Hanne is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of DDF.  In addition to overseeing DDF’s artistic programming, she also teaches all the jazz companies and the invitational jazz program.  Hanne holds a degree in theater and music, and diplomas in ballet teaching, jazz teaching and studio management, recently adding certifications in Acrobatic Arts and Giordano Jazz Technique.

Hanne lives in Tribeca where she has raised her four children, all of whom have danced at DDF.   She cherishes her DDF community and loves nothing more than seeing all her “ddf children” growing up and dancing through the years!

Al Blackstone is an Emmy-winning director, choreographer, and educator. His passion for bringing people together to experience something meaningful drives him to make dances, tell stories, and encourage joyful connection. Inspired by generations of dance educators before him, Al’s dance classes are known around the world for their positive energy and unifying structure. Al is also the co-founder of MOMEN NYC, an NYC-based brand focused on providing memorable experiences for adult dancers, deepening their love of dance and strengthening their sense of togetherness. To simplify- Al (short for Albert) loves dancing and the way it can bring out the best in us. Al resides in Queens with his husband Abraham and has kept a journal since he’s 12.

Alyssa Myers is a 2020 graduate from the University of Southern California Kaufman School of Dance and is currently a dancer with Terre Dance Collective and a fellow with NVA & Guests here in NYC. She has performed works by Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Jirí Kylián, and Azsure Barton among others. She has created choreographic work for Utah Metropolitan Ballet, Traverse City Dance Project, and various pre-professional companies across the country. In 2022, Alyssa was an artistic collaborator for Jodie Gates’ NYU Residency Fellowship and the artistic recipient for Converge2Emerge’s fellowship program. She greatly enjoys teaching and sharing all she can with young artists, talent, and professionals.

Aurora Vaughan (she/they) began dancing in the Bay Area, CA at age three. She is a proud graduate of the University of Southern California, where she earned a BFA in Dance through the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and a minor in Performance Science (biology, psychology, business) through the Marshall School of Business. While in school, they danced works by Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Barak Marshall, and Francesca Harper, to name a few. Aurora is currently a freelance dance artist in Manhattan and Brooklyn, as well as a dance teacher and certified IMX Pilates instructor.

Billy Griffin (He/Him) is a NYC based artist with a BFA from NYU/Tisch School Of The Arts. Select choreography credits include Shakespeare In The Park/The Public’s As You Like It, the Off-Broadway and National Tour of Friends! The Musical Parody, as well as work for the Hudson Valley Dance Festival featuring So You Think You Can Dance winner Ricky Ubeda, Broadway Bares and The Red Bucket Follies for BC/EFA, The Drama League Gala At The Plaza Hotel (honoring Steve Martin), Hershey Park,The National YoungArts Foundation, The Joffrey Ballet School, CLI Conservatory, Fordham/Ailey, and Pace University. Associate/Assistant credits include work with Sonya Tayeh, Josh Bergasse, Andy Blankenbuhler and Al Blackstone. Billy is on faculty at both Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center and is an adjunct professor at NYU.  IG: @sillybillygriffin

Bridget Bailey, originally from Wayne, PA, is a NYC based dancer, singer, and actress. She graduated summa cum laude from Pace University NYC with a BFA in Commercial Dance where she trained under the direction of Rhonda Miller, Scott Jovovich, and Lauren Gaul. Favorite professional credits include performing All That Jazz (Velma Kelly), Surflight Theatre’s productions of A Chorus Line (Judy Turner) and ensemble/DC for Legally Blonde, An American In Paris, Mamma Mia!, Cabaret, and Chess. Bridget has worked closely with Josh Prince’s choreographer/dance organization called Dance Lab New York Connect and Jennifer Johns-Grasso’s Broadway Artists Alliance.

Brooke is thrilled to be teaching at Downtown Dance Factory after graduating with her BFA in Commercial Dance from Pace University. In New York, she has had the pleasure of dancing in treadFAST dance company as well as working at DDF over the past three years, and being involved in Cyclebar NYC. She is passionate about inspiring the next generation of dancers and cultivating a safe and supportive environment for dancers to thrive.

