MICHELLE TOLSON
michdance4u@aol.com

EDUCATION
Notre Dame College                                                              B.A. in English
Manchester, NH                                                                     

TRAINING
Gus Giordano Dance Center                                                Apprentice Scholarship
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater                                 Summer Scholarship

ADDITIONAL STUDIES
Frank Hatchett (jazz), Sheila Barker (jazz), Lane Alexander (tap), Julia Boynton (tap), Michael Taylor (jazz), Savion Glover (tap), Derek Grant (tap)

TEACHING EXPERIENCE (Post-Secondary)
Wagner College                                                                     Adjunct Professor,
Staten Island, NY                                                                                       Musical Theater Program

• Classes Taught: Musical Theater Dance I, II and III, Jazz I, II and III, Tap I, II and III

At Wagner College, I had the opportunity to establish and implement a tap curriculum that is now flourishing. In addition to teaching I choreographed a main stage show and assisted in choreographing the school’s “Family Weekend” and “Senior Showcase” programs. I mentored a number of students and helped many of them prepare for auditions in NYC.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE (Private Studios)
Monmouth Performing Arts Center                                   Teacher/Choreographer
Monmouth, NJ

• Classes Taught: Various levels of tap, jazz and kickline

Inspirations Dance Academy                                               Teacher/Competition
Long Island, NY                                                                     Choreographer

• Classes Taught: Various levels of tap, jazz and lyrical

Edie’s Dance Factory                                                            Teacher/Competition
Rutherford, NJ                                                                                    Choreographer

• Classes Taught: Jr. tap and jazz, Sr. tap and lyrical
Broadway North                                                                   Guest Teacher/
Laconia, NH                                                                           Choreographer

Dance Vision Network                                                          Guest Teacher/
                                                                                                Choreographer

*More studios available upon request

ADDITIONAL TEACHING/ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE

Camp Vega                                                                            Head of Dance
Kents Hill, Maine

At Camp Vega, I run a department that consists of five teaching assistants. We run ten classes a day over an eight week period that consist of tap, jazz, ballet, pointe and hip hop. My program consists of 120 girls. I conceive and produce an end of summer review and design, order and decorate all costumes. I am in constant contact with the ten other department heads as well as the owners of the camp. I also take care of the staff evaluations, inventory and end of summer report.

Harlem School for the Arts                                                  Master Teacher
Harlem, NY

For two years I was a guest teacher at the Harlem School for the Arts through the Minority Outreach Program at Radio City. Twice a week I would go in to the school and teach Rockette routines that had been modified to fit the abilities of thirty students. Over the course of the summer a small show was put together and the students performed at Radio City Music Hall. Through this program we were able reach out to talented dancers who wanted the opportunity to be pushed and disciplined.

Rockette Experience                                                             Teacher/Performer

The Rockette Experience is a national program where Rockettes are sent throughout the country as liaisons to Radio City Music Hall. As an instructor for the Rockette Experience, I am expected to teach three different routines, one in musical theatre, one in tap and a kickline routine to various levels of participants. All the routines are modified from the actual show. After teaching for four hours, a mock audition is held and I am able to give constructive criticism to each participant. A question and answer session then follows. The Rockette Experience allows people all over the country to become a Rockette for a day.

* References are included