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Adreana DziadoszAdreana started dancing at the age of three and joined the SCDC when she was twelve. During her time as a student at NHAPA, she always enjoyed assisting in classes, and is very excited to be back at NHAPA teaching. Currently, she is a full time pre-med student at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Adreana hopes to continue her studies to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and become a licensed physical therapist. This is Adreana’s second year teaching at NHAPA.
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Alyssa VaccaAlyssa Vacca graduated from Elon University with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography as well as a BA for Arts Administration. She has recently interned with Koresh Dance Company in Philadelphia and Urbanity Dance in Boston. Her love for dance started at a young age and since then she has been trained in a variety of styles as a Joffrey Ballet School Contemporary/Jazz Trainee. Currently, Alyssa is a company member with the Boston Community Dance Project’s adult company and is a member of the Dance As Art photography project with photographer Kevin Richardson. Alyssa has taught a variety of classes from LA to Boston and is ambitious to continue growing her knowledge and working in the field. NHAPA is proud to have an alumni like Alyssa back as a faculty member.
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Danielle Mojonnier
Danielle began teaching dance over 20 years ago and is the founder and Executive Director of Grinning Moon Creative, a Portsmouth-based graphic design and videography agency. Danielle is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth, and founded and ran her own dance education program at the North Shore Music Theater in Beverly, MA for two years. She has taught a variety of dance forms for a range of ages at dance studios such as the Act One Theatre School in Pittsburgh, PA, the Gene Murray School of Dance in Salem, MA, Manchester High School in Manchester, MA, and the Beverly YMCA in Beverly, MA. Danielle graduated from the 3 year Teacher Training Program at the Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston and was awarded the Ballet Scholarship for her performance and test scores. In addition to Danielle‘s Masters degree in Arts Management, Danielle has a BFA in Theater Direction from Carnegie Mellon University, which is consistently ranked one the top 3 Drama and Music Theater programs in the country. Danielle was one of only 5 undergraduate Directors in this highly competitive program, and her Directing degree focused on Musical Theater direction and included extensive choreography and dance training. Danielle has performed in, directed, choreographed and produced dozens of musical theater productions in New England and Chicago as well as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. In addition, she has been a member of the SCDC’s Professional Company since 2007. Danielle is the proud mother of Julian and Sophie, who are both currently students at NHAPA.
Django MasonDjango Mason was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. Following a move to Boston, he began training professionally with the Boston Ballet. Throughout his career, Django trained and performed with prestigious ballet companies across the country and abroad like the San Francisco Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Royal Ballet, and Paris Opera Ballet. His choreographic debut, "Romance in F major" premiered at the Boston Ballet Black Box Theater in 2019. Later that year, Django began teaching and has loved every second of it since. Django's teaching has brought him everywhere from Nashville to Hawai'i and now back to the Northeast. He is very excited to be working with the wonderful students at NHAPA and is thrilled to share the joy of dance with the wonderful NHAPA community.
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Hannah CharneyHannah is a NHAPA alum, who started taking classes at age 3 and performed with the SCDC for many years. She went on to attend College of Charleston, graduating in 2015 with a B.A. in Communications, then spent a year teaching English abroad in Thailand and three years living in Boston, where she began her career in Public Relations. She kept dancing along the way, minoring in Dance, teaching classes throughout college, and performing with the CofC Dance Alliance, DanceFX Charleston and DanceWorks Boston. Hannah also enjoys yoga, hiking and long walks around her new neighborhood in Newburyport, and is excited to be returning to NHAPA as a faculty member this year.
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Katie GillisKatie Gillis is a former NHAPA dancer and Seacoast Civic Dance Company member. She attended UNH where she majored in Marketing and minored in Dance, and was a member of the UNH Dance Company. Katie also instructed dance in the Durham/Dover area throughout her college years. Katie graduated in 2011 and we are thrilled to have her back to NHAPA. Currently, Katie teaches Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Jumps & Turns. Katie also works as the Digital Marketing & Events Manager at WaterWipes in Portsmouth, NH.
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Kayla Waldron
Kayla began her dance training at the age of eight at local Seacoast dance schools including NHAPA. While at NHAPA she performed with their junior performance company. Kayla has been instructing on the Seacoast for over ten years. Her choreography has won awards in many local, and national level competitions . She has experience with every age of dancer, and believes anyone can dance.
She has taken her skills to the next level by partaking in many conventions and workshops, such as Monsters of Hip Hop and Turn It Up Dance Challenge. Kayla has studied with known choreographers Excel (NYC), Kelly Peters, and took classes at Jeanette Neils in Boston. She studied with Dance Masters of America, and was certified in 2014.
Other than teaching in the studio, Kayla has been a dance director for Newburyport’s Theater in the Open summer arts workshop since 2013. She enjoys teaching students how to create their own movements, and to be proud of what they develop in the process. She has choreographed musicals for The Firehouse Center for the Arts.
She is an active member of Exit Dance Theatre. A modern based company out of Newburyport. Directed under Fontaine Dubus. With the company she has performed, as well as choreographed for multiple seasons. Most recently, Kayla became a certified instructor of Rhythm Works, an interrogative dance program for student with special needs.
Kayla is elated to be back with NHAPA, this time as an instructor. She hopes her students take a lot from her classes, and grow as dancers as well artists.
She has taken her skills to the next level by partaking in many conventions and workshops, such as Monsters of Hip Hop and Turn It Up Dance Challenge. Kayla has studied with known choreographers Excel (NYC), Kelly Peters, and took classes at Jeanette Neils in Boston. She studied with Dance Masters of America, and was certified in 2014.
