Featured Guests - MAD 2023

Introducing the incredible guest artists for MAD Weekend 2025! Meet the amazing talent Nazareth University’s Dance Program is partnering with to bring you the ultimate dance festival.

*Read more bios at the end of the page

Gianna Theodore Headshot

Gianna Theodore

GIANNA THEODORE(she/her) Raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, Gianna began her dance training at Ballet East Studio under the direction of Susan Lyle and Chelsea Nasby. Gianna is a graduate of A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, and a three-time YoungArts Merit Scholar/Honorable Mention. She graduated with a BFA in dance from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program Class of 2020. Throughout the course of her training, she has performed works by Robert Battle, Chuck Wilt, and Bradley Shelver. She attended Springboard Danse Montreal, where she performed work created by RUBBERBANDANCE, and Parts & Labour Danse. Gianna has ventured through many cultures and styles of dance, such as house and African, which has helped land her lead roles in music videos. She has also performed professionally with artists such as Ebony Williams, Mark Caserta, Maleek Washington, and Jennifer Archibald. She recently performed during a residency with Helen Simoneau Danse. Gianna joined A.I.M by Kyle Abraham in 2019.

  • Contemporary/Modern - Thursday, January 23, 5:45PM - 7:15PM, Location: George 102

- Photograph by Carrie Schneider 

Catherine Messina Photograph

Catherine Messina

Catherine Messina has danced throughout New York and Atlanta for Yoshito Sakuraba, Emmy Wildermuth, One Day Dance, and more. Her company, rogue wave, has performed across the country. Commissions include Sacred Heart University, Suttle Dance, One Day Dance, and Open Dance Ensemble. Grant support includes Puffin Foundation, the City of Atlanta, Metuchen Arts, Indie Space and residencies include Everwood Artist Retreat, Hambidge Cross Pollination Lab, Dragon’s Egg. Messina has experience in arts administration, university teaching, and technical production. Community work is important to her and seen through her creation of multiple dance festivals and running affordable class series. Follow @roguewaveroguewave

Classes: 

  • Floorwork For The Vertical Dancer - Saturday, January 25, 10:30AM - 11:45AM, Location: George 154
  • Contemporary Partnering - Sunday, January 26, 12:00PM - 1:15PM, Location: George 154

 - Photograph by Leighann Kowalsky

Marisa Ballaro Headshot

Marisa Ballaro

A proud Buffalonian, Marisa f. Ballaro is Artistic Director of Ballaro Dance. She centers community-based, collaborative projects creating and producing sensory-rich, multidisciplinary work. Most recently, Marisa was awarded a two-year/recurring $9,575 Impact Grant by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation leading nation-wide projects. Marisa
received her MFA from Montclair State University while selected as Convocation Speaker for the College of the Arts; she graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Brockport. Her collaborative film "The Distance" was awarded Best Choreography (Experimental Dance & Music Film Festival, 2023); she presented Find Alternate Movement at the St. Louis Contemporary Dance Festival (June.)

Classes:

  • Modern MOVES - Friday, January 24, 1:00PM - 2:15PM, Location: George 102
  • Beautiful Noise; Individual and Community Identity - Friday, January 24, 4:30PM - 5:45PM, Location: George 154

-Headshot by Michelle Hudson

Aldo Katton Headshot

Aldo Katton

Aldo is a Mexican artistic director, choreographer, and former dancer. He has participated in the creation and production of numerous ballets with companies and schools around Mexico, USA, and Guatemala. His expertise is not limited to the technical and artistic aspects of dance, but extends to collaboration and coordination of logistics, sound, set design and costume design of theatrical productions. His choreography and pedagogical approach promote diversity, equity, and inclusion as means to preserve the art of classical ballet by allowing it to evolve. Currently he is the Artistic Director of CNY Ballet, and professor of dance for Syracuse University.

Classes: 

  • Advanced Pre-Professional Ballet - Saturday, January 25, 12:00PM - 1:15PM, Location: George 102
  • Intermediate Per-Professional Ballet - Saturday, January 25, 3:00PM - 4:15PM, Location: George 102

-Headshot by Marc Safran

Felipe Panama Headshot

Felipe Panama

From Guadalajara, Mexico, he teaches Ballet, Jazz, and Contemporary dance in the Department of Drama of Syracuse University, as a full-time faculty member and Assistant Program Coordinator for the Musical Theater BFA. He creates work for Syracuse University’s productions such as Shaina Taub’s adaptation of “As You Like It,”directed by Rodney Hudson and Clare Barron’s “Dance Nation” directed by Katherine McGerr. Panamá was in “West Side Story” in Cagliari, Italy as ‘Nibbles’ and served as Dance Captain for Francesca Zambello’s production, directed by Eric Sean Fogel, featuring original Jerome Robbins choreography. He is a founder, teacher, marketing director, and rehearsal director for Central New York Ballet.

