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Get to know us! Emily Orzada is originally from Newark, Delaware, where she began her training at Mid-Atlantic Ballet. Emily began her ballet career by joining the Ballet Theatre of Maryland, with Artistic Director Diana Cuatto, where she danced for three years. She then went on to dance with Fort Wayne Ballet for one season. In 2018, Emily moved to Connecticut to dance with Ballet Hartford under the direction of Elizabeth McMillian. In 2020, Emily Co-Founded New Enlgand Ballet Theatre, where she served as Co-Artistic Director until 2022. While with NEBT, Emily had the opportunity to work with many outstanding artists, choreograph new works, as well as perform leading roles including, The Dying Swan in The Carnival of the Animals and the Raven in Christopher Flemings The Myth and the Madness of Edgar Allan Poe. In December 2022, Emily guest performed with Fisher Ballet Productions in The Nitcracker as the Sugar Plum Fairy. During the Spring of 2023, Emily had the opportunity to perform with Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet in their tour of ‘The Curve’ in collaboration with Ameen Mokdad and Cuatro Puntos, spreading the word about social injustice around the world.  Emily rejoined Ballet Hartford for their 23-24 season and is thrilled to continue dancing with the company under Artistic Director Claire Kretzschmar. While with Ballet Hartford, she has had the joy of performing in A Ceremony of Carols and other original works by Claire Kretzschmar, as well as Moyen and Giselles Mother in Ballet Hartfords production of Giselle, and the Canary Fairy and the Wolf in The Sleeping Beauty. Emily has been teaching classical ballet for over 8 years in dance schools across the state of Connecticut, where she is currently on staff with The Dance Project and The School of Ballet Hartford. She also teaches Yoga, earning her 200RYT in September 2018, she brings the fundamentals of yoga into her ballet classes encouraging students to move mindfully, breathe, and use the skills they learn in dance class to prepare for life beyond the studio.

Get to know us! Sarah Scovill joined The Dance Project in Season 7 and has been a wonderful addition to the TDP family. We are proud to have her on faculty and to share her passion and experience with our dancers. With over 35 years of dance experience, Sarah has been teaching and choreographing throughout Connecticut for more than 20 years. She holds degrees in Fine Arts–Dance, Early Childhood Education, and Child Studies, bringing both artistic expertise and a strong educational foundation to her work. Growing up, Sarah trained not only in competitive dance, but also in voice, piano, and acting. Her students have achieved great success, earning numerous regional overall awards and national titles. She has been on staff at Seven Angels Theatre for over 20 years and serves as the resident choreographer for their Kids Stage program. As a performer, Sarah has danced at collegiate halftime events across the country, including at UCONN, UMass, and the Army vs. Navy Game at West Point. She has trained and taught a wide range of styles including musical theatre, contemporary, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, ballroom, acrobatics, contortion, lyrical, and creative movement. Sarah’s passion for teaching stems from the inspiration and mentorship she received from Amy Zappone Brooks during her training years at Studio 1 Dance Center. She has choreographed for dance teams, weddings, musical productions, vocalists, and pageant contestants. She enjoys visiting New York City to see the latest Broadway shows and continuing her own training at Broadway Dance Center. Sarah resides in Wolcott with her husband and their two daughters, Mackenzie and Kali, and is thrilled to be part of The Dance Project family.

☀️🎉 SUMMER FUN STARTS HERE! 🎉☀️ Get ready to dance, sparkle, shine, and make unforgettable memories at The Dance Project’s Summer Dance Camps! 💚🖤 ✨ K-Pop Demon Hunters Camp 👑 Princess & Prince Camp 🎭 Musical Theater Dance Camp Whether your dancer loves pop stars, fairy tales, or the bright lights of Broadway, we have the perfect camp for them! Spots are limited and filling fast! Don’t miss out on an epic summer of dancing, creativity, games, crafts, and FUN! 🌟

A huge thank you to the Hubbell Dance Team for inviting us to perform tonight! 💚✨ We loved being a part of such a wonderful community event and sharing our passion and love for dance with everyone. Opportunities like these remind us how special it is to connect, inspire and celebrate how much we love to dance. Thank you for having us—we had an amazing time! 💚

🌟 2026–2027 ALL STAR REGISTRATION IS OPEN! 🌟 Join us for an exciting season of dance! ✨ Classes run September–May ✨ End-of-Season Recital Included ✨ Qualified & Caring Instructors ✨ Safe, Positive, and Encouraging Environment ✨ Ballet • Tap • Jazz • Hip Hop • Acro • Musical Theatre & More 💚 Whether your child is stepping into the studio for the very first time or continuing their dance journey, we have a class for them! Register on our website!