Other than teaching in the studio, Kayla has been a dance director for Newburyport’s Theater in the Open summer arts workshop since 2013. She enjoys teaching students how to create their own movements, and to be proud of what they develop in the process. She has choreographed musicals for The Firehouse Center for the Arts.
She is an active member of Exit Dance Theatre. A modern based company out of Newburyport. Directed under Fontaine Dubus. With the company she has performed, as well as choreographed for multiple seasons. Most recently, Kayla became a certified instructor of Rhythm Works, an interrogative dance program for student with special needs.
Kayla is elated to be back with NHAPA, this time as an instructor. She hopes her students take a lot from her classes, and grow as dancers as well artists.
Kimberly Ostrowski-Alderson
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Kim Alderson comes to NHAPA with a wealth of instruction and performance experience. Kim has trained extensively with the School of the Hartford Ballet and the Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education. In addition, she has attended and received her certificate from the David Howard Teacher Training Seminar, Finis Jhung Teacher Training Seminar and Ruth Petrinovic Teacher Training Seminar. Kim has performed with Ballet New England, New England Ballet Company and presently performs with the Haverhill Chamber Ballet. Kim has been on the faculty of Ballet New England, Fusion Dance Academy and the New England Ballet School and Company where she has instructed Ballet levels I-VI as well as developing program curriculum and choreography.
We are confident her expertise, energy and enthusiasm will be a wonderful addition to our team. Please join us in welcoming her to the NHAPA family. |
Makayla Ferrick
Makayla received her MFA in Choreography at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) where she studied under Duane Cyrus, Dr. Jill Green, B.J. Sullivan, and Lee Walton. Makayla is a dedicated teaching artist and is former teaching assistant at UNCG. Her choreographic practice and teaching practice are informed by two somatic practices: Ideokinesis and Kinetic Awareness®. Makayla studied studying under Dr. Jill Green and pursuing her certification in Kinetic Awareness®. Makayla has been recognized for scholarship with The Bruce LeVine Mellion 69’ Scholarship for Excellence in Dance (2016), Alta Lu Townes Memorial Dance Award (2017), Kristina Larson Award(2019), Recognizable Student Group Leader Award for the Association of Graduate Student’s in Dance (2019), and The Outstanding Graduate Assistant Award (2020). Makayla’s choreographic work was chosen to represent Keene State College at the American College Dance Association in 2016 and 2017. Her work was also chosen as a TedX finalist in 2017. Makayla Ferrick’s formative life as a mover began in New England which shaped her vision as a dancer, improvisor, choreographer and educator.
She earned a BS in Business Management and a BA in Dance: Choreography & Performance from Keene State College. During her dance studies, she focused on choreography and modern dance technique with William Seigh, Marcia Murdock, and Cynthia McLaughlin. In the summer of 2016, Makayla attended Bates Dance Festival where she performed Plastic Action by Autumn Eckman. Later, she performed Six Dancers and a Curtain for New York artist, Yanira Castro (2016), The Head or the Hair by Dopplegänger Dance Collective (2017), and Bodyspeaking, Beneath Crystal Skin (Choreographed by Jessie Jeanne Stinnett), Allemande (Choreographed by Marcus Schulkind), Man of the Hour (Choreographed by Itzik Galili), and Today for Now(Choreographed by YinYue) with Boston Dance Theater (2017 & 2018).
She earned a BS in Business Management and a BA in Dance: Choreography & Performance from Keene State College. During her dance studies, she focused on choreography and modern dance technique with William Seigh, Marcia Murdock, and Cynthia McLaughlin. In the summer of 2016, Makayla attended Bates Dance Festival where she performed Plastic Action by Autumn Eckman. Later, she performed Six Dancers and a Curtain for New York artist, Yanira Castro (2016), The Head or the Hair by Dopplegänger Dance Collective (2017), and Bodyspeaking, Beneath Crystal Skin (Choreographed by Jessie Jeanne Stinnett), Allemande (Choreographed by Marcus Schulkind), Man of the Hour (Choreographed by Itzik Galili), and Today for Now(Choreographed by YinYue) with Boston Dance Theater (2017 & 2018).
Tracy DwyerA member of NHAPA and the SCDC in its early years, Tracy continued to study dance at UNH, where she also earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Administration. Having returned to NHAPA several years ago to teach and perform, she continues to enjoy her students and being at NHAPA. She is a valuable part of the school. Her daughter, Amanda and son, Noah are also valuable members of the NHAPA community as they continue to grow as dancers.
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Caitlin Hanacek
Caitlin has been a member of the NHAPA family for 30 years and is thrilled to return to the seacoast and join the faculty! She has taught and choreographed for competitive dance teams in Virginia and DC for the last 10 years. She spent most of her time on faculty at the Virginia Regional Ballet. Her students have gone on to receive scholarships for dance at various colleges and others have joined professional dance companies. Her dance training began at NHAPA, where she was a member of the Seacoast Civic Dance Company and served as captain of the company. Caitlin went on to study at the University of New Hampshire where she was a member of the UNH Competitive Dance Team. After completing her freshman year, Caitlin moved to New York City to intern at Broadway Dance Center. After auditioning and training in New York, Caitlin finished her degree at the University of Maryland graduating in 2010 with a BA in Psychology. She then went on to receive her M.A.Ed in Elementary Education from The College of William and Mary. In addition to teaching dance, Caitlin teaches language arts at Learning Skills Academy in Rye, NH. All while juggling her two precious little girls.