Our Team
Teachers & Staff
Celia Bassett
Owner, Director, Teacher
Celia started Irish dancing at the age of ten in Santa Fe, NM. It was an instant passion, and she continued to learn, perform, teach and compete without pause! Celia has guest-performed locally with Lunasa, Natalie MacMaster, Eileen Ivers, and Trinity Irish Dance. She competed nationally as well as in Ireland achieving Championship level. She has also taken a variety of other dance forms; bellydance, flatfooting, Scottish, ballet, tap and others. Celia is credited as a dancer in the western film Jane Got A Gun Starring Natalie Portman.
Celia has a degree in Anthropology (B.S) Exercise Science (A.A.S.) and certificates in Elementary Education and Montessori (early childhood). She has completed the Foundations course in Early Childhood Dance through Discover Dance. She is an early childhood substitute teacher at Growing Up New Mexico. She enjoys uniting her passions for teaching, choreographing, child development, and working to preserve traditional forms of Irish Dance! Outside of dance, Celia is a teacher, avid hiker and knitter, and lives in Santa Fe with her young family.
Victoria Hypes-Mayfield
Assistant Show Director, Teacher, Coach
Vicky started dancing in 2000 and has been an Irish dancer as long as she can remember. Her competitive career spans two continents, five countries, and three decades. Vicky has danced in multiple World and National championships and toured New Mexico with Gaelic Storm. As a dancer and dance teacher, she has a passion for competitive choreography and combining her athletic expertise in weightlifting and powerlifting with Irish dance training. Outside these activities, she loves riding down mountains on either skis or bikes and exploring Santa Fe restaurants with her husband.
Hannah McDowell
Teacher-Discover Dance, camp
Hannah McDowell is a California native that started dancing at the age of 3. She studied jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary dance and hip hop through her teen and adult years and danced competitively in high school and through college. In 2012 she met her now husband and moved to Santa Fe where she was an Artistic Director at NDI New Mexico for the residency and north programs for 8 years. Since stepping away from her career to be a stay at home mom to her now 2.5 year old, Hannah has been enjoying working with Celia in engaging our youngest little movers in dance and creative movement.
Sam Italiano
Teacher-Tap, Jazz
Sam Italiano was born and raised in Colorado, and continued her dance education at Elon University in North Carolina, being mentored by Gene Medler. Sam has studied in various styles including ballet, ballroom, jazz, modern, and a strong emphasis and passion for tap dance. Sam has performed as a guest artist with Untapped Co. and Kaleena Miller Company, in Little Rock and Minneapolis respectively. As an educator, Sam is passionate about this living piece of history and beautiful art form, and she is continuously learning and growing alongside her students. No matter the setting, she emphasizes dance history, rhythmic intricacies, and performance skills, hoping to ignite a fire in her students as Sam’s teachers have done for her.
Jessica Dry
Teacher-Discover Dance
Jessica, originally from Worcester MA, moved to Santa Fe by way of Austin Tx and Denver CO to be closer to family. She started dancing at the age of 10 and has a background in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and acro. The majority of her dance career was with the Faucher School of Dance, and she has continued her dancing in college and as an adult. She competed in New England in tap and jazz as a soloist. She now has two adorable twin toddlers and is excited to start teaching Parent&Tot classes and more, Jessica has completed the Foundations certification through Discover Dance!
Tamara Bates
Teacher-Ballet, Discover Dance, camp
Tamara Bates has trained at Cleo Parker Robinson, the Martha Graham School and at Alvin Ailey School of Contemporary Dance in ballet, modern and contemporary dance. She has studied Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, Flamenco, Salsa, Tango and West African dance with master teachers from all over the world. She has taught at Moving People, NDI-NM, Montana Ballet and Snappy Dance Theatre. She was the Program Manager for Citydance at Boston Ballet, serving over 3,000 children from the Boston Public Schools. She has an MA in child development and social policy from Tufts University.
Anna-Marie Baldwin
Teacher-Discover Dance, camp
Anna-Marie Baldwin, a native Texan and healthcare professional with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, is embarking on a new chapter as a Dance Exploration instructor. Her passion for promoting maternal and infant health, coupled with her diverse background as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Zumba instructor, showcases her commitment to holistic well-being.
In addition to her professional endeavors, Anna-Marie brings the joy of music and a playful spirit to her dance classes. Her love for little ones creates an engaging and vibrant learning environment, fostering a positive and joyful introduction to movement.
Anna-Marie is a passionate advocate for creativity, expressing her love for various arts and crafts, including knitting, drawing, chalkboard art, and sewing. She eagerly anticipates incorporating these artistic elements into aspects of her program, aiming to foster a holistic and well-rounded experience for her students.
With a blend of healthcare expertise, dance instruction, and a rich love for creativity, Anna-Marie continues to make a lasting impact on the well-being and joy of those she encounters in both professional and personal spheres.
Substitute Teachers
&
Assistants
We have amazing substitute teachers, guest teachers and assistants!
Adraic Starks, Adrienne Bellis, Maria Mullins, Ginnie Pickett and Leah Mitchell
