Meet the Faculty

Modern
Rivkins Christopher
Rivkins was born and raised in Miami Fl, where he classically trained and received his BFA in Dance from New World School of the Arts. After graduating he went onto to join Gaspard & Dancers for two consecutive seasons. After his successful season Rivkins is now a current member of Syren Modern Dance and has been a member of the company for a good 6 seasons. He has also had the pleasure of working with Germaul Barnes, Maleek Washington, and Rosie Herrera just to name a few. After spending time being a performer Rivkins is ready to teach utilizing all of his training to build strong and versatile artist.

Pre-Ballet & Ballet
Bella Farina
Bella began her dance training at the Mill Ballet School, home of the Roxey Ballet Company located in Lambertville, NJ at the age of 3. Under Mark and Melissa Roxey’s guidance she has performed in many main stage productions with the Roxey Ballet Company. As a senior in high school Bella performed professional roles in The Nutcracker and Cinderella. At the age of 13, she joined the Pre-professional Trainee program, where she trained under the Roxey Ballet’s professional company. She has participated in summer intensives with the Mill Ballet School, and The Rock School for Dance Education located in Philadelphia, PA.
Throughout college, she choreographed for the Roxey Ballet’s Nutcracker and spring production of Pied Piper of Hamelin. Bella graduated from the University of Scranton in 2021 with a BA in Marketing. She is currently a Corporate Communications Analyst at Solebury Trout and is excited to continue sharing her passion for dance with current and future students.

Pre-Ballet & Ballet
Karina Fornazaro
Karina graduated from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, with a Master of Arts in Teaching Dance in Higher Education and American Ballet Theatre Pedagogy. She is an American Ballet Theater ABT® Certified Ballet Teacher in all levels of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. During her studies at NYU, she assisted primary classes at Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, worked as an intern for the Dance Theatre of Harlem Summer Intensive program, and choreographed for the NYU Masters’ concert. She is originally from Brazil, where she received her ballet training and obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Psychology, focused on child development and educational processes. She has more than10 years of experience teaching ballet and she continues to advocate for making dance an accessible art form.

Ballet, Contemporary, & Jazz
Tara Jarboe
Tara grew up in New Hope, PA and received her formal dance education at the Mill Ballet School in Lambertville, NJ. She attended Wake Forest University in North Carolina where she received a BS in Chemistry and a minor in dance. While at Wake, Tara performed with the Wake Forest University dance company from 2008-2012. After graduation, she began teaching with the Mill Ballet School and dancing with the affiliated Roxey Ballet Company, where she was also the rehearsal director. While at Roxey, she was featured in several publications, including National Geographic online.
Tara has facilitated multiple educational programs in public and private schools across the tri-state area focusing on bringing cross-curricular dance and core curriculum education into schools. Tara is passionate about making the arts accessible to all people who want to dance and has taught “Wheels and Bodies” in motion classes with students who dance in their wheelchairs.

Jazz, Hip Hop, & Musical Theatre
Josue Jasmin
Josue Jasmin was born and raised in Brooklyn NY, where he developed his love for dance and theater at a very early age. This love grew as he connected with the Alvin Ailey School, Young Professional Program and Broadway Dance Centerin New York City. Josue later trained at Ballet School of Stamford in CT, and New Hampshire City Ballet in Manchester, NH. His passion for dance extended to teaching and choreography. He has taught at Brass City Ballet and choreographed for recording artist Rain’s US promo tour, the
Vibe Magazine fashion sho, New Faces Development Inc and IMTA NY & LA. Josue worked with six-time
Grammy winner Justin Timberlake for his US promo fragrance “Play” by Givenchy. R&B Artist Amerie,
popstar Kesha, and three-time
Grammy winner gospel artist Mary Mary. Recently Choreographed
Off Broadway Musical ONLY HUMAN.

Ballet & Contemporary
Barry Kerollis
Barry Kerollis is an award-winning choreographer, dance educator, speaker, and social media expert based out of both New York City and Philadelphia. He currently works as Ballet and Contemporary faculty at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, and manages the contemporary dance department at Greenwich Ballet Academy. He has choreographed for numerous organizations, held the position of Artistic Director of Alaska Dance Theatre, hosts the Pas de Chát: Talking Dance podcast on the Premier Dance Network, and runs the popular blog, Life of a Freelance Dancer.
Barry began his professional career with Houston Ballet. The following season he joined Pacific Northwest Ballet, where he danced leading and featured roles for seven seasons and worked as a delegate for the American Guild of Musical Artists. After one season as a Principal with Ballet X, Barry spent 4 years traveling the nation as a Principal Guest Artist.

