50th Anniversary 2024-2025 Season

Rina has been dancing since the age of three, and has received training from various accomplished dance companies in Connecticut and New York.  She made her choreographic debut at YAT with The Addams Family in 2022, and has since choreographed Elf: The Musical, Pride & Prejudice, 13: The Musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, and Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! which was performed at FSU’s Fallon Theatre.  In addition to choreographing productions, she serves as a teaching artist at YAT, working mainly with middle and high school aged students.  Stage credit highlights include Cabaret (DC), In The Heights (Swing), Legally Blonde, and Newsies (Finch, DC). Rina is currently pursuing a career in performing arts as an independent performer and choreographer, and she is particularly grateful to J. Scott Handley, former teacher, for the opportunity to serve as YAT’s Director of Dance.  Thanks go out to family and friends for their continuous love and support!

J. Scott Handley most recently served as the Executive Director, Founder, Music Director, and Vocal Coach for the non-profit organization, Broadway Method Academy (BMA). The company grew from his private voice studio attracting students from all over the tri-state  area seeking elite musical theater training. At BMA, he implemented an educational partnership with  the prestigious Westport Country  Playhouse. In 2002, Handley became department chair of  musical theater at Regional Center for the Arts in Southern Connecticut. Many of his students  have won awards including the National Jimmy Awards and have  gone on to receive degrees in  Musical Theater at the top musical theater programs in the nation.  Handley is an accomplished  collaborative artist, having worked with Alice Ripley, Klea Blackhurst, Nicholas Rodriguez, Meredith Inglesby, Steve Blanchard and Noah Rickets to name a few! He holds a BA from the Florida State University College of Music.