For a complete bio, please visit Sue Samuel's webpage on Divine Rhythm Productions.

Purchase Sue's DVD and CD of jazz barre, floor exercises and isolations at Divine Rhythm Productions 

 

Kelly Carrol (Choreographer) began her dance training in Chicago and spent three years touring internationally with the Lenore Sutton acro-dance company. She came to New York and began a long career as a triple threat performing on Broadway, television, film, night clubs and international concert venues. Kelly choreographed a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Longacre Theater on Broadway, Jazz Age Revisited music video, Rockula music video, The Gaslight Club Speakeasy review, and a special dance segment for As The World Turns. She also created choreography for the lead and back-up singers of musical acts such as Vickie Sue Robinson’s international tour, 70s Disco Revival at Radio City Music Hall, and The Harlettes. Kelly has been lovingly choreographing for Jazz Roots Dance Company since its inception.

Judy Emmett (Choreographer) performed in Night Clubs and production shows throughout the US for 18 years. danced in Las Vegas night club shows at the Sahara Hotel with choreographer Jerry Jackson, the Marina Hotel with choreographer Ron Lewis, and many years at the Flamingo Hilton where she both danced and ice skated. Her early training took place in and around Tampa, Florida. She was a member of the Tampa Civic Ballet and Central Florida Ballet. Judy most recently toured with the Move Free Dancers, promoting Schiff vitamins. She lives in Stamford CT where she taught for 10 years at Classical Kids. She also taught at D’Valda and Sirico Dance Center in Fairfield CT. Judy has been inspired by the dancers of Jazz Roots Dance and is excited to be a part of the creative team for Jazz on the Westside!

 

In Memoriam:

Billy Grey (Associate Director, Music Coordinator, Graphic Designer) was the arranger, conductor and featured singer for the Fifth Dimension Show for JoJo’s Dance Factory on Broadway at the Gershwin Theater, the Johnny Hallyday Story in Paris, and on television, a 13-week season of It’s All In Your Head.  His musical theater credits included the national tour of the rock opera Tommy and the original Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and subsequently directed the Broadway revival at the Longacre Theater. Mr. Grey was the lead vocalist and trumpet player in the Widespread Jazz Orchestra writing several originalsongs for the band, including the title cut from their album Swing is the Thing, and performed at major jazz festivals around the world. Mr. Grey was the Art Director and Dance Critic for Dance Pages Magazine for 12 years, and worked with Jazz Roots Dance Company since its inception.

 

Dancers: 

 

Becky Robles hails from Smithtown, New York, and has over 20 years of dance experience. She graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Business Management and danced in various campus groups throughout her years in college. During her time at Binghamton, she ran her college kickline team and was also a teacher’s assistant for the college level jazz class taught by professional dancer and Professor Fred Weiss. In addition to her college training, Becky has studied under Ann Mercedes for most her career as well as at Broadway Dance Center and Alvin Ailey Studios. She has performed at concerts for KTU’s Dance Factory Live with Coro and Tymz2 for a BLI Rising Stars concert. She was also the lead dancer for the opera Carmen at the Tri-Cities Opera House. When she is not dancing with Jazz Roots Dance, you can find her teaching jazz at a local studio on Long Island.   

 

 

 

 

