Dance Teacher Conference Faculty

Simone DePaolo studied locally prior to her acceptance into Alvin Ailey’s School of American Dance. She continued her studies in New York City before moving to Europe to headline as a dancer/singer. She has performed extensively throughout Europe and northern Africa in various clubs, resorts and aboard cruise ships. Simone's many credits include "Smokey Joe's Cafe," "Streakin Through the 70's," "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Toob Time." She has performed with jazz pianist, John Eaton and the band Odyssea. An award winning choreographer, Simone adjudicates and teaches for major dance organizations throughout the country.

Franco DeVita earned teaching qualifications acquiring the Enrico Cecchetti Diploma and the highest teaching degree given by the Italian Ministry of Education through the “Accademia Nazionale di Danza,” Rome. He is a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, London. In 1983, together with Raymond Lukens, he directed the Scuola di danza classica Hamlyn in Florence, Italy. He was President and co-founder of the Associazione Nazione Coreutica Enrico Cecchetti (the Italian Cecchetti Society). In New York City, Mr. De Vita was faculty member at The Ailey School, The Ailey/Fordham BFA program and guest company teacher for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II. He was company teacher for Hartford Ballet and principal faculty member of the School of Hartford Ballet and the BFA dance program of the University of Hartford; and was part of the task force that revised Hartford Ballet School’s curriculum. Before joining American Ballet Theatre, Franco De Vita was Dean of Faculty and Curriculum of the Boston Ballet School and company teacher for Boston Ballet. Mr. De Vita has been guest teacher for Virginia School of the Arts, Peridance International, Dance Connecticut, Dance Educators of America, Youth America Grand Prix and for Alberta Ballet Company and School. Mr. De Vita’s students have won prestigious international dance competitions including the Prix de Lausanne and have danced in many of the world’s major companies such as London’s Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The English National Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Boston Ballet. Most of the teachers qualified in the Cecchetti Method in Italy were trained by Mr. De Vita. He is regularly invited to teach at international seminars.

Jennifer "J.V." Goecke is originally from Huntsville, Alabama and now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her training began under the direction of Rita Liedags and Susan Fisher. She received her B.A. in Dance from the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she was also on faculty. She was the Ballet Company and Competition Director for Birmingham Dance Theatre for 12 years. She has directed, choreographed, and produced original full-length ballets and musical theatre shows such as CATS, Hairspray, Annie, and Beauty and the Beast. She has many students working in television, movies, and on Broadway. She is a convention teacher and judge for The Pulse, Dance Olympus, International Dance Challenge, and Dance Masters of America just to name a few. She has won numerous regional and national awards for her choreography and continues to choreograph for dance studios, universities, and private corporate events throughout the country. She is the creator and director of the "Jumpstart Boot Camp", a weekend studio program to motivate, advance, and build better dancers. She is a faculty member of "The Pulse", a convention based with Broadway Dance Center, teaching alongside Brian Friedman, Wade Robson, and Mia Michaels from "So You Think You Can Dance" . She was recently seen in an issue of Dancer Magazine and her students can be seen in Dance Spirit this month. Her studio has been the rehearsal location for "Dancing With the Stars" contestants, Toni Braxton and Wayne Newton and she recently completed an industrial for Mercedes-Benz. J.V. just completed a three-year term as the Scholarship Chairman for Dance Masters of America Chapter #33. J.V. works as a artistic consultant and can be found traveling the country teaching students of all ages. Outside of dance, she can also be heard on a Contemporary Christian album recorded at Dark Horse Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. Her favorite piece of "choreography" is her 1 1/2 year old son, Connor.

Louis Kavouras joined the UNLV Dance Faculty in 1992. In 1994 he was elected chair of the department. Kavouras has been a principal dancer of the Erick Hawkins Dance Company and faculty member of the Erick Hawkins School of Dance since 1996. The Erick Hawkins Dance Company is a professional, New York based, modern dance company founded by modern dance pioneer, Erick Hawkins. Kavouras has studied with modern dancers Kathryn Karipides, Kelly Holt, Erick Hawkins, Betty Jones, Lucas Hoving, Donald McKayle, Peter Pucci, Gus Solomons, Jr., Rudy Perez, Claire Porter, and Clay Taliaferro. Kavouras is accomplished as a choreographer, designer, visual and graphic artist. His dances have been showcased in Nevada, Ohio, North Carolina, Texas, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Australia, Scotland, England, China, Korea, Japan, Denmark, Russia, Nova Scotia, and Jamaica. Kavouras believes in creating dances which are uniquely his own, and range from "hilarious" to "poignant." He comes from a total theater tradition and explores all interdisciplinary avenues between the arts.

