About our Summer Dance Collective

Our 2008 Summer Dance Collective was a big hit with 7 Frederick area studios participating. The info below is for the 2008 Collective. Info for the 2009 Collective will be posted in Spring 2009. This will give you an idea of what to expect.

This will be a unique opportunity to get New York/LA dance experience here in Maryland. Master teachers from across the country and Canada with expertise in a wide range of dance styles will help take you to the next level both technically and as a performer.

During the week of July 28th to Aug 1st you are invited to attend a Summer Dance Collective for the more advanced dancer, sponsored by Elite Feet Dance Studio
The camp will be divided into Juniors (ages 8-11), Teens (ages 12-14) and Seniors (ages 15 and up). College students are welcome. For the Youth the camp will run from 9AM to 2PM. For the teens and seniors the camp will run from 9AM to 4PM. Classes will be offered in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop & Musical Theater.

About SDC Teachers

Maya Escueta

Maya has taught master classes in contemporary jazz, modern, ballet, and hip-hop. Maya has choreographed various pieces for Columbia University, Barnard College, Broadway Dance Center Performance Outlet, and Donna Goffredo and Dancers present The Alice Project. She has performed with the Malibu Civic Ballet and the jazz company Malibu Dance Collective. Most recently, she traveled to Dublin to perform with Pushing Progress, a contemporary dance company.

Jeff Gatti

Originally from Edmonton, Canada, Jeff Gatti trained extensively in tap, jazz, lyrical, and ballet. Jeff has taught, choreographed, adjudicated, and performed across North America and Europe. His performance credits range from featured roles with Princess Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises to commercials and industrials. Jeff was a cast member of A Few Good Men Dancin’ at the Victory Theatre in New York and went on to workshop the show for the US National Tour. He has also toured with Dancing On Common Ground. Now based in New York City, he continues to teach and choreograph throughout the United States and Canada at several studios including Broadway Dance Center, as well as adjudicate at national conventions such as Dance Masters of America. Recently, he traveled to Dublin to perform with the contemporary dance company Pushing Progress.

Ami Mattison

Ami has taught at Peridance Center, Studio B Dance Center, Broadway Dance Center, and Hamilton School of Dance. She was an assistant teacher to Michel Assaf at a professional dance convention in Tropea, Italy. She received her education at New York University as a Dance Education major. She also has performed The Wiz, The Hobbit, Aladdin, Meet Me in St. Louis, and The Music Man. Her signature teaching style is based in lyrical and contemporary styles. Ami has also been trained in Active Isolated Stretch and Strengthening. Ami is also a featured dancer and choreographer for the SO Dance Collective, and recently joined PMT Dance Studio as a teacher and choreographer for their Student Showcase Workshops.

Katie Meadows

Katie obtained her B.A in Individualized Study with a concentration in Dance and Body Image from New York University. She has performed with contemporary companies CollidE, SoDance Collective, and Enfocus Dance, for which she was also a choreographer. She has assisted master teachers Tony and Susie Vitale, Dustin Phillips, and Trish Minery. She has also taught ballet, jazz, lyrical, and tap and choreographed for companies in New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Connecticut, and Maryland. Most recently, she performed at Gyeonggi English Village in Paju, South Korea as a featured dancer and singer and also choreographed for the mainstage and street performances. While in Korea, she also choreographed and performed for Edutainers for UNICEF, a fundraising event to build schools in Afghanistan.

Calen J. Kurka

Raised in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada, Calen Kurka started his training in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Musical Theatre, Modern, and Chinese Dance. He then later moved to Edmonton, Alberta, furthering his training competitively. Currently on faculty at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, as an instructor Calen has taught across Canada, the U.S. and Japan, and more recently in Ireland at Dublin's Dance Jam '07. He is currently instructing for Dance Masters of America as one of their Master Faculty, and is also on faculty with Dance Educators of America. His choreography has been recognized as outstanding at many competitions throughout the U.S. and Canada, and has been the recipient of many awards. In addition to teaching in and around New York he's also assistant to choreographer, director, instructor, Michele Assaf. Calen's performing credits include being an original member of the first national tour of Jeff Amsden's widely acclaimed "A Few Good Men Dancin'", and performing with recording artist Carmella in a tribute concert to Cher. He's also worked closely with choreographer/instructor Chris Hale. As a featured performer, Calen's stage credits include having spent a year on contract with Tokyo Disney as a Main Stage performer, and taking on such leading roles as Capt. Von Trapp in "The Sound of Music" and Seymour in "Little Shop of Horrors" in regional stage productions. In addition he can be seen in "The Live! at Broadway Dance Center" video series "Turns and Turn Combos", dancing with choreographer Danny Herman, and "Floor Work with Calen Kurka and Chris Hale": A new addition to the "Live at BDC" collection.