Faculty

Our professional faculty is experienced in the Steffi Nossen Method, nurturing their students’ passion for dance in an organized, structured and proven curriculum.

The Steffi Nossen School of Dance’s professional teaching faculty members are leaders in the field of dance education. Our instructors are highly trained dancers and choreographers with extensive performing and teaching experience. They create a safe, nurturing and accepting environment where students of all shapes, sizes and abilities can experience the joy of dance and benefit from its inherent discipline. Pre-professional and recreational dancers are trained with equal enthusiasm. Using the proven Steffi Nossen Method, our faculty encourages artistic expression while building a solid technical foundation.

SHELLEY K. GRANTHAM

Executive Director

SHELLEY K. GRANTHAM

Executive Director

Shelley Grantham Nierenberg, Executive Director of The Steffi Nossen School of Dance in White Plains, NY since 2016. Shelley had previously been The School at Peridance Capezio Center’s Coordinator since 1999 along with the Director of the Peridance Youth Ensemble since 2000. Originally from Minneapolis, MN Shelley started her dance training at Dance Arts Center and Ballet Arts. She furthered her dance education at the Conservatory of Dance at Barat College, DePaul University, Chicago, IL receiving a BA in Dance and graduating with honors in 1997. While in Chicago she taught at North Shore School of Dance and choreographed for the musical theatre department at Loyola Academy. Shelley also performed with the Barat Repertory Dance Company, working with Rory Foster, Eileen Cropley, Emily Stein and Julie Cartier. After moving to New York City she began dancing and performing with two independent companies, Danielle DePersis and Dancers and Deborah Damast and Dancers along with choreographing for a Tap group, Fiddle Faddle Feet. Shelley has been teaching and choreographing for schools in Minnesota, Illinois, New Jersey and New York for over 25 years, teaching Jazz, Modern, Tap and Composition. Shelley coordinated all out-reach efforts for both not-for-profit dance companies at Peridance, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company and the Peridance Youth Ensemble for over 15 years, working closely with organizations such as University Settlement, Dancers Responding to AIDS, Free Arts and NY Cares. Shelley is a Facilitator for the Department of Education in New York City, helping develop dance curriculum for the classrooms of NYC public schools along with working closely with Dance Education Laboratory, 92nd Street Y as a Facilitator in Training. Shelley believes she is the person and educator she is today because of her strong family and very supportive dance teachers throughout the years. She cherishes every moment she is able to give back to the dance community and arts education.

Shelley teaches Jazz, Composition and Conditioning classes in our Conservatory classes, Summer Dance Camp, Dance Intensives, and Boot Camp.

TARA LEVOCI

School Coordinator L Modern Core L Young Movers L Adaptive L Outreach

TARA LEVOCI

School Coordinator l Modern Core l Young Movers l Adaptive l Outreach

Tara LeVoci, School Coordinator of the Steffi Nossen School of Dance, has been teaching at Steffi since 2015. She trained and performed with the Eastern CT Ballet Company, where she was the first student asked to teach for the organization at just 18 years old.  After receiving a BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan, she performed professionally in musical theater and cheerleading. Continuing her passion for outreach, she brought dance to after school elementary programs in CT, created a ballet program for the Hasidic community in Brooklyn, and taught at studios in Manhattan and the tristate area. A Westchester resident herself, Tara loves serving her community by teaching dance in our outreach programs including adaptive, storybook, and creative movement. At the school, you’ll find Tara teaching classes for all ages from Parent & Toddler to Adult Dance Cardio to Steffi’s Modern Core program. She also teaches our beloved Moving Wheels & Heels adaptive program, as well as our Dance for Parkinson’s classes.

