Leading with experience
Stephanie Risser
Stephanie Risser began her dance training with Carolyn Trythall at what is now Lancaster School of Ballet, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There she studied the Cecchetti Method of ballet, modern, jazz, and tap. Stephanie was a founding member of the Ballet Theater of Lancaster, as well as performing in the Donetsk Ballet's The Nutcracker. After graduating from high school Stephanie attended the University of Hartford/School of the Hartford Ballet (now Dance Connecticut) BFA program, where she had the opportunity to perform with the Touring Ensemble, a performing group that toured Connecticut, and work with the Hartford Ballet.
After graduating with a BFA in Dance Pedagogy Stephanie returned to Lancaster where she taught for Lancaster School of Ballet and worked with Ballet Theater of Lancaster. Stephanie also began studying ballroom dancing with Top Hat Dance Studio. She continued her ballroom training after she moved to Connecticut to teach at the School of Dance Connecticut. There she taught students from ages 3-15 and was the children's rehearsal co-ordinator for Adam Miller's production of The Nutcracker.
In 2002, she moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she was the Director and main instructor of Top Hat Dance Studio School of Ballet and a ballroom instructor for Top Hat Dance Studio for 3 years. Here she began competing professionally in hustle, winning 2nd place at Disco America in 2004, 1st place at Dance America Seattle in 2005 and 3rd place in the Van McCoy Professional World Open Hustle Championships in 2005. Stephanie has also performed in many dinner shows at various competitions, including Disco America, International Hustle and Salsa Competition and New Year's Extravaganza.