credit: Eric Bandiero
Dana Fisch(Founder/Artistic Director) is an honors graduate of OCU with a degree in Dance Management allowing her to work in all aspects of dance and non-profit management. Her previous dance company experience includes five seasons as a Principle Dancer and Dance Captain of New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble, four as a Jazz Dancer and Company Manager in Push Factor Dance Company, and two seasons with Mazel Toes Tap Company. While dancing for these companies and Undertoe, she had the opportunity to perform in prestigious venues such as The Cotton Club, The Pearl Theater, The 92nd Street Y, Webster Hall, and NJPAC, and The International Dance Festival, DanceNOW Harlem, the Downtown Dance Festival, FIGMENT, and alongside the NJ Symphony Orchestra, the Princeton Symphony, and the NJ Ballet. Some of her previous choreography credits include: Push Factor Dance Company, off-Broadway rock opera The Capital Mall, Cabaret @ The Cave, DanceNOW Harlem, New Dance Group Exchange, House of the Roses (a volunteer organization), and Oasis (chashama). As an instructor, Dana has taught regular classes at local studios in Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Jersey, was the resident tap instructor for DanzJam (Conventions & Competitions), was a teaching artist for NJ Elite Dance competitions and conventions, and has taught master classes around the US. Dana currently teaches tap at Broadway Performing Arts in Bloomfield, NJ; various dance forms at Brooklyn Jewish Dance Institute; and is one of the teaching artists for Undertoe’s Tappy Hour®. She also appeared on a segment of the TV show Pre-kiso Eigo which teaches English to Japanese kids.
Anne-Allegra Bennett (Tap Apprentice, 1st Undertoe Season) is originally from Eugene, Oregon, where she graduated from the Univ. of Oregon with a B.A. in Dance focusing on Technical Production, a minor in Theater Arts, and a certificate in Film Studies. In Eugene, she performed with the University’s Dance Department Repertory Dance Company, performing works by the dance faculty, as well as guest choreographers Barry McNabb, Gabriel Masson, and Tiffany Mills. She also performed with the Oregon Festival of American Music and local theater and dance companies. After moving to New York, Anne-Allegra performed in the late Ernest “Brownie” Brown’s Old Man Time tap piece at Tap City; at the Choreographer’s Canvas; interned at Broadway Dance Center with an emphasis in theater dance and tap; interned with the American Tap Dance Foundation; has performed at promotional events for Office Max’s Elf Yourself campaign, Glamour Magazine’s flash mob for Fashion Week, and Anjellicle Cats Rescue. She currently studies dance at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway. She has also served on technical production crews in various capacities for companies nationwide with a focus on stage management and lighting design. She currently assists in several theater dance and tap classes for adults at Broadway Dance Center, as well as in their Children & Teen Program. Anne-Allegra is also a member of Crystal Chapman’s New York TheatreDance Ensemble that was started in January of 2011.
Angela Chimenti (Tap Apprentice, 1st Undertoe Season) began dancing when she was two years old in the Bronx, New York. During her childhood, she studied various forms of dance at Steps. She continues to take and teach classes at Dream Makers Performing Arts in the Bronx, with whom she has won a regional title and various elite awards. She was a featured dancer in a music video for the band Crystal Castles and was a part of the dance mob for the debut of Dance Central for Xbox 360′s Kinect. Angela was also involved with Bronx Spotlight Theatre, where she played Zaneeta Shinn in The Music Man and Chastity in Anything Goes, and was also the dance captain in both productions. In May of 2011, she and her dance team performed at the Tap Extravaganza® Flo-Bert Awards as a tribute to Charles Goddertz. She has worked as an assistant choreographer for Beauty and the Beast and The New Kid at Random Farms Kids’ Theater. Angela enjoys all styles of dance and teaches children of all ages at Dream Makers Performing Arts in both classes and private lessons.
Melanie Ciraulo (Jazz Understudy, 1st Undertoe Season) Melanie was born and raised in northern California, in Granite Bay, a small town outside of Sacramento. She has been dancing since the age of three. She first started dancing for the Sacramento Kings, then when she was six, started training at a local studio, Off Broadway Dancing. There she trained in tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, African, and musical theater, where she continued her training until college. She then moved to Los Angeles to purse her dream of Broadway. She graduated with her Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts from AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy) and further trained with multiple Broadway performers such as Danny Gurwin, Chryssie Whitehead, and Jane Lanier. She recently moved to New York to pursue her love for Broadway.
