WELCOME to the ULTIMATE Dance Camp!
Thanks for your interest in ADTC – the ULTIMATE dance camp for spirited girls like you.
Our mission is to help you do what you love because we believe the world needs strong & inspired girls like us who are doing more of what we love.
Whether you’re brand new to dance or a seasoned competitor, we want you to have fun and grow as a dancer and a person.
At ADTC you’ll find a tight-knit, all-girl community; a place where you aren’t bombarded by confusing media images; and a unique opportunity to reconnect with YOU.
We’ve successfully empowered thousands of girls around the world for 15 years with our ULTIMATE dance camp experience.
We hope you’ll join us for dance, adventure, new friends & fun this summer.
With love & gratitude,
~ ADTC.
Join us for our 3rd annual FREE Holiday Zoom Camp Sat, Dec 17, 2022 (2-5pm EST). We’re inviting all girls ages 8 – 17 to join us on zoom for this “triple-threat” boot camp ~ dancers will learn combinations in 3 styles (contemporary, hip hop & jazz) with 3 different ADTC choreographers. Participants are also invited to film group dances and share solos to be included in our Virtual Holiday Show* video for family & friends.
* Show is optional, but participation encouraged! We create a video of group performances & solos & email the link to all dancers/parents.
Why I Created ADTC…
“I started American Dance Training Camps – the ULTIMATE dance camp – because my experience attending an overnight gymnastics camp for 8 summers gave me the ability to love myself in a way I didn’t know I was capable of during school years focused on grades, cliques, going to the mall and prom.
At camp, self-love is easy. Camp inspires intrinsic motivation – autonomy, competence, connection, and a “flow” state you can’t achieve when you’re doing something for someone else or for an external reward.
At camp you slow down, remember you’re ALIVE, savor simple pleasures and do the things that give you joy. At camp, miracles are natural (we define a “miracle” as a shift in perception from fear to love). Girls NEED more miracles…more self-love. And the world needs more inspired women.
Today I’m a round-the-world traveling entrepreneur, inner peace activist, yoga addict and self-proclaimed ‘Spiritual Gangster’ – and I’m still inspired by camp.”
~ Lindsey Fadner, ADTC ULTIMATE Dance Camp Founder (aka “The Visionary”)
Alumni Praise
We’re honored to have a vibrant global community of passionate alumni who can attest to the power of ADTC’s ULTIMATE dance camp program. See more stories and contact alumni parents. And check out our mission, manifesto & story here.
“Our daughter Lauren attended camp in Lake Tahoe during summer 2016 for 1 week. This summer she is attending for 2 weeks because she loved it so much! Lauren made lovely friends at camp and continues to correspond with many of them. She really enjoyed the dance classes and felt challenged. Her background has been in ballet, jazz, and contemporary, with over 8 years of dance. Lauren also really enjoyed the excursions/field trip during which she went kayaking, zip-lining, and to the beach. This camp experience is the best!” ~ Katy D. Napa, CA
Great Camp!
Highly Recommend
Wonderfully diverse & empowering!
Find Your Spirit!
Get Independent
Go w/ the Flow
Take Risks
Unplug
Be Creative
Grow Your Circle
Get Outside
Get Away Nearby
Reap Rewards
So Why Choose ADTC?
ADTC is the ULTIMATE dance camp, but most important, we believe in core values that inspire us every day we wake up. Our summer staff is trained to empower girls…we just happen to be some of America’s best choreographers, too.
In addition to being Broadway performers, finalists from your favorite dance TV shows, collegiate dance team competitors and Radio City Rockettes, we’re also CEOs (“Chief Experience Officers”) at camp.
Each year ADTC staff (new and returning) undergo a rigorous hiring process that includes an extensive application, interviews, employment verification, criminal background check, CPR & first aid certification, physical exam, health screening, skills verification, and a multi-day pre-camp staff training. ADTC offer a wide range of dance intensives per week.
And it works! It takes a whole crew of enthusiastic, dedicated people to create the ULTIMATE dance camp experience around the country. We couldn’t ask for more interesting, sensitive and enjoyable teachers and counselors.
Just Some of Our ULTIMATE Dance Camp Staff
Ashley Peter
Ashley Peter is originally from Lakeland, FL where she performed with the Orlando Ballet. She has also performed with the Cecchetti International Summer Dance School, Thodos Dance Chicago, the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, Florida Dance Theatre, and the Broadway Theatre Project.
Ashley holds a BFA in Dance with a concentration in jazz and ballet from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. She is certified in the Cecchetti method of ballet technique.
She has choreographed and taught for many studios in the NY metro area and been on staff for Universal Dance association, DivaDance NYC and the Broadway Theatre Project. Ashley has choreographed for high school dance teams and performance companies across the U.S., and her choreography has received numerous awards.
Ashley is a member of the dance company, UrbanHumans and recently was asked to choreograph the first music video for singer/songwriter Joey Contreras.
Alli Gallant
Alli Gallant began Irish Step dancing at the age of four years old. She continued training in Irish dance throughout her childhood while adding other genres to her repertoire, including jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, contemporary, and musical theater.
Alli trained with the Duffin-Murphy School of Irish Dance and North Shore Dance Academy in Massachusetts, where she has also taught various styles of dance.
Alli minored in dance at Stony Brook University in New York before moving to NYC to participate in the Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester. She is currently the lead instructor at New Jersey Dance Academy.
This will be Alli’s thirteenth summer at ADTC in Vermont (7 years as a camper, 2 years as a Junior Instructor-Counselor, 1 year as an Instructor-Counselor, and 3 years as Asst. Program Director).
Eileen Boyle
Eileen Boyle is thrilled to be returning to ADTC for her 7th summer on staff, and 12th summer overall!
