Rochelle DeGrasse
Ballet, Pointe, and Creative Movement
"Ms. Chelle" is now entering her 45th year as an instructor of dance. At the age of 9 she began her studies in Russian Classical Ballet at the Virginia School of Ballet with Tatiana Rousseau and Oleg Tupin. At 16 she began performing with the Virginia Ballet Company along with well known artists, Michelle Lees, Glorianne Hicks, and Victoria Shiflet. Performances included "Swan Lake", "Giselle", "Walpurgis Night", "Romeo and Juliette", "Gayne", "Nutcracker", "Les Sylphide" and "Rhapsody in Blue" She has performed at Howard University, Wolf Trap, Watergate Theater, The Navy Yard in Washington, DC and with the National Symphony at Lisner Auditorium.
Rochelle's pedagogical training began with Tania Rousseau who, at the age of 15 was chosen to become prima ballerina for Les Ballets de Jeaunesse of Paris. (Lubov Egorova<Sergei Diaghilev) Later Rochelle began additional studies with Russian born, Oleg Tupine. Mr.Tupin held the esteemed title of premier danseur for the world famous Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo (Rene Blum<Sergei Diaghilev). Rochelle's master studies include additional instruction with Frederic Franklin, Dame Sonia Arova, Alexandra Danilova, Ivan Descheff, Yvette Chauvire', Vladimir Dokoudovsky, Walter Stroud, M. Fokine and Violette Verdy(Indiana University). As an adult, Ms. DeGrasse furthered her pedagogical studies with Mary Maus (Richmond Ballet), Elizabeth Graetzer (Prima Ballerina, Ballet Theater Austria) Leslie Peck(Richmond Ballet and Indiana University) , Charles Calhoun( Kirov Ballet), Rhodie Jorgenson (Kirov Ballet/American Ballet Theater) .
With her sisters, Colette and Johnna, Rochelle co-founded DeGrasse Dance Studio in Prince William County, Virginia. In 1990, she formed "Li'l Feet, Inc." a creative movement program for 3 and 4 year olds which she continued to develop at Fredericksburg School of Performing Arts, Orange School of Performing Arts and Academy of Ballet.
During her seven year tenure as artistic director of the Fredericksburg City Ballet Company and Academy of Ballet, Rochelle has directed annual perfomances of "The Nutcracker"at Mary Washington University. Ms. DeGrasse has choreographed and directed performances in "Swan Lake"," Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty," "La Boutique Fantasque," "Giselle", "Coppelia"," Paquita", "Don Quixote", and "La Fille Mal Gardee" She has directed for Fredericksburg City Ballet Company, Orange School of Performing Arts, Fredericksburg School of Performing Arts, and Potomac Ballet Company respectively. In addition, she has worked in conjunction with Maryland Youth Ballet and Falls Church Ballet.
Taking a brief hiatus from ballet in 1978, Rochelle became the first instructor and Area Director on the east coast for Jazzercise, Inc., training 180 additional instructors who now teach across the country. In 1988, while working as Fitness Director for the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico, Virginia, Ms. DeGrasse obtained the title of Physical Fitness Specialist. She is certified with the Kenneth Cooper Clinic, Institute of Aerobics Research in Dallas, TX . While at Quantico, Rochelle worked with and trained elite athletes for the olympics through the marine corps wellness program, "Semper Fit." In 1989 York Onin, chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness, lauded both "Jazzercise, Inc." and "Semper Fit" for their contribution to national wellness.
Ms. DeGrasse's television and personal appearances include "Good Morning Washington", "The Charlie Rose Show", "The Morning Show with Joe Theisman", and "People Magazine." Ms. DeGrasse was also featured on national news "News 4 Washington" with Arch Campbell.
Colette LaVoy
Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Hiphop
"Ms. Colette" began her training in Russian Classical Ballet in 1987 with DeGrasse Dance Studio, Home of Potomac Ballet Company. In addition she studied tap, jazz, lyrical and later, hip-hop. In 1998 she joined Fredericksburg School of Performing Arts where she performed with Fredericksburg City Ballet and Maryland Youth Ballet. As a student Ms. Colette had the distinct honor of working with some of the dance world's most renowned instructors and choreographers; as a performer she was a nationally ranked competitor, scholarship winner, and appeared onn Nickelodeon.
Ms. Colette first began teaching in 1998 and her choreography has been performed across Virginia. In 2000, she was chosen to attend the Summer Residential Governor’s School for dance at University of Richmond.
Ms. Colette is a graduate of Christopher Newport University with a Bachelor of Science Degree. In addition to teaching dance Ms. Colette works as a registered nurse in Richmond Virginia.
