See a list of our Guest Teachers Below

Tricia Famolaro-Zegarelli,
jazz, tap, lyrical & modern
Tricia grew up in Central New York and has been teaching for the past 5 years. Her early training was with the United Academy of the Performing Arts under the direction of Wende Warne and Sandie Fukes. She later went on to study at Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute under Nancy Long, Kathy Ryan and Lynne Bollana.

Tricia went on to further her dance education and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University at Buffalo in 2003. She holds a BA in Dance. While attending UB she was a featured dancer in the Zodiaque Dance Company and choreographed/performed for the Young Choreographers Showcase and Dancers Workshop. Her honors include, Phi Beta Kappa, Who's Who Among College Students, Golden Key International Honor Society and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society. Additionally, Tricia studied beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of tap, jazz, ballet, modern and musical theatre along with choreography, dance history, teaching methods, kinesiology, nutrition, creative movement and basic acting. This was all under the direction of Bill Thomas, Tom Ralabate, Jeanne Palmer Fornarola and Lynne Kurdziel Formato. She was a teacher assistant for ballet and jazz classes and a demonstrator at departmental auditions for prospective students. Tricia also performed for the American College Dance Festival in Buffalo and Pennsylvania.

Tricia performed with Artpark in Lewiston, NY in productions of Copacabana, The King & I, Oklahoma and Swing! In 2007 Tricia was a member of Girodano Jazz Dance of Chicago's second company, and was able to tour with the main company during their winter season. She performed works by Christopher Huggins, Randy Duncan, Jon Lehrer, Cesar Salinas and Eugene Peabody. In the summer of 2007 she danced in the African Dance Benefit Concert for the Vinnie Coluzza Scholarship Fund here in Utica. In 2008 and 2010, Tricia brought advanced modern, jazz and lyrical pieces to perform in a choreographers showcase as part of C.O.R.E Dance Project in Auburn, NY. She has also set works on dancers at Absolute Dance in Auburn, NY under the direction of Yvonne Villano-Hassett. Tricia has won choreography awards at Starpower, Sophisticated Productions and the Mohawk Valley United Dance Competition, Dance Xplosion and IDC along with other special awards such as Outstanding Staging, Outstanding Interpretation, Technical Elements, Amazing Accents, Intensity Awards, Determination Awards, Fabulous Feet Awards, Entertainment Awards and Precision Awards. She has had dancers win high score awards and titles at competitions such as New York City Dance Alliance, Starpower, Starquest, Sophisticated Productions, All American Talent, Mohawk Valley United Dance Competition, Hall of Fame, Dance Xplosion and IDC.

Tricia loves teaching and is truly honored each and every day to work with such a talented group of young dancers.

Juliana Renard-Payen,
ballet, pointe, jazz, pre-school
Juliana Renard-Payen brings with her 13 years of experience as a professional dance instructor as well as a knowledge of classical ballet and technical expertise.

Ms. Renard-Payen grew up in Central New York and completed studies in ballet under the Royal Academy of Performing arts syllabus under the direction of Delia Foley. She also studied with Stephen and Canan Jackson at the John Hayes O'Neill Studio of Dance, in Rome, NY, Columbia City Ballet director, William Starrett, and Anthony Salatino of Syracuse University. In addition, Juliana also atttended the Boston Ballet Summer Program for 6 consecutive years.

Ms. Renard-Payen has a BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory where she graduated with honors and as a recipient of the Ruth S. Ambrose award for Excellence as well as being listed in Who’s Who Among College Students in 1994. At the conservatory Juliana studied extensivley with such master teachers as Christine Busch, Anamarie Sarazin, Mel Tomlinson, and Laura Young. At the COnservatory Ms. Renard-Payen danced principal roles in ballets such as Pas de Quatre, Swan Lake, Napoli, and various original ballets. After college Juliana was a principal dancer for José Mateo’s Ballet Theatre in Boston for 7 years. She also performed guest artist at West Coast Ballet in Santa Barbara's production of Coppelia, and at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. Juliana has also been a guest teacher and set pieces at the Portsmouth Ballet School in NH. She has also guest taught at the Merrit School of Dance in Albany NY, the Cape Cod Conservatory in Orleans MA, and the Cazenovia School of Ballet.

