Joslyn Stewart Joslyn Stewart-Carter graduated from Suny Purchase in 1997 with a BFA in Dance Performance. In 1996, she performed internationally with the Moeketsi Koena Dance Company, based in the Netherlands, and with the Anna Schrefl Co. CIE, based in Austria. She continued with the Anna Schrefl Co. CIE until 1998. She then began performing and collaborating in New York City with Nancy Bannan. From 1998-2000, Joslyn performed in Boston with the Nicola Hawkins Dance Company and also with Perla Joy Furr as part of the Choreographers Group. Her choreography has been recognized at both regional and national competitions. As an adjunct to her modern training, Joslyn is certified in yoga. |
Meli Currie: Managing Director
Meli Currie received her early training with the KDS Dance Company and the Hackworth School of Performing Arts. She earned her BA in Dance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and studied within the five colleges under Kenneth Lipitz, Andrea Watkins, Adrienne Hawkins, and Terese Freedman. She was the captain of the UMass dance team, ranking in the Top 5 for Division I schools. She received full scholarships for programs including; the Trainee Program at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City, the Walnut Hill Summer Dance Program, Hartford School of Ballet, the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, Hollywood, California, and the Luigi’s Dance Center in New York City.
Ashly Damaso: Studio Administrator
Ashly Damaso joins JLDC as both a teacher and studio administrator. Ashly holds a Bachelor of Art degree in Dance Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is a graduate of the Dance Teacher's Club of Boston affiliated with the American Society's dance teacher preparatory program. As an undergraduate, Ashly studied with and performed under master teachers Billbob Brown, Sam Kenney, and Paul Dennis. As a member of the five college consortium, Ashly choreographed for Emerging Choreographers Series and performed in Alive with Dance, Emerging Choreographers Series and the Amherst College Performance Project in Amherst, MA. Ashly teaches Jazz, Tap, Playdance and Pre-Ballet to JLDC students ranging in age from 2-18. The most rewarding and challenging aspect of working creatively with kids for Ashly is seeing how much they can achieve and learn at every age level.
Kathy Encarnação
Kathy Encarnação graduated from Rutgers University with a BFA in Modern Dance. She also trained in ballet, tap and jazz at the Clark Center and Broadway Dance Center in New York. Kathy's teaching career began in New York City at the Little Theatre in Brooklyn where she taught ballet, tap and jazz starting at the pre-school level. Cathy's love for her pre-school students earned her the highest of praise among parents and fellow faculty there. As a dancer onboard Princess Cruises , Kathy sailed to Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. As dance Captain Kathy staged production pieces including Evita, 42nd Street and Phantom of the Opera. Prior to teaching children's dance, Kathy traveled extensively throughout the United States and Japan as a dancer and later as Dance Captain with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus . While there she also assisted the director in staging its "1987 CBS Circus Special " starring Barbara Mandrell.
Ellen Frank
Bio coming soon
Seo Yeon Hong
Sy is a native Korean. She began her training by audition in the State Ballet School of Korea studying various classical ballet methods under Judy Shelter, Roy Tobious, and Genia Melikova among others. Sy came to the U.S. by way of a Julliard scholarship and later earned her MA in dance and dance education from the Steinhardt School at New York University. She has performed professionally as a solo dancer and with major dance companies in New York and South Korea. Currently, she is a member of American Academy of Ballet and the National Dance Education Organization. Sy has taught classical ballet and contemporary classes, and has choreographed for both competitive and non-competitive ballet students for over 12 years. In addition, for several years Sy has conducted and taught in NYC's American Academy of Ballet Performance Award program under the distinguished, award winning Ballet master Mignon Furman. Sy continues to demonstrate for the Royal Academy of Dance Program, an internationally recognized graded syllabus program of dance education for ballet students. Sy joins JLDC as an accomplished veteran of the dance world.
Maria La Rossa
Maria is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from Salem State College with a BA in English and minors in Dance. While attending the college, she was President, Vice President and Secretary of the Repertory Dance Theatre, a recipient of the Presidential Arts Scholarship in Dance and the Creativity Award, received an Irene Ryan Scholarship Nomination in Theatre and also received the award for "Best Actress" of 2005. Along with teaching, Maria has performed in numerous productions, such as Children of a Lesser God (Sarah Norman), Cinderella (Cinderella) and A Chorus Line (Judy Turner). This past summer, Maria was the choreographer for the professional musical production of The Return to the Forbidden Planet and just completed her run in the professional production of I Hate Hamlet, playing the role of Dierdre McDavey.
Vittoria O’Neill
Vittoria O'Neill received her early training in Jazz, Modern, Tap and Ballet were at The Academy of Dance Arts in Norwood, Massachusetts. She completed her Bachelors Degree in Dance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in three years. After college, she chose to dedicate her dance career to teaching. From 1995-2003 she was the ballet mistress at The Academy of Dance Arts. Vittoria teaches all levels of classical ballet and directs the ballet excel program at JLDC.
Jen Pinard: Creative Supervisor
Jen has been dancing since age 2. She studied at the Hackworth School of Performing Arts as well as the Pioneer Valley School of Ballet. Jen has won many regional titles at numerous dance competitions around New England which has afforded her the opportunity to study with contemporary dance greats such as Dan Karaty, Mia Michaels, Michelle Assaf, Joe Lanteri, Joey Dowling and Mandy Moore. She has also performed with Dan Karaty for the past four years in the Off Broadway production of "Shake the Floor". Jen was a performer in Mia Miachaels' production "Mia Live" in New York City. Most recently, Jen danced in Boston's production of "Cabaret" with the Majestic Theater.
Lauren Waslick
Lauren Waslick has been dancing since the age of three at the Hackworth School of Performing Arts where she was trained in tap, ballet, jazz, hip-hop and contemporary. She has competed in various competitions at the both the regional and national level. In 2006, Lauren attended the week long tap intensive Shake –N- Break in New York City where she performed in their off-broadway production. She has also performed in Tapestry, a show to celebrate National Tap Dance day. Lauren was selected in 2008 to be a member of the U.S.A. tap team and traveled to Riesa, Germany where she and her teammates competed against more than 30 other countries. Lauren and her partner received 6th place in the duo category. She was also privileged to be in a small group that achieved the silver medal. She will be returning to Germany on the USA team again this year. Lauren is also a member of the Boston Tap Company, and with them has performed at Rhythm in the Night, the Topsfield Fair, the New England Urban Music Awards, and at the Regent Theatre for Tapestry. Lauren currently attends Boston University and is the secretary of their only tap group, BU on Tap.
Teaching Opportunities, Please send us your resume!