School Faculty

 

Michael Blake (Limón, Boy's Workshop)
Michael Blake holds an MFA in dance from Purchase College. He began his dance career in the Murray Louis Dance Company where he danced from 1982-1984. In 1986 he joined the Jose Limon Dance Company, dancing principal roles until 1991. Michael danced with Donald Byrd/The Group from 1991-1998. He has also danced with the Joyce Trisler Danscompany, Shapiro and Smith, and Janis Brenner and Friends. He has appeared on stage at the Supper Club, NYC, national tour of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, and in the films THE ADVENTURES OF CRI CRI, and UNSETTLED DREAMS. He has taught numerous workshops both nationally and internationally, and is on the theater arts faculty at Rutgers University, and HB Studio, NYC, teaching Movement for Actors. Michael currently dances with PARADIGM Dance.


Melissa Bobick (Pre-Ballet and Intro to Ballet) grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and was primarily trained by James and Regina Eaton. She received additional training with such well-known teachers as Eleanor D'Antuono, Paul Sutherland, John Meehan and Cynthia Gregory. She graduated with a degree in ballet and nutrition from Indiana University in Bloomington where she studied under Violette Verdy. From 2001 through 2007, Melissa danced with Eugene Ballet / Ballet Idaho where she was featured in roles such as Arabian in The Nutcracker, Diamonds in Sleeping Beauty, the Autumn fairy in Cinderella and numerous contemporary works choreographed by Toni Pimble. While there, she was awarded two grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts and subsequently commissioned to choreograph three new works for the company. The most recent, a ballet entitled Give Me Much and Many inspired by the life and work of the Victorian poet Christina Rossetti, premiered in April 2007 in the Eugene Ballet and Ballet Idaho spring repertory programs. After being hired as a dancer for the National Choreographer’s Initiative in Irvine, CA, Melissa was one of four dancers engaged by New York City Opera for their new production of Cendrillon, directed and choreographed by Renaud Doucet. She was also commissioned to set a new work on the ballet majors of Belhaven College in January of 2009. Melissa is currently working in New York City as a freelance teacher and choreographer while finishing a Master’s degree in choreography at the State University of New York’s Purchase College.


Michael Chernov (Pre-Professional Ballet) received his early ballet and theatre training at the National Ballet and Theatre School in Melbourne, Australia. He worked as a ballet dancer in Europe and Australia until 1986. In 2003 Chernov received his Graduate Ballet Teachers Diploma (Vaganova Method) at the Victorian College of the Arts, and in 2006 completed a Master of Arts Administration at the University RMIT, Melbourne Australia. In 1990’s Chernov choreographed The Nutcracker for the Philippines Ballet Theatre and taught dance for Adelphi University where he choreographed Spring Sonata and Polish Suite. He taught classical ballet at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2004 and 2005, and at Danceworld in Melbourne, Australia where he was co-director of the ballet program together with his wife Gelsey Kirkland. Chernov worked in collaboration with Gelsey Kirkland and Kevin McKenzie on the staging and choreography for The Sleeping Beauty at American Ballet Theatre which played at the Metropolitan Opera House New York in 2007 and 2008 and toured the USA. Currently he is teaching classical ballet at Steps on Broadway, and continues to teach at Peridance Studios as well as teaching students privately.


Caron Eule (Adventures in Dance) is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She received her BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase. As the Director of C. Eule Dance, she has presented modern dance and contemporary ballet at venues all over New York and California. She has also choreographed for theater, film, and opera. Caron has taught dance at Ballet Hispanico School of Dance, the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute, Eliot Feld's Ballet Tech, and Chelsea Day School in New York City, and Peak Performance and the Tenafly JCC in New Jersey. She also teaches ballroom dance in the public schools for American Ballroom Theater.


Alexandra Gonzalez (Adventures in Dance) is a native of Bogota, Colombia. She received her BFA from The New World School of the Arts/University of Florida. Ms. Gonzalez has danced with San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Cedar Lake Ensemble, Thomas/Ortiz Dance, Michael Uthoff's Dance Ensemble, The Metropolitan Opera and the Ballet Hispanico Company.


Bonnie Herbert-Diaz (Pre-Professional Latin Jazz, Enrichment Jazz) was the First World Champion for the United States (Mambo), Former National-International Ten Dance Champion, and Former member of the American Ballroom Theatre. She holds an Associate of Science Degree in Recreational Therapy and is a certified Group Fitness,Yoga, and Pilates instructor. Bonnie has her own Manhattan cable TV show, Bonnie Herbert Lifestyles, and her own dance-fitness work out DVD, Latin Burn.


