Moving Light School of Dance, founded in September of 2001 by Christine Harris, is a a collaboration between local artists and students of the school. In 2003 their premier performance Falomi and Malula consisted of original music, choreography, costumes and set design. Other performances include The Fiddler and the Pookah (original), The Court Jester (original), Peter and the Wolf, Les Sylphides, Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Green Mountain Nutcracker.
Our Faculty
Christine Harris, Founder and Artistic Director
Christine Harris has studied dance since the age of 4. She grew up dancing in New York City at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and the Staten Island Ballet. Christine earned a BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase. She performed with Sidelong Dance Co. and taught dance in North Carolina.
Since moving to Vermont, Christine has choreographed and/or performed for many local community events such as All Species Day, Celebrate the Winooski, Enchanted Forest, Ice on Fire, First Night, Bread and Puppet and the Celebration of the Earth Charter at Shelburne Farms. Her choreography also appeared in Echo Valley Opera’s production of Hansel and Grettel and Lost Nation Theater’s production of The Selfish Giant.
Willow Wonder, Instructor and Choreographer
Willow Wonder grew up dancing and gymnasticing up and down the California Coast. She graduated from the High School of The Arts in San Francisco in 1994, and went on to receive a BFA in Modern Dance Performance from SUNY Purchase. Before she graduated, she spent a semester at The London Contemporary School of Dance, where she had intensive training in Cunningham and Limon techniques, ballet, tai chi, choreography, and Alexander Technique. Her experience of bellydance also began in London where she became a founding member of the Planet Caravan Bellydance Ensemble, directed by Jessica Swanson, performing on the streets of Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus. The ensemble went on to perform in NYC and San Francisco.
She has also had the honor of performing works by many other choreographers such as, Jose Limon, Doug Varone, David Dorfman, and Tere O’Connor.
After moving to Vermont in 2000, Willow spent a year teaching dance at The King George School, a private, arts based, emotional growth high school in the Northeast Kingdom, and in 2001 received her Ashtanga Yoga teacher certification. In 2002 she gave birth to her daughter Shyloh, continued to teach yoga, and in 2004 began teaching at Moving Light.
She has also continued to perform and choreograph locally at All Species Day, The Northeast Kingdom Music Festival, and Night Fires. Most recently she choreographed for the Barre Players’ production of The Full Monty.
Her movement approach comes from a diverse background of Cunningham and Limon techniques combined with her own style nurtured through her extensive practice of improvisation. She loves teaching, and her dedication to the art of movement allows her to bring a joyful, clear and thorough experience of dance to her students.
Jonna Wissert, Instructor
Jonna Wissert has her B.A. In dance and psychology from marlboro college. She worked for the Eastern Dance Association for seven years as a dance instructor, dance judge, and later as staff director. She has coached several Dance Team in the state and her choreography has won the Vermont State Dance Championship and National recognition. She has taught at many studios and performed with several dance companies in Virginia, Vermont, and Massachusetts, and has recently founded the Plainfield Community Dance Company.
Avi Waring, Instructor
Avi Waring began dancing at the Wolcott Children's Ballet, where she learned a love of movement and performing from June Gorton. She studied ballet and modern dance with the Vermont Junior Ballet Company and the National Youth Ballet at Walnut HIll School in Natick, MA. She danced with the Newcomb Dance Company at Tulane University in New Orleans, and went on to study the wild and endless art of dance improvisation with Fawn and Arol Wulf and the Heretica Dance Company at Zendik Arts in West Virginia. Avi is co-director of Ballet Wolcott, a 3 year old dance school in Wolcott, VT.
June P. Buechner Carney, Instructor
June is originally from Syracuse, NY where she began her dance training, studying at the Center of Ballet and Dance Arts with a focus in ballet. She continued her training, switching to modern dance, at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in NYC and received a BFA Degree in Dance Performance at SUNY Purchase in both ballet and modern.
She also attended the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Steps on Broadway in NYC, both on full scholarship and has since performed and taught ballet and modern dance in NYC for over 12 years, as well as being a certified fitness trainer. After leaving NYC, June came to Vermont and has since been teaching dance and choreographing all over northern VT. Most recently she has opened Lines for the Body (www.linesforthebody.com), a dance and fitness retail store in Williston, VT.
Bridget Wheeler, Instructor
Bridget Wheeler, an advanced student, will be teaching Ballet 2. Bridget is beginning her Junior year in high school and has studied Ballet with Moving Light since 2004. She worked as an assistant teacher for the Carnival of the Animals Summer Camp in 2009 and Peter and the Wolf Summer Camp in 2010.
Emma Tait, Instructor
Emma Tait, an advanced student, will be teaching Moving Tales and Ballet 1 in Plainfield. Emma is beginning her Junior year in high school and has studied Ballet with Moving Light since 2001. She was the assistant teacher for the Moving Tales class in 2009/2010 and for Ballet 1 in 2010.