Studio for the Dance Arts

Serving Southern Maine and the New Hampshire Seacoast

The Dance Annex

Courtney Anne Lampert

BALLET, POINTE

Courtney Lampert began her serious dance training at age 10 at Ballet Tech Ohio under the direction of Claudia Rudolph Barrett. Her dance education includes intensive study in modern dance, character, classical ballet, pas de deux, and variations. From there, she continued training at the Otto M. Budig School of Cincinnati Ballet, Houston Repertoire Ballet, Studio of Dance, and Joffrey Ballet School. Performance Repertoire includes excerpts from La Bayadere, Paquita, Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Flower Festival Genzano, The Nutcracker, and Stars and Stripes, Sleeping Beauty, Dracula. Principal roles in La Fille Mal Gardee, as well as leading roles in contemporary original choreography by Alexi Kremnev, Claudia Rudolph Barrett, Gilbert Rome, and Edra Toth. Courtney has had the privilege to perform at many venues and festivals including the Jarson Kaplan Theatre in Cincinnati, and Lincoln Center, New York. Honors include silver medalist Youth America Grand Prix 2002 Semi-Finals, a BFA in Painting from Southern Methodist University, 2010, and an MFA in Painting from University of New Hampshire, 2014. After seven years of cultivating a career in visual arts, she returned to dancing at NBT in October of 2014. Courtney now resides in Somersworth, NH where she works as an artist, and dancer.

GUEST TEACHERS

Audrey Eastman

BALLET, POINTE, VARIATIONS, CONDITIONING

Audrey Eastman began her dance training when she was young at Holly Jane Dance Center with Holly Jane Johnson. In high school, she pursued more advanced training at Great Bay Academy of Dance with Elisa Gerasin and Kristen Samson in Kittery, ME. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire in 2020 with a BS in Biomedical Science (Medical/Veterinary Sciences) and a BA in Dance. In December of 2023 she graduated as a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Tufts University School of Medicine. Audrey is currently a licensed physical therapist in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. While at UNH she trained with Assaf Benchetrit and Susan Endrizzi and performed with the UNH Dance Company. She has attended summer programs with the American Ballet Theatre and the University of Utah. In January of 2019, she traveled to Buenos Aires with DanceAbroad Argentina and trained in ballet and contemporary with various Argentinian teachers. She has had the privilege to perform Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in GBAD's "An 1836 Portsmouth Nutcracker," Cinderella with the UNH Dance Company, original choreographed works at Lila Dance Festival, and in City Ballet of Boston’s “Urban Nutcracker.” She is currently performing with Annex Contemporary Dance Company directed by Julie Hebb, as well as various local schools.

katherine mayfield

musical accompaniment

Katherine Mayfield enjoys supporting dancers with her piano playing at The Dance Annex. She also plays at Clay Hill Farm Restaurant in Cape Neddick, and for student recitals and private parties. http://www.katherine-mayfield.com/piano.html

TAYLER DEMEO

CONTEMPORARY FORMS

As a young dancer Tayler trained in the summers at Bates Dance Festival, Burklyn Ballet and a myriad of workshops and classes in NYC. This included Paul Taylor, Steps on Broadway and Dance New Amsterdam (now Gibney Dance). In the winters she was part of a touring and performing company from Montpelier Vermont from middle through high school. She went on to study at The Boston Conservatory for modern dance and later Gibney Dance in Manhattan for the Professional Training Program for Choreographic process. She has been based in NYC for the last thirteen years. As a homeowner in Maine she loves to spend time here and work with the local dance community whenever the chance arises. Styles she has background in include but are not limited to: Graham technique, Simonson technique, Limon technique, Cecchetti, Fosse, Breaking and Video styles, West African, Tap, Gaga, and Contact Improvisation. Contemporary Forms is a cocktail of movement influenced by Release Technique, Countertechnique, Graham, Simonson, Limon, Gaga, West African, and Contact Improvisation.

EMILY PLEADWELL

BALLET, POINTE, PRE-POINTE, VARIATIONS

Emily Pleadwell is a dancer and Registered Dietitian in the New England Seacoast area. She began her training at the age of 3 at American Academy of Ballet in Buffalo, NY under direction of Maris Battaglia and Carol Klocke-Murphy. She attended summer intensive programs including Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Chautauqua Dance. Emily continued her training at University of New Hampshire with Assaf Benchetrit and Susan Endrizzi, performing originally choreographed ballet and contemporary works with the UNH Ballet Company. She graduated with degrees in Dance and Dietetics in 2021, and with her master's in Nutritional Sciences in 2022. Emily has had the pleasure of guest performing roles including Snow Queen, Arabian, and Spanish in "The Nutcracker" for Sole City Dance (2021), Northeastern Ballet Theatre (2021), and Peoria Ballet Academy (2022). She joined Annex Contemporary Dance Company this year and is currently working as a Clinical Dietitian.

Emily has taught ballet, pointe, and contemporary dance classes at local studios in New York, New Hampshire, and Illinois intermittently since 2016. This will be her first year teaching at The Dance Annex. Emily's ballet classes focus on body awareness, artistry, and enjoyment in moving. Pre-pointe and pointe classes will work on building strength and proper placement with gradual progression of skills, dexterity, and stamina en pointe.

WHITNEY Genatossio

tap, jazz

Whitney Genatossio found her love of dance at the young age of three. She grew up dancing in Barrington, Illinois and was a youth company member at the Barrington Youth Dance Ensemble. She performed in their annual Nutcracker performance and enjoyed dancing in Sleeping Beauty and Coppelia in their spring productions. Whitney’s love of tap dance expanded in high school when she performed in a community production of 42nd Street. She attended the University of New Hampshire where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Conservation and earned her Master’s degree in education from Gordon College. Whitney has been a Montessori teacher in York for 15 years and also has two children of her own.

