Jody Hirsch

Owner/Director

A native of Westchester County, Jody grew up in Scarsdale, NY. After Graduating College in Southern Vermont, she moved to Miami, FL to pursue a career in the cosmetic industry, always taking dance classes wherever she was. In the past 35 years she has had many teaching, learning and coaching experiences. Jody coached the Hendrick Hudson High School Cheerleaders for 8 years and traveled to competitions at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg VA, Dallas TX, and Myrtle Beach SC. She formed the Town of Cortlandt Cheerleading Camp and served as its director for several years. She also taught at Gymnastics City for 7 years. Jody spent 2 summers at Camp Nabby teaching tumbling and dance to girls and boys of all ages. She was an instructor at Dance Magic for 10 years teaching tumble, tap, and jazz. While working at Dance Magic, she was the director of the Dance Camp for 5 years and coached the Mini-Stars Jazz and Tap Teams. Jody has attended teaching workshops most recently in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. She enjoys observing and taking class at the Broadway Dance Center and other NYC studios. Her time spent away from the Studio is with her husband of 40 years, children, grandchildren and friends.

Mary Regueiro

Ballet/Tap/Jazz/Theater Jazz

Originally from Poughkeepsie, NY and a graduate of SUNY Purchase Mary has a BFA in Dance and a minor in Psychology. While at college Mary had the opportunity to work with and perform works by Paul Taylor, Mark Morris and Jose Limon. She was selected to the Craft of Choreography Conference in Ithaca, NY. for two consecutive years. Mary toured the Northeast with the Mid Hudson Ballet Company and was a member of a Performing Group that performed at the Tennessee World’s Fair, The EGG in Albany, NY and Lincoln Center NYC. She has also performed with the Off Center Dance Company of Westchester. Mary has been teaching dance since the age of fourteen, most recently she has taught Tap, Jazz, Ballet and Modern at Dance Magic of Peekskill, NY. Works she has choreographed for competition received Gold-High Gold and her choreography was cited by the judges as unique and innovative. Mary looks forward to bringing her skills to Hudson Dance and Tumble Center.

Caitlin Brady

Jazz/Contemporary/Hip Hop

Caitlin has been teaching Hip Hop, Jazz, and Tap at HDTC since January 2010. Cait has choreographed pieces for competition, recitals, and community performances. Caitlin was a Dance Major at Hofstra University. She studied Ballet and Modern focusing on Graham Floor Technique, and studied with Lance Westergard, Robin Becker, and Amy Marshall. Caitlin was a student choreographer and performer for both Danceworks and MoVom at Hofstra. Caitlin continues to take class weekly at The Broadway Dance Center, Steps, and other Studios in NYC. She has the vision to fuse different genres of dance to create choreography that inspires her dancers and awes the audience. She brings an electric energy to each class that is joyous to all.

Charlotte Athanasidy

Charlotte started dancing in Jody’s class at three years old, grew up dancing at HDTC, and is so thrilled to be back at her home base in 2022! Since graduating the studio in 2016, Charlotte has earned certificates in Theatre and Choreography from Broadway Dance Center, joined The Verdon Fosse Legacy as a member of their invitational PTP class, and built a career as a performer and dance captain onstage and in TV/film projects, including a principal dance role in Hallmark’s upcoming film, “A Holiday Spectacular.” Her choreography work includes musicals, music videos, and individualized commissions. This past summer, she choreographed for and worked as a Teaching Artist Counselor at Ghostlight Theater Camp in Oakland, ME, expanding on years of teaching dance, music, and theatre at summer camps, in studios, and in elementary schools. Charlotte holds a BA in Music from Hunter College’s Muse Program, and builds her dance practice around that musicality. She is so excited to have the opportunity to teach her class and assist this fall at HDTC before heading to the Tony Award-winning Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park for a spring contract as both an actor and an educator.

Devyn Ciccio-Rauf

Acro/Tumble

Devyn Ciccio-Rauf is a New York City based dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Devyn grew up in New Jersey, studying dance, tumbling, and singing with Rising Stars Dance Academy and Salem County Technical and Vocational School. At eighteen-years-old, Devyn migrated to New York, where she later graduated from Marymount Manhattan College. By twenty, Devyn was dancing professionally with companies such as StubbornMVMT and Open Dance Ensemble. With the latter, she moved up through the ranks and soon found herself as ODE’s Artistic Director and Head Choreographer. When Devyn isn’t pursuing her own career, she can be found educating the upcoming generation of dancers, cheerleaders, and tumblers. She works with many studios in and around NYC, such as Nadia’s Performing Arts Centre, Dimensions in Dance II, and Studio E School of Dance. Devyn has a passion for teaching ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, cheerleading, and pom dance, but her favorite genre to teach is acrobatics.

Devan Burke

Devan (Dev) grew up at HDTC with Mrs. Jody, Mrs., Mary, and Caitlin taking hip hop, contemporary, jazz, and tumble! She is thrilled to be back after just graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in social work and a minor in dance. In NH, she was in the UNH Dance Company JTA (jazz-tap-aerial). She was also involved in Aerial dance where she focused on the silks and trapeze. Dev is now working towards her Master’s degree in clinical social work at Fordham University, where she works with adolescents in the healthcare setting. Her main goal is to instill her love for dance among her students! Dev is beyond happy to be back at HDTC with some of her favorite people and role models.

