Owner/Director & Instructor – Pre-Dance, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, and Teams

With over twenty-seven years of dance training, Katie has studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, musical theater, acro-jazz, and hip hop.  She has trained at several studios throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Virginia and continues her training by taking classes and seminars throughout New England.  She has had the opportunity to take classes from master instructors such as Rhee and Rennie Gold, Andy Blankenbuehler, Rhonda Miller, Joe Lanteri, A.C. Ciulla, and Drika Overton among others.

Katie began sharing her love of dance first as an assistant instructor at the age of 13, and was bitten by the choreographer-bug at the age of 16 – when she first competed her own choreography.  She has since had the opportunity to teach and choreograph not only for recreational classes and competitive dance teams, but also area school productions and pageant competitors.  She has instructed for several studios in New Hampshire and her students have performed her award-winning choreography all over New England receiving prestigious platinum awards and many have even been invited to dance on national teams.

Katie is a member of the National Dance Association, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport.  In addition to dance, Katie is also a 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher and was a Certified Group Fitness Instructor with both the American Council on Exercise and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.  She received her AA and BA from Southern New Hampshire University, where she is currently enrolled in a graduate program .  In June of 2008, after several years as an instructor at DIDC, Katie became the proud new owner and director of Dance Innovations Dance Center.

Enrichment Coordinator & Instructor – Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Lyrical, and Modern

Sarah began dancing at the age of 3. Sarah received the majority of her dance training at Kerry’s Dance Center where she studied many types of dance including tap, jazz, acro, ballet, pointe, modern and hip hop.  Sarah also was a member of the senior dance team at Kerry’s Dance Center for two seasons where she was invited to perform at the PSU Dance Premier.  She has also performed with the award-winning Extreme Cheer Hip Hop Dance Team.

Sarah continues her training by taking classes and seminars all over New England.  She attended the Plymouth State University Winter Dance Intensive several times where she had the opportunity to take master dance classes with Joan Weigers, Amanda Schiller and Megan Hiltz just to name a few.  Sarah has traveled into Boston to continue taking master classes with Jeanette Neill and she has attended the New England Region American College Dance Festival where she was able to take a variety of classes from teachers including Martha Myers, Bebe Miller, Bilbob Brown, Adele Myers and Ann Ross.

Sarah received her Dance Education Certificate and Associates Degree in Dance Education from Northern Essex Community College.  Sarah currently teaches for other local studios and Dance Innovations is proud to have Sarah back for her third season as a staff instructor and her first as our new Enrichment Coordinator!

Instructor – Acro, Cheerdance, and Hip Hop

Kasey began dance and cheer at the age of five.  She has studied ballet, lyrical, jazz, acro, hip hop and modern at several studios including Dance Works, Attitudes, Kerry’s Dance Center, and Dance Visions Network.  She cheered throughout her school years and in college, was not only a varsity cheerleader, but also a member of the Southern New Hampshire Dance Team.

Kasey continues to take classes under different instructors and learn different styles such as Bollywood, popping, and African dance to help expand her dance repertoire.  Currently a graduate student at Southern New Hampshire University, she also holds a degree in Sport and Event Management.  And amidst her busy schedule, Kasey is back for a second season on staff here at Dance Innovations – and we’re very happy to have her!

Team DIDC Coordinator & Instructor – Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Cheerdance, Contemporary, and Teams

Jamie has been dancing since the age of 10.  She began and received most of her training at Laurie Lanouette’s Dance Connections in Salem, NH.  There she studied in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Modern.  She was also an assistant instructor for the Cheerdance classes.  While at LLDC, she competed and performed throughout New England.  During her senior year of high school, she was a member of the Salem High Advanced Dance Team.

For the past five years, Jamie has continued her training by taking classes and seminars across New England, including Modern and Hip Hop Master Classes at Jeanette Neil’s in Boston, MA.  She has attended both the Mid-Atlantic and the New England Regions of the American College Dance Festival for the past three years.  There, she had the opportunity to study with such greats as Martha Myers, Adele Myers, Billbob Brown, Duffy Young, Ann Ross, Kristin Horrigan, and Janet Sanderson to name a few.

Jamie received both her Associates Degree in Dance as well as her Certificate in Dance Education from Northern Essex Community College.  Dance Innovations is excited to have Miss Jamie to as part of the team for her second season!

Office Assistant/Instructor

Allie began dancing at the age of 3 and started gymnastics shortly thereafter.  She received the majority of her dance training from Kerry’s Dance Center where she studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, and Hip Hop.  She also competed regionally with the KDC Dance Team.  Allie also danced with the Salve Regina University’s dance club and continues her dance training now at UNH, DIDC, and throughout New England taking master classes and seminars.

Allie was also a competitive gymnast.  She trained with Gym Ken in Windham, NH and was a member of NH State Champion Pinkerton Academy Gymnastic Team for four years.   She has been a gymnastics coach for the past few years at Action Kids Athletics in Brentwood, NH and is currently a senior at the University of New Hampshire.

No stranger to DIDC, we’re happy to have Allie as part of the DIDC Staff!

JJ Heald

Instructor – Ballet, Pointe, Modern, and Tap

At the age of three, JJ began her dance training at York Dance Academy, where she trained in Ballet, Jazz, Pointe, and Modern.  She received her B.A. in Dance at Dean College, where she studied Ballet, Modern (Horton, Limon, and Dunham technique), Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Tap, as well as Pedagogy, Dance History, Film Survey in Dance, Dance Composition, and Creative Movement.  At Dean, JJ had the opportunity to study under master dance instructors including Broadway Choreographer, Luis Salgado, and various instructors of the acclaimed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Currently, JJ continues her dance training by taking classes locally.  She also performs and choreographs with the Portland-based dance company, Vivid Motion.  Dance Innovations is very excited for Miss JJ join the staff for the 2011-2012 season!