Faculty

May 5th - I'm a Cinco de Mayo baby!

Jayme Wappel trained at CC & Company Dance Complex in Raleigh, NC and graduated from Point Park University with a B.A. in Dance. Favorite Credits: Finding Neverland (1st National Tour, Swing/Dance Captain); West Side Story (Paper Mill); Guys & Dolls (Goodspeed); Mary Poppins, Starlight Express (Tuacahn Amphitheater); Yo, Vikings! (Pittsburgh Playhouse); Royal Caribbean (aerialist).

Owner and Director,

Director of Elementary & Teen Programs,

Artistic Director of MDC

Jazz

Ballet

Musical Theatre

a dolphin trainer!

June 10

Eileen began her training in Virginia, where she learned various styles of dance at a plethora of studios. Upon graduating high school, Eileen moved to NYC to study at Joffrey Ballet School as a Jazz and Contemporary Trainee. In 2018 she also completed Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester, and has since enjoyed working as a dance and fitness instructor and as an extra on several t.v. shows and music videos.

Artistic Manager, Client Experience Director, 

Dance Instructor

Jazz

Musical Theatre

Hip Hop

a marine biologist!

Noreen has over a decade of experience teaching ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and acrobatics in a recreational setting. Additionally, she is an award winning choreographer who has been recognized on the regional level for her work with competitive jazz dancers and acrobats!

Dance Instructor

Acro

Preschool Classes

a Radio City Rockette!

May 9th

Tyler is a Connecticut native and received his BFA in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he also completed an independent study of Pedagogy and Musical Collaboration within the Graduate Dance Department. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of the ArtsGarden, a grassroots collaborative arts organization, and is a cohort of the Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum-in-Motion® Institute. He is a five year veteran of the STREB Extreme Action Company, and teaches a wide variety of dance and aerial arts classes all around the tristate area. 

Dance Instructor

Ballet

Pointe

Partnering

a wizard. (It hasn’t happened…..YET!)

Giuliana has been dancing for 15+ years and has danced competitively for 8 years. She has worked alongside industry-leading choreographers and has received amazing opportunities such as a spot in Chloe Arnold’s tap piece in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She is currently a member of the United States of America Tap Team and is excited to compete a trio, small group, and formation in the IDO world tap dance championships in Riesa, Germany in the fall! Giuliana is continuing her dance education at Sacred Heart University where she received both a performance and presidential scholarship. 

Dance Instructor

Tutus & Tappers Monday (Ballet/Tap)

Beginner Jazz

Beginner Tap 1

Beginner Tap 2

Teen/Adult Tap

Int/Adv Tap

a Radio City Rockette!

March 22

Bella grew up and trained in multiple styles of dance on Long Island. She started choreographing for her high school’s dance company at the age of 14 and has been teaching ever since. Bella currently attends Sacred Heart University where she studies Media Arts with a concentration in the Performing Arts and a minor in Dance. She is a proud member of the SHU Dance Company and continues to widen her dance education, learning from professional dancers and choreographers from around the world every day.

Dance Instructor

Tutus & Tappers Saturday (Ballet/Tap)

Me & My Mini Me

a figure skater!

August 5

Wendy has over 20 years of dance and choreography experience in Latin, Hip Hop, and other social dance and street dance styles! She was the choreographer for Dance Desire Squad for 10 years in Norwalk, CT and Norwalk High School’s Cheerleading Team. She has been teaching Latin Dance since High School and has performed in the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City, Bridgeport, and Norwalk for many years. As a Puerto Rican, Latin culture is a huge part of who she is, and she’s excited to share it with the MDA Community!

Dance Instructor

Latin Fusion

an actress!

October 12th

Hannah grew up in New York where she trained for 15+ year in various styles including contemporary, jazz, lyrical, ballet, tap, and hip hop while also dancing competitively for 12 years. Each year, Hannah has participated in many performances including recitals, the Nutcracker, etc. Hannah is currently a student at Sacred Heart University where in addition to her Business management major, she is also minoring in dance and an active member of the SHU Dance Company. 

Dance Instructor

Contemporary

Hip Hop

performing on Broadway!

Heather's dance training includes; the Performing Arts Center of CT (now Rockwell Dance Center) in Trumbull, Joffrey Ballet School's Summer Intensive (2009), Muhlenberg College (BA in Dance Choreography), as well as the Accademia dell' Arte Summer Intensive in Arezzo, Italy where she trained mostly in modern, contemporary and contact improvisation. She currently teaches at multiple dance studios in CT, choreographs and performs with The Parker Project (a non-profit dance company in Trumbull), and holds her own workshops and master classes using movement and dance as a unique form of holistic health coaching.

Dance Instructor

An artist of some kind!

September 4th

Erika began dancing at the age of 13, before that she was all about basketball and learning karate which she had done since she was 6. Erika attended Joffrey Ballet School instead of college for 2 years. While working with several ballet and modern dance companies, Erika joined Dynamic Rockers as a BGirl, which led to her being signed to MSA and working many commercial dance jobs to this day.

Dance Instructor

Hip Hop,  Lyrical/Contemporary, Pointe 

A knee surgeon!

Joey recently graduated with a BFA in Commercial Dance from Pace University. At Pace, he has trained under Rhonda Miller, Scott Jovovich, and Jess Hendricks, among others, and also performed in works including Paul Taylor’s “Company B”. Joey has worked at several theme parks with RWS Entertainment Group including HersheyPark! 

Dance Instructor

Tap, Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet, Acro and more!

A Disney Imagineer!

March 25th

Dance became a big part of my life my senior year in High School after my best friend and I created our first dance crew together. During college I strived for dance to become a profession while working on my degree. The same year I received my associates degree I was accepted into the Motivating Excellence Program with Rhapsody James in LA where I got signed to Clear talent Group who till this day represents me as a dancer. I left to LA a few days after my graduation which is where I lived for a while before moving back home to CT to teach. 

Dance Instructor

Hip Hop, Breakdance 

I didn’t like dance until I was 18. I made a promise to myself after I didn’t attend my Junior prom because I felt I was going to embarrass myself. Which is why during my senior year I while learn to dance. So I started learning from Koreans on YouTube and now the rest is history. 

April 18th

Born and raised in Clintondale, NY, Jared started dancing at the age of three starting with Tap. He then went on to Graduate from Pace University NYC with a degree in Commercial Dance BFA in 2019, and is now the creator of Capture The Tap, an art installation project, is signed with MSA talent Agency, is a company member of; Caleb Teicher & Co., The Dolo Project, Project Convergence, and is also an Artist in Residence at the American Tap Dance Foundation. Jared currently resides in NYC.

Dance Instructor

Tap

I love carbs!