AVIS HATCHER-PUZZO is the founder and director of Koffee Dance Company (KDC).  A native of Connecticut, "Ms. Avis" is the Associate Professor of Dance at Fayetteville State University.  She holds a BA in Dance/Theater from Trinity College, an MFA in Theater Arts and Dance from Case Western Reserve University and a MS in Higher Education from Capella University.  Professor Hatcher-Puzzo has trained in Horton, Cunningham and Graham dance techniques as well as African, hip-hop and various styles of jazz. She studied with Judy Dworin, Garth Fagan, Clay Taliaferro, Darius Hockman, Ned Williams and Kathryn Karipides. 

Avis Hatcher-Puzzo’s choreography has been presented at NC State Ballet, the NC Museum of History, NC State University, NC Central University, Black College Dance Exchange in 2012 and 2014, and extensively in Fayetteville, NC.  At FSU, Ms. Avis created a Minor in Dance for the university and developed the FSU Dance Ensemble, a touring dance company for the Performing and Fine Arts department.  In 2014, in collaboration with the FSU Dance Ensemble (FSUDE) , Koffee Dance Company developed a new show entitled Civil Rights and the Hip-hop Generation: Looking Back, Moving Forward, the presentation is a comparative look at the 1960-70’s, and today incorporating dance, spoken word, film and music.  Additionally she has performed in the knightworks production Eurydice Descended and is the choreogrpaher for Burning Coal Theater's The Wiz.