Ann Rodiger is the Founder and Director of the Balance Arts Center in New York City.  She has over 40 years of experience teaching the Alexander Technique. Her teaching draws from her knowledge and experience from Alexander Technique Training in Urbana Illinois with Joan and Alex Murray, as well as her knowledge of Labanotation, Laban Movement Analysis, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Yoga, meditation and various dance techniques.

She has developed the BAC Alexander Technique Teacher Training Program and substantial programming for performing artists. She has also adapted the Alexander principles to work for those with hypermobility and Ehlers Danlos Syndromes. Rodiger teaches internationally in Germany, Belgium, Greece, and Turkey. The Balance Arts Center is a NYC Women and Minority Owned Business and a thriving place for the community to teach, share knowledge, and perform.

Ann’s interest in the Alexander work began when she was studying dance at The Ohio State University.  As a person with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, the AT work allowed her to find a sense of balance and stability. 

After teaching dance at the U. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the  U. of Hawaii-Manoa Ann moved to NYC to continue her dancing and performing.  She taught at the City College of NY and Labanotation at the Juilliard School.  She also began a private practice in the Alexander Technique which focused on performing artists, particularly dancers and singers. 

Andrea Grody is a Grammy, Olivier, and Drama Desk Award-nominated music director, arranger, and composer with a focus on developing new work. She was most recently the Music Director & Music Supervisor of the Broadway musical SUFFS, for which she also wrote vocal and incidental arrangements.

 Andrea was the Music Director, Music Supervisor, and Additional Arranger for the 10-time Tony Award-winning musical THE BAND’S VISIT (Broadway, National Tour). Andrea was also the Music Director, Music Supervisor, and Vocal & Incidental Arranger for the Broadway musical TOOTSIE, which was nominated for 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Other favorite projects include the Public Works musical adaptations of AS YOU LIKE IT (music by Shaina Taub) and THE TEMPEST (music by Benjamin Velez) at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE by Adam Gwon, AN AMERICAN TAIL at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, CAKE OFF at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA and the Bucks County Playhouse, THE GREAT IMMENSITY at the Public Theater, and ROBIN HOOD at the Williamstown Theatre Festival (as Composer/Music Director).

Andrea’s writing credits include the full-length musical STRANGE FACES, a commission from the PRISM Saxophone Quartet, and several songs for The Civilians’ Let Me Ascertain You series, which have been performed at Joe’s Pub, Le Poisson Rouge, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Andrea graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University, where she majored in Music and minored in Theater. She holds a Master’s degree with Highest Honors in Musical Theatre Music Directing from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Andrea is Associate Director and Resident Music Director at New York Vocal Coaching, an AmSAT-certified Alexander Technique teacher, and the creator of WordWaves.

Zenzi Williams is a New York based actor and voiceover artist. She received her MFA from the Yale School of Drama, and studied at the British American Dramatic Academy. She began her Alexander Technique journey in graduate school under Jessica Wolf (The Art of Breathing) and began training to become an Alexander teacher at the Balance Arts Center in 2020. Her credits include JaJa’s African Hair Braiding (Broadway), Henry V (The Public Mobile Unit), The Crucible (Broadway), RunBoyRun (New York Theater Workshop), School Girls; or The African Mean Girls Play (MCC and CTGLA). Select television and film credits include “American Rust”, “Chicago Fire”, “Blue Bloods” and “Christmas With You.” 

Rodney Murray is a multidisciplinary artist based in Philadelphia, PA. He holds a BFA in Directing, Playwriting, and Production from the University of the Arts.

His solo work has been presented in both Philadelphia and New York City, at the University of the Arts, The Painted Bride Arts Center, KYL/D, and Dixon Place. In addition to his solo work, he has performed in works created by Paul Taylor, Stephen Petronio, and Paul Matteson.

In 2022, he was named a Future Art Writer by Mozaik Philanthropy, and his essay,The Circle of Life: Sacred Geometries and Other Forms, was published in conjunction with their Ecosystem X online exhibition. His writing has also appeared abroad in Dance Art Journal, and locally in Poet’s Row inaugural issue.

He has taught workshops to dancers in Philadelphia, New York City, Santa Fe, and Amsterdam.

Courtney Barth (she/they) is a New York based dancer originally from Las Vegas, NV. They began their training at the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts before earning a BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase. During their time at Purchase, they studied abroad at London Contemporary Dance School and performed in Crystal Pite’s Polaris at Sadler’s Wells.

As a performer, Courtney has appeared with Shannon Gillen at New York Fashion Week, Kensaku Shinohara at the Queens Museum, and is currently a member of Hannah Garner’s 2nd Best Dance Company. They apprenticed with Doug Varone and Dancers in 2016, joined the company in 2017, and also serve as Costume Manager and Workshop Coordinator. Their ongoing study of the Alexander Technique shapes their perspective on embodiment, presence, and artistry, creating a thread between their roles as teacher, performer, and collaborator.

They have taught at various institutions, including SUNY Purchase, USC Kaufman, George Mason University, and Ohio State University. Courtney has also staged Varone’s works at SUNY Purchase, Ohio State University, Emory University, Jacksonville University, and San Jose State University.