Kate Truesdell is the Founder and Director of the Greenwich Dance Studio. She began teaching dance in the Greenwich area in 1995 and received her BFA in Dance from Emerson College. After graduating, Kate moved to Manhattan, NY, where she studied at Broadway Dance Center and attended Teaching Workshops. In 2004, Kate left New York City in order to pursue her dream of opening a dance school and formed the Greenwich Dance Studio.

In September, 2004 the studio opened with only 18 students.  Within the first two years, the studio grew to over 200 students.  Greenwich Dance Studio continues to attract young dancers because of its personalized approach and dedication to creating educated dancers.

Amy Piantaggini brings an extensive background in Ballet and Modern. Amy trained with The Boston Conservatory, Spectrum Dance Theatre, Broadway Dance Center and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. Amy is a recipient of the Gregory Peck Scholarship, The Coca Cola Scholarship for Artistic Excellence and an Ensemble Performance Scholarship from Martha Graham School. In addition, she has performed as a soloist with the Graham Company, and is certified to teach through their Dance Teacher Trainee Program. Amy has taught at Greenwich Dance Studio for the past year and has had great success as a new teacher. Greenwich Dance Studio is excited to have Amy as a teacher for another great year.

Jane Vorburger completed her dance training with Hortensia Fonseca and Michelle Lees at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet.  She joined American Ballet Theater at age 16 and spent 5 years with this company performing principal, soloist and corps de ballet roles in the U.S.A. and abroad.  She went on to study Contact Improvisation and Choreography at Oberlin College and completed her Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts in spring 2006.  She teaches ballet, modern and composition and is on faculty at Marymount Manhattan College, American Ballet Theater, the Joffrey Ballet School and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center.  She is an ABT Certified Teacher who has completed levels primary through 7.

Alison Lott graduated from Springfield College in 2006 with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Psychology. Since graduating, Alison has gone on to teach in dance studios, educational programs and summer camps throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. She brings a versatile background, in jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical and hip-hop, and has experience teaching all age groups. As a dedicated dancer and choreographer, Alison continues to enhance her skills by taking master classes and dance intensives. We are thrilled to have Alison on staff at Greenwich Dance Studio as she has quickly become very popular among the students due to her energetic and encouraging approach to teaching.

Sonja Kostich studied at New York City Ballet's School of American Ballet and Mikhail Baryshnikov's ABT/School of Classical Ballet. Professionally she has danced with American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Zurich Ballet, and Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project. Sonja is a certified ballet teacher by American Ballet Theatre and currently teaches at ABT's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in the Children's Division. Sonja co-founded and co-directs the New York City based dance company OtherShore--which was invited to be the first artists-in-residence at the Baryshnikov Arts Center.

Angessa Hughmanick is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory, where she received a BFA in Dance. She has trained with the Orlando Ballet under the direction of Fernando Bujones; as well as Chet Walker at The School at Jacob's Pillow. Some of her Regional Theatre credits include 42nd Street, Will Roger's Follies, and The King and I. She also holds professional acting and choreography credits from PBS Television for the Greek Tragedy, The Bacchae. She has also recently had her New York debut at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center performing in the Choreographer's Canvas. Trained to teach ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance she is proud to have been welcomed to the Greenwich Dance Studio team!

Cara Milo began her study of classical ballet at the age of 5. At the age of 11, she began training at The Ballet Class of Rye under the tutelage of Lynne Stetson, a former member of The New York City Ballet. She also studied under David Howard and Elena Kunikova, among others, in New York City. While attending Fairfield University, Cara decided to pursue a career teaching ballet and was invited in 2004 to join the staff of The Ballet Class of Rye. Since the start of her teaching career, Cara has instructed students ranging in age from 3-18 years old in classical ballet. Cara is thrilled to be joining Greenwich Dance Studio in the fall of 2010.

Carol Bryan's teaching and coaching experience spans over thirty years, training dancers in private schools, academies, colleges and regional dance companies throughout the United States. Her professional performing career was with American Ballet Theatre in New York. She performed in over twenty-five ballets choreographed by such legends as Jerome Robbins, Agnes De Mille, Marius Petipa, George Balanchine and Kenneth Macmillan. Carol was trained in New York, at the School of American Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet and American Ballet Theatre schools.

Kelly Milacic is a dedicated professional dancer, with lifelong experience and very disciplined training in ballet, pointe, jazz, hip hop, tap, contemporary and modern dance. She has performed professionally, is skilled in aerial performance art, and has experience teaching a variety of dance styles to a wide range of ages. Kelly was a key member of Royal Caribbean International's theater review cast for over three years, performing in eight productions on the Luxury Cruise Ships Freedom of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, and Voyager of the Seas, in which she was also selected for several aerial soloist parts. Kelly is excited to join the staff at Greenwich Dance Studio.

Lauren Jaeger is a member of the Buglisi Dance Theatre (formerly Buglisi-Foreman Company). She has performed professionally with Ballet Ambassadors in NYC, and with James Robey Dance (formerly Bare Bones Dance Project) in Ridgefield, CT. Currently, Lauren is teaching at Peridance, The Manhattan Ballet School, The Steffi Nossen School of Dance in White Plains, and Center Stage in NJ. She is also an associate choreographer of the Danbury Music Centre's "Nutcracker" Ballet. Lauren also taught, and was the Assistant Choreographer of the Nutcracker, at the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance while attending college; and taught at Ballet Hispanico in 2008 - 2009.