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Program Directors

Roya Carreras - School at Peridance Director

Roya Carreras is an Iranian-Hispanic artist, choreographer, and educator who works within commercial, film, and theatrical settings from New York City to Los Angeles.

On stage, Carreras’ work has been presented at the CURRENT SESSIONS, Dixon Place, Baruch Performing Arts Center, and The Green Building in New York City; in California, she has presented at The Odyssey, Highways Performance Space, Electric Lodge Theater, Glenn Wallichs Theatre, Diavolo, Brockus Project Space, and BRAVA. She was a resident choreographer for Columbia Ballet Collaborative of Columbia University in 2015 and in 2018 participated in the MANCC residency funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. She has taught ballet, contemporary, and improvisation at Harlem School of the Arts, New Canaan Dance Academy, American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Peridance, Riverside Ballet Arts, Riverside City College, Pasadena Dance Theater, Norwalk Metropolitan Youth Ballet, East Pointe Dance, and Brockus Conservatory. As a performer, she has worked closely with Barak Marshall at BodyTraffic, Bryan Arias, Danielle Russo Performance Project, and Lux Boreal Danza Contemporanea in Tijuana, Mexico. Carreras holds a BFA in Dance with Honors from UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts, with additional training from The Ailey School and Springboard Danse Montreal.

Her most recent work "Naneh," premiered inJanuary 2020, set on the L.A. Contemporary Dance Company.

 

Kelly Voelpel - School at Peridance Coordinator

Kelly Voelpel began her early dance training at the School of Performing Arts/Fineline Theatre Arts in New Milford, CT under the direction of Elizabeth Parkinson and Scott Wise. Following a year studying ballet at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, she attended the LINES Ballet Training Program and later joined The Ballet Theatre of Maryland. Since 2014 Kelly has been teaching ballet in the tri-state area and regularly performs with Mooney Cooley Dance.

 

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Diego Funes - Youth Ensemble Director

Diego Funes, now the Peridance Youth Ensemble Director, attended the School of American Ballet and later danced with the Cincinnati Ballet and Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. He has performed in and choreographed many theater productions. He is the artistic director of De Funes Dance Company.

 


Faculty

 


Ejay Adakole

Ejay was born and raised in Nigeria. He moved to New York City in 2015 to chase his dream as a choreographer and dance teacher. He travels around the USA teaching AfroFunk, a style he created, which is a fusion of Afro beats dance and street Jazz. He performed at Coachella 2018 with Mr Eazy and has choreographed/performed with many african pop artists. Instagram- @ebinje

 

Britney Brown

Born and raised in Harlem, New York, Britney displayed a love for the arts at a very young age. Growing up in a household where music was a driving force, she quickly cultivated her own appreciation and love for music and movement. She began formal dance training at the age of three and has since gone on to perform at venues such as Madison Square Garden, the Barclays Center, Alvin Ailey, Ladies of Hip-Hop Festival, NYC Summer Stage, and more.

 

Annie Browne

Annie is a freelance dancer and dance educator currently living in New York City. Her early training in Little Rock, Arkansas introduced her to ballet, pointe, hip hop, jazz, and contemporary dance. She began her pre-professional training under ArleenSugano and joined Ballet Arkansas’ Second Company at the age of 14. Annie holds aBachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet from the University of Utah, where she also earned her Ballet Studio Teaching Certificate. While at University, Annie was privileged to have studied from professors such as Maggie Wright Tesch, James Ady, Jan Fugit, Melonie Buchanan-Murray, Michael Bearden, and Jay Kim. She has been challenged to dance versatile works by choreographers such as Val Canaparoli, Eric Handman,and Tong Wang, among others. Annie has experience teaching all levels—from two-year olds to adults. In addition to ballet, she has taught creative movement, jazz, contemporary dance, a boys movement class, and strength and conditioning classes. She is a Certified Instructor in mUvmethod, a safe and effective stretch and conditioning program for dancers.Annie is a staff member at Ballet Tech: The NYC Public School for Dance (Founder—Eliot Feld) and teaches at The School at Peridance and Ballet Arts: The PerformingArts Center of Southern Westchester.

