Judges

Amanda Kurey

Amanda grew up in Central New York, where she began dancing at the age of 3. Amanda was a top class dancer winning countless awards at both regional and national competitions. Upon graduating, she attended Fredonia State University where she studied both dance and musical theatre. In 2012 she was awarded the prestigious Carol Prevett Scholarship for dance. During her time there she was voted Vice President of the student run dance company,Orchesis. Amanda both choreographed and performed in many numbers throughout her association with the company. She performed with the Fredonia State Dance Ensemble, Fredonia State Dance Team, and Fredonia’s Performing Arts Company. She also had the privilege of working with numerous professional choreographers such as John Lehrer, Tokyo, and Chris Todar. After graduating Amanda started teaching and choreographing professionally. Since then she has won numerous top choreography and top technique awards including “Choreographer of The Year” in 2019 and 2021 for Imagine Dance Challenge as well as “Excellence in Choreography” at the Star Dance Alliance’s Circle of Excellence awards.   Amanda works for a regional theater as well as Syracuse University, teaching and assistant choreographing.  She also choreographs for local high school musicals, as well as teaching master classes, and choreographing and performing with Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company.  

Annette Osinski

Annette has had a love and passion for dance since the age of 4.  Extensively trained in jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary and lyrical in Buffalo, NY. She then trained in New York City with Luigi, Lyn Simonson, Phil Black and Jo Jo Smith, Charles Kelly, Broadway Dance Center & Steps to name a few.  This knowledge allowed her to perform professionally for many years.  Ms. Osinski became the Dance Captain for the “Viva Vegas Revue” for many years. Performing along with artists such as Lou Rawls, Chubby Checkers, Engelbert Humperdink and Rick James.  She then became a member of the long running, versatile dance ensemble Fancy Dancin.

In 1982, Ms. Osinski opened the Center Stage Dance Studio and became a member of Dance Educators of America training students to present day.  Her dance team has had tremendous success Regionally and Nationally with several Title winners.  Proudly, Her students are currently members of the Miami City Ballet, The Arizona Ballet, Dallas Black Dance Theatre & Hannah Kahn Dance Co. Students have gone on to dance in Las Vegas, on Broadway,  and touring companies such as the King and I,  Zodiaque Dance Co., Philadanco, Royal Caribbean, Stiletto Cruise Lines & the TV Show Dance Moms.

Shane Farrell

Shane Farrell is a choreographer, dancer, and educator from Providence, Rhode Island. His diverse dance training started at a family-owned dance school in North Providence, RI and continued at the Brae Crest School of Ballet.

In 2009, Shane joined Newport Contemporary Ballet (formerly Island Moving Company), a classically trained contemporary ballet company in Newport, RI. During his decade at Newport Contemporary Ballet (NCB), he performed in several national tours and two international tours to Kazakhstan. Shane performed in many amazing venues with NCB’s site-specific repertoire: Newport Nutcracker at Rosecliff Mansion, Dracula at Belcourt Castle, and Second Star To The Right: A Tale of Hook and Pan aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry tall ship. He has performed works by José Limón, Stephanie Martinez, Colin Connor, Maurice Causey, Kevin Jenkins, and Staycee Pearl. Shane has also performed in collaboration with Pasadena Dance Theatre (CA), Missouri Contemporary Ballet (MO), Owen/Cox Dance (MO), Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre (FL), Staycee Pearl Dance Project (PA), Houston Contemporary Dance (TX), and Samruk Dance (Almaty, Kazakhstan), and danced as a guest artist with companies throughout the northeast. Outside of the concert dance world, Shane has appeared on MTV’s Made, Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, and the 2010 film Hachi starring Richard Gere.

As a choreographer, Shane’s work has been presented nationally and internationally, most notably at the Abay Opera House in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He has choreographed seven world premieres for Newport Contemporary Ballet (RI) and three original works for their Newport Dance Festival summer intensive program to critical review. Writing for Motif Magazine, Mark Morin described Luminous (2013) as “raw…and passionately graceful…The suggestiveness and the musicality of Farrell’s choreography…make this piece a guilty sensual delight.” He has additionally choreographed original works commissioned by Wheaton College (MA), Salve Regina University (RI), Sacred Heart University (CT) and has most recently served on faculty in the dance department at Dean College (MA).

Shane is a master teacher with educational experience at universities, ballet schools, and elementary schools.  Using a variety of pedagogical approaches, he has helped dancers of diverse backgrounds understand movement education. Please visit www.shanefarrell.org for additional information and up-to-date news on Shane Farrell.