A true ADTC veteran, Eileen attended our ULTIMATE Green Mountains dance camp in VT, as well as our ULTIMATE Smoky Mountains dance camp in NC as a camper. Since joining our staff, she’s worked in Vermont, North Carolina & Maryland… and she’s held almost every position – Counselor-In-Training (“CIT”), Junior Instructor-Counselor (“JIC”), Instructor-Counselor (“IC), and Assistant Program Director (“APD”).
Eileen began her dance training at multiple schools throughout Virginia, and after graduating high school, she attended Joffrey Ballet School in New York City as a jazz and contemporary trainee. Eileen lives in NYC where she just completed the Broadway Dance Center Professional Semester. She is now teaching at several Tri-State dance studios & is delving into the world of professional performance.
Eileen wants campers to leave ADTC with the sense that dance is a safe place. She says, “I think some dancers come to camp from studios that put girls down for not rising to the level of others or for not doing well in competition. I would love to instill in all campers that dance is for everyone, regardless of ability.”
When Eileen is not dancing, you’ll find her reading about anthropology, drawing or napping. Her favorite animal is the manatee, and a good grilled cheese will always be her perfect food.
Katelyn Martin
Katelyn Martin was born in New York State, but spent most of her life in New Hampshire. Her mother always encouraged her to be a performer and because of that she has been dancing and performing since she was three years old.
In addition to dance training during high school, Katelyn also started doing theater. She performed in both plays and musicals, including “Noises Off” and “Singin’ In The Rain”. She choose to attend Loyola Marymount University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with her B.A in both Communication Studies and Dance.
At LMU, Katelyn performed works by Marjani Forte, Holly Johnston, Paige Porter, Laila Abdullah, and J.T Hornstein, as well as dancing with Radix Dance Crew and Kuumba Beatz Dance Crew. While at LMU Katelyn also trainined with Jason Myhre, Chad Michael Hall, Tony Czar, and Rogelio Lopez.
CJ Johnson
Christina Johnson (aka “CJ”) fell in love with dance back in the 1900’s in a far away land known as Oregon…
CJ began dancing professionally with BodyVox, Bent, and Kinetic Images in Portland, then moved to Seattle, where she spent quality time learning and performing with many prominent dance companies and choreographers, including Cheronne Wong; BetterBiscuit; XODO; Alethea Adsitt; Fusion; and Seattle Jazz, to name a few.
In 2003 CJ co-founded her own eclectic modern dance company, Jerboa Dance, where she choreographed, co-directed, co-produced, and starred in many successful shows, including a special guest appearance with Dance Masters of America.
CJ joined the NYC dance scene in 2005 and is proud to have shared the stage with The Love Show, Shir Dance Theater, Jordana Che Toback, Noemie Lafrance, Eva Dean Dance, Sambasa, Anahid Sofian Dance Company, Tara Quinn, Gilgamesh Theater, Witches in Bikinis, The Drum Café, and independentdancemaker/Kara Tatelbaum. She also choreographed and produced the Jerboa Dance NYC premier “Back from the Brink”.
CJ has performed with these companies and more on national and local television, and in the most authentic theaters in the big apple. CJ’s choreography was recently featured on Fox 5, America’s Got Talent, and “Loosen My Tie” video. She has has also recently performed for P Diddy, Beyonce, Martha Stuart, and was the opening dance soloist for Diana Ross.
CJ loves sharing her passion for dance. In rehearsal she shares with the dancers, on stage she shares with the audience, in class she shares with her students. For 12 years CJ has taught dance classes and workshops on both coasts in creative movement, pre-ballet, ballet, tap, jazz, modern, musical theater, acrobatics, hip hop, break dance, and samba. Her classes focus on technique within choreography and having fun!
Another love CJ has been sharing with students young and old is the practice of Pilates. CJ has been teaching Pilates for 5 years and has recently become one of the first certified instructors of Barrelates, which combines Pilates mat work and ballet barre exercises.
CJ joined the ADTC team in 2010; she started the summer teaching hip hop and finished as program director. CJ has directed and taught dance at ADTC locations in Vermont, California, Texas, New Jersey, Colorado & Wisconsin.
Joanne Liebenberg
Joanne Liebenberg is a professional performing artist and dance instructor from South Africa based in New York City. Joanne recently performed in ‘Unleashed’ as a dancer with Shade Productions in their cirque Halloween show.
Joanne is thrilled to have recently signed with Stefanie Talent Agency, a theatre and film Agency. Joanne danced, performed and was Dance Captain in the production of ‘The Thorn’ which toured Colorado earlier this year. This was also professionally filmed and will be released in cinemas across U.S.A in 2023.
Joanne completed two contracts cruising and performing for audiences around the world with Royal Caribbean International Cruise Lines. Joanne studied Dance and Musical Theatre through Trinity Guildhall, Trinity College London and graduated from the Waterfront Theatre College in South Africa. She then moved to New York City to complete a Professional Semester at Broadway Dance Center where she had the opportunity to train with many brilliant choreographers and artists, performed at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater and became BDC’s poster girl.
Before she booked her first contract with Royal Caribbean, Joanne performed in the show ’Another Day’ as Lead Dancer and Actress at the Kalk Bay Theatre in South Africa after being headhunted by Followspot Productions back when she was performing with the Waterfront Theatre Company. Growing up, she trained extensively at a high performance level, and represented her country in the World Championships for 5 consecutive years in Jazz, Modern, Ballet and Showdance winning Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
Joanne currently teaches Hot Yoga and Sculpt classes at Corepower Yoga NYC as well as Dance and Choreography across many different studios along the east coast. She is also a certified Nutritionist, Choreographer and Adv PADI scuba diver. Joanne is a creative, passionate and life-loving artist who cannot wait to see where her future in the performing industry will take her next.