Classes: 

  • Ballet For Musical Theater Performers - Sunday, January 26, 10:30AM - 11:45AM, Location: George 102
  • Int/Adv Theater Dance - Sunday, January 26, 12:00PM - 1:15PM, Location: George 102 
  • Impulse: Breath and Momentum in Contemporary Dance - Sunday, January 26, 3:00PM - 4:15PM, Location: George 102

- Photograph by Brian Offidani

 

DoubleTake Dance Image

DoubleTake Dance

DoubleTake Dance is in it's 15th year and has been featured in shows/ venues such as NYC SummerStage Festival, Battery Dance Festival, Carnival Choreographers Ball, Baltimore Invitational, Webster Hall, New York Fashion Week, Fuse TV, The NY Jazz Choreography Project, NYC Half Marathon, as well as several films, music videos, commercials and industrials. We have received choreographic commissions from Dancing Wheels company

Currently, [Vanessa Martinez and Ashley Carter] are faculty at Ballet Academy East, Ellison Ballet and Ballet Hispanico. We have also taught at Steps, Joffrey, Peridance, BDC, Ballet Arts...Other teaching credits outside New York include: Lines in San Francisco, South Bay Dance, Bay Area Dance, and Joy of Dancing in San Jose,  Tony Williams and Green St in Boston, Tarrytown Dance and Round Rock Repertory in Austin; Punahou, UH, Mid Pac in Hawaii etc... , as well as many other schools both in the US as well as in Europe and Mexico.

Our choreography has been featured in NYC SummerStage, Battery Dance Festival, Carnival Choreographers Ball, Webster Hall, Dixon Place, Fuse TV, the Ailey Theatre, NYC Half Marathon, as well as several films, music videos, commercials and industrials.  We have been awarded choreographic commissions, grants and our pieces have made the YAGP NYC finals on several occasions.

As performers our credits include artists/companies such as Broadway Asia, the New York Metropolitan Opera, Justin Timberlake, Pilobolus, Sia, XBox, Tap City, Daniel Gwirtzman Co, Nicki Minaj, and many more.

Classes

  • Leaps and Turns - Saturday, January 25, 1:30PM - 2:45PM, Location: George 154
  • Pilates - Sunday, January 26, 10:30AM - 11:45AM, Location: George 154
  • Company Repertory - Sunday, January 26, 1:30PM - 2:45PM, Location: George 154

- Photo by Claudio Rodriguez

Brianna Lopez

Brianna Lopez

Brianna López is a choreographer, performer, and educator with a B.A. in Dance Performance from San Diego State University and an M.F.A. in Modern Dance from the University of Utah. Her research on softness and speed, rooted in Gaga and contact improvisation, led to the creation of “The Naftali Method,” taught in California and Mexico. Her recent work, “Quietude,” premiered at the Tijuana Cultural Center during a residency at ConnectArte Espacio Multidisciplinario. Currently, she serves as an Enrichment Teacher with Achievement First, where she is the first dance instructor to introduce dance into the school curriculum.

Classes: 

  • The Naftali Method: Softness - Friday, January 24, 1:30PM - 2:45PM, Location: George 154
  • The Naftali Method: Multitasking - Friday, January 24, 6:00PM - 7:15PM, Location: George 154
  • The Naftali Method: Speed - Saturday, January 25, 12:00PM - 1:15PM, Location: George 154

- Headshot by Skye Schmidt Varga

32nd Pack Dance

32nd Pack Dance

Rachel Daly

Rachel Daly (she/her) is a Queens based dance artist and social worker. Originally from Utica, NY, she began her dance training at Dancenter of Utica under the direction of Carrie Putrello. Rachel received her MSW from Fordham University and B.S. in Dance and Social Work from Nazareth College. She is a co-founder and choreographer for 32nd Pack, a New York based contemporary dance company. Rachel’s choreography has been presented across New York in places such as Times Square, Dixon’s Place, Balance Arts Center, Chain Theatre, Spoke the Hub, and the TADA Theater. She has performed professionally with the company in theaters like the Ailey Citigroup Theater, Callahan Theater, Dixon’s Place, etc. Rachel is also a teaching artist and has had the opportunity to teach at various studios, public schools, and colleges. Rachel has a holistic approach to dance education, often combining social-emotional learning and dance and is an advocate for dancer mental health.