Chanse Williams was born and raised in Middletown, Connecticut where she began dancing the moment she could walk. After growing up at her mother’s dance studio where she found her love for both performing and teaching, she moved to New York City to study Commercial Dance at Pace University. As a
graduate of both Pace Commercial Dance and The School at Jacob’s Pillow, Chanse was most recently seen in Jelly’s Last Jam for Encores! at New York City Center. Chanse found her love for teaching at an early age, then was able to study both ballet and jazz pedagogy at university under leading dance educators in the industry. Understanding the wonderful impact a dance teacher can have on a student’s life, Chanse hopes to inspire and uplift others through art and dancing just as many have for her.

Chryssa is from Southern California where she began dancing at Murrieta Dance Project under the influence of Erin Babbs, Will Johnston, and Lisa Ebeyer. She graduated in 2021 with a BFA from the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. There she performed works by William Forsythe, Jirí Kylián, Barak Marshall, Alejandro Cerrudo, and others. Recent professional opportunities include dancing/assisting for choreographers, but not limited to, Andrew Winghart, Tessandra Chavez, and Zoe Scofield. Chryssa has over two years experience teaching young dancers and is excited to continue to share her passion for training and performance on the East Coast.

Courtney grew up in Monroe, Louisiana and started dancing at the age of two. She trained with Missy Crain Dance Studios and was a member of The Louisiana Delta Ballet where she served as a Principal Dancer for many years. Courtney currently resides in New York City and is a Radio City Rockette. As a Rockette, she has performed on the iconic Radio City Music Hall Stage in The Christmas Spectacular, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting, Mariah Carey’s Christmas Special “Merry Christmas to All”, and The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.

Emily Dail is a New York City based dancer with a huge passion for movement and community. Originally from Charleston, SC, Emily moved to NYC to attend Marymount Manhattan College, graduating with a BFA in Dance. Recently projects have included: assisting Chelsea Thedinga setting Indefinitely Now at the Joffrey Ballet School; assisting Stacey Tookey at Protégé NYC; dancing in Thedinga’s video project, Dawn; and dancing as a  company member for CLOUDE.  Emily feels so lucky to be living her dream, and her intentions are for her students to feel seen, excited to explore their own creativity, and to help them achieve their dreams too.

Originally from Seattle, WA, Funmi received her BFA in Commercial Dance, with an Arts & Entertainment Management Minor, from Pace University. She’s worked with notable artists such as Caleb Teicher (“BZZZ”, The Joyce Theater), Dormeshia (“Jelly’s Last Jam”, Encores!), Lisa LaTouche (“So”, Symphony Space), Jared Grimes (“Anything Goes”, pre-production) and Marshall Davis Jr. (“Revelations in Rhythm). Additionally, she’s choreographed for Pace FTVC and presented her work at the Young Choreographer’s Festival. Funmi’s passion is evident as she nurtures and shares her love for dance. She is inspired by music, culinary pursuits, Kurzgesagt videos, and all that brings her joy.

Hannah Tanner moved to New York in 2015 where she received her BFA in Commercial Dance from Pace University. She spent four years training under some of the most respected dance educators and choreographers in the business. This exposure sparked a passion for performance as well as teaching. She currently enjoys teaching students of all ages, helping them grow as dancers and as people. Hannah is also a certified personal trainer and loves incorporating this knowledge into her classes to help her students become stronger more self-aware dancers.

India Dobbie grew up in NYC and is a proud alumna of both Downtown Dance Factory and LaGuardia High School.  In 2022, she graduated from the University of Southern California with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Education. India is a YoungArts National Winner in Jazz Dance and was an inaugural winner of the “Awakenings” Scholarship from the Ailey School.  She has worked as a Choreographic Assistant at The Juilliard School, Barnard College, and Festival Ballet Providence.  India moved back to NYC after graduating and is excited to see where dancing, choreographing, and teaching take her!

