 25 productions for theatre companies and high schools such as Camden Catholic High School, The Ritz Theatre, and The Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia. Courtney has appeared on ESPN, ABC's Monday Night Football and the 2003 NFC Championship Game at Veteran's Stadium. She was also named ESPN's "Cheerleader of the Week" in 2002 and was an original cast member of the Garden State Dance Festival. Courtney has won many awards for her choreography and direction, and her work has been featured numerous times at the NJ Teen Arts Festival representing Camden County for Excellence in Musical Theatre and Drama. Ms. Daniels is proud to be the founder and artistic director of Project Dance, an annual arts festival that celebrates the developmental and educational benefits of dance education.

 

BALLET

JOAN KILGORE began her dance training at the Pennsylvania Regional Ballet under the direction of Sandra Carlino.  She later studied at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase and graduated with a BFA, receiving the President’s Award for Achievement in 2005. Joan was a member of the Cedar Lake Ensemble’s second company, and performed with the Ballet Contemporaneos de Burgos.  She has performed many roles in classical and contemporary ballet, and in modern dance. Choreographers include Nicolo Fonte, Luis Fuente, Jeffrey Gribler, Robert Hill, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Bradley Shelver, Paul Taylor, and Stanton Welch. Joan is currently in her first season with the Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco).  There, she has performed works by Talley Beatty, Zane T. Booker, Daniel Ezralow, Christopher Huggins, Milton Myers and Gene Hill Sagan.

Joan has been on the faculty at the Pennsylvania Regional Ballet in Enola, Pennsylvania where she acted as an instructor, rehearsal director, and re-staged several works.  She organized and directed a workshop at Salisbury University in Maryland for Cedar Lake II, and has taught master classes for Philadanco as well. Joan has also choreographed several ballets while pursuing her studies at SUNY Purchase.

Joan's Goal

I wish to instill lessons and vital information to my students in classical ballet and modern dance. My commitment towards instructing is to provide the key essentials for professional training, guidance and education.

 

Holly Fusco, a professional ballet dancer with the PENNSYLVANIA BALLET, is a native of West Bloomfield, Michigan, began her serious dance training at the age of 7 under the instruction of Jacob Lascu, Cornelia Sampson, Christina Kammauller and Patricia and Leif Lorenz. During this time she had the opportunity to perform with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at the Metropolitan Opera House and in numerous roles in The Nutcracker Ballet, both with local productions and with Ballet Internationale. In addition, she was a guest performer with American Ballet Theater during their Detroit tour ofSwan Lake.

Of the many summer programs Ms. Fusco has attended, she received a full scholarship to Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, The Chatauqua Ballet, Miami City Ballet, The Harid Conservatory, and the Suzanne Farrell’s Cedar Island Program. Ms. Fusco was also a 2002 Youth American Grand Prix Regional Finalist.

Ms. Fusco continued her professional training at the Miami City Ballet School under the direction of Edward and Linda Villella. In 2006, Ms. Fusco became a student apprentice with the main company. During her time at Miami City Ballet, Ms.Fusco had the opportunity to perform and tour in ballets such as:George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Raymonda Variations, Glinka Pas de Trois, Diamonds in Jewels, Ballet Imperial, Pas de Dix, Divertimento No. 15, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Stars and Stripes, Western Symphony, La Source, Symphony in C, Concerto Barocco, Seranade, and Symphony in Three Movements; Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Raymonda, Pas de Trois in Swan Lake, Pas de Trois in Les Corsaire, variations from Paquita, Jules Perrot’s Giselle, Edward Villella’s Don Quixote and Quickstep: Unspeakable Jazz Must Go!, and Twyla Tharp’s Push Comes to Shove.

 

Gabriella Yudenich - A soloist with the Pennsylvania Ballet, is a native of southern New Jersey, Gabriella Yudenich began her dance training at the age of seven, with the Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet. She also trained under the guidance of her mother, Barbara Sandonato, who was the first dancer hired to be a member of Pennsylvania Ballet in 1963.

Ms. Yudenich attended the School of American Ballet under full scholarship for two years. She also completed summer sessions at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. She performed with Dances Patrelle in New York City, dancing soloist roles in the Yorkville Nutcracker.

Ms. Yudenich performed with Pennsylvania Ballet in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and John Cranko’s The Taming of the Shrew before becoming the first member of Pennsylvania Ballet II, the Joyce and Herbert Kean Trainee program. As a member of Pennsylvania Ballet II for two seasons, she performed in lecture demonstrations throughout the region, as well as in the Company’s full-length productions. She became an Apprentice in September 2003 and was promoted to the Corps de Ballet in September 2005. Ms. Yudenich has performed in many classical and contemporary ballets including Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake, Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, Matthew Neenan’s Carmina Burana, and many pieces from the Balanchine repertoire. Her lead roles include Myrta in Giselle, Lilac Fairy and Precious Jewels pas de trios in The Sleeping Beauty. Ms. Yudenich was recently promoted to Soloist for the 2007-2008 Season.

Ms. Yudenich is a true product of Pennsylvania Ballet history. Her mother, Barbara Sandonato, was a star member of Pennsylvania Ballet throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, and her father, the late Alexei Yudenich, was also a leading member of the Company during that time.

