Kristen Leach - Executive Artistic Director

Kristen began as a teaching artist with NHDI in 2003, and took over the role of Artistic Director beginning in 2007. She is a Keene State College graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Following her graduation, she directed and helped grow a dance program at the Dublin School for seven years.  She enjoys teaching and inspiring children every day. Kristen is very active in the performing arts throughout the Monadnock Region as she:

• Teaches at two of the NHDI Year-Long Program schools.

• Choreographs and teaches the SWAT Team on Saturday mornings.

• Co-directs the NHDI Summer Intensive.

• Is a member of the artistic faculty at MoCo Arts where she currently teaches hip-hop, directs the middle school musical theatre program and choreographs for the high school musical theater program.

• Instructs the winter dance program at Vermont Academy.

• Brings dance to the Keene Super Seniors in their weekly class organized through the Keene Senior Center.

• Enjoys working with NHDI alumni when she choreographs musicals at Keene High School, Monadnock Regional High School, and the annual Keene Lions’ Club musical production.

• Has written original dance plays for Winchester School’s growth, leadership, gratitude, prevention, and awareness campaigns.

Lisa Cook - Residency Director/Director of Advancement

After years of studying modern, ballet and jazz dance at MoCo Arts in Keene, Lisa Cook now blends her love of dance and passion for teaching children in the direction of NHDI’s Residency Program.  Lisa also co-directs the NHDI Summer Intensive. 

Prior to NHDI, she was a preschool teacher in Florida for eight years and an aide in the library and classrooms at Chesterfield School.

She has directed and choreographed several drama productions at Chesterfield School and choreographed Seussical The Musical for Hillcat Summer Theater in Hillsborough, NH.  Lisa is also part of the summer staff for MoCo Arts’ Creative Arts at Keene (C.A.K.E.).

Lisa was recognized at the Keene Sentinel’s 2018 Extraordinary Women event, honoring women doing impactful work throughout the Monadnock Region.

Peter Mansfield - Music Director & Conductor

Peter Mansfield is New Hampshire Dance Institute’s Music Director and Conductor, a role he has held since 1987. Conductor, composer, arranger, and pianist, he is a native Bostonian having majored in music at Harvard College. In 1981 he began an ongoing affiliation with the Boston Pops Orchestra, where he has worked under maestros John Williams and Keith Lockhart as pianist, composer/arranger/orchestrator, and music coordinator of numerous concerts and special projects at Symphony Hall and on tour. In 1985, Peter met Jacques D’Amboise, and has since served as conductor/composer and arranger for the National Dance Institute in Boston, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

Peter has guest-conducted and arranged symphonic Pops programs for, among others, The Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Milwaukee, Omaha and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras, as well as The Hudson Valley Philharmonic, The Hartford Symphony and The National Symphony in Washington, D.C. In February 2018, Peter made his Pops guest conducting debut with the Cape Symphony, with return engagements scheduled for June 2019 and February 2020. In 2005, Peter joined the faculty of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee as Professor of Musical Theater Repertoire and Performance, where he has served as conductor for Brigadoon, Heaven and Hell, One Touch of Venus, The Full Monty, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Merrily We Roll Along, The Pajama Game, Spring Awakening, Catch Me If You Can, Side Show, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and A Chorus Line.

Tina Feld - Director of Operations

Tina and her family moved to Keene in 2011 She has a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Nichols College. Tina started as the Program Coordinator with NHDI in November of 2021, and quickly moving into the Program Director . Tina has been volunteering for NHDI shows since 2012.  All 3 of her children have been involved with NHDI. She is also the Costume Coordinator for MoCo Arts.  When Tina isn’t working she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Sarah Feld - Administrative Assistant

Sarah danced with NHDI in the 2013 Event of the Year “Dance Me a Story,” and the 2014 Event of the Year, “The Extraordinary Life of Jack Mariposa.” Sarah graduated from Keene High School in 2021.  She is now taking classes at Southern New Hampshire University with a major in Creative Writing.  Sarah began working as the Administrative Assistant for NHDI in November of 2022.  In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking, writing, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Tracy Croteau - Teaching Artist

Tracy grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from the University of New Hampshire. She thoroughly enjoys teaching and watching the progress that her students make as they journey through the year. “It is truly an amazing transformation!”

Tracy has taught with NHDI for 10 years.  In addition to teaching at two schools and the SWAT team in NHDI’s Year-Long Program, Tracy also teaches hip-hop for MoCo Arts in Keene. She has also worked with Winchester and Franklin Schools to bring dance to children in after-school programs.

Jeanine Edmunds - Residency Teaching Artist

Jeanine is excited to join Lisa Cook in growing NHDI’s Residency Program. She has been an elementary art teacher for 25 years and finds pure joy in working with children of all ages. Jeanine also teaches fitness classes, including yoga to both children and adults.

