Teaching Artists

Christiana Bitonti-Fisher
"Never forget why you started"
Ms. Bitonti-Fisher is the founder and director of Peconic Ballet Theatre since its establishment in 2013 and Peconic Ballet Foundation in 2014. She has produced multiple ballets since 2009 and debuted contemporary works in NYC. She has won awards for her choreography, which include Best Choreography for her modern piece “Yin Yang Yo” at the Onstage American Dance Competition. She has also developed a community art project entitled “Art Barre'' to help preserve and develop the Arts on the East End. Ms. Bitonti-Fisher is certified in Autism Movement Therapy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Speech Communication as well as a Master of Arts degree from New York University in Counseling as a Summa Cum Laude graduate.

Rochelle Martin
Train like an athlete so you can perform like an artist.
Rochelle Martin studied at Joffery Ballet School and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. She received her BFA in Dance Studies from LIU and her MS Exercise Physiology from Hofstra University. She is currently an adjunct Dance professor at Suffolk Community College. Ms. Martin has performed at West Point Military Academy, Symphony space all over the East Coast. Choreographers have created new works on Ms. Martin.

Lorna Zawacki
"Move Past Your Comfort Zone"
Lorna Zawacki received her training at the School of American Ballet and the American Ballet Theater School. She has performed with many companies including NYC Opera, Philadelphia Lyric Opera, New Haven Ballet, Bridge Port Ballet, Wolf Trap Theater, Radio City Music Hall Ballet, The Liberace Show, and with her own company Zawacki Ballet. Ms. Zawacki recently participated in The Bolshoi Project directed by Jeff Calhoun at the Tisch School of the Arts. She currently teaches at Ballet academy East in Manhattan and coaches ballet dancers.

Connor Beringham
“I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.” - Mikhail Baryshnikov
Connor Bermingham is a graduate of Pace University's Commercial Dance Program. Notable credits include: US National Tour of CATS, All Shook Up, Broadway Bares, Broadway Dance Lab, Jacob’s Pillow and partnering Misty Copeland in front of the National Symphony Orchestra. His choreography has been featured in the prestigious Young Choreographer’s Festival. Connor is represented by CESD Talent Agency and has years of experience teaching, judging and choreographing all over the East Coast.

Warren Curtis
Be authentic
Warren’s career as a performer has included the Broadway 1st National Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, numerous companies of West Side Story, 42nd Street, and A Chorus Line. He received his dance training as a scholarship student at Steps in New York City, studying under Peff Modelski, Michael Vernon, Tony Stevens, Charles Goddertz, and Derick Grant, among others. His teaching philosophy is to impart a solid technical foundation in order to give students the capability of full artistic expression. Warren is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association.

Deena Parilla
“Your potential is endless. Go do what you were created to do.”
Deena is a Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer, and Actor who holds a BFA in Dance from Long Island University. Most recently featured as a Dancer in Sweater(TriBeCa Film Festival), as well as a background dancer for indie music artists, and Dance Cardio Fitness talent for Elite Fitness Studios streamed On Demand and across social media platforms. Deena has also studied, performed, and presented work at various theaters including, The Ailey Citigroup Theater, Symphony Space, Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, Boulton Center, Salvation Army Centennial Memorial Theater, PMT Dance Studio’s Performance Space, and Anna-Maria Kellen Concert Hall.

Takako Walsh
“Your potential is endless. Do what you were created to do.”
From Kobe, Japan, Takako was semi-finalist for YAGP 2001 & 2002. Takako Walsh moved to Canada in 2006, where she performed at the closing ceremony of The Vancouver Winter Olympics. She then moved to New York City, where she received her BFA from Long Island University Brooklyn in 2014. Takako has performed works by artists such as Ronald K. Brown, Twyla Tharp, Jennifer Muller, Doug Varone, and Earl Mosley. She also performed a solo by Anya Clarke that was taken to the American College Dance Association.

Angela Selvaggio
“Everything you need to be great is already inside you”
Angela has been teaching the art of Acro for the past 20 years. Starting as a gymnast and a dancer, she quickly realized her passion for the floor routine could be taken to another level. After engaging in cheerleading, Acro proved to be the perfect combination of all of her loves! Angela loves creating unique moves that inspire students to be creative and use their bodies in new ways. Angela spends her days as a special education teacher for the past 17 years. She participates in using movement with special needs children as a part of curriculum.

Chloe Vargas
“She believed she could, so she did”
Chloe trained at Peconic Ballet Theatre since the age of 5. She trained with the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, the Bolshoi Ballet Summer Intensive and The Complexions Ballet Winter Intensive. During her time at Peconic Ballet Theatre she performed lead roles of; Peter Pan in the Peter Pan Ballet, Clara, Snow Princess, Snow Queen, Dew Drop Fairy, Sugar Plum Pas de Deux in The Nutcracker and The Conductor in the Fantasia Ballet. She attends Suffolk County Community College, majoring in Photography and Media Arts.

Johnnier Fenner
"Dance Doesn’t Need to tell a story..It’s only obligation is to allow you to experience your own story"
Ms.Johnnier found her calling at a young age for learning & further developing dance and musical theatre. Fenner began leading under fellowship in 2012 and continuously grows her craft for African, Contemporary, Hip Hop & Jazz. I believe that with drive, determination and dedication you can achieve everything you set your mind to. Ms. Johnnier is also a pre-school teacher.