Sophia Michitson
Sophia Michitson grew up dancing at her mom’s studio in Massachusetts where she started teaching when she was 14. She has participated in the Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester, and was a Joffrey Ballet School Trainee.
Sophia’s film credits include El Tigre Productions “306 Hollywood,” and Eryn Martin’s “BALLET” music video. Her performance credits include being a production cast dancer for Royal Caribbean’s “Rhapsody of the Seas” and “Voyager of the Seas,” as well as a featured dancer in Maria Caruso’s “Rearview Mirror” and performing with Hanna Q Dance Company & XY Dance Project.
Sophia currently teaches contemporary & hip hop at Shooting Stars Dance Company in New York City, in addition to continuing to teach at her mom’s dance studio and Center for Performing Arts in Methuen. Sophia was thrilled to join the ADTC team as an Instructor-Counselor Vermont & Maryland in 2022.
Erica Messonnier
Erica Messonnier is a professional dancer & teacher in NYC, fresh off the National Tour of Cinderella.
A Dallas native, Erica has a BFA in Dance from Point Park University. She has 8+ years experience teaching & choreographing for dance studios around the country.
Some of her performance credits include: Grease with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Miracles at Busch Gardens, and both Shrek The Musical & Seussical the Musical at Pittsburgh Musical Theatre.
Erica wants girls to learn to push themselves to be the best they can be. This will be Erica’s third summer at American Dance Training Camps. She’s been an Instructor-Counselor in both Maryland & Vermont.
Gianna Torres
Gianna Torres is a recent graduate of Towson University in Maryland with a degree in Elementary and Special Education. While at Towson, Gianna was a teacher and choreographer for the Fusion Dance Team.
Gianna grew up dancing competitively at New Jersey Dance Academy, and at 17 she began assisting dance classes. Gianna loves working with children as much as she loves dancing.
Gianna started as a Junior Instructor Counselor (“JIC”) at ADTC in Vermont four years ago. In 2022, she stepped up as an Instructor-Counselor (“IC”). Gianna wants to teach campers that “regardless of level, they are all so special.” She wants girls to feel empowered and supported when they are with her and hopes they take this feeling and use it to make other campers feel the same way “so that our camp environment is inclusive and filled with good energy.”
Gina Daugherty
Gina Daugherty is a professional dancer and choreographer in New York City. She has taught ballet, musical theatre, jazz, contemporary and lyrical for the past 8 years in Minnesota, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Long Island.
Gina has studied at The University of the Arts, Peridance Capezio Center, Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester, Pushing Progress, Joffrey Jazz & Contemporary LA and Axis Connect.
Gina has been associate choreographer to Charlie Sutton on Evita and Broadway Bares: Game Night at ACT of Connecticut. She has also been associate choreographer to Brooke Wendle for the Broadway Dance Center AIM Invitational.
Gina has worked with world renowned choreographers including Tony Testa, Peter Chu, Mandy Moore, Jaci Royal, Michael Mindlin, and Ephrat Asherie. She has worked at ADTC in Vermont & North Carolina since 2018.
Carissa Bellando
Carissa Bellando is originally from New Jersey but she recently relocated to Vermont. Carissa holds a BA in Theatre from Wagner College and a MFA in Contemporary Dance from Case Western. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Wagner College. Carissa teaches ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, acro, lyrical, modern & contemporary. She is also a Registered Yoga Teacher and certified Zumba teacher.
Throughout her career, Carissa has taught and choreographed for numerous theaters, colleges and schools around the country. She has performed in Musicals and Concert Dance performances around the world, and was a Dancer and Singer for both Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Aida Cruises.
Carissa performed in Taipei, Taiwan in 2013 and spend over a year living in Hamburg, Germany. In Germany, she was a Professor at the musical theater conservatory, The Stage School Hamburg, and also taught at Tybas Dance Center, Tanzraum, Stage Up!
Some of Carissa’s favorite performance roles include Broom Queen in Wagner’s Busted Nuts: The Dance Project, Tumblebrutus in Cats, Carpet in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Die Hexe (The Witch) in Es War Einmal (Once Upon a Time), the Summer Fairy in Polaris, and Mandy in Zack Zack.
Some past choreographic credits include Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (2010) and Dance Project 2017 for Wagner College, Rivela and Sea Swept (both original Modern dance works) for Case Western Reserve University (2013), and Comeback! Das Karl Marx Musical (2015) in Berlin, Germany.
Carissa has worked at ADTC in Stratton, VT & Sparks Glencoe, MD. She loves bringing her high energy and extensive dance training and knowledge to dancers of all ages and levels.
Ellen Henry
Ellen Henry started dancing when she was three years old. Ever since then it has always been a passion of hers that will hold a special place in her heart. She began her training in Louisville, KY at 360 Dance Studio. At the age of seventeen she was chosen to take part in the Kentucky Governor’s School of the Arts summer program.
Ellen graduated from Point Park University in 2013 where she was majoring in Dance with a concentration in Jazz. While at Point Park, she performed in productions by Cirque Dreams, took classes from prestigious choreographers in Los Angeles and New York City and studied dance abroad in Paris, France.
Ellen has been on staff at American Dance Training Camps ULTIMATE Chicago Lakeshore dance camp in Lake Forest, Illinois since 2012. She has directed ADTC camps in Vermont and Illinois. She currently dances professionally in New York City.
