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| Faculty |
jJESSE KATEN began studying dance in 1991 with Miss Bobbie Jo Kelsey. While her
student, he participated in numerous performances and competitions, including winning first
place at the Broome County Fair and First Runner Up for the Mr. Dance of New York Title at
the United States Tournament of Dance. In 2000, he was named the studio Student of the
Year and began to teach professionally. The valedictorian of his high school class, he went
on to earn his BA in Politics at Ithaca College magna cum laude with Honors in the
Humanities and Sciences in three years and performed and choreographed in many drama
and dance performances while at Ithaca. In 2004, after several summers of offering
successful summer dance workshops, he opened The Jesse Katen School of Dance and has
since directed eight major recitals and numerous community performances, while earning his
MA in Philosophy, Interpretation, and Culture at Binghamton University, where he also taught
courses in writing and literature and choreographed for student groups on campus.
Passionate about education, he also was elected to the Board of Education of the Deposit
Central School District in 2008.
Committed to extending the promise of the art of dance to those who would not otherwise
have the opportunity, he founded Jesse Katen Dance Company in 2007. The Company is a
501(c)(3) non-profit public charity devoted to dance performance, education, and
enrichment programs. The company has offered workshops and special performances in
various communities throughout the Southern Tier and produced the entire Nutcracker ballet
in December of 2010.
Jesse often travels as both a professional competition judge and to offer workshops to other
studios, specializing in technique and classical dance. He has judged competitions for
Sophisticated Productions in Philadelphia, PA; Springfield, MA; Long Island, NY;
Youngstown, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; Boston, MA; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Providence, RI; and
St. Louis, MO. In July, 2011, he judged the Sophisticated National Dance Competition in
Wildwood, NJ where he also taught a convention class in lyrical technique.
Jesse is thrilled to move his studio to Binghamton and to have the opportunity to work
alongside Miss Vanessa. Using his advanced academic background in theory and
performance studies, he is committed to creating innovative choreography and instill a sense
of artistry and intellectuality in his students.
student, he participated in numerous performances and competitions, including winning first
place at the Broome County Fair and First Runner Up for the Mr. Dance of New York Title at
the United States Tournament of Dance. In 2000, he was named the studio Student of the
Year and began to teach professionally. The valedictorian of his high school class, he went
on to earn his BA in Politics at Ithaca College magna cum laude with Honors in the
Humanities and Sciences in three years and performed and choreographed in many drama
and dance performances while at Ithaca. In 2004, after several summers of offering
successful summer dance workshops, he opened The Jesse Katen School of Dance and has
since directed eight major recitals and numerous community performances, while earning his
MA in Philosophy, Interpretation, and Culture at Binghamton University, where he also taught
courses in writing and literature and choreographed for student groups on campus.
Passionate about education, he also was elected to the Board of Education of the Deposit
Central School District in 2008.
Committed to extending the promise of the art of dance to those who would not otherwise
have the opportunity, he founded Jesse Katen Dance Company in 2007. The Company is a
501(c)(3) non-profit public charity devoted to dance performance, education, and
enrichment programs. The company has offered workshops and special performances in
various communities throughout the Southern Tier and produced the entire Nutcracker ballet
in December of 2010.
Jesse often travels as both a professional competition judge and to offer workshops to other
studios, specializing in technique and classical dance. He has judged competitions for
Sophisticated Productions in Philadelphia, PA; Springfield, MA; Long Island, NY;
Youngstown, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; Boston, MA; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Providence, RI; and
St. Louis, MO. In July, 2011, he judged the Sophisticated National Dance Competition in
Wildwood, NJ where he also taught a convention class in lyrical technique.
Jesse is thrilled to move his studio to Binghamton and to have the opportunity to work
alongside Miss Vanessa. Using his advanced academic background in theory and
performance studies, he is committed to creating innovative choreography and instill a sense
of artistry and intellectuality in his students.
The studio's faculty consists of Jesse Katen and Vanessa Hierl, both of whom are experienced teachers and committed to offering students a positive educational experience. Both are natives of the Souther Tier but happened to meet at the Sophisticated Productions National Dance Competition in Wildwood, NJ in 2010 and became friends and co-workers. |
VANESSA HIERL is one of the most accomplished performers and dance teachers in
the Southern Tier. As a dancer, she has been asked to perform at numerous local venues
including the Roberson Center, the Cider Mill Playhouse, the Hurricane Katrina Benefit at
the Anderson Center, the Oakdale Mall, and at the Broome County Arena at a Binghamton
Senators game.
