E-BOARD

ANNA ROSE MARION

President

CRISTINA PINES

Vice President

Year: Senior

Major: Communication
Hometown: Vero Beach, FL

There is nothing Cristina loves more than her Rise family! She has been dancing for the past 15(?) years in jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, and musical theatre. Although she rotates between identifying herself as "dancer first" and "strong mover,” Cristina has had her fair share of stage-time through her local theater, performing in over 50 children's productions and three professional musicals. She also enjoys choreographing and has won awards at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA for "Excellence in Student Choreography and Direction" and "Excellence in Dance." Additionally, Cristina is involved in other on-campus groups, including serving as the choreographer for Hearsay A Cappella and president of Big Red Ambassadors. She is constantly inspired by those around her, especially when she sees the insane talent within this dance group - and she is more than aware that her stretching routine should be put into practice more than once a month... Much love to Rise!! <3

Year: Senior

Major: Environment & Sustainability and Anthropology

Hometown: Rye, NH

Before coming to Cornell, Anna Rose danced for 17 years, training in ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, jazz, and lyrical at the Portsmouth School of Ballet School and Phillips Exeter Academy. With the Phillips Exeter Dance Program, Anna Rose was lucky enough to participate in intensives with the Giordano Dance Company and the American Dance Festival. Additionally, Anna Rose was a dance captain for the Phillips Exeter Dance Company and a frequent choreographer. At Cornell, she has studied modern under Miles Yeung-Tieu and Olive Prince, performing their choreography in multiple PMA shows, including the Locally Grown Dance Festival and Wild Gather. Anna Rose could not be more excited to go into her fourth year on Rise!

ANGELINA LANDOLFI

Diversity and Inclusion Chair

Year: Junior
Major: Nutritional Science
Hometown: New Haven, CT

Angelina is thrilled to join the rise family this year! She has been dancing since the age of 3 and has been trained in ballet jazz and contemporary. Aside from dancing she also enjoys going on hikes, reading, cooking unique recipes, and spending time with family. She is so excited to see what Cornell and Rise have in store these next 4 years!

LISSETTE SILVA

Treasurer

Year: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Newark, NJ

This is Lissette's fourth year on Rise, and she is so excited to be dancing with the group! She's been dancing for 14 years and trained in many styles including lyrical, contemporary, modern, jazz, ballet, and acro. She participated in both regional and national competitions with her dance team. In her free time, she also loves playing the piano, baking, and doing anything outdoorsy!

CARLY HERMANN

Public Relations Chair

Year: Sophomore
Major: Psychology

Hometown: New York, NY

Carly has been dancing for twelve years. She attended Dance Workshop in New York, New York where she learned ballet, jazz, and lyrical. She also competed with Dance Workshop for four years. This past summer, Carly returned to Dance Workshop to teach younger dancers. When Carly is not dancing or studying, she loves to draw, run, go for walks, watch TV/movies, and spend time with her friends and family. In addition to being a dancer on Rise, Carly is a writer and staff member for the Cornell Daily Sun, a volunteer at the Language Resource Center, and a member of Sigma Delta Tau sorority. Carly loves being a member of the Rise family!

GABBY PECORARO

Show Coordinator

Year: Sophomore

Major: Computer Science

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Gabriella has been dancing since she was 3 years old and has been trained in primarily ballet, but loves modern, jazz, and contemporary. One of Gabriella’s favorite dance experiences was the summer she spent at the American Ballet Theatre in New York City, where she got to take classes with and taught by professional dancers of all backgrounds. She knew she couldn’t give up her love for dance in college, so she is very happy to be a part of the Rise family!

MEGAN COWART

Social Chair

Year: Senior

Major: Computer Science

Hometown: Ft Lauderdale, FL

Megan is a junior in the college of engineering with a passion for all styles of dance. She began dancing at the age of 2 and started competing at age 6. She trained and competed in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, musical theater and tap with her studio in Cooper City, Florida. As a soloist, Megan won several competitions, titles and scholarships. She transitioned from student to teacher, instructing both younger dancers and the most advanced Tap students at her studio. She performed in Massachusetts as a member of American Tap Company and in Florida as part of the South Florida Youth Tap Ensemble. Most recently she was a remote member of Speaking in Taps, under the direction of Aaron Tolson. At Cornell, Megan is also on the Cornell University Dance Team, and is Co-President of On Tap Dance Troupe. She absolutely loves being a part of the Rise family and is excited for her third year!

FRANCESCA MARINO

Secretary

Year: Junior
Major: Biological Sciences
Hometown: Rochester, NY

Francesca has been dancing for 15 years with a majority of her training at Deborah Mackay School of Dance in Webster, New York. Her favorite styles are jazz and contemporary, and she has also trained in ballet, tap, lyrical, hip hop, and musical theatre. Outside of Rise, she works in a reproductive biology lab at the vet school. In her free time, she loves to bake, listen to new music, and hang out with her dog and two cats.

