BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FOUNDERS | Irada Djelassi | Katherine Hooper
KATHERINE HOOPER
Artistic Director
Katherine began her dance training at RDS Performing Arts in Dover, Massachusetts, continued her professional training at the University of North Carolina, and then completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. As an undergraduate, she co-developed an arts collective and an improvisation group while producing, directing and choreographing 2 full-scale productions. Following graduation, Katherine moved to Colorado and co-founded Performance Works, Ltd., a contemporary dance and theatre company. As the choreographer and co-artistic director of the company, she taught and performed throughout the area, inspiring local dancers and non-dancers to achieve their personal best through movement. While in Colorado, Katherine also became a certified Pilates trainer through Polestar Education, which has enhanced her passion for creating highly athletic and dynamic movement. For the last 20 years, Katherine has been commissioned to set work on the Lee Lund Dance Company (Connecticut) for their annual pre-professional concert She teaches ongoing master classes at various academic institutions and dance studios in the region. In 2010, Katherine opened her flagship studio, Mass Motion Dance North, in Peabody, where she was awarded the "Support Your Studio" grant by Dizzy Feet Foundation. As the recipient of this award, the school received a workshop and master class with "So You Think You Can Dance: Season 9" winner: Chehon Wespi-Tschopp. In 2017, Katherine left Mass Motion Dance North to move her studio closer to home and begin a new chapter. BoSoma School of Dance has 2 locations, Hamilton and Georgetown.
DREW HAMMOND
President
Drew has served on the BoSoma Dance Company Board for 9 years. He has a deep interest in music and the arts. He has been a choral singer for almost 40 years singing in numerous choruses and served on the board of Chorus pro Musica for 4 years. Drew’s professional career has spanned technical writing, software project and program management and enterprise software service sales and delivery. He has worked for companies such as Digital Equipment Corp, BBN, GTE, Cisco, EMC, Akamai and IBM. He has a BA in English and an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology. "I believe that BoSoma represents hard work, dedication and excellence in the dance community. It is a pleasure working with, and learning from, people who can add so much by educating children and providing a quality artistic audience experience."
KERRY HAYWARD
Treasurer
Kerry began her relationship with BoSoma in 2012 when she registered her daughter at Hooper’s first studio in Peabody, MA. She fell in love with the school's approach of teaching dance while catering to children’s unique needs. After attending a performance by the BoSoma Dance Company, Kerry realized that both she and her daughter had found a permanent home for their dance endeavors. They were captivated by the show and profoundly inspired to see the teachers performing on stage. Kerry is currently the office manager at BoSoma School of Dance and is excited to continue her journey with BoSoma.
HEATHER MCCLELLAND
Sceretary
Heather's love of dance began as a young girl with memories of dancing with her sisters at home. She began a long gymnastics career at the age of 3, culminating with try-outs for the national team. Throughout her gymnastics training, Heather realized that dance training enhanced her routines tremendously. As a young adult, she joined the Cambridge Dance Complex where her love of dance blossomed. Heather believes everyone is a life-long learner in dance, as we challenge our bodies, minds and creativity. "It moves me to watch BoSoma Dance Company showcase their craft. I am very honored to be part of the Board."
AMY GIAMMARCO-MOQUIN
Board Member
Amy has been involved with BoSoma for 14 years, as a "dance mom" at the school and for 3 years as a board member of the dance company. An accomplished vocalist, Amy can be heard singing in local venues, contests, and fundraisers across the North Shore. She has competed in local competitions and high-profile events such as Stars Over Boston, Community Auditions, and the Talent Quest TV show. Amy is using her 20+ years of child-care experience as co-founder of Total Arts!, a Peabody-based business providing interdisciplinary workshops to children and adults in the fine and performing arts. She is looking forward to another great season with BoSoma!
ANTONELLA MUNIZ
Board Member
Antonella was first introduced to the arts when she began playing the clarinet at 8 years old. By the time she graduated from the Physical Therapy program at Northeastern University in 1999, she learned to play many instruments, including the saxophone and French horn. While participating in multiple ensembles, she coordinated performance 'Tours' for the Northeastern concert band to New York City, Quebec and Ottawa. In 2015, Antonella registered her daughter for dance classes at BoSoma School of Dance. They saw BoSoma Dance Company perform in a show-and they were hooked. As their physical therapist, working with BoSoma provides Antonella with the perfect combination of performance and skill. "I am so proud of our dancers and what they bring to the stage. They are such a unique population to work with and I am thrilled to see their strength showcased in their work."
KELSEY BLANCHETTE
Dancer Representative
Kelsey began dancing with BoSoma Dance Company in 2023 and currently serves as the dancer representative on the Board of Directors. Kelsey brings valuable experience from her tenure on the Board of Directors for college dance programs at Salem State University. She is dedicated to community engagement and presently holds the position of Community Outreach Director at BoSoma School of Dance. Kelsey's goal is to enhance accessibility to BoSoma's dance performances and classes for schools, children, and local communities. She looks forward to collaborating with passionate and committed board members as BoSoma Dance Company embarks on a new season.