About Stephanie Risser

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CURRENT ~ BACKGROUND ~ AWARDS ~ ASSOCIATIONS

CURRENT

Stephanie currently teaches at two studious as well as independently teaching.  Her primary focus is hustle, swing, ballroom and ballet.

• Vai Dance Studio

• DanceSport Academy

Here is a sample of a recent demonstration (Foxtrot with Brian Gallagher).

BACKGROUND

Stephanie began her dance training with Carolyn Trythall at what is now Lancaster School of Ballet, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  There she studied the Cecchetti Method of ballet, modern, jazz, and tap.  Stephanie was a founding member of the Ballet Theater of Lancaster, as well as performing in the Donetsk Ballet’s The Nutcracker.  After graduating from high school Stephanie attended the University of Hartford/School of the Hartford Ballet (now Dance Connecticut) BFA program, where she had the opportunity to perform with the Touring Ensemble, a performing group that toured Connecticut, and work with the Hartford Ballet.  After graduating with a BFA in Dance Pedagogy Stephanie returned to Lancaster where she taught for Lancaster School of Ballet and worked with Ballet Theater of Lancaster.  Stephanie also began studying ballroom dancing with Top Hat Dance Studio.  She continued her ballroom training after she moved to Connecticut to teach at the School of Dance Connecticut.  There she taught students from ages 3-15 and was the children’s rehearsal co-coordinator for Adam Miller’s production of The Nutcracker.  In 2002, she moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she was the Director and main instructor of Top Hat Dance Studio School of Ballet and a ballroom instructor for Top Hat Dance Studio for 3 years.  Here she began competing professionally in hustle, winning 2^nd place at Disco America in 2004, 1^st place at Dance America Seattle in 2005 and 3^rd place in the Van McCoy Professional World Open Hustle Championships in 2005.  Stephanie has also performed in many dinner shows at various competitions, including Disco America, International Hustle and Salsa Competition and New Year’s Extravaganza. 

AWARDS

2008

• 3^rd place Open Just Hustle with Joe Kerner (MAD Jam)

• 3^rd place Pro-Am Jack & jill with Ken McArthur (Hooray for Hollywood)

• 5^th place Open Jack & Jill with Gary Ulaner (Mad Jam)

2007

• 1^st place Open Jack & Jill with Billy Marti (MAD Jam)

• 1^st place Pro-Am Jack &Jill with Frank Mazzarella (Disco America)

• 1st place Open Just Hustle with Joe Kerner (Holiday Spectacular)

• 2^nd place Professional Jack & Jill with Joey Commentucci (Disco America)

• 2^nd place Open Cabaret with Joey Commentucci (Disco America)

• 2^nd place Pro-Am Jack & Jill Advanced with Jesse Castaneda (Big Easy)

• 2^nd place Open Just Hustle with Alex Kim (Mountain Magic)

• 3^rd place Pro-Am Jack & Jill Intermediate with Shawn Brennan (Big Easy)

• 4^th place Professional Just Hustle with Joe Kerner (IHSC)

• 4^th Place Open Just Hustle with Wingo Hom (MaD Jam)

• 5^th place Strictly Swing Adv with Manny Villareal (Mountain Magic)

2006

• 1st place Open Just Hustle with Peter Maranan (Mountain Magic)

• 1st place Open Just Hustle with Steve Salerno (Holiday Spectacular)

2005

• 1st place Professional Open Hustle Championships with Jameson Kilburn  (Dance America Seattle)

• 3rd place Professional Van McCoy with Jameson Kilburn (IHSC)

2004

• 2^nd place Professional Hustle Championships with Jameson Kilburn (Disco America)

• 3^rd place Professional Just Hustle with Jameson Kilburn (Disco America)

ASSOCIATIONS

• Member Cecchetti Council of America

• Member International Hustle Dance Association

• Member National Dance Council of America