LEILANI BLAKEMAN

ANNIKA CURRIE

Year: Grad

Law Student

Hometown: Long Island, NY

Leilani has been a part of Rise since transferring into Cornell her sophomore year of college. As a current second-year law student at Cornell Law, she clearly isn’t ready to let go of dance nor the Rise family, and has been so grateful to maintain this creative and social outlet beyond undergrad. She started dancing at the age of two, primarily training in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, and contemporary. She spent numerous years as a competition team member at Alexa’s Dance Academy in East Meadow, NY. In her free time, you can find her in a group fitness class or watching a movie.

MAYA BARBIERI

MAYA ABROL

Year: Junior

Major: Fashion Design and Management

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Maya has been dancing for 17 years and she is so grateful to have been part of the Rise family for 3 years now. She started dancing at the Ballet Academy of Texas at age 4 and continued to the age of 14 where she was trained in ballet, tap, modern, and jazz. Later, she danced on her high school drill team, the Parish Rosettes, where she was a lieutenant responsible for choreography, female empowerment, and more. At Cornell, Maya is a research assistant in the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection, an archival resource on campus. She also designs for the Cornell Fashion Collective’s annual runway shows and works closely with the Cornell Fashion Industry Network. Maya is so grateful for the support and love Rise has given her so far and can’t wait for what’s to come!

MIA BATTISTELLA

Year: Junior

Major: Government and History

Hometown: Summit, NJ

Mia is so excited for her third year on Rise! She began dancing at Dance Innovations when she was 2 years old, and spent 16 years their training in modern, jazz, lyrical, and ballet. Her favorite performances include Carnegie Hall, the Martha Graham Studio Theater, and the Waterside Stage in Disney World. Outside of Rise, Mia is a member of Best Buddies, Cornell Historical Society, and Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity.

Year: Senior

Major: Music

Hometown: Saratoga, NY

Annika is so glad she joined Rise last year! She started dancing at Class Act Dance when she was 4, and started competing with them when she was 8. She hasn’t had the opportunity to choreograph until college, but is ready to pounce on it! At Cornell, she also dances and choreographs for On Tap, as well as being in Mapping the Moving Body with Miles Yeung-Tieu in the PMA department. Outside of dance, Annika enjoys playing piano and bass.

NICOLE CIOFFI

Year: Junior

Major: Government

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Nicole was a competitive dancer at Dance Factory for 16 years before coming to Cornell. She trained in the styles of lyrical, contemporary, ballet, jazz, and hip-hop. She joined her high school's competitive dance team her freshman year, and followed through until graduating. As a soloist, Nicole has won scholarships, titles, and competitions from the young age of 6 years old with her first solo ever. Her major is Government, and she is hoping to follow a Pre-Law track and attend law school in the future. In her free time, Nicole enjoys spending time with friends, trying new foods, watching hockey, and exploring Ithaca! Apart from Rise, she also dances on campus with the Cornell University Dance Team, and also Shadows Dance Troupe. She enjoys learning new choreography and has choreographed pieces of her own in the styles of lyrical, contemporary, and jazz. This is her first year being a part of the Rise family, and she is more than excited to start this new journey!

DANIELA GRAFFEO

Year: Junior
Major: Human Development

Hometown: Acton, MA

Daniela has been dancing for 16 years, started competing at age 7, and spent the majority of her time dancing and competing with Acton-Boxborough Dance Center. She’s trained in jazz, tap, musical theater, ballet, modern, hip hop, and (recently) pom. She has choreographed her own solos several times, along with choreographing for multiple theater productions throughout high school (including a Disney pilot musical), so she can’t wait to choreograph for Rise this semester. She was also a gymnast for 16 years! Other than Rise, she is in other dance groups on campus such as On Tap and the Cornell University Dance Team. She is also a member of Guiding Eyes for the Blind. She is so happy to be a part of the Rise community!

LUCY NELSON

Year: Junior
Major: Industrial and Labor Relations
Hometown: Harpswell, ME

Lucy is so excited to be a part of Rise! She has been dancing for 17 years, training primarily in ballet, tap, and jazz, but with experience in modern as well. She danced with the Maine State Ballet for most of her life, and eventually as a part of their professional company. At the Maine State Ballet, Lucy was instructed in the Balanchine technique, and was fortunate to be able to perform Balanchine's choreography under the direction of Linda MacArthur Miele. Over the course of her time with the Maine State Ballet, Lucy performed in The Nutcracker, Firebird, Don Quixote, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, and many other productions. Her favorite part about dancing is performing and being able to dance with her closest friends.

