Congratulations to our seven graduates of the Spring 2020 semester of Master Choreography Techniques (MCT)! They include (clockwise from top left to bottom right)

Monica Montanari, Los Angeles, CA

Jacqueline Benson, Phoenix, AZ

Leine Newby-Estrella, Dallas, TX

Rebecca Cacioppo, Brentwood, MO

Crystal Ann Curry, Helena, MT

Joey Millet, Ankeny, IA

Alexa-Jane Hoidahl, Cottage Grove, MN

Master Choreography Techniques (MCT) is an advanced online certification and training program for both seasoned skating coaches and those looking to specialize in a career as an ice choreographer. Created by AIT Founder Jodi Porter, the class is a mixture of choreographic creation, video lecture, reading and monthly discussion meetings. AIT Co-Executive Directors Garrett Kling & Kate McSwain lead the semester class.

At the end of the semester, each student creates a final capstone project incorporating the choreographic elements of time, space, energy and form.

View the graduates final video projects below:

Jacqueline Benson

Jacqueline is a figure skating coach and choreographer from Phoenix, Arizona. Jacqueline has been on the ice since she was a toddler, and has always viewed skating as an art form and tool for expression. She is particularly passionate about exploring emotional themes and mental health topics in her work. Jacqueline took the MCT course to broaden her choreographic toolbox and become more involved in the contemporary skating community as she is beginning her journey as a coach and choreographer. She currently works at the Ice Den Chandler and is the Assistant Coach for the Figure Skating Team at ASU as well as the Ice Denettes Synchronized Skating Teams. She is so excited to continue her journey with contemporary skating, and plans to take her remaining PSA Choreography Ratings Exams. Off the ice, Jacqueline is a yoga teacher and contemporary dance instructor at local Arizona studios.

Rebecca Cacioppo

Rebecca is a coach and choreographer out of St. Louis, Missouri.  She has 6 gold medals with US Figure Skating including Moves in the Field, Dance, Free Dance, Solo Dance, Solo Free Dance and Free Skate along with International Dance.  She currently works with individual skaters and small groups competing in free skate and showcase events but has also worked as a Theatre on Ice coach as well as a choreographer for local skating shows.

Crystal Ann Curry

Crystal Ann is a coach, choreographer and program director in Helena, Montana. She spends the seasonal ice season working on and off the ice with her students and club members. As she moves into her 15th year of coaching, Crystal Ann is excited to continue to expand her creativity, working with soloists and groups using the tools from MCT. While working on the MCT course during COVID-19 she wasn’t able to work with students. She was able to perform herself which served as a great reminder to keep skating, keep moving and to continue improving no matter how much time is available on the ice.

Alexa-Jane Hoidahl 

Alexa-Jane is a Figure Skating Coach and Choreographer at the HealthEast Sports Center and Woodbury Figure Skating Club. She took this class to build on her natural passion for choreography and to challenge herself artistically. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Leadership and a Master of Education in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She also has a Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychological Services from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She is currently a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at Augsburg University leggi l’articolo. She aims to become a Licensed Psychologist (LP), a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and be listed on United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Sport Psychology registry. She looks forward to applying the concepts learned in this course to future choreography projects.

Joey Millet

Joey grew up skating in Houston, TX where he skated competitively in singles and ice dance throughout his childhood. After graduating from UCLA in 2014, he and his wife, Torii, moved to Central Iowa, where he works in Industrial Sales, skates, coaches, and takes care of his two adorable pomeranians. He plans to compete at the senior level for the 2020-21 season. 

Monica Montanari

Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Monica grew up competing in individual events as well as Synchronized Skating and Theatre on Ice. She was the founder of the Menlo College Collegiate Figure Skating Club and has competed on a national level with USFSA and through worlds in ISI.  Monica earned her Bachelor’s degree from Menlo College in Business Administration with a Concentration in Sports Management before going on to complete her Master’s degree at The University of Alabama in Sports Business Management.  Monica’s goal is to bring grace and artistry to every program she creates. Monica decided to pursue her MCT Certification to boost her confidence in her choreography and learn the techniques behind creating what she calls “art on the ice”.

Leine Newby-Estrella

Leine Is a coach and choreographer in Dallas, Texas. She has been skating since childhood and coaching full time since finishing grad school with a Masters degree in Biology and Kinesiology coursework. This course has allowed her to completely revitalize and expand her coaching and choreographer’s creative toolbox, and develop a better understanding of the concepts of time, space, energy and form on and off the ice. She is excited to keep applying these tools to her coaching, as “I grow and develop my skating and choreography skill sets outside the box.”