Joan Nelson-Nolte & Michelle Nolte-DeLuca (choreographers) are the
directors of Larnel School of Dance which has been providing quality
dance instruction to New Fairfield for over 30 years. Joan studied
classical ballet in NYC under the direction of Thalia Mara & Tap & Acrobatics with her mother, Helene Larkin-Nelson, who herself was a professional
dancer with "Ben Marden's Riviera Fo
llies." Michelle studied dance from her mom, Joan, and also studied classical ballet at the Westchester Ballet School under the direction of Rose- Marie Menes. After high school Michelle went on tour with Danny Hoctor's Dance Caravan for an 8 week tour of the US as a dancer/ demonstrator and appears on several instructional videos from that tour. Michelle has sung professionally since the age of 15 and in 1999 she won an international singing contest that
sent her to England to perform and record with the prog-rock band
Marillion. Joan and Michelle have choreographed several musicals:
"Oliver!", "Bye, Bye Birdie", "Anything Goes", "Once Upon a Mattress",
"West side story", "Edwin Drood", "Kiss me Kate", “Footloose”, “The Music Man”, “Annie Get your Gun”. “Hello Dolly”, “Young Frankenstien”, “Annie Get Your Gun” at New Fairfield High School; "Pajama Game" at "Wooster School", as well as several variety shows for the New Fairfield Lion's Club and the New Fairfield
Congregational Church. Under Joan and Michelle’s direction, Larnel has produced top award winning dancers, many of whom have gone on to professional careers in dance and on Broadway. Joan and Michelle also taught a summer “Intro to Musical Theater” program for S.M.A.R.T. in Newtown, CT for 3 years.
2016-17 will be the 40th season for Larnel.