JESSICA DIMAURO MARKS

Artistic Director | Master Class

JESSICA DIMAURO MARKS

Artistic Director | Master Class

A Steffi Nossen alumna, Jessica DiMauro Marks holds an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University and graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. Her company, DiMauro Dance (dimaurodance.com), has been performing for over nine years. Ms. DiMauro’s choreography has been seen at venues throughout the Tristate area including The Alexander Kasser Theater, The Abrons Arts Center at Henry Street Settlement, The Works Studio, Salvatore LaRussa Dance Theatre/The Academy, The Crystal Theater in Norwalk, CT, Steps on Broadway, The Theresa Lang Theater, the Dance Theater Lab at Purchase College, Peridance Center, The Music Conservatory of Westchester, The Arts Exchange and The Irvington Town Hall Theater. DiMauro Dance has been selected to perform at numerous festivals and curated showcases including White Wave’s COOL NY Dance Festival, The HATCH Presenting Series, Dance Conversations at The Flea, CT Meets NY, Queens Arts Express, and New Dance Downtown. Ms. DiMauro is on faculty at Montclair State University as a professor of Dance Technique. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor and a Certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor. She was the recipient of an Arts Alive Artist Grant for the year 2007 from The Westchester Arts Council for her work titled “com-mu-ni-ty”.  In addition, Ms. DiMauro produced Unraveled at the Merce Cunningham Studio in April of 2011, Confetti: A Collection of Works by Jessica DiMauro at The Producers’ Club Theaters and her choreography was also seen at the 2004 International NYC Fringe Festival in Granola! The Musical at The Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts. Jessica teaches Junior Master Class and Master Class II in our pre-professional program, as well as Boot Camp during our Summer Programs. As the school's Artistic Director, Jessica produces our annual Choreography Showcase, Benefit & Community Concerts, and Gala performances.

ALYSSA FULMER

Company Director | Young Movers | Core Jazz | Ballet Technique

ALYSSA FULMER

Company Director | Young Movers | Core Jazz | Ballet Technique

Alyssa Fulmer, originally from Easton, Pennsylvania, graduated magna cum laude with a BA in dance from Point Park University. Since graduating, she has been happily teaching modern, ballet, pointe, tap, and jazz to children and young adults in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York. When not teaching, she can be seen performing with many artists in the New York City area and beyond. Alyssa loves being able to pass on her love for dance in a fun yet educational environment. Alyssa is our Company Director and teaches Creative Movement and Ballet/Tap in our Young Movers program. Additionally, she teaches Core Jazz, Ballet Technique,  Story Book Camp, and Ballet in Dance Camp during our Summer Programs.

JUDITH ROSS

Community Relations Director

JUDITH ROSS

Community Relations Director

Judith Ross oversees all Steffi Nossen Outreach and Adaptive Dance Programs along with all After-School and In-School Enrichment Programs; she also manages the organization’s marketing. She was responsible for the creation and development of the School’s Moving Wheels and Heels program for people with disabilities which began with Moving Wheels and Heels in 2003 and formed the basis of our dance classes for people with disabilities including Parkinson’s and Cerebral Palsy classes; Outreach Disabilities Classes in Greenburgh and New Rochelle schools, SPARC (Special Program And Resource Connection), Cardinal McCloskey Services,  Yonkers Recreation, and Mt. Kisco-based Hidden Treasures;   Sanctuary sheltering homeless and runaway teens; pre-schools and elementary schools in four communities; area libraries;  and classes sponsored by White Plains Youth Services, Carver Center in Port Chester,  and Theodore D. Young Community Center. Judy works with community and school personnel to develop programs and curriculums to meet their needs, select appropriate faculty, set schedules, and oversee and evaluate the programs progress. In her Marketing role, Judy writes and manages all press releases and School and Foundation announcements. An important part of her job is maintaining relationships with area print and online advertising and editorial representatives. Judy oversees advertisement design and placement with all print and online marketing. Judy holds a BA from Brandeis University and taught elementary school in the New York City and East Ramapo school districts until she started a family.  After a period as a stay-at-home mom, which included volunteer activities in her town and PTA including legislative activities, intern placement and tutoring, she re-entered the workforce as an employment counselor.  She became involved in the Steffi Nossen organization through her children, joining the staff as assistant to the Executive Director in 1982.  Since then her role has grown, overseeing both the organization’s expanding Outreach Program and its Marketing efforts.

CHRISTA CHEPURNY

School Administrator And Marketing Coordinator

CHRISTA CHEPURNY

School Administrator and Marketing Coordinator

Christa Chepurny is the School Administrator and Webmaster at Steffi Nossen School of Dance. She began working at the school in 2022. Christa currently manages the daily activities of the office including registrations, incoming inquiries, financial aid, and maintaining the Mindbody Database. She also develops marketing plans, updates and maintains the website and manages the school’s social media presence across several platforms.

ANNIE DOSS

Master Class

ANNIE DOSS

Master Class

Annie Doss began teaching at Steffi Nossen in 2006. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College, studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and is currently pursuing her MS in Movement Therapy at Pratt University.  A Steffi Nossen alumna with many performing credits, Ms. Doss has also presented her own choreography at the Theresa Lang and Red Room Theaters, Dance Theatre Workshop (DTW), SUNY Purchase, and Peridance Center. She is a founding member of DiMauro Dance and a Certified Pilates Instructor. In addition to her role as faculty member and choreographer at Steffi Nossen School of Dance, Ms. Doss is also a member of the Faculty at Trapeze School New York.

