The School at Jacob's Pillow
2025 Artist Faculty
Get connected to a revered roster of artists who serve as your faculty. They are as acclaimed for their work in the field as they are for their teaching and mentoring.
Continue scrolling to read more about the Artist Faculty for the 2025 Contemporary Ballet, Contemporary, Creating in Jazz, Tap Dance, and Choreography Fellowship programs.
Contemporary Ballet Faculty
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Program Director
Contemporary Ballet
The Colombian-Belgian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (she/her) is a prolific, sought-after, and award-winning choreographer who has created more than 100 works for 81 dance companies around the world. A versatile choreographer, Annabelle’s wide-ranging body of work includes short conceptual pieces, full-length narratives, and dance films.
Jodie Gates
Artist Faculty
Contemporary Ballet
Jodie Gates is an artistic director, choreographer, producer, arts educator, stager, and dancer. She was a principal dancer with Joffrey Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, as well as an international guest artist. Most recently, she was the Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Ballet.
Russell Janzen
Artist Faculty
Contemporary Ballet
Russell Janzen is a former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, where he initially joined as an Apprentice in 2007 and would go on to dance with the company for 16 years before retiring in September 2023.
Durante Verzola
Guest Choreographer
Contemporary Ballet
Durante Verzola, a Filipino-American dance maker, has choreographed works for institutions such as the Miami City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet II, Ballet Arizona's Studio Company, Collage Dance Collective, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, School of Pennsylvania Ballet, and Ballet22, among others.
Contemporary Faculty
Milton Myers
Program Director
Contemporary
Milton Myers is a teacher of the Lester Horton Technique and the Program Director of The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program. Mr. Meyers performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, directed the Joyce Trisler Danscompany, and has been honored by the International Association of Blacks in Dance for his extraordinary teaching and mentorship to dancers.
Francisco Martinez
Associate Program Director
Contemporary
Francisco Martinez has been a dancer with Compania Nacional de Danza (Spain), and Ballet Royal de Wallonie (Belgium). His performance experience is diverse, including works of Petipa, Balanchine, Jiri Kylian, Hans Van Manen, Nacho Duato, Vicente Nebrada, Alberto Alonso and Ana Sokolow, among others.
Peter Chu
Guest Choreographer
Contemporary
Peter Chu (he/him) is a multi-faceted movement artist, embodying roles from director, choreographer, stager, mentor, educator, and performer. His ongoing curiosity informs his voracious appetite for learning across contexts, and his compassion leads him to generously share his wide range of experiences and knowledge with others.
Andrea Miller
Guest Choreographer
Contemporary
Andrea Miller is a groundbreaking choreographer, creative director, and founder of the internationally renowned multidisciplinary organization GALLIM, represented by Opus 3 Artists. A Hispanic creator and collaborator for dance, film, fashion, and the visual arts, Andrea is known for her exploration of the essential elements of human behavior and the alchemy of movement and performance.
Rafi Sady
Guest Choreographer
Contemporary
Rafi Sady was a company member of the Cullberg Ballet (Sweden) for 14 years, where he danced many lead roles. Rafi has assisted Mats Ek in teaching dance companies around the world for institutions such as Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, Zurich Ballet, The Royal Swedish Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT), Tokyo Ballet, Opera de Paris, Staatsballett Berlin, and Norwegian National Ballet.
Creating in Jazz Faculty
LaTasha Barnes
Program Director
Creating in Jazz
Bessie Award winner and New York Times critically acclaimed Breakout Star of 2021, LaTasha Barnes is a multi-hyphenate Tradition-bearer of Black American Social Dance from Richmond, VA. A dynamic educator, performer, and choreographer, Barnes is globally celebrated for her musicality, athleticism, and infectiously joyful presence throughout the cultural traditions she bears.
Christopher McBride
Music Director
Creating in Jazz
Based in New York City, saxophonist Christopher McBride’s work includes education, arranging, composition, and performance. Currently, Christopher is gaining respect amongst fans, critics, and his peers as one of the most versatile saxophonists in the world. His debut album Quatuor de Force (2012) certainly establishes his ability to lead a group and write his own soulful, melodically indelible tunes.
Lisa La Touche
Artist Faculty
Creating in Jazz and Tap Dance
A proud Canadian and New Yorker, Lisa La Touche is a tap dance artist, choreographer, educator, and cultural historian. Her performance credits include being an original cast member in Broadway’s Shuffle Along, choreographed by Savion Glover and Directed by George C. Wolfe, where she received both the Fred Astaire Award and the Actor’s Equity Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus.
Natasha Powell
Artist Faculty
Creating in Jazz
Natasha Powell is a Toronto, Canada native who has been working in the dance industry for 20 years. Her soulful approach to movement that transcends genre can be seen and felt in her dancing, choreography, and teachings. As the Founder, Artistic Director, and Choreographer for her company, HOLLA JAZZ, Natasha created the award-winning show FLOOR’D, presenting historical jazz dances in a contemporary aesthetic.
