MICHELLE BARBER (Jazz) has been a choreographer/teacher for the past 22 years. She is currently on faculty at the Broadway Dance Center and travels throughout the United States teaching and choreographing. Michelle has worked for Dance Spirit Magazine and her work has been featured in numerous musical theatre productions, college dance team performances and dance competitions nationwide.  As a testament to Michelle’s abilities as a teacher and choreographer many of her students have gone on to perform in Regional Tours, National Tours and on Broadway.

ITALY BIANCA (Hip Hop, Jazz) is a multimedia/sacred artist raised in South Carolina but currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She received a B.A. in Dance Education and Dance Performance and Choreography from Coker University. She has also trained at the Joffrey Ballet School in their Jazz and Contemporary dance program.

She has collaborated with various dancers, community leaders, groups, organizations and programs in NYC. She was also nominated for a Bessie award for Outstanding Performer in 2017 and appeared in Crystal Waters’ “I am House” video in 2018. Presented Work at Gibney Dance in 2019 (Ame-ricana), a work inspired by fragments of her southern roots. She has study and apprentice Herbalism at Sacred Vibes Apothecary with Empress Karen M. Rose.

Italy has chosen to use her artistic energy to shine light on what it means to give your creativity, passion and raw emotion the freedom to explore and expand. Through her brand and platform, transformational experiences can be found by journaling movement, healing through creative release and being open to self-expression.

JULIE GAROFALO (Tap, Jazz, AcroDance) received a degree in Dance from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. She was a performer in the National tour of Sesame Street Live, on Good Morning America and Black Entertainment Television (BET). Julie appeared as a backup dancer with the popular R&B artist, Usher. She also teaches at Broadway Dance Center in New York City.

JULIE McDONALD (Tap, Jazz, Kinder I and II) has been teaching at Coupé Theatre Studio for 14 years. She teaches tap, jazz, and acro to students ages six through adult. Julie also has a background as a certified Pilates instructor. She has volunteered her time to local elementary schools, where she directed original musical theatre productions and taught dance classes for after school enrichment programs. Julie has traveled the world performing professionally in various musical theatre productions (Will Rogers Follies, Bye Bye Birdie, A Chorus Line, Tokyo Disneyland) and is proud to be a former Radio City Rockette. She had the honor of performing those famous eye high kicks at Radio City Music Hall for nine years. Julie is a certified Rhythm Works instructor for children with special needs, and looks forward to sharing the magic of music and dance with all different types of learners!

CLAUDIA MEIENHOFER (Ballet, Creative Modern, Jazz, Kinderdance) received her training from Jan Hanniford Goetz, and earned her BFA from Adelphi University, under the direction of Norman Walker. She performed and choreographed with the NY Dance Theatre, Huntington Ballet Theatre, Carol Rioux Dance Ensemble, and was a member of Blanco Dances, a NYC based modern dance company. She was a faculty member at Adelphi University, BOCES Cultural Arts Center, Huntington School of Ballet and Steps Performing Arts Center in Connecticut.

GAIR MORRIS (Broadway Boys/Tap/Jazz) Born and raised in Colorado, Gair graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a BA in Musical Theater Performance. He segued directly to NYC as a scholarship student with the Joffrey Ballet. Musical Theater dance, especially tap, is his true love and Gair’s 15-year national and regional performance career includes Crazy For You (PBS Great Performances Directed by Susan Strohman), Some Like It Hot (w/ Tony Curtis), Damn Yankees (w/ Tony Randall), Fiddler On The Roof (w/Theadore Bikel), and the US Premier of Hot Shoe Shuffle.  Gair has taught movement to students of every age; as well as serving as choreographer for studios, schools and regional theaters across the United States. He is the Co-Creator of the NY Kids Club, a multi-location children’s enrichment and preschool in NYC, and owner and operator of Hudson River Kids (beginning weekday mornings right here at Coupé!)

LOUISE RUCK (Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Kinderdance) was a member of the Gateway Ballet Company at age 9, where she worked her way up to the role of Sugarplum Fairy in their production of The Nutcracker. She received scholarships to the Joffrey Ballet and to the Hartford Ballet. She was also a member of the Fort Worth Ballet. Ms Ruck’s Broadway credits include the original cast of Crazy for You, and Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public. She also performed in Anything Goes and A Christmas Carol and as a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall. Her teaching experience includes the Beutelo School of Dance in St. Louis with students from age 2 through adult.