Corinne De Beer
Corinne De Beer is from South Africa and has studied with the Cape Town City Ballet, Gaynor Harris School of Dance and Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Co in South Africa. She is classically trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern and contemporary, and also well-versed in African, African Gumboot Dancing, African Pantsula, Broadway, Disco, Fusion and Street Dance. Corinne also has a Certificate of Higher Education in Contemporary Dance, Primary-Advanced 11 in Imperial Modern, and Primary-Advanced 11 in Cecchetti Ballet.
After graduating from St. Mary’s DSG, Corinne moved to London to train at the prestigious London Contemporary Dance School, where she studied under big-name contemporary choreographers like Richard Alstonand Matthew Bourne. She has since branched out into the commercial world, and teaches contemporary, hip hop, ballet, lyrical, street and jazz workshops in London and South Africa, and works with various international artists, shows and TV programs. Corinne has choreographed for London’s fashion week, So You Think You Can Dance South Africa, BBC’s “The Hussle,” the “Kylie Minogue Special,” and BBC’s “Doctors,” and performed for crowds of 30,000 + on famous world stages like Wembley Stadium and London’s West End Theatre. She has taught contemporary, jazz and hip hop workshops from Glasgow to Liverppol, Birmingham & beyond at numerous schools and studios, including Oxford University.
Kate Kenyon
Kate Kenyon is a professional dancer in Brooklyn & NYC. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from the University at Buffalo, where she also won the Amanda Occhino Award for enthusiasm, commitment and dedication to the dance department, and was in the Golden Key International Honors Society..
Kate dances for Kristin Sudeikis Dance, Hutchinson Collective, and SynthesisDANCE. She is a Master Teacher and judge for Step Up 2 Dance, and is presently teaching at The Edge of Dance and Pure Barre Brooklyn.
Kate teaches all levels jazz, contemporary, musical theatre, Ballet, and modern. She wants to help campers improve in their dancing and work ethic, but most importantly, she want to inspire girls to be themselves. She loves the quote, “Self-confidence is the best outfit, rock it, and own it.”
Kate is thrilled to be back at ADTC’s ULTIMATE Green Mountains dance camp in Vermont for all three weeks this her summer.
Dani Vernon
Dani Vernon was born and raised in central New Jersey, and began dancing when she was three. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop and Broadway. Dani started dancing competitively at age nine.
Dani attended OCVTS Performing Arts Academy and graduated as a dance major. After high school, she continued her dance and theatre education at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York where she trained and worked with current and former Broadway performers, choreographers, and directors.
After graduating AMDA, Dani began her dream of teaching dance! Dani is obsessed with Disney and her favorite food is Mac N’ Cheese. She has been on staff at ADTC in Vermont & Maryland for five summers.
Rebecca Morris
Rebecca Morris is an Australian dancer, singer, and actor. She studied dance at Brent Street, completing her Certificate IV in Performing Arts in 2012, and Diploma of Musical Theatre in 2013. She has also studied at the Broadway Dance Center in NYC and EDGE Performing Arts Center in LA.
Rebecca’s live performance credits include Bachelor & Spinsters Ball, Big “W” Summer Fashion Show, eMerge Foundation Rugby Luncheon, and Hair Expo. Television credits include Ricki Lee “Do It Like That” film clip choreographed by Marko Panzic, “Everbody Dance Now” Promo choreographed by Jason Gilkison, and The Election Chaser CNN.
Rebecca has an extensive background in dance teaching, sand safe dance practice for the prevention of injury in Australia. She is also a Massage Therapist, completing a Diploma of Remedial Massage at The Australasian College of Natural Therapies.
Rebecca has worked at ADTC in Stratton, Vermont since 2019. She wants girls to realize their love of the performing arts and have so much fun at dance camp that they enroll in even more dance classes at home!
Sakina Ibrahim
Sakina Ibrahim is a performer, teaching artist, and coach who received her Bachelors in Fine Arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she earned the “Dance Outreach” and “Excellence in Performance” awards. She has also received scholarships to the Bates Dance Festival, University of Illinois, and The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. Most recently, Sakina earned a scholarship to the University of California, Irvine, where she received her Masters of Fine Arts.
Sakina has worked with choreographers such as Anthony Burrell, Christopher Huggins, Troy Kirby, Brian Sanders, Zane Booker, and the legendary Louis Johnson. She has also danced with Rennie Harris Pure movement as well as in videos for Jill Scott and Raheem Devaughn.
Sakina has used her research in African Diaspora Dance to present at academic conferences and to work with children in programs such as The Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Blues Babe Foundation.
She recently published a book to help empower young girls on the journey of self-discovery. Sakina has directed & taught at American Dance Training Camps dance camps in Illinois, New Jersey, Vermont & Maryland since 2010.
Gaby Blaney
Originally from Northern California, Gabriella Blaney grew up a Nevada County native. At a young age she started competing as an elite gymnast, which in return led to the start of her career.
Gaby attended college at the University of California Irvine where she earned a full ride scholarship along with a degree in dance and education. Gaby is currently a member of SynthesisDANCE under the Artistic direction of Tracie Stanfield.
Gaby has performed at numerous venues including BAM, Jazz at Lincoln Center, High Line Ballroom, Ailey City Group Theater, and The Salvatore Capezio Theatre. In addition to performing, Gaby is on Faculty at Ridgewood Performing Arts Center where she teaches jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and acro.
Gaby has been Program Director at American Dance Training Camps since 2012, and on staff since 2010. She has worked at ADTC’s Squaw Valley, New Jersey, Vermont, and Chicago locations. She loves working with children and can’t wait for another amazing summer with ADTC!
Samantha Bright
Samantha Bright (Sam) spent most of her young life in competitive gymnastics in Northern California. When her family moved back to her home state of Vermont, she became interested in hip-hop dancing.
