Debra Jo Hughes
HVAPA Director
Ms. Hughes currently
instructs all Ballet Program Classes (Pre-Ballet through Ballet 3), Fitness, and Jazz.

Ms. Hughes has danced with several ballet companies such as Capitol City Ballet, the Terri Lewis Dance Ensemble, Bay Ballet and Ballet Theatre International. She has also danced in films, theatrical productions and television, working with choreographers such as Michael Smuin, Debbie Allen and Chet Walker. Debra is currently on the faculty of STEPS on Broadway, teaching ballet and stretch/strengthening for the School at Steps and adult open classes. READ MORE

Jeff Hughes
Heads the Drama and Fitness Departments

Jeff Hughes teaches acting, Trainer-Fit classes and maintains a private fitness training program here at HVAPA.

Jeff has been a professional actor since 1987 when he began his career working for Marvel Comics. Jeff's credits include a variety of roles on television including over 40 commercials. He has appeared on the Soap Operas: "All My Children", "As The World Turns" and on "Days Of Our Lives" where he had a recurring role for 7 years. Jeff has earned roles in feature films as well, and considers himself extremely fortunate to have worked with and observed some of the world’s leading directors such as Sir Richard Attenborough and Spike Lee.
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Jane & Art Frederick
Ballroom Dance

Jane and Art Frederick have been dancing for 25 years. They studied many years at Lorraine Michaels Studio in Albany and Kinderhook;they have since sharpened their technique at the Fred Astaire Studio in Latham. Their philosophy of teaching dance is not to make students follow a rigid line of instruction. Rather, they stress the social aspects of dancing through an emphasis on steps that can be used in a number of different dances. Their goal is to have you enjoy yourself on the dance floor without being self conscious about it.

Abby Puca
Tap Dance & Hip Hop

Abby began dancing at the age of 3 years old at The Stissing Loft Dance Studio in Pine Plains, NY. She then continued her career at Rhinebeck Dance Center for the next 15 years. During this time, Abby was part of NYC Tap Festival, where she and partner David Rider were chosen to dance a duet in the style of Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell's Begin the Beguine, in a major performance at The Duke Theater on 42nd Street. She recently performed and choreographed yearly at SUNY Oneonta as a member of the Terpsichorean Dance Company. Abby has taken classes with Tap Sensations such as Gregory Hines, Buster Brown and Savion Glover and has instructed dancers in Rhythm Tap and Hip-Hop for six years. READ MORE

Donna Barrett
Belly Dancing

Donna first taught belly dance in Homer, Alaska, then performed with a troupe in her hometown, Austin, Texas. Donna has performed at Caravan Restaurant on Atlantic Avenue and Lafayette Grill in New York, Stella’s in Catskill, Olana and at events for both Columbia County Council on the Arts and Greene County Council on the Arts. She is also a member of the Catskill Bellydance troupe. Donna studied cabaret with Amaya in Austin, Amar in NYC, Shamira and Rayhana in Woodstock; traditional middle eastern dance with Carolyn Kay Wheeler in Columbia County; and American tribal with Naima in Catskill. She holds a Certificate in Arts Administration from NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies, a MA from the University at Albany, and a BFA and a BSN from the University of Texas.

Garfield Moore
Cello and Guitar

Cellist and teacher Garfield Moore has joined the faculty of the Hudson Valley Academy of the Performing Arts.

Mr. Moore been a guest artist lecturer at the Juilliard School, taught cello, coached chamber music, and given master classes in the MAP program, at University of California at Santa Cruz, The Bartok Conservatory of Hungary, and the Harlem School of the Arts ,in addition to maintaining private studios in NYC and the Hudson Valley. READ MORE

April Gutierrez
Singing Voice and Piano

A native of Colorado, Ms. Gutierrez is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, Juilliard Opera Center and the University of Northern Colorado, where she was awarded the 2005 Outstanding Alumna Medallion for 2005 for achievement in the creative and performing arts. Since her professional debut as Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Colorado, she has sung many of the most demanding roles in the lyric soprano repertoire. She has sung over 30 performances of Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata throughout the United States with the New York City Opera National Company. Her portrayal of Mimi has been called "captivating, enhanced by her warm, smoky timbre"... READ MORE

Patricia Charbonneau
Children and Adult Acting Workshops

Ms Charbonneau has been a professional actor for over twenty years. Patricia's training began with Fred Karamen from the acclaimed Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, as well as with Winn Handman of the American Place Theater. Ms Charbonneau has been seen in over thirty films and television series; she has worked with Oscar winning directors William Friedkin and Michael Mann. Ms Charbonneau was nominated for the Independent Sprit Award for her ground-breaking performance in the film Desert-Hearts." Patricia has co-starred with William Peterson, Stanley Tucci, Julie Andrews, Sam Waterston, Diane Weist, and James Garner. READ MORE

Hudson Valley Academy of Performing Arts
957 Route 82
West Taghkanic, NY 12502

Telephone: (518) 851-5501
Fax: (518) 851-5505
E-Mail: info@hvapa.com