Dolly Kelepecz has been teaching as part of UNLV's part time faculty since 1983. Her first love is teaching ballet and dance. She was a professional dancer but, she now owns pilates studios around the world. She owns pilates studios in Japan, Mexico and soon to open in Korea. She has published a pilates book in Japanese that is in it's 3rd printing and it includes a DVD. She devleoped the pilates program for the UNLV dance department and two sememsters are required to graduate with your BFA in dance. She has her own television show that airs 5 days a week in Las Vegas and has produced 5 pilates DVD's for the U.S. Market.

Chuck Kelley has been teaching dance and acrobatics/tumbling in New York City for over 45 years. His students number into the thousands and he has produced dancers and acrobats who have gone on into the profession in theatre, television, movies, night clubs, opera and ballet companies. He is noted for his precise application of technique and anatomy to movement and has produced books, recordings, videos, CDs and has written a dictionary of “American Tap Dance”. A former professional dancer appearing on Broadway, television, night club revues and stock productions, he has taught master classes for every major and minor dance teacher association in the U.S. & Canada and has taught in Germany, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, France, the Bahamas. He has adjudicated for most of the major dance competitions at both regional and national level in the U.S. and Canada. Associated with Dance Educators of America (one of the 2 largest dance teacher organizations in the U.S.) as administrator of Training Programs, he conducts courses in teaching methods for teachers and Ballet Seminars for serious ballet students. Chuck has been honored by every major dance teacher organization for his contributions to the “Art of Teaching & Elevating Dance Technique”.

Raymond Lukens has been a faculty member of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (JKO) School since 2005. He was director of Boston Ballet II and Ballet Master for Boston Ballet. In New York City, he has also taught for American Ballet Theatre, the ABT Studio Company, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Ailey School, The Juilliard School, Peridance International, Marymount Manhattan College and Dance Theatre of Harlem. Mr. Lukens has taught in North and Latin America, Australia, Europe, Japan and South Africa. He was Ballet Master for Hartford Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Alberta Ballet. As a dancer Mr. Lukens toured extensively, and performed the works of Van Dyk, Balanchine, Petipa, Bournonville, Lifar, Nijinska and Skibine among others. He obtained the highest qualifications as a pedagogue in London with the Cecchetti Society. Mr. Lukens is ballet teacher for the Dance Educators of America (DEA) Teacher Training School and choreographed the set exercises and variations for DEA’s Ballet Competition. Mr. Lukens together ABT JKO School Principal, Franco De Vita, directed the Hamlyn School of Dance in Florence, Italy; and authored the ABT National Training Curriculum. Mr. Lukens created the syllabi for the New York University Masters Degree program in ABT Ballet pedagogy.

Shelly Masenoir is a dancer, singer, producer, teacher, choreographer and jewelry designer in New York City. Performing credits include Radio City Music Hall, Warner Brothers Films, Disney, New Line Cinema, Off-Broadway and Regional Theatre, International Arts Festival in Italy, Care Wave Japan, National and European Tours including "Fame, the Musical", Bye Bye Birdie, Irene, and West Side Story. Shelly was also dance captain and assistant choreographer for "Falco", a new Vegas- style show in Vienna, Austria based on the late 80¹s pop star. She has been on the creative teams and performed in operas such as Candide, Samson and Delilah and Aida, also as associate choreographer and choreographer of Disney's High School Musical and various industrials. Television appearances include MTV, CBS Morning Show, ABC, Saturday Night Live, The Today Show, David Letterman, The Learning Channel, dancer with Wyclef Jean and in Lou Bega¹s "Mambo #5" With 15 years of deep and diverse teaching experience with all levels and ages, she has taught at various studios around the US, Germany, Italy, Austria, Japan, Argentina, Broadway Dance Center in New York and continues to travel around the country for master classes, choreography, and private instruction.

Jessica Rizzo has been fortunate to have graced stages all over the world and the United States. Favorite works include, the national tour of Guys and Dolls dancing alongside Maurice Hines, the European tour of Grease, West Side Story, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Salute to Dudley Moore at Carnegie Hall, guest dancer with IMPULSE Modern Dance Company as well as lyrical and modern works by Suzi Taylor and Megan Brazil. Jess is in demand as choreographer and teacher in the NYC area as well as all over the country; specializing in the genres of contemporary/modern and musical theatre. She recently worked with the cast of LA REVE at the Wynn Las Vegas. Jess is also master teacher and adjudicator for various national dance competitions and is the creator of her CARDIO BURLESQUE CLASS for adults, which has been a hit across the country! Jessica’s class places a contemporary spin on the modern genre and touches upon styles and techniques from multiple dance idioms. Along with emphasis on ballet technique, warm-up, across the floor and centre work also integrates full-release technique, pedestrian movement and the nuances of weight transfer and breath. Special attention is given to the differentiation of these opposing techniques and how they seamlessly combine; while style, performance quality, intent and attention to detail is stressed. Known for her play on musicality, Jess’ center combinations showcase her own extensive background ranging the gamete of raw and edgy to lyrical and fluid to traditional modern phrases with hints of the jazz influence.