Caroline Sherwood

Caroline Sherwood (she/her) was born and raised in Rochester, NY and began her training at Pittsford Ballet School. She went on to receive a Bachelors of Science in Dance Studies at Nazareth College. During this time, Caroline had the wonderful opportunity to perform works by Doug Varone and Dancers, Koresh Dance Company, Hettie Barnhill, and Heather Roffe. After graduating, Caroline moved to New York and co-founded 32nd Pack Dance Company. Her choreography was presented at the 2022 Winter Follies Festival and won the “People’s Choice Award”. This led the company to their first residency and full length show produced by Spoke the Hub. Since then, Caroline’s work has been seen at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, Callahan Theater, Chain Theatre, TADA Theater, and other venues across New York. In addition to the company, Caroline is also a local musician and artist.

Class:

  • The Whole Dancer; Int/Adv Contemporary - Sunday, January 26, 1:30PM - 2:45PM, Location: George 102

Panel: 

  • Diversity and Access in Dance - Friday, January 24, 4:45PM - 6:00PM, Location: George 102 

- Photograph by Jay Bradnova 

April Biggs Photograph

April Biggs

(she/her) is a Southern, Queer, multiply-Disabled dance artist, access artistry
consultant, and writer who works on the stolen lands of the Kiikaapoi peoples (Kansas City, MO). Her choreographic, pedagogical, and advocacy work follows a Disability Justice framework, an intersectional lens which centers the most marginalized and celebrates the nuanced, full and exquisite experiences of disabled people and culture. She holds an MFA in Dance from Ohio State, an MFA in Poetry from The New School, and a BFA in Dance from Florida State. She has presented several works in venues across the country including Movement Research, DTW, Dixon Place, the Merce Cunningham Studios, the ALT Theatre, and Pink House, among others. April teaches in academic and community settings, most recently at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University at Buffalo (SUNY), BalletMet, and the Ohio State University. She is a member of Creating New Futures’ (CNF) Disability+ Working Group, and a Disability Consultant to Rutgers University’s Integrated Dance Minor. April serves on the Artistic Advisory Board of The Field Center for Performance, Dance and Interdisciplinary Arts. Recent awards include the 2022 Inaugural Spring Peeper Creative Residency (VA), and a 2020/2021Dance/NYC Disability.Dance.Artistry. Dance and Social Justice Fellowship. @biggbiggsdance, aprilbiggs.org

Class: 

  • Practices For Deepening the Presence of You - Saturday, January 25, 4:30PM - 5:45PM, Location: Callahan Theater
  • A showing in Callahan will immediately proceed the class. Participants must expect to stay for the informal performance.

Panels: 

  • The Magic of Access and Criptime in an Anti-Capitalist Dance World - Saturday, January 25, 1:30PM - 2:30PM, Location: TBD
  • Diversity and Access in Dance - Friday, January 24, 4:45PM - 6:00PM, Location: George 102 

-Photograph by Tim Bohannon

Featured Guest Artists - Bios

Heather Roffe

Heather Roffe (MFA) is a Professor/Program Director of Dance at Nazareth University, the Theatre & Dance Dept. co-chair, and a Certified Evans Technique dance educator and Pilates (BASI Pilates Mat & Reformer for Dancers) instructor. She approaches Dance and Pilates with an anatomical eye, and uses that focus to help people move more effectively, efficiently, safely, powerfully, and gracefully! She has performed nationally and internationally with the Garth Fagan Dance Company, and at Jacob's Pillow, the International Dance Festival, the American Dance Guild, and DUMBO Dance Festival, in her own work and as a member of the Bill Evans Dance Company, FuturPointe Dance, and Assemblage Dance companies. Roffe's choreography has been presented in venues across the country and internationally, and has been commissioned by other dance companies and college programs. In addition, to performing and creating, she serves on the Advisory Council of NDEO (National Dance Education Organization) and served the Northeast Regional Board of ACDA (American College Dance Association) for many years, and she was recently awarded the New York State Dance Association's "Outstanding Educator in Post-Secondary School". Outside of teaching, she loves to garden, spend time with family & friends, and cuddle with her 3 rescue cats. Dance continues to be her platform for expression, and that passion spurs her to perform and create work for her company, HR Dance. 