Izzy Pereira is a professional dancer based in NYC. Izzy recently graduated Summa Cum Laude at Pace University with a BFA in commercial dance in 2024. Izzy has had various performance opportunities across the United States and Canada, as well as professional experience behind the camera. Some of the choreographers she has worked with include; Tyce Diorio, Marinda Davis, Nijawwon Matthews, Jillian Meyers, Jess Hendricks, Tiler Peck,  Jeremy Arnold and more. She was recently recognized as an emerging Young choreographer from the Young Choreographers Festival NYC in 2024. Izzy is so excited for this season with DDF 🙂

Jenavieve Adams grew up dancing at her mother’s dance studio in Arizona and began assisting from a young age. She started teaching and choreographing for the studio by the time she was 15. Jenavieve moved to New York in 2018 and received a BFA in Commercial Dance from Pace University. At Pace, she worked closely with some of the most well respected dance educators and choreographers in the industry, while taking courses in Jazz and Ballet pedagogy, which equipped her with the skill set to most effectively teach children from ages 3-18. Jenavieve loves to work with the younger age groups as she believes those are the formative years for introducing artistic exploration and creative play into children’s lives, potentially determining their future careers, relationships, and interests.

Jessica began dancing at three, and continued on to study at the New Jersey School of Ballet, School of American Ballet, and LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. Jessica joined the New York City Ballet as an apprentice in 2002, and quickly became a member of the corps de ballet. During her six seasons with the company, Jessica toured extensively and danced roles in over fifty ballets. In addition to her 13-year career as a dance educator, Jessica has worked as a preschool teacher and is currently employed as a licensed psychotherapist.

Kaleena makes sound-focused dance and performance work, rooted in tap dance technique and deep listening modalities.

One of DANCE Magazine’s 25 to Watch, she has received a McKnight Fellowship for Dance and a Sage People’s Choice Award, and has presented work in many venues in Minneapolis, as well as at Arts on Site, Center for Performance Research and Symphony Space in New York.

Kaleena has a BFA in Dance from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, a Deep Listening certification from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and is currently pursuing an MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Katie Drablos is a Dallas native who after graduating from SMU with a BFA in Dance Performance, moved to the Big Apple in 2009. Her first job was as a Radio City Rockette and she has kept dancing, teaching and choreographing her way through the city ever since. She worked as Al Blackstone’s Associate Choreographer on productions of Oklahoma, Hairspray, Pippin, and The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes. She also performed in his original works in NYC; Happy We’ll Be and Freddie Falls in Love. Katie teaches weekly at Steps on Broadway. She is a cancer survivor and soulful storyteller.

Born and raised in Columbia, Missouri, Kaylin began her training at Columbia Performing Arts Centre. She is a 2021 graduate of The Juilliard School, where she received a BFA in Dance. Kaylin was the recipient of the Joseph W. Polisi Artist as Citizen award, as well as a YoungArts winner in modern dance, and U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts semifinalist. Upon graduating, she danced four seasons with Peridance Contemporary Dance Company and is currently a company member with ZviDance. Kaylin’s passion for teaching young artists parallels her performance career, and she is thrilled to be teaching at DDF.

Originally from Fishers, Indiana, Kelley began her dance training at the age of three and went on to study various styles of dance through high school. She attended the University of South Florida where she earned her BFA in Modern Dance, along with a BA in Communications. Kelley also studied abroad in Paris, France under the tutorage of Michael Foley. Some highlights of her performing career include dancing at the Colt’s Half Time show, Kings Island and Walt Disney World. Kelley is also a graduate of the Broadway Dance Center’s professional semester program. Kelley began working and choreographing for local studios in high school and fell in love with teaching.

Victor “Kid Glyde” Alicea’s credo is “If you can conceive it, you can achieve it”. Hailing from Queens, NY, he received his initial training from his father Glyde and Kid Freeze. Both were original members of the New York City B-Boy Crew, The Dynamic Rockers. Today Kid Glyde serves as the President of The Dynamic Rockers, having inherited and then revived this iconic group. Kid Glyde is the founder of the Kids Breaking League (KBL) for which he hosts and organizes the KBL season and tournaments. He remains a prominent and inspirational b-boy in the hip-hop community and continues to take b-boying culture to the next level.

