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

 

 
 

   

 Henry Hill  

 

“H” began his journey into the arts at Essex High School where he was senior class president, member/conductor of the concert and marching bands respectively, accompanist for and member of the choir and a member of various clubs including drama, Future Teachers of America, debate and forensics. He also served as youth choir director/accompanist for the Angel Visit Baptist Church.

 

Upon graduating in 1996, he attended James Madison University where he pursued a major in music education with a concentration in instrumental (clarinet) and a minor in dance performance. While at JMU, Henry was a member of the award winning Marching Royal Dukes, a 450 piece marching band, for 5 years. The last 3 years as a member, Henry was the head drum major and had the opportunity to perform for the 700th Anniversary of the Grimaldi Dynasty in Monaco, a celebration for the return of the Olympics to Greece in Athens in 2000, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and for 2 presidential inaugural parades for Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

 

He studied Modern Technique under renowned professors and performing artists Shane O’Hara, Cynthia Thompson, and Kate Trammell while at JMU. He was a member of the Contemporary Dance Ensemble (CDE) where he choreographed his very first solo and also various works for the CDE and Virginia Repertory Company. It was then he realized he wanted to do more with dance.

 

So, he moved to New York to be a starving artist and produce his works in the dance theater world. While living in Brooklyn for 8 yrs, Henry taught at various studios including Brooklyn Dance Project and Creative Arts Studio teaching modern, hip hop, salsa, and African movement classes for both kids and adults. He studied under Mark Morris, Ron Brown (choreographer for Evidence Dance Company and Alvin Ailey), Bill T. Jones, and various teachers at Peridance, Djoniba Drum and Dance Center, Dance New Amsterdam (formerly Dance Space Center), and Broadway Dance Center. He performed with Chrystallin Wright (Wright Now Productions) and also Kelly Bartnik (CORA/Anthem Artists Collective). He produced and performed his own solo work at BRIC Studios, Prospect Park, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Dance Theater Workshop, and Dixon Place Theater on the Lower East Side.

 

Wanting to venture out on his own and open his own studio, he decided to move back home to Virginia upon which he met Ms. Chelle. They normally say at this point the rest is history, but it’s actually both history and future. Henry looks forward to working with Ms. Chelle and the rest of the staff to spread the importance of preserving the arts through community outreach and arts education. Henry will also be teaching various workshops and masterclasses at universities across VA including VCU and his alma mater JMU.

 

Rejuvenating Arts Appreciation