Cathy Roe is owner of Cathy Roe Video Productions and Santa Fe Studio Stage, a fully-equipped sound stage for video production. Cathy has produced over 100 educational dance videos that sell internationally. Cathy's credentials also include acting as dance director for the University of Hawaii, choreographer for Hong Kong Television, adjudicator for numerous competition companies, studio owner and professional choreographer for numerous musical theater companies.

Tim Santos started performing in the Christmas Spectacular at New York City's famed Radio City Music Hall in 1994. His roles have included Swing, Dance Captain, Assistant Choreographer and Assistant Director. He has played a large part in auditioning, casting, rehearsing, workshopping and maintaining the world famous Radio City Rockettes and the men and women of the Radio City Ensemble. He remains a member of the Creative Staff as well as well as a performing member of the Ensemble. Tim's training began in Akron, OH, and his professional dance career took off in productions of the The Metropolitan Opera (Aida, La Traviata, Don Giovanni, Samson et Dalila, La Gioconda and Die Fledermaus), the Cleveland Opera (Faust, Lucia di Lammermore and The Merry Widow) and the Houston Grand Opera (Aida). He was the assistant to Herbert Ross for Jubilee! At Carnegie Hall. He has appeared in many regional productions including The Wizard of Oz at Actor's Theater of Louisville, Evita at Houston's Theater Under the Stars, and Gigi, On the Town, Camelot and Phantom at Pittsburgh's Civic Light Opera. His favorite TV credits include the ABC remake of Bye Bye Birdie, choreographed by Ann Reinking, the Super Bowl XXXIV half-time show and The Conan O'Brien Show. He is a member of Actor's Equity Association, Screen Actor's Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the American Guild of Musical Artists and the American Guild of Variety Artists. Tim is an Artistic Advisor for Rosie's Broadway Kids - a new arts education program founded by Rosie O'Donnell, which brings a professional Broadway experience to 5th grade students in the New York City Public Schools. He has also worked extensively as a teacher and choreographer for the National Dance Institute in New York City. Tim is thrilled to be bringing his love of musical theater and dance to more young performers as the Artistic Director of Broadway Theater Dance Workshop.

Mike Schulster graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in 2001, and has taught and choreographed all over the world. His unique style fuses tap dance and rock n’ roll. Gregory Hines called him “the next generation of tap” Michael is the creator/choreographer of the Rock n’ Roll Dance show REVOLUTION (www.RevolutionTheShow.com). Combining Tap, and Irish dance with a live rock band, the show will prove to redefine the scope of dance and theater. Michael’s production company has teamed up with Columbia Artists Mangament (CAMI) to produce the show at the Joyce Theater in NYC Sept. 25th- Oct. 7th 2007 with a US and world tour to follow starting in the Fall of ‘08. Also, he has performed with Gregory Hines, Brenda Bufalino, and Barbara Duffy, as well as studied with Savion Glover and Buster Brown. Michael toured Europe as a soloist in the show Fire of Dance. At just 15, Michael was offered a contract in the off-Broadway hit Tap Dogs. He has performed at the international “Goodwill Games” as well as the 2000 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. In addition, he has done choreography for Hilton Hotels, American Express, and Showtime Cable Network. Michael Can be seen in E*Trade’s Superbowl commercial campaign, entitled “I Wanna Dance.” He has taught at NYU and he is currently on staff at NYC Dance Alliance.

Louis Kavouras

Our 2010 All Star Line-up will be announced soon!

Please check back for all the details on the renowned professionals who will be sharing their expertise with you.

Steve Sirico and Angela D’Valda Sirico have been industry leaders for over thirty years, performing, teaching and choreographing all over the world. For the past 22 years they have owned and directed a successful studio in Fairfield, CT, where they continue to produce students of the highest standard. They are renowned teachers of teachers. Angela and Steve were on the faculty of Dance Educators of America’s Teacher Training program for many years. Steve is the author of his own Jazz syllabus and together they authored their Partner syllabus, both used for Teacher Training worldwide. They teach Master Classes in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical Jazz and Partner work all over the world including residencies in England, Spain, Costa Rica and Mexico. From 2003-2005 they were presenting faculty for Dance Teacher Magazine’s Summer Conference in NYC where they received the overall highest attendee rating all three years. In 2007 Steve and Angela launched DanceTeacherWeb.com, an online creative and business resource for teachers and studio owners nationally and internationally.

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