Grace Newcombe

Grace and HDTC are inseparable! She has been a dancer and a tumbler at HDTC since the age of 5; now in college she returns to HDTC whenever possible to give private tumble lessons, teach classes both during the school year and during summer camp, and sneak in a few classes of her own! She currently studies both Math and Dance at Union College in upstate NY, and will dance/tumble wherever and whenever possible! Her master classes, including Renee Harris’ Puremovement, as well as her dance program and her many auditions and performances continue to keep her skills fresh and her enthusiasm high!

Justine Golfo

Tumble/Hippity Hop/Dance & Tumble

Justine is a native of Cortlandt Manor, and holds certifications in Kettlebell/Kickboxing, Youth Fitness, and Bootcamp Training. She started training in gymnastics and dance at 4 years old. In her teenage years, Justine was a Cheerleader at Hendrick Hudson High School. She competed all over Westchester County and went to Nationals in Myrtle Beach, SC with her team. Justine teaches tumble and cheerleading at HDTC Summer Camp. She enjoys taking many types of fitness classes. Justine is also a Teachers’ Aid at Sunset Nursery School. She brings her experience, kindness and an incredible amount of enthusiasm to her classes.

Nicole Gianatiempo

Tumble

Nicole is a Native of Westchester. She began dancing with Mrs. Jody at 2-years-old and has been a part of the Hudson Dance and Tumble family since. At HDTC, Nicole has taken tap, jazz, tumble, ballet, and contemporary classes. Nicole was a member of the Iona College Dance Team for 4 years. Nicole graduated from Iona College with a bachelor degree in social work then continued her education and received her master’s degree in social work from Fordham University. Nicole works as a care coordinator where she does in-home visits. She acts as an advocate and a supporter for her families. In the past, she has worked as an assistant in tumble classes as well as taught at HDTC Summer Camp. Nicole loves to travel and spends her free time at the gym and hanging out with friends and family. Nicole is an animal lover and enjoys spending time with her pets. Nicole is passionate about supporting others to be their best selves and loves to watch others accomplish their goals.

Dawn Norris

Tumble

Dawn shares her passion as a personal trainer working with clients to focus on functional movement patterns along with increasing strength and mobility. Dawn believes that form and function are what drives the spirit and nourishes the soul. Her love for children and knowledge of movement are the perfect combination to teach elementary tumble. She loves to see each individual child progress with their mind to body process.

Dawn also has 15+ years of experience in the graphic design industry, her strength lies in combining strategic thinking and design with effective project coordination skills and proficiency in brand development. She understands her client’s vision and passion for quality branding, and excellence in design.

Suzi Myers Tipa

Tap/Jazz

A native New Yorker, Suzi began her dance career with the Windemere Ballet Theatre in Queens. Her passion for dance lead her to study many international folk dance styles with experts from around the world. Styles include Irish Step, Scottish Highland, Hawaiian hula, Russian, Ukrainian, Mexican, African, Italian, Appalachian clogging, Swing, Latin dance styles, Chinese, and Eastern European. As a member of AllNations Dance Company, she traveled to such exotic locations as Central and South America, Eastern Europe, China, and Brooklyn sharing a message of global understanding through the arts.

An actor as well, Suzi studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and improvisation at Chicago City Limits in New York City. Suzi has performed lead roles at the Emelin Theatre, Queens Theatre in the Park, and at the New York City International Fringe Festival. Her performance as Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Lynch Theatre in Manhattan earned her a nomination for the Irene Ryan Scholarship at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. She has produced and performed sketch comedy at the Trilogy Theatre in Manhattan, and her credits also include film and television work. She is proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild.She has written, produced and performed sketch comedy, and currently dances with Pat Cannon’s Foot and Fiddle Dance Company. She is also a passionate Zumba instructor, teaching the Latin dance-based fitness class at locations throughout Westchester.

Carolyn

Carolyn is a recent graduate of Rutgers University with a BA in Dance and Mathematics. At Rutgers, Carolyn took classes from and worked with Randy James, Keith Thompson, and Laurel Snyder in the field of modern dance.
Carolyn has been a student and assistant at HDTC since it opened. She is trained in ballet, jazz, tap, tumble, contemporary, and modern. Carolyn is excited to teach Acro-Tumble to fuse her love and knowledge of dance and tumble into one class. Her calm and gentle approach to teaching will inspire her students to accomplish their goals.

Claire Tandy

Desk Manager

Claire has been managing HDTC’s front desk for 14 years. Claire grew up in Rochester, NY and is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia. Claire is the Co-Director at Mother Nature Creative pre-school in Peekskill. She has lived in Westchester for 38 years. Claire makes everyone feel at home when they enter the Studio with her friendly personality and big smile. She’s always lending a helping hand to all our students and families.

Chris Newcombe

Front Desk Manager/Camp

Chris came first to HDTC in its early days as a parent of two young dancers; when she saw both the talent and culture of the studio, she knew she wanted to get involved!

College professor by day, but welcomed part of the HDTC family by night – Chris loves wearing many hats; you can find her working behind the desk, welcoming dancers in the lobby, in the Art Room during summer Dance Camp…she and her family have called HDTC “home” since its beginning and are looking forward to many more years with Jody and the crew!