Special Programs

Robert Vail is a Choreographer, Movement Director, Teacher and Performer. As a Choreographer and Movement Director, Robert has worked with Sony, Nike, Elle Magazine, Arooj Aftab, The Melon Foundation, Hugo Boss, Peloton, and Rent the Runway, including making music videos and short films. Robert was the 2023 World Choreography Award Winner in Commercials for his work with Sony and The Whitney Houston Foundation. As a performer, Roberts' credits include campaigns and projects with GAP, Coach, Estée Lauder, Vogue, Hermès, Samsung, T-Mobile, Johnnie Walker, Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion, A$AP Rocky, and Molly Shannon. He has appeared on television shows and movies including The Tony Awards, The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, Good Morning America, and The VMA’s. Robert was an original cast member of Life and Trust, originating the roll of Dorian. Robert is on faculty at NYU: Tisch and Atlantic Studio. He is an alumni of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Dance,

Heather Lang has over 24 years of professional experience spanning Broadway, film/TV, commercial, experimental, fashion, opera, and dance. Her first film, "Simulation", was nominated for Best Art Direction & Best Music in the London Fashion Film Festival, and selected for inclusion in the New York International Shorts Festival. Along with Eleanor Bauer, Heather created a film, "#Blessed", and music video for the song "Trash Is Fierce." She also wrote and performed a two person show, "The Heather Lang Show by Eleanor Bauer and Vice Versus", shown throughout Europe and NYC. Heather performed "Before it's Begun, It's Ended" and "RIP/Career Transitions for Dancers" and choreographed "Hypervigilent Mutation" and "Lipstick to Void", solo works about women’s perspective of loss, rebirth, and identity; and co-choreographed and performed with Jason Parsons in the short dance film "Artifice", directed by Kate Harpootlian. Heather is creating a NYC dance show about reclaiming our stories and joy in our bodies through dance and feminine power, using intricate projection design to enhance the choreography, elaborate costuming, set design, and live music, to take the audience on a moody, intuitive, visual splendor.

Heather teaches as a guest artist throughout the country and has been a guest speaker at UT Austin and Chicago College of Performing Arts and Roosevelt University. She is on faculty at Momen (Al Blackstone), Protege Movement and The Bridge (Stacey Tookey).

Film credits: I Am Legend, Across the Universe, Smurfs, Frances Ha, The Great Observer. TV: “Fosse/Verdon,” “Tick, Tick...Boom”, “Who Cares” music video Paul McCartney, “Smash,” “Rescue Me,” “Gossip Girl,” VH1 “Fashion Rocks,” David Letterman, Seth Myers.
Broadway: Jagged Little Pill, An American In Paris (Chris Wheeldon), Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (Julie Taymor). Theatre: City Center Encores: The Life (Billy Porter) Opera: Faust, Damnation of Faust, Grendel (Julie Taymor & Anjelin Prelocaj). Off-Broadway: Seeing You (Randy Weiner & Ryan Heffington), Gregorian (Matthew Greene), Happy We’ll Be and Freddie Falls in Love (Al Blackstone). Dance: Radio City Rockettes, New Work for the Desert and Catacomb (Beth Gill), Remains (John Jasperse), several fashion weeks (Ryan Heffington, Mara Hoffman, Laura Seigal), and broadway workshops.

She is Level 1 Gyrotonic Method Certified. She received her BFA in dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and attended the School of Visual Arts: Directing & How to Make Film. Heather is a Chita Rivera Award Nominee.

Instagram:@heatherblee

Mary Giattino is the Associate Choreographer of the Tony Award Winning First National Tour of Fun Home. She is also the Associate Director/Choreographer of the National Tour of Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Mary served as Assistant Choreographer, Dance Captain/Swing, for both Broadway productions of Irving Berlin's White Christmas, in addition to LA, Detroit and Toronto companies. She also worked as the Associate Choreographer for Dear Evan Hansen (NY workshop), Networks Nat'l Tour of Billy Elliot, Resident Choreographer/Swing for the 1st National Tour of Billy Elliot, and was Tap Teacher for Billy Elliot on Broadway. Her Assistant Choreographer credits include: City Center Encores! productions of Lady Be Good, No No Nanette and Of Thee I Sing, in addition to All Singing, All Dancing (92nd St. Y); Choreography credits include Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Thoroughly Modern Millie and 42nd Street at the Gateway Playhouse and 42nd Street at Lexington Theatre Company. As a Dance teacher, Mary was on faculty at Steps On Broadway, Broadway Dance Center and teaches Master Classes all over the U.S. Her other performance credits include Broadway National Tour of 42nd Street, kicking up her heels as a Radio City Rockette, shaking hands with President Obama on stage at the Kennedy Center, and performing in over forty stage regional theater productions across the country. www.marygiattino.com

Jacob Hiss is a professional videographer. In addition to working freelance nationally for dance companies and educational institutions, he works as the videographer for Works at Exit12 Dance Company, Steps on Broadway, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Jacob is unique qualified to film dance as a dancer himself. He started studying ballet at the age of 10 at Studio Maestro, and went on to train with Manhattan Youth Ballet, French Academie of Ballet, and Premiere Division under the tutelage of Francois Perron and Nadege Hottier. His dance roles included Prince Florimund in Sleeping Beauty, the Beast in Beauty and the Beast at Queens Theater, and performances at Hudson Ballet Theatre. Jacob was also a member of the Exit 12 Dance Company, performing in their yearly Nutcracker production, before becoming their in-house videographer. Jacob studied Film at Wesleyan University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film/Cinema/Video Studies.

"Jacob Hiss's work with a camera is informed by years of study of dance and jazz saxophone. He understands movement, musical phrasing and form, both the long and the short of it. His filming of my concerts has always been beautiful to look at and beautifully edited with pans and fades that always make sense musically and visually. I consider him one great videographer!" - Bob Rosen, Musician and Teacher, Friends Seminary and Meetinghouse Jazz Orchestra

Chris Coates is a professional photographer and owner of Chris Coates Photos. Chris has photographed dance and theatrical events at renowned locations such as The Joyce Theatre, The Juilliard School, and The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre. His photography has been featured in Vogue.com, Playbill, BroadwayWorld, and Roundabout Theatre.

Chris' love of dance has helped inform and inspire his love of, and approach to photography. Originally from Atlanta, Chris moved to NYC at 21 to pursue dance. He has twenty years of professional dance experience, including performing across the US and internationally on cruise ships, in dance companies, and with dance conventions and workshops. For the past fifteen years, he has taught at The Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensives and has over twenty years experience as a judge, staff member, and master teacher for Onstage NY and New York City Dance Alliance.

"I truly enjoy capturing 'the moment' … the dancer in me always strives for perfection and that carries over in my photography. Collaborating with performers is a passion of mine and I love working with other passionate performers to create magic in front of the camera. Whether it's dance portraits, headshots, performance and beyond, I try to bring the precise detail and focus that dance has taught me into each image."

"Chris is the best there is! What an eye he has for photography, and dance! - Dana Adames- Owner and Artistic Director, The Talent Factory, RI