FACULTY  NEWS!! 
 
YURIE YOSHIDA
Artistic Director/ Dance Instructor/ Choriographer
Modern(Horton), Ballet, Jazz, Gym, Mommy & Me, Stretch & Walking Exercise
Nicaise Makosso
Technical Director/ Stage Manager/ Dance Instructor/ Choreographer
African, Contemporary
Melody Farfan
Dance Instructor
Ballet, Tap
Colin Roberts
Dance Instructor/ Choriographer
Modern(Graham), Ballet, Jazz, Gym, Creative Movement, Stretch & Aerobic Exercise

FACULTY SHORT BIO

Yurie Yoshida
Artistic Director/ Dance Instructor/ Choriographer
Modern(Horton), Ballet, Jazz, Gym, Mommy & Me, Stretch & Walking Exercise
Yurie started her dancing career at the age of 3 in Tokyo, Japan. She started Choreographing her owned dancing pieces while she was attending high school, and she received several awards in national dance competitions in Japan. In 1989 She became a member of Japan Modern Dance Association, and She performed with many dance companies and festivals in Tokyo area in Japan. After she received her Bachelor in Physical Education, She studied at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in NY, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company as a scholarship student in OH. In 1995-1998, She was an Artistic Director of Dance Studio Contempo in Tokyo, and she produced dance shows and workshop classes there. Since 1997, She has been dancing for several Dance Companies and Festivals in NY area, such as Chen & Dancers, Salter Dance, Michael Mao Dance, Rod Rogers Dance Company, Kennedy Dancers... Since 1999, She has been teaching at dance schools, Fitness Centers and dance competitions master workshop classes, she also judging local dance competitions and choreographing many dance pieces for Jr. Dance companies in NY tri-state area. Now, she is working on her dance performances with her friends and producing dance shows and events. Recently, She released 2 CDs and DVD with Carman Moore (who is compose music for New York Ballet and Mike White (who works many Whitney Huston Albums as a sound engineering).

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Nicaise Makosso
Technical Director/ Stage Manager/ Dance Instructor/ Choreographer
African, Contemporary
A native of Gabon, Africa, Don-Makosso, started his early education with his native National Ballet of Gabon. He studied various African dance styles and danced in many dance festivals in Gabon before expanding his knowledge of dance with his teacher Nadine Husson Poyard in France. Later he went on to receive a scholarship at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and received a full scholarship from Dance Theatre of Harlem during the summer of 1996. During the fall of the same year, he became an apprentice of the Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble, Dance Theatre of Harlem School education and outreach program. Following Dance Theatre of Harlem, he was invited to teach African dance workshop and choreography for the summer festival in Tokyo, Japan. In 1998, he performed for the International Peace Festival in Kyongu, South Korea. At the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, he taught African dance for the junior division summer program and stage-managed various shows including The Summer Sizzler Performances for the Ailey School (1998-2000, 2003-2004), The Ailey Camps Summer Shows?E(2003-2004) and worked for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as a Production Assistant(1998-2000). In 2003, he graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem with a Bachelors Degree in Design & Production in Fine Arts. Currently, he is working with Alonzo King Lines Ballet as a Technical Assistant, Stage Manager for Dance Theatre of Harlem, and with Yurie Yoshida as a Technical Director of Urban Folk Dance Ensemble.

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Melody Farfan
Dance Instructor
Ballet, Tap
Melody has been dancing since 1984 and is trained in all areas of dance. She has trained and danced professionally with the Kennedy Dancers in Jersey City. She has also appeared in the movie "Caven Point" created and choreographed by Dian Dragone. Melody began teaching in 2001 and her focus is to have all her students learn an appriciation for dance. Melody's Tap classes are for beginners through advanced beginners - classes focus in coordination, rhythm, timing and musicallity.

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Colin Roberts
Rehearsal Director/ Dance Instructor/ Choriographer
Modern(Graham), Ballet, Jazz, Gym, Creative Movement, Stretch & Aerobic Exercise
Colin Roberts was born in Georgetown, Guyana. He began his dance training in 1984 at Motiance school of Dance in St. Martin. In 1987, Colin joins the Arlene New House and toured with the company throughout Holland, Antilles, the Caribbean and Aruba. In 1988, he received a scholarship to study at the Rotterdam School of the Arts in Holland. In 1993, Colin came to New York to study at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. In 1995, He received a scholarship to the Martha Graham school of Contemporary Dance and later danced with the Martha Graham Dance Ensemble.Currently, Colin is dancing with the Chezzam Entertainment Group and Annabella Gonzallas Dance Theater.

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