 

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Carrie Demos

Originally from Denver, Colorado Carrie Demos holds a B.A. in Performing Arts with a Dance Concentration from Colorado State University. Currently on faculty at the 92nd St Y, Carrie is also a 2011 graduate of the Foundations of Dance Education, Dance Education Laboratory. We are very happy to be adding the always positive and creative Carrie to our Young Movers Program faculty.

 

Dual Rivet

Dual Rivet is a women-led dance company focused on creating and sharing highly physical contemporary dance to a wide audience. Based in NYC, Dual Rivet creates work for stage and film that exchanges a cinematic and visceral language to influence both platforms. The company teaches a myriad of classes, throughout the United States, with an emphasis on contemporary partnering and floorwork. Led by Jessica Smith and Chelsea Ainsworth, Dual Rivet aims to share what it means to be female leaders in the arts.

Jessica and Chelsea come from an international background of creating and performing work in places such as England, France, Germany, Japan, Philippines, West Africa, Canada, and the United States. They have performed at venues such as West End Theatre, Kittery Maine, Musikfest Pennsylvania, Peridance Center, CreateArt, and Arts On Site. They have set work on companies such as the Peridance Youth Ensemble and Mixt Company Connecticut. Dual Rivet is currently on faculty at Peridance and Steps. Chelsea and Jessica are also directors of a multi-disciplinary arts organization, Arts On Site in New York City.

JESSICA SMITH is a New York City based dancer from New Orleans, Louisiana. She studied at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, London Contemporary Dance School, and received her BFA in dance from the Department of Dance at Purchase College. She's currently a performer at Sleep No More NYC, Vim Vigor Dance Company and ZviDance as well as Associate Director of Arts on Site NYC. She continues to teach and set work at schools, festivals, and training programs throughout the U.S. and internationally including: Purchase College, Princeton University, Springboard Danse Montreal (Canada), Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts Camp, Peridance Certificate Program, Blois Danse Festival (France), and DanzaMed Temporada Internacional de Danza de Medellín (Columbia). She is Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Dual Rivet, a highly physical contemporary dance company based in NYC.

CHELSEA AINSWORTH is a graduate of the Dance Department of The Juilliard School. After graduating she worked with Johannes Wieland/StaatstheaterKassel in Germany, Lorena Egan, Flexicure, Amber Sloan, Bryn Cohn + Artists and was on the modern/ballet dance faculty at Cap21 musical theater school and Chen DanceCenter. Currently she is dancing with The Bang Group, as well as ZviDance. She's also the co-founder and Executive Director of Arts On Site, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting artists of all disciplines by offering affordable studio space and hosting monthly events to encourage community collaboration. She also built and curates residencies at a retreat and residency center in the Shawangunk mountains in upstate New York. In 2020 she joined the Dance Advisory Board of Marymount Manhattan College.

 

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Alyssa Fulmer

Alyssa Fulmer graduated magna cum laude with a BA in dance from Point Park University. Since graduating, she has been happily teaching modern, ballet, and jazz to children and young adults. When not teaching, she can be seen performing with Alyson Laury Dance Co. among other artists. Alyssa is excited to teach for The School at Peridance and pass on her love for dance in a fun yet educational environment.

 

Kelly Hayes Headhsot

Kelly Hayes

Kelly Hayes has been teaching Young Movers and Ballet at Peridance since 2002. She loves working with young dancers who are discovering the joy in hard work and celebrating the "aha!" moments that come from disciplined and focused dance training. She is mom to an active son and enjoys bringing her parent perspective into the studio. Kelly is also on faculty at The Ailey School and Soundance Children's Ballet. Originally from the Chicago area, she holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Iowa and has performed, choreographed, and toured with several dance and theatre companies based in NYC and Chicago. She has been a part of two New York Innovative Theatre award winning teams, Outstanding Production with blessed unrest, and Outstanding Ensemble with Conni's Avant Garde Restaurant.

 

Colin Heininger

Originally from Pennsylvania, Colin Heininger is a current member of Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. Here, he has performed works by Igal Perry, Adam Barruch, Norbert de la Cruz, Marlena Wolfe, and Jae Man Joo. In 2016, Colin graduated as an Honors Scholar with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Musical Theater from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he was named the Valedictorian of the School of Dance. In addition, Colin attended the Jacob's Pillow Contemporary program in 2014 and Springboard Danse Montreal in 2016. Throughout these places, he has had the privilege of performing works by Sharon Eyal, Netta Yerushalmy, Andrea Miller, Helen Simoneau, Beth Gill, Sidra Bell, Mark Morris, and Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, among others.

