Christine Seibold

Owner, Director, Instructor

Christine Seibold has a Fine Arts Degree in Dance from NVCC and has been dancing for over 30 years. She has backgrounds in recreational, competitive, pre-professional, and classical trainings which complement her dance degree in the Fine Arts. Her teachings focus strongly on technique with a flair for fun, combining the classical or formal style class structure with the flexibility and creativity to expand each child’s dance experience.

Elisabeth Fox

Ballet, Pointe Instructor

Elisabeth Fox has been teaching dance for over forty years. She began her dance training at the prestigious Washington Ballet. She continued studying dance at the University of Maryland and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance. Elisabeth was a soloist with Rockville Ballet, a Maryland regional dance company. Elisabeth’s extensive teaching credits include: Princeton Ballet, Capital City Ballet of Sacramento, American Community School of London, Royal Oak Dance Center in Michigan, Montgomery Village Center for the Arts in Maryland, The Westover School and Main Street Ballet. Elisabeth also received her level two tap certificate from The Royal Academy of Dance while living in London.

Syril Hunter

Hip Hop and Acro Dance Instructor

Syril has been in five dance crews as stunt man, member, and choreographer. He has been a guest teacher at various dance schools in Connecticut. The highlight of his career so far is the performance he did for Jeri Kansas at Grand Central Station. It was an opening for a Kimono Fashion Show.

Emily Spear

Ballet and Lyrical Instructor

Emily completed her certificate in dance from Naugatuck Valley Community College in May of 2013. Her studies in dance through college were strongly focused in modern and ballet. She has been dancing for over 15 years and this experience includes being a student at Southbury School of Performing Arts since their opening and training in ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theatre. Emily also has her Bachelors of Science degree in Comprehensive Special Education. She graduated with Magna Cum Laude Honors from Southern CT State University and now holds her K-12 teaching certification in special education. Emily works as a high school teacher and loves being able to spend her time teaching both in the classroom and in the dance studio. Emily has a true passion for both teaching and learning and enjoys being a member of the SSOPA Family.

Kathryn Smith

Broadway Instructor

Kathryn has been dancing for over 45 years.  She has experience with all forms of dance, including ballet, tap, jazz, and modern.  She has taught dance classes in CT for the past eleven years and enjoys working with both children and adults.  Her dance education began in New Jersey at the age of five and continued up through her adult years.  She primarily trained with the pre-professional program at Butler University and was a member of the Butler Ballet dance troupe.  Additionally, Kathryn regularly took classes with the Indianapolis Ballet and performed with them for two successful productions.  She also trained for several years with Diane Lauridsen, a former dancer with American Ballet Theatre.   Kathryn graduated from the University of Denver and was a founding member and choreographer with the DU Dance Troupe.  Kathryn is also a certified Pilates Mat and Pilates Reformer instructor and a certified personal fitness trainer.   She resides with her family in Southbury and enjoys spending her free time walking, skiing and writing.

Luna Esmerode

Contemporary Dance Instructor

Luna Esmerode began her serious dance training with Benicia Ballet in Benicia, California. During this time, she was given the opportunity to perform corps de ballet and principal roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Swan Lake. Luna also participated in the Royal Academy of Dance exams, achieving Distinction through Advanced II and performing in the Solo Seal competition. In 2018, Luna was a participant in the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, Bolshoi Way, where she studied ballet and Russian at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow for six weeks.

Luna graduated from the University of Utah in 2023 with a B.F.A. in Ballet, an Hon B.A. in English, and a minor in Russian. During her university career, Luna trained with and performed works choreographed by Pablo Piantino, Melissa Bobick, Cherylyn Lavagnino, Jay Kim, and Rena Butler. Upon graduation, Luna was awarded the Ballet Program Senior award for Writing and Research. Luna has relocated to Connecticut to dance with New England Ballet Theatre and looks forward to joining the SSOPA family!

Christy DiBiase

Jazz and Lyrical Instructor

Christy has over 19 years of dance experience. She grew up dancing at the Lee Lund Studio of Dance in Milford, CT, where she was a part of the Lee Lund Dance Companies. She was given a full dance scholarship to the Rhode Island College Dance program, where she attended for her freshman year. Christy transferred to UCONN where she danced on the Dance Team during the UCONN men’s and women’s basketball games at halftime for 2 years. Christy enjoys spending time with her husband, and three children. She is excited to share her love of dance with her daughters and the students at SSOPA.

Sabrina Cofrancesco

Tap Instructor

Sabrina is a competitively trained dancer for over 19 years. She has competed both regionally and nationally winning numerous overall awards as a soloist and a team member. She was awarded many title placements and scholarships at competitions and conventions. Sabrina was also in a professional tap company, TapLife Too. Sabrina has danced alongside well- known dancers and choreographers, like Aaron Tolson, Michelle Tolson, Anthony Locassio, Michael Minnery, Nika Kljun, Aaron Parkhurst. Sabrina was a student at Waterbury Arts Magnet School focusing on dance. She now attends Central Connecticut State University as a Dance Education Major. At Central, Sabrina is a member of the Dancentral Company and is a member of the CCSU Dance Team. Additionally Sabrina is a member of the CCSU National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Her favorite styles of dance are Tap, Hip Hop, and Contemporary.