Costanza Deserti is originally from Italy and one of the main reasons why she moved to NYC - where  she has spent the past 5 years of her life - was the incredible opportunities in the dance scene the city has to offer. Costanza primarily trained in classical ballet, first in Italy, then Switzerland and subsequently on a scholarship in Germany at the John-Cranko Schule Academy. There she performed in the school ensemble in Prokofiev’s Symphony in D and in the opera Le Nozze di Figaro at the Stuttgarter Staatsoper. Decided to expand her dance repertoire, Costanza ventured into classical jazz style and that’s how her journey into the Sue’s Jazz Roots Dance world started! Her favourite pieces are Rat Pack, because of the glamour and joie de vivre, and Papa was a Rolling Stone, for its resonating rhythm and sharpness of the steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chrissy Kakurai was born in Japan, and started dancing Classic Ballet at the age of 3. She entered the “Academi de Dance Princesse Grace classic ballet de monte-carlo” in Monaco on a scholarship where she took the top prize, and performed at the Opera House.  She has studied Modern, Jazz, Street dance, contemporary, Tap, Acting and Singing in Japan and NY. She performed in productions as a dancer and actor at famous entertainment parks, TV, Theater, music video, movie, Model and many Night Clubs. She was picked to be the main character IA of Dance Vocaloid in “Comicon New York 2014”, and she was featured in NY and Japanese anime media magazines. She created a performance show with the choreography and dancing coach workshop of the world voice ensemble Inc. in NY.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Takashi Hosoi was born in Fukui Japan. He graduated the Lyra Creative Art school in Japan. During that time he started to learn dance at Dance Art Company ALCA, and also performed in several dance shows of this company.  Takashi moved to New York in 2011, where he has been training Jazz, Theater, Tap, Ballet and vocal techniques.

He performed "The King and I" as male ensemble at Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter, FL in 2014, "Jesus Christ Superstar", and the World Voice Ensemble in NY in 2016.  

 

 

 

 

Paige Ketsoglou grew up on Long Island, NY and began her dance studies at the age of two at the Hannah Kroner School of Dance. Paige attended LIU Post and graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in dance studies and also completed the Broadway Dance Center Training Program. Paige has choreographed and preformed with the Post Concert Dance Company all throughout her college career and had one of her pieces brought to the American College Dance Festival in 2014. In addition, Paige is a back up dancer to pop singer Jenna Rose, performs with Glitz Entertainment and TradeMark Talent, has performed with the Eglevsky Ballet Company in the Nutcracker, the Post Choreographers Showcase at Symphony Space, an American Apparel Spec Commercial, a back up dancer for a performer at Japan Day in Central Park, preformed with the PMT dance studio on The Today Show and danced as well as choreographed for DanceWorks NYC. She has had the opportunity to work with extremely talented choreographers such as Michael Leon Thomas, Matthew Clark and Darnetha Lincoln M'Baye. Paige currently works as a dance teacher at studios throughout Long Island as well as at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid.

 

 

 

Narissa Herndon is a freelance dancer in New York city, before landing in the big apple she began her dance studies in her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. Where she went onto learn styles such as jazz, hip-hop, tap, and classical modern. She graduated from Las Vegas Academy of international studies and performing arts, under the direction of Jeneane Huggins. She graduated from Cornish College of the arts, where she had the pleasure to study and perform with many choreographers including: Brenna Monroe-Cook, Deb Wolf, Camille A. Brown, Iyun Ashani Harrison, Cyrus Khambatta, Jason Ohlberg, Tim Lynch, and Ohad Naharin.

 

 

Nadia Conway is a creative and performing artist from Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. She has danced from a young age and fell in love with theater and performance in her high school years. Nadia will be a graduate of CUNY Hunter College in May 2021 with a BA in Dance. She loves jazz and theater dance and also enjoys photography and film-making. She hopes to learn as much as she can about jazz dance. Through interning with Jazz Roots, Nadia is seeing what is like working within a company and expanding her jazz and performance technique.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jazz Roots Dance Alumni-Thank you for your dancing!

 

 

 

Bri White graduated from Wichita State University with a BFA in Dance. After graduating she spent two years in Chicago performing in several projects and teaching. When she moved to New York she became one of the founding members of Jazz Roots Dance. Her performance credits include Ballet Wichita, Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre, Mid-American Dance Theatre and Alithea Mime Theatre.

