Make An Impact: Challenge Yourself

 Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Alyssa Petrolo is a multi-disciplinary performer, award-winning choreographer, educator and adjudicator. She attended Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts where she studied composition, ballet, Limón and Graham-based modern. Upon graduating, Alyssa received a scholarship to Shenandoah Conservatory for the Arts in Winchester, Virginia, where she continued her training in dance education and choreography. Alyssa also received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at York University in 2016 while pursuing a professional dance career in Toronto. She has performed with several Toronto-based companies including; Rutherford Movement Exchange, Jasmyn Fyffe Dance, P.O.V Dance Project, and Gadfly Dance Company. In the summer of 2019, Alyssa presented her work “Smile” at Young Creators Challenge and was invited to join the JumpStart Dance Intensive faculty. She also was a dancer in the Netflix movie “Work It”. In 2019, she toured nationally with Gadfly Dance Company directed by Apolonia Velasquez, in their production of “Klorofyl”. In January 2020, Alyssa created “Improv for The Cause”, a fundraising event for young dancers to raise money for the Australian bushfire crisis and raised over $2000 for Australian Red Cross. Alyssa has extensive teaching and choreographic experience with students of all ages and levels and has been recognized for her innovative choreography, receiving countless awards for her vision and creativity. Many of her students have gone on to pursue professional dance careers, with students training at NYU, SUNY Purchase Dance, Arts Umbrella, Toronto Metropolitan  University dance program and most notably Nederlands Dans Theater. She is an established freelance guest teacher and choreographer and is in demand at studios, intensives and workshops across Canada. Alyssa aims to inspire and motivate all those who she works with, and is dedicated to a life of education in dance and art.