COOKIE MALY -  Cookie comes from a very talented family. Her father was an acrobatic/dancer touring the United States and her mother performed musical theatre throughout the country. After graduation, she continued to study dance in New York City to further her knowledge as a teacher of performing arts. She is an active member of Dance Educators of America and is currently serving on their Board of Directors. Being an affiliate of the two top management services for children, several of her young students have appeared in Broadway shows, Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular, Regional Theater, Dinner Theaters, TV commercials, Cruise Ships, Dance Fashion Magazine and Industrial Trade Shows. Cookie has made it possible for her advanced level students to study abroad several years ago in London, England.  Her students enjoyed the Creative Master class Workshop sponsored by Cameron Macintosh.  She has also accompanied her students to Gainsville, Florida, for three years as they studied and performed at the Summer Dance Institute at Santa Fe College.  In September of 2005,  10 students were invited to perform at the Beijing International Dance Festival in Beijing, China.  We are proud to have been chosen as one of six studios in the country, to represent the United States in this 6th annual festival, featuring 33 countries around the world.  Cookie was also honored to be selected as the consultant for the American Dance Team that competed in Cesena, Italy, in June 2003.  A few years ago 12 students performed in their first International show in the Dominican Republic.  Since then, many students have returned to perform their talents at the Superclub Breezes Resort, in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.  Cookie is honored to be an adjudicator and head judge for many regional and national dance competitions.

ELENA GUTIERREZ - Elena is thoroughly enjoying teaching at Stagelite Centre!  Elena appeared as a featured dancer with Savion Glover in The Public Sings, the Public Theater's 50th anniversary celebration in Manhattan.  Other favorite credits include: A Chorus Line (Diana), Crazy For You (Polly), Street Scene (Mae), and The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy).  Recent choreography credits include Christ Superstar starring Constantine Maroulis and Honk! at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA.  Also, Elena sang the National Anthem for the Boston Red Sox and will be a featured dancer in Julie Taymor's upcoming film Across the Universe.  Elena graduated Cum Laude from the Boston Conservatory with a BFA in Musical Theatre and is a proud member of Actor's Equity.

 KELLI BARCLAY - On Broadway, Kelli has performed in "State Fair" and "Ain't Broadway Grand." In both of these shows,  she served as Dance Captain and Assistant Choreographer. "Ain't Broadway Grand" received a Tony nomination for Best Choreography. She and the cast of "State Fair" performed live for the nationally televised Tony Awards in 1996. Kelli's national tours include "State Fair," "Singin' In The Rain," "Cabaret," and "Hello Dolly." Kelli was one of the ten original members who worked on the Fosse Project in New York City with Gwen Verden. Kelli teaches and choreographs for dance conventions and dance companies nationwide. She co-choreographs industrials, with Joe lstre, for Merle Norman and Midas Mufflers annually. Her full length ballet, having been featured in "Dance Teacher Now," was chosen to close the National Association of Regional Ballet Festival. She choreographed two musicals for the Surflight Theater. She was assistant choreographer for the Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular. Most recently, she was assistant choreographer of "Do Re Me" starring Nathan Lane at the acclaimed "Encores" Series at City Center.

  JULIE LIRA - Julie was originally brought to New York City to be part of the prestigious Alvin Ailey School. She then went on to dance in such musical hits as "Phantom of the Opera," "Annie Get Your Gun," and "West Side Story." She also danced her way across your television screen appearing on the 25th Anniversary Tony Awards, The Bob Hope Show, the half-time celebration of The Cotton Bowl, and in many commercials. She was also a part of the Anniversary Tour of Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Most recently, she appeared on Broadway in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, "State Fair" and was also assistant director to Randy Skinner. She again assisted Mr. Skinner in the workshop production "Abby's Song," on Broadway. She was hand-picked by Ann Reinking to assist her with her MTP Musical Theater Project in Florida. Julie has choreographed and taught nationwide specializing in children's work. Her extensive training began seriously as one of the youngest asked to attend San Francisco's Ballet School. She directed and choreographed a full production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" as well as "The Sound of Music" at Surflight Theatre in Long Beach Island, NJ.

  MICHELE DIAZ - Michele studied as a Dance Major at Montclair State University. She was the 1985 United States National All- Around Gymnastic Champion, a title that Mary Lou Retton won four years prior. Michele became a member of "Antigravity," a dance and gymnastic company based in New York City. She appeared in the Radio City Music Hall's Easter Show for two years. She also performed in several industrials around the country and performed in the "Stay in School Jam" with the Harlem Globetrotters. This lead her to a successful run of "Peter Pan" at the Paper Mill Playhouse and several television commercials, For the past several years, she has continued to study dance in London, England and New York City. Michele is one of the choreographers for the Stagelite Dance Company and has been awarded numerous honors for her unique and creative choreography.

WENDY STEIN - Wendy began her studies in classical ballet technique with Andre Eglevsky and has since studied with such ballet masters as Wilson Morelli, Robert Joffrey and Finis Jhung.  She extended her ballet disciplines to include jazz with Bob Audy, Luigi and Lynn Simonson and soon became a gifted student at the Martha Graham School.  Through out her career, Wendy has given many performances and concert in New York City as well as performing in Europe, Asia, South America and Central America.  Wendy's teaching experience is also national and international.  This includes various colleges and university dance departments across the country and campuses in Bruges, Belgium, Brussels, Belgium and Vichy, France.  After spending many years as a staff teacher for the New School in NYC and as a principal soloist in the Larry Richardson Dance Company, Wendy has now focused on full time teaching and also travels to many cities in the United States to judge competitions and conduct workshops and master classes.

