Dawn Cargiulo
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Dawn Cargiulo Berman studied at the University of the Arts and the Laban Centre for Dance and Movement in London, England, where she received a BA with Honors in Dance Theatre.
She began her professional dance career with Transitions Dance Company, a London based collaborative group where she performed and taught throughout Europe, Japan, and Taiwan. Dawn joined internationally acclaimed MOMIX Dance Company, performing throughout the US and Europe, as well as teaching master classes at the university level. Additionally, she performed with NYC-based companies Neo Labos, Shoestring, and Isadora Dance Legacy and also collaborated with Vienna-based Blue Moon Productions performing in Vienna, Belgium, and NYC. Dawn created and directed the dance program at Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, NJ, for two years and then went on to direct the dance program at Middlesex Vocational and Technical High School. During this time Dawn continued her performance work with Philadelphia-based Junk Dance Company and Scrap Performance Group, creating and performing dance works throughout the Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Fringe Festivals and Princeton Arts Council galas. Dawn continues to collaborate with The Hopewell Valley Arts Council, The Princeton Ballet School, Rider University, and The Lawrenceville School. Dawn has served on The Friends of the Pennington Public Library for the past 10 years, and has been a board member of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council since its inception in 2016. Dawn is married, has 4 children in the Hopewell Valley School system and has been a proud resident of Pennington & Hopewell Valley for 11 years. |
Gabriella Cunha
Office Manager & Ballet Instructor
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Gabriella Cunha holds a BFA in Dance Education with a specialization in Ballet Performance and a minor in Musical Theater from University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. While attaining her degree, Gabriella became a peer tutor in ballet for which she was acknowledged with an Excellence In Tutoring Award and an Outstanding Student Teaching Award. After graduation, she danced professionally with Ballet Fleming, Ballet 180, and Roxey Ballet. Gabriella has several ballet teaching engagements in central New Jersey and at Penn Ballet at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior teaching experience includes ballet instruction at Princeton Ballet School and Mill Ballet School, pre-ballet instruction at The Rock School in Philadelphia, ballet, lyrical, and beginning jazz, acro, and modern at Studio 180 in Paoli, PA, and ballet and lyrical at competition dance studios. In addition, Gabriella has a 200-hour certification in Prana Yoga from Princeton Center for Yoga and Health. Her supplementary interests lie in music, alternative somatic modalities, and multidisciplinary collaboration – all of which inform her work as an artist and arts educator.
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Christina Eltvedt
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Christina Eltvedt is a multidisciplinary artist, choreographer, and movement educator (dance & Pilates) who develops choreography, installations, and kinetic dance sculptures. Her stage, film, and site-specific work has been presented widely nationally and internationally. She holds an MFA in dance from Temple University and a BA in sculpture and dance from Northeastern Illinois University. Prior to relocating to the east coast, Christina danced with the Joel Hall Dancers, was a Danszloop Chicago ensemble member, and worked extensively with dance master Paul Sanasardo. She currently resides in Philadelphia where she produces her own work, is a professor of dance at Temple University, Muhlenberg College, and shares her love for movement with several local studios.
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Tuiana BalzhievaBallet Instructor
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In 2013, Tuiana Balzhieva graduated from ballet school and obtained a professional diploma in Russia at L.P Sakhyanova. She was then accepted to Buryat State Opera and Ballet Theater where she became a young soloist dancer.
Tuiana has performed solo and principal roles in multiple ballets. In 2008 she participated in the 7th Siberian International Dance Competition in Novosibirsk, where she took 3rd place. She also participated in Ekaterina Maksimova’s International Dance Competition in Perm, Russia. Her repertoire consists of many Classical and Contemporary ballets including: Giselle, Swan Lake (Dance of the little Swans), Nutcracker (Chinese dance, Doll), Pinocchio (Malvina), Thousand and One Nights, Dzhambuling (choreography by Peter Quanz), Harlequinade, Don Quixote (Finch and Jig), Blue Bird, Carmina Burana, Francesca da Rimini, Pas de deux Flames of Paris, Festival of Flowers in Cinzano, Tarantella (D. Balanchine), Carmen, Alice in Wonderland, Namzhil by Peter Quanz, and Romeo and Juliet. In 2015, Tuiana came to the USA with the Moscow Ballet Company to perform “Swan lake” and “Nutcracker” in 30 states and Canada. In 2016-2017, she studied French technique in the French Academy of Ballet in NYC with director Francois Perron. After graduating, Tuiana danced for 3 seasons with Roxey Ballet Company in New Jersey. Tuiana is currently a professional dancer with Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater. Tuiana has taught and choreographed at Gotta Dance, Mill Ballet, Debra Sparks, Dance Arts of Yardley, and Release Dance Academie. She also has been a dance model for Pointe Magazine. |
Jordan JacksonJazz & Hip-Hop Instructor
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Jordan Joel Jackson, a native of Somerset, New Jersey, began his formal dance training at Inspira Performing & Cultural Center & continued at Manhattan Youth Ballet. Mr. Jackson is a graduate of Somerset County Vocational & Technical High Schools Gifted & Talented Honors Dance Program. He is a 2x bronze medalist from the NAACP ACT-SO competition. He is also a recipient of the Paul Robeson Youth Achievement Art Award & a Certificate of Appreciation from the New Brunswick Area Branch of the NAACP. Jordan has performed in works by Frederick Earl Mosley, Clifton Brown, Antonio Brown, Artis Smith, Jessica DiMauro-Marks, Larry Keigwin & Maureen Glennon-Clayton. He is currently attending Montclair State University, majoring in Dance & Education.
