HOLLY MATYAS - the dance-voice connection, ballet, modern
Holly received a Bachelor of Arts in dance and a Bachelor of Music in voice at Oberlin College and Conservatory in 2002 and a Master of Fine Arts in dance from Florida State University in 2006. Her stage experience as a dancer and classical singer includes a vast repertoire of classical ballets, dance concerts, operas, musical theater productions and chamber music concerts. She is currently teaching ballet, modern dance and dance conditioning at Accademia Ducale Danza and classical singing at the Apostolato Liturgico in Genoa. She has taught dance at Florida State University, Ohio Dance Theatre, Oberlin College, South Georgia Performing Arts, St. Mary Heart House and singing at the Shandong Univeristy in Weihai China.

KATHLEEN OCHOA - contemporary, pilates, composition, improv
Kathleen is a Canadian-based independent dance artist who has studied, peformed and choreographed extensively throughout Canada and in New York, London and Paris. In Canada she has worked both as dancer and choreographer for Edmonton’s Mile Zero Dance Company and the Brian Webb Company. Her work has been presented in Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. In New York she was intensely involved in dance and movement exploration, working with Brooklyn-based dance company Human Behavior Explorers. Her choreography has been presented in NYC as part of Movement Research Works-in-Progress Series, as guest artist for ProjectLimbs Dance Company and as part of the Metro Dance Project Series. In London she apprenticed with contemporary dance company Union Dance Company. Kathleen is currently creating, directing and producing works through the KO Dance Project, a project-oriented collective inspired by Qi Gong, improvisational research, interdisciplinary happenings and site-specific installations. Her focus with Tuscan Summer Dance will be to push students’ creative edges through solid technical work in modern dance plus classic and innovative approaches to composition and improv.

Kathleen holds a BFA in Contemporary Dance from Concordia University in Montreal and is a certified Qi Gong instructor, Yoga and Pilates teacher, Traditional Thai Massage Therapist and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, www.pryt.com/kochoa.

LEONARDA RAIMONDI - ballet
Leonarda has danced professionally with Compagnia Italiana del Balletto directed by Carla Fracci. Her training includes studies in Florence with Brenda Hamlyn, achieving the classic teaching and dancing diploma, and Royal Ballet in London (Imperial dance method) where she received the "Cecchetti diploma" and certificate of "licenziate" with full marks. She has trained and taught at prestigious schools in France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy, and currently resides and teaches ballet in Tuscany.

SHARON RICHARDSON - body rhythm, jazz, yoga, movement for singers, song interpretation
Sharon is a dancer, dance educator, choreographer, singer, songwriter, choral arranger, voice instructor, and actor. Her background as a dance/voice educator includes teaching advanced jazz at the University of Alberta and Musical Theatre at The Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. As a performer, she has been in such productions as GUYS & DOLLS, A CHORUS LINE, and THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, as well as a recent self created work, SEX OVER 40 AND OTHER AMAZING STORIES. She is also director of La Bella Vita Arts.

DENISE STORTI - hip hop, video dance
Deny is a Livornese ballerina turned hip hop dancer. After a comprehensive and varied dance background in the classic forms and a stint with the Consorzio del Balletto di Livorno, she discovered her passion for “danza pop”, studying with a vast array of instructors in Italy and New York City. She has been teaching hip hop, videodance and modern dance in Livorno since 1996.