HDA Instructors

 

Artistic Director/Owner

 

Ms. Donelson Renda has 33 years of dance experience. She also has been professionally acting for over ten years. She has trained at Broadway Dance Center, Steps, Dance Space Inc., and The Limon Institute. Her regional theatre credits include A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Fame, and Hair. Michelle has had the opportunity to perform in the International Fringe Festival and at the Access Theatre and the Henry Street Settlement. Michelle studied acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute with Irma Saundry and Nancy Franklin and H.B Studios with William Hickey, Edward Moorehouse, and Joseph Daly in NYC. She has been a member of The Screen Actors Guild for six years. Some of her film and television credits include Comedy Central’s final season of Strangers with Candy, A Beautiful Mind, The Street, and Finding Forrester. Michelle has had the privilege of working with Ron Howard, Russell Crow, Vivienne Cardone, Paul Betteny, Stephan Colbert, and Amy Sedaris.

Ms. Donelson Renda’s vision for the Hoboken Dance Academy is to give children a solid dance education, starting the very young dancer with the core foundation technique. Without technique a student has no foundation to grow as a dancer. Also, allowing each student to explore their own creativity and imagination in a fostering and caring environment.

Ms. Donelson Renda also plans on offering scholarship programs for dance achievement as well as to students who would not be able to otherwise participate at Hoboken Dance Academy.


“Let us first teach little children to breathe, vibrate, to
feel, and become one with the general harmony and
movement of nature. Let us first produce a beautiful
human being, a dancing child.”
–Isadora Duncan

 

 

 

 

  

 Kate Wray teaches Pre-ballet through Adult. Kate Wray grew up in Gloucestershire, England, and trained at the Royal Ballet School in London, where she received the Teachers’ Training Course diploma, graduating in 1993.

Along with her diploma, she received her teaching certifications for Cecchetti Technique and National Dance, both awarded with distinction, as well as for the Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus, Character, and Spanish Dance.

 

Kate was a ballet instructor at schools in Gloucester and London before becoming an original cast member of the Basel, Switzerland production of The Phantom of the Opera. She spent two years in Basel, and then returned to London to join the West End production of Phantom.   After getting married in 1998 and moving to New York, she joined her husband as a cast member of the Broadway Phantom, and then went on to play the principal role of Meg for four and a half years on the National Tour of Phantom, performing in over 40 cities across the United States and Canada.

 

Now back in the New York area, Kate is proud to be starting on the new adventure of being the mother of Liliana Grace, who was born May 10, 2008.

 

 

 

Nancy Cole is our ballet instructor. Ms. Cole is a graduate of the Joffrey/New School where she recieved her BFA in ballet performance. Ms. Cole graduated 5th in her class and also holds a teaching certificate from David Howard and also recieved certificates of completion from the graded Checetti  syllabus.

 

Ms. Cole recently finshed her engagement with the Tuscon Ballet. She has aslo danced with the Staten Island Ballet and the Victoria Theater Ballet. Ms. Cole has danced The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Rodeo, and Paquita just to name a few. Nancy Cole will be on hiatus for the 2008-2009 dance season.

 

 

 

Maia Evwaraye-Griffin teaches ballet, tap, and creative movement. Ms.Griffin  received her Bachelor of Arts in dance and psychology from SUNY Buffalo. She has just finished her year long first national tour of Sweet Charity with Molly Ringwald. Maia is a member of AEA (Actors Equity Association) as well as a member of AGVA. Maia has also been in Radio    City ’s Christmas Spectacular, Aida, Little Shop of Horrors, A Little

Princess, and the Vagina Monologues. Maia Evwaraye-Griffin will be on a one year hiatus as she begins her National Tour with Wicked.

 

 

 

Carrie Anderson is an accomplished ballet dancer and instructor. Ms. Anderson has danced with numerous ballet companies that include New Jersey Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Connecticut Ballet and San Francisco Ballet just to name a few. She has also danced many principal and solo roles that include Concerto Barocco-1st Violin, Pas de Dix, Allegro Brillante, Jardin aux Lilas;Sleeping Beauty-Rose Adagio, Lilac Fairy; La Bayadere,-Corsaire Pas de Deux; Grand Pas Classique,, Raymonda, Swan Lake-Pas de Trois, Big Swan; Don Quixote-Kitri’s Friend, Romeo & Juliet-Juliet’s Friend, Carmina Burana,Mare Nostrum, Tarantella,Nutcracker-Snow Pas, Spanish, Arabian, Mirlitons, Dew Drop, Grand Pas de Deux, Firebird, Les Sylphides, Paquita, Coppelia, Cinderella,The Three Musketeers, Lady of the Camellias, Façade, Sundances, A Dance for You,Graduation Ball,Shostakovich. Ms. Anderson has had the pleasure of studying with some of the most notable and respected Ballet Instructors of our time Francis Patrelle, Gelsey Kirkland, David Howard, Nancy Bielski, and Wilhem Burmann. Ms. Anderson continues to perform and teach and we are excited to have her with us.

 

 

 

 

Lori Beth Katz teaches Modern, Jazz, and Tap. Ms. Katz has a bachelor of fine arts degree from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. While attending Rutgers, she worked with various choreographers, including Jeanine Durning, David Parsons, Randy James, and Tigger Benford. She has also attended the School at Jacob's Pillow and Bates Dance Festival. Lori teaches at various private studios and has taught for New Brunswick public school's Dance Power program. Lori joined Randy James Dance Works in September 2003.