Faculty

James Robey  Director

Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Tap. James Robey graduated Magna cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from the University of Akron and is a candidate for an MFA in Performing Arts-Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. James is Artistic Director of James Robey Dance Company, a faculty member at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford, on the Advisory Board of the Connecticut Dance Alliance, and on the Danbury Task Force for Dance. Recently he performed in concert with Locust Contemporary Dance Works, was guest artist for Naugatuck Valley Community College, was a soloist in Zig Zag Ballet's “A Celebration of Men in Dance” in Vermont, Connecticut, and New York, and choreographed original works for Full Force Dance Theatre, Artists for Peace, and CT Meets NY Dance Fest. James is a two-time finalist in the Leo's Choreography Competitive Event at the Jazz Dance World Congress. Professional performing experiences include the Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company, Connecticut Ballet, New York Dance Theater, Ground Works Dance Theater, Off Center Dance Theater, Ohio Dance Theater, Covenant Dance Theater, Cleveland Opera, Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Busch Gardens. James has taught for the University of Akron (OH), Manhattan Motion Dance Studios (NYC), Wellesley College (MA), BOCES High School for the Arts (Syosset, NY), Dance Institue (Ohio Ballet's company school), served as Director for the modern and jazz program at Eastern Connecticut Ballet (CT), and was Director of the dance department and taught senior level philosophy at Western Reserve Academy (OH). In addition, he has taught master classes throughout the U.S., Guam, Canada, and Japan. James' articles on dance can be found online at Mindful Dance">Mindful Dance, Got Jazz!?, The Connected Dancer, and translated into Spanish for Danza Ballet and Se Piensa. For more information on James Robey and the Bare Bones Dance Project visit James Robey Dance.

Melissa Gerth  Assistant Director

Pre-ballet, Jazz, Modern, Yoga. Melissa Gerth, a native of Ontario, Canada, trained at the New School for Drama graduate program in NYC. She has a BA in Music from the University of Akron and her yoga teacher certification from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA, where she now assists with the 200-hour yoga teacher training programs. Her performance credits include acting with Axial Theatre Company, “Two Hearts” written by Linda Guliano, “Maiden Voyage” written and directed by Tony Howarth, Sally Bowles in “Cabaret” directed by Mike Limone, lead vocalist for the Wingnuts, The Metropolitan Chorale at Weill Recital Hall, Haydn’s “The Creation” at Carnegie Hall, Spirit Cruise Lines, Downtown Cabaret Theatre Children’s Company in Bridgeport, James Robey Dance, and musical guest artist for “The Girl Show” at Caroline’s Comedy Club. Melissa became Assistant Director for the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance in 2002, where she teaches yoga, modern, jazz, and pre-ballet. In addition, Melissa maintains a private Vocal Studio in Ridgefield, CT.

Eran Bugge  

Summer Intensive. Eran is a member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company and is from Oviedo, Florida where she began her dance training at the Orlando Ballet School. She went on to study at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford under the direction of Peggy Lyman, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a B.F.A. in ballet pedagogy in 2005. She also attended The Taylor School and the 2004 and 2005 Taylor Summer Intensives. Ms. Bugge has performed in works by Amy Marshall, Katie Stevinson-Nollet and Jean Grand-Maître. She was also a member of Full Force Dance Theatre and the Adam Miller Dance Project. She joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in Fall 2005.

Alana Isiguen  

Pre-ballet, Ballet. Born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Alana Isiguen received her early dance training at the Official School of the North Carolina Dance Theatre. There she studied with renowned NYCB principals Patricia McBride and Jean Pierre Bonnefoux. In 2003, she studied privately at Piedmont Dance Conservatory with Rebecca Massey (ABT), who also coached her in dance pedagogy. Her professional performance experience includes the North Carolina Dance Theatre, Piedmont Dance Theatre, and Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance, NYC. In the summer of 2007, Ms. Isiguen was selected to study abroad on full scholarship at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance in Austria, where she performed selected works by William Forsythe. She recently graduated with honors from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Dance Department.

Lauren Jaeger  

Pre-ballet, Ballet. Lauren Jaeger is an alumni of the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance and a past recipient of the Patricia Schuster Scholarship. She graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA degree in Ballet Performance. Lauren was recently accepted as a member of the Buglisi Dance Theatre. Lauren has also danced professionally with Bare Bones Dance Project and Ballet Ambassadors, performing the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy in "Nutcracker" and the Black Swan in "Swan Lake". Lauren appeared in numerous principal roles with the Ridgefield Civic Ballet, Contemporary Dance Ensemble, and for the Danbury Music Centre's "Nutcracker." Additionally, Lauren studied at Boston Ballet, Kaatsbaan International, and the American Academy of Ballet summer program.