Tap Dance Faculty
Dormeshia
Program Director
Tap Dance
Throughout her career, Dormeshia has earned the moniker "the queen of tap," a title bestowed upon her by The New York Times, a testament to her unmatched skill and artistry. She has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Doris Duke Artist Award, the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, the Dance Magazine Award, and the Bessie Award.
Derick K. Grant
Program Director
Tap Dance
Derick K. Grant is a native of Boston, MA where he began his training at the Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts. He was an original member of Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk, created and directed by George C. Wolfe and choreographed by Savion Glover, where he became dance captain and later the lead for the first national tour.
Kurt Albert
Legacy in Rhythm Guest Speaker
Tap Dance
Kurt Albert is among the highest ranking tap dance leaders in Europe, having over 30 years of experience in international show business. Kurt’s credits as a teacher and performer include New York City’s Tap City Festival (2001, 2003, 2006, and 2014), Rhapsody in Taps Festival (Los Angeles, CA), Rhythm Tap Dance Festival (NC), Kansas City Tap Dance Day, among others.
Roxane Butterfly
Legacy in Rhythm Guest Speaker
Tap Dance
Producer, choreographer, performer, and teacher, Roxane Butterfly is a direct heir of The Original Hoofers with whom she learned all about the tap dance craft. Roxane was the first woman in tap history to receive a Bessie Award and thus, she has opened the door for future generations of women present in the tap industry.
Heather Cornell
Artist Faculty
Tap Dance
Heather Cornell is literally and metaphorically a mover and a shaker in the world of dance. An ensemble founder and sought-after solo artist, she is a choreographer, director, and producer. She has learned from and performed with giants of the tap dance genre. In a career that has spanned four decades, Heather has left an indelible mark on dance stages all over the world.
Marshall L. Davis Jr.
Legacy in Rhythm Guest Speaker
Tap Dance
Marshall L. Davis Jr. was born in Miami Beach, Florida and has performed and taught throughout Europe, Japan, Australia, and the United States. He is the protégé of the late Steve Condos of the Condos Brothers and has received guidance from James “Buster” Brown, Edwin Holland, Paul Kennedy, Ted Levy, Lavaughn Robinson, and Sam Weber.
Dominique Kelley
Artist Faculty
Tap Dance
Dominique Kelley, originally from Bridgeport, CT, is proving himself to be a powerhouse choreographer in the world of musical theater, television, live performance, and beyond. An avid tap dancer and percussionist, Dominique tries to fuse rhythm patterns with classical movement to create a visual and aural experience.
Lisa La Touche
Artist Faculty
Creating in Jazz and Tap Dance
A proud Canadian and New Yorker, Lisa La Touche is a tap dance artist, choreographer, educator, and cultural historian. Her performance credits include being an original cast member in Broadway’s Shuffle Along, choreographed by Savion Glover and Directed by George C. Wolfe, where she received both the Fred Astaire Award and the Actor’s Equity Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus.
Nicholas Young
Artist Faculty
Tap Dance
Nicholas Young is an artist, choreographer, dancer, musician, and a 2014 Bessie Award recipient. He began his professional career at the age of 16 in Austin, TX with Tapestry Dance Company under the direction of Acia Gray and Deirdre Strand. As Principal Dancer and Resident Choreographer of the company, he was awarded Best Male Dancer (2001) and Best Choreography (2003) by the Austin Critics Council.
Sam Weber
Artist Faculty
Tap Dance
Sam Weber is an award-winning artist whose reputation as a performer, teacher, and choreographer in the world of tap dance is recognized around the globe. He was the first tap dancer to receive a Bessie Award, presented in recognition of Outstanding Artistic Achievement, alongside receiving additional tap dance awards.
Josette Wiggan
Artist Faculty
Tap Dance
An internationally acclaimed and much sought-after educator, choreographer, and performer, Josette Wiggan has dedicated her life to the perpetuation of African American Vernacular Jazz Dance. Josette’s career highlights include the 2001 Spotlight Award, the first National Broadway Tour of 42nd Street, a 2008 Bessie Award Nominee for Outstanding Performance in the Baker & Tarpaga Project, and movies such as Princess and the Frog.
Choreography Fellowship Faculty
Robert Moses
Program Director
Choreography Fellowship
Choreographer, Writer, and Composer, Robert Moses, has created over 100 works of varying styles and genres for his highly praised dance company. Since 2008, he has also composed many of the sound and narrative scores for his works. Moses has choreographed for dance, opera, and theater companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, San Francisco Opera, Olympic Arts Festival, Ailey II, Philadanco, among others.
Risa Steinberg
Program Director
Choreography Fellowship
Risa Steinberg is active in many facets of the dance community as a performer, teacher, re-constructor of the works of José Limón, rehearsal coach, and mentor to young, emerging, and established choreographers. As a choreographic advisor, she has the honor of mentoring many emerging and established choreographers, including Brian Brooks, Kyle Abraham, Kate Weare, and Michelle Dorrance.