Instructors

Paula Alford started dancing when she was 3 years old and has danced ever since. She has her NC licensure to teach dance in the NC school system and has taught various genres at various private studios over a period of 24 years. She is also a public high school teacher and tutors at The Hill Center.

Sarah Bowdoin Sarah Bowdoin began her classical ballet training in Houston, Texas. She holds a BFA in Ballet Performance from The University of Oklahoma and a graduate degree in Arts and Cultural Management from The College of Charleston. Sarah has danced professionally with Charlotte Ballet, Palmetto City Ballet, Unbound Ballet Project, Holy City Opera, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Killian Manning’s No Forwarding Address, Ballet Ashani, and more, and has taught for numerous studios and schools in the greater Southeast region. She is also certified in Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga and Progressing Ballet Technique. She is currently the Director of Development for the American Dance Festival and a freelance grant writer.

Casey Brown is a trauma/emergency department nurse whose passions are saving lives and dancing like there’s no tomorrow. She found dance in her mid-twenties, starting with Zumba in 2016 and progressing to hip-hop fitness. Group-certified, she loves lifting weights as much as cardio. When not dancing or nursing, she is reading, eating too much or caring for her 14 pets!

Cristal Chinchayan was born and raised in Trujillo, Peru and has lived in the Raleigh area for the last ten years. She is trained in modern dance and Afro Peruvian folklore and has been training and teaching samba for the last several years. She serves as assistant director for the NC Brazilian Arts Project and currently travels throughout the east coast performing and showcasing Samba No pe´ at various festivals and events.

Payton Chopp  is a professional dancer, teacher and choreographer with two decades of experience in classical ballet, contemporary and modern dance. She is a company member with Black Box Dance Theatre, a nonfiction modern dance company, and currently continues her own training with Rainbow Dance Company and American Dance Festival. Payton is also a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studied Psychology, Human Development & Family Studies, and Social & Economic Justice with a concentration in disability justice. In her classes and personal practice, Payton explores improvisation, process, and play in partnership with her passion for technique. Photo credit: Michelle Chopp

Christina Conley began dancing at age three, focusing her training on jazz, tap, and modern. She holds a BA in modern dance from the George Washington University and is certified in yoga, Pilates mat, and Pilates apparatus. Christina has taught in the Triangle since 2006 and has performed with Killian Manning, Ava Vinesett, for the UNC-G graduate dance department, and recently at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. She also practices massage therapy in Chapel Hill.

Tracey Durbin recently moved to Durham from Portland, OR, where she has been an integral part of the Portland dance scene for 25 years. She has choreographed and taught for Northwest Dance Project, BodyVox Dance, Oregon Ballet Theater and Reed College. Most recently, Tracey was one of four choreographers chosen for the Northwest Dance Project ‘Chopin Project’ with acclaimed pianist Yekwon Sunwoo and she is also a featured artist in the book ‘Beauty Is Experience: Dancing 50 and Beyond’ published by Stance on Dance in 2017.

Caroline Dyar is a Black Belt Nia teacher who was introduced to Nia in 1999 and began her teaching journey in 2008. Her Nia practice guides her to be aware of sensation, to open her mind to endless possibilities, to allow emotions to flow and release, and to listen to and embrace her unique spirit. Caroline delights in applying what she has learned from Nia to every aspect of her life, and she loves to share the Joy with everybody! Contact Caroline and read the story of her Nia journey by visiting her NiaNow profile: http://www.nianow.com/carolinia

Rachelle Feldman grew up studying and performing ballet at Maryland Youth Ballet with national acclaimed teacher Hortensia Fonseca, and modern dance with Anne Waugh Allan among others . She also served as Ballet Mistress for Columbia Dance Theater and taught creative movement, modern dance, and ballet to children. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Arts – Dance at the University of California, Berkeley where she received the Julia Payne Award for Dance Scholarship and Choreography. Rachelle danced for various modern choreographers in the San Francisco Bay Area and taught ballet and contemporary classes for adults at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center before moving to Durham in late 2016.

