About Jessica Rizzo Stafford
Jess Stafford is a native New Yorker and graduate of NYU Steinhardt’s Dance Education Master’s Program. She also holds a BFA in dance performance from UMASS Amherst. Jess’ national and international performance career includes: The National Tour of Guys & Dolls, The European Tour of Grease, West Side Story, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Salute to Dudley Moore at Carnegie Hall, guest-dancer with the World Famous Pontani Sisters and IMPULSE Modern Dance Company.
Jess has been a faculty member for the Perichild Program and Peridance Youth Ensemble and taught at the historic New Dance Group and 92nd Street Y in NYC. She was Company Director at Steffi Nossen School of Dance/Dance in Education Fund and in 2008 traveled to Uganda where she taught creative-movement. The experience culminated with Jess being selected as a featured instructor at the Queen’s Kampala Ballet & Modern Dance School. She has conducted workshops for the cast of LA REVE at the Wynn, Las Vegas and has been on faculty at the IDS International Dance Teacher Conference at The Royal Ballet in London, UK, MPower Summer Dance Intensives, as well as in-house faculty member for the annual Dance Teacher Web Conferences.
Jess has served as adjunct lecturer at the Mason Gross School of the Arts-Rutgers University Dance Department and as Master Teacher and adjudicator for various national and international dance competitions.
Jess is the Chief Editor for the DanceTeacherWeb.com Blog and also serves as faculty member, contributing writer and presenter.
Her latest passion project includes becoming a 500HR RYT and is the founder and creator of 44 Yoga + Movement. 44yogamove.com