This Saturday! Age 14 and up Jazz 10:15 🖤 Register on our website 💚

3 weeks to go!!! So incredibly proud of this team ❤️💙💚

Get to know us! Amanda Gelonese began her dance training at the age of five in her hometown of Wolcott, CT, and went on to dance competitively with Studio 1 Dance Center through high school. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance from Rhode Island College, where she had the opportunity to participate in numerous residencies with artists from across the country. Following graduation, Amanda served as the rehearsal director for the Rhode Island College Dance Company for two years. Amanda also danced professionally with Part of the Oath Dance Company under the direction of Colleen Cavanaugh, M.D., where she contributed as both a choreographer and the company’s outreach coordinator. She later expanded her leadership in arts education by running the outreach program and working with the apprentice company at Festival Ballet Providence under the direction of Misha Djuric. For the past seven years, Amanda has been teaching both recreational and competitive dancers at Duval Dance and Music Academy in Scituate, MA. Her choreography has been recognized at both the regional and national levels. Amanda is passionate about sharing her knowledge and inspiring young dancers to discover their own love for dance. Miss Mandy has been a valued member of The Dance Project for many years and is an integral part of both our All Star and Performance Team programs. Her students have been recognized on both the regional and national level, and she is known for her strong attention to detail in every class she teaches.

Get to know us! Amy Brooks is a seasoned dance educator, choreographer, studio owner and program manager with over 30 years of experience in the dance industry. Throughout her career, Amy has served in many leadership roles including dance teacher, studio owner, director and program manager bringing in a well rounded and deeply informed perspective to every aspect of dance education. As a program manager at The Dance Project, Amy has a built a strong, supportive and professional training environment centered on both technical excellence and personal growth. Her commitment to fostering positive and disciplined studio culture has helped shape generations of dancers while creating a space where students feel encouraged, challenged and inspired. With more than three decades of experience in the competitive dance industry, Amy has worked extensively as both a choreographer and adjudicator, giving her a comprehensive understanding of performance standards, scoring, stage presence and industry expectations. Her choreography has earned numerous award and recognition at both regional and national competitions. As a former Miss Connecticut America, Amy has dedicated over 20 years of volunteer service to the Miss America Organization. Throughout that time, she has served in multiple leadership roles local pageant producer, state choreographer, and contestant training coach, mentoring young women in performance, confidence, professionalism and personal development. Amy and her husband are proud parents to three children: Averie, Autumn and Austin. Averie is currently a trainee with American Repertory Ballet, Autumn will soon begin the BFA Dance Program at University of Massachusetts Amherst while also joining the UMASS Dance Team and Austin is entering high school. Amy’s passion for mentorship is reflected in the success of her students. Many of her dancers have gone on to pursue professional dance careers, collegiate dance programs, BFA programs, dance teams and careers as dance educators themselves - continuing her legacy of strong training, leadership, and dedication to the art form. Amy continues to inspire and elevate the next generation of performers.

Get to know us! Kelly Cohen A Graduate of Naugatuck Valley Community College, Kelly Blankschen Cohen received her degree in Visual and Performing Arts with a focus in Dance. Born and raised in Wolcott, CT, she has taught in towns and cities across the state for many years. Kelly brings more than twenty years of dance experience. As a former competitive dancer at Studio 1 Dance Center, her dancers and choreography have been recognized at both regional and national levels. At a young age, Kelly trained with the Radio City Rockettes for four summers and traveled to Shanghai, China in 2009, representing the United States with her dance studio. She is a founding member and choreographer for ATTAK Dance Company, a professional modern dance company based in West Hartford, CT, performing in festivals and concerts throughout the state. Professionally, Kelly performed at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL. She appeared on the Magic Kingdom Castle stage in Celebrate the Season and in the ABC special Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade on Christmas Day. She also spent the summer of 2014 performing as a member of the CT Sun WNBA Solar Power Dance Team. Kelly continues to expand her impact in the dance industry, traveling nationally as a judge for Star Dance Alliance competitions, where she shares her knowledge and experience with dancers of all ages. She has been named Choreographer of the Year from 2019-2025 and her dancers have earned National Championship titles for the past 7 years. Her choreography has also been nominated for an Industry Dance Award. Her students consistently receive national recognition each year and go on to pursue training in both professional and collegiate dance programs. Above all, Kelly is passionate about teaching and performing and is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of dancers. Kelly and her husband are the proud parents of their 5-year-old son, Jaxson.