Kristi’s originally from Allentown, PA but has called NYC home for the past 16 years. She graduated from the NYU Tisch School. Kristi has been fortunate enough to have a career in the concert dance and  musical theater world, along with working with wonderful choreographers such as Al Blackstone, Richard Stafford, Katie Drablos, and Chip Abbott. She’s currently a company member of Woman in Motion. When not performing, Kristi is a show supervisor for RWS Entertainment as well as an adjunct professor at Molloy College’s theater program, CAP 21. She choreographs and teaches at studios across the tristate area.

Leah Joy Faircloth is a New York based dancer, singer, and actress. She started her dance training in Raleigh, NC, at CC and Company Dance Complex. Leah received a BFA in Commercial Dance from Pace University, with performance, choreography, and pedagogy concentrations. Leah has appeared in “Dexter”, on Showtime, “Spirited”, on Apple TV, and “IF” premiering late 2023 on Paramount Plus. Most recently, she had the opportunity to work with Roxana Baldovin, in the newest Cheetos commercial. She is thrilled to be teaching at DDF and is endlessly inspired by the artists within.

Lizzy is from Rochester, NY where she trained at Pittsford Dance Studio for fifteen years. She moved to NYC for her BFA in Commercial Dance from Pace University. There she worked with countless industry professionals such as Rhonda Miller, Lauren Gaul, Scott Jovovich, Al Blackstone, Mandy Moore and many others. Some of Lizzy’s favorite credits include: Holidaze (V Star & Cirque Du Soleil), “Our Favorite Son” from The Will Rogers Follies for American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (Tommy Tune Choreo, Directed by Josh Bergasse), and “Annette” in Saturday Night Fever. When not dancing or teaching, Lizzy is running her activewear brand (Daughter Lessons) or spending time with friends.

Madison Hicks holds a BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School and an MFA in Choreography from California Institute of the Arts. She has had choreographic residencies at Orsolina28, Jacob’s Pillow, DanceLabNY, 14thStreetY, and Chez Bushwick. Madison has been commissioned by companies and universities including Vitacca Ballet, The Juilliard School, Ballet Arkansas, Avant Chamber Ballet, Water Street Dance Milwaukee, Loyola Marymount, The Fordham Ailey BFA program, Peabody University, and others. She is the Associate Choreographer for Manhattan Concert Production’s Children of Eden at Lincoln Center. Madison is the Director and Founder of Moving Forward and is on faculty at 24Seven Dance Convention.

Maria Collins has trained in a variety of dance styles since the age of three, performing competitively throughout high school in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Maria is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Dance Education at Hunter College’s prestigious Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program, where she learns research-driven dance teaching skills. She received her undergraduate degree in Dance Teaching from Marymount Manhattan College, where she studied the teaching techniques involved with multiple dance genres, ages, and levels. She is excited to share her passion for teaching dance to the students of Downtown Dance Factory.

Rae-Ann Thomas is a NY based dancer and choreographer. After moving to New York she began to present work at many festivals and showcases throughout the city. She has worked with choreographers such as Mike Esperanza, Bo Park, Neil Schwartz, and Erica Sobol to name a few. She has been teaching for several years as well as judging for many dance competitions and conventions. Rae-Ann currently teaches at Brickhouse NYC and Broadway Dance Center. Teaching both adults and children allows her to share her knowledge with movers of all ages. Her passion for community makes her classroom experience unique and inclusive.

Savannah Joy Cobb is a graduate of The University of the Arts in Philadelphia.  In 2016 her short dance film, Àme was an official selection of the Philadelphia Screendance Festival. Some of her credits include the Hudson Valley Dance Festival, Good Morning America, Phish at Madison Square Garden, Associate Choreographer for an episode of ‘Evil’ on Paramount Plus, as well as Associate Choreographer for Kellen Stancil for Broadway Bares. Savannah is also on Faculty at Steps on Broadway and Ballet Academy East. Savannah recently completed her training in The Raising the Barre for Mental Health Dance Teacher workshop series.