Kali McSweeney (Jazz Dancer, 1st Undertoe Season) Kali began dancing at the age of three. By the time she was seven, Kali was dancing everyday and all day. She began dancing in a small studio in New Jersey where she has won numerous awards for her talents and style. Later, she started studying in New York City at major dance studios such as Alvin Ailey, Joffrey Ballet, Peridance, Steps on Broadway, and Broadway Dance Center. In 2009, she was invited to join the MAD About Dance Company under the direction of Michiyo Tanaka. Since then, she has also been a soloist in BalaSole Dance Company pursuing other freelance work. Kali McSweeney is a full-time artist but also teaches young children in New Jersey with her love and passion for dance. Currently she is still a member of MAD About Dance as a company member/soloist where she performs throughout the New York City area.
Lauren Newby (Jazz Dancer, Company Manager, 3rd Undertoe Season) began her dancing career at two and a half at the Lois Allen School of the Dance studying ballet, tap, jazz, and pointe. She then earned her BA in Dance from DeSales University, graduating Magna Cum Laude and was a member of the University’s Dance Team (student director, senior year), a member, Vice-President, and President of their chapter of XTE: the National Dance Honors Society. She danced for many professional choreographers along with choreographing her own works and was a teacher for the University’s local community dance program, The Conservatory of Dance. In her senior year, Lauren was the Student Assistant Director of the Conservatory. Since graduating, Lauren has returned to the Lois Allen School of Dance in Clark and Bridgewater to teach all genres and age groups. She also is a dance instructor at Ballibay: a Fine & Performing Arts Camp in Camptown, PA , where she is currently the Dean of Campers. She’s choreographed many musicals both for Camp Ballibay and New Jersey schools including Guys and Dolls, Annie Junior, and Oklahoma. Lauren is also a member of the National Dance Education Organization, Dance Educators of America, Associated Dance Teachers of New Jersey, and Dance New Jersey. Lauren is ecstatic to be both dancing with Undertoe Dance Project and working as the Company Manager.
Megan Newell (Jazz Dancer, 2nd Undertoe Season) was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She began exploring various dance forms since the age of three at Vic D’Amore Dance Studio (Deer Park). While dancing throughout high school, she performed at her local community theater, Creative Ministries, in shows such as Fame and Aladdin. In 2006 her modern and ballet training deepened while attending Adelphi University where she graduated Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance (2010). At Adelphi, she had the privilege of working with various artists such as Pascal Rekoert, Tracy R. Kofford, Aszure Barton, Doug Varone, Danny Grossman, Leda Meredith, Sharon Wong, and Frank Augustyn. Megan is currently teaching dance at American Studio of Performing Arts.
Nicole Ohr (Tap Dancer, Tap Captain, 4th Undertoe Season) is a 2008 Hofstra University graduate with a BA in Dance and Psychology. While at Hofstra University, she trained in ballet, modern, and tap dance and performed professionally choreographed pieces by Lakai Worrell, Amy Marshall, Rosalind Newman, Karla Wolfangle, Anita Feldman, and Olivia Rosenkrantz. Since continues her training with Michelle Dorrance, Barbara Duffy, Derick Grant, and Jared Grimes. She is also currently performing with Mazel Toes Tap Dance Crew and The Boston Tap Company. She has performed works by Brenda Bufalino, Michelle Dorrance, Jared Grimes, and Ray Hesselink, and in Broadway Underground at B.B. King’s, the Main Event at Symphony Space, Jacob’s Pillow, and The PULSE on Tour. You can also find Nicole tapping in the Step Up 3D Broadway Dance Center’s promotional video. On top of tap dancing, she has performed as a Soca dancer with De Jump Up Crew. She is currently working as a Dance Instructor (various styles) in Connecticut and throughout the NYC area and is one of the teaching artists for Undertoe’s Tappy Hour®.
Rachel Pieroni (Jazz and Tap Apprentice, 1st Undertoe Season) Rachel was raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey, where she began her dance studies at the age of two. At the age of six, she started her singing studies in her church choir. At the age of nine, she performed in her first professional New York production, the opera, Norma. In middle school and high school she performed with County and Regional choruses and in musical productions. While continuing her performing arts education, she attended Bergen County Academies in the Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, studying voice and music. In May 2011, she graduated Cum Laude from Hofstra University, with her BA in Dance and a minor in Music. While there, she studied modern, ballet, and tap dance, as well as hip hop, musical theater, contemporary modern, and jazz in Danceworks, a student-run dance club where she served as President. While at Hofstra she performed works by Anita Feldman, Amy Marshall, Niles Ford, Maxine Steinman, Karla Wolfangle, Dina Denis, and Stormy Brandenberger. She is currently continuing her dance training in New York City and is thrilled to be rehearsing and performing in her first Undertoe season.
