The Owner - Jody DeLoria
Jody C. (Houk) DeLoria began her early training at Dance Dimensions, under the direction of Susan Beckman and Chris Kastner. After high-school, she spent one year at SUNY Geneseo where she studied with Jonette Lancos and Jacqueline McCausland. Upon transferring to SUNY Brockport, she studied under José Limón Company members James Payton and Susannah Newman, received the Rose L. Strasser and Departmental Scholar Awards and went on to graduate magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance and psychology.
Prior to opening Jody B’s Studio of Dance in 2003, Jody gained teaching experience at Dance Dimensions, Hochstein School of Music & Dance and the dancentré. Over the years she has continued her dance education, attending workshops sponsored by Broadway Dance Center, Dance Masters of America Teacher Training School, The Limón Institute, and the Bill Evans Teacher Institute, to name some. Through these opportunities she has had the privilege of studying: jazz with Tom Ralabate, Sheila Barker, Joe Tremaine, and Debra Knapp, ballet with Kitty Daniels, Elizabeth Wadell and Kerry Ring, Tap with Barb Denny, Michelle Dorrance, Germaine Salsberg, and Toni Noblett, and modern with Bill Evans, Alan Danielson, Jonette Lancos and Melanie Aceto.
Jody has extensive experience teaching ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical and acrobatics. Her students and choreography have received special recognition at many regional competitions. This season, she was voted “Teacher of the Year” by her colleagues at The Invitational Talent competition. Jody appreciates the qualities that each dance form brings to create a well-rounded dancer. However, she is first to admit her partiality to both, tap and modern dance. Many of Jody’s students have gone on to continue their dance training in college dance programs and have become wonderful instructors and choreographers. Others have reveled in the rare opportunity to work for and perform in Disney World, major touring musicals, and dance companies.
In 2012, Jody joined the faculty at SUNY Geneseo where she remains an adjunct in both the Theatre and Dance, and Music departments. In 2013, she returned to study dance formally as an M.F.A. candidate. Graduate school uncovered her aptitude for combining structure with creativity. Her thesis project, a collaboration with composer Paul DeLoria, culminated in the performance of two unique works both of which were based on the same permutational structure. The contemporary work, Who am I?, and the tap work, R1E2V3O4L4V3E2S1, were choreographed on students and performed in the spring semester Geneseo Dance Ensemble concert. Jody earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in performing arts: dance from The Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Zachary J. Frazee
Zachary J. Frazee (they/them) is a mover, creator, educator, photographer, and creative entrepreneur based in Rochester, NY. They are the Founder and Artistic Director of Frazee Feet Dance - a contemporary dance company based in Rochester. Their choreographic works have been featured in festivals and events across the country in cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston, Richmond, and more. Frazee has performed with companies such as the New York State Ballet, Biodance, electricGrit Dance, Project 44, among others, and they currently teach Pilates, ballet, and contemporary technique at various local dance studios and universities. When they are not in the studio, they are usually behind a camera lens, talking to their cats, or breaking the binary one fabulous outfit at a time.
Nova Rae Gaffney
Nova Rae Gaffney , a Delaware native began her training in lower Delaware before joining The School of First State Ballet Theatre in 2016.
Nova's studies also include summer intensives with The Pennsylvania Ballet, Burklyn Ballet, and Ballet West.
Miss Gaffney was the recipient of the Delaware Dance festival Artisry Award, as well as a Scholarship winner at the Philadephia Youth Dance Festival in 2018. She was the winner of the senior, overall Priscilla Payson Foundation scholarship in 2016 and is also a Diane Drulis Foundation scholarship winner.
Nova had the honor of being awarded a ballet scholarship with NYCDA and receiving the the highest overall score for their senior division in 2015, as well as placing Top 24 at YAGP 2018.
Nova performed with the school of First State Ballet Theatre as a finalist in the Ensemble division of the Youth American Grand Prix, and World Ballet Competition in 2018 receiving first place in the ensemble division.
Nova has previously danced professionally with First State Ballet Theatre, and is currently a company member at New York State Ballet.
Gina Schreiber
Miss Gina grew up in Webster where she attended the Donna Smith School of Dance for 13 years. During this time she studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe, and musical theater and attended competitions, conventions, and performed in The Nutcracker at the Eastman Theatre with the North Carolina Dance Theatre and the RPO. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from St. Bonaventure University (SBU) and a Master of Science Degree in literacy from Nazareth College. While at SBU, Gina served as president of the Dance Team and performed with the Legacy Dance Company. Prior to joining the Jody B’s family, she taught dance for nine years at Dance 22. Before having her children, Miss Gina taught in the West Irondequoit Central School District for 10 years. She resides in Walworth with her husband Brian, son Fritz, and daughter Elena. It is a joy for Miss Gina to have the opportunity to share her love of dance with her students.
Christina Sauers
Christina first developed a passion for the rhythms of tap, in middle school when she was enrolled in dance classes at LaDanse Workshop. Since then, she has continued her tap and jazz training, taking classes with Tremaine Dance Conventions, Park Avenue Dance Company, as well as, the prestigious Broadway Dance Center in NYC. She has experience choreographing for local high school musicals such as, Cinderella and Aida. Christina holds a bachelor’s degree in education from SUNY Geneseo. Her schooling has informed her unique ability to instruct dancers of all ages, including her Wee Dance and Adult classes for which she holds a particular affection. In addition to teaching, through the past few years, Christina has assumed many of the office responsibilities at Jody B’s Studio of Dance. When she is not upstairs teaching she is in the office answering emails, working on invoices, ordering shoes or organizing costumes.
Michelle Thibodeau
Michelle Thibodeau is currently a student at Saint John Fisher College studying childhood inclusive education. She owes part of her love for teaching to her time spent assisting along side Miss Sunny during her time as a dancer at Jody B’s Studio of Dance.
Michelle started dancing at the age of two, when Jody B’s first opened, and has been a part of the studio in some way ever since. She studied everything the studio offered, but favored ballet, modern and hip hop, of course. She was part of the Jody B’s competition team for countless years, and got the opportunity to train in conventions and at the Broadway Dance Center in NYC along side her team.
Michelle is excited to continue to be a part of the Jody B’s team as she always strives to better herself as a dancer and teacher at Jody B's Studio of Dance.