At age 12, she began taking dance classes in Williston, VT and discovered her passion for dance. She was a member of the Varsity dance team at her high school all four years, winning the “Hip Hop State Champions” title her senior year.
Sam also auditioned for a traveling dance company called the Vermont Elements, and was awarded one of the lead roles in their Hip Hop version of Dirty Dancing. She has performed on stage with the Vermont Elements in many local productions, and you can also find her in a music video called “I Make Records” by a local Vermont Hip Hop Group, The Aztexts.
By 16, Sam became a teacher at two different dance studios where she has taught many different styles of hip hop dance ranging from Contemporary Hip Hop, Freestyle Classes, Hip Hop Technique classes, and Heels Classes. And for the past 3 years Sam has been training under Ernest “E-Knock” Phillips as his assistant and student, and he has been a huge inspiration for her.
Sam has been a Junior Instructor-Counselor, Instructor-Counselor and most recently Assistant Program Director at American Dance Training Camps’s Vermont, New Jersey and Maryland locations for the past 4 summers. Aside from dance, Sam works as a cosmetologist and enjoys drawing, photography, and working with kids and teens.
Nicole Bryant
Nicole Bryant is an alumna from the College of Fine Arts at Ohio University with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography with an emphasis on Modern/Contemporary dance. For two consecutive years, she served as an intern for Urban Bush Women Dance Company in Brooklyn, NY and at their Summer Leadership Institute in New Orleans, LA.
Nicole is currently she is a company member of Bombazo Dance Company, an Afro-Puerto Rican Contemporary Dance Company that’s based in Bronx, NY.
Nicole has been a Modern/Contemporary dance instructor & Program Director at American Dance Training Camp in North Carolina & Vermont since 2010. Her favorite part about camp is white water rafting! Another major reason Nicole loves to dance because she enjoys telling a story with her body, emotions, and personality.
Michaela McGowan
Michaela McGowan began her dance training at the age of five in Northern Virginia. She was an apprentice with Loudoun Ballet Company under the direction of Maureen Miller, performing such roles as Dewdrop, Arabian Soloist, and Snowflake (Nutcracker) and Odile (Swan Lake).
In New York University’s Tisch dance program (where she earned a BFA with honors in May of 2012), Michaela performed works by resident faculty members Cherylyn Lavagnino and Pamela Pietro and guest choreographer Aszure Barton. She also had the pleasure of performing in the 2010 Tisch Gala (choreographed by Josh Bergasse) and the 2012 Tisch Gala (choreographed by Greg Graham).
She performed for Phish at Madison Square Garden at their 2013 New Year’s Eve concert and in the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, both choreographed by Lisa Shriver. Michaela was featured in a 989 Energy Drink commercial and had the opportunity to workshop the Idina Menzel musical If/Then with choreographer Larry Keigwin. Michaela was also the executive choreographer for the Birdhouse Players Youth Theater’s 2013-14 production of West Side Story.
Michaela is currently on faculty at Broadway Dance Center as a ballet and jazz teacher in the Children and Teen Program, as well as various studios in the tri-state area. She dances with contemporary company solWEST Dance Collaborative and performs along the east coast with the LMproject under the direction of Alisa Claire.
McKinley Pierce
McKinley Pierce is from Williston, VT where she works as a dance/fitness instructor and personal trainer. She also trains for the popular TV show, American Ninja Warrior, and is a Business Owner/Distributor for Qivana.
McKinley has taught hip hop dance with American Dance Training Camps since 2014 at our Stratton, VT; Squaw Valley, CA; Sparks Glencoe, MD; and Lawrenceville, NJ locations. Before ADTC, she worked at a theater camp for many summers as a counselor.
McKinley can’t wait to be back at ADTC for another awesome summer!
Martine Quigley
Martine Quigley (professional name, “La Pri”) is a native of Australia and began her teaching career at South Australia’s leading dance school, Barbara Jayne School Of Dance. Martine moved to the United States in 2000 and performed as a professional dancer in many films, music videos and live shows.
Martine trained as a dance professional at Broadway Dance Center, Millennium, The Edge, Rogers Dancesport and SDC. Certified with CSTD accreditation to examiners level in both jazz and tap, Martine is also certified in both Borovansky (BMAAD) and Checcetti methods of ballet. She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Martine teaches all realms of dance: jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, lyrical, ballet, and musical theatre. Martine currently travels as an adjudicator for the performing arts across the USA. Other teaching accomplishments include students being accepted to American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Broadway musicals – Mary Poppins and Billy Elliot, So You Think You Can Dance, and Votech schools and achieving strong competitive results internationally.
Martine’s performance and choreographic experience highlights include: Grammy Awards, The Lake Show with David LEtterman, Madonna, Mario, Juvenile, Fatman Scoop and Wycleff Jean. Film: American Gangster – Denzel Washington, Russell Crow, The Tourist – Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry – Adam Sandler, Disney’s Enchanted – Susan Sarandon, Patrick Dempsey.
Lexie Childers
Lexie Childers was born and raised in Columbus, OH. She began dancing, teaching and choreographing at age 14. After graduating high school early to pursue dance, Lexie moved to New York City to study at American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
After graduation, Lexie made her professional debut in the Off-Broadway Show, “Teen Angel” where, in addition to performing, she choreographed the opening number. Lexie is currently a company member with SynthesisDANCE under the artistic direction of Tracie Stanfield.
Lexie has recently performed with the Brooklyn Dance Festival, Young Choreographers Festival, and the JKing Dance Company, under the artistic direction of Joyce King. She has also appeared on hit television shows, commercials and print ads, including Smash (NBC), NYC 22, Powerade and Xenadrine.
