MDAA 2015 Fall Workshop Guest Faculty Biographies
Ballet
Jacob Cox is the Assistant Director and the Ballet Instructor at PC Dance Company. Mr. Cox was born in Osage
City, KS, and began his dance training at the age of 15 at the Metropolitan Ballet Theater of Topeka. He went
on to study at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary during the
summer of 2005 and later enrolled as a full-time student. After spending 3 years training in Pennsylvania, Cox
became a member of Tulsa Ballet II in September 2008 and was with the company for 2 seasons. He has
danced lead roles in productions such as George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, Raymonda,
Serenade and Grand Pas Classique. Cox continues to train but has found his love for teaching.
Hip-Hop
Eric Liranzo is a prior hip hop teacher at Miss Linda's School of Dance! After separating from the military in
2012, Eric decided to go back to school in Delaware, enrolling at Wilmington University. Eric immersed himself
in the D.C./Baltimore area, continuing his training in the style of Popping. Dancing in the DMV gave him the
opportunity to backup for Fantasia and dance for companies such as PayPal and Under Armor. Eric is
extremely excited to return to Montana to share his style and see some familiar faces!
Jazz
Jaci Card's students can be spotted performing with SoulEscape Company, on-stage with Taylor Swift and
working on Glee to mention a few. She has performed with the professional companies, Energy Source,
American Dance Company and Exhale Dance Tribe. Recently Jaci traveled to Cessena, Italy to champion the
World Dance Cup.
Modern
Paula McArthur is the director of Des Moines DanzArts Studio and has over 28 years of teaching experience.
She currently teaches dance at Drake University and has taught for Penn State University and Iowa State
University. For over a decade she was the Associate Director for the School of Classical Ballet & Dance and has
taught for many other schools. Paula is a founding member of "Hurley and Dancers" and continues to perform
for them. She performed with the Des Moines Ballet and trained at the Joffrey Ballet School and the Royal
Winnipeg Ballet School. She earned her BFA from ISU where she turned her attention to modern dance. She
was honored with both the Anna R. Toman and Charlotte Wilkason awards from ISU. She continued her study
at the Bates Dance Festivals, Doug Varone intensives and summer programs at NYU. Since becoming a modern
dancer she has worked with Bill T. Jones, Bill Young, Doug Varone, David Dorfmann, Claire Porter, Michael
Foley, Kevin Wynn, Joanna Mendl Shaw, Ron K. Brown, Rennie Harris and Larry Keigwin; just to name a few.
Tap
Nicholas Young is a dancer, choreographer, and musician. Most recently a member of the off Broadway
sensation STOMP, he is grateful to have spent more than 9 years with the show, performing the lead role and
acting as rehearsal director for the American Tour. He began his professional carreer with Tapestry Dance
Company of Austin, Texas, at the age of 16. Under the direction of Acia Gray and Deirdre Strand, he spent 10
years with the company, earning him the positions of principal dancer, resident choreographer and in 2001
was voted “best male dancer in Austin” by the Austin Critics Council. Since moving to New York, Nicholas has
been a dancer with tap companies Manhattan Tap, Rumba Tap, and Dorrance Dance, as well as a featured
percussionist with Cyro Baptista's fusion Brazilian ensemble and as drummer for indie pop star Darwin DeeZ.
He has been a master teacher for dance festivals worldwide, teaching tap and body percussion for The Chicago
Human Rhythm Project, New York's Tap City, Soul to Sole in Austin, St. Louis Tap Festival, American Dance
Festival, and many more. He has performed Japan, Portugal, England and in Italy to name a few. Nicholas is
currently on faculty at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway.
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MDAA 2015 Fall Workshop Guest Faculty Biographies
Flamenco
MariaJose Staley Ramon Ros is an accomplished performer, instructor and choreographer. Originally from
Spain, she studied under the Royal Academy of Dance and the Spanish Dance Society. She has extensive
performing experience dancing in operas, concerts, musical comedies and showcases. An accomplished
Flamenco dancer, she has taught ballet and flamenco in Spain, Japan and in the US. She holds a Bachelor
Degree in Social Sciences, a Degree of Senior Technician in Early Childhood Education and certificates of
graduation in Physical Sports Education, Advanced II Course RAD and Spanish Dance.
Hip Hop I
Sarah Dassinger hales from Kansas where she trained in Cecchetti ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip hop. She
has competed and received national awards in jazz and hip hop from Co Dance, Tremaine and West Coast
Dance Explosion. Sarah has performed with Bowery Dancers and Topeka Ballet Ensemble and is a graduate of
Drake Univeristy. She has taught jazz, hip hop, dance teams, contemporary and ballet at several studios
throughout the Topeka area.
Ballet I
Marisa Roth is the owner/director of the Northwest Ballet School & Company. She began dance at the young
age of 3 and continued training through college, where she graduated from Mercyhurst University, PA with a
BA in Dance. Marisa danced with the Lake Erie Ballet Company before returning to the Flathead to teach. She
took over the Northwest Ballet in January 2007, continuing to grow the program to offer classes in various
dance styles. Her Company performs their annual Nutcracker and spring Mother's Day. Marisa served two
terms as Secretary on the Board of MDAA and is currently the MDAA President. She has performed as a
member of AzureVision Dance Collective, a modern company in the Flathead Valley, since its founding in 2005.
Jazz I
Kristine Fife grew up in Helena dancing at the Creative Arts Center under the direction of Charlene White and
was a member of Premiere Dance Company. Following high school, she studied dance at Southern Utah
University. Miss Kris, as her students affectionately call her, has been teaching ballet and jazz at the Creative
Arts Center for 16 years. She is an active member of the Montana Dance Arts Association. She enjoys sharing
her love of dance with students of all ages and is glad to be in Great Falls this weekend
Tap I
Dani Alex began dancing at age 3 for physical therapy due to hip problems. She fell in love with dance at age
12 while attending the very first ever MDAA workshop held in Helena featuring the San Francisco Ballet Co.
Growing up with MDAA she received numerous scholarships for summer study including Sun Valley Fine Arts
Camp, San Francisco Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet. In 1973, Dani took over the Elena Lloyd school of Dance
(formerly the Davis-Haney School of Dance) in Great Falls. Dani has been teaching dance since and continues
to teach on the HiLine, currently teaching at the newly formed STUDIO OF DANCE AND ARTS in Havre. She is
both proud and honored to serve on the MDAA Board of Directors.
Modern I
Pam Erickson’s opportunity of dancing and performing with her San Diego high school dance troupe led her to
her true love: modern dance. Soon after Pam’s arrival in Montana, she danced for two years with Elenita
Brown, learning the wonderful style of Flamenco. With the aid of the Esther Junger scholarship, Pam became
a student in the dance department at the University of Montana. While there, Pam studied with teachers
from around the country, such as Carla Lewis of the Jose Limon Dance Company, members of the Nikolai
Company, and Steve Paxton, “the discoverer” of Contact Improvisation. Pam received her B.A. in dance from
the University of California, Riverside, and founded River Street Dance Theater in Hamilton in 1984.
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