JoDe Romano "La Chispa"

Teaches at 92nd Street Y

JoDe Romano "La Chispa" is a former graduate and instructor at the High School for performing arts in Houston, Texas. She was soloist in the Houston Grand Opera's Carmen. Ms.Romano has also danced in the Franco Zeffirelli production of Carmen, starring Placido Domingo and Maria Benitez, at the New York's Metropolitan Opera including in front of President and Hillary Clinton, which was also broadcast on the PBS series Live From Lincoln Center, and toured Japan . For over 20 years, Ms. Romano lived, studied and performed Spanish dance in Spain and Japan, and was a soloist and choreographer for the José Greco Dance Company. She has also danced as part of The Charo Show in Las Vegas with Jerry Lewis and others. She has choreographed The Broadway Workshop production of Rita Hayworth- Hollywood Goddess, numerous zarzuelas (traditional Spanish operas) and the mixed media dramatic presentation, Picasso's Guernica, at The Thalia Theater in New York and has taught workshops at The Alvin Ailey Studio and Ballet Hispanico. She has also been featured on the Dr. Oz show teaching a castanet workout. Currently, Ms. Romano conducts Spanish dance and castanet classes for children and adults at 92nd Street Y's Harkness Dance Center where she has taught many years and is a graduate of the 92Y Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) program. She was recently a guest teacher at Hunter College and developed and taught a DEL workshop.