LAUREN UNGER

Year: Junior
Major: Human Biology, Health, and Society
Hometown: Monroe, CT

Lauren began dancing at the age of four at The Dance Workshop in Monroe, CT, where she also competed for 10 years. There, she trained in various styles, including contemporary, tap, modern, jazz, ballet, and lyrical. At Cornell, she also dances with On Tap Dance Troupe and is a member of HEART and PATCH. She is so happy to have joined the Rise family this year!

SARAH VAFIADIS

Year: Junior

Major: Environmental Engineering

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Sarah has been dancing for 16 years. She began her dance training at Beyond Dance and Bay Ridge Ballet, where she trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, musical theater, and tap. She was also a member of the Staten Island Tech Dance Team and had the opportunity to choreograph for a student-created musical her senior year. At Cornell, she is also a member of the Cornell University Dance Team. Sarah is so excited for her third year on Rise and so grateful for her Rise family! <3

VIOLETA EGAN

Year: Sophomore

Major: Environmental Engineering

Hometown: Rockland, NY

Violeta is very excited for her second year on Rise! She has been dancing for 15 years in the styles of classical ballet, contemporary jazz, hip hop, and jazz at Coupé Theatre Studio in Nanuet, NY. Since the age of 10, Violeta has danced in her studio's production of The Nutcracker Ballet, with her favorite role being the Dew Drop Fairy. She has also trained for 12 years in Bulgarian folk dance at the Hristo Botev Bulgarian School in New York, NY. Aside from Rise, Violeta is a part of the Engineers in Action Project Team at Cornell. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time outside.

Ava Brigando

Year: Freshman

Major: Applied Economics and Management

Hometown: Rockland County, NY

Ava is very excited to be a part of Rise! She has been dancing for 15 years in the styles of classical ballet and jazz at Coupé Theatre Studio in Nanuet, NY. Since the age of 9, Ava has danced in her studio's production of The Nutcracker and her favorite role was the Sugar Plum Fairy. Outside of dance, Ava enjoys watching movies, going for walks, and playing board games.

Sara Mettner

Year: Freshman

Major: Mathematics

Hometown: Madison, WI

Sara has been dancing for 13 years and has been dancing competitively for six years at Move Out Loud Dance studio in Madison, Wisconsin. She has trained in ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and acrobatic dance. In addition to dancing at her studio, she was a lead instructor for acrobatic dance classes and a teaching assistant in ballet and jazz classes. She has also choreographed and participated in her high school theatre department, receiving a total of four Jerry Award nominations for "Outstanding Choreography," "Outstanding Dance Performance," and more. Sara is ready for the next chapter in her dance journey and is beyond excited to have joined Rise Dance Group!

Emma Steinberger

Year: Freshman

Major: Physics

Hometown: New Hope, PA

Emma is a freshmen majoring in physics with a passion for astronomy. She has been dancing since she was 2 years old and has been trained in many styles of dance, with her favorites being lyrical, jazz, and tap. She has competed at regional and national dance competitions for 8 years, and those are some of her favorite dance memories. She is so excited to be a part of the Rise family!

Neave McConnell

Year: Freshman

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: Naperville, IL

Neave is a freshman in the college of engineering. She has been dancing for fifteen years and is thrilled to join the Rise family this year. She danced competitively focused predominantly on contemporary, lyrical, and jazz although she has also trained in ballet and modern. During high school she continued to compete as a member of her school’s dance team. She also spent four years on Orchesis, her high school’s performance group where she not only danced but also choreographed. Outside of Rise, Neave is apart of Cornell’s taekwondo team as well as the Cornell Mars Rover Project team.

Brittany Rakhmonova

Year: Freshman

Major: Anthropology and Biological Sciences

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Brittany Rakhmonova is a freshmen in the College of Arts and Sciences, double majoring in Anthropology and Biological Sciences. Brittany started dancing at 4 years old. She did Russian Ballet for most of her dancing career, but also enjoys lyrical and contemporary styles.

Claire Yu

Year: Freshman

Major: Computer Science

Hometown: Marin County, California

Claire is a freshman in the college of arts and science and has been dancing for 13 years. She grew up training in ballet with Marin Dance Theatre up until she was 14 and then joined her high school’s advanced dance group. There she studied Horton technique and dabbled in styles from salsa to hip hop. She also performed in CHOREO series, the College Preparatory School’s student led dance show, and in her senior year co-directed the show. In this role, she choreographed several pieces in styles such as contemporary and jazz. She is so happy to have joined the Rise family this year!

Evelyn Ziaee

Year: Freshman

Major: Chemical Engineering

Hometown: Saint Louis, Missouri

Evelyn has been dancing for 10 years and is so excited to be a part of Rise! She began her training at the Center of Creative Arts and Professional Dance Center, studying and competing tap, jazz, ballet, and contemporary. In high school, she had the opportunity to choreograph multiple pieces for the annual Dance Show, and she can’t wait for the opportunity to choreograph for Rise! At Cornell, Evelyn also dances with On Tap. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, playing the piano, and spending time with family and friends!