BORIS LEVIN- Boris received his formal ballet training from the Bolshoi Ballet, in Russia, from, P. Pestov, Ballet Master.  Boris appeared as soloist for the Bolshoi Ballet, Moiseyev Dance Company and the Sankin Dance Company, all in Russia.  In the United States, Boris was the principal dancer for the Don Cossack Company at Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center.  His teaching credits include 6 years as Ballet Master with the Irine Fokine Ballet School as well as the Principal dancer with the Fokine Dance Company.  Boris was the founder of the Verona Ballet School being the ballet master for advanced and professional students.  He was the artistic director and choreographer for full length ballets, many with original choreography.  Boris has extended his teaching to folkdance and ballroom instruction.  Boris has also choreographed several shows in the musical theatre field.  His work for "Guys and Dolls" was nominated for five NJACT Awards.

MICHAEL SCHULSTER - Mike graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA degree and has taught all over the world.  His unique style fuses tap dance and rock n' roll.  He has performed with Gregory Hines and Brenda Buffalino and has studied with Savior Glover and Buster Brown.  Michael toured Europe as a soloist in the show "FIRE OF DANCE".  At the age of 15, he was offered a contract in the off-Broadway show "TAP DOGS".  He has performed at the international Goodwill Games as well as the 2000 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden.  In addition, he has done choreography for Hilton Hotels, American Express and Showtime Cable Network.  Michael can be seen in E*TRADE'S Superbowl commercial campaign entitled "I WANNA DANCE".  He is also a faculty member for New York City Dance Alliance and he has taught at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway.

CHARISSE PAGAN - Charisse Pagan is a graduate of the High School of Performing Arts in New York City.  She has studied on full scholarship with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Broadway Dance Center, Ballet Hispanico School of Dance and the Joffrey Ballet School.  At the age of 17 she was accepted to the Ballet Hispanico Junior Company and toured the tri-state area.  Charisse has also worked as a Dancer/Entertainer for Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando Florida.  Charisse has also worked as a choreographer and back up dancer/singer for several Latin recording artists such as C&C Music Factory, Grupo Sancocho, and George Lamond.  She appeared in many Latin videos and has toured all over the world. Charisse continues her work as a choreographer/instructor for Children, teens and adults in the tri state area.

SHEENA DIMATTEO - Sheena DiMatteo grew up near Pittsburgh, PA as a competitive dancer and graduated from Point Park University with a B.A. in Dance. She has since danced aboard Holland America Cruiselines with Stiletto Entertainment, and has performed West Side Story, The Producers, 42^nd St!, and Contact through regional theatre. She recently was seen in the Off-Off Broadway Showcase, Crazy Head Space at New York’s Southstreet Seaport. She currently resides in Astoria, NY and adores teaching, choreographing, and leading Zumba classes!

MICHAEL RAINE - Originally from Boston, Michael has been dancing since he was 5 years old.  He has spent the past 4 years teaching dance at New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts as well as teaching at various private studios in the tri-state area.  He has choreographed productions of "The Pajama Game", "Gypsy" and "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown".  His credits also include choreographing for the Jewish Rep. Playwrights, Horizon and BC/EFA.  As a performer, Michael has toured the United States and Europe in Disney's "Beauty & The Beast", "West Side Story" and originated the of "SLIDE" in the American and Canadian premieres of the Australian tap dancing musical "Hot Shoe Shuffle."

TONY MANSKER - Most recently, Tony directed and choreographed FAME THE MUSICAL for the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.  Tony will return to the Tropicana in September 2009 with his production of FOOTLOOSE.  Tony served as Director/Choreographer for over 200 young actors in BYE BYE BIRDIE, for the Metropolitan Educational Theatre, aka MET 2, in Southern California. Other choreography credits include FOOTLOOSE at the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino , and THE WHO"S TOMMY for Surflight Theatre. Tony served as resident Ballet Teacher at Stagelite Center for Dance in NJ, as well as guest choreographer/teacher for many dance studios in NY and NJ including Camp Broadway, The Broadway Artists Alliance, New York Offstage, Gotta Dance Studios, and the Allegro Dance Academy.  While not working as a director and choreographer.  Tony is a proud original cast member of Disney and Cameron Mactintosh's smash hit MARY POPPINS.  Tony has performed in over eleven hundred performances of MARY POPPINS, Tony's previous theatrical credits include West Side Story (US and International Tours), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, 42nd Street, Singin' in the Rain (Cosmo), Footloose, Cabaret, Oklahoma, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow). Tony is a proud graduate of New York University's Tisch School for the Arts; BFA in Theatre.
 

AMY TENNANT ADAMS - Amy Tennant Adams was born and raised in Kinnelon, NJ and studied from a young age at Stagelite Centre of Performing Arts. She attended the Governor's School of the Arts for Dance and completed the CATS master workshop in London under the direction of Cameron Macintosh.  Amy graduated from Connecticut College with honors degrees in Dance and Human Development, where she was the recipient of the Connecticut College Dance Department Award and the Creative Dance Continuum Service Award. Amy has danced in the Beijing Cultural Arts Festival in China and performed her own work in Calcutta, India. In New York she has performed with Heidi Latsky, David Dorfman, Stefanie Nelson, Faith Pilger, Ellen Stokes Shadle, Erin Malley, Betsy Miller, Ani Javian, and is featured in a dance film by Diego Agull. Amy now lives in Brooklyn, and currently works with Regina Nejman and Company, with whom she toured twice to Brazil and performed at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.  She also dances with Valerie Green/ Dance Entropy, based in Long Island City.   She is the co-founder of the Propel-her Dance Collective, having presented her own choreography and produced three shows. Amy is Pilates mat certified and teaches dance and choreographs for children of all ages in Queens and New Jersey.