COURTNEY MURRAY

Young Movers | Core Modern | Core Ballet

COURTNEY MURRAY

Young Movers | Core Modern | Core Ballet

Courtney Murray originally from Colorado, where she danced professionally for six years and trained for twenty, in virtually every style. She has been a company member of Rogue Dance CO., The Schiff Dance Collective, Blue Moon Dance Company, Sammy J. Dance and a current member of Borne Dance Company. She was chosen for Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester Program where she received the Best Choreography Award for her year. Her choreography has been featured at Boulder Creek Festival, The Schiff Dance Collective showcases, Blue Moon Dance Company performances, Christopher Palacio Dance Project, Peridance Capezio Center’s Faculty and Student Showcase, and dance competitions. Courtney started assisting and teaching her own classes at 17 and quickly fell in love with teaching dance to kids. She has taught techniques from ballet to hip-hop at studios, middle schools and high schools throughout Colorado. She moved to New York to pursue a dance career in 2014. Courtney loves the feeling of making a difference in a child’s life whether by passing on her love and knowledge of dance or cheering her students on while they play “Freeze Dance” to Disney music. She is so excited and honored to be a part of the Steffi Nossen School of Dance. Courtney teaches Ballet and Modern in our Core Program, and Creative Movement and Ballet/Tap in our Young Movers program.

CAREN VALENTE

Core Modern

CAREN VALENTE

Core Modern

Caren Valente holds a BA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College and was a member of the Steffi Nossen faculty for 14 years, teaching Core Modern and Jazz Technique. She is currently on the faculty of SUNY Purchase teaching Dance Fitness and is the Performing Arts Coordinator for the Youth and Precollege Programs in the Arts. As a choreographer, Caren has choreographed musicals for Scarsdale High School, White Plains Middle School, Purchase Youth Theater and the Playgroup Theater. Caren’s performance career includes dancing with Kinetic Dance Theater, appearing as a dancer on the AMC Series “Into Character: Dirty Dancing”, and danced in the Off- Broadway Musical “Still on the Corner.” Caren is thrilled to return to the Steffi Nossen School of Dance and the Core Modern Classes in Chappaqua. Caren teaches Modern in our Core Program.

PAULETTE LEWIS

Jazz Technique

PAULETTE LEWIS

Jazz Technique

Paulette Lewis, a native Wisconsinite, holds a BA in Dance from Point Park University. Paulette is a performer, teacher, stage manager, and travel enthusiast. She began teaching at the age of 15 and has taught workshops at studios throughout Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York and has studied at multiple studios throughout NYC. Currently, Paulette is the Marketing + Communications Director for the CURRENT SESSIONS, a NYC based performing arts organization that develops and presents the work of emerging artists. Paulette is our former Company Director and teaches Jazz Technique.

DYLAN BAKER

Tap

DYLAN BAKER

Tap

Dylan Baker is a New York City based dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist. After growing up in the boondocks of Wisconsin and earning a BFA in Dance at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Dylan moved to NYC to pursue his dance career. Apart from creating his own works, Dylan can often be found dancing with David Parker and The Bang Group, Matthew Westerby Company, and the Covenant Ballet Theater of Brooklyn. When Dylan is not on stage or in rehearsal, it’s likely he is in the classroom. With experience teaching a range of subjects from tap dance to science class, Mr. Baker has taught kids and adults of all ages and is ecstatic to be joining the amazing family of students and educators here at Steffi Nossen School of Dance! Dylan teaches all of our Tap classes as well as the Boys Movement classes.

SILVANA LARKIN

Adaptive Dance & Outreach

SILVANA LARKIN

Adaptive Dance & Outreach

A graduate of Manhattanville College, Silvana Larkin holds a BA in dance/theatre with a concentration in dance therapy. She has studied locally and performed for Gabri Crista of the Bill T Jones Company and Carlos Orta of the Jose Limon Dance Company. Mrs. Larkin has been with Steffi Nossen since 2004, teaching creative movement and ballet throughout Westchester to mainstream and special needs populations. She became a certified ZUMBA instructor in 2011.

WENDY MORSEBERGER

Parkinson's Dance

WENDY MORSEBERGER

Parkinson's Dance

Wendy Morsberger, trained at School of the Dayton Ballet and Buffalo Ballet Center, eventually making her way to the Royal Ballet School.  After a performance career, culminating in the Royal Ballet (England) and Frankfurt Ballet (Frankfurt, Germany) taught ballet, pointe and injury prevention at Boston Ballet, Harvard and more dance schools in Boston and Westchester. A trained physical therapist holding an MS in Physical Therapy from Massachusetts General Hospital, Institute of Health Professionals, Wendy has trained in the acclaimed Mark Morris Dance for PD program in Brooklyn, NY.

