Upstate Dance & Arts Center

Michelle began in Brooklyn, NY and trained at LaGuardia - High School of the Performing Arts (otherwise known as the FAME High School). Now, Michelle lives and works mostly in Los Angeles, California. She is well known in the field through her live performances and tours as well as her television appearances. Some of Michelle's most notable dancing roles have been with: The Adventures of Mimi - World Tour: Mariah Carey, New York Knicks City Dancers, Oliver, Sound of Music, and So You Think You Can Dance (Season One: Top 12). She is currently working with Sean Paul in his International Tour.

Her training has been with some of the best, including but not limited to: "Tyce" Diorio, Andre Rossario, Alex DaSilva, and Mary Murphy, and includes disciplines from pointe to break dancing and classic jazz and tap to ballroom and bellydancing.

Leslie Feliciano

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Leslie Feliciano has been active as a choreographer for over ten years. Known for his dynamic personality and infectious approach to dance, Leslie teaches regularly at Broadway Dance Center and Crunch Gyms in New York City, as well as many international locals. He has led workshops and conventions in such varied countries as Australia, Japan, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, and Dubai. In addition to his extensive travels, Leslie has worked with platinum recording artists Paulina Rubio and Miguel Bose and most notably, staged Alejandro Sanz's Alma Al Arie world tour. In Spain, Leslie wrote, produced, and directed "Hip Hop Time," a television program for children that taught the fundamentals of hip hop. His work has been showcased in numerous European television commercials and in such popular awards shows as the Amigo Awards, the Latin American equivalent of the Grammy's. Most recently, he danced in a major Bollywood movie, Drona, starring Miss World 2000, Priyanka Chopra. Drona will be released next summer.

Leslie´s choreographic style seamlessly blends the influence of his Latin roots, street trends, and any kind of music that inspires movement. At once tough and lyrical, defiant and jubilant,his dances capture the multifaceted characteristics of hip hop. Drawing movements from all types of dance--modern,jazz,lyrical--Leslie´s choreography is an organic hybrid of various traditions distilled into his own inimitable style. Leslie´s teaching
is informed by his Dewbee Jammin philosophy, which he describes as the “force that kicks in when you have no energy.” known for his unflagging intensity in class, he espouses the idea that the spiritual transcends the physical : “when the body shuts down,your Dewbee kicks in and you handle your business”. Most importantly however, he believes that having fun in class is paramount: “It doesn´t work if you don´t smile!”

An excerpt of Melanie's work follows: Dancer/Actor in Lucia di Lammermoor with the Bergen County Opera Theatre, Guest Artist in the International Dance Festival - Prague, CZ with Phlava Dance Company, Principal Dancer for the Synthesis Dance Project, Dancer at the NYC Carnival Choreographer's Ball, Dancer for ESPN Zone's Disney Cable Launch choreographed by Mandy Moore, Dancer in the 2004 & 2005 Elan Awards directed by Geoffrey Doig-Marx, Dancer in Fashion Week's Dance Scene by Capezio, and Dancer on Saturday Night Live.

Todd Shanks is an energetic teacher and choreographer who brings challenging style and excitement to the classroom. Todd has performed in industrials and commercials for Volvo, “Good Day NY”, Kimberly Clark products, The View, Wrigley’s, Ford Motors, Paramount Pictures, Pilsen Beer, the United Way, the Lyme Disease Foundation and Race for the Cure. He has performed with Synthesis Dance Project, Jette Performance Company and the Westchester Philharmonic, as well as performing in SDCF Dance Break, Steps on Broadway Faculty Concerts, the 2006 Miss Florida Pageant and Off-Broadway workshops of Halftime and On the Edge. He also co-created and starred in “From Tap to Hip Hop, a brief history”, an educational show for teenagers. Todd recently choreographed the music video, “Unstoppable” for performing group CityKids.

Todd has taught for the University of Florida, Ballet Hispanico, Dance Masters of America, Dance New Amsterdam, Florida Dance Masters and many private dance studios throughout the United States. He currently teaches at Steps on Broadway, Princeton Dance and Theater Studio and on tour with Manhattan Dance Project.

