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| Instructors .jpg) Karen Casagrande Karen holds a B.F.A in dance from Stephens College in Columbia, MO., where she studied Jazz, Modern, Tap, Ballet, Spanish, East Indian, and Hawaiian dance, and was a student of the noted Modern dancer and choreographer Harriet Ann Gray. She was soloist with the Stephen's College Dance Company and toured throughout the Midwest. In New York, she studied with Lee Theodore at The American Dance Machine and with Charles Kelley and Frank Hatchett at the Broadway Dance Center. She has been lead dancer and choreographer for over 25 musicals, with her credits including "Guys and Dolls""Brigadoon", "Anything Goes", "Fiddler On The Roof", "West Side Story", "Kiss Me Kate", "Man of LaMancha" and "My Fair Lady". Karen also, for many years, volunteered her services as the choreographer of the Veterans Park musicals and continues to choreograph the East Ridge Middle School musicals. She also choreographed the short film "La Toiletta", seen on Nickelodeon. Karen has been a dance teacher for 30 years, owner of Hot Shoes for 25, and is the director, choreographer and lead dancer of the Hot Shoes Dance Company.  Diane Fried Diane Fried has been a dancer, choroegrapher and teacher at Hot Shoes Dance since its inception in 1985. Diane has a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Point Park College in Pittsburg, PA. where she studied jazz, ballet, pointe, tap and modern and was a member of the American Dance Ensemble. She did Summer Stock at the Actor's Studio Cabaret where she played parts in "The Fantastics", "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown", and assorted musical reviews. Diane danced with the Ridgefield Civic Ballet and in productions at the Wilton Playshop and the Ridgefield Workshop. She has choreographed and danced in numerous benefits at the Danbury Music Center, Candlewood Theatre, The Quick Center at Fairfield University and Fairfield Theatre. Besides choreographing so many extraordinary dances for her classes and the Hot Shoes Dance Senior Company, she has choreographed musicals such as Carousel, 70 Girls 70, and Gypsy for RHS, Ridgefield Workshop and Wilton Playshop. Diane has studied with Charles Kelley and Frank Hatchett at the Broaday Dance Center.  Courtney DanyliwCourtney has been with Hot Shoes Dance since 1991. As a young student she was invited to dance with the Hot Shoes Dance Senior Company as "Roxie" in "All that Jazz" in 1994 and 1995. She has been a member of the Hot Shoes Dance 7th & 8th grade Company (1994-1996), Junior Company (1996-1998),and the Hot Shoes Dance Senior Company since 1998. Courtney specializes in Jazz and Hip Hop,choreographing fabulous dances for her classes, the Senior Company and proudly instructed the Hot Shoes Dance Junior Company from 2004-2006 and 2008. Courtney graduated cum laude from Assumption College in 2004 with a degree in Computer Science. She was a programmer for RBS Greenwich Capital for 3 years. She has recently earned her Masters Degree in Elementry Education from Sacred Heart University and is excited to be teaching elementary students in the Wilton school system. She loves the FRIENDLY atmosphere at Hot Shoes, and believes dance is best learned while having fun! Alison Lott Alison holds a BS degree in dance from Springfield College, Springfield MA. She brings high energy and a wealth of experience to her classes. She has recently taught at the Stamford Performing Arts Center, the JCC, and Steps Dance Studio in Stamford. Alison has choreographed and danced in the NY, MA and local CT area, including the Titan All-Stars Open Dance Team, and has continued her dance education in workshops and master classes with Mia Michaels and Shane Sparks. With a minor in psycology and a love of teaching, she shares her passion for dance with students of all ages.  Brittany Bello Brittany has been with Hot Shoes Dance since the age of 3! Her talent in tap and jazz was obvious to everyone as she danced her way through being in all of the Hot Shoes Dance Company's. As smart as she is beautiful, Brittany continues to study dance, work full time as a Manager at CVS in Ridgefield, and go full time as a senior at Iona College. Brittany's innovative choreography and dancing inspires her student Kirby Ward Kirby Ward has been in the entertainment industry for over thirty-five years and is a veteran of over sixty theatrical productions. He’s performed for The Queen of England and appeared as Bob Hope at the Library of Congress’ 100th Birthday celebration of the comic’s life. As the original Bobby Child in the London West End premier of "Crazy For You" he received an Olivier Award nomination and later a Helen Hayes Award nomination at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. You can hear his performance on the London cast recording. He was also featured in the Broadway revival of "Show Boat" directed by Hal Prince, as well as numerous other Broadway Shows. Kirby has played many of the World showrooms with luminaries such as Debbie Reynolds, Phyllis Diller, Shecky Green and Bill Cosby. As director and choreographer, he has created material for Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor, worked with Bette Midler and James Caan on the film "For The Boys", and has directed and choreographed both off-Broadway and regionally all over the US. He’s been named Best Director of 2002 and 2005 in Boston for his critically acclaimed productions of "Singin' in the Rain" and "Crazy For You" and recently received the San Diego Critics Circle Craig Noel Awards for Best Director of a Musical for 2005 and Best Choreography for 2007. He’s appeared in concert at the Hollywood Bowl, with the Buffalo Philharmonic and Virginia, New Mexico, Atlanta, Maryland, Winnipeg, Pacific and Hong Kong Symphonies. Kirby has written for television and film, most recently winning Best Short Film at the Kent Film Festival for his original film, "Down in the Mouth", a movie he wrote, directed and edited. His original new musical, "The Gypsy King", was featured at the Goodspeed Music Theatre's New Artists Festival and the National Alliance of Musical Theatre’s New Works Festival in 2008. | |
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