KDDC
KDDC
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  • Home
    • Videos
  • Our Teams
  • Executive Officers
  • Contact
  • Membership
  • Auditions
  • Showcase

Welcome

A little about ourselves...

Knights and Damsels Dance Company is a student-run organization, located at the University of Central Florida. Each year, this organization is managed by students, ranging from all sorts of majors: Engineering, Finance, Education, Accounting, Business, Hospitality, and so much more. 
These leaders of KDDC ​are fueled by all the opportunities to giving back to the dance community, by providing more avenues of growth for all dancers: such as technical classes, teaching opportunities, performance, and networking opportunities to all around the Orlando community.
Each year, the E-board members plan strategically to ensure that the projects planned and pursued throughout the year will run smoothly. 
All the hard work that these leaders have poured their heart and souls into are not done for the fame and/or fortune, however we'd really like to give the most special thanks for everything that they have done.
​And a special thanks to the E-Board members who founded this company in 2012, and continued to keep dance alive.


​2020-2021 OFFICERS

​President - ​Giovanna Castagna

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Vice President - Samantha O'Donnell

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Secretary - Alyssa Christen 

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Artistic Director - ​​Savannah Sanabria

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Artistic Lead - Kitana Rojas

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​Treasurer - Callie Duncan

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​Faculty Advisor - Judi Siegfried

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Bio:

Giovanna Castagna is originally from Coral Springs, FL. She is a junior at UCF, majoring in Biomedical Sciences and minoring in Criminal Justice. She has been dancing for 17 years and happy to have continued her training with KDDC. Giovanna has been on the team now for 3 years, served as treasurer, and is so excited to be able to continue on the executive board as president!

Bio:

Samantha O’Donnell just completed her first year at UCF as a transfer student and has loved getting to dance with Knights and Damsels Dance Company this past year! She is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve on eboard as treasurer! Samantha has been dancing for 19 years and her favorite styles are musical theatre, jazz, and hip hop! She’s looking forward to a great, dance filled year!

Bio:

Alyssa is a sophomore at UCF from Port Orange, Florida majoring in Entertainment Management. She has been dancing since she was three years old and trained at Orbit Performing Arts Academy and The Legacy Dance Studio in various styles of dance. Not wanting to let go of her passion for dance, she joined KDDC her first year at UCF. She has met her best friends this past year and she is ready to grow with her team as a person and a dancer. This is her second year on KDDC and she is so excited to serve the team as secretary for the 2020-2021 season!

Bio:

Savannah Sanabria is a proud member of the Knights and Damsels Dance Company for the past 3 years. She currently holds the position of Artistic Director on the Knights team. Savannah has danced for over 19 years in various styles of dance. Currently, she is a senior at UCF majoring in Sports and Exercise Science and minoring in Dance. She also had the pleasure of performing at World of Dance with contemporary group, Sin Caja. 

Bio:

Kitana Rojas is from Hollywood, Florida and a junior at University of Central Florida majoring in elementary education. She started dancing at the age of four and joined the competition team at Dance Explosion at seven years old, training and competing in styles such as jazz, contemporary, ballet, tap, lyrical, hip hop, acro, musical theater, and more. This will be Kitana’s third year on KDDC. She has served on the artistic board as a choreographer for the Damsels Team of KDDC for the past two semesters and will be the Artistic Lead for the 2020-2021 school year. Kitana is so excited to spend the next year choreographing for and dancing with the Knights and Damsels Dance Company!

Bio:

Callie Duncan is from Lake Mary, FL. She is a sophomore at UCF, pursuing a major in Accounting and a minor in Legal Studies. Callie was a member of the 39 time National Champtionship team, the Lake Mary Marionettes, in high school, and was a part of 5 of those wins for High Kick. She wanted to continue her passion for dance in college and found a home on Knights and Damsels. Callie is very excited to hold the executive position of treasurer and cannot wait to help the team!

Bio:

​Mrs. Judi Freed-Siegfried has been involved in dance throughout her whole life as her family has owned and operated dancing schools in South Carolina for over 55 years. A dancer and choreographer, Judi studied dance at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (B.F.A.). After graduation she then received a teaching assistantship to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas where she obtained her Master of Fine Arts Degree (M.F.A.) in ballet. In 1986, Judi served on the faculty at Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina teaching jazz and ballet. After moving to Florida, Judi taught on the faculty of local colleges including, Valencia Community College, Rollins College, and the University of Central Florida. Following her family’s footsteps, Judi opened up her own studio in Oviedo, Florida in 1991. On top of educating her students in dance, Judi has stressed the importance of being involved in the local community. Her studio has been active in performing for retirement communities, schools, local festivals, and fundraising for Relay for Life. She still teaches and lectures on tap, ballet, jazz, and modern at the University of Central Florida, where she has remained on faculty since 1988. For over 20 years, Judi has supported Tremaine’s workshops and conventions, where her studio students have grown throughout the years, winning scholarships and title awards. Judi and her students have studied in New York and California in order to keep up with the current dance trends. Her students continue to win top awards at many dance competitions on the regional and national levels and have appeared on local and national television broadcasts. In the summer of 2009, Ms. Freed-Siegfried was honored by Tremaine Dance as the 2009‐2010 Teacher of the Year. This nationally recognized prestigious achievement is awarded to dance instructors who have demonstrated leadership, innovation, and commitment to the art of dance education.

A Special Thanks to Previous E-Board Members of KDDC

​2012-2013

President - Courtney Eierman
Vice President - Tara Stanko
Secretary - Cat Sochar
Treasurer - Quinn Zagorc
​Historian - Shelby Hendersen
Social Media Coordinator - Rebecca Bormel

2014-2015

President - Madison Daniel
Vice President - Shoshanna Babbit
​Secretary - Taylor Brennan
​Treasurer - Jennelle Mendes

2016-2017

President - Pearltry Suen
Vice President - Briana Hazzi

Secretary - Erin Davenport
Treasurer -Krystal Huot
Artistic Director - Madison Daniel
Artistic Lead - Megan Fuhrman


2018-2019
President - Faith Jimenez
Vice President - Sarah Crabtree
Secretary - Kaylee Smith
Treasurer - Miranda Magnan
Artistic Director - Carly Chernoff
Artistic Lead - Ambar Rodriguez

2013-2014

President - Gioia Marie
​Vice President / Artistic Director- Kaylee Randall
Secretary / Treasurer - Brittany Zimmerman
Artistic Lead - Casey Field
​Historian - Madison Daniel

2015-2016

President - Jennelle Mendes
Vice President - Pearltry Suen
​Secretary - Amanda Akimenko

2017-2018

President - Krystal Huot
Vice President - Genesis Diaz

Secretary - Caitlin Sucio
Treasurer - Faith Jimenez
Artistic Director - Tabitha Clear
Artistic Lead - Carly Chernoff


2019-2020
President - Miranda Magnan
Vice President - Kaylee Smith
Treasurer - Giovanna Castagna
Artistic Director - Carly Chernoff
Artistic Lead - Savannah Sanabria
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