For two years Ms. Renard-Payen also taught very young children as a faculty member of the Creative Movement and Arts Center in Needham MA. Juliana is a strong proponent of developing creative thinking skills and the inclusion of dance education in the a child's formal learning experiences during their early years. Ms. Renard-Payen also refined her skills with young children at the Children's Center of Brighton in Rochester NY where she was a senior teacher for 2 years.

guest artists, past master classes

Georges Biboti comes from the Cote d’Ivoire ( Ivory Coast ) West Africa where he was in the National Ballet of the Ivory Coast for 17 years as dancer, drummer & choreographer.

In 1997, Biboti moved to United States where he spent 6 years in NYC teaching & performing. Later, in 2000-2002, Biboti was part of Jimmy Buffet summer tours, Biboti also participated at Hollywood movie “Tears of the Sun” starting Bruce Willis.

In 2003, Biboti moved to Syracuse, NY where he shares his culture with the community, schools from Kindergarten to colleges and dance studios. Biboti just opened a multicultural dance studio in Syracuse. For more information about Biboti and Wacheva, go to www.wacheva.com

Rashaan James II

Felix LaBella is an accomplished dancer, teacher and choreographer who now calls New York City home.  As a performer, he has toured nationally and internationally with productions such as 42nd Street, Cats, and Oklahoma! 

Other regional credits include:  Thoroughly Modern Millie, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, Sweet Charity, Crazy For You, and the world premiere of Around the World in 80 Days at the Fulton Opera House.  Felix’s production of Chicago, in which he directed and choreographed, was voted “Best Production of the Capital Region 2002” by the nationally accredited Times Union Newspaper. TV/Film: W.B. Mason for the NY Yankee’s. 

He holds a degree in dance from Skidmore College and has taught master classes at studios like the Alvin Ailey School in NY, and colleges/universities around the country.  He is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association.

Gina Pero is one of the World Famous Radio City Rockettes. As a BFA graduate from the Theatre & Dance Program at the University at Buffalo, Gina’s experiences range from movies, stage and television to commercials and modeling. Gina has worked with legends in the industry such as Gus Giordano, Hinton Battle, Richard Grieco, Olga Breeskin, Patrick King and the eccentric star of TV & Film, Charo.

In addition to being a performer and spokesperson for the Radio City Rockettes, Gina has been the principal dancer in the show Iron Beats and has performed on various stages nationally and internationally. Gina’s concert dance credits include Zodiaque Dance Company, Solstice Dance Theatre, and The Red Vern Collective. She has appeared as a principal dancer in the movie Louis the Film, on television for NBC, MTV, The Latin Music Awards, Jet flex, TRL, and What’s in the Trunk Game Show. Through her vast presence in the commercial and modeling world Gina has been featured by such companies as Bebe, Guess, Nike, Redken, Paul Mitchell, Dockers, Samsung, and the Hilton and Bellagio Hotels. Perhaps you have seen her as the female star on the Tropicana Hotel Billboard for the infamous show Air Play!

Gina’s career reached a new level when she served as creative consultant and choreographer for Cirque du Soleil’s Pr”o”ject Ruway. This inspired her to explore other creative positions including consulting editor for movmnt magazine, faculty member for Common Art Mutual Passion, Pushing Progress and a director of special events at the Hilton and Wynn Hotels. Gina has brought her vast experience to a larger audience through her Certification in Professional-Coaching. As a coach specifically for dancers, Gina inspires performers to acknowledge themselves and bring forth their natural passion into their everyday life. Motivated by this progression, Gina created a program called “Inside Out” with a vision of educating artists about the reality of a professional career through self-awareness, exploration, and a business plan. Inside Out is designed to encourage individuals to build a vision of their true self, set goals, and take action. Gina inspires every human being to acknowledge their presence and understand that anything is possible.

Her dedication to art and fostering the artistic dream of others has led her nationwide as a sought after teacher, guest teacher at Broadway Dance Center and Juilliard, adjudicator, guest speaker and solo artist.