Anthony Jones  

Ballet, Nutcracker, Ridgefield Civic Ballet. A native of Minneapolis, Mr. Jones received his early ballet training at the Minnesota Dance Theatre before attending the National Ballet of Canada School as a year round boarding student beginning at age 11. At age 14 he came to New York where he was a student at the School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet. At SAB he was guided by Richard Rapp, Andrei Kammeravsky and most notably Stanley Williams. In 1990 Mr. Jones joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet, in Seattle, WA and was promoted to Soloist in 1993. While at PNB he danced many soloist and principal roles in works by George Balanchine ( Chaconne, Divertimento #15, Agon, Who Cares?), August Bournonville ( Flower Festival Pas de duex, Napoli), and in the full-length ballets Swan Lake, Cinderella, Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker, and Coppelia. In 1999 Mr. Jones was appointed Artistic Director of the Huntington Ballet Theatre, Huntington, New York, a position he served in for 7 years. While there he taught all levels of ballet technique and created many pieces of original choreography including full-length productions of Cinderella and Coppelia. He has also taught at the Huntington YMCA Ballet Academy and has been a guest teacher at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Mr. Jones is a graduate of New York University where he studied Art History as an undergraduate and Museum Studies as a graduate student. Besides his endeavors in ballet, Mr. Jones is also employed full-time at The Frick Collection, New York City.

Irene Malcolm  

Pre-ballet. Irene received Royal Academy of Dance training under Audrey Looker in Zimbabwe, Africa and Toronto, Canada. While in Toronto, she attended the Ryerson University Theater School’s teacher training program where she studied ballet and pedagogy from Nadia Potts, Carina Bomers, and Anushka Roes of the National Ballet of Canada.

Garrett Minniti  

Hip Hop, Tap. Garrett Minniti moved to New York City from Los Angeles where he was a teacher at the renowned Edge Performing Arts Center. He also taught classes for Cal State University in Fullerton and Steps on Broadway (NYC). His past performing credits include the national tours of "42nd Street", "SWING", and the international tap sensation "Caution, Men at Work". He has also performed for television, film, and threatre productions including "A Night with the Stars" (Warner Bros. Studios), "Things Ain't What They Used To Be" with tap dance great Parris Mann, and "The Great Pretenders" (ABC Television). He feels very blessed to have worked with such talents as Jason Samuels Smith, Tina D'Amato, Tommie Retter, Adam Garcia, and Francis Ford Coppola.

Andrew Palermo  

Summer Intensive. Andrew is the Co-Artistic Director of dre.dance, an NYC based contemporary dance company that he helms with childhood friend, Taye Diggs. Since it’s 2004 inception, dre.dance has quickly garnered praise from the New York press calling the young company 'powerful', 'athletic', 'gifted', 'passionate', 'propulsive', 'unexpected', 'wonderful', 'weird', 'abstract', and a bunch of other cool adjectives. Outside of dre.dance, Andrew's stage choreography credits include Great Joy at New Amsterdam Theatre, Kristin Chenoweth at Carnegie Hall, X'Posed/Jai Rodriquez at Hudson Theatre, Journey to the West at 37 Arts, New York City Festival of Dance 2005 featuring Idina Menzel, 1969 A Year in Review at Douglas Fairbanks Theatre, ACE at The Old Globe, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Bright Lights, Big City at Prince Music Theatre, Aida at Music Theatre of Wichita, Man of La Mancha at Sacramento Music Circus, The Wild Party (Lippa) at Wichita State University and Hair (Director/Choreographer-May ’08) also at WSU.

Amy Piantaggini  

Pre-ballet, Ballet. Amy trained in Classical Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Flamenco and East Indian dance at the Boston Conservatory as well as the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, where she received the Coca-Cola Finalist Award for Artistic Excellence and the Gregory Peck Scholarship. She is a former member of the Martha Graham Dance Company and has appeared in dance on film including Palisades Pictures' "Ghostlight". Amy's teaching experience includes the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in NYC as well as numerous schools throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Ashford University and also teaches yoga and Pilates.

Georgia Teperikidou  

Ballet. Georgia is a native of Greece and holds a BFA in Dance from the National Dance School in Thessaloniki, Greece and an MA in Dance Education from New York University with a focus toward Higher Education. Georgia is a certified Movement Analyst and Notator through the Laban Institute of Movement Studies in New York City. As a performer, Georgia has performed throughout Greece, Italy, and in New York City. She has appeared in performances at Joyce Soho and presented her own choreography at the Frederick Lowes Theater as well as at the San Remo Festival in Italy. In addition, she has studied with renowned teachers such as Sara Nice, Kenny Larson, and Lynn Simonson.

Jane Vorburger  

Ballet, Pointe. Jane completed her dance training with Hortensia Fonseca and Michelle Lees at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet. She joined American Ballet Theater at age 16 and spent 5 years with the company performing principal, soloist and corps de ballet roles in the U.S.A. and abroad. She went on to study Contact Improvisation and choreography at Oberlin College and completed her Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts in the spring of 2006. Currently she teaches ballet technique and pointe at STEPS on Broadway in NYC, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and for American Ballet Theatre.