Alyssa Balarezo
Alyssa grew up in Goshen, New York and currently resides in Monroe. Throughout the years of dancing here in Orange County, Alyssa has made many lasting relationships, between friends, students, mentors, and parents. These friendships that were created in elementary school are cherished every day.
Alyssa still goes to New York City to take professional dance classes with her hometown dance friends and some of them have even taught and choreographed dances together. Coming full circle from being a student and now a teacher here in Orange County, Alyssa has also had the pleasure of watching her students grow into beautiful performers as they continue to peruse their dreams.
Alyssa Balarezo is a graduate of George Mason University with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Business (Magna Cum Laude). Alyssa grew up dancing at Marya Kennett Dance Center in Goshen, New York, and in 2010 continued her dancing at New York Dance Center.
Prior to college, Alyssa attended the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensive (2012) participating in the ballet program, jazz program, and pre-professional track as well as The Rock School West Summer Jazz Intensive (2012 and 2013).
While at Mason, Alyssa was honored to have received the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Scholarship in 2016. Throughout Alyssa’s collegiate career, she had the pleasure of working with choreographers such as Nick Pupillo, Roger Jeffrey, Christopher d’Amboise, and Durrell Comedy as well as performing in many student-choreographed pieces.
Alyssa also had the opportunity to choreograph two pieces for Harris Theater “Una Noche en la Ciudad†in 2017 and “Medially†in the spring of 2018. Shortly after graduating, Alyssa performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for the American College Dance Association Nationals.
During the summer of 2018, Alyssa attended New York Dance Project’s Summer Intensive for four weeks in addition to the Bounce Summer Intensive. In 2019, Alyssa was a dancer for The New York Lizards, a professional Lacrosse Team based in Long Island, New York. Alyssa also worked with SynthesisDANCE a contemporary company based out of New York City in the winter of 2019 and the summer of 2020.
In 2021, Alyssa was presented with the opportunity of bringing three of her own hip-hop dances to the World Dance Championship by Star Dance Alliance. Alyssa’s hip-hop dance titled “Cardi†won the “Excellence in Hip-Hop†award.
During the 2022 dance season, Alyssa will be bringing eighteen dances to regional competitions along the tri-state area. This season she has already received two “Excellence in Hip Hop†awards, an “Excellence in Choreography†award, and “Regional Champions†award. Alyssa is thrilled to be choreographing and inspiring students of all ages here at Artistic Dance Connection.