 

 

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ / MODERN

Kathleen Nanni- New York: Currently performing on Broadway in Mary Poppins (original cast member), Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular, Broadway Cares-Gypsy of the Year, Easter Bonnet, All My Children event. First National Tours: Doctor Dolittle (Sophie the Seal), The Music Man (Dance Captain, Zaneeta u/s) Regional: North Shore Music Theater-Fame (Iris, Dance Captain), St. Louis Muny- Cats (Tantomile), Kansas City Starlight-Cats (Tantomile), Grease (ensemble), The Lyric Opera House-West Side Story (Consuelo) The Depot Theater-Kiss Me, Kate (ensemble). Industrials: Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Vegas (Macy's). Commercials: Advil Sinus Cold Ballet: Ohio Ballet (principle/soloist), Pennsylvania Ballet.

VANESSA SMITH is a native to Southern NJ, where she began her early dance training with Mt. Laurel Regional Ballet.  Vanessa furthered her dance education in the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, where she earned her BFA, and attended the International Dance Festival of Burgos, Spain.  Miss Smith is a founding member and dancer of Jessicadanser/dansfolk, NYC.

 

JAZZ

ANDREA MYCHEALS  found her passion when she began dancing at age 2.  Andrea has been teaching and choreographing for the past 20 years. She has performed both as a dancer and as a vocalist in Las Vegas and Branson, MO. She has worked with Kathy Sledge, Taylor Dayne, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and The Trammps. Andrea has choreographed for the New Jersey Nets Dance Team, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, “Dance is Life”, The Garden State Dance Festival and has won choreography awards for several theatrical productions. Andrea is also a dance educator at several area studios. Andrea encompasses all ranges of Modern, Jazz, funk and hip hop and turns it in to an aggressive style that is an energetic ride.

Andrea's Goal

To continue to cultivate future dancers.

 

DuJuan Smart, Jr. trained at the Fem Fatale Dance Studio in Oak Park, MI and the University of the Arts. Mr. Smart is well versed in ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, hip-hop, African, salsa, contemporary, West Indian, ballroom and modern dance. He has toured in Germany, France and was mentored by Christopher Huggins in Italy. He has worked with Rita Mosley, Louis Johnson, Anthony Burrell, Scott Jovovich and Ron de Jesus and Arthur Mitchell, in addition to Nicole Burnette, Norma Fowler and Bruce Bradley.

Some of his performance history includes Momix Dance Company, Junk and Eleone Dance Theater. He has received scholarships to train at Dance Theater of Harlem (NY), Edge Performing Arts Center (Hollywood, CA), The Ailey School (NY) and Tucson Ballet (AZ). Mr. Smart has participated in various competitions nationwide earning titles such as: 2006 ACT-SO national dance gold medalist, 2006 Urban Jamm well- rounded dancer of the year, 2007 Mr. Bravo dance winner, 2007 National Mr. Showbiz dance winner and 2007 NFAA jazz dance winner. He continues to study, perform, choreograph and teach around the world.

MUSICAL THEATRE/DRAMA

Erica Scanlon Harr is a graduate of The New School for Drama (Manhattan), Erica holds an MFA in Acting. During her time in New York, she studied acting, voice and speech, Alexander Technique, combat, dialects, classics and movement under the professional faculty at NSD as well as studying dance at the Broadway Dance Center. She earned her undergraduate degree in musical theatre and vocal performance from West Virginia Wesleyan where she studied modern dance, tap, ballet, pointe, and jazz. Growing up Erica was an active dancer, studying primarily at Anna Marie's Academy in Philadelphia and working as a member of the Elysian Dance Company of Philadelphia. She grew up knowing the importance of having strong fundamental basics and a love of movement. In 2004 Erica represented New Jersey at the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City and on national television, receiving a non-finalist talent award. She continues to perform and study locally and regionally.

 

Ted Wioncek has worked at the Walnut Street Theatre, the Wilma Theatre, The Ritz Theatre and Rowan University. In addition, he has directed for the Broadway Theatre of Pitman and the Southern New Jersey Academy of Performing Arts. Mr. Wioncek has received many awardds for his work: Adjudicator Award for Vocal Excellence - New Jersey Theatre League, Garden State Festival '03 for The Civil War Dolly Award - Triple Threat Foundation for the Performing Arts for Romeo and Juliet The Civil War - 2003 SHow received the NJACT Perry Award - Outstanding Musical Direction and four other nominations.

 

TAP

TIM YUE graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in mathematics. In addition, Tim has been tap dancing for nineteen years. He studied tap with LaVaughn Robinson. He also has studied Tabla (Indian classical drumming) with K. Prashant and was a dancer for Shining Time Station Live.

Tim is currently a tap instructor at the University of the Arts, Bryn Mawr College, Tap Team Two and the Allens Lane Arts Center. He has also taught at the Pennsylvania Dance Conservatory in Philadelphia. He is a dancer and choreographer for Tap Team Two and has performed the show Hoofing in America, for Young Audiences, an arts and education performance organization, at schools in Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Tim has also choreographed many exciting pieces such as Tim’s Take on Take Five, a tap interpretation of the Dave Brubeck song; The Little Drummer Boy; and My Baby Left Me, based on the Arthur Crudup song. He has created solos such as the William Tell Overture; More To Tell, an original be-bop style piece; and Duke Ellington’s Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me.

Tim is the inventor of the electronic tap shoe. Designed and built by himself, his electronic shoes generate a wide range of drum sounds. He recorded the album Electric Anxiety, which combines guitar and tap.
Tim also is the creator and designer of a weekly tap show for which he is written, choreographed and performed many episodes. http://timothytapdancing.googlepages.com.