  • Movement Exploration & Improvisation -  Thursday, January 23, 2:35PM - 3:50PM, Location: George 102
  • Contemporary Partnering - Friday, January 24, 11:30AM - 12:45PM, Location: George 102
  • Argentine Tango - Sunday, January 26, 3:00PM - 4:15PM, Location: George 154
Chris Collins

Chris Collins is a Rochester, NY native. Mr. Collins was classically trained in ballet at the Timothy M. Draper for Dance Education here in Rochester. He then went to NYC to continue his training with the Joffrey Ballet School. While in NYC, he had the opportunity to work with artists such as Sonya Tayeh, Sidra Bell, Gelsey Kirkland, Daniel Albrecht, Glenn Edgerton, and many more. Furthering his education, Mr. Collins pursued his BFA at Point Park University. 

Chris was fortunate to come back to his hometown to join the Rochester City Ballet and has been a Company member for 11 years. Throughout his professional career, Chris has had the fortune to guest teach and dance with many companies, a few including; Carolina Ballet Theatre, Springfield Ballet Company,  and San Jose Ballet, to name a few. His favorite works that he’s performed include Terminus by Kate Skarpetowska, Adiemus and Rite of Spring by David Palmer, Serenade and Who cares? by Balanchine. 

  • Contemporary/Guided Improvisation - Friday, January 24, 10:30AM - 11:45AM, Location: George 154
Miranda Martin

Miranda Martin O'Hara is a Rochester native. She is the co-owner and director of "Studio 19 Dance Company" and the director of "The Company”: an all Hip Hop dance crew at the advanced level for ages 13-20. Her students perform and compete at both the regional and national level. Her Hip Hop crews perform regularly within the community at events and half time shows including: The Harlem Globetrotters, Rochester sports teams: The Knighthawks, Amerks, Lancers and most recently for the Spencerport Historical Society. She has been honored numerous times for her choreography and entertaining routines, and her students praised for technical execution. 

Miranda is trained extensively in all styles of dance, but is passionate and renowned for Hip Hop in and around the Rochester area. She is highly sought after for master classes and choreography regularly. 

Professionally Miranda was a member of Kista Tucker Dance Inc from 2007-2012. She studied swing dance and vintage jazz for three summers from 2009-2011 under Thom Cobb, and is a current member of Catalyst Dance Works, under the direction of Amber Blye Brescia. Miranda has performed at Fringe Fest, several dance festivals locally and nationally, at various workshops including Bill Evans annual Somatic conference, and was often a featured performer in Tucker's evening length works; Notably: "Trio" "The David Lynch Project" and "Genevieve of the Woods". 

In addition to her own studio as an educator Miranda has professionally served as a competition judge at the regional level and a guest artist for Nazareth College and SUNY Brockport, and The Draper Center for Dance Education. 

  • Hip Hop Dance - Intro to Hip Hop - Friday, January 24, 12:00PM - 1:15PM, Location: George 154. 
  • Hip Hop Dance 2 - Friday, January 24, 3:00PM - 4:15PM, Location: George 154
Cat Olson

Cat DeAngelis Olson, a dynamic force with over a decade shaping NYC's arts scene as a performer and director. As a creator and performer, Cat has had the privilege to work with incredible artists such as Susan Marshall, Gallim Dance, Summation Dance, Gideon Obazanek, Spiegelworld, and Raja Feather Kelly. Notably, she performed a lead in the long-running sensation "Sleep No More" and various projects with immersive theater luminaries Punchdrunk (UK). Cat is proud to be Nazareth University Faculty in the Theater and Dance Department. 

  • Immersive Theatre - Saturday, January 25, 2:30PM -4:015PM, Location: Callahan Theater

- Attending Cat's Immersive Theatre class provides students with the opportunity participate and perform in the Informal Showing - Saturday, January 24, 6:00PM - 7:00PM, Location: Callahan Theatre. Join Cat for this two part series!

Beth Bartholomew

Beth Bartholomew is currently on the Teaching Staff at The Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education in Rochester NY. Along with teaching she also coaches Classical and Contemporary variations and solos for International Ballet Competitions as well as stages and rehearses choreography for the Professional Trainee Program. Ms.Bartholomew is an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Nazareth University and previously at the University at Buffalo. She also served as Rehearsal Director for The Rochester City Ballet for 19 years. 