Originally from Annapolis, MD, Sydney is a graduate of Pace University with a BFA in Commercial Dance having concentrations in both performance and choreography. At Pace, she performed in works by Jenny Laroche, Corey Snide, Lisa La Touche, Marinda Davis, Steven Blandino, Scott Jovovich, and more. During her time at Pace, Sydney was also lucky enough to learn from industry professionals such as Mandy Moore, Jillian Meyers, and Dominique Kelley. She has also assisted choreographers such as Andy Blankenbuehler and Karla Garcia in choreography pre-production. Sydney has always had a passion for teaching. She is so excited to be a part of the Downtown Dance Factory faculty and can’t wait to share her love for dance with the students of DDF!

Downtown Dance Factory’s dedicated Teaching Assistants are trained in all genres of dance, and provide support for our youngest dancers as well as technical guidance for our more experienced students.

Our 2024-25 Teaching Assistants include:

Aidan Tysee, Amelia Dole, Beth Windes, Emily Masia, Evy Vaughan, Gina Marcinkowski, Isabelle Evans, Katie Howard, Kirsten Montes, Lilly Kane, Rinto Fujito, Sadie Fraser, Sammi O’Connnor, Willa Besner, and other DDF teaching faculty.

Melanie is the Business Director and Co-Founder of Downtown Dance Factory. She has lived and worked in Tribeca for over 20 years, and absolutely loves the community around her, both in the neighborhood and more importantly, at Downtown Dance Factory. Melanie grew up dancing at the Mount Royal Ballet School in Montreal, Canada. These days, you’ll often see her inside the studios enjoying the learning and happiness she witnesses daily among DDF dancers and faculty alike. When not circulating among the studios, Melanie manages the Downtown Dance Factory faculty and team and oversees all facets of Downtown Dance Factory, including client care, communications and operations.

Colette Starker, a San Francisco native, has been a valuable member of the DDF team since 2014. Colette is a former professional dancer who started dancing at the age of 5. She has performed in many different countries, including England, Spain, and Japan, as well as 3 Super Bowls as part of the San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders. Along with her dance experience, Colette has an extensive retail and apparel product development/production background. Her management skills and dance background enable her to provide quality customer service to DDF families.

From a young age Pamela has involved herself in the arts. She studied ballet as well as danced with her high school dance team. She has a BA in Communication from UC San Diego, a BFA in Painting with High Distinction from California College of the Arts, and a MFA in Photography from Hunter College. She has worked in various places including the International Documentary Association and BMG: The New Music Company. Pamela has taught visual art at Hunter College & Parsons School of Design. She feels privileged to see smiling dancers day after day, and is thankful for all the amazing people she has had the opportunity to meet.

Maria Collins grew up in the Baltimore, Maryland area where she trained and competed in a variety of dance genres. She first fell in love with the administrative side of the arts during her high school internship with the director of Kinetics Dance Theatre, a non-profit dance company in Ellicott City, Maryland. She received her B.A. from Marymount Manhattan College with a major in Dance Education and a minor in Digital Journalism. She currently attends Hunter College as a member of the Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program. As Downtown Dance Factory’s Party Manager, Maria continues to share her love for the arts to young dancers of all ages!

Alexandra Barry was born and raised in south Florida where she began her dance training at age 3. She obtained her BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Contemporary Dance in 2019 under dean Susan Jaffe where she worked with choreographers such as Helen Simoneau, Aszure Barton, Kira Blazek-Ziaii, and others. Alexandra has had the honor of attending summer programs such as Trisha Brown, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, B12 and ImPulsTanz. She is currently pursuing her MS at Pratt Institute in Movement Therapy and works closely with adults and children with mental illness and intellectual disabilities.

Willa grew up in Short Hills, New Jersey where she discovered her love for dance at the age of 3. Willa continued her dance training through high school and then at James Madison University, earning a B.A. in dance in 2024. While dancing at James Madison University, Willa choreographed and produced dance shows, learning and loving the important work required to have a successful dance program. Now, Willa is pursuing her career in dance as a teacher and an administrator. Willa is excited to share her love of dance with the Downtown Dance Factory community.