ALEXANDRA WILLIAMSON (Guest Faculty)

Horton

ALEXANDRA WILLIAMSON (Guest Faculty)

Horton

Alexandra is a graduate of Montclair State University. A recipient of the Dance and Theater Department Service Award , she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Minor in Musical Theater. After recovering from a back injury, Alexandra took interest in Pilates. It was recommended to her to help keep her body healthy and injury free. Alexandra has her Pilates Certification from Steele Pilates and BASI Pilates. “Pilates is a great way to cross train for any physical activity. You relieve stress, gain flexibility, and leave class feeling taller!”. She currently dances for DiMauro Dance Company and Moe-Tion Dance Theater . She is also on staff at Union County College where she teaches Dance. Alexandra teaches Horton technique during our Summer Dance Intensives and Boot Camp. She also set choreography for Dance Theater Group in 2019.

SPENCER POND (Guest Faculty)

Jazz Technique | Musical Theater

SPENCER POND (Guest Faculty)

Jazz Technique | Musical Theater

Spencer Pond is a freelance dancer based in New York City, and founder of The American Jazz Company, a concert dance company dedicated to preserving and expanding the art of the American dance form. He has enjoyed performing for audiences everywhere from beer gardens in Queens to the Minskoff Theatre with choreography by James Kinney, Sue Samuels, Christopher Jackson and others. Originally from Hartford, CT, Spencer trained in classical ballet under Samantha Dunster and Jazz under the tutelage of Darlene Zoller. Spencer has now been apart of our Summer faculty for 2 years, teaching Repertoire and Jazz technique in our Musical Theater programs. He is also the choreographer for Jazz Ensemble 2019!

ANGELA DECICCO (Summer Faculty)

Musical Theater - Voice

ANGELA DECICCO (Summer Faculty)

Musical Theater - Voice

Angela DeCicco discovered singing and a love for theatre at a very young age. She has served the Westchester community as a voice teacher following a career that includes performing on Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tours and with many Regional theatres. In addition, Angela has performed as a soloist with symphonies in both the US and Europe. Ms. DeCicco has been honored to sing back up for artists such as Hugh Jackman, Mariah Carey, Barry Manilow, Harry Connick, Jr., Vanessa Williams, Gloria Estefan, Stephanie Mills and Broadway stars such as Patti LuPone, Billy Porter, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Liz Callaway, Keala Settle, and more! She has also been a member of Broadway Inspirational Voices Gospel choir for over 20 years. Angela is a graduate of SUNY Purchase where she was a voice major and received a BA in Music. Her desire to teach was influenced by her own extraordinary teachers: Jessie Landsberg, Marianne Challis, and Beverly Myers. Angela focuses on vocal health for all styles of singing including Musical Theatre, Opera, R&B, Pop, Rock, Jazz and Gospel. She works with her students on song interpretation, acting, and performance. She is dedicated to helping singers, dancers and actors of all ages and levels to achieve their goals by de-mystifying the act of singing; from basic technique-building to meeting the challenging demands of an 8-show week and rigorous rehearsal and touring schedules. Angela strives to bring the best out of each student and encourage enjoyment at all levels of singing-from the novice to the professional! Angela will join our team this summer, teaching Voice during our two-week Musical Theater Intensive and Kids Camp!

NANCY LUSHINGTON

Artistic Advisor

NANCY LUSHINGTON

Artistic Advisor

Nancy Lushington holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Adelphi University. She has danced with May O’Donnell, Joyce Trisler, Theatre Dance Collection, and in Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” at Kennedy Center. Ms. Lushington serves on the Board of the O’Donnell Green Foundation for Music and Dance. She has taught master classes internationally and is a member of the faculties of Marymount College and Montclair State University. After two decades at Steffi Nossen as Master Class teacher, choreographer, and Artistic Director, Ms. Lushington continues as the school’s Artistic Advisor and dynamic faculty member in Moving Wheels and Heels, the school’s annual adaptive dance intensive.