Beth began her professional career in NYC with the Joffrey ll Dancers and later joined the Joffrey Ballet. She has danced in works by Robert Joffrey, Gerald Arpino, John Cranko, Paul Taylor, Frederic Ashton, and Anthony Tudor to name a few. She went on to spend four Seasons with The Washington Ballet under the direction of Mary Day and later Kevin McKenzie where she enjoyed performing works by Balanchine, Choo San Goh, and Nils Christie. The next ten seasons were spent at The Scapino Ballet Rotterdam in the Netherlands learning a different way to move and performing works by innovative artists and choreographers such as Georg Reischl, Anthony Rizzi, Inma Rubio Tomas, Ederson Rodrigues Xavier, Ed Wubbe. Krisztina de Chatêl, Thom Stuart, Rinus Sprong and LeineRoebana. During her time in Europe, Ms. Bartholomew received her teaching diploma for The Gyrotonic Expansion System. She also participated in several freelance Dance and Theater projects in Europe and the US. She has been guest faculty at The Rotterdam Academy (Codarts) in The Netherlands, Neglia Ballet Artists in Buffalo NY, The Ballet Alliance Festival in Seattle, New Albany Ballet in Ohio, and the Otto M. Budig Academy of Cincinnati Ballet.

  • Ballet III - Friday, January 24, 10:00AM - 11:25AM, Location: George 102
Fidel Ernesto Orrillo Puga

Fidel Orrillo Puga, born in Lima, Perú, studied with his Aunt Stella Puga in Trujillo, Perú. At age 13 he received a scholarship to the renowned "National School of Ballet" in Havana, Cuba, directed by Alicia Alonso where He performed with the school and the National Ballet of Cuba until his graduation. Later he was offered a contract and danced for 4 years in Ballet de Camagüey in Camagüey, Cuba.

Mr. Orrillo Puga has danced in several companies in South America and the Caribbean as a guest and most recently was a Soloist in Ballet del Teatro Municipal in Trujillo, Peru and a Principal Dancer in Ballet National of Perú in Lima, Perú. While in Lima, he worked with Martin Padrón who invited him to dance with him in Paris and later in Spain. Mr. Orrillo Puga is also on staff at the Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education, the official school of the Rochester City Ballet where he is a Principal Character Dancer and Ballet Master Guest. Along with teaching He also coaches Classical and Contemporary variations, Pas de Deux's and solo's for International Ballet Competitions. Mr.Orrillo Puga is an Adjunct Professor of Classical Ballet Technique at Nazareth University. 

  • Open Ballet - Thursday, January 23, 9:25AM - 10:40AM, Location: George 102
Dr. Sarah Carlton

Sarah received her DPT in Physical therapy from Boston University, as well as a BA in Interdisciplinary Dance Studies from Cal Poly Humboldt, and an MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from University of Hawaii at Manoa. Sarah comes to physical therapy after many years as a dancer, musician, choreographer, and teacher. She has performed with such groups as Astrum Dance Theater, Fusion Jazz Company, Humboldt Light Opera Company, UH Dance Ensemble, and the Broadway Touring Cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She is currently the leading specialist for Hypermobility and EDS therapy in the upstate New York area.  Sarah is excited to continue her career helping dancers, musicians and all individuals stay healthy and active.

  • Dance Conditioning - Friday, January 24, 9:00AM - 10:15AM, Location: George 154. 
Alexandra Insinga

Alexandra was Associate Artistic Director for Gelsey Kirkland Ballet in New York City and Melbourne Academy of the Arts in Australia. She is trained as a ballet teacher in the Russian Vaganova method, and combines this approach with a focus on alignment, kinesthetics and coordination, in order to develop refined, yet expressive technique. She has guest taught for ballet companies in the US and
Australia, and has experience teaching and choreographing for all ages and abilities, from age 3 to 73! She is currently undertaking a Master of Sports Coaching to complement her technical and artistic knowledge.

  • Contemporary Ballet- Friday, January 24, 2:30PM - 4:00PM, Location: George 102
Hannah Bardeen

Hannah Bardeen is a dance artist from Rochester, NY. Graduating from Nazareth University in 2024 studying under Heather Roffe, she was privileged to perform notable repertory from Doug Varone, the Limon Company, and GALLIM Dance, in addition to faculty and student works. She currently teaches recreational youth dance classes in the styles of Jazz, Improvisation, Contemporary, Lyrical, and Hip Hop. Hannah is also pursuing a graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling from St. John Fisher University. She loves to combine her passions of dance and psychology in the studio to ensure her dance students are growing holistically!

  • The Power Of Jazz - Saturday, January 25, 4:30PM - 5:45PM, Location: George 154