Faculty

Stephanie Artigliere

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Mrs. Artigliere began dancing at Pennsylvania Regional Ballet (formally Cumberland Dance Company), directed by Sandra Carlino, at the age of 3 near her hometown in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She had numerous Master Teachers including Luis Fuente, Jonathan Phelps, John Magnus, Kirsten Kashock, Richard Cook, Jeffery Gribler, Melinda Howe, and Robert Steele. She studied at numerous programs growing up including Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, North Carolina Dance Place, Boston Conservatory, and the Joffrey Ballet School. She had the honor of performing multiple times at Regional Dance America's annual festival with PRB.

After graduating high school, Mrs. Artigliere attended Towson University in Towson, MD on a dance scholarship. She was trained by many great professors such as Linda-Denise Fisher-Herrell, Stephanie Powell, Vincent Thomas, Susan Mann, and Catherine Horta-Hayden. While at Towson, she performed many times with the Towson University Dance Company in amazing ballets including Paquita, Raymonda, and The Nutcracker. Mrs. Artgiliere’s most memorable performance was George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie. She graduated Summa Cum Laude, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Deaf Studies.

Upon graduation, Mrs. Artigliere began dancing with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an apprentice dancer under the direction of Dianna Cuatto. Some of the ballets she performed include Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, Beauty and the Beast, Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, as well as many other works by Ms Cuatto. Mrs. Artigliere began teaching at PCBT in the Fall of 2009 as a Guest Teacher and then taught the entire Summer Intensive in 2010. After being promoted to BTM’s Studio II company, she retired from performing to serve as the Artistic Director of Providence Creek Ballet Theater beginning in the Summer of 2011. Since then, she has completed the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Teacher Training Program and received certification in Progressing Ballet Technique. 

Mrs. Artigliere currently serves as Secretary on the Regional Dance America Board of Directors and Regional Coordinator on the Regional Dance America/Northeast Board of Directors.

Tania Potts

BALLET MISTRESS

Tania Orlowsky-Potts trained locally under the direction of Flossie Vogel, Tony Parnell, Tatiana Akinfieva-Smith, Teresa Emmons, and Judith Engelgau. She has performed in full length ballets to excerpts from Broadway shows, to unique contemporary ballet choreography set by various artists, including herself.

Tania continues to keep her training in the performing arts fresh by attending regular classes, summer intensives, and workshops located in the mid-Atlantic region. Since 2008, Tania has earned and maintained the Dance Master’s of America accreditation for both Ballet and Jazz education.

With over 15 years experience, Tania embraces teaching ages 3 through adult and beginner through advanced. She believes anyone with a passion for dance, should be taught a technically strong foundation and given opportunities to further grow themselves to their own unique potential. Tania’s primary concentration is the study and education of classical ballet and pointe under the RAD and Vaganova methods. However, her accomplishments stretch deep into jazz, tap, and musical theatre dance disciplines. As a dance educator, performer, and choreographer, Tania enjoys the challenge of creating new works to different music genres. Her personal choreography embraces a fresh, creative contemporary flare while balancing the philosophy and style of George Balanchine. She brings her creativity, knowledge, and professionalism to the local community, visual and performing art organizations, and to various theatre based programs. When able, Tania continues to perform locally and with theatre related organizations.

Tania believes the performing arts are a unique life opportunity: The performer draws strength and inspiration from the medium and is also the creative and expressive medium with which to inspire and strengthen others. Tania honors the unique opportunities she has been gifted through dance, by continuing to grow and share her own passion, knowledge, and dedication to the performing arts with others.

Jennifer Seward

FACULTY

Jennifer Seward found her passion for dance at 6 years old when she attended Shore Ballet School of Dance for Classical Ballet. A few years later, she broadened her study of dance at the Lakewood School of Dance where she fell in love with Modern, Jazz, and Lyrical Ballet. In college she studied Jazz, Ballet, and Modern. Mrs. Jenny opened Fitness Made Fun, LLC in 2010 and had the pleasure of teaching dance and fitness classes to children and adults for five years. She continues to study dance and enjoys sharing her passion through teaching.