 

Rachel Hettinger Headhsot

Rachel Hettinger

Rachel has presented work at the KnJ Theater at Peridance, Galapagos ArtSpace, at San Jose State, San Jose, CA at the sjDANCEcoChoreo Project- where her work was awarded with the Audience Choice recognition for choreography. As well as the Pushing Progress Showcase Series, the Young Choreographer's Festival, In-sight Dance Company's 5th Annual Suite Summer Festival at Socrates Sculpture Park, the 14th Annual DUMBO Dance Festival, the 11th Annual Amalgamate Artists Series, and The Giving Tree, a benefit concert to raise awareness for pediatric cancer.

 

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Nikki Holck

Nikki Holck is a dance artist from Honolulu, Hawaii. She is the Director of Peridance's Certificate Program and the Rehearsal Director for Peridance Contemporary DanceCompany. Nikki studied at Queen Emma Ballet, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Canada's National Ballet School, after which she began her dance career with the National Ballet of Canada. Upon moving to New York, Ms. Holck joined Peridance Contemporary Dance Company and began a close collaboration with Artistic Director Igal Perry and the choreographer Korhan Basaran, both that continue on today. Ms.Holck is an artist with Company RAu, Vivo Ballet, Superhero Clubhouse, and Kaimera Productions.

 

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Joi Jackson

Joi A. Jackson, hailing from New York is an alumnus of The University of the Arts where she received her BFA in Dance and minor in Theatre. She has had the privilege of working as the principle choreographer and dance instructor at Creative Arts and Athletics Summer Camp, The Dalton School, Sacred Heart, Northern Westchester School of Dance and Williamsburg Movement and Arts Center. Ms. Jackson is thrilled to be a part of the Peridance faculty!

 

Lauren Jaeger

Lauren Jaeger graduated magna cum laude from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Dance. Lauren has toured both nationally and internationally as a member of MOMIX, Buglisi Dance Theatre, Michael Mao Dance, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, and Catapult. Lauren is an Assistant Rehearsal Director for Buglisi's Table of Silence Project, which is performed each year on September 11th at Lincoln Center. She has also performed with Alma Dance, ACB Dance, Ballet Ambassadors, and as a guest artist with Eva Dean Dance. Lauren is a guest artist and master teacher for Adelfia Ballet School and the Fini Dance Festival in Southern Italy and NYC. In addition to her performance work, Lauren has been teaching for Peridance since 2009 and also teaches for several schools in the area including The Joffrey Ballet School, and Greenwich Dance Studio. In the past she has taught for the Steffi Nossen School of Dance, Center Stage, the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, and Ballet Hispanico.

 

Graciela Kozak

Graciela Kozak

Graciela joined the Peridance Faculty in 1985, where she also teaches the Ensemble and Core of the School at Peridance. She is also a member of the Professional and Junior Divisions at The Ailey School. Graciela Kozak was born in Argentina, and trained at the Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires. She danced with the Bat-Dor and Bat- Sheva companies in Israel, and the Peridance Ensemble in NY. She has performed works by Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor, Jiri Kylian, Mark Morris, Igal Perry, Lar Lubovich, Donald McKayle and many other choreographers.

 

Morgan Lamb

Morgan Lamb

Morgan Lamb is currently pursuing a dual degree from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts (MFA in Dance) and Steinhardt (MA in Dance Education, Teaching all Grades). Morgan received her early training from Studio One in Kingsport, Tennessee under the direction of Melita Brock-Warner. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2014 with a BFA in Fibers from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). In 2015 she had the opportunity to perform alongside her Tisch peers, and Kidd Pivot, in Crystal Pite's Polaris as a part of Lincoln Center's White Light Festival. Recently, Morgan has performed in festivals including KODAFE, Ballet Inc. The Series, and as a guest artist in Dance ARIS (Artist Residence in the Smokies). She has taught in a wide variety of settings in NYC including after school programs, public schools, and Peridance Center. In the summer of 2017, she served as the assistant director and faculty member for the Steinhardt Summer Dance intensive. As a teacher Morgan strives to create a nurturing environment where her students are free to explore their fullest unique potential.