Todd is the choreographer for the Cancer Dancers, a group of young Cancer patients and survivors, who mentor other patients through dance and fitness. They have been featured on ABC’s “The View”, NY1 news, the MSG Network, Channel 11 News, and ABC Nightly News. They have performed at events for 1010 WINS, Hope and Heroes, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the 2007 Yankee FanFest at Lincoln Center. For more information on the Cancer Dancers or to make a donation, please visit cancerdancersonline.org

Tracie Stanfield’s (New York) work ranges from commercial work for Sony Pictures and NY Fashion Week to theatrical productions for Verismo Opera Company and Vital Theatre Company, to full-length ballet concerts for the New York Performers Project. Recent commissions include Dancers Responding to AIDS On With The Dance, Mesa State College, The University of Michigan, The International Dance Festival NYC, The NYC Choreographers’ Ball/Carnival, The Elan Awards, Save The Music Relief Benefit, Club Avalon, National Dance Week Concert at Baryshnikov 37 Arts and Capezio’s Night at The Oscars. Her work as a commissioned guest artist, teacher, collaborator and consultant insures her position as an authority on the cutting edge of dance and education.

Her company, Synthesis Dance Project has appeared at NUDance Now Festival, Los Angeles Dance Invitational, Towson University, Visions and Voices, SoNo Arts Festival, CT Meets NY Dance Festival, Hollywood Performing Arts Center (FL) and as featured guests of The Kennedy Dancers. Tracie is the recipient of the 2005 Spirit of Elan Choreography Award for her work with Synthesis Dance Project NYC and the 2005 Far Space Performing Residency in New York.

Currently on the faculty of Broadway Dance Center in New York City, Tracie Stanfield continues to teach master classes and workshops throughout the country for organizations such as Marymount Manhattan College, University of South Carolina, The Rock School, Southeast Regional Ballet Association, University of Michigan, Mesa State College, Broadway Dance Center’s The Pulse, Summer DanceFest and Susan Chambers Dance Company, among others. Ms. Stanfield’s commitment to her vision of dance as a unified art form, reflecting one’s personal connection between emotion and movement, is as strong as her commitment to dance education.

guest instructors...

Niki Kennedy has been dancing and competing since the age of 4. She has been recognized at well established competitions as a Regional Champion and also nationally in the same regards. She was selected to dance at the National Pro-Bowl and for a national television show. During this time, Niki also created a dance team for her high school and was named the choreographer and captain. While attending Binghamton University, she became invested in Children's Dance Theatre as a dancer, choreographer, and costume designer. During her time at college, she was given the opportunity to study at Louisiana State University and was honored to accept to study Ballet, Modern, Hip Hop, and Jazz there. She has recently opened the Kennedy Performing Arts Centre in Sidney, NY.

Jamie Maggio is a hip hop dancer from Long Island, NY. She began her dance training at a young age, but found her passion in hip hop while in high school. She trained at the Oceanside Conservatory on Long Island where she was involved in an advanced hip hop program, of which she was a soloist. She was also the head choreographer, captain, and a tumbler for her high school's competitive cheerleading squad. She graduated from South Side High School in Rockville Center with an International Baccalaureate Diploma with Honors. This year, as a senior enrolled at Binghamton University, Jamie is starting off her fourth year on BU's Dance Team as Captain and continuing her much-loved choreography for the team.

Phil Turay is a professional dancer from Brooklyn, NY. He has been taking dance classes and performing since the tender age of three. Phil's specialties are Hip Hop, Jazz, and Tap but he also has experience in many other dance styles, including Latin, African, and Indian. While earning his degree at Binghamton University, Phil was the President and Head Choreographer of the International Flag Dancers (IFD). He was also an honorary member of, and special guest choreographer for, the Binghamton University Dance Team. Professionally, Phil has been involved in many impressive performances, some of which were for notable Hip-Hop artists such as Chris Brown, Ludacris, and 112. He has had several appearances on NBC, MTV, and BET, as well as various competitions, club bookings, and showcases all over New York State. He now lives and works in LA, California.

visiting artists...

guest instructors...