"Miss Pati" 

                       Artistic/Executive Director

                                               LLC Member

 

                                Tap, Jazz, Musical Theater

 

 

A graduate of Colby-Sawyer College, with an Associates in Arts Theatre

degree/Dance Concentration, studying Dance and many other aspects of Theatre Production including, Acting and Voice, Stage and Arts Management and Direction, Lighting and Scenic Design, and Stage Makeup and Costume Design. She studied ballet, modern, jazz, tap, musical theatre and many forms of ethnic dance on scholarship in New York City with such notable teachers as David Howard, Ann Reinking, Luigi, Phil Black, Danny Daniels, JoJo Smith, Charles Kelley, Finis Jhung, Betsy Haug, Lynn Simonson and the late Lee Theodore at the American Dance Machine/Harkness House, as well as at the Paris Opera Ballet, Paris France. Most recently she has continued her studies of Percussive Dance and Body Music with tap impresario Brenda Bufalino, Actor and clown Bill Irwin, Body Percussionist Keith Terry, and tap dancer Josh Hilberman, and Jazz Vocalist Jay Clayton.

 

Dancing since the age of six, she has been teaching and inspiring children and adult dance students in the state of NH, and particularly the Monadnock region for over 35 years. Many of her students have gone on to pursue careers in a multitude of facets in the Entertainment Industry including professional Dance Companies, Cruise Ships, Disney, Broadway, Stage, Film and Television. 

 

She Co-founded, and artistically directed the Monadnock Performing Arts Academy (MPAA), in Depot Square, Peterborough NH from 1999-2013, where she conceived, developed, directed and was the brainchild for numerous original productions for the 14 years of their existence. 

 

She has taught and choreographed for the local Contoocook Valley school district, the New Hampshire Dance Institute (NHDI) for 13 years, serving as Assistant Artistic Director, The Dublin School, Franklin Pierce University as an adjunct Professor and Musical Theater dance lecturer, Plymouth State University, Northern Lights Dance Theatre-Antrim NH, Andy's Summer Playhouse, The Moving Company-Keene NH, Kathy Blake Studios, and directed Cushing Academy's International Summer School dance program, Ashburnham, MA. She was one of the founding members of the original NH Dance Alliance, an organization committed to promoting the art of dance in the State of New Hampshire. She danced and toured professionally with the Patric LaCroix Afro-Haitian Jazz Dance Company, Cambridge MA, and Hayles & Co. Dance. In 2003, Dance Teacher magazine recognized her as an "Outstanding Dance Educator", and commended her commitment to dance.

 

In addition to her dance background, Pati also has a diverse background in music, which she incorporates into her dance teaching, including lead vocals fronting numerous regional bands, songwriting, percussion, television, radio voiceovers and jingles, music videos, modeling (including Hand Modeling), as well as choreographing and performing in numerous musical theatre productions.

 

Her dancing finger puppets "YVONNE & YVETTE", whom she uses on occasion as a teaching vehicle for her young children's classes, received international acclaim hailing her as "Finger Dance Champion of the World" by Proctor & Gamble's DAWN Hand Talent Competition, flying her to New York City in the Fall of 2008, where she got to work with one of the the original Batman illustration artists Neal Adams, who produced Yvonne & Yvette's videos for the competition. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Adams

 

In 2021 she was in talks with producers of "America's Got Talent" Season 16. Unfortunately plans were halted due to Covid-19.

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Yvonne & Yvette made their television debut in the fall of 2010 when they were featured in an episode of "Fetch with Ruff Ruffman" WGBH Public Broadcasting System, "Birds are Handy!" Episode 515. She can also be seen in the upcoming film "Love In Kilnerry", produced in Portsmouth NH this past summer 2017.

 

A dynamic musical performer she continues to perform as a vocalist with IvyChum with her husband (search "ivychum" at www.YouTube.com), with whom she writes and composes original music. their original music compositions have been recognized at the national level, and the group has opened for recording artists Jonathan Edwards, Robin Trower, and Grammy Award winning artist Marc Cohn of “Walking in Memphis” fame. Their music reached radio airwaves on college and commercial stations, including their song “Goddess at The Wheel” on NPR’s “Car Talk”, and TNN ‘s (The Nashville Network’s) entertainment news show “Crook & Chase.” Pati was also a member of the NINES band www.ninesband.com a 10-pc. Dance orchestra for 5 years, helping them gain and maintain recognition as the Top Regional Band Act during her years with them. She has performed as a featured guest vocalist with the Keene Jazz Orchestra under the direction of the late Scott Mullett, performing big band jazz music. She also has many credits as a backup vocalist and percussionist for numerous recording artists winning a Boston Music Award for one of those ventures. She also can be seen performing summers with Austin TX based sax player Paul Klemperer in the “Summertime Dance Party Band”, on the waterfront in Peterborough and at Harrisville's Aldworth Manor.

 

She is most noted for the theatrical and musical knowledge, experience, sense of humor and warm caring attitude she brings to her classroom and shares with her students. In addition to maintaining being a performing artist, she continues to hone her teaching skills, consistently attending national summer dance & music teacher training workshops & conventions, enabling her to share the most up to date methods with her students. "Miss Pati" wishes to thank all the dancing families for their continued support in allowing her to continue to do the work she loves most, teaching dance, music and theatre to children and adults alike of the Monadnock Region

 

 

                    

 

 

"Miss Maddi" , 

                            Creative, Combo, Contemporary, Ballet/Pointe, Hip Hop, 

 

Madison began her dancing career at the very young age of two. She studied various styles with studios in the Monadnock Region, including Miss Pati's old studio, the former Monadnock Performing Arts Academy. After graduating high school, Madison attended Franklin Pierce University and graduated with her B.S. in Marketing and Advertising. While at FPU she joined the university's dance company and continued her training with instructors including Regan Messer, Donlin Foreman, Wendy Dwyer, and Sallie Bomer. During her Junior and Senior years, she had the privilege of attending the American College Dance Festival where she had the opportunity to try styles such as belly dancing, ballroom, and aerial.  Upon graduation, Madison put her newly acquired business skills to the test, and started her career in marketing. While the job had it perks, nothing could beat the joy of dance. She now spends her days, when she is not in the studio, traveling to various preschools in Southern New Hampshire teaching students multiple styles of dance. Madison is trilled to be back teaching, where her love of dance began.

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Guest Staff Past & Present includes:

 

Kimberleigh A Holman

Heather Budinscak

Thomas Ortiz

Patricia Fox (Former Patriots Cheerleading Captain 2011)

Robyn Goulette

Kristina Griffin

Sallie Werst (Former Patriots Cheerleader)

Demi Remick

Noa Barankin