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Our faculty is made up of an ensemble of
experienced teachers and choreographers who will enrich the lives of their students through positive motivation and self-confidence.
Gloria Frances
(Director, Tap/Pre-school) has been professionally teaching for forty six years. Her students
have performed at the PNC Bank Center, Resorts International Hotel in Atlantic City and in hit musicals both on and off Broadway. Recently,
her students have appeared in commercials as well as hit TV shows. Her students have also been the recipients of
many awards, both regionally and nationally, including "Overall High Score," "Best Choreography,"
& "Best Precision" to name a few. In addition to the many awards her students have won, Gloria is proud
of her international recognition, having had her students invited to perform in Italy and China. Throughout the years, Gloria
has taught Master Classes for such organizations as the Miami Valley Dance Teachers Association, Dance Educators of America,
Dance Teachers Club of Boston, The Louisiana Chapter of Dance Masters of America, & The Professional Dance Teachers Association.
She has also been a member of Dance Olympus, where she has toured throughout the country furthering the education of dance
teachers. Gloria is currently a member of Dance Educators of America.
Stefania Alves (Jazz/Lyrical) celebrates
her 30th year teaching dance. Realizing her love for dance at an early age, Stefania joined our staff right out high school
at the age of 18! Over the years, her outstanding choreography has won her numerous awards at both local and national competitions.
She has also been the assistant choreographer on many high school productions including, West Side Story, Pippin, Grease and
Chicago. Mira Bogicevic (Ballet/Pointe)
joined our staff 14 years ago direct from the Academy of
Ballet in Belgrade. Over the years, Mira toured with the Belgrade Ballet Company and performed for Schmid productions under
the direction of Billy Williams in Berlin, Munich and Geneva. She has appeared in many TV shows which aired throughout Germany,
Austria and Switzerland. Jessica DeMarco (Tap/Jazz/Ballet)
celebrates her third season as a faculty member! A graduate of Kutztown University, Jess majored in Dance Management,
where she choreographed the Spring concerts. She was also President of the Dance Team. If Jessica looks familiar she should!
She was a student of Gloria's for many years and was an award winning member of the Dance Edition. Ryan Kasprzak (Tap) can be seen on the fall season of "So You Think You Can Dance!"
Ryan continues
to create new work with Parallel Exit: Physical Comedy Theater. Their show Cut to the Chase was
nominated for a Drama Desk Award and This Way, That Way prompted the NY Times to say Kasprzak, “can get laughs simply by breathing.” Time Step, their new comic
tap musical opens at the Joyce SoHo this fall. Ryan appeared with Tony Award winner Sutton Foster in Broadway
Under the Stars recorded live in Central Park for CBS television and was nominated
for a 2006 New York Innovative Theater Award for Outstanding Choreography.
He performed in the rock and roll tap dance spectacular Revolution at the Joyce Theatre and was dance captain
for the International Tour of Fosse. Ryan has been honored to perform with such legendary entertainers
as Liza Minelli, Ann Reinking, Ben Vereen, Gregory Hines, Jimmy Slyde, and the Nicholas Brothers. He is
part of the resident faculty at the esteemed Broadway Theatre Project. Lara Luzim (HipHop/Contemporary) weaves urban and contemporary styles together in an
unapologetic and organic way that bends the rules of dance. Having grown up in Florida, she has had the opportunity
to infuse sun, sand and water into her creative process. She attended Dillard High School for the Performing
Arts and trained with Magda Aunon, Mia Michaels and Dimitrius Klein. She was also given the privilege to teach and cultivate
choreography in the greater South Florida area at the tender age of 14. In addition she studied at Jacobs
Pillow, Gus Giordano and Alvin Ailey as well as being youngest dancer to attend American Dance Festival. She studied with
choreographers such as Milton Myers, James Truit, Frank Hatchet and companies such as Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and
Pilaboulus. Lara also became a nationally award winning dancer accumulating titles from major competitions. She
then began working professionally in Florida for small dance companies and Spanish television. Lara is an alumni of N.Y.U
Tisch School of the Arts. Her credits include appearances on MTV, NYC Summerstageh, independent films, music videos and off
Broadway productions such as “On Caring for the Beast.” She has danced and performed with Mark Dendy, Jennifer
Archibald, Jamale Graves and Doug Varon, Doug Elkins Deborah Jowitt, Sean Curran and many more that influenced her life and
art. She is also a producer creating events like “Rip Tides” and “Cut Loose,” showcasing
her choreography and other up and coming artists. Since 2002, Lara has served as Artistic Director of Lara Luzim Dance. Her
productions have been reviewed as a “feast for the eyes, brilliant, and fiercely dynamic." Jason Marquette (Tap/Musical Theater) begins his first season with us! He holds a BFA in
Musical Theater from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He is currently on faculty at numerous studios in New York
and NJ. Jason's choreography has been showcased in New York City as well as Philadelphia, and will make it's international
debut in Helsinki, Finland this summer. He has been performing professionally all over the United States for the past 11 years.
His credits include The Broadway National Tour of 42nd Street, The Musical
(original cast), Crazy For You and Anything Goes at the Westchester Broadway Theater; Music Man,
Mame and My Fair Lady at the Music Circus in Sacramento, CA; Swing, The Musical at North
Shore Music Theater in Beverly, MA; On Your Toes at The Cape Playhouse in Dennis, MA; Beauty and the
Beast at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fl; and Dance Dance Dance at Hershey Park in Hershey, PA. Jason has taught Master Classes and has adjudicated in all major cities all across the country such as
New York, Philadelphia, Dallas and Orlando.
Christan O'Neill (Jazz/Tap/Pre-School) enjoys her ninth year as a full-time faculty member. Christan
began her dance training with Gloria, and holds the honor of being one the first "Dance Edition" members.
Over the years as a member of the "Dance Edition", she was the recipient of many awards including "Top
Soloist" at various competitions both regionally as well as nationally. Christan continues her dance education from
various teachers in NYC and when not dancing is busy planning for her wedding! Her gracefulness along with her dedication
in the field of dance makes her one of our more popular teachers!
Dante Puleio(Jazz/Contemporary) bio
coming soon!
Jacqui Tookmanian(Tap/Pre-School) is one outstanding tapper! Jacqui started her dance education with Gloria at the age of
4 and continues her dance education with several teachers in NYC. While a student here, Jacqui was a member of the "Dance
Edition" where she was the recipient of many awards including the special "3 C's Award" (Clear, Clean &
Crisp) for her excellence in Tap. When Jacqui is not teaching here at the studio, you can find her in a board room in
the offices of the Freedom Tower in NY. Jacqui is civil engineer who is working on the plans for the Freedom Tower. She holds
a BA in Civil Engineering and is currently attending school to receive her Masters Degree. An incredibly talented and smart
young woman, we are thrilled to have her as a faculty member. Erica Zisa
(Ballet/Pre-School) began dancing with Gloria at the age of three. Known to
us as our "Prima Ballerina," Erica has performed in many dance productions including the Nutcracker with the
New Jersey Ballet Theatre group. Erica holds her Bachelors Degree in Communications with a dance minor from Montclair State
University. She also received her teaching certification where in addition to teaching dance, she is a
middle school teacher in North Haledon.
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