Faculty
CSI/IDAA Dance Camp brings in a guest faculty of professional dancers and dance professors from around the United States. The faculty is hand-picked for their unique strengths, talents, knowledge, and rapport with students to assure each student achieves their highest potential!
Check out the impressive faculty lineup we have slated so far for Dance Camp 2009!
Jennifer Freeman
An Idaho native, Jenn Freeman is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer currently residing in New York City. She began her dance career in Boise, Idaho as member of Idaho Dance Theatre for four seasons. Jenn is a recent recipient of a BFA in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. At NYU she studied with David Dorfman Dance, Ron Brown’s Evidence Dance Company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and with Masazumi Chaya, Associate Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Jenn has extensive performance experience in numerous venues in NYC, LA, Las Vegas, and other cities across the country. She has been cast in works by choreographers Mia Michaels, Ulysses Dove, Kyle Abraham (Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch 2009), Larry Keigwin, and many others. Jenn is currently working as a dancer for Keigwin + Co., Abraham.in.Motion, and Danielle Russo Dance Company. She has also traveled around the country as an assistant teacher to renowned choreographers Mia Michaels and Chris Dupre. Her own award winning choreography has been performed in NYC by Second Avenue Dance Company and by Idaho Dance Theater. Jenn's teaching abilities are a product of her wide array of training and experiences. In her classes Jenn focuses on warm-up techniques to strengthen and promote awareness of the entire body. She combines the athleticism of jazz with strong technical skills and elements of modern dance to create combinations that are intricate and challenging both physically and mentally.
Nathan Cottam
Nathan Cottam comes to us from Tucson, Arizona, where he studied and received his Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Arizona. He received his Bachelor's Degree from Brigham Young University. Nathan has been a principal dancer with Ballet Theatre of Boston and has performed in Rodeo with original choreography by Agnes DeMille of Northern Ballet Theatre. He has been a principal guest artist in BYU's production of Swan Lake and has had training from James Clouser of the Royal Winnepeg Ballet. His training list includes: Melissa Lowe of Pacific Northwest Ballet, The National Ballet, Batsheva Dance Company, Conrad Ludlow, New York City Ballet, Cherie Noble, Pennsylvania Ballet, Paul Sutherland of ABT. Nathan has been a Graduate Teaching Assistant at University of Arizona and Company Director for Academy of Ballet.
Sarah Franco
Sarah comes to us from Washington, where she is on the university faculty. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois where she participated in the Illinois Dance Association International Tour to France and Hawaii. She has performed in various events such as: UEA and Kingsbury Hall performance of "Melange" and the Freespace Dance Company of Chicago. She has also performed with the BYU Ballet Showcase, Theatre Ballet, and the U of U Performing Dancers Company. Sarah obtained her BA Dance Degree in Ballet from BYU and her MFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah. Sarah has expertise in everything from Modern Dance to Jazz Technique to Pilates, & Conditioning.
Hilary Hofmaier
Hilary Johnson has been the head coach of the nationally-ranked Bengal Dancers at Idaho State University since the fall of 2000 and also teaches jazz in the dance department at ISU. Hilary received her Bachelor of Fine and Performing Arts with a major in dance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2000 where she was also a four year member and captain of the Nebraska Scarlets dance team. Hilary received her training from Ballet Omaha, Alabama School of Fine and Performing Arts, Midwest Ballet, and Dancerschool. She has attended intensive summer dance programs at Boston Ballet, Ballet West, State Ballet of Missouri, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Alabama Ballet, and Midwest Ballet. Hilary has danced professionally with Ballet Omaha, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Central Dance Theatre, and Mannheim Steamroller.
Jonathan Prater
Jonathan Prater started out in Orlando FL as a professional choreographer, where he began his career in artist development. He made his impact on the Los Angeles dance scene in 2006 when he signed with the professional choreography, dance agency MSA. He developed a name teaching Hip Hop at LA’s top professional dance studios. Jonathan has choreographed and worked with artist such as: Timbaland Ft. Money, Jordan Knight world tour from The New Kids On The Block, Prima J, Anya w/ Papa Joe Records, Brooke Hogan and many more. Check him out on the new hit reality show on CBS "The Industry" as he works with new up and coming talent JB and Josh!
Antonio Hudnell
Antonio Hudnell was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He started his dance career at a tender 10 years of age as a student in Duke Ellington’s summer intensive program, where he was introduced to and trained in Tap, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Hip Hop. At 13, Antonio was afforded the opportunity to Tap dance alongside the great Winton Marsellus (a famous trumpet player) and at 15 with Savion Glover. That same year, Antonio became a student at Washington Ballet, where he was asked to play the lead in the "Nutcracker," after just one year of training in the company. Subsequently, he was accepted into Washington Ballet’s second company, and from there to Pennsylvania, Texas, and New York where he continued to refine his craft. At 21, Antonio’s passion for dance lead him to Los Angeles, where after only a month he landed what was considered to be the number 1 job in the hip hop community - a principle dancer for Janet Jackson. Antonio has danced as a principal dancer for the Spice Girls World Tour and Fame The Second Generation, co-choreographed Ne-Yo’s "Miss Independent Video", worked in artist development with Corbin Bleu, and much much more. Although Antonio has achieved great success early in his career, he continues to set higher goals to advance himself in the art of dance.
Heather Graham
Heather Graham was born in Toronto, Canada and is fully trained in all styles of dance from such prestigious schools as the Joanne Chapman School Of Dance, the Mayfield S.S Regional Arts Dance/Drama Program, and the National School of Ballet in Canada, as well as acting as a faculty member in the New York City Dance Alliance. Heather left Canada in 2004 and traveled the world as Dance Captain on Celebrity Cruises. After moving to Los Angeles to continue living her dreams in the entertainment industry, Heather booked a two and a half year contract dancing in Bette Midler’s Show, "The Showgirl Must Go On" at Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas. Heather has appeared in Leana’s music video "Pack Your Bags" and has made television appearances on such shows as the Ellen Degeneres Show and The View. Heather is thrilled to be apart of the CSI Faculty this year!!