Instructors

Michele Kolp is the PA education director for World Dance Theatre.

She received her BFA in dance from Montclair State University in 1994. She was a soloist/choreographer with CCM summer stock, performed in the NY Renaissance Festival and has worked with Beyondance, Inc. and Jenn Frank and Company. Michele has taught ballroom dance at Fred Astaire Studios on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She has also toured and performed nationally and internationally with AllNations Dance Company, and along with the company has taught workshops in the New York tri-state area and New England. Currently, Michele works with Young Audiences in New York and the NEIU 19 in Northeast PA in order to bring the performing arts into the classroom.

Douglas Kolp, Technical Director, Dancer

Doug received his BFA from Stephens College - Major in Dance and Minor in Television / Radio Broadcast and Production Columbia, MO (1989) and attended Perry/Mansfield Fine Arts School in Steam Boat Springs, CO. Over the past 25 years he has studied with such dance greats as: Fred Matthews, Ton Simons, Patrick Suzeau, Muriel Cohan, Anna Sokolow, Mary Anthony, Pearl Lang, Bertram Ross, Michael Simms, Louines Louinis (Haitian), Simone Nicholes-Pace (Clogging). Doug has worked for the Tennessee Ballet Company (Memphis, TN), Gas Light Dinner Theatre (Memphis, TN), The River City Cloggers (Memphis, TN), The Connecticut Ballet (Stamford, CT), Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company (NYC), Co-founded Juggernaut Productions (Theatre company NYC 1990), and AllNations Dance Company commencing in 1992. Doug's diverse performance career in modern, contemporary, ballet and international styles of dance have taken him all over the globe and put him on such renowned stages as The Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, TN and Town Hall, NYC.

Madelyn Kirkella: (Dance Instructor)

Madelyn is on the faculty for The Dance Studio/Ballet Theatre of Scranton, and has taught at their branch in Hawley for 2 years before it became the Hawley Cultural Dance Center. She has taught dancing for 31 years in New Jersey where she owned and operated her own studio. She is also on the faculty at the Riverside Dance Academy in Milford. She is a life-member of the National Assoc. of Dance & Affiliated Artists and holds the office of 1st Nat'l Vice President. She has held the offices of Secy-Treas., Vice President, and President of the Greater New York City Chapter. Madelyn has taught both students and teachers at seminar sessions in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and North Carolina and continues her dance education by attending these seminars. She has studied with well-known teachers in New York City. Many of her students have also had the opportunity to attend these seminars with her to further their dance education, and have been award winners in competitions. She is a former certified member of Dance Educators of America, and Assoc. Dance Teachers of New Jersey.

Hana Gorman: (Art Teacher)

Hana was born and raised in the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) in a family of artists and puppeteers. Hana's training in art, puppetry, and animation started at the early age of ten with the traditional apprenticeship, augmented later by formal classes at the Popular School of Arts and the Prague College of Applied Arts. Hana spent years traveling with the Black Theater of Prague, performing world-wide; from the theaters of Turkey, to the exotic nightclubs of Paris and Monte Carlo, to the casinos of Nevada. She has helped to design puppets for French TV as well as private theater companies, and spent several years in the field of 3-D animation for Czech TV. In 1996 Hana was certified in the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain art instruction method by the founder of this innovative teaching technique, Dr. Betty Edwards. Hana now resides in northern Wayne County, Pennsylvania, and divides her time between painting, creating limited edition collector marionettes, and teaching art, as well as a variety of different craft disciplines.

Samantha Jeffrey: (Owner/Drama Teacher)

Samantha started in the theatre when she was 5yrs. old. Her parents where part of the founding members of the RITZ Theatre in Hawley. Samantha took ballet, tap, and jazz at the Dance Studio/Ballet Theatre of Scranton with Constance Reynolds and Joanne Arduino. After graduating from Wallenpaupack High School Samantha went to New York City and studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the HB Studios. She has been in numerous productions at the RITZ Theatre and Strollers Theatre in Maplewood, N.J.

Deborah Selene has been performing and teaching dance for over thirty years.

A dance/theatre major at Montclair State University in New Jersey, her particular love was always ancient organic forms of dance and the sacred energy they create. Her particular areas of study included Middle Eastern, Indian (Bharatya Natyam,) and Hawaiian, with augmented studies in Flamenco and Greek folkloric. She toured for twenty years with the AllNations Dance Company,dancing, teaching, and learning all over the world. She incorporates concepts of yoga and qi (energy) into her dance.

Ginny Hack has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory.

After working in New York City as a Shakespearean actress, she earned her Equity card touring extensively with ArtsPower, a company that specializes in original musicals for children. Her music expertise also extends “behind the scenes” as a sound technician for singers, jazz bands, and dance companies based in New York. Ginny now resides in Hawley, she has two small children who love music, and she would like to spread that appreciation to other children.

Suzi Myers is the co-artistic director of World Dance Theatre.

She began her dance career with the Windemere Ballet Theatre in Queens. Her passion for dance led her to study many international folk dance styles. An actor as well, she studied drama at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and improvisational comedy at Chicago City Limits in New York City. As a member of
AllNations Dance Company, she traveled the world, sharing a message of global understanding through the arts. She has performed in many regional musicals and plays, including Brigadoon, Damn Yankees , Over the River and Through the Woods You may also catch her on Law and Order, Sex and the City, Ed, and numerous other films and television shows. At present she
is joyfully conducting movement and music workshops for Hospital Audiences, Inc., bringing the arts to adults with mental illness. She teaches acting and improv for the SUNY Purchase Youth Theatre Program, and has stage managed and worked backstage at such Off-Broadway theatres as the Ensemble Studio Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club. She has choreographed a number of regional theatre productions, and has been a guest teacher for companies throughout New York City. She has written, produced and performed sketch comedy, and currently dances with Pat Cannon's Foot and Fiddle Dance Company.

Joan Willey Thirion, M.A., E-R.Y.T.

The Director of AWARENESS WORKS, formerly Yoga and Health in Bethlehem, brings a lifetime of practice and training to the areas of Stress Management through yoga, breathing, massage, meditation, guided imagery, and Reiki.
"Yoga is an inner journey. Socrates said: 'Know Thyself.' "And Yoga, breathing and meditation are a wonderful place to start." -
Joan Thirion Currently teaches at the Hawley Arts & Cultural Center in Hawley, PA.

As a Registered Yoga Therapist Joan's professional training and experience include Kripalu and Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Certification, International Breathwork Certification, Reiki Master, Advanced Chakra Yoga Training, Cayce-Reilly Massage School, Neuromuscular Therapy, Somatic Experience® Trauma Recovery work, and international study with renowned teachers. She holds a Master of Arts in Transpersonal Psychology.

Joan taught yoga at her studio for 13 years at Yoga and Health in Bethlehem. Other teaching positions include Muhlenberg College, Lucent Technologies and Northampton Community College. She has committed herself to sharing her experience with others who seek health and balance in their own lives. Joan has a non-dogmatic approach, compassion, and a strong understanding of yoga philosophy and postures.

David Jeffrey: (Fitness Trainer)

David studied Body Rolling throughout the course of 2004 in New York City. In March of 2004, he completed Level I Certification. In October of 2004, he became a Level II Certified Body Rolling Instructor while studying with Yamuna Zake, the inventor of Body Rolling and small ball therapy. He is listed on the Yamuna website. Through the end of 2004 and so far in 2005 David has taught regular weekly classes as well as monthly workshops at HCCAC. He also teaches Body Rolling in the Community Education Program for the Wallenpaupack Area School District. Beyond that, David has variety of bodywork experience in Pilate's, Yoga and Movement Awareness.