Dutchess School of Performing Arts
DSPA opened in September of 2013 under the artistic direction of Denyse Looney.
Since that time we have been offering personalized, professional instruction to dancers of all levels and interests. We believe that dance is a celebration, not a competition. We strive for quality, not quantity.
Our faculty have all worked and performed as professionals in their fields. Collectively they have been members of The New York City Ballet, The Boston Ballet, The Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, Erick Hawkins Dance, J-Han Dance, The D'amby Project and Riverdance and have multiple film and print credits.
Our goal is to provide and maintain a truly professional environment for young people to study multiple dance techniques. We are eager to pass our knowledge and dedication to the Arts onto our students, to mentor their talent and help them continue their personal development.
DSPA Faculty
Denyse Looney
Artistic Director & Ballet
Denyse was a full scholarship student at the official school of the New York City Ballet, The School of American Ballet. She danced professionally with The New York City Ballet under the direction of Mr. George Balanchine and The Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, as a soloist under the direction of Maria Tallchief.
Denyse has been a member of the Washington Ballet, The Hartford Ballet, a soloist with the Eglevsky Ballet under the founder, Andre Eglevsky and later Michael Vernon. She has additionally studied with David Howard, Melissa Hayden, Robert Denvers, Bobby Blankshine, Dianna Cartier, among others. She has taught professionally in New York City at studios of Robert Denvers and David Howard. She has been teaching in the Hudson Valley for over 30 years.
Leighann Kowalsky
Co-Artisitic Director, Irish & Contemporary
Leighann Kowalsky is a Hudson Valley based performer, choreographer and educator specializing in dance and circus. Kowalsky has traveled the world working in the arts for over 20 years. She holds a BA in Communications with a minor in Psychology, and an MFA in Choreography. She has designed arts education curriculum across the country, and is active as the Development Chair for the National Dance Educators Organization. She directed the Millbrook School dance & circus program for almost 10 years, and co-designed the curriculum for the MFA in Choreography Program at Reinhardt University, where she is Research Advisor.
Bringing long-lived and ongoing experience as a performer (Erick Hawkins, The D’Amby Project, Joel Hanna, Countertides, Nita Little & more) into the classroom, Kowalsky imbues each learning space with a distinctive sensation of respect and humanity.
Walter Freeman
Rhythm Tap
Mr. Freeman is the most sought after Rhythm Tap Teacher in Dutchess County. He has taught Master Class Internationally and at the American Tap Foundation where he was named 'Tap Teacher of the Year' in 2007.
Mr. Freeman has had the honor of performing for two U.S. Presidents, Prime Minister Tony Blair of England, and the Presidents of both Ireland and Germany.
Mr. Freeman has starred in two Broadway Shows, the three time award winning show Black and Blue at the Minskoff Theatre and Riverdance at the Gershwin Theater. He is also featured in five films, The Principal, with Lou Gossett Jr.,Worlds Greatest Dancers, Bojangles starring Gregory Hines, Riverdance: Live in Geneva, and Tap, also starring Gregory Hines
Please see Mr. Freeman in action on Youtube!
Carolyn Freeman
Tap & Beginner Ballet
Carolyn Freeman was the owner & director of American Stardom Dance Academy from 2001 - 2016. She has 35 years experience working with young children in dance. From 1994 - 2002 she directed and owned American Stardom Talent Competition with much success, which she ran on the East Coast for 8 years
until she opened her own studio.
She has studied dance in New York, Europe, Athens, and in Greece and has studied under numerous teachers from New York City. In addition, she has taught for the Greece American Club military families. She was honored in 2007 with Tap Teacher of the year award by the world renown American Tap Dance Foundation in New York City.She has sent many of her students on to continue their dance education with prestigious companies such as ABT and others.
Hillary Jackson
Ballet
Hillary Jackson received her early training at the Princeton Ballet School and Eliot Feld's New Ballet School (now Ballet Tech) in NYC as well as in summer intensives at the San Francisco and Joffrey Ballet schools. Hillary performed with the Princeton Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet companies as a trainee. Hillary is an ABT Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the National Training Curriculum. Since 2018, she has been studying Vaganova Method pedagogy with master pedagogue, Annette T. Thomas. Hillary continually engages in opportunities to advance her education in dance. She currently teaches at the Hudson Valley Academy of Performing Arts and here at DSPA.