Laurie Chikeles
Owner/Artistic Director
Tap Ballet Jazz Lyrical Pre-dance Theater Dance
Laurie Chikeles has been dancing since age 3 and began her performance career at the Worlds Fair when she was just 6 years old. She has been teaching for over 25 years. Her students have won awards at competitions in New York and New Jersey. Many of her students have gone on to become professional dancers and teachers.
Jeanette Perk
Hip-Hop Modern
Jeanette Perk has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and Theatre from Manhattanville College. During her time at Manhattanville she was able to work with brilliant choreographers such as Andrei Kisselev (ballet), Peter Pucci (modern), Darrah Carr (Irish step dancing), Claire Porter (modern), Stephanie Larriere (tap), Keith Saunders (ballet), Bill Hastings (original Fosse choreography), Doug Elkins (hip-hop), and many others.
Jeanette has also created original pieces such as “Inshooanity” a modern dance piece where she gave her dancers the limitation of only wearing one shoe, and “I Can’t NOT Dance” a thirty minute production focused on dancing with disabilities.
Jeanette has choreographed 4 musicals and over 70 original dance pieces.
Jeanette has been trained in lighting design, sound design, stagecraft, directing, acting, dancing, and choreography.
Along with working at Footworks Dance Center Jeanette is also the Dance Director at The Storm King School in Cornwall On Hudson as well as the Dance Director at Camp Chateaugay in Lyon Mountain, New York.
Although Jeanette loves performing, she feels that there is nothing better than seeing her students learn, perform, and have fun with her dances.
Kristina Hotaling-Paz
Ballet
Kristina originally from the Hudson Valley started her training in the Hudson Valley and later continued in NYC with American Ballet Theater, and Robert Joffrey’s. She has over 40 years of professional training in dance and teaching. Her professional career as a dancer gave her the opportunity to work with choreographers from around the world and perform in classical ballets, lyrical, modern, and contemporary ballet. She has performed at Jacob's Pillow, toured through the U.S. and South America. Retiring from performing she began her teaching career under Patricia Wilde in NYC, later working with dance companies throughout the U.S. teaching company classes, choreographing and staging ballets. Moving back to the Hudson Valley she teaches Ballet, lyrical, modern, and Contemporary Ballet ages Pre-school through adult. She has choreographed numbers for competitions teams, and staged full-length ballets with local schools. Auditioned dancers for companies and competition teams, taught clinics, workshops, and master classes, and recently doing clinics for a Gymnastic Team in Newburgh.
Alissa Chikeles Schimmel
Specialty Workshops and Camps in:
Modern Musical Theatre Jumps & Turns Contemporary
Alissa has been dancing since she was 3. It didn't take long for her to realize that dance would be an everlasting love of hers. She recieved her training in dance studios in New York State and at Broadway Dance Center in New York City where she was an intern and Rockette Assistant for the Rockette Experience.
Alissa has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance and Theatre from Manhattanville College. After her graduation from Manhattanville she began a professional dance career teaching at dance studios all over New York and New Jersey and performing for Princess Cruises. Alissa has also performed in Atlantic City, and all over New York State and Pensylvania.
Although Alissa loves performing and traveling the world she's always looking forward to passing on her knowledge and love of dance to the students of Footworks Dance Center.
JoAnn D'Addio
Acrobatics
JoAnn D'addio graduated from Mount Saint Mary College in 1999 with an undergraduate degree in Communication Arts and Special Education. She recieved her graduate degree from Mount Saint Mary College in 2000 in Special Education.
JoAnn also coached for O'Neill High School cheerleading for 4 years and cheered in both high school and college. She has taught gymnastics for 9 years with Miss Laurie Chikeles.
Currently, she teaches high school special education biology & earth science at Carmel High School and teaches acrobatics at Footworks Dance Center.
Our Professional Teachers