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The Huntingdon Dance Academy (HDA),
was established in 2012 by former professional dancers Kristin Shoaf Roberts and Jamie Rhett Roberts. The school emphasizes classical ballet in addition to a variety of other dance styles that are required to succeed as a dancer. HDA is the training ground for students with a passion for dance. When seeking high-quality dance training, people will come to know of Huntingdon, PA as the place to go. The school directors utilize their broad background in classical ballet to give young dancers a strong foundation upon which they can build. Students are exposed to various styles of dance, including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip-hop, Contemporary, Modern, Acro, and Pas de Deux (partnering). Dancers are also provided opportunities to take Master Classes from experts in various genres of dance. Our school provides an academic basis for becoming well-rounded dancers and individuals. We challenge young students and help them to gain confidence, strength and a clear sense of themselves as individuals. |
STUDIO-A
STUDIO-C
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STUDIO-B
STUDIO-D
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Parent Lobby
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Parent Lobby
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Kristin Shoaf RobertsArtistic Director / Owner
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Jamie Rhett RobertsProduction Director / Owner
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Jenn Eichelberger |
Izzy Bischof |
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Dance Instructor & Dance Company
Jenn's background is rooted in both dance and vocal performance. During high school, she was involved in dance for seven years and show choir for four years. She further developed her creative skills by attending choreography sessions in Reading for two summers and later spent five years choreographing for local show choirs. A veteran instructor at Huntingdon Dance Academy, Jenn is now celebrating her 13th year teaching Musical Theatre. She has also been an integral part of the Huntingdon Dance Company (HDC) for 12 years. A highlight of her time with the company includes helping a group win a competitive spot to perform on a cruise ship. |
Dance Instructor
Izzy Bischof has trained at Huntingdon Dance Academy for 13 years, spending seven of those years as a dedicated member of the Huntingdon Dance Company (HDC). Her commitment to dance has taken her to prestigious programs outside of the studio as well. She has supplemented her training with intensive study, attending the Burklyn Ballet Theatre summer program for four years and performing at Regional Dance America (RDA) on three separate occasions. Now entering her second year as a teacher, Izzy will be sharing her expertise in both ballet and jazz. |
Maggie carter |
Raina Guyer |
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Dance Instructor & Dance Company
Maggie began her dance journey at Locker School of Dance in Garfield, NJ, where she trained for 16 years in ballet, pointe, tap, and jazz under the direction of Susan Locker Schielke and Mary Lou Cipolla. During this time, she supplemented her training by taking classes at renowned New York City studios, including Broadway Dance Center with Brice Mousset, Steps on Broadway, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Center with Patricia Weis. It was also at Locker School of Dance that she began her teaching career, leading her own ballet and tap classes. Maggie went on to major in dance at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. While continuing her ballet studies, she discovered a deep passion for modern dance. At Hofstra, she had the privilege of working with notable choreographers such as Rachel List, Stormy Brandenberger, Robin Becker, Amy Marshall, Karla Wolfangle, and Giada Ferrone. Maggie performed in works presented at the American College Dance Festival and NYU. She furthered her studies abroad during a month-long dance intensive in Florence, Italy, under the direction of Giada Ferrone, where she focused on choreography and had her own pieces performed in Tuscany. After moving to the area, Maggie found her home at Huntingdon Dance Academy. With 31 years of dance experience and 10 years of teaching, she is thrilled to share her expertise with students in ballet, tap, and modern. |
Dance Instructor
Pittsburgh native Raina Guyer began her dance training at Judy's School of Dance Arts in Carnegie, PA. She went on to major in dance, with an emphasis in performance and teaching, from the nationally accredited dance department of Slippery Rock University. While at SRU, she was a member and choreographer for the Slippery Rock University Dance Theatre and the SRU Express Dance Team. Raina also performed in the university's production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and was selected to perform the piece "Aberrant Crossing" by choreographer Ursula Payne at the American College Dance Festival. After college, Raina returned to Pittsburgh to begin her professional career as a dancer and the director of The Pittsburgh Colts dance team. She taught and choreographed for Judy's School of Dance Arts, as well as the Peters Township and Canon-McMillan School Districts, and was a certified instructor with the Eastern Dance Association. In 2005, Raina moved to Altoona and became an instructor at Blair Dance Academy, where she choreographed for its competitive team, the Blair Dance Company, and served as head coach for the hip hop team, Hip Hop Overdrive (H2O). Her work has also been featured at the Allegheny Ballet Company, Holliday Dance, One Good Turn, and Impact Dance Company, and she has served as a judge for Talent Olympics. Raina's extensive training spans numerous genres, including acro, African, ballet, Bharata Natyam, contemporary, Flamenco, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, modern, and tap. She has studied with renowned instructors such as Ursula Payne, Jennifer Keller, and Nora Ambrosio. Committed to continuous education, Raina has taken master classes with industry icons like Wade Robson, Stephen "Twitch" Boss, Allison Holker, and Denise Wall. At the Dance Teacher's Summit in New York City, she studied with titans of the industry, including Mia Michaels, Mandy Moore, Gregg Russell, and Al Blackstone. With 42 years of dance experience and 23 years as a teacher and choreographer, Raina currently brings her expertise and passion to Huntingdon Dance Academy & Company and the Dance Fusion dance studio. She teaches a wide array of subjects, including tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, musical theatre, acro, hip hop, ballet, and pointe. |
callie cramer |
Padma Kowalski |
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Dance Instructor
Callie Cramer is currently attending Juniata College (Class of 2028) and is a graduate of training programs at The Grier School and Huntingdon Dance Academy. She danced pre-professionally with The Grier School’s company under the direction of Jocelyn Hrzic and Danielle Bower. Through that experience, Callie had the valuable opportunity to work with an impressive list of guest choreographers, including Mike Esperanza, Kiesha Lalama, Melissa Rector, Jason McDole, Norbert De La Cruz III, Elizabeth Auclair, Daniel Padierna, and Joshua Manculich. With 13 years of dance training, Callie is excited to begin her teaching career. This year, she will be leading classes in Modern, Contemporary, and Hip-Hop. |
Dance Instructor
Padma Kowalski is a senior at Huntingdon Area High School and is entering her 15th year of training at Huntingdon Dance Academy. Over the years, she has gained valuable experience by serving as a substitute teacher when needed and assisting with the studio's mini camps. Her passion for hip hop has given her the opportunity to train with a variety of nationally recognized choreographers, including Mani, Julius 'Eclypse' Jenkins, and Charlotte Foldes. This year, Padma will be teaching Hip Hop and is very excited to share her passion for the genre with her students. |
Stephen BakerProduction Assistant
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Ian BoyanDance Instructor & Production Assistant
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