ASB Faculty

Classical Ballet & Pointe, Rhythm & Movement, Kinderdance, Primary Dance & Tap.

Kristina began her dance studies at the age of 6 and continues to express her love of dance through her teaching. She began her training on Massachusetts’ North Shore with Ina Hahn and Robin Adair, then continued in Boston at the Boston Ballet School, and with Mme. Ana Roja and Mme. Tatiana Babushkina. Kristina performed for 3 years in the Boston and North Shore area as a charter member of The North Shore Civic Ballet, during which time she also studied ballet, modern dance, jazz and tap with Paula Schiff, Janet Craft, June Jeswald, Danny Sloan, and Gene Murray. She began teaching dance in 1977 and has taught extensively in the Massachusetts North Shore and Southern N.H. area, and began teaching at ASB in 1990. During her teaching career Kristina has taught and passed examinations in the Cecchetti Council of America ballet curriculum, and has taught in the Royal Academy of Dancing ballet curriculum. She has been owner and director of The Andover School of Ballet since August 1998.

Classical Ballet & Pointe, Lyrical Dance, Stretch.

Michelle holds a BFA degree in dance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and was a member of the U. Mass. Dance Company, performing and touring in the U.S.A. and England.  She was also a ballet instructor for the U. Mass. Dance Dept. for 2 years. Michelle has performed with The Windhover Dance Company in Rockport, MA, performing original works by modern dance pioneer Doris Humphrey, Ina Hahn, and Carol Burnham. She was previously on faculty in the dance department at Northern Essex Community College, teaching Modern Dance, Modern Dance History, and Dance Composition.  She was a company member with Deadfall Dance, performing original works and collaborative group improvisations by director Judith Wombwell of Phillips Academy.  Michelle is currently a member of the Deborah Abel Dance Company of Cambridge, MA, and has toured in Northern and Southern India with their performance of "Calling To You" where the company also gave spiritually inspired modern dance workshops to young women affiliated with SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association).  She also performs with The Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble in Boston, MA.  This is her twenty-third year of teaching at The Andover School of Ballet.

Jazz, Tap, 

Meredith received a B.A. in Dance with a dual minor in Business and Psychology from Dean College, from which she graduated with highest honors. During her four years at Dean, Meredith’s focus was on Pedagogy, Composition, The Vaganova Method of ballet technique and Horton Modern Dance Technique. She has studied and worked with masters such as Jill Silverman, Nailah Randall-Bellinger, Wyatt Jackson, Lisa Pari, Josh Hilberman, Bob Thomas, Denise Jefferson, Jay T. Jenkins, Pilobolous and the well-known NYC Rockettes. She has performed with Dean Dance Company and Dean College Dance Team. Meredith is currently teaching dance at several dance studios in the Boston area. She has received many high scores and special awards for her excellence in dance and choreography. Her philosophy is teaching proper technique to her students, which allows her students to increase their strength and develop as dancers without injury to the body. This is her fourteenth year of teaching at The Andover School of Ballet.

Contemporary, Classical Ballet & Pointe, Modern Dance.

Tabitha began her dance training at the Andover School of Ballet and continued with Jeannette Neill Dance Studio’s Boston Youth Moves program. She received her BFA in Modern Dance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she had the pleasure of performing works by Bob Fosse, Louis Johnson, Merrian Soto and Brian Sanders, among others. Tabitha was also a member of the first college group to perform Martha Graham’s “Panorama” within a Graham Company program. She was a part of the university’s Choreography Emphasis Program and received the Dance Faculty Recognition Award for Excellence in Dance. Tabitha has attended dance workshops and festivals including Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival, Windhover Spreads its Wings, and The Limon Summer Workshop. She has been a member of the Windhover Dance Company in Rockport MA, performing works by modern dance pioneer Doris Humphrey and others. She has also performed with Dusan Tynek Dance Theater in QUARRY DANCE 1 and 3, and spent 3 years as a soloist with Urbanity Dance. Tabitha currently dances with Deadfall Dance, Ipswich Moving Company, and Sokolow Now, and is also a Certified Yoga Teacher. This is her tenth year of teaching at The Andover School of Ballet.

Jazz, Tap.

Lisa studied dance at University of Nevada Las Vegas, and at Dean College, in Franklin, MA, and received a B.A. in Dance from Dean College, where she choreographed for and performed with the Dean Dance Company and the Dean College Dance Team. She studied with master teachers such as Jill Silverman, Jean Wenzel, Nailah Randall-Bellinger, Lisa Pari, Maryanne Kodzis, Jil Matrisciano, Wyatt Jackson, Jay T. Jenkins, Derick K. Grant, Troy Powell, Dudley Williams, Kristin Horrigan and Kelly Peters, and others. She performed in the “Video Game Awards Show” at the Grand Garden Arena, while in Las Vegas, NV.  Lisa also teaches dance in Kingston, NH, and has taught at the Haverhill YMCA. This is her seventh year of teaching at The Andover School of Ballet.

