About.
Based in New York City, Francesca is a movement artist, educator, and choreographer with nine years of experience practicing Countertechnique. She discovered the method in 2016, and it has since become an essential part of her teaching and personal dance practice. She has attended three One Body One Career Intensives (OBOC) and completed the Countertechnique Teacher Training Program (CTTT) in 2021, followed by a second CTTT in 2023. After her training, Francesca has taught and assisted Anouk in three OBOC intensives, as well as in multiple NYC-based workshops, continuing to deepen her commitment to both the practice and its community.
Link to open professional level classes at Gibney 280 Broadway
Francesca holds an MFA in Dance from Hunter College, where her research in the pedagogy of the creative process was awarded the Shuster Award for Outstanding Master's Thesis in 2022. She teaches Countertechnique at Barnard/Columbia Dance, The Juilliard School, Marymount Manhattan, Gibney Dance, and several other studios and institutions. Her work has been shaped by extensive training with faculty from Hunter College, CSU Long Beach, and the LINES Ballet Training Program, as well as in-depth study with Countertechnique founder Anouk van Dijk. Francesca performs with SAXYN Dance Works and Maria Angela Talavera Tejeda in NYC, and her choreography has been featured in sold-out performances at Gibney Dance Theater. She has been commissioned to create new works for institutions such as Columbia University and Skidmore College, reflecting her ongoing commitment to artistic growth and collaboration.
"Countertechnique has become my lifelong partner, offering clarity and agility in the face of obstacles like fear, exhaustion, and self-doubt. As a teacher, I strive to create a space where students are encouraged to trust their intuition, take creative risks, and embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. My classes are designed to build fearless dancers who are prepared for the rigor of being a dance artist, with a focus on creative exploration, body awareness, and critical thinking. Above all, I hope to inspire curiosity, joy, and a deeper understanding of the world and themselves through dance."
COUNTERTECHNIQUE® Class Description
The Countertechnique® class is a contemporary dance technique class. It stretches, coordinates and strengthens the body, making the dancer sweat, build stamina and really move. The class starts with a recurring set of exercises, allowing dancers to investigate the Countertechnique® principles in detail. The second half of the class consists of changing components, working towards luscious movement combinations and jumping at the end.
The Countertechnique® class results in dancers using less energy, losing their fear of taking risks and gaining speed in changing direction.
Professional Teaching Experience
Barnard/Columbia Adjunct Faculty (2025)
Marymount Manhattan Guest Teaching Artist (2025)
Gibney Dance Company Teaching Artist (2024)
Juilliard Guest Teaching Artist (SP24)
Barnard/Columbia Adjunct Faculty (2024)
Juilliard Adjunct Professor 4th year Contemporary Technique (SP23)
Juilliard Adjunct Professor 3th year Contemporary Technique (SP23)
Gibney Pro Faculty (FA2022- present)
Juilliard Teaching Guest Artist (SP22)
Gibney Dance Center Teaching Artist & Choreography Mentor (FA21-present)
Peridance Center Guest Teaching Artist (2022-present)
Gibney International Group Study Program Teaching Artist (2022-present)
Alonzo King Lines Ballet Training Program Teaching Artist (2021)
Alvin Ailey Extension Program (2022)
Earl Mosley's Diversity of Dance (Summer 2022-present)
Hunter College Contemporary Technique II Adjunct Lecturer (FA21)
Elite Dance Academy in Gilbert, Arizona (Summer 2023)
Elite Danceorks in Mississauga, Canada (Summer 2022)
Danceology San Diego (Summer 2022)
Pilates Teaching Practice
In addition to her work as a dance artist, Francesca is a certified Pilates instructor with a deep foundation in anatomy. Her teaching emphasizes a practical, functional understanding of anatomical principles as they relate to movement. In private Pilates sessions, she guides clients through body conditioning exercises designed to translate anatomical knowledge into effective, embodied practice.
Private sessions are offered both online and in person at Body Evolutions locations across NYC. To book a session, please reach out through the contact page on this website.
