Alissa is the Director and Studio Owner at TMB. She has danced for the last 25 years. She was a successful competitive dancer throughout her adolescent career.

Alissa went on to attend SUNY Geneseo where she received a B.S. in Biochemistry with a minor in dance. While at Geneseo, she discovered a love of modern dance! She was the recipient of the Nona Schurman Scholarship for Excellence in Dance Composition, and the Sue Ann Kreuter Dance Award. Alissa also received a variety of undergraduate research grants for dance performance, and eventually went on to produce, choreograph, stage, and perform a senior thesis in dance.

Alissa attended the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC on scholarship and while there studied with Douglas Nielson, Jeffrey Bullock, Lisa Race, David Dorfman, and “Bopi” Patterson with whom she performed repertory from Mark Morris’ “The Hard Nut”. She was also selected for a master class with Twyla Tharp.

Alissa’s professional credits include company member for Shelter Repertory Dance Theater, MN, an athletic, versatile, and intriguing modern dance company. She was also a company member with Ko-Motion Movement Theater, NY and was Co-Captain/ Choreographer of the Albany Attack Professional Lacrosse League Dance Team.

Alissa’s teaching credits include teaching locally for Upstate New York Ballet, Tawn Marie’s Dance Center, and The Dance Studio CNY. She performed and taught as a visiting alumni artist for both the 40th & 45th celebration of dance at SUNY Geneseo. In addition, while a company member of Shelter Repertory Dance Theatre, she taught as an “artist in residence” at a variety of colleges and universities. Alissa is a judge and master teacher for a variety of national dance competitions, and enjoys spending part of her summer guest teaching!

Alissa’s approach to teaching is one of discipline, history, body awareness, and proper technique. She incorporates dance fundamentals with kinesthetic sense, and combines her science background with dance technique, to teach body placement, alignment, and injury prevention. Most of all she tries to inspire through passionate teaching, pushing students to aim for their highest potential, and embracing all that dance has to offer!

When Alissa is not in the studio she is hiking mountains, catching summer music concerts, or working on her health and fitness coaching!