Hi, my name is Alyssa and I've been teaching in MA for the past three years. I started my training at 8 in NH, attended summer programs at Boston Ballet, and after high school had a full scholarship and traineeship to Milwaukee Ballet. I suffered from a stress fracture in my foot and had to take time off which resulted in my decision to move back home and get my BA in Theatre and Dance from UNH. At UNH I performed with the Jazz and Ballet companies, toured in a Moliere production, and was the recipient of the Gary O'Neill "triple threat" musical theatre scholarship.After graduation I was still soured on the lifestyle of performers (ie. was freaked about money, worried about injury etc, and didn't want to "pimp" out my talents in cheesey dinner theatres). Although I had taught dance, acting and puppetry for two years in college,I didn't look for teaching work when I moved to MA because I felt my resume "wasn't good enough". About 9 years later, 9 months after the birth of my son, I saw an audition notice for Chicago, and somehow, got the nerve to go. I was cast and as it turned out the choreographer had a new studio in my town. She asked me to teach ballet for her, and now I am also teaching jazz for her and next year will take on the musical theatre class as well as an acting class. I LOVE IT! I can not believe I gave up my life's passion for so many years but am so grateful for the rebirth. I find teaching so much more rewarding than I ever imagined and think of my own teachers, all these years later, with new appreciation and understanding.