Crazy

Teacher Michelle Manzanales

Choreography Michelle Manzanales in collaboration with the cast

Music "Crazy" by Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline

Performed by Modern 5

Mia Bermudez, Amanda Goodridge, Nora Guttman, Juliana Laird, Rubi Perez Guzman, Kayla Sie, Ellah Siegel, Elsa Strauss, Gregory Wickham, Jameson Zachery

Tangos y Tanguillos

Teacher & Choreographer Gabriela Granados

Music by "Tangos del Piyayo" by Segundo Falcón and "Tanguillos de Cádiz" by Tina Pavón

Performed by Spanish Dance 2A

Rebekka Bek, Beatrice Dorish, Charlotte Gimbrere, Madeleine Liu, Remy Rusconi​, Annabel Saunders, Gabriela Verastegui

Pas de Quatre

Teacher & Choreographer Victoria Vargas

Music Cesare Pugnic

Performed by Ballet 1A

Jianna Almanzar, Keira Espinoza, Gabriella Lopez, Camila Martinez, Ella Tresser, Alicia Villareal, Julia Cramer

Homelands

Teacher Amélie Bénard

Choreography Graham Technique arranged by Amélie Bénard

Music by "Homelands" by Nitin Sawhney

Performed by Graham 4A

Nathalia Bethancourt, Deanna Cruz, Madeline Ferreira, Elizabeth Mercado, Ela Nawab, Maya Suzuki, Amaia Williams

Joyful Tarantela

Teacher & Choreographer Elisabet Delgado

Music Unknown

Performed by Ballet & Pre-Pointe 3A

Theodore Adarkar, Penelope Alemar, Zoey Chen, Zahava Khan, Rinnelly Maldonado, Beatrice Salamone

Anónimo

Teacher & Choreographer Elisabet Delgado

Music "Tomb by Richard Schrieber"

Performed by Ballet & Pointe 5

Jolianne Alavazo, Mia Bermudez, Juliana Laird, Amanda Goodridge, Nora Guttman, Rubi Perez Guzman, Kayla Sie, Ellah Siegel, Elsa Strauss, Gregory Wickham, Jameson Zachery

Verde Junco

Teacher & Choreographer JoDe Romano

Music by José Merce

Performed by Spanish Dance 3A

Theodore Adarkar, Penelope Alemar, Zoey Chen, Zahava Khan, Rinnelly Maldonado, Beatrice Salamone

Parrot Dance, La Bayadère

Teacher Georgina Greenleaf

Choreography Marius Petipa adapted by Georgina Greenleaf

Music by Ludwig Minkus, performed by Evergreen Symphony Orchestra

Performed by Ballet 2A

Rebekka Bek, Beatrice Dorish, Charlotte Gimbrere, Madeleine Liu, Remy Rusconi​, Annabel Saunders, Gabriela Verastegui

¡Ay Mi Sombrero!

Teacher Kiri Avelar

Choreography Kiri Avelar and Yanil A. Pabon in collaboration with the student performers

Music "¡Ay Mi Sombrero!" by Manolo Escobar

Performed by Spanish Dance 1A

Jianna Almanzar, Keira Espinoza, Gabriella Lopez, Camila Martinez, Ella Tresser, Alicia Villareal, Julia Cramer

Bailando con el Sonido de La Lluvia

Teacher & Choreographer Yvonne Gutierrez

Music "Esta Noche Ha Llovido" performed by Tahona and composed by José Luis Gómez Blanco with lyrics by José Luis Gómez Blanco

Performed by Spanish Dance 4A

Ela Nawab, Amaia Williams

Accompanied by Spanish Dance 1A

Jianna Almanzar, Keira Espinoza, Gabriella Lopez, Camila Martinez, Ella Tresser, Alicia Villareal, Julia Cramer

Blue Slate

Teacher & Choreographer Michelle Fleet

Music by Music - "Bacchanale'Ulysee" and "Malacca Bay" by Henry Torgue and Serge Houppin

Performed by Modern Fundamentals 3A

Theodore Adarkar, Penelope Alemar, Zoey Chen, Zahava Khan, Rinnelly Maldonado, Beatrice Salamone

Pas de Naila

Teacher & Choreographer Ana Lourdes Novoa

Music by Léo Delibes

Performed by Ballet & Pointe 4A

Nathalia Bethancourt, Deanna Cruz, Madeline Ferreira, Elizabeth Mercado, Ela Nawab, Maya Suzuki, Amaia Williams

