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Teacher Bios

Mestre Carioca: was born Carlos da Silva Borge in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1986. Carioca trained in Bom Jesus and Vila Velha, Brazil, with his first teacher, Mestre Bom Jesus. In 1990 Carioca went to Vitoria to train under the very skilled and respected master Capixaba of the ABADA-Capoeira group. Carioca started teaching Capoeria in 1990 as a graduado. In Brazil from 1991-1996, he gained his reputation as a capoeirista teaching at several Brazilian gyms including the well known club of CEG (Garoto Sports Center). In 1992 Carioca was involved in a program for street children with the Espiritossantense Institute of the Well-Being for Minors Organization (IESBEM) where the use of Capoeira as a pedagogical, artistic, and cultural resourse rescued many children from the hardships of streets in Vittoria, ES. In 1996 Carioca taught capoeira at public schools and communities thru the state department of Culture in ES, Brazil.

Giada Matteini Ferrone was born in Florence and is based in New York City. She believes in cultural exchange, artistic expression and in dance as an essential tool in the health of adults and development of children. She is an international Master teacher with an extensive background as Ballet Mistress, choreographer, producer and performer. Ms. Ferrone has invested the past 10 years in creating her own, unique ballet training program, which combines her early European training with her most recent American experiences. This training program is curriculum based and produces dancers with clean, unaffected technique and strong work ethics. Her choreography has been presented at Purchase University, Saint Mark's Church, Hofstra University, Theatre of the Riverside Church, Rose Theatre at Lincoln Center, Peridance and the Construction Company.  Ms. Ferrone is an adjunct dance professor at both Tisch School of the Arts in NYC and Hofstra University in Hempstead and guest teaches in Festival and Colleges across Europe.

I want to offer my most sincere thanks for being the most incredible and inspiring ballet teacher around. You have moved me and really energized me with hope, confidence and joy. Truly, you do move people literally and figuratively. I will always honor the memory of our class together, and will certainly always honor you.
Michael Nguyen, Tisch Festival, NYC, June 2007

Kenny Larson: Kenny Larson began his career with the National Ballet of Canada, where he worked with such dance legends as Erik Bruhn, Rudolph Nureyev, and Peter Schaufuss. Following a period in Europe with the Dutch National ballet, he was Principal Dancer with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens for several years. He has been featured as an international guest artist with companies and at galas throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Russia. After retiring to concentrate on a growing passion for teaching, Kenny was guest teacher for many companies and schools. Currently based in New York, Kenny has gained recognition for his distinctive class structure and personal approach to students. Kenny's class is for the intermediate ballet dancer who has a strong grasp of basic vocabulary and technique and is looking for a relaxed but focused class. The class includes a short, basic barre and more complex center combinations that focus on footwork and transitions between movements. The class includes combinations that are long enough for the dancer to focus on enjoying the musicality of the movement. Kenny provides gentle personal attention and corrections throughout. Classes are $15. A 10 class card is available for $125, which is good for 2 months, and a 5 class card is available for $70.

Rochelle Rice, MA, is the President of In Fitness & In Health and the creator of the Plus-Size Exercise Technique. She danced with The San Francisco Jazz Dance Company and Jazzdance: The Danny Buraczeski Dance Company.

In researching fitness programs for women of size, it became evident that there was a lack of program design and availability of certified trainers specializing in larger women. With her history of bulimia, Rice’s interest in Plus-Size Exercise came through her concerns about the inordinate stress put on thinness in our society, rather than fitness. Providing a safe environment where women could exercise physically while feeling secure emotionally, became Rice’s passion. Designing a fitness technique where women of size could achieve a level fitness was the base of her graduate work.

For more information, visit www.RochelleRice.com.

Jaclynn Villamil is a ballet teacher, choreographer and Certified Movement Analyst.    She is currently co-director and ballet mistress of the Second Avenue Dance Company for the Department of Dance at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.  She has been on the faculty of the American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, and Jacob’s Pillow, and Guest Artist for Doug Varone and Dancers Summer Workshop 2001-2009.  She is the recipient of Choreography Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and CAPS in New York State. Jaclynn served as an Editing Advisor/Mentor for The Joyce SoHo Residency Program, and was a founding member of the Board of Directors for Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE.  Ms. Villamil rendered service as a Dance Program Panelist for the New York State Council on the Arts from 2001 to 2006.  She graduated with a BA from SUNY Empire State College in June 2008.  

Christine Wright: Christine teaches a professional level ballet class. Emphasizing principles of functional anatomy and movement flow in combination with musicality and aesthetic expression, it is a class equally effective for all disciplines of dance. Though frequented by a multi level of dancers ranging from professional ballet and modern dancers to modern dancers not as familiarized with ballet technique, Christine provides a lot of individualized attention at the level needed creating a relaxed, positive and focused atmosphere for work. The barre is simple, slow and thorough while the center emphasizes musicality and flow. Classes are $16. In addition, there is a 10 class card available for $150, which is good for 2 months.