Katie Jo Fulks is a performer, arts administrator, and researcher originally from Huntington, West Virginia. She recently moved to Durham from WV, where she was a dancer and arts administrator with the West Virginia Dance Company. Katie studied at Elon University, obtaining a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a BA in Arts Administration. Through Katie’s work on and off stage, she strives to emphasize the power and necessity of art.

Nia Galas began studying dance at Durham School of the Arts and minored in dance at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has also completed a 500-hour Yoga teacher training and  has integrated many modalities of movement into her teaching. Nia has been working with children for twenty years, mostly in schools, recreation centers, and nannying; she is most excited to share her experiences with children because of their uninhibited energy and natural kinetic curiosity.

Rachel Gathercole has taught music, dance, movement, and other creative arts to children, teens, and adults for 30 years. Her dance training and teaching has focused primarily on ballroom and other social and couple dances, but she is also an award-winning clogger and loves all types of dance. She enjoys teaching and sharing the joy of dance with students of all ages!

Kanice “Knice” Granson-Holloway has been dancing since she was 7 years old, starting first with her community’s gospel hip-hop team, and going on to audition for and make her high school advanced dance company team. She has trained under the tutelage of Galen Hooks with the Galen Hook’s Method and KAOS professional dancer training, and has traveled across the country as a guest for dance events. She creates an encouraging, high-energy environment where students of all levels feel challenged and supported. With a professional foundation and a passion for the culture of hip-hop, Kanice inspires every dancer to push themselves and express their story through movement.

Helen Hickey is a teacher, choreographer, and performer. While growing up in Chapel Hill, she studied tap with Gene Medler and was a member of The North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble for five years. She performed at venues around the country with NCYTE, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. After receiving a BFA in Dance from UNC-G, she attended Sarah Lawrence College where she received her MFA in Dance. Helen enjoys teaching all ages and specializes in Tap, Contemporary, Improvisation /Composition, Modern, Jazz, and Musical Theater. She is also the Director and founder of Helen Hickey Dance Company and has been a Company Member with Footnotes Tap Ensemble. 

Jeanie “Marisol” Ibañez has a life-long love of dance, studying ballet and dancing in musicals and summer stock while at university. She has choreographed and danced for the Kansas City and Orlando Lyric Operas, as well as for Epcot Center and other venues. Her flamenco and Spanish dance studies began in NYC at Ballet Hispanico. She has studied in Spain with Milagros Mengibar, Raphael Campallo, Isabel Quintero, and in the U.S. with Carlota Santana, Belen Maya, Anna Menendez, Carmela Greco, and others. Jeanie endeavors to share her enjoyment of the dance with her students.

Juhi Jain has been dancing since the age of three and has a minor in dance from the University of Washington, Seattle. Juhi is the creative director and founder of Liquid Fusion Dance, LLC and her mission is to use the powerful and universal art form of dance to promote diversity, community, change and activism through her unique fusion dance pieces. While Juhi’s choreography is a fusion which blends different dance forms to promote diversity, she understands the importance of understanding the roots and training in each dance form individually.

Tiffany Johnson is an operating room nurse whose love for dance fitness began with hip-hop abs and Darren’s Dance Grooves; remember those?! As her fitness journey progressed, Zumba became a staple, then after a pause, she found Turn Up Dance Fitness and was hooked! She is excited to share the community and joy with any and everyone! Apart from her work & dance, she’s a self-proclaimed foodie, loves to travel and read! She’s so ready to hit the dance floor with you!

Amanda Lupacchino is a performer, director, choreographer and educator from New York City. Her professional credits include national tours, off-broadway, regional theater and tv/film. Amanda received her Bachelors of Science in Liberal Arts from The New School with a concentration in Creative Arts Therapy. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to dance with the community of artists at Ninth Street Dance. www.amandaleighlupacchino.com

Laylianah Mahasin has been devoted to the art of Belly Dance for over 11 years. She has studied many styles of belly dance with world-renowned instructors, and is excited to share her knowledge and passion with her students. Laylianah emphasizes the importance of correct technique, while providing a fun and supportive atmosphere for students who are just discovering what amazing belly dancers they can be!

