Scott Wise, Founder and Director
Scott has been Broadway’s leading song & dance man throughout the last three decades. He is a Tony award winner (Broadway’s highest performance honor) for Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. Additionally, he was nominated for the Tony Award for his performances in State Fair and Fosse. He is also the proud recipient of the 1997 Connecticut’s Best Actor in a musical for Lucky in the Rain at East Haddam’s Goodspeed Opera House. You can also see Mr. Wise in the hit movie musical Chicago. A veteran performer of thirteen Broadway shows, Mr. Wise has also choreographed and directed on Off Broadway and regionally. He worked side-by-side with Twyla Tharp as assistant director for the award-winning hit musical, Movin’ Out. Scott has taught nationwide as well as in New York’s Broadway Dance Center and Step’s on Broadway. He has recently been certified by Dance Educators of America. With his back ground so rooted in performing on Broadway he hopes to share his knowledge, guide aspiring performers, and share the joy he has found throughout his career to students of all levels.
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Elizabeth Parkinson, Founder and Director
Elizabeth is presently one of New York’s greatest dance stars. Acclaimed in ballet, modern, and jazz styles, Ms. Parkinson has performed worldwide as a principle with the Joffrey Ballet, Feld Ballet, Donald Byrd/The Group, and Twyla Tharp Dance. In 1999, she segued to Broadway and received tremendous praise as a lead in Fosse and later in the hit Twyla Tharp/Billy Joel musical, Movin’ Out, where she earned the 2003 Tony-award nomination and the highly coveted Astaire Award for best female dancer on Broadway. Elizabeth continues to perform as a concert soloist and on the Movin’ Out national tour. This past summer she taught for Broadway Dance Center and Step's on Broadway, and choreographed her first piece for The Main Event in Detroit produced by John Crutchman and The West Coast Dance Explosion (WCDE). Elizabeth will be teaching ballet for the WCDE national tour 06/07. Often described as fiery, fearless, and an indefatigably hard worker, Elizabeth hopes to pass on her passion, love and strong work ethic to her students.
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Arlene Begelman
Arlene Begelman’s experience and ability as a teacher, director and choreographer has made her a true treasure in the New Milford area. Her 60+ years of dedication to the performing arts is second to none. From 1942 to1948 she was a scholarship student at George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet and from there she went on to join his company The New York City Ballet. From 1963 to 1972 she choreographed and/or staged 20 community theatre productions in New York City and Connecticut. She was the Artistic Director of Actor’s Repertory Theatre of Connecticut and Connecticut Stage, Inc., directing dozens of plays and musicals. In 1981Arlene became Artistic Director of The School of the Performing Arts (S.O.P.A) a professional training school for dance, voice and theatre. At S.O.P.A. she staged ballets such as Peter and the Wolf, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides and many other original ballets. At Stage II Theatre Company she directed operas and plays such as Le Traviata, Tosca, Rigoletto, Seven Deadly Sins, The Widow’s Blind Date, Speed the Plow, and many more. She has been a Guest Artist in drama and dance for the Sherman and Kent public school systems and Director of the outreach program On the Road, with Saun Ellis. Most recently with great success Arlene directed The Guys by Anne Nelson, a play about the heros of 9/11. Her high standards, dedication, and undying love for the arts is unparalleled and reflected in her students at S.O.P.A. many of whom have gone on to professional careers in the arts.
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MaryAnn Lamb is routinely recognized as the quintessential Broadway dancer. Ms Lamb appears in the hit film, Chicago. She has appeared in 10 Broadway shows, including: Contact, Fosse, Seussical, and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. Ms Lamb is also a veteran of a variety of films, television roles, numerous commercials and regional theatre productions. Ms. Lamb has taught master classes and workshops throughout the United States including SOPA – and has a wide variety of teaching experience for all ages and levels. She is presently in the new Broadway musical Curtains, currently in it’s out of town tryout.
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Robert Maiorano
New York City Ballet; Award Winning Author; Professional Actor; Ballet, Adagio, Partnering
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Barbara Braverman
Principal Dancer: Cleveland Ballet; Former Apprentice to Twyla Tharp; Ballet, Variations, Modern, Jazz, Tap
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Oksana Protenic
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Voice Coach; Piano Arts; Singing Technique; Repertoire and Coaching; Language Coach; Opera & Music Theatre; Children’s Chorus
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Leland Williams
Professional Actress; Axial Theatre Company; Shakespeare Workshops; Children & Teen Theatre
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Kerry Gallagher
Artistic Director of “downcitydancetheatrecompany”; Fusion Dance; Creative Ballet Company; Modern; Creative Dance; Choreography
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