Nicole Sell grew up in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, where she started dancing at the local studio at the age of three. As a teen, she spent her summers studying dance at the Ballet/Aspen program in Colorado and at the Dupree Studios in Los Angeles. She completed her high school years at the Idyllwild School of Music and Performing Arts in California and graduated Valedictorian of her class. She then studied at The Boston Conservatory, earning a BFA in Dance and graduating Summa Cum Laude and Salutatorian of her class. Ms. Sell has performed regionally and internationally with Prometheus Dance, ACE Entertainment, Impulse, and Boston Dance Company, and has also danced a leading role in an industrial video for Spalding sports equipment and a TV commercial for W.B. Mason, for which she was also the choreographer. She is currently on faculty at the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio, Boston Youth Moves, Walnut Hill School, and The Boston Conservatory






Yvonne Villano-Hassett
Yvonne began her dance career at the early age of three at “The School of the Dance Arts” in Auburn, NY. Yvonne has been able to work with numerous artists of TV, and stage. Her regional credits in theatre include; 42nd Street, Anything Goes, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, Oklahoma, and Damn Yankees.

Her professional choreography credits include; How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Anything Goes, Godspell, Oklahoma, South Pacific, Suessical The Musical, Meet Me In St. Louis, Bye Bye Birdie, Once Upon A Mattress, and Footloose.

Her passion for Dance and Musical Theater brought her to further her training at the University at Buffalo Dance Department. Yvonne, has trained under such professionals as; Thomas Ralabate, Lynne Kurdziel-Formato, William Thomas, Karen Georger, Jeanne Fornarola, Elizabeth Waddell, Eileen Lambert, Shelly Hain, Tressa Gorman-Crehan, and Joyce Miller-Lychtenberger.

In 2001, Yvonne returned to Auburn and opened up the Absolute Dance Studio and founded the Absolute Dance Company. She built the institution to give dancers of Central NY a facility that produces the “well-rounded” dancer. Yvonne believes in nourishing the heart and soul of the aspiring dancer and giving them the resources to develop a solid foundation to pursue a career in the dance arts. Yvonne founded the Absolute Dance Company to give students in Central NY, the opportunity to work in a professional environment, enhance their skills in auditioning and performing, and to give back to their community through the art of dance. In 2004 Yvonne collaborated with Lisa Ientilucci and Jennifer Antropoli to form the C.O.R.E. Dance Project, a professional touring dance company.

To learn more about Yvonne and Absolute Dance visit their website!

Cody Wheat

Aleksandra Wojda was born in Pretoria, South Africa, but grew up dancing in the Chicagoland area. She graduated from Northwestern University in June 2006 with dual degrees in Communication Sciences & Disorders and International Studies. While attending Northwestern full-time for four years, she trained at the Giordano Dance Center as both a work-study and scholarship student. She has performed in Dance Chicago under the direction of Nick Pupillo and Tracy Marrion. In the summer of 2006, she was seen as a top twenty dancer on the second season of Fox's hit show, So You Think You Can Dance, and it was a truly life-changing experience to have made it to the Top 16 dancers of that season. She returned back to Chicago after the show to continue her dance career full force. After ending a run at the Lincolnshire Marriott's production of All Night Strut, she joined Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago's second company, which she enjoyed for a year. She has been featured in industrials for Jockey, Panasonic, Barton G., Sebastian/Graham Webb/Wella, Pepsi, and the Red Hawk Casino. Currently residing in Los Angeles, she has kept busy working in music videos (Lady GaGa, David Cook, Kaskade, and Sara Bareilles), television (House), and feature films (Funny People and School Gyrlz). She feels so blessed to have had such an amazing dance journey thus far and is thankful for all who have supported her and inspired her to keep on moving!






Tracey Zimmerman graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from the University at Buffalo where she was a member of the prestigious Zodiaque Dance Company for all four years. After graduation, Tracey continued to express her love of dance by traveling throughout the United States performing principle and ensemble roles in numerous regional theaters across the country. Some of her credits include Swing! (Kaitlin), High School Musical (Kelsi), White Christmas (Judy), Cats (Tumblebrutus), and Cabaret (Texas) just to name a few. Tracey is also works for several competition/convention circuits where she has been recognized for her outstanding choreography and classes on both the regional and national level. She judges and directs for both Dance Masters of America and VIP Dance where she has been given the opportunity to work with extremely talented dancers, young professionals and teachers from all over the world. Tracey is so excited to be given the opportunity to share her knowledge and love of dance with the students and faculty of DanceWorks Studio.