Killian Manning has been teaching dance to people of all ages since 1988. She first taught, performed, and choreographed in Boston, where she was a member of Susan Rose and DanceWorks, serving on the faculties at Radcliffe, DanceWorks and the Boston Conservatory. As Artistic Director of killianmanning/noforwardingaddress, her award-winning choreography has been presented in Salt Lake City, Boston, Chicago, Alabama, and North Carolina. Killian has also taught yoga for many years, as well as guided meditative movement.

Angelo Marin hails from New York City, where he studied various dance styles for five years. His specialty is hip-hop, and he has taught his choreography to others in informal settings. And, yes, he and Angel are twins.

Monthati Masebe (Thati M) is a South African music composer, actor, and dancer currently pursuing their PhD at Duke University. They have a deep interest in merging African and diasporic narratives by embracing the somatic wisdoms in the body through song and movement..

Dee Mathews (they/them) picked up swing dancing as a hobby in high school and fell in love with vintage jazz music and dancing and has been hooked ever since. They began competing and teaching lindy hop, balboa, and solo jazz in 2010, winning awards from national events such as Camp Hollywood, All Balboa Weekend, California Balboa Classic and teaching events both nationally and internationally. They run and teach local swing events throughout the triangle focused on introducing new dancers to the movement and history of vintage swing. They can be found on Instagram at @dmbalboa.

Kat O’Melia started tap dancing at the age of 12 with her teacher and mentor Gene Medler. She is an alumna of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble and an active member of the Southern Open Rhythm Collective Leadership group. She loves sharing her passion for tap with her students.

Ife Michelle (Choreographer, Dancer, Artistic Space Maker, Black Culture Educator) is a native of Charlotte, NC. Her dance training began at North Carolina Performing Arts Academy and continued through college, with her primary styles being Traditional West-African, Contemporary, Horton Modern Technique, Hip-Hop, Stilettos, and Couture/Vogue dance. Ife currently teaches at Duke University (Professor of Dance in Hip-Hop) and Fayetteville State University (Professor of Dance) in addition to teaching various community classes, where she is invested in dancers’ self-exploration and expression through Afro-Diasporic/Black/Queer dance genres.

Danielle Rainville has been a lifelong student of dance and earned her undergraduate degree in Dance from the University North Carolina at Greensboro. She enjoys merging her passion for movement with her work as an occupational therapist and has been certified as a Mark Morris Dance for PD teacher and as an RYT-200 yoga instructor. She has been studying flamenco since 2016 and is currently participating in a year of deep flamenco exploration through Flamenco Vivo’s Developing Artists program.

Steven James Rodriguez Velez hails from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, where he began his movement studies with the martial arts. While a student at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, he studied ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance intensively and performed and choreographed with HINCAPIE and ANDANZA dance companies. He has performed with with several area dance companies, including Black Irish, Blackbox Dance Theater, and OM Grown Dancers, though is is currently based in Puerto Rico.

Liz Sanford is originally from Mebane. She earned her BA in Dance from UNC Charlotte and then performed professionally with Kinetic Works and Room to Move Dance companies, as well as in musical theatre productions. She spent a combined 8 seasons dancing and singing at Six Flags Over Georgia, Sesame Place, and Carowinds theme parks. Most notably, she performed around the country with two national tours of Sesame Street Live!, where she originated the puppetry role of Maya Monster. Liz recently moved back to North Carolina and is enjoying teaching, as well as dancing with Raleigh-based Black Box Dance Theatre.

Danielle Segretto has been teaching dance for more than 20 years. Trained primarily in classical ballet, she also holds a Bachelor’s degree in contemporary dance performance from Winthrop University. She has trained with many well-known artists, including Gelsey Kirkland and Cynthia Gregory, and has performed professionally in Seattle and NC. She has an early childhood education certificate with the State of NC and taught preschool for four years.  Danielle is very excited to be working at Ninth Street Dance again!

