Robyne Patent
|
Associate Director & Choreographer.
|
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.
|
|
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, and Sophie is a member of the SCDC.
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.
|
|
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
|
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. |
Maddison Gaieski
|
Maddison Gaieski is a compassionate dance artist and educator with years of teaching and choreographic experience, whose goal is to help dancers develop their individual artistic voices while connecting to others through community. Her formative years were spent as a competitive company dancer in the Merrimack Valley area. Later she went on to study at Salem State University earning a bachelor’s of science. While there she studied within the dance program learning from great movers such as Caitlin Corbet and Juilliard graduate Jenna Pollack. This time helped inform her teaching and choreographic process. Over the past years Maddie has taught classes all over the New England area teaching students of all different levels, ages, and backgrounds. Currently she dances with Boston’s premiere Hip-Hop company Phunk Phenomenon. Credits include dancing for the rapper DaBaby at Boston’s House of Blues, Boston Celtics halftime, Redbull Dance Your Style, Tommy the Clown vs the World, and performing at Fenway Park. Over the past year she has taught Juilliard curriculum through the Juilliard creative classroom with mentorship from Juilliard professionals and graduates. Using the Juilliard model has helped her evolve her teaching practice. Maddie continues to train as a dancer taking varying classes and learning new techniques to bring back to her students. Through enthusiastic and inspiring coaching she pushes her students to become the best versions of themselves while instilling humanity and kindness.
|
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.