Kristen Duffy Young, COF Dance Director – Contemporary, Ballet
Kristen (she/her) is an educator, choreographer, performer, and arts advocate, who has dedicated her career to developing accessible arts education programs. She is the founding Director of the COF Dance ensemble and has been a member of the COF community for the past 17 years. She created the ensemble in 2006 with 22 students and expanded it to include more than 150 students, faculty, staff, and alumni participants each year. Past appointments include Emmanuel College, Salem StateUniversity, and the Longy School of Music. Kristen also teaches a series of open Contemporary classes in Cambridge, entitled Moving to Connect. (IG: @moving_to_connect)
In addition to her work at COF, Kristen served as President and Vice President of the Massachusetts Dance Education Organization, the regional chapter of the National Dance Education Organization. She was awarded the prestigious Arts|Learning Distinguished Arts Education Advocate Award for Dance in 2020. Her passion for developing community dance programs also led her to serve on the boards of the Boston Dance Alliance and Boston Youth Moves.
As an artist, Kristen performs, choreographs, and co-directs Accumulation Dance, a Boston based dance company, with Meghan McLyman. They have received grants for their choreography from the Boston Foundation and New England Foundation for the Arts. Their work has been presented throughout Massachusetts by Dance NOW Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Center for the Arts, Dance Complex, Green Street Studios, Tufts University, College of the Holy Cross, and Salem State University. Kristen has also performed professionally with Bill Evans, Caitlin Corbett, Bosoma Dance Company, and Weber Dance. Recently, Kristen founded the dance company Synchronicity Dance Co. with COF Alum, Maddie Johnson. The company’s premier performance will take place January 2025. (IG: @synchronicityboston)
Kristen earned an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College and a BA in Dance and BBA in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is a Certified Movement Analyst from the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, a RYT-200 Certified Yoga Instructor, Certified Mat Pilates Instructor, and Certified Evans Teacher.
Deb Kosiorek – Hip Hop
Deborah Kosiorek (she/her) instructed in the Dance Program with Colleges of the Fenway from 2011-2021, and after a pause, is thrilled to be returning in 2023. She began her dance training in her hometown of Milford, Connecticut at the Lee Lund Studio of Dance. While attending Fordham University in New York City, she became a founding member of Expressions Dance Alliance, instructing and performing in Hip Hop and Modern dance while simultaneously choreographing for and performing with Fordham’s nationally ranked dance team, Ram Rhythm. While in NYC, Deborah also performed with the high-energy Hip Hop/Jazz-fusion dance company Adrenaline, under the direction of choreographer John Paolillo (AKA “Johnnie P”) and choreographed the Andrew Lippa musical The Wild Party for theater troupe Mimes and Mummers. Deborah relocated to Boston in 2007 and soon thereafter joined Static Noyze Dance Company, a Boston-based, widely renowned Hip Hop dance company once featured on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew (ABDC). She is a proud alumna of Static Noyze. Deborah loves instructing in COF Dance and watching her students grow as dancers, artists, friends, and people.
Kayla Dame – Hip-hop
Kayla Dame is a dancer, choreographer and instructor originating from Boston Massachusetts. She began dancing at OrigiNations Cultural Arts Center at the age of 3. She then transitioned to Tony Williams Dance Center at 11 years old and also participated in his production of the Urban Nutcracker for 6 years apart of his youth cast. While in college, she participated in her dance department showcases and various dance companies at both Bridgewater and UMass Amherst. Kayla choreographed 3 routines for her department’s productions and taught combination classes to all levels of dancers. In May 2023, she graduated with a BFA in Dance from UMass Amherst. After graduating she returned to Tony Williams Dance and rejoined the adult cast of the Urban Nutcracker and was also promoted as a rehearsal assistant. She was a part of a dance group; The Hazzel Jinx Collective where they performed throughout Massachusetts, New England and most recently at Hip Hop International in Los Angeles, California. She also taught and choreographed hip hop at the American Dance Training Camp in North Carolina and was a guest teacher at Bayside Studio of Dance in East Providence, Rhode Island. Kayla has also performed professionally with Luke Bar$, Alcina Tran, and Aliyah’s Interlude. This is her first year with Colleges of the Fenway and she is beyond excited!
Kelly McAuley – Jazz and Tap
Kelly (she/her) received a BA from Oklahoma City University and an MS from Boston University. Kelly comes from a family where dancing is a way of life. She traces her dancing lineage through her mother who is an accomplished dancer and teacher along with her grandparents and great uncle, the late Gene Kelly. In addition to her work with COF Dance, Kelly has put her dance knowledge to work for Dance Spirit magazine. Kelly has performed locally with BU on TAP, in various regional productions throughout the country, and on-screen in feature-length film Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench. Additionally, her choreography has received accolades throughout the southern US. In the studio, Kelly believes in challenging dancers to become both organized, creative individuals as well as skilled technicians. Above everything, she believes that dance should be fun and accessible to all. When she’s not dancing, Kelly can be found writing about dance at 8CountContent.com. Connect with Kelly on IG @DanceKellyStyle
Melissa Mirza, Dance Coordinator – Ballet & Contemporary
Melissa Mirza (they/them) is a Boston based dancer, choreographer, and educator. Melissa holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and a BS in Exercise Science from Simmons University and currently practices as a Pediatric Physical Therapist in Plymouth, MA. Melissa is also a Certified Laban Bartenieff Movement Analyst through Integrated Movement Studies and is a Registered Somatic Movement Therapist with the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association. Melissa currently dances in collaboration with Boston based artist Catherine Siller on work surrounding gender identity. In the past Melissa has danced and choreographed with Project 31, fulfilled an apprenticeship with KAIROS Dance Theater, performed alongside the Bill Evans Company, and presented work in the New England area, including at the Opening Our Doors Festival in Boston, the American College of Dance Associations Regional Conference, and through Onstage Dance Company’s Session VII Residency Program. Melissa currently teaches contemporary, jazz, and ballet at In Sync Center of the Arts. As a COF Dance Alum Melissa is very excited to be returning to the COF Dance family this semester to teach Ballet! As an educator, Melissa enjoys spreading the joy and comfort dance provides while promoting critical thinking, somatic experiences, diverse learning opportunities, and accessibility for all dancers.
Selina Nieves – Social Latin & Ballroom
Selina Nieves (she/her) is a ballroom dance instructor with a passion for Latin and Rhythm dances. She has been instructing since 2017, but she feels like she has been dancing via her Puerto Rican family roots for years. You can easily catch her out dancing in the local Salsa or Bachata social dance scene! Selina is a Boston transplant, originally born and raised in Connecticut. Last year, Selina was introduced to the COF dance community while assisting J Michael Winward instruct his social ballroom dance class and choreographing that class’s spring semester performance (2023). She additionally interned for Michael and his Steps in Time® program, which sparks joy by bringing social dance to various care facilities and elder communities in the Greater Boston area. Selina holds a B.A. in Psychological Science from Central Connecticut State University. She is currently in her final year of graduate school at Lesley University pursuing Dance Movement Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Selina can’t wait for the semester to begin and is looking forward to instructing her first official class with COF!
Performing Arts Staff
Jack Tan – Member Liaison/Photographer/Videographer
Jack graduated from MCPHS University in 2018 and is a proud alumnus of COF Dance. He first started dancing with COF in spring 2014 where he discovered his love of dance and has been involved ever since then! In his spare time, Jack enjoys filming videos and photography. He graduated from MCPHS with a Doctor of Pharmacy in 2018 and is currently studying computer science at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Today, Jack helps to run our Instagram account, puts together our promotional content, as well as filming and taking photos of all of our showcases.