%20(1)%20(1).jpg)
COMPANY MEMBERS
Briana Blair Kelly
Founder/Artistic Director/Choreographer/Performer
(2019)
Briana Blair Kelly is a multidisciplinary artist and dance educator in Fredonia, NY. She holds an MFA in Choreography and Performance from SUNY Brockport and a BFA in Musical Theatre from SUNY Fredonia. Kelly is a Lecturer in Dance at SUNY Fredonia. She is the Founder/Artistic Director of ROCeltic, a freelance photographer (BriBlairKell Photography), and a freelance musical theatre choreographer.
Recent Choreographic/Performance Credits: Reverence for Éire: Expanding the Tradition (FDE 2026), The Weight We Carry, The Hands We Hold (Fringe 2025), Four Elements, One Flow (Fringe 2025), Whispers of Another Life (Fringe 2025), When the Heart Finds It's Rhythm Again (MFCC 2025), The Tides Between us (Dance at MuCCC 2025), Rhythm in Motion (FDE 2025), Legally Blonde (SUNY Fredonia), Amalgamation (Fringe 2024), The Wild Swans at Coole (Fringe 2024), Phil Billy Trio (Fringe 2024), Rhythmic Conversation (Fringe & Dances in MuCCC 2024), Cabaret (Main Street Studios) Beautiful Imperfections & Resilience (FDE 2024).
Recent Directorial Credits: ROCeltic: The Next Generation (Rochester Fringe Festival 2025), ROCeltic: Sláinte, Raise A Glass to 5 Years! (Rochester Fringe Festival 2024), ROCeltic: Hybridity, Identity, and Roving Irishness (Rochester Fringe Festival 2023)
Samantha Balbi
Performer/Choreographer (2019)
Samantha Balbi has been dancing since the age of three and is trained in tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, modern, lyrical, Irish, musical theater, tumbling, African, and improvisational movement practices. She recently earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from SUNY Brockport, where her artistic and academic interests centered on somatics, movement analysis, and embodied approaches to dance-making.
As both a performer and choreographer, Samantha is passionate about exploring the relationship between movement, perception, and lived experience. Her recent creative and research work has focused on somatic methodologies, improvisation, and process-based choreography. Looking toward the future, she plans to continue her studies in movement analysis, somatic education, and embodied practices while pursuing certification in the work of Bill Evans.
Samantha has been a company member since 2019 and is grateful to be part of a community that has supported her growth as both an artist and educator.
Laura Barcomb
Performer (2023) Choreographer (2025)
Laura Barcomb is a contemporary/tap dancer from Buffalo NY. She is a graduate of Niagara University with a BFA in Theatre and History, where she studied tap, jazz, ballet, and musical theatre. Additionally, she had the opportunity to choreograph for the 2024 choreography class showcase. She has been a member of ROCeltic since 2023 and has appeared in Rochester Fringe and Niagara Celtic Fest. In addition to dance, she is currently pursuing a master's in Early Childhood/Childhood Education at the University at Buffalo
Gracie DiPalma
Performer (2023) Choreographer (2025)
Gracie DiPalma has been dancing for 12 years and trains at Draper Center for Dance Education. She is going into her sophomore year of high school and considers ROCeltic to be a wonderful opportunity and company to be apart of.
Fiona Kier
Choreographer/Performer (2019)
Fiona Kier holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Buffalo State University and her undergraduate degree in Dance from Nazareth University. She was a competitive Irish dancer for 23 years and even placed 12th in the nation. Kier joined ROCeltic in 2019 as a performer and choreographer and has become an integral company member. She is a fifth-grade teacher at the Renaissance Academy Charter School of the Arts in Rochester, NY.
Leigh LeFevre
Performer (2021) Choreographer (2023)
Leigh LeFevre first began dancing at the Main St. 56 Dance Company and took classes in tap, ballet, and contemporary. She was most interested in tap dancing and continued to tap dance for over five years. Leigh joined ROCeltic in 2021.