Yanvalou con Bomba

Teacher & Choreographer Milteri Tucker Concepcion

Music by "Roda Song & Rhythm" by Hermanos Cepeda

Performed by Afro-Caribbean 2A

Rebekka Bek, Beatrice Dorish, Charlotte Gimbrere, Madeleine Liu, Remy Rusconi​, Annabel Saunders, Gabriela Verastegui

Estamos Aquí / We are Here

Teacher & Choreographer Yvonne Gutierrez

Music by "Medley of Jamás Desaparece Lo Que Nunca Parte" by Jose Merce and Bulerias by Rosalia

Performed by Spanish Dance 5

Mia Bermudez, Juliana Laird, Oriana Parsa, Rubi Perez Guzman, Renna Silverman, Elsa Strauss, Gregory Wickham

Crazy

Teacher Michelle Manzanales

Choreography Michelle Manzanales in collaboration with the Cast

Music "Crazy" by Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline

Performed by Modern 5

Mia Bermudez, Amanda Goodridge, Nora Guttman, Juliana Laird, Rubi Perez Guzman, Kayla Sie, Ellah Siegel, Elsa Strauss, Gregory Wickham, Jameson Zachery

Waltz of Coppelia

Teacher & Choreographer Ana Lourdes Novoa

Music by Léo Delibes

Performed by Ballet & Pointe 3B

Ruby Castillo, Ilyana Garcia, Simone Levenson, Violet Lynch, Kiana Nuñez, Natalia Ramos, Alicia Robles, Abigail Satzman, Julia Gray

Pasacalle pasodoble

Teacher & Choreographer Gabriela Granados

Music by Zarzuela Agua, azucarillos y aguardiente, Federico Chueca, English Chamber Orquestra

Performed by Spanish Dance 2B

Rivke Armyn, Elyza Diaz, Emma Kuilan, Pénélope Manchelle, Julianna Pierre

La Suma Sacerdotisa

Teacher & Choreographer Rodney Hamilton

Music by "Rhumba (Baile Voodoo)" by Choco & Mafimba Drum Rhythms, "African Latino Voodoo Drums" ‎by Antonio Diaz Mena and Sidney Frey, "African Tribal Dance" by Il Laboratorio del Ritmo, and "Tropical Drums, Vol. 2 (Techno, Tribal & Afro)" by Andrea Cuppini

Performed by Dunham 4B

Lena Abernethy, Ava-Nicole Fincher, Renata Suarez

Danube

Teacher Joshua Winzeler

Choreography Joshua Winzeler in collaboration with Ballet 1B Students

Music by Abel Korzeniowski

Performed by Ballet 1B

Miriam Frautschi, Felicia Muratori, Analia Perez, Tess Tintle

Me Llama

Teacher & Choreographer JoDe Romano

Music by José Merce

Performed by Spanish Dance 3B

Ruby Castillo, Ilyana Garcia, Simone Levenson, Violet Lynch, Kiana Nuñez, Natalia Ramos, Alicia Robles, Abigail Satzman, Julia Gray

Soti nan Latè rive Nan kè ak Nanm

Teacher & Choreographer Rodney Hamilton

Music by "East Africa" by African Drums Music

Performed by Afro-Caribbean 2B

Rivke Armyn, Elyza Diaz, Emma Kuilan, Pénélope Manchelle, Julianna Pierre

Anónimo

Teacher & Choreographer Elisabet Delgado

Music by "Tomb" by Richard Schrieber

Performed by Ballet & Pointe 5

Jolianne Alavazo, Mia Bermudez, Juliana Laird, Amanda Goodridge, Nora Guttman, Rubi Perez Guzman, Kayla Sie, Ellah Siegel, Elsa Strauss, Gregory Wickham, Jameson Zachery

AIRE! BREATH

Teacher & Choreographer Yvonne Gutierrez

Music by Ricardo Anglada Vicente and Alisa Hotel Andaluz

Performed by Spanish Dance 4B

Tamara Houck, Renata Suarez, Lourdes Velasco

Globe-Trotter

Teacher Amélie Bénard

Choreography Graham Technique arranged by Amélie Bénard

Music by "In Andalousia/In Maroco" by Didier Lockwood

Performed by Graham 3B

Ruby Castillo, Ilyana Garcia, Simone Levenson, Violet Lynch, Kiana Nuñez, Natalia Ramos, Alicia Robles, Abigail Satzman, Julia Gray

