Carissa Bishop trained competitively under Charlene Topor, Cristina Topor, as well as her mother, Leah Bishop, at Empire Center of Dance in her hometown located in Upstate New York. Graduating from The College at Brockport, SUNY, receiving a BFA in Dance, Carissa had the opportunity to perform works by prominent contemporary choreographers: James Hansen, Laura Peterson, Jordan Lloyd, Cameron Mckinney, and continuously performs works by Madeline Kurtz of MKRep. Throughout her collegiate career, she performed and represented her college at the Rochester Fringe Festival and the American College Dance Association. She continues to perform in New York City and Tampa Bay Area. Carissa is also noted for her national title-winning choreography as a captain and choreographer of the Brockport Dance Team. Currently, she teaches and choreographs for numerous dance studios across the country, from New York to Florida. Carissa is a current company member of projectALCHEMY where she continues to invigorate and transform spaces in and around Saint Petersburg, Florida while coaching the dancers of the West Florida Dance Company!