DANCE WEEK @ THE MCBURNEY Y

JACQUELENE ACEVEDO

Jacquelene has been privileged to train with the very best at Alvin Ailey, NY School of Classical Dance, and Ballet Hispanico. She studied under the tutelage of Ilya and Zoya Gaft, Janet Springer, Kat Wildish, Earl Mosely, Fred Benjamin, Luigi, Esmeralda Enrique, Melinda Marquez and Lisa Lockwood. She also received her BA in Media and Journalism from Hunter College of the City University of New York.

As instructor, Jacquelene has over 15 years’ experience teaching ages 2 to 82 in a variety of dance forms and techniques including tap, jazz, ballet, funk/hip hop, salsa, and modern. She has served as dance instructor at various studios in the USA and Canada. She holds a Commended fifth grade Cecchetti (ballet technique) Method Certification. Upon graduation from performing arts school, NY Repertory Company, Jacquelene received the Chancellor's Roll of Honor for Achievement and Distinction in Dance.

For five years she taught at the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park. In addition to dance, Jacquelene is a professional percussionist who plays congas, shakers, and various hand drums. She is also a fully certified Pilates trainer.

Jacquelene continues to hone and explore her artistic gifts and believes others ought to feel free to do the same! She loves teaching at the McBurney YMCA because of the great community of hoofers and bun-heads. 

LORI BELILOVE

Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company is the resident performing troupe of The Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation, based in New York City. Under the artistic direction of Lori Belilove, The Company performs over 80 authentic dances that highlight the unique qualities of Isadora Duncan’s repertoire, from the early lyrical pieces to the tragic solos, all with a purity of style and excellence of movement hailed by the international press. The all-female company is a spirited ensemble of highly trained and educated dancers distinguished by their deeply felt connection to the art of Isadora and to Artistic Director Lori Belilove´s interpretive vision and aesthetic sensibility. As a creative team, the troupe delves into the creation of works while delivering the essence of Duncan into the 21st Century. The Company has toured widely in the United States and Canada, Mexico, South America, Russia, South Korea, and throughout Europe. In December 2016, The Company performed for the first time in Shenzhen, China.

JOSH JOHNSON

Originally from Harlem, NY, Josh Johnson began tap dancing at the age of 14, at Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He has delighted the world with his fast feet and entertaining rhythmic musical sounds. With a lot of guidance and support throughout his senior year of high school, from his mentors, teachers, family, and friends, Josh became a first generation college student at Penn State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Communications. One of the biggest challenges Josh faced while attending Penn State was financial, so he put his dance talent to use and funded his freshman year of college by performing on the NYC subways.

Josh has had the opportunity to learn and train with Omar Edwards (Noise/Funk, Black & Blue), Emmy award winning Jason Samuels Smith, Joseph Webb, and his mentors Chloe and Maud Arnold. He has been a featured speaker/dancer at University of Free State, South Africa, Nickelodeon Choice Awards, and a New York Knicks half-time show.

Josh Johnson continues to use the unique art form of tap: teaching, choreographing, and performing throughout the U.S. and Europe.

FAITH KIMBERLING

Faith has enjoyed teaching various forms of dance for over 15 years, including ballet, jazz, modern, Isadora Duncan technique, and creative movement.  She currently teaches ballet and barre fitness at the YMCA. Faith has danced with Lori Belilove's Isadora Duncan Dance Company since 2005 and for many years she also danced for White Wave: Young Soon Kim, with whom she had the opportunity to dance in Korea, China and Inner Mongolia.  Pilobolous Creative Services, Gaspard Louis, Anna Sokolow, Molissa Fenley, Edisa Weeks, Lindt Ballet Theater, and Linda Diamond are some of the other choreographers with whom she has been honored to work. Favorite regional theater roles she has played include Cassie and Kristine/Judy in A Chorus Line, Tiger Lily in Peter Pan, Maggie in Brigadoon, Lorraine in 42nd Street, Geminae in Forum and the Satin doll in Sophisticated Ladies.  She has a BA in English from Bucknell, graduate credits in Dance Education from SUNY, and a DEL teaching certificate from the 92nd Street Y. Faith loves dancing, teaching, and being a mommy to two beautiful girls! 

EKATERINA LUBEK

Ekaterina Lubek, born in Moscow, Russia, began dancing at age 6 at Saule Ballet School, taking part in competitions, and was awarded as a "young future". In America, she trained at Broadway Dance Center and Ballet Arts, specifically Vaganova method, and trained in contemporary and commercial styles. She has performed on many stages in NYC, including Lincoln Center and Symphony Theater, and various stages in Miami, FL and Moscow, Russia.

ANDREW NEMR

Mentored by Gregory Hines, Andrew Nemr is considered one of the most diverse tap dance artists today. An international performer, choreographer, educator and speaker, Andrew’s work explores tap dance as a vehicle for storytelling and community building. He has played with Grammy Award winning musicians across multiple genres, founded and directed the tap dance company Cats Paying Dues, and co-founded the Tap Legacy™ Foundation, Inc. (along with Hines).