Kimberly Fitch
In hopes of becoming the next Shirley Temple, Kimberly Fitch began dancing in her small hometown of Churchville, NY at 7 years old. At 17 Kimberly graduated from the prestigious Little Red Dancing School & headed to The Boston Conservatory ballet program. She has since gone on to perform in every area of the entertainment world, both nationally & internationally.
Just months after moving to NYC Kimberly was spotted in class at Broadway Dance Center and asked to dance for Britney Spears. After her first gig as the featured “Slave For You” dancer inTotal Britney Spears Live (MTV) she went on to dance in the MTV Upfronts at Madison Square Garden hosted by Jessica Alba and Kanye West, the internationally televised Bollywood Fashion Awards (airing in over 20 countries) & performed in music videos, concerts and tours with N’Sync, Avril Lavigne, Ricky Martin, Kimberly Caldwell, Wilmer Valderamma, Drake Bell, Runner Runner, Daddy Yankee, Ian Campbell, Chubby Checker, Earth Wind & Fire, Lisa-Lisa, MC Hammer & many more.
In the NYC theater world Kimberly originated the lead role in Derek Mitchell’s Off Broadway show Thin Line, played Graziella in West Side Story and Anne in La Cage Aux Folles (directed by Broadways Beauty & the Beast director, Sam Scalamoni). Her attention to detail led to her becoming dance caption of Cabaret, Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, Once Upon A Mattress and a dancer aboard Celebrity Cruiselines. She has trained closely & performed with such legends as Gregory Hines, Julie Andrews, Ann Reinking and Ben Vereen, as well as working with her mentors AC Ciulla, Andy Blankenbeuhler, David Marquez & Ray Leeper.
Along the way Kimberly ventured into the worlds of acting, modeling & voiceovers. The spunky New Yorker has been seen on screen in The Bold & The Beautiful, Law and Order, The Today Show, Broadway’s A Chorus
Line Workout, numerous commercials, independent feature films and magazines, including a feature in Dance Spirit Magazine. She starred in 13 episodes of the international drama series A Love Like This and is a busy voice-over actress. You may recongnize her voice not only from your competition critiques 😉 but from commercials and animation and as a reccurring guest host on Sirrius Satellite Radio’s Cosmopolitan Magazine Radio Show. She has worked extensively with Bill Farmer, the voice of Disney’s Goofy and thanks him for being such an amazing mentor.
When not performing Kimberly choreographs commercially (commercials, music videos, TV & film) in Los Angeles. She tours the US & Canada as Director of KFiNC Dance. She has been a guest jazz instructor at The Joffrey Ballet School, choreographed Santa Monica Ballet’s Spring 2011 contemporary ballet and is a guest artist at companies throughout America. She loves passing her passion and experiences on to the next generation of dancers is blessed to work with so many amazingly gifted & inspirational dancers!
You can also find Kimberly Fitch judging & teaching master classes at National Conventions and Competitions for Starquest Talent, American Dance Awards, Intrigue, Fluid Dance Convention, Dance Xplosion and more.
Kambi Gathesha
Kambi Gathesha is a versatile New York-based dancer, choreographer, actor, and teacher. He began working as an Instructor-Counselor & Dance Choreographer at American Dance Training Camps in the summer of 2006.
Kambi Gathesha spent his early life in Kenya and the Middle East before settling In Maryland with his family. Upon graduating from high school, he enrolled at the world renowned Juilliard School.
At Juilliard, Kambi honed his acting and dance skills while simultaneously beginning his career. He appeared in guest spots for MTV alongside Pharrel Williams of the Neptunes and guest starred on Television shows like Sabrina, the Teenage witch.
Kambi soon discovered New York’s hip-hop dance community. He went on to meet, befriend, and study with some of the creators and innovators of hip-hop dance and freestyle like Jazzy J, Brian “Footwork” Green, and, his mentor, Chris “lil Shaik” Matthis. His prior training in various West African-based dance forms, Afro-Caribbean dance, modern, and jazz, coupled with his training in freestyle dance enabled him to develop a seamless fusion-based dance technique.
As a dancer, Kambi Gathesha has performed alongside Beyonce, Usher, Missy Elliot, and Rain. He has performed with Naganuma Contemporary dance, Hydroflo, INK West African Dance Company, and has guest performed with David Parker’s the Bang Group at Dance Theater Workshop(New York Live Arts).
His dance choreography has appeared at Cool New York, White Wave Dance Festival, Battery Park Downtown Dance Festival, Barnard College, and has been hailed by the New York Times as “compelling”.
Kambi continues to teach, perform, and choreograph nationally and, he recently graduated from Columbia University in New York.
Kambi’s dance classes expose dancers to the culture and history of hip-hop dance. Kambi teaches students the foundations of the dance and the original club-oriented party steps that defined the art form. In addition, dancers learn how hip-hop has evolved over time and what it looks like today, acquiring their own “style” within the dance.
Jessica Chen
Jessica Chen is the Founder and Artistic Director of J CHEN PROJECT. She is a global artist with a base in Santa Barbara and New York City. Chen received a B.A. in Global Studies from the University of California in Santa Barbara and continued her dance training in NYC at The Ailey School and Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, where she received a full scholarship.
At the Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, Chen worked with choreographers such as Sharon Wong, Juan Rodriguez of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Julian Barnett, Camille A. Brown and Darcy Naganuma.
She has taught master classes, workshops and seminars at institutions such as Columbia University – Barnard College, Semester at Sea, Yale University, Boston University, Do-One (Japan), Jazz DU Funk (China), Mt. Holyoke, and Orange County School of the Arts, as well as her alma mater.