Linda Estabrook - Teaching Artist

As an NHDI alumnus, Linda Estabrook is excited to have come full circle and now be a part ot the teaching team for this tremendous program. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from SUNY Purchase Arts Conservatory earning her BFA in dance with a minor in psychology. She was an apprentice at the Granite State Ballet of Nashua, NH, performed with Debra Weiss Dance Theater, and dances in Rock Stars NYC in New York City under the direction of Skip Coasta. She has traveled the world performing with Carnival Cruise Lines in their Las Vegas style production shows working with choreographers such as Minnie Madden, Mistinguett and One Directions choreographer Paul Roberts. Linda currently dances with the Saving Grace ensemble of Bedford, NH under the direction of Robyn Goulette, and teaches ballet, musical theater/cabaret, and jazz at the Monadnock Academy of Movement Arts.

Abbie Hixson - Teaching Artist

Abbie is a teaching artist, dance educator and performer. Originally from New Hampshire, she grew up loving the arts and is a proud alum of New Hampshire Dance Institute. Abbie graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Theater and Dance, specializing in dance performance and choreography from Keene State College in 2016. During her time at Keene, she had the opportunity to spend a summer studying at Duke University for the American Dance Festival. She has had the pleasure of studying and performing with Adele Myers, Yanira Castro, Abby Zibikowski, Cynthia McLaughlin, Riley Anne Lynch and many more. After graduating, Abbie moved to New York City and was a teaching artist with National Dance Institute for 5 years. During that time, Abbie had the pleasure of teaching dance to over 500 children a week as part of NDI’s mission that every child should have access to learning in and through the arts. 

Having recently moved back to New Hampshire, Abbie is so excited to be a part of New Hampshire Dance Institute once again working alongside its amazing teachers and students while continuing her career in dance education.

Cora Dykens - Collaborative Musician

Cora is a collaborative musician with NHDI as a percussionist.  She graduated from Keene State College in 2020 with two bachelor’s degrees in Music Technology and Music Performance. When she’s not drumming with NHDI, you can find her playing tenor saxophone with the Keene Jazz Orchestra and teaching private lessons on clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, and flute.

Eliora Despres - Teaching Artist

Eliora grew up studying dance at The Dance Center in Winchendon, Massachusetts, and discovered her passion for choreography working as a production assistant under the direction of Kristen Leach at MoCo Arts. Currently, Eliora is pursuing a degree in Elementary Education at Mount Wachusett Community College and feels honored to be a teaching artist in the year-long program at NHDI this year. Outside of NHDI, Eliora is passionate about live theater and enjoys choreographing for MoCo Arts Elementary and Middle School theater programs, as well as for Gardner Middle School. Eliora finds great joy in working with her students at NHDI and beyond, and is grateful for the lessons she has learned from both her students and fellow teaching artists at NHDI. Additionally, she would love to thank her mother for supporting her every step of the way, and you the audience for being here to support these fabulous dancers!

Lauren Carey - Residency Teaching Assistant

I am so glad to have had the opportunity to dance with NHDI for ten years. I first started at Fuller school where I had seen my brother dance a few years before. After fourth grade I moved to Cutler school where I was able to continue dancing. Before starting with NHDI I was a super shy kid who never spoke to anyone and just hid in the back of the classroom. NHDI brought out a personality that was so enormous and energetic. It got me into wanting to do theater throughout my highschool career at Monadnock Regional Middle/Highschool. I danced in the summer intensive for about 2 years before working as both a CIT and Counselor. I graduated in 2022 and am so thrilled that I can continue my education working and learning how to become a teaching instructor with Lisa Cook through the Residency Program. 

Andrew Adams - Collaborative Musician 

Andrew has been a collaborative musician with NHDI for the last 2 years in our Year Long Program. He has worked with children his entire life as a high school percussion teacher, after school program mentor, or working with the dozens of private students he has had. He is a sought-after instructor throughout the World, teaching Scottish bagpipe drumming to online students and bands. He currently teaches bagpipe bands in Portland ME, Boston MA, Hartford CT and in Albany NY, the Capital District Youth Pipe Band; the 2019 World Pipe Band Champions. 

In his spare time, he holds multiple black belts in various styles of karate and produces the largest and #1 ranked traditional martial arts podcast in the World.

Angela Brening - Teaching Artist 

Angela Brening has a long history with NHDI, beginning when she was a dancer with The Well School in “Meilleurs Amis”, the 1990 NHDI Event of The Year. After graduating in 2001 with a B.A in Dance Performance from Roger Williams University, Angela returned as a teaching artist for NHDI and taught at South Meadow School, Jaffrey/Rindge Middle School, The Well School, and Wells Memorial School. She taught and directed NHDI Summer Camps and Residencies as well, before taking a break to attend Antioch University New England for Elementary Education and Special Education. Since graduating in 2015, Angela teaches 4th grade at The Well School in Peterborough. She is honored to once again be teaching with NHDI for the Minions team! Angela lives in Peterborough with her two incredible children, Ava and Lydia, and her amazing husband Matt.