Our Team
Sharon Costianes, GCFP
Founder, Artistic Director, Voice Faculty, Feldenkrais Practitioner
Sharon (she/her) holds a BMu from Ithaca College in vocal performance and sociology with a minor in theater, certification from Feldenkrais Resources in Manhattan, as well as Professional Certification from The Feldenkrais Guild® of North America (2006). She has studied extensively and volunteers at the Clinic with Sheryl Field at the Field Center for Children's Integrated Development.
She is also the founder and director here at Flight. Sharon has helped introduce freedom and mobility to people with chronic pain, arthritis, as well as people recovering from injury, trauma, and surgery through her Feldenkrais practice, and has been teaching private voice lessons for over 2 decades. In that time, she has earned a reputation for being the “voice whisperer” helping each singer find their own unique sound. Possessing unique insight and skill into the physical organization of the singer, she can assess and correct tension patterns that hinder proper vocal technique quickly and effectively, allowing each student to find more power and ease with beautiful tone and sound quality.
Sharon has had the distinct honor of serving on the faculty at Ithaca College, and the Community School of Music and Arts, and as a guest lecturer at Cornell University. She is a regular theatrical director and music director with the Ithaca School District.
Trudy Pantalia
Managing Director
Bio
Aimee Rials
Dance Faculty
Aimee moved to New York to attend graduate school at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she received her Masters of Fine Arts in Dance.
Her work has been seen at 92Y Harkness Dance Center, Symphony Space, Dixon Place, Triskelion Arts, Merce Cunningham Studio, DUMBO Dance Festival, University of Buffalo, Huntingdon College, Washington University and the Depot Theater. She has been an Artist-in-Residence at Huntingdon College, University of Buffalo, youarehere dance company, and We Are Artists in Virginia.
As a performer, Aimee has worked with Trebien Pollard’s Residue Dance Theater, Lauren Hale Dance and Beliz Demircioglu while in residency at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. She has been on faculty at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC and is currently an Assistant Professor at Ithaca College.
Sheila Wallis
Apprentice Voice Teacher
Sheila (she/her) holds B.A. degrees in Music and Theatre Studies from Ithaca College. Sheila has worked with students of all ages as a teaching artist at Hope Repertory Theatre in Holland, MI, and The Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, NY. In addition to her position at Flight Performing Arts, she is a teaching artist for Project 4 bringing theatre education into public school classrooms.
Sheila’s love of vocal pedagogy began during her time at Ithaca College and she is thrilled to start cultivating this practice as a Teaching Apprentice for Flight Performing Arts.