Jackie Kalata (Flamenco) has been performing and teaching Flamenco in the United States and Europe for more than 20 years. She performed as a soloist in the Maria Benitez Dance Company under the direction of Mario Maya, and then went on to form her own company touring Europe for 16 years. Juana has had the opportunity to work closely with acclaimed Flamenco artists such as; Antonio Canales, Javier Baron, El Junco, Alfredo Lagos, to name a few. She sat on the panel of judges ,3 years in a row ,for annual Flamenco Dance competitions organized by “La Pena Flamenca”de Milan. In 1999 Juana was professor of Flamenco in a Professional Arts Program for the European Community( a European equivalent to “The High School of Performing Arts”. She has been a resident Spanish Dance Professor in various universities across the United States. Juana enjoys sharing her experience by teaching Flamenco and Spanish Dance, from introductory courses to Master workshops for professionals.


Khaleah London (Afro Carribean) is a dancer, choreographer, instructor and actress that graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance. At the age of eleven, she danced professionally in the Afro-Caribbean Dance Revue / Caribbean Heat, performing with fire, and dancing on nail boards and broken glass. Formerly a member of Chuck Davis and The African American Dance Ensemble, she performed her solo choreography in the company’s touring repertoire. As a featured soloist with, dancer, Hope Boykin, of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Ms. London performed in a New York engagement of “Their Speech Is Silver, Their Silence Is Gold,” by choreographer Nathan Trice. Deemed Dance Magazine’s National Outstanding Performances Award winner for the National American College Dance Festival, Ms. London, received full tuition scholarships, including, the American Dance Festival’s Bessie Schoenberg. Internationally, she joined, Sakoba Dance Theatre, in New Castle, England, and performs, in Trinidad with Makeda Thomas’ Roots and Wings Movement. Recently, she performed her contemporary solo work at the, Kaay Fecc, festival, in Senegal, West Africa. Ms. London was a guest instructor at the southwestern regional American College Dance Festival, an invited guest instructor/Lecturer at California State University, Long Beach, and a former faculty member of numerous colleges in southern California. She was a guest choreographer for Long Island University and is a recipient of The Harlem Stage Fund for New Work awarded grant.


Mariangela Lopez (Adventures in Dance) is a native of Caracas, Venezuela, and has been teaching movement and dance for ten years. She is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory (BFA in Dance, 1999). After graduation she moved to NYC to continue her career as a dancer, choreographer and dance educator. In 2001, Mariangela became a Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) from the Laban Institute of Movement Studies. She has done extensive outreach teaching, and in 2005 worked with Gina Gibney Dance to develop a curriculum specially designed to teach movement to children living in shelters. From 2005-2008, she was a teaching artist at Tisch School of the Arts, Undergraduate and Graduate Summer School, through Gina Gibney Dance. Ms. Lopez is a certified yoga teacher and holds a certification in Foundations of Dance Education from Dance Education Laboratory (DEL), NYC. Mariangela is currently on faculty at the Harkness Dance Center (92 Street Y), Ballet Hispanico and the Laban Institute of Movement Studies, NYC. In addition to teaching and performing nationally and internationally, Mariangela has been presenting her work as a choreographer in NYC, Europe and Latin America, and creates works for her own dance company, Accidental Movement.


La Meira (Flamenco) The New York Times called the “purity and invention” of Meira's dancing “joyous, powerful." Widely recognized as a master teacher and performer, Meira began her extensive training in her native Los Angeles with Roberto Amaral and Carmen Mora. In Spain she performed in flamenco festivals and renowned tablaos such as Los Canasteros. She has performed with many of the giants of Flamenco, including Antonio Canales, Diego Carrasco, Manolo Soler, La Repompa de Malaga and Juanito Habichuela “El Camborio.” La Meira has been first dancer in Fred Darsow Dance, Carlota Santana Flamenco Vivo, Pasion y Arte, and Ballet Flamenco La Rosa, performing throughout North America in venues such as Carnegie Hall and Jacob's Pillow. Meira has been featured in several documentaries and has been awarded choreography grants from Pew Charitable Trusts, American Dance Festival, and the New York State Council on the Arts. She choreographed “Carmen” under the baton of Seiji Ozawa, and “Blood Wedding” at Sarah Lawrence College. She holds an M.F.A. in choreography as well as an Ed.D in dance history from Temple University, and has published numerous articles on Flamenco history. She has taught at Bryn Mawr, NYU, Princeton, Sarah Lawrence College, Flamenco Festival International in Albuquerque, and at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is a certified Pilates instructor, and is very proud to be part of the Ballet Hispanico family.


