​Jessica Goldberg

Founding Executive Director, Teen Repertory Director; Ballet, Jazz, Modern
Jessica Goldberg holds a BA in dance & sociology from the University of Maryland where she studied with Sara Pearson, Patrik Widrig, Alvin Mayes, Adriane Fang, & Gesel Mason, as well as a diverse faculty abroad at MADE in France. Jessica has worked for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Dance New Amsterdam, Peridance and the Y Dance Academy as Co-Director. Since moving to NYC, she has danced with Faye Driscoll, Julie B. Johnson, Reject Dance Theatre,  Ground Grippers, and Becky Radway Dance Projects. Jessica is a 200-hour certified yoga teacher. She is proud to fulfill the mission of accessibility for all to pursue excellence in dance education at Rivertown Dance Academy.

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Erica Moshman

Director of Development & Donor Relations
Erica Moshman is a dance artist, performer and facilitator. Erica's focus is in inclusive dance practice and community work. She is a co-founder and Artistic Director of UK-based Parable Dance, and has performed with Becky Radway Dance Projects, Heidi Latsky Dance Company, Evolve Dance Inc. Suse Tietjen/ Tanzorchester Suse Tietjen, and Bahar Fattahi, among others. Erica is also the Publications Manager of The Dancer-Citizen online journal. She holds a BA in dance and anthropology from Connecticut College (USA) and an MA in dance anthropology from the University of Roehampton (UK).

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​Jane Alexandre

Adult Ballet Ensemble Director; Ballet, Jazz
Jane Alexandre is an independent scholar/artist who has been working in the New York dance world for more than 30 years as a performer, writer, teacher, choreographer, director, producer and administrator.  She is a Director of Evolve Dance Inc.; is the author of Dance Leadership: Theory into Practice (2017); is a founding editor at The Dancer-Citizen; and is a Lecturer in dance at Union Theological Seminary.  She has been involved in creating numerous dance projects both international (Ghana, Vietnam, Indonesia, Peru) and local (most recently the Y Dance Academy, 2013-15). She holds a BSc from Queen’s University (Canada), an MA from Antioch University (US/International), an MS from Pace University (US), and a PhD from Antioch University (US).  

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Dylan Baker

Tap
NYC based dancer and choreographer, Dylan Baker can be seen tapping toes with David Parker and The Bang Group, jumping across the stage with Matthew Westerby Company, and in live works and films by Boink Dance and Film. When he’s not in rehearsal or on stage Mr. Baker can be found teaching a wide range of classes including tap and modern dance to art and science after school classes and workshops. He currently teaches as part of The School at Peridance in NYC and Steffi Nossen School of Dance in White Plains, NY. He is excited to come and dance with everyone at Rivertown Dance Academy.

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​Mira Cook

Ballet, Pointe
Mira Cook is from Austin Texas where she studied ballet from age 6 with the Texas Youth Ballet and later with Ballet Austin where she performed in the corps de ballet as a trainee. Mira went on to become a member of City Ballet of San Diego, Liss Fain Dance SF, and is a current artist with Battery Dance, Indelible Dance and John Passafiume and Dancers. She has performed and taught dance in more than 40 countries with Battery Dance including the Georgian National Ballet (Tblisi), University of Trinidad and Tobago, Poznan Ballet (Poland), Xinghai Conservatory (China) & Mophato Dance Theater (Botswana) and is featured in the dance documentary “Moving Stories” which premiered at MoMA in 2018.  Mira is the founder of NYC $5 Community Ballet, an open class series for advanced and professional dancers.  She makes music and choreography.  Her works have been performed by Austin Dance Ensemble, City Ballet of San Diego, SUSHI performance and visual art (San Diego), Indelible Dance, and Battery Dance.  Mira released her fourth music album in 2019 on Gold Robot Records.

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​Kristin Licata

Ballet, Modern, Pointe
Kristin Licata holds a BFA in dance from the Fordham/Ailey program.  After graduation she worked with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II, Felice Lesser Dance Theatre, Regina Nejman and Company, Vabang! and Vox Lumiere.  Kristin is a freelancer dancer in New York City working with Ariel Rivka Dance, Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn, Matthew Westerby Company, Tamara Saari Dance, Valerie Green/Dance Entropy, and Yuka Kawazu/Danse En L’air.  Kristin is also a dance teacher on faculty at Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn and is the advisor to CBTB's Junior Company, and Fancy Feet Dance Studios in the Bronx.  She also teaches residencies at Edward R. Murrow high school and St. Edmund's Prep in Brooklyn.

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​Alex Martin

Tap Workshop Director; Tap, Theatre Jazz, Early Childhood Dance
Alex Martin graduated from Wayne State University with a B.F.A. in Dance.  Her college and performing career credits include works by Melissa Allen, Twyla Tharp, Ben Munisteri, John Zullo, Julie Johnson, Nicholas Leichter, Max Pollack, Jason Samuels-Smith, Derrick Grant, Lynn Schwab and Michelle Dorrance. Her work, “Area of Stability”, was featured at the ACDFA East Central Gala in 2009 and received the Copperfoot Choreography Award. In addition to actively pursuing her career as a professional dancer, she teaches and choreographs throughout the NYC metropolitan area.

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Therese Wendler

Ballet, Pointe, Ballet Repertory
​Ms. Wendler was born in Honolulu Hawaii. Therese received her ballet training from Nina Marlow in Phoenix, AZ. The Joffrey Ballet Program brought her to New York City. Since then she has worked with Ballet Metropolitan of Caracas in Venezuela, Ballet International, Ballet Concierto of Puerto Rico, Ballet Jorgen Canada in Toronto, Thomas/Ortiz in NYC and as Principal with Connecticut Ballet. She has been intensely coached by Elena Kunikova, Diana Cartier, and Irina Koplakova. She is a Principal dancer with Dances Patrelle, Covenant Ballet Theater of Brooklyn and Rebecca Kelly Ballet in NYC. This fall she will be dancing the role of Lady MacDuff in Francis Patrelle’s production of MacBeth. Therese taught this summer in the Character and International Dance program with the Joffrey Ballet School. She is currently on staff at Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in the Ballet Junior Division Department and is the Department Chair of Ballet at the Rivertown Dance Academy in Tarrytown, NY.

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​Matthew Westerby

Modern, Modern Lab
Matthew Westerby trained at the Laban Centre (UK) and graduated with a B.A. (Hons) in Dance Theatre. Since re-locating to New York he has performed with Nai-Ni Chen, Risa Jaroslow, Dusan Tynek, Peter Kyle, Bronwen MacArthur, Jessica Gaynor and Marla Hirowkawa.  His freelance choreographic credits include work for Hudson Guild Theatre Company, Brass City Ballet, the Dance Dept. of Naugatuck Valley Community College, Covenant Ballet Theatre, Dancewave and Evolve Dance. He formed Matthew Westerby Company 2008 and has since been presented around the tri-state area. The Company works extensively in arts education, providing programming in professional, community and educational settings. www.matthewwesterbycompany.org