Lacey Sasso (Jazz Dancer, Jazz Captain, 4th Undertoe Season) was raised in Kansas City, MO, and has been dancing since the age of four. She attended Missouri State University where she earned a B.F.A. in Dance Performance with a minor in Psychology. While at MSU, she was a member of Inertia Dance Company which promotes literacy through creative movement. Lacey performed works by Susan Dodge, Lisa Fusillo, and Shirley Ririe, among others and has performed internationally at the 19th Congress on Dance Research in Larnaca, Cyprus and at the first Congress on Dance Pedagogy in Bogota, Colombia. Since graduation, Lacey moved to New York City where she presented choreography and worked with Push Factor Dance Company. Lacey is entering her fourth season with Undertoe Dance Project (NYC) where she serves not only as the Jazz Captain, but she is also a featured choreographer and the resident Jazz teaching artist. When she is not in rehearsals, Lacey spends her time teaching at Broadway Bound Dance Studio and Walker’s Gymnastics & Dance. Lacey currently splits her time between New York City and Boston, where she is in her second season with SIX ONE SEVEN DANCE COLLECTIVE.
Kimberly Schafer (Tap Dancer, Jazz Swing, 3rd Undertoe Season) received her Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance Performance from OCU. Since then, she has performed, choreographed, and taught across the U.S. Most recently, she performed in Broadway Bares XX, produced by Jerry Mitchell and directed by Josh Rhodes, and in Easter Bonnet at The Minskoff Theatre for Equity Fights AIDS. She also performed in Broadway on Broadway, a show in Time Square that features music selections from current Broadway shows. She began her dance training at the age of three and has studied under Gregory Hines, Randy Skinner, Ann Reinking, and Brenda Bufalino. She has also had the privilege to perform at the Tap Extravaganza® Flo-Bert Awards in 2006 and 2010. She has performed in various regional productions such as Funny Girl; Crazy for You; Singin’ in the Rain; The Will Rogers Follies; Cabaret; Victor, Victoria; and the National Tour of 42nd Street. Her choreography credits range from musical theatre to master classes to music videos.
Lauren Schmidt (Jazz Dancer, 1st Undertoe Season) Lauren was born and raised in Atkinson, NH. She began her dance training at the age of three at Karla Pattavina’s Dance Academy in Bradford, MA, where she studied jazz, tap, ballet, and pointe. She’s also received training from Mandy Moore, Ray Leeper, Dee Caspary, and Gil Stroming and was granted the opportunity to perform their choreography at Radio City Music Hall. In high school, she toured with pop singer JoJo, in the Rock and Roll Gymnastics tour featuring Gold Medalists Paul and Morgan Hamm. In 2007, her dance training intensified as she enrolled as a dance major at Marymount Manhattan College studying ballet, modern, and jazz. She graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Dance and Business Management in 2011.
Kelsey Sheppard (Tap Dancer, 1st Undertoe Season) Kelsey is an actor-dancer-singer born and raised in New York City. Her tap dance training began at the age of four with Bonnie MaCleod in the children’s program at Woodpeckers Tap Dance Center. She continued her study of tap with Robin Tribble, followed by many years with Susan Hebach in her program Tap Dance for Young People. She has also trained at the American Tap Dance Center, Broadway Dance Center, and Steps. At her alma mater, Indiana University, Kelsey served as the artistic director of Footnotes Tap Dance Group. She has performed with the PeriChild Ensemble, the Tap City Youth Ensemble, and is enjoying her first season with Undertoe Dance Project.
Demetra Tsantes (Tap Apprentice, 1st Undertoe Season) was born and raised in Queens, New York where she danced from ages eight to seventeen with Dance Dynamics Studios under Director Mary D’Angelo. At Binghamton University, where she completed her BA in Comparative Literature and Psychology, she studied under tapper JoEllen Hansen Kuhlman and worked with her as a Teaching Assistant. She also became a choreographer and co-President of Tap That, the campus Tap Dance group. She currently works with senior citizens at University Settlement’s community-based centers, providing fitness classes. Demetra has developed her own unique class, Tap Dance Class for Fitness and Better Bone Health, specifically for them. She volunteers with the tap program at Educational Alliance and works under seasoned teachers Danielle Pierce and Faith Kimberling as a class assistant at The School at Steps. She is also continuing her dance training at Steps under tap experts Charles Goddertz and Andrew Nemr.
the ladies of Undertoe celebrating Halloween
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