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Season 9 Registration Opens Tomorrow at 7:00 PM! 💚 Fall classes run September through May 💚 End-of-Season Recital in May 💚 Classes start at 18 months old 💚 All Star & Competitive Programs 💚 Qualified, experienced, and caring instructors 💚 Safe, friendly, and nurturing environment At The Dance Project, we’re focused on more than just teaching the art of dance. We are committed to helping children build confidence, develop discipline, learn teamwork, and grow into kind, respectful, and responsible young adults. Because while great dancers are wonderful, helping raise great humans is even more important. 💚 Our classes fill quickly each year, so don’t wait! Registration Opens Tomorrow at 7:00 PM

Join Miss Mandy for 4 Saturdays in June featuring Jazz, Contemporary & Conditioning! ✨ 💚 Ages 14 & Up 💚 Post-Graduates Always Welcome

Join the fun! ❤️💙💛💜 Four week Saturday classes in June start next Saturday! Summer camps, clinics and drop in classes are all listed on our website! Register today 💚

Season 9 All Star Schedule Released 💚 Registration will open Wednesday, June 3 at 7 PM! Classes are limited in size and will sell out 🤍 Fall Classes run September- May 💚🤍

Save the date! 💚

Just a reminder, we are closed for Memorial Day 💙❤️ All classes resume tomorrow!🇺🇸

Incredible Master Class today with @floradickensdancepage 💚🤍

Wishing the happiest birthday to one of our favorite people @raponeydanceandtheatre ! We are so grateful for all the love, laughs & knowledge you’ve brought to us at TDP! We love you and hope you have the best day 💚🎉

☀️ SUMMER STARTS HERE ☀️ Train. Grow. Inspire. Join us this July at The Dance Project for drop-in classes, specialty training, and summer intensives designed to keep dancers moving, learning, and growing all summer long! 💚🖤 ✨ Classes for ages 5+ ✨ Technique • Strength • Conditioning • Jazz • Ballet • Contemporary • Acro & more ✨ Summer Intensives for ages 7–12 & 13+ ✨ Limited spots available Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills, try something new, or stay strong for competition season — we’ve got something for everyone! 🌟 📍 Register today at thedanceprojectct.com

At TDP our goal has never been to create the biggest competition team — our focus has always been building dancers with strong technical training, confidence, discipline, and artistry. Because of this, we intentionally keep our team selective each season to ensure every dancer receives focused instruction and individualized growth. We are currently accepting new dancers for our Competition Team with limited spots available. A few openings have already been filled 💚 Our training focuses on: • Strong technique • Performance quality • Versatility & discipline • Building confident, technically trained dancers If your dancer is ready for focused, high-level training in a supportive and dedicated environment, we’d love to connect. Our teams start as young as age 5 through 18. Email [email protected]

Congratulations to Lilly for being presented The Bald Ballerina Award this past Sunday @starboundcomp The Bald Ballerina Award is a prestigious honor created in memory of Maggie Kudirka, a professional dancer known as the “Bald Ballerina,” to recognize dancers who embody strength, grace, and a deep love for dance despite adversity. In 2025 this was awarded to our alumni Averie Brooks @averie_brookss We are so proud and truly honored to have two back to back recipients of this award 💕

Our final regional comes to a close and we couldn’t be more proud!! So much love and incredible memories made! Season 8, you have been so special ⭐️ Thank you @starboundcomp for the best weekend 💚 Nationals, here we come!!! Congratulations!! 1st Place Senior Elite Line - In My Life 1st Place Junior Production - We Like To Party 1st Place Senior Competitive Solo - Callie 1st Place Senior Elite Duo/trio - Before My Time 1st Place Senior Elite Large Group - Bohemian Rhapsody 1st Place Teen Competitive Large Group - Le freak 1st Place Senior Elite Small Group & Technique Award Winner - This Bitter Earth 1st Place Senior Elite Solo/Bald Ballerina Award/Diamond Award - Lilly G So proud!💚⭐️💚⭐️