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Nadia Avigliano, Artistic Director Nadia Avigliano has been dancing since the age of six and has continued her dance education throughout her adult life. After graduating with Honors from Hofstra University with a B.A. in Dance (where she studied with countless dance professionals.) Miss Nadia obtained her M.S. in Elementary Education from St. John's University in 2003. Upon finishing her degree Nadia was invited by the St. John's faculty to present, "Literacy Links to Creative Movement: A Moving Experience" at the National Association for the Education of Young Children in New York City. The paper explores the concept of enriching Early Childhood students' literacy skills through creative movement. |
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Miss Nadia began teaching dance at the age of sixteen to children of all ages at various dance studios.
Beginning in 1999, Nadia became the substitute and summer dance instructor at St. Joseph's School for the Deaf in the Bronx, New York.
While at St. Joseph's Nadia worked with hearing impaired children from Pre-K to Eighth Grade and was honored when asked to give
a demonstration class for Governor Patacki. In the year 2000, Miss Nadia began working at St. Mel School in Flushing, New York
as a kindergarten teacher, where she taught for four years. As a past board member of the Hofstra University's Dance Alumni Association, her responsibilities included active support of the Dance Department by holding events in order to raise scholarship funds for future dance majors. Miss Nadia is also kept very busy, choreographing, teaching and taking classes to further her own dance skills to bring the best quality dance education to everyone of her students. | |
Dina Denis, Instructor Dina Denis is a choreographer, dancer, and teacher from Queens, New York. Dina has a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Hofstra University. She is also a K-12 certified dance teacher who holds a Master of Arts in Dance Education from New York University. Dina currently teaches dance to grades 6-12 at the East Bronx Academy for the Future and Nadia's Performing Arts Centre in Whitestone, Queens. In 2003, Ms. Denis founded Dina Denis Dance / Dance Into Light, Inc. which is a Queens based Modern Dance Company. The Company produces original dance works of an interdisciplinary & multi-cultural nature. The company uses dance as an avenue for personal healing, a means for self-expression, & as an approach toward building confidence. We carry out our mission through performances, artist-to-youth mentoring services, hands-on creative movement workshops, & live dance performances to nursing homes & senior centers throughout Queens. Dina Denis Dance's choreography and performance credits include "The Women of the Mahabharata" at the Roy Arias Theatre (NYC), "Rang de Nila" with visual artist Siona Benjamin at Princeton University (NJ), Rutgers University (NJ), Cherly Pelavin Gallery (NYC), Mizel Museum (CO), Temple-Tifereth Israel (Cleveland, OH), The Laurie M. Tisch Galler/JCC (NYC), and the Flomenhaft Gallery (NYC). "Dina Denis Dance: The Works" at Green Space (Queen, NY), "A Collaborative Movement Project" with Classical Indian Dancer and Choreographer Ishrat (Rakhi) Hoque at Lotus Music and Dance Studio Theatre (NYC), The Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival (NYC), Flatbush Tompkins Concert Hall, Brooklyn Arts Exchange (Brooklyn, NY), and High School of Art and Design (NYC). Dina Denis Dance Presents: Pieces of Life was featured November 2009 at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LaGuardia Community College, NY). Ms. Denis was commissioned by Hofstra University (NY) to set a work on their students as well as perform in their Dance Program's 25th Anniversary Concert. Ms. Denis was the 2009 recipient of LaGuardia Performing Arts Center's "Lab 101" award. The Company has also been awarded the 2010, 2011 Queens Council on the Arts' Department of Cultural Affairs grant for the development and expansion of our senior center and nursing home program. In addition, we received a JP Morgan Chase Grant through the Queens Council on the Arts to strengthen our fundraising efforts. In addition to her own choreography, Dina was a member of Joan Miller's Dance Players for five years. While dancing with Joan Miller's Dance Players, Dina performed at Columbia University's Miller Theatre (NYC), The Duke on 42nd Street (NYC), Lehman College (Bronx, NY), The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre (NYC), and The Point (Bronx, NY). She has also performed professionally under the direction of choreographers, Robin Becker, Deborah Damast, Douglas Dunn, Sheila Kaminsky, Joan Peters, Joan Miller, Eleo Pomare, Martial Roumain, Abdel Salaam, Dr. Glory Van Scott, and Val Suarez. |