España de Mis Amores

Teacher Kiri Avelar

Choreography Kiri Avelar in 2019; Restaged in 2022

Music by “España de mis Amores” performed by Los Churumbeles de España

Performed by Spanish Dance 1B

Miriam Frautschi, Felicia Muratori, Analia Perez, Tess Tintle

Paquita Suite

Quintet

Teacher Georgina Greenleaf

Choreography Marius Petipa, adapted by Georgina Greenleaf

Music by Ludwig Minkus performed by the Bolshoi Orchesetra

Performed by Ballet 2B

Rivke Armyn, Elyza Diaz, Emma Kuilan, Pénélope Manchelle, Julianna Pierre

Paquita Suite

Variations

Teacher Rebecca Tsivkin

Choreography Marius Petipa adapted by Rebecca Tsivkin

Music by Ludwig Minkus, Paquita, Sofia National Opera Orchestra, Boris Spaaov

Performed by Ballet & Pointe 4B

Lena Abernethy, Ava-Nicole Fincher, Renata Suarez, Lourdes Velasco

Estamos Aquí / We are Here

Teacher & Choreographer Yvonne Gutierrez

Music by "Medley of Jamás Desaparece Lo Que Nunca Parte" by Jose Merce and Bulerias by Rosalia

Performed by Spanish Dance 5

Mia Bermudez, Juliana Laird, Oriana Parsa, Rubi Perez Guzman, Renna Silverman, Elsa Strauss, Gregory Wickham​

KIRI AVELAR is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and scholar working to embody, represent, honor, question, and challenge space for Latinx identities to be expressed. A 2020 Jerome Robbins Dance Division Research Fellow for the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, her scholarly research Descubriendo Latinx: The Hidden Text in American Modern Dance, visibilizes the Latinx diasporic presence in the early American modern dance canon as a way to retell our collective dance histories, shifting the narrative through a re-examination of the archive. Her correlating artistic practice is designed to further provoke thought around the artistic, physical, and cultural borderless experience of Latinx artists in America, and immerses audiences in unique spaces to explore themes of ruido, mestiza consciousness, intersectionality, migration, and Latinidades through film, embodied oral history performances, interactive screendance, and soundscapes. Her current projects include serving as Associate Curator for the José Limón 75th Anniversary Exhibition for the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, and collaborating with the José Limón Foundation on scholarly research in celebration of their 75th anniversary.

Ms. Avelar’s teaching philosophy employs an intersection of teaching practices through a Latinx inquiry of culturally responsive and critical dance pedagogies, centering Chicana/Latina Feminist methodologies and pedagogies of testimonio and plática. Most recently awarded a Teaching Fellowship through NYU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), Ms. Avelar will be developing curricular work for K-12 public schools around the theme, Developing Critical Pedagogies of Care in our Schools, exploring language, culture, immigration, race, contemporary politics, indigeneity and identity in the dance classroom. As Founding Director of the Academia de Ballet Emmanuel, an after-school program providing quality dance education for the children of Hogar de Niños Emmanuel Orphanage in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, where she resided for ten years, she continues to advocate for dance as co-founder of two creative learning sites - the Latinx Dance Educators Alliance, a resource center for dance educators, and ColectivXs, an interdisciplinary artist collective - initiatives designed to hold space for continued investigation centering collaborative community expression in diaspora.

Having studied as a scholarship recipient at the Boston Ballet School, and more extensively in the New Mexico/Texas borderland region and Madrid, Spain, Ms. Avelar has performed with the Milwaukee Ballet, Cor Ignis Contemporary Dance, Sol y Arena Spanish Dance, American Bolero Dance Company, and as an independent artist. She holds an MFA in Dance from Rutgers University, and a BA in Dance with honors from New Mexico State University. Fronteriza de El Paso, Texas/Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, México, Ms. Avelar currently resides in New York City, serving as Deputy School Director and teaching faculty for Ballet Hispánico, and for the National Dance Education Organization's Research Committee.

