Dance has always been a cherished part of Kristin Leggio’s life.
“One of my earliest memories is walking down the stairs in tiny tap shoes, holding my mother’s hand,” she tells us. “I remember feeling so loved and supported. Creating that same kind of environment for dancers has always been important to me.”
Kristin followed her mother Susan’s footsteps to the barre, starting ballet lessons at age three. At seven, she was accepted into an intensive ballet training program with the Westchester Ballet Company under the direction of Claire Kelley. There, she eventually became a principal dancer in the company, performing lead roles in classic ballets including The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, and Don Quixote.
Kristin continued her training at some of New York City’s most respected institutions: Joffrey Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
“I was incredibly fortunate to learn from so many talented teachers and choreographers throughout my training,” Kristin says. “Frank Hatchett, Donald Farnsworth, Gus Giordano, Joe Tremaine, Madame Nanette Charisse—each shaped me in a different way.”
The influence of those mentors informed Kristin's own career as an educator. She spent more than three decades teaching and choreographing throughout the tri-state area. Most recently, she worked with Christine Titus at Conservatory of Dance in Wilton, choreographing award-winning jazz, contemporary, tap, and lyrical pieces for the Senior, Teen, and Junior Competition Teams. She also co-directed the Senior and Teen Performance Companies at Allegra Dance Greenwich alongside Rose Jackson Moye.
Kristin has maintained close ties with dance industry contacts in New York City, along with several prominent studios across Connecticut and New York. Many of her former students have gone on to perform with professional ballet and dance companies, appear in music videos, tour with recording artists, and pursue careers in dance education and choreography. When she took the helm of Dance Factory Ridgefield (DFR) in 2018, she set out to give local dancers the same opportunities to learn from accomplished artists that she had throughout her own training. Today, DFR gives both recreational and competitive dancers in Fairfield County access to the caliber of professional training that once required frequent trips into New York City through guest artists, master teachers, and pop-up workshops led by industry professionals.
“So much of what makes DFR special comes from the relationships we’ve built,” Kristin says. “Maintaining strong ties and constantly growing our dance family through new connections across the industry is incredibly important. We’re fortunate to have wonderful partnerships with studios like Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, Conservatory of Dance in Wilton, and The Spot in Norwalk—we happily, and non-competitively, welcome each other’s dancers into our special classes and events.”
For Kristin, this spirit of collaboration and the drive to keep on learning have had the longest-lasting impact throughout her career. Both have stayed with her long after the applause, lights, and flowers faded away.
“Dance is an evolving athletic art form,” she says. “As a dance educator, you also have to be a perpetual student. Continuing to grow, staying current with new techniques and emerging styles, and embracing the evolution of dance education are all essential to being a professional instructor. That’s what students will find at DFR.”
That commitment extends to the entire faculty at DFR. Each instructor brings decades of professional experience as dancers, performers, and educators. All continue to attend conventions, master classes, workshops, festivals, and benefit performances. Many also teach convention classes and serve as judges at dance competitions across the country.
DFR offers a unique program inspired, in part, by Kristin’s own experience becoming a teacher’s assistant at age 11 and an instructor by 17. The Teacher Assistant Mentorship and Ambassador Program(TAMA) gives aspiring educators the opportunity to shadow faculty members, assist with classes, and learn how to structure lessons, provide constructive corrections, and foster creativity and confidence in younger dancers.
In addition to strengthening college applications and resumes, DFR’s TAMA program creates a pathway toward future careers in dance education. Several former participants now teach and substitute at DFR and have gone on to choreograph award-winning routines for the studio’s competitive dance team.
“The competitive dance world is often misrepresented,” Kristin says. “I think many people watch a show like Dance Moms and assume it’s really like that. But reality TV rarely reflects our actual reality. In my experience, dance competitions are an incredible place to build community, be inspired by other dancers, celebrate dancing with your best friends, and perform for an audience of like-minded artists who support and cheer for you—even if they’ve never met you!”
DFR is the only studio in Ridgefield to offer both recreational and elite competitive dance programs, creating an accessible pathway into competitive dance while emphasizing personal growth over trophies. Students ages eight and older seeking focused training and additional performance opportunities can audition for DFR’s Competition Dance Companies, Phunk Phactory Hip Hop Crews, and Cirquels Acro Dance Team. These groups perform regionally and attend dance conventions where they train with leading choreographers and vie for scholarships. Earlier this year, DFR dancers earned more than $15,000 in scholarship awards.
“These experiences teach students so much more than steps and technique,” Kristin says. “Dancers learn to take pride in how they show up, support their teammates, and celebrate their own growth… regardless of the outcome. Resilience is a valuable byproduct of the competitive dance experience—it’s an immeasurable life skill.”
DFR offers classes throughout the school year and summer for students of all levels beginning at age three. Programs include ballet and pointe, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, tap, acro dance, and Heels—a class designed for more mature dancers interested in the style popularized on Broadway stages and in commercial dance.
As an instructor, Kristin strives to balance technical excellence with creativity, self-confidence, freedom of expression, and stage presence. She encourages students to embrace challenges, accept constructive feedback, and give themselves grace as they grow.
“Seeing a dancer have that ‘light bulb’ moment—where something clicks and they realize they’re capable of so much more than they once believed—is by far the most magical part of my job,” she says.
Beyond competition, all DFR students have opportunities to perform throughout the year. Ballet students participate in an annual performance of The Nutcracker each December, while every class takes part in the studio’s Winter Showcase and Spring Recital. All performances are staged at The Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport.
“We love having our shows at The Klein,” Kristin says. “It’s a beautiful, historic theater with a Broadway-sized stage and a professional crew. The whole experience makes it a special night at the theater for the dancers and their families.”
DFR dancers also share their talents beyond the studio, performing at local events and charitable fundraisers throughout the year. The studio has brought excerpts from their performances to the St. Stephen’s Senior Luncheon and will once again participate in Connecticut Dance Conservatory’s annual “Day of Dance” benefit for pediatric cancer this November.
One upcoming master class is especially meaningful to Kristin. On September 13, DFR will host Broadway actress, author, and celebrity vocal coach Jodie Langel for Raise Your Ya Ya Ya—a vocal master class open to students ages eight and older.
Kristin and Jodie became friends in elementary school, where Helen Louise Williams, mother of Vanessa Williams, was their chorus and vocal teacher. The two later performed together in high school musicals before Jodie went on to play Cosette in Les Misérables. Today, Jodie shares her expertise with more than 6 million followers across TikTok and Instagram.
Registration for Raise Your Ya Ya Ya is open at thedancefactorystore.com/events.
For Kristin, dance has always been about more than proper pliés or perfect chassés. It has been about lifelong learning, belonging to a supportive community, and helping students build confidence, creativity, and resilience that extend far beyond the dance floor.
“DFR has become what I have strived for throughout my career,” she says. “It’s a welcoming, connected community of creative artists who thrive on sharing their passion and making magic together.”
To learn more about Dance Factory Ridgefield and view the fall schedule, visit dancefactoryridgefield.com and follow @DanceFactoryRidgefield on social media.
“Dance is an evolving athletic art form. As a dance educator, you also have to be a perpetual student. Continuing to grow, staying current with new techniques and emerging styles, and embracing the evolution of dance education are all essential to being a professional instructor. That’s what students will find at DFR.”
“DFR has become what I have strived for throughout my career. It’s a welcoming, connected community of creative artists who thrive on sharing their passion and making magic together.”