“A masterly tapper” (New York Times), Nemr’s work has been recognized with a TED Fellowship, acceptance into the SupporTED Collaboratorium, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces: Dance Initiative and the CUNY Dance Initiative, a FloBert Award for Tap Dance Excellence, and residencies with Quarterly Arts Soiree at Webster Hall, BRICLab, More Art’s Engaging Artists program, Surel’s Place, and the TED Residency. Nemr is recorded on the Grammy nominated recording Itsbynne Reel by Dave Eggar, the DVD Documentary and companion album Tuesdays at Mona’s by Mona’s Hot Four, and narrates the DanceTime Publications DVD, Tap Dance History: From Vaudeville to Film. An avid public speaker, Nemr now uses the story of his journey and the craft of tap dance to speak on ideas of identity, community, faith, and love.

MAX POLLAK

Max has received Flo-Bert and Hoofer Awards, a Bessie Award Nomination, Individual Artist Grant (N-Manhattan Arts Alliance), NYFA Fellowship in Choreography. Critics and peers worldwide acknowledge his superior musicianship and his highly individual style called “RumbaTap” - a pioneering blend of Afro-Cuban song and dance with American tap and body music.

Originator of Cuba’s first tap festival, where he has been teaching and performing since 1998. He is recognized for making classical music more accessible, playing in prestigious venues and festivals in Austria, Germany, France, Canada, the US and Cuba, and has performed as soloist with members of the Vienna, Berlin and New York Philharmonic, London and Montreal Symphony, St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra. For such occasions, many internationally acclaimed composers have written orchestral works with tap/percussion parts expressly for Pollak. He is also a recording artist, published writer and on faculty at Sarah Lawrence College in New York.

KACEY PRISHWALKO

Having begun her love affair with the expressive art of tap dance when she was two, Kacey has received numerous awards for performance and choreography, and holds three gold and two silver medals in tap from the International Dance Organization World Championships. With a thirst for developing her percussive vocabulary, Kacey has engaged in classes with masters including Savion Glover, Diane Walker, Michelle Dorrance, Jason Samuels-Smith, Aaron Tolson, and Jimmy Tate. She was mentored by Andrew Nemr, and worked with his professional tap company, “Cats Paying Dues.”

Kacey has taught studio and master classes throughout New England and New York and introduced and directed tap dance for the Emerson Urban Dance Theatre in Boston. When she’s not tapping, Kacey utilizes the values of community and inclusion she first learned from the tap world as an LMSW at the Manhattan VA Hospital.

Her ebullient passion for percussive tap continues to drive Kacey to share her love of the art with people of all ages and abilities. Kacey believes tap is an instrument, a language, and, of course, a great way to break a sweat! 

MAKIKO ISHIMORI SATO

Originally from Japan, Makiko started dancing when she was five-years old and participated in the Asia Pacific Ballet Competition and the All Japan Ballet Competition when she was a teenager. After graduating from high school, Makiko entered the acting school of the Shiki Theatrical company - the biggest and most renowned musical theater company in Japan. In 1997 she graduated and subsequently won featured performing roles in musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Hans Christian Andersen, and the Japanese original musical Lee Kou Ran. Makiko moved to the United States in 2000 and joined Michael Mao Dance in NYC in 2001 with which she performed "Firecracker" - the Chinese version of "the Nutcracker" － in China.

Makiko obtained her Pilates certification from Stott Pilates in 2004 and is a Certifying Instructor for the Pilates on Fifth Academy International and the head of Pilates on Fifth’s Japanese program. Makiko has been teaching ballet at YMCA since 2004.

LIBERTY STYLES

Liberty is an emerging tap dancer in New York City with a long-time dedication to percussive dance. She spent ten years as a flamenco dancer in the United States and Spain. At age 15, toured New England as a featured dancer in Ines Arrubla’s Bajo la Luna Gitana, a flamenco adaptation of the Federico Garcia Lorca poem.

THOMAS SUTTER

Thomas hails from Upstate New York where he began his dance training, excelling in tap at a young age. He moved to NYC to expand his training, attending a three-year program at The Ailey School, and received a Certificate in Dance. While still in school, Thomas began to perform professionally with Cats Paying Dues, a tap company directed by Andrew Nemr. After graduating in 2012, Thomas went on to perform in White Christmas at Westchester Broadway Theater and West Side Story at Harbor Lights Theater Company. Other regional credits include Mamma Mia, Guys and Dolls, and Man of La Mancha at Weston Playhouse. Thomas can currently be seen dancing in The Burlesque Show at the Music Box Theater.

YURIE YOSHIDA

Yurie started her career at the age of three in Tokyo, Japan. After she received her Bachelor in Physical Education in Japan, she came to New York City and studied at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She has danced with several dance companies and festivals since 1997, including American Dance Festival, Chen and Dancers, Michael Mao Dance, and Rod Rogers Dance Company. Yurie has been teaching at dance schools, fitness centers and dance companies, as well as judging dance competitions and choreographing many pieces for dance companies and schools in New York City and the tristate area over the years.