Classical Ballet & Pointe, Contemporary.

After significant early ballet training under Edra Toth, former ballerina of Boston Ballet, Caitlin attended Mount Holyoke College, where she was exposed to Modern and Contemporary dance. She received her B.A. in Dance and Geography, and had the pleasure of performing works by Mark Morris, Jim Coleman and Terese Freedman, and Carl Flink, among others. Caitlin currently performs as a company member of Dance Prism, Deadfall Dance, and the Boston Early Music Festival Dance Ensemble. With BEMF she has had the privilege of performing in Handel’s Almira, Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers and La Couronne de Fleurs, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, as well as acting as an assistant to the choreographers for Steffani’s Niobe, Regina di Tebe. As a member of Dance Prism, Caitlin has danced a number of leading roles including Sugar Plum Fairy and Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker, Princess Allura in Aladdin, and Mrs. Mallard in Variations on Make Way for Ducklings. Caitlin has also collaborated with a number of independent choreographers and companies, including Annie Kloppenberg, Jody Weber, Ssquared Ballet, Jasmine Dancers, BALAM Dance Theater, American Virtuosi, Cambridge Concentus, and the Clarion Music Society. This is her seventh year of teaching at The Andover School of Ballet.

Classical Ballet & Pointe.

Kodee Van Nort began her dance experience on the plains of Western Nebraska with Vaudeville veteran, Iris Besaw. Ms. Besaw’s intense training formed Kodee’s interest in dance as a craft, art, discipline, and language.  Kodee has an extensive background of dance including a wealth of education that includes a BA in Theater and Dance from the University of Wyoming and MFA in dance performance, choreography, and pedagogy from Sam Houston State University. During her performing career she was able to explore a variety of roles from ballet to musicals and theater.  Her favorites include the original role of ‘White Buffalo Woman’ in the ballet Cattle Kate; classical roles such as ‘Pimpinella’ in Pulcinella; World Premier contemporary role of ‘Meander’ in The River; and character work in Le Bourgeois Gentihomme by Molière.  In addition to performing as the "Phoenix" in The Cherokee National Heritage Center’s “Trail of Tears" she also served as assistant choreographer, and while in England, she joined Ad Hoc company where she was able to explore performance and choreography through improv with the community.  Following her desires for pedagogy, she has shared her passion for dance with students at the University of Wyoming, Western Nebraska Community College, Western Oregon University, Sam Houston State University, Austin Dance Company, Silverton Ballet and Performing Arts, Contemporary Dance Theater, Cincinnati Ballet, Miami Valley Ballet Theatre, and St. Xavier High School.  Kodee is an active Ex-Officio for OhioDance and is a Certified Master Practitioner in the Language of Dance®.  I am thrilled to join to the Andover School of Ballet in fall 2020.This is her first year of teaching at The Andover School of Ballet.

Classical Ballet & Pointe.

Colleen Edwards is from Boulder, Colorado where she was trained at the Boulder Ballet Academy under it’s founder, Barbra Demaree, as well as Jon Prinz, Ana Claire, and Lucia Martin. Colleen was a founding member of world renowned choreographer Robert Sher-Machherndl ‘s  company, Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet, as a trainee. After attending the Boston Conservatory and earning her B.F.A in Dance, Colleen has performed soloist and principle roles in ballets such as, Cinderella, as the Winter Fairy and Fairy Godmother, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as Helena, The Nutcracker, as Dew Drop Fairy, and Les Sylphides.  Colleen has taught in Virginia, New York, Louisiana, Maine, and Massachusetts, where she continues to challenge her students in both technique and performance. Ms. Edwards has enjoyed dancing in diverse companies including Urbanity, Baton Rouge Ballet Theater, and Portland Ballet, and is currently dancing in her fourth season with the North Atlantic Dance Theater. Colleen began serving as Ballet Mistress at NADT in 2019. Although Colleen has subbed for ASB in the past, this is her first year of teaching at The Andover School of Ballet.

Primary Dance & Tap, Jazz, Tap.

Ashley has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She grew up dancing competitively at Concord Dance Academy in various styles of dance. She continued her love of dance throughout college as part of the University of New Hampshire dance company and after college as part of OnStage dance company in Malden. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Child Development from UNH and her Masters in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University. She is currently an elementary school teacher and has taught previously at a dance studio in Woburn, MA. Ashley is passionate about working with little ones and is excited to continue her dance teaching journey. This is her first year teaching at The Andover School of Ballet.