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Parker Esse, Instructor Mr. Esse choreographed the World Premier of Katie Couric's The Brand New Kid at The Kennedy Center, as well as The Mystery Of Irma Vep and the World Premier of A Christmas Carol 1941 both for Arena Stage. He is currently choreographing The Light in the Piazza for Arena Stage. Mr. Esse was Associate Choreographer under Director/ Choreographer Warren Carlyle on the Broadway productions of A Tale Of Two Cities and Finian's Rainbow as well as the National Tour of 101 Dalmatians The Musical. Associate Director/Choreographer for the World Premier of Lucky Guy at Goodspeed Opera House and as Assistant Choreographer for Mame at The Kennedy Center; Dancing In The Dark at The Old Globe; Pirates of Penzance at Goodspeed Opera House and Paper Mill Playhouse. Together they also choreographed several productions for New York City Center's, Encores! series: Stairway To Paradise, Juno, On The Town, and Finian's Rainbow. They also Choreographed the Feature Film Deception starring Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor. As Assistant Choreographer Mr. Esse worked along side, theatre legend Baayork Lee on Animal Crackers, South Pacific, Camelot, and Damn Yankees for Arena Stage (where he also held the positions of Dance Captain/Performer) as well as, Mack And Mabel at the Shaw Festival in Canada. They were honored with a Helen Hayes nomination for best Choreography on South Pacific. Parker has also assisted Choreographer Karma Camp for the international cell phone commercial Auna/Amena, and Choreographer Randy Skinner for Goodspeed's production of Babes And Arms. As a performer, Mr. Esse Danced on Broadway with Ben Vereen, Bebe Neuwirth, and Ann Reinking in Fosse, which was taped for PBS's Great Performances and released on VHS and DVD. After closing Fosse on Broadway, Parker joined the National Tour. Regionally, Mr. Esse has performed in such productions as A Chorus Line at Paper Mill Playhouse and TUTS; Will Rogers Follies at Sacramento Music Circus; Swing! at North Shore Music Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre and TUTS; The Music Man, Sweet Charity, Crazy For You, and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. He also performed for the Public Sings Benefit celebrating The Public Theatre's 50th Anniversary at City Center in New York City and the 21st Annual Benefit Gala for the Drama League Ð "So In Love: A Night of Romance at the Rainbow Room" in New York City. Mr. Esse has taught master classes in Musical Theatre dance for the past ten years and has been on faculty at New York University's Cap 21 Musical Theatre Conservatory. He has also taught classes for the 2010 Music Direction Intensive at Goodspeed Opera House; The Marktoberdorf Summer Intensive Workshop for Professional European Actors in Marktoberdorf, Germany Lamar University College of Fine Arts' Dance Department in Beaumont, TX; The Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education in Rochester, NY; The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX; Learning on Location in New York City as well as many local dance studios in Chicago, IL, Connecticut, New York and Washington DC. Mr. Esse received his BFA in Drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts where he studied at the Cap 21 Musical Conservatory. |
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Christina Oddo, Instructor Miss Christina Oddo is a Queens native and has been dancing since she was 3 years old. Classically trained in ballet, jazz, and lyrical she continued studying as she entered St. Francis Preparatory. It was there she discovered her love of musical theatre and competitive dance team. Miss Christina then attended Queens College where she received a major in mathematics and a double minor in secondary education and dance. She also competed nationally with the Queens College dance team and was featured in many of their faculty productions. Throughout her years of studying she has taken many classes with different companies in Manhatten including the Rockette Intensive, classes in the Horton and Graham technique, and a workshop with Twyla Tharp and the cast of Movin' Out. Miss Christina is thrilled to be passing on not only her knowledge, but her love and passion for dance through teaching. |
