Eileen Witt
Artistic Director & Ballet Mistress
Eileen began her dance training at the age of five with the John Hayes O'Neill Studio of Dance in Rome, NY, studying classical ballet, pointe, partnering, jazz, modern, lyrical and tap. During her teenage years Eileen began to train pre-professionally at with major institutions, such as the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, the Joffrey Ballet School and the American Academy of Ballet. In these programs she was exposed to several new styles of dance like African and character, and had the opportunity to train under world-renowned dancers such as Violette Verdy, Eleanor D'Antuono, and Jacques D'Amboise.
After graduating from high school, Eileen went on to dance at the University at Buffalo while simultaneously earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Although her professional career post-college was outside the dance world, Eileen began teaching ballet locally as well soon after graduation in 2013. She expanded her teaching career to include several regional studios and all age groups, instructing in the areas of ballet, pointe, partnering, lyrical and stretching/conditioning. As her passion for teaching continued to grow she decided to pursue her instructor certification through the prestigious American Ballet Theatre's National Training Curriculum Teacher Training Intensives in New York City, becoming certified in 7 levels of the training program, Pre-Primary through Level 5. She also was able to combine her passion for dance with her love of fitness and became barre certified through American Barre Technique.
Her passion for teaching dance and building a love and appreciation for the performing arts in her students provided the foundation for CNYAOD's central mission and vision - to combine elite technical dance training with compassionate and inspiring instruction to instill a love of dance in our local community.
Noah Alexander-Price
Instructor - Tap, Musical Theatre, Ballet
Noah has trained for the last 19 years in ballet, jazz, modern, African, character, lyrical, contemporary, musical theater & tap through many studios across New York State. By age eleven, he was voted 'Second Best Male Dancer in Central New York' two years in a row, by JUMP. From 2013 until 2017, he trained with Rochester City Ballet & Draper Center for Dance Education with instructors from Moscow Ballet, Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York CIty and more. He also performed as guest male dancer in Hamilton College's production of 'Raymonda', and alongside touring dance company H.T. Chen & Dancers. Starting in 2016, he toured local schools to teach an after school tap dance & rhythm program to elementary and middle school students, as well as BOCES students & the Thea Bowman House. He has since gone on to perform & co-choreograph musicals including Footloose & Seussical the Musical, as well as CNYAOD's production of The Nutcracker. He currently choreographs & teaches in Rome, NY at Central New York Academy of Dance, teaching tap, musical theatre & more.
Rebekah Hedeen
Instructor - Ballet, Modern, Conditioning
Rebekah Hedeen began her dance training at the age of 4 at Utica Dance where she studied classical ballet, jazz, tap, modern, and contemporary with workshops in African dance, contemporary, modern, and tap under guests such as John Lehrer, Wacheva Cultural Arts, and the Broadway cast of 42nd St. She continued her pre-professional training at Utica Dance until she graduated highschool. Rebekah then continued her dance training at Ballet Arts of CNY as well as CNY Academy of Dance with special workshops under Eileen Witt, Carissa Bishop, and Fallon Gannon. Rebekah, a graduate of Utica College with a B.A. in Communications and Media was also a part of her collegiate dance team, the Utica College Dance Company, where she participated in many dance events including the SUNY Cortland Regional Dance Competition. Rebekah’s joint choreography for tap dance placed third overall in the open section of the competition. Rebekah’s choreography has also been featured in performances by students at Dance10, Empire Center of Dance, and CNY Academy of Dance. In addition to her training in multiple forms of dance, Rebekah has taught at various studios across the Central New York Region specializing in classical ballet, modern, contemporary, and conditioning. Rebekah taught at Utica Dance, Dance10, Heart & Sole Dance Studio, Empire Center of Dance, CNY Academy of Dance and she has guest taught for other studios such as the United Academy of the Performing Arts. Lastly, Rebekah Hedeen performed not only at the SUNY Cortland dance competition but in Utica Dance’s Nutcracker, Utica Dance’s Spring performances, CNY Academy of Dance’s Nutcracker Dinner Theater, and intensives at Light of the World Ballet.
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