Jeffrey Gribler

FACULTY

Jeffrey Gribler began dancing at age 7 in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. His 10 years of study at the Schwartz School of the Dance included six years of performing experience with the Dayton Ballet. In 1975, at the age of 17, he was offered an apprenticeship with Pennsylvania Ballet. He joined the Corps de Ballet in 1976 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1982.

Mr. Gribler has an extensive repertoire of both classical and modern works. He has danced leading roles in numerous ballets by George Balanchine, including Prodigal Son, Bugaku, The Four Temperaments, Agon, Who Cares? and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His roles in contemporary works include Paul Taylor's Arden Court and Company B, Merce Cunningham's Arcade, William Forsythe's Steptext and Love Songs, Kevin O' Day's Col Legno and Lar Lubovitch's Concerto 622 and Waiting for the Sunrise. He has also danced leading roles in classical repertoire, such as Siegfried and Benno in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, Franz and Dr. Coppelius in Coppelia, a Stepsister in Cinderella, and Mercutio in John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet.

Mr. Gribler was Ballet Master for Pennsylvania Ballet from 1986 to 2014. Among his responsibilities was the task of rehearsing the children who appear in the Company's annual production of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. He choreographed several works for Shut Up and Dance, the annual benefit for MANNA, and Cricket Dances, which was performed by Pennsylvania Ballet in October 1998. He has staged works by Lynne Taylor Corbett and Peter Martins around the United States and Europe. Mr. Gribler retired from the stage in June 2001, after 26 years of performing but continued performing character roles in ballets such as Coppelia (Dr. Coppelius), Swan Lake (Wolfgang), La Sylphide (Madge, the witch) and La Fille Mal Gardee (Widow Simone).

Mr. Gribler’s involvement with Regional Dance America stems back to the original organization, known as the National Association for Regional Ballet. As a member of Dayton Ballet, he performed at six Festivals for the Northeast Region. He has served as the Adjudicator for the Northeast Region in 1990, 1993, 1997 (first National Festival), 2003, 2008 and 2015, the Southwest in 1995 and 2016, the Southeast in 2002 and 2018, the former Pacific in 2017 for the National Festival and the MidStates in 2019. He has created 12 ballets on RDA companies.

After 39 seasons with Pennsylvania Ballet, Mr. Gribler is now on the faculty of Pennsylvania Regional Ballet (formerly RDA/Northeast) and a freelance master teacher and occasional choreographer.

Sophia Wicks

FACULTY

Sophia Wicks grew up in Clayton, DE.  She began her dancing at 3 years old in Dover and at age 7 began her training at Providence Creek Ballet Theater in Clayton, DE under the direction of Lydia Creasy Cooper. Sophia joined PCBT’s Pre-Professional Company in 2013 under the instruction of Stephanie Artigliere where she trained in numerous dance styles. Sophia performed at numerous dance festivals with PCBT such as Delaware Dance Festival from 2014-2018, Philadelphia Youth Dance Fest from 2017-2018 and Regional Dance America from 2015-2018.  She spent summers training on scholarship with American Ballet Theatre, The Washington Ballet School and the Charlottesville Ballet, where she had the opportunity to train under renowned teachers and dancers such as Mimmo Miccolis, Elaine Kudo, Julie Kent, Rolando Sarabia, Julia Mitchell, Kristina Windom, and Steven Melendez. 

Sophia joined the Charlottesville Ballet as a Trainee upon graduation from PCBT in 2018. While there she danced corps roles in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Snow White, as well as Soloist roles in choreography by Co-Director Sara Clayborne, Stephen Melendez, and Cassidy Burk.  

Sophia joined Klassic Contemporary Ballet Company in 2021 where she danced for 1 season. After leaving KCBC Sophia started her own company, Diamond State Ballet Theatre. DSBT currently works with Newark High School to bring free dance training to students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to pursue dance as an artform. DSBT continues to seek out opportunities to bring dance training to all who are inspired to dance. Sophia has had choreography featured in Providence Creek Ballet Theater’s Summer concert as well as Regional Dance America as an Emerging Choreographer in 2022. Sophia continues to dance professionally with DSBT as well as teach the Jazz and Lyrical classes for PCBT.