Autumn Deschamps
Performer (2026) Choreographer (2026)
Autumn Deschamps is a classical and contemporary dancer with a background in multiple forms of dance. She began her classical ballet training with Ms. Beverley Feder of the Feder School of Classical Ballet, continuing her training with Susannah and William Gentes of Classical Ballet of WNY, and Sergio Neglia and Heidi Halt at the Neglia Ballet Conservatory. Autumn currently studies under Ms. Donatella Oppenheimer at the American Academy of Ballet Buffalo, and John Deming and Katherine Duffy Deming at The School of Rochester City Ballet. She has performed with the Greater Niagara Ballet Company, Neglia Ballet Artists, Syracuse City Ballet and the Rochester City Ballet. Autumn is very excited for the opportunity to continue her growth as a dancer this season with ROCeltic!
Jessie McKenna
Performer (2026)
Jessie McKenna grew up in Attica, New York, and began Irish dancing at the age of four. After moving to Fredonia for college, she took a position teaching non-competitive dance at a studio in Dunkirk. Following graduation, Jessie purchased the studio and has successfully operated it for the past eight years under its new name, Mckenna Academy of Dance. Jessie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Business. While earning her master's degree, she had the opportunity to study a variety of dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary. She also earned a Master of Arts in Irish Dance Studies from the University of Limerick and holds a cosmetology license. In her spare time, Jessie enjoys singing, reading, traveling, and spending time with her boyfriend, Ian, and beloved dogs, Dublin, her Golden Retriever, and Russ, her Miniature Schnauzer. She also works part-time at a medical spa in Dunkirk. Jessie is thrilled to be a member of ROCeltic and is excited to return to performing and learning new things from her fellow ROCeltic dancers!
Ruairi Miles
Performer (2022) Choreographer (2023)
Ruairi Miles has been an Irish dancer for 15 years, and has competed at the national and regional levels. She has been with ROCeltic since she was 15, and is excited to be back after a short break. Ruairi has recently retired from competition, but continues to participate in the Irish dance world as a choreographer for ROCeltic and the University of Rochester Celtic team. Miles currently attends the University of Rochester, pursuing an undergraduate degree in political science.
Dakota Gilhuley
Performer (2026)
Dakota Gilhuley is currently a senior BFA dance major at SUNY Brockport. She has been dancing since the age of 5 in numerous styles such as ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, modern, lyrical, and African. While at Brockport Dakota has worked with Pat Taylor and her Jazz Antiqua company, Kimberley Cooper and her company Decidedlyjazz, and Brandi Coleman. This coming year Dakota will be performing Jose Limon’s piece A Choreographic Offering at Brockport. Dakota is very excited to be a part of ROCeltic.
Lys Kirby
Performer (2024) Choreographer (2025)
Lys Kirby is a Brockport-based performer and choreographer. They graduated with their MFA in Dance from SUNY Brockport 2024. They are currently studying to become a Certified Movement Analyst with the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in Brooklyn, New York. Kirby currently works at Arc GLOW as an assistant manager serving adults with intellectual & developmental disabilities in a college-experience program. In their free time, Lys loves to read, crochet, and practice yoga and aerial arts.
Allyson Mohrman
Choreographer/Performer (2023)
Ally Mohrman is an open championship dancer for Rochester Academy of Irish Dance. She is currently a student at SUNY Fredonia studying Childhood Inclusive Education, and will be pursuing her Masters in Literacy later this year, while continuing to compete. This is her fourth year with ROCeltic and she's excited to perform in the Rochester Fringe Festival later this year!
Makayla Mohrman
Choreographer/Performer (2023)
Makayla Mohrman is an open championship level Irish dancer from Rochester Academy of Irish Dance. She's been Irish dancing competitively and performing for 16 years. She recently graduated from Fredonia with a Bachelor's in Social Work and is studying at Roberts Wesleyan for her MSW. Makayla loves learning new styles of dance and performing with ROCeltic, and hopes to continue dancing and choreographing with the company for many more years in the future!
Corrina Piccarreto
Performer (2025)
Corrina Piccarreto has been dancing for eleven years - she started at the age of two years old and began dancing competitively when she was only five. She trains at Flower City Dance in tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, and acro. Her favorite styles are tap and acro. This is her first year performing with ROCeltic and she’s so excited for this opportunity!
Kayla Stone
Performer (2019) Choreographer (2022)
Kayla Stone is an Open Championship level dancer with Rochester Academy of Irish Dance. Kayla started dancing at 3 years old learning ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop. At 7 years old she started learning Irish dance which she has stuck with for the past 12 years. Kayla has been a member of ROCeltic since 2019. She loves dancing with ROCeltic and is excited to watch the company and members grow!