AMÉLIE BÉNARD began her dance training at Centre international de danse jazz Rick Odums in Paris. She left her native France in 2006 to study at the Martha Graham School where she was awarded a scholarship and joined Graham II in 2007. She also became a member of Edgar Cortes Dance Theater and Caliince Dance and performed works from choreographers such as Pearl Lang, Robert Battle, Virginie Mécène, Peggy Lyman, and Carrie Ellmore-Tallitsch. After graduating from the Professional Training Program, she enrolled in the Teaching Training Program and obtained her certificate of recognition as a Teacher of Martha Graham Technique in June 2009. Amélie Bénard is not only teaching the Martha Graham Technique and Repertory but has also been restaging Martha Graham's Panorama since 2010 as part of the All-City Panorama project. She's currently serving on the faculties of Ballet Hispánico as well as the Martha Graham School Of Contemporary Dance and the Joffrey Ballet School.

ELISABET DELGADO completed her dance training at the Cuban National Ballet School under Fernando Alonso and Ramona de Saá’s tutelage. In her native Cuba, she also performed with Pro Danza, a professional classical ballet company directed by Laura Alonso, Prima Assoluta Alicia Alonso’s daughter. In 2012, she moved to New York where she currently is a member of the Brooklyn Ballet Company and continues her studies under the direction of our world renowned Pre Professional Coordinator, Caridad Martinez.

MICHELLE FLEET is a native of the Bronx, New York, Michelle Fleet began dancing at the age of four under the tutelage of Lee Aca Thompson, she continued her training at Ballet Hispánico, while attending Talent Unlimited H.S. Michelle Fleet earned her B.F.A from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase Collage. Ms. Fleet joined Taylor 2 in 1999 and made her debut with the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 2002. During her 18 year tenure with the Paul Taylor Dance Company Ms. Fleet performed in 72 works in over 90 various roles choreographed by Mr. Taylor. Recognized for her versatility, musicality, strength and sensitivity to movement, Michelle Fleet is described in the New York Times by Gia Kourlas as “Strong and musically sensitive, dances as if movement is melting off her body.” Ms. Fleet has been featured in commissioned works by Larry Keigwin, Doug Elkins, Doug Varone, Brian Arias, Margie Gillis, Pam Tanowitz and Kyle Abraham. She has also performed in works by Bill T. Jones, Merce Cunningham, Kevin Wynn and Corbin Dances. In 2019 Ms. Fleet was honored as a Bronx Dance Icon, she has been highlighted in Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit, Self, Elle, TimeOut and other notable publications. In 2006 Ms. Fleet earned her M.B.A in Business administration from NYIT. As an entrepreneur Ms. Fleet is founder and CEO of Suri & Caya Fiber Art Designs and a co-founder of the Asbury Park Dance Festival.

GABRIELA GRANADOS began training at the age of four in her native Perú, studying a wide range of classical and regional Spanish dances, Flamenco, Classical Ballet, Character dance and Latin American folklore. She attended Universidad de Lima, in Perú, to study Communication Sciences. Ms. Granados performed extensively throughout her youth including productions at Teatro Municipal and Teatro Segura in Lima, Perú. While appearing in classical productions, she performed in full-length ballets such as Carmen, Giselle, Les Sylphides, The Nutcracker and Pugni’s Grand Pas de Quatre.

In 1980, she moved to New York where she continued her dance studies and performing career. She traveled to Spain in 1985 and made her debut at the legendary Tablao Flamenco Los Canasteros in Madrid. Ms. Granados also studied in Seville and performed in Madrid’s renowned tablaos flamencos Las Brujas and Zambra, where she had the opportunity to work alongside Spain’s top flamenco professionals. After returning to the U.S., she became a member of the flamenco dance companies of Maria Benítez, Andrea del Conte and Carlota Santana.

In 1996, Ms. Granados founded American Bolero Dance Company (ABDC), with a mission to present other aspects of Spanish music and dance, besides Flamenco. Her company received a Heritage and Preservation grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2002 and, since 2009, yearly consecutive grants from NYC-DCA and NYSCA through the Queens Council on the Arts. Her work for ABDC encompasses classical and folkloric Spanish dances, 18th Century Bolero, Zarzuela and Flamenco. In 2002, Ms. Granados established her company-affiliated Spanish Dance School, dedicated exclusively to the preservation of all these dance styles.

As artistic director, dancer and choreographer of ABDC, Ms. Granados has successfully presented her productions in New York City, the Mid-Atlantic States and Europe. She created and produced “Olé! Olé!” in 1998 at Intar Theater, “Olé! Olé! Fin de Siglo” in 1999 at The Kaye Playhouse, “Spanish Gems” in 2005 at Flushing Town Hall, “Tablao Flamenco” from 2008 to 2015, which ran in Astoria-NYC for eight seasons. In 2014 she presented her “Retrospectiva” at Tony Bennett Concert Hall at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts; and in 2016, 2017 and 2019, she produced “FlamencoLIC” at The Secret Theatre in Long Island City, NY.

