Audra Carabetta is a respected dance educator and choreographer with an MFA in Dance from Smith College and a BFA in Dance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Currently, she serves as a dedicated faculty member at Clark University, Bridgewater State University, and The College of the Holy Cross, where she specializes in a diverse range of dance genres. In addition to her teaching, Audra is a certified yoga and barre instructor, blending elements of mindfulness and fitness into her dance practice.

Her extensive teaching background includes faculty positions at esteemed institutions such as Amherst College, Smith College, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Tufts University, Dean College, Acton School of Ballet, and Annemarie’s Dance Center. As a performer, Audra has collaborated with notable choreographers and companies, including Across The Ages Dance Project, Brian Crabtree and Dancers, Lorraine Chapman The Company, Daniel McCusker Dance Project, Marcus Schulkind, Weber Dance, the Ken Pierce Baroque Dance Company, and The Boston Early Music Festival.

In her role as an independent choreographer, Audra is actively engaged in the Greater Boston area, where her innovative work has garnered recognition through various awards and grants. Her contributions to the dance community reflect her commitment to excellence and her passion for the art form on both national and international platforms.

Steve Gagliastro is grateful to return to CUSTI, serving as an instructor for last year’s inaugural season. He is proud- and a little bit lucky- to have achieved success in several facets of performing across music, film, television, theatre, teaching, composing and music directing.

A Professor in the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Worcester State University since 2020, Steve earned a BA in Music Education from UMASS, Amherst. At WSU Steve is a private voice and Musical Theatre instructor, the director of the WSU Jazz Ensemble and founder of The Good Time Vocal Band. He was the music director/conductor for the VPA Dept.’s productions of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Rocky Horror Show. He was also Composer, Music Director, Associate Director and a cast member for 16 years in The Hanover Theatre’s annual production of A Christmas Carol.

“Gags” has been fortunate to have shared stage and screen with George Clooney, Seth MacFarlane, Ben Affleck, James L. Brooks, Jaime Lee Curtis, Amy Adams, Common, Christian Bale, Sally Struthers, Andrea McCardle, Bebe Newirth, and a host of other talented performers. An accomplished vocalist and trombonist, he has performed in venues across the globe including Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Seoul, Manila, New York, Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles and Chicago.

You can also see Steve in “Spirited”, Pasek & Paul’s retelling of A Christmas Carol starring Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer.

Other Credits-Tours: Cinderella with Lea Salonga; Spongebob Squarepants:The Sponge Who Could Fly ( Broadway Asia); The Buddy Holly Story (TOTS); Cabaret(NetWorks Tours). Regional Theatre: PCLO, Riverside Theatre, Casa Mañana, Stoneham/GBSC, Flat Rock Playhouse, Ogunquit Playhouse, Lyric Stage Co., Boston, La Mirada Theatre, Theatre By the Sea, Maine State Music Theatre. TV: “Billions”(recurring) (Showtime), “The Deuce” & “Julia” (HBO), “The Detour” (TBS). Film: “The Tender Bar”(Amazon, George Clooney, dir.), “Don’t Look Up”(Netflix), “American Hustle”, “Ella McCay”, “Eva”, “Ted 2”.

J’Quan Oliver originally learned dance off the streets of Boston, and trained in multiple Martial Arts since he was six. Since then, he’s had extensive training in hip-hop, break-dancing, tricking & parkour. Eventually, he expanded his training into tap and contemporary. As J’Quan progressed, he traveled to look into different genres of art and dance from different cultures to further expand his knowledge and understanding in order to then develop his own unique style.

J’Quan attended Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts for Game Design with a minor in Psychology. During this time, he helped create the Becker College Dance Program as Captain for the team and President for their club. He also joined Dance Company Worcester as a guest choreographer/dancer for 4 years, was a part of one of the most influential crews for hiphop in Boston known as “Phunk Phenomenon,” was a Director/Choreographer for Urbanity, and helped create their adult dance crew called “Prizmatic”. He won Prelude NY with Phunk, hosted Prelude Boston and competed at World of Dance. He worked with music artists such as Joyner Lucas, Rodney Hazard, Maverick, World Premiere Band, and local other artists in the Worcester & Boston areas. He has also hosted events for the community to exchange in art and culture.

In dance, he combines Musicality and storytelling combined with the fast, intricate movements of a martial artist and acrobatics in his work. “It’s not always about the movement of your body, but the movement of your mind. Your mind is unlimited so you must keep it creative, unapologetic, and free.”