Rhianwen Watkins

CONTEMPORARY FORMS, MODERN

Growing up, Rhianwen Watkins trained in ballet with Julie Hebb and in contemporary with Janelle Abbott Staley at The Dance Annex. She received her degrees in dance and journalism from the University of New Hampshire last year where she trained with Assaf Benchetrit and Susan Endrizzi and was a member of the UNH Dance Company. Upon graduating, Rhianwen attended the four-month professional semester at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. In addition to dancing in her second season with the Annex Contemporary Dance Company, Rhianwen is also in season 25 of Danceworks Boston. Outside of dancing, Rhianwen is an investigative reporter with the Granite State News Collaborative writing for newspapers across NH.

When you do dance, I wish you

A wave o' the sea, that you might ever do

Nothing but that.

- William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

kACIE FRIBERG

Tap, jazz

Kacie (Ferraro) Friberg comes to The Dance Annex with a background in performing, teaching choreographing, and competing with a variety of dance disciplines. She has trained with faculty from NYU’s Dance program as well as such notable names as Joe Lanteri, Gil Stroming, Ashly DelGrosso, Suzi Taylor, Travis Wall, Mia Michaels, and Savion Glover. Throughout her competition career, Kacie received a variety of recognition including scholarships and awards like “Outstanding Talent,” “Outstanding Tap Performance,” and the “Furious, Fabulous Feet” award.

A former competitor in the Miss America Organization, Kacie was recognized for her talent as well as her scholastic achievement, community leadership, eloquence and personability. Kacie is a certified middle and high school teacher. She utilizes her knowledge of teaching and learning strategies in her coaching and class design to help students progress and succeed.

Janelle Abbott STALEY

contemporary forms, modern, Lyrical, Pilates/conditioning

Janelle Abbott Staley is a dancer, educator, and choreographer, based in southern Maine. She has performed nationally and internationally with dance companies, in theater, and film. In New York City, Janelle worked with Andrew Palermo and Taye Diggs’ dre.dance, Salim Gauwloos aka Slam (rehearsal assistant), Terra Firma Dance Theatre, Ballet for Young Audiences, Adam Cates, John Byrne, and Ollom Dance, among others. On screen, she was featured in Elton John's The Red Piano concert in "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and in Norah Jones' "Those Sweet Words" music video, both directed by David LaChapelle. Janelle has performed on Broadway stages, at Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall. Her regional credits include Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Twelfth Night, Peter Pan at the Sondheim Center (Tiger Lily), A Chorus Line, and Cabaret. Most recently, Janelle has worked with Boston-based artists Peter DiMuro/Public Displays of Motion, Lorraine Chapman, and Kat Nasti Dance. She is a company member of Annex Contemporary Dance Company in Maine and of Articine, a NH-based organization that integrates dance and theatre with healthcare.

Janelle began her early career as a company member of the Grand Rapids Ballet in Michigan, and received a BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah. She has taught at NYC's Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, and has lead dance and mind-body master classes around the country. A certified Pilates and barre instructor, Janelle has trained celebrity clientele at top fitness studios in NYC and Boston, and has led movement workshops for Audible and Amazon in Seattle, WA. Her contemporary classes utilize her experience with diverse modern and contemporary dance forms and explore original movement phrases that focus on dimension, artistry and musicality.

Julie received her training at Boston Ballet, Hartford Ballet, Ballet Theater of Boston, STEPS, Marjorie Mussman, Madame Gabriela Darvash, City Center Studios, Peridance, the Paul Taylor School, and from other notable NYC teachers and studios. In 2004, as a returning student to university studies, Julie graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in a combined major of Psychology and Exercise Science from Brooklyn College and was a New York State and Maine State licensed massage therapist.

Prior to this, Julie moved from Boston to New York City where she taught and performed principal roles with Rebecca Kelly Ballet from 1992-2006, was ballet mistress for the company and assistant to the director in choreography, workshops, and summer programs. She performed as guest artist in North Country Ballet Ensemble's Nutcracker, performing Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, Spanish and other roles, returning often as guest teacher and to restage youth repertory of Rebecca Kelly Ballet. She also worked with Impulse Dance Company and North Atlantic Ballet of Boston, MA; Several Dancers Core of Atlanta, GA; and other ballet, modern, and musical theater companies throughout the northeast as well as being dance captain for jazz revue shows.

In New York, Julie taught at STEPS NYC, Joffrey Ballet School, Berest Dance Studio, Garden City Community Dance Project, and Rebecca Kelly Ballet. Her choreography includes work for professionals at the STEPS Faculty Concert and for children, teens, and adults at several studios around NYC. Locally she has taught at Ballet New England, Berwick Academy, Sole City Dance, Rockport Dance Conservatory, and others.

Julie Hebb, Director

Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Jazz, Young Children's Program

Julie Hebb brings with her decades of experience performing, teaching, choreographing, and staging original ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary works in New York City, the greater Boston area, and northern New England. With her deep foundation in various ballet techniques, predominantly the Russian Vaganova style along with her wide experiences in contemporary training that includes Paul Taylor, Lester Horton, Rebecca Kelly, Jennifer Muller, and other techniques, she brings to The Dance Annex a relevance in training that is essential for today’s dancers. Please see the About page for further information regarding The Dance Annex's approach to training.

Julie moved to Maine and began teaching at studios in and around New Hampshire and Maine. In the fall of 2012 she opened The Dance Annex, Studio for the Dance Arts, located in Kittery, Maine to foster sustained support for the dance arts.