Alyson Portelance-Ayer
Alyson began her dance training at the age of four and has performed extensively. She holds a BS degree from the University of Connecticut in Child and Family Counseling and received her Masters Degree from Wesleyan University in Dance and Liberal Arts.
She has owned her own studio since 1985, opening it with the help of her parents at age 15. Alyson is the recipient of two community service awards. She has been on the faculty for the University of Connecticut, The Hartford Conservatory of Dance and Music and Eastern Connecticut State University where she has taught courses in jazz, tap, theater movement, dance teaching methods and choreography to college students as an adjunct professor.
She is a teacher of teachers, holding master classes and teaching seminars for various colleges as well as other dance studios. Having earned a coveted “perfect score” and Grand Championship in Professional Dance Competition herself, she has also judged numerous local dance competitions as well as in Boston and New Orleans.
Her students, as well as her choreography, continue to win top awards and scholarships in regional and national competition. She has received numerous Choreography awards and has her studio has been selected as a Studio of Excellence and received many awards for excellent technique . Many of her students have gone on to pursue professional teaching and performance careers with artists and companies such as the Boston Ballet, Momix Dance Company, Nutmeg Ballet, Dance Connecticut, The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, The Rockettes, New England Patriots Cheerleaders, The Brooklynettes Professional Dance Team, Blackwolves, and Sun dance teams, Alvin AIley, DFX, as well television, music videos and even the late Michael Jackson. Many of the graduates from her studio go on to dance in college dance or theater programs or on competitive dance teams. Several of her graduates are employed as instructors by area dance studios. Or have opened studios of their own.
A “Teacher of Teacher’s” several area schools have sent their instructors to Alyson’s “Teacher Training Program”. Alyson teachers prospective dance instructors and studio owners in business and teaching methods at both the School of Hartford Ballet and The Hartford Conservatory. She has travelled to area schools as a “Master Teacher” in Jazz, Tap and Hip-Hop .
In 1998, she founded Synergy Dance Company, a professional jazz and tap dance company which performed for celebrity audiences, such as Henry Winkler, Alec Baldwin, Florence Henderson, Danny Glover and the late Flip Wilson at the Connecticut Forum. Synergy has also performed for the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, nightclubs, Foxwoods Casino, fashion shows, colleges, various school systems, art expos and has hosted numerous venues.
Alyson has choreographed and produced an original Duke Ellington Jazz Nutcracker for the Hartford Conservatory was performed at St. Joseph’s College . ASD has participated in the Niantic Light Parade where they havewon for “Best Dance Studio” for many years Alyson continues to teach and has built an amazing staff of Instructors.
She is a mother of two wonderful sons, Jack and Alexander and resides in Hebron CT.