Hip Hop & Jazz
Kristin Montana
Kristin Montana hails from Chicago, IL and proudly brings her Chi-town flair and unique, dance style to the East Coast. With an ultra-diverse background in dance disciplines ranging from classical ballet to modern (Graham and Horton) to jazz to African, hip hop, house, and locking to musical theater, Kristin’s array of expertise is unmatched in the ever-changing world of dance. Trained under some of the great names in dance, such as Nan Giordano, Joel Hall, Kirby Reed and Homer Bryant, to name a few, Kristin’s incredible opportunities throughout her professional career, have been with roles such as: principal dancer for the Jay Z and R. Kelly’s—The Best of Both Worlds Tour; principal dancer for R. Kelly’s Key in the Ignition Tour; principal dancer BMI Awards; principal dancer in music videos such as Happy People and Thoia Thong; featured dancer in major motion pictures like Barbershop II and Rollbounce; principal dancer for Ascension: The Kirby Reed Project; principal dancer NARAS Grammies in Schools; principal dancer for 5 Star Boogie Productions, Inc.; principal dancer for Culture Shock Chicago; in addition to being a corporate model for Sally Beauty Supply and Wella. Kristin believes that the art of dance is the most natural and universal of human connections, and she emulates that passion throughout all of her performances, as well as when choreographing and teaching classes. For the past 20 plus years, Kristin has enjoyed teaching hundreds of children and adults in jazz and hip hop, and has choreographed for dance companies, high schools, and other showcases. Kristin cultivates the whole dancer by ensuring that her teaching is grounded in technique while allowing for freedom of movement and self-expression. Kristin feels truly blessed for all her opportunities in the dance world. Kristin always looks forward to spreading her vast knowledge of dance to aspiring artists in all networks of the arts.

Ballet & Jazz
Carolyn Paine
Carolyn is a choreographer and a teacher. She has trained with the Boston Ballet, the Pennsylvamia Ballet Summer Program, the Ballet Theatre of Boston, Academie de Danse Classique de Princesse Grace, Ecole Superieur de Danse, Steps on Broadway. Carolyn’s professional dance career has been with the Ballet Theatre of Boston. Carolyn has performed professionally with BalletRox, Hartford Ballet Theatre, Dimensional Dance, at Lincoln Center in Jacqulyn Buglisi’s Table of Silence, and with YaleRep in the International Dance Festival. Carolyn has been featured in a dance photo in Vogue Italia, performed as a dancer for ABC’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, was a featured dancer in the Summer Love tour throughout China, and toured as the stubborn ballerina in comedian Hannibal Buress’ “Gibberish Rap.” She has also been a dancer in productions with several professional regional theatres. Carolyn has appeared in and done choreography for several music videos and commercials as well as choreographed for Park Road Playhouse, Trinity Arts, Clockwork Repertory Theatre, Emerson Theatre Collaborative, Built on Stilts Dance Festival, BalletArts, DFX Entertainment, The Lady Gaga Experience, Anne Cubberly’s Nightfall, and Ballet Theatre Academy. Carolyn has taught at Eastern Connecticut State University, The Dance Center, the Tony Williams Dance Center, the Hartford Children’s Theatre, the University of Hartford Hartt School, and Neighborhood Arts Programs in NYC public schools. She is the founder, director, and choreographer for CT based contemporary company CONNetic Dance which she also currently performs with.

Ballet & Pilates
Elizabeth Rodbell
Elizabeth Rodbell is originally from Sandy Hook, Connecticut. She received her dance training at the Ballet School of Stamford in Stamford, CT and Draper Center for Dance Education in Rochester, NY. She graduated in three years from Indiana Universities Jacobs School of Music with a Bachelors of Science in Ballet and Political Science. She joined the Rochester City Ballet and danced for seven seasons with the company performing both soloist and principal roles. She just recently started her freelance dance career and has since danced in Athens, Greece at the International Dance Council, The Keuka Lake Music Festival, Rochester Fringe Festival, and Nazareth College’s Movement and Dance Festival. She is a member of Mor Dance in New York City. Elizabeth is a certified Balanced Body Pilates instructor who works as adjunct faculty at the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Nazareth college teaching Pilates and ballet.

Guest Faculty
& Choreographers
David Parsons
Alex Brady
Tea Perez
Lauren Etter
Alexandra Gonzalez
Kwame Henry Jones
Laura Mead
Dana Thomas
Indah Walsh
Deidre Rogan
Croix Dilenno
Zoe Anderson
Henry Steele
Interns:
Meghan Marshall, Yazirah Handal,
Emily Uquilllas, & Sophia Chen