CHRISTIAN CLAESSENS studied on full scholarship at S.A.B., the ABT School, Rosella Hightower’s Centre de Dance and the Conservatoire de la Monnaie in Belgium.  He performed with Kansas City Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and the Dutch National Ballet.  He has been a teacher and choreographer in Westchester for over a decade and joins us as our Adult Ballet Instructor.

JESSICA DIMAURO, a Steffi Nossen alumna, holds a BFA in dance from Marymount Manhattan College.  Jessica and her company, DiMauro Dance, have performed works throughout the tri-state area funded by the Westchester Arts Council Arts Alive Grant for 2007.  She choreographed and performed with her company a full evening length work entitled “co mu nit y.”  Jessica is beginning her fourth year on our Faculty.

ANNIE DOSS received her BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College and also studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.  A Steffi Nossen alumna, with many performing credits to her name, she has also had her own choreography presented at the Teresa Lang Theater, Red Room Theatre, DTW, SUNY Purchase, and Peridance Center.  Annie is a certified Pilates instructor and a member of DiMauro Dance.  This will be Annie’s fourth year on our Faculty at Steffi Nossen, her third as Junior Master Class teacher and choreographer and her second as Master Class II choreographer and teacher. 

KATHLEEN FITZGERALD was a principal dancer with Frankfurt Ballet as well as Company Ballet Mistress.  She was a soloist with Netherlands Dance Theater I and Assistant Director of Netherlands Dance Theater II.  She toured internationally with both companies.  A BFA graduate in Dance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, she has taught for major European dance companies.  She begins her ninth year on our Faculty and her fifth year as School Director.

ELIZABETH FRANKEL earned her undergraduate degree at Vassar College and her M.F.A. at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.  She performed with Laura Dean, Joyce Trisler and others.  She has taught ballet and modern dance at Vassar and Barat Colleges and Oxford University.  She has been a dance Faculty member of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for over 12 years.

JEANIE GAYESKI currently serves as Head of the Arts Department and Movement Teacher at the Gillen Brewer School, educating children with special needs, in New York City.  She earned a BA in Art History and German from the University of Rochester, an MS in Elementary Education from Hunter College and has completed a Certificate Program in Dance Education for Children at the 92nd Street Y. She has also trained in Creative Arts Therapy at Pratt Institute, as well as training in Yoga and Creative Movement for Children with special needs. 

MAUREEN GLENNON holds a BFA in Dance from Montclair University.  She was an original co-founder and danced professionally with Freespace Dance.  She has also performed with Beyondance, Umoja Dance Co., Nicholas Rodrigez and Dance Compass.  She is the founder and artistic director of moe-tion dance theater, based in New Jersey.  Her works have been commissioned and performed throughout the tri-state area.

SHELLEY K. GRANTHAM received her BA from Barat College Conservatory of Dance, DePaul University.  She is returning for her fifth year at Steffi Nossen.  Shelley is also the PeriChild Program Coordinator at Peridance Center and the Director of the PeriChild Ensemble, a children’s outreach dance company.  Shelley performs throughout the NYC area with DePersis and Dancers and Fiddle Faddle Feet, a tap ensemble.

JILLIAN HALL-WRIGHT is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, has a BA in Dance Education and her NY State teaching certification in Dance.  Her training is in ballet, modern, and jazz.  She has taught/judged in all genres of dance. Jillian has taught creative movement in Manhattan public and private schools as well as the 92nd St. Y. She is the Administrative Associate for the Stephen Petronio Company in NYC.  She returns for her sixth year at Steffi Nossen.

KATE HIRSTEIN joins us this year as our Company Director.  She studied at the University of Iowa as well as the Juilliard School where she receive her B.F.A.  Her professional credits include the Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, TakeDance Company and David Shewn Dance.  She is also a Certified Yoga Instructor.

LAUREN JAEGER has a B.F.A. in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College and also studied at the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, Boston Ballet and Kaatsbaan International.  She is a member of Buglisi Dance Theater in N.Y.C.

NANCY LUSHINGTON holds a BA in dance from Adelphi U.  She has danced with May O’Donnell, Joyce Trisler, Theatre Dance Collection, and in Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” at Kennedy Center.  A member of the faculties of Marymount College and Montclair State U., she has taught master classes internationally.  After 18 years as teacher, choreographer, and Artistic Director at Steffi Nossen, Nancy continues as our Artistic Advisor. 

TAMI MELE holds a BA in Dance from Adelphi University and studied at NYC H.S. of Performing Arts.  Her performance credits include Collective Dance Company, guest artist with DJ McDonald at Lincoln Center Summer Arts Festival and the AIDS Benefit sponsored by Elle Magazine.  She choreographs for the Joyful Noise Children’s Choir in Malverne, NY.  She returns for  her 16th year of teaching and choreographing at Steffi Nossen.

MARY ROTELLA received her B.F.A. in Dance from Stephens College and was a member of the Harriette Ann Gray Modern Dance Company. After moving to New York, Mary’s performance career included stage, screen industrial shows and commercial work. “Cabaret,” “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway,” “42nd Street,” and “My Fair Lady” are among her Broadway and National Touring Credits. Her work as a Director/Choreographer includes television and numerous Theatrical Productions here and abroad. She has been a guest artist at several universities and dance schools across the United States, as well as in Finland and Japan. She has taught in New York City at Steps Studio, Peridance, CAP 21 and the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. For five years Mary held the position of Dance Chair and Artistic Director for the Dance Department at Stephens College. She is on the Faculty of the Master’s School and returns for her second year as our Artistic Director and Faculty member.

CAREN VALENTE holds a BA from Marymount Manhattan College and also trained on scholarship at Steps and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, as well as at Byrdcliff Performing Arts Center in New Rochelle.  Now in her ninth year as a member of the Faculty at Steffi Nossen.  Caren is also the Coach of the Purchase Dance Team, has served as Interim Director of Youth Programs at Purchase College and choreographs musicals for Scarsdale High School & White Plains Middle School. 

JOELLE VAN SICKLE has a B.F.A. in Dance from Montclair State University and an M.F.A. from Temple University as well as Yoga Teacher Certification.  She was a member of Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance in N.Y.C.  Her choreography has been staged nationally and internationally.  Joelle has been a Dance Faculty member at Montclair State, Nikolais and Louis Dance Lab, Temple University and the N.J. School of the Arts and a Yoga Instructor nationwide.