Her choreographic credits include the creation of Spanish dances for Ballet Municipal de Lima in Perú, Cuadro Flamenco for New York’s Pancho Villa, La Traviata for Virginia Opera and Mannes Opera, Carmen for Orlando Opera, La Vida Breve for DiCapo Opera Theatre, Goyescas and La Vida Breve for Bronx Symphony, and the original version of El Amor Brujo for Wesleyan University’s Ensemble of the Americas, where she performed with flamenco singer Esperanza Fernández.

She appeared as a guest soloist with various companies and music ensembles, such as Orchestra of St. Luke’s -in Carnegie Hall, Queens Symphony, Baltimore Opera, and in 2007, Ms. Granados toured with The Sherman Ensemble and the Saratoga String Players, dancing her newly created work Fandango by Luigi Boccherini; and in 2008, she performed at the Metropolitan Opera gala honoring Plácido Domingo.

Ms. Granados has been on the faculty of the Neubert Ballet Institute for over a decade, an artist in residence at LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, on the faculty of Broadway Dance Center, a freelance teacher at Fazil’s Times Circle Studios, and a guest teacher and lecturer for the Dance Department of New York University and Barnard College, plus Alvin Ailey and Joffrey Ballet. She currently teaches at Ballet Hispanico and American Bolero’s Spanish Dance School. She’s been featured on Oxygen TV Network and was selected by It’s Queens The Magazine in the “Top 15 Movers & Shakers 2011”, a list of the borough’s behind the scene entrepreneurs, artists and leaders. In 2017, she received a Certificate of Merit from the New York State Assembly in recognition of her achievements. The New York Times called her production Olé! Olé! “Exuberant and stylish”, and her solo work “stunning…a tour de force”. www.ambolero.com

GEORGINA GREENLEAF is from Herndon, Virginia where she began her ballet studies at Conservatory Ballet. She studied the classical Russian Vaganova method and other dance forms including Character, Jazz, Modern and Flamenco. Training in a family atmosphere awarded her the opportunity to begin working with children at a young age, assisting with classes and rehearsals. At 15, she co-created and managed a week-long summer camp for young children. Ms. Greenleaf has performed as a supernumerary multiple times with the American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet during their seasons at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She also attended the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia as a summer student. Upon graduating school she traveled to New York City to continue her studies with Ballet Hispánico. After completing the Pre-Professional Program, she began assisting classes and became a member of the BH faculty in 2016. Ms. Greenleaf recently represented Ballet Hispánico as an instructor at a Cuban-focused summer intensive with the New Orleans Ballet Association in 2019.

YVONNE GUTIERREZ A good teacher sees excellence in each student while highlighting their diverse and individual differences. Yvonne Gutierrez, artist/teacher/choreographer of Cuban descent has taught dance at many establishments (dance schools, elementary school, college). She holds a BS in Computer Science from Pace University. As a member of NAEYC, The International Association of Blacks in Dance, Inc and the Black Flamenco Network | FAAUD she continues learning and networking in order to evolve helping to inspire and create experiences for the future generations. She was a reader and panelist for the 34th Annual Festival Flamenco Alburquerque, the New Perspectives in Flamenco History and Research Symposium. Ms. Yvonne is a faculty member at Ballet Hispanico’s School of Dance for over 20 years. She was appointed to start teaching Flamenco/Spanish dance as well as the Jr. Company repertory by Tina Ramirez in the mid 1980s. During the years 1991 to 2006, Ms. Yvonne started a Flamenco/Spanish and salsa On2 dance program in the Lower East Side’s Abrons Arts Center under the legendary director and acclaimed choreographer Louis Johnson. This underserved community was able to embrace a program that resembled more of the community surrounding Henry Street Settlement. While the program was in its peak, students trained by Yvonne were also fortunate enough to perform annually with the Carlotta Santana Dance Company in the Playhouse. While at the Abrons Arts Center, Ms Yvonne creatively choreographed flamenco, castanets, salsa and cha cha to the music of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker in an original production of “The Nutcracker in the Lower” which lasted 10 years.  Her teachings have also taken her to work at New York City’s Joffrey Ballet, New School University, Marymount Manhattan College, CUNY, NY Public Schools in the underserved communities, The Door, Concepts Dance Academy, Purelements and Flamenco Latino.  In addition, Ms. Yvonne is also a Salsa on 2 instructor/mentor/coach and former Eddie Torres Company dancer. She has toured and taught nationally and internationally.

