Mrs. Heather Nuckley Giglio is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. She began her formal training with Mr.
Derek Reese, The Dance Emporium, and was a member of the Jump Street Dance Company. In 1988, Mrs. Giglio performed on television as the winner of the Discovery Talent Search. She has also had the opportunity to dance for Opryland and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. In 1993, she qualified as a teacher of the arts and received her official teacher’s certificate. Miss Nuckley has had intensive training in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, and lyrical.
         In 1994, she continued to advance her dance education at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her degree mainly focused on ballet, modern, dance composition, music analysis, dance history, labanotation, improvisation, anatomy, and teaching methods. While at USM, Mrs. Giglio was the captain of the Dixie Darlings Dance Team, and a member of the Southern Misses. She was a two-year faculty member at La Studio in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and was the choreographer of the Hub City Dancers, the Oak Grove High School Choir, the Golden Spirits Dance Team, and the Mississippi Junior Miss beauty pageants. Mrs. Giglio's choreography was selected both her Junior and Senior year of college to represent USM at the American College Dance Festival in Alabama and Texas. In 1997, she was a faculty member at William Carey College in Mississippi. Mrs. Giglio received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance in December 1997.
         In 1999, she was a faculty member at St. Peter School in Covington, Louisiana. Also, a faculty member of Jayson Michael’s Energy Source Dance Camp in Panama City, Florida where she taught modern and hip hop. In 2000-2001, she was a faculty member at Our Lady of Prompt Succor School in Chalmette, Louisiana as the Decentralized Arts Grant Dance Instructor where she taught both hip-hop and jazz techniques. For those two years, she was the choreographer for the Gulf Coast Community College Captain Camp. In 2002, Heather Choreographed and taught the tryout dance for the University of Southern Mississippi’s Southern Misses Dance Team. Mrs. Giglio continued dedication and past achievements have lent itself to the success of those dancers representing Modern Conceptions of Dance at a competitive level, and in-turn has earned her and her studio various awards. In 2003, Heather was selected as Teacher of the Year, sponsored by Dance Spirit Magazine, at the Rainbow Connection Dance Competition; she was chosen by the judges based on choreography, professionalism, and creativity. Modern Conceptions of Dance and Mrs. Giglio, were also honored as
Starlight’s Regional Dance Studio Champions; receiving the highest score based on criteria such as: choreography and technique. In 2004, Mrs. Giglio choreographed a competition routine for the USM Southern Misses. She also choreographed a competition routine for the Our Lady of Prompt Succor Patriettes. During this time, Modern Conceptions of Dance was chosen as Kids Artistic Revue’s Studio Champions in the Secondary & Elite Levels. In 2005, Star Systems Competition awarded Modern Conceptions of Dance with a Second Place Overall Studio Award.
         In 2006, Mrs. Giglio choreographed and taught the audition routine for the 2006 NFL New Orleans
Saintsations, as well as participating in the judging of the preliminary and final auditions. In 2007, Mrs. Giglio
successfully continued her relationship with the 2007 NFL New Orleans Saint Saintsations. She has also managed to find time to assist St. Scholastica Academy in compiling a Captain’s routine for them to take to the American All-star Competition. In 2008, Mrs. Giglio had the pleasure to share with her students yet another successful competitive dance season, where both her, her faculty and students obtained several overall honors.
         During this past year, students traveled from parts of South Louisiana and Mississippi to attend Modern
Conceptions of Dance at the Covington location, as well as the new studio that opened this year in Chalmette. This past year has brought the studio many awards. The most dignified, being the Class Act Award. At NYCDA; she won Mini Critics’s Choice Award for “She Bop”, as well as 2 outstanding concept awards for “Superhero” and “Dreamcatcher”. At Hollywood Vibe, 4 of her dances were chosen for “Battle of the Stars” Finalist. At NUVO, “Blue Skies” was chosen as the studio pick. During this summer, Mrs. Giglio will be teaching modern classes at the Summer Solstice Dance Intensive in Gonzales, LA, as well as holding a Summer workshop at both the Covington and Chalmette studios.
         Although Mrs. Giglio’s personal qualifications, accomplishments, and successes are extensive, she has chosen to share these experiences with others through the application of dance as Owner/Director/Choreographer of Modern Conceptions of Dance; an area business providing an outstanding dance education program for children of all ages, over the past 11 years. Mrs. Giglio developed a comprehensive dance education program for novice and competitive dancers alike. This program continues to offer her students the opportunity to be involved in constructive and culturally enriched environments promoting the arts.
         In 2010-2011, Heather Nuckley Giglio will continue to enrich children of all ages by offering her extensive dance program, focusing on: ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, modern and hip-hop for all levels.