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Amanda KindtBallet Instructor
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Amanda Kindt grew up dancing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania at Lititz Academy of Dance. She studied ballet, pointe, modern, lyrical, jazz, tap, and was part of the CoJoMotion Dance Company. While attaining her BFA in Dance from the University of Akron in Ohio, Amanda continued her studies of classical ballet, modern technique, choreography, dance kinesiology, and more. Her own choreography, “Elysium”, was performed and adjudicated at the American College Dance Association festival. Amanda graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Amanda is currently a trainee with American Repertory Ballet in Princeton, New Jersey. She is thankful for the guidance of teachers such as Adymara Cabrera, Kathleen Moore, Adam Sklute, Allison Debona, and for the opportunity to take master classes at ARB. When she is not rehearsing repertoire, Amanda fuels her passion for dance with teaching. She loves getting to know each student and encouraging them to become the best they can be. In her spare time, Amanda is an avid dog lover and enjoys painting and watching baking shows with masterpieces she could never recreate. |
Donna HeffnerTap Instructor
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Donna has been tap dancing her whole life, performing and learning with some of the most influential tap dancers of our time. She trained at University of the Arts in Philadelphia and Broadway Dance Center in NYC, and is now a company member of Uniting Colleges Through Tap- a Philadelphia based tap company that performs in Philadelphia, NYC and Washington DC. Donna has performed in DC Tap Fest, Big Apple Tap Fest in NYC, in solo and group showcases, and in many tap shows in Philadelphia. She has taken master classes with Jason Samuels Smith, Derrick Grant, Karen Calloway Williams, and Heather Cornell, among others. Donna loves passing on the knowledge from these masters to her students and being a part of keeping this great American art form alive. Donna is one of the few toetap dancers performing today, dancing en pointe in pointe shoes with custom made taps in the toes. She has performed with Lady Greys Lovelies, a vintage dance company from Upstate Pennsylvania. Donna is also a championship-level Irish dancer with the Crossroads Irish Dancers of Bucks County. |
Samantha JeanneAdministrative Assistant
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Born to be in the spotlight, Samantha fell in love with performing at a very early age. At the age of 5, she started taking gymnastics and dance classes, quickly transitioning into Competitive Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics. Always wanting more, Samantha studied a variety of dance styles throughout her adolescent and adult life including, Ballet, Jazz, Modern/Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Latin, Ballroom and Tap. As a former All-Star and Collegiate Cheerleader and Dance Team member (Go FGCU!), she loves being a part of a team and building strong connections with her community.
After college, Samantha spent time teaching and spearheading the dance program at a performing arts center in her home state of Delaware. There, she created dance shows and award-winning competition pieces, choreographed local musicals productions and shared her knowledge coaching students who were focusing on a career in the Arts. Samantha started her professional ballroom career with Fred Astaire in the summer of 2013 and has earned multiple Top Female Teacher, Top Female Customer Service, and Top Specialist Awards for the New Jersey Region. She’s traveled the country and has been a top finalist in many regional and national competitions. Samantha has also explored other aspects of the performing arts- acting/dancing on stage, in films and on tv. As a side project, she also developed a Young Dancers ballroom program for studios- combining her love of dance with her love of teaching children! |
Anna FredeenContemporary, Jazz,
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Anna Fredeen has danced with multiple studios in Connecticut and New Jersey where she trained in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, musical theater, choreography, modern, and leaps and turns. She trained at Texas Christian University for two years in the School of Classical and Contemporary Dance, and currently studies and trains at Rider University to grow her knowledge and capabilities in Dance Science and multiple techniques. Anna has attended residential dance intensives in New York City and performed with dance companies at venues such as The Joyce Theater, Peridance, Disney World, and The Orange Bowl, where she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Tyler Gilstrap, Sidra Bell, and Chris Judd. In the most recent years, Anna participated in American Dance Festival and the National Choreography Intensive, and has become a satellite member of the modern dance company Luminarium, based out of Boston, MA. As a committed dancer and teacher, Anna strives to pass down her knowledge and experience to students, using Dance Science to bring awareness to the physicality required of dancers to ensure a safe environment for all.
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