Nischitha Shetty is a well-known Bollywood choreographer in the Triangle. Her experience spans over 20 years, and she has been teaching dance for the last 10 years. She was introduced to Indian classical, folk and Bollywood dance styles at a young age. Her passion for Bollywood kept on growing because of the versatility it offers. She choreographs and performs regularly at various events – from small private parties to big international festivals. She likes to incorporate different dance styles like Indian folk, Indian classical, contemporary and hip-hop into her dance routine. She works well with adults, children and dancers of all levels. Her classes are clearly structured, well researched and fun!

Eesha Singh is a dancer, certified Yoga and Pilates instructor, and Craniosacral therapist dedicated to the healing power of movement. Trained in contemporary, ballet, jazz, and Latin dance at prestigious institutions including The Danceworx (New Delhi) and Broadway Dance Center (NYC), she specializes in Jazz Funk and Heels dancing. A passionate educator since age 17, Eesha leads workshops and has trained dancers and theatre actors internationally. Through her signature Heels classes, she creates empowering spaces for self-expression, self-love, and confidence building. Her philosophy centers on movement as a pathway to authentic healing and personal transformation.

Nicole Thomas, affectionately nicknamed “Pinky,” embodies the roles of Dancer, Choreographer, Educator, Ethnographer, and Cultural Ambassador. With roots based in St. Louis, Pinky has immersed herself, since the age of 5, in a diverse array of techniques such as Ballet, Dunham Technique, Jazz, Tap, West African, and Musical Theatre. An educator for over 25 years, Pinky’s fluency in multiple techniques encompasses historical lineage, grounding movement in its cultural context. With a passion for working and nurturing creative growing minds, Pinky encourages students to embrace all forms and aesthetics of movement and music to become diverse communicators.

Sarah Town has studied, performed, and taught movement styles including Cuban social dances and capoeira for over two decades. Her movement mentors include Kati Hernández of Kimbambula Dance and Mestre Zumbi of Grupo Senzala, and she holds a PhD in Musicology from Princeton University. Her Latin music combo, sabrosura, collaborates with Mambo Dinamico Dance Company. Sarah is a passionate advocate for inclusion, empowerment, and community building through music and movement.

Jillian Wasick’s passion for dance began early, fed by frequent viewings of Dirty Dancing and 90s hip hop and R&B music videos. Jillian first studied and performed ballet, but she has trained in other dance styles and currently teaches salsa, DancePhoria, and Zumba. She is a member of the Pink Beats Salsa Dance Team in Durham. Jillian strives to create inclusive spaces where students can find joy, a sense of community, and release through movement! She can be found on Instagram at dancephoria_nc.

Lori Weiss has always had a passion for dance and fitness, so dance fitness was a natural fit. Lori has been teaching dance-inspired fitness classes since 2010. She is an AFAA (Athletics and Fitness Association of America) certified group exercise instructor and she holds speciality certifications in Barre Above and Balletone fitness. When she is not dancing, Lori works as a math education specialist, serving students in grades K – 12.

Emilie Young is a 3rd Generation Classical Pilates instructor, comprehensively certified in both mat and apparatus. Her journey with Pilates began at Appalachian State University, where she trained under 2nd Generation instructors Rebecca Quinn and Marianne Adams and completed their Classical Pilates training program in 2015. In addition to her Pilates career, Emilie is also an elementary art teacher for Durham Public Schools. Emilie’s perspective as a classroom teacher helps her understand how daily movement patterns affect our bodies and she is passionate about the Classical Pilates Method as a tool to combat daily stressors and chronic pain while helping her clients feel strong, confident, and connected in their bodies.

Sadie Zimet is a music teacher, dance teacher, and performing musician. She has taught ballroom dance, music, and movement to children and adults of all ages since 2014. She believes in delight-driven learning and likes to encourage her students with positivity and a spirit or gumption and fun.