Studied Under
Marina Chirkova (Kirov Ballet)
Roberta Dale (DeGrasse Dance Studio)
Colette DeGrasse (DeGrasse Dance Studio)
Johnna DeGrasse (DeGrasse Dance Studio)
Mimi Hellmuth (Fredericksburg School of Performing Arts)
Rhodie Jorgenson (American Ballet Theater and Kirov Ballet)
Anatoli Kurchin (Kirov Ballet)
Jolie Long (Director, Brenau Dance Ensemble)
Mary Maus-Poole (Richmond Ballet)
Leslie Peck (Assistant Professor, Indiana University)
Ricardo Porter (Fredericksburg School of Performing Arts)
Heather Powell (Fredericksburg School of Performing Arts)
Tony Powell (Director, Tony Powell/Music and Movement)
Don Tolj (Artistic Director, Evansville Dance Theatre)
Kristy Windham (American Ballet Theater)
Master Instructors:
Gus Giordano (Director, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago)
Savion Glover (Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk)
Frank Hatchett (Broadway Dance Center)
Oscar Hawkins (Cirque du Soleil)
Christopher Horsey (Tap Dogs)
Terace Jones (Fosse)
Rasta Thomas (Movin' Out; Gold Medallist, Varna International Ballet Competition)
Awards:
1992 to 2001- Gold/Platinum competitor and High Score winner
1999- Frank Hatchett Scholarship (Broadway Dance Center)
2000- Dance Power Express Scholarship
2000- Gus Giordano invitational performer
2000- Most Outstanding Student: Fredericksburg School of Performing Arts
2000- Virginia Governor’s School for Performing Arts participant
2000- Starpower Power Pak
2001- Starpower Power Pak
Victoria Shiflet
Ballet, Pointe, Pas de Deux, and Russian Character
Victoria Shiflet Kress Victoria Shiflet Kress began her ballet training at the age of nine under the direction of Tatiana Rousseau, former member of Ballet de la Jeunesse of Paris, student of Olga Preobrajenska and Princess Egorova Troubetzkoy. Oleg Tupine, premiere dancer with the original Ballet Russe, Ballet de la Jeunesse of Paris, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, etc., in conjunction with Tatiana Rousseau, contributed to most of her training. Additional instruction was received from Ivan Descheff, Sonia Arova, Walter Stroud, Vladimir Dokoudovsky, Andre Eglevsky, Madame Nevelska, Patricia Wilde, Yvette Chauvire, Leo Fokine, Alexandra Danilova, Frederick Franklin, Anthony Tudor, Robert Joffrey, Wasil Tupine, Mercedes Serrano, Valentina Pereyaslavic, Melissa Hayden, Bill Martin- Viscount, Igor Schwezoff, and many others.
Ms. Shiflet’s first contract came at the age of 11 when she toured with Virginia Ballet Company, performing in Giselle, Walpurgis Night, and Swan Lake. She was the youngest ballerina to be paid for performing with the company for this tour. As a young adult, she was accepted to the National Ballet Company (DC) and the Harkness Ballet Company (NYC). She has performed with Radio City Music Hall (NYC), Washington Ballet Company (DC), Virginia Ballet Company (Va), Lawton Civic Ballet Company (Ok), and the Charlottesville Dance Company (Va).
Ms. Shiflet has performed major roles in Gayanneh, the Nutcracker (Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, etc.), Classical Symphony, Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora, Lilac Fairy, etc.), Don Quixote (Kitri), the Dying Swan, Gaite Parisienne, Giselle, Graduation Ball, Swan Lake (Odette-Odile), the Little Humpbacked Horse, Les Sylphides, Sylvia, Walpurgis Night, etc.
She has performed with members of the American Ballet Theatre, Washington Ballet, Dallas Civic Ballet, and the Joyce Trisler Danscompany. She and her dancers have appeared on local and national television. Her students have gone on to perform on contract with companies here in the states and overseas (Washington Ballet Company, Mark Morris Dancers, Joyce Trisler Danscompany, Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company, Oregon Ballet Theatre, etc.) After teaching Master Classes at Mary Washington College (now University), she was invited to join the staff as a guest lecturer/instructor in ballet. Ms. Shiflet also taught classes, when needed, at Shenandoah Conservatory of Music (Va).
Ms. Shiflet is the former Artistic Director for the Fredericksburg Ballet Center, and the Academy of Ballet in Fredericksburg, Va. She is the former owner and founder of the Woodbridge Ballet Arts Centre (Va) and the King George Ballet Company and School. Ms. Shiflet also founded the Fredericksburg Ballet Company (Va) and the Fredericksburg City Ballet Company (Va). In 2004, she established the dance department at St. Margaret’s School in Tappahannock, Va.
It is Ms. Shiflet’s goal through herself and her dancers to promote the cultural advancement and the integration of dance as a major form of the performing arts. Her choreographic, performing, and teaching abilities have led to contracts performing as guest artist, teaching master classes and workshops for companies, schools, and dance conventions across the country, as well as television appearances.
Henry Hill
Modern, Hip Hop, Musical Theater, Tap/Jazz, Voice