Kristen Black-Franks

FACULTY

Ms. Black began her dance journey when she was two and a half years old at the Jean Ferrill School of Dance in Newark, DE.  Through her many years of training, she had classes in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip hop and musical theatre.  She performed in many Disney themed recitals, having lead roles in many of them.  Her favorite role was playing the Stepmother in Cinderella alongside her father who played the King.

In 1999, Ms. Black began to student-teach at the Jean Ferrill School of Dance.  She quickly became an integral part of the studio and was teaching several days a week.  Ms. Black continued to teach at this school until its last day in May of 2010.

Ms. Black began teaching dance and first grade at PCA in 2009.  After her many years of working with preschool aged students in dance, she was able to start the creative movement classes at PCBT.  Along with the creative movement classes, Ms. Black also taught ballet, tap, and jazz for many seasons and summer sessions.  

In the summer of 2015, Ms. Black made the difficult decision to take a break from dance to focus on her family.  Although she still stayed involved in PCBT with the crew for shows and judging auditions, she always missed the interactions with the students, families, and staff of PCBT.

Ms. Black is beyond excited to not only be the theater arts teacher for PCA starting the 2023 school year, but also to be coming back to PCBT as a teacher!

ANTWANIQUE WOOLFORD

FACULTY

Ms. Woolford, also known as Coach A,  is a loving and bubbly person who loves to see young individuals reach their goals whether on the mats or in everyday life. She has a Bachelors degree in Psychology and is currently a foster care caseworker. After hours Coach A coaches gymnastics. She has been a gymnastics coach for 6 years and counting. Coach A used to be a cheerleader when I was younger. She became interested in gymnastics when she had her daughter who took a passion to gymnastics at a early age. Coach A went from being a gym mom to a coach.  

Isabella DeGirolano 

FACULTY

Isabella DeGirolano discovered her passion for dance at the age of 2. She studied dance at Providence Creek Ballet Theater for 13 years under the direction of Stephanie Artigliere & Tania Potts. With PCBTs pre-professional company she trained in many styles including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, & modern. At the age of 13 Isabella had been accepted into the dance program at Cab Calloway School of the Arts. Isabella’s favorite ballet roles included Snow Queen and Dew Drop in the Nutcracker and Paquita. She had performed at numerous dance festivals including Regional Dance America, Philadelphia Youth Dance Fest, & Delaware Dance Festival. Isabella had received scholarships for RDA’s National Choreography Intensive and had attended the summer intensive in Texas and Ohio. Isabella is currently a student at DelawereTech and is studying nursing. Isabella is continuing her education in school and dance with currently teaching at PCBT.

Aliyah Navarro 

FACULTY

Aliyah Navarro has always enjoyed the freedom, creativity, and joy of movement. At the age of 7, Aliyah was enrolled at Providence Creek Ballet Theater founded by Lydia Creasy Cooper. In 2011, Stephanie Artigliere became the artistic director of Providence Creek Ballet Theater. 

Aliyah was trained in various dance styles such as Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Modern. Aliyah was in lead roles in The Nutcracker, danced in PCBT’s winter and spring performances, and attended the Delaware Dance Festival. Her favorite dance will always be Candy Canes from The Nutcracker.

After graduating high school, Aliyah attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. While studying Communication and Political Science, she joined a competitive Bollywood Fusion dance team called Queen City Ishaare. She had the amazing opportunity to learn numerous dance styles such as Bhangra, Kuthu, Hip Hop, Bharatanatyam, and Bollywood. Aliyah was the captain for two years and helped lead the team to their first first-place victory since the founding of the organization. 

Aliyah is forever thankful to her parents and family for their unwavering support; and to all her dance teachers throughout the years who have shared their knowledge, commitment, and passion. It brings Aliyah great joy to be back at PCBT and be surrounded by those who share the same love for dance.