Faculty

James Robey  Director

Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Tap. James Robey graduated Magna cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from the University of Akron and will begin work toward an MFA in Performing Arts-Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee this summer. Currently, James is a faculty member at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford, Founding Artistic Director of Bare Bones Dance Project, on the Advisory Board of the Connecticut Dance Alliance, and on the Danbury Task Force for Dance. Recently he performed in concert with Locust Contemporary Dance Works, was guest artist for Naugatuck Valley Community College, was a soloist in Zig Zag Ballet's “A Celebration of Men in Dance” in Vermont, Connecticut, and New York, and choreographed original works for Full Force Dance Theatre, Artists for Peace, and CT Meets NY Dance Fest. James is a two-time finalist in the Leo's Choreography Competitive Event at the Jazz Dance World Congress. Professional performing experiences include the Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company, Connecticut Ballet, New York Dance Theater, Ground Works Dance Theater, Off Center Dance Theater, Ohio Dance Theater, Covenant Dance Theater, Cleveland Opera, Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Busch Gardens. In 1999, Robey founded the Bare Bones Dance Project to showcase his original choreography. The company has performed throughout New York City, Long Island, Philadelphia, Vermont and Connecticut. James Robey has taught for the University of Akron (OH), Manhattan Motion Dance Studios (NYC), Wellesley College (MA), BOCES High School for the Arts (Syosset, NY), Dance Institue (Ohio Ballet's company school), served as Director for the modern and jazz program at Eastern Connecticut Ballet (CT), and was Director of the dance department and taught senior level philosophy at Western Reserve Academy (OH). In addition, he has taught master classes throughout the U.S., Guam, Canada, and Japan. James' articles on dance can be found online at Mindful Dance">Mindful Dance, Got Jazz!?, The Connected Dancer, and translated into Spanish for Danza Ballet and Se Piensa. For more information on James Robey and the Bare Bones Dance Project visit James Robey Dance.

Melissa Gerth  Assistant Director

Pre-ballet, Jazz, Modern, Yoga. Melissa Gerth, a native of Ontario, Canada, trained at the New School for Drama graduate program in NYC and currently performs with Axial Theatre Company in Pleasantville, NY. She has a BA in Music from the University of Akron and her yoga teacher certification from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA. Melissa trained in Early Childhood Music and Movement Education under Karen Davidson and taught music and dance for the Neighborhood Music School and the Bethwood Suzuki School in New Haven. In addition, Melissa maintains a private Vocal Studio in Ridgefield. Her performance credits include "Two Hearts" written by Linda Guliano, "Maiden Voyage" written and directed by Tony Howarth, the Wingnuts, The Metropolitan Chorale at Weill Recital Hall, Haydn's "The Creation" at Carnegie Hall, Spirit Cruise Lines, Downtown Cabaret Theatre Children's Company in Bridgeport, the Bare Bones Dance Project, and musical guest artist for "The Girl Show" at Caroline’s Comedy Club. Melissa became Assistant Director of the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance in 2002, where she designed the Pre-ballet curriculum.

Amy Bourtsev  

Pre-ballet, Ballet. Amy trained in Classical Ballet, Pointe, and Modern at the Boston Conservatory as well as the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. She is a former member of the Martha Graham Dance Company and has also performed at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival with Shirley Bassey, was part of the Bessie Award-Winning Martha@series from 1996 to 2002 that toured the US and Europe, and appeared in Palisades Pictures "Ghostlight" and the independent film "After Dance." Amy's teaching experience includes the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in NYC as well as numerous schools throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Amy is also a certified yoga instructor.

Paul Dennis  

Adjunct Modern Faculty (Limon Technqiue). A former member of the José Limón Dance Company, Paul earned his BFA at The Juilliard School and his MFA including a certificate in Arts Management at Purchase College, SUNY. He has danced with Works/Laura Glenn Dance and Jacob’s Pillow Men Dancers: The Ted Shawn Legacy performing works by Limón, Doris Humphrey, Stephen Petronio, Ann Carlson, Daniel Nagrin, Garth Fagan, Ralph Lemon, Phyllis Lamhut and Donald McKayle. He has been in residence abroad with Dance International Burgos, Spain and adjudicated for Certamen International de Choreograpfia, Burgos-New York. Paul has restaged seminal masterpieces of José Limón and Doris Humphrey most recently with director Carla Maxwell for The Limón Dance Company’s ’06 New York City Season and on students at various colleges. He has been a guest artist/faculty at Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College, Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance and Trinity College and is the Guest Festival Director of The White Mountains Summer Dance Festival. Paul is on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and The Five College Dance Department.

