The Faculty

Nancy Malmed (Director) - Ballet
Elena Tiuriakulova - Ballet, Pre-Ballet, Pointe, Yoga, Variations
Yosbel Delgado-Hernandez - Ballet, Partnering
Corinne Karon - Tap
Idrisa Abdul-Hamid - Jazz
Cara King - Pre Ballet
Eleanor Goudie-Averill - Pre Ballet
Jamie Laughlin - Modern, Hip Hop
David Dorsaima - Hip Hop

	Nancy Malmed, Director, performed professionally as soloist with Contemporary Dance Theater, LaSalle Music Theater and Pro Musica and has been teaching the Vaganova Method since 1979. She trained with Lilia Vladimirova and Tamara Lysenko of the Donetsk Ballet, Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, Harkness Ballet, and Maywood Academy, and served as faculty member of Temple University's Dance Department, where she received her Master's Degree in Dance. In 2007 she served as judge for the International Ballet Competition "Artek Fouette" in Crimea, Ukraine. In 1999, she was honored by the School District of Philadelphia for her work with public school children, and has also been selected to serve on local grant panels. Her choreography credits include Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Sleeping Beauty, La Boutique Fantasque, Carmen, The Four Seasons and Porgy and Bess. Each year she stages a full-length ballet for WDA's annual recital. She also choreographs for the Delaware Valley Opera Company.

	Elena Tiuriakulova, Ballet Mistress, is former principal dancer from the Krygyztan Opera and Ballet, in the former Soviet Union, where she danced the lead roles in Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Spartacus and many others. She received her training from the world-famous Kirov Choreographic Academy in St. Petersberg, Russia where she graduated with honors. She joined WDA's staff in 2003.

	Yosbel Delgado-Hernandez -A native of Pinar del Rio - Cuba, began his training at age 9 at the E.V.A. (vocational school of arts).His first professional ballet position was at the Camaguey Ballet in Cuba where he remained for two years performing their repertoire including several works by Osvaldo Rivero.In 1998 he was hired by the Ballet Nacional de Cuba under direction of Alicia Alonso where he performed featured roles including: Von Rothbart and pas de sixinSwan Lake, Don Quixote, toreros and sword dance in Don Quixote. In 2003 he joined the Pennsylvania Ballet and has performed numerous featured roles including the jester in Cinderella, chocolate and sugarplum cavalier in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Spanish dance and other roles in Swan Lake, as well as featured roles in Taming of the Shrew,Dracula, Firebird, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, The Concert, Kazimir’s colours, Carmina Burana, Five Tangos, Nine Sinatra Songs, Western Symphony, Messiah, Fearful Symmetries, The Four Temperaments, Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night’s Dream and Carnival of the Animals

	Corinne Karon graduated from The University of the Arts with a B.F.A. in Modern dance. Since graduation her biggest accomplishment has been that she has tap danced on all the continents in the world, yes including Antarctica! Corinne performs regularly throughout the country with Tap Team II for Young Audiences and has begun performing with Germaine Ingram. Corinne performed in the NY City Tap Extravaganza to honor legendary LaVaughn Robinson when he received his lifetime achievement award in 2005. Corinne teaches on a regular basis at The University of The Arts, Rowan University, Bryn Maur College, Wissahickon Dance Academy, Chester Valley Dance Academy, Calabrese Center For Dance and for Men on Tap.

	Idrisa Abdul-Hamid is a graduate of Fox School of Business and Management, Temple University with a BBA degree in Marketing. Idrisa has been on staff with WDA since 1997 and teaches Jazz Dance and Lyrical Concepts. Idrisa began her dance training in 1976 at Mrs. Dorothea's Dance School in Philadelphia. She also studied with Pennsylvania Ballet, Creighton Dance Progarm, Philadanco, Freedom Theatre, Creative and Performing Arts High School, and Morgan State University Modern Dance Ensemble. Her love for teaching began with the opening of her own dance studio, as Artistic Director with her Mother in 1992 in Philadelphia called DanSteps Studio. Idrisa also choreographs for many associations through the Tri-State Area; Tony Harris Jr. Dance Ensemble, Sister Pamela Muhammad Mosque #12 for ballroom showcases, and various Churches for praise dance performances. Idrisa refers to WDA as her second job, First LOVE. First Love because she loves the Art of Dance and especially loves teaching her students!

	Cara King graduated from Hope College in Michigan with a B.A. in Dance. She has been teaching the Philadelphia area for 7 years, mostly classes in ballet and creative movement for young children. She loves children, loves the art of dance, which is why she also loves teaching and has loads of fun doing it!

	Eleanor Goudie-Averill, a 2007 MFA Dance Performance graduate of the University of Iowa, currently dances for Group Motion Dance Company and directs the Stone Depot Dance Lab. She has served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Ballet at Bucknell University and Artistic Coordinator of the UI Youth Ballet. She began her training at Ballet Midwest in Topeka, Kansas and holds a BFA in dance from the University of Kansas. Ellie has performed with Daara Dance, Kayle+Co, Cohan/Suzeau, Prairie Wind Dancers, and was a founding member of the Bowery Dancers. Along with performing and choreographing, she loves teaching dance to people of all ages and jumping for joy.

	Jamie R. Laughlin is currently Director & Choreographer of Canaan Baptist Church ’s Praise Dance Ministry in Germantown . He has been an instructor of dance for more than 14 years, having taught at several performing arts schools throughout Philadelphia , as well as abroad. He is a graduate of Community College of Philadelphia where he received an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts and is pursuing his BFA at Temple University ’s Boyer College of Music & Dance. Jamie has performed professionally with LEJA Dance Theatre, UJIMA Dance Troupe, Next Generation and was Principal Dancer with ELEONE Dance Theatre. He has choreographed music videos for local recording artists and performed with IOTA at Walt Disney’s New Millennium Celebration. In 2004, Jamie established Ajala Essence Dance Productions based in the Delaware County , a performing and workshop/production Company that educates, inspires, and encourages audiences in the beauty of this expressive art form known as dance.

	David Dorsaima was born in Philadelphia Pa, and grew up in Cheltenham. In 2002 after years of making a name for himself in Philadelphia, David was introduced to Clyde Evans Hip-Hop program "ill children" where he studied all the elements of Hip-Hop. After training with Clyde, David was asked to become apart of Chosen Dance Company. In the past 5 years David has taught and performed up and down the east coast, for companies such as; Red Bull, Timberland, Mcdonald's, NFL films and Sunny Dlite. David has also danced at BET's 106th & park' "Wildin' Out Wednesday" where David and Chosen Dance Company danced there way to a victory. David's life goal is to travel the world presenting Hip-Hop in a way that people of all ages can enjoy.

38 East Schoolhouse Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19144

telephone: (215)-849-7950 fax: (215)-849-3117
toll free: 1-800-849-4919
email: wissahickondance@verizon.net