As a commercial dancer, Jessica has danced in music videos such as Ecko Red with Vanessa Hudgens and “her Hair is on Fire” with Semi Precious Weapons. She also toured internationally with hip hop artist and judge of America’s Best Dance Crew, Lil’ Mama.
Chen was honored as Keynote Speaker at Cornell University’s Celebration of Asian American Women for her work empowering female leadership within the community. She presented “If I Can Dance It, Then It’s Possible” at the 2014 TEDx organized by Semester at Sea. Her work has been featured internationally, at the 2010 World Expo USA Pavilion- Shanghai, China and the Amnesty International Arts Festival- Washington D.C.
Iana McCalebb
Iana McCalebb (“Sweizy”) is from Glen Burnie, MD. She has been a Junior Instructor-Counselor and Instructor-Counselor at ADTC dance camps in Stratton, VT; Lawrenceville, NJ; Asheville, NC and Sparks Glencoe, MD since 2013. She specialized in hip hop.
Heather Gaffin
Heather Gaffin is a native of Philadelphia, PA where she trained in all style of dance since the age of 3. She grew up performing at dance competitions and pageants where she was awarded numerous titles and scholarships including the title of Junior Miss Pre-Teen New York.
As an Independent Study Program student in high school, she was able to train full-time in NYC and tour nationally with Tremaine Dance Conventions as an assistant for Desiree Robbins, Liz Imperio and Joelle Martinec. She received her Associates Degree from The Borough of Manhattan Community College where she was on a full academic scholarship.
Heather assisted at numerous Broadway Dance Center Summer and Winter Intensives also giving her the opportunity to perform in NYC since the age of 11. She moved to Manhattan at 18 where she trained extensively with Tracie Stanfield, Sheila Barker, Michelle Assaf and Wes Veldink at Broadway Dance Center and Joe Lanteri at STEPS.
She taught and choreographed at many studios in the NJ, NY and PA area and also joined the The Pulse on Tour and Broadway Dance Center as a Work-Study student. Heather’s performance credits include “Fly with Me Workshop” Tracie Stanfield/SynthesisDANCE, EOS Caseology Watches Industrial Commercial “How We Roll”, along with additional performances with numerous companies and choreographers in the NYC and Philadelphia area.
After 7 years of being based in NYC, Heather relocated back home to Philadelphia to direct the junior training/performance company, Transcendance. She also worked as a regional/national judge with Revolution Talent Competition. Heather was the Assistant Studio Director of Millennium Dance Complex Philadelphia, and taught Contemporary Lyrical/Jazz.
Heather currently lives in Miami, FL where she teaches for many studios. She is the founder of Appetite for Dance.
Erin Weinberger
Erin Weinberger hails from sunny Sarasota, FL and has been dancing since age 2. She always knew she wanted a career performing, and studied theatre with a dance minor at Wilkes University in PA.
In 2013, Erin moved to the Big Apple and attended the Broadway Dance Center Summer Professional Semester. She has trained with Michael Mindlin, Richard J. Hinds, Al Blackstone, Billy Griffin, and Chip Abbot, to name a few.
Erin’s most recent theater credits include the National Tour of Cinderella, Beauty & the Beast, The Music Man, and Guys and Dolls. Her past dance performance credits include Broadway Backwards, Leg Up on Life, The Choreographer’s Canvas, and DanceHouseUSA’s Prepro.
Erin is thrilled to join ADTC in Vermont this summer! She wants to teach girls confidence and self-expression through dance. Erin believes that “if you love to dance, you’re good enough to dance!”
In addition to her “triple threat” performance resume, Erin is a licensed massage therapist and stilt walker in NYC!
Darcy Naganuma
Darcy Naganuma is the Artistic Director/Founder of NAGANUMA Dance. Born and raised in Lihue, Hawaii, Darcy currently runs her company out of New York City. Her choreography has been presented in Hawaii, Salt Lake City, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.
Darcy’s heart resides in the dance studio; she is constantly invigorated by the magic that emerges as her own ideas meet the unique strengths of her collaborators.
On faculty at both Dance New Amsterdam and Broadway Dance Center in new York City, Darcy also heads the modern program at the school of the Westchester Ballet Company. Her teaching credits include workshops/classes at SUNY Purchase, PMT Dance Studio, the Utah State Dance Conference, Salt Lake Community College, and Repertory Dance Theatre. She has appeared in works by Ron K. Brown, Doug Elkins, Alwin Nikolais (solo reset by Alberto del Saz), Viola Farber, Linda Diamond, and Donna White.
Since its inception in January of 2006, NAGANUMA Dance has been selected to appear in the PMT Seasonal Showcases, the 2006 – 2009 Battery Dance Company Downtown Dance Festivals, the Earl Mosley Masters of Dance Performance Series, the 2006 Dumbo Dance Festival, the 2007 – 2009 White Wave Cool New York Dance Festivals, SummerStage 2010 (NYC), and the 2011 New Sounds, New Moves program at Joyce SoHo.
Darcy joined American Dance Training Camps ULTIMATE Green Mountains dance camp in Stratton, Vermont summer 2007, teaching contemporary, jazz and hip hop dance.
Charly Wenzel
Charly Wenzel hails from Munich, Germany. She started dancing at the age of six and passed exams of the Royal Academy of Dancing. After graduating from the Iwanson School of Contemporary Dance in Germany, where she received a scholarship for studies at Ballet Academy Stockholm, Charly moved to New York to be a full-time student of the Alvin Ailey School. After completion of the program she became a scholarship student at Jennifer Muller “The Works” and atDance New Amsterdam.
Charly has danced at the Munich State Opera and performed for numerous independent choreographers in the NYC area. In addition, Charly has been touring internationally with Japanese singer Yoko Ishida, and has appeared as a dancer on MTV and for several recording artists. She has played lead and supporting roles in a number of independent films and was featured in Dance Spirit Magazine.