Jamie Dlugokinski  

Ballet, Pas de deux. Jamie Dlugokinski received his dance training from the Nutmeg Conservatory in Torrington, CT under the direction of Sharon Dante and Donna Bonasera where he was a graduate of the Vaganova school training syllabus and had direct teacher training supervision from Susan Doucette. He danced professionally with Ballet West in Salt Lake City, UT under the Artistic Direction of John Hart. While with Ballet West he performed principal and soloist roles in Salt Lake City and on national tours. In addition, Jamie taught master ballet classes at the University of Utah, the School of Ballet West, and throughout the U.S. After returning to Connecticut, Jamie taught for Connecticut Dance Theatre, Eastern Connecticut Ballet, Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, and Valley Ballet before joining the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance in 2003. Jamie holds a B.A. degree in Therapeutic Recreation and Dance and a M.S. degree in Education which he utilizes as a kindergarten teacher. In addition to his teaching work, Jamie was Chairman of the Board of Directors for Connecticut Dance Theatre and has been a Coach for the Special Olympics.

Lauren Jaeger  

Pre-ballet, Ballet. Lauren Jaeger is an alumni of the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance and a past recipient of the Patricia Schuster Scholarship. Currently, she attends Marymount Manhattan College in NYC as a scholarship student pursuing her BFA in Ballet Performance. Lauren is a member of the Bare Bones Dance Project and an apprentice with Buglisi Dance Theatre with whom she has performed with the company in concert with Desmond Richardson at the Baryshnikov Arts Center for Mikhail Baryshnikov. Lauren has also danced professionally with Ballet Ambassadors, performing the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy in "Nutcracker" and the Black Swan in "Swan Lake". Lauren appeared in numerous principal roles with the Ridgefield Civic Ballet, Contemporary Dance Ensemble, and for the Danbury Music Centre's "Nutcracker." Additionally, Lauren studied at Boston Ballet, Kaatsbaan International, and the American Academy of Ballet summer program.

Anthony Jones  

Ballet, Nutcracker, Ridgefield Civic Ballet. A native of Minneapolis, Mr. Jones received his early ballet training at the Minnesota Dance Theatre before attending the National Ballet of Canada School as a year round boarding student beginning at age 11. At age 14 he came to New York where he was a student at the School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet. At SAB he was guided by Richard Rapp, Andrei Kammeravsky and most notably Stanley Williams. In 1990 Mr. Jones joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet, in Seattle, WA and was promoted to Soloist in 1993. While at PNB he danced many soloist and principal roles in works by George Balanchine ( Chaconne, Divertimento #15, Agon, Who Cares?), August Bournonville ( Flower Festival Pas de duex, Napoli), and in the full-length ballets Swan Lake, Cinderella, Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker, and Coppelia. In 1999 Mr. Jones was appointed Artistic Director of the Huntington Ballet Theatre, Huntington, New York, a position he served in for 7 years. While there he taught all levels of ballet technique and created many pieces of original choreography including full-length productions of Cinderella and Coppelia. He has also taught at the Huntington YMCA Ballet Academy and has been a guest teacher at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Mr. Jones is a graduate of New York University where he studied Art History as an undergraduate and Museum Studies as a graduate student. Besides his endeavors in ballet, Mr. Jones is also employed full-time at The Frick Collection, New York City.

Garrett Minniti  

Hip Hop, Tap. Garrett Minniti moved to New York City from Los Angeles where he was a teacher at the renowned Edge Performing Arts Center. He also taught classes for Cal State University in Fullerton and Steps on Broadway (NYC). His past performing credits include the national tours of "42nd Street", "SWING", and the international tap sensation "Caution, Men at Work". He has also performed for television, film, and threatre productions including "A Night with the Stars" (Warner Bros. Studios), "Things Ain't What They Used To Be" with tap dance great Parris Mann, and "The Great Pretenders" (ABC Television). He feels very blessed to have worked with such talents as Jason Samuels Smith, Tina D'Amato, Tommie Retter, Adam Garcia, and Francis Ford Coppola.

Jane Vorburger  

Ballet, Pointe. Jane completed her dance training with Hortensia Fonseca and Michelle Lees at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet. She joined American Ballet Theater at age 16 and spent 5 years with the company performing principal, soloist and corps de ballet roles in the U.S.A. and abroad. She went on to study Contact Improvisation and choreography at Oberlin College and completed her Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts in the spring of 2006. Currently she teaches ballet technique and pointe at STEPS on Broadway in NYC, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and for American Ballet Theatre.