Miss Vanessa is a highly praised dancer with particular expertise in the genres of
acrobatics and contortion. She began an impressive career of success when she won the
Endicott Performing Arts Center Talent Show in 2006. She then went on to win Channel
34's "Binghamton's Got Talent 2007." At the 2009 New York State Fair in Syracuse,
Vanessa won first prize out of 250 contestants in the talent competition. In the dance
competition world, Vanessa has one some of the most impressive awards and titles possible
including being named Overall Winner of the Solo Division at Tersichore Dance Celebration
in 2009. At the United States Tournament of Dance, she was named Miss Acrobat 16 and
up in 2009 and, in 2010, she held onto the same title and was additonally crowned Queen
of Dance. At Sophisticated Productions Dance Competition, Vanessa, in both 2009 and
2010, received the title Teen Miss Sophisticated at both the regional and national
competitions.
As a teacher and choreographer, Miss Vanessa is equally as accomplished. She won the
$250 Prize for choreographing the highest scoring large group at Terpsichore Dance
Celebration in 2009 and the $500 prize as best choreographer at the Sophisticated
Productions National Competition. At 2010, also at Sophisticated's Nationals, she
choreographed and taught three separate Overall Winning Routines including for Solos 6
and under, Solos 7-8, and Solos 9-10, as well as for Duo/Trios 9-10. At the Nexstar
Competition in 2011, she choreographed the Overall Winning routine for Soloists ages 8
and under and she choreographed the Overall Winning routine for Large Group ages 12
and under, which was impressive enough to be invited to attend the National competition
free of charge. In June, 2011, Vanesssa was given a special judge's award for Outstanding
Choreography at the United States Tournament of Dance.
Miss Vanessa says, "Having taught dance for many years, I look forward to working with the
dancers to impart to them encouragement and positive instruction. Dance is my passion."
the Southern Tier. As a dancer, she has been asked to perform at numerous local venues
including the Roberson Center, the Cider Mill Playhouse, the Hurricane Katrina Benefit at
the Anderson Center, the Oakdale Mall, and at the Broome County Arena at a Binghamton
Senators game.
Miss Vanessa is a highly praised dancer with particular expertise in the genres of
acrobatics and contortion. She began an impressive career of success when she won the
Endicott Performing Arts Center Talent Show in 2006. She then went on to win Channel
34's "Binghamton's Got Talent 2007." At the 2009 New York State Fair in Syracuse,
Vanessa won first prize out of 250 contestants in the talent competition. In the dance
competition world, Vanessa has one some of the most impressive awards and titles possible
including being named Overall Winner of the Solo Division at Tersichore Dance Celebration
in 2009. At the United States Tournament of Dance, she was named Miss Acrobat 16 and
up in 2009 and, in 2010, she held onto the same title and was additonally crowned Queen
of Dance. At Sophisticated Productions Dance Competition, Vanessa, in both 2009 and
2010, received the title Teen Miss Sophisticated at both the regional and national
competitions.
As a teacher and choreographer, Miss Vanessa is equally as accomplished. She won the
$250 Prize for choreographing the highest scoring large group at Terpsichore Dance
Celebration in 2009 and the $500 prize as best choreographer at the Sophisticated
Productions National Competition. At 2010, also at Sophisticated's Nationals, she
choreographed and taught three separate Overall Winning Routines including for Solos 6
and under, Solos 7-8, and Solos 9-10, as well as for Duo/Trios 9-10. At the Nexstar
Competition in 2011, she choreographed the Overall Winning routine for Soloists ages 8
and under and she choreographed the Overall Winning routine for Large Group ages 12
and under, which was impressive enough to be invited to attend the National competition
free of charge. In June, 2011, Vanesssa was given a special judge's award for Outstanding
Choreography at the United States Tournament of Dance.
Miss Vanessa says, "Having taught dance for many years, I look forward to working with the
dancers to impart to them encouragement and positive instruction. Dance is my passion."