Melinda Marquez (Flamenco) has been a member of the Ballet Hispanico faculty since 1985, working with both the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance and Primeros Pasos arts education program. She is a highly skilled and well- known teacher and choreographer. The guitar master Paco Pena recently bestowed high praises on her work: "I had the pleasure of seeing the Alegrias of the Ballet Hispanico School Dance Recital of 2008. I would like to extend my congratulations to Melinda Marquez on her excellent teaching." Throughout her career Melinda has studied and performed with great masters of Flamenco dance, singing and guitar. A co-founder of Flamenco Vivo with Roberto Lorca and Carlota Santana, her primary career focus is now on teaching and choreography. Her work has been recognized with a NY Foundation for the Arts choreography fellowship, faculty positions at the Alvin Ailey School, Jacques d’Amboise’ National Dance Institute, Eglevsky Ballet, and Dance CT. She has led master classes at Brooklyn College, Mannes College of Music, The Hartt School and the City Center Fall for Dance Festival. Melinda is the artistic director of Marquez Flamenco Productions and Bailes Melinda Marquez. In addition, she is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Women’s Studies at SCSU and recently wrote and co-hosted “Flamenco: A Living Art Form” which aired on WPKN, Bridgeport, CT.


Donna Salgado (Adventures in Dance) earned a BFA in Dance Performance from Towson University and a MFA in Dance Performance and Teaching from Purchase College, State University of New York, while on scholarship. She received her classical training under Tatjana Akinfieva-Smith and Elena Manakhova, and has attended intensive programs with the American Ballet Theatre, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Lines Ballet. She has performed with the Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre, TU Dance Company, ad Hoc Ballet, and the Connecticut Ballet. She has been teaching dance for over a decade in a variety of venues including dance studios, public and private schools, summer camps, and at the university level. As a member of the ballet faculty for Towson University’s Children’s Dance Division, she was selected to coach the children performing in the touring productions of the Washington Ballet’s and the Moscow Ballet’s Nutcrackers. She is also a member of the dance faculty at the School at STEPS on Broadway. Her passion for dance has also lead to choreographing several commissions, modeling for a dancewear company and dance photographers, writing for Dancer Magazine, and earning a Pilates certification.

Vanessa Salgado (Intro to Ballet, Teen 2 Ballet) holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the Alvin Ailey/Fordham University BFA Program at Lincoln Center. She has performed with Ad Hoc Ballet, Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre, Ailey/Fordham Student Dancers, and galas in Barcelona, Spain and Miami, FL. She was a dancer in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on CBS, and for L'Oreal Professional. Vanessa is a Maryland Distinguished Scholar in the Arts and has attended programs with American Ballet Theatre, Briansky Saratoga Ballet Center, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre. Vanessa has been an assistant teacher for the Ailey First Steps Program, the Children and Teen Program at Broadway Dance Center, and faculty of the Salisbury Studio of Dance. She has been a Director for the CPYB residential life program, as well as residential leadership roles with the NYSSSA School of Dance, Maryland Summer Center for the Arts, and the Ailey Summer Intensive. Vanessa is currently a dancer with the Clear Talent Group.


Nelida Tirado (Enrichment Flamenco) hailed as "magnificent" by the New York Times, Nelida is known for her intense grace and passionate style. Her formal training began in Ballet Hispanico and continued in Spain as she worked with the countries most reknown companies. She has danced with the companies of Carlota Santana Flamenco Vivo, Noche Flamenca, Maria Pages and was featured in "Riverdance" on Broadway. She has also performed with the Metropolitan Opera's Spanish Ballet in "Carmen" and was featured in Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" 2007. She is the official instructor for USA's Flamenco Festival.


Rebecca Tsivkin (Adventures in Dance) Rebecca Tsivkin is a member of the Royal Academy of Dance in London, where she received a teaching degree after completing an intensive three-year program. She has taught in Montessori schools and ballet academies on the East and West Coasts, and was a guest teacher at the California State University at Fullerton and the University of New Hampshire. She is a judge for the Performance Awards of the American Academy of Ballet, and is on faculty at a ballet Summer School program at Purchase College.


Jayson “Mighty Mouse” Vasquez (Hip Hop, Enrichment Jazz) was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He started his dance career in the subways of Time Square train station dancing for money. From the streets to the professional dance world. Mouse has worked with the likes of Tyler Perry and Rennie Harris. His Film/TV credits include Good Morning America 25th anniversary, USA Net Work commercial “Show Us Your Character”, and VH1 Hip Hop Honor Awards Dancing for Grand Master Caz. He has also danced for modern theater companies such as Eleo Pomare Dance Company, Louis Johnson Dance Company, and has also Co-choreographed on the Joan Miller Dance Company. Mouse is also a Ballet Hispanico alumni. Currently, Mouse is teaching master classes that educate students about the true essence of hip hop dance, culture, and history.