Boston University Fitness & Recreation Center

Reach!

Instruction

The Reach program is split into two sections. The first three weeks, June 25 - July 13, will include rehearsals and technique classes.

June 25- July 13, 2011

(No class July 4)
Monday - Friday, 9am to 2pm

We will spend the first three weeks of the program learning skills and preparing for the "tour." Daily activities will include:

technique classes in ballet, modern, jazz and hip hop,
creating a 45 minute performance from both repertory and original work developed by company members,
special classes in teaching dance and dance composition.

9:00am	Company/Dance technique class
9:45am	Company Rehearsal
11:30am	Break; snack provided
11:30am	Company Rehearsal

There will be a lunch break, however lunch is not included.

"I learned more technique and I was taught different styles of dances that I had never tried before, and I also learned how it feels to be accepted by my peers for who I am."

- Frankie Domond, teen apprentice 2006

Instructor Bios

Christina Piscitelli (Director) received her B.F.A in dance from Emerson College. She performed and taught for Dance Collective’s educational programs from 1998 – 2006 and continues to teach residencies for Mass Movement, Inc. She began as co-director of the summer outreach program in 1999. In 2005, she became director of the program. Chris was on the faculty of the Ipswich Middle School where she taught drama and dance. For many years she taught for the Topf Center for Dance Education in their programs for the public schools. Other teaching credits include Emerson College Youtheatre, Lexington School of Ballet and the Ipswich Moving Company. For seven seasons she was choreographer for a freelance player troupe in Brookline. She has performed with American Dancer Heritage, MJT/Tslila Dance Company and Choreo. Chris has been performing at King Richard’s Faire since 1993 as a Gypsy Dancer and works with a local comedy group.

Sandra Shih Parks (Guest Artist in 2011) holds a BFA in Dance Performance from Tisch School of the Arts, New York University and an MFA in Dance from Smith College. Upon graduation from the Tisch School, Ms. Shih toured nationally with a production of the King and I. In addition, Ms Shih has been the lead dancer/choreographer for more than 60 different concerts for singers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and New York area since 1996. She has performed at different venues including City Center, the Carnigie Weill Recital Hall in NYC, Trump Plaza Casino/Resort, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico and Brazil.

Sandra started her teaching career in 2000 when she taught at the Queens Dance School and Dynamic Dance School in the NYC area. She has taught at the Pioneer Valley Ballet, Franklin School for the Performing Arts, and at Mass Motion Dance.

Sandra Shih-Parks and Jayday swing dancing

Lorraine Chapman, one of Dance Magazine’s 25 To Watch 2008, danced with Eliot Feld, Ballet British Columbia, and several Boston-based choreographers. Trained at The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and L’Ecole Superieure De Danse Du Quebec, her work has been presented in Seattle, Virginia, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, at The Yard, by the Alberta Ballet, and at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Inside/Out. Lorraine’s dance company LCTC (lorrainechapman.org) has developed a solid reputation in New England where it performs regularly. Lorraine’s work has been generously supported by World Music/CRASHarts, the LEF Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the Summer Stages Dance/Baryshnikov Arts Center Residency Project.

Melissa Alexis has been performing and teaching modern, Afro-Haitian, Senegalese and West African dance since 1993 in Boston and New York. Her intensive training has taken her to Africa, Brazil, Puerto Rico and New York. A graduate of Amherst College with a degree in Psychology and Spanish and minor in dance, she also has certifications in fitness and yoga. Her resume includes teaching at the Dance Complex, Tufts University, Smith and Amherst Colleges, Brimmer and May School, Impulse Dance Center in Natick, the 92nd St. Y in NYC and public schools in the Bronx. She has administrative experience with Boston Ballet’s summer programs and the 92nd Street Y in their outreach programs. Her choreography has been presented at Tufts University, Smith College, Dance Complex and Green Street Studios where she was the recipient of their Emerging Choreographers’ Grant in 2009.

Jeffrey Louizia (Guest Artist in 2010 and 2011) born and raised in Boston, discovered his love for dance at Boston Arts Academy. Proficient in many styles of dance, Jeffrey has studied extensively in ballet, tap, modern jazz, modern, hip hop, krump as well as traditional Haitian Folk dance. He has studied with such dance masters as Dianne Walker of "Black & Blue", Mark Morris, Bill T. Jones, Nailah Bellinger and Wyatt Jackson. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from Dean College in 2006. Mr Louizia's performances have taken him all across New England up and down the Eastern US seaboard, and into Canada. He has performed with many companies including Sokolow Dance Foundation, Bassline in Motion, and Jambe. He has been choreographing and performing with his partner Stephanie Imbornone on their own company jsXtension as well as teaching as duo jsFusement. He has choreographed and directed for his family based dance company Arc en Ciel Dance Troupe Inc, a Haitian folkloric dance company. Jeffrey has been the Assistant Director of Boston University's summer outreach dance program REACH for the past two years. He has been a dancer in the Black Eyed Pea's video "Rock Your Body", WATCHOUT "Watchout's" and WB Mason's commercial for the Boston Red Sox.He has choreographed and been a danced in The Perfect Pitch Musical Promo directed by Dave Bluefield and Doran McGee. He is currently performing with Daurden Dance Theatre in California. Mr. Louizia's passion of choreography and dance has brought him to Los Angeles to broaden his knowledge even further.

Ashton Lites (“Stackz”) is a native of Boston and has been dancing for 6 years. Ashton’s professional dance career sprouted soon after joining Side Street, which he now co-leads with Russell Ferguson (Season 6 winner of “So You Think You Can Dance). He is a krumper and uses this free, expressive style of dance to mentor youth in and around the inner city. Ashton explored the more classical styles of dance first through the Reach Program then began studying with Melissa Kelly Clark at the Dance Studio of Braintree/ Braintree Ballet Company. He transitioned into Dean College where he is working toward his BA in Dance. His performance credits include Melrose Youth Ballet Company’s Nutcracker and Boston City Lights. Ashton has recently been featured in artist Rashid Johnson’s short film “Black Yoga” which has been shown internationally. Ashton teaches classes, workshops, and master classes around and outside of the Boston area including at Boston City Lights, Beat Connextions in Saugus, Artist for Humanity, The Dance Shop, and Encore Dance Academy, among others. Ashton plans to introduce the world to his movement and company called “One Tribe.”

2010 Reach Staff
The Reach 2010 instructors (from left to right:
Christina Piscitelli, Derrick Louizia, Wayne Ong,
Micki Taylor-Pinney, Melissa Alexis and Sandra Parks