Alexandra Bilodeau

Core Jazz

Alexandra Bilodeau

Core Jazz

Alexandra Bilodeau is a dance artist and educator originally from North Reading, Massachusetts, now living and working in the New York City metropolitan area. She holds Bachelors of Arts degrees in Dance and History from Hobart and William Smith Colleges where she was also awarded the Janet Seeley Award for her contributions to the dance department and recently graduated with an MFA in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College. During her time at Sarah Lawrence, Alexandra had the opportunity to perform in works created by Beth Gill, Kyle Marshall and Netta Yersuhalmy. In 2021, she became a Yoga Alliance Certified RYT-200 through Health Yoga Life. Alexandra has a strong interest in choreography and her work explores the concepts of nostalgia, spectacle, humor and memory. She has a passion for dance education and has taught tap and jazz technique as well as improvisation and composition at various studios throughout New England and New York. Alexandra is thrilled to be a part of the faculty at the Steffi Nossen School of Dance, where she is teaching Core Jazz.

Giada Matteini

Ballet Technique

Giada Matteini

Ballet Technique

Giada Matteini is an Italian performer, educator, researcher, choreographer, and cultural producer based in New York City. She is the Founder and Director of WADE (Wandering Avian Dance Experience), a women-led multifaceted performing arts company working at the intersection with social justice and focused on supporting the voices and artistic expressions of women and historically underrepresented artists. WADE has produced, collaborated and received artistic residencies both in Europe (Murate Art District/Florence; La Caldera/Barcelona; The City of Agropoli/Agropoli; The Season/NYU Florence) and NYC (Arts on Site, Jack Crystal Theater, International Human Rights Art Festival). Giada is an Assistant Arts Professor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts in NYC and has been awarded a number of grants to support her research. Most recently she has been chosen for the 2024-25 cohort of the Mega Grants Incubator, a biennial resource program designed to transform ambitious ideas into impactful, large-scale research projects. Her research centers around a somatic rehabilitation program for violent offenders, intersecting clinical studies, anthropology, psychology, and sociology with the creative arts.

Sasha Gologorskaya

Sasha Gologorskaya

Sasha Gologorskaya is a NYC-based dancer and educator, originally from Kiev, Ukraine. She was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and trained at the San Francisco Ballet School, before attending the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase, graduating summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance and a concentration in Ballet Performance. In her senior year at Purchase, Sasha was featured in the NY Times for performances at BAM Fisher, where she danced the featured pas de deux in Luca Veggetti's reimagined version of Jerome Robbins’ Watermill. Sasha has performed with ARC Dance in Seattle, Eglevsky Ballet, MorDance, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Menlowe Ballet, em(body) dance project, for Norte Maar’s Counterpointe 10, and for choreographer Marika Brussel. She is currently dancing with Hudson Ballet Theater and NYC-based dance theater company MeenMoves. As an educator, Sasha has taught a wide range of ages both in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York Tri State Area, and has been on faculty with Eglevsky Ballet School, ODC, Moving Arts Academy of Dance, and Roco Dance, amongst others. She is passionate about sharing the joy of dance with her students and strives to empower young dancers through movement and artistic expression. Sasha is very excited to be a part of the Steffi Nossen family this year!

Amy Kail

Amy Kail

AMY KAIL holds a BFA from The Juilliard School, Dance Division, an MFA in Dance from The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a two-year teaching certificate from the Dance Education Laboratory at The 92 nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center. A teaching artist with The Joyce Theater Dance Education Program since 2008, she has also been on the faculties of Lincoln Center Institute, Orchestra of St. Lukes, Dynamic Forms Inc., and City Opera. Amy’s had articles published in Dance Teacher and Dance Spirit Magazines and also directed the Fridays at Noon program at the 92nd Street Y, founding an accompanying workshop series. Amy Kail Dance has performed in festivals and at theaters throughout NYC including The Kitchen, The 92nd Street Y, Dixon Place, Joyce SoHo, Alice Tully Hall, and The Merce Cunningham Dance Studio.

Amanda Armenteros

Amanda Armenteros

Amanda is a true New Yorker, born and raised in the bustling city. Immersed in the vibrant dance scene of New York, Amanda's studies at Alvin Ailey and Harlem school of the arts fueled her passion for African-based dance forms. She has performed with renowned companies like Djoniba and Mfouambila and joined the all-female EVA dance company in Saigon, Vietnam. During her travels in Southeast Asia, Amanda had the opportunity to share her love for African dance by performing in Latin Dance Festivals, where she showcased her skills in Samba, Afrobeats, and traditional African dances. This experience was particularly meaningful for Amanda, as it allowed her to spread awareness of black culture and heritage in a different part of the world. Upon her return to New York, Amanda became a member of SouldanceCo, a distinguished dance company specializing in Afro-Contemporary and Latin movement. Here, she continues to teach and perform, driven by her unwavering love for the art of dance. Amanda's journey exemplifies her dedication to preserving and sharing the beauty of African diasporic movement across cultures and continents.