RODNEY HAMILTON began his training in his native St. Louis at several schools including Carr Lane V.P.A., the Center of Contemporary Arts, and Alexandra School of Ballet. He also studied with Ms. Katherine Dunham and joined the chorus at the MUNY where he performed for seven years. After arriving in New York City, he graduated with a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School and joined Ballet Hispánico where he was a principal dancer and assistant rehearsal director for 10 years. During this time, he performed works by José Limon, Paul Taylor, Hans van Manen, Robert Battle, Ohad Naharin, David Parsons, William Whitener, Ann Reinking, Ramón Oller, Sergio Trujillo, Trinette Singleton, Agnes DeMille, Talley Beatty, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Vicente Nebrada, and numerous other well-known choreographers. Mr. Hamilton was part of the national touring cast of Hello Dolly with Carol Channing and worked with the Broadway cast of Tarzan during its workshop process. In 2012, Mr. Hamilton became the Resident Choreographer for the Saint Petersburg City Theater in Florida where he choreographed Hello Dolly, Footloose, and Memphis. In 2019, Mr. Hamilton became the Associate Choreographer for a new version of the musical Evita that will premiere at New York’s City Center, Encores! series this fall. Mr. Hamilton holds an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has taught ballet, modern, and Dunham technique all over the world. Mr. Hamilton is happy to be returning home to Ballet Hispánico as a faculty member at the School of Dance and to take on the role of BHdos Rehearsal Director.

ANA LOURDES NOVOA began her training in La Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana. She graduated eight years later in 1976, and was immediately admitted into the National Ballet of Cuba. In 1982, she was promoted to first soloist and in 1990 to principal dancer. Her repertoire included all the classics in the company such as Giselle in Giselle, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Swanilda in Copellia, Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Kitri in Don Quixote, Lisette in Fille Mal Gardee, Nikiya and Gamzatti in La Bayadere, Medora in Le Corsaire and others. Along with the classics, she performed many modern pieces from Cuban and international choreographers. Her partner for most of the roles in her professional career was Jose Manuel Carreno. In 1992, she became a Principal Dancer for the English National Ballet. She performed all her roles alongside partner Jose Manuel Carreno and Carlos Acosta. She returned to the Cuban National Ballet and toured the globe while performing in many renowned stages. She danced in several US cities including LA, NY and Boston. She also danced in many European countries such as Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Germany, Switzerland, and others. In 1997, she retired after dancing for 22 years and began to teach at the National Ballet of Cuba. Her career as a teacher continued in the US as she taught advanced classes at Dance Center in New Jersey for over a year, and also instructed Tony Award winner Kiril Kulish as he played the leading role in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot the Musical.

MICHELLE MANZANALES is a choreographer, dedicated dance educator of 30 years, and co-founder of the Latinx Dance Educators Alliance. The Director of Ballet Hispánico’s School of Dance since December of 2016, Michelle previously led the organization’s professional company as Rehearsal Director & Artistic Associate for seven seasons. Ms. Manzanales is committed to creating an environment where all students are inspired to explore movement, feel supported in their individual dance journeys, and draw meaningful connections between dance and their lives.