 

Anabella Lenzu

Originally from Argentina, Anabella Lenzu is a dancer, choreographer, writer and teacher with over 30 years experience working in Argentina, Chile, Italy, London and the USA.

Lenzu directs her own company, Anabella Lenzu/DanceDrama (ALDD), which since 2006 has presented 390 performances, created 14 choreographic works and performed at 100 venues, presenting thought-provoking and historically conscious dance-theater in NYC.

ALDD's work has been seen at La Mama, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Movement Research at Judson Church, Draftworks at DanceSpace project/ St. Mark Church, 92nd Street Y, HERE Arts Center, Abrons Arts Center, DUO Multicultural Arts Center, Queens Museum, Bronx Museum, Gibney Dance, Center for Performance Research, Triskelion, Chez Bushwick, Roulette, Chashama, Dixon Place, Sheen Center, The Consulate of Argentina in NYC, NYU/Casa Zerilli Marimo, University Settlement, Baruch Performing Arts Center, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Instituto Cervantes, 3LD Center for Art & Technology, Kumble Theater/Long Island University, among many others. She has received grants from Brooklyn Arts Council, Puffin Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Edwards Foundation, The Vermont Community Foundation, and the Independent Community Foundation.

She holds a MFA in Fine Arts (concentration in Choreography) from Wilson College, PA. Classically trained at the renowned Teatro Colòn in Buenos Aires, Lenzu studied the modern dance techniques of Humphrey/Limòn and Graham in New York. Her studies of Tango and the folkdancesof Argentina, Spain, and Italy, further inform her work. Her choreography has been commissioned all over the world for opera, TV programs, theatre productions, and by many dance companies.

Lenzu founded her own dance school L'Atelier Centro Creativo de Danza in 1994 in Argentina, and has maintained an active teaching career ever since.

Lenzu has written for various dance and arts magazines, and published her first book in 2013, entitled Unveiling Motion and Emotion. The book contains writings in Spanish and English on the importance of dance, community, choreography, and dance pedagogy. Her second book, Teaching Dance through Meaningful Gestures, is expected in 2020, and explores basic exercises, visualization exercises, active imagination and artistic application. The book explores how technique is a philosophy and a theory, and how the body is an instrument for expression.

Currently, Lenzu conducts classes at NYU Gallatin, Wagner College, Peridance Center

 

Jonathan Mendez

Jonathan began dancing at the age of nine in Cali, Colombia at the Colombian Institute for Classical Ballet (Incolballet). Upon graduation, he joined Incolballet, Colombia's premier dance company. Jonathan received a full scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. He performed with Dances Patrelle in the Nutcracker and their 2010 Spring Season. In May 2010, Jonathan performed with Avi Scher and Dancers at the Kennedy Center. In December 2010 Jonathan was a Guest Artist with Alberta Ballet for the production of the Nutcracker in Canada. Jonathan joined Les Ballets Grandiva in July 2010 for which he performed in many tours all around Japan. In 2012 Jonathan joined Les Ballets Eloelle for which he performed in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, China, South Africa and Japan. Jonathan is an American Ballet Theatre certified teacher and he also featured in the American Dance Documentary "First Position".

 

Annastasia Mercedes

Annastasia Mercedes, graduated with a B.F.A. in Ballet and Dance Pedagogy from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, under the direction of Stephen Pier. She has performed in both classical and contemporary works to include choreography by Pascal Rioult, Charlotte Griffin, Martin Losfnes, Stephen Pier, Gregory Dolbashian, Jose Limon, Martha Graham, George Balanchine, Anthony Tudor, and August Bournonville. In addition to her experiences in concert dance, Annastasia has performed in a number of regional theatre productions including appearances at Hartford Stage under the direction of Darko Tresnjak, and featured as "Eliza" in The King and I and "Ballet Winnie" in Tuck Everlasting. In addition to being on faculty at The School at Peridance, Annastasia is also on faculty at The Joffrey Ballet School, where she also serves as the rehearsal director for The Nutcracker. Her work continues with students of NYC Public Schools, serving as a teaching artist for New York City Ballet, Rioult Dance New York's DanceREACH Program, and Ballet Tech.