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Adrianne Rodgers, Instructor At the tender age of 3, Adrianne began her dance training. At 6, she discovered competitive gymnastics and by 10, had established a professional career in show business. Born and raised in Newtown, PA, Adrianne knew her path in life was to perform, teach and to grow as an artist. After high school, she attended Hofstra University on dance scholarship. Since graduation, she's worked under the direction of Hinton Battle, Abdel Salaam, Jolea Maffei, Val Suarez, Rennie Harris, and currently dances for recording artist Farrad. Adrianne has worked the runway at New York City Fashion Week, has been featured in a 10 page spread in Dance Spirit Magazine, and can be seen in numerous music videos and television commercials. She realized her love for teaching and shaping the hearts, minds and bodies of young dancers 9 years ago. Adrianne works for the non-profit organization National Council on Women's Health, teaching after school dance programs in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. She's thrilled to share her love of dance and performance with all the rising stars at Nadia's Performing Arts Centre! |
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Caryn Rude, Instructor Miss Caryn began dancing as a young girl and still continues to study by attending dance workshops and conventions. A former student of Ms. Nadia's, Caryn as been teaching dance and working at NPAC since it's opening 7 years ago! Miss Caryn is dedicated to the studio's philosophy and provides a nurturing and fun atmosphere in her classes! |
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Stefanie Rude, Instructor Miss Stefanie has been studying dance for 19 years. She is formerly a student at Nadia's PAC and a member of our dance Company. Stefanie obtained her B.S. in Physical Education and Sports Sciences from Hofstra University and has recently obtained a position as a substitute Physical Education teacher in the Roslyn School District. Stefanie has participated as an artist in the schools working as a dance teacher at St. Joseph's School for the Deaf in their afterschool Creative Arts program. Stefanie has also performed with Dina Denis Dance in their fall showcase at LaGuardia College. |
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Kristina Walton, Instructor A native of Deerfield Massachusetts where she studied dance from the age of three. While in high school she received a partial scholarship to attend Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Beckett, Massachusetts. While at Jacob's Pillow she studied Jazz, Modern, Tap, and Improvisation for three weeks while also getting the privilege to perform three times on the infamous Inside/Out stage. During this time, she realized her love for Modern dance, and decided to continue her studies at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. While at Marymount she studied Modern, Ballet, Improvisation, Music, and performed in works by choreographers such as Joao Mauricio (Paul Taylor Dance Company), Cassandra Phifer (Dance Theater of Harlem), and Jose Limon Repertory. After receiving her degree in dance, Kristina continued to study and perform in New York City. She has performed with Dixie Fun Lee Dance Theater Odonata Dance Project aka Lola Lola Dance Theater, the New York City International Fringe Festival in 2006 and in 2009 as well as the Boulder International Fringe Festival in 2007 in Boulder, Colorado, Joyce SOHO, Dance New Amsterdam, Judson Church, White Wave, BRIC, WAX Works, Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, Uganda, Africa, and many smaller showings throughout New York City and the surrounding area. Kristina has been teaching for the past six years here in New York City and the tri-state area. She currently teaches creative movement in early childhood and preschools at the United Nations, Education Alliance Preschool, Red Balloon Day Care Center, and the Cornell Medical School. She also teaches a special education dance class at the Ascension School (K-8). She is currently a graduate student at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development where she is a candidate for a Masters in Dance Education with certification in K-12. While at NYU she was lucky to experience a study abroad trip to Uganda in Africa where she learned traditional Ugandan dance as well as taught, shared her dance, and performed at the National Theater in Kampala Uganda. She has also recently got back from a trip to Israel where she studied Gaga technique at the Suzanne Dellal Center home of Batsheva Dance company. Kristina is currently taking classes at Peridance and Dance New Amsterdam. She is starting a dance company called Whatever Dance (which performed at Dance New Amsterdam this past June), which will be a collaborative group of artists that will perform throughout New York City and beyond. She looks forward to sharing all of her experiences with her current and future students! |
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Morgan Vogel, Instructor | |