Charly is also the Associate Artistic Director of NAGANUMA Dance. She is simultaneously working on her own projects in collaboration with music and film artists. Her choreography has been featured in opera productions, culture competitions, and TV productions in Germany, and at The Cunningham Studio, Judson Memorial Church, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, Interborough Repertory Theater, and at many other location in New York. Charly has taught ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, contemporary and theatre dance in Munich and at various locations in New York and New Jersey.
Carl Lation
Carl Lation was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. He began his dance studies at the age of 15 at NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts), where he studied all styles of dance (ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, and tap).
After graduating from high school, Lation moved to New York City to continue his studies on a full scholarship to the Juilliard School.
Lation is currently performing and choreographing around the world. He has performed in City Center’s version of ” The Wiz the Musical” featuring Ashanti and was Reggie in San Francisco musical “Lost.” He also performed with Japanese artist Yosko in Tokyo, Japan. In fall of 2009 he choreographed his first Tollywood movie which opened in Feb 2010, and he also choreographed his first all female cast Cabaret show in NYC.
Carl Lation has worked at American Dance Training Camps ULTIMATE Green Mountains dance camp in Stratton, Vermont, teaching jazz, contemporary & modern dance.
Allison Slavin
Alli Slavin is from Indianapolis Indiana. She currently attends college at Purdue University of Indianapolis while also dancing. She is also busy teaching children’s theater.
This is Alli’s 7th year with American Dance Training Camps (she was a camper back in the day at our NC location). She can’t wait to be back for another awesome summer!
Aleks Wojda
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.
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 with such artists as Lady GaGa, David Cook, Kaskade, and Sara Bareilles.
ADTC campers love getting to know a “celebrity” at camp and learning all about her time on their favorite TV show!
Adrienne Riter
Adrienne Riter was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and received the majority of her dance training at the Portland Ballet, where she performed numerous roles with their Youth Company and had the opportunity to attend summer intensives at ABT, Boston Ballet and Nashville Ballet among others.
After she graduated from Jesuit High School, she moved to New York to attend Marymount Manhattan College. After 3 years in NYC, Adrienne graduated in 2011 with a B.F.A. in Dance and a minor in Business Administration. Following graduation, Adrienne spent a year as a teaching artist at the Bodyvox Dance Center, where she had the opportunity to lead their school residencies in Portland-area public schools.
In September 2012, Adrienne returned to the East Coast, moving to Stamford, Connecticut, to take a position dancing with the Connecticut Ballet. She is currently still dancing with the Connecticut Ballet as well as teaching various dance styles at multiple studios in the Stamford area. Adrienne joined Ballet des Amériques this past September and is very excited to be working with the school as a teacher of modern dance.
“You’re off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. SO…get on your way!” ~ Dr. Seuss
But is ADTC Really Right for Me? (and is it worth the money?!)
If you’re still wondering, please choose from the following:
Honest Answers to Tough Questions
ADTC isn’t right for everyone. We’ve been sad to see a few negative reviews on yelp and we invite you to read them here. Please also read our responses and the 20+ positive reviews from real camper parents that, for reasons we don’t understand, are “not recommended” by Yelp. Families also love us on Activity Hero and Facebook and our end-of-week parent surveys. And please visit our FAQs page for answers to our most commonly asked questions.
The True Value of Dance Camp
We believe the true value of dance camp is not in the dance skills learned, but in the life lessons, memories, and self-esteem gained. We believe the true value of dance camp is in the collaboration, creativity, outside-the-box thinking, and other socio-emotional skills you develop. These skills are in demand today and will be in demand in the future.
We believe overnight camp is a better place to learn these skills than school. And we believe dance camp is a safe place for girls to challenge any feelings of inadequacy that may plague them during the school year. Read more about the value of dance camp.
Happiness Lessons From Camp
We believe that happiness is a skill and not an in-born personality trait. And unfortunately, it’s not a skill that most girls get to focus on enough during the school year. There are so many happiness lessons from camp because camp teaches skills to be content with whatever is going on for us, whether we like it or not. Kind of like yoga, camp is good for us. Read more about happiness lessons from camp.
Unplug to Check In
We believe that girls (well actually, all people) need a cell phone detox. Summer camp is a great excuse to unplug, go outside, jump in a lake or just sit around with new friends.
Sound boring? We think boredom fuels creativity. It is what leads campers to sing into hairbrushes at the top of their lungs with new friends and use every color in the rainbow pack of markers to write letters home.
We believe that intuitively everyone understands that too much time spent glued to our phone, tablet or computer is not good for us. Read more about ADTC’s “healthy cell phone detox”.
Our Zero Negativity Challenge
The ADTC community shares one simple, unifying mission: to empower girls to move to love. The “love” we’re moving towards is our source of peace, joy, happiness, and a whole bunch of other “positive” emotions. Luckily, love isn’t something external & elusive that we can “get” from the outside world. Love is internal and always available, we just have to choose it. It is a practice.
ADTC is a tight-knit, all-girl community where we have the “move” part DOWN! We dance, which is a practice of “love”, but we also practice love as individuals and a community each and every day at camp with our “Zero Negativity Challenge” – read about it here.
Show Your True Colors
We like to say we live in “DiverCity” (yes – with a “c”) at dance camp. Each and every week at each and every ADTC location, we create a pop-up “city” where campers and staff of different backgrounds, styles, perspectives, beliefs and competencies live as a community.
And while we all have a unique cultural lens through which we’ve been taught to view the world, our goal at camp is to understand our own and each others’ competencies to create an environment that values differences. Read more about our culture & take our “True Colors” personality test!