 

Jonathan Peña

Jonathan Manuel Peña who is popularly known as Shwing is a young dancer who started his performance career in the rough and competitive yards of Greek life. He has won numerous step and stroll competitions and later on continued his passion for performing arts by pursuing dance. He has been dancing professionally as a commercial hip hop dancer for 3 year and has already toured with renowned choreographer J Romeo 2 times in both Miami and the Tristate Area. He is also a brand ambassador/Athlete for New York based Urban Dance League and has opened up for Urban Latin sensation Nicky Jam and performed for El Duo Perfecto. Shwing has performed on major televised programming like Telemundo and several music videos and is currently choreographing within the Urban Latin Reggaeton industry and teaching in the tristate area.

 

Karin Rendelman

Karin, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., is a working choreographer and teacher residing in New York City. Graduating Cum Laud from Florida International University, Miami Florida, she earned a BA in Dance. Her infectious energy and her passion for dance were seasoned while she mentored under Broadway tap dancer, Jimmy Tate. Karin has been teaching for over 20 years and during this time, was honored to become the Director of the Dance Department at the nationally renowned Weiss School. She has also directed a youth tap company in South Florida where her students performed locally for community events/fundraisers and her choreography was recognized with numerous awards at a variety of competitions on both regional and national levels. Currently, Karin continues to teach master classes and create choreography for students all over the country and abroad as well as teaching on the competition/convention/intensive circuit and she is ecstatic to be beginning her 11th year on faculty at Peridance Center (NYC) where she is the Director of SynKopate - AN NYC Tap Project & SynKopate II - the first Peridance youth Tap companies. Karin's passion for her art and the technique that supports it, for rhythm and energy and the combination of it all, can be seen in each and every class she teaches as well as in her ambitious and expressive choreography!

 

Ellenore Scott

Ellenore Scott is a New York-based choreographer and performer. Scott most recently choreographed the Off-Broadway Revival of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theater. Scott also served as the associate choreographer for Head Over Heels and King Kong on Broadway, and was the assistant choreographer for the Broadway revivals of Cats and Falsettos. She choreographed Kate Hamill's Pride and Prejudice at Cherry Lane Theater as well as Jeremy O'Harris' Black Exhibition for The Bushwick Starr. Scott has also created work for The Old Globe, Seattle Repertory Theater, Cape Fear Regional Theater, and McCarter Theater. As the Founder and Artistic Director of ELSCO Dance, a contemporary-fusion dance company, Scott's work was performed in New York City, Los Angeles, Boston and throughout the Tri-State Area. As a performer she was a finalist and an All-Star on the hit television show "So You Think You Can Dance."" She performed on numerous television shows (Glee, Smash, The Ellen Show, The Blacklist, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and performed with Janet Jackson. Instagram: @ellenorescott

 

Tweetboogie

Always representing The South Bronx, TweetBoogie is devoted to the street styles of hip-hop. As she continues to travel all over the world teaching in different countries such as Japan, Poland, Switzerland, China, Taiwan, Korea, Russia, Prague,The Philippines, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Australia and South Africa to name a few. Her passion has led her to work with top artists like Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Mary J Blige, Shakira, Kanye West & Nicki Minaj and the iconic Miss Janet Jackson in her amazing "Made For Now" video. Most recently, Tweetie choreographed for 50 Cent at Madison Square Garden for the POWER Premier of Season 6 of STARZ.

Tweet and her business partner Michele Byrd McPhee, newly launched their new production team called "TooBirdsProductions". They were hired to choreograph the opening number for WE DAY. An educational program for children sponsored by the United Nations. The multi-talented was also the host of MTV's "Dances From Tha Hood" On Demand executive produced by Sway Calloway. Some of her biggest clients were teaching Gail and Oprah a few of the latest hip-hop moves as a guest choreographer on The OPRAH Show. As the brand Ambassador of Ladies of Hip Hop Festival, TweetBoogie helps bring Ladies of all ages and sizes across the world to come together and celebrate street dance culture through music & dance one lady at a time.

Recently she was a guest teacher at the Juste Debout School located in Paris as well as the Hip Hop judge for their Juste Debout World Tour 2019. One of the biggest international underground dance battles that travels worldwide.

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