 

 

 

XXBridie Clark is a born New Zealander with over 20 years dance experience. In 2008 she decided to study full-time at the National Theatre Ballet School where she graduated 2010 with an Advance Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance) CUA5011, during her time studying she performed in many full length Classical productions including Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker and Cinderella to name a few. After graduating Bridie decided to retire her pointe shoes and take to Musical Theatre. Her first show out of college she was made Dance Captain for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats”. Her passion for Musicals didn’t stop there she had very successful seasons in "The King And I”, “42nd Street” and “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street”. Besides performing Bridie has a passion for teaching and sharing her knowledge with the next generation and keeping traditional dance styles alive.

Read an interview of Bridie by "Dancers Without Borders" here.

 

 

Joey Socci is from Connecticut and has been dancing since the age of three.  He is currently a BFA Commercial Dance student at Pace University in Manhattan.  Joey’s training at Monroe Dance Academy provided opportunities to perform throughout the Tri-state area, such as Dancers Responding to AIDS, The 9/11 Table of Silence Project with Jacqulyn Buglisi, and he was honored to be invited to perform at the David Merrick Tribute at the Hudson Theater in NYC.  Joey spent his summers training at Bates Dance Festival and received a scholarship to study at The Ailey School in their Professional Summer Intensive. Joey was a recipient of the National YoungArts Foundation Award in 2015. He is excited to begin his journey with Jazz Roots Dance Company.

Spencer Pond is a freelance dancer based in New York City, and founder of The Now Unboxing Project, a new sizzling hot Concert Jazz Company that seeks to blur the line between art and entertainment. Back in his native Hartford, he taught Jazz dance at The Hartt School Community Division, and BFA Musical Theatre students at The University of Hartford, the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts as well as many smaller studios throughout the Greater Hartford area such as Watkinson School, Stage Left Dance, Glastonbury Dance Center, and the Taft School. As a performer, Spencer has danced with Full Force Dance Theater, stop/time dance theater, and The Sonia Plumb Dance Company, as well as performed guest roles at The Hartt School Community Division, and Pioneer Valley Ballet. Spencer trained under the tutelage of Darlene Zoller, and at the Community Division under the direction of Samantha Dunster. 

Alyssa Noelle Pitaluga hails from Long Island and has been dancing since she could crawl. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from Adelphi University with minors in Marketing and Human Resource Management.  She is an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher, Pre-Primary-Fifth Level.  Alyssa serves as Ballet Mistress and Choreographer for The Josephine Foundation Program of Professional Performing Arts at St. Mary’s High School in Manhasset.  She is on the board of The Josephine Foundation and member of the National Dance Education Association.  She is an alumna, teacher and arts administrator of American Theater Dance Workshop.  Alyssa’s passion is Ballet but her soul has a Jazz lining.  She is a company member of Jazz Roots Dance Company under world renowned, Sue Samuels.  She studied Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Hip Hop and credits her classical training to Ali Pourfarrokh, former Artistic Director of Eglevsky Ballet.  Alyssa studied with companies of Verdon Fosse, Joffrey Ballet, Radio City Rockettes, Briansky Ballet, NY Knicks City Dancers, Amy Marshall, Keigwin+Co., Mark Morris, Limón, Martha Graham and Paul Taylor. She interned with Ballet Hispanico and was Captain/Choreographer of Oceanside Varsity Dance Team.  Credits include: Jazz Roots Dance Company repertoire, “Cracked” American Theater Dance Workshop, “Air” Keigwin+Co., “Cloven Kingdom” Paul Taylor, “Dance Adelphi” semi-annual performances, Long Island Dance Project repertoire, “Nutcracker” Corps de ballet and Soloist Two World’s Dance, Eglevsky Ballet Repertory Company, American Theater Dance Workshop Repertory Company, “Nutcracker Suite” Soloist Divine Rhythms.

 

 

 

Pablo Ito started his career as a performer in Okinawa, Japan. He came to New York to study Musical Theatre. He has been studying acting in HB Studio, dancing at Broadway Dance Center and singing privately in New York City. He has been performing in several musicals and cabaret shows. His recent credits include “Cinderella” at Players Theatre, “Find The Golden Bird” at Polaris North and “Miss Saigon” at Clock Tower Players. 