JODE ROMANO was a guest teaching artist & graduate of the High School for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas where she was featured in the Houston Grand Opera's Carmen. She also performed in the Franco Zeffirelli original production of Carmen, starring Placido Domingo and Maria Benitez at the Metropolitan Opera, attended by president Clinton, which was broadcast for PBS's Live From Lincoln Center and toured Japan with the Three Tenors. For over 20 years, Ms. Romano lived, studied, and performed Spanish dance in Spain and Japan, was soloist and choreographer for the José Greco Dance Company at The Joyce Theater, the Town Hall New York City, and toured the US and Spain. She was also a dancer in The Charo Show in Las Vegas with Jerry Lewis, Joel Grey and others, and taught a castanet workout on the Dr. Oz Show. JoDe Romano choreographed the Broadway Workshop production of Rita Hayworth-Hollywood Goddess, numerous Zarzuelas, and the mixed media dramatic presentation, Picasso's Guernica, at The Thalia Theater in New York.
Ms. Romano has taught at Alvin Ailey and NYC public schools. Currently, Ms. Romano conducts Spanish dance and castanet classes at the 92Y Harkness Dance Center and is a graduate of the 92Y Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) program. She has been a guest teacher at Hunter College and co-developed and taught a DEL workshop at the 92Y. Ms. Romano also taught a master class and workshop at NYU for NYSDEA and at Fall for Dance at NY City Center. She teaches at Steps on Broadway, Ballet Hispánico, the Joffrey Ballet trainees, and Joffrey summer intensive NYC, along with other locations throughout the NY metropolitan area. Ms. Romano holds a teaching license from the Bureau of Provisionary School Supervision (BPSS) under the NY Department of Education. She has completed a series of instructional DVDs on castanet and flamenco movement techniques and produced and played castanets on her "Spanish Classical Piano and Castanets" CD.

MILTERI TUCKER was born and raised in Puerto Rico and holds degrees in Dance, Biology and Chemistry as well as a Masters Degree in Dance Education from New York University. She is the founder and artistic director of Bombazo Dance Co. Ms. Tucker has apprenticed and performed with Bomba elders and distinguished families in San Juan, Santurce, Loíza, Cataño, Ponce, Mayagüez and Arroyo, Puerto Rico. As an educator and master Bomba dancer, she lectures on dance technique, figure and timing across the United States and the world. Milteri has worked with dance companies and choreographers in Puerto Rico, throughout the Caribbean and the United States. She’s performed and showcased her work at City Center, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture, BAAD!: Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, Thalia Spanish Theater, Castillo Theater, El Museo del Barrio, Julia de Burgos Cultural Center, the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts and STEPS.

REBECCA TSIVKIN is a graduate and licentiate of the Royal Academy of Dance in London, and is an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD). Her RAD training included a 3-year, in-depth program that covered ballet, anatomy/kinesiology, dance Pedagogy, child psychology, labanotation, character, modern, and dance history. Over two decades Rebecca has taught ballet in universities, private dance studios, and company schools. Her students have gone on to attend advanced training programs in such places as the School of American Ballet (SAB) and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theater (JKO), and to dance in professional companies such as Ballet Austin, Sacramento Ballet, and BalletX, among others. Rebecca was on the teaching faculty at American Academy of Ballet, where she was also the Executive Coordinator and International Judge for the Performance Awards program under the direction of Mignon Furman. She was also the Head Children's Instructor at the Gelsey Kirkland Academy and has guest-taught across the United States and internationally. Rebecca is the Co-Director of Ballet Extensions and International Dance Acclaim (IDA).

VICTORIA VARGAS is the creator of The 5th Position Method and has over 40 years of experience as a professional dancer. She is dedicated to training teachers in the discipline of teaching Ballet through kinesiology.

In 2019, she was invited to be Ballet Master for China’s annual Famous Teacher Award, and in 2020, she was awarded Outstanding Teacher by the Hong Kong Ballet Group. In addition to her many accolades as a teacher, she is the creator of The 5th Position Method, a recognized floor barre concept among professional ballet dancers and by the new emerging generation of dancers. It is an awakening to body awareness in the use of neurological codes that the human body has to be able to execute movements in a coordinated and effortless way.

As a professional ballet instructor, she offers a high level of dance and fitness practice. She communicates with students in a caring and safe environment, helping them reach their full potential while fostering a healthy attitude toward all elements of dance practice. In the words of Ms. Vargas, "teaching is the greatest personal reward." She has been privileged to have taught established companies as well as young aspiring dancers internationally.

JOSHUA WINZELER was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He trained with the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and the School of American Ballet. In 2011, Joshua graduated from New World School of the Arts with his BFA in Dance. In the Fall of 2011, he joined Ballet Hispánico’s main Company and served as a Company dancer for the next six seasons. During his tenure with the Company, Joshua worked and collaborated with choreographers Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Nacho Duato, Cayetano Soto, Michelle Manzanales, Eduardo Vilaro, Edgar Zendejas, Fernando Melo, and Tania Pérez-Salas. He continues to be a vital teacher and mentor to the School of Dance and to numerous Community Arts Partnerships residencies in NYC and abroad. In the fall of 2017, Joshua retired as a dancer and now serves as an Artistic Associate for the School of Dance.