DONNA J VIAU: Owner: Artistic Director: Instructor of Jazz w/facets of Broadway/Musical Theater/Lyrical/Hip Hop/Classic Jazz Techniques w/Ailey Influence: Dance Fitness & Stretch for Adults: Creative Movement: Ballet: Modern Contemporary: Dance for Adults: Senior Fit
Donna has been an instructor at the Hamilton Wenham School of Dance since 1999 and became owner and artistic director in 2017. Donna began dancing at age 6. As her love of Dance continued she studied Ballet at the Boston Conservatory of Music. In addition she furthered her studies in Jazz with Stanley Brown, Adrienne Hawkins, Cle Douglas, Danny Sloan, Kathleen Chapin and Jeannette Neill while performing throughout the Boston area for many years in her youth into adulthood. President of her high school Drama Club led her to become a Theater Major for two years while continuing to dance in repertories throughout Boston. Donna went on to receive her BFA in Dance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Five College Dance Department and taught Modern dance for the non major for UMass her senior year. Following graduation she backpacked Europe and traveled throughout the United States. Upon returning home Donna became director of the Milton High School Theater Program. Donna danced for many years with the Cle Douglas Dance Theatre, an African Caribbean Jazz Company in Boston. Following her tenure with Cle, she was an ensemble dancer for several years with the VIVA Jazz Company of Cape Cod. Donna became a certified AFAA fitness instructor and taught her own Dance, Theater and Fitness Programs in Gyms, Health Clubs as well as both public and private Schools in Boston and throughout the south shore. Donna spent eight years as director of the South Shore Community Dance Program and became founder and artistic director of a non-profit adult dance company, DANCEVISIONS. The company performed for public and private events, masterclasses and performances for school systems, cable television and specials. All proceeds from DANCEVISIONS went towards charities, community programs/fundraisers and people suffering from illness and disabilities. Donna married and moved to Gloucester Mass where she created and taught her own Dance, Theater and Fitness programs and has done grant programs/residencies as a visiting artist in both Public and Private schools as well as integrated preschools working with physically and developmentally challenged students. She has taught at Cape Ann Academy of Dance, Fuller Integrated Preschool, Dancer’s Courageous, Gloucester Prevention Network, Art Harbor, Eastern Point Day School, East Gloucester Elementary, Lil’ Sprouts, Harborlight Montessori, Brookwood, Waring, The Winthrop School and more. Donna has written, directed and choreographed school plays that have been performed throughout Cape Ann as well as choreographed for Hamilton Wenham Regional High School Theater Program for several years. She has been the choreographer for the Annisquam Village Players since 2009. Donna resides in Gloucester with her artist husband Bob Viau, owner and artist of StudioVO and their two sons Greer and Dylan.
KATHERINE BRUNAULT: Ballet and Pointe
Katy began her dance training with Harriet James of Salem and went on to study at the School of Pennsylvania Ballet. She studied at several schools/studios in the Florida and Boston area. Katy was formerly a member of the Fort Lauderdale Ballet Company, the Allegro Dance, directed by former Joffrey Ballet faculty member Charles Russell as well as having danced with Jimmy Raye & Dancers. Katy earned her B.A. in English from Colby College where she was active in Theatre and Dance. She was founder and artistic director of the Hamilton Wenham School of Dance from 1991-2017 where she has created a nurturing place to dance for hundreds of students. Katy created The Allegro Dance Ensemble in 2002, our resident dance company of advance students who perform for FREE for masterclasses, school, public and private events, museums, libraries and for community organizations. Katy resides in Hamilton and continues to share her love of dance by teaching Ballet and Pointe at the Hamilton Wenham School of Dance.
CAROL SLATE: Ballet and Pointe
Carol Slate holds a BFA from the Boston Conservatory where she was awarded the Jan Veen Memorial Scholarship sophomore through senior years. After graduating Carol was a scholarship student with Mary Anthony Dance Theater in New York and later a full scholarship student with Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Her professional performing jobs in New York were in ballet, modern and jazz dance. Carol is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and voiced over fifty radio and television commercials. Carol has taught ballet for Center Stage Kids in New York City and for NYU’s Gallatin Division. She developed and taught an afterschool ballet program for grades K-4 at the Glen Urquhart School in Beverly MA which ran for 14 years. Carol has been part of the Dance faculty of Hamilton Wenham School of Dance since 1998 bringing her high quality and expertise in dance to our program of study.
BONNIE O’LEARY: P.A.S.S. for the PrePointe Student: Adaptive Dance
Bonnie began dancing at a young age at the Acton School of Ballet. In high school she participated in Acton Community Theater Musicals and Children’s Dance Theatre of Concord as both dancer and choreographer. Bonnie graduated from Colby Sawyer College cum laude with and Associates Degree focusing on child studies where she was involved in community and college dance concerts. Bonnie attended Skidmore College graduating with a BS in Dance/Dance Therapy. She was a member of the Skidmore Dancers performing and choreographing for dance department concerts as well as at local public schools. Bonnie has performed in the Boston area with Massachusetts Dance Ensemble and Choreo, Inc. where she was rehearsal assistant and a teacher during public school residencies. She has performed throughout the north shore with Windhover Dance Co. under the direction of Ina Hahn and Karlins and Co. Bonnie was a children’s specialist for creative movement, pre-ballet and primary levels for the Boston Ballet School. While at the Boston Ballet School, Bonnie designed and taught adaptive dance classes for visually impaired children for “The Social Circuit Group of the North Shore”. She has taught at Endicott College, Bradford College and private studios. Bonnie was founder and co-director of Cape Ann Academy of Dance in Gloucester. She works as a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant providing PT services for children in the Special Education Departments of Public Schools. Since 1998, Bonnie has been sharing her love of dance in teaching classes in Modern, Core Strength/Stretch and P.A.S.S. & Adaptive Dance.
VERONICA O’LEARY: ADAPTIVE DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Veronica O’Leary studied dance during her youth in ballet, pointe, jazz and modern at the Hamilton Wenham School of Dance. She holds a BA in Dance from Bennington College. Veronica works as a Behavior Specialist in the public elementary school. She has been a guest instructor of Modern Dance at HWSD as well as currently teaches Adaptive Dance at HWSD
AVA RIZZICO: TAP
AVA RIZZICO is our amazing student teacher this season 2022-2023 at HWSD. Currently a Junior at Manchester Essex High School, Ava is currently a student at HWSD studying Modern Contemporary: Jazz and has studied Tap for many years. Ava possesses an incredible work ethic and is eager in learning, creating and growing in various genres of dance. Ava is also an ensemble dancer with our in house student dance company, ALLEGRO DANCE ENSEMBLE. We are excited to have Ava join us in teaching Tap this season at HWSD