 

 

 

Elena Wood grew up training in Theater Jazz, Ballroom & Musical Comedy at The Walter Schalk School of Dance in Wilton, CT. In 2011, she graduated from Hamilton College with a BA in Chemistry and Dance, where she studied Ballet and Contemporary under the artistic direction of Leslie Norton, Elaine Heekin, and Bruce Walczyk. Aside from dance, Elena works on the Global Skincare Product Development Team at Estée Lauder. Elena has been a member of Jazz Roots Dance since August 2011. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aubrey Kate Hensley studied at the Rock School and Kansas City Ballet as a recipient of The Kansas Culture Trust, sponsored by the Koch Foundation. Ms. Hensley graduated from Wichita State University with a BFA in Dance, where she performed with Wichita Contemporary Dance Theater and Mid-America Dance Theater. Aubrey toured with Alithea Mime Theatre and performed in the Warsaw International Mime Festival. She also was a Featured Performer with the Crown Uptown Theater and was with Ballet Wichita as a Principal Dancer for six years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laura Stecher started with rhythmic gymnastics on a high competition level in Germany when she was little. At 19 she switched her focus to dance and studied at New York City Dance School in Stuttgart/Germany. Laura won Gold for her Solo Performance at ESDU Austrian Opens and again at ESDU World Dance Masters in Porec/Croatia, where she was awarded as best female talent, best dancer and received the Diamond Star for the highest score in the entire competition. She danced in the Musical Bonifatius and in Die Päpstin as Swing and Dance Captain in Fula, Hameln and Erfurt/Germany. She moved to NYC to study dance at Joffrey Ballet School on scholarship. She danced in music video clips from Basement Batmen as well as at New York Fashion week.

  

 

Yumiko Suzuki started ballet at the age of six. She also has experience of rhythmic gymnastics, modern dance, Zumba, Pilates, and yoga. She currently performs a variety of styles based on Jazz dance. Yumi teaches dance and Japanese to children, while dancingwith Sue Samuels’ Jazz Roots Dance Company.

*Yumi is currently based in Japan, but dances with JazzRoots Dance whenever they are in Japan!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bonnie Jackson is a Queens based freelance dancer. She began her training at the age of three at June Parodi School of Dance. Jackson continues her studies at Broadway Dance Center and is expanding her skill set into improvisation and vocal performance.  In 2013, She made her Off-Broadway debut in The Nutcracker and the Mouse King  at Theatre Row. Soon after, Jackson became a Company Member of Sue Samuels' Jazz Roots Dance Company.

 

 

 

 

 Emma Fath is a New York City based artist who currently dances with Sue Samuels' Jazz Roots Dance and SHIFT, Dance Arts and Media. She has worked with the Francesca Harper Project and Impact Movement Collective.  In addition to that Emma has performed for TUI Cruises Mein Schiff as a dancer. She has had the wonderful opportunity to work as a center intern with Gibney Dance Center in New York, and for two years she served as the director of a university not-for-profit that supported international girls education.   Emma has performed choreography by artists including Andrea Miller, Reggie Wilson, Richard Alston, and Peter Sparling. She graduated with high honors from the University of Michigan where she received a dual-degree in Dance Performance and in Cellular, and Molecular Biology. When she isn’t dancing, Emma is teaching GYROTONIC © and tutoring in NYC.

 

 

 

Alycia Heckathorn comes to Jazz Roots from northern Michigan. She grew up dancing primarily ballet and tap at Ironwood Dance Company. While studying for a Theater degree at Northern Michigan University, she also received a dance minor that allowed her to both perform and choreograph. During her high school and college years, she taught ballet at private studios, which led to her Master's degree in Dance Education at NYU in May 2016. She is thrilled to be honing her classic jazz skills with Jazz Roots!